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

Hy-Gain
by Jim 06 Feb '10

06 Feb '10

I am looking for a mast to boom mount for a hy-gain hf beam If has a old broken one and still has the boom to mask mount. I will buy it from you Jim K7UDG hartwell(a)hartwell.net

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Re: This amateur has had enough of amsat-bb...
by Vince Fiscus, KB7ADL 06 Feb '10

06 Feb '10

At 08:32 AM 2/6/2010 -0800, k6hx(a)arrl.net wrote: > > Only serious business instead of amateur stuff... Again amateur radio > apparatus is left on the extreme right lane and probably soon in the > > ditch if the ISS amateur radio apparatus is not put back in service > soon! I asked this question about an hundred times: why they don't put > > the ISS cross band repeater on? It can run unattended and there is no > risk the batteries get down as those in the camera. It will also send > > the QRP'er away off the other sat as the ISS repeater is very very easy > to hear and work too. > > > Great promoting asset collecting floating dust in space. > >Wow, you never know when your threshold will be reached, but this is >mine. This list never seems to miss an opportunity to complain about >the state of affairs, but always seems to miss opportunities to >actually do anything positive. I've reached my personal limit of >grouchery. Complain all you want from your position in the ditch, >I'm hitting the road. Mark, Just ignore him. I'm sure there isn't dust collecting on the ham equipment we paid good money to send up, because the ISS has an extremely good air filtration system. KB7ADL

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Re: AlfaSpid RAS & Predict
by books47925＠mypacks.net 06 Feb '10

06 Feb '10

Hi John, Are you using this rotor system for an array of antennas or a big dish? If a dish, how large? I noticed their rotors at Visalia last year. But didn't ask the reps their thoughts about turning a 12 to 16 foot dish. I know there are two versions, I think one is heavy duty. Not sure which one you are using. Thank You for any additional info. 73, de KB8VAO, Steve -----Original Message----- >From: John Heath <g7hia(a)btinternet.com> >Sent: Feb 6, 2010 12:47 PM >To: Ryan Caron <rcaron(a)gmail.com> >Cc: Amsat <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AlfaSpid RAS & Predict > >Hi Ryan, > >At first I ran my Alfa Spid off the shack 13.8V D.C. supply. I also got flicker plus some anomalous readings. >I put this down to voltage drops on my power supply. >You might be having a similar experience as under load from the Spid motors your car battery may not be giving 12 volts. > >Here is my solution. The Spid will run on AC as well as DC so I got a largeish mains to 24V toroidal transformer. Put it in a box with the usual connectors, fuse, switch etc. With my Spid on a dedicated supply it works perfectly. Didn't cost much and is fully independant of the radio supply. > >I think the Spid Alpha system is an excellent piece of kit, mechanically probably overkill for most satellite antenna installation but I expect mine to last many times longer that the alternatives. If you didn't get the "mouse" option its great. A computer mouse internally modified so that you can easily do up/down, left/right right from a mouse right next to you at the operating position > >73 John G7HIA > >PS - no commercial connection with Spid Alpa, just a satisfied customer. > > > > >________________________________ >From: Ryan Caron <rcaron(a)gmail.com> >To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org >Sent: Tuesday, 2 February, 2010 19:16:16 >Subject: [amsat-bb] AlfaSpid RAS & Predict > >Has anyone modified Predict export GS-232 as opposed to EasyComm 2? > >I recently purchased an AlfaSpid RAS-1 rotator from Hy-Gain. The >controller accepts either GS-232 or AlfaSpid's own protocol. > >Additionally, has anyone noticed the digits on the controller display >flickering? Its just a nuisance, but surprising since I'm feeding it >from a lead acid battery so there can't be any ripple or rectification. > >73, >Ryan, KB1LKI >_______________________________________________ >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 >_______________________________________________ >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: Orbitron Help
by Bob Christy 06 Feb '10

06 Feb '10

The 'Toolbox' Icon that can be found on Orbitron's "Main" tab, leads to a further set of tabs. One of them is called "Miscellaneous". The bottom right hand panel of the Miscellaneous tab allows you to set the directory that will be used for element sets. If you also tick the box marked "Personal TLE directory", it will automatically store Spacetrack, Celestrak, element sets there too rather than under the Orbitron directory in Windows/Program Files. The directory you choose can be anywhere you choose such as under "My Documents" or the equivalent in later Windows versions. Bob Christy

