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

AO-73 at 03:20Z
by Paul Stoetzer 08 Aug '14

08 Aug '14

Good evening, I will be on the 03:20Z AO-73 pass that covers much of North America this evening. Last night was fun! Hope to hear a few people on the satellite. I will call CQ at around 145.965 MHz. The satellite will enter sunlight at 03:27:45 and the transponder will shut off. 73, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM Washington, DC

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LEO Flight Opportunity NOW?
by Robert Bruninga 08 Aug '14

08 Aug '14

If you can make a flight ready amateur payload with some kind of educational association in the next 3 months, there is a ride. You get a temperature controlled 0-60C flat plate about 4" by 7" and 28v power on the outside of a large free-flyer. The bad news is that the mission is low LEO so maybe only a life time of 3 or 4 months. Riding back from the smallsat conference to the airport in the shuttle one of the passengers asked If I wanted to fly an APRS payload. I said sure. THen he said "do you know anyone else too?" Need to involve "students" is important... I apologize that I dont have any of your prior emails (Im transiting airports for the next 14 hours and wont have access to old emails for 2 more days, but didnt want to wast any time. I hate to spin people up like this, and it may take a week for me to get official details, and it may only be a pipe dream, but thought I would share it. Your box will be attached to their plate, and your other side is exposed to space. They will provide another 28v to burn any release mechanisims for your antennas. Assume one edge of your box can be close to a spacecraft edge so your antenna can come out and hang over an edge. Or your box can be a few inches high and can deploy its antenna "up" from the plate and then you have more mounting options. Whether you are on the top, bottom, or side of the mother ship is still open. Spacecraft is well powered and 3 axis stabilized. Serious builders with space experience ONLY. I gotta not only build mine, but also finish two others and should not be wasting time with emails. AND you have to have your IARU frequency coordination and FCC paperwork done too. But power, a platform, an attitude, some temperature control, quick attachment, and a ride are hard to pass up. Bob, WB4APR

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Working Today EL01
by david.xe3dx＠gmail.com 07 Aug '14

07 Aug '14

Today I will be working EL01. 2:07 And 00:27 UTC SO-50 Happy to work and listen. EL02 work tomorrow and end my trip. David Maciel XE3DX Enviando desde mi Iphone

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QB50p1 and QB50p2 identified
by Nico Janssen 07 Aug '14

07 Aug '14

All, Using detailed doppler measurements I find that QB50p1 is object 40025, 2014-033R, and QB50p2 is object 40032, 2014-033Y. 73, Nico PA0DLO

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France (IN94) on sat
by Michel F6GLJ 07 Aug '14

07 Aug '14

Hello. I'll be on AO-07B between 18:14 and 18:28 and on FO-29 between 19:56 and 22:08 UTC, and I hope meet you. 73 qro from Michel F6GLJ

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Working AO73
by Richard Lawn 07 Aug '14

07 Aug '14

Thanks for the operating tips Paul as I have not been very successful in the past with this bird. Perhaps I'll try again tonight from my lakeside qth in FN21. I've noticed that sigs are very strong but I've always had trouble finding myself. I'll try your approach. 73 Rick W2JAZ

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Cross Country SDR Sentry 10
by Les Rayburn 07 Aug '14

07 Aug '14

http://www.crosscountrywireless.net/sentry.html If true, this would provide the first SDR with output on 6 Meters, 2 Meters, 222, 432, and 1.2 GHz. This would be a real game-changer for VHF weak signal operators, and provide enough drive for most amps. Can't wait to learn more about this product. -- -- 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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AO-73 tonight at 02:58Z
by Paul Stoetzer 07 Aug '14

