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

Re: [amsat-bb] Eggbeater Tuning
by Dino Papas 29 Jul '14

29 Jul '14

Rick - this may be totally unrelated but just in case… I had a very similar problem with my Icom IC-910H and the M2 430 MHz double yagi I use here. I found that the power output at several of the MHz increments between 430 and 440 MHz was down from the 75W it should have been, usually down to ~50W. Straight into a dummy load I get full output regardless of the operating frequency. At first I thought it must be the antenna, coax, cross polarization switch, preamp etc…never thought it was the rig…UNTIL I was talking to the Icom service guy who had just repaired the 432MHz driver on the rig. I asked about the issue and he told me that the 910H on 432 was (1) particularly sensitive to SWR bumps and that (2) there wasn’t any way to fix it! He actually didn’t like working on them (the 432 part) because even on the test bench any impedance bump along the way would in some cases cause the SWR power fold-back circuit to reduce the output. He went so far as to say that he would only connect them directly to his service monitor without any other gear in the line like a Bird wattmeter so that he could work on them and not have that happen. Again, don’t know if this applies, but now that you’ve mentioned it I’m going to have to hook up my recently acquired (and not tested except on the bench) FT-847 to see if I get similar results with my antenna system. BTW, my M2 eggbeaters (both 2m and 432) both look absolutely flat and we used it for our ARISS school contact as our backup antenna back in January. If you’re using a M2 eggbeater check the SO-239 connection at the base; my original base actually had the coax center conductor break off internally after tightening the PL-259. M2 sent me a new base although I was able to repair it myself just prior to our ARISS event and we actually ended up making the QSO on the eggbeater after problems with the primary setup. Anyway, just a thought. 73 - Dino KL0S On Jul292014, at 1754 PM, Richard Lawn <rjlawn(a)gmail.com> wrote: > I was just attempting to work a station on AO-7 using my lake house setup - > FT-847, eggbeaters, and Ubuntu with Wine running SatPC32, I noticed power > was quite low on the 70cm output. I learned by tuning around the band and > running output checks that apparently the rig doesn't like the SWR at > around 432-433 mhz. I don't recall that there is any way to make tuning > adjustments on the eggbeaters, but please tell me if I'm wrong. > > Rick > W2JAZ

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Eggbeater Tuning
by Richard Lawn 29 Jul '14

29 Jul '14

I was just attempting to work a station on AO-7 using my lake house setup - FT-847, eggbeaters, and Ubuntu with Wine running SatPC32, I noticed power was quite low on the 70cm output. I learned by tuning around the band and running output checks that apparently the rig doesn't like the SWR at around 432-433 mhz. I don't recall that there is any way to make tuning adjustments on the eggbeaters, but please tell me if I'm wrong. Rick W2JAZ

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Re: [amsat-bb] SatPC32 question
by Alan 29 Jul '14

29 Jul '14

Hi Jim, You are correct that you need to get the Keps in the same group to display them at the same time. They will eventually migrate, and you can request that from Tim Kelso on his web site to speed the process up. As for seeing them simultaneously, use Multitrack. First go to Satellites. On the Selected list, use the Show On/Off button to select the ones you want to see simultaneously. There will be an asterisk in front of the name. Exit back to the main page, and click the "M" in the upper left option panel. That will turn on Multitrack. 73s, Alan WA4SCA <-----Original Message----- <From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of Jim Heck <Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2014 11:54 AM <To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org <Subject: [amsat-bb] SAT PC 32 question < <Hi Folks, < < I wish to track two satellites (actually FUNcube and UKube) at the same <time. The TLM for one is in cubesats.txt and the other is in tle-new.txt. < < Is there a way of displaying them both in the main window at the same <time? When I select one, the other is automatically removed from the list. < < I have tired copying the tles for one into the other's file, and this <works OK, but it rather tedious! < < The problem might be resolved when the elements for Ukube are included in <the cubesats.txt file, but they will appear as A and B on the main display <(bottom right hand corner), whereas I would like to display them both on the <map simultaneously. Is there a way of doing this? < <Thanks for any help <73s Jim G3WM < < <_______________________________________________ <Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. <Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! <Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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activation of Grids
by David Maciel (XE3DX) 29 Jul '14

29 Jul '14

Good day, all week I will work on SO-50 will work on DL90 DL80 DL91 EL00 DL92 DL81 DL82 DL83 DK99 DK89 grids, I have exact days, I can only say it will be all week, greetings and hope to hear .... David Maciel Enviado desde mi IPHONE