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AlfaSpid RAS & Predict
by Ryan Caron 06 Feb '10

06 Feb '10

Has anyone modified Predict export GS-232 as opposed to EasyComm 2? I recently purchased an AlfaSpid RAS-1 rotator from Hy-Gain. The controller accepts either GS-232 or AlfaSpid's own protocol. Additionally, has anyone noticed the digits on the controller display flickering? Its just a nuisance, but surprising since I'm feeding it from a lead acid battery so there can't be any ripple or rectification. 73, Ryan, KB1LKI

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China Ham Radio-Shanghai 2010
by William Leijenaar 06 Feb '10

06 Feb '10

Hi AMSATs, I wonder if there is any satellite organisation or satellite (cubesat)group with a booth at the China Ham Radio in Shanghai (3-5 April) ? My plan is to be there to present my small linear transponder design like I did at the Tokyo Ham Fair. However, the booths are quiet big (3m x 3m / 10ft x 10ft) to present my small linear transponder. I can not take to many hardware with me on the plane. Maybe there are more people interrested to have a small booth space at the China Ham 2010. Because of that I am looking for people who like to share the booth with me to promote ham radio projects, preferable related to amateur satellite projects. Info about the China Ham 2010 can be found here: http://www.chinahamexpo.com/indexEn.asp With kind regards, William Leijenaar, PE1RAH www.leijenaarelectronics.nl --- Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

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China Ham Radio-Shanghai 2010
by William Leijenaar 06 Feb '10

06 Feb '10

Hi AMSATs, I wonder if there is any satellite organisation or satellite (cubesat)group with a booth at the China Ham Radio in Shanghai (3-5 April) ? My plan is to be there to present my small linear transponder design like I did at the Tokyo Ham Fair. However, the booths are quiet big (3m x 3m / 10ft x 10ft) to present my small linear transponder. I can not take to many hardware with me on the plane. Maybe there are more people interrested to have a small booth space at the China Ham 2010. Because of that I am looking for people who like to share the booth with me to promote ham radio projects, preferable related to amateur satellite projects. Info about the China Ham 2010 can be found here: http://www.chinahamexpo.com/indexEn.asp With kind regards, William Leijenaar, PE1RAH www.leijenaarelectronics.nl --- Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

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Sat688 Rotor Controller Interface
by Mark Spencer 06 Feb '10

06 Feb '10

I will be making a board order and building a batch of the Sat688 Rotor Controllers for use and distribution among the teachers who will participate in this summer's Teachers Institute-2 Space in Dayton, Ohio. The Sat688 is a no-frills, inexpensive interface to be used between SatPC32 or Nova and the Yaesu G5500 or G5400 rotor. The interface is either USB or serial. I can add additional boards to the order if you are interested in obtaining a board (and programmed PIC). The price will be cost plus postage. If you are interested, drop me a note off-line ASAP. I will be ordering boards late next week. 73, Mark Mark Spencer, WA8SME ARRL, the national association for Amateur RadioT Education and Technology Program Coordinator mspencer(a)arrl.org http://www.arrl.org/FandES/tbp/ 530-495-9150

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ND9M Road Trip Update #5
by claryco＠aol.com 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

We were minutes away from resuming our trip today (Friday) when I tested the theory against pouring a cup of coffee (with creamer and sugar of course) on to the keyboard of the laptop; the machine got 8 to 10 ounces center mass. Luckily for me, my stepson here in the Denver area has his own IT engineering and service company, and a quick 911 call to him got full and immediate attention. He and I got everything drained out and cleaned up, and the laptop is back up and running. (All log contacts and photos from the last two weeks' portable ops had already been backed up on a thumb drive as well as a second laptop, so other than pride, I wouldn't have lost anything except for the day's travel that got eaten up.) But now we're ready to hit the road again tomorrow afternoon (with the coffee safely somewhere else...). Our route tomorrow (Saturday) will take us initially to the DN80/DM89 line, hopefully for the AO27 pass that rises here at about 06/1925Z. I'll definitely be on during the next AO27 pass at 06/2103Z either from that line (if I miss the previous pass from there) or the DM78/DM79 line for AO51 at 06/2357Z. While southbound into Texas, I'll operate from all grids on both sides of the 104W longitude line. There have been several requests for contacts with the DM7x and DM8 grids; those grids look to be particularly in demand. As we head south; our next day off will be in the vicinity of Carlsbad Caverns in DM72. After that, we'll move over to Big Bend Nat'l Park alongside the Rio Grande River in DL88 where we'll camp for two or three days. Focus will continue on afternoon AO27 and AO51 passes. I'll run grid lines where possible, but as before, grid lines will be run only where accessible. 73, Jim, ND9M / VQ9JC Longmont, CO / DN70

