November 2014 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

ANS-327 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Lee McLamb 23 Nov '14

23 Nov '14

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-327 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org. In this edition: * ARISS Contact Opportunity Call for Proposals * Captain Yuri, UT1FG/mm Reported Heading Back to Sea SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-327.01 ANS-327 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 327.01 From AMSAT HQ Kensington, MD. November 23, 2014 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-327.01 ARISS Contact Opportunity Call for Proposals Proposal Window October 17 – December 15, 2014 The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS. ARISS anticipates that the contact would be held between May 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. The deadline to submit a proposal is December 15, 2014. The Opportunity Crew members aboard the International Space Station will participate in scheduled Amateur Radio contacts. These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students and educators to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session. An ARISS contact is a voice-only communication opportunity via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station and classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts afford education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space and to learn about space research conducted on the ISS. Students also will have an opportunity to learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science. Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in contact dates and times. Amateur Radio organizations around the world, NASA, and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe sponsor this educational opportunity by providing the equipment and operational support to enable direct communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world via Amateur Radio. In the US, the program is managed by AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) and ARRL (American Radio Relay League) in partnership with NASA. More Information Interested parties can find more information about the program at www.ariss.org and www.arrl.org/ARISS. More details on expectations, audience, proposal guidelines and proposal form, and dates and times of Information Sessions are available at www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact. Please direct any questions to ariss(a)arrl.org. [ANS thanks Debra, K1DMJ, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Captain Yuri, UT1FG/mm Reported Heading Back to Sea Early reports via e-mail exchanges indicate that Captain Yuri, UT1FG/mm may be headed back to sea in December. He is reportedly slated to take over the helm of the MV Greenwing which he will meet in either Canada or the on the ports of the Great Lakes in the USA. Currently the MV Greenwing is off the coast of Sicily and appears to waiting for a load to carry back to the USA or Canada. For those who want to do so, you will be able to "track" the ship on-line using websites such as http://www.marinetraffic.com You may need to provide one of the following identifiers to track the ship: Ship Name: Greenwing Ships Call Sign: P3GG9 Ships IMO #: 9230921 Ships MMSI #: 209996000 Historically, Captain Yuri has operated on the satellites with these parameters: 1) He operates 1/2 duplex with an Icom 706MKIIg rig with an ELK antenna 2) He is VERY good operator and speaks several languages well. 3) He has NO issues with the 1/2 duplex operations. 4) He works ALL of the available satellites, FM, Linear & even AO-7a. 5) He works ALL of the passes he can, EVEN in the middle of the night! [ANS thanks Frank, K4FEG for the above information] /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information. 73, This week's ANS Editor, Lee McLamb, KU4OS ku4os at amsat dot org

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Rotor set up for SatPC32 V.12.8c
by carl creamer 23 Nov '14

23 Nov '14

I have been away for Sats a bit and just up graded to the latest SatPC32 V 12.8c This rotor setup worked as it should with ver, 12.8b I'm using GS-232 type rotor on a win 7 PC I have the rotor connected ok with ServerSDX at 9600 on port 9, but I Get the error message "Ungultige Gleitkommaoperation" Any idea how I can fix this and what the issue maybe. Thanks Carl WQ6C

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W7O looking for Hawaii this afternoon
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 22 Nov '14

22 Nov '14

Hi! I will have W7O on a couple of upcoming passes this afternoon that cover Hawaii, if operators out there would like to work this station via satellite. The two passes are... AO-7 @ 0020 UTC (1420 HST) FO-29 @ 0113 UTC (1513 HST) These times are when I start to be in the footprints. Hawaii would be in the footprints about 4 to 6 minutes later. These would be the best chances for me to work Hawaii, as AO-7 will be in mode A tomorrow, and the latest FO-29 pass I have tomorrow evening is very shallow and tough to work from here. I hope to hear anyone from out there on these two passes. Thanks in advance, and 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Re: [amsat-bb] W7O update - 0300 UTC Saturday, 22 November
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 22 Nov '14

