May 2016 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

FT-736R vs. TS-2000X
by Christopher Maness 12 May '16

12 May '16

I have recently picked up both a TS-2000X and a FT-736R in a sale. I plan on selling one as I already have too many radios. I am not real active on the birds, but I occasionally get on, and usually work them for my club on FD. I have done some pro/con research on these radios, and I am slightly leaning towards the TS-2000X. I have heard that the FT-736R is a better radio, but is it so much better that it beats all the features that the TS-2000X has. I like the fact that it has a sub receiver so that I can work the FM birds full duplex, and I also like that it has a full 100W on 2m. I am thinking that if the receiver on the 2000 is deaf on VHF/UHF, I can add a preamp. Also, I have worked the June VHF/UHF contest in the bast an am considering working it again this June. Any thoughts? Regards, Chris KQ6UP

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Re: [amsat-bb] 736 vs. 2000X
by Christopher Maness 12 May '16

12 May '16

> On May 12, 2016, at 4:57 AM, Jeff Lamb <nx9b(a)comcast.net> wrote: > > Hi, Chris. I was reading the thread on the AMSATbb about choosing between the 736 and a 2000X. > One thing I think everyone missed is that the 2000X also has 23cm built in. Does the 736 have the 23cm module? If so, that evens it out a little but from strictly a power point the 100/50/10 from the Kenwood would trump the 25watts of the 736. Plus the 736 is an older design and while it 'might' have a better receiver, the differences would be negligible. > Yes, the 2000 has a birdy on the SO50 (& AO27) downlink but there are work-arounds for that too. > Plus computer control of the 2000 is easy while the 736 barely works with a computer. It's just older tech that does not do bidirectional signaling between rig and computer which the 2000 does with ease. > > I envy you for having to make such a decision. Most guys would take either one and be happy. > > Good luck with your choice. > > 73 de Jeff, NX9B, EM66sj > It has the 1.2GHz card, but I think it has an issue (the card), but hopefully it can be repaired. Everything else seems to work. Also, I am thinking the TS-2000X does not do SSB full duplex, correct? Someone in this thread mentioned the 736 does full duplex in both modes. Part of the deal included an SSB 150W brick from RFConcepts. However, it needs 40W to drive it to 150W. Another pro for the TS-2000X is that it has built in TNC’s. I do a bit of packet, so that is kind of neat. The manual mentioned 9k6 too, but I am not sure if any birds are running 9k6 packet anymore. If the TNC can do KISS, I can use my jnos running in linux again. Thanks, Chris KQ6UP

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Upcoming ARISS contact with AstroNuts Kids Space Club Academy, Richmond Hill, Ontario, CA
by n4csitwo＠bellsouth.net 11 May '16

11 May '16

An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at ASTRONUTS Kids Space Club Academy, David Dunlap Observatory, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada on 14 May. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 17:37 UTC. It is recommended that you start listening approximately 10 minutes before this time.The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and W6SRJ. The contact should be audible over the west coast of the U.S. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English. The "Whats up in Space" camp & STEM contest was created by a 13 year-old, Brett Bielecki and father Ray, 5 years ago in order to ignite the curiosities of hundreds of elementary school children to learn about "all things space". Our volunteer-based space camp is held at the world famous David Dunlap Observatory in Richmond Hill Ontario where the children are engaged and inspired by 20 volunteer space educators, multiple Skype guests and educational activities in a fun and educational setting. The children's STEM contest brings together dozens of innovative future astronauts, scientists educators and engineers in the spirit of competition. Our space camp was launched because of the high interest for space education by elementary school students, their parents and teachers when they recognized the value of the "AstroNuts kids space club." Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. Astronaut Tim, when you look out the windows of the cupola, on the ISS, at our beautiful earth, it so peaceful but there are so many wars and disagreements going on here.how does that affect the workings of your peaceful multinational space station? 2. How did your time as an aquanaut prepare you for space flight and could any aspects of the training have been improved on? 3. Who was your biggest inspiration and why? 4. How did you feel when NASA told you that you might go blind or have difficulty seeing for the next couple of years or even permanently?. 5. I know that space missions have brought us many great inventions in the past (such as wireless blow dryers) but are there any new inventions your mission hopes to bring us over the next few months? 6. How did it feel to be the first astronaut to wear the British flag on a spacewalk? 7. What do you prefer: Earth or Space and why? 8. What is the hardest difference from living on earth and living in space that you've had to adjust to while living on the ISS? 9. With the satellites, in space do you get any cable service and watch t.v. in space? 10. What did you do to train to land on an asteroid? 11. What was the turning point in your life where you decided, that this career was the one and only destiny for you? 12. We know what it's like to get sick on earth, (cold and flu). what happens when you get sick in the ISS? PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ARISS UPDATES: Visit ARISS on Facebook. We can be found at Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS). To receive our Twitter updates, follow @ARISS_status Next planned event(s): 1. Essex Heights Primary School, Mount Waverley, Victoria, Australia, telebridge via VK5ZAI The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Jeff Williams KD5TVQ Contact is a go for: Fri 2016-05-20 08:35:16 UTC ABOUT ARISS Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or informal education venues. With the help of experienced amateur radio volunteers, ISS crews speak directly with large audiences in a variety of public forums. Before and during these radio contacts, students, teachers, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org, www.amsat.org, and www.arrl.org. Thank you & 73, David - AA4KN --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

