AMSAT-BB December 2009

234 participants
413 discussions

Call for Papers--2007 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference

by Ford, Steve, WB8IMY

Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the 26th Annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference to be held September 28-30, 2007 in Hartford, Connecticut. These papers will also be published in the Conference Proceedings (you do NOT need to attend the conference to have your paper included in the Proceedings). The submission deadline is July 31, 2007. Please send papers to: Maty Weinberg ARRL 225 Main St Newington, CT 06111 or you can make your submission via e-mail to: maty(a)arrl.org Papers will be published exactly as submitted and authors will retain all rights. 73 . . . Steve, WB8IMY ARRL

9 years, 6 months

Re: EggBeater

by Bill Dzurilla

Steve, I have both a commercial and a homebrew Eggbeater and am disappointed with both, especially in light of its rather high price. Connected to my IC-7000 via an ARR mast-mounted preamp, performance is far less than with an HT and an Arrow. Guess an omni can't cut it, at least not from my QTH. Maybe if I could get it up higher, clear of all roofs, it would do better. I can make contacts at relatively high sat elevations, but can do just as well with a $10 dual band ground plane. My friend has an Eggbeater and the same preamp at a clearer QTH, and he hears substantially better, down to 10 degrees elevation in some directions. Good luck and 73, Bill NZ5N > > Hi Steve, > > > > It is surprising to read that you are not hearing > anything. I have > > repeatedly used a 2m and 70cm Eggbeater for the sats > and have had no > > problem hearing things. No pre-amp. > > > > I was using a short cable (e.g. less than 10 meters). > The rigs I > > used were a FT-736r (deaf) and a FT-847 (so-so). > > > > 73, > > > > Dave

9 years, 8 months

FW: Re: The Moon is our Future

by Dave

We have met the enemy and they are us. WE need to do something. Yes, $15m is outta reach, but isn't there a cash prize for the first on-commercial moon landing? Dave DM78qd // KA0SWT If it weren't for Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of television, we'd still be eating frozen radio dinners.-- Johnny Carson +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ -----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jeff Davis Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 9:35 AM To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future On Thu, Jul 02, 2009 at 06:48:51AM -0600, Jack K. wrote: > communications anyway) and move forward... We can put up all the leos > we want, but until someone makes something like B. Bruninga's cell > concept work, we are only going to have more of the same, We don't > need more of the same! I couldn't agree more - we don't need more of the same. If I want to sit back and have a two hour rag-chew with someone on the other side of the planet I will use Skype or my cell phone! Dreaming about what *might* be in space is a fun exercise. Actually doing something about it requires sending things to LEO because reality has dictated that's as far as we can afford to go. How's about we use some of that frustrated *imagineering* to come up with interesting new concepts at LEO? We don't need any more FM repeaters buzzing overhead, but what about more cameras downloading HD images, scientific payloads that monitor the ongoing climate change, payloads to study the Earth's magnetic field, etc. etc. Our own 'Twitter' messaging network from space...? The Apollo 13 creed of "failure is not an option" has completely infected the brains at AMSAT and this list. You want something at HEO or on the moon, cut a check for $15 million dollars and let's get on with it. Been waiting since 1996 for another AO-13 and I am getting too old to keep waiting. AMSAT is becoming completely irrelevant as it strives without success for the impossible mission and exhibits a shocking amount of leadership malfesance as it stubbornly refuses to recognize and adapt to realities in the launch business. I know, I know maybe NEXT year someone rich will die and leave us a boatload of cash. Or the bankrupt US government will suddenly cough up a billion dollars for some orbiting emergency communication system. In the meantime we have to stifle the truth because it might blow yet another *secret* deal that's in the works and *almost* a done deal, so let's not complain publicly and ruin it. Heard the stories, heard the lies, got all the t-shirts and ball caps. Whatever. -- Jeff, KE9V AMSAT-NA member since 1994, Skeptic that we will ever go back to HEO since 2002 _______________________________________________ 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

10 years, 10 months

FO-29 Schedule

by Mineo Wakita

Examination use is performed late this week only over Japan. UTC 20 Nov. 22:23 - 22:30 Command test 21 Nov. 21:28 - 21:35 Command test 22 Nov. 22:17 - 22:27 Analog operation JE9PEL, Mineo Wakita

12 years

Re: ARRL Sat Article

by Greg D.

