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

Re: Help with CIV and IC-910H
by John Kopala 03 Apr '08

03 Apr '08

Ron, George has it exactly right. You don't need to fiddle with the radio except to tune up and down the passband to see if other people are on the bird. First select the satellite you want to access by clicking on one of the letters for the satellites you have configured on your SATPC32 display. The selected satellite will be highlighted on the display. Grey letters represent no configured satellite. In the upper left of the SATPC32 display, click on the C. It changes to C+ to show CAT tracking in activated. Watch the radio when you do this. It should respond by going into satellite mode and tuning to the frequencies shown in SATPC32. Sometimes I have to repeat this once or twice before the radio and SATPC32 sync up. Just check the frequency on the radio to verify that it has change to that displayed by the program. Next click on CAT in the menu bar. This opens the CAT Tuning display window. Here you can tweek the uplink and downlink frequencies if the downlink is too high or too low. It will need some adjustment depending on the satellite and the radio. With satellites with multiple modes, you can change modes here by just clicking on the appropriate line. Once the downlink sounds reasonable, you are good to go. You may have to tweek things a little on high passes. I've noticed the doppler seems to get off a little. On the FM birds, you don't have to touch the radio. On the SSB birds, you can tune for other operators. You will also have to tune to follow stations that are not using doppler control. If both stations have doppler control, you shouldn't have to do much of anything once you have found another station and started a QSO. If you change satellites, you must close and reopen the CAT box. John Kopala N7JK ------------------------------ With SatPC32, you won't need to set memories on the rig... in the Doppler.sqf file, you need to have an entry for VO-52 that looks like this: VO-52,145900,435250.3,USB,LSB,REV,0,0 This tells your radio the relationship between the uplink and downlink frequencies, what modes to use, etc., for that particular satellite. You can either open Doppler.sqf in Notepad (it's in the folder where you installed SatPC32, usually C:/Program Files/SatPC32), or from the Auxiliary Files section under the "?" option on the menu bar. Make sure that you not only have matched the addresses for your radio in the Setup menu, but the baudrate aand COM port as well, and put in a CAT delay value of around 60 or so. Then when you select VO-52 as the active satellite and press the "C" button in the upper left of the display, the program should automatically switch the radio to Satellite mode, LSB on the uplink, USB on the downlink, and set the frequencies to the values in the Doppler.sqf file. (Don't forget to turn the squelch knob, which is the RF Gain control in SSB mode, UP) You can then tune up or down from there manually, and the uplink VFO will track your changes to t! he downlink. Once you can hear yourself on the downlink, follow the instructions in the file FAQ.htm, in the section titled "AO-40 Operation," to fine-tune your uplink to match your downlink (every radio is slightly different). You should then be good to go! 73, George, KA3HSW -----Original Message----- >From: Ronald Nutter <rnutter(a)networkref.com> >Sent: Apr 2, 2008 9:31 AM >To: Bruce <snyderb(a)cox.net> >Cc: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Help with CIV and IC-910H > >Bruce: > >Think I found part of the problem. I glossed over the CIV addressing. >I am used to applications that "know" the default CIV addressing, so I >hadnt looked at it. Although I hadnt changed mine, I looked at the >settings in my 910H and changed the settings in SatPC32. I can now see >there some indication of RIG control. Have to figure out now how to get >things to work. > >I dont use the satellite function in the radio, I put the vhf frequency >in one memory and uhf in the other. I shift the receive channel into >the slave part of the radio (lower display) and put the transmit in the >higher display. > >I will continue to look at the docs for SatPC but would appreciate any >pointers you can give on how you use SatPC32 with the SSB birds (i.e. >setting up the radio, etc). > >Thanks, >Ron ------------------------------

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Dayton Rooms
by Martha 03 Apr '08

03 Apr '08

I have 8 rooms left in the AMSAT block. If they are not booked by April 14th, they go back to the hotel for use by the general public. If you are interested in a room, please call me at 301-589-6062 before April 14th. -- 73- Martha

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YO22NATO active on Satellites today
by Robert Turlington 03 Apr '08

03 Apr '08

Hi All YO22NATO will be active on AO27,SO50&AO51 today not sure after that though, so look out for him! I worked him at 1429 on SO50 this afternoon Regards Robert G8ATE _________________________________________________________________ Amazing prizes every hour with Live Search Big Snap http://www.bigsnapsearch.com

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Anyone hearing SO-50 in the US ?
by Ronald Nutter 03 Apr '08

03 Apr '08

I havent heard SO-50 on either of the two passes I could use today. I had heard it over the weekend. I had been on AO-51 and AO-16 today so I know my equipment is ok. Ron KA4KYI

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Re: Help with CIV and IC-910H
by Tim Tuck 03 Apr '08

