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

Doppler.SQF
by David Worboys 06 Jun '20

06 Jun '20

Morning all, Would anyone be kind enough to send me a copy of their up to date Doppler.SQF file for SatPC32 ? I have a funny feeling that I am more than likely to “fat-finger” the manual input of the satellites that are not already loaded and would like to avoid that headache if at all possible! Many thanks David KG4ZLB

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Re: [amsat-bb] Skewplane antennas
by gw1fky＠aol.com 06 Jun '20

06 Jun '20

Hi,Regarding the posts on the subject of "Skewplane Antennas" - Some interesting reading and details may be found on the following web site : www.vk6ysf.com/skew_planar_wheel_antenna.htmYou might also like to follow up the many studies and publications available in respect of the uses for aircraft, satellites and of course rovers on interplanetary missions.Ken EatonGW1FKY

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Next Rocket Lab launch
by Wendy and Terry Osborne 06 Jun '20

06 Jun '20

Hi Folks, The next Rocket Lab launch window starts next Thursday 11th June at 04:43 UTC. See: https://www.rocketlabusa.com/missions/next-mission/ Since it's winter there may be some delays. For updates, check the twitter feed: https://twitter.com/rocketlab The launch should be streamed from the www.rocketlabusa.com web site from about 04:30 UTC. Since New Zealand is now at Covid19 level 2 and possibly level 1 by the launch date, people can travel to the launch site with few restrictions. 73, Terry Osborne ZL2BAC

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Alpha Spid Rotator
by Dave 06 Jun '20

06 Jun '20

Is anyone using an Alpha Spid az/el rotor? If so how do you like it? Would you recommend it over the Yaesu's and are there any issues using it with SatPC32? Thanks, Dave N2OA

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Re: [amsat-bb] Skew Planar or Cloverleaf Antennas
by Zach Metzinger 05 Jun '20

05 Jun '20

On 06/05/20 14:19, Mike Diehl via AMSAT-BB wrote: > Trying to grasp how these would be especially advantageous to portable satellite ops. Actually, I’m trying to grasp how omni antennas would be advantageous for satellite ops in any form outside of telemetry collection where you don’t want to have additional wear on a rotor you use for making contacts. Easier to set up for the newbie, who may not want to put up a rotator right off the bat. Sure, performance suffers without directional gain, but life is a series of tradeoffs. I have two 2m antennas which aren't movable and have little/no directional gain (copper pipe J-pole and copper pipe folded horizontal dipole). Both can easily hear the FM and linear sats, even after 50' of RG-8X. However, based on the elevation plot, I'm not too sure that this antenna would be useful. They have gain below the horizon that would better be used above 0 degrees. Hard to hear a satellite through miles and miles of dirt. :-) Or, perhaps I'm interpreting Figure 1 wrong on [1]. --- Zach N0ZGO [1] http://www.ve3byt.com/SkewPlanarAntenna/

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Skew Planar or Cloverleaf Antennas
by Les Rayburn 05 Jun '20

05 Jun '20

Are there any commercially available skew planar or “cloverleaf” antennas available for 2 Meters/432? These have become commonplace for drone operations at 2.4 and 5.8 GHz because they offer circular polarization. This makes control of the aircraft more reliable as it moves through space with changing antenna orientation. Previously, omnidirectional antennas similar to our “rubber ducks” were the norm. Skew planar antennas seem to offer a good option for satellite operations, especially portable. But availability is always an issue. 73, Les Rayburn, N1LF Maylene, AL EM63nf AMSAT #38965, ARRL Life Member, CVHS Life Member, SVHF Member

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PASS includes SATNOGS
by Amsat Argentina 05 Jun '20

05 Jun '20

SATNOGS (SATellite Network Operated Ground Stations) https://satnogs.org/ is a global network of automatic stations monitoring multiple satellites, making their audio and data captures available via the Internet. The PASS application http://amsat.org.ar/pass for satellite tracking, now facilitates access to Satnogs for the satellite selected by clicking on the graph that indicates azimuth and elevation. This allows check if a satellite is active and if there are SATNOGs stations in your area, you can recover audio and data from previous QSOs. We will like to deeply appreciate the Open Source Libre Space Foundation and the thousands of SATNOG asociated stations that devote their equipment and time to help and grow amateur satellite community. 73, LU7AA, AMSAT Argentina

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Board election
by Robert McGwier 05 Jun '20

05 Jun '20

AMSAT friends: This has been eventful year for all of us. I am no exception. I've retired on May 9 as Chief Scientist of Virginia Tech's Hume Center for National Security and Technology. I am now adjunct professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. I've been active in AMSAT for decades and am a life member. I've been a director multiple times and an officer multiple times. In retirement I intend becoming heavily involved in amateur radio activities in general but specifically in AMSAT activities. I am grateful for all I've learned and done in AMSAT. I founded http://www.hawkeye360.com and my experience in AMSAT was a vital part of the foundation of my Hawkeye activities. I would like to return to the board and help steward the organization from the board. Brennan has already received a nomination for me and now I ask for your support. 73s. Bob N4HY

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Need cable crimping tool
by EDWARD KROME 05 Jun '20

05 Jun '20

Hi, All: The ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) group of AMSAT is in process of building new power supplies for the ARISS project. This long-running STEM project facilitates contacts between astronauts on board the ISS and students around the world. The first of these new power supplies was launched to ISS on March 6. Only 9 more to go! Part of the project involves RF hookups to diplexers to several antennas currently on ISS. For these, we have to supply NASA-speced cable assemblies. We have cable and Huber+Suhner N connectors, but do not have the crimping tools required to mate the cables and connectors. These tools are available new from either Huber+Suhner or Daniels Manufacturing but are extremely expensive. So I am fishing... does anyone have or know where we might find one of the following connector crimping sets that we could either borrow, rent or buy? The connectors (special N crimp) are Huber Suhner 11_N-50-4-63/133_NE, item # 22652069, for cable S16 (SX_04172_B-60). We can buy these connectors from Mouser, no problem. The crimping tool is the problem: H+S kit 76Z-0-0-51 insert set for small tool 76_Z-0-4-51 and small installation tool 75_Z-0-0-50. The alternative (but not interchangeable) tool kit is Daniels Manufacturing DMC1525 (in this kit, we only need the Y1682 die set and HX4 crimp tool). Does anyone know where we might be able to get the use of one of these sets? Thanks! Ed Krome K9EK ARISS Mechanical Engineering

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Antenna mounting recommendations?
by Rich Gopstein 05 Jun '20

05 Jun '20

I have a pair of M2 CP antennas and a Yaesu G5500 rotator that I'd like to put up. There are lots of tall trees on the property pretty close to the house, so I really need to go up to clear the trees. On our first house, I had a tripod on the roof, so I'm familiar with what that takes. Now that I'm aging a bit, I was wondering what the alternatives might be since I'm not that excited about climbing on the roof (though if that's the best solution, I'll do it). Here are two pictures of the house (the arrows indicate the approximate location of the shack). https://photos.app.goo.gl/bRxtXM1uoXWgJgtZ7 Thanks for any suggestions! Rich, KD2CQ

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