22 Nov '14

Bob, Thanks for coming up on that AO-73 pass. It was nice to work both you and Sawson KG6NUB as W7O on there. Better than just talking to myself, like I did on the earlier pass around 0415 UTC. Now, time for bed... 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ On Sat, Nov 22, 2014 at 5:34 AM, Bob- W7LRD wrote: > see you at 0550Z > 73 > Bob W7LRD > >

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W7O update - 0300 UTC Saturday, 22 November
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 22 Nov '14

22 Nov '14

Hi! W7O is still going strong, on satellites and HF. I am now getting more log files, and uploading them to Logbook of the World. I just uploaded over 500 QSOs in the past few minutes - many thanks to Hector CO6CBF (KF5YXV for the moment), Yanko NX9G, and Bill W7OO. I now have 1402 W7O QSOs in LOTW and log files here at home for W7O, and 370 of those QSOs have been confirmed in LOTW. I still have several operators' logs to receive, so the QSO count will certainly go up a lot more. I plan on being on the 0415 and 0550 UTC AO-73 passes tonight as W7O, and the ISS pass at 0609 UTC if the digipeater is on. On the ISS digipeater, I will not use a full packet station with computer and TNC/software, but my Kenwood TH-D72A. I would be happy to make packet QSOs via APRS messages, which I can send and receive using the TH-D72A. I've completed one W7O packet QSO last weekend, and would like to see if I can do more. The call sign I will use on the ISS passes will be W7O - no SSID after the call, just the 3 characters. And look for the W7O beacon coming down on 145.825 MHz, if you are in the footprints. If there is interest out in Hawaii, I would be happy to try AO-7 (mode B) and/or FO-29 passes as W7O where the footprint reaches the islands Saturday afternoon or Sunday. Please e-mail me directly, if you want to try for that. We're in the home stretch, with the weekend and most of Monday remaining before the end of the special event. W7O operators continue working HF and satellites. I'll count up the number of operators later, but it will work out to be around 20 or so operators who have used the W7O call during this event, from coast to coast. Everyone who has had a chance to work as W7O has enjoyed the experience. Using a special call and not having to worry about the QSLing... not a bad deal. :-) If you would like a W7O QSL card, please include a self- addressed stamped envelope when sending your QSL request to me. I am planning on a W7O QSL card that won't work as a post card through the postal system. If you are outside the USA, a self-addressed envelope with a US$ 1 bill would be useful. An IRC will also work. For non- US stations, QSLs to W7O can be sent to me through the QSL bureau system via WD9EWK. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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LVB Tracker with different AZ/EL rotators
by Sion Chow Q. C. (9W2QC) 22 Nov '14

22 Nov '14

Dear All, I would like to know if it is possible or have anyone tried to connect a single LVB tracker to two different rotators, say for example G-1000 for Azimuth and the G-5500 (using only the elevation portion and only connecting the elevation related pins on 6 pin DIN connector) for elevation? Thank you. 73, Sion Chow Q. C., 9M2CQC, WQ2C

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Re: [amsat-bb] Does one 847 equal two 817's?
by Bill ACITO, W1PA 21 Nov '14

21 Nov '14

>>I suppose you *could*, but why would you *want* to? Portable (Minimal equipment -- no PC for doppler) 847 tracking is not trivial to set-up without a PC (which band goes in which VFO? sidebands set right? inverting? which VFO should TX? etc) Minimal set-up and complexity. Use the satellite "one true rule". Why didn't the dual-817 guys buy an 847? Bill W1PA

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Happy B-day $50sat/MO-76
by Howie DeFelice 21 Nov '14

21 Nov '14

MO-76/$50sat shares a birthday with Funcube and is the smallest operational satellite in orbit as far as we know. We are all quite amazed that the battery has survived a year of torture ! - Howie AB2S www.50dollarsat.info

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Next week W5PFG/P EL09 & DL89 area ops
by Clayton Coleman 21 Nov '14

