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

Person of note: Jack A Kinsler - obit
by Arthur Feller 21 Mar '14

21 Mar '14

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/15/us/jack-kinzler-skylabs-savior-dies-at-94… http://afeller.us

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DSTAR net
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 20 Mar '14

20 Mar '14

To all that WORK the satellites and those that have D STAR The net is tonight at 0100 utc on ref60b Would like to hear comments on the Icom 7100 and any bragging about new grids AND new countries worked Thanks WA4HFN em55 Damon

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Ham Video chaining experiment
by Gaston Bertels 20 Mar '14

20 Mar '14

The BATC screen was recorded during the chained stations experiment this morning. Please see: http://vivadatv.org/images/HamTV_20_03_2014_8h24UTC.html Total time of solid video copy was 7'40''. 73, Gaston Bertels - ON4WF ARISS-Europe chairman

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Re: Uni-Trac 2003 Parallel Port Version
by Matty Cunningham 19 Mar '14

19 Mar '14

Hi Mike, Not sure if this may help or not (depends on how you run your DDE) - and if your interface is compatible is it same protocol as AMSAT-IF100? I have got this to work with a G6LVB serial type tracker. I have been using the last free version of HRD that Simon Brown released (5.0 build 2893) - not sure if it works in the commercialised version - guess it probably would (will need to install on both machines). The HRD satellite tracking software can connect via TCP/IP to a 'remote server' (DDE running on your machine with interface) - (Menu - Tools - DDE Server). Setup the remote server with the IP address of your machine with the tracking interface, open firewall ports on both machines for ports 7815, create a new UDP password if you wish. Select the satellite you want to track, and az/el info etc will be sent from the Sat Tracking software to the DDE server. On the machine with the interface, run HRD Satellite tracking DDE Server (small executable in the HRD folder). Check you're using the same password as the other machine, when the other machine connects - you should see DDE date fill the DDE server screen. What I do is then run the HRD rotator software, pointing at the comm port for my interface, and connect this to the DDE server (Nova format) - this pulls the DDE strings from the local 'DDE Server' software that has it's own DDE info sent via the network from my main machine running HRD Sattellite tracking. You may be able to use the above step with your Uni-Trac software and interface - if it accepts DDE data from the DDE server. A bit convoluted - but it works, my solution now is to run a Raspberry Pi with a serial 'server' - connected to my rotator, driven by my main machine with a VSP virtual serial port as i don't have enough 'real' serial ports on my main PC. The rotator software 'thinks' it is sending the rotator commands to a local serial port, but is connecting remotely to the Raspberry Pi, connected to my serial tracking interface . Hope you get it running. Matty MD0MAN Uni-Trac 2003 Parallel Port Version - Any Users outthere ? Message-ID: <8D11155FE568006-FA0-3181A(a)webmail-m202.sysops.aol.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Mike, I have the same combo and tried a Win 7 machine (laptop) with a USB-to-Parallel adapter to no avail (I'm neither a PC guru nor patient). I gave up and just keep a legacy machine running XP for this controller. It has worked reliably since I bought it more than a decade ago. 73, Jerry, M0GOE *********************************************************************************************** Greetings, I'm still running a Uni-Trac Parallel port interface with ZL2AMD's Uni-Trac 3.0.b software on Windows XP to control a Yaesu G5400B. Yes its old, and yes, it works fine. It even has DDE capability to run it from SATPC32, which is credited to DK1TB (Erich - SATPC32 Author). Question, is there anyone out there using this tracker on an O/S later/other than Windows XP ? (If so, I'd be interested in the details) -- 73 Mike

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SUWS VHF/UHF/Microwave WebSDR update + ISEE-3 / ICE
by M5AKA 19 Mar '14

19 Mar '14

The SUWS WebSDR, a VHF/UHF/Microwave online radio, now has improved antennas for reception of amateur radio satellites and High Altitude Balloons (HAB) http://amsat-uk.org/2014/03/19/suws-vhfuhfmicrowave-websdr/ Also on the AMSAT-UK site Der Spiegel newspaper features an article about the hopes of radio amateurs to transmit commands to control the NASA ISEE-3 / ICE spacecraft http://amsat-uk.org/2014/03/19/can-radio-amateurs-command-the-isee-3-ice-sp… ---- Trevor M5AKA AMSAT-UK Website http://amsat-uk.org/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/AMSAT-UK/208113275898396 Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK ----

