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

Re: KLM 2M-14C
by Jim Jerzycke 03 Oct '09

03 Oct '09

I've also got a KEPS downcoverter, AND a K5GNA. And I have one of those really nice 1M dish antennas from that guy in Pennsylvania, all never used, except for the K5GNA, which was used at Field Day on a 2M dish when AO-40 was still alive. When I operate satellites from my apartment, I use my terrestrial 2M/70cm antennas, and pick passes that don't go above 15* or so. They work very well, and surprise a lot of people when I tell them what I'm using. 73, Jim KQ6EA --- On Fri, 10/2/09, Alan VE4YZ <ve4yz(a)mts.net> wrote: > From: Alan VE4YZ <ve4yz(a)mts.net> > Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] Re: KLM 2M-14C > To: "'i8cvs'" <domenico.i8cvs(a)tin.it>, "'Jim Jerzycke'" <kq6ea(a)pacbell.net> > Date: Friday, October 2, 2009, 8:50 PM > Hi Dom and Jim... > > I agree with the comments about the quality of the KLM. But > do not agree > with the idea of keeping surplus ham equipment. We > have a shrinking > population of amateurs, and, in this area specifically > EN19, fewer and few > amateurs interested in satellites, and an older and older > population of hams > getting out by choice or circumstances. > > The problem I face is to not compete with others when > getting rid of my > surplus equipment on swap 'n shops, flea markets and eBay > where the prices > would be driven down to all the sellers' detriment. > Of course, if I was a > buyer, too much supply is good. > > I'm sitting on too much depreciating equipment now that I > can't get rid of > so I might as well give it away free - and I do that. > > A new in the box KLM should fetch a good price and easy to > ship. Used, the > same antenna is a pain in the butt to get rid of unless > sold locally. > Disassembling a yagi and shipping - yuk! And the cheap ham > community wants > it for next to nothing. > > If you get a decent offer - take it; it will be worth less > ( not worthless ) > tomorrow. > > The only major items I'm keeping is a FT-736r with the > 1.2GHz module - the > 1.2 being worth more than the rest of the radio and a > second G5400b > AZ/EL/Controller and a couple of Gulfalpha dual banders and > M2 matching tees > that get dragged out once a year for field day. But > every time I look at > them a see a lot of money tied up doing nothing and swear > I'll do an eBay on > them. > > By this time next year I expect I'll have 3 complete > satellite setups and be > even madder about not unload the stuff while it had some > value. Part of my > surplus is dumb purchasing decisions. I have a KEPS > dual band down > converter for 2.4GHz that I should have never bought but I > did because a > fellow hams has his mother living in Germany and it was > easy to get it that > way. 2 extra K5GNA down converters for what? I > am given some of this by > guys going out of the hobby for various reasons including > SK. > > Very sad to see good equipment not used and depreciating in > value every day. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org > [mailto:[email protected]] > On > Behalf Of i8cvs > Sent: October 2, 2009 9:20 PM > To: Jim Jerzycke; AMSAT-BB > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: KLM 2M-14C > > Hi Jim KQ6EA > > I suggest you don't sell the KLM 2M-14C because in my > experience it is a > very very nice antenna. > > 73" de > > i8CVS Domenico > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jim Jerzycke" <kq6ea(a)pacbell.net> > To: "AMSAT-BB" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> > Sent: Saturday, October 03, 2009 3:16 AM > Subject: [amsat-bb] KLM 2M-14C > > > > I have a new-in-box KLM 2M-14C up on eBay if anybody > is interested. > > Item number is 230383642566 > > > > 73, Jim > > _______________________________________________ > > 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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KLM 2M-14C
by Jim Jerzycke 03 Oct '09

03 Oct '09

I have a new-in-box KLM 2M-14C up on eBay if anybody is interested. Item number is 230383642566 73, Jim

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Iceland activation (TF/N2YTF)
by Daniel "Nick" Kucij 03 Oct '09

03 Oct '09

Tom Tumino, N2YTF is currently operating portable from Iceland as TF/ N2YTF. From his QRZ.com page: "Iceland! I will be operating the FM satellites and HF (where time allows) from Iceland until Oct. 5th. Expect me to be on the birds QRP portable, sometimes with an Arrow Antenna for any passes between 1000 and 0000 UTC. Please help get the word out about my satellite operations." Check his QRZ page for more information. Nick KB1RVT

