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Fitsat-1
by Mike Seguin 13 Jan '14

13 Jan '14

I arrived home yesterday and found a rather large package in my mailbox. The return address was from the FITSAT-1 (Niwaka) Team. Enclosed in the package was a document that reported on the two years of research, development, and measurement activities carried out by the FITSAT Project. Although it was in Japanese, the figures give a very good idea of the scope of this project. There were two missions for the satellite. The first was an experiment on transmitting images taken by the satellite at the high-speed of 115.2 kbps using 5.84 GHz microwave communication for the first time. The second was to create, for the first time, an "artificial star" using LEDs mounted on the outside of the satellite. Both of these missions were successful! I was fortunate to receive the 5.84 GHz downlink here in Vermont using my modified 5.76 GHz terrestrial microwave system. I have to say this was one of the most exciting times for me and ranks up there with the first successful AO-40 QSO I had using the 24 GHz downlink and the first time I successfully sent a command to AO-7! (I changed the beacon code speed) Congratulations to the FITSAT-1 team on a wonderful satellite and hope for more in the future! -- 73, Mike, N1JEZ AMSAT 29,649 "A closed mouth gathers no feet"

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DTMF on HF?
by Robert Bruninga 13 Jan '14

13 Jan '14

Has anyone had any experience with any success at DTMF working on HF for some rudimentary commands? I know tuning is critical as well as inter-tone noise must be way down. Just thought maybe someone has experimented with it. Bob, WB4aPR

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crude receiver
by Lizeth Norman 13 Jan '14

13 Jan '14

Hi all! Could I build a microwave receiver for satellite using a yig, mixer, the appropriate Local oscillator and an SDR dongle for receive of some kind? I do have an IF filter and so forth. Norm n3ykf

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Aist 1/2 (RS-41/43) Active on 435 MHz
by M5AKA 13 Jan '14

13 Jan '14

See http://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/13/aist-12-rs-4143-active-on-435-mhz/ ---- 73 Trevor M5AKA AMSAT-UK website http://amsat-uk.org/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/AMSAT-UK/208113275898396 Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK ----

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SO-50 Over Europe
by Peter Wilson 12 Jan '14

12 Jan '14

Hi All, I am having great fun and a reasonable amount of success on all the SSB satellites, but not a lot of luck on SO-50. It seems to me that everyone is trying to get in - with little success - leading to very few contacts between anyone made on each pass. Is it me, or is this usual on a single channel FM satellite? I've seen a number of YouTube videos of this satellite over the USA with many contacts made with hand-held rigs? Peter G8KEK

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SWR on Satellite antennas
by Peter Wilson 11 Jan '14

11 Jan '14

Hi All, Another question from a newbie. I noticed the SWR on Tx whilst operating AO-07 mode b was 2:1 on 432.125Mhz. (A bit high for me...) However, on VO-52 and AO-73, the SWR is 1:1, which is of course due to the fact that they are 3Mhz away from Ao-07. The UK band plan for satellite operation is 435Mhz - 438Mhz and my antenna is virtually flat throughout that range. So, I have two questions. 1) Should I be worried about damaging my rig (IC-9100) with the 2:1 SWR on AO-07? 2) Will future satellites be in the 435 to 438Mhz range? Thanks Peter G8KEK

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AO-73 Doppler shift
by Peter Wilson 11 Jan '14

11 Jan '14

Hi all, I'm having great fun on all the operational satellites, including AO-73. However, I find that even using CAT control I have to adjust the uplink frequency almost constantly throughout the pass. I have to shift buy about 3500Hz overall from start to finish, increasing all the time. Is everyone else seeing the same effect? Peter G8KEK

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Re: antenna help
by Nick Pugh K5QXJ 11 Jan '14

11 Jan '14

Hi Bob By comparing the hot sun to cold sky you can figure out the Ratio of antenna gain to system noise. My system noise is undetermined I suspect that my antenna are under performing by about 5 db and I would like to compare it to somebody else antenna. The solar flux numbers are available at both UHF and VHF nick From: Robert Bruninga [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2014 8:10 AM To: Nick Pugh K5QXJ Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] antenna help Is it not possible to simply point at the sun and observe the sun noise as a way to baseline your station performance? I dont remember if this can work on VHF or UHF, but it works for microwave. Maybe some experts know the answer... bob, wb4apr On Sat, Jan 11, 2014 at 5:12 AM, Nick Pugh K5QXJ <quadpugh(a)bellsouth.net> wrote: I am trying to check out my antennas. I am looking for someone on the list that has the ability to measure the incoming receive level of signal on a high gain antenna at UHF/VHF . If you have that ability like a flex 5000 uv or similar please contact me off list Thanks nick Office 337 593 8700 <tel:337%20593%208700> Cell 337 258 2527 <tel:337%20258%202527> Helping UL become a world Class Engineering and Educational School _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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antenna help
by Nick Pugh K5QXJ 11 Jan '14

11 Jan '14

I am trying to check out my antennas. I am looking for someone on the list that has the ability to measure the incoming receive level of signal on a high gain antenna at UHF/VHF . If you have that ability like a flex 5000 uv or similar please contact me off list Thanks nick Office 337 593 8700 Cell 337 258 2527 Helping UL become a world Class Engineering and Educational School

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Japanese Amateur Radio Satellites Launch Feb/March
by M5AKA 11 Jan '14

11 Jan '14

Japanese Amateur Radio Satellites Launch Feb/March http://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/10/japanese-amateur-radio-satellites-launch-feb… Space Station orbit live on Channel 4 HD TV http://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/11/space-station-orbit-live-on-channel-4-tv-2/ Ham radio CubeSats launched to ISS http://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/09/ham-radio-cubesats-launched-to-iss/ ---- 73 Trevor M5AKA AMSAT-UK website http://amsat-uk.org/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/AMSAT-UK/208113275898396 Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK ----

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Re: DTMF on HF?
by kc6uqh＠cox.net 11 Jan '14

11 Jan '14

Howie, The original Marine selective call used two tones which toggled controlling a mechanical escapement. At the end of each 0-9 digit the hold tone was kept on & a pawl would hold the escapement wheel if a pin was placed for that number in the wheel. The next digit would then be dialed. If it was the correct number the escapement would move around to a fixed contact that would sound a bell. If it was the wrong digit the wheel would return to the start position. This system was used on Marine and land mobile phone systems until the SS revolution in the 70's Art, KC6UQH -----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Howie DeFelice Sent: Friday, January 10, 2014 12:18 PM To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: DTMF on HF? Bob, I don't have any experience using DTMF on HF but back in the day before satcom, commercial marine HF SSB coast stations used a dual tone selective calling system made by Lorain Electronics. The encoder used 11 tones, one each for the digits 0-9 and a carrier tone. Each digit was transmitted along with the carrier tone and the difference in frequency was detected to decode the digit. This compensated for small frequency variations. These worked very well. You could probably do a similar thing with a single row or column of DTMF if you didn't need more than 4 digits. Howie AB2S _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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Fwd: Re: Re: DTMF on HF?
by Joe Leikhim 11 Jan '14

11 Jan '14

True, But fixing on the receive end would be more spectrum efficient. And you need to autotune the suppressed carrier anyway requiring receiver side complexity, so why not give DSP a challenge to do it in the blind? With DSP so readily available, I am surprised doppler correction of voice has not been explored. On 1/11/2014 12:05 AM, kc6uqh(a)cox.net wrote: > Joe, > A -16dB pilot carrier would solve the frequency offset problem. This was a > common solution for Marine shore stations in the last century. > Art, > KC6UQH > > -----Original Message----- > From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Joe Leikhim > Sent: Friday, January 10, 2014 2:31 PM > To: amsat-bb(a)AMSAT.Org > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: DTMF on HF? > > Since DTMF has two tones for each number, it would seem possible that you > could have some DSP detect the difference frequency of each pair and then > either adjust its decoders or QSY the receiver's VCO to get a lock. > There are a ton of small development boards like Raspberry PI that have > hardware that might be able to do this. > > Has anybody got the AMSAT-bb daily digest to work through their e-mail > provider other than Gmail? > > -- > Joe Leikhim > > > Leikhim and Associates > > Communications Consultants > > Oviedo, Florida > > JLeikhim(a)Leikhim.com > > 407-982-0446 > > WWW.LEIKHIM.COM > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > -- Joe Leikhim Leikhim and Associates Communications Consultants Oviedo, Florida JLeikhim(a)Leikhim.com 407-982-0446 WWW.LEIKHIM.COM

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Re: DTMF on HF?
by kc6uqh＠cox.net 11 Jan '14

11 Jan '14

Joe, A -16dB pilot carrier would solve the frequency offset problem. This was a common solution for Marine shore stations in the last century. Art, KC6UQH -----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Joe Leikhim Sent: Friday, January 10, 2014 2:31 PM To: amsat-bb(a)AMSAT.Org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: DTMF on HF? Since DTMF has two tones for each number, it would seem possible that you could have some DSP detect the difference frequency of each pair and then either adjust its decoders or QSY the receiver's VCO to get a lock. There are a ton of small development boards like Raspberry PI that have hardware that might be able to do this. Has anybody got the AMSAT-bb daily digest to work through their e-mail provider other than Gmail? -- Joe Leikhim Leikhim and Associates Communications Consultants Oviedo, Florida JLeikhim(a)Leikhim.com 407-982-0446 WWW.LEIKHIM.COM _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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Re: DTMF on HF?
by Joe Leikhim 11 Jan '14

11 Jan '14

The software could first solve for one pair of tones then another, then add or subtract the offset and choose the pair that has the correct fundamental tones. -- Joe Leikhim Leikhim and Associates Communications Consultants Oviedo, Florida JLeikhim(a)Leikhim.com 407-982-0446 WWW.LEIKHIM.COM

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Re: DTMF on HF?
by Joe Leikhim 11 Jan '14

11 Jan '14

Since DTMF has two tones for each number, it would seem possible that you could have some DSP detect the difference frequency of each pair and then either adjust its decoders or QSY the receiver's VCO to get a lock. There are a ton of small development boards like Raspberry PI that have hardware that might be able to do this. Has anybody got the AMSAT-bb daily digest to work through their e-mail provider other than Gmail? -- Joe Leikhim Leikhim and Associates Communications Consultants Oviedo, Florida JLeikhim(a)Leikhim.com 407-982-0446 WWW.LEIKHIM.COM

