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

PREDICT for DOS configuration question
by Alan P. Biddle 14 Mar '09

14 Mar '09

I have been looking at PREDICT for DOS, and have a question about configuring individual satellites. A typical entry looks like this: AO-16 07530 No alat/alon Mode VU Transponder 145.850, 145.950 29.500, 29.400 No weekly schedule No orbital schedule end That seems to imply that you can enter schedules, but none of the examples provided provide any format information. Can someone confirm this, and if so, give me a pointer to documentation, or even an example with weekly and orbital schedule shown? Also, if you have an alat/alon, do you just enter the numbers such as 0/0, or does it require something else on the line? TNX, Alan ----------------------------------- Who is John Galt?

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QSL Etiquette
by Ian 14 Mar '09

14 Mar '09

I was wondering what others may be doing when they receive an "questionnable" request for a QSL. Last week while on vacation in Orlando I attempted to make some AO51 contacts with a handheld station. Althought I was receiving many stations, I was unsuccesful in establishing a contact and never heard anyone call me back. I must have been getting out though as I have received an eQSL request from a South American station. Is it normal practice to ignore the request or to reply with refusal to QSL. If it were a mistaken callsign situation I would reply with a "sorry" but in the case of a bogus request I was wondering what others may be doing. Next time I will use a better antenna hi hi. Thanks & 73 Ian VE9IM

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DK3WN SatBlog
by Nader Omer 13 Mar '09

13 Mar '09

Hi all I really want to thank MIKE RUPPRECHT DK3WN for his wounderful SatBlog . http://www.dk3wn.info/p/ Every day I learn something new from your blog Mike. 73's Nader , st2nh

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QSL Etiquette
by John W Lee 13 Mar '09

13 Mar '09

Guys, As a little background, I have been a ham for over 50 years and QSL'ing has been a big part of my activities since they are required for awards. And I just plain like QSL cards! I respond to every card that comes to me. There are so many messages from people who say they don't have time to QSL, etc. When I was a QSL manager (see below) I was working full-time, had a 2 hour each way commute, was married with 2 kids to raise. I was one of the QSL managers for the YASME DXpeditions of the 1970's. W6KG and W6QL went to many countries during that period and made between 8000 and 10,000 QSO's at each place. The logs were all hand-written and in 3 ring binders for each location. QSL cards would come in the mail in big bundles with rubber bands around them daily, and the bureau cards would come in cardboard boxes of maybe 25-30 pounds via UPS! I found LOTS of people who were NOT in the log! And I really tried to help them by looking at different days, different times because they put the wrong time/date on them, etc. And I was able to find a lot of them that way. Some people have not yet learned to use UTC time/date. This is a must. If I couldn't find them anywhere in the log, I'd just write "Sorry, not in the log" on their card and send it back. That way they would know that their card made it to the manager and didn't get lost in the mail. Of course good logging is a must also. I have every logbook from day one of my ham career. They are archived in boxes but I can pull one out and check for something if I need to. And I have received cards 10 years or more after the QSO. I keep about 5 year's logs handy, as well as having a log in the computer which I back up at least monthly. If you work somebody and you don't get the call or don't think you have it correct, by all means ask the person to give it again (slowly or in phonetics, whatever it takes)! A legal QSO should contain the time and date, other station's callsign and some other bit of information such as a signal report, grid locator, name, QTH, etc. What did we do before E-mail? We copied everything down correctly ! We did not write to somebody asking for their callsign or wondering if we made a QSO. Regarding E-QSL and LOTW, with E-QSL, if the QSO information matches, you get a confirmation. You can "fudge" and confirm a contact that is not in the log. This is not good. With LOTW you can't. If the information does not match. If you are new to QSL'ing or new to ham radio, I hope this helps you. 73, John K6YK then there is no confirmation. That's the way it should be. ____________________________________________________________ Free information on Digital Photography. Click Now! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/BLSrjpTDvmQzkOdsfjz315gMfwcMZqY…

