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

AO-51 Contact
by Ng, Peter 20 Feb '10

20 Feb '10

I actually "worked" AO-51 this afternoon during the 17:24 PDT pass (CN 89) while driving home using my Yaesu VX-6R on 5 watts with a dual band mag mount. Is that even possible? I heard contacts as far as DM, but only someone from CN copied me. Even so, I thought it was quite amazing. I thought it wasn't as easy as that...I'm still new at this! 73, Peter VE7NGP

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Re: AO-51 Contact
by Rafael Valdez G. 20 Feb '10

20 Feb '10

I used a very similar arrange this week and had perfect and clear contacts...you are right it is easy!! 73 XE2RV -----Original Message----- From: Ng Peter <Peter.Ng(a)bccdc.ca> Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 03:51:52 To: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Subject: [amsat-bb] AO-51 Contact I actually "worked" AO-51 this afternoon during the 17:24 PDT pass (CN 89) while driving home using my Yaesu VX-6R on 5 watts with a dual band mag mount. Is that even possible? I heard contacts as far as DM, but only someone from CN copied me. Even so, I thought it was quite amazing. I thought it wasn't as easy as that...I'm still new at this! 73, Peter VE7NGP _______________________________________________ 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 <http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb>

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New digital mode ROS - Satellites ?
by Trevor . 20 Feb '10

20 Feb '10

ROS is a digital spread spectrum mode but with a narrow tota occupied bandwidth. Current activity takes place on USB frequencies: 3.600, 7.053, 14.101, 28.300. It can automatically synchronizes within a range of + -200 Hz so may be a better mode for satellite working than PSK31. Further details at: New amateur radio digital mode - ROS http://www.southgatearc.org/news/february2010/ros.htm 73 Trevor M5AKA Daily Amateur Radio News (Email/RSS): http://www.southgatearc.org/ Email Your News To: editor at southgatearc.org Upload Using The Form At: http://www.southgatearc.org/news/your_news_1.htm ----

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K4T DXpedition to EL84NP
by Mike 20 Feb '10

20 Feb '10

Visit our web site http://aroadventures.org/page6.html for the latest updates on equipment and band plan for the DXpedition. There will be a few revisions to the band plan in the next few days but you will be able to see what we will be aiming for. 73 Mike Forsythe, AC2V K4T Team Leader

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Friday afternoon @ Yuma (AZ) hamfest...
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 20 Feb '10

20 Feb '10

Hi! The first day of the two-day Yuma hamfest got off to a nice start. Even for a Friday, there were more people and more vendors and exhibitors compared to last year's hamfest. Having two of the big amateur-equipment manufacturers doesn't hurt things, along with good weather. The AMSAT table was in the middle of the main hall, and I had two local hams working with me - Larry KI6YAA, and Alex XE2BSS/N2IX. As with other hamfests, there is always a lot of traffic by the table, and the demonstrations were well-attended outside the hall. Larry KI6YAA worked a western AO-27 pass in the mid-afternoon, and told me that a couple of the operators asked him to say "hi" to me. Messages were all received. :-) After that pass, I went outside and worked a pair of passes. First, SO-50 at 2200 UTC. There was a nice assortment of stations from across the continental USA, from K0NW and K6CDW in California to WB2SIH in New York state right at the end of the pass. For a couple of moments during this pass, I stopped trying to work the radio due to local noise. This hamfest is at the end of two runways used by both Yuma International Airport and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. The Marine Harrier jets were practicing landing maneuvers, and when those jets slow down and swing the exhaust nozzles toward the ground it is loud!!!! A total of 7 stations were logged during this pass. A few minutes past 2330 UTC, it was time to go back outside for an AO-51 pass just before the hamfest closed for the day at 5pm (0000 UTC). This time, the Marine air manuevers changed from the Harrier jets to other aircraft. An impressive sight, and not as noisy. The satellite was full of activity, the norm as of late with ND9M's travels across the USA. Even though much of the activity was focused on Jim's unusual location near the Rio Grande River (DL98 - and many thanks for the concise description of your location for the audience), I was able to make 14 contacts with stations from XE1AO in central Mexico to many stations all across the USA and John VE7JRX in the Olympic city of Vancouver. A couple of people commented after the pass that it sounded like an HF contest. I agreed with them, and explained in more detail why so many were trying to work ND9M and the basic concept of working stations in different grids. I also assured them that, with practice, they could be working the satellites and get used to that sort of rapid- fire activity. I, along with several hams from this area, will be around the AMSAT table throughout the day tomorrow (Saturday). The hamfest runs from 8am to 5pm (1500-0000 UTC). Demonstrations will be given, including - hopefully - on VO-52 in the morning. If you are able to work VO-52, please look for me around 145.910 MHz +/- on that downlink. If I can't drum up enough activity there, I will try tuning around and working whoever I hear. For the FM birds, my voice may not be the only one on from the hamfest. I may try to get KI6YAA's sons KJ6DDS and possibly KI6ZXU on the microphone while I take care of working the VFO knob and holding the antenna. Or I might get others on the mic. We'll see how things go tomorrow. Whatever we do, we will try not to make life difficult for those trying to work ND9M from wherever Jim and his wife happen to stop. For those who would like a QSL card for contacts with WD9EWK at the Yuma hamfest, please send me an e-mail with QSO information. If you are in the log, you'll get a card. If someone else is on the mic during the demonstrations, please direct QSL requests to them using the information on QRZ.com for their respective callsigns. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK - Calexico CA http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Re: What is MISSING from Sat Sites?
by Henk, PA3GUO 20 Feb '10