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SatPC32 - New version
by Peter Wilson 10 Jan '14

10 Jan '14

All, Please note there is a new version (12.8c) of SatPC32 available for download. This version has a number of new features - like attaching the "Countdown" window to the main window. Thanks to everyone for helping me over the past few weeks with a number of topics. I am now fully active on all satellites. Peter G8KEK

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Re: DTMF on HF?
by Howie DeFelice 10 Jan '14

10 Jan '14

Bob, I don't have any experience using DTMF on HF but back in the day before satcom, commercial marine HF SSB coast stations used a dual tone selective calling system made by Lorain Electronics. The encoder used 11 tones, one each for the digits 0-9 and a carrier tone. Each digit was transmitted along with the carrier tone and the difference in frequency was detected to decode the digit. This compensated for small frequency variations. These worked very well. You could probably do a similar thing with a single row or column of DTMF if you didn't need more than 4 digits. Howie AB2S

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Antares Successfully Launched
by B J 09 Jan '14

09 Jan '14

The flight was smooth and Cygnus has deployed its photovoltaic arrays. Rendezvous and docking with the ISS is scheduled for Sunday. 73s Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL

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17.07 pass (next pass) qrv 2M1EUB/P io87nc
by paul robinson 09 Jan '14

09 Jan '14

ill be abt on ao7 /b if any one interested next pass de paul 2M1EUB/P

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W5PFG/P FN42-45, FN32-35 - QRV next week
by Clayton Coleman 09 Jan '14

09 Jan '14

12-17 January, I plan to activate several grids in the corridor FN42-45 & FN32-35 all the way from Massachusetts into VE2-land. Most of these are well represented by home stations but a few are not very active. If you need any these grids worked/confirmed, please let me know via email off-BB. The more requests received, the more likely I will work more than one pass from a particular grid or boundary. I'll be active on AO-7/B, FO-29, VO-52, AO-73, SO-50 by sked or as time allows. 73 Clayton W5PFG

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DSTAR NET
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 09 Jan '14

09 Jan '14

D STAR AMSAT users net tonight 0200 utc on REF60B W4LET Memphis WA4HFN

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looking for software
by Nick Pugh K5QXJ 09 Jan '14

09 Jan '14

We Have a tnc x and running win 7 we are looking for software that will let us output KISS to the tnc-x and emulate a normal tnc Thanks nick Office 337 593 8700 Cell 337 258 2527 Helping UL become a world Class Engineering and Educational School

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Antares Launch Rescheduled
by B J 09 Jan '14

09 Jan '14

http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/january/orbital-sciences-launch-to-space-sta… http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/01/orbitals-antares-loft-cygnus-orb-1-m… http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/01/08/orbital-antares-launch-thursday/ 73s Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL

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Re: Worlds first 3400 MHz CubeSat
by Howie DeFelice 08 Jan '14

08 Jan '14

Thanks Trevor, Hope their data format includes a loooong preamble to help acquire data. The doppler is going to horrific.. Howie AB2S

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Finding yourself on the linear transponders
by Ronald G. Parsons 08 Jan '14

08 Jan '14

Perhaps it’s just me, but it seems like an increasing number of operators are trying to find their downlink by speaking into their mic while tuning up and down the band, often plus or minus 20-30 kHz. Not only is this disruptive to existing QSOs, it is not the most effective way to do it. My receiver has a panadapter with a 40 KHz bandwidth, and I can see these SSB signals swishing up and down, over and over. If you don’t have computer control of your frequency, set up a switch by which you can send a SHORT series of dits. Then don’t swish. Adjust your transmitter is steps of about 3 kHz. Send a burst of dits at low power and listen. If you don’t hear yourself, tune up or down. This way you will have an effective way to find yourself and you won’t interrupt other QSOs repeatedly. Once you find yourself, make sure you are not interfering with an existing QSO. Then refine your tuning until your frequency is nearly right. If you are operating CW, your done. If you are operating SSB, try holding a tone generator near your mic and adjust your transmitter or receiver until the tone on the downlink matches the tone generator. There is probably a free tone generator available for your smart phone. Better yet, try computer control of your transmitter and receiver. You can easily find an Elmer on the air if you need help. But, PLEASE. don’t swish! Ron W5RKN

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Antares Launch Scrubbed
by B J 08 Jan '14

08 Jan '14

http://www.americaspace.com/?p=48646 http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/01/orbitals-antares-loft-cygnus-orb-1-m… 73s Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL

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Looking for new Emotator EV-800DX
by Luthfi 08 Jan '14

08 Jan '14

Dear all, I am looking for to purchase new Emotator EV-800DX to replace my old one. I have search on internet for email contact or web address of the manufacturer, but I couldn't get any. Does anyone know where I can contact to purchase the device? Many thanks, Luthfi Parepare, South Sulawesi Indonesia

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Worlds first 3400 MHz CubeSat
by M5AKA 08 Jan '14

08 Jan '14

UNSA-SAT1 plans to have a 3400 MHz downlink as well as downlinks in the 2400 and 5830 MHz bands, see http://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/08/unsa-sat1-the-first-3-4-ghz-cubesat/ ---- 73 Trevor M5AKA AMSAT-UK website http://amsat-uk.org/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/AMSAT-UK/208113275898396 Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK ----

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LEO-satellites-antennas... ?
by Jens Spiess 07 Jan '14

07 Jan '14

Hi all , I would like to work the LEO-satellites after a stop of my amsat-activities since 12 years now again . But I have changed my QTH in the Swiss-Alps and the weather is at a lot of times of the year very roughly . (A lot of snow, ice and storms ...) So , I want NOT use long YAGI-Antennas with rotators again – ... or so on ..- because all was always and always – also the rotator – demaged . So I am interested to use – maybe – only fixed antennas for 2m/70cm like the edgbeater from M2 or the other like this (I found it in the internet ) : http://www.antennas.us/store/p/229-UC-4364-328-UHF-Amateur-Satellite-Antenn… BUY BOTH as KIT : ================= UC-AMSAT-KITP, 2 m / 70 cm Passive Amateur Satellite Antenna Kit Item #: UC-AMSAT-KITP-VHFL-UHFR-N-VHF-10ft-UHF-10ft Availability: approx. 2 weeks Usually ships In approx. 2 weeks Price: $250.00 But they will always use with low-noise 20 dB-gain-Preamplifieres installed on the top of my house directly after the antennas . Can anybody tell me , which antenna-types will get the best results as fixed-mounted ones or have anybody experiences or maked a compare between these antennas ...? Like this : http://www.antennas.us/store/p/229-UC-4364-328-UHF-Amateur-Satellite-Antenn… ??? or these : http://www.m2inc.com/pdf_manuals/EB-144%20_%20RK2M.pdf ??? Which of them will be better work for LEO-communication ...?? 73 de Jens / HB9JOI

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17.16 gmt AO7/B PASS QQV 2M1EUB/P
by paul robinson 07 Jan '14

07 Jan '14

Ill try the 17.16 pass on ao7/b if any one is looking for me de paul 2M1EUB/P io87nc

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Delfi-n3XT - Telemetry Decoded Finally
by Nitin Muttin 07 Jan '14

07 Jan '14

Finally decoded the telemetry from Delfi- n3XT cubesat after much trying. I was using Funcube Dongle Pro + SDR# set at 6 Khz Bandwidth+ Orbitron plugin + Preamp + Dude 5.1 telemetry client from the project team + 7 element Yagi. Could not capture the screen shot from Dude as my PC hanged. A video is available at http://youtu.be/JcM1OW-shX8 (Older video relating to how this works) DK3WN Satblog http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?p=40353 73 Nitin [VU3TYG]

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UKube-1 and other CubeSats in SatMagazine
by M5AKA 06 Jan '14

06 Jan '14

The January 2014 issue of the free SatMagazine features a number of CubeSats, see http://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/06/ukube-1-in-satmagazine/ ---- 73 Trevor M5AKA AMSAT-UK website http://amsat-uk.org/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/AMSAT-UK/208113275898396 Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK ----

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Re: Mobile/Portable Ops
by Clint Bradford 06 Jan '14

06 Jan '14

CRAIG >> ... Just thought I would post this up, it may be of interest to some of you .. I have the Puxing UV-973 available now ... true full-duplex / dual-receive / crossband repeating HT. It received FCC certification last November. Clint K6LCS http://www.puxing973.us 909-241-7666 - cell

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FW: FM Mobile/Portable Ops
by Craig Gagner 06 Jan '14

06 Jan '14

Here is something for those of us that like Full Duplex Operation on the FM Birds! Ed Griffin owner of Import Communications / wouxun.us is now carrying a new HT made by AnyTone. It is a Full Dual band HT and a Full Duplex Cross Band Repeater version will be released in Mid January. The model number for the full duplex version will be the AT-3318UV-C. The A version is currently available but does not do full duplex, see the link. http://www.wouxun.us/item.php?item_id=320 <http://www.wouxun.us/item.php?item_id=320&category_id=64> &category_id=64 The projected price will be $199 which seems like a good price for a Full Duplex HT . The specs are pretty much the exact same as the A Model with the addition of Cross Band repeater and Full Duplex. Just thought I would post this up, it may be of interest to some of you .. 73 Craig W1MSG

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CAPE-2 orbit #711
by Roland Zurmely 05 Jan '14

05 Jan '14

CAPE-2 orbit #711 over GH70un Sete Lagoas Brasil Received CW beacon: W5UL CAPE2 OR V5178 @ 17:37 UTC Sent command Green mode Received CW beacon: W5UL CAPE2 GN V5129 @ 17:38 UTC Sent command Force beacon @17:39 UTC Received AX25 beacon: 1:Fm W5UL-15 To W5UL <UI F/C Pid=F0 Len=68> [15:53:29R] +W5UL,CAPE-2,5,GR,201301281923CST,5086mV,010-1,5,26C,13C,ulcape.org# Sent command Get Health beacon @17:40 UTC Received AX25 beacon: 1:Fm W5UL-15 To W5UL <UI F/C Pid=F0 Len=59> [15:53:34R] W5UL,5224,825,5204,-1,5200,51,5200,GR,001,25,13,ulcape.org# Please see picture here: http://www.qsl.net/py4zbz/cape.htm#i 73 de Roland PY4ZBZ

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19.23z CQ USA AO7/B 145.950
by paul robinson 05 Jan '14

05 Jan '14

Looking state side 19.23 small window via the mountain dips...from io87nc NE Scotland ...145.950 AO7 /B and fo29 passes de paul 2M1EUB/P Location Ordie Aberdeenshire Scotlaand.

