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

Arrow 146/437-10WBP Antenna
by Clint Bradford 07 Feb '08

07 Feb '08

I have secured an AMSAT member deal from HRO on the Arrow sat antenna with duplexer: Model 146/437-10WBP for $125.95. That's about $10-15 off suggested retail. Offer good through February. Contact me off list for the particulars. Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666

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AO-51 from Hawaii
by Jeff Mock 07 Feb '08

07 Feb '08

I'm on vacation in Hawaii this week. I brought an Arrow-II and an Icom W32A hoping to get a few AO-51 contacts. The past two evening passes I haven't heard anyone else using the satellite. Is there anyone in Hawaii using the satellite? jeff AD6EO

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AO51 Easy Passtimes and SSET
by Robert Bruninga 06 Feb '08

06 Feb '08

For the upcoming Satellite Simulated Emergency Test, remember that pass times for AO51 repeat every 5 days, so you can estimate pass times from your mobile at any time for a few months using the table below taped to your dashboard: EASTERN Standard Time 07Feb 13Feb 19Feb 25Feb 02Mar ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- 0835 0800 0720 0820 0740 0855 1950 1910 1830 1930 1850 2010 Just locate the column with the date closest to today's date and then move right or left the number of days to today's date. The table wraps around both ways. Passes will be as shown local time. For example, when the SSET begins on 9 Feb, the morning passes are at 0720 and 0855 EST, etc. There are three other similar tables for each time zone on the SSET page: http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/sset.html There are also tables for each time zone for GO32 on the GO32 APRS Operations page. http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/GO32-ops.html The purpose of the SSET is to demonstrate your ability to get a message out from your mobile or portable station via one of the Amateur Satellites. For the APRS satellites, PCSAT-1, ARISS, and GO32, not only should you then receive your Email message back to you, but your message and position/status should also appear on the PCSAT/GO32 or ARISS Web pages: http://pcsat.aprs.org http://www.ariss.net Good luck. Bob, WB4APR

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Re: Can someone point me to a simple S-bandhelixconstruction
by WILLIAMS MICHAEL 06 Feb '08

06 Feb '08

Michael, I have built antennas from the sites of G6LVB and N4WYK all with PVC. Here are some good websites for 2.4GHz helix antennas. 1. http://webpages.charter.net/n4wyk Click on satellite website, then click on "2401MHz Helix" above the picture of the antenna. 2. http://ve2zaz.net/ Select 2.4 GHz helix. 3. www.g6lvb.com/ Select quadruple helix for AO-40. 4. www.qsl.net/ve3cvg/antennas/2400/ 5. http://members.aol.com/k5oe A site for good reading and links. If I can be of any help, please email me. 73, Mike K9QHO

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TLM comparison.
by John Hackett 06 Feb '08

06 Feb '08

Hello folks, Could the recording of what is believed to be Prospero X-3 on the Amsat-UK website on 137.560Mhx in fact be from one of the Orbcomm satellites ?. Just a thought. Easily checked, by running the free Orbcomm software and having a listen to the telemetry. 73 John. <la2qaa(a)amsat.org> 73 John. <la2qaa(a)amsat.org>

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I havn't gotten a ROUND TUIT yet.
by John Hackett 06 Feb '08

06 Feb '08

Hi Thomas, Thank you. I've got it all sorted out now. In fact, I suspect that which Amsat-UK have on the video as X-3 may well have been an Orbcomm satellite on 137.560Mhz ... but I may be wrong ... I havn't gotten around to checking the TLM yet. I have the Orbcomm software so it should be easy to compare. I put the X-3 keps into NOVA and InstantTRACK so it will be relatively easy to check - when I have time. Thanks again for the X-3 keps. 73 John. <la2qaa(a)amsat.org> To: eu-amsat(a)yahoogroups.com From: th.frey(a)vtxmail.ch Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2008 11:05:59 +0100 Subject: Re: [eu-amsat] A lot! of felines ... or ... Cat: Nr: 05580 John Hackett schrieb: > Hello Folks, > Does anyone know where I might obtain keps for object > nr: 1973 583A, catalogue nr: 05580 ??. Hello John Here is your set: 1 05580U 71093A 08035.91733844 .00000129 00000-0 24102-4 0 7288 2 05580 082.0434 342.4015 0548957 143.7064 220.2679 13.89539227815329 But the object nr. doesn't match ! > > My first shot was Celestrak but the page refused to accept the > previous password it used to. > > (There is no facility for 'remembering' an old password). > > It's simply too much faffing around creating a new identity. > > Any suggestions and I'd be most grateful. At Celestrak you don't need a password. > > This is the first 100% British satellite launched 35 years ago. > There's a video on the Amsat-UK website showing that it's still > transmitting. > > It was also known as Prospero X-3. > > USELESS INFORMATION DEPT: > > Prospero? ... Aye!, the Duke of Milan in William Shakespeare's ... ' > The Tempest' ... read the play and you'll understand why the satellite > was christened thus. > > 73 John. <la2qaa(a)amsat.org> > > > ---------------------------------------------------------- > From: archie.hackett@hotmai l.com > To: g7hia(a)btinternet.com > CC: john(a)manchester.ac.uk; allan_gm1sxx(a)hotmail.com > Subject: Cat: Nr: 05580 > Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2008 01:28:29 +0100 > > Hello John, > Re: the Prospero X-3 satellite. > > It's object nr: 1973 583A, catalogue nr: 05580. > > I've listened to the Amsat-UK website audio recording and noted > the frequency as 137.560 WFM ... but I can't find any keps anywhere!. > > Any ideas where I might find current keps ??. > > I tried the CelestTRACK website but it refuses to accept my > password since I last checked in a year ago. > > The Wikipedia page noters that it was decomissioned long ago but > that it's still transmitting ... with an estimated life of 100 years. > > Interesting power situation there ... nuclear based ??. > > If I could find the keps I could have a listen. Any other 'secret' > info ??. > > 73 John 2 <la2qaa(a)amsat.org> > > Mit freundlichen Grüssen, Regards, 73 Thomas Frey, HB9SKA __________________________________________________________ Thomas Frey, Holzgasse 2, CH-5242 Birr, Tel. + Fax: 056 444 93 41 http://home.datacomm.ch/th.frey/ __._,_.___ Messages in this topic (2) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic Messages | Files | Photos | Links | Database | Polls | Members | Calendar Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Recent Activity 1 New Members Visit Your Group Sell Online Start selling with our award-winning e-commerce tools. Yahoo! Groups How-To Zone Do-It-Yourselfers Connect & share. Move More on Yahoo! Groups This is your life not a phys-ed class. . __,_._,___

