November 2024 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

ANS-315 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Paul Stoetzer 10 Nov '24

10 Nov '24

*AMSAT *News Service*ANS-315* *November 10, 2024* In this edition: - Celebrating AO-7: First Earth-Space-Space-Earth Relay Communications - September/October 2024 Issue of *The AMSAT Journal* Available - 2024 AMSAT Symposium Proceedings Available to AMSAT Members - ASRTU-1 Satellite With FM Transponder Launched - MO-122 Telemetry Beacon Level and Update - November 9, 2024 - ARISS SSTV Event - Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for November 8, 2024 - ARISS News - Upcoming Satellite Operations - AMSAT Ambassador Activities - Satellite Shorts From All Over The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information 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 communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on https://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: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ ------------------------------ Celebrating AO-7: First Earth-Space-Space-Earth Relay Communications As AO-7, launched on November 15, 1974, approaches is 50th Anniversary and setting a record as the longest operating satellite, we look back at a few of its noteworthy accomplishments. The downlink spectrum of AO-7’s UHF/VHF transponder overlapped with AO-6’s VHF-to-HF transponder. The overlap of the two was approximately 50 kHz wide. The two orbits were the same - almost. AO-7’s mean motion was slightly higher than that of AO-6, which means, once every year of so, AO-6 will “lap” its younger sibling in space. During the time when the two spacecraft are in closer proximity, it was already known to be theoretically possible (if AO-7 has its UHF/VHF transponder on) for one user to communicate through two spacecraft in succession, with the downlink of AO-7’s transponder being relayed through AO-6’s VHF/HF transponder uplink, and then, with the doubly relayed signal arriving on 29.5 MHz to another user on the ground. This could be done, in certain geometries, in both directions, making a two-way double-hop communications possible. The first successful Earth-Space-Space-Earth relay of this type took place on January 6, 1975. This happened early in AO-7’s “first” lifetime and during the first occasion when AO-6 approached AO-7, in their very similar orbits. The two stations were both located in the state of Texas – one in Dallas and one in Richardson. This method of communications was also conducted and reported by 55 other user stations from 12 countries during 1975. These events were documented in the IEEE Proceedings in October of 1975. See another AO-7 50 Year Anniversary highlight in next week’s ANS Weekly Bulletin. *[ANS thanks Jan King, W3GEY, AMSAT AO-7 Project Manager for the above information]* ------------------------------ September/October 2024 Issue of *The AMSAT Journal* Available The September/October 2024 issue of *The AMSAT Journal *is now available to members on AMSAT’s Member Portal <https://launch.amsat.org/The_AMSAT_Journal>. *The AMSAT Journal* is a bi-monthly digital magazine for amateur radio in space enthusiasts, published by the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation ( AMSAT). Each issue is your source for hardware and software projects, technical tips, STEM initiatives, operational activities, and news from around the world. *Inside the Current Issue:* - Apogee View – Robert Bankston, KE4AL - AMSAT Awards - Bruce Paige, KK5DO - The History of AMSAT AO-7 - Jan King, W3GEY - Long Range Modulation (LoRa) in Low Earth Satellites - Omar Álvarez Cárdenas, XE1AO, et al. - A Visit to the Tokyo Ham Fair 2024 - Keith Baker, KB1SF/VA3KSF - 2024 Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting Photos *[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information]* ------------------------------ 2024 AMSAT Symposium Proceedings Available to AMSAT Members The Proceedings of the AMSAT 42nd Space Symposium and Annual Meeting are now available for AMSAT members on the AMSAT Member Portal <https://launch.amsat.org/Proceedings>. In this year's edition: - Welcome - Robert Bankston, KE4AL - Silent Keys - The AMSAT CubeSatSim v2.0 Software Overview - Alan Johnston, KU2Y - AMSAT Education and CubeSat Simulator Project Update - Alan Johnston, KU2Y - Integration of the AMSAT CubeSat Simulator for Education and Research - Rachel Jones, KO4HLC - ARISS Prototype: Automation and Remote Control (ARC) of the IORS - Chris Thompson, G0KLA / AC2CZ / VE2TCP - FUNcube Lite on Jovian-1, A 6U University CubeSat with an AMSAT-UK Payload - David Bowman G0MRF - CARD-SAT® - A Step Forward for Satellite Miniaturization - Adrian Totu, YO3HOT - GOLF-TEE Flight Software and Bus Overview - Burns Fisher, WB1FJ - Determination of Spacecraft Orbital Elements from In-flight GNSS Measurement - Joseph DiVerdi, K0NMR *[ANS thanks Dan Schultz, N8FGV, AMSAT Symposium Proceedings Editor, for the above information]* ------------------------------ *2024 Coins Are Still Available!Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus.**Join <https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/> the AMSAT President’s Club today!* ------------------------------ ASRTU-1 Satellite With FM Transponder Launched On November 4, 2024 at 23:18 UTC, a Soyuz rocket launched from Vostochny with at least 17 satellites using amateur satellite service frequencies. Among those launched was ASRTU-1, a 12U CubeSat designed by Russian and Chinese students and developed by the Harbin Institute of Technology in Harbin, China, for education and amateur radio. The satellite contains an FM transponder, which is currently operational, with an uplink of 145.850 MHz (67 Hz CTCSS tone required) and a downlink of 435.400 MHz. After the repeater detects the end of uplink, it will wait for 0.5s. If no new uplink in 0.5s, telemetry will be sent. So make fast QSOs so the telemetry is less like to interrupt you. The satellite also contains two cameras with an SSDV downlink for low resolution images on 436.210 MHz, and a high speed downlink on 10460.00 MHz for high resolution images. On November 7, 2024, the camera system was tested for the first time. N6RFM uplinked the command and the image was downloaded by Chinese stations using the UHF SSDV downlink. Windows software for decoding telemetry is available at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W8nm-P0_h0J1Bd1eif74mLo-EuRdWcjH A Live ISO Linux image is also available for telemetry at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1T6GMNnDNEEavckoe4oPXPIU_SPFXLDd4 A Telegram group has been created for discussing the satellite: https://t.me/+I5NTtX7eAJA4ZDVl Latest TLEs: ASRTU-1_20241108D 1 99130U 24313.98869213 .00036395 00000-0 15511-2 0 00005 2 99130 097.3830 178.7387 0016365 224.8894 196.6964 15.22873038000014 *ASRTU-1* Uplink FM (67 Hz CTCSS) Downlink FM Comments ASRTU-1 145.850 MHz 435.400 MHz In orbit, commissioning Also downlinks on 436.210 MHz, 10460.00 MHz. Download Live CD <https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1T6GMNnDNEEavckoe4oPXPIU_SPFXLDd4> for telemetry decoding. *[ANS thanks BG2BHC, the IARU, and AMSAT-F for the above information]* ------------------------------ MO-122 Telemetry Beacon Level and Update - November 9, 2024 Your continued collection of telemetry data for MO-122/MESAT1 is always appreciated. For the next couple of days the telemetry beacon on MO-122 will remain at its lowest power level. This puts the signal down a couple of dB, and it's noticeable from the ground. The low signal is a great opportunity to work on improving the sensitivity of our receiving stations! The transponder power remains the same--it's strong, thanks to AMSAT's LTM (Linear Transponder Module)! The satellite remains in good health. Since launch in early July, eclipse periods have increased a good deal, going from about 15 mins to nearly 29 mins. At the same time, the orbit has precessed so the bird appears over populated areas where the transponder gets more use while in eclipse. These conditions mean the battery is getting used more with less time to fully recharge. We keep a watchful eye on the battery and its reported capacity, and when there is an apparent decline it seems prudent to turn off the transponder for a couple of days to allow recovery. The low beacon for the next couple of days will allow us to see how much "relief" that gives to the power budget; it won't be much, but we can watch and learn. Managing a satellite's power budget is a balancing act of sorts. The good news is that by the end of February