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

Offtopic: Echolink in Paris
by Fabiano Moser 27 Aug '10

27 Aug '10

Hello, Sorry for Offtopic question. I will be in Paris from 28sep - 02Oct Someone can give me info about Echolink station (QRG) in range of Paris? I want to try a QSO with friends in Brazil (PP5HR-R Station), and Holland. Can you help me? Thank you -- 73 Fabiano Moser CT7ABD / PY5RX "There is no great talent without great will. (Honoré de Balzac)"

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Happy Birthday from Space
by ps8rf Piraja 27 Aug '10

27 Aug '10

Hello all, Fabiano CT7ABD/PY5RX, yesterday August 25, had a one day doubly special. First the date of his birthday and secondly, by receiving his congratulations ( Happy Birthday ) sung by the crew of the International Space Station directly from space. Fabiano is a great radio operator and charismatic, congratulations on passing day of his birthday and to have received this fantastic and historic celebration from space. Listen Audio by CT1EAT: http://www.issfanclub.com/node/28329 73 Piraja, PS8RF The Amateur Radio is supportive and helpful in any circumstance.

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Re: SO-50
by Matt Patterson 26 Aug '10

26 Aug '10

That's true but you would think there would be others on the bird. 73 Matt W5LL -----Original Message----- From: Rick Tejera [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 11:33 PM To: 'Matt Patterson' Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] SO-50 Matt, Did you transmit the ON tone? SO-50 is set up so you have to turn it on by transmitting on 145.85 with a PL of 74.4 hz for 2 seconds. This turns it on for 10 minutes (if I recall correctly). Once it's on you transmit on 145.850 with a 67.0hz PL. Clear Skies Rick Tejera Editor SACnews, Public Outreach Coordinator Saguaro Astronomy Club Phoenix, Arizona www.saguaroastro.org saguaroastro(a)cox.net K7TEJ -----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Matt Patterson Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 21:09 To: amsAT-BB(a)amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] SO-50 Was listening for the SO-50 pass @ 22:58Z and didn't hear anything. A check of the Oscar status website reveals that it was active a couple hours ago. Did anyone else hear it during the latest pass? I finally got setup to start recording the birds with my computer and was going to use SO-50 as a test. 73 Matt W5LL _______________________________________________ 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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FS: Kenwood TT2000 HF/VHF/UHF satellite radio
by John Geiger 26 Aug '10

26 Aug '10

I have for sale or trade a 2008 model Kenwood TS2000 that does 100 watts on HF, 6m, and 2m, and 50 watts on 70cm. I bought this radio used from Ham Radio Outlet at the beginning of June, so it has been checked out recently and found to work perfectly. Really like it but life things come up and I need to downsize the shack a bit. This radio has IF DSP so no optional filters are needed. It also has full duplex for the satellites, a built in TCXO, a 2m/70cm subreceiver for listening to the local repeaters while operating on the main receiver, and a built in TNC. It will also do crossband repeat so you can get on HF or 6m while walking around town with an HT-what a neat feature! It is in very good condition with a couple of light scratches on the top of the case (I doubt they would show up in a picture). It comes with the hand mic, power cord, and manual. I think I still have the original box but it is missing the stryofoam inserts, though. I am asking $1000 for it plus shipping, but can also meet for an inperson deal in the Southwest Oklahoma/OKC/North Texas area. You will not be disappointed with this radio-it does it all and does it all pretty well. 73s John AA5JG Lawton, OK

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Circular Polarized Antennae
by Spectrum International, Inc 26 Aug '10

