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

Re: Source of Mode S downconverters ?
by Angel Peláez, EA4DUT 18 Apr '08

18 Apr '08

Hi Ron, the manufacturer you refer to is Keps communications. Try on this page http://www.keps.it/ I don't know if there is a dealer or retailer at US, but I'm sure that they will be very happy to help you. Best 73. EA4DUT, Angel ----- Mensaje original ---- De: Ronald Nutter <rnutter(a)networkref.com> Para: amsat-bb <amsat-bb(a)AMSAT.Org> Enviado: jueves, 17 de abril, 2008 19:00:39 Asunto: [amsat-bb] Source of Mode S downconverters ? I am looking to get another Mode S downconverter. I remember seeing one from Italy I think that could convert to either 2m or 440 for the converted signal but cant find the link anymore. I exchange emails with K5GNA but he is out of stock and may not have anymore for a while. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated. 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 __________________________________________________ Correo Yahoo! Espacio para todos tus mensajes, antivirus y antispam ¡gratis! Regístrate ya - http://correo.yahoo.es

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Suggested mode S antennas for K5GNA downconverter
by Ronald Nutter 18 Apr '08

18 Apr '08

I am trying to come up with a portable sat station that can fit in a briefcase. I have the dipole and reflector antenna that K5GNA sells for his downconverter but I am looking for something compact that can fit in the briefcase and the reflector cant. I have thought about the G3RUH patch antenna but that is a little pricey for me at this point. Are there any other antennas that someone can suggest that I try for this quest ? Thanks, Ron KA4KYI

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A)-7
by w0dxz＠aol.com 17 Apr '08

17 Apr '08

I hear Leo and the guys talk about AO-7,,, I want to try it, what is the? most popular mode on AO-7?? Where should I begin with that bird? I see where it lists? AO-7 as semi operational, what does that mean? Bob W0DXZ DM-33 Sun City AZ

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orbitron + ft-847 help
by Auke de Jong, VE6PWN 17 Apr '08

17 Apr '08

I have a couple of questions regarding how to use Orbitron with my Yaesu FT-847. I have just started experimenting with this setup and I have got it operating under PC control via the serial port, using a null-modem cable(recommended) and comm rate of 57600 baud. The first question is: when trying to listen to linear transponder equipped satellites like VO-52, I find that I am forced to tune the receiver by typing in the frequency in Orbitron, and then the radio tracks that frequency. This makes searching the transponder extremely difficult. What I am hoping to accomplish is that I can tune the receiver with the VFO, and have the computer only handle the RATE of doppler-shift, and keep the transmitter co-ordinated in order to avoid having to "find my downlink" whenever transmitting. My radio can co-ordinate TX/RX on it's own via it's "satellite" features, but it can't compensate for doppler since it doesn't know the KEPS, obviously. Every time I try to use the VFO dial on my radio, it shifts, and then the PC takes over and puts the receiver back to where orbitron tells it to be. is this issue unique to me, or am I doing something wrong? The second question is: can the PC-controlled tuning of the transciever be "smoothed-out" so that while listening to CW while doppler shift is rapid, the radio takes smaller, and more frequent steps, thus avoiding hugh shifts in received audio frequency which makes deconding impossible. It seems to be updating about once per second, and I can't find any settings in orbitron to have an update period shorter than this. Ideally, I would like the period to be about 5 to 10 times per second. Again, I think I must be doing something wrong, but I have spent some time already, and have failed to see the solution. Thanks, Auke de Jong VE6PWN DO33go Edmonton, AB

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UTiFG/mm report
by Robert Turlington 16 Apr '08

16 Apr '08

Hi All worked Yuri UT1FG/mm this morning at 1012utc on VO52 in KO08 sailing along the Baltic and making his way towards St Petersburgh (very nice city the Venice of the North) Regards Robert G8ATE _________________________________________________________________ Get Hotmail on your mobile. Text MSN to 63463 now! http://mobile.uk.msn.com/pc/mail.aspx

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Re: SatPC32 and ICOM 910H question
by John Kopala 15 Apr '08

