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

The Trip East
by Brock Thomsen 24 Mar '08

24 Mar '08

W6GMT BROCK THOMSEN PO BOX 222 MARCELL MN 56657 I am on schedule and will leave here in the AM first stop is Kingman AZ(DM25). Tuesday night in Grants NM (DM65). Wednesday Night in Albuquerque (DM65). Thursday I will be in Clovis NM (DM84). Friday Night I will spend in Guymon OK (DM96). Three stops in Kansas Liberal(DM97), Lyons(EM08) then Smith Center(EM09) I will Spend 10 days in KS with side trips to activate DM99 and DM89. When I leave Kansas on the 8th of April I will head up Hwy 281 thought EN00,01,02 over night in EN02, SD on Tuesday EN03,EN13 night stop will be in MN in EN24. Should Make the campground on Wednesday. I will work as many passes as possible on AO-27 and AO-51 I will also work AO-16 when stopped at night. Equipment is a FT-857 a Small KF0AK log. I use a GPS to confirm that I am in the grid given out on the move I use a Dell PDA with Pocketsat+ to track the Birds. I record all Passes and then log from the recording. QSL to the MN address. I will check Email on the road. Come ride with see you on the birds. 73 Brock

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Re: NO-44 Question
by Bob Bruninga 24 Mar '08

24 Mar '08

> How long does NO-44 need to be in sun > before it begins to operate normally? About 15 to 20 minutes, AND, all of that sun must fall on the +Z pannel. Any other situation, and it is unuseable. SO the only time it has a chance of getting that sun on that panel is above a latitude of about 40 degrees and in the winter and during a pass overhead about noon. So dont expect much from NO-44 until next fall has been our experience. Often you can hear it trying to get out a packet, but it dies on heach one. Bob, WB4APR

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Re: Proud to be a member
by Gregory Dober 23 Mar '08

23 Mar '08

Brian, With all due respect to your comments, they are vague and subjective and it is difficult to understand your dilemma. I noticed your website is for the lunar X-prize. If you asked AMSAT to partner or somehow become involved in that and was rejected, declined or ignored, then I would believe that is not part of the organizations mission statement nor funding criteria. If you have expertise in the production of satellites etc. and are volunteering to bring "that to the table," then I can understand your frustration and disappointment. In fact, I would wonder myself as to why your expertise would not be utilized. 73 Greg N3MVF >-----Original Message----- >From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:[email protected]] On >Behalf Of truckwiz >Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 10:44 AM >To: 'truckwiz'; amsat-bb(a)amsat.org >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Proud to be a member > >Judging from the amount of email I'm getting on the side, It does not >appear that I'm the only unhappy "horse" in the barn. > > > >Brian > > > > _____ > >From: truckwiz [mailto:[email protected]] >Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2008 7:37 PM >To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org >Subject: Proud to be a member > > > >Hi, > > I'm the president of PropelX (www.propelX.com ><http://www.propelx.com/> ) and a member of AMSAT . I've come to the >conclusion over that last couple of months of asking questions and >offering to help on satellites (only to be jerked around), That the >only space that AMSAT is concerned about is their own . I will not be renewing my membership. > > > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1GOGdNdQNc > > > > > > > >Brian Beckius > >

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Re: On Easter, regarding negativity and renewal...
by w7lrd＠comcast.net 23 Mar '08

