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

LVB Tracker USB serial port driver for Windows 7 x64?
by Bill Bordy, NJ1H 22 Dec '16

22 Dec '16

Has anyone located a driver for the LVB Tracker internal USB to serial port adapter on Windows 7 x64? If not, has anyone reverted to the serial port connection on LVB Tracker and used an external USB to serial port adapter successfully with SatPC32 on Windows 7 x64? I have an Edgeport multiple USB to serial port that has drivers for Windows 7 x64 that I will use if I have to. I would prefer using the LVB Tracker with its USB to serial adapter if someone has another solution. 73, Bill NJ1H

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AO-16 telemetry 3 Oct 2010
by Mark L. Hammond 01 Jul '16

01 Jul '16

Hi All, Here is a quick AO-16 update. On Sunday I turned AO-16 long enough to get some telemetry packets. The satellite would remain on for less than one minute after being commanded on. A quick test of the "bent pipe" voice mode repeater was successful. . The "hardware watchdog timer problem" is still evident; as expected, spacecraft temperatures are insufficient to keep the transmitter ON (needs to be above 15 deg C). Orbit projections suggest that satellite illumination conditions will not result in increased temperatures for nearly 10 years. Command stations do periodically turn AO-16 "ON" to check on its condition and see if the hardware timer problem has "automagically" fixed itself (which in not anticipated, but who knows...). AO-16 telemetry 3 Oct 2010 1838 utc PACSAT MBL Telemetry Decoder Ver. 1.3 (c) Mike Rupprecht, DK3WN =============================================================================== (average values) +10V Battery Bus : 0.00 V Battery Charge Reg : 0.55 mA Base Temp : 9.07 °C PSK RF Out : 1.90 W +5V RX Bus : 4.87 V +8.5V RX Bus : 8.49 V +10V RX Bus : 11.24 V Here is another teaser :) Several months ago I commanded the AO-16 S-band transmitter ON; it too remains functional (albeit weak), and was received by me, Drew KO4MA, and Alan WA4SCA. 73, -- Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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Call for Papers--2007 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference
by Ford, Steve, WB8IMY 16 Jul '12

16 Jul '12

Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the 26th Annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference to be held September 28-30, 2007 in Hartford, Connecticut. These papers will also be published in the Conference Proceedings (you do NOT need to attend the conference to have your paper included in the Proceedings). The submission deadline is July 31, 2007. Please send papers to: Maty Weinberg ARRL 225 Main St Newington, CT 06111 or you can make your submission via e-mail to: maty(a)arrl.org Papers will be published exactly as submitted and authors will retain all rights. 73 . . . Steve, WB8IMY ARRL

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Re: EggBeater
by Bill Dzurilla 30 May '12

30 May '12

Steve, I have both a commercial and a homebrew Eggbeater and am disappointed with both, especially in light of its rather high price. Connected to my IC-7000 via an ARR mast-mounted preamp, performance is far less than with an HT and an Arrow. Guess an omni can't cut it, at least not from my QTH. Maybe if I could get it up higher, clear of all roofs, it would do better. I can make contacts at relatively high sat elevations, but can do just as well with a $10 dual band ground plane. My friend has an Eggbeater and the same preamp at a clearer QTH, and he hears substantially better, down to 10 degrees elevation in some directions. Good luck and 73, Bill NZ5N > > Hi Steve, > > > > It is surprising to read that you are not hearing > anything. I have > > repeatedly used a 2m and 70cm Eggbeater for the sats > and have had no > > problem hearing things. No pre-amp. > > > > I was using a short cable (e.g. less than 10 meters). > The rigs I > > used were a FT-736r (deaf) and a FT-847 (so-so). > > > > 73, > > > > Dave

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SoCal to East Texas
by Eric Fort 05 Nov '11

05 Nov '11

A Technician class friend of mine and I would like to ragchew between His QTH in Lindale, TX (32.495164 N, 95.513233 W) and My QTH in Phelan, CA (34.436400 N, 117.468649 W) with the exception of oscar 0 is anything flying that would enable this on a frequency above 50MHZ? Thanks, Eric AF6EP

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Re: Response to my request of information about EduSatfrom GAUSS team in Rome: Re: [CubeSat] Edusat operative or failure
by Fabio Azzarello 17 Oct '11

17 Oct '11

Hello, just to add a bit of information... can refer to the following links: https://apps.fcc.gov/els/GetAtt.html?id=112305 http://www.imtsrl.it/s_band.html Hope this helps, 73s Fabio IW8QKU/5

