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

Looking for M Squared 2MCP14
by Joe Leikhim 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

I am looking for an M2 2MCP14. Contact me directly. Thanks -- Joe Leikhim Leikhim and Associates Communications Consultants Oviedo, Florida www.Leikhim.com JLeikhim(a)Leikhim.com 407-982-0446

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Re: AO40 contacts and more
by k6yk 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

Yes sir! Lot of used stuff around these days that will work just fine on the current birds as well as terrestrial HF/VHF/UHF work. I have a couple of FT-100D's that are 160 thru 6 meters plus 2 M and 70 CM all mode. I was using them to replace the FT-847, as well as using them for backup HF rigs. Those FT-100's and the IC-706 seem to be available used for reasonable prices if you shop around .. And a few IC-7000's are showing up, too. Nice little all-in-one radios. Folks who have not yet been on HF would be able to get some exposure, and possibly get interested enough to upgrade. Well, 50 years ago, used HF rigs such as Heathkits, WRL, Hallicrafters, etc.could be gotten pretty cheap, even for a 14 year old kid, I think I paid probably $60 or $70 for a transmitter and receiver that worked well enough to get on the air. Made my own antennas. I'm sorry I didn't bite the bullet and get a 70CM rig a long time ago. I bought probably 4 or 5 HF rigs while AO-10 and AO-13 were going strong and never got on AO-10 until it was on it's last legs. Missed AO-13 except for copying the bulletins from the beacon on RTTY! 73, John On Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:48:32 +1100 Tony Langdon <vk3jed(a)gmail.com> writes: > At 01:18 PM 2/4/2011, k6yk wrote: > > > >I saw a mention of an issue of folks not wanting to make a big > >investment in satellite stuff to work SSB/CW. > > > >ALL of the original ham satellites were SSB/CW birds. No FM. > >And most hams already had enough equipment to get started. The > >uplinks were on 2 meters or 70CM (that took a little more doing), > >the downlinks were on HF or 2 meters. Some of the RS birds > >where HF up and HF down, and HF up, 2 meters down. Interesting > >stuff! > > 70cm SSB radios weren't common here, only the serious UHF DXers and > > satellite operators had one. Thankfully, this situation has changed > > over the last 10 years, thanks to the all in one radios that are on > > the market. I myself have gone from no 70cm SSB capability, to no > fewer than 3 suitable radios in the last year. 2m SSB was a lot > more > common here, has been for many years. I've had 2m SSB myself for > over 10 years, and have at least 4 radios now that can do it. > > As you'd expect, HF is common down here, but are VHF/UHF FM only > radios, both mobile and HTs, especially near the major cities. > > > >Most folks had HF gear to start off in ham radio. I did not have > an HT > >until I was a ham for probably 20 years. > > I was the opposite. Economics made it easier for me to start with a > > 2m HT. I didn't have an all band HF transceiver until 2000, when > secondhand prices had come down enough, and I had the money to pick > > one up secondhand. Still got that radio too. :) > > > >Nowadays there is a LOT of VHF/UHF multi mode gear floating > around > >the used market for reasonable prices. Also the antennas are > available, > >sometimes > >for real cheap, or haul it away for free. Keep your eyes and ears > open. > > Many more opportunities now. There has never been a better time to > > try SSB on the birds. > > >Hams are supposed to be resourceful and innovative! > > > >And I went and sold my FT-847 which was about the most expensive > rig I > >ever > >bought! Don't need it for these FM birds, I just use a dual-band > mobile > >rig, works > >just as well. > > I've just upgraded and got radios with VHF/UHF SSB > capabilities. This will be used both terrestrially (I have used one > > to gather telemetry from a balloon launch on 70cm) and hopefully on > > the sats. These days it's good how a simply HF upgrade can give one > > so much more. And there's the bonus FT-736 as a "hand me down" from > > a ham friend, in appreciation for the help I've given him over the > years with antennas and other projects. :) > > 73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL > http://vkradio.com > > ____________________________________________________________ Dermatologists Hate Her Smart Mom Uses $8 Trick to Erase Wrinkles and Look Younger Instantly http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4d4b70b1da13fc31adst04vuc

