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

WD9EWK @ DM32 - between 19 and 22 February 2015
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 16 Feb '15

16 Feb '15

Hi! While I am at the Yuma (Arizona) Hamfest, I will be near the rarely-heard grid DM32. I will drive through it on Thursday (19 February) evening, and drive home through it either on Saturday (21 February) evening or Sunday (22 February) morning. There is also a chance I can go out there Friday (20 February) evening, since the western edge of DM32 isn't too far from Yuma - only 35 miles/56km east. I will try to post here on AMSAT-BB my plans to operate from this grid, as well as on my @WD9EWK Twitter feed. If you do not use Twitter, my @WD9EWK feed is accessible with a web browser at: http://twitter.com/WD9EWK I don't know for sure what passes I can work from there, but I will have a listing of available passes. If the opportunity arises to work passes while driving through DM32, I will try to do that. While on the road, APRS should show my location using WD9EWK-9 as my call sign. This should be visible online at: http://aprs.fi/WD9EWK-9 among other sites. As with my other trips, I will upload my log to Logbook of the World after the weekend. If you would like a QSL card to confirm a QSO with me from DM32, please e-mail me directly with the QSO details. If you're in the log, I will send you a QSL card. No need to first send me a QSL card. I don't normally collect cards for QSOs I make away from the Phoenix area, or outside my 200km limit per the VUCC rules. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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WD9EWK at Yuma (Arizona) Hamfest, 20-21 February 2015
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 16 Feb '15

16 Feb '15

Hi! I will have an AMSAT booth at the Yuma Hamfest in Arizona this Friday and Saturday, 20-21 February 2015. The hamfest will be at the Yuma County Fairgrounds, along 32nd Street between Pacific Avenue and Avenue 3E, across the street from Yuma International Airport and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma (they share runways and the control tower, but have separate facilities on each side of the runways). This is the 7th consecutive year AMSAT has had a booth at the Yuma Hamfest - thanks to Roger Hunt K7MEX and the Yuma Hamfest committee for providing AMSAT with a booth! More information about the hamfest is available at: http://www.yumahamfest.org/ I plan on some on-air demonstrations of satellite operating from outside the main hall at the hamfest. If you hear WD9EWK on the air Friday afternoon (hamfest starts at 12 noon/1900 UTC Friday) or during the day Saturday, please call and be a part of the demonstrations. The hamfest site is in grid DM22qq. All QSOs logged by WD9EWK during the Yuma Hamfest will be uploaded to Logbook of the World. Please e-mail me directly with QSO details if you would like a QSL card to confirm a QSO during any of the demonstrations. You don't have to first send me your QSL card or SASE to get my QSL card. During the hamfest, I will try to tweet photos and updates - especially when I will be on the air - using my @WD9EWK Twitter feed. If you do not use Twitter, you can still view my tweets at this link: http://twitter.com/WD9EWK Thanks in advance, and 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Re: [amsat-bb] Recording your QSOs
by Doug - k4gkj 16 Feb '15