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2M1EUB/P QRV IO87NC grid SCOTLAND
by paul robinson 05 Jan '14

05 Jan '14

Snow and high winds but now abt on the birds ,high mountains in the way but able to be qrv on some passes...ill be abt all week de paul 2E1EUB/2M1EUB/P

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Cape-2
by Roland Zurmely 05 Jan '14

05 Jan '14

CW beacon orbit #696 at 18:05 UTC: W5UL CAPE2 OR V5096 73 de Roland PY4ZBZ

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Almost There
by Joel Black 05 Jan '14

05 Jan '14

After a rocky start to my Christmas Vacation (I fell off a ladder while pruning limbs from a tree - nothing broken, just banged up and bruised), I almost have my satellite station back on the air. After doing some selling and horse-trading, I am back in possession of my FT-847 that I sold to my dad. After cleaning out my storage building, I found a couple of fairly long runs of LMR400UF. I need to measure them, but I think it is more than enough to get me outside and up the mast. I also have a U-100 control box thanks to someone on the list. I operate an iMac with Mac OS X 10.9.1 so, for now, I am using SatPC32 on my virtual machine. I have played around with MacDopplerPro, but it locks up on my computer continuously. I don't know if it has something to do with the USB-to-serial converter (I *do* have a null modem cable between the USB-to-serial converter and the FT-847), or if MDP is just limited in the unregistered version. The USB adapter works fine with my K3. Let me ask a question about the Arrow Antenna. Someone mentioned Elk Antennas and, while I'm sure it's a fine product, I am already in possession of the Arrow. I've done a lot of reading and without getting into the arguments about Arrow vs. Elk and length of elements, etc., element isolation, and published vs. unpublished gain amounts let me tell you what I'm thinking: First, I'm going to eliminate the diplexer. I will not need it for one thing. For another, it's limited to 10 W max input. From what I have read, my gain will be increased quite a bit. I don't remember the exact amount, but it's quite dramatic. Second, the feed on the Arrow is a gamma match. From my reading, and I'm no engineer, for a gamma match to work properly the element(s) (at least the driven element) needs to be grounded. That's fine and, again, I don't want to get into the "why's" I just want to make sure I'm correct. Therefore, my question is: Is there any reason I cannot turn the driven element 90 degrees to allow for a better connection to the BNC connector? Maybe not even 90 degrees, but enough to get to the BNC connector without the male connector on the cable touching the boom. I want to weatherproof those connections. What I'd like to do after I turn the gamma match is feed it with a very short length of LMR240 and then into a preamp. After the preamp, I'll have the LMR400UF to run to the FT-847. Most gamma matches I see on commercial antennas are on the side of the antenna - if horizontal, they're below (or above) the boom; if vertical, it's off to one side. The Arrow is the only antenna I've seen with a gamma match on which the gamma match is not to one side or the other of the boom. I hope I'm making sense. Anyway, I wanted to let those folks who helped out know that I appreciate it and that I'm much closer to being back on the birds than I was a few weeks ago. 73, Joel - W4JBB

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WEATHER EFFECT ON SATELLITE SIGNALS
by Peter Wilson 04 Jan '14

04 Jan '14

Hi everyone, Firstly, thank you to the many people who have helped me over the last few days with getting started on the sats, you have all been very helpful. I have now worked all the current satellites, including AO-07 and managed to get the doppler shift sorted out with Satpc32. However, today I had a problem hearing both FO-29 and AO-52 - both were good passes. We had some very bad weather here in the UK so I was wondering if the cloud cover can affect the up/downlink. Peter G8KEK

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Hillbilly Tracking for Low Earth Orbit Satellites
by M5AKA 04 Jan '14

04 Jan '14

Hillbilly Tracking for Low Earth Orbit Satellites http://amsat-uk.org/2013/12/29/hillbilly-tracking-for-low-earth-orbit-satel… High Resolution Data available on FUNcube Data Warehouse http://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/03/high-resolution-data-available-on-funcube-da… Winter Issue of OSCAR News http://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/03/winter-issue-of-oscar-news-2/ UK ‘DIY space kit shop’ on Yahoo News http://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/02/uk-diy-space-kit-shop-on-yahoo-news/ Lithuanian CubeSats may launch Next Week http://amsat-uk.org/2013/12/28/lithuanian-cubesats-launch-next-month/ ---- 73 Trevor M5AKA AMSAT-UK website http://amsat-uk.org/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/AMSAT-UK/208113275898396 Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK ----

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Re: SATPC32 and SDR Sharp connect?
by PA3GUO 04 Jan '14

04 Jan '14

Problem fixed after talking with Jan PE0SAT (thanks Jan!) Need to use a newer version of SDR Sharp: - version 'stable' (v1.0.0.1000) does not work well with the DDE - version 'dev' (rev 1173) does work ! Henk, PA3GUO -----Oorspronkelijk bericht----- Van: PA3GUO [mailto:[email protected]] Verzonden: zaterdag 4 januari 2014 13:06 Aan: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Onderwerp: SATPC32 and SDR Sharp connect? When I use the DDE tracker plug-in from Ian Gilmour (MM6DOS) as described also here: http://www.pe0sat.vgnet.nl/tag/sdrsharp/ I do indeed see in SDR Sharp the DDE Client. I also can see when I connect it the realtime output of SATPC32 correctly displayed (sat name, freq, ..). However, when I hit PLAY to start the FCD to become active, the DDE information freezes (no updates anymore) and the FCD also does not go to the freq from the DDE. Who can tell me what I do wrong ? Henk, PA3GUO

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SATPC32 and SDR Sharp connect?
by PA3GUO 04 Jan '14

04 Jan '14

When I use the DDE tracker plug-in from Ian Gilmour (MM6DOS) as described also here: http://www.pe0sat.vgnet.nl/tag/sdrsharp/ I do indeed see in SDR Sharp the DDE Client. I also can see when I connect it the realtime output of SATPC32 correctly displayed (sat name, freq, ..). However, when I hit PLAY to start the FCD to become active, the DDE information freezes (no updates anymore) and the FCD also does not go to the freq from the DDE. Who can tell me what I do wrong ? Henk, PA3GUO

1 0

Mirage KP-2-2M preamp performance
by n4csitwo＠bellsouth.net 04 Jan '14

04 Jan '14

If anyone out there has any experience with the Mirage KP-2-2M receive pre-amp for amateur satellites, I would welcome any comments on it's performance. I'm mentoring a school that is considering using it for an ARISS contact. Thanks, Dave, AA4KN --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com

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SATPC32 will Flex radios
by Alan 03 Jan '14

03 Jan '14

Hi, Dave, W0DHB has been working on a program to make the Flex PowerSDR look more like a Kenwood TS-2000 for use with SatPC32. I have it running on mine, and it is a real please to see everything working as SatPC32 intended! He has been having problems getting his message posted here, so I am forwarding it. Be certain to contact Dave directly. 73s, Alan WA4SCA ======================================== From: David W0DHB [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, January 2, 2014 11:22 AM To: 'AMSAT-BB' Subject: SATPC32 will Flex radios If anyone is interested I've written a program that intercepts CAT commands from SATPC32 configured as a TS-2000, massages them into Flex PowerSDR CAT and Passes them on to the Flex Radio. It was developed primarily for my own use with a Flex-5000 with V/U option and really streamlines SAT operations. Please contact me offline if you are interested in giving it a try. Thanks Dave W0DHB

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High Resolution Data available for download from the FUNcube Data Warehouse
by David Johnson 03 Jan '14

03 Jan '14

**Hi, As promised, we are making the High Resolution Data available for download on the Data Warehouse: https://warehouse.funcube.org.uk/highres.html?satelliteId=2 It contains Hi-Res data generated every hour, on the hour for the 60 minutes preceding the extract. Please note that unlike the Whole Orbit Data, the Hi-Res data may be incomplete (have significant gaps) because of a lack of ground stations on the ground track. Now that we have the WOD and Hi-Res extracts working, we are going to move on to the RealTime extract. 73 Dave, G4DPZ

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CAPE-2 over Brazil
by Roland Zurmely 02 Jan '14

02 Jan '14

Orbit #651, 19:17 UTC, 01-01-2014 continuous 500 Hz FM tone, and at the first silence, 2 successful commands: Set Green mode. Force beacon. Recieved Beacon: +W5UL,CAPE-2,3,GR,201301281945CST,5002mV,01014,3,40C,27C,ulcape.org# Happy New Year to all ! 73 de Roland PY4ZBZ GH70un

2 1

SpaceX Launch Postponed
by B J 02 Jan '14

02 Jan '14

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/01/spacex-falcon-9-v1-1-static-fire-tes… 73s Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL

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AO-7 lost track
by Bob- W7LRD 02 Jan '14

02 Jan '14

I lost track of the "switch over" on AO-7. Trying make a sked with the UK later in Jan. Happy New year to all my satellite friends. Check out Jan. QST page 20. 73 Bob W7LRD CN87

4 5

ISS packet resource
by Alan 02 Jan '14

02 Jan '14

Hi, Andrew, VK4TEC has a nice resource focused on the ISS packet operation: http://vk4tec.no-ip.org/space_station/4_frames.htm It is still a work in progress, but provides a nice quick look. 73s. Alan WA4SCA ----------------------------------- Keep Calm and Carry On

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LVB Tracker
by Scott Smith 02 Jan '14

