August 2012 - 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

2 2

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]

2 1

FUNcube + SatPC32 + SDR-Radio
by Thomas Doyle 06 Sep '12

06 Sep '12

The FUNcube and SDR-Radio work great together. Transmit control for satellite use in SDR-Radio is very limited (non-existent from what I have been able to find). I would like the FUNcube / SDR-Radio combination to act like a simple receiver under cat control from SatPC32 or similar program. I would like to talk with anyone who has actual experience with this. tnx & 73 W9KE

14 16

Satellite demonstration from Aguada town
by Hector, CO6CBF 03 Sep '12

03 Sep '12

Hello all! On Saturday September 1st, The Aguada de Pasajeros `s Radio Club will give an Amateur Radio presentation from the Central Park of the town. The Radio Club will be operating on the HF bands and 2m local repeaters. I will be there on behalf of the Satellite Cuban group for a Sat demonstration, I hope to operate on the SO-50 and AO-27 passes from 12:00z to 20:00z and I will try to encourage some Hams to the Microphone. Aguada town is in EL92 around 40 miles from Cienfuegos city. Please, give us a call! 73! Hector, CO6CBF EL92sd Este mensaje ha sido enviado mediante el servicio de correo electronico que ofrece la Federacion de Radioaficionados de Cuba a sus miembros para respaldar el cumplimiento de los objetivos de la organizacion y su politica informativa. La persona que envia este correo asume el compromiso de usar el servicio a tales fines y cumplir con las regulaciones establecidas.

2 1

Lapan A2 set for 2013 launch
by Trevor . 31 Aug '12

31 Aug '12

RSGB News reports on a story in the Jakarta Globe. See http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/indonesian-space-program-to-launch-loca… I understand LAPAN-A2 will use S band (non amateur frequency) for video surveillance and the amateur frequency 437.425 MHz for telemetry. I gather there is another Indonesian satellite LAPAN-ORARI that will carry a 5 watt output FM voice transponder with a 435.880 MHz uplink and 145.880 MHz downlink as well as an APRS Digipeater on 145.825 MHz and a green light laser for attitude determination. Does anyone know when LAPAN-ORARI is likely to launch ? 73 Trevor M5AKA

1 0

AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Election Final Reminder
by Alan P. Biddle 31 Aug '12

31 Aug '12

All AMSAT-NA members, One last reminder that your ballots need to be received at AMSAT-NA headquarters by September 15th, 2012. Remember, this is one of your best opportunities to make your views on the path of our organization known. More details, courtesy of the AMSAT News Service, can be found below. 73s, Alan WA4SCA AMSAT Corporate Secretary -------------------------------------------- Select no more than three of the six listed candidates (in alphabetical order): + Tom Clark, K3IO + Steve Coy, K8UD + Mark Hammond, N8MH + Lou McFadin, W5DID + Gould Smith, WA4SXM + Patrick E. Stoddard, WD9EWK The 3 candidates receiving the most votes will become directors serving 2 year terms. The 2 receiving the next highest number of votes will be seated as alternates for 1 year terms. You must mail your ballot back to be received at the AMSAT-NA Office no later than the close of business on September 15, 2012: AMSAT 850 Sligo Avenue, #600 Silver Spring, MD 20910

