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

ISS 437.550 Packet
by Kevin Deane 09 Feb '12

09 Feb '12

For anyone that might be interested Packet is working on the 437.550 Unproto ARISS or RS0ISS Looks like the 145.825 RS0ISS-4 has been of for awhile but thats the norm for that one. Kevin KF7MYK

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HamSatDroid
by jerry keeton 09 Feb '12

09 Feb '12

I have a Motorola Milestone , just updated to version 8.0 . Both worked very well . Only thing I would like to see added would be Beacon Frequiencies fo each satellite . Thanks Guys for a great APP.

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New Pictures Of Martian Landers
by B J 08 Feb '12

08 Feb '12

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-037&cid=release_2012-037…

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Re: AMSAT-BB Digest, Vol 7, Issue 65
by Burns Fisher 08 Feb '12

08 Feb '12

Here are a couple things that were less than obvious to me about the ARR 70CM switched preamp. If you are going to power it with phantom power (i.e. up the feed line) you need to add a -C to the part number so they will add in the required choke from the feed line to the power input. But note that once you do this, you can't just use either phantom or external power. In my case, I got the choke ("I might need it someday") but used the external power. Oops...a nice short. It turns out that unless your transceiver has a high-pass filter (or just a cap!) you are probably going to be shorting out back through the feed line. When you do that, you may blow the choke and have to remove it anyway, depending on how much current got through it. (I'm not sure why they did not put a diode in, but hey...) The other thing is that I was going to get one of their phantom power injectors also. The problem there is that they only work with receive-only. So unless you can find one elsewhere, phantom power may be useful mainly if you transceiver supplies it (sigh, mine does not). And finally, another inobvious thing: The power connector has a third pin which, if you ground it, switches to transmit mode. So if you hook this up to the transciever, that's a way of getting around the "minimum power to switch" spec. (I think minimum power to switch is maybe 5W; my transceiver goes down to 5W, but with a 75' feed line, it's not gong to be 5W by the time it gets to the pre amp. The SSB preamp (or at least the 2M one that I have) comes with the choke, diode, etc and has a lower minimum switching power. It is more expensive, though. I hope this helps! Burns, W2BFJ > ------------------------------ > > Message: 6 > Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2012 22:56:04 -0500 > From: "Mike Ryan" <mryan301(a)comcast.net> > To: <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Receive Pre-Amps for 70cm > Message-ID: <89830E8A0C73460A9F511377C4656703@MikeClone> > Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="UTF-8"; > reply-type=original > > I second the comment about getting a switched one. Unless you have a > dedicated RX or have disabled the TX, you will certainly pop a RX only amp. > Its just a matter of when. Happened to me twice before admitting my > clumsiness. > > I've had very good luck with the ARR switched amps. I have two for 70 cm > (one for the shack and one for my Arrow) and a 2M version as well. If the > unit is to be in the attic, you can save some money by going for the inside > 25 watt switched model (SP432VDG). Just don?t exceed the 25 watts. Also be > aware that the FETs in these amps are sensitive, even on a switched model. > Make sure your rig is completed powered off and your body grounded (to > bleed > off static electricity) before connecting or disconnecting antenna > connectors. Its tempting to save a trip to the shack by leaving the rig > on > and do a quick swap, but don?t do it :( > > > ----- > > Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 15:40:37 -0600 > From: "Alan P. Biddle" <APBIDDLE(a)UNITED.NET> > To: "'PETER SIMONSEN'" <pureenduro(a)msn.com>, <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Receive Pre-Amps for 70cm > Message-ID: <86B0819F8E944465B5B0C98010D7AAB7@WA4SCA> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > Peter, > > A 70 cm preamp is always useful! There are a lot of them out there, but my > experience is that ARR and SSB Electronics make the best. Definitely not > the cheapest, though. > > http://advancedreceiver.com/page2.html > > http://www.ssbusa.com/gaasfet.html > > Be certain to get one which is RF switched, and which will handle your > rig's > power. No matter how careful you are, you WILL transmit into it someday. > Been there, done that. > > You will need to split your single antenna jack on the rig to two lines. > Almost any diplexer gives 50 db+ separation, but there are a few which are > only 30 db or so. Worth checking. > > 73s, > > Alan > WA4SCA > > > >

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Re: So50 Ao27
by Clint Bradford 08 Feb '12

08 Feb '12

Here's a Web site to get you back on the FM LEOs with your HT ... http://www.work-sat.com SO-50 should be workable for you, as well as the ISS. Checking passes of AO-27 is a two-step process - pass data AND checking its schedule. All the links you need are on that Web site! Clint Bradford, K6LCS

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So50 Ao27
by mm0kjg 08 Feb '12

