November 2010 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

HRD Rotator Program
by Merle Olmsted 12 Nov '10

12 Nov '10

Has anyone successfully used the HRD rotator program to drive the LVB tracker? Is so, what rotator listing in the HRD rotator list did you use? Merle, AA4QE

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(no subject)
by rgoldham＠sbcglobal.net 12 Nov '10

12 Nov '10

http://qenevaz.tripod.com/

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Launch opportunity
by jmfranke 12 Nov '10

12 Nov '10

http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/somd/home/CubeSats_initiative.html John WA4WDL

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solar flare earth bound
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 12 Nov '10

12 Nov '10

EARTH-DIRECTED ERUPTION: Active sunspot 1123 erupted during the early hours of Nov. 12th, producing a C4-class solar flare and apparently hurling a filament of material in the general direction of Earth. Click on the image to play a three and a half hour (0000 - 0330 UT) time lapse movie of the event: from space weather.com WA4HFN Damon

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38k4 packet operations on AO-51 Nov 14-18, 2010
by Mark L. Hammond 12 Nov '10

12 Nov '10

Hello All, Just a reminder that we'll be running a few days of 38k4 packet beginning Sunday afternoon/evening until Thursday afternoon/evening, as per the schedule below. Note the voice repeater will be OFF. Please keep in mind that receiving packet at 38k4 requires more than your "stock" FM receiver and TNC. Generally speaking, folks are using a Symek board installed in their satellite radio to tap the IF which is then fed to a high speed TNC. Other options for a receiver include a PCR-1000/1500/2500 in FM mode with filters set to 50 kHz (NOT Wide-FM) (I think that's the right filter width). Please remember Douglas Quagliana's KA2UPW soundcard decoder (as presented in the AMSAT Journal a few issues back) that can be downloaded here: http://www.quagliana.com/ Look for Willow and Sabins. I suggest you get the software and test it out at 9600 before you attempt 38,400, so to become familiar with how it works with your receiver. It does work at 38k4--but remember you must have an appropriate receiver! It is possible to use some of the SDR stuff I'm sure, if you record with your SDR software and play back through KA2UPW's Willow program. I have a few options in my shack, as I've been running 38k4 since the good old UoSat days: Receivers capable of 38k4 (up to 76k, actually): TS-2000x with Symek IF board TS-790A with Symek IF board Icom PCR-1500 For decoding: Paccomm Spirit/Sprint-2 Satellite TNC models with 38k4 filters installed Willow My preferred combination is the TS-2000x with Symek IF board feeding a Pacomm Sprint-2 satellite model. I seem to get the best performance out of this combo. Here's a reminder of the schedule: November 14 (late UTC) 38k4 Baud PBBS Operations, L/U Uplink: 1268.705 MHz FM at 9600 baud Downlink: 435.150 MHz FM at 38,400 baud November 18 (late UTC) FM Repeater, L/SU Uplink: 1268.705 MHz FM (no PL tone) Downlinks: 2401.200 MHz FM *and* 435.300 MHz FM (at low power!) 73! -- Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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AMSAT Forum time change
by Doug Kuitula 12 Nov '10

12 Nov '10

Hi all, I just noticed that the AMSAT Forum at the Fort Wayne, Ind. Hamfest has been changed to 12:15 pm on Saturday Nov. 13 For more info check: www.fortwaynehamfest.com 73 de Doug KA8QCU

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Re: FO-29 PDF file
by Mineo Wakita 12 Nov '10

12 Nov '10

Thank you very much. I posted a new article on my HP as follows. http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/fo29esti.htm JE9PEL, Mineo Wakita

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Log Book Recommendations
by Jeremy Kiehner 12 Nov '10

12 Nov '10

Hi all, Playing with some log book software I found online through DXZone and other sources. Nothing so far seems to be geared, or even suited to satellite work, meaning; They all have one frequency field, few have satellite as a propagation, few track grids and states worked, etc. What I'm hoping to find is a log book that's Satellite and Earth-Earth friendly that'll track VUCC, WAS, and misc other awards (even if I must add them and parameters myself) and that'll allow me a Tx and Rx frequency field along with Satellite prop and which bird worked and integration with LotW and eQSL would be nice. (I know, I may be asking a bit much H-I) Google is a bit over whelming and time consuming to sift through, download, trial, and ultimately uninstall each piece of software I find. So what do you all use? I'm open to suggestions as I'm sure this may help others who are curious. 73 de KB3DLP / FM19rw

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QRM on HO-68 on 20:57 UTC pass over UK
by P.H. 11 Nov '10

11 Nov '10

Alan BA1DU et al, While monitoring HO-68 with my RFSpace SDR-IP on the 20:57 UTC pass tonight at the lower end of the passband I was very surprised to see what looked like a FM signal. After tuning in I am able to hear someone with what sounds like an English accent! It was definitley coming from the satellite, as it was affected by the same doppler shift as the SSB signals coming from it. It sounds like the users in question have no idea they are causing QRM, they certainly aren't calling satellite, however do sound like amateurs and not pirates or commercial traffic. Taking doppler into account on the downlink, I calculate that the users were transmitting around about 145.925MHz Did anyone else notice this? I have an IQ recording, if anyone is interested in having a look I could try to shrink it small enough to send - there are no callsigns at any time during the short 5 minute recording. Also, my receive antenna doesn't currently track, so the signal is quite weak for most of the pass. 73 MI3EPN Pete

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Weekly ANS Bulletin question
by Dave Webb KB1PVH 11 Nov '10

11 Nov '10

I hope I don't get lynched for asking this question, but here it goes. Why do I have to go to QRZ.COM to read the weekly AMSAT News Report? I know it used to be posted on the BB. Is there an issue with doing that? It was very handy having it that way. Dave - KB1PVH Sent from my Verizon Wireless DROID

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