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

LVB Tracker Questions
by 9w2qc＠9w2qc.net 29 Feb '08

29 Feb '08

Dear All, Greetings from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I have built one LVB Tracker complete kit from AMSAT-UK, and am extremely pleased with it. Now I would like to build another unit, but this time from scratch. I have two questions about this tracker, which I hope someone can help me clarify. 1. Can someone kindly advice a suitable LCD panel for this tracker? Would the Powertip PC1602ARU-HWB-G be compatible with this tracker? (RS Part Number 466-6452) 2. I am also very interested into the Ethernet interface, but have no clue on how this works. I know a suitable unit is produced by Lantronix but that is about it. Could someone kindly advice what do I need to get the Ethernet interface going? Is there an evaluation kit readily available like the one from FTDI for the USB interface? Any help and advice is really appreciated. Thank you very much in advance. 73, Sion Chow Q. C., 9W2QC.

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FO-29 schedule Mar.2008
by Mineo Wakita 29 Feb '08

29 Feb '08

Mar. UTC 1 3:43 - 2 2:47 - 3 none 4 2:43 - 5 3:34 - 6 2:38 - 7 3:30 - 8 2:35 - 9 3:25 - 10 none 11 3:20 - 12 2:25 - 13 3:15 - 14 2:20 - 15 3:10 - 16 2:15 - 17 none 18 2:10 - 19 3:00 - 20 2:07 - 21 2:55 - 22 2:03 - 23 2:53 - 24 none 25 2:47 - 26 3:40 - 27 2:43 - 28 3:35 - 29 2:38 - 30 3:30 - 31 none

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SDR for satellites
by pcalvi＠bluewin.ch 28 Feb '08

28 Feb '08

Hello everybody. I was wondering if anybody has experimented with the FLEXI RADIO Software Defined Radios on satellites. I know the SDR 5000 can do dual receive, but can cross-band full duplex be done as well? Grateful for any wisdom. 73 Piero MM0TWX/HB9DSU ________________________ Piero Calvi-Parisetti MM0TWX currently also HB9DSU for music, Ham Radio and more visit http://www.qsl.net/hb9dsu

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Configuring LUSAT-19 like AO-16???
by John Marranca, Jr 28 Feb '08

28 Feb '08

Good Afternoon, Everyone. Last month, a question was posed about the possibility of reconfiguring LUSAT/Oscar 19 in the "bent pipe" style that AO-16 is currently in. As I am writing this, both AO-16 and LU-19 are overhead...and both have stellar signals. Is there any news/update as to whether or not this can be accomplished?? Upon reading the Satellite Handbook, it appears as though 16, 17, 18, and 19 were pretty much similar. If I am wrong, then I will stand as corrected, but if 16 could be converted in such a fashion, what prevents 19? Wishing for Spring! John KB2HSH -- _______________________________ John Marranca, Jr PBX Technician/Shop Steward CWA Local 1122 BN Systems, Inc Orchard Park, NY (716)972-2006

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Re: Newbie Here AO-51 Questions.
by Clint Bradford 28 Feb '08

28 Feb '08

WELCOME, Kent, to this wonderful aspect of amateur radio! Because you did hear something earlier this week, tha means you're close to perfecting your setup. Check the ideas on my tutorial at... http://homepage.mac.com/clintbradford/Menu3.html ...and see if any of that helps. Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666

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Todays passes
by Fred (VE3FAL) 28 Feb '08

28 Feb '08

Weird stuff today, I even checked my antenna to make sure it was up , frequency correct, but not nearing either PCSat or ISS today and last 2 passes were directly overhead. Fred VE3FAL --- avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean. Virus Database (VPS): 080228-0, 28/02/2008 Tested on: 28/02/2008 1:26:11 PM avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2008 ALWIL Software. http://www.avast.com

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Re: Newbie Here AO-51 Questions.
by Bill Dzurilla 28 Feb '08