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iss packet
by Mr Jeffrey L Ross 13 Mar '09

13 Mar '09

hi folks, looks like she is on. I even got myself on the map, neat. 73 all, come on up kc8gkf 145.825 1200 baud

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QSL Etiquette
by Darin Cowan 13 Mar '09

13 Mar '09

If you didn't log the QSO, then reject the eQSL with a note that says "not in my log"... That's what I do. It happens sometimes when condx are marginal, like you're describing. It's probably a bit disappointing for the person at the other end, but sometimes that's just the way things work. I'd rather keep my logs relatively accurate. Whether or not the request is truly bogus is sometimes hard to judge. Did the person make this up, or did he mis-copy the callsign: maybe he had a QSO with VE3OIG and wrote J in his log by mistake? Or because I mostly work digital modes, maybe noise munged the call a bit on his end and he didn't notice. Don't chalk up to malice what can be easily explained by error or incompetence :) For satellite contacts, a person like me who has less-than-perfectly-functional hearing may misinterpret an E for an A, an F for an S, an M for an N and so on. This is exascerbated when people don't use proper phonetics, so it happens that I mis-copy callsigns far too often for me to be happy with. I've had QSLs sent back from people who didn't know what the card was for simply because It went to KW#XXX instead of KD#XXX or DE#YYY instead of DA#YYY. And that's not calls I think are questionable... those are honest errors where I'm convinced I got it right. If conditions are marginal and I'm not truly sure, I tend not to QSL and will leave a sticky note on my desk for about a month. If I get a QSL with information matching a note, I give the benefit of the doubt. Otherwise, I periodically clean up the notes and then the information is forever gone as if it never happened. I've only ever received a handful of truly bogus QSLs, and they've all been SWL. In each case, the sender clearly read spots I put on the DX cluster and sent me a QSL as if he heard me in a QSO with the station I spotted. Those go straight into the shredder without comment. Now I reject SWL QSLs for anything that shows up on a cluster, even if it is valid. 73 de VE3OIJ -Darin -----Original Message----- From: "Ian" <Ian(a)mceassociates.com> Subject: [amsat-bb] QSL Etiquette Message-ID: <E06287B5F4054BFC8818E16E99D2FDF0@ian57229053685> I was wondering what others may be doing when they receive an "questionnable" request for a QSL. Last week while on vacation in Orlando I attempted to make some AO51 contacts with a handheld station. Althought I was receiving many stations, I was unsuccesful in establishing a contact and never heard anyone call me back. I must have been getting out though as I have received an eQSL request from a South American station. Is it normal practice to ignore the request or to reply with refusal to QSL. If it were a mistaken callsign situation I would reply with a "sorry" but in the case of a bogus request I was wondering what others may be doing. Next time I will use a better antenna hi hi. Thanks & 73 Ian VE9IM

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Re: Old Satellites
by Armando Mercado 13 Mar '09

13 Mar '09

See http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0901/14dsp23/ to read about an out of control satellite. Armando, N8IGJ

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WD9EWK @ Scottsdale AZ hamfest, Saturday (14 March)
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 13 Mar '09

13 Mar '09

Hi! I will be part of the AMSAT table at the Scottsdale Amateur Radio Club's "Springfest" hamfest on Saturday, 14 March 2009. The hamfest is at Scottsdale Community College, east of the AZ-101 freeway exit 46 on Chaparral Road in Scottsdale AZ (grid DM43bm). It starts at 0600 local (1300 UTC), and runs through midday. During the morning, I will be on various satellites doing on-air demonstrations. Look for WD9EWK on AO-51 and possibly some of the other satellites (SO-50, FO-29, VO-52). I have visible passes on the last 3 satellites in the 1700-1800 UTC hour, and I don't know which pass or passes I will attempt. If I am on VO-52, I will try to put myself around 145.910-145.915 MHz USB on the downlink. For FO-29, I will try to be around 435.865-435.870 MHz USB on the downlink. Please give me a call if you hear me during any of these demonstrations. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Propulsion video
by G0MRF＠aol.com 12 Mar '09