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Re: First time on HO68
by Tom Laskowski 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

Made my first HO-68 QSOs just now thanks to WA4NVM, KD8CAO and WA4HFN. Great sgnals and great fun! 73, KB9BIT

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EM53 on AO51
by John Geiger 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

Who was the N5 mobile in EM53 during the 2300Z pass of AO51 today? 73s John AA5JG

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Re: EM53 on AO51
by Gkcarr 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

yes. 73 George WA5KBH EM30 -----Original message----- From: Dave Webb KB1PVH kb1pvh(a)gmail.com Date: Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:46:21 -0600 To: John Geiger aa5jg(a)yahoo.com Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: EM53 on AO51 > Was it N5ZNL? > > 73, > > Dave KB1PVH > > Sent from my Verizon Wireless DROID > > On Feb 5, 2010 9:32 PM, "John Geiger" <aa5jg(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > Who was the N5 mobile in EM53 during the 2300Z pass of AO51 today? > > 73s John AA5JG > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > _______________________________________________ > 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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Photos From ISS via Twitter
by Clint Bradford 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

Last month we received the first Twit from space. Now, Astronaut Soichi is sending some spectacular photos via his Twitter account ... http://tinyurl.com/space-twitter Clint Bradford

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Re: Orbitron help
by Sam KC2LRC 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

This problem, in my experience, was caused by Vista's User Account Control not allowing Orbitron to write any new data to the hard drive. There are two ways to solve this: 1. Run Orbitron as Administrator (right click on the icon -> Run as Administrator) 2. Disable User Account Control. This can be done by going to the Control Panel, then User Accounts, and somewhere in there (I do not remember exactly since all my boxes run Windows 7 now) there is a checkbox that will allow you to turn UAC off. Reboot the computer after disabling UAC for the changes to take effect. Hope this helps. 73, Sam KC2LRC

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1st messages from S.Africa To Sudan on HO-68 BBS in single pass.
by Nader Omer 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

Hi The 1st messages from S.Africa To Sudan on HO-68 BBS in single pass. Well done Allan ZS1LS. http://st2nh-blogger.blogspot.com/2010/02/ho-68-messages.html Wait for my reply tomorow OM .Happy dream . 73 .Nader

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Orbitron help
by Dads 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

Hi: Some one helped me before with an Orbitron problem but I lost his e- mail address. The problem is I got a new laptop with Vista Everything works except it won,t download the keps on the internet. The strange part it says it is doing the download but it never shows the update on the sat /Orb info on the program. When I first bring the program up on my computer it says to update because they are over 30 days old. So I say yes to up date but it never gets to the program. I have worked it this for quite awhile with no success. Jerry w0sat

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FSK transmitter at 1268.9MHz
by Howie DeFelice 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

Hi Jonas, If you have something capable of generating 422.967 MHz you should be able to easily use the third harmonic. Remember that the original frequency shift at 422 is also tripled, so reduce the shift on the original signal accordingly. Howie AB2S _________________________________________________________________ Your E-mail and More On-the-Go. Get Windows Live Hotmail Free. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469229/direct/01/

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Re: Calling DX in vain on AO-7
by Bob- W7LRD 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

