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

Her Majesty's Royal Mint special event. (GB4RME)
by GW1FKY＠aol.com 21 Jul '17

21 Jul '17

Her Majesty's Royal Mint special event. (GB4RME) Members of the Barry Amateur Radio Society will be operating from 'Her Majesty's Royal Mint' at Llantrisant, South Wales, UK,call sign - GB4RME (Royal Mint Experience) between July 30th and August 5th 2017. Locator: IO81HN WAB:ST08 The hours of operation on a daily basis have been limited, but we expect to be operational between 0800 - 1730 hrs GMT. It does restrict operation for satellite operations and passes in addition of course AO-73 operates in data mode Monday to Friday when illuminated (Auto mode) However on the first Sunday of the event (30th ) and the last day (Saturday 5th August ) the transponder mode should be available if commanded. Some satellites may only have early passes on a daily basis and if I cannot get access to our op's room on site I may have to use a portable set up from the car park The general other activities of the event will be on the HF bands using CW, SSB, DATA RTTY and JT65. This event will also include an exhibition and demonstrations of "Amateur Radio." How key events especially using satellites,the ISS are key players in the role of education and "STEM" Note also this event also co-incident with the event taking place for "YOTA 2917" ( GB17YOTA ) and should be significant as a prime contact for youngsters participating from world wide. This special event station is a world first, operating from within a Mint, and a Royal one at that. Details about the mint can be viewed at: http://www.royalmint.com/en/the-royal-mint-experience QSL via GW0ANA, direct, by the Bureau, LoTW and ClubLog. There will be a Web page set up for the operation on QRZ.com. Ken Eaton GW1FKY Member AMSAT-UK, AMSAT NA, RSGB , Barry Amateur Radio Society.

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2017-07-20 20:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 21 Jul '17

21 Jul '17

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2017-07-20 20:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: About Gagarin From Space International Summer Camp #2 with Bashkortostan schoolchildren, Ufa, Russia, direct via RZ9WWB The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled astronaut is Fyodor Yurchikhin RN3FI Contact was successful 2017-07-19 20:07 UTC (***) The Tuskegee Airmen Youth in Aviation Program at The International Space Station (ISS) Research and Development (R&D) Conference, Washington, D.C., telebridge via W6SRJ (***) The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Jack Fischer K2FSH Contact was successful Thu 2017-07-20 13:23:10 UTC 56 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. Listen for the ISS on the downlink of 145.8Ø MHz. **************************************************************************** *** All ARISS contacts are made via the Kenwood 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: Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 123 Gaston ON4WF with 123 Francesco IKØWGF with 119 **************************************************************************** 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 8601 date and time format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2017-07-20 20:00 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 http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1149. (***) Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1108. (***) 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 2017-07-20 20:00 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. 50 on orbit Peggy Whitson Exp. 51 on orbit Jack Fischer K2FSH Fyodor Yurchikhin RN3FI **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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Google Streetview Of ISS
by R.T.Liddy 21 Jul '17

21 Jul '17

Check out the ISS with Google Streetview! - Bob K8BL https://www.google.com/streetview/#international-space-station

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SSTV from ISS
by Roland Zurmely 21 Jul '17

21 Jul '17

Picture from 20-07-2017 22:05 UTC: <http://www.qsl.net/py4zbz/sstviss.htm#p> 73 de Roland PY4ZBZ

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AMSAT 2017 Symposium Call for Papers
by Daniel Schultz 20 Jul '17

20 Jul '17

This is the first call for papers for the 2017 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium to be held on the weekend of October 27, 28, 29, 2017 at the Silver Legacy Resort, Reno, Nevada. Proposals for papers, symposium presentations and poster presentations are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite community. We request a tentative title of your presentation as soon as possible, with final copy to be submitted by October 6 for inclusion in the printed proceedings. Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan Schultz N8FGV at n8fgv(a)amsat.org

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NJ7H/retired
by Gabriel Zeifman 20 Jul '17