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Re: AO40 contacts and more
by k6yk 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

I saw a mention of an issue of folks not wanting to make a big investment in satellite stuff to work SSB/CW. ALL of the original ham satellites were SSB/CW birds. No FM. And most hams already had enough equipment to get started. The uplinks were on 2 meters or 70CM (that took a little more doing), the downlinks were on HF or 2 meters. Some of the RS birds where HF up and HF down, and HF up, 2 meters down. Interesting stuff! Most folks had HF gear to start off in ham radio. I did not have an HT until I was a ham for probably 20 years. Nowadays there is a LOT of VHF/UHF multi mode gear floating around the used market for reasonable prices. Also the antennas are available, sometimes for real cheap, or haul it away for free. Keep your eyes and ears open. You don't have to go to AES/HRO/M-squared/HyGain/Cushcraft and buy new stuff to work these birds. There are many old timers who gave up satellite work when AO-10 and AO-13 went away, and their stuff is sitting around gathering dust and rust. Hams are supposed to be resourceful and innovative! And I went and sold my FT-847 which was about the most expensive rig I ever bought! Don't need it for these FM birds, I just use a dual-band mobile rig, works just as well. 73, John K6YK On Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:51:48 -0900 "Edward R. Cole" <kl7uw(a)acsalaska.net> writes: > I was on AO-40 from its launch, initially running mode US, then mode > > LS (I bought one of the few DEMI 1268/144 Tx converters that were > made). I made several contacts after I got my s-band downlink > working. Initially, I was using too small an antenna and did not > have a decent preamp. Once I graduated to the 85cm (33-inch) offsst > > feed dish and added a MKU-232 preamp, I was able to hear anyone. I > > spent a long time collecting telemetry and could do so out to a > squint angle of 49-degrees. > > It really is a shame that there was no workaround for the battery > issue or even run on solar panels like AO7. But this was before AO7 > > reawakened to provide that insight. I lived and waited long years > for AO-40 and unfortunately wasted time I could have operated on > AO-13. > > Now I have all the stuff needed to work a Heo and hardly anywhere to > > use it (I bought one of the early FT-847 just for AO-40). I would > say a lot of the operators of the Heo years have gone away from > satellite activity (some remain lurking on Amsat-bb wishing upon a > star ...or a hope and a prayer). > > I will return, if Murphy will leave me alone long enough! But I > mainly operate Oscar-Zero now days. > > 73, ED - KL7UW > > ____________________________________________________________ $65/Hr Job - 25 Openings Part-Time job ($20-$65/hr). Requirements: Home Internet Access http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4d4b6249d8e291da604st02vuc

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Re: AO40 contacts
by k6yk 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

I had a couple hundred QSO's on AO-40, some new countries, etc. but the LOTW response on those was awful! Got some of them confirmed with real cards and a FEW on LOTW. Time for another HEO, that's for sure. Once you do that, the other stuff is just "filler" while waiting..... 73, John K6YK On Thu, 3 Feb 2011 21:43:04 +0000 (UTC) Bob- W7LRD <w7lrd(a)comcast.net> writes: > > > according to my log the last qso's were > > 1/24/04 W3STW > > 1/23/04 W7TYN > > 1/19/04 VA7MM > > and to make us all dream again in Oct/Nov of 03 > > F/HB9RM, DL8IL,OK1DX, DL8YS, ON6AA (rip),DC3ZB, DK1KQ, LY3BH, VK5AKJ > > > there's gotta be a way folks, there's gotta be a way!! > > 73 Bob W7LRD > > Seattle > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Floyd Rodgers" <kc5qbc(a)swbell.net> > Cc: "AMSAT-BB" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> > Sent: Thursday, February 3, 2011 12:04:06 PM > 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 > _______________________________________________ > 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/TGL3141/4d4b6249dda86c09a8st04vuc

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Re: AO40 contacts
by Andrew Glasbrenner 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

I had lots of fun on AO-40 from VP2EAG too! 73, Drew KO4MA >Oh yes, I made a number from VP6DIA and TZ6RD. I sent the gear along >to T33C, but that was when the sattelite failed. > >73, doug

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Han IV rotor problem- solved
by D. Craig Fox 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