it looks like eclipse periods will drop back to around 17 mins. At the same time, the battery will be 4 months older--and have gone through a lot of orbits. Some fun math- from today until the end of February, there are 112 days. There are 1440 minutes per day, and MO-122 orbits about every 95 mins. 1440 min/day / 95 min/orbit is about 15 orbits per day. So, 15 orbits / day X 122 days means almost 1700 orbit and discharge/recharge cycles will occur before the end of February! Do that with your power drill battery pack ;) Hopefully my update will help provide an answer to the logical question, "why is the transponder being turned off and on?" As the guest payload on UMaine's satellite, we are doing our best to be good stewards of an important resource, while also learning about LTM, lithium batteries, and powerbudgets---all of which is helpful to our engineering teams as they work on new birds like Fox-Plus and the GOLF family. Enjoy the bird! *[ANS thanks Mark Hammond, N8MH, AMSAT Director and Command Station, for the above information]* ------------------------------ ARISS SSTV Event Scheduled for November 11-18 Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) announces an SSTV event to be held next week. The event is scheduled to begin on Monday, November 11 at 11:50 UTC and to end Monday, November 18 at 13:40 UTC. SSTV transmissions will be paused during scheduled school contacts on November 15 and 16. Downlink transmissions will be at 145.800 MHz and the mode is expected to be PD 120. The transmissions will consist of 12 images featuring activities from the 2024 40th Anniversary Celebrating Amateur Radio in Human Spaceflight. If you are a past participant in our SSTV events, please note that we will be using our newly updated gallery at *https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_SSTV/ <https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_SSTV/>* . ARISS has a new way to request a special certificate. When participants successfully receive at least one image and submit it at the new gallery, participants will be moved to a thank-you page. There, a person can read text about data protection, and press the button that says “I agree,” and receive an email in two weeks or sooner with a certificate. If a person submits additional images, the thank-you page tells them they have already asked for a certificate. Thanks to our user community for participating in ARISS. *[ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN, ARISS PR, for the above information]* ------------------------------ Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for November 8, 2024 Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/ SR-0 Demosat NORAD Cat ID 60455 Decayed from orbit on or about 02 November 2024 Binar 4 NORAD Cat ID 60952 Decayed from orbit on or about 04 November 2024 SO-121 NORAD Cat ID 58567 Decayed from orbit on or about 05 November 2024 Binar 3 NORAD Cat ID 60957 Decayed from orbit on or about 05 November 2024 *[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]* ------------------------------ *Need new satellite antennas? Purchase an M2 LEO-Pack from the **AMSAT Store! <https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/>**When you purchase through **AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards **Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.* ------------------------------ ARISS News Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. *International Aerospace School named after U.N. Sultanov, Ufa, Russia, direct via RZ9WWB* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Fri 2024-11-01 21:08 UTC If anyone heard this contact, please let ARISS know. *Scuola Primaria “Bandello”, Castelnuovo Scrivia, Italy, telebridge via VK6MJ* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams KD5PLB The ARISS mentor is IZ2GOJ Contact was successful: Thu 2024-11-07 07:56:25 UTC 25 deg Congratulations to the Scuola Primaria “Bandello” students, Sunita, mentor IZ2GOJ, and telebridge VK6MJ! *Bishop O'Connell HS, Arlington, VA, telebridge via VK4ISS* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember is Nick Hague The ARISS mentor is AA6TB Contact is go for: Fri 2024-11-15 18:06:21 UTC 46 deg *SWSU, Kursk, Russia, direct via TBD* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember is Alex Gorbunov The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Fri 2024-11-15 19:15 UTC *Cottam Scouts, Cottam, ON, Canada, telebridge via IK1SLD* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams KD5PLB The ARISS mentor is VE6JBJ Contact is go for: Sat 2024-11-16 18:17:04 UTC 53 deg *Aznakaevsky district resp. Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember is Ivan Vagner The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Tue 2024-11-19 16:05 UTC *Center for the Development of Children and Youth Creativity in the City of Pugachev, Saratov Region, Russia, direct via TBD* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember is Aleksey Ovchinin The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Wed 2024-11-20 15:15 UTC *Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD* The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled crewmember is Alex Gorbunov The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Thu 2024-11-21 11:25 UTC Many times a school may make a last minute decision to do a Livestream or run into a last minute glitch requiring a change of the URL but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming. As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down), If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. 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, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information]* ------------------------------ Upcoming Satellite Operations A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location. Guyana: Aldir, PY1SAD (ZZ1M), operates from Georgetown as 8R1TM between Oct. 12 and Nov. 24 on 160-10m (CW, SSB, digital modes) and via satellites. QSL via LoTW, eQSL, qrz.com. (From DXNL 2427 - October 9, 2024) *[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT Rover Page Manager, for the above information]* ------------------------------ * Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?* Get an AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store <https://www.zazzle.com/store/amsat_gear>! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space ------------------------------ AMSAT Ambassador Activities AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says, "Think a 75-minute presentation on "working the easy satellites" would be appropriate for your club or event? Let me know by emailing me at k6lcsclint (at) gmail (dot) com or calling me at 909-999-SATS (7287)!" Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+ presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences. Scheduled Events *Yuma HAMCON* *February 20-22, 2025* Yuma, AZ N1UW *[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program, for the above information]* ------------------------------ Satellite Shorts from All Over +Hackaday featured a homebrew LNA suitable for satellite operation on November 4th. https://hackaday.com/2024/11/04/a-lesson-in-rf-design-thanks-to-this-homebr… (Thanks to Hackaday for the informaiton) + AMSAT-EA released a statement on the decay of SO-121: "HADES-D (SO-121) satellite has re-entered the atmosphere, disintegrating as planned. Many thanks to the ham radio community for your support. We are glad that, even with its low power, many amateurs were able to make voice contacts and had fun receiving its telemetry." (Thanks to AMSAT-EA for the information) + FO-29's batteries are unable to support continuous operation of the analog transponder throughout its orbit after over 28 years. However, JARL continues to turn on the transponder at various times. Operation continues until the satellite's UVC (under-voltage control) automatically turns off the transponder. Times for the remainder of November are: Nov 10th 01:50 UTC Nov 16th 01:35 UTC Nov 17th 02:24 UTC Nov 23rd 02:09 UTC Nov 24th 01:15 UTC Nov 30th 02:43 UTC (Thanks to JARL for the information) ------------------------------ Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: - Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). - 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. - Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. *73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!* *This week's ANS Editor,* *Paul Stoetzer, N8HM* *n8hm [at] arrl.net <http://arrl.net>* *ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002*

