March 2021 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

EM14 log
by John Geiger 16 Mar '21

16 Mar '21

I logged the following stations today from EM14: NX6RG N6NUG N7ZO NR6AM N6AK KC5TT NM5U K7MT WA0TEY AA9JS K4RDK AA4QE I will be uploading QSOs later today to LOTW. Let me know if any callsign corrections are needed. Planning on EM05 tomorrow, will post sked in a little bit. 73 John AF5CC

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Good Communicators
by Clint Bradford 16 Mar '21

16 Mar '21

Whenever you're promulgating your esoteric cogitations or articulating superficial philosophical observations, try to beware of platitudinous ponderousities. Always let your extemporaneous descantings have intelligibility, veracious vivacity, thrasonical bombasity, and sedulously avoid all polysyllabic profundities. In other words: Use PLAIN ENGLISH to communicate. Clint Bradford K6LCS

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9k6 FSK packet with FT-991A
by Miroslav Kasal 16 Mar '21

16 Mar '21

Hi all, Please, has anyone experience with 9k6 FSK packet operation with FT-991A transceiver? Let me know your practice, please. Thank you in advance. Mirek OK2AQ -- Tento e-mail byl zkontrolován na viry programem AVG. http://www.avg.cz

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UISS/UZ7HO Stopped Working - Help!
by Frank Karnauskas 16 Mar '21

16 Mar '21

For months I had the IC-9700/UISS/UZ7HO SoundModem combination working fine on PSAT. Wouldn't you know it, as soon as the ISS is digipeating again, it stopped talking to the radio. SatPC32 controls the 9700 just fine so I know the radio settings are good and the COM port is working. When I manually put the radio in the transmit mode and hit the Text/Date button on UISS, I don't see any audio getting to the radio either. I reinstalled both pieces of software. UISS is v5.4.3 and SoundModem is Ver.1.13. All values look the same as before. Something new: when UISS starts I get the following message on the screen that just hangs: Detecting...Please wait Connected to Server 127.0.0.1 N1UW Registered. Soundmodem.exe is allowed through the firewall. One possible clue: Windows 10/64 updated yesterday but I think the problem exhibited itself before that. Please contact me direct if you willing to help. Thanks in advance, Folks! 73, Frank Frank W. Karnauskas, N1UW 3670 E. Kingler Spring Place Tucson, AZ 85718 T: 612-644-9174 E: n1uw(a)gokarns.com

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Re: EM21/31 Q's Today
by Bob Liddy (K8BL) 16 Mar '21

16 Mar '21

In case there is any possible ignorance of the operating problems which most users are painfully aware of, here is a recent commentI received regarding my roving. (below) de Bob K8BL ----------------------------------------------- Bob,Appreciate your efforts very much. KC1MEB and I caught you on the linear birds. She wanted to work the FM sat the other day, but I told her you would be on and to just listen because we already worked you. It was complete mayhem. I'm not sure more than 2 complete contacts were made that pass. 73 Ant NU1U ----------------------------------------------- On Monday, March 15, 2021, 09:41:48 PM CDT, Bob Liddy (K8BL) <k8bl(a)ameritech.net> wrote: Anyone who operates FM Sats these days knows EXACTLY what needs to be addressed. It's painfully obvious. Bob K8BL On Monday, March 15, 2021, 07:38:30 PM CDT, Clint Bradford <clintbradford(a)mac.com> wrote: Not sure to whom you may be referring, but I am sure ALL AMSAT’ers here are properly educating their audiences … What were the problems? Was it a particular group/demo/club that was causing grief? Clint K6LCS On Mar 15, 2021, at 4:48 PM, Bob Liddy (K8BL) <k8bl(a)ameritech.net> wrote: P.P.S. If someone is instructing on the use of FM SATs, I really wish they would spend some time explaining proper operating protocol. The rude chaos is almost to the point of making many passes useless and a waste of roving time and effort.

