AMSAT-BB August 2017

131 participants
157 discussions

Labour Day Rove
by Ken Alexander 26 Aug '17

26 Aug '17

The nurse has given me limited clearance to go away on Labour Day Weekend, so I will be making up my failed previous attempt to activate FN27/28. Friday and Monday will be travel days, and I'll spend Saturday and Sunday on site. If the roads are no worse than I have encountered on previous roves then I will attempt to activate FN37 as well. I also plan to stop briefly for a few passes in FN26 on the way north on Saturday morning around 1400 to 1500. Hopefully, not too early for western and west coast operators. I will spend Friday night in FN25 and Sunday night in FN24 on the way home. I'll be on in the evenings from those grids. My limited research shows that nobody has FN27/28/37. It ought to be a busy weekend! Let's hope for good weather! I'll post schedules as we get closer to departure day. 73, Ken VE3HLS

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Kenwood TS2000 satellite rig for sale
by John Geiger 26 Aug '17

26 Aug '17

I have for sale a Kenwood TS2000 HF/6m/2m/70cm satellite rig. This is the model that does full duplex for the satellites, and does 100 watts on HF, 6m, and 2m, and 50 watts on 70cm. It has IF-DSP so you don't need any optional filters and you also get noise reduction and an auto notch filter. Has a built in TCXO, CW memory keyer, subreceiver that does AM/FM on 2m and 70cm, and can also be used for Crossband repeat or Skycommand. Also has a built in autotuner. This is a 800xxxx serial number so it was produced before the bad filter issue occurred with the TS2000. It comes with both original boxes, the original manual, hand mic and power cord. It is in very good condition with just a couple of very light scratches on the case. I am asking $900 shipped in the US, and can take paypal/check/mo. 73 John AF5CC

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Re: [amsat-bb] FW: Solar Panel delivery to Maryland
by Robert Bruninga 26 Aug '17

26 Aug '17

> Where did you purchase them in Miami? It is SUNELEC.COM They have unbelievable deals. They also ship from Arizona I think... They have tens of thousands of panels for prices typically between 30 to 50 cents a watt. Solar power for the home is now way under the cost from the utilities, but only if you are grid tied. If you try to store the energy in batteries every day, your costs for the system will triple and you will have battery maintenance issues for life. Plus not enough power in the winter, and too much in the summer. See http://aprs.org/solar-now.html So it is so cheap, but here are many considerations.... * Solar energy now costs much less than the utilities if grid-tied. * But only in states where the utilities are not sleeping with the politicians * You cannot grid-tie unless you have a licensed electrician do it and get all the permits. You will pay around $3/watt installed. * Hint for DIY types: Contract for a very small system. Then add your own panels later (while fully following NEC code). * Going off grid makes no economic sense whatsoever if you have the grid. You will pay three times more for the batteries and never recoup the investment as you always have to maintain and replace batteries for the rest of your life!. * Solar panels are excellent for remote sites where you have no grid and having battery solar power is worth paying triple what it is worth. * Solar panels are great for RV's, Boats or Electric cars... ANYTHING that already has to have a battery anyway, may as well charge for free. ** A small solar panel on the house for the shack makes no economic sense whatsoever. You have the grid, so just charge the shack backup battery from the grid. Don't bother with solar. Also, every single day the grid is UP, you are not using the backup battery so your solar is producing absolutely nothing anyway 99.96% of the time (In Maryland anyway, that is the grid reliability).. ** But if you plug that solar panel into a small 500W Grid-Tie inverter that just plugs into a home outlet (cost under $100 on ebay) then you DO get full retail value from the solar everyday for ever AND you can use the panel direct when the grid goes down. butt don't get greedy... ** But ONLY if you never backfeed more than you are using every minute of the day. If you ever backfeed more than you use, you will pay double for it. ALl non-NET-meters charge for electricity going through the meter no matter which way it goes! So you pay when you over produce and you pay again when you draw it back out later. That is why you MUST have a NET meter to have any hope of economical solar in bulk. ** Thus, a plugin grid tie more than one or two panels will end up COSTING you for every watt you over produce. So, again, the only economical solar is whole house legal net-metered grid tie. And it is so cheap it makes no sense not to do it that way. But if you still want to have a single panel for $100 its great to have 30 volts at 7 amps from the sun, even if you just waste it. But then having to pay $100 for shipping for a $100 panel doesn't make a lot of sense either... Your mileage may vary. Bob, WB4APR On 8/25/2017 5:17 PM, Robert Bruninga wrote: > >> >> I am about to buy a truckload of solar panels for my church and various >> projects. Delivery from Miami to Annapolis Maryland is several hundred >> dollars so if anyone local wants to pile on and get some panels, Ill >> consider adding some more. >> >> These are 285 Watt Trina panels 30v at about 7 amps. 65” by 39”. 40 Lbs >> each. Black frames. >> >> Cost is about $100 each. >> >> >> >> You must pick them up from Annapolis. >> >> Bob, WB4APR >> _______________________________________________ >> 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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FW: Solar Panel delivery to Maryland
by Robert Bruninga 25 Aug '17

