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Re: AMSAT Awards
by Jim Adams 06 Dec '11

06 Dec '11

Congrats yall! Working the sats is a lot of fun. Jim Adams - K0BAM Delta County, Colorado Dm68

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Re: Any Mode L?
by Andrew Glasbrenner 06 Dec '11

06 Dec '11

With AO-51 inoperative, there are no voice L uplinks left that I know of. Kiwisat will have voice L uplinks when launched, and CO-65 has a L/U 9k6 digipeater that is available on many weekends. 73, Drew KO4MA -----Original Message----- >From: myles l <myles.landstein(a)gmail.com> >Sent: Dec 6, 2011 11:08 AM >To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org >Subject: [amsat-bb] Any Mode L? > >Just wanted to double check I didn't overlook anything, are there any mode >L (23cm) birds operational in any voice mode? > >Regardless, anyone know why I can purchase a 23cm circular pol antenna? > >thanks > >N2EHG >_______________________________________________ >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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Any Mode L?
by myles l 06 Dec '11

06 Dec '11

Just wanted to double check I didn't overlook anything, are there any mode L (23cm) birds operational in any voice mode? Regardless, anyone know why I can purchase a 23cm circular pol antenna? thanks N2EHG

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AMSAT Awards
by Bruce 06 Dec '11

06 Dec '11

Here are our latest AMSAT Awards recipients. The following have entered into the Satellite Communicators Club for making their first satellite QSO. Jackson Wilson, KF5LOQ Bill Caton, WD4DHJ Marcelo Teruel, IK0USO Mike Massell, KD0LMB Kelly Bradley, KC5YPU Dmitry Krylov, UA3RAB The following have earned the AMSAT Communications Achievement Award. Bill Caton, WD4DHJ, #546 The following have earned the AMSAT Sexagesimal Communications Achievement Award. Wyatt Dirks, AC0RA, #162 George Carr, WA5KBH, #163 The following have earned the South Africa Satellite Communications Achievement Award. Bill Caton, WD4DHJ, #US175 Demitry Krylov, UA3RAB, #US176 Marcelo Teruel, IK0USO, #US177 The following have earned their Robert W. Barbee, Jr. W4AMI Award Wyatt Dirks, AC0RA, #75 To see all the awards visit http://www.amsat.org or http://www.amsatnet.com Bruce Paige, KK5DO AMSAT Director Contests and Awards ARRL Awards Manager (WAS, 5BWAS, VUCC), VE Houston AMSAT Net - Wed 0200z on Echolink - Conference *AMSAT* Also streaming MP3 at http://www.amsatnet.com Podcast at http://www.amsatnet.com/podcast.xml or iTunes

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sat software
by Nick Pugh 06 Dec '11

06 Dec '11

I have a Flex 5000 with the u/v option. I would like to work through the FAST sat with packet . What software does the group recommend to do this using a software 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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AO-27 status
by George Henry 06 Dec '11

06 Dec '11

Today I received the latest TOPR and EPOCH files for AO-27 from Mike Wyrick, NU3C, and have uploaded them to the AO-27 Satellite Scheduler website so that users of the Java scheduler program can update their files. Simply download them to the same folder that the Scheduler resides in. DO NOT use the "Update Data" option from within the program, as it will try to connect to the AO-27 website, which is still down. (They are working to get it back online.) George, KA3HSW http://sites.google.com/site/ao27satellitescheduler/

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NASA Discovers New Planet
by Clint Bradford 06 Dec '11

06 Dec '11

Wow ... NASA discovered a new planet our of our solar system! Averages 82 degrees ... sunny ... water ... I suggest they call it, "Planet San Diego." But some guy named Keplerian already had dibs ... Clint Bradford

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The Future Of Spaceflight As Seen Nearly 50 Years Ago
by B J 05 Dec '11

05 Dec '11

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1981/1 The predictions seem quaint now, but, back then, they seemed realistic. 73s Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL

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A simple request made in a timeless video
by Clayton Coleman W5PFG 05 Dec '11

05 Dec '11

This classic YouTube video expresses one young gentleman's concern for the future of amateur radio satellite enthusiasts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sONfxPCTU0 In the last few seconds of the video, an appeal is made to all generations.

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info please
by John Becker 05 Dec '11

05 Dec '11

At one time I was seeing updates on new SAT projects. For some reason when I had my computer hard drive problem I stop seeing such updates and cant seem to find the URL now. Can someone please pass it to me again? And any word on what is happening on a replacement for AO-40 other then lack of funds. Thanks, all John, W0JAB EM48lk

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Orbital Decay and Atmospheric Density
by John Heath 05 Dec '11

05 Dec '11

Hi Gents, I have been working on an excel spreadsheet regarding ARISSat-1, orbital decay and atmospheric density. Its a small workbook with some calculations and a chart. The idea is to work out the volume that ARISSat-1 sweeps through per orbit, then calculate the mass of atomic material it will colloid with. Math is NOT my best subject . Is there a math guru on the list willing to take a quick look and tell me if I am on the right lines. Let me know and I will send it off list. Thanks John G7HIA

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Re: HEO history question
by Armando Mercado 05 Dec '11

05 Dec '11

Hi John, The UK and the mid-west were mutually visible in the morning almost the entire month of November, 1997, via AO-10. There was a gap for a couple of weeks in December, 1997, but mutual visibility returned for the 2nd half of January 1998 into Feburary 1998. RS12/13 made morning passes visible to the mid-west roughly every other week starting October, 1997 to March of 1998. (didn't calculate passes beyond that) However, if you were tuning around in the FM mode and found an SSB signal loud enough to get your attention, I think you probably heard RS12/13. Do you remember how long you heard the signal? (a couple of minutes or a half an hour or more). Was the signal strength steady or was there a slow deep QSB? 73, Armando, N8IGJ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2011 13:58:52 -0600 From: John Geiger <aa5jg(a)fidmail.com> To: AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Subject: [amsat-bb] HEO history question Message-ID: <CAFq43LZDtAvUcUDYzFtYxe4kG0XBQK_iaGNKkR6KE0tB=H1mYw(a)mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Back in late 1997 or early 1998 I was using a Kenwood TR9130 on 2m SSB. One morning I was tuning from the FM to the SSB portion of the band, and heard a station just below 146mhz. I tuned them in, and it was a station from Wales! Obviously going thru a satellite as the 2 meter conditions weren't that good that morning. I am now wondering what satellite it probably was. Hearing it was enough to motivate me to eventually get into satellite operations-that took a few years though. Anyways, what satellite was I probably hearing? I am guessing AO10 or AO13 but were they operational at that time? 73s John AA5JG

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Fwd: Wow
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 05 Dec '11

05 Dec '11

----- Forwarded Message ----- From: wa4hfn(a)comcast.net To: "Jim Adams" <jim9251(a)gmail.com> Sent: Monday, December 5, 2011 10:42:20 AM Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Wow I agree Jim. Sounds like a bunch of democrats wanting something for free and at someones else expence. Maybe the next bird should require a monthly fee to be a member and if you dont pay have them cut off WA4HFN ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Adams" <jim9251(a)gmail.com> To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Sent: Monday, December 5, 2011 10:08:01 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] Wow I've noticed lately this board is sounding more and more like the boards on a certain ham radio forum. Filled with personal attacks. Would the things you say on the internet be something you would say to a persons face? I think not. I thought we were on this board for one purpose, amateur radio satellite communications. FM, SSB, CW, packet, it doesn't matter. Making contacts through a satellite zooming overhead is just a lot of fun. And when you stop to think about it, pretty darn amazing. Let's get back to helping one another and making contacts without all the grade school nonsense. Jim Adams - K0BAM Delta County, Colorado DM68 _______________________________________________ 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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Wow
by Jim Adams 05 Dec '11

05 Dec '11

I've noticed lately this board is sounding more and more like the boards on a certain ham radio forum. Filled with personal attacks. Would the things you say on the internet be something you would say to a persons face? I think not. I thought we were on this board for one purpose, amateur radio satellite communications. FM, SSB, CW, packet, it doesn't matter. Making contacts through a satellite zooming overhead is just a lot of fun. And when you stop to think about it, pretty darn amazing. Let's get back to helping one another and making contacts without all the grade school nonsense. Jim Adams - K0BAM Delta County, Colorado DM68

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Re: Wow
by Vince Fiscus, KB7ADL 05 Dec '11

05 Dec '11

At 09:08 AM 12/5/2011 -0700, jim9251(a)gmail.com wrote: >I've noticed lately this board is sounding more and more like the boards on >a certain ham radio forum. Filled with personal attacks. Well the CB'ers don't have AO-51 anymore so they have to vent someplace. KB7ADL Proud member of the gallbladder Brigade

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Lets move forward
by Frank Woolfe 05 Dec '11

05 Dec '11

Unfortunately AO51 is gone, my thoughts are to get the P3E project moving and the thing in the air so we all can continue to enjoy this facet of the hobby; Can any one tell me what is the status of P3E? The web page appears to be not updated for some time. So I guess for those of you that have stood in their backyard and worked AO51 with a HT and a Arrow for many years what was that worth to you? I know that there a many in Australia that have hogged the thing let alone world wide, so how about putting your short arm in your deep pocket and donating to the project, stop all this bickering and move forward all this arguing that I've been reading is so counter productive to the cause. Remember gentlemen it's just a Hobby. Frank H Woolfe; Dip EE,VK5KV.

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Re: Sats to Support
by Clint Bradford 05 Dec '11

05 Dec '11

>> ... and with only one SSB and one FM sat left ... We have ARISSat-1. And the ISS. And SO-50. And AO-27. That's four FM birds workable right now. Yes - we need more satellite projects launched. But monitoring and working FM birds is still a viable part of our hobby! Let;s at least count the nunber available properly! (grin) Clint, K6LCS http:/www.work-sat.com

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Re: Articles on Getting Started on SSB Sats
by wb7dru＠usfamily.net 05 Dec '11

05 Dec '11

Very creative and efficient use of color. Never thought of using the screen color to match the band. Now I will need a portable heater for the Minnesota winter...guess I could mount the antennas to an ice house and go quasi-maritime mobile as soon as the lakes freeze over :) Dave David Donaldson Burnsville, MN WB7DRU Navy MARS: NNN0AXK Grid: EN34ij Sent from my android device. -----Original Message----- From: David Palmer KB5WIA <kb5wia(a)amsat.org> To: "Trevor ." <m5aka(a)yahoo.co.uk> Cc: AMSAT BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Sun, 04 Dec 2011 10:20 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Articles on Getting Started on SSB Sats Hi Trevor, Just FYI, I've posted a detailed description of how to set up a station for working the SSB (and also FM) sats on my web page at: http://kb5wia.blogspot.com/2010/10/satellite-portable-station.html The station consists of twin Yaesu FT-817ND radios and an Elk antenna, and a number of us in the community are using such systems for portable and home ops on SSB sats with very good success. This article is also in the AMSAT Journal: [David A Palmer, KB5WIA. "Twins! A Backpack-Portable Full Duples Satellite Station with Dual FT-817ND's". AMSAT Journal 2011 34:14-16. ], for anyone that's interested. Best 73 de Dave KB5WIA On Sun, Dec 4, 2011 at 1:22 PM, Trevor . <m5aka(a)yahoo.co.uk> wrote: > The AMSAT new starters page at > http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/faqs/ > > is a valuable resource but it seems to be all about FM sats, there's little showing newcomers how to use the Linear Transponder SSB/CW sats. > > Why is this, well clearly because no-one, myself included, can be bothered to write something that can be made available on the AMSAT site. > > There is of course some infromation scattered around the web that show what can be done with simple equipment on the Linear Transponder satellites such as: > > AO7 from Indoors on 2Watts and Arrow antenna. > http://observations.biz/Observations_from_Norway/Observations_04_01_2009.htm > > The LA2QAA portable AO-7 Station > http://observations.biz/Observations_from_Norway/observations_14_06_2008.htm > > POWER. How much is enough? > http://www.observations.biz/Observations_from_Norway/howmuchpowerisenough.h… > > 73 Trevor M5AKA _______________________________________________ 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: sats to support
by g0mrf＠aol.com 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

