January 2008 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

ISS/Moon occultation
by Stargate 31 Jan '08

31 Jan '08

Hi, Has anyone ever observed an occultation of a full Moon and the ISS? That would be a fantastic and RARE sight. RoD KD0XX

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Space Grade Soldering ?
by Tim Tuck 31 Jan '08

31 Jan '08

Hi all, I've been reading about the construction of a few microsats and I see "Space Grade Soldering" mentioned a few times. So I'm curious as to what that entails ? I'd guess for starters the solder itself wouldn't be your standard 60/40 rosin cored stuff but I don't know ! and I'd imagine there'd be something do with process too. Can someone enlighten me or point me at a URL on the matter ? thanks Tim -- VK2XTT :: QF56if :: BMARC :: WIA :: AMSAT =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Scanned with Copfilter Version 0.84beta3a (ProxSMTP 1.6) AntiSpam: SpamAssassin 3.2.3 AntiVirus: ClamAV 0.91.2/5599 - Wed Jan 30 03:27:10 2008 by Markus Madlener @ http://www.copfilter.org

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AO16
by Dale-KL7XJ 31 Jan '08

31 Jan '08

On the 2346 utc pass I head lots of stations and worked one from California and one from Canada. Heards lots more calling me but to much QRM. Dale/kl7xj

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AO-16 pass
by ANTHONY JAPHA 30 Jan '08

30 Jan '08

to W8ZCF Lots of sigs heard on that pass here in NYC. Unfortunately, my own was not 1 of them! 73, Tony, N2UN ANTHONY JAPHA tjjapha(a)earthlink.net EarthLink Revolves Around You.

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Re: 25 watt Moonbounce
by Tom Clark, K3IO 30 Jan '08

30 Jan '08

Ed, KL7UW noted: > It would be more significant if the antenna was described. I suspect > if one used a 1000-foot dish it would be quite easy to do! I know of a number of QRP, single Yagi QSOs on 2M with W5UN (see http://web.wt.net/~w5un/mba2003.jpg <http://web.wt.net/%7Ew5un/mba2003.jpg> & read the primer at http://web.wt.net/~w5un/primer.htm <http://web.wt.net/%7Ew5un/primer.htm>) and KB8RQ (see http://www.spasalon.com/kb8rq/). In his primer, W5UN notes > W5UN has worked a couple of stations who were using a single long boom > antenna and running less than 50 watts, so it can be done. I made one > such contact with W2RS who answered my CQ. At the time W2RS was > running 50 watts into a single Cushcraft 32-19 antenna Along the line of amateur adventures using big antennas, I'll relate a few things I have done when using large dishes on EME. By large dishes, we have twice activated the 140' dish at Greenbank, WV (K8HUH & W3IWI/8 calls used) and we have used an 85' dish near Fairbanks, AK (Calls were W3IWI/KL7 & KL7RA) on several occasions. Here are some notable QRP activities: 1. From both dishes, I have "kerchunked" myself on 70cm FM using just a HT. 2. From Fairbanks, I ran 70cm AX.25 packet with a small (probably 10 watt) radio & TNC and managed to have a full, legit QSO with myself (connect, ack, data packets sent "both" ways, etc.) 3. From Greenbank on 13 cm we set the EME DX record with a ZL who was using his 1 watt exciter after his PA and Driver burned up. 4. From both locations on 70 cm, I worked a number of stations running under 50 watts with single yagis. 5. Our 1296 MHz QSO from WV with WB5LUA (now W5LUA) was critical to his completing a 23 cm WAS. 6. W3IWI/8 managed a 70 cm WAC in under 12 hours (i.e. within a single calendar day). The streak started with Z25JJ for Africa and ended with several VK6 QSOs. So some things are pretty easy when you have a big antenna! 73 de Tom, K3IO (ex W3IWI)

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AO-16
by Farrell Winder 30 Jan '08

30 Jan '08

Could anyone in Eastern part of US confirm that AO-16 is presently active? Nothing heard on pass beginning 20:19 Z Cincinnati. Tnx, Farrell Winder, W8ZCF

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Re: AO-16
by Andrew Glasbrenner 30 Jan '08

30 Jan '08

http://oscar.dcarr.org/ N8ABY heard it sometime between 20:30 and 20:45. That is a great site to use for a sanity check on whether a satellite is active or not, except for the occasional erroneous entry. 73, Drew KO4MA -----Original Message----- >From: Farrell Winder <fwinder(a)fuse.net> >Sent: Jan 30, 2008 3:34 PM >To: AMSAT <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Subject: [amsat-bb] AO-16 > >Could anyone in Eastern part of US confirm that AO-16 is presently active? Nothing heard on pass beginning 20:19 Z Cincinnati. >Tnx, Farrell Winder, W8ZCF >_______________________________________________ >Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. >Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! >Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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PREDICT! Re: Long time eclipse prediction
by Mark L. Hammond 30 Jan '08

30 Jan '08

Hi Chris, You can use PREDICT for this very purpose! You can look days and months ahead to see when a satellite in in eclipse, how much illumination it should receive, etc. It's really slick. http://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/predict.html Pick your OS, download, read a bit, and have at it. Thanks to Bruce WB9ANQ for directing me to this software just a few days ago and to John KD2BD for a great program! 73, Mark N8MH ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Bloy" <chris(a)photofuture.co.uk> To: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 8:15 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] Long time eclipse prediction > Hi All, > > I have never been able to get a straight answer on this one, but does > InstantTrack or any other program show you the long term > non-eclispse/eclispe period, or is there a way to calculate this? > > How do we know that PCSAT and UO11 are going to HIT sunlight or not for a > period of time? > > I can see from Orbitron the realtime, but not anything in the future? > > Thanks, > > Chris > -- Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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AO-16 pass
by ANTHONY JAPHA 30 Jan '08

30 Jan '08

Just heard a few brief USB syllables on the 1850Z 4 degree pass here, but couldn't make it out. Had a couple of minutes to Eu., but not possible from indoors here. I'm sure a QSO could have been made if I were outside. Oh well, spring is just around a few corners. Who was that masked man just now? Anyone from across the pond? 73, Tony, N2UN ANTHONY JAPHA tjjapha(a)earthlink.net EarthLink Revolves Around You.

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Explorer I launch Anniversary
by Davidoff, Martin 30 Jan '08

30 Jan '08

Explorer I (First US success) was launched 50 years ago (31 January 1958). An article on today's NY Times Website credits Amateur Radio operators with being the first to confirm that it was in orbit and operating. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/science/space/29space.html de K2ubc

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