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

qsl sstv ISS
by Mr Jeffrey L Ross 19 Oct '08

19 Oct '08

Hi Folks, got a good sstv pic from inside the space station last pass, making it worth the wait till the fm chatting is over. Pic came in great also. kc8gkf using mmsstv mixw wont run sstv today for some reason.

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NA1SS Audio from 19Oct08 1320Z and 1809Z
by John Papay 19 Oct '08

19 Oct '08

More stations are getting through on each pass. A mp3 recording of NA1SS qso's with the dead air mostly removed can be downloaded at: http://www.papays.com/ISS_19Oct2008_132038z.mp3 http://www.papays.com/ISS_19Oct2008_180908z.mp3 Enjoy. 73, John K8YSE

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Re: beginner question re: uplink power
by Edward Cole 19 Oct '08

19 Oct '08

Very good points, Tim. Comments on vertical antennas. First define vertical: 1) If you are referring to a high-gain FM base station antenna, then I would NOT recommend using one (because the gain compresses the signal pattern down near the horizon - for better repeater operation at long range). 2) If you mean a simple 1/4 wavelength ground-plane whip (like a 19-inch mag-mount attached to a square of sheet steel for the ground-plane), then (if used with a preamp) it will work quite well at either 2m or 70cm on Leo's. Of course you need to use a preamp for the freq. band you desire to receive. I used a 19-inch mag-mt with P432VGA preamp to collect UHF telemetry from AO-51 shortly after launch. Also obvious is the need to provide bypass switching for preamp if you anticipate using the antenna for transmitting. The M2 eggbeaters are probably slightly better than (and a whole lot more $$$) a 19-inch whip as are other more advanced omnis such as: Lindenblad, and Quadrafillar Helix. But a simple little mag-mt 2m whip works great (especially with a preamp). For a home-based Leo station, I think they are fine. For portable (standing in the parking lot) operation the handheld Arrow is hard to beat. For hard-core operation using Oscar-0, may I suggest what I am currently building (tongue-in-cheek): http://www.kl7uw.com/eme1296.htm 73, Ed - KL7UW At 10:05 AM 10/19/2008, n3tl(a)bellsouth.net wrote: >Paul and all, > >I would be curious to hear from anyone currently using verticals >with preamps as their primary receive antennas. I have hesitated to >respond to your initial post, Paul, because (1) I am very new to the >satellites; (2) as a result, my personal experience with antennas >involves only the Arrow handheld antenna, the eFactor 0-gain omni >antenna, the Elk dual-band log periodic an MFJ mag-mount dual-band >vertical for my vehicle, and HT-specific antennas (Pryme AL800, MFJ >1715 and 1717, etc.); and (3) my other knowledge regarding using >omni antennas for satellite work is limited to what I have read here >and elsewhere on the Internet. > >All of that being said, I believe I would opt for something other >than a vertical - even with preamps - as my prime base-station >antennas for the satellies. I haven't yet built one of the Ramsey >preamps, but I intend to as the weather turns cool here in North >Georgia and I spend more time inside. I am curious about its ability >to improve reception for me with the sFactor, which is an >outstanding transmit antenna for reaching the satellites - based on >my experiences with it. I also logged more than a dozen contacts >involving AO-27, AO-51 and SO-50 using the eFactor with an HT as a >handheld antenna. My personal experience suggests that a preamp >would help it on the UHF receive side a great deal, although it >honestly exceeded my expectations - given the physical size of the >UHF part of the antenna. > >The N3TL handheld station has worked 46 states, VE1-2-3-4-5-6-8-9, >Mexico, Venezuela, Barbados and marimtime mobile stations all on 5 >watts' rf out or less. It also has worked 20 states, Ontario, Mexico >and Venezuela on .05-watt (50 milliwatts) on the same set of 2 AA >Duracell batteries. For the sake of perspective, I made my >first-ever satellite contact on June 28th of this year - less than 4 >months ago. > > From here, output power isn't the issue. I believe your money and > time will be best-invested in