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

X-Yagi
by D. Mynatt 23 Aug '08

23 Aug '08

I've looked about and see two manufacturers for x-yagi's -M2 and Moonraker. Are there any others folks would recommend? I see lots of negative comments on blogs about the standoffishness of M2 and I can agree he is curt to a fine point. Suggestions welcome. Dave

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Re: COMPASS-1 beacon heard
by Roger Kolakowski 23 Aug '08

23 Aug '08

Hi Mike... It always puzzled me why in your original list of commands you suggested the following 2 commands one after the other: ****14#200# heater off to -55 degr THIS IS THE VERY IMPORTANT COMMAND ****13#200# heater on to -55 degr It would seem to me that command 1 turned the heater OFF and then command 2 just turned it back ON AGAIN! .... Maybe you were just using "shorthand" and something else happens when you issue these commands one after the other? Thanks! Roger WA1KAT ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Rupprecht" <mail(a)mike-rupprecht.de> To: "'Mike Rupprecht'" <mail(a)mike-rupprecht.de>; "'amsat'" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Friday, August 22, 2008 6:00 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: COMPASS-1 beacon heard Hi all, A replay of the previous pass! All commands sent and acknowledged at 0939 UTC. Beacon received at 0943 UTC: 00 compass ff0740150600002100009000ff Solar Cell Voltage 5.00 V Solar Panel 6 Cur 43.92 mA Solar Panel 2 Cur 0.00 mA Solar Panel 3 Cur 37.65 mA Solar Panel 4 Cur 131.76 mA Solar Panel 5 Cur 401.57 mA EPS Reset Counter 0 Power Level Critical Battery Capacity Heater Active Battery Heater ON Power Safe Counter 0 Emergency Mode Counter 0 Battery Voltage 2.82 V Battery Current 0.00 mA Battery Temperature -1 °C Heater still on - I think there is no internal communication between the units (I2C bus down). Mhh, I haven't got a clue. 73, Mike DK3WN -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] Im Auftrag von Mike Rupprecht Gesendet: Freitag, 22. August 2008 10:20 An: 'amsat' Betreff: [amsat-bb] COMPASS-1 beacon heard Hi all, I have one day off and tried to command COMPASS in full sunlight. The first pass (for Europe) this morning was low, only 6°. All commands were accepted and confirmed several time by COMPASS. At 0801UTC the beacon came with 00 compass ff0660000000002100009800ff It shows, that the heater was still on - in spite of confirmed commands. I will try the next pass (nearly 90°). 73, Mike DK3WN _______________________________________________ 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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grid DL99 (& maybe DL98) QRV
by Michael Pfeuffer 22 Aug '08

22 Aug '08

Hi all, I'm going to be in DL99 and will try to be on the LEO FM birds using a HT & Arrow. There is a chance I may be able to get over to DL98. Likely times are: Sunday 8/24 evening Monday 8/25 evening Tuesday 8/26 morning 73, Mike WQ5C/5

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Re: Compass sounding better
by Alan Cresswell 22 Aug '08

22 Aug '08

Hi Mike, I sent those commands at 1947 UT this morning and all accepted OK. No beacon heard but low elevation short pass. Alan ZL2BX -----Original Message----- From: Mike Rupprecht [mailto:mail@mike-rupprecht.de] Sent: Friday, 22 August 2008 16:30 To: we1u(a)verizon.net Cc: 'Alan Cresswell'; 'Robert Smith'; 'Keith N4ZQ'; 'Greg D.' Subject: AW: AW: Compass sounding better Hi Bob, these news are good - COMPASS hasn't got away yet... We think, that is no internal communication between the units. Maybe the lithium polymer cells are death and COMPASS is working only in full sunlight due the solar panels current. I could command COMPASS this morning twice and heard two beacons :-) The battery voltage was 2.98 V (first pass) and 2.82 V in the second pass. The CPU onboard needs 3 Volts. If you have the time (!) you can try to send the following commands: ****14#200# unchanged ****13#200# unchanged ****16#255# critical batt to max -> always emergency mode to save more power Thanks for your efforts and I wish I had better news as well.... 73, Mike -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: Bob DeVarney W1ICW [mailto:we1u@verizon.net] Gesendet: Freitag, 22. August 2008 16:42 An: Mike Rupprecht Betreff: Re: AW: Compass sounding better Hi Mike, I tried the 14:29 pass today. I was able to upload the heater off and test beacon commands twice, and got confirmations twice. I received no other signals from the satellite for the entire pass. Wish I had better news. Bob W1ICW Mike Rupprecht wrote: > Hi Bob, > > it reads well. Tomorrow I have a day off. So I have time to command and > listen to COMPASS by myself. > It's also good to hear that others tried to access the satellite. > > Thanks again Bob for all your encouragement. > > 73, Mike > > > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- > Von: Bob DeVarney W1ICW [mailto:we1u@verizon.net] > Gesendet: Donnerstag, 21. August 2008 16:26 > An: Mike Rupprecht; amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > Betreff: Compass sounding better > > Mike, > on the 14:10 pass over the eastern US, I was able to upload the heater > off and test beacon commands several times successfully. I also heard > confirmation tones several other times during the pass, so others are > also able to get into the satellite. > I commanded the test beacon several times and got confirmation, but > never did hear the beacon come on during the pass. Perhaps because so > many people were sending commands at the same time, it just kept > resetting a timer. > I believe Compass is getting healthier; it certainly seems a LOT more > responsive today than it was, say 4 days ago. I think this is > encouraging. Hopefully someone can get a beacon out of it this pass. I > wlll be listening up for the 15:43 pass and hope to hear a beacon then. > > 73 de Bob W1ICW > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com > Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.6.6/1625 - Release Date: 8/21/2008 6:04 AM > > > > --

