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

COMPASS-1 needs your help
by Mike Rupprecht 19 Aug '08

19 Aug '08

Hi all, The recent events are dramatically. Our two ground stations are almost inoperable. A few days ago however, a hard-reset of the satellite had occurred, which brought the satellite back into the following vicious circle: Once the heater is being switched on, the battery power drops drastically, which causes another hard-reset. This goes on and on. The only chance to recover the satellite is to avoid the activation of the heater. This can be done by adjusting threshold values. Since these values are reset after each hard-reset, we would need to send them again and again, until the satellite is in a stable condition (batteries charging), where no reset occurs. Thus, if you would like to support this recovery phase and have the right equipment to do so, please upload the following DTMF tones to COMPASS-1 (simply from loudspeaker via microphone) THRESHOLD ADJUSTMENT (to do after every hard reset) ****14#200# heater off to -55 degr THIS IS THE VERY IMPORTANT COMMAND ****13#200# heater on to -55 degr ****16#170# critical batt threshold to 3.3V ****15#255# low batt threshold to max -> charge batteries The commands consist of 4 stars, two numbers, a hash, 3 numbers, and a hash. If COMPASS receive this sequence successfully you can hear a short confirmation beep. There is an good and free DTMF dialer to download here: <http://www.polar-electric.com/DTMF/Index.html#Encoder> http://www.polar-electric.com/DTMF/Index.html#Encoder Uplink: 145.980 MHz FM Downlink: 437.275 MHz CW If you have any questions, please ask me. Thank you very much in advance !!! We appreciate your support!! On behalf the COMPASS-team 73, Mike DK3WN For more information see : http://www.raumfahrt.fh-aachen.de/news.htm

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G5500 Rotor Issue
by Reicher, James 19 Aug '08

19 Aug '08

I bought a used G5500 rotor that the previous owner had stored in a closet for several years and hooked up the power. The azimuth rotor is functioning as specified but the elevation side has a problem. When pressing either the up or down switches on the controller, I hear a hum from the rotor, indicating it is getting power, but nothing moves. Where should I start looking? 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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Printable Compass...
by Mark VandeWettering 19 Aug '08

19 Aug '08

Try http://brainwagon.com/images/compass.pdf I tossed it together in a couple of minutes using GhostScript, and then converted it to a printable pdf file. Mark KF6KYI -- L=33333,A[33333],i,j,n,p,q,x,c;z(x){printf("%d%s",x,++c%50?c%5?"":" ":"\n");} main(){for(j=L;j;)A[--j]=2;for(;i<1e4;i++){for(q=0,j=L-1;j>=0;){x=10*A[j]+q*j+q ;A[j]=x%(2*j+1);q=x/(2*j--+1);}*A=q%10;q/=10;if(q-9){z(p+(q>8));for(;n;n--)z(9* (q<9));p=q*(q<9);}else n++;}}/* spigot - 10k digits of pi by markv(a)pixar.com */

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Los Padres ARISS Contact Today
by Clint Bradford 19 Aug '08

19 Aug '08

Great work, Ken and crew! Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666

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Compass 1
by Bob DeVarney W1ICW 19 Aug '08

19 Aug '08

I tried both the 13:30 to 13:40 and 15:05 to 15:18 passes here from VT but no luck. Didn't hear so much as a peep from the bird. I sent the commands in the blind on the later, higher elevation pass. Will try the 16:43 to 16:52 pass if I am home at the time. 73 de W1ICW --

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Scotland & Shetland Islands
by John Mock KD6PAG 19 Aug '08

19 Aug '08

Greetings from the Shetlands. Passes over the East Coast weren't feasible from Glasgow and the one that i tried here yesterday had no one on. I will keep trying. I've worked about a half-dozen continental passes and SO-50 has been both crowded and noisy. Morning passes on AO-51 have been much better and i can hear myself well at 140mW in the early parts of the passes. But can't even hear myself at all over the QRM between QSOs at 2W when AO-51 gets very far south. I've worked several stations but many others don't seem to hear me (or maybe even each other). If i'm trying for the East Coast, it will likely be AO-51 passes over the Atlantic and possibly on SO-50 around dinner EDT. I will continue to try European AO-27 passes in the morning as time permits. I hope to work you. 73's and best of luck! -- KD6PAG

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Portable from grid DO20
by Ron G. Seiler 19 Aug '08

19 Aug '08

Hello All, I will attempt to work AO-51 and SO-50 from DO20 on August 20-22 UTC with a 5 watt handheld into an Arrow antenna. This grid hasn't been active for a number of years. 73, Ron VA7VW http://www.va7vw.ca <http://www.va7vw.ca/>

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TS-2000 sensitivity mod-production years?
by Mark L. Hammond 19 Aug '08

19 Aug '08

Hello all, There has been a few posts lately about the "sensitivity mod" for the TS-2000 radio--but it seems like there was a point when Kenwood may have "fixed" the issue. Does anybody know the production year, or serial number ranges, that apply to radios needing the "improvement"? I've always thought mine was a bit deaf, esp. on 2M. I bought my TS-2000X in early 2004...my serial number starts with 509. (I just performed the mod, but I'm not sure I can see an improvement--but haven't been able to test it on a bird yet). Thanks! Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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DO-64 observation
by Luc Leblanc 18 Aug '08

18 Aug '08

First experience with do-61 (DELFI C-3) this morning here. 1-No body was on the satellite only me calling CQ 2-From AOS to TCA signal was very good about +-3 DB above noise level 3-At TCA signal dropped below noise level too week for SSB but week for CW 4-From TCA to LOS signal remain below noise level and became too weak even for CW I suspect the satellite antenna configuration show some directivity or it is the satellite attitude who seems to favour some part of the orbit pass? I was never able to received my SSB dowlink on the eastern pass only a week CW carrier one time. There is some audio AGC as increasing the audio level make's not a big change on the dowlink. I was able to uplink with the FT-847 RF gain control completely turned off (about 1 or 2 watts). I don't know if my results are in line with what the team planned but when the sat was on data mode i was able to copy it from AOS to LOS but i think the TX power is reduced in transponder mode? It make's another one to experiment with and a preamp is imperative to be able to work it with ease. Just have to get some folk's on it here to be able to check it again. "-" Luc Leblanc VE2DWE Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE

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TS2000 VS FT847
by Stuart Underwood 18 Aug '08

18 Aug '08

Greetings, I have a TS2000, but it has birdies in the Sat. portions of the band. I was also thinking about getting a FT847... Does the 847 have birdies like the 2000? Does the 847 have better sensitivity on VHF/UHF? The 2000 I have to run the pre amps all of the time. Even with repeater work. Thanks in advance. 73, Stuart W8STU

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