January 2012 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

HI4/AJ5C update
by Bob Herrell 20 Jan '12

20 Jan '12

Good contacts for 1/20/12 AO-27 1853z de HI4/AJ5C: N9AMW, KB0RZD, W5PFG/m, K5OE/m, K0BAM, NX9B, N4ZQ and K8BL/4. 73 Bob

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getting "cheep" on the birds! (Pun intended)
by K4FEG 20 Jan '12

20 Jan '12

There seems to have been a rash of postings lately about how to get on the the "birds" for "cheep" ( yes the pun is implied!). IMHO cheap is not always equated with good. No one wants the "cheapest" Doctor around or the "cheapest" lawyer or the "cheapest" anything. With the demise of AO51 and the loss of its simple operating characteristics, there has been a migration to the "less" popular satellites. Most of the other FM satellites are no where near as "user friendly" as AO51 was. With people suggesting that people can get on to the satellites with an inexpensive Chinese made dual band HT and a "telescoping" antenna and nothing else, they are creating a perception that that is all you need to have a successful satellite station. Nothing could be further from the truth! AO27 has a 7 minute timer, there are increasing numbers of people who will call CQ the entire satellite pass over North America and never answer a single response to their "CQ's", and for some unknown reason these stations NEVER have an email address listed on their QRZ listing. Some of us actually use the satellites and do not like it when operators have been told they do not need a preamp or a good antenna or a good radio. It is much simpler to get into the uplink of the satellite than it is to hear it. I wish some of the "self-proclaimed" experts would tell these people that if they cannot hear themselves on the downlink that does not mean that they are not keying the satellite. If people are going to encourage people to get on the satellites, teach them how to use the satellites, not how they can get on the satellites for less than $100.00. They are getting on the satellite and causing interference for those that have invested in the equipment to take proper advantage of what the satellites have to offer. Some of the people that are pontificating profusely on the subject of operating "for cheap" I have never heard on the satellites. Encouraging people to become active is one thing, but giving people the impression that all they have to do is get a basic $80.00 radio and a telescoping antenna and they will have a top notch satellite station tantamount to turning an untrained Doctor loose to do surgery. For those that want to encourage people to get active, how about teaching or recommending proper operating techniques, before you tell them how "cheaply" they can get on the satellites. AO27 has such a short timer that good technique is paramount for getting the best use out of it, and SO50 has plenty of "quirks" to make it a challenge at times for the "seasoned" operator. I hope some of those promoting their own ideas of satellite use on a budget would spend more teaching rather than recommending how much money they can save by getting the least expensive gear available. good radio, receive preamp, decent antenna & Patience = a good beginner satellite station! If you can't hear the bird, doesn't mean it's not hearing you! I am happy to speak to anyone that is interested in satellite communications, you can check out my QRZ page. 73's Frank K4FEG

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SpaceX Flight Delayed Again
by B J 20 Jan '12

20 Jan '12

http://spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/003/120120delay/ 73s Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL

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Re: Getting "Cheep" ...
by Clint Bradford 20 Jan '12

20 Jan '12

>> ... I wish some of the "self-proclaimed" experts would tell these people that if they cannot hear themselves on the downlink that does not mean that they are not keying the satellite. I know of no "self-proclaimed expert" who is teaching anything other than "working full-duplex on the FM LEOs is the preferred method of operation ... " And I am still finding audiences who appreciate knowing that they already own most of the equipment necessary to successfully work these birds. One of the very first reception reports of the ARISSat-1 project was from a gentleman using a handheld radio - and its stock antenna. I know of MANY "self-proclaimed experts" who advise that that is not the best way to go ... (grin) I am very proud of the on-the-air operations that I hear here on the West Coast. I mean, I am in the most-populous region of the nation's most populous state - so the potential for poor operating methods are greater. But we're doing quite fine. Clint Bradford, K6LCS http://www.work-sat.com

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Re: Hamtronics converter
by David Reinhart 20 Jan '12

20 Jan '12

One thing I learned the hard way about Hamtronics converters is that they can't take any transitory transmit RF. Just powering up my old TS-440S with a UHF Hamtronics converter attached would blow the MMIC. David Reinhart WA6ILT

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Building a Distributed Satellite Ground Station Network
by Trevor . 20 Jan '12

20 Jan '12

There was a presentation on building a distributed satellite ground station network at the Chaos Communication Congress held December 27-30 and the video is now available. The AMSAT-UK FUNcube Dongle VHF/UHF Software Defined Radio gets a brief mention at 39:26 into the video. See http://www.uk.amsat.org/3892 73 Trevor M5AKA ----

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Re: ALERT
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 20 Jan '12

20 Jan '12

A solar flare will disrupt all HF and some satellites,While the flare is hitting the earth ,it can cause the VHF bands to open up .After the flare passes then the HF bands will be very active for F2 and maybe even some on 6 meters too ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ted" <k7trkradio(a)charter.net> To: wa4hfn(a)comcast.net Sent: Friday, January 20, 2012 1:00:58 PM Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] ALERT Does that help HF? -----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of wa4hfn(a)comcast.net Sent: Friday, January 20, 2012 6:23 AM To: AMSAT Subject: [amsat-bb] ALERT INCOMING CME: Active sunspot 1401 erupted yesterday, Jan. 19th around 16:30 UT, producing an M3-class solar flare and a full-halo coronal mass ejection (CME). The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory recorded the cloud expanding almost directly toward Earth: SEE spaceweather.com WA4HFN Damon _______________________________________________ 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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Re: Hamtronics receive converters
by Andrew Glasbrenner 20 Jan '12

20 Jan '12

High Sierra Microwave makes receive converters, and they are very high performance IMO. http://www.hsmicrowave.com/page12.html 73, Drew KO4MA -----Original Message----- >From: John Geiger <aa5jg(a)fidmail.com> >Sent: Jan 20, 2012 11:26 AM >To: AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Subject: [amsat-bb] Hamtronics receive converters > >Does anyone know if Hamstronics has made a UHF receive converter? The >currently make one for 2m, but I would like one to use for FO29, if >possible. > >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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Linear birds with an IC-706MkIIG
by Bob Herrell 20 Jan '12

20 Jan '12

Hi all, Does anyone have experience working the linear birds with a single IC-706MkIIG? Thanks Bob Herrell HI4/AJ5C

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Student CubeSat Aalto-1
by Trevor . 20 Jan '12

20 Jan '12

Students working on the Aalto-1 CubeSat have released a 4 minute video showing a visualization of the launch and deployment of the satellite, see http://www.uk.amsat.org/3883 73 Trevor M5AKA AMSAT-UK: http://www.uk.amsat.org/ ----

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