03 Apr '08

D. Mynatt wrote: > Guys, I've been watching the conversation. I have a Icom R-20 HH; > will this work for receive-only okay? > Not knowing the R20, I couldn't say - its not in the list of supported radios for WispDDE but if it can be remotely controlled and its command set is similar to an R7000, R8500 or PCR-1000 - it might work. Someone else might like to chime in here if they've managed to get an R20 working. cheers Tim -- VK2XTT :: QF56if :: BMARC :: WIA :: AMSAT

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Re: ARR pre amp Query
by John W Lee 03 Apr '08

03 Apr '08

I have an FT-847 with the good internal preamps. The ARR SP432VDG even makes this setup BETTER! I use both the internal and SP-432VDG. Signals are mostly VERY good. Also use a 20 element beam on the downlink. When I say VERY good, I mean over S9 a lot of the time and all over the place between zero and 60 over 9. That way, you don't have to be so careful in aiming the antenna, and you can hear the birds basically 100% of the time. If the signal goes down a few S-units you can move the antenna and get it back up again. Without all that, when it goes down a few S-units, it's GONE! Regarding the power cable, I have been using two of these preamps for years and years with a small cable attached and no problems. 73 John K6YK On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:03:10 -0500 "Alan" <ve4yz(a)mts.net> writes: > Very timely discussion for me as the snow sloooowwly disappears and > the > return of the Canada geese and robins signals the time for tower > work :-) > > Some previous comments suggest that a preamp near the rig is not > significant, but, I suggest otherwise as my Ft-847 internal preamps > can make > a significant difference in RX. Anecdotal, not empirical, but I can > hear > the diff at the push of a button. > > Now, I am consider mast mounted preamps as an alternative to my > FT-847 > internal preamps for one of my sites. I run Landwehr VHF and UHF > preamps at > 2 other locations and they are terrific! They are also almost 20 > years old > and no longer available :-( > > The preamps on the AR2 site look like what I could use. > > My questions are... Is the sequencer > > http://www.advancedreceiver.com/page20.html > > really necessary or recommended when using the MSP432VD-25 or > MSP144VDG-25 > preamps? My first thought is NO. 15-20 years of use of 4 Landwehr > preamps > without a sequencer is my rational. > > Finally, does anyone have a nice "warranty voiding" hack to get > around the > these different power connectors we see on indoor preamps and down > converters such as my KEPS http://www.keps.it/images/13lnc72db_m.jpg > ? > Instead of soldering to the pin and a ground lug > > http://picasaweb.google.com/ve4yz.alan/24Ghz/photo#5172119570416133618 > > Something as simple as removing the connector from the case and > running a > cable through the remaining hole, soldered internally with something > like > Anderson Power Poles at the other end for 12VDC????? I'm going to > do it one > day, but would rather have someone else confirm that it would work > without > adversely effecting performance characteristics. No guts; no glory > here. > > > Thanks for any feedback > > 73, Alan VE4YZ > EN19kw > AMSAT LM 2352 > http://www.mts.net/~ve4wsc/ > AMSAT A-485 > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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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Podcasts
by Bruce 03 Apr '08

03 Apr '08

Thanks to everyone that responded to me about podcasts. I was not able to get it working with the free software and the free online services. So, I worked up the XML code and put it on my website. If it works and doesn't kill the connection of my friends server, we will be good to go. I will let everyone know when it is tested and working well. 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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Re: Help with CIV and IC-910H
by Tim Tuck 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

Rafael Valdez G. wrote: > Tim, > > I have an ICOM 706 and use Orbitron, by any chance do you know if I > can do doppler control in it using the CIV? Yes, with WispDDE, Orbitron sends the data to WispDDE and it controls the radio. I don't think the 706 is full duplex but it should track nicely anyway. WispDDE also allows transparent tuning, i.e. If I hear someone in the passband up from my initial position I can tune the 910 and WispDDE will maintain the doppler shift by computing the delta between what Orbitron is telling it and what freq it gets back from the radio. All very cool. SatPC32 will do that too. cheers Tim -- VK2XTT :: QF56if :: BMARC :: WIA :: AMSAT

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Re: Preamp for a Mobile Application
by Tony Langdon 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

At 07:38 AM 4/3/2008, you wrote: >The "dollars to dBs" value proposition for pre-amps in a mobile >installation with short coax runs doesn't work out until after you >have an incredibly large antenna system. In the case of a mobile installation, I'd spend my money on the feedline. Design the coax run for 1.2 GHz or higher. Doing this means losses at 70cm will be negligible. Next, select an antenna suitable for what you are attempting to do. A 2m 1/4 wave might be a good option for mobile satellite work. With a high quality feedline, I actually had very good results working mobile on a high gain mobile whip, much to my surprise!. In any case, keep the gain low, you don't want all your radiation on the horizon, and directional antennas on a mobile are rarely practical (try aiming one on a winding road :D ). But first of all, spend the $$$$ on the feedline. 73 de VK3JED http://vkradio.com

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podcast
by Bruce 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

