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

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2015-11-25 19:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 25 Nov '15

25 Nov '15

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2015-11-25 19:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Dragonskolan, Umeå, Sweden, telebridge via VE4ISS The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS Contact was not successful: Wed 2015-11-25 09:44:25 UTC 78 deg (***) ARISS is working to determine what happened. (***) Nanasawa Kibounooka Elementary School, Atsugi, Japan, direct via 8N1NKSG The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Kimiya Yui KG5BPH Contact is a go for: Wed 2015-12-02 09:33:51 UTC 61 deg Yayoi Elementary School, Yatomi, Japan, direct via 8N2YAYOI The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Kimiya Yui KG5BPH Contact is a go for: Fri 2015-12-04 09:25:46 UTC 57 deg **************************************************************************** ** >From 2015-12-20 to 2016-01-04, there will be no US Operational Segment (USOS) hams on board ISS. So any schools contacts during this period will be conducted by the ARISS Russia team. **************************************************************************** ARISS is always glad to receive listener reports for the above contacts. ARISS thanks everyone in advance for their assistance. Feel free to send your reports to aj9n(a)amsat.org or aj9n(a)aol.com. **************************************************************************** Several of you have sent me emails asking about the RAC ARISS website and not being able to get in. That has now been changed to http://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. **************************************************************************** Looking for something new to do? How about receiving DATV from the ISS? If interested, then please go to the ARISS-EU website for complete details. Look for the buttons indicating Ham Video. http://www.ariss-eu.org/ If you need some assistance, ARISS mentor Kerry N6IZW, might be able to provide some insight. Contact Kerry at kbanke(a)sbcglobal.net **************************************************************************** ARISS congratulations the following mentors who have now mentored over 100 schools: Gaston ON4WF with 121 Francesco IKØWGF with 115 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 112 **************************************************************************** The webpages listed below were all reviewed for accuracy. Out of date webpages were removed and new ones have been added. If there are additional ARISS websites I need to know about, please let me know. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. All dates and times listed follow International Standard ISO 8061 date and time format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2015-11-25 19:00 UTC. (***) Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1010. Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 975. Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 46. A complete year by year breakdown of the contacts may be found in the file. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf Please feel free to contact me if more detailed statistics are needed. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact: Arkansas, Delaware, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the Virgin Islands. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ QSL information may be found at: http://www.ariss.org/qsl-cards.html ISS callsigns: DPØISS, IRØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RSØISS **************************************************************************** The successful school list has been updated as of 2015-11-24 01:00 UTC. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correction .rtf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415 **************************************************************************** Exp. 43/44 on orbit Scott Kelly Mikhail Kornienko RN3BF Exp. 44 on orbit Oleg Kononenko RN3DX Kimiya Yui KG5BPH Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS Exp. 45 on orbit Sergey Volkov RU3DIS **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

1 0

Hearing AO-85 with a KG-UV9D & dual-band duckie
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 25 Nov '15

25 Nov '15

Hi! After seeing several people at my demonstration in Goodyear AZ last week used their HTs with standard duckie antennas to hear AO-85 as it passed by, and seeing many positive comments on how easy it is to hear this downlink, I decided to try it for myself. On my way to the office this morning, I stopped at a shopping center parking lot for the AO-85 pass around 1438 UTC to hear this pass. AO-85 went up to a maximum elevation of 41 degrees, which would have been a nice pass to work if I had my Elk log periodic in the car. After about 3 minutes into the pass, I could hear the round- table conversation taking place. Using my Wouxun KG-UV9D HT and a Nagoya NA-701 2m/70cm duckie antenna that is about 8.5 inches/22cm long, and with the squelch open, I was able to listen to the downlink. I had to move the HT around while listening to the downlink, but I was hearing it. I had the HT in narrow FM, as I described in my report on working stations via AO-85 using this HT and my Elk log periodic antenna I sent to the -BB yesterday. I had to adjust the frequency down from 145.980 MHz through 145.9775 MHz to 145.975 MHz near the end of the pass, using one of the HT's VFOs. While I was listening to this pass, I used my mobile phone to make a short video clip of what I was doing. The 4-minute clip I recorded around the middle of the pass is now on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZDpRZHd2FE There is a point in this video clip where I was not hearing the downlink, as I dropped the radio into my car. Once I picked it up and held it outside the car again, I was able to continue hearing the downlink. This is not a professional- grade video (it was recorded in 720p, but I'm not a movie producer), but it shows that we don't need much to hear AO-85. During this pass, I heard several stations, and the video clip has most of them. I was hearing WA6DIR in California, KC7MG in Arizona, AA5PK in Texas, W7SXM in Washington state, and late in the pass I heard KC9ELU in Indiana. If I had planned this out better, I would have tried to record more of the pass, and made sure I didn't drop the radio during the recording. Happy Thanksgiving, and 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK

