October 2009 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

WD9EWK at the Tucson hamfest and New Mexico yesterday
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 19 Oct '09

19 Oct '09

Hi! Yesterday was a busy - and enjoyable - day spent in southern Arizona and (briefly) southwestern New Mexico. A hamfest, followed by a drive toward the Arizona/New Mexico border, for a total of 549 miles (883km) including my drive down to Tucson on Friday evening. The hamfest was the Old Pueblo Radio Club's annual hamfest in Tucson. I attended this event last year, which was a very cold morning. For yesterday, it was warm enough so I didn't need a jacket. In fact, it was getting rather warm by mid-morning. The better weather meant a larger crowd showed up - buyers and sellers. I brought the AMSAT "flag" back to this hamfest, and set up next to the ARRL table. There was a regular stream of traffic by the table, and good crowds for the demonstrations (one AO-51 pass, two SO-50 passes, and two VO-52 passes - although I did not work stations on the first of the two VO-52 pass). The AO-51 pass started just before the official start of the hamfest at 7am (1400 UTC). Despite the fact that this pass went by to my west, there were 12 QSOs made with stations across much of the USA along with stations in Canada and Mexico. Not a bad start. There was a VO-52 pass at 1537 UTC I had hoped to work, but I had problems hearing the downlink. Normally, I have not had problems with the 2m downlinks, even with an air force base a couple of miles/km east of the hamfest. I apologize to those who were hoping to hear - and work - me on that pass. SO-50 first came just after 1600 UTC, and there were a couple of JOTA stations from Texas on there. I worked one of them, along with 4 other US stations. Then the second (western) VO-52 pass showed up an hour later. This time, I had no problems hearing the downlink. Glenn AA5PK in Texas and Bob W7LRD in Washington state answered my CQ calls. Thanks for the contacts - they helped bring out a "that's cool" remark from a long-time ham who was previously active on AO-10 and AO-13, seeing me work SSB via satellite with two FT-817s and a handheld antenna. The final SO-50 pass came by a little after 1800 UTC, and 3 more stations were logged. Thenks to the Old Pueblo Radio Club for providing me the space for the AMSAT table, and also to those stations who worked me (and, on the first VO-52 pass, tried to work me). Having the crowd hear where the other stations are located helps to show that our satellites cover a large area - even if the footprints are not what we might hope for. After the hamfest, I decided to spend my afternoon and early evening around the Arizona/New Mexico border. I've operated from several locations in southeastern Arizona on trips earlier this year, so I wanted to do something a little different. Instead of parking on a grid boundary, this trip would be to the state line. From Tucson, I drove about 135 miles/217km - a little less than 2 hours - on the I-10 freeway to reach the state line. There is a freeway exit very close to this spot, and from there I drove on a dirt track up to the state line (grid DM52lf). Along with the signs on the freeway showing the state line, there was a concrete marker across the freeway on the state line. I lined up my truck so the radio gear in the back of it sat on the state line, and took lots of photos of that and the area - along with the GPS readout. Then I waited for the 2235 UTC AO-27 pass. Once the AO-27 repeater switched on, I worked 5 stations on that pass. This location was a good one for passes to the west, or high passes to the east. For the AO-51 pass around 2318 UTC, which was a shallow pass to the northeast, a hill blocked me in that direction. I drove 5 miles/8km east of the state line to reach the town of Road Forks in New Mexico (grid DM52mf). From here, I had good visibility to the northeast down to the horizon, and I was ready for this pass. The first few minutes were busy, when I worked 10 stations in a 3-minute apan. After that, several minutes passed with many signals or QRM clogged the uplink. Just before the end of the pass, I was able to work two more stations before the satellite went away from me. Even with the period where I logged no QSOs, that was still a good pass. I went back to the state line for the second AO-51 pass, at 0054 UTC. This was a very high pass, approximately 65 degrees maximum elevation to the west, as the sun was setting behind mountains to the west. Stations were heard from southern Mexico to Alaska and western Canada, and across most of the USA. Clint's JOTA station was on the air, and David XE3DX was also operating a JOTA station with a group of Mexican Scouts (Drew - I will get you more information on the XE JOTA satellite activity shortly). WD9EWK logged 17 QSOs on this western pass. Whether it was the rarely-heard grid DM52 or the fact I was working from a state line, it was an enjoyable pass. When AO-51 went away for the last time, I quickly disassembled my antenna and packed up for the 240-mile/386km drive home. Between the hamfest and the post-hamfest activity at or near the Arizona/New Mexico state line, I logged a total of 56 QSOs. I will mail QSL cards to all of those who worked WD9EWK at the hamfest. If you worked me after the hamfest and want a card, please e-mail me with the QSO details. I plan on mailing cards from Saturday's activity, along with the cards from my east-coast trip last week in the coming week. Thanks to everyone for the QSOs, and especially the QSOs at the hamfest during my demonstrations. Having some regular satellite operators show up and make contacts with me - especially when we are mentioning where the other stations are located - makes a great impression on the crowds listening in. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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JOTA Contacts on AO-51 00:55 GMT
by Clint Bradford 19 Oct '09

