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

Re: ARISSAT telemetry - no kursk frames
by Burns Fisher 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

Don't I recall correctly that the Kursk experiment requires an entire orbit of data? I think I heard this in t context of low-power operation had to keep Kursk running. But in any case, now that the battery is history and we only get power for the non-eclipse part of each orbit, I'd think that would mean that Kursk is not doing much. I don't know what the IHU should do with the Kursk tlm in that case, but 0 is not unreasonable. Burns, W2BFJ > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: ARISSAT telemetry - no kursk frames > Message-ID: <Yy4z1h0014ltuWb05y4zTa(a)gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > Mike, > > Had it just come out of eclipse? I have seen no Kursk frames when it just > came on just after eclipse...I think the Kursk Experiment isn't running > quite yet, so no frames to xmit. > > So yes, I saw this yesterday :) > > Also, to confirm W5RKN---I have seem some "all 0" frames too...you can hear > hear it on the audio actually :) > > Mark N8MH > > At 08:23 AM 9/15/2011 +0200, you wrote: > >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? >

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SDR For Satellite Use
by Joel Black 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

I have successfully built and operated my G59 transceiver with GPA10 10W amp (http://www.genesisradio.com.au/) for 40m JT65a contacts to VK2, 75m voice contacts in the States, and everything in between. At some point in the past, some group (TAPR?) had a 2m SDR transceiver. I have no idea where that information might be. Does anyone here use SDR for their satellite operation? Maybe using Flex radios or something else? I don't know that it would matter on the FM birds, but it would be nice to be able to see the spectrum on the linear birds. Thanks, Joel - W4JBB

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Re: Good mobile antennas to use
by Andrew Glasbrenner 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

>The problem is hearing the downlink. That is why the 19.5" whip is so good. It acts like a 3/4 wave antenna for the UHF downlink and it has almost >7dBi gain above 30 degrees up to over 70 degrees. So it beats a quadrifilar easily (only 4 dBi or so overhead). As an example, my last four AO-51 passes were 36, 15, 26, and 27 degrees -max- elevation. Would you prefer gain at low to mid elevations, or above 30 degrees to work this satellite today? A 1/4 wave will work, sometimes, but it is far from ideal for anything but occasional downlink access. As Clayton pointed out, it's easy to spot the guys on crappy antennas, as they are the ones missing calls, or transmitting on top of QSOs, because they mistake a loss of signal as a break in the action. 73, Drew KO4MA PS My satellite grid addiction started in 2000 with a DR-605 Alinco and a 1/4 wave magmount, and a winter in the Dakotas logging production wells. UO-14, AO-27, and SO-35 were my only breaks from the boredom and snow. Since then I've operated mobile from probably 100+ grids on the FM and SSB birds both. It's addictive.

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aa5ck road trip
by ted 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

Thanks to everyone for the Sat QSOs during my trip the past week. I had a great time viewing scenery that I hadn't seen in a while and working the Sats! There were even QSLs waiting for me when I arrived home yesterday evening! If you haven't sent one yet, SASEs and return cards are certainly not necessary. I'll eventually get cards out to everyone, and LOTW updated. Thanks again....ted....aa5ck

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Re: Good mobile antennas to use
by k6yk 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

When I was mobiling a lot I used quarter wave antennas on 2M and 70CM. Preamp on the receiver,and just a dual-band mobile FM rig, and at times just a dual band HT in the car. Receiving was the hard part, but at the time UO-14, AO-27, SO-35 had pretty good downlink signals. And as far as a mag-mount goes, Anything that doesn't blow off the car at 70 MPH will be fine ! 73, John, K6YK with about 4,000 mobile QSO's in the log. ____________________________________________________________ 57-Year-Old Mom Looks 25 Mom Reveals $5 Wrinkle Trick That Has Angered Doctors! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4e722c0b930bd29360dst04vuc

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SatPC32 via USB2Serial not working (Error reading comm device.)
by PE0SAT 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

Hi, Thanks for reading this message. Because I do not have enough serial ports in my computer, I bought a USB to serial converter from StarTech. It is a 4-port version. (ICUSB2324X) I switched my FT-847 from a buildin serial com1 to com3 (the USB to Serial one.) Everything seemed okay, until I wanted to use SatPC32. When I start SatPC32 the CAT option lighstup in my FT-847 display and then I get the error message: "Error reading comm device." I have looked around to see if there is a setup option that can solve this, but I am unable to find one. Is there anybody out there who knows of a way to solve this? Other programs work fine, for example HRD 5. Here some hardware information: - Using a HP Compaq 3GHz P4 HT with 2G memory running Windows XP - EN SP3. - Yaesu FT-847 - SatPC32 V.12.8a (2009) 73 Jan PE0SAT

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HudsonValleySatcomNet Tonight Sept15@8PMEastern
by cotejaune2＠aol.com 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

Hello all it is time again for the Hudson Valley Satcom Group Net tonight Sept 15 @8PM on Echolink N2EYH-L. Please join us for the net. We can also be heard on the Mt Beacon 146.970 pl 100 repeater. 73 Gary WA2AQH

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10Mhz ocxo
by Andy Brian 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

Hi, I bought 10mhz OCXO Trimble from ebay and I can't find any datasheet so I'm looking how to connect the pins VFC Vref and if this OCXO is good enough for 10Mhz reference for transverters maybe (like db6nt, demi). Can I leave pins VFC and Vref not connected? Any helps very welcome, thanks, regards AB

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PCSAT NO-44
by Rick Kowalewski 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

Hi all, I'm trying to digipeat through NO-44 but to no avail. Using a Kenwood TM-D700 on 145.825MHz and ARISS,W3ADO-1 as the path. I've tried different paths and still no go. I see stations in Japan show up on http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/pcsat.cgi only minutes after a pass over Australia. So I'm thinking if they can, why can't I. Do I need any other settings? 73, Rick VK6XLR

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Re: Good mobile antennas to use
by Andrew Glasbrenner 15 Sep '11

15 Sep '11

Neither are going to be very good on the FM sats, comparatively. You might make a few Qs per pass. If you are going to go to the trouble of going somewhere to make contacts, why not take a small UHF beam like the CJU or the UHF part of an Arrow? With that on the downlink, and a whip on the uplink, you can work horizon to horizon! My last trip, to Oklahoma, I used a IC-207 and 1/4wave magmount for the uplink, and FT-817 and CJU for the downlink. This afternoon it was the FT-857 and 1/2 Comet up, and a $40 Baofeng UV-3R HT and 4 element UHF arrow for the downlink. Both are horizon to horizon setups when parked, and holding the UHF out the window. If you can only work while in motion and driving, well, nevermind, LOL. A 1/4 wave would probably be as best as you can do then, without going to something like one of the quadrifilars from antennas.us online. 73, Drew KO4MA -----Original Message----- >From: John Geiger <aa5jg(a)fidmail.com> >Sent: Sep 14, 2011 6:28 PM >To: AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Subject: [amsat-bb] Good mobile antennas to use > >I am looking to get on the FM satellites while mobile and activate some >different grids. Can anyone recommend a good mag mount dual band antenna to >use for satellite work? Does the MFJ 1/4 wave mag mount antenna do pretty >good on the sats? I am guessing a 1/4 wave will cover more of the pass than >a 5/8 wave would. > >73s John AA5JG >_______________________________________________ >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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