optimizing the receive side of your > satellite station. > >Best of luck with it, and 73, > >Tim - N3TL >AMSAT Member No. 36820 >Athens, Ga. - EM84ha >-------------- Original message from Edward Cole ><kl7uw(a)acsalaska.net>: -------------- > > > > At 09:30 PM 10/18/2008, 12.01 wrote: > > >hello, > > > > > >I have a beginner question. I am in the process of setting up my first > > >satellite station. My initial investment is minimal and I have chosen > > >to start out with a pair of 2m and 70cm omni antennas on the roof. To > > >help out a bit I am also adding a mast mount preamp on each antenna. To > > >protect the preamps they will be switched out of line by a RF sense > > >switch (one for each amp). For reference the two preamps and the pair > > >of RF switches are all made by Ramsey (I know there are better preamps, > > >but not available in my current budget). I am keeping this initial > > >adventure limited to the LEOs (and ISS, etc.). > > > > > >_The question: _ When I assemble the RF switches I must choose a RF > > >range for the switch to work within. The range is determined by the > > >choice of a specific resistor. The default three ranges suggested are > > >0-10 watts, 10-30 watts, and 30-100 watts. I would be able to change > > >the range later but it would require removing the unit from the mast. > > > > > >So... not having any experience (yet),_ what uplink power range is > > >recommend for non-gain antennas?_ Is there one range that should cover > > >the LEOs? If not, how much should I expect the required uplink power > > >needs to vary across various satellites? Is it different for each band? > > >I have read that it is always best to never be louder than the beacon > > >and that's fine. I'm just needing to know where to start off my > > >hardware choices. > > > > > >Thanks in advance for any help from you folks with the know-how. I look > > >forward to a qso with you. > > > > > >.paul ac0z > > >_______________________________________________ > > >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 > > > > I'm surprised that you have had only one reply. I am not QRV on the > > Leos so my advise is not as good as what you might get. My > > "understanding" is that one can work most of the Leos with power > > <10w. This is IF the stations on the bird also comply by not using > > more power than is needed. If a "power war" ensues to try to capture > > the satellite then running low power may be less effective to "break in". > > > > But seeing that so many folks run HT's that typically are 5w, I think > > you might chose the lowest range as long as your equipment output > > matches. You have to consider that you will have no antenna gain > > using omni-directional antennas so uplink RF power needs are > > affected, accordingly. NOW if some experienced sat op will add their > > input on this subject you should have the info you need. > > > > I wonder if the Ramsey preamps allow for "hard" switching. That is > > by separate control line that the radio PTT controls. Then You have > > no issue with RF power and would run the units with the RF sense > > disabled. I should state that "many" (dare I say most) experienced > > VHFers that run high power (>100w) use hard-wired switching. I know > > of NO eme stations that use RF sense control lines. > > > > PS: when my standard AO-10/13/40 ground station is re-installed I > > will have available 5-60w with 16.5 dBc UHF uplink (all-mode). > > > > > > *********************************************************** > > 73, Ed - KL7UW BP40iq, 6m - 3cm > > 144-EME: FT-847, mgf-1801, 4x-xp20, 185w > > 1296-EME: DEMI-Xvtr, 0.30 dBNF, 4.9m dish, 60W > > http://www.kl7uw.com AK VHF-Up Group > > NA Rep. for DUBUS: dubususa(a)hotmail.com > > *********************************************************** > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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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SSTV-MIXW
by Mr Jeffrey L Ross 19 Oct '08

19 Oct '08

Hi Folks, anyone using MIXW for the SSTV? I am and all my pics are garble or not even there. any ideas how to fix this? anyone have some settings? thanks in advance. kc8gkf p.s. using mmstv also and the pics are coming in good.

