March 2019 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

Re: [amsat-bb] Computer Control of Yaesu G-5500B Rotor
by aj9n＠aol.com 07 Mar '19

07 Mar '19

Another one to consider and I haven't seen it already listed, is the LabJack U12 along with its Piggyback. The Piggyback schematic can be found at http://www.dk1tb.de/lj_piggyback.JPG. The instructions for using the LabJack U12 are found under ?Hints (Rotor) Readme(Labjack.txt). I think it cost me less than $20 in parts to build the Piggyback. The Piggyback interfaces the LabJack U12 to the rotor control box; the U12 then interfaces with the computer via USB. SatPC32 also shows the LabJack U3 but I am unfamiliar with the capabilities of it. LabJack U12 info can be found at https://labjack.com/products/u12The LabJack U3 info can be found at https://labjack.com/products/u3. The U3 Piggyback schematic can be found at http://www.dk1tb.de/lj_piggyback_u3.JPG I have 2 of these U12s and both are solid. My first Piggyback I bought with Nova a long time ago. I build the second one so that I made sure I had spares since I loan my equipment out for schools to have an ARISS contact. Hope this helps. 73,Charlie Sufana AJ9NOne of the ARISS mentors In a message dated 2019-03-07 07:39:46 Eastern Standard Time, johnbrier(a)gmail.com writes: Below is a list of interfaces. Several of them are assembled or available assembled. http://sats.wikidot.com/what-yaesu-g-5550-rotor-computer-interfaces-are-the… 73, John Brier KG4AKV P.S. You must have a big attic! On Thu, Mar 7, 2019, 02:35 Les Rayburn <les(a)highnoonfilm.com> wrote: > With a lot of help from Marcus Thomas, KF4YHP I finally completed the > installation of my Yaesu G-5500B Az-El rotor tonight. This will allow my > 432, 2 Meter, and 1296 antennas inside my attic to finally track satellites > throughout their passes. > > I’d like to have computer control of the rotor using SatPC32. Can anyone > point me towards an assembled interface that will work well? > > Saw this on ebay, but not sure how well it will work with SatPC32. Any > thoughts? > > > https://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Rotator-control-interface-board-box-for-YAESU-… > < > https://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Rotator-control-interface-board-box-for-YAESU-… > > > > > 73, > > Les Rayburn, N1LF > Maylene, AL > EM63nf > AMSAT #38965, ARRL Life Member, CVHS Life Member, SVHF Member > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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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Computer Control of Yaesu G-5500B Rotor
by Les Rayburn 07 Mar '19

07 Mar '19

With a lot of help from Marcus Thomas, KF4YHP I finally completed the installation of my Yaesu G-5500B Az-El rotor tonight. This will allow my 432, 2 Meter, and 1296 antennas inside my attic to finally track satellites throughout their passes. I’d like to have computer control of the rotor using SatPC32. Can anyone point me towards an assembled interface that will work well? Saw this on ebay, but not sure how well it will work with SatPC32. Any thoughts? https://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Rotator-control-interface-board-box-for-YAESU-… <https://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Rotator-control-interface-board-box-for-YAESU-…> 73, Les Rayburn, N1LF Maylene, AL EM63nf AMSAT #38965, ARRL Life Member, CVHS Life Member, SVHF Member

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Weekend Rove to CM-94
by Bob Keating 07 Mar '19

07 Mar '19

My lovely wife and I will be hooking up the 5th wheel and heading up to Refugio State Beach (CM-94) with the dogs for the weekend. I plan to work some of the passes of the FM satellites on a "holiday" schedule on March 8, 9 & 10. If I can get my FT-991 set up properly, I might even try FO-29. Hope to catch you on the birds! 73, Bob N6REK

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ANS-065 Special Bulletin - ARISS Auction
by Mark D. Johns 06 Mar '19