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HRD 5.0 and FT-897
by Randy 03 Oct '09

03 Oct '09

I need a little help with the software and the rig. Cant get it to track on tx freq. as far as it going to the rig. Shows up in the software just fine. I read that I have To click the TX button in the radio GUI and not my footswitch And even then the freq shows something different until I unkey. I am starting to think this software and my radio werent made For each other .. Anyone with a lot of patience that's willing to assist? Really starting to regret buying this FT-897. OH .. And the receive updates that get sent to the radio >From the satellite tracker. Is there a way to change the rate At which the updates are sent? Should I be trying a different piece of software? TIA Randy - N2CUA

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Anusat in trouble
by David Giles 03 Oct '09

03 Oct '09

Hello All, Just found this article on the web. Looks like we may miss out on using the amateur payload. As I type the carrier beacon on 137.4MHz is coming through as strong as other times I have heard it. 73 de David VK5DG http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/anusat-almost-dead-space-664

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Re: Solar Power (I was wrong)
by Greg D. 02 Oct '09

02 Oct '09

I've always wondered why the solar panel makers don't put water tubing on the back side of the panels. Boost the efficiency, and get hot water for the house or pool at the same time. Seems like a no-brainer. {shrug} Unfortunately for me, I have large trees shading the house (big enough that I'm hoping I'm coming out ahead with lower air conditioning bills), and a roof angle exposure that is not solar-friendly even if they weren't there. So I was thinking, if I had space for just a few panels, perhaps I could go low-tech with a system built from a scrap UPS. After all, I've got an APRS station - PC, TNC, radio, and internet connection - using power constantly, and I often find perfectly good UPSs being tossed out (i.e. free) because the battery is shot and not worth replacing. Put the solar cells in place of the UPS' battery, and modify the power failure detect circuitry to work backwards - give preference to the battery/solar side, only switching to the line side if there is insufficient "battery" power. This will give me free 120 vac whenever the sun shines. At night, it would power-fail back over to the line, and only then would the power company's meter start to spin. I'd probably put a regular UPS down stream from the hacked-up one, in case the failover/back from line to solar wasn't real clean. The biggest problem I see is that most of the solar panels available these days are in the 50-60 volt range, which means that you'd need to do a conversion down to battery voltage first. (Maybe put two panels in series and run them into a regular 12v DC power supply?) Now, I just need to find a source of free-to-cheap solar panels. I almost bought a set at a local Ham swap ($10 ea) that had cracked surface glass but were otherwise functional, but I didn't think they'd survive the trip home in my car (no place big enough to lay them flat). (I'd need to weatherproof them too....) Anyway, just a thought... Greg KO6TH > Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 18:46:28 -0700 > From: ptrowe(a)yahoo.com > To: bruninga(a)usna.edu; amsat-bb(a)amsat.org; wb3jfs(a)cox.net > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Solar Power (I was wrong) > > > One of my friends installed a water spray system to cool the panels since > they lose efficiency fast as the temperature goes up. Also, it doesn't > take much dust or bird poop to cut the efficiency. So if you install a > system, be prepared to get on the roof every month or so to clean the > panels. > > > > Regards, > > Pete > > WA6WOA > _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail® has ever-growing storage! Don’t worry about storage limits. http://windowslive.com/Tutorial/Hotmail/Storage?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Tutori…

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Re: Solar Power (I was wrong)
by G0MRF＠aol.com 02 Oct '09

02 Oct '09

In a message dated 02/10/2009 18:41:31 GMT Standard Time, bruninga(a)usna.edu writes: Again, there is a BIG difference between solar design for stand-alone battery systems (must point south, optimum angle, etc) and grid-tie systems that can be anything from SE to SW and even FLAT and still be only a few percent off peak!. Sorry Bob, But a few percent is certainly not correct for the installation I'm responsible for. I have a set of panels pointing at the horizon at my local school and they are about 40% down at midday. The efficiency is directly related to the amount of sun falling on the panel....well some relationship to the tan of the angle in radians....or whatever it was I calculated and then measured. Actually the angle to the sun is critical for max efficiency. (Obviously missed completely by the %7'!** who approved this installation.) _http://www.sunnyportal.com/Templates/PublicPageOverview.aspx?plant=7350f0ac -1a01-4248-89cc-90607f32caaf&splang=en-GB_ (http://www.sunnyportal.com/Templates/PublicPageOverview.aspx?plant=7350f0ac… ng=en-GB) If you want to check out the efficiency of an installation near you, just have a quick search of the "publicly available plants" at _www.sunnyportal.com_ (http://www.sunnyportal.com) David G0MRF