02 Jan '14

Hi folks, any news on when a new batch of te LVB trackers will be available?. I would like to order one with the new Blue screen. 73 de VE6ITV Scott

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Re: AWARD
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 01 Jan '14

01 Jan '14

The grid must be in the USA , but the contact may be in the Mexico side of the grid it is ok DL80 will not count Damon WA4HFN ----- Original Message ----- From: "Clayton Coleman" <kayakfishtx(a)gmail.com> To: wa4hfn(a)comcast.net, "Rick - WA4NVM" <wa4nvm(a)comcast.net> Sent: Wednesday, January 1, 2014 11:03:03 AM Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AWARD Damon, Can you clarify something for me? It says "in the U.S.A." which to mean means the contact with a person in DL-land must be someone in one of the grids DL79,DL89,DL88,DL98,DL99 that are in Texas, USA. A contact with someone in DL80 (Mexico) shouldn't count, right? I think keeping it so that the grids have to be in the USA makes it a little more challenging. I like the idea of using SSB as a requirement, too. 73 Clayton W5PFG On Wed, Jan 1, 2014 at 10:31 AM, <wa4hfn(a)comcast.net> wrote: > The Got Grids ? award is now active who will be #1 > Good luck to all > > http://www.starcommgroup.org/gotgrids.html > > The Star Comm Group wishes everyone a Happy New Year > WA4HFN em55 > Damon > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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AWARD
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 01 Jan '14

01 Jan '14

The Got Grids ? award is now active who will be #1 Good luck to all http://www.starcommgroup.org/gotgrids.html The Star Comm Group wishes everyone a Happy New Year WA4HFN em55 Damon

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Newbie: Doppler / IC9100
by Peter Wilson 01 Jan '14

01 Jan '14

Many thanks to everyone who helped me with the doppler question and also the IC9100 PC control. I have successfully connected IC9100 and Satpc32, so hopefully on the next satellite pass - doppler shouldn't be an issue. Happy New Year to all Peter G8KEK

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New Year Greetings
by Mani [VU2WMY/KJ6LRS] 01 Jan '14

01 Jan '14

Dear friends, Good wishes and greetings from INDIA to each and everyone and the family members for a Bright, Promising and a very happy new year 2014. Let this new year bless and shower all of us with all the wonderful things, good health, joy, prosperity, peace and happiness. Mani [VU2WMY/KJ6LRS] Secretary & Station-In-Charge Upagrah Amateur Radio Club VU2URC ISRO Satellite Centre HAL Airport Road, Bangalore-560 017. Phone:(Office)91-80-25082598/25082054/25082192 Mobile: 91-9880 341 456 E-mail ID: wmy(a)isac.gov.in vu2wmy_mani(a)yahoo.com isrohams(a)yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Operating linear transponders - Newbie.
by Peter Wilson 31 Dec '13

31 Dec '13

Hi all, I have just tried working through AO73, with limited success. I need some very basic help with satellite operation. I have an IC-9100, I set the uplink and downlink to mid-range (435.140Mhz and 145.960Mhz), then call CQ until I hear my own signal which has worked every time, then I get problems. When someone calls me back I panic, what do I do when the doppler kicks in, do I move both TX and Rx, or do I just move my Rx to follow the other guy. I haven't managed to get SatPC32 controlling my rig yet, also, I want to learn the hard way - manually. Can someone point me to an article that explains in detail how to operate. I know this is a very basic question, but we all have to start somewhere. I have managed tow contacts so far. First was AO73 and tonight with FO29. Not sure how I did it, but thanks to ON5NY and EM5SR. Happy New Year Peter G8KEK

3 2

MCube-2
by PA3GUO 31 Dec '13

31 Dec '13

For those trying to capture the Mcube-2 telemetry, it surely is a lot of fun downloading the 9k6 data at 70cm! The SW that the project team provides is really easy to use and looks nice. Cool demo for your friends when you want to show-case your involvement in Cubesats. With my modest set/up I can decode when the satellite is >20 degrees elevation. A note on the downlink frequency: the published frequency is 437.485MHz, but I have better results a few kHz lower: 437.480MHz. Success! Henk, PA3GUO

2 1

OZ/KO4MA
by John Papay 31 Dec '13

31 Dec '13

Drew, OZ/KO4MA, was worked this morning at 0841utc on AO-7B. He had a nice signal from JO45. He was worked last year on the 31st of December from the same grid. 73, John K8YSE John Papay john(a)papays.com

4 3

2M1EUB/P QRV NE SCOTLAND 4/01/14
by paul robinson 31 Dec '13

31 Dec '13

Hi group I will be up in Scotland from 4,January for 7 days so will be qrv on the birds AO7,AO73,VO52 ,FO29 AND SO50 ,opps from the van holiday style...as shown on qrz...I will only be in NE Scotland this time..HAPPY NEW YEAR de Paul 2E1EUB/2M1EUB/P

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Re: Operating linear transponders - Newbie
by PA3GUO 30 Dec '13

30 Dec '13

Peter, When you made 2 contact already you did Perfect. With a capital P. People will respond with how to handle doppler, but reality is that it can be difficult, even when you have an automated setup. Keep going, you're doing just fine! Henk, PA3GUO ----------------------------------------------------- Hi all, I have just tried working through AO73, with limited success. I need some very basic help with satellite operation. I have an IC-9100, I set the uplink and downlink to mid-range (435.140Mhz and 145.960Mhz), then call CQ until I hear my own signal which has worked every time, then I get problems. When someone calls me back I panic, what do I do when the doppler kicks in, do I move both TX and Rx, or do I just move my Rx to follow the other guy. I haven't managed to get SatPC32 controlling my rig yet, also, I want to learn the hard way - manually. Can someone point me to an article that explains in detail how to operate. I know this is a very basic question, but we all have to start somewhere. I have managed tow contacts so far. First was AO73 and tonight with FO29. Not sure how I did it, but thanks to ON5NY and EM5SR. Happy New Year Peter G8KEK

1 0

PCsat32 WinAosS vs Countdown
by Peter Wilson 30 Dec '13

30 Dec '13

Hi all, I am using PCsat32 a lot to get me started on the sats (made my ever first contact via Funcube thanks to ON5NY). I use both the WinAos feature to print off the next day's passes, and I also use the Countdown feature to get ready for the next satellite pass when operating. I noticed today that WinAos gave Funcube a Max elevation of 34 degs, but Countdown gave the same pass a max elevation of 80degs (Which is the correct one). Anyone know why the two programs give different results? Peter G8KEK

2 1

Re: Thanks to K4FEG
by gkcarr＠go-express.net 30 Dec '13

30 Dec '13

I totally agree! George WA5KBH -----Original Message----- From: wa4hfn(a)comcast.net Sent: Monday, December 30, 2013 09:25 To: "AMSAT" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Subject: [amsat-bb] Thanks to K4FEG The Star Comm Group of Memphis, TN would like to Thank K4FEG Frank Griffin for the outstanding job he has been doing on the Grid Gorillas email BB . Informing everyone of the grids that are being activated. This service has helped us all to increase our grid count. There are lots of rare grids out there and This service has been a valualable tool. THANKS FRANK good job Star Comm Group Damon _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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Thanks to K4FEG
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 30 Dec '13

30 Dec '13

The Star Comm Group of Memphis, TN would like to Thank K4FEG Frank Griffin for the outstanding job he has been doing on the Grid Gorillas email BB . Informing everyone of the grids that are being activated. This service has helped us all to increase our grid count. There are lots of rare grids out there and This service has been a valualable tool. THANKS FRANK good job Star Comm Group Damon

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Funcube Handbook Spanish (Espanol)
by richard limebear 30 Dec '13

30 Dec '13

Gang The latest translation of the Funcube Handbook is into Spanish and is now available at <http://funcube.org.uk/working-documents/funcube-handbook/> and some other websites. Offers for other translations would be welcome. 73 Richard G3RWL

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Funcube-1 is +10 kHz on the uplink?
by PA3GUO 29 Dec '13

29 Dec '13

Just wondered if I saw this observed/reported already: When for the Funcube-1 transponder using: 435.140 MHz uplink (LSB) 145.960 MHz downlink (USB) I still need to add another 10kHz on the uplink (making it 435.150 MHz). Can anyone else confirm (or counter :-)) this ? Henk, PA3GUO The Netherlands

2 2

Delfi-C3 and Delfi-n3Xt
by Roland Zurmely 29 Dec '13

29 Dec '13

They passed at the same time ! Please see here: http://www.qsl.net/py4zbz/Dn3Xt.htm#a 73 de Roland PY4ZBZ GH70un

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OT: 21.115 MHz DominoEX-22 Balloon Heading for USA
by M5AKA 29 Dec '13

29 Dec '13

The 21.115 MHz DominoEX-22 Seba-6/Orient Express balloon launched from Poland on Saturday is on course for US Territory. Real time tracking of the balloon at http://spacenear.us/tracker/ Seba-6/Orient Express http://www.southgatearc.org/news/december2013/ham_radio_balloon_seba_6.htm Beginners Guide to Tracking using dl-fldigi http://ukhas.org.uk/guides:tracking_guide Check the #highaltitude IRC channel for chat about the launches http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=highaltitude For information on balloon launches subscribe to the UKHAS Mailing List by sending a blank email to this address: ukhas+subscribe(a)googlegroups.com ---- 73 Trevor M5AKA AMSAT-UK website http://amsat-uk.org/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/AMSAT-UK/208113275898396 Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK ----

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ANS-363 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by E.Mike McCardel 28 Dec '13