28 Feb '08

Hi Kent, Welcome to the sats. I just started myself a few weeks ago. AO-51 is quite popular and there are usually many stations calling when it is on mode V/U (Friday through Monday UTC). So if you are not hearing anything, even on a high pass, there must be some problem with your receiver/antenna, or you are not tuned to the correct frequency, or your tracking program is off and you are not listening at the correct time, etc. There's a nice AO-51 operating guide at: http://www.g6lvb.com/Articles/operatingAO51.htm The other sats you can work with FM-only gear are AO-27 (daytime only) SO-50 (a bit weaker than 51 and 27), and the International Space Station (although transponder is often turned off). 73, Bill NZ5N >>>Hello all, my name is Kent Frazier, K5KNT. I am just getting interested in working amateur satellites. I just joined AMSAT on Tuesday, 26 February 2008. My current hardware is an Icom IC2720 dual band in my personal vehicle with a Comet C767 dual band antenna. I also have an Icom IC-T22A 2-meter hand held with a Diamond RH77CA antenna. I've been trying to listen to passes of AO-51 over the last week. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to hear anything since Monday, 25 February at approx 01:04 UTC (Saturday 24 FEB 19:04 CST). At that time, I thought I heard the call W9CPV. I'm currently using Satscape as my tracking software. My Gridsquare location is DM91sk. Are there other satellites I could monitor with the above equipment? Any suggestions for making my first contact? 73, Kent R. Frazier, K5KNT ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ

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Greater Houston Hamfest operations March 1
by Bruce 28 Feb '08

28 Feb '08

The Greater Houston Hamfest is Saturday, March 1. We will be on the satellites. Look for our demo station on the morning passes (especially AO-51 at 9am CST). 73...bruce -- Bruce Paige, KK5DO AMSAT Director Contests and Awards ARRL Awards Manager (WAS, 5BWAS, VUCC), VE Houston AMSAT Net - Wed 0100z on SkyScanner Satellite Radio Network on Galaxy-25 @97° West, Transponder 23 (12115 Vert), Symbol Rate: 22425, APID: 1794 (DVB Free To Air) Also streaming MP3 at http://www.amsatnet.com Latest satellite news on the ARRL Audio News http://www.arrl.org

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S-band test gear.
by John Hackett 28 Feb '08

28 Feb '08

Certainly Kevin, <http:www.observations.biz> Observations From Norway, article 1 for 2008. ............................................................................................ 73 John. <la2qaa(a)amsat.org> > From: kevin.j.smith(a)comcast.net > To: la2qaa(a)amsat.org > Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] S-band test gear. > Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:44:17 -0500 > > John, > > You may have been told this already but your attachment(s) was stripped off > before posting to the Amsat BB. It's a shame because would have liked to > see it(them). Do you have a website to see your pictures? - Kevin/N3HKQ > > -----Original Message----- > From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of John Hackett > Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 6:23 AM > To: allan_gm1sxx(a)hotmail.com > Cc: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org; Eu-amsat(a)yahoogroups.com > Subject: [amsat-bb] S-band test gear. > > > OBSERVATIONS FROM NORWAY. February 2008. > > Based on SV1BSX's comments about receiving a *THUNDERING* signal from > AO-51's S-band transmitter on a patch antenna 'without' a reflector - I > decided to chuck together a few components to see if somebody as 'thick' as > LA2QAA could manage it. > > The attached pic is the ... 'fruits of LA2QAA's labour'. > > Starting at the top right we have a silver covered brass plate 2.4Ghz patch > antenna (note the real gold SMA connector, folks) mounted 3mm over a (ditto) > groundplane, via a short length of high quality (fell off the back of a > North Sea Oil industry lorry) coax feeding the input of a 2.4G 70 70cm > converter ... the output of which goes to the IC-E91 dual mode handheld and > a pair of 'cans' ... (headphones, to you!). > > To the right of the IC-E91 is a Nokia N70 mobile phone - (not shown in this > pic because I was using it to take the picture) - with the 'SATme' tracking > software ... which is very !! useful for tracking S-mode signals from LEO > birds with the 'slight' doppler thus received. > > The phone also contains a compas as well as GPS software so there's no > excuse for ... 'but I can't find north' ... (not always easy in 3 feet of > snow, null visibility and cloudy conditions) ... and there's *NEVER* a > brownie or a girl guide around when you want one. > > S-band signals in those conditions? ... you'd be surprised - we don't all > live in satellite friendly climes you know. > > Mak (SV1BSX) is right. A 60cm dish is overkill for AO-51 mode-S ... though > of course, there are! those that think you need a personal Jodrell Bank to > hear anything above 70cm. >

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Re: A0-51 "easy sat"
by Clint Bradford 28 Feb '08

28 Feb '08

> I just wanted to let you know that I called and called and called > CQ on AO-51 this morning with no takers... Uh, no you didn't. You simply keyed up and announced you were listening. How about trying to use the more preferred protocol of... Callsign phonetically. grid square, op mode Like... Kilo-Six-Lima-Charlie-Sierra, Delta Mike 13, handheld Use of the word, "listening," may be taken literally - you are on the air, LISTENING. I am assuming you were in the correct ops mode for the bird during this pass...were you? Clint Bradford, K6LCS 909-241-7666

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