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GJTRACKER Version 2.03
by Lance Collister 02 Oct '09

02 Oct '09

Howdy! I discovered a bug in GJTRACKER when I was using it to calculate some grid locators for locations in the southern hemisphere. I don't know how many people beside me use it for this, but I find it quite convenient ;-) I did want to spread the word that I have fixed the bug and it is now working properly. The full corrected current version is 2.0.3 and is available here: http://bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/GJTRACKER.zip If you have already installed GJTRACKER on your computer, all you need is to replace the application file itself: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/GJTRACKER.exe GL and DX! VY 73, Lance -- Lance Collister, W7GJ (ex: WN3GPL, WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX) P.O. Box 73 Frenchtown, MT 59834 USA QTH: DN27UB TEL: (406) 626-5728 URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj 2m DXCC #11, 6m DXCC #815

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Re: Solar Power (I was wrong)
by k0vty＠juno.com 02 Oct '09

02 Oct '09

Afternoon Sir: I have enjoyed your postings on the BB. However this time I have to ask a question of you. The term Grid-Tie for the purpose of Solar efficiencies has me stumped If you would be so kind I would like an explination. As the old saying goes , "when one in the class does not understand, bet on 5 more in the same conditon" Additionally if there is data on where such a system is currently available, that might help. Best Regards Joseph Murray ( K0VTY) Amsat # 860 Amsat Coordinator NE. ========================= On Fri, 2 Oct 2009 09:03:18 -0400 (EDT) "Bob Bruninga " <bruninga(a)usna.edu> writes: > > My simple math says it'll take almost > > 16 years to be reimbursed on a $30k system. > > Its more like 5.5 years.. I'll show you my numbers for Maryland: > > > Initial outlay: $30,000 > > US tax credit: 5% > > No, Federal Credit is 30% > > > US reimbursement: $1500 (this is not > > real money, but a reduction in taxable income) > > at 30% it is $9,000 and it is a *credit*, not a deduction, so that > is cash in your pocket off the tax you pay. > > Then most states, give either similar Tax *credits* or grants, in my > state it would be about $4,000 check, payable to me when > installation is complete. Then the county makes up the difference > to 50% of the cost of the system. > > > Total: $28,500 > > No, here, my net outlay is reduced to 50% or only $15,000. > > > Savings per year in electricity: $1800 > > That, plus Solar Energy Renewable credits paid to you by the power > company or brokers at about $250 per KW capacity for a 4 Kw system = > $1000 per year. They buy this credit from you so that they dont > have to build solar systems. By paying you this credit, they get to > subtract the capacity from the amount they are required to build by > the year 2020? or whatever. So add the two and you get a payback of > $2800/year. > > > $30k / 1.8k = 15.83 years > > * My numbers show $15k / 2.8 = 5.3 years (even less if electric > rates go up) > > > One of the points of the post, I think, > > was to make ourselves less dependent on > > foreign oil.. > > > Personally, I do not think PV cells are > > that efficient. To get the 12VDC I need > > to power my remote... repeaters, I... > > lose more than 30% in generated heat. > > Yes! That was my mistake too. Energy Storage in batteries is very > inefficient. About 30% or more losses. But GRID-TIE systems are > 95% efficient PLUS you are selling the power to the grid at PEAK > rates in the middle of the day, and buying it back at discout rates > at night. Net effect is not a loss, but a GAIN. Of course, this > does not help at a repeater, but do not carryover these losses to a > Grid Tie system where it does not apply... > > > they only last so long. > > Twenty years, tops maybe? > > Do they really pay for themselves? > > You bet for sure! Compare that to a $30,000 car, which is junk in > 10 years and you have nothing. The solar system cost $30,000 > (actually $15K) and you MAKE $15k in the first 5 years, and for the > next 15, you make $45,000, and then your array has decayed to maybe > only 80% of its original life... but it is still MAKING money at > then CURRENT rates... > > The 20 and 30 year life does not mean they die, it is just that > their power has dropped by XX%... Im guessing that the threshold is > 80%? > > > > > in California. .. the power company is > > only required to pay you the