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

New at the AMSAT Online Store - 2007 Symposium DVD
by Bruce 28 Feb '08

28 Feb '08

I just added the following item to the AMSAT online store. It is the long awaited 2007 AMSAT Symposium DVD. It is under CDROM's. This is a must for anyone that was not able to attend the 2007 AMSAT Symposium in Pittsburgh or those that attended who would like the Symposium on DVD. This DVD has all of the 2007 papers, PowerPoints and audio of the presentations. Additional features of this DVD are the Symposium papers from 2004 and 2005, ISS Columbus module video and much more. 73...bruce AMSAT Online Store Manager -- 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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Re: Radio amateur calling protocol
by Bato, Andras 28 Feb '08

28 Feb '08

Gentlemen, In case we are rally corresponding about radio amateur calling and QSO protocol, Dave WB6LLO is quite right writing: "AO7, is what, 25 years old, none of those problems existed there, and still don't today..." Except for the sad fact that some feels it is compulsory to call like "CQ CQ CQ CQ AO7 satellite this is EE0LL (15 times) is standing by for any possible satellite call." During this time of a long call VO52 flyes across Europe and no QSO will be made at all! I was planning to write this list asking everyone to KEEP IT SHORT for the God's sake !!! I call like "HA6NN CQ" That's all. As somewhere someone told those who had not been experienced in RTTY contests, it is a general habit on that mode! Than there is no rule to tell QSP-partners even your name every time! Beside this, some tells everything about his equipment, the wx, etc. THERE IS NO TIME TO DO THAT ON SATELLITES! Learn the only sensible radioamateur QSO protocol what OH8MBN Mika or UA9CS Igor uses -not to mention K3SZH and some other regulars on AO7. > Blame those that encouraged and built AO51... That was one of the gratest mistake of the history of Amateur Radio. > Why was it built?? ...that is the question. gl de ha6nn Andras

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IEEE Student High Efficiency Power Amplifier Design Competition
by Arthur Feller 28 Feb '08

28 Feb '08

This competition is open to all students and graduate students registered at an educational establishment. Competitors are required to design, construct, and measure a high efficiency power amplifier, at a frequency of their choice above 1 GHz, but less than 20 GHz, and having an output power level of at least 5 watts, but less than 100 watts. See: http://www.ims2008.org/publications/PA-POSTER08-RevA.pdf Go for it! 73, art..... W4ART Arlington, VA Life is short. Be swift to love! Make haste to be kind! - Henri Frederic Amiel, philosopher and writer (1821-1881)

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Ham Log Grid Mapping Software, on http://ve2zaz.net
by Dr. Jay Garlitz 27 Feb '08

27 Feb '08

Thanks to Bert, VE2ZAZ, for posting the link to his Website containing his Ham Grid Mapping Software on our listserv. I was easily able to download the software, install it, export my data from my DXkeeper logging program, and set up the bands description so the program could read the data. Great result for a first version! Took less than ten minutes to get it going...Thanks Bert. Jay, AA4FL, EL89wo

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Patch Antenna
by Ronald A. Stunden 27 Feb '08

27 Feb '08

What effect is using a thicker plate have on the antenna. Say going from .010 to .032.

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Re: Ham Log Grid Square Mapping Software
by Bill Dzurilla 27 Feb '08