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QSL cards from WD9EWK's 17-22 July 2008 road trip
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 22 Aug '08

22 Aug '08

Hi! I now have blank QSL cards for each of the 10 locations I transmitted from during my 17-22 July 2008 road trip. For this trip, I am not using the AMSAT AO-7 30th anniversary "fill-in-the-blank" QSL cards that I've used in the recent past. I have cards with information for each location including an image of my GPS receiver's display showing the latitude/longitude for each location. I have already replied to the QSL requests I received at my PO box since the trip, plus I've sent out cards to others who have asked for cards to confirm contacts during my trip. I'll write out more cards this weekend, to go in the mail early next week. If you worked WD9EWK during that period and would like to receive a card (or cards) for any contact, please e-mail me directly with the QSO information. If you want to send me a card (or cards), that's OK. You don't have to send an SASE or stamps. I appreciate any SASEs or stamps I receive, as that helps cut down my contribution to the US post office this month. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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M2 Eggbeaters for sale
by Bob Herrell 22 Aug '08

22 Aug '08

Hi all, I have a pair of M2 Eggbeaters: EB-144 with RK-2M Radial Kit and the EB-432 with the RK-70cm Radial Kit. These items are relatively new and cost $514 plus shipping. I will let them go as a "pair only" for $411 plus actual shipping shipping via UPS. 73, Bob Herrell AJ5C AMSAT #36645 Harrison, AR 870-365-3871

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Wanted, printable, scalable clockwise protractor image
by Doug Faunt N6TQS +1-510-655-8604 22 Aug '08

22 Aug '08

Hi all, I think it'd be easier for me to manually track LEO's if I had a image like this one, but with the numbers clockwise. Any help? http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/images/degrees-360.gif 73, doug

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Back to mainland Scotland
by John Mock 22 Aug '08

22 Aug '08

Thanks to all that i've worked, both in Europe and state-side. Not traveling solo, it's been hard at times to be both available and have a good horizon for trans-Altlantic passes. Half the time, no one has been on! But they have been alot easier to work than those over Europe. I'm experiencing lots of QRM soon after the bird goes overhead on morning AO-51 passes and people calling CQ who can't hear the bird. But on less busy passes, i'm making contacts and hope to talk to more of you from mainland Scotland. Internet access has been sparse but you can suggest a sked and i'll respond if i can. Hope to talk to more of you, especially across the pond, from now until roughly September. 73's and good luck! -- KD6PAG

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LMR 400
by James - KB7TBT 22 Aug '08

22 Aug '08

400-Series Coaxial Bulk Cable- Available by the Foot or Reel http://www.hyperlinktech.com/productfamily.aspx?id=249 > So what I'm getting from everyone is to go with a section of 400UF between > the antenna and the preamp and the just the regular 400 down into the > shack. > I think that should certainly be better than what I have now anyway. Any > further comments? > Tnx and 73, > Michael > James KB7TBT NEGARC Activities Manager www.kb7tbt.com www.ne4ga.org www.myspace.com/kb7tbt

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compass-1
by Mr Jeffrey L Ross 22 Aug '08

22 Aug '08

hi folks, thought i would try for compass-1. Had a good 81 degree pass my location just now and listened and got the last of a cw beacon as I think it goes/xmits every 8 mins. So to get a beacon is just a matter of luck if it beacons while over head. sounded powerfull though, will be looking for it the next pass's. kc8gkf p.s. had to change freq from 437.275 to 437.405 for the packet. wish they were on the same freq. guess I have to decide what one i want to try for. anyone know how they xmit us the pics? or if any pics have been downloaded as of yet?

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