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

duh
by W0DXZ＠aol.com 24 Aug '08

24 Aug '08

Wow what an idiot. Got already to do VO-52 for the first time a half hour ago,,, checked the time, checked the azimuth, tuned the IC-910H to freq... I could hear lots of stations... but could never hear myself. VERY frustrating. Started from scratch after the pass. oh. 435 mhz.... I had it on 432 mhz... duh. Bob W0DXZ DM33 **************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here. (http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047)

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GO-32 KISS beacon
by Mineo Wakita 24 Aug '08

24 Aug '08

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/80823g32.htm JE9PEL, Mineo Wakita

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CUTE-1.7+APDII Earth picture #4
by Mineo Wakita 24 Aug '08

24 Aug '08

http://lss.mes.titech.ac.jp/ssp/cute1.7/blog/00_03ver7.jpg http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/cut17ap2.htm#bottom JE9PEL, Mineo Wakita

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more SSB satellite experimenting (23 August)
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 24 Aug '08

24 Aug '08

Hi! Today, I planned to spend most of the morning at a city park in north Phoenix (a park straddling the DM33/DM43 grid boundary) to try a few passes on DO-64 and VO-52. I also worked an AO-51 pass using my all-mode setup (two FT-817NDs with Arrow Antennas handheld 2m/70cm Yagi), before those SSB birds started making their morning passes here - and before it reached 41C/106F outside! The DO-64 pass I tried first was about 22 degrees maximum elevation to the east. I could hear the beacon, and could hear my CW going through the transponder. I could not hear myself when using the mic. Since the second pass to the west was about the same elevation, I didn't try it. I was on VO-52 for two passes, both passes having maximum elevation in the 20-25 degree range. I heard a couple of stations in SSB on each pass, I was able to hear myself call CQ a lot during each of the passes, but logged no QSOs. Since I am not using computer control, I have tried not to park near the center of the passbands on these satellites. Specifically for VO-52, I have tried to park around 145.910 or 145.915 MHz on the downlink as not to interfere with others around 145.900 MHz using full computer control. Unfortunately for me today, nobody ventured up to find me during the passes. During the second (western) VO-52 pass around 1825-1840 UTC, I started reducing my power as I called CQ. The FT-817ND has 4 power levels, and I went down from the high power (5W) setting to the lowest level (500mW) and could still hear myself clearly through VO-52. Antenna polarization was more important as the power level went down, in order to get to and through the transponder. I had to twist my Yagi around more, to make sure I could make the round- trip to the satellite. This is a good thing, as now I know I can use a lower power level if I am operating with only the FT-817ND's internal NiMH battery pack. I normally use one of my two 12V/20Ah jumpstart battery packs to power my two FT-817NDs or (for the FM birds) my IC-2720H when on the satellites. Since next weekend is a holiday weekend for the US (and Canada), I hope to be on VO-52 and maybe DO-64 during those 3 days. I might try AO-7 if there is a high pass in my area as well. If you are on during those passes next weekend, please feel free to tune up the passband. Please be patient with me, as I am not set up for computer control on my radios - yet. If things go well, I will do some demonstrations on VO-52 along with the 3 FM satellites during the upcoming ARRL Southwestern Division convention here in the Phoenix area on 12-14 September. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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FW: [PNWVHFS] Egad ! "Solar Cycle 24 Canceled - Ham Radio OperatorsFurious"
by w7lrd＠comcast.net 24 Aug '08

24 Aug '08

to lighten your day 73 Bob W7LRD -- "if this were easy, everyone would be doing it" -------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- From: n6ze(a)aol.com To: PNWVHFS(a)googlegroups.com Subject: [PNWVHFS] Egad ! "Solar Cycle 24 Canceled - Ham Radio OperatorsFurious" Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:13:22 +0000 Printed from: http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s5i39491 Solar Cycle 24 Canceled - Ham Radio Operators Furious Written by drugtestallpoliticians Dayton, Ohio (IPP) - The next solar cycle was assigned the number 24 but has been canceled by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Scientists were able to predict that this cycle would have been 30% to 50% stronger than the previous solar cycle and it would have started a year later than previously thought. Scientists have been unable to accurately predict the intensity of future solar cycles until recent times. All of that changed recently when the Predictive Flux-transport Model was developed and put into effect. This new method is thought to be 98% accurate. Dr. Povenmire Finootch of the Mount Palomar Astronomical Campus and the senior legal representative of the IAU takes full responsibility for canceling the next solar cycle and has a black eye to show for it. He recently got into a scrap with the head of the North American Ham Radio League, Brent Brookski over the canceling of solar cycle 24. Dr. Finootch claims that the IAU has complete authority over anything related to the visible as well as the invisible portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Ham operators take advantage of the increase in solar electromagnetic activity by bouncing radio signals off of the ionosphere to each other in the form of radio waves which are transmited via upper and lower sideband and cw ( continous wave or morse code). When the solar cycle is in full swing it is possible for a Ham operator in North America to talk to his counterpart in New Zealand using a mere 5 watts. Dr. Povenmire Finootch admits that he has a black eye but that nevertheless he had thoroughly throttled his opponent during a fist fight they had during the Gay Ham Operator's Convention (GHAC) in Key West last week. The two had become embroiled in a fierce argument over whether or not the IAU had any business sticking its nose into the business of Ham operators and this argument evolved into fisticuffs to the delight of nearby bar patrons. Dr. Povenmire Finootch seemed to go over the edge when Brookski claimed that Dr. Finootch would not know the the difference between Ohm's Law vs Kepler's Law if it "bit him on the ass". Dr. Finootch replied, "Neither would you then !" Dr. Finootch did not realize that the Ham operator had a well concealed "hair lip" under his moustache and the Ham operator was equally unaware that Dr. Finootch had a wooden eye. The Ham operator had responded by saying, Woudn't I, Wouldn't I" to which Doctor Finootch had replied, " Hair lip, hair lip !" And thus the fight was on. Printed from: http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s5i39491 Get the MapQuest Toolbar. Directions, Traffic, Gas Prices & More! Get the MapQuest Toolbar. Directions, Traffic, Gas Prices & More! --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ ~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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Re: AO-51 V/S Mode Ops, Some Observations
by Simon (HB9DRV) 23 Aug '08