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Re: Digipeater birds
by Jack Blake 09 Nov '24

09 Nov '24

Thanks for the update. I’ll look for you on the bird. I know all hams miss GreenCube (IO-117). On Sat, Nov 9, 2024 at 4:33 AM Jean Marc Momple via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > Good Afternoon, > > ISS confirmed not working. > > I was successful through SONATE-2, good digipeat during most of the pass. > > 73 > > > Jean Marc (3B8DU) > > On Nov 8, 2024, at 9:27 PM, Jack Blake <jblake8061(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > ISS and SONATE2 are the only ones I know of. ISS aprs is misconfigured at > this time. > > Jack L. Blake > > > > On Fri, Nov 8, 2024 at 7:32 AM Jean Marc Momple via AMSAT-BB < > amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > >> Dear All, >> >> I am trying to Digipeat try the ISS and GreenCube but both seem inactive. >> >> Any known working (active) digipeater these days? >> >> Thanks for any info anyone may provide. >> >> 73 >> >> >> Jean Marc (3B8DU) >> >> ----------------------------------------------------------- >> >> 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. >> Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at >> https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ >> >> 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 >> > > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > 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. > Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at > https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ > > 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

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MO-122 telemetry beacon level and update 9 Nov 2024
by Mark L. Hammond 09 Nov '24

09 Nov '24

9 Nov 2024 Hello Folks, Your continued collection of telemetry data for MO-122/MESAT1 is always appreciated. For the next couple of days the telemetry beacon on MO-122 will remain at its lowest power level. This puts the signal down a couple of dB, and it's noticeable from the ground. The low signal is a great opportunity to work on improving the sensitivity of our receiving stations! The transponder power remains the same--it's strong, thanks to AMSAT's LTM (Linear Transponder Module)! The satellite remains in good health. Since launch in early July, eclipse periods have increased a good deal, going from about 15 mins to nearly 29 mins. At the same time, the orbit has precessed so the bird appears over populated areas where the transponder gets more use while in eclipse. These conditions mean the battery is getting used more with less time to fully recharge. We keep a watchful eye on the battery and its reported capacity, and when there is an apparent decline it seems prudent to turn off the transponder for a couple of days to allow recovery. The low beacon for the next couple of days will allow us to see how much "relief" that gives to the power budget; it won't be much, but we can watch and learn. Managing a satellite's power budget is a balancing act of sorts. The good news is that by the end of February it looks like eclipse periods will drop back to around 17 mins. At the same time, the battery will be 4 months older--and have gone through a lot of orbits. Some fun math- from today until the end of February, there are 112 days. There are 1440 minutes per day, and MO-122 orbits about every 95 mins. 1440 min/day / 95 min/orbit is about 15 orbits per day. So, 15 orbits / day X 122 days means almost 1700 orbit and discharge/recharge cycles will occur before the end of February! Do that with your power drill battery pack ;) Hopefully my update will help provide an answer to the logical question, "why is the transponder being turned off and on?" As the guest payload on UMaine's satellite, we are doing our best to be good stewards of an important resource, while also learning about LTM, lithium batteries, and powerbudgets---all of which is helpful to our engineering teams as they work on new birds like Fox-Plus and the Golf family. Enjoy the bird! 73, Mark L. Hammond [N8MH] AMSAT Director and Command Station

