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

G5500 - replacement boom clamps?
by Ken Swaggart 13 Apr '19

13 Apr '19

After 17 years in a coastal environment, the G5500 boom clamps are severely rusted and need to be replaced. Anyone know of a replacement candidate, preferably stainless steel? Picture at: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6jxdcwg42z3awew/20190413_rusted%20rotor%20boom%20c lamps.jpg?dl=0 Tnx, Ken, W7KKE

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Re: [amsat-bb] G5500 - replacement boom clamps?
by Roy Dean 13 Apr '19

13 Apr '19

You could try searching for stainless steel exhaust clamps - as some of them are the same design. Not sure if you'll be able to find the right diameter, though. --Roy K3RLD

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Australian CubeSat to use 76 GHz
by Zach Metzinger 13 Apr '19

13 Apr '19

Posted on anther list by WA5JAT: https://amsat-uk.org/2019/04/12/australian-cubesat-to-use-76-ghz/ Uplinks specified on that page, but no data as to if they are purely digital, analog, etc. --- Zach N0ZGO

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Max Valier malfunction
by HansFong 13 Apr '19

13 Apr '19

It seems the Max Valier beacon is malfunctioning. On 145.960 only a very strong continuous carrier (30 dB above noise level), but no more CW ID + message. A pity, because it was my go-to beacon to check if my 2 meter antenna contraptions were at least working a bit. Luckily I have the QSL card in my collection already. 73 de Hans BX2ABT

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Problem With ISS Slowscan
by KG4WBB 13 Apr '19

13 Apr '19

I have had some good passes of the ISS over Georgia , but there seems to be some kind of audio problem with the Slowscan. The carrier is great, but audio is very low . Is there a way someone can check and advise ? Thanks DE KG4WBB

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SSTV challenge
by Tom Karickhoff 13 Apr '19

13 Apr '19

Opportunities like the issue with the SSTV reception today are what I love about amateur radio. Things are not always perfect, and what you learn from the situation makes you a more knowledgeable operator. When the signal is perfect, I get perfect images. Today I'm getting fair images with a home-made antenna and the cheapest chinese radio on the market. It's a great opportunity to learn how to fix things on your end, because when the next hurricane Maria comes through, the people who need help the most, will most likely have the weakest signal. N5KAR

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IC-9700 DUV tips
by Kevin 12 Apr '19

12 Apr '19

Hi All, On my 9100 I found that Icom filtered out the low frequency tones so it was necessary to use the aux out connector and be in data mode to get the full range of audio to be able to decode DUV. It looks like Icom took an entirely different approach on the 9700, DUV is still filtered out on the front panel audio, but now aux out audio on the back panel looks to be also filtered and it makes no difference if you are in FM-D nor not, zero decodes on fox telemetry. The way around this that worked for me was to go into the 9700 connectors menu set USB AF/IF output to IF, set the level to 10% or so and then go make sure that Windows is set for 48000 on the audio port created, then on FoxTelem select the audio port, 48000 and then set IQ for the mode and start it up, you will see two instances of the passband in the lower window, click on the middle of one of them and FoxTelem should be hunting around for a signal, occasionally FoxTelem seems to get confused with the two duplicate passbands in the window, but eventually it picks one and stops hunting. Captured about 1000 frames so far using this method and it seems to work well. 73 Kevin WA7FWF

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Re: [amsat-bb] ISS SSTV this weekend
by David Johnson 12 Apr '19