23 Aug '08

p l o n k a Some screenshots: http://www.ham-radio-deluxe.com/Programs/HRDSatelliteTracking/tabid/97/Defa… Simon Brown, HB9DRV www.ham-radio-deluxe.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Simon (HB9DRV)" <simon(a)hb9drv.ch> > > This evening - two episodes of Dr. House on Swiss TV :-) >

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Re: COMPASS over ZL
by Alan Cresswell 23 Aug '08

23 Aug '08

Hi Mike, Compass seems to be back to its normal self this morning. All commands sent and acknowledged at 2005 UT. No beacon heard. Hi Bob, You asked what others are using. I am also using the TS-2000X. I have the tones programmed into the DTMF tone memories with the tone speed set to "Slow" (100ms tone, 100ms space). The uplink antenna is a 10 element crossed yagi and the downlink is 19 elements. I also tend to use up to 100w for very low elevation commands but above about 8 to 10 degrees 20w is OK. I have preamps at the antenna but don't use them for Compass - the response is good and solid here without the preamp. Beyond that I use automatic az/el and Doppler tracking using home brew software and make sure that the Doppler correction keeps my uplink signal exactly on 145.980 at the satellite and my receiver on the 437.275 downlink. I tend to wait until Compass is a few degrees clear of my horizon before sending the commands. If my first command is not acknowledged I switch (linear) polarization and that usually works. 73's Alan ZL2BX -----Original Message----- From: Mike Rupprecht [mailto:mail@mike-rupprecht.de] Sent: Saturday, 23 August 2008 14:32 To: 'Alan Cresswell' Cc: 'Robert Smith' Subject: AW: [amsat-bb] Re: COMPASS over ZL Hi Alan, Robert Thanks for your report. It's the same here on my site. We had 3 good passes this morning over Europe in full sunlight. I sent the commands - but nothing heard. No beacon as well. Ke aloha nô me ka mahalo kâua! 73, Mike -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] Im Auftrag von Alan Cresswell Gesendet: Samstag, 23. August 2008 01:32 An: 'amsat' Betreff: [amsat-bb] Re: COMPASS over ZL Hi Mike, Sent numerous battery off commands on the 2256 UT Compass pass (9deg el) but no response. The first time it has ignored me on a sunlit pass Hi. Alan ZL2BX

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Need some help with AO-27, AO-51 and SO-50 dimensions
by n3tl＠bellsouth.net 23 Aug '08

23 Aug '08

Hey everyone, I'm preparing a presentation on the three LEO satellites currently active in Mode J, and I'd like to include the physical dimensions of each. I need some help in that regard: The AMSAT Web page on AO-51 lists it as 150x150x150. The page for AO-27 lists it as 25x25x25. Can anyone tell me the correct unit(s) of measurement for each? SO-50's dimensions are not listed. Does anyone know what they are? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. 73, Tim - N3TL

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IC-T7H users on Mode-J satellites?
by n3tl＠bellsouth.net 23 Aug '08

23 Aug '08

Hey everyone, Is anybody using an Icom IC-T7H HT to work passes of the Mode-J LEO satellites? Icom's literature reports a receiving mode on this radio "similar" to the dual-watch function on some of its other HTs (e.g., IC-92AD), which ought to make it functional as a non-full-duplex option for AO-27, AO-51 and SO-50. Any help on this will be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Tim - N3TL

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Re: HRD Satellite Tracking - Technology Preview
by David 23 Aug '08

23 Aug '08

Simon, Before downloading and trying it out can you tell me if the satellite tracking program works without having the radio(s) connected? One of the original versions of HRD that I used allowed me to check passes etc without the need to have the radio in line - the latest version was inoperable unless the radio was there. I stopped using HRD at this point although the well documented problem with the non- functioning Doppler compensation control was another factor. Thanks, David KG4ZLB Sent from my iPod On Aug 23, 2008, at 5:08, "Simon \(HB9DRV\)" <simon(a)hb9drv.ch> wrote: A week later than expected the very first technology preview of the new HRD satellite tracking module is available: http://www.ham-radio-deluxe.com/Downloads/BetaKits/tabid/99/Default.aspx Something to play with while the HEO satellites are being prepaired :-) Simon Brown, HB9DRV www.ham-radio-deluxe.com _______________________________________________ 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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