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

KLM Satellite antennas
by Jerry Ehlers 06 Apr '15

06 Apr '15

I have a pair of the best satellite antennas for sale. They are the 435-40CX with switcher and original manual The other is the 2M - 22C with no switcher original manual both for $250.00 Prefer to pick up if possible in Dubuque, Iowa If I have to arrange shipping it would be in the lower 48 only Payment by US Postal Money Order

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Re: [amsat-bb] ISS SSTV April 11 - Again!
by Clint Bradford 06 Apr '15

06 Apr '15

When I ran passes for me in DM13 Riverside CA, there were only four passes ... if you have set your prediction program to 10 degrees or min altitude, set it down to 5 or so ... I was copying the Kenwood's ~25W transmissions at 3 and 4 degrees lazt SSTV project! Clint On April 6, 2015, at 13:46, Randy Hall <listk7age(a)gmail.com> wrote: Clint If I have done my predictions correctly, I don't think there are any North American passes. I think it may only be on April 11 from 10:00 to 21:00 UTC. When I changed my PC clock to April 11, passes between those times were over Europe and Russia. Did I screw up? Randy, K7AGE On Sun, Apr 5, 2015 at 10:15 AM, Clint Bradford <clintbradford(a)mac.com> wrote: Do not forget next weekend's planned transmitted SSTV images from the ISS project! At 25W or so, you will he hearing the ISS from very low elevations as you record the 183-second broadcasted images. Recording and decoding these can be as easy as holding your HT's spear close to your iOS device! Details at ... http://amsat-uk.org/2015/03/31/iss-sstv/ Clint K6LCS _______________________________________________ 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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ISS Contacts
by Clint Bradford 06 Apr '15

06 Apr '15

>> ... I am again disappointed to learn that random unscheduled contacts are still uncommon ... Well, the astronauts are quite busy up there ... (grin) That is what makes the scheduled amateur radio time so exciting - like last Field Day when we were able to make voice contacts ... Heck, I used just two Watts and a handheld tape measure beam for my contact ... http://www.work-sat.com/ISS-062814.html And, of course, monitoring hams should never try to interrupt or contact during any of the scheduled ARISS contacts. Watch issfanclub.com, amsat-uk.org, and amsat.org for announcements of possible "windows" of opportunities! Clint Bradford K6LCS http://www.iss-flabob.com

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FUNcube-1 Mode change
by Graham Shirville 06 Apr '15

06 Apr '15

Hi All, Just to report that, towards the end of the 20:15 UTC pass over Europe, FUNcube-1 was returned to autonomous eclipse switching mode. This means -educational mode when in sunlight and amateur mode when in eclipse. We plan to return the spacecraft to continuous amateur mode again on Friday evening. 73 Graham G3VZV – for the FUNcube Ops Team

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Another DireWolf question
by Steve Kristoff 06 Apr '15

06 Apr '15

Seems like most folks suggest using the VOX setup for my Yaesu-Signalink-USB/Windows set-up. Next question: The Dire Wolf manual talks about setting up virtual COM ports, particularly 3 and 4. Has someone done this? What exactly does that do? Besides having the Windows operating system, the Direwolf is running under APRSIS-32. (Man, I could sure use a local Elmer!) Steve AI9IN EM79 Oldenburg IN

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Re: [amsat-bb] Friday night presentation in Long Beach - report
by Paul - K6HR 06 Apr '15

06 Apr '15

I was there also! Great presentation!! Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S® III mini, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone <div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: "Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)" <amsat-bb(a)wd9ewk.net> </div><div>Date:04/06/2015 9:04 AM (GMT-08:00) </div><div>To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org </div><div>Subject: [amsat-bb] Friday night presentation in Long Beach - report </div><div> </div>Hi! Last Friday evening, I gave a presentation at the monthly meeting of the Associated Radio Amateurs of Long Beach in southern California. This is the club that operates the W6RO station aboard the Queen Mary. This had been in the works for a little while, and I thank Endaf Buckley KG6FIY for the invitation to speak at his club. Before the meeting, there were passes of FO-29 and SO-50 passing by the west coast. Endaf ensured that the club members were aware of this, if they wanted to see a demonstration of both FM and SSB satellite operating. There was a nice crowd that greeted me when I arrived, and I was able to chat with them as I set up my portable station outside. I was able to log one QSO on FO-29, with Frank K6FW, followed by seven QSOs on SO-50. My presentation was not the "how to work satellites" type of presentation, but a combination of a history lesson - history, as it relates to amateur satellites - and talking about the Fox project and its satellites. I had done some reading about our satellites from the 1960s and 1970s for an presentation I gave in February, and incorporated bits from that in the presentation on Friday evening. I think there were 30 to 40 people in the crowd, including some satellite operators who drove varying distances to be in the crowd - Jim KQ6EA, Tom WA0POD, Mike AI6GS, Chris KA6WNK, plus Endaf KG6FIY who is also on the satellites from Long Beach. Thanks to the ARALB for an enjoyable evening, and thanks to the 8 stations who worked me from Long Beach before the meeting. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK _______________________________________________ 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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73 on 73 Awards #15-18
by Paul Stoetzer 06 Apr '15