06 Mar '19

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE Special Bulletin - ARISS Auction ANS-065 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org. You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans In this edition: * Out of This World Auction Sponsored by ARISS SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-065.01 ANS-065 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin 037.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE March 6, 2019 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-065.01 Out of This World Auction Sponsored by ARISS March 6, 2019 — The ARISS-US team (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) will auction two very unusual items in its first-ever auction! Picture yourself as the winning bidder and proud owner of a unique JVC Kenwood TS-890S signed by astronauts! Or, you could be top bidder on a special astronaut-signed 6-volume boxed set 2019 ARRL Handbook! Bidding starts April 8th at 12:00 UTC and ends April 14th at 22:00 UTC. You could own this one-of-a-kind beautiful Kenwood TS-890S; your ham station would boast the only Kenwood in the world showcasing astronaut signatures. Your top bid on the limited edition boxed-set 2019 ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications would mean your bookshelf includes astronaut signatures among your book collection. JVC Kenwood, a proud supporter of ARISS, generously gave a brand new TS-890S for ARISS to auction. They first offered the radio for sale in the US in the last half of 2018. Kenwood has been a super support- er of ARISS for years, and it was the company’s idea for this radio, with astronaut signatures, to be an exclusive that just one ham opera- tor could own! The company hopes you’ll be a bidder who wants to sup- port ARISS. The limited edition 2019 ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications sold out fast once ARRL posted their ad. It was the first time that ARRL divided the Handbook into volumes, which nestle in a hard slipcase. ARRL, an ARISS sponsor along with AMSAT and NASA, saved back one boxed set to give ARISS for the fund-raiser auction. When you bid in this auction you could be the crucial person who helps ARISS launch its new custom-built higher-power radio system in 2019 with its voice repeater and improved packet APRS and SSTV capability that thousands of hams enjoy. The new system will replace the aging, problematic units currently on the ISS. You may be the winning bidder who helps ARISS continue introducing ham radio to thousands of students, teachers, parents, and whole communities—and inspiring students about science, technology, engineering, math, and radio! Don't forget; set yourself a reminder: bidding starts April 8th at 12:00 UTC and ends April 14th at 22:00 UTC. Be the winning bidder for one or both of these two exclusive offerings and you’ll own a rare article that makes your ham station a classic! More auction details will soon be posted at www.ariss.org including that winning bidders will be responsible for shipping costs and for handling any required customs paperwork. ARISS thanked JVC Kenwood and ARRL for their generous support. And if you don’t do auctions, please contribute a donation to help ARISS launch its new radio system into space—look for the Donate but- ton near the top right corner of the www.ariss.org page. Thank you! About ARISS Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a coopera- tive 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), the Center for the Advancement of Science in space (CASIS) and 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 public forms. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educa- tors, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org. Media Contact: Dave Jordan, AA4KN ARISS PR aa4kn(a)amsat.org

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ARISS News Release No. 19-04
by n4csitwo＠bellsouth.net 06 Mar '19

06 Mar '19

ARISS News Release No. 19-04 Dave Jordan, AA4KN ARISS PR aa4kn(a)amsat.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Out of This World Auction Sponsored by ARISS March 6, 2019 - The ARISS-US team (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) will auction two very unusual items in its first-ever auction! Picture yourself as the winning bidder and proud owner of a unique JVC Kenwood TS-890S signed by astronauts! Or, you could be top bidder on a special astronaut-signed 6-volume boxed set 2019 ARRL Handbook! Bidding starts April 8th at 12:00 UTC and ends April 14th at 22:00 UTC. You could own this one-of-a-kind beautiful Kenwood TS-890S; your ham station would boast the only Kenwood in the world showcasing astronaut signatures. Your top bid on the limited edition boxed-set 2019 ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications would mean your bookshelf includes astronaut signatures among your book collection. JVC Kenwood, a proud supporter of ARISS, generously gave a brand new TS-890S for ARISS to auction. They first offered the radio for sale in the US in the last half of 2018. Kenwood has been a super supporter of ARISS for years, and it was the company's idea for this radio, with astronaut signatures, to be an exclusive that just one ham operator could own! The company hopes you'll be a bidder who wants to support ARISS. The limited edition 2019 ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications sold out fast once ARRL posted their ad. It was the first time that ARRL divided the Handbook into volumes, which nestle in a hard slipcase. ARRL, an ARISS sponsor along with AMSAT and NASA, saved back one boxed set to give ARISS for the fund-raiser auction. When you bid in this auction you could be the crucial person who helps ARISS launch its new custom-built higher-power radio system in 2019 with its voice repeater and improved packet APRS and SSTV capability that thousands of hams enjoy. The new system will replace the aging, problematic units currently on the ISS. You may be the winning bidder who helps ARISS continue introducing ham radio to thousands of students, teachers, parents, and whole communities-and inspiring students about science, technology, engineering, math, and radio! Don't forget; set yourself a reminder: bidding starts April 8th at 12:00 UTC and ends April 14th at 22:00 UTC. Be the winning bidder for one or both of these two exclusive offerings and you'll own a rare article that makes your ham station a classic! More auction details will soon be posted at www.ariss.org including that winning bidders will be responsible for shipping costs and for handling any required customs paperwork. ARISS thanked JVC Kenwood and ARRL for their generous support. And if you don't do auctions, please contribute a donation to help ARISS launch its new radio system into space-look for the Donate button near the top right corner of the www.ariss.org page. Thank you! 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), the Center for the Advancement of Science in space (CASIS) and 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 public forms. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org. Also join us on Facebook: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Follow us on Twitter: ARISS_status Media Contact: Dave Jordan, AA4KN ARISS PR aa4kn(a)amsat.org --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

