February 2011 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

HEO Arsene AO-24
by f6htj＠aol.com 05 Feb '11

05 Feb '11

Here is a detailed description from the past (sorry found only in French) http://www.amsat-france.org/spipamsat/IMG/pdf/Descriptif_ARSENE.pdf and photos: http://www.amsat-france.org/spipamsat/article.php3?id_article=61 73 de Michel F6HTJ

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Re: AO40 contacts
by books47925＠mypacks.net 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

Hello Everyone, Clare, I certainly do miss AO-40, along with AO-13, and AO-10 :( Thanks for all the QSO's, & QSL's! Many friends were made via satellite! Has anything been heard from AO-10 lately? I knew it went into sleep mode for a long rest, but it would just show up again without notice. My satellite antennas are down, and I can't listen for it :( Floyd, AO-40 was used by many during it's short life. I have at least 50 DXCC confirmed from AO-40 QSO's! I just wonder what it would have been like, since more DX Peditions were inclined to take along a small dish and yagi, and be able to work DX via satellite. Mike, I remember the AO-40 - 24 GHz QSO's from the parking lot of Dayton Hamvention, they were a blast! Thank You for the 10 GHz terrestrial QSO last Summer too! I hope we can break a record on 24 GHz this summer! Please e-mail me when the time gets closer. Clare, it was very nice to see the calls you mentioned in your post. I often wonder about many of the operators that we worked. I hope they are all well. 73 de KB8VAO, Steve -----Original Message----- >From: n1jez(a)burlingtontelecom.net >Sent: Feb 4, 2011 7:16 AM >To: amsat-bb <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AO40 contacts > >Those were fun days Clare! > >My most challenging contacts were made using K band (24 GHz down). First >contact was on 4/20/2002 with Jerry, K5OE. > >http://www.burlingtontelecom.net/[email protected]/index.html > >I think the only mode I never got to try was 2.4 GHz up. I have the >transverter sitting here in my shack, but AO-40 went bang before I got to >use it. The plan was S/k. > >73, >Mike, N1JEZ >AMSAT 29649 >"A closed mouth gathers no feet" > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Clare Fowler" <clarefowler(a)rogers.com> >Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AO40 contacts > > >>I made over 1300 contacts on AO-40 during its 2 3/4 years of operation. >> >> The first QSO was on 05/05/01 at 08:17 with Mike N1JEZ on U/S >> then at 08:39 worked Dom I8CVS, at 08:52 Fred CU8AO, and at 09:03 Frank >> DL6DBN. >> >> I then fired up my FT-736R on 1.2 GHz and at 09:44 worked Steve KB8VAO >> with >> both >> of us making our 1st L/S QSO on AO-40 and then at 09:55 worked Mike N1JEZ >> for his first L/S contact. >> >> On the 25th and 26th of Jan 2003 an AO-40 QSO party was held. >> 30 logs were submitted from 14 countries. >> I made 107 QSO's with 19 DXCC countries. >> >> My last contact was on 28/01/04 at 20:39 with DG4DW. >> My next log entry was at 29/01/04 at 01:35 with Jerry W0SAT and >> my log note is "we talked about AO-40 gone" >> >> In spite of the fact AO-40 had major problems and never operated near it's >> original >> design I think it was a very successful amateur satellite. >> >> Bob (W7LRD); I guess all we can do now is remember the good old days and >> cry >> on >> each others shoulders. SOB SOB >> >> Clare VE3NPC >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Floyd Rodgers" <kc5qbc(a)swbell.net> >> Subject: [amsat-bb] AO40 contacts >> >> >>> Did anyone manage to bag any contacts off A040 before it's sad event? > > >_______________________________________________ >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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Launch Opportunity To All Balloon Groups, Or Individuals!
by Steve D 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

Forwarded by Steve G6UIM Launch Opportunity To All Balloon Groups, Or Individuals! This will be a launch opportunity that will be for most if not all the balloon groups a once in a lifetime opportunity! A few people on these lists already know about this. I am now trying to hit all the lists that I know of. If you know of anyone that may be interested please forward this on to them. In the spirit of cooperation between all the balloon groups, Like the Four to Six groups did from those early days over 20 years ago now. Where every flight that happened all the groups all joined in helping each other to make sure the flight was successful. There were only a dozen or so flights each YEAR! Now sometimes in one weekend, there are more flights happening, than what would have happened for the whole year back in those old days! After MUCH thought, and deliberation, in the spirit of the fellow founders of this extremely fun activity we do. I have decided to open this flight opportunity to anyone and everyone. Anyway, I at first thought of using this opportunity for myself to grab and smash for all time the maximum altitude record. But then I also thought, maybe while that is cool, but at the same time an awful waste of this opportunity. And this will be a one time flight! I know myself for sure could never ever even come close to doing a flight like this again. The Balloon alone when purchased cost close to $2800.00 Yikes! So I got to thinking of instead of simply grabbing the all time and probably forever maximum altitude record. I thought maybe open up this opportunity to all the groups anywhere to propose a payload to fly on it. For more details visit the address below. http://www.qsl.net/wb9sbd/300K.html Any proposals I get I will post on that web site for everyone to examine. Joe WB9SBD Near Space Sciences __._,_.___ <http://geo.yahoo.com/serv?s=97359714/grpId=2133522/grpspId=1705063108/msgId =3511/stime=1296793816/nc1=4025321/nc2=4836045/nc3=5028924> __,_._,___

