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

FW: PBH Flight 9 - KC2TUA-8 Heading Towards Azores and UK
by Robert Bruninga 21 Apr '09

21 Apr '09

Long-life balloon headed for Azores and UK! Has APRS on 144.39 and HF CW beacon on 10.146.840 MHz Latest map position can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/dmp3dh Please ask all hams w/HF capabilities listen and send their results to pbhdata(a)gmail.com Thanks so much for your help! Tom Triebwasser

2 1

Re: Homebrew Elk-style 14/435 mhz log periodic for sats?
by Rafael Valdez G. 21 Apr '09

21 Apr '09

Defiinetely your solution for hoa is the elk as far a I understand you can have a Tv. Antenna which te elk can fairly look like.... I am a true believer of Elk' eficiency and portability... GL 73's XE2RV VUCC 164 satellite -----Original Message----- From: n3tl(a)bellsouth.net Date: Sat, 18 Apr 2009 03:52:03 To: <billdz.geo(a)yahoo.com>; <nss(a)mwt.net> Cc: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org>; <billdz.geo(a)yahoo.com> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Homebrew Elk-style 14/435 mhz log periodic for sats? Hey Bill, Your comments about construction, location, etc., are right one, based on my experiences here. I actually move from one side of the house to the other depending on whether passes are to my east or west. A couple of other things affect the performance I'm getting, too. One of the most important is that my decision to continue using a handheld antenna means I have less than six feet of coax from the radio to the antenna. I'm still getting some loss, but not nearly as much as I'd get by putting antennas in the attic and running much longer feed lines to them. Another is a little trick K4DLG in Florida passed along to me a while back. He has a log periodic for HF, and the coax runs from the antenna feedpoint along the main boom to the back of the antenna before heading down to the shack. Taking that lead, he did the same thing with the Elk he bought. Doing so mitigated any significant changes in SWR due to moving the antenna around while hand-holding it during a pass. I tried it here and have observed the same thing. For me, at this location (inside or out), 8 degrees of elevation was the best I could hope for with the Arrow I had. In all the months I used that antenna, I made only a few contacts when a given satellite was below 8 degrees here. When I started using the Elk, that "bottom line" immediately dropped to 4 degrees. And when I tried K4DLG's suggestion of running the feedline parallel to the boom, the 4 degrees dropped to 3. And, as you point out, depending on the location and relative path of a given pass, I can work even lower and make contacts, as I have with some stations in Europe on AO-7. All of that being said, I also still lose the satellites due to obstruction, as you have observed with your Arrow. When it comes to the FM LEO satellites, only the ISS transmits back to us using more than milliwatt power levels. I know that AO-51 is capable of 1 watt or more, but it generally is not configured to transmit at those levels. Drew or someone, please correct me if that statement is inaccurate. The published stats on AO-27 report a nominal output of 500 mW, and SO-50 is reported to operate with a nominal 250 mW output. I believe both of them also use quarter-wave vertical antennas, which are 0-gain. Given those power levels, it doesn't take much to begin affecting reception, especially for handheld stations. From here at my home, that quarter of azimuth from 90 degrees to 180 degrees is my worst. For really consistent reception in that part of the sky, I need upwards of 30 degrees elevation when I'm standing outside at ground level. On the second floor of the house, I get reception good enough to facilitate contacts with about 15 degrees of elevation at azimuths from 90 degrees to about 130. I still need close to 30 from azimuth 130 to 180 no matter where I try to operate from - in the yard or upstairs. I hope you're able to come up with a solution for your location that works even better than you expect! 73 to all, Tim - N3TL -------------- Original message from Bill Dzurilla <billdz.geo(a)yahoo.com>: -------------- > > Tim, > Yes, your QSO with F2IL is becoming famous, congrats. I think the performance of indoor antennas must be heavily dependent on the location of the shack and the construction materials used on the house. I moved my Eggbeater and ground plane to the attic from outside and noticed a sharp drop in performance. Also tried the Arrow here inside the shack and it did not do too well. And noticed that, even outside in the yard with the Arrow, I lose the sats at low elevation, when they drop below the level of nearby roof lines. On my DXpeditions to Swan Island and Jamaica, where there was unobstructed view over the ocean, I could easily make contacts with less than 1 degree of elevation with the same HT and > Arrow. > > 73, Bill NZ5N > > > --- On Fri, 4/17/09, n3tl(a)bellsouth.net wrote: > > > From: n3tl(a)bellsouth.net > Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: Homebrew Elk-style 14/435 mhz log periodic for > sats? > > To: "Joe" , billdz.geo(a)yahoo.com > > Cc: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > > Date: Friday, April 17, 2009, 10:19 PM > > Bill and all, > > > > Joe is right. F2IL gave me a 569 report on AO-7 Mode B > > Thursday evening - and I was hand-holding my Elk on the > > second floor of my house, pointing it to the northeast at a > > spot on a windowless wall. When we worked, AO-7 was at > > roughly 3.5 degrees elevation here. > > > > I wish I had decided to try these low-angle passes months > > ago! > > > > 73 to all, > > > > Tim - N3TL > > -------------- Original message from Joe > > : -------------- > > > > > > > You'd be amazed at what you can do with an indoor > > yagi also.. > > > > > > My first 2 meter ant was a 3 ele quad on a photo > > tripod that sat right > > > next to me on the floor in the shack, > > > > > > Joe WB9SBD > > > > > > Bill Dzurilla wrote: > > > >Are there plans anywhere for a homebrew version of > > the Elk duo bander? After reading through the prior thread > > about the poor performance of Eggbeaters and other omnis, > > I'm ready to risk the wrath of my Homeowners Association > > and put up > > > a small beam. > > > > > > > >Or, anybody have an Elk for sale? > > > > > > > >73, Bill NZ5N > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > > > >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 <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 <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 <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 <http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb>