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Re: Digipeater birds
by Jean Marc Momple 09 Nov '24

09 Nov '24

Good Afternoon, ISS confirmed not working. I was successful through SONATE-2, good digipeat during most of the pass. 73 Jean Marc (3B8DU) > On Nov 8, 2024, at 9:27 PM, Jack Blake <jblake8061(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > ISS and SONATE2 are the only ones I know of. ISS aprs is misconfigured at this time. > > Jack L. Blake > > > > On Fri, Nov 8, 2024 at 7:32 AM Jean Marc Momple via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org <mailto:amsat-bb@amsat.org>> wrote: > Dear All, > > I am trying to Digipeat try the ISS and GreenCube but both seem inactive. > > Any known working (active) digipeater these days? > > Thanks for any info anyone may provide. > > 73 > > > Jean Marc (3B8DU) > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org <http://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. > Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ <https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/> > > View archives of this mailing list at > https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/amsat-bb@amsat.org <https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/amsat-bb@amsat.org> > To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org <http://amsat.org/> > Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org <https://mailman.amsat.org/>

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2024-11-09 05:00 UTC
by aj9n＠aol.com 09 Nov '24

09 Nov '24

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2024-11-09 05:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: International Aerospace School named after U.N. Sultanov, Ufa, Russia, direct via RZ9WWB The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled crewmember is Alexander Gorbunov The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Fri 2024-11-01 21:08 UTC If anyone heard this contact, please let ARISS know. Bishop O'Connell HS, Arlington, VA, telebridge via VK4ISS The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled crewmember is Nick Hague The ARISS mentor is AA6TB Contact is go for: Fri 2024-11-15 18:06:21 UTC 46 deg Cottam Scouts, Cottam, ON, Canada, telebridge via IK1SLD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled crewmember is Sunita Williams KD5PLB The ARISS mentor is VE6JBJ Contact is go for: Sat 2024-11-16 18:17:04 UTC 53 deg Aznakaevsky district resp. Tatarstan, 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 latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled crewmember is Ivan Vagner The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Tue 2024-11-19 16:05 UTC Center for the Development of Children and Youth Creativity in the City of Pugachev, Saratov Region, 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 latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled crewmember is Aleksey Ovchinin The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Wed 2024-11-20 15:15 UTC 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 latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled crewmember is Alex Gorbunov The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Thu 2024-11-21 11:25 UTC Many times a school may make a last minute decision to do a Livestream or run into a last minute glitch requiring a change of the URL but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming. New Proposal Window is now open for US schools from 2024-10-07 to 2024-11-17. Full details are shown below. The crossband repeater continues to be active. If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. All dates and times listed follow International Standard ISO 8601 date and time format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2024-11-09 05:00 UTC. (***) Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2024-11-08 07:00 UTC. https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf ####################################################################################################################################### Comments on making general contacts I have been seeing a lot of traffic on Facebook and I suspect on other social media sites with people asking why they are not hearing the crew make general contacts. First off the crew is very busy on the ISS and they simply may not have the time to just pick up the microphone and talk. Also, one needs to be aware of their normal daily schedule. I have listed below the constraints that we at ARISS have to follow in order to schedule the school contacts. Hopefully this will help you better schedule your opportunities. Typical daily schedule Wakeup to Workday start= 1.5 hours Workday start to Workday end=12 hours Workday end to Sleep= 2 hours Sleep to wakeup= 8.5 hours The crew's usual waking period is 07:30 – 19:30 UTC. The most common times to find a crew member making casual periods are about one hour after waking up and about an hour before sleeping, when they have personal time. They're usually free most of the weekend, as well. SSTV events are not that often. So please check out https://www.ariss.org/ for the latest information or watch for the ARISS announcements. And don’t forget that the packet system is sometimes active. Check the status at https://www.ariss.org/ or http://www.issfanclub.eu to see if the packet system is active or not. As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. 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 ######################################################################################################################################## A multi-point telebridge contact means that each student will be on the telebridge from their own home. **************************************************************************************************************************************** ARISS is very aware of the impact that COVID-19 is having on schools and the public in general. As such, we may have last minute cancellations or postponements of school contacts. As always, I will try to provide everyone with near-real-time updates. Watch for future COVID-19 related announcements at https://www.ariss.org/ The following schools have now been postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19: Postponed: No new schools Cancelled: No new schools **************************************************************************************************************************************** The ARISS webpage is at https://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. The main page for Applying to Host a Scheduled Contact may be found at https://www.ariss.org/apply-to-host-an-ariss-contact.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS Contact Applications (United States) Call for Proposals The next proposal window for US schools and educational organizations to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS opens October 7, 2024 for contacts to be scheduled for July 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025. This proposal window is due to ARISS by November 17, 2024 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time (Nov. 18, 2024, 07:59 UTC). Proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and the proposal form can be found at www.ariss.org. An ARISS Introductory Webinar session will be held on October 16, 2024, at 7 PM ET (23:00 UTC). The Zoom link to sign up is: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpfuqpqzwiGdSZl0IXCPV6XP2OznBnaO… Find more information and proposal instructions, visit the ARISS-USA website at: https://ariss-usa.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact-in-the-usa/ Please direct any questions to ariss.us.education(a)gmail.com. For future proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal form, and dates and times of Information Webinars, go to www.ariss.org. About ARISS: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEAM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or public forms. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS Contact Applications (Europe, Africa and the Middle East) Schools and Youth organizations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East interested in setting up an ARISS radio contact with an astronaut on board the International Space Station are invited to submit an application from September to October and from February to April. Please refer to details and the application form at www.ariss-eu.org/school-contacts. Applications should be addressed by email to: school.selection.manager(a)ariss-eu.org ARISS Contact Applications (Canada, Central and South America, Asia and Australia and Russia) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Organizations outside the United States can apply for an ARISS contact by filling out an application. Please direct questions to the appropriate regional representative listed below. If your country is not specifically listed, send your questions to the nearest ARISS Region listed. If you are unsure which address to use, please send your question to the ARISS-Canada representative; they will forward your question to the appropriate coordinator. For the application, go to: https://www.ariss.org/ariss-application.html. ARISS-Canada and the Americas, except USA: Steve McFarlane, VE3TBD email to: ve3tbd(a)gmail.com ARISS-Japan, Asia, Pacific and Australia: Satoshi Yasuda, 7M3TJZ email to: ariss(a)iaru-r3.org, Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) https://www.jarl.org/ ARISS-Russia: Soyuz Radioljubitelei Rossii (SRR) https://srr.ru/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS is always glad to receive listener reports for the above contacts. ARISS thanks everyone in advance for their assistance. Feel free to send your reports to aj9n(a)amsat.org or aj9n(a)aol.com. Listen for the ISS on the downlink of 145.8Ø MHz unless otherwise noted. ******************************************************************************* All ARISS contacts are made via the Kenwood radio unless otherwise noted. ******************************************************************************* Several of you have sent me emails asking about the RAC ARISS website and not being able to get in. That has now been changed to https://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. **************************************************************************** Looking for something new to do? How about receiving DATV from the ISS? Please note that the HamTV system is back on board but awaiting re-installation. Please monitor ARISS-EU or ARISS-ON for the very latest news on the troubleshooting efforts. If interested, then please go to the ARISS-EU website for complete details. Look for the buttons indicating Ham Video. http://www.ariss-eu.org/ If you need some assistance, ARISS mentor Kerry N6IZW, might be able to provide some insight. Contact Kerry at kbanke(a)sbcglobal.net The HamTV webpage: https://www.amsat-on.be/hamtv-summary/ **************************************************************************** ARISS congratulates the following mentors who have now mentored over 100 schools: Sergey RV3DR with 246 Francesco IKØWGF with 154 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 154 Gaston ON4WF with 124 Steve VE3TBD with 124 Peter IN3GHZ with 122 **************************************************************************** The webpages listed below were all reviewed for accuracy. Out of date webpages were removed, and new ones have been added. If there are additional ARISS websites I need to know about, please let me know. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1786. Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1677. Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 48. Please feel free to contact me if more detailed statistics are needed. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact: South Dakota, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the Virgin Islands. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ QSL information may be found at: https://www.ariss.org/qsl-cards.html ISS callsigns: DPØISS, FXØISS, GB1SS, IRØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RSØISS **************************************************************************** Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correcti… Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415 **************************************************************************** Boeing CFT on orbit Sunita Williams KD5PLB Barry Wilmore SpaceX Crew-9 on orbit Nick Hague KG5TMV Alexander Gorbunov **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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Re: Attic antennas or other options
by Jon 08 Nov '24

