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

IF you had a choice...
by Norman W Osborne 18 Jul '09

18 Jul '09

Greetings to all. I am looking for owners and potential owners of the Icom 910H or Kenwood TS-2000. Opinions and thoughts of each radio appreciated. 73 Norman.

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TH-D7(G) plug size?
by Jeff Yanko 18 Jul '09

18 Jul '09

Hi all, I've been looking over the manual of the TH-D7(G) HT and I can't seem to find any information on the size of the plug used to supply DC input to this unit. There is a fused cable available, PG-2W, but if the plug size is known then I can attempt to find it and make my own cable. Hopefully, it's not propriatary. 73, Jeff WB3JFS Las Vegas, NV DM26

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WD9EWK @ Williams AZ hamfest - Friday, 17 July
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 18 Jul '09

18 Jul '09

Hi! Day 1 of the two-day hamfest is complete. Not many attended the presentation I had, but I was able to work several passes throughout the day from outside the hamfest's exhibit hall. I was on all 3 FM satellites, plus a couple of VO-52 passes in the morning. Thanks to all the stations across North America who made contacts with WD9EWK during the day. While I was on those passes, I heard WA8SME and several of the teachers attending his ARRL Teacher's Institute session in northern California. It was very nice to hear - and work - them. Saturday will have more activity from the hamfest. I will try to get on more passes throughout the day. If you hear me on, please give me a call. For VO-52 in the morning, I will be somewhere around 145.910 or 145.915 MHz USB on that satellite's downlink. I'm expecting the crowds listening in on these passes will be larger, since there will be more attending the hamfest on a weekend instead of at the end of the workweek. The hamfest closes at 1700 local (0000 UTC), and I do not plan on being on additional passes from this area in the evening. I'll need to pack up my hamfest stuff and get ready for a few days on the road. I'm planning an early departure from here on Sunday morning, with the plan to be around DM47/DM57 in Utah on Sunday afternoon's AO-27 passes. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK - Williams, Arizona http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Re: Walter Cronkite SK 1916-2009
by Jim Jerzycke 18 Jul '09

18 Jul '09

I grew up watching him. My Mom used to let me stay home "sick" from grade school so I could watch the Mercury, and then the Gemini missions, as long as they were only in space ONE day! I saw him cry when Kennedy was assassinated, and watched him choke up when Apollo 11 landed on the Moon. I didn't always agree with him, but I respected him. He was from a different world than the "Journalists" of today. Good bye, old friend, and may you rest in peace. Jim KQ6EA --- On Fri, 7/17/09, Les Alverson <kd4sfd(a)bellsouth.net> wrote: From: Les Alverson <kd4sfd(a)bellsouth.net> Subject: [amsat-bb] Walter Cronkite SK 1916-2009 To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Date: Friday, July 17, 2009, 6:19 PM http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30988078/ns/entertainment-television/ _______________________________________________ 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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Walter Cronkite SK 1916-2009
by Les Alverson 18 Jul '09

18 Jul '09

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30988078/ns/entertainment-television/

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NRO interest in CubeSat
by Michael Pawlowski 18 Jul '09

18 Jul '09

Hello all, I just ran across a set of slides from the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) entitled "CubeSat Experiments (QbX)". It appears the NRO is interested in the possibilities a CubeSat could their organization. As for AMSAT, have we approached the NRO related to what expertise AMSAT could provide? And more importantly, would it be possible to either gain access to a launch opportunity or include one or more of our (RF?) modules into one of their CubeSats? It just seems that if the NRO is serious about pursuing CubeSat, AMSAT should be involved. Michael

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Congrats to KE5GDB
by N3TL＠bellsouth.net 17 Jul '09

17 Jul '09

Hey everyone, I just visited the ISS Fan Club Web page, where the lead item announces that Andrew, KE5GDB, has been named 2009 Young Ham of the Year by the Amateur Radio Newsline. Congratulations, Andrew! The recognition is well-deserved. I hope we'll be able to get a contact during the K5E Apollo 11 Satellite Special Event. 73 to all, Tim - N3TL

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Re: NRO interest in CubeSat
by Michael Pawlowski 17 Jul '09

