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

Re: Software Commodore 64
by Jim Jerzycke 02 Jul '09

02 Jul '09

*Somewhere* in this grand mess of mine I have a program called "Super VR85 Tracker" that I used for pass predictions when I ran a C=64 and C=128. I worked perfectly, and was what I used to track the MIR so I could make packet contacts with it. I'd print out the passes on my dot-matrix printer, and then run the DigiCom64 software to control my A&A Engineering W2UP modem for packet use. I couldn't afford the PK-64 until years later, but somehow it all worked, and I made numerous packet contacts with the MIR. Amazing what you could do with an 8-bit machine back then! *IF* I can find the disk, I'll fire up the C=128 and make you a copy. 73, Jim KQ6EA --- On Thu, 7/2/09, Jean-François Ménard <va2ss(a)me.com> wrote: From: Jean-François Ménard <va2ss(a)me.com> Subject: [amsat-bb] Software Commodore 64 To: "AMSAT Mailing list" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 4:09 PM Hi, Hey, I'm not crazy... Hi !! I'm looking for satellite prediction software or similar for Commodore 64. Anybody know where I can find this !?!? 73 From an old fashion guy of the '80 -- Jean-François Ménard VA2SS =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= AMSAT www.amsat.org ARRL www.arrl.org =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= _______________________________________________ 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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Original 13 Colonies update
by n3tl＠bellsouth.net 02 Jul '09

02 Jul '09

Hey everyone, I've just heard from Gary, N2AUO, who is interested in activating Pennsylvania on the satellites during the Original 13 Colonies special event this week. That gives us 10 of the Original 13 Colonies that will be active on the satellites during this event! Thanks to Gary for his interest in participating. At the request of the event's organizer (Ken. KU2US), those of us active on the satellites will be IDing with our own call sign/special event call. For example, I will be IDing as N3TL/K2G. I'll add that I'm the station in Georgia for the special event, just to be clear. Ken also has advised that he is adding a special satellite designator to the certificates for those who earn them via satellite contacts. Thanks to him for doing this. For the latest information on the Original 13 Colonies Special Event, please go to www.QRZ.com/ku2us. The event begins at 1300 UTC July 1 and ends at 0359 UTC on July 5. 73 to all, Tim - N3TL

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The Moon is our Future
by MM 02 Jul '09

02 Jul '09

Hi James: I am in favor of any band that has the desired results. I just used the 2/440 bands as the opener. Remember the higher in frequency the less affordable the system becomes and the fewer Amateur Radio operators and Short Wave listeners will have access to those frequencies. We do not want to design a system that only 2 people can afford. Goals: Uplink to the Moon with an antenna system that would cost less than $1000 USD. Receive from the Moon with an Antenna system that would cost less than $1000 USD. An Off the Shelf transceiver system that cost less than $2000 USD. With a properly designed repeater and properly selected Amateur Radio bands, it should be possible to meet these goals. I have seen some project proposals for ISS for example, that when reviewed it was discovered that no one could afford the project (2 megabit fast TV, the link budget, Antenna, Receiver requirement and precision rotor made the project only affordable by a government). If we are going to seriously think about a Moon repeater, we need to make sure the Earth stations are practical and affordable. It would also be helpful if we had more Amateur Radio band with ITU approved Satellite segments. Anyone interested in going to the next WARC meeting to petition for downlink access to 1.2 Gig and wider band access on 70cm. Thanks Miles WF1F MarexMG.org --- On Thu, 7/2/09, James French <w8iss(a)wideopenwest.com> wrote: > From: James French <w8iss(a)wideopenwest.com> > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future > To: "AMSAT-BB" <AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org> > Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 12:30 PM > On Thu, 2009-07-02 at 10:52 -0500, tosca005(a)umn.edu > wrote: > > As far as the dreaming goes, wouldn't an L/S > transponder be better than a > > V/U or U/V transponder? Granted, the path loss is > greater, but the antenna > > gain is easier to produce... > > Miles, > > Why not use a L/s, U/L. or a U/s transponder for this? > Why limit ourselves to V/u for everything? > Aren't we supposed to 'experiment' with the higher > frequencies we have > allocated? > > Its in the AMSAT by-laws to support the higher > frequencies. > >From the AMSAT-NA by-laws Section three, subsection E: > Encouraging the more effective and expanded use of the > higher frequency > amateur radio frequency bands. > > This would mean smaller antennas with MUCH better gain and > beamwidth. > > I vote in favor of at least a L/s transponder for this. > > James W8ISS > > _______________________________________________ > 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: The Moon is our Future
by tosca005＠umn.edu 02 Jul '09