Next one ready to launch will probably be the AMSAT-UK 1U cubesat 'Funcube' with a linear transponder. Local to you will be Fox-1. Lets hope it qualifies for launch funding from an educational grant. Sadly the standard launch costs for P3E look to be impossible to fund, so we need a goverenment to step in. Not sure the European economy will support that as it has many problems at present. Thanks David SwissCubesat is interesting, but there are no ham freq projects in the pipeline here or at AMSAT-UK. -----Original Message----- From: Michael Hatzakis <lists(a)hatzakis.net> To: amsat-bb <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Sun, 4 Dec 2011 20:46 Subject: [amsat-bb] sats to support

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FO-69
by ryan woods 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

Is their any luck with FO-69? im gonna try it here on the next pass with a ft-817 and a tnc-x to a jpole...... If the jpole dont work ill use the arrow Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android

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Articles on Getting Started on SSB Sats
by Trevor . 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

The AMSAT new starters page at http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/faqs/ is a valuable resource but it seems to be all about FM sats, there's little showing newcomers how to use the Linear Transponder SSB/CW sats. Why is this, well clearly because no-one, myself included, can be bothered to write something that can be made available on the AMSAT site. There is of course some infromation scattered around the web that show what can be done with simple equipment on the Linear Transponder satellites such as: AO7 from Indoors on 2Watts and Arrow antenna. http://observations.biz/Observations_from_Norway/Observations_04_01_2009.htm The LA2QAA portable AO-7 Station http://observations.biz/Observations_from_Norway/observations_14_06_2008.htm POWER. How much is enough? http://www.observations.biz/Observations_from_Norway/howmuchpowerisenough.h… 73 Trevor M5AKA

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SwissCube
by Trevor . 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

There's an update on SwissCube at http://www.uk.amsat.org/2011/12/03/swisscube-update/ 73 Trevor M5AKA

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Working SO-50
by Ib Christoffersen 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

Working SO-50. I think it is time to look at how one can operate over SO-50 and the problems that can be encountered. First the normal and nominal data: Uplink is at 145.850 MHz. Downlink at 436.795 MHz. If it is not ON - use 74.4 Hz CTCSS tone to activate the transmitter for 10 seconds to have it on for nominally 10 minutes - when on use 67 Hz CTCSS tone during your transmission. That was the intended normal operation. Now to the deviations from the normal scheme. The downlink frequency sometimes jump approximately 5 kHz. Therefore I have two different frequencies pairs to be used in SATPC32: SO-50,436788.50,145849,FM,FM,NOR,0,0 SO-50,436795,145850,FM,FM,NOR,0,0 If you do not use Full Doppler Tracking it is not much of an issue. Just tune for best downlink. Talking about SATPC32 here are the entries for the CTCSS tone: SO-50,67.0,$3F,1 SO-50,74.4,$3E,3 The first data is for the ICOM IC-910 radio. If you use another radio please look at the information in SATPC32. Next problem is the change of polarity of the downlink signal during a pass. The polarity changes during the pass. At least I have to switch polarity a few times from RHCP to LHCP to optimize the downlink signal. That has been confirmed by others. How it works using linearly polarized antennas I do not know - but I think there will be some fading. And if that is not enough - at least here over Europe - we have to put up with QRM on the uplink from a lot of different sources like repeaters and people using our frequencies as cheap phone connections. The result of the QRM is that it sometimes is difficult to turn SO-50 on. Also the QRM may turn the transmitter off. And since the inclination is not sun synchronous we have to live with a steady change of pass times over the year. Some may think I am not a fan of SO-50. That is not the case. It is a very good satellite we got for free and it works very well. Already more people are using it over Europe after AO-51 is not with us any more. That just took a couple of days. 73 OZ1MY/Ib

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Video - How to Work VO-52
by Trevor . 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

I liked this video that Simon 2E0HTS produced a couple of years ago, see http://www.uk.amsat.org/2011/12/04/working-the-ssb-satellites/ 73 Trevor M5AKA

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round-to-it
by Bob- W7LRD 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

I tried this before with mild results. Look around your ham shack and check out all your "upcoming" , "I'll get around to it projects". Now being honest, will you really get, round-to-it? I suggest you take that "round-to-it project and sell that bad-boy on ebay, craigslist, next fleamarket or your buddy. Don't have a ebay account? I'll bet you know who does. Then send the funds to AMSAT toward our next bird. You'll be supporting the next satellite and make more room for your next "round-to-it" project. This is rocket science, and that ain't cheap! Anyone want a IC-730 with good rx and no tx? 73 Bob W7LRD Washington State AMSAT Coordinator

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just a few things
by Bob- W7LRD 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

Regarding the few posts in bad taste. I'm an ex sailor I can handle it however, this place is not at sea. With the demise of AO-51 and the yearning for more birds. Do we have a place where we can actually see (pretty close) how much money is required for what bird/launch and even "ball park" time frame. From the "outside" looking in it appears we're simply shoot from the hip. Nothing works better than specific, concise and honest details be if from AMSAT-NA or our DL friends. I recently gave a satellite talk and could not give definitive anwers about even the future out a few years, other than my own hopes and dreams. The university "beep" boxes we have assisted with are kinda fun, why not hang on a small transponder from http://www.qsl.net/pe1rah/ . I'd like to see a specific goal oriented conversation in this direction, that in my opinion provides direction. With very specific goals we will have direction (money). I know we have "well connected" people in AMSAT" to the space industry, the devil is in the details. Now finally where can we find the keps of some of these odd ball birds like Phobos-Grunt. That thing should be optically visible at the gray line. 73 Bob Washingto State AMSAT Coordinator

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HR3288 - end of the ITAR nightmare?
by Daniel Schultz 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

There is a bill before the US House of Representatives that would give the President authority to remove communications satellites and related components from the Munitions List. This would free up commercial and amateur satellite builders to once again interact with our foreign colleagues. ITAR regulations have caused irreparable harm to Amsat and have severely restricted our ability to interact with our foreign colleagues. If you live in the USA and want to help Amsat launch new satellites, contact your congressman and ask him/her to support or possibly cosponsor HR3288, known as the `Safeguarding United States Satellite Leadership and Security Act of 2011'. You can locate your congressman's office on http://www.house.gov. This information comes from: http://www.southgatearc.org/news/november2011/will_hr_3288end_itars_chokeho… Dan Schultz N8FGV

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Fwd: VO-52 FM Operation
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

----- Forwarded Message ----- From: wa4hfn(a)comcast.net To: "John Heath" <g7hia(a)btinternet.com> Cc: "John AJ4AT" <aj4at(a)comcast.net> Sent: Saturday, December 3, 2011 8:02:35 AM Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] VO-52 FM Operation There are 2 FM birds use them and if you need to buy some used ssb equipment do it dont trash a good SSB bird . The hobby is still going good . Learn how to use SO50 and AO27 and enough with this FM on VO52 BRAVO SERRIA crap. Donate to AMsat sothey can put up a new bird . MAN UP enough crying about AO51 and I cant work the birds WA4HFN ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Heath" <g7hia(a)btinternet.com> To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Sent: Saturday, December 3, 2011 12:53:03 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] VO-52 FM Operation Gentlemen, These are not normal times, we are seriously short of satellites and without satellites we don't have a hobby anymore. Without new and more satellites users we probably won't have a hobby anymore either. Time for creative thinking. FM on VO-52 might just be something we have to do. Send as much money as you can afford to the Fox project 73 John g7hia Sent from my iPad _______________________________________________ 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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Remote polarity / preamp switching
by Dominic Hawken 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

I currently have two runs of coax from the shack up to the roof, each connected to smallish dual band 2/70 yagis, horizontally polarised, on an az/el rotator. One's connected to the 70cm output of my FT847, and the other to the 2m output. I'd like to upgrade to cross-polarised beams for 2 and 70 that I can switch between vertical, horizontal and circular polarisation, and also add masthead preamps powered through the coax. Some form of remote switching seems to be the way to go, but the few commercial switches I've found googling are really expensive (and I'd need two afaik). I'm basically wanting to upgrade without having to run more coax or power cable up to the mast if possible - wondering of anyone has done something similar without breaking the bank. Thanks in advance tor any help, Dominic G6NQO.

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Apology
by andy thomas 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

My apologies for breaching any etiquette of this -bb. I have also sent an apology to Gould as moderator. In my defence, I was only showing the -bb an example of the flaming I have received, and I still think that this and other emails I have received are unacceptable. andy g0sfjamsat-

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Re: Stop flaming please
by ka9qjg 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

What is UGLY Is that some keep reposting it .Some has never seen it . Everyone will have a bad hair day and say or write something they wish they could take back , I tell My Grandkids at last count 18 and 8 Great that when they call their parents names They will be forgiven but Not forgotten 73 De Don KA9QJG

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Fw: Stop flaming please
by andy thomas 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

I don't think this is the spirit of informed and reasonable debate. 73 de andy g0sfj ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Kevin Deane <summit496(a)live.com> To: andythomasmail(a)yahoo.co.uk Sent: Saturday, 3 December 2011, 19:15 Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] Stop flaming please shut the fuck up dumbass, there will be nobody there on FM Kevin KF7MYK > Date: Sat, 3 Dec 2011 16:35:10 +0000 > From: andythomasmail(a)yahoo.co.uk > To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > Subject: [amsat-bb] Stop flaming please > > I don't see why someone can't make a suggestion about a qrp experiment without being flamed about being incompetent, inadequate, financially poor or in some other way a lesser member of the -bb. You guys ought to learn a little more tolerance. > > Fact #1 is, ao-51 is dead and we don't have anything else of that quality for all of those operators who like doing field operations with an arrow. SO-50 is at best unpredictable and AO27 is not always on, depends on its ssp. Fact #2 is that anyone who is an alligator could have taken over vo-52 and didn't, thankfully. Fact #3 is that nobody would without seeking permission. > > So please cut back from the snide clever-clever remarks about having too small a piece of kit, hi. I don't feel bad about raising the idea. > > 73 de andy g0sfj > _______________________________________________ > 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: ME
by Clint Bradford 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

>> ... Rule #1 of email ... No - the first "rule" of email is to respect the intent of the writer - and not post publicly what was intended as a private communication. Not sure of one's intent? ASK before posting elsewhere. Anything less is quite disrespectful ... There is no "defense" for such an act. Clint Bradford

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thanks for QSOs on Friday and Saturday
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