07 Aug '14

Good evening, I will be on AO-73 tonight at around 02:58Z, calling CQ at around 145.965 MHz. These passes usually don't have much, if any, activity and I'd like to drum up a bit more. The satellite will enter sunlight at 03:05:45, giving about 7 minutes of transponder time here in Washington, DC. I will be operating off a south facing balcony, so I will probably lose the satellite about 30 seconds before the transponder shuts off. Tips for working AO-73: -Do not use computer control, the transponder frequencies are not stable and this will only result in frustration. Besides, manual Doppler control is much more fun than letting the computer do all the work! -I usually start a pass by trying to find myself come into the top edge of the passband (145.970 MHz). To do this, I usually start transmitting around 435.130 MHz and tuning up slowly until I can hear myself enter the passband. Then I can move around the transponder easily. Remember to tune your uplink to maintain an constant downlink frequency (the opposite of FO-29). -Keep power output down. The transponder has a very sensitive receiver and a very active AGC circuit. Excessive uplink power will not make your signal louder - it will only reduce that available for others on the transponder. With a clear view of the horizon, 5 watts to an Arrow or Elk is plenty for horizon to horizon coverage. Very slightly more might be necessary if you are beaming through trees or other obstructions, but try to keep power to 25-40 watts ERP. Hope to hear you on this evening! 73, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM Washington, DC

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Reception of UKube-1 FUNcube-2 Beacon
by M5AKA 06 Aug '14

06 Aug '14

Many stations, who have their FUNcube Dongle SDR setup to automatically receive telemetry signals from FUNcube-1, will have noticed that they are now also seeing the telemetry from the FUNcube-2 sub-system which is flying on-board the UKube-1 CubeSat. This is part of the commissioning program for UKube-1 which is presently underway. http://amsat-uk.org/2014/08/06/reception-of-ukube-1-funcube-2-beacon-on-fun… Also on the AMSAT-UK website AMSAT to use FundRazr Crowdfunding http://amsat-uk.org/2014/08/05/amsat-to-use-fundrazr-crowdfunding/ UKHAS Conference Greenwich, London on Saturday, August 16 There is an impressive line-up of radio amateurs giving presentations at this event. Amateur Radio Exams are also being held at the event http://amsat-uk.org/2014/08/05/amateur-radio-exams-at-ukhas-conference-gree… Amateur Radio Village at EMF 2014 http://amsat-uk.org/2014/08/05/amateur-radio-village-at-emf-2014/ NASA Announces Next Opportunity for CubeSat Space Missions http://amsat-uk.org/2014/08/05/nasa-announces-next-opportunity-for-cubesat-… Online Amateur Radio Satellite Predictor http://amsat-uk.org/2014/08/05/online-amateur-radio-satellite-predictor/ ISEE-3 Presentation Video Now Available http://amsat-uk.org/2014/08/03/isee-3-presentation-video-now-available/ RF Design Stand at AMSAT-UK Colloquium http://amsat-uk.org/2014/08/02/rf-design-stand-at-amsat-uk-colloquium/ G3YJO becomes Chair of Surrey Space Centre http://amsat-uk.org/2014/08/01/g3yjo-becomes-chair-of-surrey-space-centre/ ---- Trevor M5AKA AMSAT-UK Website http://amsat-uk.org/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/amsatuk Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK Flickr https://www.flickr.com/groups/amsatuk/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/AMSATUK ----

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Perseid Pings on the Internet
by JoAnne Maenpaa 06 Aug '14

06 Aug '14

The Perseid meteor shower peak is predicted to occur between August 11 to 13. There are a few pre-peak pings already audible. The activity should increase over the next several days. Web streaming of the Perseid is on-line at: http://spaceweatherradio.com/ Quoting from their web page here is how they do it now: The US Air Force Space Surveillance Radar has been shut down, but we're still recording meteor echoes. How do we do it? Radio engineer Stan Nelson uses a Yagi antenna in New Mexico to detect 54 MHz TV signals reflected from meteor trails. When a meteor passes over his observatory--ping!--there is an echo. -- 73 de JoAnne K9JKM k9jkm(a)amsat.org Editor, AMSAT Journal

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