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

Re: 2.4Ghz satellites and signals ?
by K & R Yoksh 22 Jul '08

22 Jul '08

Hello Roger, Thanks for posting this! I've got some tower work to do, and have been waiting to get my grid dish finished and tested before tilting the tower over. I've been waiting for AO-51's S-band transmitter to use as a test signal. However, the geostationary and Molniya birds should be much easier to track! I'd especially like to find one that is similar in ERP to AO-40 or P3E. I received this BBQ type dish a few years ago, and screened it with aluminum screen the night before AO-40 died. It did not have a feed or feed support, so I'll have to experiment with a few different designs. The dish looks like the Andrew grid dishes, possibly model 26? I haven't computed the focal length, or anything on this dish yet. I used a homebrew helix to feed my Primestar dish on AO-40, but might want to try a patch feed on this dish. I'm also not sure how I'm going to support the feed. I've read from folks that used angle channel mounted to the dish's center as a feed support, and have also noticed that my dish has holes drilled in each corner, possibly for feed support arms? I've also seen pictures of dishes where guys used 2x2 square wood through the dish, as both a feed support and also a place to hang counterweights. I'd appreciate any thoughts on this dish, and also perhaps someone on the list has found a satellite downlink suitable for testing an AO-40 quality groundstation? Thanks. 73, Kyle Yoksh K0KN Olathe, Kansas --- Original Message --- Message: 13 Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:34:03 -0400 From: "Roger Kolakowski" Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: 2.4Ghz satellites and signals ? To: "Tim Tuck" ,"AMSAT-BB" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Message-ID: <003c01c8eb25$ae247000$0200a8c0@Tanguray> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Depending how wide your IF is...this list is fun: http://www.uhf-satcom.com/ Roger WA1KAT

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2225 Miles - AO-51
by Clint Bradford 22 Jul '08

22 Jul '08

I realize this doesn't set any records of any sort, but it sure impressed me: Contacted N3TL in Athens, GA this evening from Mira Loma, CA on AO-51. That's 2225 miles' distance on the ground. What a wonderful hobby.... Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666

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Mounting a Primestar Dish
by Reicher, James 22 Jul '08

22 Jul '08

I've got a G5500 rotor on its way to my QTH very soon, to become a part of my station. I also have a Primestar dish, the really oblong one with a single feed arm, that I want to mount on the rotor. I need some suggestions about how to mount, balance, and calibrate the dish so I don't muck up the whole thing. Please reply off-list 73 de W0HV, Jim in Raymore, MO (ex-N8AU) Light travels faster than sound... This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

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WD9EWK for Tuesday (22 July)
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 22 Jul '08

22 Jul '08

Hello again! It's after midnight (0700 UTC)... not as much driving today (almost 400 miles/640km Monday, compared to over 500 miles/800km Sunday), but still a lot of activity from 5 grids (DM25, DM26, DM36, DM46, DM47) today on all 3 FM satellites. Thanks to all the stations calling me and making contacts with me so far (22 QSOs on one AO-51 pass tonight!). This morning, I was on from near Lake Powell (DM46fx/DM47fa) in Arizona just south of the Utah state line. Just before midday (local time), I stopped at grid DM36pu in northern Arizona (north of the Grand Canyon) for an SO-50 pass. Then a stop just off the I-15 freeway in northwestern Arizona (DM36at) for the first of two AO-27 passes followed by moving a few miles/km to park on the DM26xt/DM36at grid boundary for the second AO-27 pass. Then off to Las Vegas, parking on the DM25jx/DM26ja grid boundary on the south end of the Las Vegas Strip for the two AO-51 passes. For Tuesday, my main objective is to try to put DM24 on the air a couple of times before returning home. I have not decided if I will park on grid-boundary lines as I have done or just stop wherever I happen to be and get on from there. DM24 straddles Arizona and California, and this is one grid in 2 1/2 years I have never heard on the air. I will try to work both AO-27 passes from somewhere within this grid. Beyond that, I might try for one of the midday SO-50 passes and *possibly* the first (eastern) AO-51 pass as I'm driving back to Phoenix. As of tonight, I have driven about 1200 miles/2000km since leaving home on Thursday for the hamfest in northern Arizona last Friday and Saturday. I have transmitted from 9 different grids in and around Arizona in the past few days (DM25, DM26, DM35, DM36, DM45, DM46, DM47, DM56, DM57). Hopefully that grid count will go to at least 10, or maybe 11, depending on how tomorrow turns out. I've logged 152 QSOs since Thursday. Tomorrow will add at least 300 miles/500km driving to what I've done already, and more QSOs. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK - currently in Las Vegas, Nevada http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Antenna near gas lines?
by Rick Mann 22 Jul '08

22 Jul '08

Hi. Sorry for the somewhat off-topic post. I recently moved into a townhouse with a lovely homeowner's association. Rather than fight them putting up my antenna outside, I decided to just mount it inside my attic. I found a spot about 3 feet away from a vertical run of the gas line to the heater (also in the attic). My first choice as a location right next to it, 'till I realized it was there. Should I be concerned about creating an explosion hazard? My transmitter outputs a maximum of 100 W, and it's going into a Diamond X-30 antenna (http://www.diamond-ant.jp/ama2/eng_ama_2_2_3.asp). I wouldn't think it should be a problem, since it's metal pipe, and an RF energy is unlikely to go through the gas. But sadly, I don't remember what I learned when I took my test, if it even addressed this issue. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks! -- Rick