Hi! After a brief pause in my satellite operating (real life gets in the way, from time to time), I was able to get on the air for some passes Friday and today. Thanks for all the QSOs when I was out at the hamfest in Mesa AZ this morning, and yesterday while on a quick road trip to southern Arizona. This morning's hamfest almost was washed out. Just as things were getting started and I was on an AO-7 pass around 1245 UTC, rain began to fall. It was a light rain, which ended around the LOS time on that pass. After that, the crowds - buyers and sellers - started showing up for the half-day hamfest. I was able to get on 6 different passes, two each on 3 different satellites (AO-7, SO-50, VO-52). Thanks to all who worked WD9EWK this morning, and especially for giving more than just a call and grid - getting a name and QTH helps illustrate the coverage of our satellites. I apologize to Joe K3SZH for not answering your call on the later AO-7 pass; by that time, I was fighting QRN from a series of noisy generators at the hamfest that were swamping my 2m downlink receiver. Once again, thanks to the Superstition Amateur Radio Club for inviting AMSAT to their hamfest. My next hamfest, including on-air satellite demonstrations, will be at the Thunderbird Amateur Radio Club's hamfest on Saturday, 7 January 2012, in Phoenix. http://www.w7tbc.org/hamfest.html Yesterday (Friday), I originally planned to make a day-trip to Flagstaff in northern Arizona. Due to bad weather throughout much of Arizona in the past day or two, I did not want to drive on the snowy and icy I-17 freeway up there. Rather than stay home or give up the scheduled day off, I took a drive to southern Arizona and worked from a couple of locations in southern Arizona near the I-19 freeway between Tucson and the USA/Mexico border. Both locations were in grid DM41 in Santa Cruz County AZ - an area I have visited many times in the past, but this was the first time I've worked satellites from this Arizona county (the last of the 15 Arizona counties I've worked from). I was able to work an SO-50 pass followed by two AO-27 passes before driving back home in the late afternoon. The Friday QSOs have already been uploaded to the Logbook of the World system. Today's QSOs from the hamfest should be uploaded this evening or tomorrow morning, depending on the status of the LOTW web site. If anyone would like to receive QSL cards for QSOs with WD9EWK at either the hamfest and/or my Friday road trip only need to drop me an e-mail with the QSO details. If you're in the log, I will be happy to send you a card. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Re: VO-52 FM Operation
by Nitin Muttin 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

Friends, Thank you all for your comments and understanding. Please do not use FM on VO-52. There are very few (less than 3-5 radio hams in India who work thru VO-52 on FM due to the lack of all mode 2 meter and 70 cms radios and hence the exception) who use FM when VO-52 is over India. 73's Nitin [VU3TYG] Secretary, AMSAT INDIA

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ME
by Kevin Deane 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

How dare you post my personal email on this BB! By doing so you have crossed any line I may have ever even thought about so good job there buddy. Kevin KF7MYK

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Re: Fw: Stop flaming please
by MSG Craig R Gagner 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

Well if you look at the message it was not sent to the list, it was forwarded by the recipient. Not knowing if there were any additional private e-mails between the two is something to consider. This seems to be a really hot topic, its not the end of the world. Donate to the FOX-1 and FOX-2 project and lets get the new birds in the air... On Sat, Dec 3, 2011 at 4:48 PM, B.P. wrote: > I can only hope that the moderator of this group will immediately > terminate Kevin > KF7MYK from this group. That sort of language is totally uncalled for > in this group. > You Kevin are a disgrace to the rest of us Americans and Ham operators > around the world. > Bruce > > > ________________________________ > From: Bruce <kk5do(a)amsat.org> > To: amsat-bb <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Saturday, December 3, 2011 > 3:45 PM > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Fw: Stop flaming please > ones intelligence, temperment and social graces are only outshined by > their chioice of words. > 73...bruce > > Sent from my iPhone > > > ----- Forwarded Message ----- > From: Kevin Deane <summit496(a)live.com> > To: andythomasmail(a)yahoo.co.uk Sent: Saturday, 3 December 2011, 19:15 > Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] Stop flaming please > > > shut the fuck up dumbass, there will be nobody there on FM > > Kevin > KF7MYK > > > > >> Date: Sat, 3 Dec 2011 16:35:10 +0000 >> From: andythomasmail(a)yahoo.co.uk >> To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org >> Subject: [amsat-bb] Stop flaming please >> >> I don't see why someone can't make a suggestion about a qrp >> experiment without being flamed about being incompetent, inadequate, >> financially poor or in some other way a lesser member of the -bb. You >> guys ought to learn a little more tolerance. >> Fact #1 is, ao-51 is dead and we don't have anything else of that >> quality for all of those operators who like doing field operations >> with an arrow. SO-50 is at best unpredictable and AO27 is not always >> on, depends on its ssp. Fact #2 is that anyone who is an alligator >> could have taken over vo-52 and didn't, thankfully. Fact #3 is that >> nobody would without seeking permission. >> So please cut back from the snide clever-clever remarks about >> having too small a piece of kit, hi. I don't feel bad about raising >> the idea. >> 73 de andy g0sfj >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > _______________________________________________ > 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: Fw: Stop flaming please
by ryan woods 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

Nice........................... Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android

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Re: Stop flaming please
by ryan woods 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

What do you mean so-50 is unpredictable? Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android

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heres how i c it...
by paul robinson 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

Frank you are correct.....no point going on about it lets all work together and get some new birds in orbit,we dont just need fm but ssb as well and some heo's would be even better,sooner we get them the sooner we can enjoy this part of the hobby again....its just sad that a 30+ year old bird is the main stay and we need to learn from it! looing forward working a bird with more range than my back garden !so lets get on with it . PAUL 2E1EUB

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Famous Headline in "The Times" of England
by andy thomas 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

The famous headline, in an apocryphal story, was "Small Earthquake in Chile: Not Many Dead". With due respect to our fellow hams in CE it meant (at that unenlightened time) that there had been a sesismic shift that, although important to those above it, perhaps did not merit further discussion in the Newspaper of Record. Let's now call it a day. 73 de andy g0sfj

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VO52 and QRP FM
by andy thomas 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

This is an important debate in difficult times. I am with G7HIA on this one, namely that *** if there is no damage to the satellite *** a QRP (below 5w handy) operation might be considered to be feasible on a centre frequency. It is not our bird to give permission. There are of course two transponders on board. If permission were given ONLY for QRP in effect this means that WE must police this. It would be for us to discorage alligators. (Technically alligators can already use the bird anyway but don't). 73 de andy g0sfj

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here's how i see it!
by K4FEG 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

In an attempt to be as non-partisan as possible here is how I see it: Lets not live in the past. There are viable projects out there that need our IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. No short term action at this time to one satellite or another will provide the Amateur community with a long term option for satellite communications. I for one, want to know the *who, what when & where of getting the NEXT bird into outer space.* I hear "support this project or that project!", but I need information on how we can FIX the satellite issues and not just put a band-aide on it like the politicians like to do! We all know it cost MONEY to launch into Orbit, lets start getting the how, when and where figured out. Then lets start raising money! The sooner we start the quicker we can have the "birds" we want. I enjoy the satellites, both FM and Linear, I even use CW on the linear "birds" I have made many a marginal contact on a low angle pass because of using CW. That's the beautiful thing about this hobby, it is multifaceted and can make room for ANYONE'S interests. BIRD, ORBIT, MONEY that's what we need not a lot of debate on can we "Frankenstein" some bird into something it is not. I'm done, the Soap Box is going back into the closet (for now!) AO27 in 50 minutes! B THERE! Frank K4FEG

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Re: VO52 and QRP FM
by i8cvs 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

Hi Craig, W1MSG Well sayd ...........I agree with you ! CW and SSB is just what we have to do on VO-52 BTW, it's impossible to access VO-52 in FM with a 5 watt HT and arrow antennas because for a decent QSO in CW and SSB we need at least 50 watt and a 13 dBi 70 cm antenna. We, operators of VO-52 linear transponder on CW and SSB we have a lot of counter measures against any FM intruder into the VO-52 linear passband. 73" de i8CVS Domenico ----- Original Message ----- From: "Craig R Gagner" <crgagner(a)charter.net> To: "'amsat'" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2011 3:14 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: VO52 and QRP FM I have to agree with Edgar, expand your capabilities and use it as designed SSB or CW. There are two other FM birds out there and that's where the FM should stay .. Craig W1MSG -----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of andy thomas Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2011 8:52 AM To: amsat Subject: [amsat-bb] VO52 and QRP FM This is an important debate in difficult times. I am with G7HIA on this one, namely that *** if there is no damage to the satellite *** a QRP (below 5w handy) operation might be considered to be feasible on a centre frequency. It is not our bird to give permission. There are of course two transponders on board. If permission were given ONLY for QRP in effect this means that WE must police this. It would be for us to discorage alligators. (Technically alligators can already use the bird anyway but don't). 73 de andy g0sfj

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Where to donate
by Bob- W7LRD 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

I realized my monthly donation to AMSAT had stopped a short time ago. Wanting to re initiate it I am debating going with Fox vs P3E from our DL friends. The DL version is obviously the coolest of the two, though Fox would probably more immediately economically feasible. Retired on a fixed income I spread my funds carefully. Being a HEO fanatic I question the short term feasibility of P3E. I feel a HEO would be a huge boost in a expanding satellite community. I give a few talks, do a hamfest and try to carry the "message" . Usually ending with, "we simply we need more money". Maybe buy more lottery tickets or pool our Visa cards. I know we have some very smart and "connected" people within AMSAT to the commercial industry. The big question, "where do we get the biggest bang for our buck". An idol thought, what would NASA say/do if say North Korea China, or Iran said we can launch a bird for you. Yep throw politics into it. It's late, I'm rambling yet these thoughts seem to forever occupy me. fairwell to AO-51 73 Bob W7LRD Seattle

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VO-52 FM Operation
by John Heath 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

Gentlemen, These are not normal times, we are seriously short of satellites and without satellites we don't have a hobby anymore. Without new and more satellites users we probably won't have a hobby anymore either. Time for creative thinking. FM on VO-52 might just be something we have to do. Send as much money as you can afford to the Fox project 73 John g7hia Sent from my iPad

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Stop flaming please
by andy thomas 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

I don't see why someone can't make a suggestion about a qrp experiment without being flamed about being incompetent, inadequate, financially poor or in some other way a lesser member of the -bb. You guys ought to learn a little more tolerance. Fact #1 is, ao-51 is dead and we don't have anything else of that quality for all of those operators who like doing field operations with an arrow. SO-50 is at best unpredictable and AO27 is not always on, depends on its ssp. Fact #2 is that anyone who is an alligator could have taken over vo-52 and didn't, thankfully. Fact #3 is that nobody would without seeking permission. So please cut back from the snide clever-clever remarks about having too small a piece of kit, hi. I don't feel bad about raising the idea. 73 de andy g0sfj

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VO-52 FM Operation???
by Luciano Gasparini 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

Hello all! I have been reading some posts mentioning that Amsat India would encourage FM work through VO-52. Is that for real or the other way around? I personally would like to keep her as a SSB one and use SO-50 for FM contacts. Could some one clarify that? 73, Luciano PT9KK

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Re: Where to donate
by Burns Fisher 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