26 Aug '10

John, LA2QAA That was an interesting message you posted to the -bb this morning. It has many true observations; however there is one serious mistake, an unforgivable error. Quote: ......... particularly by the newcomers - who apparently, and mistakenly, think that high power is necessary. It's *NOT* . . . nor is an EME class aerial array necessary to work the LEO satellites. Ditto circular polarisation. FACT: polarisation is *ONLY* circular along the boresight of an aerial. Unquote. Your polarization statement is not 100% accurate. Unfortunately most antenna manufacturers, who supply/sell "alleged circular" polarized antennas do not state that their antennas are circular polarized ONLY along the boresight. They conveniently (?) do not mention that their alleged "circular polarized" antenna is only circular polarized on boresight, that it is linear polarized at 90 degrees off of boresight and is elliptical polarized of varying ratio at all angles in between! There is however one (and only one that I am aware of) antenna design that is circular polarized over its entire radiation pattern. I refer you to the Q_uadrifilar Helix Antenna_ described by Dr. C.C.Kilgus in IEEE Trans., Vol. AP-16, July 1968, pp. 499-500. Also Bricker, R.W. and Rickert, H.H., in RCA Engineer, Vol.20, No. 5, February/March 1975. There is an excellent review by Walter Maxwell, W2DU, at http://www.IAG.net/~w2du/quadfinal.pdf. When installed pointing to the zenith, the "ideal, theoretical" Quad Helix has 360 degree coverage in the azimuthal plane and 90 degree coverage in the elevation plane. It is circularly polarized over the entire upper hemisphere. There is no radiation in the lower hemi-sphere; the energy in the lower hemi-sphere of an isotropic radiator is uniformly distributed over the upper hemi-sphere. Hence the gain of an "ideal" Quad Helix is 3.01 dBi. However you can modify the elevation pattern to give more gain at the horizon and less gain overhead by adjustment of the overall length to diameter ratio. It is possible to adjust this ratio to give constant signal amplitude, at an earth based receiving station, from a satellite in a circular orbit where the range ratio (and hence signal path attenuation) between AOS and the zenith can be significant. This results in a little radiation below the horizon and also avoids the nasty mathematical boundary value problem at the horizon in the ideal case. Quadrifilar Helix antennas are used on many LEO satellites for VHF, UHF, L-band and S-band communication. One of their parameters of interest to satellite builders is that they do NOT require a "ground plane" provided they are at least a quarter wavelength above the satellite structure. Hence there is negligible critical location requirement and they do not occupy satellite surface area that is required for solar cells. The Quadrifilar Helix antenna is popular with earth based receiving stations for receiving the VHF image data signals from the NOAA weather satellites. Right-hand circular Quad Helix antennas for the 137MHz NOAA weather image signals and 137MHz left-hand circular Quad Helix antennas for receiving the ARGOS programme signals, are available from Spectrum International, Inc. Spectrum also supplies both right-hand and left-hand versions for the 2M and 70cm Amateur radio bands. May we suggest you sprinkle some "Grow More fertilizer" around the base of your "chopped down satellite array" every Sunday morning and offer a few words of wisdom while so doing. With a little help and the dregs of Saturday night's Black and Tan, your mini array might grow. Regards, Spectrum.

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SO-50
by Matt Patterson 25 Aug '10

25 Aug '10

Was listening for the SO-50 pass @ 22:58Z and didn't hear anything. A check of the Oscar status website reveals that it was active a couple hours ago. Did anyone else hear it during the latest pass? I finally got setup to start recording the birds with my computer and was going to use SO-50 as a test. 73 Matt W5LL

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Pakistan flood relief disaster communications
by Daniel Schultz 25 Aug '10

