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

4U70UN confirmations?
by Grant Zehr 29 Oct '15

29 Oct '15

I saw that 4U70UN logs have been uploaded to Clublog. Has anyone seen their satellite QSO posted there? My contact is not there or in LOTW yet. I suspect that it's just a matter of getting the satellite data formatted correctly. I'm sure there is no need to panic.yet. Grant Zehr AA9LC

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Super Strypi (SPARK) Launch
by Mineo Wakita 29 Oct '15

29 Oct '15

The following satellites are planned to be launched on 1 or 2, Nov 2015. Argus, EDSN, HawaiiSat-1, ORS-Squared, PrintSat, STACEM, STU-1, Supernova-Beta Site is Pacific Missile Range - Kokole Point, Kauai, Hawaii Satellite Downlink Beacon Mode ---------------------- ----------------- ------- ------------ Argus 2403.000-2403.400 437.290 1200bps AFSK EDSN 2401.200-2431.200 437.100 1200bps AFSK HawaiiSat1 (HiakaSat1) 145.9805 437.2705 9600bps GFSK ORS-Squared 437.325 . 9600bps GMSK PrintSat 437.325 . 9600bps GMSK STACEM . . ? STU-1 2402.000-2445.000 436.360 9600bps GMSK Supernova-Beta 437.570 . 1200bps AFSK ---------------------- ----------------- ------- ------------ HawaiiSat-1 1 99999U 00000 15306.00000000 .00002809 00000-0 69295-4 0 00007 2 99999 094.6040 077.7732 0056131 182.2912 079.1822 15.38919159000464 http://spaceflight101.com/spacerockets/spark-super-strypi/ http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/sparksat.htm JE9PEL, Mineo Wakita

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PSAT-1 AX25 Packets
by AL Lyday 28 Oct '15

28 Oct '15

Hello,, I received a few Packet AX25 1200bd on aprx 145.825 today , And I cant seem to find this one of the LIST. Can anyone tell me whats this Birds main name is so I can put into my Tracking software.. TNX 1:Fm PSAT-1 To APOFF Via ARISS <UI pid=F0 Len=34 >[09:32:08] T#891,813,347,926,757,823,00011100 1:Fm PSAT-1 To APOFF Via ARISS <UI pid=F0 Len=52 >[09:32:10] s#019657,0z290,HDEjaGdgGFgFIGEdIFiGGifFFgEHEI0IJiIG

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Re: [amsat-bb] 200' RADAR Blimp CANCEL
by Robert Bruninga 28 Oct '15

28 Oct '15

Nevermind, CANCEL… Its back on the grouind in Bloomsburg, PA Bob, WB4APR *From:* Robert Bruninga [mailto:[email protected]] *Sent:* Wednesday, October 28, 2015 4:14 PM *To:* amsat-bb(a)amsat.org *Subject:* 200' RADAR Blimp broke loose fm MD! Just minutes ago, it has been reported that the 200’ radar blimp tethered in Northern Maryland has broken loose. It does NOT have APRS on it, but we need people in MD and PA to look up in the sky for it and user your APRS to send DF bearing lines so we can track it. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/aerostat-blimp-owned-army-untether… I have not had time to VERIFY this, but am throwing it out there anyway. This is what APRS is desiged to do. Just enter y our bearing line in a DF packet and we can all see the plot on APRS. Bob, WB4APR

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200' RADAR Blimp broke loose fm MD!
by Robert Bruninga 28 Oct '15

28 Oct '15

Just minutes ago, it has been reported that the 200’ radar blimp tethered in Northern Maryland has broken loose. It does NOT have APRS on it, but we need people in MD and PA to look up in the sky for it and user your APRS to send DF bearing lines so we can track it. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/aerostat-blimp-owned-army-untether… I have not had time to VERIFY this, but am throwing it out there anyway. This is what APRS is desiged to do. Just enter y our bearing line in a DF packet and we can all see the plot on APRS. Bob, WB4APR

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Re: [amsat-bb] New Duplexer and AO-85
by W3MAT . 28 Oct '15