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GRID EM14 at 1930Z
by John Geiger 16 Mar '21

16 Mar '21

Sorry for the short notice but I am going to try to activate EM14 today (3/16) on the CAS-4A and CAS-4B passes around 1935Z. Hope to see everyone on who needs this grid! I will upload QSOs later today to LOTW, just log me as AF5CC 73 John AF5CC

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Cuban Pirate on AO-7 mode B
by S P 16 Mar '21

16 Mar '21

FYI: https://twitter.com/CQDX4/status/1370575897431015424?s=03 73! SP

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Re: QSO VHE
by Robert McGwier 16 Mar '21

16 Mar '21

I will be there with results and updates on my heartfelt desire and mission to apply modern technologies to amateur radio including machine learning. Dr. Robert W McGwier, Ph.D. Adjunct Faculty, Virginia Tech ARDC Member of Board ARS: N4HY ARRL, AMSAT, AAVSO, TAPR, SkyHub On Tue, Mar 16, 2021, 6:15 AM Eric Guth <eric(a)qsotodayhamexpo.com> wrote: > Dear Robert, > > Thanks for sharing this email with me. Here are some bullet points from > my point of view: > > 1. I don't want the expo involved in family feuds. > 2. Michelle Thompson was able to pull off this entire track with Tom's > help. It was and will be sensational. Michelle is a keeper in my book. > 3. I was told that if AMSAT led, that some of the speakers were not > AMSAT quality and would have to be dropped. Since the expo relies on > volunteer speakers, I was not willing to fire anyone. > 4. The Expo returns in On-Demand mode tomorrow. We are working with > the exhibitors to perhaps take a Jitsi video link on the booth as Video > Chat to allow the folks who will return for the videos to engage with > exhibitors with a browser tab open during business hours. > 5. We may extend the on-demand to 60 days to allow full consumption of > the video library > 6. We are editing and putting up the presentations so that they are > pristine and amazing. > 7. We would like the presenters to hold on putting the videos up on > Youtube until we are finished with the Expo. > 8. We are returning August 14. > > > What say you? > 73, > Eric > > > On Tue, Mar 16, 2021 at 12:58 PM Robert McGwier <rwmcgwier(a)gmail.com> > wrote: > >> While I was on the sideline and in the background I witnessed much of >> what Tom is saying. >> >> Only the membership of this organization can fix the problem and please >> do not say you were not told because you were. >> >> Bob >> >> Dr. Robert W McGwier, Ph.D. >> Adjunct Faculty, Virginia Tech >> ARDC Member of Board >> ARS: N4HY >> ARRL, AMSAT, AAVSO, TAPR, SkyHub >> >> On Mon, Mar 15, 2021, 10:46 PM tjschuessler--- via AMSAT-BB < >> amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: >> >>> Some thoughts on the QSO today event this past weekend. >>> >>> >>> >>> I am the one who tried to get the attention of AMSAT leadership way last >>> fall that this could be a great event to bring knowledge of Amateur Radio >>> in Space to a broad audience. As such, I will take responsibility for >>> decisions that were made. Am I happy with how all things turned out? The >>> answer is a mixed bag. >>> >>> >>> >>> I had presented in the August 2020 event and was the only representative >>> of AMSAT involved. My initial mention of the opportunity to some of the >>> AMSAT leadership after Symposium ended last fall was given a positive but >>> cool response. What I did not know, but as Frank Karnauskas, N1UW later >>> told me, was the consuming need of leadership to convert the organization >>> to a virtual office with the retirement of Martha, caused the lack of >>> response. I had proposed getting together multiple presentations and >>> buying exhibit booth space to make it more like a major hamfest that we >>> would participate in. Michelle Thompson was the only one originally >>> contacted who was enthusiastically supportive and saw the opportunity to >>> present our interests to a wide cross section of hams. >>> >>> >>> >>> The VHE organizers posed pretty early deadlines. Applications for >>> presentations CLOSED on December 1. Discounts on booth purchases closed >>> shortly thereafter. Michelle put up her own money to purchase the exhibit >>> booths space. She got commitments from presenters. She laid a lot of >>> groundwork in communicating with other AMSAT related organizations around >>> the world. >>> >>> >>> >>> I was aware of the potential controversy that would probably result >>> because of Michelle Thompson’s involvement. She is strong willed, doggedly >>> determined and possessing a “one way or the highway” mentality. She is, >>> however a go-getter and thus took the organization of this event far beyond >>> what I could have taken it. She spent many, many hours working with >>> presenters, attempting to recruit volunteers, interfacing with the >>> organizers, and building up the program. She spent much of this past >>> Friday night and all day Saturday, dealing with the technical glitches that >>> the poor integration from Airmeet left the conference with. Yes there >>> might be controversy, but I knew that she was committed to the project. >>> >>> >>> >>> For me, the intent