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

Email Inquiry
by Clint Bradford 15 Jun '10

15 Jun '10

Who would like to make contact with this gentleman? I am not into the "data" aspect of the birds. Email me, and I will provide his contact info. Thanks! -Clint Hello Sir/Madam, I hope this email finds you in the best of health. The reason for this email is to ask if you know anyone in your circle, that is a ham radio person, or is/was interested in tracking satellites. We are a group of students at the University of Southern California, who have put together a couple of Yagi antennae on a Yaesu servo mount, on top of a building and have a Yaesu FT-736R and a TS-2000 radio rigs. Our goal is to capture data from amateur satellites. We are having some problems with the accumulation of data from satellites, and are in a constant rut of affairs, for the last few weeks, and after trying everything we could think of, maybe need to be pointed out an obvious simple error. We can hear the data packets on the 144.39 MHz FM at 1200 bps, but when it comes to satellites our TNCs just keep quiet, even though the power levels on the radios show that some sort of signal is coming down. It might be that we have missed some configuration that needs to be done, and would be very thankful if you could direct us to someone who can give us a few minutes of his time on the phone and help us out. So if you know anyone who even might be able/willing to help kindly email me back. Thanks, Omair A. Rahman, Teaching Assistant, USC Astronautical Engineering.

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AO-27 schedule updated
by George Henry 15 Jun '10

15 Jun '10

A new schedule was uploaded to the satellite on May 30th. All users of the Java schedule lister should update your data files to be sure you have the latest schedule. George, KA3HSW

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Call for Papers & Presentations - 2010 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference
by Mark Thompson 13 Jun '10

13 Jun '10

Note: Presentations at the DCC are encouraged & can be made without submitting a technical paper. Call for Papers--2010 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the 29th Annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference to be held September 24-26, 2010 in Portland, Oregon. These papers will also be published in the Conference Proceedings (you do NOT need to attend the conference to have your paper included in the Proceedings). The submission deadline is July 31, 2010. Please send papers to: Maty Weinberg ARRL 225 Main St Newington, CT 06111 or you can make your submission via e-mail to: maty(a)arrl.org Papers will be published exactly as submitted and authors will retain all rights. 73 . . . Steve, WB8IMY sford(a)arrl.org ARRL

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QSL Label Software
by Reid Crowe 13 Jun '10

13 Jun '10

I'm tying to setup BV7 QSL for satellite contacts. Is there a way to import the satellite name and the RX band or does someone have another program that they recommend? 73 Reid N0RC

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Hayabusa Sample Container Touches Down
by B J 13 Jun '10

13 Jun '10

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1006/13hayabusaentry/ 73s Bernhard VA6BMj @ DO33FL

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W1AW/4 Tuesday in EM84 Teachers Institute
by Mark Spencer 13 Jun '10

13 Jun '10

Hi All, I will be attempting a satellite demonstration during the teachers institute in Walhalla, SC (EM84) on AO27 Tuesday June 15 at 1441 EDT (hope I have the time right and my batteries charged this time). The backup to deal with potential rain is during the 1550 EDT pass. I will be using W1AW/4. If you would like a QSL for the contact, use my home address WA8SME, no SASE required, and I'll take care of the return card. Thanks for supporting the ARRL teachers institutes. Mark Mark Spencer, WA8SME Education and Technology Program Coordinator ARRL, the national association for Amateur RadioT mspencer(a)arrl.org www.arrl.org/education-technology-program www.arrl.org/teachers-institute-on-wireless-technology 530-495-9150

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AO 51
by Larry Lucas 13 Jun '10

13 Jun '10

After trying for a couple of weeks finally heard AO 51. Now I am hooked even more. Working on trying to contact now. Using a Yeasu 7 and an Elk antenna. I am going to try for other sats now. hope to talk to you someday. KD8JHW

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AMSAT Forum at Dayton Hamvention Videos Ready to be Viewed On-line
by JoAnne Maenpaa 12 Jun '10