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SPECIAL EVENT QSO PARTY -- ROSELAND RADIO ON-THE-BIRDS !
by Robert Kovacs 11 May '16

11 May '16

To all radio amateurs: The Irvington Roseland Radio Club is celebrating its 70th Anniversary with a QSO Party on Saturday, May 14, 2016, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT (1400 to 2000 UTC). Although we'll primarily be on 40m phone and 20m phone, and on the 2m WA2JSB repeater & IRLP, we're also hoping to be on AO-85 at 1332-Z and on SO-50 at 1641-Z. Please see our website and events page at www.k2gq.com<http://www.k2gq.com> and http://www.k2gq.org/init/static/files/flyer70th.pdf . Hope to hear from everybody then! 73, Bob Kovacs KC2WYH AMSAT No. 38304

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DM16 logs corrected
by Kevin M 11 May '16

11 May '16

Thanks to VE7CEW for bringing to my attention a lack of QSLs for DM16 operations Sunday. Apparently when I set up the recorder for each pass, I was looking at a clock that was still set to Mountain time. Mea culpa. Logs have been fixed and uploaded, just give it a bit to process as LotW is about an hour behind at the moment. Possibly may just need to catch up, but may be down again for maintenance like Monday. 73! Kevin N4UFO

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Wednesday NV 4 for 1 special! DM07/08/17/18
by Kevin M 11 May '16

11 May '16

Provided there is no issue with the terrain that does not show up in Google street view, I should be able to wander about 125 feet off of a highway out into the desert scrub and setup on the intersection of 4 grids tomorrow. Those being DM07, DM08, DM17 and DM18. Now THAT is a mouthful... so I will most likely opt for the phrase used by the rover warrior known as KL7R and just say, 'Delta Mike four grids'. (Trust me, we don't have to actually exchange grids numbers for the contact to count!) The bad news is... there is no favorable SO-50 pass from there to reach the Eastern US. FO-29 however is more favorable. I plan to work the 1900z FO-29 and the 2021z SO-50 for sure. Working more passes after that will depend on several factors... weather, fatigue, how well the first two passes go, etc. If I know there are Western stations that will be ON the later passes, I would be much more willing to hang around. If I know someone back east works linear birds and misses me on FO-29 but is desperate for those grids, I may try AO-7 if available. (I've never worked AO-7 with my portable gear so there may be a learning curve and or other issues, please bear with me.) So if you fall into one of those categories, let me know in advance. I will leave the motel by around 1700z and after that, I can only hope to get data coverage out there in order to receive e-mails and tweets. I was surprised I got it up in DM19 where my cell phone barely had one bar. - I'll do what I can to work everyone, but I'm not going to lie... the elevation, the constant wind & sun and ever present dehydration are starting to get to me. (We've gone through several cases of water.) If I don't see any clear reason to hang around, I will likely pack it in and head to the motel. I have to do laundry, pack up and rest a little before heading out Thursday for Winnemucca and the DN grids. For those that were curious about my trip today down to the small restaurant and gift shop near Area 51... First, that valley is loooong. We topped the hill, saw the place and I swear it took 20 minutes to get there. Second, there were no big revelations to be had, no secrets and no aliens. (Unless you count the plastic kind.) But after years of watching TV documentaries and such with my daughter, I did have a moment of, 'Holy Implant, Batman! I'm actually here!' The majority of people stopping in were tourists and geocachers, folks looking for lunch and souvenirs. (Yes, I bought the T-Shirt!) Sorry, but no pictures of me operating in front of the fake UFO or anything... There was a mountain right in the way of the low SO-50 pass, so we skedaddled it back up the highway several miles and operated from a turn off on the side of the road. What DID get to me out there was that I could HEAR stealth aircraft flying around... loud! The sound seemed to come from all over... but we NEVER SAW THEM. Someone said they hug the canyons and the sound echoes around and you have no clue where they are. Just standing there out in the open gave me a very vulnerable feeling... As in, <squawk!> "Weird guy down there waving his yagi at us, sir... request permission to fire." Okay, that is about as far off topic as I care to go... if anyone has a comment on the latter stuff, definitely off list, please! Same for requests about western passes. 73 and hope to work you 'from the high desert!' - Kevin N4UFO

