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

AO7 DX LOOKING USA
by paul robinson 21 Feb '10

21 Feb '10

WILL BE QRV .950 LATER ON AO7 LOOKING USA -PAUL 2E1EUB

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Satellite gear sold
by Don Blachura 21 Feb '10

21 Feb '10

Hello group, The antennas and pre-amps have been sold locally as one setup. Thanks Don....w2xb

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Saturday @ Yuma (AZ) hamfest...
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 21 Feb '10

21 Feb '10

Hi! After an overnight rain shower that stopped just after sunrise, this was a great day for the Yuma Hamfest. Skies that cleared as the day progressed, and more people came in from all over. And there were also more people helping with the AMSAT table today. This was a good way to wrap up the 2010 version of this event. The amount of foot traffic in the main exhibit/vendor hall was well beyond anything from last year. Icom, Yaesu, and the Ham Radio Outlet store from San Diego had booths in the hall. The hamfest took advantage of this large facility - outside the main hall, there were two areas for non-commercial sellers to set up, licensing exams in another part of the facility, and did I mention all the people? I don't have any data from the hamfest on this year's attendance, but it appeared to be a better event in terms of attendance than in 2009. For the satellite demonstrations, by midday today people were asking "When will the next demonstration take place?" or "Is the 'satellite guy' outside ready for a demonstration?". Some of the demonstrations were watched by as many as 30 people, something I rarely see even at hamfests in larger Arizona cities like Phoenix or Tucson! I missed the eastern VO-52 pass just after 1600 UTC, an hour after the hamfest opened. I apologize to anyone who may have been waiting to hear me on that pass. I wanted to get on there, since VO-52 would be the only non-FM satellite I would use for demonstrations. The western VO-52 pass came by around 1740 UTC. As it moved by, I was able to make contacts with 4 stations: AA5PK in west Texas, W0XG in Minnesota, W7JPI in southeastern Arizona, and W6ZKH in California. Lots of questions followed this pass about SSB satellite operation, and especially differences between working these satellites with computer control compared to manual control. I do not use a computer to control anything when working SSB/CW satellites; two FT-817NDs and my adjustments of the VFOs has gotten better with practice for almost 18 months now. Once VO-52 went away, I had almost 2 hours until the next pass. On Thursday, I offered to let Kevin KJ6DDS - a relatively new ham, and new satellite operator - the chance to work my station during the demonstrations. Kevin accepted my offer. This allowed another voice to be heard on the air during the demonstrations, and provided a great learning opportunity for Kevin to get more familiar with the birds. On the SO-50 pass around 2048 UTC, Kevin logged 4 QSOs. Three more followed on AO-27 a few minutes later. Kevin even worked Jim ND9M on the SO-50 pass while Jim stopped on the EL08/EL09 line near San Antonio. New grids for Kevin's log and toward a satellite VUCC award, since Yuma is well within the 200km distance limitation for QTHs used for contacts toward a VUCC award based on his home address in Calexico CA. Kevin's father Larry KI6YAA, using his own portable FM satellite station about 25 yards/meters away from my station, was able to work ND9M at that same EL08/EL09 boundary line on the AO-27 pass. It would be an understatement to say that both of them were happy with getting the new grids from ND9M while doing this at a hamfest demonstration. By the time the next SO-50 and AO-27 passes were coming by starting at 2230 UTC, Kevin went off and participated in a hidden-transmitter hunt on the hamfest grounds. While he proceeded to be the first ham to find that hidden 2m transmitter, I worked these passes. I logged 7 contacts on the SO-50 pass at 2229 UTC, followed by 2 QSOs on the AO-27 pass a few minutes later. There was a shallow AO-51 pass at 2300 UTC, and that brought 5 more contacts to wrap up the on-air demonstrations for this hamfest. Inside the hall, I had lots of help manning the AMSAT table. Along with KI6YAA and KJ6DDS, a few Mexican hams helped out. Thanks to Alex XE2BSS/N2IX, Eliseo XE2TPJ, and Antonio XE2SIV. All of them have been on the satellites, and helped make the day more fun. More hams from northwestern Mexico made their way to this hamfest, and it seemed like they spent some of their time talking with all of us at the AMSAT table. Even before the 2010 Yuma Hamfest came to a close at 5pm (0000 UTC) this afternoon, I was already approached by the organizers about making a return trip for their 2011 event. I will certainly do that. This hamfest is growing, with more people and vendors coming out, and Yuma's location being not too far away from the major cities in Arizona and southern California is starting to convince hams in those places to make the trip. Thanks to Richard KC2LGR and the Yuma Amateur Radio Hamfest Organization for allowing AMSAT to be a part of this event. And, of course, thanks to all the stations making contacts with WD9EWK and KJ6DDS during the demonstrations. One more thing... for anyone who worked WD9EWK during the hamfest demonstrations in the past two days, I will be happy to confirm those QSOs without needing to receive your QSL card(s) first. Please e-mail me the QSO details. If you're in the log, you will get a card. For the QSOs made by KJ6DDS Saturday afternoon, please check QRZ.com for his address and send those QSL requests directly to him. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Elk antenna as carry on luggage?
by Mark L. Hammond 21 Feb '10