Someone suggested that I provide the Houston AMSAT Net as a podcast. I am not familiar with how Apple does this, can someone shed some light on how to send my mp3 files to them? I found a link on their website for using iTunes to set it up but it says that it requires XML and I do not have anything in the XML language. Can you just send them the file and they take care of it? Or is there a repository that you can send the file and that's it? 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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Re: Preamp for a Mobile Application
by Bill Dzurilla 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

Kent, Never tried it, but I doubt a preamp would be worth the expense if mounted at the rig in a mobil set-up. I assume the feedline is only 10' or so. The preamp helps most when the feedline is lengthy, especially if cheap coax is used. If you want to try a switching preamp, the ARR SP432VDG is a good one, see http://www.advancedreceiver.com/page7.html For about the same price, you could buy an Arrow handheld yagi antenna, which would substantially improve both reception and transmission. See http://www.arrowantennas.com/146-437.html , although if the rig is fixed inside your car if might not be convenient to hold the Arrow, unless your mike cord is long enough so you can stand outside the car. If you are limited to operating from the car, try driving to a hilltop or somewhere with a clear view from horizon to horizon. 73, Bill NZ5N ____________________________________________________________________________________ Like movies? Here's a limited-time offer: Blockbuster Total Access for one month at no cost. http://tc.deals.yahoo.com/tc/blockbuster/text4.com

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Re: Help with CIV and IC-910H
by George Henry 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

-----Original Message----- >From: Tim Tuck <tim.tuck(a)penrith.net> >Sent: Apr 2, 2008 2:37 PM >To: AMSAT BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Help with CIV and IC-910H > [snip] >I'm pretty sure you will need to have your 910 in Satellite mode to work >correctly. >I use mine with Orbitron and WispDDE and that works fine as does SatPC32 > >regards > >Tim > SatPC32 puts it into Satellite mode for you when you enable CAT tuning. He won't need to touch the button on the radio at all. George, KA3HSW

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AMSAT-UK website
by John Heaton 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Greetings, I'm in the process of moving offices from ones end of the University campus to the other (around 0.75 mile) and since the AMSAT-UK website is on one of my desktop systems, it will be moving too. When that happens, sometime in the next week or so the AMSAT-UK website will be going offline for a few hours. I don't know exactly when, as its all dependent on when the University gets it done. Bye for now, John -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.3 (Darwin) iD8DBQFH8+qzDwhbGQHPUt0RAmZyAKCehjV2kHobnu91mqej9f0iiXsldgCeNF+W sETTcOg8IOiDxh7MRTSRNJQ= =O+ak -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Help with CIV and IC-910H
by Ronald Nutter 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

I am trying to find some solution that will have my computer auto-adjust my IC-910H. I have verified that the computer interface is working on my IC-910H as I can read data from the radio using Win-EQF. Someone suggested I get SatPC. I downloaded it but cant seem to get it to talk to my IC-910H. I can work all the FM birds and AO-16, just having problems getting onto the SSB birds (i.e. VO-52). Thanks, Ron KA4KYI

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Re: Help with CIV and IC-910H
by Andrew Glasbrenner 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

Once you get it set up, SatPC32 is the cat's meow for tuning. This is of course dependent on keeping a fresh set of keplerian elements, an accurate clock sync on the PC, and initially calibrating the tuning equations for differences in frequency accuracy between rigs. The learning curve is a bit steep, but it is well worth the time and effort. 73, Drew KO4MA -----Original Message----- >From: David <m0zlb(a)btinternet.com> >Sent: Apr 2, 2008 1:34 PM >To: G8IFF/KC8NHF <nigel(a)ngunn.net> >Cc: AMSAT BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Help with CIV and IC-910H > >HRD does not deal with the Doppler compensation correctly on the 910 >(and possibly other radios) its a known fault which has been on >Simon's "to do" list for a while! I gave up on it a long while back >and started manually tuning instead. If SatPC can do it then I will >take a look at that and see if it is any better. > >David >KG4ZLB / M0ZLB > >m0zlb(a)btinternet.com >david.m0zlb(a)gmail.com > >On Apr 2, 2008, at 12:10, G8IFF/KC8NHF <nigel(a)ngunn.net> wrote: > >> Have you tried Ham Radio Deluxe? >> >> Ronald Nutter wrote: >>> I am trying to find some solution that will have my computer auto- >>> adjust >>> my IC-910H. I have verified that the computer interface is working >>> on >>> my IC-910H as I can read data from the radio using Win-EQF. >>> >>> Someone suggested I get SatPC. I downloaded it but cant seem to >>> get it >>> to talk to my IC-910H. I can work all the FM birds and AO-16, just >>> having problems getting onto the SSB birds (i.e. VO-52). >>> >>> Thanks, >>> >>> Ron >>> KA4KYI >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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 >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> <>< >> ><> >> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> >> Nigel A. Gunn. 59 Beadlemead, Milton Keynes, MK6 4HF, England. >> Tel +44 (0)1908 604004 mobile +44 (0)7951079089 >> e-mail nigel(a)ngunn.net www http://www.ngunn.net >> Amateur radio stations G8IFF, KC8NHF >> Member of ARRL, GQRP #11396, QRPARCI #11644, SOC #548, Flying Pig >> #385, >> Dayton ARA #2128, AMSAT-NA LM-1691, MKARS, RAYNET >> <>< >> ><> >> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! >Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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Re: Help with CIV and IC-910H
by George Henry 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

