All,
Just a reminder that tomorrow, Nov. 27, is giving Tuesday. I hope some of
you get out there and give to your favorite cause. I also hope AMSAT and
ARISS are at the top of your lists.
The following is on the top page of the ARISS web site. Take a look at:
www.ariss.org <http://www.ariss.org> The donate button is there too. So
please consider a donation to ARISS.
It should also be noted that while folks are giving to their favorite causes
tomorrow, the ARISS hardware team will be presenting to NASA the thermal
modifications made to the power supply of the ARISS next-generation radio
system If we get through this hurdle, our next step is flight hardware
fabrication, flight testing and launch! Please wish the ARISS hardware team
the best!
Thanks for all your interest and support to ARISS! Ad Astra!
73, Frank Bauer, KA3HDO
ARISS International Chair
AMSAT V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs
**************
Tuesday, Nov. 27 is <http://www.givingtuesday.org/> #Giving Tuesday, when
many people donate to a favorite cause. Gifts to ARISS on Tuesday or at any
time of the year are a wonderful way make a difference to our youth, to our
communities and to the amateur radio hobby. All ARISS donations via AMSAT
(including Fundrazr) are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. If
donating directly to AMSAT, be sure to designate "ARISS" on your check, in
the PayPal notes or in your letter. Our readers can consider doing the same
thing John Carobine, WB8RFB, did -- here is his letter.
I'm not one who considers myself influenced much by advertisements but I
recently made a donation to AMSAT-NA to support the ARISS mission of
bringing technology awareness to a whole new generation of young people
because of one; namely, the Kenwood advertisement on the back page of the
July 2018 edition of QST Magazine. I "connected" with it and it made me
want to support this program in whatever capacity I can.
In part, the ad stated "The ARISS mission is to provide and operate Amateur
radio systems in space aboard the International Space Station, helping
inspire, educate and engage youth and communities worldwide in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics."
The last 11 years of my working life were spent as an adjunct instructor of
adult education in my local college's GED program. I taught some of those
subjects. As I told my students "knowledge is power and power enables one
to have many options." The mission statement struck a cord with me having
worked in various capacities in each of those areas over the span of my
entire working career. I spent twenty years in the U.S. Navy working in
various meteorological, oceanographic, electronic and computer maintenance
and management capacities. Those activities plus additional formal
education opened future employment doors for me in the civilian sector for
30 additional years.
Exposing school students via ARISS to the possibilities of careers in STEM
is nothing short of positive. As stated so many times before, we never know
what lesson, activity, or casual statement will open a person's mind and
inspire them to greatness.
As I celebrate 47 years in amateur radio, I encourage others to reflect upon
what amateur radio has meant and done for them. I hope that you too will be
inspired to "pay it forward" and help preserve and promote an avocation that
has meant so much to all of us.
John Carobine, WB8RFB
Life Member
Permission to post this letter, originally printed in December 2018 QST, was
received from John Carobine, WB8RFB, and ARRL.
Concerning tomorrow's ARISS contact with Ecole Primaire Jean Jaurès et Arnaud in Troyes, France, some of the original student questions have been changed. Refer to our original press release posting on Nov. 24, 2018 for a complete list of the original questions. Below are the new questions.
Q1: How are you enjoying your mission?
Q7: Were you sad about the Soyuz abort last month?
Q11: Will your future travels bring you to Troyes?
Q15: When taking photos of Earth, can you see Troyes?
Q19: Is there a phone on the ISS and do you ever have the chance to speak with French Astronaut Michel Togini from space?
Q22: Do you sleep when it is night outside?
Dave, AA4KN
ARISS PR
---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus
Fred, VE3FAL, will be on the SO50 pass tonight,
27Nov at 0031utc from EO60. The entire USA and
Mexico will be in the footprint on this pass. All of
the EO grids are rare so this is a great opportunity
to put one in the log. QSL via LOTW!
73,
John K8YSE
---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus
Yuri UT1FG/MM will be going into port at Santos Brazil tonight
or tomorrow morning to unload. It should take 3-4 days.
His next port will be in Argentina where he will load
cargo and then proceed to the Baltic Sea. Lots of new
grids are anticipated along the way. He has been active
on all of the ssb and fm birds and reports contacts with
V51 and ZS on AO-7.
73,
John K8YSE
---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus
Satellite OPs:
I have a 440 MHz amp available:
TE Systems - Model 4450G (Perfect Condition)
Input: 5-10w / Output: 180w
DC Power: +13.8vdc / Amps: 30 amps max
Connectors: N-type (in/out)
RF Sense Switching
Integrated Preamp
Astron SS-50 Power Supply
73 - Paul - W2HRO
Hi folks.
Dave G4DPZ and I have generated some provisional keps for Wednesday's launch from Vandenburg.
Usual conditions apply....good for estimates over a couple of days.
Assumes 18.32UTC launch and no change in planned altitude / inclination from last week.
JY1-Sat
1 50001U 18001A 18332.77000000 .00000000 00000-0 30100-5 0 99962 50001 97.7750 40.4000 0012840 330.5234 141.2700 15.00250000 15
Thanks
David G0MRF
Some 3rd party "support" still available here:
https://wxtoimgrestored.xyz/
--Roy
K3RLD
> Wxtoimg has been abandoned by the author. I do however have a copy I can
> make available. Email or PM me and I will forward a link. Rick Tejera
> (K7TEJ)
> Saguaro Astronomy Club
> www.saguaroastro.org
> Thunderbird Amateur Radio Club
> www.W7TBC.org
I'm looking for suggestions on UHF power amps. One of my stations uses
a 10mw output SDR with a 2W gain block after it on TX. Right now I'm
driving the 2W into a MIRAGE D26 to about 35W. I'd like to have about
100W. As I look at the various amateur power amps I'm not finding
anything with 2W in and 100ish out. I could add some attenuation to the
SDR/2W amp string and get the D26 output down to perhaps 20W to drive
another power amp but that's not desirable because two amps in series
creates a few problems.
I can find Minicircuits gain blocks that would get me to perhaps 10W, in
place of the 2W gain block, then drive something like a D1010 but those
are a bit steep at >$1,000....
So any ideas on how to get the SDR 10mw output up to about 100W would be
appreciated.
Jim