28 Dec '13

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-363 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation service of AMSAT North America, 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 http://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. In this edition: * FUNcube-1: One Month in Space * CQ to Realign Publications, Launch New CQ Plus Digital Supplement * Updated Dashboard Software now available for FUNcube * FUNcube-1 High Resolution Graphs Available * Popular Magazine Reports * ISS ham video commissioning * HamRadioNow: Low Cost Mobile APRS * AMSAT-UK Announces Availability of the G0MRF 144 MHz Pre-amp Kit * New Ham Radio Educational Video * Star Comm Amateur Satellite Group Announces New "Got Grids? Award" * Changes to FUNcube Data Warehouse Upload * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-363.01 ANS-363 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 363.01 >From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. DATE December 29, 2013 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-363.01 FUNcube-1: One Month in Space The FUNcube-1 (AO-73) spacecraft has now been in orbit and fully operational for one month. We are very happy and VERY grateful to all the stations who have committed their time and effort into regularly receiving the telemetry and uploading it to our Data Warehouse. We really want to say a BIG THANK YOU and please keep it coming. Dave G4DPZ is still busy refining the operation of the Warehouse and is promising more features over the next few days/weeks. Further updates to the Dashboard are also expected soon. If anyone knows of potential additional stations that could be established in some of the remoter parts of the globe we would be grateful to have your ideas and introductions. “Simple” stations with omnidirectional antennas, dongles and internet connected laptops would be all that is needed. We intend to keep the present operating schedule in place for the time being whilst various on board parameters continue to be characterized by the team. The present low internal temperatures being experienced by the spacecraft, at least in the northern hemisphere, are causing some frequency shifting to take place – especially on the uplink frequencies – roll on summer! We are not yet 100% certain that Object 2013-066AE is FUNcube-1 but it is looking the most likely candidate. As the launch was more than 30 days ago, the record for this object has now moved to the http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/cubesat.txt file and the object is now referred to as DNEPR OBJECT AE. The page has been updated to match. http://funcube.org.uk/working-documents/latest-two-line-elements/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK and the FUNCube Team for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- CQ to Realign Publications, Launch New CQ Plus Digital Supplement Hicksville, NY (December 23, 2013) -- CQ Communications, Inc. today announced plans to realign its roster of publications and to launch an exciting new online supplement to its flagship magazine, CQ Amateur Radio. "The hobby radio market is changing," said CQ Communications President and Publisher Dick Ross, K2MGA, "and we are changing what we do and how we do it in order to continue providing leadership to all segments of the radio hobby." CQ Communications is currently the only publisher in the United States serving the broad radio hobby, from broadcast band DXing to amateur radio moonbounce and satellite communications. CQ itself has been amateur radio's leading independent voice for seven decades. Effective with the February 2014 issue of CQ, said Ross, content from the magazine's three sister publications, Popular Communications, CQ VHF and WorldRadio Online, will be incorporated into CQ's digital edition as a supplement to be called "CQ Plus." With this change, hobby radio enthusiasts of all types will be able to go to a single source - CQ - for articles on the broader aspects of hobby radio, from shortwave listening and scanner monitoring to personal two-way services and Internet radio, as well as amateur radio. Richard Fisher, KI6SN, currently Editor of both Popular Communications and WorldRadio Online, will be Editor of CQ Plus. "Our primary audience is ham radio operators," explained Ross, "but very few hams began their radio involvement as amateurs. Most of us started out as shortwave listeners, broadcast band DXers, CBers or scanning enthusiasts. Many continue to be involved in many different aspects of the radio hobby in addition to amateur radio." "By consolidating four specialized publications into one," Ross continued, "we will be better able to keep these multidimensional readers informed on all aspects of the radio hobby while simultaneously exposing those who are not hams to all the excitement and opportunities that amateur radio has to offer. We see this as a win-win for all of our readers and our advertisers, who will now be able to reach a wider and more diverse audience." The expanded material will be an integral part of the digital edition of CQ, and will be included as part of a standard digital subscription. Each month's digital edition will simply continue beyond where the print edition ends, offering supplemental material on all aspects of hobby radio communication and will include selected columns carried over from the other magazines. The added digital content will make full use of the multimedia opportunities presented by digital publications. Current subscriptions to Popular Communications, CQ VHF and WorldRadio Online will be converted to CQ subscriptions - and receive CQ Plus at no additional charge! Details will be posted on each magazine website. There's no need to wait to see the great variety of articles that will be featured each month in the new CQand CQ Plus. A preview of the February issue's Table of Contents is available right now on the CQ website at http://bit.ly/19mzbOK [ANS thanks Richard A. Ross K2MGA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Updated Dashboard Software now available for FUNcube The FUNcube Team are pleased to announce the latest version of the Dashboard Software. Version 814 can be downloaded from http://funcube.org.uk/working-documents/funcube-telemetry-dashboard/ We thank everyone for their interest and reports of the success of FUNcube-1 (AO-73) and we look forward to continued operations. Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK and the FUNCube Team for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- FUNcube-1 High Resolution Graphs Available There is now a facility to view the latest FUNcube-1 (AO-73) High Resolution Data uploaded to the Data Warehouse. The link can be found in the Navigation Bar on the warehouse. Following on from this will be making Hi-Res data available to download via .csv files, in a similar way we do for Whole Orbit Data. Watch this space. Dashboard App – Telemetry Decoder http://funcube.org.uk/working-documents/funcube-telemetry-dashboard/ Data Warehouse – Telemetry Archive https://warehouse.funcube.org.uk/ Satellite Tracking Apps http://amsat-uk.org/beginners/satellite-tracking/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK and the FUNCube Team for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Popular Magazine Reports + World Radio Online December 2013 Terry Doud's N8KI Amateur Satellites Department article covers Digital ATV aboard the ISS, as well as SSTV. Other tidbits include getting off center on the transponder satllites, FUNCube and finding your Satellite MoJo. He ends his article with a thank you to the "tireless editors of the AMSAT News Service". On behalf of Lee, Joe and myself, you are welcome, Terry. + CQ December 2013 This is CQ's Technology Issue edition. VHF Plus Department covers "lunar Dust Experiment Under Way." It also reports on Three Satellites of Amateur Radio Interest Launche from Vandenberg AFB September 29. Other articles of interest are two on Maker's Fairs and in their Technology Special "Inexpensive Four-Wire Measurments for the Radio Amateur by Gary Geissinger WA0SPM/AAR8GI om measuring high currents and low resistance without a fancy (and expensive) instrument. + QST January 2014 Read WRAPS: A Portable Satellite Antanna Rotator System by Mark Spencer WA8SME (page 43). Mark presented on WRAPS at the Symposium this past November. See W7LRD's "Antenna for the Birds on page 20. Also find hints on surface mount soldering (pg 67), using modern SDR tools to boost you weak signal work (pg 65). [ANS thanks the respective Publications for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ISS ham video commissioning As announced August 21, 2013 the Ham Video transmitter is onboard the International Space Station and stored in the Columbus module. September 10, 2013 we informed about the Experiment Sequences Test (EST) and the Simulations performed by the European Space Agency in collaboration with ARISS. September 20, 2013 we announced the Ham Video Launch Campaign and described a simple station for Ham Video reception. The Commissioning of the Ham Video transmitter needs to cover different configurations involving 2 antennas, 4 frequencies and 2 symbol rates. As announced earlier, the signals transmitted during the Commissioning steps will be received by the Matera ground station, located in south Italy (see HamTV Bulletin #2). Moreover, during the Commissioning period, the Ham Video transmitter will transmit permanently for several days (weeks). This will allow ground stations to test their equipment and to provide useful information concerning the efficiency of the transmitter. For these transmissions, no camera will be used. The so-called “blank” transmissions will nevertheless provide a complete DVB-S signal, as described hereafter. We hoped that the Commissioning of the Ham Video transmitter would be planned October 2013. It appeared that the “Flight Rules” regarding ARISS activities, which cover VHF and UHF transmissions, needed to be updated for S-band. Writing Flight Rules and having them verified, accepted and signed by all parties involved is a process that takes time. ARISS matters have low priority among the countless activities that populate the International Space Station. Unforeseen events, such as the recent failing of a cooling system, evidently cause further delay. Finally, the January - February 2014 time frame seems a reasonable guess for the Ham Video Commissioning. HamTV Bulletins are available at www.ariss-eu.org See left side column : HamTV Bulletin 4 (with annexes) [ANS thanks Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, ARISS-Europe chairman and Southgate ARN for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- HamRadioNow: Low Cost Mobile APRS Episode 114 of HamRadioNow covers the Raspberry Pi Applications in Digital Communications presentation given at the TAPR-ARRL Digital Communications Conference >From the ARRL and TAPR 2013 DCC. John Hansen W2FS brings something interesting every year. This year he built an APRS mobile complete with map display for $1. OK, a little more than that. But a lot less than, say, a Kenwood D710 with an AVMap (nice as that would be). HamRadioNow Episode 114 from the DCC: RazPi + Xastir = APRS Mobile Ham Radio Now http://HamRadioNow.tv/ APRS http://www.aprs.org/ [ANS thanks Southgate ARN for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT-UK Announces Availability of the G0MRF 144 MHz Pre-amp Kit The G0MRF 144 MHz filtered pre-amp kitThe kit from AMSAT-UK contains all the parts and hardware necessary to build the G0MRF 2m filtered preamplifier. With all the nuts and washers and mounting hardware, there are over 60 individual parts to this project. The connectors supplied are a high quality PTFE insulated reduced flange Ntype for the connection to the antenna and a chassis mounted female BNC for the RF output to the receiver, this also carries the 5 V DC input from a FUNcube dongle or the DC supply from an external bias tee or radio. Links to the Measurement Report and Construction Notes are posted on the AMSAT-UK web: http://amsat-uk.org/info/g0mrf-144-mhz-pre-amp-kit/ Buy the 144 MHz pre-amp kit from the AMSAT-UK shop at http://shop.amsat.org.uk/shop/category_11/G0MRF-Filtered-PreAmps.html [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- New Ham Radio Educational Video (This excellent video covers all aspects of amateur radio and also includes examples of amateur radio in space and ARISS. - Ed.) Amateurs interested in spreading the good word about their hobby now have a new tool. A video entitled "Discovering Amateur radio" has just been released. Written and narrated by David Anderson, K1AN, the production describes an extraordinary technology that in just 100 years has transformed our lives in, as Anderson says, "the most amazing ways." Available in a condensed version as well as a half hour program, the well-paced video can be viewed on line or used in group presentations. The producers say it was created for anyone who wishes to encourage youths and adults to discover amateur radio. The production is one of many educational programs administered under the auspices of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization through partnership with the World Genesis Foundation. "Discovering Amateur Radio" is on the project website at www.radioqrv.com. [ANS thanks Amateur Radio Newsline for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Star Comm Amateur Satellite Group Announces New "Got Grids? Award" Effective January 1, 2014 your CW/SSB amateur satellite contacts can be used to earn the new Got Grids? award. To qualify you must log one contact in each of the 10 grid fields of the lower 48 United States: CN, CM, DN, DM, DL, EN, EM, EL, FN, FM. Only two-way contacts completed via a linear transponder satellite can be used for this award. This award will be effective January 1, 2014, all contacts must be made on or after this date. Send your log to Rick Tillman, WA4NVM or Damon Runion, WA4HFN for checking, along with your call, name, and current mailing address to either: wa4nvm(a)comcast.net or wa4hfn(a)comcast.net. This award is sponsored by the Star Comm Satellite Group so do not send your logs to AMSAT. An example of the award certificate is available on-line at: http://www.starcommgroup.org, then check the awards tab. This award is free. If you would like to make a donations to the AMSAT satellite program please send it to: AMSAT, 850 Sligo Ave. Suite 600, Silver Spring. MD. 20910. [ANS thanks Damon Runion, WA4HFN for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Changes to FUNcube Data Warehouse Upload We are extremely grateful to all the groups and individuals who have uploaded FUNcube-1 (AO-73) data to the warehouse and the totals on the upload ranking page are quite amazing. Since launch we have been monitoring the service which receives, processes and stores that data and now are about to make some changes to it to improve it performance and reliability. The first change is to introduce an acceptance time window for packets uploaded from the Dashboard. This restricts packets to those whose sequence numbers are within +/- 48 hours of the latest sequence number stored in the Data Warehouse. We are doing this for two reasons: We have received erroneous packets whose sequence numbers are significantly different to the latest value. To reduce the chance of double scoring of points when we release stored data back to the user community The second change, which will not affect normal operation but will improve scoring: We currently process packets immediately they arrive at the server. Under load, this can cause us to lose a few packet scores because of contention in the database. To alleviate this problem, we are going to change the processing slightly to process packets through a buffer. This buffer will be processed every 5 seconds, so there will be a slight delay before packets are acknowledged on the ranking. 73 Dave, G4DPZ Dashboard App – Telemetry Decoder http://funcube.org.uk/working- documents/funcube-telemetry-dashboard/ [ANS thanks Dave, G4DPZ, AMSAT-UK, and the FUNCube Team for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS News + A Successful contact was made between Scouting Burgemeester Welschen Meerhove, Eindhoven, The Netherlands and Astronaut Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA using callsign OR4ISS. The contact began 2013-12-28 13:08:43 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was direct via PE6SBW. ARISS Mentor was PE1KEH. Scouting Meerhoven was set up in 2003. Their first official turnout was 10 years ago during the JOTA JOTI. During the last 10 years they have had several activities which were connected with transmitting (each year during the JOTA JOTI) and also with technic, air and space travel, as their scouts cabin is near Eindhoven airport. Now, 10 years on, they celebrate our Jubilee. One of their Lustrum activities is the JOTA JOTI, by which they use FM frequency. For a whole weekend the scouting room was transformed to a real radio station. The broadcasts’ are made by their youth and staff members. In the framework of the Jubilee they made a request to NASA, to have radio contact with one of the astronauts from the ISS. They are very supportive of space travel and during the preparation period they engaged in a couple of activities to get ready for a contact with ISS. The Friday evening group (cubs and scouts) visited an observatory, made rockets from lemonade bottles and fired them off. The room of the beavers was transformed to a cosmos with rockets and planets. The scouts made these themselves. The Saturday group (cubs and scouts) built an ISS station. During the past weeks their activities were all in the light of space travel. The groups goal was that the children will make their acquaintance with the JOTA JOTI (transmission) as well as space travel. Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule Ritsumeikan Moriyama Junior High School, Moriyama, Japan, direct via 8N3RM Contact is a go for: Sun 2013-12-29 09:30:37 UTC [ANS thanks ARISS, Charlie AJ9N and David AA4KN for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + ARISS has rolled out their new web presence... http://www.ariss.org/ (Source Debra Johnson, K1DMJ, ARRL Education Services Manager) + EA, SPAIN (Satellites). Mark, N8MH, will be active as EA4/N8MH from Madrid (WW Loc. IN80) between December 24th and January 2nd, while on a family holiday. It is possible that he will be active on FO-29, VO-52, AO-73, SO-50, and AO-7 (?) satellites. He states," This is a very low priority part of the trip, and I can't predict when I'll be able to get on the air (limitations of being in the city with poor view to sky, etc.). But I am going to try at least a few passes one way or another! .... My station will be very simple--FT- 817, Elk antenna, and a hand mic. Working half-duplex on the SSB birds will be very challenging for me! I am spoiled by fully automated station operations." (Source Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 1142) + Ham Radio Industry Changes - DaySaver Power Systems is in merger with Elk Antennas. Elk will continue to offer DaySaver Power Systems products. The merger enables Elk to expand its products for emergency communications and remote or portable operating. - DX Engineering is now the sole distributir of Hi-Z Antenna Products. - Small Wonder Labs, a QRP kit-maker has ceased operation. (Source CQ magazine December 2013) +Request for Announcements and Articles Are you putting on a Demo, Representating AMSAT at a Hamfest or Convention, Reaching out to Schools, Scouts Youth Groups, Putting on a satellite related Special Events Station, Supporting a Kid's Day Event? PLEASE, LET US KNOW. ANS will be glad to promote your efforts in advance and to report your successes after the fact. To meet our publication deadline, in a timely fashion, please forward your announcements at least 10 days in advance of your event. Typically before the Thursday before the Sunday we publish - the week before your event. Forward your announcement and reports to ans-editor at amsat dot org (Source, The ANS Editors) + AMSAT Coordinator for Georgia, John Kludt, K4SQC, will be representing AMSAT at TechFest in Lawrenceville GA on Saturday, January 11, 2014. Make sure you stop by, or even better, contact John and offer to lend a hand. (Source John K4SQC) + SkySat-1 satellite sends first HD video Skybox Imaging was founded in 2009 by radio amateur Julian Mann KI6OSO along with Ching-Yu Hu, Dan Berkenstock and John Fenwick. Many of the Skybox Imaging executives worked on CubeSat projects while students at Stanford University under Professor Bob Twiggs KE6QMD. SkySat-1, the first in a planned constellation of 24 microsatellites, was launched on a Dnepr from Dombarovsky near Yasny on November 21, 2013. It is believed to be the smallest satellite ever flown that is capable of capturing imagery at better than 1 meter resolution and the 1080p HD camera can capture up to 90 second video clips at 30 frames per second. See a preview at http://www.firstimagery.skybox.com/ Skybox Imaging http://www.skyboximaging.com/ (Source AMSAT-UK) --------------------------------------------------------------------- /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. 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 stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information. 73, This week's ANS Editor, EMike McCardel, KC8YLD kc8yld at amsat dot org