Great article! But a question that has always nagged me... Perhaps someone on the BB knows the answer? I understand that the early Oscars got their ride into space by replacing a piece of concrete (or similar dead weight material) with our satellite. That's why they have the shape that they do (looking like a segment of a ring). But what about the antenna? Was it deployed after launch, or did it ride into space already sticking out the side? An on-orbit deploy would have been excessively complicated for that era (it's even difficult today!), but I can't see something like that surviving launch intact, either. Anybody know? Greg KO6TH > Date: Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:07:25 +0000 > From: m5aka(a)yahoo.co.uk > To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > Subject: [amsat-bb] ARRL Sat Article > > http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2009/12/30/11270/?nc=1 > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141665/direct/01/

12 years

Working my way thru the birds

by Andrew Rich

Using my new sat_reporter page http://vk4tec.no-ip.org/sat_report/ Andrew Rich VK4TEC

12 years

New To Satellites

by Rupert Hamblin

Hi All, I've had a good look round the forums and on the net generally, I'm coming into satellites as a newcomer, having spent my past 15 ham years on HF/6M CW/DIGI modes. (with a bit of DSTAR recently..!!) So a few questions I hope you can answer and update me.... i) Generally what power levels are needed to access the birds...? ii) Antenna's - I've read a lot about the arrow antenna - how good is this antenna would you recommend for a new comer ? iii) HT or Base Transceiver - How realistic is working satellites on an HT with 5W ? & is base transceiver preferred ? iv) Following on from the above - I've read about the FT-2000 or FT-847 which would be better suited to satellites or another rig ? v) Obviously a rotator / elevator with a beam(s) will give a better performance, but what sort of performance could I expect out of an arrow on a tripod with an HT & 5W ? vi) On the HT subject - is it necessary to use 2 HT (one TX / one RX) or will just one do ? vii) ....and finally...some have mentioned that not all the sats listed on the AMSAT page are live - where can I get the most upto date list of satellites that are active & their frequencies / modes..? Thats it for now - hope you can help...chances are I may have some more questions soon..... Cheers RH / G0TKZ

12 years

Icom 471A/H Service Manual?

by Rich Dailey

Anyone have a lead on a service manual for this rig? I've googled until my eyes hurt, and cannot seem to find one available anywhere. Thanks, Rich, N8UX

12 years

AO-16 intermittent telem

by Auke de Jong, VE6PWN

Hello All, Today I noticed AO-16 buzzing over NA this afternoon, with it's signal abruptly cutting off, and later back on a few times for several minutes, as it aproached the North Pole. I've no idea of the signifigance, if any that this behaviour indicates about it's declining health... or perhaps a command station was working with it at the time? 73' Auke de Jong VE6PWN DO33go Edmonton, AB

12 years

One year on the birds

by David Wing

My first contact on satellite was 29-Dec-08 via AO-51 and the QSO was appropriately with Clint Bradford, K6LCS. It is appropriate that it was with Clint because Clint is the one that sparked my interest in working satellites. I remember reading about amateur radio satellites in my Technician exam preparation book where it was discussing the various forms of amateur radio. I also distinctly remember the impression that the author said working satellites was challenging and not easy to do. Along comes Clint to do a demo at one of the PAPA System monthly breakfasts with his Arrow II and an HT and showed just how easy it can be. At that point I was intrigued enough to put an Arrow II on my Christmas wish list and a few days after Christmas, I got myself on AO-51. I remember that first pass seemed very busy but Clint and I had pre-arranged to work it and having that successful contact fanned the fire. The next morning I got up early and drove over to a local hill with no trees and buildings so that I could work an early morning easterly pass of AO-51. I easily worked N9AMW, K8YSE and K9QHO and I would say that it was that pass that firmly implanted the satellite bug because that day I started designing an easy to use log sheet to keep track of AOS, Max El, LOS, call signs, etc. Trying to hold the antenna, a clipboard/pen and radio while tracking AO-51 in the sky, making QSOs and logging call signs, times and grid squares must have looked pretty comical for the neighbors, but I never even noticed. I added a clipboard lamp, a little digital clock and figured a way to mount the antenna and radio on a tripod. This made things a lot easier but it was still a chore to set up.plus now that I was not totally consumed in all I had to do, I was noticing neighbors with raised eyebrows as I set-up in the driveway. >From that early start I graduated to a gable-mounted G-5500 with my Arrow II and SatPC32.now I could operate from the comfort and privacy of my indoor shack (and yes, there have been many early morning passes worked while in a bathrobe). This past Thanksgiving I finally got a short rooftop tower with high gain antennas and polarity switches. What a world of difference! SO-50 is like a whole new satellite! After year 1, I have 1500+ QSOs, 130+ unique grid squares and I'm still hunting for my last five states. I've made several friends that I QSO with regularly, sometimes multiple times in a day. I've enjoyed working the new birds SO-67 and HO-68, unusual modes like AO-51 SSB/FM and I'm working to get my S-Band set-up working and a couple of 70cm helix antennas built and put into use (thanks to Mike/K9QHO for the info and encouragement). Happy New Year to everyone and hope to work you on the birds sometime! 73 David K6CDW

12 years

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AMSAT-BB December 2009