Hello Andras and all I feel your pain! I am the other end of the footprint (CN87wk- Seattle Wa. ) looking into Northern Europe for dx contacts. Unfortunately Andras we are about 8775Km apart, which is beyond the footprint. There are not that many VE stations on AO7. There are a few VE7's I chat with occasionally, probably still beyond your range. I talk with Mika fairly regularly, I am still attempting to contact RN1NW, UA1OEJ, G1WPR,PA1TNO, 2E1EUB, and a few others. There are some KL7's that are on occasionally, KL7XJ, AL1F. We must remember, "if this were easy, everyone would be doing it"! Of course everyone has talked with Joe, K3SZGH hihi. There are several east coast stations within your footprint. As far as a qso between you and I, we will have to wait for the next HEO. Good luck with your efforts. 73 Bob W7LRD CN87- Seattle ----- Original Message ----- From: "Andras Bato" <bato(a)starjan.hu> To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Sent: Friday, February 5, 2010 9:50:28 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific Subject: [amsat-bb] Calling DX in vain on AO-7 Gentlemen, I was calling CQ Canada and CQ Alaska again during two AO-7. I had been doing it many many times. Please visit http://www.ha5mrc.hu/hamsat/satas.html where you can see a screenshot of DK1TB's SatPC32 which shows very well how does AO-7 footprint buries almost the whole territory of Canada when the old bird is flying above Greenland and I can still hear myself. Once upon a time a Canadian fellow answered my call but the question arises: Are the only one station in the whole country which uses AO-7 time to time? As for the USA I met K3SZH twice. At the beginning I always use CW and make Qs with those regulars like UA9CS, OH8MBN, 9A2EY, F2IL, RW9SL, UN7CY and Polish and other European stations as well. Than I often switch to SSB to pick up G1WPR and I send endless CQs in SSB callnig Canada and DX. Sometimes EA8 and similar stations call me back. I wonder if more stations could be found from the American continent when AO-7 makes a QSO really easy -when there are active stations listening at the satellite. gl de ha6nn Andras _______________________________________________ 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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Calling DX in vain on AO-7
by Bato, Andras 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

Gentlemen, I was calling CQ Canada and CQ Alaska again during two AO-7. I had been doing it many many times. Please visit http://www.ha5mrc.hu/hamsat/satas.html where you can see a screenshot of DK1TB's SatPC32 which shows very well how does AO-7 footprint buries almost the whole territory of Canada when the old bird is flying above Greenland and I can still hear myself. Once upon a time a Canadian fellow answered my call but the question arises: Are the only one station in the whole country which uses AO-7 time to time? As for the USA I met K3SZH twice. At the beginning I always use CW and make Qs with those regulars like UA9CS, OH8MBN, 9A2EY, F2IL, RW9SL, UN7CY and Polish and other European stations as well. Than I often switch to SSB to pick up G1WPR and I send endless CQs in SSB callnig Canada and DX. Sometimes EA8 and similar stations call me back. I wonder if more stations could be found from the American continent when AO-7 makes a QSO really easy -when there are active stations listening at the satellite. gl de ha6nn Andras

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First time on HO68
by John Geiger 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

I was on HO68 for the first time last night, and had a blast. Congrats to the satellite team for a very well operating satellite-the downlink signal was very strong here. I look forward to getting on this one again. What was all of the packet I was hearing on it? Is that other amateurs using packet through it, or some other type of user with packet? 73s John AA5JG EM04to

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Re: Video: micro-controller doppler tuning
by Bruce Robertson 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

On Fri, Feb 5, 2010 at 8:01 AM, Mark L. Hammond <marklhammond(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Very nice, Bruce! What a great project. > > In the video you mention something about CW--is that an ID for the bird currently being tracked, or what? I might have missed it... Correct. The tracker announces the bird in CW as it rises and sets, and it periodically announces its azimuth and elevation, like 'HO68 WSW H[igh]'. The final product is potentially so very small that I didn't want a display screen to increase its size unreasonably. What it *doesn't* do is provide any prediction. I figure you can print out a chart of these things, or just take pot luck as the tracker scans through the 10 or so birds for which its EEPROM provides space. You can hear the CW announcement during the QSO at the beginning of that video, but a clearer indication is 47s through this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgNcCGXeRyw What the spectran view in the video shows is how the tracker stops tuning the radio while it is announcing in CW, causing doppler shift briefly to take over. I need to rewrite my CW library so that it calls the tuning function during the elements that are long enough to allow it, such as spaces between words. 73, Bruce -- http://ve9qrp.blogspot.com > > At 01:23 AM 2/5/2010 -0400, Bruce Robertson wrote: >>The following video shows the current state of my >>doppler-tuning-on-a-chip project. It shows the project's first QSOs >>and its stability while tracking a LEO beacon. >> >>http://www.youtube.com/user/VE9QRP#p/a/u/0/TP_fq_frqKw >> >>73, Bruce >>VE9QRP >>_______________________________________________ >>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 > > > Mark L. Hammond [N8MH] > > >

