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

SSTV Testing
by Tim - N3TL 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

Hey Everyone, This is mostly intended for those of you who will be trying SSTV on AO-51 this weekend over North America. I use MMSSTV as my software for the mode, and it includes an 8-second-duration black and white mode that I'm going to try on one or two passes this weekend. I'd appreciate it if anyone who copies one of those images would email them to me. Thanks! Tim - N3TL

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AO-7
by Tim - N3TL 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

Hey everyone, Thirty-five years ago this Sunday (15 November), AO-7 reached orbit. The following is from the AO-7 page on the AMSAT-NA Web site: "AMSAT-OSCAR 7 was launched November 15, 1974 by a Delta 2310 launcher from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Lompoc, California. AO-7 was launched piggyback with ITOS-G (NOAA 4) and the Spanish INTASAT. The second phase 2 satellite (Phase II-B). Weight 28.6 kg. Orbit 1444 x 1459 km. Inclination 101.7 degrees. Octahedrally shaped 360 mm high and 424 mm in diameter. Circularly polarized canted turnstile VHF/UHF antenna system and HF dipole." I consider it good fortune that the Grand Old Girl will be in Mode B on her 35th birthday. According to information from Hal, ZS6WB, in South Africa, her daily toggle between Mode A and Mode B has been occurring very close to 0445 UTC, when at least a portion of South Africa usually is in her footprint. So - from 0445 UTC on 15 November to 0445 UTC on 16 November, AO-7 should be in Mode B (UHF uplink - VHF downlink). I'm hoping she stays consistent! Let's celebrate her historic longevity and make Sunday a very busy day for AO-7. I intend to work every pass I can, and I hope everyone else who has Mode B capability will do the same. If you're not set up for the linear satellites but have a receiver with CW/SSB capability on 2 meters, try listening to a pass. The middle of her Mode B downlink passband is 145.950 mHz, and you will find most of the activity occurring between 145.940 mHz and 145.960 mHz. Generally, you'll hear CW operators below 145..950 and SSB operators above 145.950. Here is a link to the online log for AO-7: http://www.planetemily.com/ao7/ao7log.php Check it out. AO-7 has lived a historic life. As I type this, the AO-7 log shows that she is completing orbit No. 160,155. Let's celebrate her birthday with as many QSOs as possible on the grandest satellite in the current amateur fleet. That's my opinion, of course - but I'm confident it's shared by many who have enjoyed AO-7 over the past 35 years. 73 to all, Tim - N3TL Athens, Ga. - EM84ha

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ESA
by f6htj＠aol.com 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

Hello , Happy to watch our work tracking ROSETTA swing by today . Enjoy , 73s de Gérard GALVE F6CXO and Bertrand PINEL F5PL http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/5/897

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AO-51 mode change 12 November 2009
by Mark L. Hammond 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

The AO-51 mode change period below was peformed around 22:45 UTC on 12 November 2009. Transmitters are set currently as follows: TXA/435.150 at 610 mW and TXB/435.300 at 640 mW. As always, the 435.150 repeater downlink is subject to interuption for telemetry, generally one AM pass/day over the Eastern US. Best wishes to AMSAT-SA on their Special Event! And enjoy the SSTV operation period over the rest of the world! November 13 - November 15 FM Repeater, V/U Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM Downlink: 435.300 MHz FM FM repeater, V/U SSTV and AMSAT-SA Event Uplink: 145.880 MHz FM Downlink: 435.150 MHz FM On behalf of the command and operations teams, -- Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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SO-67 control
by Wayne Estes 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

All of this weekend's scheduled SO-67 activations are when it is over South Africa, presumably controlled by ground stations. With an unsustainable 5W downlink we can't expect SO-67 to be activated often in most places. Is SO-67 capable of operating from an uploaded schedule? Or is it only controlled in real-time? Wayne Estes W9AE Oakland, Oregon, USA

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Re: AO7
by WILLIAMS MICHAEL 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

Greetings Tim, I always enjoy your posts. If you think about it, AO7 may outlast us all. Since the batteries are no longer an issue, and the electronics is well burnt in, I'm pretty sure I could be pushing up daisies long before AO-7 decides to go belly up. Delfi-C3 was a great idea. Get rid of the weakest link. As for the issue of low power, milliwatt QSOs are not uncommon on AO7 and VO-52. 73, Mike (K9QHO)

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SumbandilaSat SO-67
by David Barber 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

Just found the times for this weekends active periods have been published. http://www.amsatsa.org.za/ David G8OQW

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Yaesu 5400B Az-EL rotor controller Lamps
by Vince Fiscus, KB7ADL 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

Someone a while back mentioned using LED's as replacements for the meter lamps when they burn out. Can't remember who it was. Anyway, if you're still on the list, what value of resister did you use in series with the LED's? I think the OEM lamps were around 14 or 15 volts. Thanks KB7ADL

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Portable in DM07
by w6zkh＠comcast.net 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

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

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Leonid campaign 2009
by Luc Leblanc 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

Time to check the Navspasur Radar for some echoes. November 10, 2009: This year's Leonid meteor shower peaks on Tuesday, Nov. 17th. If forecasters are correct, the shower should produce a mild but pretty sprinkling of meteors over North America followed by a more intense outburst over Asia. The phase of the Moon will be new, setting the stage for what could be one of the best Leonid showers in years. We're predicting 20 to 30 meteors per hour over the Americas, and as many as 200 to 300 per hour over Asia," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. "Our forecast is in good accord with independent theoretical work by other astronomers." The whole article can be read at: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/10nov_leonids2009.htm And a nice web site on the radar receiving experiment: http://www.itr-datanet.com/~pe1itr/navspasur.html "-" Luc Leblanc VE2DWE Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe DSTAR urcall VE2DWE WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE

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