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

Re: Which Mobile Mag Mount?
by Clint Bradford 16 Sep '11

16 Sep '11

First, almost every mag mount will scratch your car - something never printed on the packaging. Second, any "vertical" antenna for the V/U FM sats will have a transmission (and generally receive pattern) that is perpendicular to its mast. So, think about it: A GREAT pass of 90 degrees goes overhead - your vertical is valueless during the middle of that great pass. SO ... Some are "compensating" by purchasing better antennas (i.e., more gain) and pumping out 20 or 50 or 100W. Awful wasteful, IMHO - since we both know we're workin' these birds with a Watt or two. Ideally - in a car - I would think that stopping and parking and getting a vertical perpendicular to the orbit of the satellite would give best results. I have a Larsen KG-2/70-CX-PL whose whip I can adjust about 20 degrees off normal, and hopefully be travelling in the correct direction to work a bird or two. But if you're going to stop and park - then just whip out your homebrew Tape Measure Beam from the trunk, and REALLY make some contacts! BUT - You told me you wanted to keep moving with the familt in the car. So ... Then maybe a Larsen mag mount - which you can purchase an extra whip. And bend - er, I mean, "re-form" that whip right at the base so that it is about 20" bent. Keep extra allen keys in the glove compartment - to loosen and re-position the whip. You might look a little funny driving down the road with a "bent whip." But you'll be more successful with the FM birds! Got kids who are on the 'Net already? Plan your rest stops/meal stops/bathroom breaks around the satellite passes! Give 'em maps ... sat pass times ... have 'em figure out approximately where they'll be at what time ... Sure beats having them play video games or watch TV in the back ... (grin) Suggested items: Larsen NMO-MM-R-BNC - a solid, round mag mount with NMO connector for an antenna. This particular one terminates in a BNC-MALE. They have other models terminating in other connectors. Or get one that terminates in the FME system, and you can then purchase adapters for SMA, BNC, PL - whatever. Larsen NMO-2/70 BLACK - very good dual-band NMO base whip. Larsen W270B - just the replacement whip. HRO carries all this. Snag the Larsen Amateur Products .pdf catalog at ... http://www.larsen-antennas.com/catalogs_main.shtml Clint, K6LCS 909-241-7666

4 6

(no subject)
by Nick Pugh K5QXJ 16 Sep '11

16 Sep '11

Hi AMSATERS The kids at Paul Breaux Middle School in Lafayette, La are forming a school radio club. Their first meeting will be at 10:20 AM CDT Thursday September 15th. If you could tune in on EchoLink node 370324 (the 146.82 W5DDL repeater) at 10:30 for a quick demo it would be helpful. The younger you are the more the kids will identify with you, but old guys like myself it is O.K. If you can meet us on the air pleas reply to this email. Thanks nick Office 337 593 8700 Cell 337 258 2527 Helping UL become a world Class Engineering and Educational School

1 1

iPad App - HamSatHD
by Joel Black 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

The company I work for gave me a 16GB iPad for work and I can pretty much put anything I want on it. There are not as many apps designed for the iPad as there are for the iPhone (iPhone apps will work, but they're "screen space" small). However, I found HamSatHD. There are no reviews on the App Store so I was wondering if anyone here has used or is using it? I just want to track satellites not control anything while out-and-about. Developer webpage is www.vosworx.com. Thanks, Joel - W4JBB

3 2

K0BAM Road Trip
by Jim Adams 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

I'm wandering around various grids to the end of September (before the snow starts), and will mail all contacts QSL cards the first week of October. SASE not necessary. No plan on when and where I'll be so it will be as much a surprise to me as you. Jim Adams - K0BAM

1 0

Sat32PC Flex-5000A Satellite Mode B using 70 cm external transverter and external 2M converter?
by Bill Bordy, NJ1H 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

I have a Flex-5000A with the extra receiver. I have a 70 cm transverter connected to the main RX/TX via the transverter connectors and a 2M converter into RX2. I am attempting to operate mode B satellite operation, 70 cm TX up and 2M RX down using the Sat32PC tracking program TS-2000 rig control. Unfortunately, the program sets the TX frequency on VFOB and the RX frequency on VFOA. I want it the other way around. I tried tricking the program by changing to mode J, 2M up, 70cm down, but the doppler control is reversed then. Has anybody been able to use Sat32PC successfully for full duplex Flex-5000 with external transverters for frequency control? If so, how did you configure it? 73, Bill NJ1H

1 0

Re: Which Mobile Mag Mount
by Clint Bradford 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

>> ... can't figure out the best way to hold the radio ... Get perpendicular. Open your squelch up all the way, and get the improved HT's antenna in a perpendicular relationship to the orbit of the satellite. Clint Bradford http://www.work-sat.com

1 0

ARISSAT telemetry - no kursk frames
by Mike Rupprecht 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

Hi all, I had a 1 deg pass this morning and could grab 18 telemetry frames (!). Interesting was that I received no one KURSK frame. Can someone confirm this? 73, Mike DK3WN

3 2

fast 1 and fast2
by jerry keeton 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

With Fast 1 and Fast 2 being so far apart , are they still able to communicate with each other ?

1 0

iPad App - HamSatHD
by E. Michael McCardel 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

I use HamSatHD with mixed results. I don't quite trust the keps used, but lately I have had good luck. I especially like the graphic it displays for the pass. I often set my iPad on the ground or a nearby elevated surface, orient with the pass an just follow it along. One thing that I have noticed is that my iPad isn't always in sync with the actual time so I have to be sure that real time and iPad time are the same. A few minutes make a big difference. Another advantage of the iPad is I have successfully downloaded an ArisSat SSTV image directly to the app, SSTV, for the iPad. There are also recording capable apps that I have used to record passes. Both of these examples are when NOT using the HamSatHD app. One app at a time. If you have Internet access you can also visit Heavens-Above to get pass information or to compare the keps with HamSatHD. EMike, KC8YLD Sent from my iPad On Sep 15, 2011, at 1:01 PM, amsat-bb-request(a)amsat.org wrote: > iPad App - HamSatHD

1 0

Thanks for certificate Arissat-1
by andy thomas 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

Great to receive this morning the certificate for the Russian secret word! Many thanks! 73 de andy G0SFJ

1 0