15 Apr '08

Ron, First make sure that you have selected VO-52 and it is the currently active satellite. The satellite you have selected will be listed on the top bar of the program window and highlighted on the screen. Next click on CAT in the menu bar to open the CAT Tuning window. The window should display one line, "135900/435250 USB/LSB" Click on the C-, which changes to C+, just below your QTH location in the upper left, for CAT operation. I suspect you are already doing all of this correctly. When you put SATPC32 into CAT mode (C+) for VO-52, the following should happen: - The IC-910H should switch to Normal satellite mode. - The Upper band on the radio should switch to VHF, USB, 145,900,000 minus doppler correction (assuming rising satellite). - The Lower band on the radio should switch to UHF, LSB, 435,250,000 plus doppler correction. Check the last 3 items before proceding. I sometimes have to repeat the C+, C-, C+ steps before the radio and SATPC32 synch up. - When you key the microphone, the lower UHF band should transmit - VO-52 is U/v, UHF uplink, VHF downlink, opposite of AO-51... - While transmitting, you can adjust the uplink or the downlink in the CAT window to get the pair tuned properly. Once that is done, you can tune up and down the translator bandwidth to find other stations. I hope this helps. If not email me directly with a step by step discription of what is happening. John Kopala N7JK From: Ronald Nutter <rnutter(a)networkref.com> Subject: [amsat-bb] SatPC32 and ICOM 910H question To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Message-ID: <4804DD4D.3020303(a)networkref.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed I am trying to learn how to use SatPC32 for Doppler correction on the SSB birds. I have run into a "brick wall" in terms of how it is operating that is giving me some fits. When I put SatPC32 into CAT mode, the radio shifts into the appropriate frequencies but it wont transmit on the right band. When I press the M/S to swap the displays around so that it will transmit on the correct band, the radio stops adjusting to what is shown on the SatPC32 display. Can someone point out what I am doing wrong or do I need to change to one or more of the config files in SatPC32 ? Thanks, Ron KA4KYI

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Re: SatPC32 and ICOM 910H question
by Ronald Nutter 15 Apr '08

15 Apr '08

Erich: Will take a look at this and see what happens. Also looking at this to manage the doppler shift with AO-16. Turning on AFC for the FM birds takes care of it with them. Thanks, Ron Erich Eichmann wrote: > Hello Ron, > In menu "Setup", "Radio Setup" check the option "Satellite mode". > In Menu "Setup", "Options" check the Activate-at-Start option "CAT > control". > In both menus save the changes. > When you restart SatPC32 it should switch the IC-910H into satellite mode. > With FO-29 the radio should transmit on the VHF band. With VO-52 or AO-7 it > should transmit on UHF. > Let me know if that doesn't work. > 55 + 73s, Erich, DK1TB > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ronald Nutter" <rnutter(a)networkref.com> > To: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> > Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 6:52 PM > Subject: [amsat-bb] SatPC32 and ICOM 910H question > > >> I am trying to learn how to use SatPC32 for Doppler correction on the >> SSB birds. I have run into a "brick wall" in terms of how it is >> operating that is giving me some fits. >> >> When I put SatPC32 into CAT mode, the radio shifts into the appropriate >> frequencies but it wont transmit on the right band. When I press the >> M/S to swap the displays around so that it will transmit on the correct >> band, the radio stops adjusting to what is shown on the SatPC32 display. >> >> Can someone point out what I am doing wrong or do I need to change to >> one or more of the config files in SatPC32 ? >> >> 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 >> > > >

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Re: SatPC32 and ICOM 910H question
by George Henry 15 Apr '08

15 Apr '08

1) In the Radio setup, do you have the "Satellite Mode" box checked? 2) You must enter the appropriate radio address in 2 columns... also, what baudrate are you using and what have you entered for the CAT delay? (Print out the radio hints for Icom users, found under the "?" menu, and use them as a checklist.) I am surprised that you are having difficulty with SatPC32 and the 910H - my setup has played together beautifully from day one. 73, George, KA3HSW -----Original Message----- >From: Ronald Nutter <rnutter(a)networkref.com> >Sent: Apr 15, 2008 11:52 AM >To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org >Subject: [amsat-bb] SatPC32 and ICOM 910H question > >I am trying to learn how to use SatPC32 for Doppler correction on the >SSB birds. I have run into a "brick wall" in terms of how it is >operating that is giving me some fits. > >When I put SatPC32 into CAT mode, the radio shifts into the appropriate >frequencies but it wont transmit on the right band. When I press the >M/S to swap the displays around so that it will transmit on the correct >band, the radio stops adjusting to what is shown on the SatPC32 display. > >Can someone point out what I am doing wrong or do I need to change to >one or more of the config files in SatPC32 ? > >Thanks, >Ron >KA4KYI

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ESEO Project Update April 2008
by Trevor 15 Apr '08

15 Apr '08

An update on the ESEO project can be seen at http://www.uk.amsat.org/ Further information should be available in time for the AMSAT-UK Colloquium which is being held at the University of Surrey in Guildford, England from Friday 25th to Sunday 28th July, see http://www.uk.amsat.org/Colloquium/ AMSAT-UK publish a quarterly newsletter OSCAR News and you can join online at https://secure.amsat.org.uk/subscription/ 73 Trevor M5AKA ___________________________________________________________ Yahoo! For Good helps you make a difference http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/forgood/

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SatPC32 and ICOM 910H question
by Ronald Nutter 15 Apr '08

15 Apr '08

I am trying to learn how to use SatPC32 for Doppler correction on the SSB birds. I have run into a "brick wall" in terms of how it is operating that is giving me some fits. When I put SatPC32 into CAT mode, the radio shifts into the appropriate frequencies but it wont transmit on the right band. When I press the M/S to swap the displays around so that it will transmit on the correct band, the radio stops adjusting to what is shown on the SatPC32 display. Can someone point out what I am doing wrong or do I need to change to one or more of the config files in SatPC32 ? Thanks, Ron KA4KYI

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