With SatPC32, you won't need to set memories on the rig... in the Doppler.sqf file, you need to have an entry for VO-52 that looks like this: VO-52,145900,435250.3,USB,LSB,REV,0,0 This tells your radio the relationship between the uplink and downlink frequencies, what modes to use, etc., for that particular satellite. You can either open Doppler.sqf in Notepad (it's in the folder where you installed SatPC32, usually C:/Program Files/SatPC32), or from the Auxiliary Files section under the "?" option on the menu bar. Make sure that you not only have matched the addresses for your radio in the Setup menu, but the baudrate aand COM port as well, and put in a CAT delay value of around 60 or so. Then when you select VO-52 as the active satellite and press the "C" button in the upper left of the display, the program should automatically switch the radio to Satellite mode, LSB on the uplink, USB on the downlink, and set the frequencies to the values in the Doppler.sqf file. (Don't forget to turn the squelch knob, which is the RF Gain control in SSB mode, UP) You can then tune up or down from there manually, and the uplink VFO will track your changes to the downlink. Once you can hear yourself on the downlink, follow the instructions in the file FAQ.htm, in the section titled "AO-40 Operation," to fine-tune your uplink to match your downlink (every radio is slightly different). You should then be good to go! 73, George, KA3HSW -----Original Message----- >From: Ronald Nutter <rnutter(a)networkref.com> >Sent: Apr 2, 2008 9:31 AM >To: Bruce <snyderb(a)cox.net> >Cc: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Help with CIV and IC-910H > >Bruce: > >Think I found part of the problem. I glossed over the CIV addressing. >I am used to applications that "know" the default CIV addressing, so I >hadnt looked at it. Although I hadnt changed mine, I looked at the >settings in my 910H and changed the settings in SatPC32. I can now see >there some indication of RIG control. Have to figure out now how to get >things to work. > >I dont use the satellite function in the radio, I put the vhf frequency >in one memory and uhf in the other. I shift the receive channel into >the slave part of the radio (lower display) and put the transmit in the >higher display. > >I will continue to look at the docs for SatPC but would appreciate any >pointers you can give on how you use SatPC32 with the SSB birds (i.e. >setting up the radio, etc). > >Thanks, >Ron >

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Re: Feedback on downlink on VO-52
by John Kopala 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