08 Nov '24

Dear Mark, Glad to see the suggestion of a vertical antenna right from the AMSAT Director and Command Station. There are a lot of people using dual band vertical antennas with great success in our region. One of them even has worked up to Europe from India on LEOs. He even has a distance record on TEVEL 2, all because he has no scope for conventional LEO pack on top of the high rise building on which he lives. Only problem which we have noted in our LEO satellite group is that when you use a vertical antenna with a base station, RX is not that good and sometimes you end up TX on top of another station. It can be sorted out easily by just listening and calling back only those who you hear! 73 Jon, VU2JO On Fri, Nov 8, 2024 at 10:37 PM Mark L. Hammond via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > HI Richard, glad to see lots of remarks from folks on the list. I'll add > mine as an alternative to egg beaters... > > I think an underappreciated antenna of good value is the dual band ground > plane from Arrow: > https://www.arrowantennas.com/gp/gp146.html > > Specifically this one: > $85.00 GP146/440 - 1/4 Wave Ground Plane - (2 Meter) - (70cm OSJ) (FREE > U.S. SHIPPING) > > Now, put that up outside with a single run of good coax. Dual band, full > duplex! > > If needed you can add this dual band, VOX capable preamp: > SSB-Electronic GmbH 1032 > DBA 270 Duo-Band-Preamp. 2m + 70cm > HRO Discount Price: $289.95* > > A BIG negative---if you install the preamp, I don't see how to do full > duplex, which we really should use on the birds. Some like Greencube > didn't need full duplex. It's rare of course. > > Single coax run, nothing moves, hard to break---of course no gain, but you > know what? It's better than nothing. I use this for my omni SDR receiving > station. I could print some packets from Greencube, and can print AO-73 > when telemetry power is up. Not good enough to print MO-122 > frames--wondering if that might change when the leaves drop. > > Without the preamp, I've used the Arrow dual band ground plane to work Fox > birds---yes, full duplex! > > Another configuration---get two ground planes, two coax runs, and use one > on 2M and one on 70cm. Might only need a preamp on the 70cm side. > > And always remember---a good compromise should leave no one happy :) > > 73, > > Mark L. Hammond [N8MH] > AMSAT Director and Command Station > > > > On Fri, Nov 8, 2024 at 9:33 AM Richard Lawn via AMSAT-BB < > amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > >> Now that I’ve diagnosed that my AZ rotor has failed I’m wondering, at age >> 75, if I shouldn’t begin to make life a little easier. We do have a one >> story house but getting up and down from the roof and managing large >> antennas is getting more challenging and probably dangerous for me. >> >> I have an old pair of eggbeaters in the garage and I’m wondering if >> anyone has had any experience in using them, or something else, in an >> attic? This would make satellite operation more manageable for me, shorten >> my coax run and put me in a position of not having to find younger club >> members to help, and those are few and far between! >> >> 73 >> Rick, W2JAZ >> >> Sent from Gmail Mobile >> >> ----------------------------------------------------------- >> >> 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. >> Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at >> https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ >> >> 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 > > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > 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. > Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at > https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ > > 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