27 Feb '08

Bert, Just downloaded your program and uploaded my log. Seems to work OK, except that worked grids only show in bold print. I am not seeing the colored-coded by band boxes around each worked grid, as shown on your web page. I'm using an IBM Thinkpad T42 with Windows XP. Does the program show the total number of grids worked? Thanks much for the program, Bill NZ5N > > Hi Everyone, > > I've just finished developing WorkedGrids, a ham log > grid square mapping software. It is a freeware and > it runs under Windows. The program displays a map > showing the amateur radio grid squares > contacted and logged in using a third-party logging > program. WorkedGrids uses colors to display > information on a per-band basis. Up to four bands > can be displayed concurrently on the map. For its > input, the program reads the plain-text (ASCII) log > files generated by most logging programs. > > This project was initiated because I could not find > a logging program that provided the level of detail > and mapping quality that I wanted. The software is > directed towards the VHF andabove operators who > collect grid squares for contesting or awardpurpose. > It is designed to supplement a logging program and > itreplaces the pen and paper technique. > > Please visit http://ve2zaz.net for more details. > Your input is welcome! > > Best Regards, > > Bert, VE2ZAZ > > > > > > Be smarter than spam. See how smart SpamGuard > is at giving junk email the boot with the All-new > Yahoo! Mail. Click on Options in Mail and switch to > New Mail today or register for free at > http://mail.yahoo.ca > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:49:28 -0000 > From: "John B. Stephensen" <kd6ozh(a)comcast.net> > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: power restriction in New > Mexico on 435 MHz > To: "Rick Mann" <rmann(a)latencyzero.com>, "Lee > McLamb" > <ku4os(a)cfl.rr.com> > Cc: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > Message-ID: > <00a401c87979$dde7aa50$0201a8c0@your6bvpxyztoq> > Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; > charset="iso-8859-1"; > reply-type=original > > Almost all amateur bands above 219 MHz are shared. > Most often this is with > the military and their use is usually radiolocation. > On 70 cm the military > has uses in specific areas of the country. The 3 > PAVE PAWS missile defense > RADAR sites also use this band. Along the Pacific > coast you can also hear > shipboard RADAR. > > 73, > > John > KD6OZH > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Rick Mann" <rmann(a)latencyzero.com> > To: "Lee McLamb" <ku4os(a)cfl.rr.com> > Cc: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> > Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 08:23 UTC > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: power restriction in New > Mexico on 435 MHz > > > > > > On Feb 26, 2008, at 6:46 PM, Lee McLamb wrote: > > > >> 97.313 > >> (f) No station may transmit with a transmitter > power exceeding 50 W > >> PEP on the UHF 70 cm band from an area specified > in footnote US7 to > >> Sec. 2.106 of part 2, unless expressly authorized > by the FCC after > > > > > > Huh. I didn't know this. Why? > > > > -- > > Rick > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 > > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via amsat-bb(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are > those of the author. > Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur > satellite program! > http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > > > End of AMSAT-BB Digest, Vol 3, Issue 107 > **************************************** > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

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Re: Radio amateur calling protocol
by James Whitfield 27 Feb '08

27 Feb '08

I respect the opinions each of you have voiced. With some, I disagree. It seems to me that the problem is not that there are too many FM satellites, or perhaps as some have suggested that they exist at all, but rather there are not enough FM satellites, and the ones that exist have too few channels. The situation is similar to terrestrial repeaters: When too many users try to access the limited resource, more repeaters get built. When you run out of bandwidth, new repeaters get built on other bands. Usually accompanied by lots of grumbling about the cost of additional equipment, but it shifts the load from over-used spectrum to under-used spectrum. Newcomers adapt, frequently in spite of insults and other forms of "un-welcome". If a system does not attract enough newcomers activity will eventually die off, which is fortunate. When bad operating practice and bad manners get mixed with heavy use, the control elements slap access limiters on the systems, knowing that if they don't, regulating agencies will shut them down completely. If someone doesn't like the way a system is operated, he or she is entitled to form another group of like minded people to establish and run another system as they see fit within the same regulatory, financial, and technical environment. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they don't. As far as I am personally concerned, I don't operate satellite. But given the opportunity to help a someone or some group put on a satellite demonstration to a Scout activity or a school, I would do so. I have the professional background to know how aerospace vehicles are made; I understand some of the physics of launch vehicles, orbital mechanics, and attitude control systems; and I have an archaic romantic notion that it is possible to have fun while you are learning something important. This thread would take a lot of editing before I could use it to encourage youth. James n5gui

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OLPC Sold
by Bruce 27 Feb '08

27 Feb '08

Thanks to everyone that responded to my for sale email. The OLPC is sold (actually, if I had a stack of them I could have sold them all). 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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power restriction in New Mexico on 435 MHz
by Robert L Lasso 27 Feb '08

27 Feb '08

I need clarification about the power restrictions in New Mexico on 435 MHz band for terrestrial and satellite communications. Can't seem to find the definitive answer by searching on the internet. Any help is appreciated. 73, Robert W6RQR

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Ham Log Grid Square Mapping Software
by Bert, VE2ZAZ 27 Feb '08

27 Feb '08

Hi Everyone, I've just finished developing WorkedGrids, a ham log grid square mapping software. It is a freeware and it runs under Windows. The program displays a map showing the amateur radio grid squares contacted and logged in using a third-party logging program. WorkedGrids uses colors to display information on a per-band basis. Up to four bands can be displayed concurrently on the map. For its input, the program reads the plain-text (ASCII) log files generated by most logging programs. This project was initiated because I could not find a logging program that provided the level of detail and mapping quality that I wanted. The software is directed towards the VHF andabove operators who collect grid squares for contesting or awardpurpose. It is designed to supplement a logging program and itreplaces the pen and paper technique. Please visit http://ve2zaz.net for more details. Your input is welcome! Best Regards, Bert, VE2ZAZ Be smarter than spam. See how smart SpamGuard is at giving junk email the boot with the All-new Yahoo! Mail. Click on Options in Mail and switch to New Mail today or register for free at http://mail.yahoo.ca

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