Ron, I have to throw in my 2 cents. I'm not sure why you would be getting any desense. I have virtually the same setup. I have not had any indications of desense with my installation. I'm using an IC-910H, separate feedlines, mast mounted preamps, and yagi antennas. Feedlines are 9913F7 ultraflex and are about 60' long plus connections from the preamps to the antennas. I have a 2 meter CP KLM (oldie), a 1.2 GHz looper, and a 435 KLM. Separation between the 2 meter and the 70 cm antennas is about 8 feet. I do use an elevation rotor and so the antennas can be aimed quite precisely. Normal power output is usually about 5 watts unless the satellites have a very low pass. Using more than 25 watts would be pretty unusual with most satellites. I live in Phoenix, AZ, and am surround by mountains, some within walking distance, so in most directions I have an elevated, rugged horizon. The first question that I would ask is how much power are you running on the uplink? And then, how far apart are the antennas? I use the CI-V interface with SATPC32 to control the doppler. It works great. You just have to make sure the address in the radio matches what you have set in the software configuration files. For SSB I have the frequency updated whenever it gets off by 20 or more Hz. For FM I'm using 300 Hz. Maybe overkill on SSB, but it's better than having the tone jumping up and down all the time. As George said, do the CAT interface first, expecially if you plan to be doing SSB or CW. Once you have that set up, you can tweek your downlink on the CAT display when you first transmit. After that, your uplink and downlink should pretty well track with each other. The fun comes when you have to follow someone who has no doppler control. I don't think you are going to find any easy way to interface the Channel Master rotor to a computer interface. Generally the interfaces expect a voltage between 0 and 5 volts representing the azimuth of the antenna. A higher indicator voltage can be scaled down to the 0 to 5 range if you can find something suitable. Most ham rotors have separate wiring for the indicator potentiometer in the rotor and that can be easily scaled and used with computer interfaces. Hope this helps. I can set a picture of my antenna installation if that would help. John N7JK Message: 13 Date: Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:12:03 -0500 From: Ronald Nutter <rnutter(a)networkref.com> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Feedback on downlink on VO-52 To: George Henry <ka3hsw(a)earthlink.net>, "amsat-bb(a)amsat.org >> AMSAT-BB" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Message-ID: <47F250C3.7020801(a)networkref.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed I am using seperate antennas and feedlines. For the time being, I am using a Channel Master antenna to turn the antennas. I have a pvc pipe rig setup with the antennas at an angle of 25 degrees due to the clutter in the neighborhood I have to clear to see the sats. I hope to have a tower in the future but with being laid off from my job, cant really have any expenditures right now. I have the cat interface for the IC910H but havent looked into how to set it up yet. Ron KA4KYI George Henry wrote: > -----Original Message----- >> From: Ronald Nutter <rnutter(a)networkref.com> >> Sent: Mar 31, 2008 10:40 PM >> To: AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >> Subject: [amsat-bb] Feedback on downlink on VO-52 >> >> Thanks to the help of several on this listserv, I was able to get a >> contact on VO-52 until I lost coordination on keeping the rotor turned >> and the IC910H tweaked the right way on the VFO's. I had problems >> finding my downlink because of what I think is desensing on the 2M >> downlink. >> >> Can I resolve this by putting a filter on the 2M receive to stop the >> desensing like I would on the UHF receive on the FM birds ? If not, is >> there another way to fix the problem ? >> >> Thanks to W0EOZ for putting up with me while I was trying to figure >> things out. Hopefully my next contacts will last a bit longer <G>. >> >> Ron >> KA4KYI > > Are you using separate 2 meter and 70 cm antennas with separate feedlines, > or diplexing onto a single feedline to a single antenna? First thing to > do is reduce your uplink power as much as possible while still being > heard. If you are diplexing to a single feedline, you only have about > 60dB or so of isolation, so too much uplink power can exceed that. You > should be able to work VO-52 with 25 watts or less... > > I have never experienced desense on 2 meters from my 70 cm uplink... only > the reverse, which can be cured with separate feedlines and antennas, > ample separation between the antennas, and the diplexer-as-filter trick > found at <http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/articles/Mode-J/> > > And I strongly recommend buying or building a CAT interface and letting > your tracking program take care of tuning the radio (and turning the > rotors, if you buy or build a rotor interface as well). The demo version > of SatPC32 is fully functional except for saving your station parameters, > and can be downloaded from <www.dk1tb.de/indexeng.htm>. > If you like it, register it: all proceeds go directly to AMSAT. A CAT > interface PC board with the harder-to-find chips included is available > from <www.farcircuits.net> and only costs about $20 to build. The > FOD-Track rotor control PC board is also available from Far Circuits, and > will cost $45 - $50 to build. The LVB Tracker is available thru the AMSAT > store, and has the advantage of being able to operate without a computer > attached... nice for mobile ops! > > Go for the radio control first: that'll free you up to deal with the > rotors manually, and they demand far less attention than tuning does. > > 73, > George, KA3HSW > > > >

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AO-51 Mode L/U
by James Denneny 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

Has anyone copied the Mode L/U BBS yet? I caught two passes on April 1 and could not hear or connect with BBS. Jim K7EG

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interesting site
by w7lrd＠comcast.net 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

I happened across this site. It has probably been on the BB before. Still interesting http://science.nasa.gov/realtime/jtrack/Spacecraft.html 73 Bob W7LRD Seattle -- "if this were easy, everyone would be doing it"

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Re: [eagle] Re: WARNING!!! DMHO -- A threat to you and the environment
by Jim Sanford 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