21 Nov '14

Nov 23-25 I will operate from grid EL09, not far from the DL99 line. I will try to visit DL98/DL99 line at least once to fulfill a DM98 request. I have not operated from those grids since 2011. November 25-28, I will be operating from DL89 with occasional operations from DL79/89. I will not be making a trip to DL88 due to lack of 4x4 transportation being available locally. November 28-29, I will operate from the DM90/DM91 area. I won't have a lot of time in this area and will only notify via Twitter @w5pfg in advance of me working a pass. 73, Clayton W5PFG

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Re: [amsat-bb] FUNcube/AO-73 Mode change
by GW1FKY＠aol.com 21 Nov '14

21 Nov '14

Hi Jim and all. "Happy Birthday" - Funcube-1 now AO-73. and a very big " THANKYOU " to all that made the project possible. I include the project team, committee and to all those that gave support in many ways. The satellite was in good health on first good pass over the UK this morning ( Friday 21st ) - I wished it "Good Morning " but had no response to my CQ satellite calls sadly. I will call again on the next passes. Regards Ken Eaton GW1FKY Amsat-UK Amsat NA Just about to make a pass.

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Does one 847 equal two 817's?
by Bill ACITO, W1PA 21 Nov '14

21 Nov '14

I see a lot of current portable transponder ops running two rigs (most likely 817's). Folks seem to be unencumbered by the lack of tracking and Doppler coordination between the two radios. Dare I say it -- old school? Despite the tracking and inverting capabilities, is there any reason I couldn't run my 847 in the same "mode", using the two separate VFO dials like two 817's and nothing else? Am I missing something? Any one, from the various AMSAT portable ops, have a YouTube video showing _in detail_ how you are running two 817's? Anyone else run your 847 this way? Bill W1PA

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Does one 847 equal two 817's?
by Kevin M 21 Nov '14

21 Nov '14

I learned satellites 'old school' on RS-12/13 with manual tuning and I have been using my 847 for a while now, sans computer. I finally got the cable to even hook the rig up to a PC this week. I plan to try 'computer tuning' for the first time after I figure out the software. As for split VFOs on an 847... it doesn't really operate that way. To operate manually on the 847, you first go into SAT mode which changes the function of a number of buttons, the memories, and several other things. The easiest way to use the rig is to set up the SAT memories... It stores the uplink and downlink bands (in the last position used) along with the tracking direction (inverted or non-inverted) and labels them with the Sat name you enter. One band will be in the main window and the other band in the sub window. Once you find your signal on the downlink, you hit the 'Track' button and the two VFOs then move simultaneously in the appropriate direction (same way if non-inverting, opposite way if inverting). There is a sub tune knob, but it moves at a much slower rate and is really just to keep up with doppler changes. So no, it doesn't really operate the two VFOs separately like having two radios. The closest you could operate like that is to adjust one band, hit the VFO 'A-B' swap button and then adjust the other band. But there is no need to do that since you only need to adjust one to first line up the frequencies, then 'sync them' and move to whatever part of the passband you want to operate. After that, you will only adjust the Sub band as the doppler changes... Because while the Main tuning knob will adjust both VFOs while in 'Track' mode, the Sub band knob only adjusts the VFO in the sub window. Before I got the 847, I had two separate rigs... Not a couple of 817s, rather a Kenwood 751a and an Icom 451a. Trust me... the 847 is MUCH easier! Why didn't these guys get an 847? Easy... it's a hundred watt rig that requires a big power supply and is heavy by comparison to a couple 817s. Kind of hard to hang an 847 around your neck and strap a car battery to your belt. I make jest, but I think I am making a clear point. Even though I have an 847, if I could afford it, a couple 817s along with my Arrow would be fun to take grid hopping, do demos, etc. Sorry, but I'm not dragging my 847 to a hamfest for a demo or even out to my car to just drive up the road. =^) 73, Kevin N4UFO Pictures of my shack and antenna farm: http://www.qrz.com/db/N4UFO The fun of putting up satellite antennas: http://n4ufosat.blogspot.com/

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email test
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 20 Nov '14

20 Nov '14

test message only

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FUNcube Warehouse Outage
by David Johnson 20 Nov '14