1 0

Heavens Above Tracking Program
by Ed Cunningham 25 Nov '15

25 Nov '15

I started working satellites in April of this year and have been using Heavens Above to track ISS, SO-50 and AO-85. Because of my location (my back yard) SO-50 has not been in a good position during the day for me to work. I have been trying to work AO-85 but have not heard it for the past week. I initially thought that the antenna had a problem but it wasn't since I could hear conversations on various repeaters in the Phoenix AZ area. This morning it downed on me to check AmsatDroid Free on my phone. I found that the information on passes listed on Heavens Above was early, the LOS time was actually the AOS time on AmstatDroid Free. I have been setting up for a pass and getting on early using the Heavens Above information and getting off just as AO-85 was reaching AOS. Up until this past week Heavens Above has been very reliable. Both the Android phone version and the internet software version are giving the same pass times. Using the pass times from AmsatDroid Free I was able to hear conversations on AO-85 this morning but was unable to make contact. That's me being new to AO-85 which, I have read, can be frustrating. 73, Ed, N7EC

1 0

AO 7 Pan View
by w4tas 25 Nov '15

25 Nov '15

What type of antenna was being used with the FCDP+ when the spectrum was viewed. Thanks, W4TAS

1 0

Re: [amsat-bb] AO-7 transponder pan view
by Eduardo Erlemann 25 Nov '15

25 Nov '15

It is a SNR (signal to noise ratio) matter, if you position your TX on the top of the hill you can hear it stronger but the noise is also stronger, if you slip to the mid of the valley your signal will be weaker but noise as well. In a practical experiment (using my ears) I noticed a better SNR relationship staying in between the valley and the hill, which will be very difficult to find for who uses a regular rig for RX. 73 Ed PY2RN GG66LW -------------------------------------------- On Wed, 11/25/15, Joe <nss(a)mwt.net> wrote: Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AO-7 transponder pan view To: "Eduardo Erlemann" <sasb.geo(a)yahoo.com>, amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Date: Wednesday, November 25, 2015, 1:25 PM So, For best results you want to place your signal in the valleys true? Joe WB9SBD Sig The Original Rolling Ball Clock Idle Tyme Idle-Tyme.com http://www.idle-tyme.com On 11/25/2015 8:52 AM, Eduardo Erlemann wrote: I think it is caused due the components age/conditions which is affecting its receiver linearity, noticed even in a such narrow band. 73s Ed PY2RN GG66LW -------------------------------------------- On Wed, 11/25/15, Joe <nss(a)mwt.net> wrote: Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AO-7 transponder pan view To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Date: Wednesday, November 25, 2015, 12:08 PM Thats pretty cool. Is it a part of the filtering in this old gal, or what causes it? Joe WB9SBD Sig The Original Rolling Ball Clock Idle Tyme Idle-Tyme.com http://www.idle-tyme.com On 11/25/2015 3:21 AM, Daniel Estévez wrote: > El 24/11/15 a las 23:20, Joe escribió: >> what are the three hills about? > That's just noise from the passband of AO-7 transponder. It's stronger > in three spots, one on the middle of the passband and two near the > edges. These spots are quite strong, in fact comparable to some of the > stations. If you look closely, you can also see that these spots get > frequency modulated with the strong transmissions. > > This is one of those things that it's quite difficult to see on a > traditional receiver but it's quite apparent on an SDR waterfall. > > 73, > > Dani M0HXM/EA4GPZ. > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available > to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed > are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! > Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > > > _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