06 Apr '15

Good afternoon, Four more 73 on 73 Awards have been issued since my last update. Congratulations to the following operators for working 73 different stations on AO-73 since September 1, 2014: #15 - Jesús Mª Alcain Rodriguez, EA2AWD #16 - David Bowman, G0MRF #17 - Istok Kapov, 9A2KI #18 - Jonas Duda, LY3QA For more information on the award see http://amsat-uk.org/funcube/73-on-73-award/ 73, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM

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France (IN94) on AO-07B
by Michel F6GLJ 06 Apr '15

06 Apr '15

Hello every boby, I'll be on AO-07 between 17:23 and 17:41 UTC. Good footprint for qso between France and Brazil, north east of USA and Canada. I hope meet you. 73 qro de Michel F6GLJ

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DireWolf config file question
by KO6TZ BOB 06 Apr '15

06 Apr '15

Steve, Dire Wolf like the AGW-PE has the capability to be used as a dual-port TNC. You can connect two radios on different bands at different baud rates to the stereo sound card in a desk-top computer. Using this configuration I have configured the first port to the "left" channel S/C and key via the RTS lead from the COM port. The second port is on the "right" channel S/C and keyed via the DTR lead of the COM port. The reference to a suitable interface can be a reed relay or an optoisolator (4N25). Simply connect the RTS or DTR lead thru the windings of the relay or thru the optoisolator. Detailed schematics of these circuits should be an easy search on the WEB. I have used this configuration to digi 300 baud APRS traffic from 30m to the local 2meter 1200 baud APRS network . I mentioned 'desk-top computer', this is because many laptops do not have stereo line-in jacks, just mono. BOB KO6TZ I'm trying to set up the config file in Direwolf. The radio is a Yaesu FT290RII and the interface is a Signalink USB. The Direwolf manual says this about setting up the PTT configuration: # # If not using a VOX circuit, the transmitter Push to Talk (PTT) # control is usually wired to a serial port with a suitable interface circuit. # DON'T connect it directly! # # For the PTT command, specify the device and either RTS or DTR. # RTS or DTR may be preceded by "-" to invert the signal. # #PTT COM1 RTS #PTT COM1 -DTR #PTT /dev/ttyUSB0 RTS Unfortunately, I don't know what that means. Anybody know which one I should use? Any hints, tips, suggestions would be much appreciated. Steve Kristoff AI9IN EM79ji Oldenburg IN skristof at etczone.com

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Friday night presentation in Long Beach - report
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 06 Apr '15

06 Apr '15

Hi! Last Friday evening, I gave a presentation at the monthly meeting of the Associated Radio Amateurs of Long Beach in southern California. This is the club that operates the W6RO station aboard the Queen Mary. This had been in the works for a little while, and I thank Endaf Buckley KG6FIY for the invitation to speak at his club. Before the meeting, there were passes of FO-29 and SO-50 passing by the west coast. Endaf ensured that the club members were aware of this, if they wanted to see a demonstration of both FM and SSB satellite operating. There was a nice crowd that greeted me when I arrived, and I was able to chat with them as I set up my portable station outside. I was able to log one QSO on FO-29, with Frank K6FW, followed by seven QSOs on SO-50. My presentation was not the "how to work satellites" type of presentation, but a combination of a history lesson - history, as it relates to amateur satellites - and talking about the Fox project and its satellites. I had done some reading about our satellites from the 1960s and 1970s for an presentation I gave in February, and incorporated bits from that in the presentation on Friday evening. I think there were 30 to 40 people in the crowd, including some satellite operators who drove varying distances to be in the crowd - Jim KQ6EA, Tom WA0POD, Mike AI6GS, Chris KA6WNK, plus Endaf KG6FIY who is also on the satellites from Long Beach. Thanks to the ARALB for an enjoyable evening, and thanks to the 8 stations who worked me from Long Beach before the meeting. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK

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