12 Jun '10

AMSAT has posted five videos filmed at the 2010 Dayton Hamvention. Don't get the ANS e-mails? Check out http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans to remedy the situation ... see bulletin below ... SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-164.03 AMSAT Forum at Dayton Hamvention Videos Ready to be Viewed On-line AMSAT News Service Bulletin 164.03 >From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. June 13, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-164.03 If you weren't able to attend the Dayton Hamvention this year, you missed five interesting and informative presentations at the AMSAT Forum. The complete presentations are now available on the AMSAT website at http://www.amsat.org. From the menu on the left side of the home page, select "AMSAT Video News". The direct link to the AMSAT Video News Page is: http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/videoNews.php Here's what you'll find: Barry Baines, WD4ASW, AMSAT President, "AMSAT Status Report" AMSAT President Barry Baines highlights current activities within AMSAT and discusses some of the challenges facing the organization. Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations, "AMSAT Satellite Oper- ations and International Satellite Operations". Drew discussed oper- ational AMSAT satellites and described new and future international Satellites. Mike Forsythe, AC2V, "Integrating Satellite Operations into DXpeditions" Mike, K4T Team Leader described the planning and execution of the K4T DXpedition, and how to have satellite operations be a major part of DXpeditions, involving youth and making it all work on green power! Gould Smith, WA4SXM, AMSAT VP User Services, "Getting ARISSat-1 Ready to Fly". Gould is the AMSAT Project Manager for ARISSat-1 and talked about the evolution of SuitSat-2 to ARRISat-1, the current status of the satellite project, and the testing and delivery of two satellites to Russia in July. Roger Westgate, WC2R, "NextGen CubeSat Program Update". Roger delivered the update prepared by Alex Harvilchuck, N3NP, a Systems Engineer with IBM and the NextGen CubeSat Program Manager. A team of engineering students from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Binghamton have been modifying the power systems from ARISSat-1 for use in a 3U CubeSat with a U/V linear trans- ponder, for AMSAT. The files are in Windows Media Video (.wmv) format and will work with Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player on a PC, Safari and QuickTime (with .wmv plug-in) under OS X on an Apple Macintosh, and with a .wmv player under Linux or other operating system. Credits: Video and audio recording: Patrick Stoddard WD9EWK and Douglas Quagliana KA2UPW Moderator: Alan Biddle WA4SCA Video server: Rob Meisse W8REM and Gunther Meisse W8GSM Webmaster: Rick Hambly W2GPS Video editor: Steve Belter N9IP [ANS thanks Steve Belter, N9IP for the above information] /EX -- 73 de JoAnne K9JKM k9jkm(a)amsat.org Editor, AMSAT News Service Copy Editor, AMSAT Journal

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FS: KLM 22el CP yagi & Arrow antenna
by Kevin Smith 12 Jun '10

12 Jun '10

Thanks for reading this post. The following have become excess to my needs and are for sale: 1) KLM 22-element CP, switchable polarization - this antenna was recently brought off my tower after more than 10-years of great service. I have pictures of this antenna including several with my MFJ 269Pro connected showing 1.1:1 to 1.2:1 SWR across the 70-cm band from 432 to 445 Mhz that I can send to you upon request. Although the antenna can be broken down somewhat into five shorter lengths I am not at all sure that it can be shipped commercially. I have a price in mind but let's talk. Shipping costs (if possible) will be extra. 2) Arrow II Model 146/437-10WBP with 10W duplexer & cables and nylon antenna bag. Both packages never opened. $120 firm. If interested in either item please contact me via email. Kevin Smith N3HKQ

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Re: VO-52
by Louis House, KD5GM 12 Jun '10

12 Jun '10

>Message: 2 >Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:41:37 -0700 >From: Clint Bradford <clintbradford(a)mac.com> >Subject: [amsat-bb] VO-52 - OK to Work in FM? >To: AMSAT BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Message-ID: <783B57E0-1B8C-4F72-A695->ACD09E6AE27E(a)mac.com> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii >The Bengal ham club posted about five years ago >instructions for working V)-52 in FM mode. Is that still >OK to do? >"HAMSAT or VO-52 is a satellite intended for >SSB/CW operation. However as in VU land very few >of us can afford multimode VHF/UHF radios we are >accessing Hamsat on FM for which it is best to stick to >the centre frequencies (435.250 uplink and 145.900 >downlink). It is also best to simultaneously monitor your >own signals on the downlink using a separate radio. >Hamsat requires around 100 watt ERP for solid 59 >signals. So if you are using 10 watts RF the >recommended antenna gain is around 10 db. However >Hamsat or VO-52 have been accessed on high >elevation passes using 25 watts ERP. If you want to use >omni directional antennas you can build a turnstile or an >eggbeater antenna which has a dome shaped radiation >pattern with circular polarisation. Separate 10 element >UHF and 5 element VHF crossed yagis with >circular .polarisation would give excellent results. Only >keep the transmission line loss (particularly on UHF) >minimum. Use hardline CATV cable if transmission line >is more than! > 100 feet. Otherwise if you use RG-213 keep the >feeder length to around 20 - 30 feet. I have been using a >handheld arrow yagi antenna with RG-58U cable of >around 1 meter length. Doppler compensation is needed >particularly on the UHF uplink where the signal will shift a >round 10 KHz. So for the uplink it is best to start from >435.240 MHz during AOS and end at 435.260 MHz at >LOS and on the downlink start receiving 5 KHz up at >145.905 MHz and end at 145.895 MHz. Currently the >VU transponder is on and it has a beacon (continuous >carrier) on 145.936 MHz though we have not yet r >eceived the beacon from Calcutta / Kolkata." >Clint, K6LCS It is very exciting to work VO-52 in the CW mode. She is a strong bird and hears well. I work her often on only 2 watts CW and a 12 dbi gain vertical yagi on the uplink and 10d bi for the V down link and can hear her down to about 5 degrees on most passes. LOUIS, KD5GM CW, The original digital mode

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