16 Feb '15

I have several digital recorders, Olympus, Sony, and Zoom. The Zoom recorder is a very nice unit.... It records surprisingly great for a handheld unit..... The target audience was musicians, to be able to record on the fly, not forgetting a cord, phrase, etc. It isn't the least expensive at $100 + (depending on where you buy it), but has replaceable / upgradeable memory, records in mp3 or wave, user adjustable sample rate, & much more..... It's also in stereo if you want to use it for other projects.....and has a line input too. I like some types of sushi..... Not all... But I'll save that conversation for the next pass (grin)........ Some of yall are too much, bickering over pleasantries that are part of our hobby from day one..... Both funny and sad..... Stuff like this will certainly chase more folks off! Doug Bennight K4GKJ 850-528-5772 850-926-2052 -------- Original message -------- From: "Mike Jones, W6GYC" <w6gyc(a)w6gyc.com> Date: To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Recording your QSOs Steve A good quality digital recorder will (should) allow you to do this. If you get one that has both a mic in and audio out, you just put this in-line between the speaker or audio jack and your headphones, it should record what you hear. Thus: 1) Plug your audio out from your radio to the digital recorder mic jack 2) plug your headphones or earpiece into the audio out of the digital recorder 3) When you hit record, you should hear the audio from the radio. This will, of course take a couple of 1/8" to 1/8" audio cables to hook up, well actually just one. At least that is how my set up works for me. I have a digital recorder I picked up at Fry's for about $60. Make sure you get one that you can download in a compatible format to your PC. The other method mentioned (Y-adapter) is less expensive, and does not require you to be recording as you listen. Hope this helps. 73 de Mike, W6GYC On Sun, 2015-02-15 at 13:52 -0500, Steve Kristoff wrote: > As a newbie, I appreciate the reminders, Clint! I've just started working > SO-50 over the last couple of weeks. I don't call "CQ satellite" since I > read up a little on protocol before I started. I do hope that I have not > stepped on anybody as I learn the techniques. I very much hope that someone > will, politely and discreetly, let me know if I screw up! > Your post does bring up a question I've been pondering for a while. You > mention using an earpiece to monitor the downlink and also mention recording > the satellite pass. I have been recording the satellite passes and that > works pretty well for sorting out my contacts, but I'm not sure how to > record the pass AND use an earpiece at the same time. Using headphones or an > earpiece cuts out the speaker, so how do you record and use an earpiece at > the same time? > I'd really appreciate some help with this. Thank you! > > Steve Kristoff AI9IN > skristof(a)etczone.com > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Clint Bradford" <clintbradford(a)mac.com> > To: "AMSAT BB" <amsat-bb(a)AMSAT.Org> > Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2015 1:01 PM > Subject: [amsat-bb] CQ SATELLITE! CQ SATELLITE! > > > This post does NOT apply to about 99.4% of the members here ... So if you > are a seasoned FM bird operator, just skip reading. BUT if you are new to > the FM satellites ... > > I have heard a couple hams trying to work SO-50 the past week. They have > their sat prediction software all set up properly ... have improved their > antennas ... and have the proper set of frequencies programmed ... > > But they are not working full duplex (where you can monitor the downlink as > you key your mic) and are stepping on other transmissions. AND they are > simply declaring, "CQ satellite ... " over and over and over. > > That is not how we should be working the FM birds. > > Ideally, we should be working the FM voice satellites in full duplex mode, > where we can simultaneously listen to the downlink as we are transmitting. > This might mean a second radio with an earpiece (to avoid feedback) to make > sure you are "making it" and are not stepping on others' contacts. Carefully > monitor the downlink, and wait for a break in the conversations to announce > yourself. You might find it helpful to record your sessions for later > review. Even if you don’t make a contact during a pass, a recording can help > you recognize the callsigns and voices of other operators. Pocket recorders > or smartphone apps are great for this. > > Knowing your grid square - and having a grid square map - is a quick way of > identifying locations of what you will hear. There are also fellow satellite > operators who are working towards awards based on the number of unique grid > squares they contact: that is why you should know yours as you work the > birds. The ARRL and Icom have grid square maps: Icom’s is free and available > at better ham radio stores. > > When you clearly hear others, listen for a break in the action, and use the > ITU-approved phonetics to announce your callsign, grid square, and operating > mode. I am K6LCS in grid square DM-13, so it becomes ... > > "KILO-SIX-LIMA-CHARLIE-SIERRA, DELTA-MIKE - ONE-THREE, handheld." > > There's a little "debate" on the necessity of the "operating mode" > declaration. If you state, "handheld," it used to tell seasoned satellite > operators to let you in and get your contact made - knowing you were working > low power. Some might use "demo" as their op mode - as they operate in front > of a club or hamfest. It is not "improper" to include an op mode - many do > not. > > SO ... simply keying up and declaring "CQ satellite" over and over again is > simply not the proper protocol to be using. It does not identify neither you > nor your location. > > More information on working the "easy birds" always at ... > http://www.work-sat.com > > Clint Bradford K6LCS > 909-241-7666 - cell, Pacific coast time > _______________________________________________ > 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://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://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://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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CQ SATELLITE! CQ SATELLITE!
by Clint Bradford 16 Feb '15