12 Apr '19

Only the astronauts who are licensed hams are allowed to operate the equipment...same as here on earth. Currently, I believe there are two licensed hams aboard. The astronauts basically work 12 hour days, divided into 15 minute time slots. I believe it is 0700 - 1900 UTC. They are sleeping part of the time we are trying to get SSTV images. On weekends, they try to catch up and have some time to talk to their family and friends back here on earth. That would be my priority as well. The number of experiments they run are too many to count, but you can find a list here, if you are interested: https://www.nasa .gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/experiments_by_expedition.html#5354 They also perform maintenance, EVAs (spacewalks), give each other haircuts, clean the bathroom, etc. The SSTV radio is located in the Russian segment of the ISS, and they are on holiday. The priority for the licensed astronauts' time with the ham radio equipment is the school contacts that they facilitate worldwide (not just US), and there are many. We are thankful that they work those in because it is the most exciting way to introduce young people to ham radio, not to mention STEM activities. Having said all of that, I, too, like to copy the SSTV transmissions and use the APRS system. I understand the frustration, but it has nothing to do with NASA or astronauts losing interest in ham radio activities. During a recent mission, astronaut Serena Aunon-Chancelor made several voice contacts with hams on the ground during her spare time (and enjoyed doing it). The equipment on board the ISS is aging and becoming less reliable. Replacements are in the works, but the effort and expense to get them flight-ready is huge. If you would like to help, get out your checkbook and send ARISS a gift. The ARISS folks spend an unbelievable amount of their own personal time trying to keep the rest of us happy. They are volunteers who have a driving desire to keep the amateur radio community in the space program. They work very hard at keeping everything moving forward. None of this was meant to be critical, so please don't take it that way. I understand and sometimes share the frustration. There are other ways to participate in the space game. AMSAT has given us MANY opportunities that don't rely on an astronaut's schedule. Space is hard, which is what makes it rewarding. I, for one, am thankful for the opportunites we have...even when they are not perfect. Dave W9DWJ On Fri, Apr 12, 2019 at 1:23 PM Greg D via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > Hi Joe, > > This makes me sad. Not because of the audio issue itself or the > frustration of those who are wanting to copy the pictures from the Space > Station, but because of what the "Bad timing" comment represents. Has > Ham Radio gotten to the point where it's such a chore for the crew that > they can't take time from their day off to play with the radio? Has the > use of the ham station become so industrialized that it is nothing more > than another scheduled experiment package that they have to tend to? > > Was it that long ago that the crew had to wait for a spare moment just > to use the radio? When did Ham Radio cease to be a fun hobby and turn > into a job? > > I suppose it was inevitable. With ARISS, for example, the logistics and > the significant expense of coordinating and executing a school contact > make it something that needs to be depended on. I get that. Even the > various celebration events (NOTA, Cosmonaut’s Day, et al) are at least > theoretically widely publicized, so any failure would reflect poorly on > the organization sponsoring it. Nobody has any tolerance for risk these > days. > > I started this thread with an observation, not a complaint. I hope it > has been taken as such. But the interest and participation in the > thread tells me that there is still a lot of interest in following (in > the traditional sense, not that of social media), and more importantly, > participating in the space program. This isn't just for show. The > armchair quarterbacks here on the ground have a ball in their hands, and > want to play. > > Perhaps I'm reading too much into that statement. I hope I am. I also > get that ham radio isn't for everyone. But it makes me sad that the > spark for using ham radio has apparently been curated out of the ISS > crew and lost in space. The last pass (just setting as I type this) > heard nothing heard from the Station. Apparently better to just turn it > off than to have to deal with it. > > How do we get the spark back? > > Greg KO6TH > > > Joe Spier via AMSAT-BB wrote: > > ARISS Representative Ken Ransom, N5VHO posted a tweet on this at 1:17 > > AM - 12 Apr 2019: > > > > /"Checking on low audio issue w/ //#*ISS* > > <https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISS?src=hash>////#*SSTV* > > <https://twitter.com/hashtag/SSTV?src=hash>//. Bad timing due to crew > > holiday today and weekend."/ > > > > Today is a holiday for Russia - Cosmonaut's Day, so message may take > > so time (24 hrs). Enjoy the challenge. > > > > -73, Joe Spier, K6WAO > > President, AMSAT > > > > On 4/11/19 5:44 PM, mark sklaney via AMSAT-BB wrote: > >> If you guys can contact NASA or the ISS tell them their audio is very > >> very > >> low on the SSTV pictures. There signal is full scale on my radio but > >> the > >> audio can barely be heard... Tell them to tun up their audio input on > >> their > >> radio.. Other than that they will be wasting everyone's time trying > >> to get > >> good pictures.. > >> > >> Thanks Mark WB3FKP > >> _______________________________________________ > >> 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: https://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: https://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: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > -- David Johnson

