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

HR1LW Grid ?
by Alvaro de Leon Romo 23 Aug '09

23 Aug '09

Who know the HR1LW grid ? In QRZ is not shown... Many thanks in advance , like always Al XE2AT _________________________________________________________________ Con Windows Live, puedes organizar, editar y compartir tus fotos. http://www.microsoft.com/mexico/windows/windowslive/products/photo-gallery-…

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Semi-remoting the controller for a Yaesu G5400
by Lowell White 23 Aug '09

23 Aug '09

My Yaesu G-5400 rotor pair is about 150' from my shack. I am wanting to gauge the feasibility of putting the rotor controller within 100' (due to on-hand control cable lengths) of the antennas (in a garage). I would then run a separate (on-hand) PC-controller cable (fewer conductors as using the DIN interface on the back of the controller) to the rotor controller box from a PC and adapter / interface (if needed) in my shack (approx. 50'). Is it crazy to consider or should I just pony up for more of the (dual) rotor control cable and run the control box itself in my shack? What would I need to do at the PC end to appropriately 'signal' the 'semi-remote' control box. Ideas? Thanks, Lowell K9LDW

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Best source for current satellite status
by Randy 23 Aug '09

23 Aug '09

Is the AMSAT status page the best source for ALL possible Amateur radio satellites that we can access? I got a new 440 yagi and cant find a satellite to test on .. I know AO-51 would be good, but not in that mode untiul Monday. And I heard that some of the older satellites only run off the solar array So nitetime passes are unusable? My capability here is only 2 meter / 70 cm FM. ( for now anyways. ) Thanks for help and input.. Randy

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Orbitron-Wispdde
by Gary Lockhart 22 Aug '09

22 Aug '09

I am trying to put together a computer controlled az-el rotator system with BS2 processor control like KO6TH using U-100 rotors. With Orbitron for satellite prediction and Wispdde comunication I do not get data display on the LCD display. The display works for other program titles. I tried Nova (demo) thinking the BS2 needed different input but still nothing to display. I used Free Serial Port Monitor and could see ASCI output that looked like what I wanted with satellite name, AZ and EL with numbers but the values did not match the satellite tracking program, they never changed! This was true with both Orbitron and Nova. I am using Orbitron 3.71, Wispdde 4.2, 4.3.0.7 and 4.3.0.2 modified by AD5JN. I have tried all the Wispdde programs at 1200 and 9600 baud. My radio is a FT726 so there is no CAT control there to confirm operation of other equipment. I have tried BS2 programs off the web from KO6TH and SAEBRTrack with out success. My BS2 is rev G and I am using a SC-IOREL4 relay board to mount the BS2. Demo display and relay programs run fine. I do not understand why the data into the BS2 isn't the same showing on Wisp panel. Any thoughts? Gary AB3ID Snow Hill, MD

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Re: New ICOM VHF / UHF / SHF Radio
by Karl Sandstrom 22 Aug '09

22 Aug '09

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h7Z7pEKkpg Karl R. Sandstrom, K5MAN Greenwell Springs, Louisiana

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Re: Semi-remoting the controller for a Yaesu G5400
by Lowell White 22 Aug '09