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Payloads required for very big balloon flight
by Steve Daniels 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

HI WB9SBD plans to fly a very large balloon. He wants to reach hopefully 250,000 ft. and make the balloon a floater i.e. for it not to burst. I thought this might be an opportunity for AMSAT. To fly a transponder or other payload. More Details here http://www.qsl.net/wb9sbd/300K.html Steve G6UIM

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Re: Arissat-1 lifetime
by G0MRF＠aol.com 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

That be fighting talk........OK, shall we start the re-entry date competition now??? For 66 pounds in a relatively small box, I think that Arissat-1 will go on beyond 6 months by quite a bit. My rapidly depreciating UK pound is on Launch + 324 days. David (who never knew he had WAC via Sat number 5. - Thanks Luc - All done on AO-13's 1W S band TX) In a message dated 04/02/2011 18:39:36 GMT Standard Time, ka1rrw(a)yahoo.com writes: wow, 5 years of time and money invensted into Arissat-1 for a 6 month run. Mean while, all other ISS projects put on hold. And it missed its lauch date of "fall 2007". --- On Wed, 2/2/11, Gould Smith <gouldsmi(a)bellsouth.net> wrote: > From: Gould Smith <gouldsmi(a)bellsouth.net> > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Arissat-1 lifetime > To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org, "Giulio P. AOL" <giuliop70(a)aim.com> > Date: Wednesday, February 2, 2011, 10:00 PM > Hello Giulio and BB, > > NASA calculates 3 - 6 months lifetime. It has to do > with the original > altitude of the ISS, the force and the angle. > > 73, > Gould, WA4SXM > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Giulio P. AOL" <giuliop70(a)aim.com> > To: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> > Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 5:49 PM > Subject: [amsat-bb] Arissat-1 lifetime > > > > > > Hi, i have a question: what is the estimated lifetime > of Arissat-1 before > > re-entering in atmosfere from his first orbit? > > Thanks & 73 > > Giulio AB2VY

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AO-40 Contacts
by Dave Guimont 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

Nice to see a lot of the oldtimers come out of the woodwork!! I'm guessing that over half of my over 6000 satellite contacts were on AO40. And except for a very small circle near Madagascar (my antipode), I was able to talk to the world...And I have a contact with Durbin... I agree with Peter, a donation to AMSAT DL is the best bet to get another HEO.. At 89 I need some help when it comes to antenna roof work, but manage to keep all of the shack operating full bore... Greetings to all AMSAT operators, but a special hello to the OT's...... 73, Dave, WB6LLO dguimon1(a)san.rr.com Disagree: I learn.... Pulling for P3E...

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California Amplifier downconverters
by Allen Vinegar 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

I am looking for data sheets, manuals, etc. for the following California Amplifier downconverters: C31243 C31300 130015 130811 Any help would be appreciated. Thank you and 73, Al W8KHP

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FW: [Ballooning] Launch Opportunity To All Balloon Groups, Or Individuals!
by Steve D 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

Forwarded by Steve G6UIM Launch Opportunity To All Balloon Groups, Or Individuals! This will be a launch opportunity that will be for most if not all the balloon groups a once in a lifetime opportunity! A few people on these lists already know about this. I am now trying to hit all the lists that I know of. If you know of anyone that may be interested please forward this on to them. In the spirit of cooperation between all the balloon groups, Like the Four to Six groups did from those early days over 20 years ago now. Where every flight that happened all the groups all joined in helping each other to make sure the flight was successful. There were only a dozen or so flights each YEAR! Now sometimes in one weekend, there are more flights happening, than what would have happened for the whole year back in those old days! After MUCH thought, and deliberation, in the spirit of the fellow founders of this extremely fun activity we do. I have decided to open this flight opportunity to anyone and everyone. Anyway, I at first thought of using this opportunity for myself to grab and smash for all time the maximum altitude record. But then I also thought, maybe while that is cool, but at the same time an awful waste of this opportunity. And this will be a one time flight! I know myself for sure could never ever even come close to doing a flight like this again. The Balloon alone when purchased cost close to $2800.00 Yikes! So I got to thinking of instead of simply grabbing the all time and probably forever maximum altitude record. I thought maybe open up this opportunity to all the groups anywhere to propose a payload to fly on it. For more details visit the address below. http://www.qsl.net/wb9sbd/300K.html Any proposals I get I will post on that web site for everyone to examine. Joe WB9SBD Near Space Sciences __._,_.___ <http://geo.yahoo.com/serv?s=97359714/grpId=2133522/grpspId=1705063108/msgId =3511/stime=1296793816/nc1=4025321/nc2=4836045/nc3=5028924> __,_._,___

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Re: Linear Xpndr Operating Economics.
by k6yk 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