>I realized my monthly donation to AMSAT ?had stopped a short time ago.? Wanting to re initiate it I am debating going with Fox vs P3E from our DL friends.? The DL version is obviously the coolest of the two, though Fox would probably more >immediately economically feasible.? Retired on a fixed income I spread my funds carefully.??? Being a HEO fanatic I question the short term feasibility of P3E.? I feel a HEO would be a huge boost in a expanding satellite community.? I give a >few talks, do a hamfest and try to carry the "message" .? Usually ending with, "we simply we need more money".? Maybe buy more lottery tickets or pool our Visa cards.? I know we have some very smart and "connected" people within >AMSAT to the commercial industry.? The big question, "where do we get the biggest bang for our buck".? An idol thought, what would NASA say/do if say North Korea?China,?or?Iran said we can launch a bird for you.? Yep throw politics into >it.? It's late, I'm rambling yet these tho! > ughts seem to forever occupy me. > >fairwell to AO-51 > >73 Bob W7LRD I can't tell you where to donate, of course. It's your decision. You have to consider what you want, and what you think is most likely to fly soonest, I guess. But a comment about launch services from those other countries. I don't think N. Korea or Iran can reach orbit reliably, so trying to launch with them would really be buying a lottery ticket. And beyond that, it would not be NASA that would be upset but the US state (I think) department. Satellites fall under ITAR (Internatlional Traffic in Arms Regulations, or something like that), and AMSAT would be in big trouble "exporting" a satellite without way more tons of paperwork than the rocket could lift :-) Probably not even that much paper would get a satellite to N Korea or Iran. Rides to orbit are more difficult now because of ITAR. Check the Amsat Journal archives for articles about it. (I know you are somewhat joking and I'm giving a serious answer...sorry about that...) Burns, W2BFJ

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Re: FASTRAC 1 Digipeating?
by Keith O'Brien 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

Clayton Coleman W5PFG wrote: Anyone else try to send packets via FASTRAC 1 on the most recent two passes late evening over North America? I only received the CW beacon and one burst of telemetry on each of the two passes over East Texas. I did notice on the first pass that my Keplerian elements were off by a little bit but had corrected it in time for the second pass around 05:15 UTC 3-12-2011. I tried both 1200 and 9600 packet to no avail. 73 Clayton W5PFG Shortly after I read the announcement on Thursday that FAST1 (AKA Sara Lilly) was going to be put into the Digipeat mode, I plugged it into Satpc32 and saw where I had a pass in 10 minutes for about 10 minutes. Here is what I was able to get through and copy with 1200 baud packet on that December 1 pass around 14:50 UTC. 145.825 up and 437.345 down +- Doppler... Fm N4ZQ To APRS Via FAST1 <UI pid=F0 Len=68 >[09:50:19] =2803.56N/08246.28W`UISS-AGWPE-ORBITRON & UISS-ORB SOFTWARE {UISS52} Fm N4ZQ To APRS Via FAST1* <UI pid=F0 Len=68 >[09:50:21] =2803.56N/08246.28W`UISS-AGWPE-ORBITRON & UISS-ORB SOFTWARE {UISS52} Fm N4ZQ To APRS Via FAST1 <UI pid=F0 Len=68 >[09:50:33] =2803.56N/08246.28W`UISS-AGWPE-ORBITRON & UISS-ORB SOFTWARE {UISS52} Fm N4ZQ To APRS Via FAST1* <UI pid=F0 Len=68 >[09:50:36] =2803.56N/08246.28W`UISS-AGWPE-ORBITRON & UISS-ORB SOFTWARE {UISS52} Fm N4ZQ To APRS Via FAST1 <UI pid=F0 Len=68 >[09:50:48] =2803.56N/08246.28W`UISS-AGWPE-ORBITRON & UISS-ORB SOFTWARE {UISS52} Fm FAST1 To KE5DTW <UA >[09:50:56] Fm FAST1 To KE5DTW <I R0 S0 pid=F0 Len=34 >[09:50:56] FAST1 Is Now Connected. GO HORNS! Fm FAST1 To KE5DTW <I R0 S0 pid=F0 Len=34 >[09:51:01] FAST1 Is Now Connected. GO HORNS! Fm FAST1 To KE5DTW <I R0 S1 pid=F0 Len=7 >[09:51:01] fast1> .............. That's all she wrote... . Haven't been able to Digi through it since. Only a few telemetry frames have been copied to date. Maybe the battery was depleted enough to cause the reset they were looking for.. To bad we couldn't swap AO-51 batteries with them... Keith N4ZQ

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FASTRAC 1 Digipeating?
by Clayton Coleman W5PFG 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

Anyone else try to send packets via FASTRAC 1 on the most recent two passes late evening over North America? I only received the CW beacon and one burst of telemetry on each of the two passes over East Texas. I did notice on the first pass that my Keplerian elements were off by a little bit but had corrected it in time for the second pass around 05:15 UTC 3-12-2011. I tried both 1200 and 9600 packet to no avail. 73 Clayton W5PFG

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HEO history question
by John Geiger 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

Back in late 1997 or early 1998 I was using a Kenwood TR9130 on 2m SSB. One morning I was tuning from the FM to the SSB portion of the band, and heard a station just below 146mhz. I tuned them in, and it was a station from Wales! Obviously going thru a satellite as the 2 meter conditions weren't that good that morning. I am now wondering what satellite it probably was. Hearing it was enough to motivate me to eventually get into satellite operations-that took a few years though. Anyways, what satellite was I probably hearing? I am guessing AO10 or AO13 but were they operational at that time? 73s John AA5JG

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ESA Ends Attempts To Communicate With Phobos-Grunt
by B J 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEMNEO2XFVG_0.html http://www.spacenews.com/civil/111202-esa-abandons-mars-probe.html http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1112/02phobosgrunt/ http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/awx/2011/12/02/awx… 73s Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL

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TS2000 Downconverter mounted on Tower
by John Papay 02 Dec '11

02 Dec '11

The suggestion to mount the converter on the tower near the antenna might have some good results, however, there are two problems. The first is that you will need two coax relays or a transfer switch up on the tower to switch the converter in and out of the circuit. Then you have the potential to transmit into the converter when you are uplinking on uhf if you forget to switch the relay. When you mount the converter in the shack, you can use an inexpensive coax switch. You could use a single relay with two feedlines. One would be for the converter output which goes to the rx aux ant jack. That line could be lossy since the converter has some gain and the 10 meter output will be attenuated less than at UHF. The other would be your best coax and would connect to the type N port on the TS2000. This would prevent any possibility of transmitting into the converter. In other words, the antenna would be switched to the converter input or directly to the TS2000 Type N connector. The second problem is that when you have electronics with frequency determining elements (crystal oscillators) mounted outside, temperature variations will cause drift. Having the converter inside stabilizes the temperature and the converter doesn't drift. Mounting electronics outside also requires special attention to keeping things dry. It's just a lot easier to keep things inside and use good quality coax. Heliax is often available at prices not much greater than LMR400 etc. If sealed up, it will last a lifetime. 73, John K8YSE

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Re: HEO history question
by k6yk 02 Dec '11

02 Dec '11

I think AO-13 was gone by 1997. I made lots of European QSO's on AO-10 in that time frame. 73, John, K6YK On Fri, 2 Dec 2011 17:23:18 -0500 "George and Cheryl Abbott" <ka1ajf(a)cox.net> writes: > My guess would be AO13.If you have the exact date and time you may be > able > to determine which satellite it was by using an old computer and the > > original Quiktrack program.73,George W1GMA > > -----Original Message----- > From: i8cvs > Sent: Friday, December 02, 2011 4:47 PM > To: John Geiger ; AMSAT-BB > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: HEO history question > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "John Geiger" <aa5jg(a)fidmail.com> > To: "AMSAT-BB" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> > Sent: Friday, December 02, 2011 8:58 PM > Subject: [amsat-bb] HEO history question > > > Back in late 1997 or early 1998 I was using a Kenwood TR9130 on 2m > SSB. > > One morning I was tuning from the FM to the SSB portion of the > band, and > > heard a station just below 146mhz. I tuned them in, and it was a > station > > from Wales! Obviously going thru a satellite as the 2 meter > conditions > > weren't that good that morning. I am now wondering what satellite > it > > probably was. Hearing it was enough to motivate me to eventually > get into > > satellite operations-that took a few years though. > > > > Anyways, what satellite was I probably hearing? I am guessing > AO10 or > > AO13 but were they operational at that time? > > > > 73s John AA5JG > > Hi John, AA5JG > > OSCAR-10 was launched in 1983 and it started to get problems with > the > main computer in 1986 > > OSCAR-13 was launched in 1988 and reientered because of drag in > 1996 > > Between 1997 or early 1998 OSCAR-10 was operating time to time > with > low level signals in Mode-B, 2 meters downlink while OSCAR-13 was > died. > > If you are sure about the time of your reception back in late 1997 > or early > 1998 I guess that probably you was hearing or OSCAR-10 or mostly > RS-12 > a powerful LEO satellite in Mode-KT with uplink in 15 meters and > downlink > in two bands at the same time i.e.10 meters in the Mode-K and 2 > meters in > Mode-T exactly from 145.907 to 145.953 MHz > > BTW at that time 23 april 1996 OSCAR-10 was still well operational > in > Mode-B because I have the QSL card from i8KRO for a QSO made > through > two satellites OSCAR-10 and RS-12 > > The uplink on RS-12 for i8KRO was in 21 MHz and the uplink for me > on OSCAR-10 was in 435 MHz while the downlink for both of us was > in 145 MHz > > Nice to remember ! > > 73" de > > i8CVS Domenico > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > ____________________________________________________________ 53 Year Old Mom Looks 33 The Stunning Results of Her Wrinkle Trick Has Botox Doctors Worried http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4ed97a9e35b1a71dcc8st06vuc

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AO-51 end of mission
by Andrew Glasbrenner 02 Dec '11

02 Dec '11

It is with a heavy heart I report that AO-51 has ceased transmission and is not responding to commands. The last telemetry data indicated that the third of six batteries was approaching failure to short, and observations indicate the voltage from three cells is insufficient to power the UHF transmitters. The IHU may continue to be operative. Initial tests with the S band transmitter were also not positive, although more attempts are in order. We have tried leaving the satellite in an expected state where if voltages climb high enough, the 435.150 transmitter may possibly be heard. The command team will regularly attempt communications with the satellite over the coming months (and years). There is always the possibility that a cell will open and we could once again talk to our friend while illuminated. Thanks to all who helped fund, design, build, launch, command, and operate AO-51. It's 7 year mission has been extraordinary. Please support AMSAT's Fox-1 project, and other AMSAT projects worldwide with your time and money. For the AO-51 Command Team, 73, Drew KO4MA AMSAT-NA VP Operations

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Re: FASTRAC Digipeating Announcement
by Mike Rupprecht (mobile) 01 Dec '11

01 Dec '11

See here: fastrac.ae.utexas.edu/for_radio_operators/users/phpBB3/predictedorbit.php 73 Mike DK3WN ----- Ursprüngliche Nachricht ----- Von: Trevor . <m5aka(a)yahoo.co.uk> Gesendet: Donnerstag, 1. Dezember 2011 19:49 An: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Betreff: [amsat-bb] Re: FASTRAC Digipeating Announcement Are there any online websites that provide orbital predictions for FASTRAC 1 ? I couldn't find it at http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/ and www.n2yo.com lists it but doesn't provide tracking. 73 Trevor M5AKA _______________________________________________ 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: NASA: Nanosail-D Mission Complete
by Mike Rupprecht (mobile) 01 Dec '11

