February 2017 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

Helical Antenna for 2-meters
by Dave Mann 05 Feb '17

05 Feb '17

I just did some calculations from the ARRL Antenna Handbook. I came up with a 6-turn helical with a diameter of 25.826" and a length of 121.65". My first thought was "whoa, dude, like OMG!" (I'm a high school teacher, ok?) I rechecked my calculations and came up with same, plus an impedance of 150 ohms. Years ago I used a Fritzel Helical for 2m when I was DA1BB and VP2EHF (during Hurricane Luis in 1994 it ended up someplace out in the Anagada Straights between Anguilla and Sombrero Island). What say, you all? Advice, comments welcomed 73 Dave, N4CVX Sent from my iPad

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K5T Grid Expedition to DL88jx
by Clayton Coleman 05 Feb '17

05 Feb '17

Several satellite operators will make their way down to the southernmost tip of Texas' "Big Bend" on Sunday, February 12, 2017. Operating from within Big Bend National Park's Talley Campground via amateur satellites, grid chasers will have a shot at the ellusive DL88jx for a period of roughly 18 hours. Listen for K5T on FM and SSB satellites starting roughly at 21:00 UTC on February 12 through 15:00 UTC on February 13. ISS packet is possible but not planned. You may occasionally catch K5T in grid square DL89. Pass/schedule requests will not be honored on this trip. Some HF operation may occur. Paper QSL with SASE via W5PFG or LoTW with the callsign "K5T." 73 Clayton W5PFG

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CU2ZG rover operation
by Pedro Sousa 05 Feb '17

05 Feb '17

Hi all, Next week I'll start a long trip for 3 weeks that will take me down under to Amsterdam, Australia, New Zealand, plus Vancouver and Toronto. The fun part of it is that I'll be FM SAT equipped. I've attained all requirements to operate as CU2ZG/VK2 and ZL/CU2ZG, under CEPT. Urban environment permitting I'll be active while on QF56, RE44, RF72, RF73, CN89, FN03, JO22, and probably other in inner Australia, operating SO-50 and BY70-1 (while in orbit), plus AO-85 and LilacSAT-2 (if on). Given allowed weight and space restrictions while on travel, I'll be equipped with a Wouxun KG-UV9DPlus and a Nagoya RH-770 telescopic whip, the same setup I've use in several other quick rover ops. If any of you happen to be nearby please drop me a private email. Special interest on meeting local hams and AMSAT branches. I'd like to state my thanks to the Singapore SARTS staff that, despite I had not attained a temporary license to operate from their country, have been of grateful help. 73 de CU2ZG Pedro --- Este e-mail foi verificado em termos de vírus pelo software antivírus Avast. https://www.avast.com/antivirus -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.

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Yaesu G-5500 controller panel lights?
by Alan 05 Feb '17

05 Feb '17

A couple of questions: Are they replaceable, or an integral part of the meter assembly? If they are replaceable, any help on replacement bulbs? They are called out only as PL-1 and PL-2. 73s, Alan WA4SCA

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Re: [amsat-bb] K2BSA/5 on SO-50 today (Tom Schuessler)
by Tom Schuessler 05 Feb '17

05 Feb '17

Did anyone get a recording of the February 4, 1834Z (For me at least), SO 50 pass that I worked as K2BSA/5? I did get a local recording but got the Recorder started late. I would like the scouts to hear what they sounded like on the other side of the link. If not that's OK but if so could you share it with me please off list? Thank you very much and thank you to all who worked us. The scouts had a blast. Sent from my iPhone

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Reaching Way Back for QSLs
by Gary "Joe" Mayfield 05 Feb '17

05 Feb '17

I know this is some old stuff.. Has anyone confirmed a satellite contact with sm1lpu or hl0btw? I logged them both years ago, but never got a card or LOTW. QRZ shows nothing for either one. I would greatly appreciate any leads you may have to confirm either one! Thanks and 73, Joe kk0sd Ex-ks5x, ex-ka0yos

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AMSAT @ Palm Springs Hamfest, today
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 04 Feb '17

04 Feb '17

Hi! I am at the AMSAT booth inside a hangar at the Palm Springs Hamfest, getting ready for this event to officially start at 9am/1700 UTC. So far, I am planning a couple of demonstrations for the start of the event, from outside the hamfest site (Palm Springs Air Museum)... AO-73 at 1656 UTC (8.56am PST - around the time the hamfest starts) FO-29 at 1731 UTC (10.31am PST) These demonstrations will be done in front of the museum, near the US Navy A-6 Intruder on display. The FO-29 demonstration wil be done using one FT-817ND and my Elk log periodic antenna, and I plan on using 145.930 MHz (+/-) as my uplink for the 1731 UTC pass. There will be other demonstrations during the day. Where possible, I will try to post those mentions here on the -BB, but looking at my @WD9EWK Twitter feed is probably a better way to go. If you don't use Twitter, not to worry - just look at it in a web browser at: http://twitter.com/WD9EWK Thanks in advance, and 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK - Palm Springs, California http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK

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K2BSA/5 on SO-50 today
by Tom Schuessler 04 Feb '17

04 Feb '17

I will be activating K2BSA/5 from the National Scouting Museum in EM12 today 2/4 for an 1834 AOS pass of SO 50. This may be the last activation of K2BSA stroke five from the museum as the Irving TX location here will be closing AND relocating to the Philmont Scout Ranch in northern New Mexico after June of this year. It's been a fun run of doing radio merit badge classes from the museum but you will hear the callsign more in the future as we move to other venues in the area to introduce scouts to amateur radio and also amateur satellite. Please give us a call. Tom Schuessler, N5HYP Sent from my iPhone

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ARISS QSO, Astronaut Shane Kimbrough and South Street School Connecticut 2-2-2017
by Dave Ryan 04 Feb '17

04 Feb '17

Hi All Sorry, i made a mess of attaching the youtube link. My Daughter and I listened in on an ARISS QSO between Astronaut Shane Kimbrough and South Street School, Danbury, Connecticut USA, The contact was made with ON4ISS, an ARISS telebridge station in Belgium and was audible over South Yorkshire in the UK. Before the contact, we downloaded the list of questions that the students were going to ask, we then tried to think of the answers that Astronaut Shane Kimbrough would give, we got a lot right, and a few wrong. We made a video of the QSO and posted it on youtube :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzQbyIH8Qwg Regards EI4HT/M0GIW Dave and Erin Ryan

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busted link AMSAT Store
by Kevin M 04 Feb '17

04 Feb '17

I just sent someone a link to the M2 Leo-pack antennas sold in the AMSAT store... but when going to look for detailed information on the antennas, the two links to the individual antenna specs are broken. Not sure who to ask to fix them, so sent to list here. http://store.amsat.org/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=123 Here are the two individual links: http://www.m2inc.com/amateur/436cp16-432-440-mhz/ http://www.m2inc.com/amateur/2mcp8a-143-148-mhz/ 73, Kevin N4UFO

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