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

WA3GOV - SK
by Martha 14 Aug '08

14 Aug '08

It is with great sadness that I report the death of Howard Ziserman, WA3GOV at the age of 55. For many years, Howard served as the Area Coordinator for MD & VA, He volunteered for EVERY hamfest in this area, sometimes traveling over 100 miles away. He had a love for the Space Program working at the NASA Bioprocessing and Pharmaceutical Research Center in Philadelphia in the early 80's. When he moved to MD in 1989,he combined his love of education and space working on Space Shuttle Mission STS-94 and later on the ARISS program. Howard had a B.A. from Cornell, a B.E. in EE from Johns Hopkins, an M.S. in Chemistry from U of MD. His dream was to get his PhD and so he left MD in 2001 for Kansas City. There he received his PhD in December of 2006 -- 73- Martha

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TS2000 RX sensitivity increase mod
by Henk, PA3GUO 14 Aug '08

14 Aug '08

For those of you that also use a TS2000 for satellite communications, I just finished the modification suggested by Woody AK2F to increase the receive sensitivity on UHF and VHF. Note: The modification is only useful for early K models (US). All later as well as European models do not need this mod. All pictures (before and after the modification) are here: http://www.pa3guo.com/ts2000_rx.html Henk, PA3GUO www.pa3guo.com

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Re: COMPASS-1 in emergency mode
by Mike Rupprecht 14 Aug '08

14 Aug '08

Hi Mariano, here are the TLE: COMPASS-1 1 32787U 08021E 08226.19180743 .00000095 00000-0 19031-4 0 1184 2 32787 097.9841 285.9110 0015365 316.5637 043.4362 14.81444724 15843 73, Mike DK3WN -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: AMRAD [mailto:[email protected]] Gesendet: Donnerstag, 14. August 2008 17:09 An: Mike Rupprecht Betreff: Re: [amsat-bb] COMPASS-1 in emergency mode Mike, Regardes, Plese send me the Keps for this satellite. 73, Mariano, CT1XI www.amrad.pt ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Rupprecht" <mail(a)mike-rupprecht.de> To: "'AMSAT-BB'" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 3:55 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] COMPASS-1 in emergency mode > Hi all, > > > > we need your help ! > > > > COMPASS-1 is in emergency mode since Sunday night. The battery voltage is > very low and the satellite is rebooting every pass. The CW beacon is on in > sunlight - but only in 8 minutes interval. > > > We need telemetry - so much as possible. Could you help us please and > listen > to COMPASS on 437.275 MHz? > > > Any reports are very appreciated. You can find a simple CW telemetry > decoder > on my website www.dk3wn.info/software.shtml (also mp3 or wav files are > welcome). > > > Please send your reports to compass1cubesat(a)googlemail.com or post via > this > list. > > > Thank you very much in advance - on behalf the COMPASS-team > > > 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 >

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help
by RFI-EMI-GUY 14 Aug '08

14 Aug '08

Make sure that the file isn't write protected or archived. I have had this problem when moving programs from one computer to another, Windows sometimes tends to protect files when you copy them. Look at properties (attributes for DOS) of the file. -- 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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COMPASS-1 in emergency mode
by Mike Rupprecht 14 Aug '08

14 Aug '08

Hi all, we need your help ! COMPASS-1 is in emergency mode since Sunday night. The battery voltage is very low and the satellite is rebooting every pass. The CW beacon is on in sunlight - but only in 8 minutes interval. We need telemetry - so much as possible. Could you help us please and listen to COMPASS on 437.275 MHz? Any reports are very appreciated. You can find a simple CW telemetry decoder on my website www.dk3wn.info/software.shtml (also mp3 or wav files are welcome). Please send your reports to compass1cubesat(a)googlemail.com or post via this list. Thank you very much in advance - on behalf the COMPASS-team Mike DK3WN

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help
by w3vvp 14 Aug '08

14 Aug '08

For years I have used IT as my tracking program with no problems. All of a sudden I can not longer put the keps in. I have not changed anything on my computer. I download and save same as I have always done. Now when I try to put them in it says "can't open file keps.txt" which is how I have always saved them. Is there someone out there that uses IT and knows computers who will give me a phone number to call so I can talk to them. Thanks George,W3VVP

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TNC Problem
by Gregory Dober 14 Aug '08

14 Aug '08

Went back to attempting to work digital modes on the birds. Hooked a new Timewave 9600 and was able to communicate immediately by hyperterminal. I tried a loopback test and couldn't connect to my callsign though the TNC would light TX. Went to an APRS program, connected the TNC to my Icom and was able to copy stations. When I would transmit, TNC, radio all keyed up but I heard no packets on another radio. Just a quick empty carrier. Borrowed my friends AEA PK 900.same problem. Never had this problem on past TNC's or laptops. The only difference is they all had direct serial connections to the laptop. The Dell Inspiron is about 6 months old and uses the serial to usb connections. I have two Belkins for the com ports. Are some serial to usb connections problematic for the TNC? This is the only change I can note since I last worked packet. APRS and digital modes about a year ago on an older computer with a serial connector. Perplexed as I awaited GO-32. Greg N3MVF

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NASA tells students about Amateur Radio
by Tom Clark, K3IO 13 Aug '08

13 Aug '08

I sent this a couple of days ago, but for some reason it never appeared. See -- these thing happen even to members of the Board! -------- Original Message -------- Subject: NASA tells students about Amateur Radio Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:10:46 -0400 From: Tom Clark, K3IO <k3io(a)verizon.net> Reply-To: k3io(a)verizon.net To: AMSAT BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> CC: AMSAT BoD <bod(a)AMSAT.ORG>, AMSAT Officers <officers(a)amsat.org> We have all heard that amateurs on the Space Station (ARISS=Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) frequently have "direct from orbit" contact with students in schools around the world. To help prepare the students for an ARISS experience, NASA has generated a series of teaching modules for the students. They have three different packages available suitable for students in K-4, 5-8 and 9-12 grades (for folks outside the US, "K" is Kindergarten at age ~5, and Grades 1-12 are for ages ~6-18). I think that the AMSAT folks should see how amateur radio can be introduced to children -- the packages are described and available from NASA's Digital Learning Network (DLN) <http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/> at http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/content/catalog/details/?cid=634. I found them to be very interesting. Perhaps you know some local teachers who could make use of these lesson plans. 73, Tom

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is this ground control callsign?
by Mr Jeffrey L Ross 13 Aug '08

13 Aug '08

hi folks, just got some data from go-32 and was wondering if this is the ground control call? or what is this as its a number not a call? the bottom one! This was in my heard list: 4XTECH-12 ........ 4XTECH-11 ........ 243482

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Re: WD9EWK's first non-FM satellite QSOs today!
by Clint Bradford 13 Aug '08

13 Aug '08

> After months of trying to make a portable station that would > allow me to work the SSB/CW satellites (first with an FT-817ND > and AOR AR8200Mk2B wide-band receiver, then later with two > FT-817NDs, all using my Arrow Antennas handheld Yagi), I finally > made everything work... Your attitude and enthusiasm continue to amaze me, Patrick - Great work! I demo'd AO-51 yesterday morning before a club meeting of 63 folks. From Tarzana, CA we talked to Tennessee, West Texas, and, lo and behold, Athens, Georgia's own N3TL came through. It was a 4.1 degree of elevation pass for him. Let me repeat that, in case you thought there was a typo: FOUR POINT ONE DEGREES OF ELEVATION for Tim in Georgia. But he was cheating: he was using a full five Watts output on his Yaesu FT-60. I refuse to use high power during my demos...(grin) And so it goes.... Clint, K6LCS 909-241-7666

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