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

FQ56 Operation Announcements
by Reid Crowe 10 Mar '10

10 Mar '10

I just want to let everyone that is following my planned operation to FQ56, Thule Greenland, that I've created a Google group to send out announcements. Since I will not have a set operating schedule while I'm up there, I will send out an email right before I go on the with my operation plans for that time period. I think this is a better option than just telling people to watch the DX cluster. You can join here: <http://groups.google.com/group/ox-thule-2010> 73, Reid N0RC

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HO-68 Command Team Contact
by Reid Crowe 10 Mar '10

10 Mar '10

I'm looking for contact info for the HO-68 command team. I wasn't able to find it on their site. Does anyone know their email address? I'm trying to request that HO-68 be turned on to support operation for FQ56.

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Current Handheld-Which is best
by Call Sign 10 Mar '10

10 Mar '10

Heres another vote for the Yaesu HT rigs; I use a Yaesu VX-7R and I appreciate being able to program a single odd band split, memory channel (that require no pl), then I use the memory tune (MT) function on the radio and turn one dial back and forth to adjust for Doppler and the 2 meter transmit is ready to go anytime I squeeze the PTT. This set up works much better for me then 5 separate memory channels for every bird. The Kenwood HT's wont let you program that odd band split into a single memory channel, (dont know about others) however sadly, Yaseu made it so you cannot pass pl tones in the odd band split memory channels but of course you can pass pl tones in the other memory or VFO modes. In my short experience, the better question I will be asking myself next time I purchase, is which HT has the most sensitive receiver and has enough other functions to still get the job done, although my VX-7R receives ok, some of the problems I had, with what seem like nulls, using the Arrow antenna and diplexer, went away when a friend gave me a pre-amp to put between the antenna and the HT. (the preamp is the size of a quarter and a 9 volt battery, so its still nice and portable, not commercially available, sorry) Sure wish we had a good full duplex, dual or tri-band, HT that had an excellent receiver, (worked USB on both TX and RX) and had the modest other functions we need to work the satellites but the compromised HT's are still a bunch of fun, with a portable Yagi in the trunk, a spare 19 minutes (including set up) and a pass prediction schedule, can bring a big smile to my face when I am out and about, in the car. Message: 3 Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 12:23:12 -0800 From: Clint Bradford <clintbrad4d(a)earthlink.net> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Current Handheld To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Message-ID: <14794104-F646-4AE6-AA55-56174A71527A(a)earthlink.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii >> ... "what is the best current handheld for FM sats"?? We do not have a currently-manufactured TRUE DUPLEX HT available. Alinco tried - but the sub-band receive performance on their DJ-G7T is gruesome. I use and like the Yaesu FT-60R - for MANY reasons ... -Receives 108 to a gig -bulletproof case -strongest belt clip of any amateur HT chassis on the market -easy to manually program -1,000+ memories -large, easy-to-read display -and a battery situation that is great. Load up the optional FBA-25 AA alkaline tray with alkalines or NiMH cells, and you have FULL TX POWER available, is needed. Do that on, say, a Kenwood TH-F6a, and you have ONE-HALF WATT TX power. Oh - and the Yaesu FT-60R can be programmed for "split freq" ops - where is receives on 440 and transmits on 2M. Overall, it is a tremendous value for your money. Under $200 at HRO and AES and other authorized Yaesu dealers. Clint Bradford, K6LCS 909-241-7666

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WD9EWK @ Scottsdale "Springfest", Saturday (13 March)
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 09 Mar '10

09 Mar '10

Hi! I will have an AMSAT table at the Scottsdale Amateur Radio Club's Springfest hamfest on Saturday morning, 13 March 2010. For the first time in about 20 years, this hamfest has a new location. It will be in the parking lot at the Fort McDowell Casino, along the Beeline Highway (Arizona route 87) a couple of miles northeast of Shea Boulevard on the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation reservation. The hamfest officially runs from 7am to 1pm (1400-2000 UTC), although it typically wraps up before noon. During the hamfest, I will do several on-air demonstrations using a variety of satellites as WD9EWK. Even though the hamfest does not officially start until 1400 UTC, I may be on passes as early as 1300 UTC. I will attempt to work passes on two FM satellites (AO-51 and SO-50) along with 3 SSB satellites (AO-7, FO-29, VO-52) from the hamfest, located in either grid DM43dn or DM43do depending on the parking lot the hamfest uses. With K4T on this weekend, I will try not to get in their way on the SSB passes. I will try to be in the upper half of the downlink passband for each of these satellites (and, if possible, work K4T during one of the demonstrations), but not park too close to their planned frequencies. If there is activity at the hamfest until 2000 UTC, I will also try to work an HO-68 pass at 1920-1933 UTC around 145.950 MHz USB on that downlink. Anyone working WD9EWK on Saturday wanting a QSL card for any contacts only needs to e-mail me with the QSO details. If you're in the log, you will get a card. Making contacts with regular operators is a great help with the demonstrations; stations typically make the normal exchange along with briefly mentioning the city/town and state they are in. This helps to reinforce that a low-power portable VHF/UHF station can reach out across North America via satellite. Thanks in advance, and 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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U-100 rotor 4sale
by Bob- W7LRD 09 Mar '10