WHOLESALE > > cost of electricity. This amounts to 3 > > to 4 cents per kw-hr. > > Ah, but if you pay 15 cents per KWH during the day to run your home, > and you have enough solar to balance that, then the payback to you > is still 15 cents per KwH. Its only the excess you generate that > pays you the low rates. > > The key word is "net metering". In other states with net-metering, > they have to give you the full 15 cents credit for the excess power > you generate. But in most all cases, you cannot beuild up credits > beyond a year cycle. > > > ... bird poop to cut the efficiency. > > be prepared to get on the roof every > > month or so to clean the panels. > > AMEN. PV cells are in series. One big splat that covers one CELL, > reduces the power of the ENTIRE PANEL. A single Flag Pole shadow > across a roof, can reduce the power of the entire roof array > tremendously... > > >> if you sell back over 50,000 watts > >> of power you will incur additional taxes, > >> ... you are considered a "generator" > > I assume that is NET. To build up that much excess capacity would > require an array on my house covering 3 times the roof area I have > available. And it would make no sense to build an array that big, > since you aleady know that you get paid peanuts for excess net power > (wholesale). > > >> Lets say you were able to generate > >> and sell back 100,000 watts to the > >> utility company. > > Yes, that is my annual consumption. But my array will be sized so > that I generate 100,000 in that same year. SO the NET "sell back" > is ZERO. And I got all my electricity for FREE that year. You are > right, that if I make my array TWICE as big as I need, and spent > about $100,000 for it, that then, I would generate twice the > electricity I need, and would not get paid but probably HALF the > rate for it PLUS the taxes you mentino. Oh, and that array would > coer 8,000 square feet almost an Acre... So I would not worry about > a homeower making the mistake of building too big a system... > > >>> > 1) Solar panels (PV) are 1% of what they cost in 1970 > >>> 2) PV dropped 40% this year due to 2007 Energy Boom and 2009 > economic bust > >>> 4) $5,000 to $20,000 tax and cash back incentives for YOU > >>> 5) Grid-tie systems operate at 95% efficiency compared to 70% of > battery systems > >>> 6) Local electric rates DOUBLED in the last 2 years > >>> 7) Laws require utilities to pay you the same peak rates they > charge you. > >>> 8) Solar Energy credits can gain an additional $275 per 1Kw > system per year > >>> 9) Payback is at least 10% per year or better > >>> 10) The same money in the bank gets 1% interest > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > ____________________________________________________________ $5,000 a Week For Life Publishers Clearing House winner annouced on NBC. Enter now. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/c?cp=ivXBCqEdejvr9UOvcHT2YAAAJ1CmZ…

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Re: Solar Power (I was wrong)
by Mike and Paula Herr 02 Oct '09

02 Oct '09

I've had a solar grid inter tie set up here in California for a number of years, so I have had a tad bit of experience. The cost can be somewhat deceptive. I have heard prices of $20,000 to $30,000 banded around. At installation there is a healthy rebate from the California Public Utility commission, many other states have similar set ups. Then there are tax credits for Federal. California recently dropped their state credits. Plus, usually even a small installation, while not bringing you down to zero cost electrically, does bring your peak into the lower tiers of cost. Out of pocket mine cost me about $6,000. And it is working great. No, I do not have to clean them off every month. My monthly electrical bill is about $25. I am now in the process of adding a wind turbine to the mix. So look at the entire mix, ie cost, rebates and credits, and effects on the bill. Just my 2 cents 73 Mike WA6ARA > > Since Satellite design is heavy into Solar power, and I talk > about that a lot, you may have heard me compare my Solar car to > Solar panels on the roof of your house as not economical, I WAS > WRONG. I was overlooking many recent changes in the > environment: > > 1) Solar panels (PV) are 1% of what they cost in 1970 > 2) PV dropped 40% this year due to 2007 Energy Boom and 2009 > economic bust > 4) $5,000 to $20,000 tax and cash back incentives for YOU > 5) Grid-tie systems operate at 95% efficiency compared to 70% of

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