20 Jul '17

Hello fellow people of the birds, I have returned to the motherland from a glorious trip abroad, spending two weeks in continuous daylight. I think I forgot what night was, and as such was awake 24/7 working satellite passes! It was great to make so many contacts from Iceland, Faroe Islands, and Greenland! Probably the most exciting thing is that OX/NJ7H achieved VUCC! At the moment, we are at 111 grids confirmed in LoTW and estimated 149 grids worked, all in four days (with plenty of touristy stuff fit in as well)! It appears that this is the first VUCC of any type completed in Greenland! I could not have done it without all the dedicated rovers on both sides of the world that supported me in this crazy idea! Special thanks to: AK4WQ (8) KG5CCI (6) AI6GS (4) F4DXV (4) WD9EWK (3) WN9Q (3) MI6GTY (3) N6UA (3) N9EAT (3) N7AGF (2) W5PFG (2) EB1AO (2) WC7V (2) W4FS (2) K0FFY (2) NP4JV (2) CG7CEW (2) KL7CN (2) KK4FEM (2) Some more statistics from OX (based on LoTW): 278 QSOs 149 grids worked, 111 confirmed 26 DXCCs worked, 17 confirmed 34 states worked, 30 confirmed I think not so bad for a single operator QRP in four days while doing other stuff as well! Location, location, location... It was very cool being able to work so much on individual passes, even with lower birds like SO-50. Being so high on the earth, many of the satellites would pass over me and allow most of North America and Europe to be worked on a single pass. It was very cool! Although it could be eerie being alone for much of the pass as the satellites traversed the oceans with no one else in the footprint... It was fun to play around in this time experimenting with things like 50mW on SO-50. Made contacts through out North and Central America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and Asia! Dave KG5CCI and I were also able to break the distance record on XW-2D, which is now the furthest contact on any of the XW-2 satellites! The operating locations in OX and TF were awesome and usually allowed me to operate to the horizon and often below in the direction of North America. It was great to activate ten grids throughout the trip, including some ultra rare ones (and unheard before). HP74 had only a sliver of land and the grid corner of HP93/94/IP03/04 were fun grid adventures. In the Faroe Islands I had a much more difficult horizon, only allowing me to operate to as low as 3°-7° depending on the direction. The trade off was that I was able to walk to and operate from the IP61/62 line for nearly every pass! I am now back in the US (New York City to be exact). Tomorrow I head to Florida for a few days. Friday night and Saturday I will be driving from North Florida to Miami. I am hoping to score some new /r grids along the way, so give me a shout if you need EL95-EM90. EL95-97 will be new /r grids for me, so those are my focus. I'll be on Twitter like usual, @NJ7H_Radio, so that's the best way to get in touch with me. I'll be spending more time in EM90 and EL99, as opposed to the other ones that I'm just passing through. On the 25th I head back to Oklahoma City to begin my training to be an air traffic controller! With that, I see very little opportunity for me to do much roving until around late October when I complete that initial training (I'll still get on on weekends and do some local roving). Which comes to NJ7H/retired... I am volunteering for Alaska, and I am told that if I volunteer for Alaska, the FAA will likely gladly place me there (my buddy just got assigned to West Virginia and he was expecting Wisconsin, so who knows). Assuming I pass the academy (which I sure hope and will be doing my damnedest to), I will be finished on October 23rd. If I get Alaska, I am hoping to make a little detour on the way to attend the AMSAT-NA Symposium in Reno! The time seems to work just about perfectly for that (assuming I pass and I get assigned to Alaska). If I do indeed get Alaska, this trip will have been the last use of NJ7H while abroad as I'll get an Alaskan call upon crossing the border into Canada on the drive (NJ7H/7 will be around until the cross into Canada, then VE6NJH until Alaska). 73 and mind your ERP, Gabe NJ7H/retired

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Grid JO76 (Sweden) tomorrow 21 July SO-50 / FOX 1A
by Felix Paez EA4GQS 20 Jul '17