20 Nov '14

Hi, At 21:59 on the 19th, the warehouse received an erroneous FC1 packet which caused subsequent packets to be rejected. It's possible that this was actually an FC2 packet that got corrupted just after a reset and issued the FC1 ID in the header. I'm adding another trap in the data processing to cover this eventuality. I'm sure it's not our 1 year old throwing a tantrum :-) The server is now collecting data and I will fix up the min-max values in a couple of hours. If you see any other anomalies, let me know. As always, many thanks for the uploads. 73 - Dave, G4DPZ

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FT-847 tech help
by Ken Swaggart 19 Nov '14

19 Nov '14

Thought I’d start first with this august group. While attaching a tap to an IF coil for a panadapter, I inadvertantly broke some of the coil windings on T3022 which is on the RF unit. A replacement is no longer available at Yaesu. Does anyone have the coil winding information? If not, any suggestions on who to ask? (The FT-847 still works, but the IF shows strong peaks and valleys on the 200 KHz panadapter display.) Thanks, Ken, W7KKE

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W7O on SO-50 tomorrow local time
by Bill Acito 19 Nov '14

19 Nov '14

Yes... we'll give this a try. I will be on as W7O on the 16:22Z and 18:02Z SO-50 east coast passes Wed Nov 19. There is a possibility of working extreme western EU at the end of the earlier pass. I will be using my portable set-up from work; I have great ears (pre-amp) but not a lot of power so you will have to give me space to acknowledge and call. Those of you who have already worked W7O on one of the transponder birds: please give preference to those who haven't or only have FM set-ups. Spread out your calls, listen, and work the passes intelligently... the satellite will be coming out of the NW so coastal stations will have better luck in the 2nd half of the passes out over the ocean. Based on how it goes, I'll work with Patrick and the team to schedule additional passes. Bill W1PA

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test email
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 19 Nov '14

19 Nov '14

email test

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Shin-En 2 transponder launch
by Andrew Glasbrenner 19 Nov '14

19 Nov '14

I think I've gathered enough information about this to get a little excited. Shin-En 2 is going to be launched with Hayabusa-2 from Japan early November 30 UTC on an Earth escape trajectory, Along with Artsat-Despatch. Shin-En 2 carries a 800mw Mode J transponder and 800mw WSJT beacon. It looks like there will be a pass before it gets too far out right after launch, where the range is 20k-30k km for me in Florida. This will be much, much weaker than FO-29, but it might be workable with a AO-13 class station early on the first day or two. I'll be up for the launch and the first window around 2AM EST on the morning of the 1st. It'd be nice to have some stations to work if it's possible! Here are some links: Synopsis http://www.pe0sat.vgnet.nl/satellite/commercial-scientific/shinen-2/ Data Format http://leo.sci.kagoshima-u.ac.jp/KSAT-HP/Shin-en2_Comm_E.html Hideo Kambayashi has been posting links and pictures on the AMSAT North America Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/7828379515/ A diagram indicating the position when Shin-En 2 will be deployed has been copied to http://www.amsat.org/?attachment_id=3564 I hope to put together a post for the AMSAT website front page tonight with more details. We should be able to use the Artsat-Despatch tracker for both satellites, at least in the beginning: http://api.artsat.jp/pass/ Some info on Artsat http://despatch.artsat.jp/en/Main_Page and http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=384 That's all for now, more after work. 73, Drew KO4MA

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ARTSAT2:DESPATCH - Details of the experiment on cooperative data reconstruction
by Akihiro Kubota 19 Nov '14