16 Feb '15

This post does NOT apply to about 99.4% of the members here ... So if you are a seasoned FM bird operator, just skip reading. BUT if you are new to the FM satellites ... I have heard a couple hams trying to work SO-50 the past week. They have their sat prediction software all set up properly ... have improved their antennas ... and have the proper set of frequencies programmed ... But they are not working full duplex (where you can monitor the downlink as you key your mic) and are stepping on other transmissions. AND they are simply declaring, "CQ satellite ... " over and over and over. That is not how we should be working the FM birds. Ideally, we should be working the FM voice satellites in full duplex mode, where we can simultaneously listen to the downlink as we are transmitting. This might mean a second radio with an earpiece (to avoid feedback) to make sure you are "making it" and are not stepping on others' contacts. Carefully monitor the downlink, and wait for a break in the conversations to announce yourself. You might find it helpful to record your sessions for later review. Even if you don’t make a contact during a pass, a recording can help you recognize the callsigns and voices of other operators. Pocket recorders or smartphone apps are great for this. Knowing your grid square - and having a grid square map - is a quick way of identifying locations of what you will hear. There are also fellow satellite operators who are working towards awards based on the number of unique grid squares they contact: that is why you should know yours as you work the birds. The ARRL and Icom have grid square maps: Icom’s is free and available at better ham radio stores. When you clearly hear others, listen for a break in the action, and use the ITU-approved phonetics to announce your callsign, grid square, and operating mode. I am K6LCS in grid square DM-13, so it becomes ... "KILO-SIX-LIMA-CHARLIE-SIERRA, DELTA-MIKE - ONE-THREE, handheld." There's a little "debate" on the necessity of the "operating mode" declaration. If you state, "handheld," it used to tell seasoned satellite operators to let you in and get your contact made - knowing you were working low power. Some might use "demo" as their op mode - as they operate in front of a club or hamfest. It is not "improper" to include an op mode - many do not. SO ... simply keying up and declaring "CQ satellite" over and over again is simply not the proper protocol to be using. It does not identify neither you nor your location. More information on working the "easy birds" always at ... http://www.work-sat.com Clint Bradford K6LCS 909-241-7666 - cell, Pacific coast time

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Re: [amsat-bb] Recording Contacts
by Clint Bradford 16 Feb '15

16 Feb '15

>> ... can anyone recommend a Software or Reg one with a Time and Date Stamp on it Check out Olympus' units ... http://www.getolympus.com/us/en/audio/digital-recorders.html For iOS devices, I have heard of this one, but have not personally tried it ... https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/voice-activated-recorder/id598268211?mt=8 I do use HT Recorder Pro ... and it has that capability ... http://www.appliedvoices.com/avllc/products/ht-recorder/index.html Clint K6LCS

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help
by Mike Jones, W6GYC 16 Feb '15

16 Feb '15

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Recording Contacts
by Clint Bradford 16 Feb '15

16 Feb '15

>> ... As a newbie, I appreciate the reminders, Clint! >> ... how do you record and use an earpiece at the same time? It can be as simple as a "Y" audio adapter cable - the type that MONOPRICE.COM sells for less than a dollar ... On their site, search for Product Number 667. You would feed one lead to your earpiece, and the other to your recorder. Others here will certainly have other suggestions, too, for you. Clint K6LCS 909-241-7666 - cell

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WD9EWK DM03 activity on 14 February - report
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 16 Feb '15