Boy, that sounds familiar ! My first Oscar station was a Regency HR-2B FM rig with ONE crystal in the middle of the uplink band on 2 meters, keying the high-low power switch. You couldn't hear the low power but the 15 watts on high power made it fine. And the receivers were an HW-101 and Hallicrafters SX-117. Bought an AMECO preamp for HF, which helped out on 10 meters. That was good enough to work lots of stations, maybe a total of 600 QSO's on OScar 6 and 7! Then when the RS-10, 11 came along, I tried some mobile work using an ICOM 230, again only one frequency, keying the PTT line, no chirp, and Yaesu FT-301 for receiver. Larson 2 meter antenna and Hustler 10 meter antenna on the pickup. Worked quite a few QSO's that way, too! All CW only, of course on mode A. Didn't get an all-mode rig until about 1986 during the "RS" era. 73, John On Fri, 04 Feb 2011 09:59:28 -0600 Joe <nss(a)mwt.net> writes: > My first Oscar Station,,, > > I do not remember if it was Oscar 6 or 7, but it was 1975, and we > listened to many passes on the ten meter downlink. > > We got from a local ham, an old AM vfo controlled 2 meter rig. It > was > AM only. it had a Red face and was BIG like the size of a heathkit > SB-200 amp. two VFO's one for transmit and a separate one for > receive. > > anyway we connected out Hallicrafters TO Keyer to the PTT line of > the > mic, (with no mic installed) and it worked amazingly well. That > was > out Oscar station back then, we made like 25 states or so on that > setup, > > Joe WB9SBD > > The Original Rolling Ball Clock > Idle Tyme > Idle-Tyme.com > http://www.idle-tyme.com > > On 2/4/2011 9:16 AM, Roger Kolakowski wrote: > > Simple answer...FM rigs will tend to "chirp" as you key the mic > line as > > the VCO pulls onto frequency...crystal matrix FM radios such as > the old > > Standard will be T-9... > > > > The purists will cry about the chirpy signal...but, most people > who work > > CW on satellites would relish a new operator/contact even if they > were QLF. > > > > That being said...I have works scores of stations with my own > "chirpy" > > signal and even have received some polite 599's back. > > > > Roger Kolakowski > > WA1KAT > > > > On 2/4/2011 9:30 AM, Rich Dailey wrote: > >> Let's not forget about the funcube dongle as a terrific > economical > >> solution for receiving. And any decent FM transmitter can key > CW, > >> no? Assuming someone already has a vhf/uhf rig, I can see getting > qrv on linear > >> transponders today for under $200. > >> Or am I being too simplistic? > >> > >> Rich, N8UX > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> 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 > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > ____________________________________________________________ $65/Hr Job - 25 Openings Part-Time job ($20-$65/hr). Requirements: Home Internet Access http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4d4c3904dcafa1f976cst01vuc

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Orlando Hamcation Feb11-13 (travelers)
by Bob Bruninga 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

> The Orlando Hamcation is just a week away... Checking the ham radio tactical situation in Orlando, (http://aprs.fi enter Orlando, FL)), there does not appear to be any hamfest. The only hamfests showing to mobile operators this month are 2 in PuertoRico, 1 in Japan and 1 in Ontario. (See: http://map.find.com/hfest* ) Although there is no Hamfest showing in Orlando, there are some other good objects visible to mobile operators: - 147.730 recommended traveler repeater downtown - 147.120 recommended traveler repeater NW - 442.525 recommended traveler repeater NE - 443.525 voice repeater at the International Airport for HT travelers - Two winlink nodes on 145.07 - IRLP node 4904 near Executive Airport - 443.1375 D-star repeater in the Northwest - 443.625 D-star repeater downtown - 1291.3 D-star near Executive Airport - 1285 D-star repeater The other resource objects that might be useful for visitors could be: * HFEST-ORL showing the location, date and talk-in frequency * Object showing the Recommended Local Echolink node * Object showing the location of any HAM stores in the area * Any other important resources for visitors or locals Then on the day of the event, other useful information objects might be: * AMSAT chat channel frequency * ATV chat frequency * DX chat frequency, etc * Announcements about events and times Remember, there are now 8 models of APRS ham radios and many add-on kits that can flash this information to the mobile operator or HT on his front panel or heads-up display; and 3 of them can auto-tune instantly to the FREQ, TONE, and shift of any such object seen. This really provides the mobile operator traveling to a hamfest all the information he needs as he approaches the event. Such info and auto-tuning is also helpful in the dozens of cities, towns and repeaters they pass along the way to get there. With almost all repeaters these days having PL or CTCSS, it is hard to just play radio along the way. The APRS Frequency objects for radio front-panel-display were designed to solve this invisibility problem. Anyone with a TNC can put one of these LOCAL objects on the air. See the formats: www.aprs.org/localinfo.html And someone PLEASE put the HFEST-ORL on the map: See www.aprs.org/hamfest.html And consider placing an http://aprs.fi map in front of the talk-in operator so that he can SEE where all the lost souls are out there driving around. Helping the mobile ham traveler is what it is all about. Bob, Wb4APR

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