19 Oct '09

Thank you, Mexico! Thank you, Northern California and AMSAT Patrick! Thank you, Texas! (That IS three countries, isn't it ???) I was invited MONTHS ago to show off AMSAT at the Victor Valley Amateur Radio Club's JOTA at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds. It's an hour drive each way for me ... there ARE "closer" JOTA events occurring ... But Victorville was the first to ask ... We had a GREAT time. Arrived at 1PM for lunch, set up out informal table for the scouts to visit, and then had the wonderful pass of AO-51 at 5:55PM local time. I did NOT record the pass to initiate QSL cards - but will certainly respond to ANY of the 8+ contacts we made on both the special JOTA repeater and the "normal" V/U repeater. (That's INCLUDING Patrick, who I think had one foot in New Mexico and the other in Arizona ...) Wonderful kids ... supportive parents ... Elmers from as far away as San Diego (150 miles' drive each way). Even got my wife to go with me this time, right after her month-long trip to Tibet. Ya know when you can impress your spouse, you've accomplished SOMEthing! We couldn't spend the night, as both our horse and burro(*) called us to remind us of their regular evening feeding. Seeing scores of kids that age as interested in amateur radio and electronics and mathematics as these kids were - just makes me believe that the next generation of policy makers were in the audience .... Clint Bradford, K6LCS http://www.work-sat.com (*) - Yes - If you have read my "bio" that's all over the 'Net, I do, indeed, own a burro. "His name" - you might ask? "edward R. Burro." ---------------------------------- Clint Bradford, K6LCS http://www.clintbradford.com

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Alaska Special Event Station
by Dale Hershberger 19 Oct '09

19 Oct '09

I want to thank the stations that I made contact with on the last pass on AO27 K7WIN, VA7VW, W6ZKH and Sawson, KG6NUB right at the end. As I stated before check out the KL5O.com website for QSL info. They have a nice QSL card. 73, Dale - KL7XJ

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2M1EUB/P VIA AO7 HAND HELD ANTS
by paul robinson 19 Oct '09

19 Oct '09

A BIG THANKS ! to every one who took place in the fun on ao7 mode b...i was working hand held ants at 2700' on a mountain top io87ie at the LECHT ski centre ....i had to give up in the end very high winds ,rain and cold ....4 below this morning! i was so cold after 4 and half hours!!! big thank you to bob w7lrd for geting up early ...sorry we didnt make it...but one of these days we will ...thanks bob!! and thanks to every one elce who worked me...what a great old bird it is ....good transponder and good foot print !!!!!! AMSAT ARE YOU LISTENING??? FOOT PRINT BEING IMPORTANT!! 73 all ill still be active from io87mc for 7days...de paul

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The Next Generation of Amateur Radio Satellites
by Alex, N3SQ 18 Oct '09

18 Oct '09

Robert, Congratulations for volunteering to organize development of an analog linear transponder. Please contact me and the AMSAT Systems Engineering team for mass, volume, power consumption, and heat generation requirements for your linear transponder board. We will provide you the interface specification to the IHU for control and ICB (Interconnect Control Board) for power distribution. Oh, and they're not 10 year olds, they are 22 year olds who are about 8 months away from receiving their Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering or Mechanical Engineering or Systems Engineering or Industrial Engineering Degree from the State University of New York system. And there are 34 (thirty-four) of them working on the NextGen Project for AMSAT. I will gladly set up a conference call next week at 6PM EDT on Wednesday where you can talk with the Systems Engineering team to discuss the details of the requirements. We are scheduling the CDR (Critical Design Review) for the last week in January 2010. I expect you will be ready for this design review because since "such people exist" and they will have designs that meet the spacecraft's requirements. You must have the board ready for Systems Integration Test in Mid-March 2010. We will be putting the system on AMSAT's table at the Dayton Hamvention. Please have your prototype board budget and schedule ready for PDR (Preliminary Design Review) during the 2nd week of December, 2009. They are tight time frames but we are just doing evolutionary, not revolutionary changes to the design. We also have a team of 27 upper-division undergraduate senior Systems Engineers, university System Engineering professors and experienced professional Systems Engineers with multiple decades of industry experience working on the project. I suggest, you and anyone else who wishes to declare their intension to volunteer on a board project should read our presentation from the AMSAT Symposium. Alex Harvilchuck, N3NP/SO4NNP Program Manager, AMSAT NextGen Program ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:37:44 -0500 From: Rocky Jones <orbitjet(a)hotmail.com> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Why do hamsats? (Or anything else...) To: <bbj(a)innismir.net> Cc: Amsat BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org>, k6hx(a)arrl.net Message-ID: <COL106-W45FA0985C6EE33197B1B54D6C20(a)phx.gbl> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:57:34 -0400 > > From: bbj(a)innismir.net > > To: orbitjet(a)hotmail.com > I wrote: > > > >> > > In my view better engineering doctrine would imply that we try and >> > > put the digital transponder ON ISS and let it "cook" there for a bit. >> > > > you replied > > Yup, that would be ideal, I'm nominating you to head that project. This > > is right up your alley, as since you and your friends within the JSC > > can navigate the political process easily. Lets run this in tandem with > > the ARISSSat project. > > > > Thanks for volunteering! > > > > -- > > Ben Jackson - N1WBV - New Bedford, MA > > bbj <at> innismir.net - http://www.innismir.net/ > one has to wonder Ben why didnt they try it? There would have been a few more issues involved in terms of operating the thing on ISS other then just deploying it (mostly RF work)... but... as for me heading the project. I'd deep six the entire software defined transponder, put it on a development effort with some heavy program guidance...find some people who wanted to build linear transponders even if they were overseas (such people exist already) and start flying as many of those as possible. Right now what in my view the satellite community needs is a 100 percent Oscar 7 or 10...not some technological development issues. If I were king we would have something to offer the USAF if they had spare lift on a Centaur as they just had...remember the original Oscar's flew on USAF vehicles. in the meantime I will continue to keep my technical skills sharp (grin) by helping the 10 year olds put together a buoy that is going to float in Clear Lake... Robert WB5MZO