28 Oct '15

Yes, Thanks to Jerry for taking time from your day to type a reply and answer questions. I certainly didn't intend my message from early this morning to sound harsh, and I apologize if I came off that way. Like others, I spent quite a deal of time researching the new Fox-1 satellite and after watching the video posted on AMSATS "Meet The Fox Project", around the 7:53 mark is where it is stated that operators with hand held equipment would be able to work this new satellite. So, I was quite eager and anxious to have something else circling the globe other than just SO-50 for us FM'ers, as I do not have the proper equipment to work the linear birds. I don't have to rehash the issues that came along and I found that working this new bird with hand held equipment was not as easy as it was presented in the video, and yes, I did become a bit frustrated ... kind of like getting that new train for Christmas and finding that you don't have a locomotive to pull the train. So if I stepped on toes, I am truly sorry. I will sit back, be patient, and let this be a learning experience, since from the time I entered into the amateur radio satellite arena, there were already working FM birds in place, two of those which have since "passed away". This is my first experience of having a new FM bird launched into space and I admit, I was expecting it to work as well as what is already up there. This is truly a learning experience for the people who turned the first screw right down to those of us who eagerly watch our tracking data and step outside to wave an antenna at the sky (while getting peculiar looks from our neighbors). My hats off to all those who are involved with the Fox project, and I do look forward to the future Fox satellites. Take care and have a great day. Loon

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Breaking news: JLENS blimp drifting free
by Martin Davidoff 28 Oct '15

28 Oct '15

At about 1:40 pm EDT it was reported that the JLENS blimp normally tethered at Aberdeen Proving Ground (NE of Baltimore) has broken free and is drifting.. May be of interest for experiments involving radio tracking by nearby radio amateurs. K2ubc

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(no subject)
by jeffory broughton 28 Oct '15

28 Oct '15

Jerry: On behalf of all who read the Amsat BB, Thanks for taking time to answer Loons questions.I am sure many more operators had the same ones.Your reply Sure answered a LOT of questions.Also thanks for all of your countless hours researching and solving problems which will insure the next generation of fox satellites will even better as we learn from this one. On behalf of all of us satellite operators, A big thank you! WB8RJY jeff broughton

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New Duplexer and AO-85
by W3MAT . 28 Oct '15

28 Oct '15

I received my duplexer through UPS yesterday and just gave it try on the 03:20 UTC pass of AO-85. It seems to be performing well, and I did make contacts with K3NG and AD2KA. I had, and continue to have, extreme difficulty with getting into AO-85 with just the HT's and Arrow antenna, and thought maybe it was because 2 meter receive and 435 up are 90 degrees to each other on the antenna's boom. I have had success working AO-85 with the Elk antenna and the Icom 2800 (transmits wide only), but *only* with the radios maximum 20 watts output on UHF, and even then it can be very difficult. I thought using the duplexer, HT's with *narrow* band, and the Elk antenna may be the ticket. I thought wrong. This was just as bad, or as difficult, as trying to get in with the Arrow antenna. In my opinion, AO-85 is certainly not every hand held radio and Arrow antenna operators easy to work satellite, like posted on a YouTube video prior to its launch. I'm not a big fan of the U/V set up for those of us that work hand held set ups. First it was very difficult to find the correct uplink frequencies in its early stages, and now that they have been posted and corrected in radio programming, its still difficult to know just when to switch for doppler, especially when its almost impossible to get into in the first place. I don't have multi element, circular polarized antennas mounted on an azimuth/elevation rotor connected to computer driven tracking and radio control software constantly adjusting frequency, azimuth, and elevation, nor am I capable of transmitting 50 watts of power on the uplink. I use simple, low power equipment (normally only 5 watts) capable of no more than 20 watts of power (Icom 2800). AO-85's FM performance certainly does not compete with the current SO-50, or the now gone AO-51 and AO-27 birds (rest their souls). Have a good night, W3MAT

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Web suggestion
by Dale Kubichek 28 Oct '15

28 Oct '15

AMSAT, Does AMSAT HQ/Server location sport Egg-Beater antennas or an auto-tracking SAT setup. Has AMSAT considered streaming FM SAT RX over the web when a SAT flies over AMSAT (priority given to AO's) ? I'm sure it would be interesting to all, assist newbie learning curve, allow verification of tracking program setup, and give first hand training of what that SAT sounds like as well as real-time HAM OPs on that SAT. Web audio streaming would only happens when a SAT is view-able (otherwise teh stream could play an AMSAT voice ad). Just an idea. Best regards, Dale Kubichek, MS-EET, N6JSX 937-726-6677 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HAM-SATs http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RDF-USA

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