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

Fw: Satellite Tracking Software for Mac OS X
by Howard Kowall 30 Jun '09

30 Jun '09

----- Original Message ----- From: Howard Kowall To: Howard Kowall Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 3:50 PM Subject: Re: Satellite Tracking Software for Mac OS X ----- Original Message ----- From: Howard Kowall To: AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 3:43 PM Subject: Satellite Tracking Software for Mac OS X Hello to all Well my daughter just bought a new Mac laptop because hers had died She came into town and gave me her dead Mac laptop And of course I fixed it,work good now and it is the only laptop that I have that has a good battery. Is there any Satellite Tracing software that will run on Mac OS X. I have seen the Dog Park software,but I would like to try something else to make sure this computer works Thanks in advance to all who respond. Howard VE4ISP Amsat #37005

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Sea Launch
by Trevor . 30 Jun '09

30 Jun '09

Sadly Sea Launch is bankrupt so one less launch company. http://www.space.com/news/090629-busmon-sealaunch-bankruptcy.html 73 Trevor M5AKA

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AO-27 Question
by Jim Jerzycke 29 Jun '09

29 Jun '09

Hi, everybody. Today at Field Day was the first time I tried to work AO-27, and succeeded. One thing I noticed, is that as the satellite came up over the horizon, I wasn't hearing anything until what sounded like a long data burst happened. Then I heard the sat come alive, with what sounded like people already in QSO. As the sat progressed, I heard a lot of operators, then the long data burst happened again, and it seemed like the sat went "dead" I know a bit about how it's scheduled (TOPR), but since this is the first time I was able to hear it well enough to actually consider it usable. What's the data burst? Is it part of the TOPR, or am I hearing something else? 73, Jim KQ6EA

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Re: Need advice : Eggbeater antenna, preamp, coax
by Jean-François Ménard 29 Jun '09

29 Jun '09

/Hi Sebastian, I planning to work at 5W for now. I will use my 2 FT-817.... one for RX and the other one for TX.... both controlled by SatPC32. I bought 2 premamps RF switch at 25W maximum from Advanced Research. J-F VA2SS From/: Sebastian <w4as@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:w4as@DOMAIN.HIDDEN>>/ Date/: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:12:06 -0400 I'll add a thought here that I haven't seen anyone reply about. As everyone mentioned, definitely go with a preamp - but think for the future. How much transmitter output power do you have? If you have relatively low power, say 5 watts, you can get an inexpensive preamp. However, if you plan to use higher power in the future, perhaps for meteor scatter; that low power preamp may no longer be useful. Again, you've received several responses, but one thing hasn't been mentioned. What is your output power? If you have an HT with a couple of watts, that RG-8 may 'eat up' a lot of your power, especially if you are going to transmit on 440 Mhz. Without knowing how much power you have, and which birds you plan to use, it's difficult to give you a good answer. "you can't work 'em if you can't hear them"; also don't forget that you need to hear yourself FIRST. Work on hearing your downlink if possible before you start to call other stations. If you can't hear yourself, then post about it so we can help you out. I think it would be helpful if you told us which type(s) of rig(s) you will be using. When you find a fellow ham who has all the money that's necessary to build a perfect station, please let me know! 73 de W4AS Sebastian

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Re: Need advice : Eggbeater antenna, preamp, coax
by Jean-François Ménard 29 Jun '09

29 Jun '09

Wow... many many answers !! Well, everybody seems to be agree that preamp are a "must", and the first thing to add in my setup. I bought, at a great price, 2 "second hand" and near perfect eggbeater antenna from a ham here in province of Quebec who would like to upgrade to a more serious setup. Ok now, I just ordered 2 preamps from Advanced Research... VHF and UHF. I will put them in an wheater proof enclosure near my eggbeater antennas..... the closer I can.... in an PVC enclosure... because I bought standard one. I received today from a friend of mine, a brand new 50 meters 1/2" heliax coil.... I will be able to change my 2 old coax runs with this. And finally, I will use my 2 FT-817 with SatPC32.... seems to work perfectly at this moment... the 2 rigs are controlled simultaniously RX & TX.... a great piece of software !! I hope I will be able to do a step further soon.... to have a contact !!! 73 J-F VA2SS Jean-François Ménard a écrit : > Hi, > > I would like to know if there is much difference using a preamp for > satellite receiving using a M2 Eggbeater antenna ? > > And also, is there much difference between a heliax 0.5" and a RG-8 > on a 50 feet cable run between the antenna and the radio ? > > I would really like to optimize my receiving quality but I also want > to know where to put all my effort first. > > I'm new and I cannot invest much money the first year. > > Thank to all for your advice. > > 73 > > --- > Jean-François Ménard > VA2SS > >

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Need advice : Eggbeater antenna, preamp, coax
by Jean-François Ménard 29 Jun '09

29 Jun '09

Hi, I would like to know if there is much difference using a preamp for satellite receiving using a M2 Eggbeater antenna ? And also, is there much difference between a heliax 0.5" and a RG-8 on a 50 feet cable run between the antenna and the radio ? I would really like to optimize my receiving quality but I also want to know where to put all my effort first. I'm new and I cannot invest much money the first year. Thank to all for your advice. 73 --- Jean-François Ménard VA2SS

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Re: Need advice : Eggbeater antenna, preamp, coax
by Jim Jerzycke 29 Jun '09

29 Jun '09

There's a TREMENDOUS difference with the preamp, mounted at the antenna. You will hear the satellites earlier, and stronger, with the preamp. Good coax is also good to have, but if you're on a budget, buy the preamp first. I tried many different things, but the preamp made the most improvement. 73, Jim KQ6EA --- On Sun, 6/28/09, Jean-François Ménard <va2ss(a)me.com> wrote: From: Jean-François Ménard <va2ss(a)me.com> Subject: [amsat-bb] Need advice : Eggbeater antenna, preamp, coax To: "AMSAT Mailing list" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Date: Sunday, June 28, 2009, 1:16 PM Hi, I would like to know if there is much difference using a preamp for satellite receiving using a M2 Eggbeater antenna ? And also, is there much difference between a heliax 0.5" and a RG-8 on a 50 feet cable run between the antenna and the radio ? I would really like to optimize my receiving quality but I also want to know where to put all my effort first. I'm new and I cannot invest much money the first year. Thank to all for your advice. 73 --- Jean-François Ménard VA2SS _______________________________________________ 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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W1AW/# on AO-27...
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 29 Jun '09

29 Jun '09

Hi! Mark WA8SME asked me to post this on his behalf... Anyone who worked Mark during any of the ARRL Teachers Institutes over the past few weeks, and in the coming weeks, on AO-27 using any of the following calls: W1AW W1AW/4 W1AW/5 W1AW/6 W1AW/8 can get a QSL card for those contacts by sending your QSL request directly to WA8SME at his QRZ.com mailing address. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Call for Papers--2009 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference
by Mark Thompson 29 Jun '09

29 Jun '09

Call for Papers--2009 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference Posted by: "Ford, Steve, WB8IMY" sford(a)arrl.org wb8imy Date: Fri Jun 26, 2009 6:41 am ((PDT)) Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the 28th Annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference to be held September 25-27, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. 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, 2009. 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

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Labjack U12 & Piggy back
by Mani VU2WMY 29 Jun '09

29 Jun '09

Hello Group, Could someone tell me any satellite tracking software other than NOVA, compatible with Labjack U12 & Piggy back combo to drive Yaesu G 5500 rototor. with regards Mani VU2WMY

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