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Alaska Special Event Station
by Dale Hershberger 18 Oct '09

18 Oct '09

To all out there. I will be QRV on Satellites as KL5O, a special event station in celebration of Alaska's 50yrs of statehood. I was notified to participate just a short while ago. I was on some of the earlier passes. This event will go on until 10pm local time. QSL info is on the www.KL5O.com website. Special cards will be available. Hope to make contact with you. Dale-kl7xj

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FN65 on AO-27 18Oct 1845z
by John Papay 18 Oct '09

18 Oct '09

Richard, N2SPI, is in FN65 and will operate on the next AO-27 pass at 1845z, 18 Oct. This was unplanned, hence the short notice. Good luck! 73, John K8YSE John Papay john(a)papays.com

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Re: W7LRD to 2M1EUB/P via AO7 10/18
by Mika Siira 18 Oct '09

18 Oct '09

>----Alkuperäinen viesti---- >Lähettäjä: gordon(a)gjcp.net >Päivämäärä: 18.10.2009 11:56 >Vastaanottaja: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Aihe: [amsat-bb] Re: W7LRD to 2M1EUB/P via AO7 10/18 > >On Sun, 2009-10-18 at 07:14 +0000, Bob- W7LRD wrote: >> >> That subject may be a bit optimistic. Bob and Paul will be trying to >> stretch the footprint. At the applicable passes between Scotland and >> Seattle. So when Seattle comes into the footpint a little bit of room >> would be appreciated. Remember, "if this were easy, everyone would be >> doing it!". >> > >>From the west coast of the US, to the east coast of the UK? That *is* >quite a stretch. I'm not even sure the satellite is over the horizon in >both locations at any point. > >Gordon MM0YEQ > >_______________________________________________ >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 > Hello Bob and Gordon, AO-7 is above the horizon in both locations on next pass (AOS here around 17:10 UTC). Bob, good luck in QSO attempt, I will be also monitoring from KP25 square! Mika, OH8MBN

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homemade arrow rotator motors
by Joseph Armbruster 18 Oct '09

18 Oct '09

All, I am working on designing a rotator that the arrow antenna can snap into. I am aiming for this platform to be portable, so that it could be packed up and taken to different events. The base of the system will be a small circular rotating platform, that will provide a full 360 degree of freedom. The 'arm' that will hold the antenna itself, will provide elevation and roll control. I have seen a couple of random videos online of people that have made rotators but I haven't seen any that have the entire antenna mounted... or a system that provides for a flexible amount of movement. I am interested in talking to anyone that has hacked at something like this, in order to discuss lessons learned. In addition, i'd like to find out which motors you chose and why. The arrow antenna with the di-plexer weighs roughly 2lbs. Right now, I am looking at two different companies that provide stepper motors, namely: http://www.kelinginc.net http://www.linengineering.com Joe

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I: homemade arrow rotator motors
by Francesco Grappi 18 Oct '09

18 Oct '09

Hi Joe You can see some picture may be interesting here http://195.43.189.179/yappa/index.php?album=%2FSatelliti%2F&page=1 73" Frank IW4DVZ -----Messaggio originale----- Da: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] Per conto di Joseph Armbruster Inviato: domenica 18 ottobre 2009 15.53 A: AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org Oggetto: [amsat-bb] homemade arrow rotator motors All, I am working on designing a rotator that the arrow antenna can snap into. I am aiming for this platform to be portable, so that it could be packed up and taken to different events. The base of the system will be a small circular rotating platform, that will provide a full 360 degree of freedom. The 'arm' that will hold the antenna itself, will provide elevation and roll control. I have seen a couple of random videos online of people that have made rotators but I haven't seen any that have the entire antenna mounted... or a system that provides for a flexible amount of movement. I am interested in talking to anyone that has hacked at something like this, in order to discuss lessons learned. In addition, i'd like to find out which motors you chose and why. The arrow antenna with the di-plexer weighs roughly 2lbs. Right now, I am looking at two different companies that provide stepper motors, namely: http://www.kelinginc.net http://www.linengineering.com Joe _______________________________________________ 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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