19 Nov '14

Dear all, Hello, ARTSAT2: DESPATCH http://despatch.artsat.jp/en/Main_Page is going to launch on November 30, 2014. This is the latest public announcement of call for receivers of cooperative data reconstruction from deep-space. ===== 1. Despatch CW Format is now available! Yesterday, we opened a wiki which explains how to join the "Cooperative data reconstruction," the main mission of Despatch. In this wiki, you can find the CW format as well as how to report the data you received. http://despatch.artsat.jp/en/Cooperative_Data_Reconstruction 2. Despatch Tracking page is opened! Since Despatch is injected into an Earth escape trajectory, TLE is unavailable. Instead, we opened a web-page for the spacecraft tracking (both antenna-pointing and receiver-tuning). http://api.artsat.jp/pass/ Please go to the page and enter your geographic location, and you will get nearby passes and a table with 1 minute steps that gives you AZ, EL, Freaquency, and so on. As the apparent movement and the change of the Doppler shift are slow, manual pointing of the antenna and tuning of the receiver every 10 minutes or so will do. 3. Reception Report page is opened! We opened a web page in which you can report the data you received. http://api.artsat.jp/report/ How to report your data is detailed in the wiki. ===== Thanks in advance and all the best, Akihiro Kubota, ARTSAT project

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W7O on SO-50 - Wednesday, 19 November
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 19 Nov '14

19 Nov '14

Hi! Bill W1PA will be on SO-50 for two passes tomorrow (Wednesday, 19 November) - 1620 and 1800 UTC - as W7O. Please give him a call, and get in the W7O log while this special event continues. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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for sale
by Jerry Ehlers 19 Nov '14

19 Nov '14

1- Advanced Receiver Research converter Model R144VD Input 144-146Mhz output 28-30Mhz $45.00 plus shipping to lower 48 payment by US Postal Money Order Jerry w0sat

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W7O on 0445 UTC AO-73 pass tonight
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 19 Nov '14

19 Nov '14

Hi! I will be on the 0445 UTC AO-73 pass tonight as W7O, if anyone will be on the radio later. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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W7O update
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 18 Nov '14

18 Nov '14

Hi! So far, so good. Lots of operators have been helping out by operating as W7O, on the satellites and the HF bands. There's one week left on the special call, and I'm still getting operators to help put W7O on the HF bands for the next week. I have a few great helpers for W7O on the satellites. In particular, Ron W5RKN has put in a lot of time over the past few days. Dave KB1PVH and Nick KB1RVT in New England have been most helpful in putting W7O on the AO-7 and FO-29 passes covering Europe, so hams over there have been able to work W7O via satellite. And a few others in locations across the USA have made their contributions to the effort. I made the first Logbook of the World upload for W7O tonight. I had logs from 5 other operators, plus my W7O log from Friday evening and Saturday. Those 6 logs had a total of 635 QSOs. Thanks to Wyatt AC0RA, Frank K6FW, Christy KB6LTY, George W1GIV, and Peter W2JV for those logs. Other W7O operators will forward me their logs next week, after the end of the W7O operation. Since there appears to be a 5-hour backlog for processing files uploaded to LOTW, those QSOs I just uploaded should be showing up during the overnight hours. I still think I will end up with a 4-digit number for W7O QSOs. I don't know how far past 1000 the QSO count will go, but wherever the final count ends up will be a good thing. I've seen lots of spots for W7O on the DX Summit web site, many mentioning the 40th anniversary of OSCAR 7. Nice to see so many talking up our 40-year-old satellite. And the fun continues for another week... 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Re: [amsat-bb] W7O update&In-Reply-To
by Kevin M 18 Nov '14

18 Nov '14

To be used by anyone and everyone at large? Simultaneously, all over the country? How very accommodating of them. No, not quite... their is a callsign coordinator (In this case Patrick) that assigns specific times and bands to approved stations to use the callsign. It is not "willy nilly". Not just anyone or everyone can use the callsign. It is no different than the current W1AW portable activity that is taking place on HF right now. =^) 73, Kevin N4UFO

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Just 3 Days Left for AO-40 Bracket Auction
by Clint Bradford 17 Nov '14

17 Nov '14

Want to own own a true piece of history - AND support AMSAT-NA??? Up for auction at eBay is a prototype mounting bracket from the AO-40 satellite project. I obtained it from AMSAT-NA several years ago, and have passed it around to scores of audiences to enjoy. It is time for it to have a new home! 100 per cent of the sale goes directly to AMSAT-NA! Details at ... http://work-sat.com/FUNDRAISING.html Clint Bradford K6LCS

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