Greeting fellow sat-ops. A few weeks ago I posted about a problem I was having with my Ham IV rotor display not properly functioning, and received a number of very useful responses. I promised to report back. So, as I previously reported, although the rotor turned fine, the controller display was somewhat erratic but completely useless. I did the recommended troubleshooting, first of the controller (it was fine), then measuring resistance across certain rotor terminals. One should read approx 500 ohms across rotor terminals 3 and 7, and the sum of resistance across two other sets of terminals should equal 500. Well, I measured zero ohms for each measurement. To eliminate the cabling, I took the measurements again up on the tower with the rotor in place. Still got zero for all reads. Ok, so then came the heavy work. Got the rotor down, but now I was able to clean the terminals, corroded screws, etc, and got ok readings for everything. Oh well, since I had it down, I took it apart only to find this rotor that had been in the air for 20 yrs (and was used when I got it), looked absolutely pristine inside. The bearings were dry, however, and so repacked them. The infamous resistor was also pristine, and showed very little wear. So after a full clean up of the terminal strip and new screws, back up it went. Oh and perhaps the most important part. This time I ran 16 ga leads, 1 ft long, with round screw connectors stubbed out from the rotor’s terminal strip. This is because installed, it is almost impossible to reconnect all of the rotor cable wires to the strip. This rotor runs a good size 3 el HF yagi and my sat antennas. Unfortunately, the sat antennas made the whole thing top heavy and so had to dissemble the sat array. Anyway, finally got all put back together, powered it up, and …uggg… no display at all now. An hour later after running connectivity tests on the cable I found that a splice in underground conduit had gone bad. That fixed, all worked as it should. Unfortunately, because of the inability to connect all cable wires while the rotor was in place, some amount of up-weighting and lifting of the rotor was required in any case, but thoroughly checking connectivity of the rotor cable as had been suggested would have saved some time. I look back on this, as I tend to my still sore back, as a real learning experience and reminder to always look for the simplest problems first. Again thanks to all who took the time to offer great advice. See you on VO52, AO7, FO29, or …just maybe … one of the FM’ers 73s Craig N6RSX NOTICE: This communication may contain privileged or other confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this communication, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this communication to the intended recipient, please advise the sender by reply email and immediately delete the message and any attachments without copying or disclosing the contents. Thank you.

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Re: AO40 contacts
by wb5tuf＠earthlink.net 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

Yes, a few hundred. It was an awesome satellite!!! I still have my K5GNA downconverter. WB5TUF -----Original Message----- >From: Floyd Rodgers <kc5qbc(a)swbell.net> >Sent: Feb 3, 2011 2:04 PM >To: >Cc: AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >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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AO-69?
by Mark L. Hammond 04 Feb '11

04 Feb '11

Is ARISSat-1/kedr destined to become AO-69? It seems like HO-68 was the last to request an Oscar name... ?? Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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Re: FM birds
by Tony Langdon 03 Feb '11

03 Feb '11

At 04:47 AM 2/4/2011, John Geiger wrote: >Another group to target is the VHF/UHF weak signal crowd. Many of them have >the necessary equipment to get on AO7, FO29, and VO52, but might not know >it, or know how to proceed. These birds will give them a chance to use >their multimode rigs between band openings. With the advent of the new all band, all mode radios such as the FT-817, IC-706IIG, IC-7000, TS-2000, etc, etc, combined with many of us having an older 2m SSB transceiver kicking around, it would be surprising how many of us have the capability to work these birds. I know I do, just have to get around to giving it a try. I have worked the SSB birds before, mostly Mode A (RS-10, RS-12/13, etc), but did work the Fujis at hamfests. 73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL http://vkradio.com

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Florida AMSAT Net tonight (Thursday 7:30PM Eastern)
by John Papay 03 Feb '11

03 Feb '11

The Florida AMSAT net is held every Thursday evening at 7:30pm Eastern (0030z Friday). If you are in Florida, the net is carried on many repeaters throughout the state. If you are out of state or can't hit one of the repeaters, check into the AMSAT Conference Node using Echolink. Lots of good discussion about satellites. 73, John K8YSE/4

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