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

PREDICT/Linux question
by Rich Dailey 18 Nov '09

18 Nov '09

After a Linux hiatus of a few years, I setup an spare pc with Linux Mint, an offshoot of Ubuntu. Through the software manager (gee, thing have become easier since my last Linux adventure) I was able to install the latest Predict software. When I run it, it first asks for my station info. I enter this, and at the last <cr> it kicks me back out to the terminal prompt. Anyone else had this issue? Thanks, Rich, N8UX

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SatPC32 Auto Doppler
by Howard Kowall 18 Nov '09

18 Nov '09

Hello to everyone Is it possible to use SatPC32 12.8a without auto Doppler correction? I use 2 separate transceiver one for uplink the other for downlink,all I want to do is be able to change the downlink freq. and let the uplink follow according to the Doppler sqf file.I want no automatic Doppler correction just transparent tuning. Thanks to all who read this Howard VE4ISP

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EK19 activation !!
by Alvaro de Leon Romo 18 Nov '09

18 Nov '09

Hi I will fly to Veracruz and I will activate EK19 the 18th in SO50 at 2055 and 2236 UTC pass, I will try AO27 at 2006 pass the 18th also.... GL all Ps all depend of weather.. Al XE2AT _________________________________________________________________ Todo lo que te gusta de Internet en un mismo lugar www.messengernews.com.mx

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Re: SatPC32 Auto Doppler
by Mark L. Hammond 18 Nov '09

18 Nov '09

Hi Howard, I think the answer is "yes" you can do what you want to do. SatPC32 12.8a is really good with 2 radios. I've had it running a TS-2000x and an IC-910H at the same time, in both directions, meaning one radio xmit, the other receive--and flip flopped from that, too. It works! Oh, I tried the IC-910H with a FT-817, too. Worked fine. What 2 radios are you trying to configure, and which one do you want to Xmit and which one receive? The configuration is under the Radio setup window. You need to setup both radios. Try one radio as Radio 1, then the other as Radio 2. If you have the xmit/receive setup backwards, just set them up the other way. 73, Mark N8MH --------- Follow up to my last post So really what I want to do is to make 2 tranceiver,to act like a FT847,FT736,IC910,etc. Thanks again Howard VE4ISP ----- Original Message ----- From: "Howard Kowall" <hkowall(a)shaw.ca> To: "AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 3:06 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] SatPC32 Auto Doppler > Hello to everyone > Is it possible to use SatPC32 12.8a without auto Doppler correction? > I use 2 separate transceiver one for uplink the other for downlink,all I > want to do is be able to change the downlink freq. and let the uplink > follow according to the Doppler sqf file.I want no automatic Doppler > correction just transparent tuning. > Thanks to all who read this > Howard > VE4ISP -- Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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Re: Problem with Basic Stamp based tracker box serial display
by Mark L. Hammond 18 Nov '09

18 Nov '09

Hi Michael, Greg has given you sound advice about checking the voltage to the LCD. The only problem I've ever had with the LCD was related to a BAD CONNECTION to the pins on the LCD. It exhibited similar symptoms as what you describe. I found that it lost good contact and would cause the display to go dim or OFF. Took me a little checking to figure that one out. Other than, I've had no issue with my SAEBRTrack box..but then again, I helped design it ;) Glad to see your return to the birds!! 73, Mark N8MH (formerly KC4EBR, and thus the EBR in SAEBRTrack) _______________ Hi Michael, When the display dies, does the rest of the box keep working? If the whole thing dies, then I'd suspect the 7805 (5v) power supply. Does the 7805 get hot? If so, that's the problem; they have a built-in thermal shutdown for over-temp and/or over-current. What sort of heat sink do you have on it? If the problem is limited to the display, then I'd take a look at what's feeding it, power-wise, if it's different than the rest of the board. Again, I'd first look for things that are running too warm. If there's no heat problem, I'd next look for RF problems, or other things that can be cured with better shielding or grounding. My controller (also Stamp-based) was extremely sensitive to the electric glitches created when the motors were turned off. Kept losing its mind; I fixed it by adding more bypass caps around the board. Good luck, Greg KO6TH > Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:23:08 -0500 > From: mat_62(a)netcommander.com > To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > Subject: [amsat-bb] Problem with Basic Stamp based tracker box serial display > > I have a a homebrew tracking box designed around a Basic Stamp. It's > known as the SaebrTrack, I built it from an article on the web. The > circuit uses an LED display with a serial "backpack" attached from > Scott Edwards electronics to display the Azimuth and Elevation readings. > The information is fed to it from the Basic Stamp. > Lately the display light will start flickering at times and then the > letters will fade out completely as well. It takes turning the box off > and back on to bring them back up. This seems to be a sporadic > occurrence and can happen when the box is turning the rotators or > sitting idle. There is no rotator control box, the entire operation is > handled by this unit. > I just basically read the schematic and built this thing and then > loaded the Stamp with the software. I'm not well versed in this > technology. Could this be something as simple as voltage regulation? > There is a 12V transformer that runs the DC rotator motors and a > separate 6V transformer that takes care of the display and indicator > lights as well as feeding voltage to the position pots on the rotators. > I believe there is a 7805 regulator in the 6V circuit if memory serves. > Any thoughts or ideas? I've checked for loose connections. Could the > serial backpack display itself be causing this? > Any help would be appreciated. It gets kind of annoying when it happens. > Tnx and 73, > Michael, W4HIJ -- Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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Re: AMSAT, ITAR, More AMSAT-NA Volunteers & Such .
by Alex, N3SQ 17 Nov '09