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NA1SS W5KWQ QSO's 19Oct 163324Z
by John Papay 19 Oct '08

19 Oct '08

Congratulations to N7RYW, VE4AMU, W9ORW, K8DID? N0MUA, N8DZM, WF1F, KB2M, and W1YX for making contact with Richard Garriot NA1SS/W5KWQ on 19Oct2008 on the pass starting at 1633Z. A mp3 recording of these qso's with the dead air mostly removed can be downloaded at: http://www.papays.com/ISS_19Oct2008_163324z.mp3 Enjoy. 73, John K8YSE

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Re: WB9L cross-satellite again
by Stephen J. Melachrinos 19 Oct '08

19 Oct '08

Well hams use the term "cross-band contact" to refer to a QSO made using two bands, where one band is the medium from station A to station B, and the other band is the medium from station B to station A. By logical extension, a "cross-satellite contact" is exactly what was going on here. Note that nothing stated a "cross-link" (or crosslink) between the satellites, or a "multi-hop" satellite contact. That's what you and Auke are referring to. But I'll admit that it's an unusual term that should be defined prior to use. 73, Steve W3HF Oct 19, 2008 07:42:09 AM, jeffk13057(a)yahoo.com wrote: Wouldn't it have to be, for true cross-satellite operation to occur, the downlink of one satellite to be on the uplink of another? I am also not sure this is true "cross satellite" operation. I would have to agree with Auke, that any signal heard by the other sat would have to be a fluke. 73, Jeff WB2SYK --- On Sun, 10/19/08, Auke de Jong, VE6PWN > From: Auke de Jong, VE6PWN > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: WB9L cross-satellite again > To: AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org > Date: Sunday, October 19, 2008, 12:30 AM > isn't cross-satellite operation involving signals > travelling BETWEEN > satellites before being heard by the other station? AO-16 > and AO-51 have > their uplinks in the SAME BAND, and downlinks also in the > SAME BAND so > wouldn't that make it impossible to for either > satellite to react to the > other?? > The way I read this... you are hearing unintentional > uplinks to the > satellite you're listening on, just because the second > sat has an identical > uplink, and overlapping footprint. Please correct me if > I'm interpreting > this wrongly. > > > 73 > Auke > ----- Original Message ----- > From: > To: <> > Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 5:15 PM > Subject: [amsat-bb] WB9L cross-satellite again > > > > Hey folks, > > > > Mike, WB9L, and I worked cross-satellite at 22:50 UTC. > Mike was on AO-51 > > to the northeast, while I was working AO-16 to the > southwest. I heard some > > other stations that I know were working AO-51, but > didn't get any other > > contacts. Both satellites were low elevation to me > here in north Georgia. > > > > 73, > > > > Tim - N3TL > > AMSAT Member No. 36820 > > Athens,

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mixw sstv-iss
by charter 19 Oct '08

19 Oct '08

mixw does not have all the formats that mmsstv has. one pix came down from iss in pd50 mode. other modes mebbe used as well... bruce keØlx

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0900 PDT ISS Pass
by Jim Jerzycke 19 Oct '08

19 Oct '08

Just heard Richard working a bunch of people. Had my TH-D7 and Arrow, and he was full scale. Wonderful signals, but no chance to work him with 5 Watts! Maybe later today when I'm back home at my "real" station. Jim KQ6EA

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Satellite Info for real time mobile operator
by Robert Bruninga 19 Oct '08

19 Oct '08

AMSAT Application Programmer wanted: For years there has been an APRS program that puts out local real-time satellites-in-view information to the front panels of mobile users with the D7 and D700 radios: www.aprs.org/APRSdata.html When a satellite comes into view, the user is given the satellite direction and range, and also the frequency and doppler all right there on the front of his radio if someone in the region is putting out the info on APRS. What is new, here is that we just realized that there are tens of thousands of additional handheld satellite radios that can also display this local information. The FT-51R and TH-78 radios can also display TEXT messages, and so with the right application written, these radios which are already used by many AMSAT satellite operators, can also receive these alerts while traveling, and thus enjoy more satellite time. Please see the page: www.aprs.org/FT51-TH78.html If anyone is looking for a great programming project and wants to get More use out of these TH78 and FT51R radios, this is a great opportunity. Bob, WB4APR

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Re: FS: G550 rotor
by charter 19 Oct '08

19 Oct '08

The G550 rotor has been spoken for...tks es 73, Bruce KEØLX

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