09 Mar '10

Hello-I have a Alliance U-100 rotor with control unit for sale. It will handle up to 5 square feet of antenna. Good for a modest elevation satellite array. Works good, clean unit. Listing it here first, before Ebay. Contact direct 73 Bob W7LRD Seattle

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Yuri Gagarin birth anniversary 9 March
by andy thomas 09 Mar '10

09 Mar '10

Tomorrow 9 March 2010 will be the 76th birth anniversary of First Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. Expect to hear some interesting recordings from Yubileiny RS-30 - worth having that digital recorder ready!! 73 de andy G0SFJ

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ND9M Road Trip Final Update #20
by John Papay 09 Mar '10

09 Mar '10

Jim will be on AO-27 at 1943z on the EL39/49 line, 9 March. He MIGHT be on other passes on the way home. 73, John K8YSE

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XE2/WD9EWK videos from February 2009 trip
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 08 Mar '10

08 Mar '10

Hi! After my first attempt at uploading videos to YouTube last night, I found 3 video clips from my trip to Mexicali last year. One clip was from part of an SO-50 pass, and the other two were during a shallow AO-51 pass, all on 22 February 2009. These videos were made by David XE2DAK using his Sony digital (still-photo) camera, so the video quality is not the greatest. These clips were from passes I worked in the city of Mexicali - near the state university, and at Mexicali's "Ciudad Deportiva" (Sports City) athletic complex. The SO-50 pass video can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf_pJw9qthM The two clips from the AO-51 pass are at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WskH1spZIc and: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qseb6JVNgvo 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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K4T DXpedition to EL84 Dry Tortugas 11-15 March 2010
by Mark L. Hammond 08 Mar '10

08 Mar '10

Hello All, There has been mention of this previously, but here's your last reminder from the group as we make final preparations for the K4T trip to EL84, Dry Tortugas. Details here: http://aroadventures.org/page6.html Thanks to great organizing by Mike AC2V, we will have 2 full satellite stations and one portable setup (should it be needed). We hope to work some CW on the linear birds, since some members of the team are CW aficionados and we'll have 2 stations. To help people find us, we'll probably work CW around the target frequencies listed, rather than at the bottom the transponder--but tune and listen. We will be active on the following satellites with target frequencies listed as below: Target Frequencies for K4T 11 March - 15 March 2010: Gridsquare EL84 Satellite Downlink Uplink --------- -------------- ------------- AO-7 145.960 USB 432.136 LSB (and CW) AO-27 436.795 FM 145.850 FM FO-29 435.860 USB 145.940 LSB (and CW) SO-50 436.795 FM 145.850 FM AO-51 435.150 FM 145.880 FM (primary) AO-51 435.300 FM 145.920 FM (secondary if necessary) VO-52 145.910 USB 435.240 LSB (and CW) HO-68 435.760 USB 145.930 LSB (and CW) Possible satellite passes (time in UTC) to work K4T are listed at this link; we'll try to work as many as possible, but we might not be able to realistically work EVERY pass on the list (we'll try ;) ) http://aroadventures.org/page24.html There are thunderstorms possible, so we may need to shutdown a bit. And don't forget the awesome HF/6M contacts you can make! Here is the HF bandplan: http://aroadventures.org/page22.html And, we are dreaming about some meteor-scatter (EME? heh) using WSJT between passes, simplex operations, and band openings; we'll see. Hope to work as many fellow AMSAT-BB folks as possible. 73! -- Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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Re: Mars Express rx by F5PL (ESA)
by Nader Omer 08 Mar '10

08 Mar '10

Anther Great Milestone to Amateurs achievements, FB Pinel .73's 73's Nader > Hello all; at ESA blog: > http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/7/1058 >73 de Michel F6HTJ

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