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

I: FO-29 problems ?
by ps8rf ps8 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

Nothing heard over South America. Elv 63.2°. What is happening!? 73 Piraja, PS8RF _________________________________________________________________ Deixe suas conversas mais divertidas. Baixe agora mesmo novos emoticons. É grátis! http://specials.br.msn.com/ilovemessenger/pacotes.aspx

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Re: Discussion of Amsat
by N0JY 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

Well I certainly stepped in it last night, so I'd like to respond to a few and state more clearly the reasoning behind the thoughts I so briefly expressed in that email. Having done so, I will return to a passive mode on this subject. My statement about the "silent majority" is based on what I know from experience, be it with an organization or a population. I did not intend in any way to say that no one should express an opinion. It was a subjective observation, and if I am wrong, I would have no problem admitting it. I am thoroughly familiar with the internet, having used it for the last 15 years or so. The reason I became interested in it was because of the wealth of information exchange available. Else I wouldn't have been reading and participating in Amsat-bb. In answer to Bob WB5MZO's question, I don't know if Amsat membership is growing or shrinking. I don't feel that it has any direct bearing on what I believe anyway. I simply know that I am a member. So here's my reasoning. I surely don't have the ability to build or orbit a satellite. Amsat does, so I joined way back when and now contribute to the President's Club and in sharing the message of the organization and satellite activities to my local club and friends. Not having grown up in the "gotta have it now" generation, I appreciate the fact that so many satellites have been successfully launched and available, that it is in fact rocket science to make that happen, and that Amsat still works to stretch the capabilities so that there is room for both average and higher skills operating frequencies and techniques. I grow by overcoming challenges, and learning on the way. I operated AO-51 mode V/S this past week with a homebrew attempt at a CP patch feed on the K5GNA BBQ dish, and it didn't work quite like I had thought it would, so I use the experience to improve that capability, I didn't just give up and go back to the easier V/U mode. I made some friends on the air during that week that have been very helpful in considering the situation and remedies or alternatives. I'm very glad that Amsat made it possible for me to have the S band available for use and learning. Since 1983 I have been interested in amateur radio satellites, I started out by simply listening to AO-10 and working some of the satellites in mode A until I finally got a house to set up a station, in 1993. I became active on many of the satellites but AO-13 was the most intriguing as I developed my skills, because it increased the challenge and therefore my knowledge and skill with the equipment and operating procedures. One humorous (to me) memory is of a truly "long path" QSO of about 72,000 km between myself and a station in a town about 20 miles away! Of course the DX possibilities were the real fun. I got some time on AO-40 too and although it was short, it was well worth it. Yes, I will still look forward to a new HEO. Whenever it happens. That's where I'd like to see things go. If I won the lottery, I would like to be able to help make that launch happen. In the meantime, I'll take what the men and women who can do it, give me. With pleasure. And I believe that the advancements of trying the SDR and such on SuitSat-2 are the right thing to do. We won't get better if we don't try it. They may lead to some neat stuff in the next HEO (whenever it happens). But if an HEO never happens again before I die, well I'm not gonna quit Amsat and I'm not gonna quit working satellites. I think about an analogy here with my local club. The big project now is to have a balloon launch. It's a lot of work, a lot of risk, relatively expensive (in the club bank account perspective) and I personally am not that charged up about it. But, the majority of the club is so I simply "get out of the way". I'm not going to tell them what I think we should be doing instead, and I'll contribute to the project if I can in a meaningful way. So that's where I'm coming from. And I appreciate the opinions of anybody else written here on the -bb. That doesn't necessarily mean I agree with them, but I will read them. I don't expect everyone (or even a small number) to agree with me. Nor should anyone else who voices their own, in my opinion. I plan to continue to contribute monetarily to Amsat, and in the next few years as I approach (hopefully early) retirement, volunteer my skills in project management, software requirements, and software testing if they can be of any help. Thank you for your time. Jerry N0JY

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I: FO-29 problems ?
by Francesco Grappi 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

Hi Ib, The same over Italy, nothing heard .... I checked all transponder passband .......no signal detected... (fingers crossed).... 73" Francesco IW4DVZ -----Messaggio originale----- Da: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:[email protected]] Per conto di OZ1MY Inviato: lunedì 24 agosto 2009 21.31 A: AMSAT-BB Oggetto: [amsat-bb] FO-29 problems ? Hi all, FO-29 seems to be OFF ? There are reports on http://oscar.dcarr.org to indicate that. During a pass with AOS at 1910 UTC here in Copenhagen with a max. elevation of 30 degrees, I heard no signals from FO-29. There was some noise at 435.850 MHz (corrected for doppler shift) in the start of the pass - but that was all ? It may be something local. I did check 435.910 MHz as well - and no signal. Has anyone heard anything ? 73 OZ1MY Ib _______________________________________________ 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: High LEO for cubesat?
by Pete Parisetti 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

