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

Re: [Fwd: DO-64]
by Alan Cresswell 05 Aug '08

05 Aug '08

Hi Wouter Bear in mind that this happened about a minute or two before LOS and took me by surprise so these are not scientific observations. I was monitoring the beacon both by ear and with a visual display on spectran. When the CW started the normal display gave way to the CW signal only and it appeared to be on the centre frequency of the DSB beacon signal. I assumed at first that this was simply a new mode for the beacon. There were a few CW characters and then the beacon resumed. The same thing happened about 15 seconds later and then a couple of times more before LOS. I then realised that this is the exact pattern of RS-30, 5 or six CW characters at 15 second intervals. When I brought RS-30 up on my display I discovered that RS-30 and Delfi have orbits that converge from opposite directions once on each orbit and this convergence just happened to occur over ZL on that pass. My next chance to have another look at this is the 2246 UT pass on 6 August but I would think this can be checked before that on rev 1484 over Europe at about 0930 UT on the 6th August. Alan ZL2BX -----Original Message----- From: Wouter Jan Ubbels [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, 5 August 2008 07:08 To: Alan Cresswell Cc: albi(a)delfic3.nl; Delfi-C3 Mission Control Subject: Re: [Fwd: DO-64] Hi Alan, that is very strange. 435.315 is not a command frequency and is far away enough of the transponder uplink and the actual command frequencies so should not cause any trouble... How did you find out that the CW on 145.870 came from RS-30? Would be interested in your further observations! thanks a lot and 73! Wouter PE4WJ On Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 3:47 AM, Delfi-C3 Mission Control <missioncontrol(a)delfic3.nl> wrote: > fyi > > Hi Delfi team, > > With no one other than myself to talk to on a 2226 UT DO-64 pass this > morning I decided to monitor the beacon towards the end of the pass. > Shortly before LOS the beacon stopped and sent CW for a second or two and > then the beacon restarted. A few seconds later the same thing happened. I > eventually realized that the CW was the RS-30 downlink signal at 435.315MHz. > The two spacecraft were on opposite tracks and approaching each other at > this time. Why the 435.315MHz signal should stop the beacon and appear on > the 145.870MHz beacon frequency is a mystery to me. > I was about to post this on the amsat bulletin board when it occurred to me > that there could be a slight possibility that the effect on the beacon could > be because the RS-30 signal hit a command and control frequency at > 435.320MHz so thought I would send it to you direct just in case. > In the absence of any comment I will post the info on the Amsat bb for > general interest. > With the current orbits of Delfi and RS-30 they are in this relationship on > a regular basis so I will see what happens next time to the linear downlink > frequency. > > Alan > ZL2BX > >

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Re: OSCAR - Acronym for...?
by John Franke 04 Aug '08

04 Aug '08

The January 1962 issue of CQ announced the launch of OSCAR (later called OSCAR 1) and says Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio. However, page 32 of the February 1962 issue shows a image of a "Father's List," with OSCAR Logo saying Orbital Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio. The list was flown onboard the satellite. So, with the letterhead on the satellite, I tend to accept Orbital Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio. John WA4WDL > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jim Jerzycke" <kq6ea(a)pacbell.net> > To: "Clint Bradford" <clintbrad4d(a)earthlink.net>; <amsat-bb(a)AMSAT.Org> > Sent: Monday, August 04, 2008 8:20 PM > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: OSCAR - Acronym for...? > > >> The AMSAT glossary lists it as "Orbiting". >> The "Space Today" history of Amateur satellites lists >> it as "Orbital". >> http://www.spacetoday.org/Satellites/Hamsats/HamsatsBasics.html >> Guess I didn't help you much! >> Maybe one of the real Old Timers can chime in here! >> 73, Jim >> >> --- Clint Bradford <clintbrad4d(a)earthlink.net> wrote: >> >>> Some Web sites state that OSCAR is an acronym for >>> "Orbital Satellite >>> Carrying Amateur Radio." >>> >>> Or is it "Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur >>> Radio?" >>> >>> This is actually more important than it >>> sounds...(grin) >>> >>> Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 >>> 909-241-7666 >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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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FW: OSCAR - Acronym for...?
by Don Ferguson 04 Aug '08

