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

Modern Equipment Matrix
by Jeff Davis 21 Mar '15

21 Mar '15

Has anyone assembled a reasonably modern (currently available) table of equipment suitable for sat work? Dual-band, full-duplex - handhelds, mobiles, base equipment. Thanks. Jeff, KE9V

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Antennas
by Terry 21 Mar '15

21 Mar '15

While we are working on the equipment matrix how about available antennas? I can only think of the ones from M2 and Arrow. Who else makes them and which are rotor mounted and which handheld? --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. http://www.avast.com

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Re: [amsat-bb] Modern Equipment Matrix
by Kevin M 21 Mar '15

21 Mar '15

"The Icom W31AT is also full duplex, an earlier version of the W32A." Yes, but the controls are arranged differently and a fatal flaw.... On my W32A, it is easy to turn the knobs to adjust for doppler. On the W31A the knobs are volume and squelch. In order to change frequencies you have to push buttons on the face plate. Very cumbersome and I wouldn't recommend it for portable sats. It's easy to see why they upgraded to the W32A model. As for W32A's... I went through two of them and still have problems with desense on SO-50. There is info on the web about 5 digit serial numbers being okay... not true. The actual difference is whether or not the rig has the ability to be opened up to receive on 800 MHz. There is a sequence of button pushes (a soft mod) that will do it. If you can get the 800 Mhz band to appear then it's much more likely to do full duplex on Mode V/U without desense from third harmonics That said, I use my W32A with an Arrow on SO-50 half duplex because it's no worse in regards to desense than all my attempts with two Baofengs. Despite the mantra 'just buy two cheap HTs and run full duplex', I found that concept far easier said than done. I am looking forward to the future 2m downlink birds as my setup with the W32A will be excellent for that. In the meantime, if anybody wants the grid I am operating from with it on SO-50, they will just have to put up with my half duplex. =^D 73 all, N4UFO ------------------------------------------------------------------"Control is the need of the fearful mind. Trust is the need of the courageous heart."

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MacDoppler gets better every day!
by Stefan Wagener 20 Mar '15

20 Mar '15

Hi folks, Don Agro, VE3VRW has been very busy updating MacDoppler and incorporating new features and customer requests. For example, the manual flip option for 180 degrees elevation rotors is a beautiful enhancement and let's you go beyond the limits of other software (limited to north or south switch). If you have a Mac and like to use it for your rotor and radio, check it out. It is truly a great piece of software (available at a discount at the AMSAT store) with great customer support. ....and NO, I don't get paid for writing this... and Yes, I really like it and have completely switched over my computer control to MacDoppler. 73, Stefan, VE4NSA

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Modern Equipment Matrix
by Clint Bradford 20 Mar '15

20 Mar '15

For portable work on the FM birds, there are some wonderful, long-discontinued full-duplex HTs that many are using, like the early models of the Icom IC-W32a, Kenwood TH-D7 and TH-D79, and Yaesu’s FT-470/FT-51/FT-530 models. The only currently manufactured HT that works well in U/V and V/U mode is the Kenwood TH-D72a - at about US$450. For the FM voice LEOs (as well as the ISS packet and SSTV), many are using their "primary" HT, and purchasing a less-expensive rig for receive - in order to work full duplex. Heck, two Yaesu FT-60R radios PLUS an Arrow Sat antenna cost the same at the TH-D72a all by itself ... (grin). Clint Bradford K6LCS http://www.work-sat.com

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Astronaut issues challenge for UK students to “make that call”
by M5AKA 20 Mar '15

20 Mar '15

Astronaut issues challenge for UK students to “make that call” http://amsat-uk.org/2015/03/20/astronaut-issues-challenge-for-uk-students-t… FUNcube-1 Solar eclipse update http://amsat-uk.org/2015/03/20/funcube-1-solar-eclipse-update/ ---- 73 Trevor M5AKA AMSAT-UK http://amsat-uk.org/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/amsatuk Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK ----

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Re: [amsat-bb] SO-50 and Yuri UT1FG
by Kevin M 20 Mar '15

20 Mar '15

"Perhaps Yuri has some equipment issue on SO-50?" Yuri always has difficulty hearing on SO-50... He's running an Elk antenna, and I'm fairly sure it's at a fixed elevation. Between that, no preamp and feedline loss, I am surprised he can hear SO-50 at all! When I had up a 7 element fixed elevation yagi and about 60 feet of feedline, I could work FO-29 pretty well, but could barely hear SO-50... I could copy the downlink better sitting in my shack chair holding an HT with a CJU mounted on top of it than with my former mounted antennas. Looking forward to the new birds!!! A good reminder... donate to help fund Fox 1C's launch! =^D https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6pz92/tw/f3qmG9 ------------------------------------------------------------------"Control is the need of the fearful mind. Trust is the need of the courageous heart."

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SO-50 and Yuri UT1FG
by Bryan Green 20 Mar '15

20 Mar '15

Last couple of passes of SO-50 for me I have noticed that Yuri UT1FG calls and many answer but he never calls back. KA7FVV reports that on FO-29 he is quite active, as I would expect. Perhaps Yuri has some equipment issue on SO-50? -- bag KL7CN/W6 CM98

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Help AMSAT launch Fox-1C satellite in 2015!
by Clint Bradford 20 Mar '15

20 Mar '15

Which payment method takes less of a percentage/cut - this FundRazr campaign, the PayPal link on AMSAT.org, or a direct call to Martha with a credit card number? Clint Bradford

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Help AMSAT launch Fox-1C satellite in 2015!
by Paul Stoetzer 19 Mar '15

19 Mar '15

Good morning, I noticed that no one had contributed to the Fox-1C FundRazr in some time, so I sent $20, tweeted the link, posted it on Facebook, and shared it with a few amateur satellite Facebook groups. Please give what you can and share the link to the campaign. https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6pz92/tw/f3qmG9 Or donate directly at http://www.amsat.org/ 73, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM

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