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XE3DX trip through central Mexico, this week on SO-50
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 29 Jul '14

29 Jul '14

Hi! Omar XE1AO sent me a brief message, saying that David XE3DX will be on a family trip through central Mexico, and plans to work SO-50 passes from several grids during the trip this week. The tentative list of grids David plans to visit are: EL00 DL90 DL80 DL91 DL92 DL81 DL82 DL83 DK99 DK89 Omar did not have a schedule showing when David would be on from those grids. As this is a family trip, David may not be able to work all possible SO-50 passes during this time. Omar just worked David earlier this morning from grid EK27, so he hasn't reached the area of those grids listed above yet. Good luck, and 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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ARRL Convention - follow-up
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 29 Jul '14

29 Jul '14

Hi! Even though we were not permitted to record our presentations during the ARRL Centennial Convention just over a week ago, I was able to record the satellite demonstrations done outside the convention center over those three days. I had attempted to work SO-50 on Friday (18 July) and Saturday (19 July) afternoon from outside the convention, but could not get through during those passes. AO-7, on the other hand, saw more success. This video is a combination of the audio from the AO-7 downlink with photos from the demonstration and AMSAT's presence at the ARRL convention. This pass was on Thursday, 17 July, at 2026 UTC - as our day-long training seminar wrapped up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5TjXbuLv5s On Saturday (19 July) morning, I was able to have a short contact with astronaut (and US Navy Commander) Reid Wiseman. Again, I did not have a video, but took the audio from the contact and added a photo slideshow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoFbhPXsUx0 The ISS was passing to the southwest of Hartford, in the direction where I had the easiest time hearing it. An earlier pass that went across the northern sky was harder, dealing with the tall buildings in that direction. The last video is an actual video of an AO-7 demonstration later in the day on Saturday. The convention had officially closed about 20 minutes before the start of this video, and there was a nice crowd that stopped by to take in the demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHd91H_t88o This video shows an example of AO-7's recent behavior, where it will switch from mode B to mode A during a pass. Unfortunately, this switch took place around the time AO-7 was directly over Hartford. All 3 demonstrations, along with the unsuccessful SO-50 demonstrations, took place on the plaza in front of the Connecticut Convention Center, in grid FN31ps. From this location, there was good visibility to the south and west, and not so much toward the east (looking at the convention center and its parking garage). The two AO-7 passes had very high elevation as the satellite passed from south to north, and the ISS pass was a high pass across the southwestern sky. If you want to see what was being presented during the day-long training seminar, and talked about during the rest of the convention, please visit: http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=2914 The slideshows from those presentations are available in PowerPoint and PDF formats. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Re: [amsat-bb] Loss of Cubesat Designer?
by Larry Koziel 29 Jul '14

29 Jul '14

Bob, Unfortunately, it looks like it's true. http://lmgtfy.com/?q=mh17+aerospace+engineer She had been a member of the DELFIN3Xt team while at Delft University of Technology and then was CEO, founder and project manager of Xoterra Space. See also: http://www.xoterraspace.com/the-team/ <http://www.xoterraspace.com/the-team/>. Larry K8MU

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Loss of Cubesat Designer?
by Robert Bruninga 29 Jul '14

29 Jul '14

I heard part of something on the news about one of the victims of the Aircraft shootdown in the Ukraine was a young Aerospace engineer working on a design for a constellation of cubesats for low cost communication with individuals on the ground. Sounds like a HAMsat project to me. Anyone know the story? Bob, WB4APR

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Yaesu G-5500 grounding question
by Lizeth Norman 29 Jul '14

29 Jul '14

Hi all! I want to use the ground conductor that is in both the elevation and azimuth rotators on pin #3 on the rear connectors. The plug on the rotator controller is a two prong polarized type. The upshot of this is that there is no actual connection to earth ground at the chassis. Can I just add a grounding lug to the back of the controller and attach it to earth ground? The reason this is an issue is that I have installed mast (fiberglass cross arm, really) mount preamps. My radios are battery powered, hence no real ground at the end of the coax. Treading lightly here as there are ogres lurking. Norm n3ykf

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test
by Nick Pugh K5QXJ 28 Jul '14

28 Jul '14

Thanks nick Office 337 593 8700 Cell 337 258 2527 Helping UL become a world Class Engineering and Educational School

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