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

ARISS News Release (ANR) No. 20-05
by David Jordan 28 May '20

28 May '20

ARISS News Release No. 20-05 Dave Jordan, AA4KN ARISS PR aa4kn(a)amsat.org FORIMMEDIATE RELEASE Coming Soon!! Mid-Altitude Balloon Race Planned for June 1 Three Space Station Explorer teams participate in anexciting distance learning—social distanced balloon race to beheld during Pandemic May27, 2020—ARISS educator, Joanne Michaelis an amateur radio operator with callsign KM6BWB. Joanne is also a science coach at theWiseburn Unified School District in Los Angeles, California where she leads herstudents in several balloon launch attempts from the Los Angeles area eachyear. With this year different becauseof the pandemic, Joanne wanted to “shake things up a bit” and give students,world-wide, a unique distance learning treat while keeping all safe during thepandemic. So Joanne challenged TedTagami, KK6UUQ, from Magnitude.io to a mid-altitude cross-continent balloonrace and Ted accepted the challenge! Tedplans to launch his balloon from Oakland, California. ISS Above inventor, Liam Kennedy, KN6EQU,from Pasadena, California, got “wind” of the idea and he asked to participate,too. All three organizations: ARISS,Magnitude.io and ISS Above are ISS National Lab Space Station Explorer (SSE)partners that work to inspire, engage, and educate students in ScienceTechnology Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) topics and to pursue STEAMcareers. The three SSE teams plan tolaunch their balloons simultaneously on June 1st. The winner will be the first one to cross the“Finish Line”—the Eastern Time zone. Launch time is planned for 15:00 UTC/11:00 EDT/10:00 CDT/9:00 MDT/8:00PDT. A live video feed of the launch isplanned to start approximately 5 minutes prior to the event. Once the balloons areairborne, students can track each balloon’s location, altitude, and temperaturevia amateur radio APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) which is fedautomatically to the aprs.fi web site. Educators and parents around the globe can excite at-home youth withthis initiative. Students can tally and track the states each balloon travelsthrough and plot altitude versus temperature, etc. Also, by researching weatherpatterns, students can make assumptions from their own data. This could include speed variations due toweather. They also can predict eachballoon’s flight path and when they might cross the finish line! For more information on theballoon launch, lesson plans, and the livestream video link (when thelivestream URL is available), please go to: https://www.ariss.org/mid-altitude-balloon-race.html Enjoy the Race! May the best ballooner win!! About ARISS: Amateur Radio on the InternationalSpace Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radiosocieties and the space agencies that support the International Space Station(ISS). In the United States, sponsorsare the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio RelayLeague (ARRL), the ISS National Lab and National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration ofscience, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics byorganizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard theISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators,parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateurradio. For more information, see www.ariss.org MediaContact: DaveJordan, AA4KN ARISSPR Likeus on Facebook Followus on Twitter

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2020 Satellite reference card.
by Doug Phelps 27 May '20

27 May '20

I read that the 2020 sayellite reference card (the one given out with membership at hamfests) was available for members to print out for free. I have been in every nook and cranny of the AMSAT Website but I cannot find where to download or print it. Can someone help me? TRhanks, Sent with [ProtonMail](https://protonmail.com) Secure Email.

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Handy LC Filter tool at rf-tools.com
by Zach Metzinger 27 May '20

27 May '20

Here's a no-nonsense website to help any homebrewer out with filters. This is the only tool I've used so far, and it works well! I can't speak for the other tools offered on that website: https://rf-tools.com/lc-filter/ --- Zach N0ZGO

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FT-847 repair service (Richard Lawn)
by Brad Smith 27 May '20

27 May '20

I have sent two 847's to Burghardt Radio Repair, Inc. and have been very satisfied. They are not the fastest, but they do very good work. http://www.burghardt-amateur.com/about_us.html Brad KC9UQR

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AO-92 in L/v at 0206utc for 24 hours 27 May 2020
by Mark Hammond 27 May '20

27 May '20

Happy L-band! -- Mark L. Hammond [N8MH]

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Re: [amsat-bb] ARR mast mount preamps
by Edward R Cole 27 May '20

