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

HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY AO-7 (For Second Time)
by Keith N4ZQ 21 Jun '07

21 Jun '07

Launched November 15, 1974 by a Delta rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, AMSAT-OSCAR 7 provided many years of service till it went silent from battery failure in mid 1981. Then on June 21, 2002, some 21 YEARS later and thanks to the keen ears of Pat Gowen, G3IOR while checking for interlopers on 2 meters he came across a strange CW signal. Sounding like old OSCAR satellite telemetry, it had the familiar HI HI followed by a string of numbers in groups of three. After monitoring by many ground stations it turned out to be AO-7, and it seemed to have come back from the dead. No one knows exactly when this resurrection took place but this being the anniversary of when it was discovered operational again by Pat, I guess it's the unofficial birthday date. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AO-7, our highest operating satellite at this time. We can only hope you live another long and active life. With five years under your belt for the second time around, your well on your way. Keith N4ZQ FN33aq

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AO-51 L/U
by Bruce 21 Jun '07

21 Jun '07

BB While playing with the L/U mode I've had some limited success. I believe KO4MA & VE3NPC have barely heard me on the up link during the last 2 nights. Not sure what my issue is but my setup is IC910, L-band module, 20 amp brick, 80 ft hardline to tower, 1 vert stacked pair M2 35EZ antennas. Downlink works well as I can copy all. I've made various U/L freq adjustments from 1268.699 to 1268.705 with some QSO success. Would appreciate any input so I can QSO with all. 73 Bruce KG4YEV

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ISS & STS-117 viewing
by Jeff Yanko 21 Jun '07

21 Jun '07

Hi all! Had an outstanding view of the space station and shuttle pass to the fromt he NW to the SE just east of Las Vegas, NV this evening at 0423z until 0426z when they entered darkness. The shuttle was trailing the ISS by about 18 seconds of time. Maximum elevation was about 36 degrees. 73, Jeff WB3JFS

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SATPC32 device addresses
by Robert L Lasso 21 Jun '07

21 Jun '07

> Hello: > I finally finished the homebrew Max232 interface. I want to use two > IC706MkIIg's for SAT contacts. It says in the 706 manual that the CI-V > address for the 706 is 4EH, with choices of 01H to 7FH for other address > choices. When I go into SATPC32 for setup the Radio, it does not give me > choices in the radio addresses that include the 706 addresses above? Do I > set the program for any recommended program Icom address, such as $4A, B or > C and the radio CI-V address to any of their recommended address choices. > The radio address and the program address will be different. Will they > communicate with each other having different addresses on each end? Please > advise, thanks, trying to get all this running by Field Day, June 23. > > I am still using the demo version (unregistered) of the program with updated keps. > > Also, I want to use a Dell inspiron 4000 Laptop for the PC and it is stated in > the SATPC32 instructions for using Icom that usually with a laptop I will need to use a USB to > Serial Adapter. If the laptop has a serial DB-9 connector on the back and it > says in the system info that it has a Com1 port, which I assume is the DB-9 > that is labeled for serial port, will it work? How will I be able to tell if the port will work with the interface? > > I appreciate any advice, much thanks and 73, Robert Lasso W6RQR > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Erich Eichmann" <erich.eichmann(a)t-online.de> > To: "Robert L Lasso" <rlasso(a)zianet.com> > Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 2:48 AM > Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Icom CT-16 Sat Interface > > > > Hello Robert, > > to steer 2 IC-706MKII radios you need an Icom CT-17 or compatible > interface > > for level conversion RS-232 <> TTL. Such interface can easily be built > for > > about $10 .. $12. > > > > I attach a file with the schematic diagram of the interface I'm using for > > several years with my Icom 821H and IC-910H. Also, I attach an instruction > > text for Icom users that comes with my software SatPC32. It describes how > to > > connect the Icom radios to the PC. Note, that the pin numbering on the PC > > side in the diagram refers to a 25-pin DB connector. With a 9-pin > connector > > the pin numbering is different (described in the text file). > > > > The interface can also be used to steer two radios. Both radios can be > > connected parallel to the interface. So, you only need a second jacket on > > the radio side.The Icom CT-17 does the same (4 connectors parallel). > > > > With SatPC32 you can steer both radios for full duplex satellite > operation. > > As you will know the Icom radios can be accessed by their device > addresses. > > So, you only need to change the default device address of one of the > > IC-706MKII at the radio and accordingly in the program. The program will > > then steer one radio for RX, the other for TX. Whith SSB satellites you > can > > tune the RX radio around the passband and the program will then > > automatically tune the TX on the correct uplink frequency. > > > > If you want to test the program you can download the demo version from my > > website www.dk1tb.de , English page "Downloads". The demo is fully > > functioning. The only restriction: the users geogr. coordinates must be > > entered at each program start. But for CAT steering tests even that is not > > necessary. > > > > 73s and best wishes for 2007 > > > > Erich, DK1TB >

