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

[Video] A year along the geostationary orbit
by John Brier 28 Mar '20

28 Mar '20

Spectacular imagery. Intellectually I knew typhoons/hurricanes are a part of the global weather system, not things that randomly "happen" to humans, but this really put that into perspective, among other things. https://vimeo.com/342333493 "Himawari 8, Japan’s most advanced meteorological satellite, travels 35,786 km above Earth, at more than 11000 km/h. It observes the Eastern Hemisphere day and night. For one year we look through the eyes of the distant observer. From solstice to solstice, from pole to pole, from storm to storm, we watch Earth’s beauty and fragility, weather’s wonders, forces, and disasters. From space, it all looks miraculous." https://dceff.org/film/year-along-geostationary-orbit/ 73, John Brier KG4AKV P.S. I hope everyone is handling the Coronavirus as well as possible. My state just instituted a month long shelter in place policy.

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Controller/Interface for iMAC to G-5500
by Carl A Estey 28 Mar '20

28 Mar '20

What hardware interface (Controller) do you recommend for use on an Yaesu G-5500 az-e rotor, IC-9700, MacDopper s/w and running a iMac (mod 2011) running High Sierra OS? Carl WA0CQG

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Indian Students are offered to Learn Ham Radio in Lockdown
by Rajesh Vagadia - VU2EXP 28 Mar '20

28 Mar '20

(Initiative to popularise Ham Radio and Amateur Radio Satellite activities) *ARE YOU TIRED IN LOCKDOWN?* *Indian Students *are offered to* Learn from Home* about Interesting Scientific Hobby - *Amateur Radio!* *Dear students & friends,* Feel Free to *Learn & Ask any Questions* regarding; Ham radio, It's Applications, Operating Procedure, Getting Licence, Amateur Satellites, ARISS Events, Satellite Communication, Ham events, Emergency Communication etc. *WhatsApp any of your Questions* to active Indian Ham Operator Rajesh P. Vagadia VU2EXP on M: *9898283916* or *Call during* *10:00 AM - 1:00 PM* & *4:00 PM - 7:00 PM* (IST) (Keep us engage up to 14th April 2020) *We will be Happy to Answer your every Queries.* Thanks & 73 Rajesh P Vagadia - VU2EXP Rajkot - Gujarat (India) Regional Co-ordinator West India Zone AMSAT-INDIA M: 9898283916 E: vu2exp(a)gmail.com www.qrz.com/db/vu2exp *Stay Home • Be Safe • Learn More*

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Re: [amsat-bb] Trying to get back on the sats... but G-5500 Failure
by Michael Hatzakis Jr MD 28 Mar '20

28 Mar '20

Jerry, Just for perspective. That rotor has been up for 15 years or more. Been through multiple major storms, snow, ice, etc and has been flawless for that entire time. This is the first failure in all that time, and more than likely related to sitting dormant for 6 years. So, I would say, that is pretty darn good. Can’t speak for others, but I don’t have an issues with that duration of a failure free period. Michael Hatzakis Jr MD. K3MH > On Mar 27, 2020, at 2:21 PM, Gerald Witalec <jplanner(a)sbcglobal.net> wrote: > > Hi Michael, > Been reading a lot on the AMSAT-BB and amazed about how many of you are having problems with such an expensive rotor. > I have decided not to purchase it and going to build my SAT station instead with servo motors. > > Jerry...W8RQM > > On Friday, March 27, 2020, 4:58:27 PM EDT, Michael Hatzakis Jr MD via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > > > Hi guys/gals, > > I used to be very active on the Sats, and for years; have a great set-up, but thanks to life events, went dark for about 5-6 years. > > Trying to find a silver lining in this COVID crisis, while my business is in the tank, thought I would get back to my love of the birds. > > Unfortunately, I turned on my G-5500 controller and suddenly find the elevation portion of the rotor isnt responding. Rotation is fine. Thanks to my fearless days of my 40’s, the antenna is up on the chimney in a set up thats a little challenging to service, so I am looking for what I can do on the ground to try to debug and prepare first, before embarking on a roof expedition. > > What are the common reasons for the elevation rotator to stop responding? is there much I can do on the ground to debug, and/or prepare when I go up on the roof to check the rotor out? What are the repair options? > > Michael Hatzakis Jr MD K3MH > mail(a)hatzakis.net <mailto:mail@hatzakis.net> <mailto:mail@hatzakis.net <mailto:mail@hatzakis.net>> > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. <mailto:AMSAT-BB@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 <https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb>

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Shortening M2 2MCP22?
by Rich Gopstein 27 Mar '20