27 May '20

I purchased the 144-MHz Minikits which has RF-sensed TR and powers up the coax line from my radio (FT-736R). It sells for $50 US which is way lower than the ARR switched preamp $195 (which may be NLA). It can handle up to 100w with RF-sensing. Rated for 400w with sequencer control of relays. For satellite use that is unimportant but if you use your antennas for other use, it might be. The 144-MHz preamp has a 150-MHz Chebychev low pass filter to reduce harmonic outputs. I purchased a Hammond-1590S enclosure from Mouser and will use two N-female panel-mount connectors so it will be wx-proof mounted on my satellite tower. Kit comes without enclosure but Minkits does offer a wx-tight enclosure. Have not built the Minikits preamp, yet. The preamp is offered for many VHF/UHF bands. Device used is PGA103+ with 0.5 dB NF cited (0.7 dBNF with TR relays) which should work fine for satellite applications. ARR unit was advertised at 0.55 dB NF (mgf-1302). I have one mounted for use with two 11-element yagis for local SSB/FM use and key it with my eme sequencer. I run 150w there. For satellite the FT-736R runs 0-25w. ------------------------------- Date: Tue, 26 May 2020 05:15:36 -0700 From: Bob Hammond <propgrinder(a)gmail.com> To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] ARR mast mount preamps https://www.minikits.com.au/electronic-kits/rf-amplifiers/rf-preamplifiers I'm building a 70cm and 23cm kit right now. Very nicely put together. You can also buy them assembled. Bob W7OTJ 73, Ed - KL7UW http://www.kl7uw.com Dubus-NA Business mail: dubususa(a)gmail.com

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Re: [amsat-bb] Tablet for SatPC32
by Bob Hammond 27 May '20

27 May '20

Thanks all. Not sure which way I'll go yet. On Mon, May 25, 2020 at 2:58 PM D. Craig Fox <DCFox(a)rwglaw.com> wrote: > Bob, Patrick WD9EWK has a lot of experience with these. After talking to > him, I ended up with a NuVision W10 tablet for less than $100 from Amazon. > As Patrick notes, you need at least 2 gb of ram. That is what this one has > and works great. Screen size will also dictate price. > > 73, > > Craig > N6RSX > > -----Original Message----- > From: AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org> On Behalf Of Bob Hammond via > AMSAT-BB > Sent: Monday, May 25, 2020 10:19 AM > To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > Subject: [amsat-bb] Tablet for SatPC32 > > I'm in the market for a tablet to take roving. I want to use SatPC32 so > that means some version of Windows. > > Any suggestions on a Windows tablet? > > Bob W7OTJ > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > (If this message is spam, please report it to IT Dept. Thank you.) >

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ARR mast mount preamps
by Richard Lawn 27 May '20

27 May '20

I just learned that they are no longer making the mast series preamps. Tragic. Anyone know where I can find an alternative for 70 cm other than SSB Electronics that I think may only be available from Germany? Rick, W2JAZ -- Sent from Gmail Mobile

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FT-847 repair service
by Richard Lawn 27 May '20

27 May '20

I’m not certain yet but I think the used 847 I bought to use at our summer place has some problems in VHF/UHF. If I’m right does anyone have recommendations on a repair service, or I’m I better of sending it to Yaesu? Rick, W2JAZ -- Sent from Gmail Mobile

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IARU-R2 "Satellite Communications 101" workshop (online)
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 26 May '20

26 May '20

Hi! Region 2 of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU-R2) has begun hosting video workshops covering different facets of amateur radio. Last Wednesday (20 May), there was a "Satellite Communications 101" workshop in Spanish hosted by Matias Graino LU9CBL and Guillermo Guerra OA4/XQ3SA (an AMSAT Ambassador). Their workshop had over 40 attendees from many countries in the Americas via Zoom, along with others watching a live stream via YouTube. A replay of their presentation is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69D1dJEfGDc The next IARU-R2 workshop will be another "Satellite Communications 101" presentation, targeting novices to satellite operating - this time in English. This presentation will take place on Wednesday, 27 May 2020, at 2359 UTC (7.59pm EDT/4.59pm PDT). I am the presenter for this week's workshop. A link to register for this workshop, and other upcoming IARU-R2 workshops, is available at: https://www.iaru-r2.org/en/news-and-events/workshops/ There is a limit on the number of attendees who can participate via Zoom. If you want to watch the presentation without registering for the workshop, a live stream will be available from the "IARU - Region 2 Workshops" YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnG2Srz0bsKmTbF2r3YNneQ A video of Wednesday's workshop will be posted on this YouTube channel sometime after the conclusion of the workshop. Thanks, and 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK or http://twitter.com/WD9EWK

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