01 Dec '11

... just wondering why this messages comes so late. 73 Mike DK3WN ----- Ursprüngliche Nachricht ----- Von: Trevor . <m5aka(a)yahoo.co.uk> Gesendet: Donnerstag, 1. Dezember 2011 14:57 An: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Betreff: [amsat-bb] NASA: Nanosail-D Mission Complete See NASA's Nanosail-D 'Sails' Home -- Mission Complete http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/smallsats/11-148.html 73 Trevor M5AKA _______________________________________________ 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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TS2000 ~436.798 MHz Birdie Solution
by John Papay 01 Dec '11

01 Dec '11

As many of you know, my satellite radio is a TS2000X. If you have visited my satellite webpage, you have seen many recordings of AO-27 and SO50 from AOS to LOS. Most of these recordings were made when I was not sitting in front of the radio. At first I used a uhf mobile to hear AO-27 and SO-50. The problem was that those radios were not computer controlled so you had to tune for the doppler. That worked fine when I was in the shack, but it didn't work when I was away. The obvious solution was another radio that didn't have the birdie problem, or a simple UHF to 10M downconverter which wouldn't have the birdie problem. Back in the day, UHF and VHF down- converters were very popular because we didn't have a lot of DC to Light radios out there. Now these converters are sitting in junk boxes and are long forgotten by their owners. One of the more popular manufacturers of these inexpensive downconverters was Hamtronics. They made all kinds of stuff for repeaters etc. At first their products were not that great, but they evolved into some better designs including their UHF to 10m downconverters. Unfortunately most downconverter manufacturers stopped making them when the devices they were using became obsolete and unavailable. The use of current production devices required a redesign of their PC boards and since the demand was no longer there, these products were abandoned. I was fortunate to find a Hamtronics converter on a qrz.com posting from several years back. It never sold back then and the owner still had it. I purchased it and ran some tests on it against the receiver in the TS2000. It turned out that the downconverter had a slightly better sensitivity than the TS2000! The big concern when using a converter or preamp is the fear of transmitting into it and smoking the front end. But the TS2000 has an auxiliary antenna jack which is receive only and perfect for a downconverter output on HF. As Drew mentioned, SatPC32 can compensate for a downconverter and tune the TS2000 for doppler in the 10m band. This allowed me to track AO-27 AO-51 and SO-50 unattended and make all those recordings without any human intervention. A coaxial transfer relay was inserted into the uhf antenna line so that when the converter was in use, the UHF antenna was switched to the downconverter input (which outputs to the aux antenna jack on the TS2000) and the UHF antenna jack on the TS2000 is switched to a dummy load. So if you transmit on UHF, power goes into the dummy load and all equipment is safe. When I want to transmit on UHF (VO-52 and AO-7 mode B), the coax relay switches the UHF antenna back to the UHF antenna port on the TS2000. The downconverter is out of the antenna circuit at this point. I did not use the downconverter when operating on FO-29 so the aux antenna jack had to be switched to normal in the tS2000, menu #18 (FO-29 is a linear bird that outputs on UHF, currently not working). Every owner of a TS2000 that operates satellites needs a UHF to 10M downconverter. Hamtronics is making a VHF to 10M downconverter now. If everyone emailed them to encourage them to make a UHF model, they might just do it. The only other solution is to make one yourself, or find a used downconverter or transverter that is gathering dust on someone's shelf. I now have an IC910H and am doing comparisons against the TS2000. My first impression it that I prefer the TS2000 but that might be because I'm so familiar with it. I use another TS2000 in the mobile sat truck but don't have a downconverter for it. I simply use a uhf mobile for receive on AO-27 and SO-50 since I'm in front of the radio and don't run it unattended. I have a coax switch to switch the UHF antenna from the TS2000 to the UHF mobile. Now that AO-51 is silent, all of the FM operation is on SO-50 and AO-27. If you have a TS2000, you'll want to investigate the use of a downconverter. 73, John K8YSE

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Grid activations DM82-83, DM92-93
by Clayton Coleman W5PFG 01 Dec '11

01 Dec '11

Next week I will be traveling to West Texas grids DM82-83 and DM92-93. I will probably activate other grids as pass times and my business travel allow. Some have expressed interest in me activating DM73 and there exists a possibility of a convenient DM73/83 grid line pass. Please email me If you need any of these grids confirmed and I will work with you to make it happen. I'm able to work AO-27, SO-50, and the ISS digipeater easily from my portable setup. I realize that these satellites don't have the capability of a telephone-quality call to Italy but these satellites are very convenient to mobile operators and those seeking grids for awards purposes. 73 Clayton W5PFG

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Received from shadow experiment
by andy thomas 01 Dec '11

01 Dec '11

CURRENT INFORMATION ON 02-05.11.2011 SERIES OF SPASE EXPERIMENT “SHADOW-BEACON” Dear friends! It was earlier announced that timetable of SpEx “Shadow-beacon” sessions on November 26-27 -2011 was reduced because the crew is newcomers and need much time to assimilate the experience. For the same reason earlier announced sessions on December 02-05 -2011 are cancelled all. Sergey Samburov (RV3DR), the employee of space-rocket corporation "Energia" which is responsible for an amateur radio on ISS, explains that an observed fact that the onboard radio “Sputnik” was accidentally switched on standard simplex 145.825 MHz not the ordered duplex 144.36/ 145.825 MHz digipeater mode because of old age of the onboard gear- it is in use more than 10 years. Some times Sergey has already observed malfunction like this. New radio are to be delivered onboard ISS by April cargo vehicle and Mission Control Center (TsUP) plans new SpEx “Shadow-beacon” sessions on May-June 2012. With this reason you are asked not to delete your registration on our site. Again many thanks for those submitted reports and made other assistance! The results of data processing will be presented on our site. We wait for further cooperation! --------------- 73 de andy g0sfj

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FASTRAC Digipeating Announcement
by Sebastián Muñoz Toro 01 Dec '11

01 Dec '11

All, The FASTRAC satellites have been in operation for more than a year and the team has been able to get a lot of data from them, in great part due to the amazing support from the amateur radio community. Over the last month the team noticed that one of FASTRAC-1’s on board microcontrollers which controls one of the experiments has not been booting up correctly. The team has done everything possible to correct this issue apart from turning it off which can only happen if the batteries fall below an specific charge level. Since the satellites have been power positive throughout this whole year the only way this can happen is if the satellites transmit more often. Given that one of FASTRAC goals has always been to eventually provide a platform for amateur radio enthusiasts to use after the primary mission was over, the team has decided to open up FASTRAC-1 to the amateur radio community with the hope as more people use it to digipeat through the satellite, the battery levels will diminish and cause a hard reset of the microcontrollers on board. The satellite will be configured so that amateur radio operators can use it beginning on Friday Dec 2 at 10:00 AM CST. Starting on this date people will be able to digipeat through the satellites. The call sign and frequencies of the satellite are summarized below and an example of digipeating through the satellite is also shown in below. To increase the chances of causing a hard reset, it is requested that as many amateur radio enthusiasts try to digipeat through the satellite on the weekend of Dec 10. If you are successful at digipeating through the satellites or have any problems doing so please let us know at fastracsats(a)gmail.com, through our Facebook page ( www.facebook.com/fastracsats) or through the forums on our website ( http://fastrac.ae.utexas.edu/for_radio_operators/users/phpBB3/index.php). *Frequency Information for FASTRAC-1* - FASTRAC-1 “Sara Lily” Downlink Frequency: 437.345 MHz - FASTRAC-1 “Sara Lily” Uplink Frequency (1200 or 9600 baud): 145.825 MHz - FASTRAC-1 “Sara Lily” Satellite Call Sign: FAST1 *Example of Digipeating through FAST1 * - cmd: c CALLSIGN via fast1 - cmd: KE5DTW>CALLSIGN,FAST1/1: <<C>>: - CALLSIGN>KE5DTW,FAST1*/1: <UA>: - *** CONNECTED to CALLSIGN VIA FAST1 Here the example shows KE5DTW (UT Austin Ground Station) digipeating through FAST1 to connect to CALLSIGN. CALLSIGN represents an arbitrary callsign and should be replaced with the callsign of the station with whom a connection is being attempted. The above example is based on a Kantronics KPC9612+ TNC. For a PDF version of the announcement please go to the following link: http://fastrac.ae.utexas.edu/FASTRAC_Digipeating_Announcement.pdf Thanks a lot, THE FASTRAC TEAM -- Sebastián Muñoz Toro FASTRAC Student Program Manager Graduate Research Assistant The University of Texas at Austin Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Satellite Design Laboratory email: sebastian_munoz(a)mail.utexas.edu phone: +1 (512) 471-5144 cell: +1 (512) 825-3857

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UT1FG QSLs
by Dave Webb KB1PVH 01 Dec '11

01 Dec '11

Has anyone other than KD8KSN had success getting grids confirmed? Back in the end of July I had a couple of successful emails with Yuri's qsl manager giving me details on what to send, I provided a list of all QSOs in an email along with sending a list along with a QSL card and some $ for return postage. It has been four months since sending all the info and nothing, not even a response to my 4 emails asking if info had been received. It would be nice to get those 31 grids confirmed. Dave - KB1PVH Sent from my Verizon Wireless DROID X

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Fw: ARRISat-1/RADIOSKAF-V/KEDR
by Farrell Winder 01 Dec '11

01 Dec '11

All, Nothing heard from ARISSat-1 this AM Dec 1 during the 13:59 Z Cincinnati pass, too close to the eclipse. Depending on updated Keps will be checking mid Dec for renewed opportunities. In the meantime, I hope many stations in other areas will keep trying to get SSTV through the TRANSPONDER. Henk, PA3GUO , the Netherlands and I were successful with a picture . (See http://ariss-sstv.blogspot.com/) We need other SSTV images from this historical satellite before it re-enters. Thanks to all those making efforts. 73, Farrell Winder, W8ZCF Cincinnati, Ohio, USA From: Farrell Winder Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 7:20 PM To: AMSAT Subject: Fw: ARRISat-1/RADIOSKAF-V/KEDR Again nothing heard from ARISSAT-1 on the Nov 30 13:43 Z pass. I will be observing the 13:59 Cincinnati pass on Thursday Dec 1. I believe it may be out of eclipse long enough to be active. If so, I will be listening, looking on 145.930 and trying to send SSTV, on 435.750. Hope many others will also try. Tx and Rx of SSTV has been demonstrated a couple of times through the Transponder even with its shortened antenna and I believe with persistence can be done again. This is the last, possible active, useable pass for my area until mid December. I will be back Dec 18 if ARISSat-1 is still in orbit. Please report any thing received Dec 1. Thanks Farrell Winder, W8ZCF Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 10:41 AM To: AMSAT Subject: Fw: ARRISat-1/RADIOSKAF-V/KEDR Nothing heard from ARISSat-1 this AM 15:04 Z Nov 29.. Did anyone hear signals from 145.930 or 145.950? Pass was very short over Cincinnati this AM and El only 2 deg.. Will try again Wednesday Nov 30 at 13:43 Z but believe eclipse will prohibit sat to be active. From: Farrell Winder Sent: Monday, November 28, 2011 1:16 PM To: AMSAT Subject: Fw: ARRISat-1/RADIOSKAF-V/KEDR No success today Nov 28. Will set up again tomorrow Tuesday Nov 29 for the AOS 15: 04 Z Cincinnati pass. From: Farrell Winder Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2011 7:31 PM To: AMSAT Subject: ARRISat-1/RADIOSKAF-V/KEDR All, With the research and recent "heads up" by Mineo Wakita, JE9PEL, Allan Biddle, WA4SCA and Clint Bradford, KCLCS it appears there may be only a few weeks left to receive and experiment with ARISSat-1/RADIOSKAF-V. On Monday Nov 28 I will be set up to receive voice, CW and SSTV via the transponder on 145.930 MHz +/- doppler. This will be on the AOS starting at 14:47 Z pass over Cincinnati. This pass may be too soon after the eclipse so the sat may not be activated. If it is active, I will try to send a couple of SSTV R36 transmissions. I will be listening and looking for others to send also. Farrell Winder, W8ZCF Cincinnati, Ohio.