Hey! Where do I send my money? As far as my technically-challenged understanding goes, G0MRF's argument is very solid - it sounds bloody good and I don't understand why nobody's working on something of that sort already. I, for one, would be quite glad to make a financial contribution to such a project, and I'm sure many others would as well. So - where's the catch? This, as I understand, is different from the recently announced AMSAT India project, and seems to me even more feasible: three cubesats... What is holding us back? Who could take the lead? Best. Pete -- ___________________________ Pete Parisetti MM0TWX - HB9DSU for music, ham radio and more visit http://www.hb9dsu.com

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FO-29 nothing heard over Europe 21:11 UTC 24/Aug
by Fabiano Moser 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

Nothing heard just now, over Lisbon. 73 Fabiano Moser CR7/PY5RX ARISS-PORTUGAL (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) Representative at Teleconference and Portugal Telebridge Coordinator. AMRAD/AMSAT-CT http://www.amrad.pt/ariss.php "There is no great talent without great will. (Honoré de Balzac)"

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Register Online
by Martha 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

You can now register online for the 2009 AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting. This year we are celebrating our 40th anniversary so please come and visit with old friends, listen to interesting presentations and enjoy our guest speaker, Dr. Martin Collins. Dr Collins who works at the the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum will talk on "Making the Space Age: The First Fifty Years". Online registration will disappear on October 5th so do not wait too long! -- 73- Martha- AMSAT Mana

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lvb tracker circuit -- xtal?
by Stefano Simonetti 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

Hi, I have problems in making the LVB tracker circuit run. I have built the LVB tracker ver. PCB v1.2, Firmware v0.7, Programmer v0.2, Documentation v1.9, 7 Dec 2004, by G6LVB. The firmware was flashed successfully with IC-PROG v 1.06B, a homebrewed interface for LPT, and an old PC with LPT1 running win98. The LVB circuit requires a 4 MHz XTAL for the PIC 16F876A. I tried with a 10MHz, and a 3,5795MHz as I haven't a 4MHz. No success. No LCD, no serial communication at all. Does anybody know if the problem could be in having installed a different xtal (i.e.: does the firmware takes care about the frequency of the clock?)? Regards, Stefano Simonetti (IW1RDZ) - Italy.

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AO-51 VS
by WB2LLP 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

During the recent week of V/S I got caught changing my mobile station configuration and had to make more changes for V/S This occurred during one of our more nasty heat and humidity cycles. Working outside, even in the shade was difficult. On the last possible day, I finally did hear a brief period of S band. Now I know what I have to do for next time. As I recall it, one of the criteria for the AO-40 was to provide several different modes to stretch the experience and capabilities of Hams. Many Hams complained that they had to buy extra equipment, but many found sources of commercial equipment that could be modified and sold at reasonable prices. The current satellite building criteria seems to be that if you can not work the satellite with an HT and a hand held antenna we do not attempt it. As a compromise, how about one week a month AO-51 is in VS and another it is in LS? This is a technical hobby, let us prove we can handle the challenge. 73 de WB2LLP Gene

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FO-29 problems ?
by OZ1MY 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

Hi all, FO-29 seems to be OFF ? There are reports on http://oscar.dcarr.org to indicate that. During a pass with AOS at 1910 UTC here in Copenhagen with a max. elevation of 30 degrees, I heard no signals from FO-29. There was some noise at 435.850 MHz (corrected for doppler shift) in the start of the pass - but that was all ? It may be something local. I did check 435.910 MHz as well - and no signal. Has anyone heard anything ? 73 OZ1MY Ib

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I: Re: AO-51 VS
by Francesco Grappi 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

YES YES well done ! Great idea ! to test L/S band equipment one week each months ! 73" Frank IW4DVZ -----Messaggio originale----- Da: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:[email protected]] Per conto di Luc Leblanc Inviato: lunedì 24 agosto 2009 18.16 A: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Oggetto: [amsat-bb] Re: AO-51 VS On 24 Aug 2009 at 11:27, WB2LLP wrote: > As a compromise, how about one week a month AO-51 is in VS and another it is in LS? This is a technical hobby, let us prove we can handle the challenge. > > 73 de WB2LLP Gene > YES great idea i vote for it. It is hard to test our L and S band equipment when we only have 4 to 5 days available sometimes not even a week end period in this time frame and even if we get one rain often ruin the whole thing. "-" Luc Leblanc VE2DWE Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE _______________________________________________ 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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