20 Jul '17

Hi friends, I am pretty sure I will be able to activate grid JO76 from Sweden tomorrow, as SM/EA4GQS in the morning and afternoon Also if allowed by crew, this afternoon 20 July and night, starting from 19 UTC I might be able to transmit from some of the grids JO84, JO74, JO76 or JO85 in the Baltic Sea (EA4GQS/MM). I am still in half duplex. (Trying to find a SMA PL here this morning) so sorry If I did not operate very well from the previous grids. Regards Felix EA4GQS

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WD9EWK @ DM35/45, Thursday (20 July) afternoon
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 20 Jul '17

20 Jul '17

Hi! Weather permitting, I'm planning a quick road trip to northern Arizona tomorrow (Thursday, 20 July) to work a few passes in the afternoon. My plan is to park on the DM35/DM45 grid boundary west of Flagstaff and work passes starting with the shallow AO-85 pass at high noon (1900 UTC). If the weather holds out, I'll stay up there through the SO-50 pass at 2339 UTC before returning home, and I also plan on trying the NO-84 digipeater if it is active. I won't be on the SSB birds from up there, just those two FM satellites and (if active) NO-84. Mobile phone coverage is sketchy in that area, but I will try to send updates during the day through my @WD9EWK Twitter account. If you don't use Twitter, you can see these updates at: http://twitter.com/WD9EWK While on the road, I will use APRS to show my location as WD9EWK-9. This will be visible on the usual APRS-related web sites, like: http://aprs.fi/WD9EWK-9 When working NO-84, I will use WD9EWK without the -9 after my call sign. After I return home, I will upload my QSOs to Logbook of the World. If anyone who works me wants a QSL card, please e-mail me with the QSO details. If you're in the log, I'll send a card. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK or http://twitter.com/WD9EWK

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Re: [amsat-bb] Elevation meter Rotor YAESU G-5500 stopped working
by Norm n3ykf 20 Jul '17