08 Feb '12

Hello everyone. Can someone please tell me if So50 or Ao27 can be accessed with a Ht in the UK . My satellite usage is very limited at the moment due to the arrival of my Baby daughter last November and all my radio's got disconnected. Had worked Ao51 many times from car and garden but have never managed the other 2 fm birds. Any tips to get back on air with handy would be great. Cheers and 73's Kev De MM0KJG

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Vega satellite video + Live Launch feed
by Trevor . 08 Feb '12

08 Feb '12

Video about the Vega satellites http://www.uk.amsat.org/4476 Student Satellite Launch To Be Broadcast Live http://www.uk.amsat.org/4460 73 Trevor M5AKA

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2012 Orlando Hamcation
by n4csitwo＠bellsouth.net 08 Feb '12

08 Feb '12

This weekend, Orlando, Florida is the place to be !!! We invite everyone to the 66th annual Orlando Hamcation at the Orlando Fairgrounds. Hamcation kicks off on Friday, Feb.10th at noon and ends 14:00 ET, Sunday, Feb. 12th. AMSAT will be well represented with adjoining booths in the Commercial 1 building (main entrance). We also plan to have a working satellite station live from the AMSAT booth operated by John Papay, K8YSE Others present throughout the weekend will be ARISS Hardware Mgr.and sat.designer Lou McFadin, W5DID, AMSAT VP of Operations Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, Dave Jordan, AA4KN-AMSAT/ARISS, and on Friday, AMSAT President, Barry Baines, not to mention many other familiar faces from AMSAT. Along with the usual AMSAT goodies, look for a working model of an ARISSat amateur satellite on display. ... and don't forget there will be an AMSAT Forum beginning at 13:00 ET on Saturday in Classroom II reviewing AMSAT's newest project, the FOX cubesat and other related topics. Orlando Hamcation is growing bigger and better every year, so don't miss out and plan to attend. For more event details, go to ... http://www.hamcation.com Dave, AA4KN an AMSAT area coordinator for Central Florida

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Re: Receive Pre-Amps for 70cm
by Mike Ryan 08 Feb '12

08 Feb '12

I second the comment about getting a switched one. Unless you have a dedicated RX or have disabled the TX, you will certainly pop a RX only amp. Its just a matter of when. Happened to me twice before admitting my clumsiness. I've had very good luck with the ARR switched amps. I have two for 70 cm (one for the shack and one for my Arrow) and a 2M version as well. If the unit is to be in the attic, you can save some money by going for the inside 25 watt switched model (SP432VDG). Just don’t exceed the 25 watts. Also be aware that the FETs in these amps are sensitive, even on a switched model. Make sure your rig is completed powered off and your body grounded (to bleed off static electricity) before connecting or disconnecting antenna connectors. Its tempting to save a trip to the shack by leaving the rig on and do a quick swap, but don’t do it :( ----- Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 15:40:37 -0600 From: "Alan P. Biddle" <APBIDDLE(a)UNITED.NET> To: "'PETER SIMONSEN'" <pureenduro(a)msn.com>, <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Receive Pre-Amps for 70cm Message-ID: <86B0819F8E944465B5B0C98010D7AAB7@WA4SCA> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Peter, A 70 cm preamp is always useful! There are a lot of them out there, but my experience is that ARR and SSB Electronics make the best. Definitely not the cheapest, though. http://advancedreceiver.com/page2.html http://www.ssbusa.com/gaasfet.html Be certain to get one which is RF switched, and which will handle your rig's power. No matter how careful you are, you WILL transmit into it someday. Been there, done that. You will need to split your single antenna jack on the rig to two lines. Almost any diplexer gives 50 db+ separation, but there are a few which are only 30 db or so. Worth checking. 73s, Alan WA4SCA

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Re: HamSatDroid Version 0.8 (SDP4)
by Ernie Howard 08 Feb '12

08 Feb '12

Thank you for the HamSatDroid. I am happy with it, nice features. Hope to seem some new features that take advantage of the tablet format. I use it on the Acer Iconia A500 tablet. Ernie On 2/7/2012 3:28 PM, David Johnson wrote: > Hi, > > We've targeted the small form factor of the rather a tablet, at the moment. > If there is enough interest we will make it multi-platform. > > Yes, the next release (0.9) will have landscape capability, orientation > changed using the sensors. Again, targeted at phone use. > > We've had a few people mention the Kindle Fire and the B&N tablet (sorry we > don't have it in the UK) and the use of side-loading the app. There are > some limitations with these devices as they do not have the richer features > of other Android tablets and we will have to make some changes to > accommodate them. > > Many thanks to all for the feedback, keep it coming. > > 73 > > Dave Johnson / Juan Ranuarez

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