27 Mar '20

I have an old 2mcp22 antenna that I would like to put up, but it's almost 20 feet long... Since I don't need that much gain for the current batch of satellites, I was wondering if I can use only one boom section and end up with a shorter 10 (2x5) element antenna. Would that have any undesirable effects (other than reducing gain and increasing beam width)? Thanks. Rich, KD2CQ

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Be on the lookout for YV stations on the birds
by The Romagni's 27 Mar '20

27 Mar '20

Hello all, I been involved with a project teaching how to get on sats with a group of hams down in Venezuela - the result has been amazing, and now about 10 to 15 stations are getting on the birds (most of the on the FM birds) - so be in the look out for some activity from YV Land. 73 Steve W4DTA / YV5DTA

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Trying to get back on the sats... but G-5500 Failure
by Michael Hatzakis Jr MD 27 Mar '20

27 Mar '20

Hi guys/gals, I used to be very active on the Sats, and for years; have a great set-up, but thanks to life events, went dark for about 5-6 years. Trying to find a silver lining in this COVID crisis, while my business is in the tank, thought I would get back to my love of the birds. Unfortunately, I turned on my G-5500 controller and suddenly find the elevation portion of the rotor isnt responding. Rotation is fine. Thanks to my fearless days of my 40’s, the antenna is up on the chimney in a set up thats a little challenging to service, so I am looking for what I can do on the ground to try to debug and prepare first, before embarking on a roof expedition. What are the common reasons for the elevation rotator to stop responding? is there much I can do on the ground to debug, and/or prepare when I go up on the roof to check the rotor out? What are the repair options? Michael Hatzakis Jr MD K3MH mail(a)hatzakis.net <mailto:mail@hatzakis.net>

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Kenwood TM-D700A Duplex Settings
by E.Mike McCardel 27 Mar '20

27 Mar '20

I’m setting up a Kenwood TM-D700A for use on the FM birds. I’m having issues to getting it to work full duplex. Could someone post or send me a copy of the settings they are using for their working setup? Thank you, 73, EMike McCardel, AA8EM Past Senior Editor AMSAT News Service Past AMSAT-NA VP Educational Relations Former ARRL, Ohio Section, Affiliated Club Coordinator

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Re: [amsat-bb] AlphaSpid Green Heron rotor controller PstRotator (noise)
by Robert Bruninga 27 Mar '20

27 Mar '20

If it is the ramp-up PWM modulation, then I guess worst case is to somehow put a muffler box around the motor to keep the neighbors happy. But the vibrations are probbbly well couipled to the shafts and antenna system, so just muffling the motor might be not as effective. Wrap a towel around the motor for a quick test and see how much that attenuates the noise. Bob -----Original Message----- From: AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org> On Behalf Of Burns Fisher via AMSAT-BB Sent: Friday, March 27, 2020 3:04 PM To: Kevin <wa7fwf(a)gmail.com> Cc: AMSAT BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AlphaSpid Green Heron rotor controller PstRotator Is the Alfa-Spid stepper motor based? Certainly the feedback is digital. But I could certainly imagine a bunch of fast steps sounds like a beep. My G5500 actually makes a slightly odd noise too. I sounds almost like a clock being wound. I'm guessing it has something to do with the brake?? Does the A-S have one? Maybe sound insulation is going to be your best bet. On Thu, Mar 26, 2020 at 9:10 PM Kevin via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > I do not own one but looking at the documentation for the controller I > noticed this, "gradual startup and shutdown of rotor power to reduce > stress on towers, antennas and rotors. This is achieved by > pulse-width-modulating the operating voltage for the rotor." > > That could very well be the source of the "beeping" with the windings > in the motor singing. > > 73 > Kevin WA7FWF > > On 3/26/2020 17:47, Jeff via AMSAT-BB wrote: > > Green Heron R-21 controller > > _______________________________________________ > 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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AlphaSpid Green Heron rotor controller PstRotator
by Jeff 27 Mar '20

27 Mar '20

Over the last year I have evolved to a completely new AZ/EL rotor control setup, an AlphaSpid AZ/EL rotor system, a Green Heron R-21 controller, controlled by SatPC32 and PStRotortator. In the last few weeks my neighbors have mentioned that my rotor is "beeping'. As it is just 15 feet from their lunai that they sit in at night I'm a little concerned that their comments are going to get more unfriendly. As I have recently lost a good part of my high frequency hearing I can't hear the tone. I have had to stop collecting Telemetry at night to try to alleviate the situation. Does anyone have a clue on why the rotor system would beep? Does anyone have a clue on how to stop this from happening? My only input on this as I can't hear the beep, but I'm now feeding more voltage to the rotor system then before when I was using the stock controller supplied by AlphaSpid. The higher voltage allows the rotor to turn at a much improved rate. If I knew I was going to have to put up with all this BS I would of just bought another 5500 at half the price. 73 Jeff kb2m

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