12 Mar '09

Hi. For anyone interested in space propusion, there's a short introductory video on 'Euronews' 8 minutes in length, I thought the business end of the ion engine used for the 350kg moon orbiter Smart1 was quite neat. - Can be held in one hand! _http://www.euronews.net/en/article/05/03/2009/from-gunpowder-to-the-cosmos… e-latest-techniques-to-power-space-travel/_ (http://www.euronews.net/en/article/05/03/2009/from-gunpowder-to-the-cosmos-… -travel/) Thanks David

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Re: TH-D7(G)
by John Price 12 Mar '09

12 Mar '09

The radio comes with a four manuals one of which covers the Packet, APRS, and Slow-Scan operation. It is titled "Instruction Manual Specialized Communications". On page 45 of in the commands section you will find this entry. Command Name : Kiss Short : Kiss Default : OFF Parameter :ON/OFF Description : When ON, switching the power OFF then ON causes the TNC to enter (or Exit) KISS mode. "STA" and "CON" appear and blink alternately several times when the TNC enters KISS mode. To exit KISS mode, you may send the binary CO FF CO command ( not ASCII characters) from the keyboard. That is it. Good luck with it. 73's << John On Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 3:14 PM, Jeff Yanko <wb3jfs(a)cox.net> wrote: > Hi John, > > Thanks for the reply and info. I checked my manual, looking for an > addendum, and the Kenwood website and couldn't find the Special Instructions > Manual Command Name. I'd appreciate it if you could email the info. Thanks! > > 73, > > Jeff WB3JFS > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Price" <n4qwf1(a)gmail.com> > To: <kb1fsy(a)vhfwiki.com>; <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org>; <wb3jfs(a)cox.net> > Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:06 AM > Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: TH-D7(G) > > > On page 45 of the Special Instructions Manual Command Name "KISS" is > explained. I have three of these radios and they will operate in kiss > mode. If you need > the instructions on how to do it I can email them to you. > > 73's << John > > On Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 9:32 AM, David McKenzie <kb1fsy(a)vhfwiki.com> wrote: >> >> Hi Jeff, I have one of these HTs and as I recall there is no way to put it >> into KISS mode. It's been a long time since I have used it for data, >> though >> so I could be mistaken. >> >> Regards, >> Dave KB1FSY >> >> On Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 5:17 AM, Jeff Yanko <wb3jfs(a)cox.net> wrote: >> >>> Hi all! >>> >>> I've been looking over the TH-D7(G) manual on setting up the HT for data >>> and >>> can't seem to kind anything on setting the TNC to the KISS mode. Has >>> anybody tried it or is it possible? >>> >>> >>> 73, >>> >>> Jeff WB3JFS >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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 >> > > > > -- > N4QWF Amateur Radio Operator > AO-7,AO-27,SO-50,AO-51,VO-52,ISS > Email N4QWF(a)AMSAT.ORG > Echolink nodes #110903 -L #388463 > http://home.comcast.net/~n4qwf/site/ > Formerly KC4AHW VK3FEZ > Amsat Member #27845 > DXCC #33,478 > VUCC SAT #135 > WAS SAT #296 > 51 on AO-51 #13 > LON -79.256 LAT 37.459 Grid FM07il > From the Foothills of the Blueridge > > *Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of > arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to > skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly > proclaiming - "WOW, What a ride!" > > > -- N4QWF Amateur Radio Operator AO-7,AO-27,SO-50,AO-51,VO-52,ISS Email N4QWF(a)AMSAT.ORG Echolink nodes #110903 -L #388463 http://home.comcast.net/~n4qwf/site/ Formerly KC4AHW VK3FEZ Amsat Member #27845 DXCC #33,478 VUCC SAT #135 WAS SAT #296 51 on AO-51 #13 LON -79.256 LAT 37.459 Grid FM07il >From the Foothills of the Blueridge *Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - "WOW, What a ride!"

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