23 Mar '08

Well said! ditto 73 Bob W7LRD -- "if this were easy, everyone would be doing it" -------------- Original message -------------- From: Mark Vandewettering <mvandewettering(a)gmail.com> > Hi all... > > As I awoke on this Easter Sunday, I was scanning my email (I subscribe > to lots of groups > and get lots of daily summaries) and once again found myself reading > amsat-bb. Amidst the > normal, pleasurable messages, I was again (as it seems to happen > weekly) faced with a > message of disappointment in AMSAT, this time by Brian Beckius. It > seems that whatever > he was searching for, he didn't find it in AMSAT, and thus proclaimed > to all that he wouldn't > be renewing his membership. > > He's not alone of course. Lots of people aren't very satisfied with > the current state of > AMSAT-NA or amateur satellites. It's not very hard to understand why: > launching satellites > actually _is_ rocket science. It's difficult, and even more difficult > with limited funds > and relying solely on the efforts of volunteers. But the simple fact > that it can be done > at _all_ should give everyone in amateur radio a sense of justified > pride. > > I'm a total newbie when it comes to satellites. I've worked mostly > the FM birds for less > than six months. I don't have L or S band equipment. I've never > worked AO-40 or any of the > RS birds. I am still trying to perfect my setup to work the linear > birds. But I have had > fun, and I've tried to pass on that spirit of fun to others, to let > them know just how much > enjoyment you can get, even with modest equipment, even by just > listening to what goes on. > > If you can't find a reason to renew your membership, don't. We are > all free to take our > dollars elsewhere, and to spend them how we see fit. If that $40 > makes you happier when > spent elsewhere, then I think you should spend it elsewhere. If that > donation of $100 or > whatever to a different organization makes you feel a greater sense of > altruism or > achievement, then by all means, send your money there. > > Me? I'm happy to be a member. I'm getting way more out my membership > than I put in, even > when the organization itself doesn't exactly meet my own personal > expectations of what they > can and should be doing. I'd like to see firm plans about where > AMSAT-NA is going, and > when launches will happen just like everyone else, but in the mean > time, I'll be happy doing > what I'm doing, and stretching what I can do with new projects as time > and money in my > rather hectic life allows. And I'll be looking to help new satellite > projects with donations > when I can. > > Maybe you aren't so happy. Maybe the loss of AO-40 and the slow > progress toward another > Phase 3 or Phase 4 makes you grumpy. Maybe you see the money spent on > a single channel > FM bird as a complete waste of time. There are lots of you out > there. I hear you on this > mailing list every few days. But here's the thing: no amount of > growsing about the state > of the amateur satellite service gets any hardware even a foot closer > to orbit. It doesn't > make even one more person smile. It doesn't help get even $1 donated > to the creation of > new amateur satellites. > > It's Easter. It's a time of renewal and rebirth. Cast aside some of > your bitter skepticism, > and rededicate yourself to trying to actually help make amateur > satellites a fun and rewarding > endeavor for all. > > Catch you on the birds... > > Mark KF6KYI > > _______________________________________________ > 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

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Lunar Bird
by D. Mynatt 23 Mar '08

23 Mar '08

Has anyone been following 'The Orbital Classroom' column in the AMSAT journal? This month in Part 2, Dr Shuch spoke about the antenna systems needed to copy the ESMO or ASMO project transmissions. Not many of us will be able to find an 18m dish, so I was wondering if anyone has tried an interferometer setup? Can multiple dishes act as one, and so replace a single 18m dish with, say, 10 modified TVRO dishes 2m apart in some form of matrix? Dave ===== http://sciencecenter.no-ip.org/blogs/ SID ID: S-0258 LAT: 38'16.278" N LON: -104'40.537" W DM78QG51WG 719-423-4124

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On Easter, regarding negativity and renewal...
by Mark Vandewettering 23 Mar '08

23 Mar '08

Hi all... As I awoke on this Easter Sunday, I was scanning my email (I subscribe to lots of groups and get lots of daily summaries) and once again found myself reading amsat-bb. Amidst the normal, pleasurable messages, I was again (as it seems to happen weekly) faced with a message of disappointment in AMSAT, this time by Brian Beckius. It seems that whatever he was searching for, he didn't find it in AMSAT, and thus proclaimed to all that he wouldn't be renewing his membership. He's not alone of course. Lots of people aren't very satisfied with the current state of AMSAT-NA or amateur satellites. It's not very hard to understand why: launching satellites actually _is_ rocket science. It's difficult, and even more difficult with limited funds and relying solely on the efforts of volunteers. But the simple fact that it can be done at _all_ should give everyone in amateur radio a sense of justified pride. I'm a total newbie when it comes to satellites. I've worked mostly the FM birds for less than six months. I don't have L or S band equipment. I've never worked AO-40 or any of the RS birds. I am still trying to perfect my setup to work the linear birds. But I have had fun, and I've tried to pass on that spirit of fun to others, to let them know just how much enjoyment you can get, even with modest equipment, even by just listening to what goes on. If you can't find a reason to renew your membership, don't. We are all free to take our dollars elsewhere, and to spend them how we see fit. If that $40 makes you happier when spent elsewhere, then I think you should spend it elsewhere. If that donation of $100 or whatever to a different organization makes you feel a greater sense of altruism or achievement, then by all means, send your money there. Me? I'm happy to be a member. I'm getting way more out my membership than I put in, even when the organization itself doesn't exactly meet my own personal expectations of what they can and should be doing. I'd like to see firm plans about where AMSAT-NA is going, and when launches will happen just like everyone else, but in the mean time, I'll be happy doing what I'm doing, and stretching what I can do with new projects as time and money in my rather hectic life allows. And I'll be looking to help new satellite projects with donations when I can. Maybe you aren't so happy. Maybe the loss of AO-40 and the slow progress toward another Phase 3 or Phase 4 makes you grumpy. Maybe you see the money spent on a single channel FM bird as a complete waste of time. There are lots of you out there. I hear you on this mailing list every few days. But here's the thing: no amount of growsing about the state of the amateur satellite service gets any hardware even a foot closer to orbit. It doesn't make even one more person smile. It doesn't help get even $1 donated to the creation of new amateur satellites. It's Easter. It's a time of renewal and rebirth. Cast aside some of your bitter skepticism, and rededicate yourself to trying to actually help make amateur satellites a fun and rewarding endeavor for all. Catch you on the birds... Mark KF6KYI