20 Feb '10

Hi Clint, These are my favorites, in case I want to check in 30 seconds todays status: http://www.dk3wn.info/p/ (Mike's SatBlog - daily updated) http://www.dk3wn.info/satellites.shtml (detailed sat descriptions, incl. telemetry SW) http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/pcsat.cgi (recent APRS traffic from PCSAT and AO51) http://www.ariss.net/ (recent APRS traffic from ISS) Ah, this site I do not visit daily, but it has a nice 'historical' collection: http://www.dd1us.de/ (click on the left on 'Sounds from Space'). A bit scattered over different sites we have all bits and pieces together. Unfortunately not at one single site, but maybe that is a logical effect. That one thing to describe how much fun and easy it is to work the FM birds ? Well, your amsat-bb reports are certainly one of them ! Great stuff ! 73, Henk http://www.pa3guo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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Re: HO-68 pass for 2/19 @ 2000 Hawaii
by w6zkh＠comcast.net 19 Feb '10

19 Feb '10

Peter......downlink or uplink??? if you heard us, then you had the downlink. The uplink is 145.825 with 67hz PL. Yes, Robert NH7WM was there at the last second, but no QSO was held, as the bird did its auto-shutoff at 2015 utc. Guess we'll just keep trying, as it is a challenge, otherwise it wouldnt be fun, huh??? hi... 73 de John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Scheller" <nh6vb(a)msn.com> To: w6zkh(a)comcast.net Sent: Friday, February 19, 2010 12:31:34 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] HO-68 pass for 2/19 @ 2000 Hawaii John, W6ZKH Good morning. Copied your signal and others. Sorry, could not find my downlink. There was another NH6? station calling but did not get his call. Think he said BL01 73, Peter NH6VB BL01xm > Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:36:36 +0000 > From: w6zkh(a)comcast.net > To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > Subject: [amsat-bb] HO-68 pass for 2/19 @ 2000 Hawaii > > I will be again looking for Hawaii on HO-68 pass today @ 2000 utc. Hopefully this time it will be active, not like the other day.. > > John W6ZKH > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. Sign up now.

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Re: HO-68 pass for 2/19 @ 2000 Hawaii
by w6zkh＠comcast.net 19 Feb '10

19 Feb '10

Hi Robert, and yes, that was me asking if that was you, as just caught the last of your call before the bird shut off. It had a cutoff time of 2015 utc, so it hadnt gotten over the top of you yet. The HO-68 crew put in next weeks schedule for the bird, but it is all Linear SSB/CW modes, no FM. What I have to do here, is print out my SAT32PC WinAOS printout for 7 days, and then compare their schedule with what my printout says so I can determine when it will be active.. But at least I did hear you for a second, so maybe next time. The bird as great footprint, it's just they always turn it off (by software) when it is good for us here in the West. Also on board today was VA6BMJ, WC7V, N7HYN and myself. Maybe next time?? 73 de John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Smith" <dukenuke(a)pixi.com> To: w6zkh(a)comcast.net Sent: Friday, February 19, 2010 12:30:41 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] HO-68 pass for 2/19 @ 2000 Hawaii Hi John I've never worked 68 before but I just tuned to it minutes ago.... and heard voice and someone asked if that 'was me robert?" The bird seemed to die right then althought he beacon was functioning OK.... Just I need to study that bird a bit more and try my luck. If you happen to see something give me some warning and I will glad to give it a try. 73 robert in Hono ----- Original Message ----- From: <w6zkh(a)comcast.net> To: "amsat-bb" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Friday, February 19, 2010 8:36 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] HO-68 pass for 2/19 @ 2000 Hawaii >I will be again looking for Hawaii on HO-68 pass today @ 2000 utc. >Hopefully this time it will be active, not like the other day.. > > John W6ZKH > > > _______________________________________________ > 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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acceptable use
by Thomas McGrane 19 Feb '10

19 Feb '10

Hi folks How about an acceptable use policy for the satellite users. There are a small number of frequent users that have a disproportionate use of the satellites. How do you expect to grow the organization if new people cant even get into the satellites. I'm a rare user now because of this. I can barely get into them with 50 watts. On another note, I report very good results using a thirty dollar ground plane scanner antenna from radio shack as a uhf recieving antenna connected to 15 feet of 9913 cable and using an arr uhf preamp. I have workable reception of even so-50 close to the horizon. Take care, pat

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HO-68 pass for 2/19 @ 2000 Hawaii
by w6zkh＠comcast.net 19 Feb '10

19 Feb '10

I will be again looking for Hawaii on HO-68 pass today @ 2000 utc. Hopefully this time it will be active, not like the other day.. John W6ZKH

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