Pontificating here . . . . Mortal sin . . . . adulterating good Scotch with such hazardous waste . . .. . Very 73 to all, Jim wb4gcs(a)amsat.org Stan Wood wrote: > Tom, > > Frozen it's great with Scotch. > > 73 Stan > > ----- Original Message ----- > *From:* Tom Clark, K3IO <mailto:[email protected]> > *To:* AMSAT BB <mailto:[email protected]> > *Cc:* AMSAT BoD <mailto:[email protected]> ; AMSAT Eagle > <mailto:[email protected]> ; senior-officers > <mailto:[email protected]> > *Sent:* Tuesday, April 01, 2008 2:17 PM > *Subject:* [eagle] WARNING!!! DMHO -- A threat to you and the > environment > > This is an alert to warn all AMSAT members about the threat to > your lives; I refer about exposure to DHMO (Dihydrogen Monoxide). > > Due in part to its widespread use in industry, Dihydrogen Monoxide > (DHMO) is involved in many environmental incidents each year. > While most are unavoidable given current technology, there can be > little doubt that the presence of DHMO in each significantly > increases the negative impact to the environment. > > Among the many commonly-sited DHMO-related environmental impacts are: > > * DHMO contributes to global warming and the "Greenhouse > Effect", and is one of the so-called "greenhouse gases." > > * DHMO is an "enabling component" of acid rain -- in the > absence of sufficient quantities of DHMO, acid rain is not a problem. > > * DHMO is a causative agent in most instances of soil erosion > -- sufficiently high levels of DHMO exacerbate the negative > effects of soil erosion. > > * DHMO is present in high levels nearly every creek, stream, > pond, river, lake and reservoir in the U.S. and around the world. > > * Measurable levels of DHMO have been verified in ice samples > taken from both the Arctic and Antarctic ice caps. > > * Recent massive DHMO exposures have lead to the loss of life > and destruction of property in California, the Mid-West, the > Philippines, and a number of islands in the Caribbean, to name > just a few. > > * Research has shown that significant levels of DHMO were > found in the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 which killed > 230,000 in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and elsewhere, making it > the deadliest tsunami in recorded history. > > * It is widely believed that the levee failures, flooding and > the widespread destruction resulting from Hurricane Katrina along > the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005 were caused or exacerbated by > excessive DHMO levels found in the Gulf of Mexico, along with > other contributing factors. > > In spite of the recent movement to ban unlawful dumping of > hazardous chemicals into waterways in the U.S. and abroad, release > of massive quantities of DHMO continues. Industry cannot be held > accountable entirely because lawmakers are reluctant to pass > legislation to make most forms of dumping of DHMO illegal. Reasons > for this could include pressures from corporate leaders, industry > lobbyists, and even vested foreign governments. This governmental > inaction leading to nearly unregulated dumping may be one of the > most overlooked environmental impacts of DHMO. > > The U.S. government refuses to ban the production, distribution, > and use of DHMO. This inaction may be due to pressures from > private interests and corporate-sponsored economists, among many, > who predict a DHMO ban could produce disastrous results. Claims > include damage to public health and the well-being of the U.S. and > world economies. > > To inform you of some of the dangers of DHMO You should review the > material available on the DHMO FAQ <http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html>. > > 73 de K3IO > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > _______________________________________________ > Via the Eagle mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA > Eagle(a)amsat.org > http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/eagle > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Via the Eagle mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA > Eagle(a)amsat.org > http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/eagle >

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Re: Yaesu G-5500 Connectors
by gregory.beat＠comcast.net 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

Joel - KC8HZ found an Ohio distributor for Nanaboshi connectors (Japanese mfg.) in 2007 and was able to order in small quantities. He ended up ordering 2 male and 2 female -- so he could take the rotor out of the tower and have a ground test cable. The connectors cost him about $12 USD each in 2007. Kinetic Technologies of Ohio PO Box 447 190 North Mill Street Milford Center, OH 43045-0447 Phone 937-349-7361 In Ohio Call: 800-569-1334 Here is the Kinetic Technologies (US distributor) web page for Nanaboshi connectors http://www.kinetictechnologies.cc/nanaboshi.htm Nanaboshi - Japanese web page (English version) http://www.nanabosi.co.jp/index.php?ENGLISH 73 de Greg W9GB >Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 10:29:26 -0400 >From: "Joel Kandel" <> >Subject: [amsat-bb] Yaesu G-5500 Connectors >To: "AMSAT-BB" <> >Message-ID: <> > >I found a 2003 AMSAT thread from Wayne, W9AE, indicating that there was a source >for purchasing extra 7 pin connectors for the G-5500 az/el rotor. That was >Advanced Industrial Products, but with a long lead time. > >Since then, has anyone found another source for these connectors (Nanaboshi >NJC-207-PF), or another manufacturer? > >Thank you, >Joel Kandel, KI4T

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Re: AO-51 Tx power?
by Gould Smith 02 Apr '08

02 Apr '08

Hi Alex, I don't have any plans to automate it. Depending upon the mode(s) in use on AO-51, I manually adjust the TX power to get through eclipse. As long as the BB is operational these settings are available in the downlinked telemetry. If you don't have a 9600 bps modem, Douglas Quagliana, KA2UPW has an operational, beta telemetry decoder/display that uses your sound card. This is available on the AMSAT Digital Disk. 73, Gould, WA4SXM ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alex Perez" <aperez(a)alexperez.com> To: "Gould Smith" <gouldsmi(a)bellsouth.net> Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2008 7:40 PM Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: AO-51 Tx power? > Any plans for automating the process so changes like this get auto- > emailed to the list, so we can avoid these types of repeated inquiries? > > On Apr 1, 2008, at 1:48 PM, Gould Smith wrote: > >> Hello Jeff and BB, >> >> AO-51 is running less power than last week. >> >> 1) The SQRX receiver is on for L band uplink for the BB >> 2) We are starting to enter a new eclipse cycle this week. >> >> TX B (analog) as of this morning is 700 mW (was 820 mW) >> TX A (digital) as of this morning is 550 mW (was 550 mW analog last >> week) >> >> We will reduce power slowly until mid June (eclipse length maximum), >> then >> slowly increase it until early Sept when we will again enter a no >> eclipse >> period for a number of months. >> It is easy to get spoiled with the higher output levels, the last three >> months. >> >> 73, >> Gould, WA4SXM >> AO-51 Command station >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Jeff Mock" <jeff(a)mock.com> >> To: <amsat-bb(a)AMSAT.Org> >> Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2008 2:51 PM >> Subject: [amsat-bb] AO-51 Tx power? >> >> >>> Was the 70cm Tx power on AO-51 reduced with the latest mode change? I >>> was getting about the same signal levels this morning as in March. >>> >>> jeff >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite >> program! >> Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb >