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Working HO-68
by Richard Lawn 17 Oct '11

17 Oct '11

Doing what I try to do every vacation which is try to spend a little time back on the birds. I've yet to have a QSO on HO-68. I hear the beacon just fine. But I just finished my 2nd pass from NJ and was unable to hear any signals let alone myself coming back on any mode. Did I misread the operating schedule or am I doing something wrong? MacDoppler told me there was a good pass to this part of the world are around 21:30 my time. Great beacon strength but nobody else was home. Rick W2JAZ

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EM25 / EM26 - Sep 29th
by Gail A Mcdaniel 09 Oct '11

09 Oct '11

I will be making a quick trip to Arkansas tomorrow and will try working the following passes depending on weather... SO-50 - 09/29/2011 @ 1726z - EM25 AO-27 - 09/29/2011 @ 1743z - EM25 AO-27 - 09/29/2011 @ 1919z - EM26 possibly EM25/26 grid boundary. 73, Gail - KB0RZD

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AMSAT-UK - Fall OSCAR News
by Trevor . 01 Oct '11

01 Oct '11

AMSAT-UK - Fall OSCAR News The Fall edition of the color A4 newsletter OSCAR News is being posted to AMSAT-UK members this week As usual it's packed with Amateur Satellite articles: - Haven't Got A Callsign - regular column by Clive Wallis G3CWV - Memories of working Astronaut Helen Sharman GB1MIR by Chris Lorek G4HCL - Louis Varney Cup Presentation to Paul Robinson 2E1EUB - ARISSat-1 Reception - USA NTIA WRC proposal for an ITU "Educational" Satellite Service - ARISSat Update - FUNcube Testing at RAL - Syncart geostationary transponder - Report on First UK National Space Conference 2011 - FUNcube Project Report - KiwiSAT Current Status - IARU Region 1 Sun City Report - 2011 Colloquium Report - QB50 Latest News To receive this copy of OSCAR News join AMSAT-UK online at http://tinyurl.com/JoinAMSAT-UK/ If you've never seen OSCAR News before you can get an idea of what it's like by downloading a sample issue from http://www.uk.amsat.org/on_193_final.pdf AMSAT-UK http://www.uk.amsat.org/ ---- 73 Trevor M5AKA

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Width of the Earth's penumbra
by John Heath 01 Oct '11

01 Oct '11

This bb never fails to amaze me with how helpful folks can be. It was G0SFJ's postings about ARISSAt-1 MET time which set me thinking about the width of the half shadow (Penumbra) experienced by the satellite before and after eclipse. I was pointed to the simulation option in the satellite tracker Orbitron 3.17 which shows the selected satellites Eclipse condition No, Penumbra, Umbra. To activate this option click on the data tab at the bottom of the satellite listing. The simulation mode offers a variety of time steps down to 0.25 seconds. Selecting the ISS and stepping through an eclipsed part of the orbit tonight I estimated that it took the ISS 8.75 seconds to cross the Penumbra. If 7km per second is about right for the ISS then the Penumbra is 59.5 kilometres wide +/- about 1.75km. My workings may well be adrift but you get the idea. What an interesting utility, for us telemetry nuts it will add an extra dimension to solar panel data. Off to try it on some higher flying birds. 73 All G7HIA Happy Weekend

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Old Oscar Sub Band 144.300-144.500
by ka9qjg 01 Oct '11

01 Oct '11

Hello hope Everyone is doing Well I "am not sure this Post went out or not If Someone has a Answer if You like Just E-Mail Me Direct at KA9QJG(a)WOWWAY.COM THANKS IN Advance 73 De Don KA9QJG Hello From Don KA9QJG , Hope Everyone is doing Well I have Heard and Read and ask a lot of Questions about Hams using the Oscar Sub Band 144.3-144.5 and as You can guess I Got a lot of Opinions From the ARRL, FCC And others, So I thought the Best thing to go was to actually get the Answers from You the users. Yes I know that and as a Responsible Ham I think We all should use the Guidelines , But in this Case From what I have found the Oscar Sats have not been on the Air since in Many Years , and NO Other Sats or ISS Is using the Freqs or set aside for them , So a Lot of Hams in the US are using the Freqs for FM/ SSB CW DIGTAL And Look the Well Established APRS 144.39 And long time and still used 144.34 FM for Conducting ATV And I have seen on the Internet Some States actually adding the 144.300-144.5 As Simplex FM The Problem is I have Heard People Jamming and Arguments about this over the Air , I have even seen on the Internet when doing searches for Info Some States even include this NON Used 144.300 TO 144.500 For FM Simplex Etc.. Because NO Oscar Sats Exist or Nothing else to Interfere with But I agree 100Percent if there Was the Freqs should NOT Be used for anything other then what it was intended for Thanks 73 De Don KA9QJG PS as You know We have a lot of older Hams kind of set in their ways and the New ones Are Listening and looking for ways to Fit in, and We need as Many New Responsible Hams in this Hobby as We can get But How Could We get on these Freqs Some are using and Say Hey We are not allowed here Because of the Oscar Sub Band Something that has been Gone for over 20 Yrs