all along, was to have AMSAT branding and AMSAT >>> executive involvement for the QSO today functions, but that did not >>> happen. If parties were willing to compromise, it could have, but >>> unfortunately, that discussion got started way too late, By the end of >>> January, the event organizers had finalized their schedule. They were >>> unwilling to shoehorn in additional content, even in the last 6 weeks. And >>> that upset AMSAT leadership, rightly so. I tried to suggest to Eric a >>> modification to the order of presentations track, but he was unwilling to >>> make the changes. Then there was the branding controversy. Apparently >>> Eric Guth, 4Z1UG Event organizer, did not want to get involved with the >>> politics that is very visible in AMSAT and so recommended a more generic >>> title. Thus the :”Space Radio” moniker. I tried to offer compromise, but >>> Eric said no and Michelle went with that. So, no official AMSAT logo. But >>> was AMSAT promoted? MOST DEFINITELY YES! Definitely in presentations and >>> definitely in discussions at the booth tables. In a way I think it might >>> have been a turn off to some to have a purely AMSAT branded event. There >>> were hundreds of people viewing in many of the presentation slots, some >>> might have been drawn by the “non-partisan” title. >>> >>> >>> >>> Partisan politics and bad feelings calling for a generic name! As an >>> organization who has had quite a bit of yelling and harsh words back and >>> forth amongst various parties over the last few years, we need to take a >>> step back and look at how some of that might look to the broader Amateur >>> Radio community. It seems to me, that some of our actions have been like, >>> you know, “That family down the block” who periodically erupts into loud >>> arguments. They are oblivious to the fact that all of their doors and >>> windows are wide open. The neighbors shake their heads and keep their >>> distance but continue watching for the entertainment value, because, well, >>> maybe something big will explode. >>> >>> >>> >>> Back to AMSAT being a part of the “Space Radio” name. What you were >>> unable to see, because of the failure to integrate the Exhibit space that >>> an organization, VFairs, was to create, and the Arena space that Airmeet >>> was to provide, would have been the core of the interactive part of the >>> exhibit hall. That booth space would have resource links, videos, links >>> to items for sale, and an integration to the “Discussion tables” that were >>> in fact available. AMSAT Ambassadors type material was to be given out >>> there and a direct link to the AMSAT Store and the “Getting Started” book >>> for purchase too. The organizers do now promise that this integration will >>> be available in the next day or so in the post event Expo space, for those >>> that wish to stop by the site in the next month. Also all the video >>> presentations, even mine did not air as it was supposed to, which heavily >>> promoted involvement in AMSAT membership, will be available for viewing for >>> paid members. Michelle is also independently creating a YouTube playlist >>> with all the content from the satellite track plus the booth video track. >>> >>> >>> >>> So for the future, Eric intends to press on and offer another VHE in >>> August. I encourage AMSAT to go for it and immediately begin to plan on >>> direct involvement this time. Most likely, we will have to have all the >>> presentations lined up and registered by May 1,and pre-recorded content by >>> late June. If you want to do the exhibit hall booth, have that commitment >>> by May as well. I am pretty sure that we can again command another whole >>> day track as this time. The type of technical glitches seen this past >>> weekend should have been corrected. My recommendation though is you not >>> treat this as another symposium or Hamvention. The audience is much more >>> varied so be willing to look outside the box. >>> >>> >>> >>> If you who are reading this, were not happy with what you saw and heard, >>> this is your chance to step up and make it better. If you were happy with >>> what you saw and heard, this is your chance to make it even better. I >>> intend to be involved this next time out, promoting Amateur radio in >>> Space. I Am and AMSAT Ambassador. >>> >>> >>> >>> 73 >>> >>> Tom Schuessler, N5HYP >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> ----------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> 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! >>> >>> View archives of this mailing list at >>> https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/amsat-bb@amsat.org >>> To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org >>> Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at >>> https://mailman.amsat.org >> >> > > -- > 73, > > Eric, 4Z1UG > Book an appointment with me > <https://go.oncehub.com/QSOTodayHamExpoExhibitorTour> > QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo - Coming March 13th and 14th, 2021 > <http://qsotodayhamexpo.com> > QSO Today Interview Podcast <http://www.qsotoday.com> > KEG Media, Inc. > Telephone: +1-323-521-5359 > > >