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FSK transmitter at 1268.9MHz
by Jonas Bjarnø 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

My Fellow Radioamateurs, In the last couple of years our group here at DTU in Denmark have been working hard to realize the communication system for our next cubesat satellite DTUsat-2. We have developed a full duplex system which has a 38400bps MSK-modulated downlink as well as CW beacon at 2401.835MHz (220mW output power), and a 9600bps FSK-modulated uplink at 1268.9MHz. However, we have just completed the uplink section, but have as of yet no means of conducting a bit error test of the system. In short we have no means of actually producing a 9600 bps FSK-modulated signal at 1268.9MHz to test the uplink system with, and it will probably be another 4-6month before our GNU software defined radio system to do so is completed. As such, I would like to ask if anyone in the Amsat community has equipment capable of producing such a signal, or could come up with an idea as to how we conduct this test in a quick-n-dirty fashion? Best Regards Jonas Bjarnoe OZ2DTU OZ3AGY DTU Space Danish Technical University Elektrovej, Building 237 2800 Lyngby, Denmark

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Video: micro-controller doppler tuning
by Bruce Robertson 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

The following video shows the current state of my doppler-tuning-on-a-chip project. It shows the project's first QSOs and its stability while tracking a LEO beacon. http://www.youtube.com/user/VE9QRP#p/a/u/0/TP_fq_frqKw 73, Bruce VE9QRP

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Re: Alaska Finally
by Angelo Glorioso III / N5UXT 05 Feb '10

05 Feb '10

Hi Tim, Thanks for the congrats. I heard you at the end of the pass too. It was really cool. All I need now is Hawaii now and I have work all states via satellite. Any takers in Hawaii listening to the BB??? 73 de Angelo ----- Original Message ----- From: Tim - N3TL To: RuthAnn Bledsoe ; n5uxt(a)hotmail.com Cc: kl7xj(a)arrl.net ; fl(a)papays.com ; dan(a)obarr.net ; wd9ewk(a)amsat.org ; john(a)papays.com ; tcraftdan(a)yahoo.com ; sawson(a)w6yx.stanford.edu Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 7:11 AM Subject: Re: Alaska Finally Congratulations Angelo! I heard your contact with Craig. Good for you! And thank you, Craig, for being on the passes this week to give folks in the lower 48 the opportunity to work Alaska via HO-68. 73, Tim - N3TL ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: RuthAnn Bledsoe <ruthann.bledsoe(a)alaskaair.com> To: n5uxt(a)hotmail.com Cc: kl7xj(a)arrl.net; fl(a)papays.com; dan(a)obarr.net; wd9ewk(a)amsat.org; n3tl(a)bellsouth.net; john(a)papays.com; tcraftdan(a)yahoo.com; sawson(a)w6yx.stanford.edu Sent: Wed, February 3, 2010 11:41:17 PM Subject: Re: Alaska Finally Hi Angelo >>> You had a nice signal here in Eagle River, Alaska, this evening in between the packet racket. One more shot via HO-68 in the current sequence tomorrow night. Hope to hear you again! 73, Craig, KL4E ----- Original Message ----- From: "Angelo Glorioso III / N5UXT" <n5uxt(a)hotmail.com> 2/3/2010 7:08:50 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Alaska Finally To: "AMSATBBS" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Finally worked Alaska tonight: KL4E in BP51 02/04/2010 0402 Now that is what I call stretching it. 73 de Angelo _______________________________________________ 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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NASA - Pluto Images
by Clint Bradford 04 Feb '10

04 Feb '10

NASA releases most detailed photos of Pluto ever ... http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/science/pluto-20100204.html Clint

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