November 2020 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

Re: [amsat-bb] More Rotator Questions
by Gary 30 Nov '20

30 Nov '20

We have a winner! Thanks Mark. 73, Gary "Joe" kk0sd -----Original Message----- From: Mark Johns, K0JM <k0jm.mark(a)gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2020 12:44 PM To: Gary <gary_mayfield(a)hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] More Rotator Questions It appears to be an RCA 10W707 from circa 1960 or so. One sold on eBay recently for $300! -- Mark D. Johns, KØJM AMSAT Ambassador & News Service Editor Brooklyn Park, MN USA EN35hd ----------------------------------------------- "Heaven goes by favor; if it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in." ---Mark Twain On Sun, Nov 29, 2020 at 12:34 PM Gary via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > > I am still going through my box 'o' salvaged rotators and came across a Mystery rotator. It looks a lot like an Alliance U-100, but can accommodate a slightly larger mast. It also is a 5 wire rotator, not 4. The 'weather proofing' ring is black. And the connection screws are in a different pattern than the Alliance T45 or C225 rotators. > > I posted some pictures to a small write up here: > http://www.kk0sd.net/mystery/mystery.htm > > Finally, Does anyone know off the top of their head which screw on a Channelmaster 3 wire rotator is CW, which is CCW and which is the common? > > I appreciate you taking the time to look. > > Thanks and 73, > Gary "Joe" kk0sd > gary_mayfield(a)hotmail.com<mailto:[email protected]> > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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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Rover Q's
by Bob Liddy (K8BL) 29 Nov '20

29 Nov '20

Gridders, All Rover Q's from recent operations now in LoTW. EM21/22/31/32/33/44/54, EN91, FN01. Let me know if I botched yours and I'll recheck my recordings. 73, Bob K8BL

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More Rotator Questions
by Gary 29 Nov '20

29 Nov '20

I am still going through my box 'o' salvaged rotators and came across a Mystery rotator. It looks a lot like an Alliance U-100, but can accommodate a slightly larger mast. It also is a 5 wire rotator, not 4. The 'weather proofing' ring is black. And the connection screws are in a different pattern than the Alliance T45 or C225 rotators. I posted some pictures to a small write up here: http://www.kk0sd.net/mystery/mystery.htm Finally, Does anyone know off the top of their head which screw on a Channelmaster 3 wire rotator is CW, which is CCW and which is the common? I appreciate you taking the time to look. Thanks and 73, Gary "Joe" kk0sd gary_mayfield(a)hotmail.com<mailto:[email protected]>

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SATPC32 help
by Bruce 29 Nov '20

29 Nov '20

I have a weird thing happening. On some of the satellites, no matter which way I place the frequencies, VHF,UHF or UHF, VHF the IC-9100 always loads the 2m in the receive and the 70cm in the transmit. Thus, SO-50 will not work as the VHF has to be in the transmit. I change it in the doppler.sqf file, quit out of SATPC32 and restart it. Does not matter. Still loads the same way. I cannot figure this one out. Here is what I have tried on SO-50 SO-50,145850,436795,FM,FM,NOR,0,0 SO-50,436795,145850,FM,FM,NOR,0,0 Everything worked fine a few weeks ago prior to the radio changing the COM ports when I switched routers (went from COM 11 to COM 3). I have changed the COM port in SATPC32 for the radio. It does place the radio back in the same mode and frequency it was in before starting SATPC32 when you exit the program. This means we are talking to the radio just fine. Any ideas? Please email me directly so we do not blow up the BB. Thanks 73...bruce -- Bruce Paige, KK5DO AMSAT Director Contests and Awards AMSAT Board Member 2016-2022 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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Re: [amsat-bb] Alliance U-100
by Gary 29 Nov '20

29 Nov '20

Thanks to Greg, Ed, Michael, and Jerry! The Digi-Key order has been placed, and I am a little closer to AZ/EL again. 73, Gary “Joe” kk0sd From: Jerry Ehlers <w0sat2(a)gmail.com> Sent: Saturday, November 28, 2020 7:15 PM To: Gary <gary_mayfield(a)hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Alliance U-100 Gary: I worked on these rotors in 1950,s and 60,s The capacitor is a 2 terminal 155 Mfd @ 50 volts non- polarized This makes the 2 phase motor turn the rotor. Jerry w0sat On Sat, Nov 28, 2020 at 5:56 PM Gary via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Years ago I used an Alliance U-100 for an elevation rotator. I turned the control box upside down and the "S" indicated "Straight Up". The click box indicator does not lend itself to computer control, and I parted with that setup long ago. I picked up a couple junker U-100s the other day without a control box. I don't really need the control box, but was hoping someone could tell me the value of the starting cap in the control box. Does anyone happen to know the value of the starting cap in the U-100 control box? Thanks and 73, Gary "Joe" kk0sd _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org<mailto:[email protected]>. 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] Alliance U-100
by MICHAEL WILLIAMS 29 Nov '20