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W1AW/7 Arizona satellite activity - 273 QSOs!
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 19 Mar '14

19 Mar '14

Hi! After receiving John K8YSE's file from his activity as W1AW/7, I generated two log files for my QSOs (from home most of the week, plus the Scottsdale AZ hamfest last Saturday morning), I have sent all 3 log files to the W1AW/7 Arizona coordinator. John logged 164 QSOs as W1AW/7, and I logged 109 QSOs (80 from home, 29 more from the hamfest), for a total of 273 satellite QSOs as W1AW/7 from Arizona in the past week. All QSOs were completed from DM43. I think this exceeds the satellite QSO counts for any other W1AW/x state activity so far in 2014. John and I worked SO-50 and all 4 SSB satellites (AO-7, AO-73, FO-29, and VO-52) as W1AW/7. Along with our satellite activity, there were almost 80 other operators putting W1AW/7 on the other bands from locations all over Arizona. One of the coordinators posted a schedule to help the operators keep track of when to operate, which also helped others looking for chances to work W1AW/7 in different band/mode combinations. I hope you were able to work W1AW/7 on HF, if you work those bands along with the satellites. Since ARRL is handling the QSL chores including uploading the logs to LOTW for the W1AW/7 activity, please be patient if you are waiting for the LOTW confirmation or want a QSL card for a W1AW/7 QSO. I don't know when our logs will get to ARRL, and I don't know when ARRL will upload them into LOTW or start processing QSL requests. Thanks to John for being able to work his K8YSE/7 station as W1AW/7 on so many passes in the past week. Having John working passes during weekdays in particular helped greatly. We coordinated our operating to ensure we covered most passes that weren't in the middle of the night - and didn't try to work the same passes as W1AW/7. I had fun getting on each evening, including the AO-73 passes in the late evenings, along with much of Saturday and Sunday to help our effort. I hope that we were able to work anyone trying for a W1AW/7 satellite QSO. Arizona will have the W1AW/7 call once again in late August and early September, including the Labor Day weekend, if you missed working W1AW/7 in the past week. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Re: Uni-Trac 2003 Parallel Port Version - Any Users outthere ?
by K5OE 19 Mar '14

19 Mar '14

Mike, I have the same combo and tried a Win 7 machine (laptop) with a USB-to-Parallel adapter to no avail (I'm neither a PC guru nor patient). I gave up and just keep a legacy machine running XP for this controller. It has worked reliably since I bought it more than a decade ago. 73, Jerry, M0GOE *********************************************************************************************** Greetings, I'm still running a Uni-Trac Parallel port interface with ZL2AMD's Uni-Trac 3.0.b software on Windows XP to control a Yaesu G5400B. Yes its old, and yes, it works fine. It even has DDE capability to run it from SATPC32, which is credited to DK1TB (Erich - SATPC32 Author). Question, is there anyone out there using this tracker on an O/S later/other than Windows XP ? (If so, I'd be interested in the details) -- 73 Mike

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External Amplifier Legality Questions
by Zach Leffke 19 Mar '14

19 Mar '14

Hello everyone, I have a question about FCC Rules regarding external amplifiers. I am considering re-purposing a wideband commercial amplifier for amateur use as a final stage for my ground station. The amplifier is capable of producing about 100W of power between 20 MHz and 500 MHz. I want to use this amp in conjunction with coax relays to switch between the 2m band and the 70cm band depending upon which spacecraft I'm operating. My questions are as follows: Is it legal to use an amplifier designed for commercial applications in the Amateur Bands? This amplifier does not meet spurious signal suppression requirements, so I plan to use band specific filters after the amp to make sure I knock any spurs down below the required limits. Does the amplifier have to be type certified for use in the amateur bands? As far as I can tell reading Part 97.315(subsection 3), The amplifier itself does not need to be type certified if: "(3)The amplifier is sold to an amateur radio operator or to a dealer, the amplifier is purchased in used condition by a dealer, /or the amplifier is sold to an amateur radio operator for use at that operator's station/. [emphasis added]" I'm planning to use it in my amateur station so I don't think it has to be type certified. Am I missing something? Also, The amplifier's 2nd Harmonic is about -30dBc down at 145 MHz. According to 97.307e: "The mean power of any spurious emission from a station transmitter or external RF power amplifier transmitting on a frequency between 30--225 MHz must be at least 60 dB below the mean power of the fundamental." I'm planning to use a filter with about 40 dB of suppression at 290 MHz (2nd harmonic), so I get about -70 dB of suppression at the second harmonic, meeting the emission requirements of 97.307e. I see no specific spurious signal suppression requirement for the 70cm band. The amplifier has similar 2nd Harmonic characteristics and I'm planning to use a similar filter for the 70cm band so the spurs should be down by about 70 dB of the fundamental mean power as well. The only wording I see that might apply is 97.307c: "All spurious emissions from a station transmitter must be reduced to the greatest extent practicable. If any spurious emission, including chassis or power line radiation, causes harmful interference to the reception of another radio station, the licensee of the interfering amateur station is required to take steps to eliminate the interference, in accordance with good engineering practice. " I'm taking steps to eliminate interference by suppressing the 2nd Harmonic down about 70dB from the fundamental "in good engineering practice" so I think I meet all the requirements. Again, what am I missing? I've heard of lots of hams re-purposing amplifiers for amateur use without legal concern, and I think this might be the case for my situation. I'd like some advice from those that may have gone down this road in the past. Any and all feedback from the group on this would be greatly appreciated. If I'm way off, please let me know. Thanks in advance. Sincerely, Zach, KJ4QLP