17 Jul '09

Oops! Here's a link to the slides: http://atl.calpoly.edu/~bklofas/Presentations/DevelopersWorkshop2009/Bournes -Keynote.pdf. Michael From: Michael Pawlowski [mailto:n2mp@frii.net] Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 11:25 AM To: 'amsat-bb(a)amsat.org' Subject: NRO interest in CubeSat Hello all, I just ran across a set of slides from the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) entitled "CubeSat Experiments (QbX)". It appears the NRO is interested in the possibilities a CubeSat could their organization. As for AMSAT, have we approached the NRO related to what expertise AMSAT could provide? And more importantly, would it be possible to either gain access to a launch opportunity or include one or more of our (RF?) modules into one of their CubeSats? It just seems that if the NRO is serious about pursuing CubeSat, AMSAT should be involved. Michael

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WD9EWK from DM35/DM45 - Thursday, 16 July
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 17 Jul '09

17 Jul '09

Hi! I drove north from Phoenix this morning, and spent some of the afternoon working a pair of AO-27 passes followed by an AO-51 pass from the DM35/DM45 line. I parked on the side of old US-66 north of the I-40 freeway, about 20 miles/32km west of Flagstaff AZ. I have operated from this location many times over the past year or so. Much cooler weather up here in the mountains, compared to Phoenix in the desert. :-) On AO-27, the first pass I worked at 2000 UTC was the most productive of the afternoon - 12 contacts with stations across the US and Mexico. The next AO-27 pass at 2141 UTC put 8 more QSOs in the log, followed by 9 more QSOs on the 0100 UTC AO-51 pass that covered most of the continental US. A good day, with a total of 29 QSOs in the log. For tomorrow (Friday, 17 July), I will be on the air from the ARRL Arizona State Convention and Hamfest in Williams AZ. Williams is a small city along old US-66, about 10 miles/16km west of where I operated from today, and the starting point for the Grand Canyon Railway. I am planning to be on the air for the 1300 UTC AO-51 pass, as well as the later AO-51 pass. SO-50 will be going by, and I think I can get on for one of those passes, plus a VO-52 pass just before 1800 UTC (1100 local, the time of my presentation at the hamfest's exhibit hall). I should be able to get on AO-27 passes in the afternoon, as well as the first (eastern, for me) AO-51 pass a little past 0000 UTC. The hamfest site is in grid DM35vg. Again, there's no need to send me QSLs or SASEs to get QSL cards for any contacts made with WD9EWK over the next week. You don't have to e-mail me with every QSO; one e-mail sent after I return home on 22 July with all QSOs in it would be sufficient. If I find the QSO(s) in the log, I will be happy to send cards for each contact. And, as I've been doing since last year's Arizona/Utah/Nevada road trip, cards will clearly identify each location I operate from along with a picture of my GPS receiver's readout to show the latitude/longitude of the location. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK - Williams, Arizona http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Central USA Cross Band Balloon Launch Saturday July 18
by JoAnne Maenpaa 17 Jul '09

17 Jul '09

Hello everyone, This is making the e-mail rounds of mid-west ham radio circuits. Working a high altitude balloon launch might be interesting to AMSAT folks in the central portion of USA ... QSO Opportunity with High Altitude Balloon Flight Saturday, 18 July 2009 As part of SpaceJam-3 (www.spacejamboree.com), DePauw University (www.depauw.edu/acad/physics/base) will be flying a cross band repeater to allow the Scouts at the Jamboree to talk with ground stations from a large area of the central portion of the United States. Launch will occur at 13:50 UT (8:50 am Central Daylight Time) from Rantoul, IL (40.29 N, 88.14 W) The target ascent rate will be 1000 feet/min. APRS information will be sent over 144.39 MHz every minute under the call sign, W9YJ-11. The helium filled balloon will reach a float altitude of 70000 feet (21.5km) about 15:00 UT and will attempt to float at this altitude for about three hours. During this time the balloon should travel slowly to the NW from about 40.0N & 87.8W to 40.1 N & 88.1 W. The descent will begin about 18:00 UT on a slowly deflating balloon with landing about 19:30 UT. The uplink frequency on the radio will be 144.36 MHz, and the downlink frequency will be 446.025 MHz. The Scouts will be using the call sign WB9SA. If you have a chance to contact the station, the Scouts will be thrilled to make the contact! You may also attempt to use the repeater for a long distance Earth-Balloon-Earth contact with hams from larger distances. Thanks to Howard Brooks, KC9QBN, Professor of Physics & Astronomy at DePauw University, W9YJ for making this happen!!! If you are in the IL/IN area you might catch ATV from our first balloon going up (100,000 ft) at 8:20 AM CDT Saturday from Rantoul IL 430 Mhz, with a CW call "DE WB9SA" -- 73 de JoAnne K9JKM k9jkm(a)amsat.org Editor, AMSAT News Service Copy Editor, AMSAT Journal

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