02 Jul '09

On Jul 2 2009, kd8bxp(a)aol.com wrote: > Don't want to get a whole new thing started here but - I don't think we > ever went to the moon in 1969 and I don't think we will ever goto the > moon - in 2012 or whenever they proposed a "return" to the moon With that level of disbelief I can certainly see why you are predisposed to discount the possibility of a moon-based transponder. > I would love to see an amatuer repeater on the moon thou - from my > understanding EME is expensive to do, so I think it would leave most of > us out Not necessarily. Remember, with conventional EME, you send as large a signal as you can muster towards the moon, incur huge path losses along the way, then incur a huge loss because the moon is a very imperfect reflector of RF energy, then incur the huge path loss back from moon to earth. With a moon-based repeater, you send as large a signal as you can muster towards the moon, incur the same path loss from earth to moon; BUT, THEN you enlarge the signal with a gain antenna at the repeater, and then have a sensitive receiver that can detect and amplify the signal. The repeater then transponds the signal to a different frequency band, amplifies it as much as equipment weight and power availability allow, transmit it through a gain antenna, and only THEN incur the huge path loss from moon to earth. Because the path loss is only in a single direction, and instead of an inefficient (lossy) passive reflector, you have gain antennas for reception and transmission, plus amplification on receive and on transmit, the net earth station requirements should be much less than conventional EME. That's not to say it would be easy, just that it should be easier than conventional EME in terms of station requirements on earth. As has been mentioned numerous times already, the station requirements for the space end of the system are enormously more difficult than anything we've ever tackled so far with either LEO or HEO satellites. But there's no harm in DISCUSSING the idea, and learning about the pitfalls and possibilities as part of the discussion. Even if it never comes to pass, we should all be a bit more knowledgeable after having had the discussion. As far as the dreaming goes, wouldn't an L/S transponder be better than a V/U or U/V transponder? Granted, the path loss is greater, but the antenna gain is easier to produce... While I am a firm believer in the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid!), I am getting a little tired of hearing people complain endlessly about the downfall of AO-40 being due to its complexity. Uhh, the downfall of AO-40 was human error, which will ALWAYS be an issue. The only reason that AO-40 was ever usable at all was BECAUSE of its complexity, i.e., the redundancy of multiple transponders that could be switched into place after initial failures, etc. OF COURSE, a mission to the moon needs to be as light and compact as it can be made, and therefore much simpler than AO-40, but due to the harsh environment in which it would be asked to operate, it needs to be as complex as necessary to get the job done, i.e. not as simple as AO-10 or AO-13. 73 de W0JT AMSAT-NA LM#2292

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AO-40 telemetry
by Mark L. Hammond 02 Jul '09

02 Jul '09

Hi Jim, Is this what you are looking for? ftp://ftp.amsat.org/amsat/telemetry/ao40/ 73, Mark N8MH ___ I'm looking for an online repository of AO-40 housekeeping telemetry for a space weather study. May I ask for any pointers to such a database? Jim jim(a)coloradosatellite.com wd0e(a)amsat.org Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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Re: AO-40 telemetry database
by Rodney Waln 02 Jul '09

02 Jul '09

this page has some info, good luck http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/ao40/ao40-tlm.html

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13 colonies baloney
by Thomas McGrane 02 Jul '09

02 Jul '09

Mr. Semple I could not be bothered logging into QRZ.com for your email address. I did not appreciate being bumped off echo while trying to reach w8mrr. Your lame excuse of celebrating the 13 colonies to hog the satellite was inappropriate. Please dont bump me again. America is nothing like what fought the original revolution. Who are you kidding, not me. pat n2oeq

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AO-40 telemetry database
by Jim White 02 Jul '09

02 Jul '09

I'm looking for an online repository of AO-40 housekeeping telemetry for a space weather study. May I ask for any pointers to such a database? Jim jim(a)coloradosatellite.com wd0e(a)amsat.org

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Software Commodore 64
by Jean-François Ménard 02 Jul '09

02 Jul '09

Hi, Hey, I'm not crazy... Hi !! I'm looking for satellite prediction software or similar for Commodore 64. Anybody know where I can find this !?!? 73 From an old fashion guy of the '80 -- Jean-François Ménard VA2SS =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= AMSAT www.amsat.org ARRL www.arrl.org =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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Re: The Moon is our Future
by Armando Mercado 02 Jul '09

02 Jul '09

Hi Nigel, Indeed, I can hear the ker-chunking and cordless phone calls now. :-) Armando, N8IGJ >Date: Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:23:08 +0000 >From: Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF <nigel(a)ngunn.net> >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future >To: Armando Mercado <am25544(a)triton.net> >Cc: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org >Message-ID: <4A4CECFC.6070504(a)ngunn.net> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed >It would be the only repeater anywhere that I've seen that would get >sufficient use to justify it's existance. >Armando Mercado wrote: >> Not to be a wet blanket, but what is the >> advantage of an amateur repeater on the moon?

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