1 0

Re: Attic antennas or other options
by Mark Johns, K0JM 08 Nov '24

08 Nov '24

A more economical pre-amp, that performs just as well as the SSB, in my opinion, is at http://www.shf-elektronik.de/index.php/en/products/preamplifiers/preamplifi… I've used both the 2m and the 70cm versions for years. Flawless performance. Shipping time from Germany is fast. -- 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 Fri, Nov 8, 2024 at 11:07 AM Mark L. Hammond via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > HI Richard, glad to see lots of remarks from folks on the list. I'll add > mine as an alternative to egg beaters... > > I think an underappreciated antenna of good value is the dual band ground > plane from Arrow: > https://www.arrowantennas.com/gp/gp146.html > > Specifically this one: > $85.00 GP146/440 - 1/4 Wave Ground Plane - (2 Meter) - (70cm OSJ) (FREE > U.S. SHIPPING) > > Now, put that up outside with a single run of good coax. Dual band, full > duplex! > > If needed you can add this dual band, VOX capable preamp: > SSB-Electronic GmbH 1032 > DBA 270 Duo-Band-Preamp. 2m + 70cm > HRO Discount Price: $289.95* > > A BIG negative---if you install the preamp, I don't see how to do full > duplex, which we really should use on the birds. Some like Greencube > didn't need full duplex. It's rare of course. > > Single coax run, nothing moves, hard to break---of course no gain, but you > know what? It's better than nothing. I use this for my omni SDR receiving > station. I could print some packets from Greencube, and can print AO-73 > when telemetry power is up. Not good enough to print MO-122 > frames--wondering if that might change when the leaves drop. > > Without the preamp, I've used the Arrow dual band ground plane to work Fox > birds---yes, full duplex! > > Another configuration---get two ground planes, two coax runs, and use one > on 2M and one on 70cm. Might only need a preamp on the 70cm side. > > And always remember---a good compromise should leave no one happy :) > > 73, > > Mark L. Hammond [N8MH] > AMSAT Director and Command Station > > > > On Fri, Nov 8, 2024 at 9:33 AM Richard Lawn via AMSAT-BB < > amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > >> Now that I’ve diagnosed that my AZ rotor has failed I’m wondering, at age >> 75, if I shouldn’t begin to make life a little easier. We do have a one >> story house but getting up and down from the roof and managing large >> antennas is getting more challenging and probably dangerous for me. >> >> I have an old pair of eggbeaters in the garage and I’m wondering if >> anyone has had any experience in using them, or something else, in an >> attic? This would make satellite operation more manageable for me, shorten >> my coax run and put me in a position of not having to find younger club >> members to help, and those are few and far between! >> >> 73 >> Rick, W2JAZ >> >> Sent from Gmail Mobile >> >> ----------------------------------------------------------- >> >> 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. >> Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at >> https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ >> >> 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 > > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > 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. > Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at > https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ > > 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