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NASA: Nanosail-D Mission Complete
by Trevor . 01 Dec '11

01 Dec '11

See NASA's Nanosail-D 'Sails' Home -- Mission Complete http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/smallsats/11-148.html 73 Trevor M5AKA

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ARISSat-1 (37772) decay date update for 2011 Nov. 30th
by DeYoung James 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

Greetings, Using solar data through 2011 Nov. 30 and updating the decay fit I am getting a re-entry date of 2012 January 12 with a rule-of-thumb error estimate of +/- 10 days or so for ARRISSat-1 (37772). Regards, Jim, N8OQ

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Fw: ARRISat-1/RADIOSKAF-V/KEDR
by Farrell Winder 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

Again nothing heard from ARISSAT-1 on the Nov 30 13:43 Z pass. I will be observing the 13:59 Cincinnati pass on Thursday Dec 1. I believe it may be out of eclipse long enough to be active. If so, I will be listening, looking on 145.930 and trying to send SSTV, on 435.750. Hope many others will also try. Tx and Rx of SSTV has been demonstrated a couple of times through the Transponder even with its shortened antenna and I believe with persistence can be done again. This is the last, possible active, useable pass for my area until mid December. I will be back Dec 18 if ARISSat-1 is still in orbit. Please report any thing received Dec 1. Thanks Farrell Winder, W8ZCF Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 10:41 AM To: AMSAT Subject: Fw: ARRISat-1/RADIOSKAF-V/KEDR Nothing heard from ARISSat-1 this AM 15:04 Z Nov 29.. Did anyone hear signals from 145.930 or 145.950? Pass was very short over Cincinnati this AM and El only 2 deg.. Will try again Wednesday Nov 30 at 13:43 Z but believe eclipse will prohibit sat to be active. From: Farrell Winder Sent: Monday, November 28, 2011 1:16 PM To: AMSAT Subject: Fw: ARRISat-1/RADIOSKAF-V/KEDR No success today Nov 28. Will set up again tomorrow Tuesday Nov 29 for the AOS 15: 04 Z Cincinnati pass. From: Farrell Winder Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2011 7:31 PM To: AMSAT Subject: ARRISat-1/RADIOSKAF-V/KEDR All, With the research and recent "heads up" by Mineo Wakita, JE9PEL, Allan Biddle, WA4SCA and Clint Bradford, KCLCS it appears there may be only a few weeks left to receive and experiment with ARISSat-1/RADIOSKAF-V. On Monday Nov 28 I will be set up to receive voice, CW and SSTV via the transponder on 145.930 MHz +/- doppler. This will be on the AOS starting at 14:47 Z pass over Cincinnati. This pass may be too soon after the eclipse so the sat may not be activated. If it is active, I will try to send a couple of SSTV R36 transmissions. I will be listening and looking for others to send also. Farrell Winder, W8ZCF Cincinnati, Ohio.

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ARISSat-1 Orbital Decay
by John Heath 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

Hi Satelliters, Using Keps from Space-Track for ARISSat-1 (37772) I have been plotting various parameters including Mean Motion. Rrecent results were unexpected. From day 328to 334 the daily change in Mean Motion has been exactly the same. The orbital decay is going at a very steady rate. This is completely different from earlier observations where there is quite a bit of daily variation. My interpretation is that the atmospheric density along the orbital track has been remarkably unchanged over 6 days or so. This is something I have not seen before. 73 John G7HIA

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Re: Satellite Satire
by Tony Langdon 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

At 02:28 AM 12/1/2011, Rick Tejera wrote: >Gordon, > >There are at least two groups that know of that launch High altitude >balloons with amateur payloads. I just joined one: Arizona Near Space >Research. http://www.ansr.org/ High altitude balloons are fun. There's a group here that launches them as well from Adelaide. Had fun when they installed a crossband repeater on one of their balloons. Also had a go at decoding telemetry, but being on the edge of the footprint and with small antennas, I haven't had much luck with telemetry. :( 73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL http://vkradio.com

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Re: Satellite Satire
by Lowell White 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

OK.. a LARGE "punkin' chunker" or two really tall and flexible trees for a slingshot... More seriously, it seems that for anything of reasonable size to be launched, particularly into an orbit that we rapidly enter not only the perview of costly specialization but also of military / government permissions, etc., probably much more delicate than ITAR considerations. Please enlighten me if indeed there might be a way to get something up (and to stay up) more economically. Would there be any feasiblity to an initial "launch" by using high-altitude weather ballons and THEN firing a small booster with appropriate guidance and CCC (command, control, and communications) to steer it into an orbital insertion? If the bird and booster weights were small enough, could a wx balloon lift them adequately? Just wondering... Lowell K9LDW EM12sr ------ Original Message ------ Received: Tue, 29 Nov 2011 04:38:33 PM CST From: Bob- W7LRD <w7lrd(a)comcast.net> To: George Henry <ka3hsw(a)att.net>Cc: AMSAT <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Satellite Satire > > > Cool George! it's not the building and concepts that's difficult. It's getting the damn things up there. We should have a division of AMSAT that does rockets, and launch our own. Like my Dad told me, "the difficult we do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer". > > 73 Bob W7LRD > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "George Henry" <ka3hsw(a)att.net> > To: "AMSAT" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> > Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 10:06:39 AM > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Satellite Satire > > Better yet, take the 10.8 MHz IF output from one of their old Bearcat scanners, > > programmed for a 2-meter uplink, add an appropriate local oscillator and high > pass filter, feed the resulting signal to the final stage from one of their old > > sideband CB's, and you've got a mode A *LINEAR* satellite!! > > We could call it OSCAR 10-4! > > > George, KA3HSW > > > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > > > From: K4FEG <K4FEG(a)K4FEG.COM> > > > To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > > > Sent: Tue, November 29, 2011 8:49:31 AM > > > Subject: [amsat-bb] Satellite Satire > > > > > > OK I have a suggestion: a new inexpensive satellite, It will be designated: > > > > >*ReNe-Sat-3, *that will be an abbreviation for: *Red Neck Satellite #3 ( > >Dale > > > > >Ernharts Sr. NASCAR #). > > > > > > *We will take 2 Woxun HT's, 2 Larsen Mag-mounts, 2**1/4 wave antennas, a > >solar > > > > >panel with charger from Northern Hydraulics and last but not least about 100 > > > > >feet of NASCAR 200mph duct tape. > > > > > > We take the 2 radios set them up for our frequencies, duct tape them > >together > > > > >mount the antennas on the solar panel hook the solar panel up to the HT > > >batteries and last but not least we send two of the south's finest: > >*Astronaut > > > > >"Bubba & Cooter"* up with the new bird to deploy it. We will tell Bubba & > > >Cooter that they can have free passes to all the NASCAR races for 2012 when > > > >they get this satellite working and in orbit. > > > > > > I promise they will have that thing (or should i say "thang") up and > >running > > > > >in HEO and be back before the first race in February 2012. > > > > > > For those that are not sure, YES I AM MAKING A JOKE! > > > > > > /*It is difficult work to keep these satellites working and the control > > >operators deserve a round of applause from us for all that they have done to > > > > >extend the life of AO51 and all of the other birds. > > > > > > THANK YOU ONE AND ALL! A JOB WELL DONE! > > > */ > > > Frank > > > K4FEG > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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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TS2000 Birdie Follow-Up
by John Papay 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

KC9DOA mentions that he still had the birdie problem with a downconverter and that is understandable. The TS2000 radiates the birdie and if your downconverter is not shielded or the UHF antenna is too close to the radio, you might still pick it up. Simple experimentation will find the right combination to virtually eliminate the birdie. So try a UHF handi or mobile unit and see if it hears the birdie on 436.798. Then move things around to see if you can minimize the effect. I've been able to do that in the sat truck and don't have the problem at the base station. Try a dummy load on the UHF antenna jack on the TS2000 as well. Use quality coax with good shielding. Drew posted a link to High Sierra Microwave for a UHF down- converter that is up-to-date in design and performance, all at a reasonable price. The specs call for a 5v supply but Bill N6GHZ advised that the converter will operate fine up to 16vdc input. No special supply required. He also mentioned that the converter will perform well from 432 to 438 MHz. So this is one possible source of a current production downconverter manufactured by someone who knows satellites. The output IF is lower but the TS2000 receiver is continuous so there should be no problem. Instead of a 407MHz offset, use 425MHz and the receiver shifts down to 10MHz for a 435MHz input: doppler.sqf entry: AO-27,436795,145850,FM,FM,NOR,425000,0 I've not seen a whole lot mentioned about the Funcube performance when connected to a big antenna in a crowded RF environment. I've had mine on the KLM's and the performance is poor because of overload. Cavity filters work wonders but not everyone has them. High Sierra also makes front end filters and filter/LNA combinations for the Funcube as well as other products which make the Funcube more versatile. It's worth checking out the webpage to see what is available. 73, John K8YSE

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Re: TS2000 ~436.798 MHz Birdie Solution
by K5OE 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