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Re: Proud to be a member
by truckwiz 23 Mar '08

23 Mar '08

Judging from the amount of email I'm getting on the side, It does not appear that I'm the only unhappy "horse" in the barn. Brian _____ From: truckwiz [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2008 7:37 PM To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Subject: Proud to be a member Hi, I'm the president of PropelX (www.propelX.com <http://www.propelx.com/> ) and a member of AMSAT . I've come to the conclusion over that last couple of months of asking questions and offering to help on satellites (only to be jerked around), That the only space that AMSAT is concerned about is their own . I will not be renewing my membership. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1GOGdNdQNc Brian Beckius

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AMSATsatellite demo video
by Gould Smith 23 Mar '08

23 Mar '08

Robert Davies, KI4HXT has produced a Windows media video showing how to work AO-27. Dave Jordan, AA4KN does the actual satellite demonstration during the 2008 Orlando Hamcation. Dave describes the Doppler shift that will occur during the pass, makes a number of contacts during the pass, then talks about setting up the Kenwood TH-D7A hand held for analog satellite operation. Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA was doing a simultaneous demonstration and has a cameo appearance describing the arc of the upcoming pass. This is about a 20 minute video. Bob McGwier, N4HY also has a video recorded in February that talks about the AMSAT Engineering activities during the next few months. Good information about a number of activities that are taking place this year. This is a 10 minute video. Videos can be found at http://www.ki4hxt.com/id5.html Thanks to Robert for hosting these. We are working on additional videos, stay tuned. 73, Gould, WA4SXM AMSAT VP User Services

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Dropping Membership
by David G Lewis 23 Mar '08

23 Mar '08

And why are you still here,complaining? David

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Re: RS-15
by Auke de Jong, VE6PWN 23 Mar '08

23 Mar '08

I've tried it a few times, no returns. I think that it must be designed to default to the "off" state until commanded "on". Either that, or else the hardware has failed completely. No-one with command-autority for Russian sats have spoken about RS-15 for a very long time. 73's Auke VE6PWN ----- Original Message ----- From: ryan woods To: Auke de Jong Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2008 11:55 AM Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: RS-15 ok qsl and tnx yea I heard it today do you know if the transpounder is still working? ----- Original Message ---- From: Auke de Jong <sparkycivic(a)shaw.ca> To: ryan woods <kd8atf(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2008 10:27:34 AM Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: RS-15 Hi, I heard it up to yesterday. I've been recording the reception instances here: http://oscar.dcarr.org/ . I find that it only beeps a little below it's "beacon#1" frequency. I put my HTX-100 on "29.351MHz"USB, and use a truck-stop LIttle-Wil mag-mount vertical stuck to my metal garden shed to receive it. Since the satellite entered continuous-sunlight a couple weeks ago, it's been beeping all the time. Sometimes the on-off periods change, I am not sure why it does that. Yesterday, it was off for many seconds, and then on for only 1/2 second. It was really hard to see that on my spectrum display through the noise I get here. usually, it's pretty easy to hear, at about 2 seconds on/ 2 seconds off. Lastly, When it's experiencing eclipses, it stops beeping immidiately after going dark, so it's got no batteries at all anymore. It's quite loud up to that point, though, so I think the solar panels are still working OK. When it comes out of darkness, it usualy doesn't start transmitting unless it happens to pass over Japan... can't explain that one! Maybe it's reacting to some QRM on it's command-receiver somehow. The only way to know that would be to ask whoever used to control it. 73's Auke VE6PWN DO33 ----- Original Message ----- From: "ryan woods" <kd8atf(a)yahoo.com> To: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 6:13 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: RS-15 > What is the last know report of people being able to hear RS-15 > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. > http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.21.8/1337 - Release Date: 3/20/2008 > 8:10 PM > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.21.8/1339 - Release Date: 3/22/2008 4:43 PM

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