1 0

Re: Attic antennas or other options
by crohtun＠aol.com 08 Nov '24

08 Nov '24

I live in an HOA so any permanent antenna has to be either disguised or indoors. Our attic storeroom over the garage is roomy, but not enough for a LEO pack. Instead, I have two duoband Yagis on the G5500. One is h-pol and one v-pol. A uhf coax switch in the attic allows me to flip between the two from the basement shack. On some sats, like JO-97, I change polarity frequently. On others maybe a couple of times in a pass at most. The h-pol also can be used for 2m/70cm weak signal terrestrial and the v-pol for FM, repeaters, packet, etc. Can email a photo to anyone interested; I don’t think the bb will let me post the photo. Ray KN2K Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS On Friday, November 8, 2024, 12:00 PM, DOUG WHITE via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: This is a timely thread. I have no choice but an attic antenna. I have acquired a GS5500 and 2 (big outdoor)cross polarized Yagis to match, but they definitely don’t fit the attic. I have looked and looked for smaller cross/circularly polarized antennas to use (including M2 Leo Pack) on the rotor in the attic and can’t find one. Now I’m planning to purchase an M2 Satpack eggbeater with pre-amp because it seems my only choice. One thing I don’t understand is how something that is NOT circularly or cross polarized will work on a rotor or fixed elevation setup. Using a handheld Arrow antenna which can also be twisted seems to often make all the difference in a viable signal. New to all this. _____________________________Doug - KC3VJS Odenton, MDdw_skyjockey@msn.comKC3VJS@arrl.net KC3VJS(a)winlink.orgHam shack Hotline: 6101851From: Frank Karnauskas (N1UW) via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Friday, November 8, 2024 11:18:44 AM To: Amsat BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Subject: [AMSAT-BB] Re: Attic antennas or other options  What the world needs for this situation is a “LEO Pack Lite.” Use the back half of the LEO Pack beams and someone who knows what they are doing recalc the element lengths. This is a simplification, of course, but any compromise would be better than nothing. Would also be a great improvement to rovers instead of handheld antennas. Having said that, I have used Egg Beaters and Lindenblads successfully but they do need preamps. Sure, preamps add noise but the bottom line is: THE BEST ANTENNA IS THE ONE YOU CAN PUT UP! Cheers, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW 3670 E. Kingler Spring Pl. Tucson, AZ 85718 (612) 644-9174 f.karnauskas(a)amsat.org From: Scott McDonald via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Friday, November 8, 2024 9:01 AM To: Richard Lawn <rjlawn(a)gmail.com>; Peter Goodhall <peter(a)2m0sql.com>; mikflathead(a)aol.com Cc: Amsat BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Subject: [AMSAT-BB] Re: Attic antennas or other options Rick, I ran eggbeaters in my attic before installing an el-az system there. I think the bottom line is the eggbeaters are doable, but they are pretty marginal receive performers below 30 degrees on a good day, and if you compound that by any significant attenuation from the roof or sidewalls it might be a pretty disappointing move. The suggestion to go with something steerable I'd think is really the route to go if you have room. There's a pic of my homebrews on my QRZ page, but if you Google around a bit there are several examples of folks using smaller almost Arrow-sized antennas at a fixed elevation. That takes a lot less space, is simple, and will really outperform the eggbeaters on the passes nearer the horizon. OTOH if you have a lot of room, I think N0JY had a pretty impressive set up documented on the internet a while back that might be worth checking out. In any event you might want to do an attenuation test in the attic on a few passes before making any decisions. I know I'm only losing a few dB when it's dry, but I have no foil-backed roofing materials to contend with, and I did find when I rotate past a large aluminized HVAC duct, I lose gain and directivity for 30 degrees or so. But there is a huge amount of joy in having the system indoors out of the weather, and in my case, out of view of the zoning police :) In ten years - zero maintenance other than to tighten a connector. Good luck. 73 Scott ka9p On Friday, November 8, 2024 at 09:10:32 AM CST, mikflathead--- via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: Another idea if you have enough room in the attic. Get the azimuth rotor repaired,move your outdoor antennas to the attic. May need to shorten antennas to clear the roof. On Friday, November 8, 2024 at 09:41:35 AM EST, Peter Goodhall via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: Rick, I'm in a single-story house and have health issues, my solution was to keep the antennas low my M2 LEO Yagis/Rotators are only 8ft off the ground and easy to manage and maintain Maybe worth considering before going the eggbeater route. Peter, 2M0SQL On Fri, 8 Nov 2024 at 14:34, Richard Lawn via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > > Now that I’ve diagnosed that my AZ rotor has failed I’m wondering, at age 75, if I shouldn’t begin to make life a little easier. We do have a one story house but getting up and down from the roof and managing large antennas is getting more challenging and probably dangerous for me. > > I have an old pair of eggbeaters in the garage and I’m wondering if anyone has had any experience in using them, or something else, in an attic? This would make satellite operation more manageable for me, shorten my coax run and put me in a position of not having to find younger club members to help, and those are few and far between! > > 73 > Rick, W2JAZ > > Sent from Gmail Mobile > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > 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. > Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available athttps://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ > > 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 athttps://mailman.amsat.org ----------------------------------------------------------- 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. Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available athttps://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ 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 athttps://mailman.amsat.org ----------------------------------------------------------- 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. Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ 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 ----------------------------------------------------------- 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. Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ 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

1 0

Re: Attic antennas or other options
by Mark L. Hammond 08 Nov '24

08 Nov '24

HI Richard, glad to see lots of remarks from folks on the list. I'll add mine as an alternative to egg beaters... I think an underappreciated antenna of good value is the dual band ground plane from Arrow: https://www.arrowantennas.com/gp/gp146.html Specifically this one: $85.00 GP146/440 - 1/4 Wave Ground Plane - (2 Meter) - (70cm OSJ) (FREE U.S. SHIPPING) Now, put that up outside with a single run of good coax. Dual band, full duplex! If needed you can add this dual band, VOX capable preamp: SSB-Electronic GmbH 1032 DBA 270 Duo-Band-Preamp. 2m + 70cm HRO Discount Price: $289.95* A BIG negative---if you install the preamp, I don't see how to do full duplex, which we really should use on the birds. Some like Greencube didn't need full duplex. It's rare of course. Single coax run, nothing moves, hard to break---of course no gain, but you know what? It's better than nothing. I use this for my omni SDR receiving station. I could print some packets from Greencube, and can print AO-73 when telemetry power is up. Not good enough to print MO-122 frames--wondering if that might change when the leaves drop. Without the preamp, I've used the Arrow dual band ground plane to work Fox birds---yes, full duplex! Another configuration---get two ground planes, two coax runs, and use one on 2M and one on 70cm. Might only need a preamp on the 70cm side. And always remember---a good compromise should leave no one happy :) 73, Mark L. Hammond [N8MH] AMSAT Director and Command Station On Fri, Nov 8, 2024 at 9:33 AM Richard Lawn via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > Now that I’ve diagnosed that my AZ rotor has failed I’m wondering, at age > 75, if I shouldn’t begin to make life a little easier. We do have a one > story house but getting up and down from the roof and managing large > antennas is getting more challenging and probably dangerous for me. > > I have an old pair of eggbeaters in the garage and I’m wondering if anyone > has had any experience in using them, or something else, in an attic? This > would make satellite operation more manageable for me, shorten my coax run > and put me in a position of not having to find younger club members to > help, and those are few and far between! > > 73 > Rick, W2JAZ > > Sent from Gmail Mobile > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > 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. > Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at > https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ > > 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

