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

Re: Paper Models of Sats
by Clint Bradford 09 Jul '08

09 Jul '08

Thank you, gentlemen!!! Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666 >>...On Jul 9, 2008, a bunch of people confirmed Clint's short-term memory problem...

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Paper Models of Sats
by Clint Bradford 09 Jul '08

09 Jul '08

Please point me to the source for constructing a paper model of an amateur satellite - THANK YOU. Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666

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Fwd: Royal Caribbean FAQ URL about Amateur Radio
by Allen F. Mattis 09 Jul '08

09 Jul '08

It is my understanding that the prohibition against amateur radio equipment on Royal Caribbean ships does not apply to HTs. If you click on the link <http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do;jsessionid=000…>Are walkie-talkies allowed onboard? at the bottom left of the same web page you find the following: Q: Are walkie-talkies allowed onboard? A: Dect phones (portable phones) are available to rent for $25.00 a week on Radiance and Voyager class vessels. Guests may reserve a set at the Guest Relations Desk, (price is subject to change). Guests are also allowed to have two-way radios, more commonly know as walkie-talkies, for onboard personal communications. Basic specifications are as follows: Up to 10-mile coverage range, Up to 5 watts power, Internal Voice, Operated Transmission, No external mounting antenna. I have not had any problem operating satellites of Royal Caribbean ship using my Icom W32A and an AL800 telescoping antenna. I would guess that the prohibition is in place to prevent amateur radio operating on HF where you have a run of coax and an external antenna. This type of equipment raises safety issues with the cruise line. Al Mattis N5AFV >URL for Royal Caribbean FAQ about Ham Radio. > >http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do;jsessionid=000… > >_______________________________________________ >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: OSCAR-10 & OSCAR-13 video on the web
by Angus 09 Jul '08

09 Jul '08

Wow very good, wish the old bird was still active, anyone care for a translation? Brilliant to see the thing being built. FAB many thanks regards Gus -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 1025 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len

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Royal Caribbean FAQ URL about Amateur Radio
by w4upd 09 Jul '08

09 Jul '08

URL for Royal Caribbean FAQ about Ham Radio. http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do;jsessionid=000…

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Re: NASA's American Student Moon Orbiter...
by G0MRF＠aol.com 09 Jul '08

09 Jul '08

In a message dated 04/07/2008 01:16:33 GMT Standard Time, domenico.i8cvs(a)tin.it writes: Hi Ed, KL7UW If we put AO40 at a distance of 400.000 km instead of 60.000 km from the earth the increase of isotropic attenuation at 2400 MHz is about 16 dB etc etc etc......... Hi Ed / Dom On the other hand, if you were to reduce path loss by using 70cm as the uplink band and 2m as the downlink the numbers begin to look quite possible. Also, if the satellite is orbiting the moon, then it's quite likely that the attitude will be such that the experimental end of the satellite is pointing at the moons surface. This probably also means that the communication antennas are not pointing at the earth, so high gain will not be possible. Maybe 3 or 4dB is the limit. So how about 10W of 2m on the satellite and a passband that's say 5kHz wide? Not good for SSB, but passable for CW or reasonable speed coherent BPSK Regards David

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Re: IC-W2A as sat rig?
by Chris Maness 09 Jul '08

09 Jul '08

On Tue, Jul 8, 2008 at 5:02 PM, Chris Maness <chris(a)chrismaness.com> wrote: > > > On Tue, Jul 8, 2008 at 7:07 AM, John Mock KD6PAG <kd6pag(a)amsat.org> wrote: > >> > I tried this rig (IC-W2A) out tonight on AO-51 and it seemed deaf. I >> > had a very good pass right over my head, but I could barely hear the >> > bird. My IC-32AT with the same antenna setup works FB (Arrow >> > Antenna). Anyone else used the W2A and found that it was lacking in >> > the sensitivity dept.? >> >> I used the W2A on AO-27 (which is harder to hear) for several years and >> it worked just fine. An Arrow should be good (and is comparable to what >> i used). I wonder what was going one... >> >> -- KD6PAG (Networking Old-Timer, Satellite QRPer) >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 > > > >> > I just did an A/B test with the W2A and my 32AT on AO-27. The 32 rocked, and the W2A could not even pick up the down link on the same antenna. It seems to work fine on the repeaters. I am wondering if it needs an alignment on the front end to pick up the down link. I did notice that are some pots/variable caps on the sides of the band units in the W2A hopefully an adjustment would get it working on the sats. Chris KQ6UP DM-13

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G500 / KR500 parts needed
by K & R Yoksh 08 Jul '08

08 Jul '08

Hello group, I've just rebuilt my 'spare' elevation rotator, a Kenpro KR-500. Thanks to all of those that have contributed to the knowledge base on these rotators. I found several articles, including one with very detailed pictures. I'm planning to swap this one for the Yaesu G500a currently atop the tower. As you know, these units are identical, and I was hoping someone on the list had an extra terminal cover (Yaesu p/n s8000279). This is the plastic cover that protects the terminal strip and wiring from the weather. Yaesu has discontinued the part, so I was hoping that someone had an extra or knew of a source for this part? I'm also in the market for a set of U-bolts and clamps for the crossboom. Yaesu has these in stock, but in case someone wants to sell me these: U-Bolt s8000223 Clamp s8000224 Please respond off-list to my direct email. Thanks! 73, Kyle Yoksh K0KN Olathe, Kansas

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blown preamplifier
by Angus 08 Jul '08

08 Jul '08

Hi, wonder if anyone has any thoughts on this and what may have happened. My friend runs a very modest station a 3 element yagi on 2mtrs and 7 ele on 70cms, I think he uses ecoflex 10 coax etc. He installed a 2mtr preamp which had RF sensing and a BF964 as the active device inside the preamplifier. He just this afternoon joined his outers of the coaxes together to form a common bond, and help reduce his noise figure (which did I think work). However he has found that the preamplifier has now failed and needs a new BF964 device fitting. Anyone know what might have happened? He was TXing on 2mtrs when the unit failed, what went wrong? He bonded the outers together at the shack end and the antenna end, and all seemed fine but obviously something went wrong. Any thoughts or ideas please let me know and I will try and find him a BF964 and replace it in his preamplifier. many thanks regards Gus M0IKB -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 1017 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len

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SSB LNA435 preamp and Arrow Satellite Antenna
by Allen Vinegar 08 Jul '08

08 Jul '08

If I insert an SSB LNA435 preamp between the 70cm antenna and the diplexer will the suppression of the 2 meter signal from a 5 watt HT be adequate so that the preamp will not be fried? Or, should I add something like the Ramsey RF sensing T/R relay to protect the preamp? Thank you! 73, Al, W8KHP

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