5 5

Antenna comparisons
by David J 21 Apr '09

21 Apr '09

I'm looking for any paper or article that compares performance of 70cm and 2M antennas in attic environments. Preferably where multiple antennas were tested in the same location in the same attic area. I'm particularly interested in antennas such as the Arrow, eggbeater, a typical turnstile, Texas Potato Masher, quadrifiler type, the newer Cantenna, a ground plane, etc. Can anyone help me out? Dave, AA4KN

1 0

FT736 Master Reset?
by Kevin Phx Az 21 Apr '09

21 Apr '09

Would someone remind me how to do a Master Reset please. I've done a lot of searching to no avail. Tnx Kevin N6CWF

2 1

Re: Arrow Antenna Gain
by Clint Bradford 20 Apr '09

20 Apr '09

>> ... Depending on which formula you use, what standard you use, or who you want to believe ... I remember when Antennex came out with their low-profile "Phantom" antennas. They didn't like established procedures for acquiring gain, which showed (on the 460mHZ unit) Zero gain. So - honest to gawd - they came up with their OWN formula and that little 4" antenna now has 3db gain! And let's not get started with manufacturer's published gain figures for handheld antennas ... (grin) Clint Bradford 909-241-7666

1 0

Re: Arrow Antenna Gain
by Clint Bradford 20 Apr '09

20 Apr '09

I had one customer bring his Arrow Antenna back for a refund. "This design cannot possibly work!" he, an engineer, declared. Since it was now "open stock," I bought it myself. And am using it to this day for presentations and demos. Successfully ... I haven't measured it. I would imagine it is somewhere between 6db and 12db gain on either band. It "captures" SO-50 and AO-51 so well that you almost feel like you are "cheating..." - but I am preachin' to the choir here. Clint Bradford, K6LCS 909-241-7666