29 Nov '20

My U-110 schematic shows a cap value pf 155-258 uf across terminals 1& 2 of the control box. I'm not sure of the differences between the U-100 and U-110. This would be a non polarized cap. GL, Mike, K9QHO

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Alliance U-100
by Gary 29 Nov '20

29 Nov '20

Years ago I used an Alliance U-100 for an elevation rotator. I turned the control box upside down and the "S" indicated "Straight Up". The click box indicator does not lend itself to computer control, and I parted with that setup long ago. I picked up a couple junker U-100s the other day without a control box. I don't really need the control box, but was hoping someone could tell me the value of the starting cap in the control box. Does anyone happen to know the value of the starting cap in the U-100 control box? Thanks and 73, Gary "Joe" kk0sd

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ANS-334 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Paul Stoetzer 29 Nov '20

29 Nov '20

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-334 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation service of AMSAT, 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 commun- icating 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: * Happy 7th Birthday AMSAT-OSCAR 73 (FUNcube-1) * Neutron-1 Signals Received * GridMaster Awards #20-#25 Issued * Changes to the AMSAT TLE Distribution for November 26th * ARISS News * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Satellite Shorts from All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-334.01 ANS-334 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 334.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE November 29, 2020 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-334.01 Happy 7th Birthday AMSAT-OSCAR 73 (FUNcube-1) AO-73 celebrated its 7th birthday in orbit last weekend. Launched on November 21, 2013 at 07:10 UTC on a Dnepr rocket, FUNcube-1 was launched along with 31 other satellites, 19 of which carried amateur radio payloads. With just a few resets over 7 years, the satellite continues in operation today. Paul Stoetzer N8HM is sponsoring an award for contacts made via the satellite. The award aims to promote activity on AO-73. https://amsat-uk.org/funcube/73-on-73-award/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Neutron-1 Signals Received Following deployment from the ISS on November 5th, no signals were intially received from Neutron-1. Thanks to SatNOGS and the efforts of the amateur radio community, several beacons were eventually received and decoded. The HSFL team has concluded that the satellite is in a normally charging deep sleep mode. The Neutron-1 sends a huge thank you to JA0CAW, VK2DWT, and all the other ham radio operators listening for the beacon! The team is working to decode the .wav files sent over. Thanks to the beacon receptions, Neutron-1 has been identified as NORAD object 46923 and is now included in AMSAT's TLE distribution. More information about the Neutron-1 mission can be found at https://www.hsfl.hawaii.edu/ [ANS thanks the Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Purchase AMSAT Gear on our Zazzle storefront. 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ GridMaster Awards #20-#25 Issued Recent roves have generated a number of applications for AMSAT's GridMaster Award, including four applications on November 23rd. 20 Martin A. Schuette N9EAT November 1, 2020 21 Kevin Zari KK4YEL November 19, 2020 22 Robert Sours K9UO November 23, 2020 23 Chris Tabor K7TAB November 23, 2020 24 Paul Overn KE0PBR November 23, 2020 25 Casey Tucker KI7UNJ November 23, 2020 The GridMaster Award is AMSAT's most prestigious operating award. This award was first introduced by Star Comm Group in 2014. AMSAT thanks Damon Runion, WA4HFN, and Rick Tillman, WA4NVM, for not only sponsoring this award since its inception, but, also, entrusting AMSAT with the honor of carrying on this important award for the benefit of the entire AMSAT community. The GridMaster award is available to all amateurs worldwide who submit proof with written confirmation of contacts with each of the 488 maidenhead grids located within the contiguous United States of America. [ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Changes to the AMSAT TLE Distribution for November 26th The following satellites have been and added to this week's AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution: BY70-3 - NORAD Cat ID 46839 - BY70-3 is not transmitting on its coordinated frequency of 437.443 MHz. BY70-3 is transmitting on an uncoordinated frequency of 437.600 MHZ. Thanks to Nico Janssen, PA0DLO, for verifying the NORAD Cat ID's and transmitting frequencies for the above satellite. Neutron-1 - NORAD Cat ID 46923. The following satellites have decayed from orbit and have been removed from this week's AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution: UiTMSat 1 - NORAD Cat ID 43589 (Decayed on November 20, 2020 per Space-Track). Maya 1 - NORAD Cat ID 43590 (Decayed on November 19, 2020 per Space-Track). [ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5GQD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT's GOLF Program is about getting back to higher orbits, and it all begins with GOLF-TEE – a technology demonstrator for deployable solar panels, propulsion, and attitude control. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ ARISS News Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The scheduled astronaut is Sergey Ryzhikov Contact is go for Thu 2020-12-03 08:45 UTC Scuola Secondaria di I grado “Anna Frank”, Pistoia, Italy, telebridge via IK1SLD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The scheduled astronaut is Victor Glover KI5BKC Contact is go for: Fri 2020-12-04 12:25:22 UTC 50 deg Tecumseh High School Electronics and Amateur Radio, Tecumseh, OK, direct via K5THS The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The scheduled astronaut is Shannon Walker KD5DXB Contact is go for: Fri 2020-12-04 18:33:30 UTC 78 deg Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is looking for Luther Burbank School alumni who participated in the ham radio contact on Dec. 21 2000, in relation to our 20th year Anniversary celebration. Please contact Charlie Sufana AJ9N at aj9n at aol.com for more info. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, ARISS Operations, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events Want to see AMSAT in action or learn more about amateur radio in space? AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. No upcoming presentations listed [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations No upcoming roves listed Please submit any additions or corrections to ke0pbr at gmail.com [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an amateur radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Satellite Shorts From All Over + Sean Kutzko, KX9X, has released his latest video on amateur satellite operation for DX Engineering. Follow along as he walks you through an entire linear satellite pass, complete with notes and annotations: https://youtu.be/cwtmP1sDL9g + A photo of AMSAT's RadFxSat-2 / Fox-1E while it awaits integration is prominently featured in Virgin Orbit's new blog post regarding the upcoming launch of LauncherOne: https://tinyurl.com/ANS-334-VO + The Wireless Institute of Australia is working on a plan to coordinate building Australian amateur radio satellites and has a draft policy out for member review and comment: https://www.wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2020/20201121-1/index.php + Take a Trip to the Moon — and an Artemis Launch — with the Artemis Moon Pod Essay Contest! Take remote learning a little further — as in 250,000 miles further. NASA collaborated with Future Engineers to create the Artemis Moon Pod Essay Contest. The contest, open to U.S. students in grades K-12, launches on Tuesday, Sept. 15 and runs through Dec. 17, 2020, challenging participants to imagine leading a one-week expedition to the Moon’s South Pole. Just imagine: You and a crew of astronauts will explore the lunar surface, making discoveries to assist future explorers. Describe your team — the number of astronauts in your crew, the skills they possess, their personality traits, and the attributes you would want in crewmates. Next, what machine, piece of technology, or robot would you leave behind on the lunar surface to help future astronauts explore the Moon? To enter the contest, students must submit their essays by Dec 17. The essays will be divided into three groups, for judging by grade level – K-4, 5-8, and 9-12. Make sure to check out the full list of contest details, including that your essay should be no more than 100 words (grades K-4), 200 words (grades 5-8), or 300 words (grades 9-12). Students can sign up individually at the contest site or teachers can register their entire class. Every student who submits an essay will receive an official certificate and be invited to a NASA virtual event featuring an astronaut! Semifinalists will be invited to represent their state or territory in a series of Artemis Explorer sessions with NASA experts. Nine finalists will have the opportunity to travel with a parent to NASA’s Johnson Space Center next summer to learn about lunar exploration. The national winner in each grade division will win a family trip to see the first Artemis flight test, watching the most- powerful rocket in the world launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/stem/artemis-essay-contest/ (NASA press release) + Several new products are available on the AMSAT Zazzle store, including a set of coasters, a watch, a t-shirt featuring the AMSAT round logo, and more. Check out the new items! 25% of the purchase price goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear + AMSAT Remove Before Flight keychains are again available on the AMSAT store. Purchases help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain/ + All issues of The AMSAT Journal dating back to 2014 are now available to AMSAT members on AMSAT's new membership portal. The 1969-2013 archive will be added at a later date. All editions of AMSAT's Symposium Proceedings are also available for members. If you're a current AMSAT member, get logged on today. If you are not yet a member, consider joining today at https://launch.amsat.org/ + The 2020 edition of AMSAT’s Getting Started with Amateur Satellites is now available on the AMSAT store. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The book is presented in DRM-free PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite. The digital download is available for $15 at https://tinyurl.com/2020GettingStarted. The print edition is $30 plus shipping and is available at https://tinyurl.com/GS2020Print --------------------------------------------------------------------- /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. President's Club donations may be made at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-PresClub. Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space, This week's ANS Editor, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM n8hm at amsat dot org

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ARISS
by James C Thomason 28 Nov '20

28 Nov '20

Where do I find the operating schedule for the ARISS FM cross band repeater? Days off-on etc? Thanks WX5T James

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Successful PSAT SSTV and Waterfall Drawing Experiment
by Stephen DeVience 28 Nov '20

28 Nov '20

Adding to Brian's explanation, For the transmission, I was using a 5W RS-HFIQ radio attached to an RM Italy amplifier. The radio is run by HDSDR, so I was able to pipe in audio from both FLDIGI and MMSSTV simultaneously. I continuously sent a blank PSK tone with FLDIGI and then sent various SSTV images from MMSSTV. I had Orbitron controlling the HDSDR frequency to correct for uplink doppler, so both the PSK and SSTV would stay on the correct frequency. It also took a few tries to calibrate the uplink frequency, which was about 250 Hz lower than the published value. This was important because SSTV demodulators want the tones at the correct frequencies. For spectrum writing, a sent a message with a second instance of FLDIGI while the first instance was sending PSK. -Stephen, N8URE

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