1 0

Re: [amsat-bb] AO-7 transponder pan view
by Eduardo Erlemann 25 Nov '15

25 Nov '15

I think it is caused due the components age/conditions which is affecting its receiver linearity, noticed even in a such narrow band. 73s Ed PY2RN GG66LW -------------------------------------------- On Wed, 11/25/15, Joe <nss(a)mwt.net> wrote: Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AO-7 transponder pan view To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Date: Wednesday, November 25, 2015, 12:08 PM Thats pretty cool. Is it a part of the filtering in this old gal, or what causes it? Joe WB9SBD Sig The Original Rolling Ball Clock Idle Tyme Idle-Tyme.com http://www.idle-tyme.com On 11/25/2015 3:21 AM, Daniel Estévez wrote: > El 24/11/15 a las 23:20, Joe escribió: >> what are the three hills about? > That's just noise from the passband of AO-7 transponder. It's stronger > in three spots, one on the middle of the passband and two near the > edges. These spots are quite strong, in fact comparable to some of the > stations. If you look closely, you can also see that these spots get > frequency modulated with the strong transmissions. > > This is one of those things that it's quite difficult to see on a > traditional receiver but it's quite apparent on an SDR waterfall. > > 73, > > Dani M0HXM/EA4GPZ. > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available > to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed > are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! > Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > > > _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

2 1

Has anyone implemented a panadapter for Icom IC910H?
by Mark Lunday 25 Nov '15

25 Nov '15

Mark Lunday, WD4ELG Greensboro, NC FM06be wd4elg(a)arrl.net http://wd4elg.blogspot.com

4 3

AO-7 transponder pan view
by Eduardo Erlemann 25 Nov '15

25 Nov '15

Panoramic view of AO-7 transponder, using FCDP+ for RX and TS-2000 for TX. I got late on he bird after 1/2 pass that started at 18:40 UTC, forgot to swap SDR# IQ in the first moment :( Max elevation was 64deg TX power 5 Watts all the time and RHCP most of the time. About 2 min before end of recording it is possible to hear I think a CU station calling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCq0WaEZ9g8&feature=youtu.be 73 Ed PY2RN GG66LW

4 4

SAT work with FLEX radio
by David 25 Nov '15

25 Nov '15

Hi all and Happy Thanksgiving, Question.. how many of you are doing SAT work with a FLEX-6000 series rig? I'm in the processes of pursuing just that, got my first Transverter to build, while I'm waiting figured I'd start the conversation on how do you have everything setup? I had a 9100 and could do full duplex and am wondering if the FLEX with transverters will allow the same full duplex operation (I'm assuming it will) Keep in mind here I am new to this transverter thing and have never set one up before.. Thanks David

1 0

Travel Day mobile QSOs
by Robert Bruninga 25 Nov '15

25 Nov '15

Ham Radio Travel day: Don’t forget to monitor 144.39 with CTCSS 100 and get automatic alerts (pings) when you are in mobile simplex range of another mobile traveler (running APRS). It works with ANY mobile radio. As long as you have CTCSS set to 100. It is better than CQ 52 because the other mobiles are sending out a ping once a minute instead of an occasional CQ call on 52. With cars passing each other at a combined 120 MPH, you are only in range of each other for a few minutes. So, you can either call CQ every 2 minutes all day long, or you can sit back and monitor 144.39 with CTCSS 100 and let the radio do the work. For more info, see http://aprs.org/VoiceAlert3.html Happy Travels. Bob, WB4APR

1 0