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

Re: Limits of G-5500?
by Steve kb9ups 08 Mar '09

08 Mar '09

Hi All, I'm running a 10 foot dish and have built a drive system including controler that works "very well". Please look at my web page and contact me if you wish.. www.qsl.net/kb9ups Steve/kb9ups ARISS Mentor AMSAT area coordinator, Toledo, Oh. AMSAT area coordinator, Streator, IL. www.qsl.net/kb9ups -----Original Message----- From: "Edward Cole" [kl7uw(a)acsalaska.net] Date: 03/07/2009 03:38 PM To: "Mark L. Hammond" <marklhammond(a)gmail.com>, amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: Limits of G-5500? At 05:25 AM 3/7/2009, Mark L. Hammond wrote: >Hi All, > >Recently I acquired a 7.5' dish. It's aluminum with a steel ring >mount. I estimate the dish weights maybe 50 lbs? > >What is a realistic limit for a Yaesu G-5500 rotator? Would it >handle a dish of this size/weight if carefully counterbalanced? Or >is it too big and silly to even consider? > >I know wind load is a concern of course, too. But I imagine keeping >it close to the ground... > >I've thought about cutting it down in size to reduce weight and wind >load, but would rather not go that route... > >73, > >Mark L. Hammond [N8MH] Mark, Is the G-5500 the same as the B5500? I would not recommend that. The issue is not the weight but the wind area forces. A 7.5 foot dish can have 2000-lbs of wind force at 70mph. What is recommended is a HD azimuth rotator coupled with a satellite dish actuator arm for elevation. I do this with my 2m-eme array (four 21-foot booms on a 12x12 foot H-frame). The B5500/B5400 will handle up to a 3-foot dish probably at maximum. I have had a 33-inch offset feed dish on my B5400 along with a long 432 and 1296 yagis with no problems (knock on wood). Satellite actuators are pretty cheap for running a dish. 73, Ed - KL7UW _______________________________________________ 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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Re: CO-65 digi reported as ON
by Mineo Wakita 08 Mar '09

08 Mar '09

CO-65 GMSK 9k6 should be ON all the time on this weekend. I think that it's made if you transmit and receive it delicately. JA5BLZ>CQ,JQ1YTC* [03/08/09 00:59:32z] <UI>:HELLO ALL JA5BLZ>CQ,JQ1YTC* [03/08/09 01:00:22z] <UI>::JE9PEL :HELLO VIA CO-65 http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/ct17gmsk.htm http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/ct17gmsk.htm#hint JE9PEL, Mineo Wakita

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AO-27
by John Hackett 07 Mar '09

07 Mar '09

As at 15:30Z 07-March-2009 AO-27, though fully operational, is not even listed on Amsat-NA's satellite status page. Is this because there are so few volunteers to help out ... ir did 'we' just foget this old plodder?. 73 John. <la2qaa(a)amsat.org>

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Limits of G-5500?
by Mark L. Hammond 07 Mar '09

07 Mar '09

Hi All, Recently I acquired a 7.5' dish. It's aluminum with a steel ring mount. I estimate the dish weights maybe 50 lbs? What is a realistic limit for a Yaesu G-5500 rotator? Would it handle a dish of this size/weight if carefully counterbalanced? Or is it too big and silly to even consider? I know wind load is a concern of course, too. But I imagine keeping it close to the ground... I've thought about cutting it down in size to reduce weight and wind load, but would rather not go that route... 73, Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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Re: LVB Tracker
by Mark L. Hammond 07 Mar '09