25 Aug '10

I am forwarding this from the TAPR mailing list in case any Amsat people can help with this effort. Dan Schultz N8FGV -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The TAPR Office received a telephone inquiry today about the use of Packet Radio for relief efforts in Pakistan. I asked Jeannie to summarize in an email what kind of information or help they were seeking I felt posting to the tapr-announce list would be the easiest way to get the word out. Please contact Jeannie directly if you can help. -- 73, John, W9DDD -------- To recap, we are interested in HAM radio expertise to help us figure out how to enable on-the-ground reports communicated through HAM radio to be compiled into digital maps (e.g., see map created by Ushahidi for Haiti http://haiti.ushahidi.com/, which we fed SMS and Twitter messages) for use by relief organizations. This project is within Crisiscommons.org, ( www.crisiscommons.org) and I am the Silicon Valley city lead. CrisisCommons.org is a volunteer movement of coders for humanitarian relief in natural disasters, and anyone can jump in and contribute any amount of effort that they like. Background information and our current understanding is being recorded at: http://wiki.crisiscommons.org/wiki/HAM_Radio_to_Digital#Self-Register Please encourage any interested parties to jump in and edit the page to help us understand HAM capabilities and technical needs. The goals for defining requirements is to create an open source software stand-alone or add-on software to automate collection of HAM-generated information during natural disasters to a common operating picture. A team is being sent in for a range of CrisisCommons.org projects; if your members could help us communicate with the HAM operators in Pakistan, to get requirements (even by voice), we would love to know more about what they need and how to help. A working group will be running in Silicon Valley this Friday from 5-10pm, and we will have virtual participation. Details at: http://www.eventbrite.com/myevent?eid=538771480 Please feel free to forward this email or advertise this project to your members - the more the merrier. We did send this information out to the contact form for the ARRL. I look forward to any information that you are able to provide! Best, Jeannie -- Jeannie A. Stamberger, Ph.D. Adjunct Faculty Carnegie Mellon Silicon Valley Disaster Management Initiative NASA Ames Research Campus Room 107, Building 23 Moffett Field, California jeannie.stamberger(a)sv.cmu.edu +1 (650) 380-1158

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Re: New Satellite Downlink?
by charlie Cantrill 25 Aug '10

25 Aug '10

Would it be possible to allow students/hams around the world to send a text message to ground stations? This would be especially handy to those students/instructors who cannot send APRS packets to sats to generate interest and outreach. What about adding this feature in addition to sending bulletins of satellite users interest. Charlie CantrillKI4RDTInstructor, Nelson County Area Technology Center Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:27:00 -0400 From: "Robert Bruninga" <bruninga(a)usna.edu> Subject: [amsat-bb] New Satellite Downlink? To: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Message-ID: <3DEE29EBEB7F407C97AFEA744C8B95D5(a)ewlab.usna.edu> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Possible new AMSAT Application? We may have access to two old TRANSIT navigation satellites with a 50 baud downlink at 149.985 (and 400 MHz). (presently coming over in the mid afternoon). My problem is, coming up with any meaningful application to use them for communications that would capture the interest of students, hams or volunteers in support of education, public service or emergency comms or just plain fun... The downlink can be heard on an OMNI antenna (though I would suggest a 3/4 wave (55") vertical) and could be decoded by a simple software only application with a sound card. (someone has to write it)... The total useful message capability is about 500 bytes transmitted every 2 minutes (at 50 baud). The uplink is very specialized and can ONLY BE DONE from one (or two) very special commmand stations. These satellites of course were the original Navy Navigation satellite system (also called OSCARS) and so the message would be in-place of the normal navigation data. SO in a sense, this is a downlink BROADCAST application. Since ham radio is two way, I'm stumped for applications. The total message capability of 500 Bytes can contain one long ARRL bulletin, or 20 APRS position/status reports, or say 20 or so APRS text messages, or say 50 "callsign exchanges" or maybe even 1 thumbnail image... but what's the application? Even if we allow say, INTERNET link to the command station for "anyone" to contribute to the twice per-day upload, then everyone's receiver application can receive them... For what? So Im looking for ideas. All I can come up with so far is: 1) ARRL Bulletins? (I don't even know how often ARRL sends bulletins...) 2) Navy/Army/AF MARS broadcast bulletins... 3) Internet message in-to-command-upload-to message RF downlink. Two stations do this to each other and it counts as a two-way QSO? 4) ... Every scenario of interest usually begins with the much higher value of UPLINK from the individual field station, not downlink.. Hence I am stumped. HUMMH... Maybe purely educational? If the software can run on any PC with a sound card connected to any scanner... Then every school can use it as a satellite downlink signal of interest.. What kind of thumbnail image can fit in 500 bytes? Send in your picture and get it downlinked on a given day? Etc.. Will need a DSP volunteer to write the sound card decoder. Bob, WB4APR

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Posting to BB
by Tom Jones 25 Aug '10

