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

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by Phil Karn Jr, KA9Q 20 Nov '08

20 Nov '08

Ralph Wallio, W0RPK, has contributed pdf image scans of the 1975 and 1976 issues of the AMSAT Newsletter. Check them out and see just how young those of us who were around then all look! I've created an index page for all the files: http://www.ka9q.net/newsletters.html Many thanks to Ralph! 73, Phil

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Happy Birthday Alpha
by Alan Sieg WB5RMG 20 Nov '08

20 Nov '08

A quick Happy Birthday to Space Station Alpha . . . http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/10th_anniversary.html While not exactly a 'ham-radio satellite' by some standards, this bird certainly gets ham radio some good press with the ARISS program. This article may have been pointed out here on the BB when it first came out - but it is well worth a repeat, as inspiration and recognition are always welcome. Check it out : http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/behindscenes/ariss.html Thanks /;^) -- <- WB5RMG is Alan Sieg * http://www.somenet.net ->

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WiSP registration ?
by Dave Aitch 20 Nov '08

20 Nov '08

Who is looking after the numbers for registering WiSP ? Installing to a new machine and my number is not accepted. 73, Dave. G1OCN AMSAT UK 5766

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Handbag Sat
by Chris Bloy 20 Nov '08

20 Nov '08

BODY { font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px; } Hi All, Anyone know if the new Handbag sat will be avaliable via keps? I guess it will be floating a while before reentry!? Thanks, Chris

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IC-Z1A and FM satellites?
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 19 Nov '08

19 Nov '08

Hi! Does anyone know how well an IC-Z1A dual-band HT handles full-duplex satellite operation? Does it suffer from the same issues as many have reported with IC-W32A HTs? I know this is an older HT, a predecessor of the IC-W32A, and I'm trying to answer a question I received about this particular HT. Thanks in advance, and 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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way of satellite recovery?
by AB2VY 19 Nov '08

19 Nov '08

Hi to everybody, after have reading this article about the possibility of bringing Vanguard 1 back to Earth http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23639980/ , an "unhealthy" idea has crossed my brain... , premise that Vanguard 1 is "3.25-pound (1.5-kilogram), 6.4-inch-wide (16.3-centimeter-wide)" so little.. , a program to recover/repair something of too bigger ( like... AO40 ?? ......) is possible ? if the answer is "yes" the costs are too bigger or too low than the launch costs (4.5 million to 15 million Euros to launch) explained by David G0MRF in the past message? Logically it is necessary that NASA has a similar mission to which rely... would be an interesting study on this possibility of recovery/repair a satellite like AO40 "dead" in space this message wants to be an open track for a discussion about "Satellite repair in Space" thanks for your attention and best 73 Giulio AB2VY (ex KC2OTB) c/o Toms River NJ AMSAT-NA member 36417 Posta, news, sport, oroscopo: tutto in una sola pagina. Crea l'home page che piace a te! www.yahoo.it/latuapagina

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Re: Arrow antenna
by Jim Leder 19 Nov '08

19 Nov '08

Thanks for the positive feedback from all. I'm not looking for a 'killer' antenna, just something small but more efficient than the Cushcraft A270-6 that I am currently using. I have it fixed tilted at about 25 degrees atop my 33' foot 'pole tower'. I made some modifications to the feed part of it and retuned the gamma matches and it works OK, not great, but OK. I'd like to replace it with something with a little more gain on 435. It works very well on 145. I'm either going to clone the Arrow (VE2ZAZ's clone) or buy a bare Arrow and weatherize it. Got all winter to ponder it. And yes, Jim WA4IVM, guess we are a couple of old fogies... Looks like we both got our tickets in the same year, and got retired the same year. 30 years with IBM and 6 years in other places as a consultant was enough for me. Glad that part of my life is over. Thanks again for all the comments and 73 ... Jim Bob Buckeye AKA **** Jim Leder**** K8CXM since 1961 IBM retiree since 1999 There are 10 types of people in this world -- those who understand binary and those who don't. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Wright" <wrightjrjr(a)verizon.net> To: "Jim Leder" <k8cxm(a)fuse.net> Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 9:01 PM Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Arrow antenna > Jim Leder wrote: >> I am a user of an Arrow II handheld yagi. I am also very impressed with >> it's performance. Has anyone attempted to weatherize it for permanent >> outside tower use? Seems a little Loctite on the element threads and some >> shrink wrap around the BNC connectors, pull the foam handle and mount it. >> Anyone try this? >> >> Jim Bob Buckeye AKA >> **** Jim Leder**** >> K8CXM since 1961 >> IBM retiree since 1999 >> There are 10 types of people in this world -- those who understand >> binary >> and those who don't. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> >> >> > It is a nice antenna for portable use, but a bit skimpy in gain for use on > a tower with a lot of coax loss and no preamp. Don't forget about that > diplexer in the handle will need weather proofing. I own this antenna but > use M2 (M squared) longer antennae with preamps for a more versatile > ability to band hop with out blowing a preamp by mistake. My preamps have > a 100 watt rating before they should be damaged. > > If you can stand the loss in the coax, take a shot. The antenna is not > that expensive that you can't replace it if weather gets to it. > > 73, > Jim > WA4IVM since 1961 > Verizon (Bell Atlantic) retiree since 1999. > > Probably makes us a pair of old timers! > >

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Re: ISS transition across Moon
by Alan Sieg WB5RMG 19 Nov '08

19 Nov '08

Thanks Doug for that link, Looking at the SpaceWeather Home page shows us this article as well, http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2008-216 Which gives us more to think about in our own 'space-networking' quest ... Thanks /;^) -- <- WB5RMG is Alan Sieg * http://wb5rmg.somenet.net ->

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ISS transition across Moon
by Doug Kuitula 19 Nov '08

19 Nov '08

Hi all, This is a bit off topic, but I thought I'd forward a link for this photo. It's an image, taken at the Beijing Planetarium, of the ISS crossing in front of the Moon. http://www.spaceweather.com/swpod2008/19nov08/Xin-Li1.jpg?PHPSESSID=hr7bqr7… 73 de Doug KA8QCU

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Antenna Noise Temperature for U/V band Yagi
by Chiu-Teng Tsai 19 Nov '08

19 Nov '08

Dear all, Is there any body know the antenna noise temperature for UB-7030SAT (30-element Yagi with gain 16.15dBi for UHF band) and VB-216SAT (16-element Yagi with gain 12.15dBi for VHF band) Or any data for similar antenna. I am calculating the link budget and need some data for reference. Thanks for your help! BM6ERA

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