1 0

Re: Arrow Antenna Gain
by w7lrd＠comcast.net 20 Apr '09

20 Apr '09

This brings up an ongoing complex issue. That being antenna gain. I build L & S band antennas and I know it is better off the front than the back. Depending on which formula you use, what standard you use, or who you want to believe. For the number aficionado this can be a delirious situation. If I remember right QST does not publish antenna gain of their advertisers. I hasten back to Mr. Lowe's remark, "it works". When calculating link budgets this is indeed a numbers game. 73 Bob W7LRD ----- Original Message ----- From: "Call Sign" <ki6rrq(a)cox.net> To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Sent: Monday, April 20, 2009 11:27:46 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific Subject: [amsat-bb] Arrow Antenna Gain I have called Mr. Lowe in the past and asked him if he knew what gain his Arrow dual band satellite antenna, was getting on both bands, his response was; it works, that's all I know! (so I didn't push the issue) Now I am curious again, has anyone here tested and or calculated what the gain is, on the Arrow dual band (2 meters & .70 cent.) hand held satellite antenna, either or both bands? Rich KI6RRQ(a)cox.net _______________________________________________ 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

1 0

Arrow Antenna Gain
by Call Sign 20 Apr '09

20 Apr '09

I have called Mr. Lowe in the past and asked him if he knew what gain his Arrow dual band satellite antenna, was getting on both bands, his response was; it works, that's all I know! (so I didn't push the issue) Now I am curious again, has anyone here tested and or calculated what the gain is, on the Arrow dual band (2 meters & .70 cent.) hand held satellite antenna, either or both bands? Rich KI6RRQ(a)cox.net

2 1

Re: VO-52 Operating Award?
by Nitin Muttin [VU3TYG] 20 Apr '09

20 Apr '09

Hi Rick and all, We have received 45 apps. I will upload the list on www.amsatindia.org tommorow. The plan is to print all the certificates in one shot after we receive 50. The certificates will be mailed before May 15th. 73's Nitin [VU3TYG] www.amsatindia.org --------- Original Message -------- From: Rick - WA4NVM <wa4nvm(a)comcast.net> To: billdz.geo(a)yahoo.com <billdz.geo(a)yahoo.com>, amsat-bb(a)amsat.org <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: VO-52 Operating Award? Date: 04/19/09 04:31 PM" > Hi Bill and all, > > Here is the information you asked about. The day after it was > posted, Tim, N3TL and I worked a contact and mailed the QSO > information to the address below. We haven't heard anything > since or received any mail. We feel sure we made the first 50 > group, but no way of knowing at this time. I hope this helps. > > 73 from Memphis, > Rick - WA4NVM #1339 > > > > > Nitin, VU3TYG announced AMSAT India will issue a certificate for > Amateur Radio operators who establish two way contact thru VO-52 > between January 26, 2009 until May 5, 2009. > > The first fifty certificates have been sponsored by a well-wisher > which includes postage. After the 50 certificates have been issued > a fee will apply. AMSAT India will announce these details when the > information is available. > > Please send your QSL card containing the details of the QSO on VO-52 > AMSAT India at the following address: > > AMSAT India (Regd.) > No. 201, 2nd Main Road, > Mahalakshmi Layout, > Bangalore 560086 > India. > > Also include your mailing address where you would like to have the > certificate sent to. > > [ANS thanks Nitin, VU3TYG for the above information] > > > > > > > > There was a thread here back in March about AMSAT India's VO-52 operating > > award. It said that the first 50 certificates would be free, and that > > afterwards there would be a fee. > > > > I assume by now the fee is in effect, but have not found any further info > > about the award on the www. AMSAT India's website apparently has not been > > updated since 2005. > > > > Has anyone received one of these certificates? Anyone know the fee? > > > > 73, Bill NZ5N > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 > > ________________________________________________

2 1

VO-52 Operating Award?
by Bill Dzurilla 20 Apr '09

20 Apr '09

There was a thread here back in March about AMSAT India's VO-52 operating award. It said that the first 50 certificates would be free, and that afterwards there would be a fee. I assume by now the fee is in effect, but have not found any further info about the award on the www. AMSAT India's website apparently has not been updated since 2005. Has anyone received one of these certificates? Anyone know the fee? 73, Bill NZ5N

3 5