04 Aug '08

This did not make it to the bb so here is a resend. -----Original Message----- From: Don Ferguson [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, August 04, 2008 8:09 PM To: 'Clint Bradford'; 'amsat-bb(a)amsat.org' Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] OSCAR - Acronym for...? Clint, As the current President of Project OSCAR Inc., I felt some responsibility to answer your question. I went through our current Constitution and bylaws and find no reference to the original definition of OSCAR. I am inclined toward "Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio" but that is just my opinion. I have 26 boxes of company original documents all the way back to OSCAR I but I don't plan to go through them for this definition. I am still looking for your reason on why you state "This is actually more important than it sounds...(grin)" As someone else said, maybe some of the original members of Project OSCAR will recall the definition. Don Kd6ire -----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Clint Bradford Sent: Monday, August 04, 2008 4:37 PM To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] OSCAR - Acronym for...? Some Web sites state that OSCAR is an acronym for "Orbital Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio." Or is it "Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio?" This is actually more important than it sounds...(grin) Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666 _______________________________________________ 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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brain picking time
by w7lrd＠comcast.net 04 Aug '08

04 Aug '08

Hello all I have a couple of questions of some things I am working on- Has anyone used that expanding foam that you use for filling holes and gaps in walls etc. I am trying to use it for helix support inside some PVC pipe for a 2.4Ghz 6 turn helix. Once expanded it provides a rigid support for the coil. It stays cool in a microwave oven. I have no idea what if any the properties are regarding microwave applications. As with most of my efforts I just build and try. Next question- which probably would be more aimed at a EME bb. I have a 12 foot TVRO I am building a patch feed for 1296, and feed it through 50 feet of LMR400 to my IC-1271A. I want to see if I am able to "hear" EME signals. Of course if I am able to, you can guess what my next effort will be. This will be a cheapie effort as I am only using stuff I already have. I do have a KJ6KO L band 70 watt amp. 73 Bob W7LRD Seattle -- "if this were easy, everyone would be doing it"

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Re: OSCAR - Acronym for...?
by Clint Bradford 04 Aug '08

04 Aug '08

The OLDER the printed article, the more likely it states, 'Orbital.' Of the several pre-1990 articles I have found, the vast majority use 'Orbital.' Clint Bradford, K6LCS 909-241-7666

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Re: OSCAR - Acronym for...?
by Clint Bradford 04 Aug '08

04 Aug '08

OK...we cannot trust, necessarily, the ARTICLE you cited... But the OSCAR site - and its new blog - has "Orbiting..." in its headline/logo! So many of those original amateurs are SKs... OK...Back to normal ops. THANK YOU ALL. Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666 On Aug 4, 2008, at 7:09 PM, Gould Smith wrote: > The Project OSCAR group coined the term OSCAR, > > http://projectoscar.wordpress.com/project-oscar-history/oscar-i-newspaper-a… > > They are the authority on what the O stands for.

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Reference locking an IC-910
by Tim Tuck 04 Aug '08

04 Aug '08

Hi all, I'd like to hear from anyone who has reference locked the LO of their 910. I know of Rex, VK7MO who built his own VCXO and locked that with a ReflockII and used it to lock his 910 but I was wondering if anyone else has done this and how you achieved it. http://home.exetel.com.au/dwsmith/riglock/VK7MO_GPS_Locking_the_IC%20910-H.… Off-the-shelf solutions would be good since my "go build it" time is very limited but that doesn't mean I wont build a solution :) thanks Tim -- VK2XTT :: QF56if :: BMARC :: WIA :: AMSAT =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Scanned with Copfilter Version 0.84beta3a (ProxSMTP 1.6) AntiSpam: SpamAssassin 3.2.3 AntiVirus: ClamAV 0.91.2/7941 - Tue Aug 5 08:44:27 2008 by Markus Madlener @ http://www.copfilter.org

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More than Sats Lost Last Week
by Clint Bradford 04 Aug '08

04 Aug '08

Not only were three satellites lost in the SpaceX problem last week, but so were ashes of 208 people... http://www.boingboing.net/2008/08/04/unfulfilled-space-fu.html Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666

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data pinouts of rigs diff?
by Mr Jeffrey L Ross 04 Aug '08

04 Aug '08

hi folks, are the data pinouts of different rigs the same or are most of them different? anyone know? my ft 857 seems to have a diff. pinout then the ft 8100. If i have them send me another tnc cable, Im not sure what cable i need. or if it will work when i get it. I have a tnc pk 96 for 9600 baud. I have a ft 857 rig (hopefully will copy 9600 fsk) if not I have a ft 8100 (but steps are 25 khz.) tks in advance p.s. I think this still concerns sats as I"m trying to copy them still, just need alittle help. tks kc8gkf

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FO-29
by WILLIAMS MICHAEL 03 Aug '08

03 Aug '08

From: ANS-216 AMSAT Weekly Bulletins "The transponder is very sensitive so please refrain from using high power because 200 watt EIRP is more than enough." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- I gave a 579 report to K9CIS's 200mW in a CW QSO. Yes, the FO-29 transponder is working very well. I normally have to back off the power to the FT-847's minimum setting above 20 degrees elevation. Mike K9QHO AMSAT 33589

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