21 Feb '10

Anybody know for sure if an Elk antenna is an acceptable carry on luggage item? Disassembled, and rolled up in a bag, for example. Or am I going to have to check it in? 73, Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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ND9M Road Trip Update #12
by claryco＠aol.com 21 Feb '10

21 Feb '10

I expect to be on from the EL08 / EL09 line during three afternoon passes today: two AO27 passes (VOX at 20/1927Z and 2108Z) and one pass over SO50 which rises in my area at 2047Z. AO51 rises locally at 20/2258Z at which time I should be in EL07. The next pass will be at 21/0037Z; we should be in EL06 for that one. Cori and I will get to Brownsville this evening and goof off tomorrow. I'll be on the El15/EL16 line for the afternoon AO27 and SO50 passes on Monday. AO51 makes its switch to V/S mode tomorrow evening, so ops for the week following will be primarily on the AO27 and SO50 birds. 73, Jim, ND9M / VQ9JC Eagle Pass, TX / DL98

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Web Site Suggestions - THANK YOU!
by Clint Bradford 20 Feb '10

20 Feb '10

THANK YOU all for the public and private messages on this topic! A compilation of your suggestions - >> ... Henk, PA3GUO ... [several Web sites cited] ... Henk - those are all excellent reference sites. Beyond what I am doing "now" with my quest to get new folks into working the birds - but I have added them all to my personal bookmarks, and will recommend to more "seasoned" sat communicators. >> ... a link to the AO-27 Java schedule lister site ... That's a great little utility! I *do* have links to the control team and official status pages of the "easy" birds. And I tell folks to bookmark 'em al, and refer to them regularly for updates. But I will mention this app in my presentations for more "advanced" communicators. >> ... Proper satellite names, not these senseless ZO-99 type designations ... A tough one. Yes, the proper nomenclature and history of the topic is important (remember my "Is the "O" in OSCAR "orbital" or "orbiting?" discussion last year? 'Cause I can cite for you about as many mentions of either in literature ... ). But I want entry-level folks to get info quickly and easily - and the tracking software and Web tracking sources seem to have "dumbed-down" to the abbreviated designators. >> ... Maintain current email address on QRZ.com ... I demonstrated the importance of this last night during my presentation at the Los Angeles Maritime Museum K6AA group - I wanted to email a contact in Central CA, but his email address was not posted on QRZ.com. I asked the group - most of whom do maintain their listings on QRZ - if they have ever felt that their posted info on QRZ caused them any grief (spam). No one replied that they had. I am sure I can find his email address via Google search (and i did - I found him to be a board member of his local club). But until I hear that QRZ has sold out and was responsible for spammers to access and mis-use their data, I think it is a good source for us to be able to reference. >> ... You need to be able to hear the satellite before transmitting! Of course, already stressed the importance of this during demos, presentations, and in my tutorial. THANK YOU ALL for your input. Clint Bradford, K6LCS http://www.work-sat.com

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New Control Software
by Angelo Glorioso 20 Feb '10

20 Feb '10

Hi Drew, I was wondering if any process has done on getting the BBS back on V/U again? I know the new control software cause some problems with the UHF receiver but I figured it has been over 2 years now since that update. Can you shed some light here?? 73 de Angelo

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What is MISSING from Sat Sites?
by Clint Bradford 20 Feb '10

20 Feb '10

As you cruise the Web viewing satellite-related sites, what one feature / factoid / bit of information have you found lacking? If you could make sure that ONE THING was on a site touting the virtues of AMSAT and how easy it is to work the FM birds, what would it be? Clint (re-vamping his Web site) Bradford http://www.work-sat.com 909-241-7666

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M2 antennas FS
by Don Blachura 20 Feb '10

20 Feb '10

Hello Group, Anyone in the Western New York area. I have two big M2 yagis for sale . They have the polarity switches on them. Also have two SSB pre-amps the go on the mast. (2 meter and 70 cm.) Also a SSB switch for the mast. Don...w2xb Please contact off list. haircutter(a)verizon.net

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Looking for Mode A receive Antenna
by PE0SAT 20 Feb '10

20 Feb '10

Hi, Thanks for reading. Anybody out there that can give me a drawing for building a Mode A receive antenna? 73 Jan - PE0SAT -- With regards PE0SAT Internet web-page http://www.ham.vgnet.nl/

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