25 Aug '17

Anyone to solar power their Satstation in Maryland? I am about to buy a truckload of solar panels for my church and various projects. Delivery from Miami to Annapolis Maryland is several hundred dollars so if anyone local wants to pile on and get some panels, Ill consider adding some more. These are 285 Watt Trina panels 30v at about 7 amps. 65” by 39”. 40 Lbs each. Black frames. Cost is about $100 each. You must pick them up from Annapolis. Bob, WB4APR

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Office Closed
by Martha 25 Aug '17

25 Aug '17

The AMSAT Office will close today (August 25th) at 2:00 PM EDST and reopen on Wednesday, September 6th. -- 73- Martha

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Fwd: [aprsisce] Re: Eclipse Umbra Path [1 Attachment]
by Robert Bruninga 24 Aug '17

24 Aug '17

My HT on a rubber duck just north of Georgia picked up 12 APRS balloons during the eclipse . When I got home, I counted 244 APRS Balloons on Eclipse day on FINDU.COM. Subtracting out the 96 from other parts of the world that day left 148 over the USA. But looking at the map, I only could find about 46 along the track? Where were the others? I cant get a plot of all the USA ones since the filters on APRSFI wont work that big. Looking for someone who can plot all the APRS balloons that day on one map? Mark, KE6BB posted a plot of all the "Flight" symbols during the eclipse. Most are balloons, but a few aircraft mixed in as well. But Ill have to post it on a web page to share it with the group. Bob, WB4APR __._,_.___

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DN14
by Lee Ernstrom 24 Aug '17

24 Aug '17

I will be in DN14 on Saturday night and Sunday morning. If there is interest in this grid I may decide to take gear to work SO-50. WA7HQD Lee (Doc) Ernstrom Sent from my iPad

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Another Satellite Workshop this weekend
by Suryono Adisoemarta 24 Aug '17

24 Aug '17

> > Satellite Workshop in Indonesia, Saturday 26 August > > > Several members of AMSAT-ID, including myself, is planning to deliver a Workshop, including live-demo thru IO-86, of Satellite Communication on Saturday 26 Augustus at Borobudur Hamfest ( http://bcjarf2017.com/ ), from 07.00 till 09.00 UTC. > > Live demo will be conducted thru IO-86 (and possibly also on SO-50). Additional FM Repeater on IO-86 has been scheduled, please follow lapansat on Twitter for the latest schedule. > > The passes that we will be on: 09.03 till 09.23, and 12.32 till 12.52 UTC. Possible also on the 10.45 if activated. > > Feel free to respond to our calls and apologize if the workshop participants are a bit slow in responding. > > Locator: OI52CJ > 73 de Yono – YD0NXX / N5SNN

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Upcoming satellite workshop on Saturday, August 26th
by christy hunter 24 Aug '17

24 Aug '17

Ruth, will give it a go from DM14. and thank you for your demo. The exposure can be invaluable to those few that are inspired to chase satellites. Clint's K6LCS demo many years ago did it for me, then Patrick's (WD9EWK) first response to my call during my first demo during a JOTA clenched it. Thank you to all you Elmers out there. 73 Christy KB6LTY >/On 24 Aug 2017, at 11:34 am, Ruth <ruthwillet at att.net <http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb>> wrote: />//>/Hi all, />//>/I will be giving a satellite workshop this Saturday August 26th for the Amateur Radio Club of Columbia County in Georgia. I am looking forward to helping some more hams get on the birds! We will be on a few passes throughout the day from EM83, so I’d appreciate if you’d be listening for me and other operators on the FM birds. I’ll be demoing 12:31z SO-50 pass under my own callsign and then plan to help other operators get on the 17:59z AO-85 pass. />//>/All QSOs made under my callsign will be uploaded to LOTW. />//>/73! />/Ruth />/KM4LAO/ --- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. http://www.avg.com

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SDR# I/Q file of AO85 Telemetry
by Wendy and Terry Osborne 23 Aug '17

23 Aug '17

Does anyone have a SDR# I/Q wav file of AO85 Telemetry? AO85 (Fox-1A) should have a downlink that can be copied with an RTL-SDR Dongle. In this part of the world, you need to trigger the repeater to turn on the Downlink and so far I haven’t been able to do this. The 2 minute timer is a bit like chasing a needle in a haystack. I’ve tried Patrick, WD9EWK’s HDSDR files but can get any decoded data. 73, Terry Osborne ZL2BAC

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AMSAT-BB August 2017