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QSO Today Virtual HamFest
by Clint Bradford 16 Mar '21

16 Mar '21

I cannot believe the whining and complaining I am reading from fellow hams this morning. We had some technical glitches at the QSO Today! Extravaganza yesterday. The AirMeet software was problematic. Savvy Windows users thought to "right click" and enter those pages in new Windows. But many just complained that it didn't work. We're HAMS, for gawd's sake. Plan Bs and Plan Cs should be in our blood ... Complaints of "the sessions were pre-recorded" are ignorant: ALL sessions were pre-recorded by design and submitted by February 1, 2021. Then we went to LIVE Q&A and Tables to further discuss life. Here's a complaint: "I had to scroll too much to find my Table." Make the tables' icons smaller so more fit on a page, and that same whiner would then write, "The font's too small ... " Organizer Eric is beating himself up on all this. He shouldn't be. It's not his fault. Conversed with him this morning at 6am - after another all-nighter … • - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "I have heard NO ONE pointing a finger at YOU. We are hams, for gawd’s sake - Plan Bs and Plan Cs should be in our bloodlines ... "Whatever platform(s) you choose for next year, I would like to assist create a one-page “cheat sheet” of keyboard commands and “tips and tricks” to negotiate. A single page we can each print out and refer to ... "Attendees are enjoying. Speakers are getting great Q&A sessions. The “tables” are absolutely wonderful. "I couldn’t find the open bar .... but will search again today. ' Clint Bradford PS Take me up on that offer with the cheat sheet. 951-533-4984 PPS Let’s have a Zoom session for speakers before next year’s extravaganza - to show us the techniques and intimacies. • - - - - - - - - -- - - - - This morning, took me 30 seconds to log in and find my nest presentation area. SO ... If you cannot provide constructive comments and assistance to make the event better, then you really are not behaving like true amateur radio operators. Writing from ignorance and bitching and moaning because of a couple problems OUT of the control of the event organizers is NOT how we operate. OH - here's one for you: A ham complained the event was "too commercial." Yes, the event was sponsored by HAM RADIO EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS. What an idiotic thing to complain about. Now, then, if Marlboro was a major sponsor, that would be a legitimate topic of conversation. Clint Bradford K6LCS 951-533-4984

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QSO VHE
by tjschuessler＠verizon.net 16 Mar '21