20 Jul '17

Sez he's using a tracker (ea3tx), it's rotating the rotator just fine. EL meter on the G-5500 does not work (only symptom). The schematic shows the segmentation of the drive circuitry. If the tracker is being driven (ADC from terminal two repeated on the aux jack), should be internal problem. Triage is critical for this stuff. I have lost weekends This problem is just an annoyance for now. On Tue, Jul 18, 2017 at 8:06 PM, W3AB/GEO <w3ab(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > Didn't catch that he was using a tracker. Did he bypass it? > > ___ > Sent from my two way wrist watch > 73 de W3AB/GEO > > On Jul 18, 2017, 17:04, at 17:04, Norm n3ykf <normanlizeth(a)gmail.com> wrote: >>If the box is driving the tracker (that's what he says), it's not >>external. Time to get the screwdriver. >> >> >> >> >> >>On Tue, Jul 18, 2017 at 8:01 PM, W3AB/GEO <w3ab(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >>> Norm, >>> >>> He should make sure it is not an external issue before he dives into >>the >>> internal circuitry. >>> >>> He should also check that the controller is operating before opening >>the >>> controller. >>> >>> Albert, take a VOM, set it on AC and the 50V range if it isn't >>autoranging. >>> Turn on the controller. Put 1 lead on pin 6 of the terminal strip, >>the other >>> lead on pin 4 and operate the up/down switch. Do the same for pin 5. >>If the >>> controller is operating correctly you should measure ~30V. If not, >>you have >>> an internal failure and follow Norm's advice. >>> ___ >>> Sent from my two way wrist watch >>> 73 de W3AB/GEO >>> >>> On Jul 18, 2017, 16:50, at 16:50, Norm n3ykf <normanlizeth(a)gmail.com> >>wrote: >>>>Albert, >>>> >>>>Take EXTREME CARE working on equipment that has power applied. >>>> >>>>You'll need a copy of the schematic. Preferably the one that came >>with >>>>the controller/rotator. There are at least two different power op-amp >>>>power supply layouts. One with a pass transistor and zener diodes, >>the >>>>other a 75L10 regulator. >>>> >>>>Unplug the control box. >>>> >>>>Remove the top cover. Remove the front two screws from the bottom >>>>cover. This will let the face (meters, circuit board and switches) >>>>free. (still wired to the rest) >>>> >>>>Get two books. Turn the front face down on top of the books, switches >>>>between the books. (to allow the assembly to sit level and not >>>>press/break the switches) >>>> >>>> >>>>MAKE SURE THE UNIT IS UNPLUGGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >>>> >>>> >>>>Q4 is one half of a 4558 op amp pair(two on one chip, the other runs >>>>AZ output for the aux jack). >>>> >>>>Find Q4. >>>> >>>>You're mission is to check the various components making up the drive >>>>circuit for the EL meter for trouble. >>>> >>>>Could be: >>>> >>>>Shorted capacitor >>>> >>>>Open diode >>>> >>>>Short or open via other means. >>>> >>>>MAKE SURE THIS IS UNPLUGGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >>>> >>>>Use an Ohmmeter to look for capacitors that aren't open (Should look >>>>close to it, at least the values in the circut. Electrolytics are a >>>>different story...) Look for open diodes. Meter anything reasonably >>>>accessable, starting from the wiper on VR2 on the back panel. Some >>>>things are best looked at with respect to ground, others point to >>>>point reading the components in between. >>>> >>>>DANGER!!! DANGER!!!! DANGER!!! >>>> >>>>This part of the test requires making power on voltage measurements. >>>>Here be dragons, or a trip to your eternal reward!!! >>>> >>>> Locate L2 and L4. Those components (each in their seperate circuit) >>>>form the power supplies (rails) for the EL op amp. See C1 (the >>voltage >>>>output) next to L2? C2 likewise next to L4? >>>> >>>>Check the pins 8(C1) with respect to ground and 4(C2) of Q4. These >>are >>>>the power supply rails (should be +/- 12 volts or so). >>>> >>>>Before plugging it in to test, make sure no bare wires are touching >>>>things they should not be. >>>> >>>>Plug it in (you did leave the power switch on, didn't you??). Test >>>>away. UNPLUG IT AS SOON AS YOU'RE DONE!!!! >>>> >>>>Have fun and don't break anything. A fire here is a failure. >>>> >>>>Norm n3ykf >>>> >>>>On Tue, Jul 18, 2017 at 5:56 PM, Albert van Deursen <avdeur(a)home.nl> >>>>wrote: >>>>> Hi all, >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> All of a sudden the elevation meter stopped working of my Yaesu >>>>G-5500 rotor >>>>> controller unit . >>>>> >>>>> No issue with the AZ meter. Rotor itself keeps on steering / >>working >>>>> without any problem in EL &AZ (via interface EA4TX ARS-USB) so all >>>>still >>>>> working fine (fortunately !) for satellite work. >>>>> >>>>> Looks like a component failure in the controller unit or the meter >>>>itself ? >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> A physical check (opening the controller unit) didn't show any >>>>anomaly. >>>>> Being a not too tech ham was wondering if any of you Yaesu rotor >>>>users had >>>>> seen this problem before / around ? >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Possibly anyone to hint/ indicate at a quick check in the schematic >>>>wire >>>>> diagram to where to start looking for this failure ? >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Thanks beforehand for yr appreciated advice >>>>> >>>>> 73 >>>>> >>>>> Albert >>>>> >>>>> PD0OXW >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> 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 >>>>_______________________________________________ >>>>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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Re: [amsat-bb] Russian Thing
by Ross Whenmouth 19 Jul '17

19 Jul '17

> Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2017 11:16:38 -0500 > From: Joe<nss(a)mwt.net> > > Now for a surface to be reflective, how big does it need to be in terms > of wvelength? That's textbook radar theory - see: http://slideplayer.com/slide/3927976/13/images/9/Modelling+development+&+re… Provided that you have enough EIRP (EME rig?), I would expect that 6m or 2m would probably be a good choice of band, since shorter wavelengths are more likely to undergo optical scattering, which might not be in the direction of your intended RX. On this subject, have any hams tried using the ISS as a passive RF reflector? 73 ZL2WRW Ross Whenmouth

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