September 2013 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

NASA School Contact on NASA-TV Now!
by Clint Bradford 09 Sep '13

09 Sep '13

RIGHT NOW - ISS Expedition 36 In-Flight Educational Event with the Riverside Preparatory High School in Oro Grande, CA - JSC. Go to NASA TV right now! Clint K6LCS ---------------------------------- Clint Bradford, K6LCS http://www.clintbradford.com

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raspberry pi
by Bruce 09 Sep '13

09 Sep '13

i remember an article posted a few months back about using the raspberry pi for satellite work. just noticed it on sale at newegg.com for $55.99. do not know if it is a good price or not. thought i would pass the info on. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0AT0TW4472 73...bruce i have no interest or business relationship with newegg. Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPhone

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Best Full Duplex Mobile FM Rig for Satellite Work?
by Les Rayburn 08 Sep '13

08 Sep '13

Even though we have only one FM bird active at the moment (two if you could ISS), I'd still like to get a good performing FM duplex transceiver for the truck, along with a good magnet mount antenna to use while in motion. My reasons for this are many but briefly: 1.) Can't invest in a full blown satellite transceiver for the mobile right now. 2.) Want to be able to work high elevation passes without the need to drag out anything or even stop. 3.) Have a work related road trip coming up that will take us from Alabama to Washington, DC, then on to Chicago, Phoenix, and finally Salt Lake City. This should take me through a lot of grids. While I hope to pack along the Arrow Antenna and a FT-857D/FT-817ND combo, I won't be able to stop for the majority of passes. A good mobile duplex FM rig would insure that I make at least the majority of SO-50 passes during the three week trip. Suggestions on either rig or antennas? -- -- 73, Les Rayburn, N1LF 121 Mayfair Park Maylene, AL 35114 EM63nf 6M VUCC #1712 AMSAT #38965 Grid Bandits #222 Southeastern VHF Society Central States VHF Society Life Member Six Club #2484 Active on 6 Meters thru 1296, 10GHz & Light

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Another SATPC32 Question-Icom 910H-FM Narrow Mode
by Les Rayburn 08 Sep '13

08 Sep '13

Thanks to all who answered my newbie question involving how to change the transmitted PL tone for SO-50. I got several great responses, including at least one person who sent me their edited file for my use. The amateur spirit is alive, well, and living on the birds! I've got a similar question regarding SATPC32 and SO-50. I've noticed that FM-narrow mode on the Icom IC-910H seems to deliver better reception of the satellite, and I'd like to change the settings in SATPC32 so that is automatically places the radio in FM-Narrow mode. Can someone guide me through how to make this change? Also, I notice that polarity seems to be a larger issue on this bird than on the linear SSB/CW birds. My antennas are fixed in the attic in elevation, and can only be rotated in azimuth. I also opted to slightly offset the 432 antennas from vertical polarization to more of an "in-between", which seemed to reduce local noise and be a good compromise setting for shifting antenna polarization on the satellite. Anything else I can be besides adding AZ/EL to help reception of SO-50? -- -- 73, Les Rayburn, N1LF 121 Mayfair Park Maylene, AL 35114 EM63nf 6M VUCC #1712 AMSAT #38965 Grid Bandits #222 Southeastern VHF Society Central States VHF Society Life Member Six Club #2484 Active on 6 Meters thru 1296, 10GHz & Light

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Congrats to WD4GXI for 5 in EM 55 award #47
by damon runion 08 Sep '13

08 Sep '13

for more info on this award look me up wa4hfn on qrz.com

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EL79 or surrounding grids next two days
by Andrew Glasbrenner 08 Sep '13

08 Sep '13

I have business tomorrow afternoon in Panama City, so if there is interest I will be in EL79 from approximately 1400Z to 1700Z, and probably again in the evening. Look for me, most likely on SO-50 and FO-29, if you need the grid. On FO-29 I will be 20-30 Khz above the middle. Next week puts me in Gulf Breeze, FL and Albany, GA for those who need grids around those areas. 73, Drew KO4MA

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For Sale Mode J Desense Filter
by W7TYN 08 Sep '13

08 Sep '13

I have the following item for sale. Please respond to me off list if you are interested or need photo documentation: 1 ea. Original OSCAR Mode J Desense Filter . $20.00 $12.00 USPS Priority mail. I will give $10.00 donation to amsat in appreciation for all there help, when I was active on the "Birds". Uplink on 2 meters downlink on 70cm. This filter reduces the problem of the up link signal desensing the receiver. This filter has low insertion loss(typically less than 0.5dB in the 70 cm band)(This filter and good rejection (typically over 50 dB in the 2 meter band.) This filter should be inserted between the 70cm antenna and 70cm preamp. Transmitting through this filter is not recommended so it should be removed or bypassed before transmitting on 70cm. I fabricated this filter out of 3" copper pipe from a drawing and article in the AMSAT journal a number of years ago. A drawing appears in the 1980 ARRL Handbook. Silver and teflon trim coax fittings used on the input and output connections. W7TYN AMSAT # 3951

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2013 Symposium Tour Registration
by Alan 08 Sep '13

08 Sep '13

Hi, AMSAT has announced two great tours for the 2013 Symposium: The Battleship Texas, and the NASA Johnson Space Center. Both tours are open to all Symposium participants. However, due to the requirement for additional information for the JSC tour, the methods of booking tours are different. The Battleship Texas tour may be booked directly on the AMSAT Store: http://preview.tinyurl.com/lqw8o9x The details for the NASA JSC tour may be found on the AMSAT Store: http://preview.tinyurl.com/lr9e9cs However, it cannot be booked on the AMSAT Store due to the requirement for additional information. It must be booked directly with the AMSAT office. Information on how to do this, and the required information for non-US nationals, is included on the Store item. We regret the additional complications, and appreciate your understanding. 73s, Alan WA4SCA AMSAT Store Stock Boy

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Problem with a Tiny2
by Vincenzo Mone 08 Sep '13

08 Sep '13

Hi to the list, I own a PacComm Tiny2 with a 9600 G3RUH board to TX/RX the 9600 baud signals. I have a problem that when I go to switch it ON, I get the three LEDs ( STA CON and PWR ) lighted on permanently And it never light OFF. If I have the Terminal program loaded on the screen I can just see one character In the moment I switch the TNC ON. If I send the carriage return I can see the cursor going down but no communication. It seems that it does not complete the Switch ON routine. Please anybody can suggest me what happened and how to solve it? Thanks in advance. 73's de Enzo IK8OZV EasyLog 5 BetaTester EasyLog PDA BetaTester WinBollet BetaTester D.C.I. CheckPoint Regione Campania Skype: ik8ozv8520 ********************************** ******* GSM +39 328 7110193 ******* ****** SMS +39 328 7110193 ****** *** 2nd e-mail: vimone(a)tin.it *** *********************************

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Who says the amateur satellite hobby is dying?
by Paul Stoetzer 08 Sep '13

08 Sep '13

I was one ham's first satellite contact two nights ago on FO-29 and I was almost a ham's first satellite contact this evening on VO-52. Unfortunately, we couldn't get it done. Plus, I haven't been on the birds for very long myself. 73, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM Washington, DC

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