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A lot! of felines ... or ... Cat: Nr: 05580
by John Hackett 06 Feb '08

06 Feb '08

Hello Folks, Does anyone know where I might obtain keps for object nr: 1973 583A, catalogue nr: 05580 ??. My first shot was Celestrak but the page refused to accept the previous password it used to. (There is no facility for 'remembering' an old password). It's simply too much faffing around creating a new identity. Any suggestions and I'd be most grateful. This is the first 100% British satellite launched 35 years ago. There's a video on the Amsat-UK website showing that it's still transmitting. It was also known as Prospero X-3. USELESS INFORMATION DEPT: Prospero? ... Aye!, the Duke of Milan in William Shakespeare's ... ' The Tempest' ... read the play and you'll understand why the satellite was christened thus. 73 John. <la2qaa(a)amsat.org> From: archie.hackett(a)hotmail.com To: g7hia(a)btinternet.com CC: john(a)manchester.ac.uk; allan_gm1sxx(a)hotmail.com Subject: Cat: Nr: 05580 Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2008 01:28:29 +0100 Hello John, Re: the Prospero X-3 satellite. It's object nr: 1973 583A, catalogue nr: 05580. I've listened to the Amsat-UK website audio recording and noted the frequency as 137.560 WFM ... but I can't find any keps anywhere!. Any ideas where I might find current keps ??. I tried the CelestTRACK website but it refuses to accept my password since I last checked in a year ago. The Wikipedia page noters that it was decomissioned long ago but that it's still transmitting ... with an estimated life of 100 years. Interesting power situation there ... nuclear based ??. If I could find the keps I could have a listen. Any other 'secret' info ??. 73 John 2 <la2qaa(a)amsat.org>

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LVB tracker display problem - solved
by Fer IW1DTU 06 Feb '08

06 Feb '08

I changed the 2x16 LCD and now LVB works fine. Thanks Howard and all for advises 73 Fer Hello Wondering if someone can help. I just finish to build an LVB tracker for a friend of mine. All works fine with NOVA but during a satellite pass the display stuck as in the picture: http://it.geocities.com/supertrackmoon/lvb_display.jpg All other functions are OK and the tracker is still tracking the satellite. A quick restart (power off / power on) and display works again but after some minutes it is again stuck. It seems just only a display problem. Same behavior with other satellites passes. I built a couple of LVB units and I have been using an LVB tracker with NOVA for years without problems. Any ideas ? Fer IW1DTU

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Can someone point me to a simple S-band helix construction article?
by Michael A. Tondee 06 Feb '08

06 Feb '08

I can find plenty of information on helices and the theory involved with them but a lot of it seems to be contradictory and confusing.. I've found very general guideline type articles but what I haven't found yet is a simple step by step construction article from start to finish. I'd like to construct one using pvc pipe as the helix form if possible as it is readily available but I even find varying opinions on the suitability of that material. Are the dimensions really not that critical as has been stated in some articles? I was thinking of using schedule 40 1 and a quarter or 1 and a half inch diameter white PVC pipe. I could really use some simple formulas as my old brain starts to smoke when I see equations involving algebra and pi. Been way to long since high school! hi hi. Tnx and 73, Michael, W4HIJ

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QSL Card via ISS Repeater is valid
by JA0CQP 06 Feb '08

06 Feb '08

Hi, All, JAMSAT (Japan-AMSAT) is in honor to announce that a QSL card on the QSO via ISS Cross Band Repeater is of course valid for the Award " JAMSAT 5 Stars Award" application. Get JAMSAT Award ! S. Murakami - JAMSAT Award section JA4GVA madoguchi(a)jamsat.or.jp

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