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AO-51 - 2225 Miles
by Clint Bradford 22 Jul '08

22 Jul '08

I realize this doesn't set any records of any sort, but it sure impressed me: Contacted N3TL in Athens, GA this evening from Mira Loma, CA on AO-51. That's 2225 miles' distance on the ground. What a wonderful hobby.... Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666

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Antenna near gas lines?
by RFI-EMI-GUY 22 Jul '08

22 Jul '08

Resist any temptation to ground to the gas pipe. -- Joe Leikhim K4SAT "The RFI-EMI-GUY"© "Treason doth never prosper: what's the reason? For if it prosper, none dare call it treason." "Follow The Money" ;-P

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FW: [PNWVHFS] Fw: [dxlab] Tower Dogs TV program
by w7lrd＠comcast.net 21 Jul '08

21 Jul '08

This might be of interest, as most of us have one 73 Bob W7LRD -- -------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- From: "Jeff Moore" <tnetcenter(a)gmail.com> To: "PNWVHFS" <PNWVHFS(a)googlegroups.com>, "COARL Group" <COARL(a)googlegroups.com> Subject: [PNWVHFS] Fw: [dxlab] Tower Dogs TV program Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:40:33 +0000 ----- Original Message ----- From: Bill Turner Subject: [dxlab] Tower Dogs TV program Not topic-related exactly, but probably of interest to subscribers: "DATELINE" PRESENTS "TOWER DOGS" -- A NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN LOOK AT THE MOST DANGEROUS JOB IN AMERICA -- MONDAY, JULY 21 AT 10 PM (New York) - July 16, 2008 - An upcoming "Dateline Presents" takes a never-before-seen journey into the perilous world of the tower climbers who work on the frontlines of America's high-tech communications system. They scale heights of up to 2,000 feet, in all types of weather, to install, maintain, and upgrade cell phone, Internet, and broadcast towers coast to coast. And according to figures cited by OSHA, these so-called tower dogs have the highest death rate per capita of any occupation in the country. The hour-long broadcast goes up close and personal to give a no-holds-barred look at tower dogs' lives - up in the air and on the ground. We experience their on-the-job tension and watch them work hard, play hard, and mourn when they lose one of their own. In a twist on all the dangerous-job programs viewers have already seen, "Tower Dogs" follows an unusual subcontract crew boss: a woman named Nikki Collins, a single mom, former cheerleader, and the person keeping her tough-guy charges in one piece. There are approximately 9,500 tower climbers working at any given time, and they spend about 300 days per year on the road. A "Dateline" team worked with veteran tower dog Doug Delaney for four months documenting this group of tower climbers as they worked their way through 40 towns and cities in 24 states. During this time there were seven fatalities nationwide, including five deaths in a 12-day period in April. "Tower Dogs" airs on Monday, July 21st at 10:00 PM/ET. David Corvo is the executive producer. # Aliza Nadi Dateline NBC 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 __._,_.___ Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic Messages | Files | Photos MARKETPLACE You rock! Blockbuster wants to give you a complimentary trial of Blockbuster Total Access. 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 13New Members 3New Files Visit Your Group Biz Resources Y! Small Business Articles, tools, forms, and more. Best of Y! Groups Check out the best of what Yahoo! Groups has to offer. Yahoo! Groups Balance your life by learning how to make smart choices.. __,_._,___ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ ~The Voice of the Pacific NorthWest VHF Society~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "PNWVHFS" group. To post to this group, send email to PNWVHFS(a)googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to PNWVHFS-unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/PNWVHFS -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---

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WD9EWK for Monday (21 July)
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 21 Jul '08

21 Jul '08

Hi! A busy Sunday... I stopped in Kayenta AZ (DM46) for fuel and an SO-50 pass, followed by another SO-50 pass and an AO-27 pass from the DM56/DM57 line on US route 191 in Utah (missed the western AO-27 pass due to an electrical storm that erupted as the pass was starting), then an AO-51 pass from Lake Powell in northern Arizona (DM46/DM47). Lots of QSOs, and for many lots of new grids - plus about 500 miles/800km driving today. For Monday, I will try to work one of the AO-51 morning passes from DM46/DM47 before heading west toward St. George UT and the I-15 freeway. I will try to get on a couple of SO-50 passes around (local) midday, and hopefully reach the DM26/DM36 line in northwestern Arizona for the AO-27 passes. Then to Las Vegas for the evening AO-51 passes on the DM25/DM26 line. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Sats
by Fred VE3FAL 21 Jul '08

21 Jul '08

Been listening the last few days for both PCSat and AO-51 but have heard noting, even ISS is quiet. Are we in a low sun cycle currently and batteries are low for side of the earth. Or has my receiver gone by the way side? I read many web pages but some are way out of date (frequencies, modes etc..) and not sure what is on and is not. Fred VE3FAL Thunder Bay,Ontario

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