22 Aug '09

Hi Jim, Yes, that would be a possibility. The "in between" is indeed a garage - technically attached to our home but as far as cabnle paths go, somewhat removed to to an obfuscated connection between respective attics. A spare, old PC is not scarce... may consider. Besides, who doesn't have CAT5 in their garage... or close to it? ;-) Another has suggested I just go ahead and home run the standard cables all the way to the shack / office so as to have manual control in addition to PZC control... and a simpler intermediate step. That will mean an additional splice block but can be done as long as the rotors are happy with a lengthier run... which was part of my initial concern. Thanks, Lowell ------ Original Message ------ Received: Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:00:36 PM CDT From: Jim Walls <jim(a)k6ccc.org> To: Amsat-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Semi-remoting the controller for a Yaesu G5400 > Lowell White wrote: > > My Yaesu G-5400 rotor pair is about 150' from my shack. > > > > I am wanting to gauge the feasibility of putting the rotor controller within > > 100' (due to on-hand control cable lengths) of the antennas (in a garage). > > > > I would then run a separate (on-hand) PC-controller cable (fewer conductors as > > using the DIN interface on the back of the controller) to the rotor controller > > box from a PC and adapter / interface (if needed) in my shack (approx. 50'). > > > > Is it crazy to consider or should I just pony up for more of the (dual) rotor > > control cable and run the control box itself in my shack? > > > > What would I need to do at the PC end to appropriately 'signal' the > > 'semi-remote' control box. > > > > I am making an assumption, that may not be the case. I am assuming that > there is a protected location closer to the tower. For example the > tower is next to the garage and the shack is in the house. If that is > the case, what I would do is run the remote control PC at the remote > location, and control it over your LAN with a remote desktop program > such as VNC (http://www.realvnc.com/). That does make the assumption > that you have an extra PC floating around, but for most of us the > question is not IF we have one, but rather which of of the several > should I use... It also assumes that you have a house LAN - although if > you don't, most PCs these days have a network connection already built > in so it would be easy to implement. > > -- > 73 > ------------------------------------- > Jim Walls - K6CCC > jim(a)k6ccc.org > Ofc: 818-548-4804 > http://home.earthlink.net/~k6ccc > AMSAT Member 32537 - WSWSS Member 395 > > _______________________________________________ > 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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Orbitron-Wispdde
by Gary Lockhart 22 Aug '09

22 Aug '09

I am trying to put together a computer controlled az-el rotator system with BS2 processor control like KO6TH using U-100 rotors. With Orbitron for satellite prediction and Wispdde comunication I do not get data display on the LCD display. The display works for other program titles. I tried Nova (demo) thinking the BS2 needed different input but still nothing to display. I used Free Serial Port Monitor and could see ASCI output that looked like what I wanted with satellite name, AZ and EL with numbers but the values did not match the satellite tracking program, they never changed! This was true with both Orbitron and Nova. I am using Orbitron 3.71, Wispdde 4.2, 4.3.0.7 and 4.3.0.2 modified by AD5JN. I have tried all the Wispdde programs at 1200 and 9600 baud. My radio is a FT726 so there is no CAT control there to confirm operation of other equipment. I have tried BS2 programs off the web from KO6TH and SAEBRTrack with out success. My BS2 is rev G and I am using a SC-IOREL4 relay board to mount the BS2. Demo display and relay programs run fine. I do not understand why the data into the BS2 isn't the same showing on Wisp panel. Any thoughts? Gary AB3ID Snow Hill, MD

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AO-7 TLM Beacon
by Joseph Armbruster 22 Aug '09

22 Aug '09

Is anyone able to hear the AO-7 beacon on: 145.9775 MHz CW? I just tried without any luck, from Orlando FL. Joseph Armbruster, KJ4JIO

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if it's there use it
by w7lrd＠comcast.net 22 Aug '09

22 Aug '09

With all the bruhaha over satsuit, heo, meo, leo, sstv, fm,ssb/cw etc. Not being "tuned" in to the politics etc of building, launching satellites. I (and most of us should) just contribute ($), use and enjoy what we have when we have it. Strap a handheld to a brick and throw it over my house and I'll try to work it! 73 Bob W7LRD Seattle

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SS-2
by Howie DeFelice 22 Aug '09

22 Aug '09

I agree with "the Bobs" and others that you have to play the cards you're dealt and be part of the solution. Allot of people put many hours of time, effort and their own money into AMSAT and I certainly thank them all. I disagree that we should abandon the "HEO fetish" as it was put. At the moment it seems unlikely there will ever be another AO-40 but there could be opportunities for ride shares to higher orbits. But for that to remain even a remote possibility, we need to "be in the game". By continuing to be a visible member of the space community we enhance our chances of finding new opportunities for transport to space. We must continue to be flexible and adapt to whatever opportunity comes along. I think that is exactly where AMSAT has been moving. This may be a dum question but, since so much effort has gone into building SuitSat-2, why are we throwing it out the ISS door? It appears we have multiple unused antenna ports on the ISS. If we connected SS-2 to one of those it will stay in orbit a long time, we don't need to repackage it to survive space or put in batteries. I'm sure there would be a process to make that happen not to mention maybe install an antenna. Even if it took another year to make happen, wouldn't it be worth it? Howie AB2S _________________________________________________________________ Get back to school stuff for them and cashback for you. http://www.bing.com/cashback?form=MSHYCB&publ=WLHMTAG&crea=TEXT_MSHYCB_Back…

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