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test
by Dale Hershberger 28 Dec '13

28 Dec '13

test

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CAPE-2 Voice beacon heard during Mobile
by Nitin Muttin 28 Dec '13

28 Dec '13

I heard the voice beacon on 145.825 Mhz from CAPE-2 when I was driving near Pondicherry on Dec 28th . The signal was strong. A video can be seen at http://youtu.be/3TIZnvOQaNM 73 Nitin [VU3TYG]

2 1

cape ii 13 12 18 0438 cst
by Nick Pugh K5QXJ 28 Dec '13

28 Dec '13

CAPE II data +W5UL,CAPE-2,0,GR,201301281902CST,6241mV,01003,0,-5C,-9C,ulcape.org# >> AE6AAA984040FE AE6AAA98404061 03F0 2A72787661727300 010F230D0A Thanks nick ARS K5QXJ EM30xa 30.1N 92.1W Office 337 593 8700 Cell 337 258 2527 Helping UL become a world Class Engineering and Educational School

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CAPE-2 over Brazil
by Roland Zurmely 27 Dec '13

27 Dec '13

On 12/27/2013 in orbit # 576, pass with a continuous tone of 500 Hz FM, intersected by AX25 beacons. Please see here: http://www.qsl.net/py4zbz/cape.htm#h 73 de Roland PY4ZBZ GH70un

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Re: AO-73 Question (mode efficiency?)
by Robert Bruninga 27 Dec '13

27 Dec '13

> The satellite is only in transponder mode when it is in eclipse.. > In full sunlight it is in beacon mode only. Just curious about the overall design goals of this operating mode? Putting solar energy into and then taking it out of batteries suffers about a 30% loss in efficiency. All else being equal it is usually better to use solar power directly if possible. Maybe the value of this mode is for hams to use the satellite in the evenings during play time instead of during the day when schools and students could benefit. Just curious. Thanks Bob, WB4aPR

3 2

Help with SATPC32 (maybe groups) please
by Burns Fisher 27 Dec '13

27 Dec '13

Hi Everyone, I've used SatPC32 for a number of years, but I have been using it in "simpleton" mode, it would seem. Now that AO-73 is in the "cubesat.txt" keps file rather than amateur, I apparently have to take the next step in my education about this program. Here the current general question: How do "groups" work. I have googled, and the term seems to be used both for Celestrak groups and for the groups in SatPC32 (e.g. Diverse, Standard, etc). I mean the SatPC32 groups. What I want to do is to have a number of satellites selectable with the A,B,C... buttons in the lower right. But right now, I have to pull down the satellites menu and select "cubesat.txt" to get AO-73 and "amateur.txt" to get, say, VO-52 and SO-50. And whenever I switch to a new keps file, all the satellites I have selected as current for the previous file disappear from the right column. Somehow, I suspect that 'groups' are the answer to this, but I can never get the "edit" function under groups to do anything terribly useful. It looks like I can edit "standard", for example, so that if selected, it uses the satellites selected from amateur.txt or cubesat.txt but not both. Ok, so when I get into a pickle like this, it is usually because I don't understand the concept or the model that the program is using. So rather than (or as well as) "click x, select y, edit xxx.txt" the kind of help I hope I can get would be include "how are groups supposed to be used?" And by the way, I have read the manual, and it again seems to assume that I know what groups are supposed to be. Thanks in advance, Burns, W2BFJ