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AMSAT on HF
by skristof＠etczone.com 06 Mar '19

06 Mar '19

If you are working on the 50th Anniversary AMSAT on HF award, I will be calling "CQ AMSAT" in slow CW between 1830 UTC and 1900 UTC today. Frequency will be between 14.045 MHz and 14.055 MHZ. Info: https://www.amsat.org/amsat-50th-anniversary-awards-program/ Steve AI9IN

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DM09CN
by James Brown 06 Mar '19

06 Mar '19

In case anyone is looking for Nevada DM09CN( Reno). I will try AO91 and AO92 on next pass Jim KI6WJ Note the fades are so bad on AO92 that I can barely get half of a response.

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AMSAT on HF
by skristof＠etczone.com 06 Mar '19

06 Mar '19

If you are working on the 50th Anniversary AMSAT on HF award, I will be calling "CQ AMSAT" in slow CW between 1600 UTC and 1630 UTC today. Frequency will be between 7.045 MHz and 7.055 MHZ. If I get a chance I will try 20 m later today. Info on the awards: https://www.amsat.org/amsat-50th-anniversary-awards-program/ Steve AI9IN

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AO-92 L/V with an Alinco DJ-G7T full-duplex (long)
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 05 Mar '19

05 Mar '19

Hi! I have written a bit about the Alinco DJ-G7T and using it on satellites on this list over the years. I wrote about using it on AO-92 in both U/V and L/V modes last year: http://amsat.org/pipermail/amsat-bb/2018-February/066923.html Until the past weekend, I had always worked AO-92 L/V with two radios - transmitting on 1.2 GHz from the DJ-G7T, and receiving the 2m downlink with my Kenwood TH-D74 (which can also record the downlink). I have used a couple of different antennas, but have wondered if the DJ-G7T could work the L/V mode full-duplex like it can work U/V (with some caveats) full- duplex. Now, I have tried this for myself, and will ask the question... Can the Alinco DJ-G7T work AO-92's L/V mode full-duplex? Yes. Before the past week or so, I was aware of the triplexers offered by Diamond that included a 1.2 GHz port. Those are noticeably larger than the diplexers from Diamond and other manufacturers, and a larger price tag as well. I saw something online that mentioned the Diamond MX-37 diplexer, having one port for HF through 470 MHz, and the other port for 800-1300 MHz. Physically, the MX-37 diplexer is similarly sized with other diplexers, and it has two coax pigtails for those two ports - coax with an N connector for the 1.2 GHz port, and a PL-259 on the other pigtail for use with the lower frequencies. The common port is an N socket. After I received this diplexer in the mail, I was ready to fit it into my portable AO-92 L/V station. I have been using a 10-element 1.2 GHz Yagi for AO-92 L/V in the past few weeks, and I tie that to the PVC handle of my Elk log periodic. I decided to tie the MX-37 diplexer to the PVC handle behind the antennas. This allowed me to connect the 1.2 GHz side of the diplexer directly to the coax pigtail from the Yagi's driven element. I used a 3-foot/1m length of coax from the PL-259 connector on the other side of the diplexer to the Elk's coax feedpoint. From the common port on the diplexer, I ran another 3-foot/1m length of coax to the DJ-G7T. To keep from causing audio feedback while transmitting, an earpiece or something like that needs to be plugged into the DJ-G7T. The DJ-G7T uses a single 4-conductor 3.5mm jack for speaker/mics. To split out the speaker jack so I can use an earpiece and an audio recorder, an adapter is needed. I use Alinco's EDS-10 adapter, which provides a 3.5mm speaker jack and a 2.5mm microphone jack (don't need anything in the smaller jack for this). Alinco also has an EDS-14 adapter, which looks very similar to Yaesu's CT-91 adapter used with a few HTs (VX-6R and VX-7R, among others) - where the two jacks are on short pigtails from the 3.5mm plug. The Yaesu CT-91 adapter works fine with the DJ-G7T. The DJ-G7T only allows transmitting from VFO A, the upper VFO on the HT's display. I put the 1267 MHz uplink frequency in this VFO, along with encoding the 67.0 Hz CTCSS tone. I use 5 kHz tuning steps on this radio for 1.2 GHz. I set the