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FN75 in the bag :-)
by Alvaro de Leon Romo 20 Jun '07

20 Jun '07

Bill KC0TGY and Marian were in AO51 this morning in schedule :-) He completed several QSOs and again made happy to us ..... He will move to FN86-87 from 25th to 29th June.. Unfortunately the AO51 will change the mode so we must try AO27... I will send info for the best pass and I will post here GL to all :-) 73 de Al XE2AT _________________________________________________________________ Nuevo Messenger www.prodigy.msn.com Windows Live Messenger en Prodigy/MSN

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Kent Britain, WA5VJB
by Roy 20 Jun '07

20 Jun '07

A few weeks ago someone on here asked me if I knew how to contact Kent Britain, WA5VJB. His daughter has given me this address for him. wa5vjb(a)flash.net -- Roy -- W0SL

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GO-32 Status Confusion
by Bruce Semple 20 Jun '07

20 Jun '07

Tnx Bruce -- I went back and re-read the post and located the source of my confusion -- I read the line .."BBS services is going down 05/06/2007 morning .." as May 6, 2007 ... not ... 05 June 2007 ... I should have been clued in by the post date of 04 June 2007 so we wait patiently for the abundant hiss of 9K6 modulation :-) ============================================= =============================================== To : ALL From: 4X6EMB Time: 152613UTC Date: 04 Jun 2007 ----------------- Hello ALL, to Radio-Amateur's community, BBS services is going down 05/06/2007 morning due to upgradning to version 9.87. BBS content will be lost ! We hope that in less than 10 days they will be coming up. We apologize for the inconvenience to all go-32 BBS's users . We hope that after we will finish, the system will work again according to Radio-Amateurs community's expectations. regards, 4X6EM / 4Z7DFC Techsat's Ground Control Station http://www.technion.ac.il/ASRI =============================================== ================================================

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CP4 heard
by Mineo Wakita 20 Jun '07

20 Jun '07

I confirmed today CP4 USB every 2 minutes. de JE9PEL, Mineo Wakita

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P5-A: JPL Voyager Flight Team congratulates AMSAT-DL
by Peter Guelzow 20 Jun '07

20 Jun '07

Hi, in March 2006 the VOYAGER-1 interstellar probe was received by the AMSAT-DL/IUZ team using the 20m dish in Bochum. Imagine that Voyager 1 is the furthest object away from earth build by humans. http://www.amsat-dl.org//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=62&Itemi… A reception report including a poster was sent to the JPL team and a few days ago we received the following eMail, together with a nice picture of the Voyager Flight Team and our reception report in their hands. " On June 6, 2007, the Voyager Flight Team opened the photo we received in the mail from you. Congratulations on your successful downlink acquisition of Voyager 1 at your 20 meter tracking station. Acquiring such a distant object is a remarkable achievement, especially for an amateur team. Thank you very much for your interest in Voyager. " As a token of our appreciation, please find the attached photo of our team. Voyager Flight Team Members are, from left to right, Mr. Ed Massey - Project Manager, Steve Howard - Ground Data Systems Engineer, Thomas Weeks - Attitude Control Sensors Engineer, Regina Wong - Science Processing, Larry Zotarelli - Sequence Engineer, Pearline Johnson - Finance, Jim Jaeger - Data System Engineer, Roger Ludwig - Telecom & Sequence Integration Engineer, Sun Matsumoto - System Lead & Fault Protection Engineer, Enrique Medina - Attitude Control & Electrical Power Engineer, Glenda Sherman - Secretary, Jefferson Hall - Mission Director. Sincerely, Roger Ludwig on behalf of the Voyager Flight Team " The picture can be found here: http://www.amsat-dl.org//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=142&Item… Congratulations to our AMSAT-DL/IUZ team in Bochum for this huge achievement. It also demonstrates now officially that the 20m dish is good enough to support the AMSAT P5-A Mission to Mars 73s Peter DB2OS AMSAT-DL President

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Re: Visible ISS and STS-117 pass (beautiful)
by G. Beat 20 Jun '07

20 Jun '07

July 19, 21:30 PM CDT (-0500 from UTC) western Chicago suburbs (beautiful clear night -- with Moon and Venus in the western sky) Claudio - Yes, Tonight near Chicago, IL we had another beautiful pass of ISS-Alpha -- and trailing shortly behind it was the STS-117 Atlantis shuttle -- a bonus observation. May get another good observation tomorrow night. w9gb > Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2007 23:08:24 +0200 > From: "Claudio Ariotti, IK1SLD" <ik1sld(a)ik1sld.org> > Subject: [amsat-bb] ISS and Shuttle over Europe > To: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> > > Hi, this evening over Europe I have seen a great pass. > ISS and Shuttle during the 20:25 UTC transit over Italy were one close to > the other...very close. > I hope the weather will permit tomorrow to see again this beautiful pass > before the Shuttle return back home. > > Claudio IK1SLD

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