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calculation of eclipse
by normn3ykf＠stny.rr.com 01 Oct '11

01 Oct '11

Hi all!! How does one calculate the period and time of entry and exit of eclipse? I'm going to be helping a friend do an Arissat presentation for her class. Due to the fact of the battery failing, this gives a 15 minute hold before the power management allows transmission. So, for any chance of receiving the bird, it has to be in sunlight for 15 minutes (or so). I'd prefer a mathematical formula. Echo goes through some of the same trials. Thanks, Norm BTW: I am an engineering student, just throw the math my way.

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FO-29 off
by DeYoung James 30 Sep '11

30 Sep '11

Greetings, I just got back on the air from my new QTH (FM07uv) and monitored the beacon with good signals on Sep. 29 from 20:51 to 21:02 UTC. I heard no transponder activity and no beacon signal on the near zenith pass here on Sep. 30. from 19:51 to 20:05. Jim, N8OQ

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2011 Symposium
by Martha 30 Sep '11

30 Sep '11

People - *Time is running out to make hotel reservations for the 2011 AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting. * The cut off date is *October 10th* (I am trying to change that). Please don't wait! The hotel is the Wyndham San Jose and the phone number is 408-453-6200. The reservation block is under the name* AMSAT . * -- 73- Martha

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FO-29 problems ?
by Ib Christoffersen 30 Sep '11

30 Sep '11

Hi all, I just tried to listen to FO-29. It was a pass with AOS here in Copenhagen at 1057 UTC. Nothing heard ! Reports on the report page indicate the same. See: http://oscar.dcarr.org/ Any news from Japan ? 73 OZ1MY Ib

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Yet ANOTHER Satellite's Re-entry
by Clint Bradford 30 Sep '11

30 Sep '11

The defunct German Roentgen Satellite (ROSAT) is coming back to planet Earth - sometime in late October or early November. The X-ray space observatory is less than half the weight (2.4-tons) of the fallen UARS, but has an orbit that ranges from latitudes of 53 degrees north and south, putting it in a position where it can threaten a wide region that stretches from Canada to South America. And while much of the spacecraft will disintegrate during it’s rapid descent, German Aerospace Agency officials predict that as many as 30 large chunks of debris — a combined mass of 1.6 tons — is expected to survive re-entry. http://science.nasa.gov/missions/rosat/ Clint Bradford, K6LCS

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AMSAT-UK Member survey.
by Rob Styles 30 Sep '11

30 Sep '11

We invite you as members of AMSAT-UK to our online Survey,We always strive to improve your membership, and we would like your views and comments. Please take a few minutes to complete our online survey at http://amsat-uk.limeask.com/ Rob M0TFO AMSAT-UK

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Re: calculation of eclipse
by normn3ykf＠stny.rr.com 30 Sep '11

30 Sep '11

Ken, Thanks for the pointers to texts. Meeus's tome has good reviews. I may try to find an older copy of his book that deals with programming calculators. Simpler for me to program. This sounds like a fun project. Seems to me once the heavy lifting is done (algorithm), calculation of eclipse times could be automated. I have a feeling that I'll eat those words. Norm

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Engineering and Philosophy
by Trevor . 30 Sep '11

30 Sep '11

A promotional video with a Cubesat towards the end Nick Ridley '11: Exploring the Intersection of Engineering and Philosophy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anEHxQrpans 73 Trevor M5AKA

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Re: HB9DRV
by Gordon JC Pearce 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

On Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:17:53 -0500 "Greg Beat" <gregory.beat(a)comcast.net> wrote: > "The support effort required has become more than I can realistically manage > - with many thousands of users, new radios and other hardware appearing all > the time and unexpected changes to the infrastructure used by HRD such as > QRZ.com I no longer have any time at all for other projects. Why not just open-source it? It's already free-as-in-beer. If it was also free-as-in-speech then there would be a potentially far greater number of eyes on the code, and a broader range of contributors. There's also the chance to use existing work like hamlib in it, and avoid duplication of effort on driving all these different radios. I've never understood why so many in the amateur radio community are so keen to share circuit diagrams, antenna designs and all sorts of other information, but keep their software to themselves. In this case, it's a no-brainer - HRD needs a lot of work, and there is a willing community out there who would do it given the chance. Proprietary software has absolutely no place in amateur radio. -- Gordon JC Pearce MM0YEQ <gordonjcp(a)gjcp.net>

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AO-27 Scheduler
by David Wing 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

Has the schedule on AO-27 changed radically? Here in the western US I've been used to being able to work AO-27 twice during the early afternoon but now it seems like the transmitter operation is during the wee hours of the morning. Has something changed in the last few months while I have been off the birds? David K6CDW

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Re: NA1SS Chats with Lompoc, CA
by AJ9N＠aol.com 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

Hi all, I post all upcoming ARISS contacts times to the SAREX BB. You might want to subscribe to that one if you don't already. You can also use the link that is posted on the AMSAT main webpage. Yes, you were hearing Lompoc have a great contact. The ISS crew will ignore any callsign it hears except for the school one. Plus they are not using the public uplink frequencies. We welcome all listeners; that is why the 145.8 MHz frequency is used for all voice contacts (general or school). Perhaps this will get you started getting involved with a school that may want to do an ARISS contact. Thanks for listening! 73, Charlie AJ9N One of the ARISS mentors In a message dated 9/29/2011 11:48:48 A.M. Central Daylight Time, david(a)cdwing.com writes: I was checking out my equipment and had the ISS rising out of the Pacific. I rarely try to work the ISS but thought I would give it a try and manually swung the antennas over to the correct azimuth. I heard some chatter and was initially irritated that someone would be having a QSO on the downlink frequency but then from the conversation I realized that it was someone on the ISS describing seeing hurricanes in the Pacific. I could not believe my luck that NA1SS was actually working contacts! Not being able to hear the uplink, I gingerly threw out my Callsign a couple of times hoping to get into the rotation and then to my great embarrassment, it became apparent that NA1SS (Mike Fossum) was working a school contact in Lompoc, CA. I sure am glad that I just threw out my callsign twice before I clued in on things. At any rate I was able to monitor NA1SS down to about 3 degrees.really clean, strong signal. First time for me hearing the ISS because I rarely check it out and typically don't have SatPC32 even tracking it. Sure glad I decided to use it as a test target! 73 David K6CDW _______________________________________________ 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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ARISSat-1 Silent? (& Request)
by Stuart Balanger 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

*Hi All, I was listening on the 145.95 Voice telemetry Beacon Freq. @ 1310 UTC pass here in ENY & didn't hear a peep from ARISSat-1 , & was wondering if it has gone silent? My Grid Square is FN31! 73,.Stu (WA2BSS) PS (a request) Was wondering if someone has a Duplexer? *IE a Box, on 1 nd is where the Coax gets connected, & on other end is 2 short coax cable lengths; & 1 length goes to 2 meters; & the other length goes to 70 CM1) (I have a Kenwwod TS-2000) *

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NA1SS Chats with Lompoc, CA
by David Wing 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

I was checking out my equipment and had the ISS rising out of the Pacific. I rarely try to work the ISS but thought I would give it a try and manually swung the antennas over to the correct azimuth. I heard some chatter and was initially irritated that someone would be having a QSO on the downlink frequency but then from the conversation I realized that it was someone on the ISS describing seeing hurricanes in the Pacific. I could not believe my luck that NA1SS was actually working contacts! Not being able to hear the uplink, I gingerly threw out my Callsign a couple of times hoping to get into the rotation and then to my great embarrassment, it became apparent that NA1SS (Mike Fossum) was working a school contact in Lompoc, CA. I sure am glad that I just threw out my callsign twice before I clued in on things. At any rate I was able to monitor NA1SS down to about 3 degrees.really clean, strong signal. First time for me hearing the ISS because I rarely check it out and typically don't have SatPC32 even tracking it. Sure glad I decided to use it as a test target! 73 David K6CDW

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My long absence
by David Wing 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

Hello to my friends on the birds. I have been gone for several months and hope to be back soon. I've had some hardware issues and I have to admit I've not been diligent about resolving them as so many other things pop up that take my time. I think I can get things corrected and be back on the satellites this weekend so I'm looking forward to working you all again soon. 73 David K6CDW

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