2 1

Re: Attic antennas or other options
by DOUG WHITE 08 Nov '24

08 Nov '24

Thanks Frank... That has been mentioned by a couple of my Elmers, but I have been hesitant. I have no idea how to go about that. Nor to determine if the new "lopped off" yagis still would outperform an eggbeater. Drilling the booms no problem. As far as length, just lop it off anywhere? I would assume leave it as long as possible to fit the space. I was planning to sell the whole rotor and antenna setup to fund the new eggbeater. I realize an eggbeater is less desireable. I am also attracted to the more simple setup and operation of the eggbeater to be honest. But if the "lopped off" yagi and G5500 setup is better than an eggbeater, I will consider it. DW ________________________________ From: mikflathead--- via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Friday, November 8, 2024 12:10 PM To: Frank Karnauskas (N1UW) <f.karnauskas(a)amsat.org>; Amsat BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org>; DOUG WHITE <dw_skyjockey(a)msn.com> Subject: [AMSAT-BB] Re: Attic antennas or other options Before spending any money I would try shortening the antennas you have. May be surprised. How hard would it be to redrill the booms you have if necessary to copy the LEO pack? Antennas have gotten silly expensive. On Friday, November 8, 2024 at 12:01:10 PM EST, DOUG WHITE via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: This is a timely thread. I have no choice but an attic antenna. I have acquired a GS5500 and 2 (big outdoor)cross polarized Yagis to match, but they definitely don’t fit the attic. I have looked and looked for smaller cross/circularly polarized antennas to use (including M2 Leo Pack) on the rotor in the attic and can’t find one. Now I’m planning to purchase an M2 Satpack eggbeater with pre-amp because it seems my only choice. One thing I don’t understand is how something that is NOT circularly or cross polarized will work on a rotor or fixed elevation setup. Using a handheld Arrow antenna which can also be twisted seems to often make all the difference in a viable signal. New to all this. _____________________________ Doug - KC3VJS Odenton, MD dw_skyjockey(a)msn.com KC3VJS(a)arrl.net KC3VJS(a)winlink.org Ham shack Hotline: 6101851 ________________________________ From: Frank Karnauskas (N1UW) via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Friday, November 8, 2024 11:18:44 AM To: Amsat BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Subject: [AMSAT-BB] Re: Attic antennas or other options What the world needs for this situation is a “LEO Pack Lite.” Use the back half of the LEO Pack beams and someone who knows what they are doing recalc the element lengths. This is a simplification, of course, but any compromise would be better than nothing. Would also be a great improvement to rovers instead of handheld antennas. Having said that, I have used Egg Beaters and Lindenblads successfully but they do need preamps. Sure, preamps add noise but the bottom line is: THE BEST ANTENNA IS THE ONE YOU CAN PUT UP! Cheers, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW 3670 E. Kingler Spring Pl. Tucson, AZ 85718 (612) 644-9174 f.karnauskas(a)amsat.org From: Scott McDonald via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Friday, November 8, 2024 9:01 AM To: Richard Lawn <rjlawn(a)gmail.com>; Peter Goodhall <peter(a)2m0sql.com>; mikflathead(a)aol.com Cc: Amsat BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Subject: [AMSAT-BB] Re: Attic antennas or other options Rick, I ran eggbeaters in my attic before installing an el-az system there. I think the bottom line is the eggbeaters are doable, but they are pretty marginal receive performers below 30 degrees on a good day, and if you compound that by any significant attenuation from the roof or sidewalls it might be a pretty disappointing move. The suggestion to go with something steerable I'd think is really the route to go if you have room. There's a pic of my homebrews on my QRZ page, but if you Google around a bit there are several examples of folks using smaller almost Arrow-sized antennas at a fixed elevation. That takes a lot less space, is simple, and will really outperform the eggbeaters on the passes nearer the horizon. OTOH if you have a lot of room, I think N0JY had a pretty impressive set up documented on the internet a while back that might be worth checking out. In any event you might want to do an attenuation test in the attic on a few passes before making any decisions. I know I'm only losing a few dB when it's dry, but I have no foil-backed roofing materials to contend with, and I did find when I rotate past a large aluminized HVAC duct, I lose gain and directivity for 30 degrees or so. But there is a huge amount of joy in having the system indoors out of the weather, and in my case, out of view of the zoning police :) In ten years - zero maintenance other than to tighten a connector. Good luck. 73 Scott ka9p On Friday, November 8, 2024 at 09:10:32 AM CST, mikflathead--- via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org<mailto:amsat-bb@amsat.org>> wrote: Another idea if you have enough room in the attic. Get the azimuth rotor repaired, move your outdoor antennas to the attic. May need to shorten antennas to clear the roof. On Friday, November 8, 2024 at 09:41:35 AM EST, Peter Goodhall via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org<mailto:amsat-bb@amsat.org>> wrote: Rick, I'm in a single-story house and have health issues, my solution was to keep the antennas low my M2 LEO Yagis/Rotators are only 8ft off the ground and easy to manage and maintain Maybe worth considering before going the eggbeater route. Peter, 2M0SQL On Fri, 8 Nov 2024 at 14:34, Richard Lawn via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org<mailto:amsat-bb@amsat.org>> wrote: > > Now that I’ve diagnosed that my AZ rotor has failed I’m wondering, at age 75, if I shouldn’t begin to make life a little easier. We do have a one story house but getting up and down from the roof and managing large antennas is getting more challenging and probably dangerous for me. > > I have an old pair of eggbeaters in the garage and I’m wondering if anyone has had any experience in using them, or something else, in an attic? This would make satellite operation more manageable for me, shorten my coax run and put me in a position of not having to find younger club members to help, and those are few and far between! > > 73 > Rick, W2JAZ > > Sent from Gmail Mobile > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available > to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. 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Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ 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<https://mailman.amsat.org/> ----------------------------------------------------------- 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. Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/ 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<https://mailman.amsat.org/>

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