16 Mar '21

Some thoughts on the QSO today event this past weekend. I am the one who tried to get the attention of AMSAT leadership way last fall that this could be a great event to bring knowledge of Amateur Radio in Space to a broad audience. As such, I will take responsibility for decisions that were made. Am I happy with how all things turned out? The answer is a mixed bag. I had presented in the August 2020 event and was the only representative of AMSAT involved. My initial mention of the opportunity to some of the AMSAT leadership after Symposium ended last fall was given a positive but cool response. What I did not know, but as Frank Karnauskas, N1UW later told me, was the consuming need of leadership to convert the organization to a virtual office with the retirement of Martha, caused the lack of response. I had proposed getting together multiple presentations and buying exhibit booth space to make it more like a major hamfest that we would participate in. Michelle Thompson was the only one originally contacted who was enthusiastically supportive and saw the opportunity to present our interests to a wide cross section of hams. The VHE organizers posed pretty early deadlines. Applications for presentations CLOSED on December 1. Discounts on booth purchases closed shortly thereafter. Michelle put up her own money to purchase the exhibit booths space. She got commitments from presenters. She laid a lot of groundwork in communicating with other AMSAT related organizations around the world. I was aware of the potential controversy that would probably result because of Michelle Thompson's involvement. She is strong willed, doggedly determined and possessing a "one way or the highway" mentality. She is, however a go-getter and thus took the organization of this event far beyond what I could have taken it. She spent many, many hours working with presenters, attempting to recruit volunteers, interfacing with the organizers, and building up the program. She spent much of this past Friday night and all day Saturday, dealing with the technical glitches that the poor integration from Airmeet left the conference with. Yes there might be controversy, but I knew that she was committed to the project. For me, the intent all along, was to have AMSAT branding and AMSAT executive involvement for the QSO today functions, but that did not happen. If parties were willing to compromise, it could have, but unfortunately, that discussion got started way too late, By the end of January, the event organizers had finalized their schedule. They were unwilling to shoehorn in additional content, even in the last 6 weeks. And that upset AMSAT leadership, rightly so. I tried to suggest to Eric a modification to the order of presentations track, but he was unwilling to make the changes. Then there was the branding controversy. Apparently Eric Guth, 4Z1UG Event organizer, did not want to get involved with the politics that is very visible in AMSAT and so recommended a more generic title. Thus the :"Space Radio" moniker. I tried to offer compromise, but Eric said no and Michelle went with that. So, no official AMSAT logo. But was AMSAT promoted? MOST DEFINITELY YES! Definitely in presentations and definitely in discussions at the booth tables. In a way I think it might have been a turn off to some to have a purely AMSAT branded event. There were hundreds of people viewing in many of the presentation slots, some might have been drawn by the "non-partisan" title. Partisan politics and bad feelings calling for a generic name! As an organization who has had quite a bit of yelling and harsh words back and forth amongst various parties over the last few years, we need to take a step back and look at how some of that might look to the broader Amateur Radio community. It seems to me, that some of our actions have been like, you know, "That family down the block" who periodically erupts into loud arguments. They are oblivious to the fact that all of their doors and windows are wide open. The neighbors shake their heads and keep their distance but continue watching for the entertainment value, because, well, maybe something big will explode. Back to AMSAT being a part of the "Space Radio" name. What you were unable to see, because of the failure to integrate the Exhibit space that an organization, VFairs, was to create, and the Arena space that Airmeet was to provide, would have been the core of the interactive part of the exhibit hall. That booth space would have resource links, videos, links to items for sale, and an integration to the "Discussion tables" that were in fact available. AMSAT Ambassadors type material was to be given out there and a direct link to the AMSAT Store and the "Getting Started" book for purchase too. The organizers do now promise that this integration will be available in the next day or so in the post event Expo space, for those that wish to stop by the site in the next month. Also all the video presentations, even mine did not air as it was supposed to, which heavily promoted involvement in AMSAT membership, will be available for viewing for paid members. Michelle is also independently creating a YouTube playlist with all the content from the satellite track plus the booth video track. So for the future, Eric intends to press on and offer another VHE in August. I encourage AMSAT to go for it and immediately begin to plan on direct involvement this time. Most likely, we will have to have all the presentations lined up and registered by May 1,and pre-recorded content by late June. If you want to do the exhibit hall booth, have that commitment by May as well. I am pretty sure that we can again command another whole day track as this time. The type of technical glitches seen this past weekend should have been corrected. My recommendation though is you not treat this as another symposium or Hamvention. The audience is much more varied so be willing to look outside the box. If you who are reading this, were not happy with what you saw and heard, this is your chance to step up and make it better. If you were happy with what you saw and heard, this is your chance to make it even better. I intend to be involved this next time out, promoting Amateur radio in Space. I Am and AMSAT Ambassador. 73 Tom Schuessler, N5HYP

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