John's solution is also one I have used for years: feeding a separate signal into the receive-only HF input on the TS-2000. I ran this way on AO-40 as well, taking the 2m signal from the atenna-mounted downconverter and running it through a Hamtronics 2m-10m converter to both the TS-2000 and another 10 m rig to independantly monitor the beacon (very handy). Elegant: no relays, and no danger of ever tranmitting into it. I still have the Hamtronics converter, now installed in my truck, so I could work the S-band downink from AO-51 on my FT-100. For the birdie problem, I used to be able to tune around it with the big antennas and Landwehr preamp I had at my old QTH (circa 2000-2003). Seriously--if you have enough signal gain, you can tune above it and then below it and overpower the damn thing. My setup is more modest now, so I simply connect an HT for the ocassional AO-27 pass. For SO-50, I find you can tune below the signal and work most of the pass (except when it is approaching you on a high elevation pass). Obviously, you can't use computer control for the receive signal on these two birds. I have had this rig since November of 2000 and found no other serious complaints (except it only has one PC port--but that is another discussion). 73, Jerry, K5OE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- John, K8YSE posted: As many of you know, my satellite radio is a TS2000X. If you have visited my satellite webpage, you have seen many recordings of AO-27 and SO50 from AOS to LOS. Most of these recordings were made when I was not sitting in front of the radio. At first I used a uhf mobile to hear AO-27 and SO-50. The problem was that those radios were not computer controlled so you had to tune for the doppler. That worked fine when I was in the shack, but it didn't work when I was away. The obvious solution was another radio that didn't have the birdie problem, or a simple UHF to 10M downconverter which wouldn't have the birdie problem. Back in the day, UHF and VHF down- converters were very popular because we didn't have a lot of DC to Light radios out there. Now these converters are sitting in junk boxes and are long forgotten by their owners. One of the more popular manufacturers of these inexpensive downconverters was Hamtronics. They made all kinds of stuff for repeaters etc. At first their products were not that great, but they evolved into some better designs including their UHF to 10m downconverters. Unfortunately most downconverter manufacturers stopped making them when the devices they were using became obsolete and unavailable. The use of current production devices required a redesign of their PC boards and since the demand was no longer there, these products were abandoned. I was fortunate to find a Hamtronics converter on a qrz.com posting from several years back. It never sold back then and the owner still had it. I purchased it and ran some tests on it against the receiver in the TS2000. It turned out that the downconverter had a slightly better sensitivity than the TS2000! The big concern when using a converter or preamp is the fear of transmitting into it and smoking the front end. But the TS2000 has an auxiliary antenna jack which is receive only and perfect for a downconverter output on HF. As Drew mentioned, SatPC32 can compensate for a downconverter and tune the TS2000 for doppler in the 10m band. This allowed me to track AO-27 AO-51 and SO-50 unattended and make all those recordings without any human intervention. A coaxial transfer relay was inserted into the uhf antenna line so that when the converter was in use, the UHF antenna was switched to the downconverter input (which outputs to the aux antenna jack on the TS2000) and the UHF antenna jack on the TS2000 is switched to a dummy load. So if you transmit on UHF, power goes into the dummy load and all equipment is safe. When I want to transmit on UHF (VO-52 and AO-7 mode B), the coax relay switches the UHF antenna back to the UHF antenna port on the TS2000. The downconverter is out of the antenna circuit at this point. I did not use the downconverter when operating on FO-29 so the aux antenna jack had to be switched to normal in the tS2000, menu #18 (FO-29 is a linear bird that outputs on UHF, currently not working). Every owner of a TS2000 that operates satellites needs a UHF to 10M downconverter. Hamtronics is making a VHF to 10M downconverter now. If everyone emailed them to encourage them to make a UHF model, they might just do it. The only other solution is to make one yourself, or find a used downconverter or transverter that is gathering dust on someone's shelf. I now have an IC910H and am doing comparisons against the TS2000. My first impression it that I prefer the TS2000 but that might be because I'm so familiar with it. I use another TS2000 in the mobile sat truck but don't have a downconverter for it. I simply use a uhf mobile for receive on AO-27 and SO-50 since I'm in front of the radio and don't run it unattended. I have a coax switch to switch the UHF antenna from the TS2000 to the UHF mobile. Now that AO-51 is silent, all of the FM operation is on SO-50 and AO-27. If you have a TS2000, you'll want to investigate the use of a downconverter. 73, John K8YSE

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FO29 status
by John Geiger 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

Is there any hope for FO29 to come back to life, or is it dead for good? It was the only linear Mode J, and would be great to come back to life. 73s John AA5JG

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Re: FO29 status
by Andrew Glasbrenner 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

It has been revived before, when the solar illumination percentages get better. 73, Drew -----Original Message----- >From: John Geiger <aa5jg(a)fidmail.com> >Sent: Nov 30, 2011 12:10 PM >To: AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Subject: [amsat-bb] FO29 status > >Is there any hope for FO29 to come back to life, or is it dead for good? >It was the only linear Mode J, and would be great to come back to life. > >73s John AA5JG >_______________________________________________ >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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AO-51 MEMORIES
by Robert Kovacs 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

Just to "echo" what others have been saying: AO51, R.I.P. And a hearty thank-you to the Control Team for giving us so many many happy and proud hours! I am a new ham, licensed less than two years, and worked John K8YSE via AO-51 with my little HT and an Arrow maybe six weeks after passing my Tech. A few months later after another test my first QSO signing "slash AG" was again on that bird, with Patrick WD9EWK. Since that time, mostly from my home QTH driveway, but also at club special events, on the beach at Cape May, New Jersey, even the shores of Lake Champlain, I remember working at least some of the other great satellite operators whose posts are seen here from time to time. The furthest DX I worked was Ivan YY6IEA in Venezuela. I frequently tried, but never successfully worked, Drew KO4MA. And I guess it also emphasizes that, not only do we have to continue to hone our technical skills to continue with the fleet that we still do have, but moreover that we really do have to continue to support (i.e., give money to) AMSAT and Fox. Good luck guys! Best wishes to all of the community of amateur satellite operators! 73, Bob. KC2WYH

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Re: TS2000 ~436.798 MHz Birdie Solution
by Andrew Glasbrenner 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

Hi John, Thanks for writing that up. With a simple diagram, it would make an excellent Journal article (hint hint). I should also point out that High Sierra Microwave makes a UHF to HF converter, the 435M7 near the bottom of the page at http://www.hsmicrowave.com/page12.html . It outputs to 10 to 13 Mhz, but that should be no different than 10m for newer rigs like the TS-2000. The noise figure looks really good, and I expect the quality to be much better than the Hamtronics. The owner is a big AMSAT supporter too. 73, Drew KO4MA -----Original Message----- >From: John Papay <john(a)papays.com> >Sent: Nov 30, 2011 10:49 AM >To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org >Subject: [amsat-bb] TS2000 ~436.798 MHz Birdie Solution > >As many of you know, my satellite radio is a TS2000X. >If you have visited my satellite webpage, you have seen >many recordings of AO-27 and SO50 from AOS to LOS. Most >of these recordings were made when I was not sitting in >front of the radio. > >At first I used a uhf mobile to hear AO-27 and SO-50. The >problem was that those radios were not computer controlled >so you had to tune for the doppler. That worked fine when >I was in the shack, but it didn't work when I was away. The >obvious solution was another radio that didn't have the birdie >problem, or a simple UHF to 10M downconverter which wouldn't >have the birdie problem. Back in the day, UHF and VHF down- >converters were very popular because we didn't have a lot of >DC to Light radios out there. Now these converters are sitting >in junk boxes and are long forgotten by their owners. > >One of the more popular manufacturers of these inexpensive >downconverters was Hamtronics. They made all kinds of stuff >for repeaters etc. At first their products were not that great, >but they evolved into some better designs including their >UHF to 10m downconverters. Unfortunately most downconverter >manufacturers stopped making them when the devices they were using >became obsolete and unavailable. The use of current production >devices required a redesign of their PC boards and since the demand >was no longer there, these products were abandoned. > >I was fortunate to find a Hamtronics converter on a qrz.com posting >from several years back. It never sold back then and the owner still >had it. I purchased it and ran some tests on it against the receiver >in the TS2000. It turned out that the downconverter had a slightly >better sensitivity than the TS2000! > >The big concern when using a converter or preamp is the fear of >transmitting into it and smoking the front end. But the TS2000 >has an auxiliary antenna jack which is receive only and perfect for >a downconverter output on HF. As Drew mentioned, SatPC32 can >compensate for a downconverter and tune the TS2000 for doppler >in the 10m band. This allowed me to track AO-27 AO-51 and SO-50 >unattended and make all those recordings without any human >intervention. > >A coaxial transfer relay was inserted into the uhf antenna line so >that when the converter was in use, the UHF antenna was switched >to the downconverter input (which outputs to the aux antenna jack >on the TS2000) and the UHF antenna jack on the TS2000 is switched >to a dummy load. So if you transmit on UHF, power goes into the >dummy load and all equipment is safe. When I want to transmit on >UHF (VO-52 and AO-7 mode B), the coax relay switches the UHF antenna >back to the UHF antenna port on the TS2000. The downconverter is out >of the antenna circuit at this point. I did not use the downconverter >when operating on FO-29 so the aux antenna jack had to be switched to >normal in the tS2000, menu #18 (FO-29 is a linear bird that outputs on >UHF, currently not working). > >Every owner of a TS2000 that operates satellites needs a UHF to 10M >downconverter. Hamtronics is making a VHF to 10M downconverter now. >If everyone emailed them to encourage them to make a UHF model, they >might just do it. The only other solution is to make one yourself, >or find a used downconverter or transverter that is gathering dust on >someone's shelf. I now have an IC910H and am doing comparisons against >the TS2000. My first impression it that I prefer the TS2000 but that >might be because I'm so familiar with it. I use another TS2000 in the >mobile sat truck but don't have a downconverter for it. I simply use >a uhf mobile for receive on AO-27 and SO-50 since I'm in front of the >radio and don't run it unattended. I have a coax switch to switch >the UHF antenna from the TS2000 to the UHF mobile. > >Now that AO-51 is silent, all of the FM operation is on SO-50 and AO-27. >If you have a TS2000, you'll want to investigate the use of a downconverter. > >73, >John K8YSE > > >_______________________________________________ >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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It's amazing!
by Thomas Laskowski 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

Check this offer, whenever u get a chance http://pandasnap.com/inf.php Hope u like it :)

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TS-2000 birdie
by Andrew Glasbrenner 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

>The easiest way to get around it, is to use one of the many inexpensive Chinese handhelds as the UHF receiver. > I know at least one station is using a hamtronics 70cm to 10m converter, and listening via 10m. You can even setup SatPC32 to tune it correctly. 73, Drew KO4MA

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AO27 - Last Man Standing?
by Ted 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

With the demise of AO51, does this mean the only remaining FM sat in operation is AO27? (I thought I remembered seeing something here several months ago to the effect that the SO67 ops were trying to restart that one ??) TK K7TRK

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Re: AO-51 end of mission
by Gail A Mcdaniel 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

Made my first satellite contacts to K4DLG (SK), KD8CAO and N3TL in Oct of 2008 on AO-51. I have now logged 6007 contacts with 56.97% on AO-51, 28.9% on AO-27, 10.4% on SO-50.. the balance on HO-68, SO-67 and ISS. What a blast! If you can't find me ... I am probably outside trying to make a contact ... 73 from KC Gail - KB0RZD

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AO-51 End of Mission
by santanaamt＠aol.com 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

If I may, in name of the Amateur Radio Satellite followers here in Puerto Rico, say thanks for the team and their efforts for maintaining as long as possible the operation of ECHO, nice little satellite which you know was on AOS by the fading of the noise. With it I could work from Brazil up to Canada withh all the limitations of a mountain to my north, even worked Drew on his Caribbean ventures. Field Days, JOTAS, special events and all, it gave us the taste to work fellow hams and different grids. And, I rarely used more than 1/2 watt for the QSO's. Gracias Echo de Angel Santana - WP3GW and fellow KP4s

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Re: AO-51 End of Mission
by Clint Bradford 30 Nov '11

30 Nov '11

PATRICK>> ... 10931 satellite QSOs .... 4891 on AO-51 ... PATRICK>> ... And it's still fun ... I have written this before, but Patrick's gotta be one of the hardest workin' satellite promoters on the planet. Clint Bradford, K6LCS

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AO-51 Echo R.I.P.
by E. Michael McCardel 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

