December 2007 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

ANDE - ISS dual hop?
by Robert Bruninga 05 Dec '07

05 Dec '07

ANDE is catching up to ISS. Now at about 0100z on the 5th, ANDE's footprint is just touching ISS's. And ISS is on packet on 145.825 just like ANDE. Over the next several hours, ANDE will get closer to ISS and then move out in front. I suspect that ISS has no chance at hearing the weak ande, and ANDE might not hear ISS, but the best chance will be monitoring ANDE's downlink for any double hop packets via ISS. Since both spacecraft respond VIA ARISS, then a double hop packet might try the path UNPROTO APRS VIA ARISS,ARISS. A slightly more efficient path (shorter packet) might be APRS VIA WIDE2-2. See the ANDE-OPS web page: http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/ande-ops.html Good luck! Bob, WB4APR

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New items at the AMSAT Online Store
by Bruce 05 Dec '07

05 Dec '07

I have just added two new items to the AMSAT online store. LVB Tracker Box enclosure and LVB Tracker Bare Board with CD-ROM instructions and parts list They are located under hardware. Sorry the picture doesn't look so good. Will try to hook a larger image of it to the page. 73...bruce -- Bruce Paige, KK5DO AMSAT Director Contests and Awards ARRL Awards Manager (WAS, 5BWAS, VUCC), VE Houston AMSAT Net - Wed 0200z on W0KIE new satellite soon. Also streaming MP3 at http://www.amsatnet.com Latest satellite news on the ARRL Audio News http://www.arrl.org

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Re: AMSAT-BB Digest, Vol 2, Issue 762
by Clint Bradford 05 Dec '07

05 Dec '07

HRO Colorado has three 50' lengths of CableExperts 9913 w/PL-259 connectors as of 8:45am Pacific time. Clint Bradford, K6LCS 909-241-7666 -------------------------------------- Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666 - cell

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Re: AMSAT-BB Digest, Vol 2, Issue 762
by Clint Bradford 05 Dec '07

05 Dec '07

Didn't the original poster say that HRO didn't have this in stock? It shows 50' 9913 w/PL-259 as in stocl now - Wednesday. Clint Bradford, K6LCS 909-241-7666 -------------------------------------- Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666 - cell

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Columbus and the ARISS-EU antennas
by Gaston BERTELS 05 Dec '07

05 Dec '07

ARISS L/S-band patch antennas are fixed on MDPs (Meteorite Debris Panels) located on the nadir of Columbus, i.e. underneath the module. Most of the time, the vertical axis of Columbus is oriented to the center of the Earth and the ARISS antennas will be facing the Earth. Gaston Bertels, ON4WF

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STS122 with Columbus and the ARISS-EU antennas launch tomorrow
by Graham Shirville 05 Dec '07