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AO-51 Tx power?
by Jeff Mock 01 Apr '08

01 Apr '08

Was the 70cm Tx power on AO-51 reduced with the latest mode change? I was getting about the same signal levels this morning as in March. jeff

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Re: [eagle] WARNING!!! DMHO -- A threat to you and the environment
by Bruce 01 Apr '08

01 Apr '08

and.... i have stopped using gasoline in my vehicles and only use water. much more environmentally safe. happy april 1 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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Re: [eagle] WARNING!!! DMHO -- A threat to you and the environment
by Frank Brickle 01 Apr '08

01 Apr '08

Tom -- That settles it. Henceforth the only fluids to pass my lips will be Bacardi & Cola. Many thanks for the timely warning! 73 Frank AB2KT On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 2:17 PM, Tom Clark, K3IO <k3io(a)verizon.net> wrote: > This is an alert to warn all AMSAT members about the threat to your > lives; I refer about exposure to DHMO (Dihydrogen Monoxide). > > Due in part to its widespread use in industry, Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO) > is involved in many environmental incidents each year. While most are > unavoidable given current technology, there can be little doubt that the > presence of DHMO in each significantly increases the negative impact to the > environment. > > Among the many commonly-sited DHMO-related environmental impacts are: > > * DHMO contributes to global warming and the "Greenhouse Effect", and > is one of the so-called "greenhouse gases." > > * DHMO is an "enabling component" of acid rain -- in the absence of > sufficient quantities of DHMO, acid rain is not a problem. > > * DHMO is a causative agent in most instances of soil erosion -- > sufficiently high levels of DHMO exacerbate the negative effects of soil > erosion. > > * DHMO is present in high levels nearly every creek, stream, pond, > river, lake and reservoir in the U.S. and around the world. > > * Measurable levels of DHMO have been verified in ice samples taken > from both the Arctic and Antarctic ice caps. > > * Recent massive DHMO exposures have lead to the loss of life and > destruction of property in California, the Mid-West, the Philippines, and a > number of islands in the Caribbean, to name just a few. > > * Research has shown that significant levels of DHMO were found in the > devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 which killed 230,000 in Indonesia, > Thailand, Malaysia and elsewhere, making it the deadliest tsunami in > recorded history. > > * It is widely believed that the levee failures, flooding and the > widespread destruction resulting from Hurricane Katrina along the U.S. > Gulf Coast in 2005 were caused or exacerbated by excessive DHMO levels found > in the Gulf of Mexico, along with other contributing factors. > > In spite of the recent movement to ban unlawful dumping of hazardous > chemicals into waterways in the U.S. and abroad, release of massive > quantities of DHMO continues. Industry cannot be held accountable entirely > because lawmakers are reluctant to pass legislation to make most forms of > dumping of DHMO illegal. Reasons for this could include pressures from > corporate leaders, industry lobbyists, and even vested foreign governments. > This governmental inaction leading to nearly unregulated dumping may be one > of the most overlooked environmental impacts of DHMO. > > The U.S. government refuses to ban the production, distribution, and use > of DHMO. This inaction may be due to pressures from private interests and > corporate-sponsored economists, among many, who predict a DHMO ban could > produce disastrous results. Claims include damage to public health and the > well-being of the U.S. and world economies. > > To inform you of some of the dangers of DHMO You should review the > material available on the DHMO FAQ <http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html>. > > 73 de K3IO > > _______________________________________________ > Via the Eagle mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA > Eagle(a)amsat.org > http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/eagle > > -- The only thing we have to fear is whatever comes along next. -- Austin Cline

2 1

Digital (Packet) from a Vehicle
by Kent R. Frazier 01 Apr '08

01 Apr '08

We are currently renting and the landlord will not allow any external antennas. As such I'm limited to working the satellites from my vehicle. Is it possible to work the packet or digital satellites this way and if so what equipment would be needed? Thanks, Kent -- Kent R. Frazier, K5KNT

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Re: Feedback on downlink on VO-52
by Ronald Nutter 01 Apr '08