1 0

Re: Wisp and Windows 7 - more
by Tom Clarke 31 Aug '12

31 Aug '12

Hello Roy. It has been a while, but I still have your photo on the wall in the radio shack. I also have your listing on a test homepage I cobbled up about 1998. The page was never finished. You are listed as W5SLL, and your recordings of Sputnik 1 Extract -- " Roy and his two-year-old daughter would put the radio speaker in a window and then go outside and listen to the strong signals while they watched the third stage booster tumbling end over end like a bright pulsating star as it passed over in the evening sky. Listen with them to this recording of Sputnik 1 (.WAV (113K) or RealAudio (10K)). This recording was made in Dallas, Texas on October 7, 1957 at 0457Z using a military surplus AN/FRR3A HF RTTY receiver." Quite an achievement Roy. My first experience was trying to find a satellite, putting the radio on the beacon frequency, then bedding down on the floor of the shack with a sleeping bag and a pillow, and keeping an ear open, then, jump up, grab a pen, and note time and direction. Oscar 10 was my favourite. My first digital was 8J1JBS, and it was to upload a one liner.. both James, G3RUH and Freddie, ON6UG uploaded a reply on the same pass. This was one of the highlights of my life. Today my satellite gear is still here, FT736, DSP-12, and G3RUH's modems. My antenna (KLM's) took a fall, and are all down. The 22C is slightly bent in the middle. The old PC with Win 98 and the KCT is still here, and everything is gathering dust. The Satellite Gateway and the software development was fantastic. I was gearing up for AO-40, and have a tuned G3RUH / ON6UG dish here in a box. My intention was to use it on a camera tripod, but that was not to be. I miss Amsat, especially all the friends I met there, too many to mention. They were so helpful. I reverted back to building a model railroad, and have gone to West Springfield, MA. railroad show for the past six years or so. Then we to visit a cousin of Marie's in Chicago, for about two days, just to say hello, then home. Nell is right.. I'm five years behind you, and I do not climb ladders. My by-pass was 26 years ago.. so you have a bit to go yet.. I also developed diabetes, and I check my sugar several times a day. Keeping my sugar in check is a great way to control my diet. You have done very well at tracing your family history. I had not heard of the FamilyTreeDNA.com. Sometimes we take a few days over to Ennistymon, where we stay at the Falls Hotel. As the name implies, there is a nice waterfall right beside it. It's just two miles to Lahinch, where surfing is very popular. Delighted to hear from you again. Say hello to Nell and Rachael. Best wishes. Tom -- Ei6EH Kells Ireland ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roy" <rdwelch(a)swbell.net> To: "Tom Clarke" <clarket(a)iol.ie> Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2012 10:09 PM Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Wisp and Windows 7 > Wow! A cherished voice from the past! How in the world are you Tom? So > very good to hear from you. It was June 12, 1995 when I visited your > shack in Ireland. I think you were at the 1997 AMSAT-GB meeting when I > last saw you. > > My 98 with the KCT is idle too, pretty much after the Gateway system > closed down and the digital birds disappeared. I need a small 10" or so > monitor to use with the 98 PC. I have an XP and a Win 7 work station I > use now but still keep the 98 machine setup. > > Nell and I are both in our 80s now and she refuses to let me go up on the > roof to do antenna work so if and when they need work I will have to do it > on the sly or get a friend to help me. I had a triple bypass heart > operation about 18 months ago and have been going to cardiac rehab three > days a week just to keep in shape. You recall my granddaughter, Rachel, > sending the small bear, Scotty, around the world. Well, she is married > and is teaching in Denver, Colorado. Her older sister has two children so > we are great grand parents now. > > I have been doing some genealogy research, trying to find out when and > where my Welch ancestors arrived in the country. I have documented my 4th > great grandfather, Walter Welsh settling in North Carolina in the 1750s > but have hit a brick wall trying to go back past him. As a result I tried > the FamilyTreeDNA.com way to see if I could find a relative. I tested to > 111 DNA markers and the closest match I found is a Max Walsh in Australia. > His grandfather arrived there from Ennistimon, county Clare, Ireland in > the 1800s. I match Max Walsh 105 out of the 111 markers, closer than some > cousins. With that match and the Walsh/Welch/Welsh similarity it supports > the family traditional tales that our family came to the USA from Ireland. > I haven't been able to dig back any further, however. > > It's been good to hear from you and I hope you and the family are all OK. > Stay in touch. > > Regards, > Roy Welch - W0SL > > On 8/30/2012 11:13 AM, Tom Clarke wrote: >> >> Hello Roy. >> >> Nice to see you. I still got the KCT and the PC with Win 98, but have >> them >> sitting idle for a number of years. >> >> My current PC and laptop have no slots for the KCT, and run XP. >> >> The KCT was a dream come true. I still have the FT736, DSP-12, and >> G3RUH modems, but lying idle. >> >> Best wishes to your family. >> >> Tom Clarke - Ei6EH >> >> > >

1 0

Kennedy Space Center Visit
by Larry Koziel 30 Aug '12

30 Aug '12

Does anyone have any further details on the visit to the Kennedy Space Center planned for the Monday following the Symposium? Martha is away for the holiday and unavailable. I'm trying to make plans for that weekend and am trying to figure out whether it's at all practical to try to pick a late return flight on Monday. I'd like to take the tour, but I currently have only half the vacation time that I had in my last two jobs. I'd rather not have to spend an extra day traveling (and the extra hotel night and meals). Even knowing that the bus will (probably) be back to the hotel at 6, that just doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room for the logistics of retrieving baggage left at the hotel and then taking a shuttle to the airport, getting checked in and through airport security in a comfortable time. Larry K8MU

1 0

Wimo X Quad Antennas
by Howard Kowall 30 Aug '12

30 Aug '12

Hello All Has been awhile since I posted on the BBS,I hope everyone is enjoying the summer I have had to reposition my location for my Satellite antennas and now I need some smaller footprint antennas. The Wimo X Quad antennas for both 2m and 70cm are perfect size for me,has anyone used these antennas,or do you know something similar that would be of similar size and operation ? I live in Canada so shipping from Wimo may get costly ,Has anyone seen a homebrew version of these antennas ? Thanks to all who read and respond to this post in advance Howard VE4ISP

1 0

Wisp and Windows 7
by Roy 30 Aug '12

30 Aug '12

WiSP does run fine on all Windows versions to date, but the Kansas City Tracker driver included with it does not run on any version later than Windows 98. I don't think this will be a problem for anyone since the KCT has been out of production for a number of years now. Just some of you old geezers like me still have one running in an old Win 98 machine. Roy - W0SL

2 1