volume for this VFO to 0, and tightened the squelch to the maximum. For the lower VFO (B), I put 145.880 MHz with the squelch left wide open, and adjusted the volume to a reasonable level using my earpiece. I used this setup for 3 passes over the weekend. The antennas were a little heavier with the diplexer on the handle, but I could still control them with one hand. I held the DJ-G7T, along with the splitter and patch cable to my audio recorder. I could still adjust the knob for the transmit VFO, and made some contacts on those 3 passes. It was fun to be able to use just one HT for AO-92 L/V. There are some tradeoffs when going from a two-HT setup for AO-92 L/V to just the DJ-G7T. The 2m receiver isn't as good as with other HTs, certainly not as good as the TH-D74 I have normally used when working L/V. I heard some other signals mixing with the AO-92 downlink on parts of a couple of passes. Of course, the DJ-G7T does not come with a built-in recorder like the TH-D74. There may have been a little less power going to the 1.2 GHz Yagi, passing through the coax to the diplexer's common port and then out from the diplexer to the Yagi, but I still got through. During one of the L/V passes, I was still able to get through AO-92 transmitting at low power from the DJ-G7T (rated at 300mW for 1.2 GHz). I posted some pictures of this setup on the QRZ satellite forum, in a long- running thread "Where's AO-92???", starting at: https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/wheres-ao -92.614536/page-34#post-4986044 Audio from my recorder on the 3 passes I worked last weekend with this setup is in the "Satellite_Audio-2019" folder in my Dropbox space: http://dropbox.wd9ewk.net/ The direct link for the pass I worked Saturday evening, where the recording started at 0537 UTC Sunday (3 March), is: https://www.dropbox .com/sh/v3byggtuqw33fkk/AAA_gyTts4RpjT3jZa8GJI5ha/Satellite_Audio-2019/20190303-0537UTC-AO92-DM43bl.mp3? dl=0 Audio from the 1709 UTC pass Sunday morning is at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v3byggtuqw33fkk/AACeV6R0Bjh-RRPXTrNpblAca /Satellite_Audio-2019/20190303-1709UTC-AO92-DM43bl.mp3?dl=0 and the late-morning pass at 1843 UTC Sunday: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v3byggtuqw33fkk/AADmbAfFYtHARDfULAR _J5eSa/Satellite_Audio-2019/20190303-1843UTC-AO92-DM43bl.mp3?dl=0 It is nice to see that the DJ-G7T is capable of L/V full-duplex operation, just as it is capable of U/V full-duplex operation, in line with Alinco's advertising for the radio - with some caveats. I can now alternate between a one-radio setup and a two-radio setup for AO-92 L/V. More fun with radios... :-) 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK or http://twitter.com/WD9EWK

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50th Anniversary AMSAT Satellite Friends of 50 Award
by Bruce 05 Mar '19

05 Mar '19

I am sorry it took so long to get the award into the store. We were trying to wait until we had the certificate designed. In any event, the item is in the store and you can apply for it now. Those that sent their applications to me will need to pay for the award (please paste your contacts in the comments, easier for us to keep track). Keep in mind that these are not numbered so there is no hurry if you apply today or next week or in a month. Also be aware, that if you apply now and also apply for the special AMSAT Satellite Achievement Award (only 20 of them will be available), I plan on placing it in the store this weekend. If you order separately, you will pay postage twice. If you order on the same order, you pay postage once. Your choice. Certificates will be mailed as soon as we complete the design and figure the best way to print them. 73...bruce -- Bruce Paige, KK5DO AMSAT Director Contests and Awards AMSAT Board Member 2016-2020 ARRL Awards Field Checker (WAS, 5BWAS, VUCC), VE Houston AMSAT Net - Wed 0100z on Echolink - Conference *AMSAT* Also live streaming MP3 at http://www.amsatnet.com Podcast at http://www.amsatnet.com/podcast.xml or iTunes Latest satellite news on the ARRL Audio News http://www.arrl.org AMSAT on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/amsat

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