07 Mar '09

Hi Alan, I have a G-5500 and can confirm that with the 0.9 firmware I see the same memory loss; it's always related to power on/off cycling. I keep it ON all the time now, but the main power does go off/on now and then, so I have to recalibrate. I don't recall ever having seen this running ver 0.7 on the G-5500. 73, Mark N8MH >Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 18:09:55 -0600 >From: "Alan" <ve4yz(a)mts.net> >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: LVB Tracker >To: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Message-ID: <6DF73413341840AAAFA485A2B25AC19D@athlon> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > >The LVB Tracker is a great little box... I have 2 for 2 separate ground >stations. Both run on the USB. > >I can force the lost of memory on one of the LVB's if I switch the G5400B >rotator controller off and on too fast. If I leave the G5400b off for about >10-15 seconds before turning it back on, the LVB will usually not loose its >mind. I have 2 different G5400b control boxes and the LVB reacts the same >on both. Eprom 0.9 but also had this problem with 0.7 > >The second LVB is on a G5500 control box and does not display this problem. >Eprom 0.7 > >I have not switched the 2 LVB boxes to see if the problem is related to the >G5400 and not the G5500. > >So I am now very careful when turning it OFF and ON. The OFF/ON routine is >sometimes required when the USB/Virtual Com Port goes brain dead on my >laptop and the VCOM port is lost. Power OFF/ON causes XP to refind the >virtual comport. The alternative is to unplug and replug the USB cable to >the LVB. Either way the new virtual hardware ( comport ) is found and my >SatPC32 runs normally. > >I also tend to avoid the eprom problem by leaving the G5400b on all the >time. > >The other issue I have with one of the LVB boxes is the poor >ground/shielding of the control cable. The elevation meter on the G5400b >would not go to 0 degrees when the antenna was horizontal. This is after a >calibration 0 to 90. Howard Long was super fast to come back by email >with a solution to this problem saying it was an indication of poor >shielding or grounding on the cable. I replaced the cable with one with >more braid and foil and it improved somewhat. When I run a jumper wire from >the chassis of the G5400b to the ground trace on the LVB PCB I then get the >needle down to 0 degrees. The LVB on the G5500 is OKAY out of the box and >that is why I haven't flashed the eprom from 0.7 to 0.9 > >73, Alan VE4YZ >EN19kw >AMSAT LM 2352 Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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cm96 qrv monterey radiofest
by Robert Coppock 07 Mar '09

07 Mar '09

hi, me and hopefully a few others will be at monterey,ca for radiofest today and sunday a.m. no44, so50, ao27 and others ? see you on the birds, peace, 73, Robert k f 0 g dublin, ca cm98

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CO-65 digi reported as ON
by Mark L. Hammond 07 Mar '09

07 Mar '09

Hi all, The CW beacon on CO-65 reports the digi to be ON, but I apparently wasn't able to get into it (a 70+ deg pass!) HI HI DE JQ1YTC DIGI ON CUTE 73, Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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Update on Hamvention Banquet
by Bruce 07 Mar '09

07 Mar '09

I have just added the menu to the store for the banquet. There is also a link within the description to the amsat.org web page about the banquet. Direct link to order a banquet ticket at the amsat.org online store http://www.amsat-na.com/store/item.php?id=100158 Direct link to the banquet web page http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/hamvention/2009/Banquet.php 73...bruce

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Dis-assembling M2 VHF & UHF CP Yagis -- removing Stainless Steel keepers....
by Norm & Cathy Beasley 07 Mar '09

07 Mar '09

Gents and Ladies, I have 2x M2 CP Yagis, one VHF and one UHF that I need to dis-assemble for transport back to the USA. I need to compact the antennas as much as possible to maximize my personal effects shipment to the least amount of CuMtr volume. These M2 Yagis use the 3/16" aluminum element mounted through the boom, using insulated bushings and stainless steel keepers on each side of the boom to hold the element mounted in the boom. How does one dis-assemble these elements from the boom? Or, How does one get the stainless steel keepers to "reverse" and slide of the element? The only thing I can think of is to use a Dremel Tool with bit to cut the SS keepers in half. I suppose I can get more SS keepers once I return to the USA. I would prefer to not go this route if there are other, better ways. Your helpful comments and ideas appreciated. Blessings, and 73, Norm ========================================== Norm Beasley, P29NB PO Box 437 Ukarumpa, EHP 444 PAPUA NEW GUINEA E-Mail: p29nb(a)yahoo.com ==========================================

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FO29 pass, 0300 UTC 7 Mar
by Mark Lunday, WD4ELG 07 Mar '09

07 Mar '09

Worked Bob KC9ICH, nice signal. Also heard VE2. B But there was some awful interference. Sounded like AM signal coming through (CB?). Speaking in Spanish, I could not make it out well enough. Was coming on the downlink during the second half of the pass. Mark Lunday WD4ELG wd4elg(a)arrl.net http://wd4elg.net

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