In lieu of flowers make memorial contributions to Fox-1 http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/fox/ E.Mike, KC8YLD Sent from my iPad

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Tampa Bay Hamfest
by Andrew Glasbrenner 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

The big Tampa Bay Hamfest is this weekend in Palmetto, and AMSAT will have a booth, forum, and demonstrations of working satellites. I invite you to come by on Saturday and learn about Fox and ARISSat-1, and just have a good time. As always, I need a few members that are willing to help in the booth, in particular during the forum on Saturday at 10AM, and during demonstrations while I'm outside. Please drop me an email if you think you can attend and help out for a bit. No experience necessary. 73, Drew KO4MA

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Re: TS-2000 'birdie'
by Clint Bradford 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

Birdies, schmirdies ... Turn off that 100W transceiver, grab your HT and work AO-27, SO-50, hear the ISS, and listen for ARISSat-1 with your handheld radio ... (grin) Clint Bradford, K6LCS http://www.work-sat.com

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satellite durability fm vs. linears
by zach hillerson 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

Serious question regarding satellite durability. It seems with HO68, SO67, and now AO51, the FM satellites are quickly going away. It also seems that the older linear counterparts such as AO7, VO52 and FO29 all seem to continue working properly. Is there a design issue with the FM birds that limits the useful lifespan or is it purely random luck? Usage rates, etc... play a role? It seems to happen far too often (even with a small sample size) to be a fluke. Zach N4ERZ

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TS-2000 'birdie'
by Ted 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

For all you TS-2000 owners out there, this just in.. We are still SOL ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: KCC-Amateur <kcc-amateur(a)kenwoodusa.com> To: Ted Krempa <trkrempa(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 3:51 PM Subject: RE: TS-2000 'birdie' Hello Ted, If you mean the internal beat on 436.800 MHz no firmware updates address that. The TS-2000 has several internal beats which are all mentioned on page 103 in the TS-2000 instruction manual. The TS-2000 has been in production since 2000, the internal beats in the TS-2000 have been documented for the last 11 years. Kenwood was aware of the internal beats before the radio came to market outlining it in the instruction manual. Kenwood has tried to correct the situation but due the wide range multiple band capability of the TS-2000 was unable to change any internal beats. Sincerely, Leo Fahmie KJ6HI DM03tw Kenwood Amateur Radio Customer Support Kenwood U.S.A. 2201 E. Dominguez Street Long Beach, CA 90810 Phone: (310) 639-4200 prompts 4, and 1 Fax: (310) 537-8235 E-Mail: kcc-amateur(a)kenwoodusa.com

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Re: AO27 - Last Man Standing?,
by Jim Adams 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

SO-50 is alive and well, although it can be frustrating to work as it seems to tumble around. When it's working, the signals are great. http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/satInfo.php?satID=4 Jim Adams- K0BAM

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Re: UK-DMC1
by Nigel A. Gunn, W8IFF/G8IFF 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

We're (OK, perhaps not me) better than the mega-dollar pros. You did it without the mega dollars. On 29/11/11 22:34, amsat-bb-request(a)amsat.org wrote: > PS. I note that the UK-DMC1 satellite was retired today after 8 years in > orbit due to battery condition. We are almost as good as the mega-dollar > pros!

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AO-51, RIP
by Clint Bradford 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

Thank you to all involved with the creation and maintenance of AO-51 - for darned near 40,000 orbits of pure joy for the benefit of amateur radio operators world-wide. Clint Bradford, K6LCS

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Re: Satellite Satire
by Tony Langdon 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

At 09:33 AM 11/30/2011, Bob- W7LRD wrote: >Cool George! it's not the building and concepts >that's difficult.Â It's getting the damn things >up there.Â We should have a division of AMSAT >that does rockets, and launch our own.Â Like my Dad told me, Or get in league with an amateur rocketry group with a leaning towards space rocketry. :) - We build 'em, you launch 'em. :) Seriously though, orbital launches of any description would be a tall order for any amateur group, given the fuel costs alone required to launch a useful payload to even LEO, let alone GTO. Still, we do have one advantage over the commercial guys - most of our payloads are small and lightweight. 73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL http://vkradio.com

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RIP AO-51
by Reid Crowe 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

Thank you AO-51 for your service. May your cells one day short so that you may come back to life. Until then, RIP. Also, thank you to the AO-51 team for all your extraordinary work from start to end. AO-51 is the bird that got me into satellites. -Reid N0RC

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AO-51 - Last Heard Reports
by Clint Bradford 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

According to the DCARR Live OSCAR Status site, the last reports of hearing AO-51 were ... -AA6PK Glenn in Texas 11/25/11 2031 UTC. -PU2SHF Henrique in Brazil 11/27/11 at 0131 UTC If you can help make this page more accurate ... http://tinyurl.com/AO51-DCARR ... please let me know! I hope it is premature, and that '51 will be back in some mode soon ... Clint K6LCS 909-241-7666 Skype - clintbradford

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FT-847 For Sale
by Sebastian, W4AS 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

First, no I'm not getting out of the hobby, or satellites for that matter, I'm just replacing the old, with the new. I have for sale my Yaesu FT-847 transceiver, it's one of the 'newer' models that works fine with computer assisted control. It also has the CW filter. I have the original box, manual and hand mike. The FIRM price is $925 shipped, CONUS. Contact me directly if you are interested and would like to see pictures. 73 de Sebastian, W4AS

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radios
by Jim White 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

Thanks to everyone who provided info on current radios. Jim

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WD9EWK @ Mesa AZ hamfest, Saturday (3 December) morning
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

Hi! I will have an AMSAT table at the Superstition Amateur Radio Club's annual hamfest on Saturday morning, 3 December 2011. This hamfest is in the southwestern parking lot of Mesa Community College, along the east side of Dobson Road between Southern Avenue and the US-60 freeway's exit 177 in Mesa AZ. More information about the hamfest is available at: http://wb7tjd.org/hamfest/ During the half-day event, WD9EWK will be on satellites for on-air demonstrations. AO-7 should be in mode B, and there will be passes on SO-50 and VO-52 that I should be able to work. If you hear me on those passes, please free free to give me - and the hamfest crowd - a call. For AO-7 and VO-52, I tend to start out about 10 kHz above the center of the passband, +/- for other activity and QRM. If I hear no responses to my CQ calls, I will move around and try to work whoever I hear on the passband. Maybe even in CW. The hamfest officially starts at 0530 local time (1230 UTC), and I hope to be set up to work passes starting around that time. As with my other satellite activities, I will be happy to confirm QSOs made during these demonstrations. I will upload the QSOs to LOTW shortly after the hamfest, and will mail out QSL cards for anyone wishing to receive one. There is no need to first send me a card and SASE - just e-mail me the QSO details. If you are in the log, I will mail a card out to you. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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satellite radios
by Jim White 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

I would appreciate info on what the currently available satellite radios are. We have used the IC-910 and FT-736R for some time and now need to recommend a radio to a couple of groups building cubesats. The 736 is of course long gone but it appears the 910 is also no longer made. We recently helped a group who had bought a TS-2000 and I was not particularly impressed with it as a satellite radio. So what's current and what works well on V and U? Jim jim(a)coloradosatellite.com

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Re: satellite durability fm vs. linears
by Andrew Glasbrenner 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

I don't think there is much difference when you look at ALL the failed and operational sats. BTW, FO-29 is inoperative, HO-68 was both FM and linear, and you forgot DO-64 in recently failed transponders. AO-27 is 17? years old. Satellites come and go. I still miss SO-35, RS-10/11, RS-12/13, FO-20, UO-14, SO-41, AO-10, and of course AO-40. The point is we have to continue to build and launch new ones, and use what we have at the moment. "Love the one you're with" for those who remember the song. Looking in the near term, we have P3E, Kiwisat, Fox-1 and -2, UKube, FunCube, Turksat-3U, the planned SA-AMSAT cubes, and others that need our support to get to orbit. 73, Drew KO4MA -----Original Message----- >From: zach hillerson <qstick333(a)yahoo.com> >Sent: Nov 29, 2011 10:48 AM >To: "amsat-bb(a)amsat.org" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Subject: [amsat-bb] satellite durability fm vs. linears > >Serious question regarding satellite durability. It seems with HO68, SO67, and now AO51, the FM satellites are quickly going away. It also seems that the older linear counterparts such as AO7, VO52 and FO29 all seem to continue working properly. > >Is there a design issue with the FM birds that limits the useful lifespan or is it purely random luck? Usage rates, etc... play a role? > >It seems to happen far too often (even with a small sample size) to be a fluke. > > >Zach >N4ERZ >_______________________________________________ >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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Fw: ARRISat-1/RADIOSKAF-V/KEDR
by Farrell Winder 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

Nothing heard from ARISSat-1 this AM 15:04 Z Nov 29.. Did anyone hear signals from 145.930 or 145.950? Pass was very short over Cincinnati this AM and El only 2 deg.. Will try again Wednesday Nov 30 at 13:43 Z but believe eclipse will prohibit sat to be active. From: Farrell Winder Sent: Monday, November 28, 2011 1:16 PM To: AMSAT Subject: Fw: ARRISat-1/RADIOSKAF-V/KEDR No success today Nov 28. Will set up again tomorrow Tuesday Nov 29 for the AOS 15: 04 Z Cincinnati pass. From: Farrell Winder Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2011 7:31 PM To: AMSAT Subject: ARRISat-1/RADIOSKAF-V/KEDR All, With the research and recent "heads up" by Mineo Wakita, JE9PEL, Allan Biddle, WA4SCA and Clint Bradford, KCLCS it appears there may be only a few weeks left to receive and experiment with ARISSat-1/RADIOSKAF-V. On Monday Nov 28 I will be set up to receive voice, CW and SSTV via the transponder on 145.930 MHz +/- doppler. This will be on the AOS starting at 14:47 Z pass over Cincinnati. This pass may be too soon after the eclipse so the sat may not be activated. If it is active, I will try to send a couple of SSTV R36 transmissions. I will be listening and looking for others to send also. Farrell Winder, W8ZCF Cincinnati, Ohio.

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Satellite Satire
by K4FEG 29 Nov '11

29 Nov '11

OK I have a suggestion: a new inexpensive satellite, It will be designated: *ReNe-Sat-3, *that will be an abbreviation for: *Red Neck Satellite #3 ( Dale Ernharts Sr. NASCAR #). *We will take 2 Woxun HT's, 2 Larsen Mag-mounts, 2**1/4 wave antennas, a solar panel with charger from Northern Hydraulics and last but not least about 100 feet of NASCAR 200mph duct tape. We take the 2 radios set them up for our frequencies, duct tape them together mount the antennas on the solar panel hook the solar panel up to the HT batteries and last but not least we send two of the south's finest: *Astronaut "Bubba & Cooter"* up with the new bird to deploy it. We will tell Bubba & Cooter that they can have free passes to all the NASCAR races for 2012 when they get this satellite working and in orbit. I promise they will have that thing (or should i say "thang") up and running in HEO and be back before the first race in February 2012. For those that are not sure, YES I AM MAKING A JOKE! /*It is difficult work to keep these satellites working and the control operators deserve a round of applause from us for all that they have done to extend the life of AO51 and all of the other birds. THANK YOU ONE AND ALL! A JOB WELL DONE! */ Frank K4FEG

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