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

Malaysian airliner puzzle
by Anthony Japha 18 Mar '14

18 Mar '14

Those so-called arcs that are said to be possible routes for the plane look much like the outer edge of one of the Inmarsat footprints. Is there logic behind the arcs or is it oversimplified nonsense? They are said to be the result of the signals Inmarsat received. But then why wouldn’t it be possible for the plane to be anywhere in the footprint? I’m sure many in our group have good ideas. I’m not trying to start a discussion of the entire mystery, only this one narrow, but possibly misleading, aspect related to our hobby. 73, Tony, N2UN LM 183 --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com

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used trackers for sale
by Perry Yantis 17 Mar '14

17 Mar '14

I have and no longer use these auto tracking devices. Unitrac 2000 set up for a parallel port and a TS 2000. Endevour Auto tracker this will control the antennas but the tuning chip is not there (I think you can still get one?). $75 each and I will pay shipping. These items have not been used for 4-5 years, but they should still work OK. Perry WB8OTH py41(a)att.net sent from my Apple Macbook Pro

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NY Times Article On Space Start-up Companies
by B J 17 Mar '14

17 Mar '14

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/17/technology/start-ups-aim-to-conquer-space… 73s Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL

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Malaysian airliner puzzle
by Anthony Japha 17 Mar '14

17 Mar '14

Thanks Rick, How do those sats determine distance to the source? Tony, N2UN --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com

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Reducing Orbital Debris From Batteries
by B J 17 Mar '14

17 Mar '14

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/03/17/esa-reduce-debris-threat-batteries/ 73s Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL

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Rocket Man
by Les Rayburn 17 Mar '14

17 Mar '14

One of most pleasant experiences that a satellite operator could ever have, occurred for me this weekend. Saturday night, sitting third row center, only ten feet from the stage. Listening to Elton John sing "Rocket Man" with my beautiful XYL at my side. For a lifelong space enthusiast, and amateur satellite operator, it doesn't get much better than that! -- -- 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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W1AW/7 (Arizona) on satellites, as of 0400 UTC 17 March
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 17 Mar '14

17 Mar '14

Hi! It has been fun working satellites with the W1AW/7 call over the past few days. Especially this weekend, between the Scottsdale AZ hamfest yesterday and getting up early this morning to start on the satellites at 6am (1300 UTC). Add in other passes John K8YSE worked from his Arizona station, and I think W1AW/7 was on most passes workable from Arizona starting very early this morning into this evening. If I didn't need to get some more sleep tonight before going back to work, I would have tried for one or two more passes tonight before calling it a night. I logged 36 QSOs as W1AW/7 today, working 12 different passes between 1300 and 0400 UTC. As of now, I have logged 102 satellite QSOs as W1AW/7. John K8YSE told me yesterday afternoon how many QSOs he had logged as W1AW/7 at that point; I forget the exact number, but it was already over 100 at that time. With almost two days left before the W1AW/x calls move to two other states, the W1AW/7 Arizona effort has at least 200 satellite QSOs in the log. Thanks to everyone who has called John and me on so many passes over the past 5 days. I will come back and post an update with some statistics from our logs in a few days, once we have completed our week as W1AW/7. For Monday, John and I will go back to what we did before the weekend. K8YSE/7 will try to work passes during the daytime as W1AW/7, then I will work as W1AW/7 into the evening. I will plan on being on AO-73 at 0416 & 0552 UTC, as this will be the last evening we will have the W1AW/7 call. Then K8YSE/7 will be on during the daytime Tuesday as W1AW/7 until 2359 UTC. Even if you have already worked us, please feel free to give us a call if you hear us on a pass. All of the W1AW/x activity may be an ARRL event, but it is nice to see the interest in having those calls show up on the satellites along with the HF and other bands. If your state does not have a plan for satellite operating during its week with a W1AW/x call, please contact the coordinator for your state in the listing at: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/On%20the%20Air/W1AW_2014_sked.pdf Chances are good that you will be allowed to use the W1AW/x call for your state. If you're not careful, you may be asked (or drafted) to coordinate satellite activity for your state's week with the W1AW/x call. :-) 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Re: Malaysian airliner puzzle
by Howie DeFelice 17 Mar '14

17 Mar '14

Hi Tony, I'm not up to speed on the current Inmarsat Aero service, but they are most likely using thee 4th generation satellite constellation which has numerous small overlapping spotbeams. They also have larger area beams as well as a global beam. There are several different aero services provided by Inmarsat for different classes of planes. I haven't seen the report you mention so I can't make any guesses how this relates to the footprints. - Howie AB2S

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AC0RA/m
by Wyatt Dirks 17 Mar '14

17 Mar '14

Good Evening This Friday the 21st of March I am going to leave westward to activate some of the rarer grids in ND, SD, CO, NE, and KA. I don't really have a set schedule and plans are pretty open at this point. I will be operating on SO50, VO52, FO29, AO73, and AO7 mode b. If you want more info on which grids I will be in and when just reply to this email and let me know. I can send updates on grids I will be in and when throughout trip but won't annoy the bb with such info. Also if there are any specific requests for grids I might be close to or going through I can try to activate those as well. Again just send me an email. I also believe and few of those states have been pretty quite on the birds lately so if you need any of those states listed above send me a note and I can try to help you out for WAS. Hope to catch you on the birds from the road. 73 Wyatt AC0RA

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FCC Invites Public Comment on 10-10.5 GHz Petition
by M5AKA 16 Mar '14

16 Mar '14

ARRL story at http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-invites-public-comment-on-petition-affecting-1… 73 Trevor M5AKA

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