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

Jet Stream
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 16 Mar '11

16 Mar '11

I wonder if the Jet Stream might bring radation from Japan ouer the US http://squall.sfsu.edu/scripts/jetstream_model.html WA4HFN

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AO-51 update - "Thanks"
by James Luhn 16 Mar '11

16 Mar '11

I would like to say "Thank You" to all who manage AO-51 and all of the other Amateur Radio Satellites. I am new to satellites but not new to Amateur Radio. I recently celebrated 50 years as a Ham and my first contact via a satellite. My first contact via AO-51 brought back so many memories of my first contact as a Novice at 11 years old. When I mentioned that I was making my first contact via satellite, the users that afternoon welcomed me with open arms and I soon had stations calling me as a #2, a #3, and even a #4 contact. Everyone was so forgiving of my excitement with getting calls mixed up, unbelievable phonetics, and probably poor operating etiquette. There is nothing more exciting than to hear your call coming through the satellite after you get enough nerve to transmit. I listened for at least 100 passes before I dared hit the transmit switch. After all the listening, I still probably got it all mixed up. To me this was the ultimate stage fright! Thank you again to all involved. You gave me an opportunity to add another day in my life that I will never forget. What a great hobby we have!!!! 73's and 88's to all! James WA5AOO EL29

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ND9M Op Sked: Oh-Dark-30 - DL40
by Clary, James T, Civilian 16 Mar '11

16 Mar '11

I'll still be in DL41 on the next FO29 pass at 16/1112Z. But we should cross into DL40 at about 1240Z and be ready to go for AO7 which comes up locally at 1243Z. We'll be DL40 for just over an hour, so that will the only pass for the grid. I'll be on from DL50 on AO7 pass at 16/1436Z and VO52 at 16/1459Z. As for the AO51 pass at 16/1011Z, it was a low one for me at 4 degrees and I barely heard any sigs. I put my call out once when the watchstanding bridge office grabbed me because an equipment alarm went off at just the wrong moment. It turned out to be no big deal here, but it killed any chance of putting DL41 on AO51. 73, Jim, ND9M / VQ9JC

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Loral latching relay
by graham mcphee 16 Mar '11

16 Mar '11

To all I have a Loral latching relay that has gone belly up in the switching department and would like to know if anyone has done a mod to switch the relays just by applying the voltage to them without going through the printed circuit. Graham VK2AYE

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I: M-Squared Yagis
by Francesco Grappi 15 Mar '11

15 Mar '11

Hi Dave, Take a look here http://www.arimodena.it/Members/iw4dvz/antenne/iw4dvzs-antennas 73" Frank IW4DVZ Hi group- I'm installing my 2MCP22 and 436CP42 U/G antennas and find that the coax is hanging up on the Rohn tower sides near my G-5500 rotator plate. How are folks keeping the coax away from the tower sides and hanging up? Springs? Cable ties? I have hung it up twice and stalled the AZ/EL. I don't wanna break something so thought I'd ask for expert advice and experience and not reinvent the wheel. Thanks in advance, Dave KA0SWT _____ No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1498/3507 - Release Date: 03/14/11 _______________________________________________ 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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ND9M/MM Op Sked: 16 Mar
by Clary, James T, Civilian 15 Mar '11

15 Mar '11

Here's the list of passes that I'm expecting to make tomorrow, those that are probable but occur during my work hours, and a few that are coin tosses. I want to mention first however that I received no fewer than seven queries today alone about whether I'd be putting out a sked update; 'nuff said about that. Planned: FO29 - 16/0930Z - DL41 AO7 - 16/1436Z - DL50 VO52 - 16/1459Z - DL50 AO27 - 16/1944Z - DL50 VO52 - 17/0317Z - Probably DK69 VO52 - 17/0455Z - DK69 FO29 - 17/1016Z - DK68 Probable AO7 - 16/1243Z - DL41 or DL40 (navigation chart says DL40 but only by a couple miles) Maybe AO51 - 16/1011Z - DL41 FO29 - 16/1112Z - DL41 VO52 - 16/1633Z - DL50 AO27 - 16/2125Z - DL50 or DK59 FO29 - 16/2234Z - DL50 or DK59 AO51 - 16/2251Z - DL50 or DK59 FO29 - 17/0020Z - DK59 AO51 - 17/0031Z - DK59 73, Jim, ND9M / VQ9JC

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Re: PCSAT32 Question
by Wayne Estes 15 Mar '11

15 Mar '11

The default time zone setting for SatPC32 is "auto" which gets time zone information from Windows. Leave it unchanged, and your local time is always correct (assuming Windows is set up for the correct time zone). Nothing to change when daylight savings comes and goes. Wayne Estes W9AE Oakland, OR, USA, CN83ik

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PCSAT32 Question
by Mike1234 15 Mar '11

15 Mar '11

I have been trying to get familiar with PCSAT32. I was a bit confused today. I tried switching from EST to UTC on my computer and I assumed everything would remain the same as far as satellite positions on the map etc. When I did change the time everything changed why is this? Where should I leave the time for correct satellite positions etc? Mike N8GBU

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AO-51 update 15 March 2011
by Mark L. Hammond 15 Mar '11

15 Mar '11

Hi All, This is a quick note to let you know that eclipses are back for AO-51, and the length is increasing every day. Eclipses are now ;asting about 1-2 mins per pass, and it goes up pretty fast, gaining a minute every day or two. They will become rather long in the coming weeks/months (as long as 20 mins or more as I recall). Interested people should download and run DK3WN's Illum program to see what lies ahead for AO-51. We are still running power management; that means the transmitters will be OFF during eclipses (and probably right before, and soon after). The 435.300 transmitter is currently around 420 mW. The balancing (juggling??) act between sunlight, transmitter power, spacecraft temperature, and aging batteries continues... 73 on behalf of the command team, -- Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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AMSAT INDIA January 2011 News Letter
by Nitin Muttin 15 Mar '11

15 Mar '11

All, AMSAT INDIA's January 2011 news letter is available for download. The PDF of the newsletter is at http://amsatindia.org/Newsletter/AMSATINDIA-News-January2011.pdf and the archives at www.amsatindia.org/Newsletter Contents of the Newsletter : 1. Message from the President of AMSAT INDIA, Ramesh, VU2RMS. 2. Monthly talks on topics related to Amateur Radio satellite communication 3. Report by Technical Director, POP, VU2POP 4. Few images to an AZ/EL rotator. (More details in next news letter) 5. News from AMSAT organizations world wide. 73's Nitin [VU3TYG] Secretary, AMSAT INDIA www.amsatindia.org vu3tyg(a)amsatindia.org _____ No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1191 / Virus Database: 1435/3383 - Release Date: 01/15/11

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