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I thought it was Vaporware
by Gary "Joe" Mayfield 27 Dec '13

27 Dec '13

I am not associated with this item in anyway... At one point in time I had a Yaesu FT-480. It was a good rig that helped me make many satellite contacts. I had read about the console, but no one had ever seen one and we just assumed it didn't really exist. We were wrong as one is on sale on eBay right now: http://www.ebay.com/itm/YAESU-SC-1-FT480R-FT780R-/191015020883 There was a time when that truly would have been the ultimate satellite station! 73, Joe kk0sd

2 1

AO-73 Question
by Peter Budnik 27 Dec '13

27 Dec '13

Dear Felloe Satellite Hams I've been listening to AO-73 Telemetry beacon for about 2 weeks now and never hear any radio contact going on. Is there any activity on the new satellite or is that mode not functional at this time? Thanks for any help. 73 Peter,KB1HY

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Any interest in DM31?
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 27 Dec '13

27 Dec '13

Hi! In 2009 and 2010, I made the trip to southern Arizona and worked different satellites from grid DM31 within sight of the USA/Mexico border fence in Lukeville AZ (look up that town, or grid DM31ov, to get an idea of the geography in that area). I worked many of the active operators who were on at those times on several satellites in SSB and FM. Some of those guys are still active, but newer satellite operators (or those who were inactive in 2009 or 2010) may have missed my previous DM31 trips. Since I've been asked by a couple of satellite operators about those trips, and the possibility of another DM31 trip, I'll pose the question here: Is there any interest in a trip to activate DM31 in early 2014 on the satellites? Or possibly multiple trips, before the summertime heat arrives? I would attempt to pick a day for this trip where SO-50 had passes in the daytime - to allow more stations to have a shot at working this rarely-heard grid, and also to avoid being down there at night due to security concerns with the international border. This means I would not be able to work AO-73 down there, but would try to pick a Saturday with SO-50 and the other satellites with SSB/CW transponders all being available - including AO-7 in mode B. And another opportunity to have friendly conversations with the law-enforcement officers and agents in that area. :-) (They are great to talk with, some take an interest in my equipment, and all will keep an eye on me to ensure I remain safe while in the area) I can't commit to any specific dates yet, but a Saturday is probably the best day of the week for a trip down there. I might even throw in a weekday trip, if time permits, in addition to a Saturday trip. I would be able to leave early so I arrive in the area in daylight, and stay until around sunset so I am on the highway north from the border before darkness falls across that desert area. I am probably not going to camp down there, even at the campground in the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument that surrounds the Lukeville border crossing. I like camping, but prefer to do that in other places where I'm not as concerned about the local security situation. I would prepare QSL cards as I do for my other trips to confirm QSOs for DM31, and upload those QSOs to Logbook of the World after a trip down there. Please feel free to e-mail me directly if you would be interested in working me during a road trip to DM31 in early 2014. I will post more when I decide on a date (or dates) for a trip down there. I am not looking for any contributions to cover expenses to go there, since it is only a 3-hour drive from Phoenix to get there. Fuel costs are manageable, and I don't need to drive off paved roads to get to good locations to set up and still be safe (a good thing, now that I don't drive a truck). Thanks in advance, and 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

1 0

Cape-2 over Brazil
by Roland Zurmely 26 Dec '13

26 Dec '13

Successful commands "Get Health Beacon" and "Send Text to Speech" ! Please see here: http://www.qsl.net/py4zbz/cape.htm#g 73 de Roland PY4ZBZ GH70un

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FUNcube WOD available for Download
by David A B Johnson 26 Dec '13

26 Dec '13

Hi, As part of our STEM outreach strategy we are making WOD available for off-line analysis. This is delivered as a .csv file which can be downloaded from the Data Warehouse by clicking on the link on the WOD page: https://warehouse.funcube.org.uk/wod.html The file is written at 23:59 UTC every day and contains the WOD for the preceding 24 hours. Please read the notes on the page regarding the times stored in the file. Enjoy! 73 Dave, G4DPZ On behalf of the AO-73 team.

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Lesson for the New Year
by Mike Herr 26 Dec '13

26 Dec '13

The lesson for the New Year is to get out and check your antennas!. Lately I have noticed the satellite signals were not as strong as i like. The, the other day I am out side looking at the antenna. Hmm, I thought it was parked due north, seems a bit east of north to me. Checked, yep the control says it is due north. I shoot it with a compass, yep, it is east of magnetic north. I scratch my head a bit, wait, should be west of magnetic north. That night I check it against polaris, and finally admit, it is almost 40 degrees east of where it should be. That will make the antenna system not work as well as it should. So today the antenna is down and being realigned as well as some other delayed maintenance.. Should be back up and running in a week. So, it's a good idea to go out and check, is the antenna really pointing the direction you think it is... -- Mike Herr WA6ARA DM-15dp Home of The QRP Ranch

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Re: AMSAT JOURNAL
by jmfranke＠cox.net 26 Dec '13

26 Dec '13

Yes, Rich, the article was very interesting. Your group is doing an awesome job with so many youngsters. John WA4WDL ---- Rich/wa4bue <richard.siff(a)verizon.net> wrote: > Thank you AMSAT for publishing the great artical about the K4AMG Club in the > AMSAT JOURNAL. > > Happy New Year Everyone. > > Rich > W4BUE > Pres K4AMG > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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dstar net
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 26 Dec '13

26 Dec '13

There will be a D STAR AMSAT users net tonight @0200 utc on REF 60 B on the W4LET rpt in Memphis Please checkin and share any satellite info. GOT GRIDS ? award starts next week 1 Jan 2014 www.starcommgroup.org Thank you WA4HFN em55 Damon

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Glen Martin RT-936
by Alan 26 Dec '13

26 Dec '13

Hi, If anyone has used the Glen Martin RT-936 roof tower for satellites antennas, or has an alternate recommendation, please contact me off list. I have some questions not covered in their information. 73s es TNX, Alan WA4SCA ----------------------------------- Keep Calm and Carry On

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Cape II 13 12 26 0516 cst
by Nick Pugh K5QXJ 26 Dec '13

26 Dec '13

Frequency 145.824 Mhz TLE ObJ 20123-064c Hi All today at 13 12 26 0516 as the sat cross the terminator heard short burst of carrier with no modulation then voice and I was able to command it into the pink mode and was able to send it 3 commands. I am setting satpc32 to 145.824 mhz . Below are the beacons Com 3 ************************************************************************* W5UL-15>W5UL [12/26/13 05:24:51]:+W5UL,CAPE-2,1,PK,201301281903CST,6122mS,0100 ************************************************************* Com 5 W5UL-15>W5UL [12/26/2013 05:24:38]: <<UI>>: W5UL,6171,827,6159,³-6156,52,6156,OR,001,-2,-9,ulcape.org# >> AE6AAA984040FE AE6AAA98404061 03F0 2A64756D70230D0A W5UL>W5UL-15 [12/26/2013 05:24:47]: <<UI>>: *dump# >> AE6AAA984040FE AE6AAA98404061 03F0 2A64756D70230D0A W5UL>W5UL-15 [12/26/2013 05:24:55]: <<UI>>: *dump# >> AE6AAA984040FE AE6AAA98404061 03F0 2A6D6F6465504B23 0D0A W5UL>W5UL-15 [12/26/2013 05:25:30]: <<UI>>: *modePK# >> AE6AAA984040FE AE6AAA98404061 03F0 2A6D6F6465504B23 0D0A W5UL>W5UL-15 [12/26/2013 05:25:37]: <<UI>>: *modePK# >> AE6AAA984040FE AE6AAA98404061 03F0 2A6D6F6465504B23 0D0A W5UL>W5UL-15 [12/26/2013 05:25:48]: <<UI>>: *modePK# >> AE6AAA984040E0 AE6AAA9840407F 03F0 2B5735554C2C4341 50452D322C312C50 4B2C323031333031 3238313930334353 542 C363132326D56 2C30313030322C31 2C2D36432C2D3843 2C756C636170652E 6F726723 W5UL-15>W5UL [12/26/2013 05:26:11]: <<UI>>: +W5UL,CAPE-2,1,PK,201301281903CST,6122mV,01002,1,-6C,-8C,ulcape.org# >> AE6AAA984040E0 AE6AAA9840407F 03F0 2B5735554C2C4341 50452D322C342C50 4B2C323031333031 3238313930344353 542 C363038376D56 2C3031F030322C34 2CAD35432C243843 2C756C636170652E 6F726723 W5UL-15>W5UL [12/26/2013 05:26:56]: <<UI>>: +W5UL,CAPE-2,4,PK,201301281904CST,6087mV,01ð02,4,5C,$8C,ulcape.org# >> AE6AAA984040E0 AE6AAA9840407F 03F0 275735554C2C4341 50452D322C352C50 4B2C323031333031 3238313930344353 542 C352135330D56 2C30313030162CB5 2D2D33432C2D3843 EC756C630170652E 6F72672F W5UL-15>W5UL [12/26/2013 05:27:11]: <<UI>>: 'W5UL,CAPE-2,5,PK,201301281904CST,5!53 V,0100,µ--3C,-8Cìulcpe.org/ >> AE6AAA984040FE AE6AAA98404061 03F0 2A72787661727300 010F230D0A W5UL>W5UL-15 [12/26/2013 05:27:23]: <<UI>>: *rxvars# >> AE6AAA984040E0 AE6AAA9840407F 03F0 2B5735554C2C4341 50452D322C362C50 4B2C323031333031 3238313930344353 542 C353937366D56 2C30313030322C36 2C2D33432C2D3843 2C756C636170652E 6F726723 W5UL-15>W5UL [12/26/2013 05:27:26]: <<UI>>: +W5UL,CAPE-2,6,PK,201301281904CST,5976mV,01002,6,-3C,-8C,ulcape.org# >> AE6AAA984040FE AE6AAA98404061 03F0 2A72787661727300 010F230D0A W5UL>W5UL-15 [12/26/2013 05:27:33]: <<UI>>: *rxvars# >> AE6AAA984040E0 AE6AAA9840407F 03F0 2B5735554C2C1341 50452D322C372C50 4B2C323031333031 3238313930344353 542 C363031316D56 2C30313030322C37 2C2D33432C2D3843 2C756C636170652E 6F726723 W5UL-15>W5UL [12/26/2013 05:27:41]: <<UI>>: +W5UL,APE-2,7,PK,201301281904CST,6011mV,01002,7,-3C,-8C,ulcape.org# >> AE6AAA984040FE AE6AAA98404061 03F0 2A72787661727300 010F230D0A W5UL>W5UL-15 [12/26/2013 05:27:50]: <<UI>>: *rxvars# Thanks nick Office 337 593 8700 Cell 337 258 2527 Helping UL become a world Class Engineering and Educational School