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2016-05-11 08:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 11 May '16

11 May '16

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2016-05-11 08:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: H.A.L. School, Lucknow, India, telebridge via K6DUE The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Tim Kopra KE5UDN Contact is a go for Option #7: Thu 2016-05-12 08:11:20 UTC 79 deg AstroNuts Kids Space Club Academy, David Dunlap Observatory, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, telebridge via W6SRJ The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Timothy Peake KG5BVI Contact is a go for Option #1: Sat 2016-05-14 17:37:12 UTC 33 deg Essex Heights Primary School, Mount Waverley, Victoria, Australia, telebridge via VK5ZAI (***) The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS (***) The scheduled astronaut is Jeff Williams KD5TVQ (***) Contact is a go for: Fri 2016-05-20 08:35:16 UTC 30 deg (***) **************************************************************************** ** 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. **************************************************************************** *** All ARISS contacts are made via the Ericsson radio unless otherwise noted. **************************************************************************** *** 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 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 117 Francesco IKØWGF with 116 **************************************************************************** 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 2016-05-11 08:00 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 1055. Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1020. Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 47. 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,South Dakota,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 2016-05-09 23:30 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. 46 on orbit Tim Kopra KE5UDN Timothy Peake KG5BVI Yuri Malenchenko RK3DUP Exp. 47 on orbit Jeff Williams KD5TVQ Oleg Skripochka RN3FU Aleksey Ovchinin **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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ISS voice transmissions received from underneath QRM
by J. Boyd (JR2TTS) 11 May '16

11 May '16

This morning at 10:44 JST there was a very high ISS pass during which I was able to record the commemorative Tomsk transmissions on 145.800 MHz. FUNCube Dongle Pro + and a VHF/UHF discone. https://soundcloud.com/minus2c/120th-anniversary-of-the-tomsk-polytechnic-u… Unfortunately most of the pass was marred by QRM from other satellite operators calling each other, and attempting to call the ISS, on the same frequency. Luckily I was able to hear most of the English version of the recorded announcement at the very end of this pass, so it wasn't a total loss. The next pass over my QTH will not be until late tonght when the transmissions will already have concluded, so this is as close as I'm going to get. -- J. Boyd, JR2TTS/NI3B the2belo(a)msd.biglobe.ne.jp http://www.flickr.com/photos/the2belo/ http://www.qrz.com/db/JR2TTS Twitter: @Minus2_C

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Telemetry BJ1SG XW2
by Helmut Klein 11 May '16

11 May '16

Hi, I have copied the Telemetry of XW2 satellite on 145975kHz. on 08.05.2016, 16:43 UTC. cw abbrevated letters as follows: BJ1SG DFH XW2 XW2 aaaa itbc kf6d ainu 4eei uiaf 6uck akik vtin in4d iu4n 4dtt tttt tttt trm4 tttt bct4 6k4m dddd dddd dddd dddd dddd dddd camsat camsat I looked into the decode instructions, but was not able to decode all, e.g. character c is not defined, and also character b. If necessary I can provide a NF recording. Regards, 73 Helmut, OE1TKW

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Re: [amsat-bb] Satellite timing question.
by Richard Tejera 11 May '16

11 May '16

Depends on th err inclination. Miss & SO-50 tend to repeat about every two week or so note that the passes tend to come earlier by about 15 minutes or so each day. Rick Tejera K7TEJ Saguaro Astronomy Club www.SaguaroAstro.org Thunderbird Amateur Radio Club www.w7tbc.org On May 10, 2016, at 21:14, B J <va6bmj(a)gmail.com> wrote: On 5/11/16, Jason Rearick <jbr13(a)md.metrocast.net> wrote: > Yes, I have and use Gpredict, but don't know how far ahead to go to find > when the birds come back around to about the same times as they did last > month. I figure they are on a cycle that repeats every so many days, weeks, > > or months. > <snip> Keep in mind that Gpredict will only produce data for up to 50 orbits in the future. Each day, I put the AOS times for the satellites I track into my computer's calendar program. Before I do that, I print out those 50 orbits as text files and import them into a database. I can then check the dates or specific times that a certain satellite will be visible. A simple way would be to estimate the precession rate from that orbital data and do a back of the envelope calculation for when a bird will be in a favourable position. Of course, one could always resort to looking up the necessary equations in an orbital mechanics text and do some number-crunching. 73s Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL _______________________________________________ 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

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