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Re: External Amplifier Legality Questions
by Zach Leffke 19 Mar '14

19 Mar '14

Haha! I knew I was going to get questions about the peak power levels. I should have mentioned this in the first email, but it was already pretty long winded (so here goes a long winded reply). First up about my original question about legal issues: It looks like the consensus is I'm good to go. Right now based on calculation, I should be legal with enough suppression. I will measure the system performance before going on the air to ensure that I am legal. To address the numerous concerns about peak power: So the 100W figure is the peak power the amp can deliver. I will /not/ be operating this amp anywhere near its peak power levels when working the birds. So do not fear! I won't be blasting the birds. However, increasing the scope of my interests in the hobby a bit from Amateur Satellites to Amateur Radio in general, having a canned system capable of about 100W (a little higher at VHF, and just about 100W at UHF) could come in handy for things like VHF and up contesting. This system has overlapping amateur radio goals, of which satellites are one. The Radio: I am not using a traditional hardware radio, but rather an SDR (ettus research B210) my wife bought me for my birthday (best present ever) that only puts out about +10dBm (plenty to drive this amp). The Antennas: I'll be using M2 Antennas products with "gobs" of gain, further reducing the needed TX power requirements. I do want to experiment in the future with some homebrew omnis (lindenblad, eggbeater, etc..) and being able to bump up the power a bit on TX without having to worry will be a nice feature. To address Paul's note about control: My involvement to date with the Fox project is with the camera card, not with control ops. However, I am VERY interested in the possibility of joining the Operations team and becoming a control station for AMSAT for the Fox series (and beyond). However, for all my "book-learning," and LOTS of RX only ops on the birds, I only have a handful of actual contacts under my belt. So right now I'm just trying to get a station up and running to increase my activity on the birds. Maybe down the road when the bugs have been worked out of the system and I am a little less green, then I'll look at control ops a little more closely, and having a decent amp could come in handy there as well (assuming of course the AMSAT ops team needs/wants me to participate in control ops). Thank you very much to everyone for the quick feedback. I appreciate everyone taking the time to help educate me. -Zach, KJ4QLP

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Ham Video
by Gaston Bertels 19 Mar '14

19 Mar '14

Ham Video chaining Thursday March 20, at approximately 08.24 UTC, three stations will stream Ham Video on BATC server: ISS1 = F6DZP (Poitiers, France) ISS2 = IK1SLD (Casale Monferrato, Italy) ISS3 = Kayser Italia (Livorno, Italy) The stream will show the Tutioune screen. Please observe the TS LED and the Constellations. When Constellations form 4 quadrants and TS (Transport Stream) LED turns green, we have solid video copy. Please start viewing at 08.20 UTC (09.20 CEWT). You will observe how video reception starts in Poitiers and passes to Casale and to Livorno. Total time of solid reception should amount to 7 minutes. www.batc.tv select ISS select ISS select View stream select Multiscreen select ISS1+ ISS2 + ISS3 select Watch Enjoy 73, Gaston - ON4WF Gaston Bertels, ON4WF ARISS-Europe chairman Avenue Paul Hymans 117 B29 1200 Brussels Belgium Tel; +32 2 771 67 74 gaston.bertels(a)skynet.be

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