17 Nov '09

Michael, W4HIJ wrote: >Interesting stuff Alex. > I'm currently working on an FM satellite station as that's all I can >afford at present but I hope some of the NextGen birds will carry linear >transponders too. At any rate, it all sounds very exciting. >73, >Michael W4HIJ > ARISSat-1 is flying a V/U Linear transponder with the 10.7MHz IF SDX board, the NextGen bus will fly the same equipment. I'm hoping that we can fly an L/S Linear transponder & 10.7MHz IF Matrix as payload on the NextGen satellites. They're not going to be the most powerful transmitters nor the largest antennas flown, since we've got a limited power, mass, and volume budget. Remember, we're talking about a 3kg mass budget, a 3 liter (10cm x 10cm x 30cm) volume budget and an 8w DC power budget for the spacecraft . . . Think the size of a loaf of bread. Alex, N3NP

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demo
by Bob- W7LRD 17 Nov '09

17 Nov '09

Hello I will be giving a in shack demo today on AO-7 at 2310Z and 11/18 at 0057Z and SO-50 at 2353Z. Should you hear me on I would appreciate a call. Trying to demystify satellite communications, and bring more operators into the "fold". 73 Bob W7LRD CN87 Washington State area coordinator

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Re: Portable in DM07
by w6zkh＠comcast.net 17 Nov '09

17 Nov '09

You are probably correct in that statement Jeff, "so naturally we're nuts,"....hi... I can imagine just what folks think when they see one of us sweeping the skies with our little antennas and radios. That 4 corner location was viewed in Google Earth. Once I get in the area, then I can really look over the situation. I dont think CM96 or CM97 are in demand as much as DM07, looking at your survey. So, when I get there I will determine just exactly what I am going to do. Again, this Grid-exposition is scheduled for tomorrow 11/18/09 on the AO-27 pass @ 2041 utc and the SO-50 pass @ 2238 utc. Also maybe the AO-27 pass @ 2220 utc, which is a West Coast pass. Equipment will be Yaesu FT-60R HT and ELK yagi on tripod this time. For QSL, send me an email with your info or QSL direct (SASE not required but appreciated) or eQSL.cc. I dont chase paper or grids, but do like to get cards. Hey, gotta plug up the nail holes in the wall the xyl puts in with pictures and nick-nacks, right? Hope to see you all there. John W6ZKH DM06 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Yanko" <wb3jfs(a)cox.net> To: w6zkh(a)comcast.net Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 12:55:50 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Portable in DM07 Hi John, Will be looking forward to working you in DM07. You know. The 4 grid corner in the middle of an almond orchard is really not a problem. We're hams, we operate satellites, so naturally we're nuts, so we'd all fit in. :) 73, Jeff WB3JFS ----- Original Message ----- From: <w6zkh(a)comcast.net> To: "amsat-bb" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Friday, November 13, 2009 8:13 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] Portable in DM07 > Hello all............barring any unforeseen problems, next Wednesday, > 11/18/09 I will take a quick trip up to DM07 Grid to fulfill some requests > for that grid, plus hopefully it wont be a bust like last time. The data > is: > > AO-27 @ 2041 utc which is a 25 deg pass > SO-50 @ 2238 utc which is a 23 deg pass > > I had hoped to work the intersection of CM86/CM87/DM06/DM07 except it is > in the middle of large Almond orchard, so will just stick with DM07. > > I will be using the Yaesu FT-60R ht + Elk dual-band yagi, like I did when > on vacation last month. > > Hope to work as many as I can for those 2 passes. QSL direct (no SASE > required) or eQSL.cc This Grid Location, DM07 is mostly rural and > mountainous, where Yosemite is located. I will be in the SW corner, in the > valley so wont be blocked by the Sierra Nevada's. > > Look for all. > > John W6ZKH > > _______________________________________________ > 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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Top 250 Grid Survey - Results
by Michael Rudzki 17 Nov '09

17 Nov '09

After several years of activating Eagle Harbor Lighthouse (EN57) without HTs or an Arrow antenna, we were asked by the local hams in upper Michigan why we don't operate on the satellites anymore. We are now planning on bringing our sat gear in August 2010 to activate at least EN57 and EN67. And if Al doesn't have EN56 by that time, I will personally drive down to Jacobsville and activate it. EN66 is on our way to Eagle Harbor, but we usually pass through that region in mid afternoon EDT on a Friday. As a result, all of our previous attempts to activate EN66 were unsuccessful. But we will try again next year, provided there is an FM satellite within range while we are driving through. 73, Mike, N8MR "Jeff Yanko" <wb3jfs@xxxxxxx> wrote: >5 VOTES >EN03 >EN05 >EN07 >EN16 >EN33 >EN40 >EN49 >EN58 >EN66 >EN67 Alvaro de Leon Romo <xe2at@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > I see that I am the only one soul that need EN56 :-) _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141665/direct/01/

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Top 250 Grid Survey - Thank you
by Jeff Yanko 17 Nov '09

17 Nov '09

Hi group, Though I thanked the participants of the survey in the initial release of the survey, I did not mention them by call, and I should have, since they helped create since a perspective view of the grids we are in search of. There were a total of 15 replies, including myself. Thanks again! N5AFV XE2AT K6YK N1AIA K0TW K8YSE WA8SME N3TL KI6YAA AA5PK KB0RZD WA4NVM K6CDW KD8CAO 73, Jeff WB3JFS

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