01 Apr '08

I am using seperate antennas and feedlines. For the time being, I am using a Channel Master antenna to turn the antennas. I have a pvc pipe rig setup with the antennas at an angle of 25 degrees due to the clutter in the neighborhood I have to clear to see the sats. I hope to have a tower in the future but with being laid off from my job, cant really have any expenditures right now. I have the cat interface for the IC910H but havent looked into how to set it up yet. Ron KA4KYI George Henry wrote: > -----Original Message----- >> From: Ronald Nutter <rnutter(a)networkref.com> >> Sent: Mar 31, 2008 10:40 PM >> To: AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >> Subject: [amsat-bb] Feedback on downlink on VO-52 >> >> Thanks to the help of several on this listserv, I was able to get a >> contact on VO-52 until I lost coordination on keeping the rotor turned >> and the IC910H tweaked the right way on the VFO's. I had problems >> finding my downlink because of what I think is desensing on the 2M downlink. >> >> Can I resolve this by putting a filter on the 2M receive to stop the >> desensing like I would on the UHF receive on the FM birds ? If not, is >> there another way to fix the problem ? >> >> Thanks to W0EOZ for putting up with me while I was trying to figure >> things out. Hopefully my next contacts will last a bit longer <G>. >> >> Ron >> KA4KYI > > Are you using separate 2 meter and 70 cm antennas with separate feedlines, or diplexing onto a single feedline to a single antenna? First thing to do is reduce your uplink power as much as possible while still being heard. If you are diplexing to a single feedline, you only have about 60dB or so of isolation, so too much uplink power can exceed that. You should be able to work VO-52 with 25 watts or less... > > I have never experienced desense on 2 meters from my 70 cm uplink... only the reverse, which can be cured with separate feedlines and antennas, ample separation between the antennas, and the diplexer-as-filter trick found at <http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/articles/Mode-J/> > > And I strongly recommend buying or building a CAT interface and letting your tracking program take care of tuning the radio (and turning the rotors, if you buy or build a rotor interface as well). The demo version of SatPC32 is fully functional except for saving your station parameters, and can be downloaded from <www.dk1tb.de/indexeng.htm>. > If you like it, register it: all proceeds go directly to AMSAT. A CAT interface PC board with the harder-to-find chips included is available from <www.farcircuits.net> and only costs about $20 to build. The FOD-Track rotor control PC board is also available from Far Circuits, and will cost $45 - $50 to build. The LVB Tracker is available thru the AMSAT store, and has the advantage of being able to operate without a computer attached... nice for mobile ops! > > Go for the radio control first: that'll free you up to deal with the rotors manually, and they demand far less attention than tuning does. > > 73, > George, KA3HSW > > > >

1 0

Yaesu G-5500 Connectors
by Joel Kandel 01 Apr '08

01 Apr '08

I found a 2003 AMSAT thread from Wayne, W9AE, indicating that there was a source for purchasing extra 7 pin connectors for the G-5500 az/el rotor. That was Advanced Industrial Products, but with a long lead time. Since then, has anyone found another source for these connectors (Nanaboshi NJC-207-PF), or another manufacturer? Thank you, Joel Kandel, KI4T

1 0

AO-51 APRS
by Mineo Wakita 01 Apr '08

01 Apr '08

AO-51 is working now as L/U digital mode. We hope to open 'APRS findu.com' of AO-51 L/U. JH1BCL>APRS,PACB-1* [04/01/08 10:40:49z] <UI>:HELLO ALL GE vir AO-51 L/U PKT JE9PEL>APRS,PACB-1* [04/01/08 10:41:31z] <UI R>:=3523.05N/13936.61E- Yokohama Japan {UIV32} JA5BLZ>APRS,PACB-1* [04/01/08 10:42:20z] <UI>::JE9PEL :GE UR 599 TNX

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2401/144 down conveter and antenna questions
by CLAUDIA PIRKL 01 Apr '08

01 Apr '08

Hello all. I found a 2401/144 down converter on the internet but when it came in the mail there was no info with it. It is a TranSystem Model AIDC-3733 and I think it came from K5GNA. I removed one cover (antenna on left/144 IF facing me) and found a wire with one end not connected. I realize it needs some DC volts to operate but how much and where it needs to be brought in. Does any one have any info to help me out? On the internet there a few helix antenna designs for 2401. I found a piece of 1" PVC and some AL. ground wire. I wrapped the wire around the PVC and came up with the 4cm dia. the article talked about. But, in another article (435 Mhz) it was mentioned the PVC was very lossy. What do you think?? Thanks for any help!! Tim N5KI EM65

3 2

Feedback on downlink on VO-52
by Ronald Nutter 01 Apr '08

01 Apr '08

Thanks to the help of several on this listserv, I was able to get a contact on VO-52 until I lost coordination on keeping the rotor turned and the IC910H tweaked the right way on the VFO's. I had problems finding my downlink because of what I think is desensing on the 2M downlink. Can I resolve this by putting a filter on the 2M receive to stop the desensing like I would on the UHF receive on the FM birds ? If not, is there another way to fix the problem ? Thanks to W0EOZ for putting up with me while I was trying to figure things out. Hopefully my next contacts will last a bit longer <G>. Ron KA4KYI

1 0

(no subject)
by McnamMart＠aol.com 01 Apr '08

01 Apr '08

hi jack how clean is the kenwood 811 and what is your price to n.ireland thanks martin

1 0