16 Feb '15

Hi! Thanks to all the stations that worked WD9EWK on Saturday (14 February) afternoon, while I was in Los Angeles. I had driven to California on Friday night before giving a presentation on Saturday morning, then spent the afternoon operating from Dockweiler State Beach in grid DM03sw for a few passes in the afternoon before driving home in the evening. This was a very quick road trip for me, driving 822 miles/1323km in the span of 30 hours. The beach is west of the LAX airport and the end of the I-105 freeway and Imperial Highway along the Los Angeles/El Segundo city limits. The beach, being lower than the road running parallel to the beach (Vista del Mar), gave me a buffer from the airport QRM I observed when I tried to operate from a parking garage north of LAX earlier in the afternoon. This was the first time I worked satellites from DM03, making it the 76th different grid I have worked from. I worked two SO-50 passes, two ISS passes, and one pass each on AO-7 and FO-29. I logged a total of 27 QSOs - 4 on AO-7, 3 on FO-29, and the other 20 on SO-50. The 2202 UTC pass, which has been discussed on here and in other forums lately, saw 13 QSOs go in my log. I was able to work Dale KL7XJ in Alaska early in this SO-50 pass, something I haven't done on SO-50 from home due to obstructions in that direction. Seven more QSOs were logged on the later pass at 2344 UTC, which was much more orderly than the earlier pass. Unfortunately, I did not log any QSOs on the two ISS passes - one of those passing directly overhead. If you'd like to hear what those SO-50 passes sounded like from my location on the beach, I posted them as YouTube videos. First, the pass at 2202 UTC Saturday afternoon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9KrUH6pDCQ And the later pass at 2344 UTC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvI2Dowf2kA Audio was recorded by my Sony digital audio recorder, connected to my IC-2820H through a splitter cable. The other side of the splitter went to an earpiece, so I could hear the downlink without any audio feedback into my microphone. I uploaded my DM03 log to Logbook of the World yesterday. If you worked me on Saturday and want a QSL card to confirm the contact, please e-mail me with the QSO details. There's no need to send me your QSL card or an SASE first. If you're in my log, I will be happy to send you my QSL card. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Scouting Museum on SO-50 2/14 2205Z
by Tom Schuessler 16 Feb '15

16 Feb '15

K2BSA/5 on SO-50 for the 2205Z pass at the National Scouting Museum In Irving, Texas, EM12. Give the Scouts a shout. 73, Tom, N5HYP

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Fwd: Tues night Roundtable
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 16 Feb '15

16 Feb '15

----- Forwarded Message ----- From: "Tom" <wa5kub(a)gmail.com> To: "Tom" <wa5kub(a)gmail.com> Sent: Monday, February 16, 2015 10:12:24 AM Subject: Tues night Roundtable Don't forget Amateur Radio Roundtable, a new series of W5KUB.com <http://w5kub.com/> live weekly webcasts airs every *Tuesday night at 8:00 PM Central Time* (0200 UTC Wednesdays) at W5KUB.COM <http://w5kub.com/> Amateur Radio Roundtable is an informal discussion of all aspects of ham radio with the intent of allowing viewers to watch this live webcast or be a guest via Skype or Google Hangout. A question and answer session with viewers will follow each topic. The show covers all aspects of ham radio; such as, balloon launches, Satellite, go-kits,emergency comm, SDR, digital modes, DXing, home brewing, and much more. This weeks guests include Arnie Shatz, N6HC who has been a team member of many of the great DXpecitions, Eric William showing the prototype of a Cubesat that he is building, and a special guest from Sweeden, SM4VPZ. · During the last half of the roundtable, every viewer is invited to make a virtual appearance on the show. Guests will need a Google+ account, microphone, and camera. Viewers will be provided a link allowing you to join. This part of the show is very informal. Just pop in to say hello, or stay a while and join in on a wide range of topics. We can have up to 10 people in the roundtable at all times. We need your help with programming. If you have a specific subject that you would like to present in a future show, send an email to tom(a)W5KUB.com. Thanks, Tom W5KUB -- Please check out our ham radio video broadcast page at http://w5kub.com and please join our W5KUB video broadcast group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/279273778772594/ Senior Member of the I.E.E.E

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