1 0

Re: Funcube-1 decoding
by PA3GUO 26 Dec '13

26 Dec '13

Interesting; This morning (10:55utc) during an almost perfect North --> South pass, 70 degrees max elevation, (using exactly the same station configuration as yesterday) Funcube-1: - did not show any variations wrt polarization (was a lot yesterday), only slow fading in overall strenth - had weak downlink (SNR much lower as yesterday, could see it even on the SDR display only as of 16 degrees ele.) Henk, PA3GUO -----Oorspronkelijk bericht----- Van: PA3GUO Using a 2x6 elements beam + pre-amp + an FCD, it is possible to decode packets down to just 0.7 degrees elevation. Rather impressive. Also I noticed that if I have other CPU intensive SW running (HRD) at the same time, nothing is decoded. Visually it all looks the same on the FUNcube-1 Dashboard, signal strenghts etc., but somehow it needs maybe more PC resources (memory?) for the actual decoding, because as soon as I closed HRD incoming packets got decoded, while before none of them was. Henk PA3GUO

1 0

Funcube-1 decoding
by PA3GUO 25 Dec '13

25 Dec '13

Using a 2x6 elements beam + pre-amp + an FCD, it is possible to decode packets down to just 0.7 degrees elevation. Rather impressive. Also I noticed that if I have other CPU intensive SW running (HRD) at the same time, nothing is decoded. Visually it all looks the same on the FUNcube-1 Dashboard, signal strenghts etc., but somehow it needs maybe more PC resources (memory?) for the actual decoding, because as soon as I closed HRD incoming packets got decoded, while before none of them was. Henk PA3GUO

1 0

Delfi n3xt decoding
by PA3GUO 25 Dec '13

25 Dec '13

Delfi-n3xt decoded fine down to 5 degrees elevation using a 2x6 elements beam + pre-amp + FCD + SDR#. I like the Delfi-nx3xt decoding software (DUDe) a lot. Together with the RAX/Mcubed decoding SW (from James Cutler) this is the best out there for us (IMHO). Compliments to those teams! (due to the format Delfi-n3xt is easer to set up, as you don't need to have the TNC switch to KISS mode) Less tumbling as Funcube-1, I for Funcube-1 I need to switch polarity regular for strongest SNR, Delfi-n3xt is more stable (can leave it in the same polarization all the time). Henk, PA3GUO

1 0

Funcube-1 decoding
by PA3GUO 25 Dec '13

25 Dec '13

Using a 2x6 elements beam + pre-amp + an FCD, it is possible to decode packets down to just 0.7 degrees elevation. Rather impressive. Also I noticed that if I have other CPU intensive SW running (HRD) at the same time, nothing is decoded, visually it all looks the same on the FUNcube-1 Dashboard, signal strenghts etc. but somehow it needs PC resources (memory?) for the actual decoding, because as soon as I closed HRD incoming packets got decoded, while before none was. Henk PA3GUO

1 0

UT1FG/MM Christmas Greetings
by John Papay 24 Dec '13

24 Dec '13

Yuri, UT1FG/MM, asked me to send his Christmas Greetings to everyone on the satellites. He is spending his Christmas in port at Constanta Romania and expects to be loaded and sailing 28 or 29 December. His next port will be in France. He will continue to listen for North America on FO-29 and AO-7B. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. John K8YSE

1 0

CAPE-2 over Brazil
by Roland Zurmely 24 Dec '13

24 Dec '13

Please see here: http://www.qsl.net/py4zbz/cape.htm#f 73 de Roland PY4ZBZ GH70un

2 1

Wimo antennas - polarisation ?
by Protest 23 Dec '13

23 Dec '13

Hi all, another newbie question. I have a Yaesu G5500 rotator and the 2m and 70cm Wimo quagies and the phased harnesses. I do not want to go go the expense of switching polarisation, so do I fix both at RHCP, or do I go vertical, or do I go horizontal? I am a complete newbie and want to work, SO50, AO51, AO73 etc. Thanks Sent from my iPad

1 0

Office Closed
by Martha 23 Dec '13

23 Dec '13

The AMSAT Office will be closed the week of December 23rd. We will reopen after the first of the year. I will be spending my time recuperating (still!) from my ruptured achilles heel. -- 73- Martha

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FUNcube-1: One Month in Space + ISS Ham Video Commissioning
by M5AKA 23 Dec '13

23 Dec '13

FUNcube-1: One Month in Space http://amsat-uk.org/2013/12/23/funcube-1-one-month-in-space/ ISS Ham Video Commissioning http://amsat-uk.org/2013/12/22/iss-ham-video-commissioning/ Brazilian contact via FUNcube-1 (AO-73) http://amsat-uk.org/2013/12/21/brazilian-contact-via-funcube-1-ao-73/ Former radio ham plans Bitcoin CubeSat http://amsat-uk.org/2013/12/21/former-radio-ham-plans-bitcoin-cubesat/ Santa uses 434.075 MHz during sleigh test http://amsat-uk.org/2013/12/20/santa-uses-434-075-mhz-during-sleigh-test/ Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year ---- 73 Trevor M5AKA AMSAT-UK website http://amsat-uk.org/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/AMSAT-UK/208113275898396 Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK ----

1 0

Satellites and IT challenges
by PA3GUO 23 Dec '13

23 Dec '13

Just in case, hoping for some good tips/suggestions; IT topic 1: Funcube-1 Warehouse When I go to https://warehouse.funcube.org.uk/ranking.html?satelliteId=2 on my Nexus 7 tablet (Android 4.4) I get the explicit warning that this is unsafe. No other website gives this message. I knows it's an https site, but still. Any thoughts ? (ps: I just clock continue and it's all fine, but it still feels uncomfortable) IT topic 2: Triton-1 http://www.isispace.nl/HAM/ I have Bitdefender Internet Security as spam/virus/.. software on all my PCs here. Never I have seen it blocking a website. But: . this Triton website is immediately flagged as unsafe and blocked: so I did not go in. Any thoughts ? IT topic 3: AMSAT Email For the past 3..4 weeks my ISP blocks amsat, so pa3guo @ amsat.org does not reach me. Best way to contact me is via pa3guo @ upcmail.nl. .. Initially I thought it was my ISP, then I suspected AMSAT, and now I don't know anymore, but I hear more people in the Netherlands have this issue, also people with a different ISP, while other people with the same ISP can (!) use amsat.org without problems. It seems to be a sticky problem. Henk, PA3GUO

2 2

ANTENNAS.US QFH Satellite Antennas?
by Alan 22 Dec '13

22 Dec '13

Hi, I was looking for something on QFHs, and found an interesting set of antennas. http://preview.tinyurl.com/ougah8b They donated an antenna to the AMSAT Symposium 2-3 years ago, but I have never heard one in use that I know of. Anybody use them, or know someone who has? 73s, Alan WA4SCA ----------------------------------- Keep Calm and Carry On

4 4

Doppler correction with CAT and SATPC32
by Gabriel - EA6VQ 22 Dec '13

22 Dec '13

I'm playing around with SATPC32 and its CAT interface to automatically tune the transmitter to the correct frequency depending on receiver's frequency. After some initial trouble it's working reliably, but I don't see any way to fix the RX frequency so that it only changes the TX QRG. When I enable CAT it changes both QRGs RX and TX. It's cumbersome when making a QSO with a station which fixes his downlink frequency and SATPC32 is constantly retuning the receiver. Is there a way to configure SATPC32 so that it only changes TX QRG to compensate Doppler according to a fixed RX frequency? 73. Gabriel - EA6VQ _________________________________________________________

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Ham Radio Deluxe v6 Sat program
by Ted 22 Dec '13

22 Dec '13

With all the new activity, has anyone tried the new and improved HRD Sat program lately? Supposedly, there have been some improvements to the satellite portion of the suite. Thank, Ted K7TRK

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what's the best choice for my next HAM PC?
by PA3GUO 22 Dec '13

22 Dec '13

My current 'main' PC is about 10 years old now, and is getting slow (Medion Desktop, 10 yr old P4/3 GHz/2.5 GB with Win XP). I would like to have your inputs on what the next one should be. For all kinds of reasons, I want to keep Windows as the O/S. Plus I assume I will slowly upgrade from 2 to 3 monitors. Taking into account the future will bring - more SDR - more Spectran/Spectrum/WSJT like SW - more need to run multiple programs simultanious Should I go for an i3, i5 or i7 processor? What is the best way to still have (via USB?) serial connectors? Any other topics to consider? Henk, PA3GUO

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ArduSat-X active
by Mike Rupprecht 22 Dec '13

22 Dec '13

ArduSat-X active on 437.000 MHz FM CW 14:57:45 UTC wg9xfc-x e505 15:00:58 UTC wg9xfc-x a8.33 15:04:13 UTC wg9xfc-x d468 16:33:16 UTC wg9xfc-x e505 16:36:27 UTC wg9xfc-x a8.34 16:39:39 UTC wg9xfc-x d468 73 Mike DK3WN

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OZ/KO4MA 23-31DEC13
by Andrew Glasbrenner 22 Dec '13

22 Dec '13

I'll be portable in the Kolding, Denmark area for the next 9 days or so, active on all the transponders and maybe SO50. Hoping to work some old AO40 friends and maybe a few back stateside as the passes allow. Also, EA/N8MH! 73, Drew KO4MA Sent from my iPhone

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