25 Aug '10

Folks I am searching for hardware to interface my laptop to the Yaesu rotor G-5500 or G-550. I use SatPC32 software. What is the latest and greatest hardware to do this? I know that the KCT unit is no longer made. Regards Tom KC2DTQ

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Re: New Satellite Downlink?
by G. Beat 25 Aug '10

25 Aug '10

Bob - Yes, the TRANSIT satellite appears to be designed for a low speed broadcast style service. An Internet entry/access page would permit an "ease of UI" for the creation of the message to be properly encoded, upilnked and then broadcast on the downlink. Application would require these characteristics: 1. Content would have to be tolerant of no more than 2 changes each day, no stock quotes! Electronic equivalent of the old morning and evening newspaper. What does a locl nespaper provide for content that is still relavent or desired? 2. Content woiuld have to be relavant to amatuer radio or educational / scientific community. 3. Contant needs to be "global" in nature -- regional or country specific would not appeal to the larger global audience. 4. Should be content that has highest value to a mobile/portable station (think of a lone person in South Pacific - small island or boat: Tom Hanks in Cast Away ). What daily "global" content wojuld be most useful for them to know?? Assume they have the radio to receive and laptop computer. 5. Due to infrequency, data / information has to be "correct the first time" -- retractions woudl take one or two days (reducing validity of service content) Some content ideas: a. Daily solar activity/propogation daily bulletins (also sent via ARRL and Internet accessilble) useful to amateur DX community b. Lunar information for Tidal predictions c. TLE of amatuer radio satellites and ISS d. Global "short message"/bulletin to amateur radio community -- beyong ARRL focus -- more along ITU / global scope e. Astronomical events of "note" --- northern and southern hemisphere. Plantes visible, rare alignments. f. Special events (scientific, radio, etc.) -- hemispheric or very wide audience Greg w9gb Message: 11 Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:27:00 -0400 From: "Robert Bruninga" < bruninga(a)usna.edu > Subject: [amsat-bb] New Satellite Downlink? To: < amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > Possible new AMSAT Application? We may have access to two old TRANSIT navigation satellites with a 50 baud downlink at 149.985 (and 400 MHz). (presently coming over in the mid afternoon). My problem is, coming up with any meaningful application to use them for communications that would capture the interest of students, hams or volunteers in support of education, public service or emergency comms or just plain fun... The downlink can be heard on an OMNI antenna (though I would suggest a 3/4 wave (55") vertical) and could be decoded by a simple software only application with a sound card. (someone has to write it)... The total useful message capability is about 500 bytes transmitted every 2 minutes (at 50 baud). The uplink is very specialized and can ONLY BE DONE from one (or two) very special command stations. These satellites of course were the original Navy Navigation satellite system (also called OSCARS) and so the message would be in-place of the normal navigation data. SO in a sense, this is a downlink BROADCAST application. Since ham radio is two way, I'm stumped for applications. The total message capability of 500 Bytes can contain one long ARRL bulletin, or 20 APRS position/status reports, or say 20 or so APRS text messages, or say 50 "callsign exchanges" or maybe even 1 thumbnail image... but what's the application? Even if we allow say, INTERNET link to the command station for "anyone" to contribute to the twice per-day upload, then everyone's receiver application can receive them... For what? So Im looking for ideas. All I can come up with so far is: 1) ARRL Bulletins? (I don't even know how often ARRL sends bulletins ...) 2) Navy/Army/AF MARS broadcast bulletins ... 3) Internet message in-to-command-upload-to message RF downlink. Two stations do this to each other and it counts as a two-way QSO? 4) ... Every scenario of interest usually begins with the much higher value of UPLINK from the individual field station, not downlink.. Hence I am stumped. HUMMH... Maybe purely educational? If the software can run on any PC with a sound card connected to any scanner... Then every school can use it as a satellite downlink signal of interest.. What kind of thumbnail image can fit in 500 bytes? Send in your picture and get it downlinked on a given day? Etc.. Will need a DSP volunteer to write the sound card decoder. Bob, WB4APR

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