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Re: [amsat-bb] AISAT-1 PS4 antenna configuration ?
by Nitin Muttin 12 Apr '19

12 Apr '19

There are seperate antennas for the AiS and the APRS payloads and there is no interference between the two payloads. 73 Nitin [VU3TYG] -------------------------------------------- On Fri, 12/4/19, KC9SGV via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AISAT-1 PS4 antenna configuration ? To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Date: Friday, 12 April, 2019, 4:01 PM Sharing the 2m antenna... (APRS and AIS) IF this is the case, then... Hope suitable design and testing went on before the launch. Even if two separate antennas are used, they might heavily interfere with each other on the same band. And if hundreds of AIS ship customers are beaconing through the sat, then the APRS system might be deafened by same band, close frequency interference. Maybe the reason why lots of RF power is required to work this sat on APRS. Repeater builders know this... http://www.repeater-builder.com/projects/2m-dup/dupfig13.jpg http://www.repeater-builder.com/projects/2m-duplexer.html One other solution might be to alternate the systems on and off. Thus no interference takes place system to system. If this is the case, then we simply do not know the APRS "on" schedule. It could be off over NA today and on again over NA tomorrow. Where can we find better guidance ? KC9SGV Sent from my iPad > On Apr 12, 2019, at 10:19 AM, KC9SGV <kc9sgv(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > If they use one antenna for both AIS and APRS... > (APRS was added as an afterthought, completed in six days, just a box, no antenna, no battery, no power panels.) > If this is the case, AIS has thousands of ships all trying to work the antenna automatically. > There are only a few hams trying to work APRS through the same antenna per pass. > Without proper diplexing, how would this system not be blind to APRS ? > AIS is ~160 MHz for ship to shore connections. > Not sure what the sat connection freq would be for AIS. > Maybe it is time for AMSAT India and Exseedspace to inform us hams here ? > > KC9SGV > > Sent from my iPad _______________________________________________ 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: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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Re: [amsat-bb] What happened to the ISS SSTV audio level?
by GEO Badger 12 Apr '19

12 Apr '19

Full quieting into CenCal, but VERY low deviation. An earlier pass had normal deviation. Something changed on the ISS side. ___ Sent from my two way wrist watch 73 de W3AB/GEO On Apr 11, 2019, 18:28, at 18:28, Hans BX2ABT via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: >Same here. Good, strong signals on a low pass, but QSSTV couldn't sync. > >Got a partial image from enhancing the recorded audio. > >In the same pass they transmitted another image, but couldn't even hear > >and see any SSTV, only a strong carrier. > >--Hans (BX2ABT) > > >On 04/12/2019 05:45 AM, Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) via AMSAT-BB >wrote: >> Hi Daron! >> >> After editing the WAV file from my TH-D74, I was able to >> get some of the picture that was sent starting around >> 20:42:49 UTC this afternoon. That image can be seen at: >> >> https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/uploads/48604.jpg >> >> I took the WAV file into the Audacity sound-editing program, >> and used the Amplify effect a few times to get the SSTV >> transmission to the point QSSTV could decode most of it. >> I have posted this picture, the original WAV file, and a >> few other edited WAV files in my Dropbox space at: >> >> http://dropbox.wd9ewk.net/ >> >> (look in folder "201904-ISS_SSTV") >> >> 73! >> >> >> >> >> >> Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK >> http://www.wd9ewk.net/ >> Twitter: @WD9EWK or http://twitter.com/WD9EWK >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On Thu, Apr 11, 2019 at 9:16 PM Daron Wilson via AMSAT-BB < >> amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: >> >>> Very low audio here on the left coast on the 13:38 local time pass. >Full >>> scale RF signal, but very low modulation. >>> >>> Daron N7HQR >>> >>> >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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: >https://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: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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