05 Dec '07

Hi All, The ARISS-Europe L/S band antennas are now mounted on the outside of Columbus which is safely located in the cargo bay of Shuttle Atlantis prior to its scheduled launch tomorrow. The flight will be covered by NASA-TV as usual and their 150kb video stream is also available over the internet. For this flight ESA are also relaying the program(me) over the Atlantic Bird 1 satellite for viewers in Europe who have a FTA satellite system. Details from ESA are given below. As the antennas are on the "bottom" of Atlantis they will not become visible until it has been completely removed from the cargo bay prior to mating it with the Harmony module of the ISS during the first EVA on flight day 4. Exciting times! 73 Graham G3VZV The next Shuttle mission to the ISS, STS-122 with European astronauts > Leopold Eyharts and Hans Schlegel on board, has now been confirmed for > launch at 21.31 GMT on 6 December from Kennedy Space Centre, Florida. It > will carry the European Columbus laboratory into orbit, establishing > Europe as a full partner in the operation and utilisation of man's > permanent science outpost in space. > > ESA TV will provide re-broadcast of NASA TV for the following key events: > > Wednesday 5 Dec 2007, 17:50 - 19:00 GMT (Sat coordinates below): Briefing > from KSC with ESA and NASA mission managers on Columbus mission and 1st > ATV mission. > > Thursday 6 Dec 2007, 16:25 - 22:00 GMT (Sat coordinates below): Full relay > of NASA TV coverage of pre-launch events and launch (scheduled at 21:31 > GMT). > > Monday 10 Dec 2007: Columbus module 1st ingress (scheduled at 22:06 GMT). > > Wednesday 12 Dec 2007: Mission inflight call (scheduled at 14:51 GMT) with > German Chancellor Angela Merkel and ESA DG Jean Jacques Dordain (Eyharts > and Schlegel plus mission commanders participating) > > Friday 14 Dec 2007: Joint Crew News Conference (scheduled at 16:31 GMT). > > Monday 17 Dec 2007: Landing (scheduled at 17:29 GMT). > > Also, daily mission highlights will be re-broadcast from NASA (starting > Fri 7 Dec at 06:00 GMT). > > Further announcements/timings will follow with full detail of launch day > coverage and all further events. > > > > All NASA TV programming is subject to last-minute changes. We will do our > best to deliver late advisory/updates in the event of changing schedules. > > The line-up time for all these SCPC feeds will be 5 minutes > > > More background information can be found on: > http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ > > Satellite coordinates for Weds 5 Dec and Thurs 6 Dec: > > Eutelsat Atlantic Bird 1 (AB1) at 12.5degW, Transponder F5, Channel C, F = > 12642.75MHz, Pol = horizontal,SR = 6.1113 Ms/s, FEC = 3/4, signal MPEG2 > 4:2:0 in the clear > > For events after launch - please see further announcements. > > For the latest transmission schedule, go to http://television.esa.int.

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More: -Young Graduate Trainee opportunites
by Graham Shirville 05 Dec '07

05 Dec '07

I have just spotted a plethora of job opportunities at ESA for Young Graduate Trainees. These are open to students from most European countries and Canada. They include a number with a strong relationship with communications/radio systems ...... http://www.esa.int/hr/ygt.htm They maybe of interest to some of our young BB subscribers:) 73 Graham G3VZV

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Re: Where can I buy pre-made feedline?
by Rick Mann 05 Dec '07

05 Dec '07

On Dec 4, 2007, at 10:30 PM, kj6ko wrote: > I don't blame you. I quit trying to solder connectors with an iron > long ago. I use a small culniary torch. Quick and I bought a butane torch (a small one, like the culinary one you mentioned). I can't seem to make it work any better than the electric iron I was trying to use. Sigh. > clean! I'm sure someone mentioned Pasternack or RF Parts. They > sell assembled coax. I'll look up those guys, too. Thanks! -- Rick

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Re: Where can I buy pre-made feedline?
by Rick Mann 05 Dec '07

05 Dec '07

On Dec 4, 2007, at 10:04 PM, Edward Cole wrote: > Next time chose LMR-400 instead. If you assemble N-connectors the > braid is clamped and only requires soldering the center pin which is > gold-plated on most N-connectors. If you equipment has UHF > connectors just use a short piece of RG-213 or RG-58 with a PL-259 > on one end and an N on the other (or use a N/UHF adaptor). Why LMR-400? I would've like to use N connectors, but the equipment has PL-259, and I don't want the losses from an adapter. -- Rick

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LVB Enclosures In
by Gould Smith 05 Dec '07

05 Dec '07

LVB Tracker Enclosures The custom enclosures for the LVB Tracker are in. These silk screened, black, powder coated, 0.062" aluminum boxes are produced by Ten-Tec for us. The enclosures have PEMs (embedded standoffs) to support the front panel LCD and for the main circuit board. Simply use (8) 4x40 screws to attach the boards to the PEMs. There are cut outs for the LCD, the four pushbutton switches, USB connector, DB-9 connector and rotor cable. The box comes in two parts with feet and screws to hold the box together. We are working on completing the orders on file and will be shipping them soon. If you would like to order an enclosure or a complete unit, contact Martha at the AMSAT office. If you have any questions about the enclosures contact Gould, wa4sxm(a)amsat.org.

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