January 2015 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

EN84/EN85 Line - AO-73 at 1747Z, AO-7B at 1811Z
by Paul Stoetzer 03 Jan '15

03 Jan '15

Good morning, I am about to depart for the EN84/EN85 grid line in Northern Michigan. I will be able to operate two passes: AO-73 at 1747Z for the midwest and west and AO-7B at 1811Z for the east coast and Europe. These are both low passes and I only have 5 watts and an Arrow for the uplink, so please QRP so I can get into the transponder and work as many who need these grids as possible! 73, Paul, N8HM

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EN75 on SO-50 at 2338Z
by Paul Stoetzer 03 Jan '15

03 Jan '15

Good afternoon, Thanks for the QSOs from the EN84/EN85 line. I made 8 QSOs on AO-73 and 4 on AO-7. I will make one more trip to EN75 for the 2338Z pass of SO-50. That will likely conclude my operations for the trip, but please email me if you still need EN74 and I can do passes tonight or tomorrow morning before I fly back to DC. 73, Paul, N8HM

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Expectations...
by Kelley 03 Jan '15

03 Jan '15

I put up a new antenna for ISS work today. It's a home-built 2m turnstile with reflectors. Numbers wise (SWR, etc., as read on a MFJ analyzer) the antenna is working. I used the antenna a bit on APRS and was able to hear stations and be heard by stations. I listened to the ISS for 3 passes earlier today. On the first 2 passes I heard a number of stations, but was unable to digi via the ISS. On the third pass (about 40 degrees elevation at max and to the south), I was able to digi via the ISS (sorry if I have the terminology wrong here, I'm somewhat new at this). My question is, how often should I be able to digi via the ISS? Is it unusual to not be able to on a given pass (all 3 passes were higher elevation passes)? I know there are collisions and QRM involved and someone wins out. I don't have the best station (IC-706MKIIG and a turnstile antenna), I'm sure this plays a part. Curious what others have experienced. Thanks, -- Kelley - WØRK

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Re: [amsat-bb] freeze up problem
by Richard Lawn 03 Jan '15

03 Jan '15

villas, I'd like to know specifically what you disabled in windows 7. Thank you. 73 Rick W2JAZ

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Re: [amsat-bb] logging program
by Richard Lawn 03 Jan '15

03 Jan '15

I'm sure you will get lots of input on this topic. I changed over to Log4OM almost a year ago as it accommodates sats nicely and integrates very nicely with my entire station handling automatic uploads to LoTW and eQSL. Its free too :) 73 Rick W2JAZ

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logging program new yrs resolution
by Bob- W7LRD 03 Jan '15

03 Jan '15

I have about 54 years of paper logs-I am going to "attempt" to put in a program. What is "the" best one you guys use? That is satellite by name friendly grid squares etc as well as HF. If I do about 10 entries a day it will take a few years hihi 73 Bob W7LRD

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Re: [amsat-bb] logging program new yrs resolution
by Kevin M 03 Jan '15

03 Jan '15

I have about 54 years of paper logs-I am going to "attempt" to put in a program. What is "the" best one you guys use? That is satellite by name friendly grid squares etc as well as HF. If I do about 10 entries a day it will take a few years hihi 73 Bob W7LRD Since my logging program is NOT sat friendly, I use the free TQSL utility from LotW to log my contacts. I have a file set up for each satellite. That way, when I work a pass, I open that file and I enter the Callsign, change date if needed, enter the time and change mode CW/SSB if needed, then hit next. All the other info will stay the same unless you change it. So no need to enter bands and frequencies each time and no need to satellite mode and sat name. (Or the date if it's the same) Once I started to do this, I found it much quicker than my regular logging program anyway. Then when you are done entering all the data, you can take all those files and import them into another logging program then create one master file if you wish. Or just upload to lotW (and eQSL if you want), save them and be done. My point is, TQSL, entering QSOs one sat at a time, is the quickest, most efficient way to ENTER the minimal data required for LotW uploading, if that is your goal. If you want to enter names, grids, states, notes, etc., then no... get a regular logging program. But cross Winlog32 off the list. =^) 73, Kevin N4UFO

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FO29 with an Arrow
by Jim White 02 Jan '15

02 Jan '15

I'd like to hear from anyone who has worked FO29 portable. We are working with a group of guys on an expedition to a small island and I'm hoping to take only an IC910H and an Arrow hand held Yagi mounted on a light camera tripod. Clearly I can work SO50 with that, but how about FO29? Will I be able to hear it with that small antenna and no preamp? Jim jim(a)coloradosatellite.com wd0e(a)amsat.org

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EN84/EN85 on AO-73 - 1747Z 03-Jan-2014
by Paul Stoetzer 02 Jan '15

02 Jan '15

Good evening, I will be able to make it to the EN84/EN85 line for one pass of AO-73 tomorrow afternoon at 1747Z. Sorry I can't make it there for more passes. 73, Paul, N8HM

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FO-29 with an Arrow
by Jim White 02 Jan '15

02 Jan '15

Many thanks to all who responded to my question about working FO-29 with an Arrow. Given the positive feedback we will plan on that simple setup, although we may take a preamp to improve the NF. We will run separate feed lines which will hopefully be short if we are able to operate outside - weather permitting. I'll probably coopt another operator to point the antenna. The trip is still tentative so I'm not at liberty to disclose the location. But I'll let this BB know when we firm it up. 73 and Happy New Year, Jim

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