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

ISS L / v Repeater 05.16utc UK / Europe Pass
by David Barber 31 Dec '08

31 Dec '08

Repeater active for 05.16utc UK / Europe Pass. A better pass for me this time, directly overhead and consequently a little longer access time. Downlink recorded. No other stations heard. David G8OQW.

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Re: lindenblad observations
by Joe Krepps 31 Dec '08

31 Dec '08

Thank you, Frank! :) I do have an Arrow antenna but I never seem to have time to wave it in the air. However, I do spend a lot of time driving so an antenna solution which could be used mobile is appealing. I've seen one or two other Lindenblad designs but the AA2TX "EZ-Lindenblad" looks strong enough for mobile use. 73! Joe WB3CFN FM20

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ISS L / v Repeater 03.41utc UK / Europe Pass
by David Barber 31 Dec '08

31 Dec '08

Repeater active for 03.41utc UK / Europe Pass. At 60dg elevation 180dg az. I just made it in but very briefly and with a very scratchy signal. Downlink recorded. Equipment: Icom 910, horizontal 19el yagi on a tripod mount on my patio. David G8OQW.

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Re: FM receiver filters
by Bob Bruninga 31 Dec '08

31 Dec '08

>> I'm trying to find some 455kHz >> filters suitable for FM +/- some >> doppler. Ideally, 30kHz wide >> and fairly small We did that on the uplink receivers for PCSAT-1 and -2 so that uplink doppler on UHF was pretty liberal. We used the old xtal controlled HAMTRONICS receivers, with the "wideband" and "9600 baud" options to make the receiver about 30 KHz wide. This of course suffered about 4 dB performance loss, but with a 25W uplink, the 4 dB was an insignificant loss compared to the ablity to hear a signal with +/- 6 KHz or more Doppler without splatter. Bob, WB4APR

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ISS Repeater
by Ron Miles 31 Dec '08

31 Dec '08

Called the ISS L / V repeater two separate passes this morning...15:39UTC and 17:14UTC. At LOS on the first pass I heard a call ending in "HH". At the end of the second pass I heard Jeff, K7WIN. It was too late for a contact with Jeff by then, I was already below my tree line. These were 20 and 40 degree passes for me. 40W out to the antenna seems to hold the repeater. Sorry to report no contacts again today. Hope the L / V mode stays up a few more days. I would like to claim victory in this mode. 73, Ron n6paa

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"Newbie" Need's Help working AO-07
by racer5039 30 Dec '08

30 Dec '08

I am new to working the Sats so if I am in need of "directions" please feel free to set me in the right direction. With that said, I am having problems working AO-07 and the other SSB sats. I can copy stations vary well but I can't seem to keep on track with them. I am using HRD and a TS-2000. The antennas are a KLM on the 2m side without the phase switch hooked up(got cold on me too soon) On the 432 side I am using a home brew Yaga that I found on KC4UMO's web page. It seems to be working OK. I really think it me and the tuning. Can anyone point me in the right direction on these birds? On the 2230 pass for AO-07 I called K3SZH and I think he was calling me back but I couldn't keep up with the tuning. Later when I found him again, he was in a QSO with another station and I thought I better not interrupt. Sorry Joe. I did hear you talking about me. Any information would be a great help. Marv. N0FJP EN34

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Need some help working AO-07
by racer5039 30 Dec '08

30 Dec '08

I am new to working the Sats so if I am in need of "directions" please feel free to set me in the right direction. With that said, I am having problems working AO-07 and the other SSB sats. I can copy stations vary well but I can't seem to keep on track with them. I am using HRD and a TS-2000. The antennas are a KLM on the 2m side without the phase switch hooked up(got cold on me too soon) On the 432 side I am using a home brew Yaga that I found on KC4UMO's web page. It seems to be working OK. I really think it me and the tuning. Can anyone point me in the right direction on these birds? On the 2230 pass for AO-07 I called K3SZH and I think he was calling me back but I couldn't keep up with the tuning. Later when I found him again, he was in a QSO with another station and I thought I better not interrupt. Sorry Joe. I did hear you talking about me. Any information would be a great help. Marv. N0FJP EN34

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Playing/Converting IC-R20 Audio Files
by Pughkeithd＠cs.com 30 Dec '08

30 Dec '08

I have the IC-R20 Reciever and the CS-R20 Cloning Software. Does anyone out there know of a good software package to play or convert the ICOM .icw audio files on a Windows PC? 73 - Keith, W5IU

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Re: LOTW and Logging Info
by Alan Sieg WB5RMG 30 Dec '08

30 Dec '08

KK0SD said: > If anyone is interested it is possible (fairly easy in hind sight) to make > AC Log from N3FJP properly report OSCAR contacts in LOTW automatically. I'm currently using ACLog with eQSL, and only needed to change two of the "Other" fields, to do what I wanted. The ADIF export 'does the right thing'. The eQSL 'one-shot' method does not pick up these two "Other" fields. I changed "Other" to "Prop_Mode" and "Other2" to "QSO_Comment"... In the Prop_Mode field I indicate "SAT", and manually indicate which satellite and additional comment in the other. I have not done LOTW, but if it wants ADIF, ACLog should work as above. > If you have worked me as kk0sd or ks5z via satellite those contacts should > be in LOTW except for contacts made from my home of the last 2 years. They > will go in next. After that I will go after my ka0yos logs. I would not have recognized you as KK0SD, but I do remember you as KA0YOS !! We worked a time or two on RS10/11 when I was in Tennessee. I have your card... Did I ever send you one ? 73 for now /;^) -- <- Licensed in 1976, WB5RMG = Alan Sieg * AMSAT#20554 -> <- http://www.somenet.net * http://wb5rmg.somenet.net -> <- http://www.linkedin.com/in/alansieg * My 'Day Job' ->

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Re: ARISS antennae
by Alan Sieg WB5RMG 30 Dec '08

30 Dec '08

>> they are considered to be on the earth-facing surface... > Actually, an "earth facing" antenna can be confusing to some. Roger that. A narrow-beamwidth directly under ISS would not serve well. I was (in)effectively paraphrasing the cited reports, that observe that the primary antennas are mounted on the (earth-facing) Nadir side, as opposed to the (space-facing) Zenith side. For a simple single vertical element, pointing directly toward earth gives a good view either side, and front/back. Not so sure what pattern or beamwidth to expect from the patches. As I read it, both WA1 and WA2 have capability to Tx and Rx at the same time, but "the space station ham shack will install a dual-band, 2 meter/70 cm radio and a 70 cm radio that will use the downward/Earth-facing WA1 and WA2 antennas" I would suspect that the cross-band setup uses one to Rx, and the other to Tx. Which might yield a 'deaf-zone' for each, but not in the same place. Possibly if we dig around the ARISS info, more detail has been provided. (I see that KA3HDO has just posted some new links...) Thanks /;^) -- <- Licensed in 1976, WB5RMG = Alan Sieg * AMSAT#20554 -> <- http://www.somenet.net * http://wb5rmg.somenet.net -> <- http://www.linkedin.com/in/alansieg * My 'Day Job' ->

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