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

Technical question AO-51
by Robin Theunis 09 Jun '10

09 Jun '10

Hey fellow sat-hams, I have a few technical question about AO-51. 1) In V/S mode What is the average output power? 2) What kind of antenna is used on 2.4GHz and 1.3Ghz? 3) What is the sensitivity of the 1.3Ghz receiver? 4) Some where I reeded that AO-51 has an HF receiver? If it true, for what is the purpose? This is just a couple of things, I'm thinking about . I thank very much for any answer on the questions. 73 Robin Theunis ON8RTH

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Re: TS2000 on dualband antenna (for sat work)
by PA3GUO 09 Jun '10

09 Jun '10

Hi John Let me try tomorrow and report back, I have never tested this. Henk, PA3GUO Has anyone on the list tried using a Kenwood TS2000 on full duplex satellite operatation using a dualband VHF/UHF antenna and a diplexer? Is it possible or is there too much desensitization thru the diplexer to make full duplex work? 73s John AA5JG

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Cross Devices Stuf
by Ollie Eisman 09 Jun '10

09 Jun '10

Has anyone used "Stuf" from Cross Devices to waterproof RF connectors (with or without with coax seal)? It seems like a good idea but I wonder how well it works in real life. http://www.crossdevices.com/ 73, Ollie AJ1O

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F9/Dragon keps
by Andrew Glasbrenner 09 Jun '10

09 Jun '10

For those interested, and that haven't gotten their spacetrack account yet... DRAGON/FALCON 9 R/B 1 36595U 10026A 10159.93658060 +.00296804 +40515-4 +32671-3 0 00193 2 36595 034.4967 011.8853 0020394 257.4860 102.3599 16.08080735000679 73, Drew KO4MA

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Re: Tracking Falcon 9's Dragon Payload In Real Time
by Andrew Glasbrenner 09 Jun '10

09 Jun '10

Look for the youtube video shot from the roof of the VAB. You can hear the countdown in the background, and it is perfect. SpaceX must have had some lag in their audio feed. http://www.youtube.com/user/spacearium#p/a/u/0/Ah2NPfGR4dA 73, Drew KO4MA

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CP antenna from 2 WiFi panels
by Greg D. 09 Jun '10

09 Jun '10

Hi folks, Before I start nailing stuff together, I just want to verify what I'm doing... I want to make a 2.4ghz Right-Hand Circular antenna from two flat panel Wi-Fi antennas. The idea is to mount them at 90 degrees from each other, with one 1/4 wavelength in front of the other. Combine the two feeds with a simple Tee (the feeds are of equal length), and into the pre-amp. Since I'm not transmitting, I'm not too worried about the resulting 25 ohm impedance (or should I be?). If it matters, the panels are from HyperLink Technologies, their model HG2414P, with a claimed 14dBi gain. So, the questions: 1. 1/4 wavelength at 2401 mhz is ((3 x 10**8 / 2401 x 10**6) / 4) meters, or about 1.23 inches. Right? 2. Most of our 2.4 ghz satellite downlinks seem to be either linear or RHCP, so I'm guessing that RHCP is probably the preferred construction. (Yes?) 3. Looking at the Satellite Experimenter's Handbook (figure 7-10), I believe the panel rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise as seen from behind the panels should be the one farther out in front, for RHCP. (Their picture shows clockwise for LHCP.) Is this correct? Thanks, Greg KO6TH _________________________________________________________________ The New Busy think 9 to 5 is a cute idea. Combine multiple calendars with Hotmail. http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?tile=multicalendar&ocid=PID2…

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Tracking Falcon 9's Dragon Payload In Real Time
by B J 08 Jun '10

08 Jun '10

http://www.n2yo.com/?s=36595 73s Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL

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Digital Modes on the satellites during Field Day?
by Adrian Engele 08 Jun '10

08 Jun '10

I saw in the AMSAT Filed Day rules we get extra points for working digital modes like PSK31, RTTY, etc. Is anybody planning to work any of these modes during this year's FD? Has there been any activity in the past? Just curious to see if it would be worth the effort to give it a try, especially in a demo situation. I will be operating the satellite station for the K9MOT Motorola Amateur Radio Club again this year. We will be a 2A Battery (QRP 5 Watts) operation. Hope to work you in a few weeks. 73, Adrian AA5UK

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Re: RAX - Radio Aurora Explorer
by Ryan Caron 08 Jun '10

08 Jun '10

One of the RAX presentations during the CubeSat workshop in April stated that they're now targeting a September launch. I'm assuming the delay is due to diffusers being added to all Minotaur IV third stage steering systems to reduce unintended thrust after motor burnout. Minotaur IV is launched out of both Kodiak & Vandenberg; I don't see any reference to Kwaj having any launch capability for the Minotaur family. On 6/8/10 12:00 PM, amsat-bb-request(a)amsat.org wrote: > ------------------------------ > > Message: 6 > Date: Tue, 8 Jun 2010 10:53:19 -0400 > From: "John K Scoggin Jr \(W3JKS/AAT3BF\)"<aat3bf(a)armymars.net> > Subject: [amsat-bb] FW: RAX - Radio Aurora Explorer > To:<amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> > Message-ID:<E72FD383F74A479793B03609F2E94897(a)r3.local> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > > > There was a news item a week or two ago that the Kodiak Launch Complex had > lost its funding from the Missile Defense Agency and that the > Congresscritters were looking for some grease in the bottom of the pork > barrel to keep it alive. > > > > It looks like the MDA launches are going to be coming mostly from Kwajalein > now (which probably makes more sense from the standpoint of fixed support > costs, as the RADARs on Kwaj as still very much needed in any case. > > > > Did RAX lose its ride perhaps? There have been no updates on the RAX > website for a couple of months. > > > > 73, > > john >

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SDR Transceivers
by Joseph Armbruster 08 Jun '10

08 Jun '10

Does anyone have hands-on experience using an SDR transceiver? If so, I have a few general questions: - what unit did you use? - have you used the unit for sat work? - would you consider your experiences with the unit enjoyable or miserable? - did the SDE unit come with an SDK? - if you were to go back and do it all over, would you have gone with a different unit? Thank You, Joseph Armbruster

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