- AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

A Critique on Operations of the FM Birds
by Brad Smith 07 Apr '20

07 Apr '20

My 2 cents worth of opinion, given free. I own both the Alinco DJ-G7 and Kenwood D72. There is no comparison between the two radios. The Alinco has desense problems, so one still has to use two radios to work full duplex. Where the Alinco shines, is that it can do L/v on AO-92, but still with another radio for down link to hear it best. Save your money for a D710, unless you are looking for L/v! 50 watts?? I think that if you check the specs of the new 9700 radio, it puts out more than 50 watts. Couple that to a 30 db gain yagi antenna any one can "rule the airwaves." Yes, please give us portable and handheld hams a break. But the offenders probably are not on this message board. As portables, we try to do the best we can. I do throw my call out once during most passes that I work, because I know that hams need some of the grids that i work from when I rove. I learned that by Gridmaster. I am happy to give someone a grid by appointment. I began working the FM and linear birds in 2013. It has always been a "good old boys club" on the birds. Guys saying "Hi" to their friends and it isn't going to change. I remember Uncle Frank being the center of attention on each pass and there was a "Breakfast Club." It was fun back then. Yes, the birds were much less busy, but not much has or will change other than the amount of people trying to get into a bird. PO-101 seems to be that way now. Why does one permanent shack station, with high power have to dominate a pass? Especially when a rover is on. Make one contact and let people get the rover. Just because you may not collect grids, a lot of others do. I, personally am unhappy with what I am hearing on the FM birds and it is not the guys saying "Hi" to their friends. There is a lot more going on our there. There are some very poor operators out there and I believe, some jammers with open mics, etc. That part is sad and has gotten worse, lately. Again,just my opinion and thank you for letting me voice it. Brad Smith KC9UQR

1 0

Re: [amsat-bb] FT-736R TAP Board Install
by Mike Lucas 06 Apr '20

06 Apr '20

Good day & hope everyone is doing well. Has anyone done a TAP board installation on their Ft-736R & used it with an SDR as a PAN adapter? If so can you share your experience with it and maybe point me to some installation tips, pix, etc.? It looks like a worthwhile project for not a lot of expense. Regards, Mike N7ASZ

1 0

May QST
by Ray Soifer 06 Apr '20

06 Apr '20

The digital edition of May QST is now available to ARRL members. See pp. 52-53. 73 Ray W2RS

1 0

SatPC32 with the FT-818nd
by Loren M. Lang 06 Apr '20

06 Apr '20

I recently tried using SatPC32 for CAT control of my Yaesu FT-818nd rig for automatic tuning during a pass of the XW-2B linear transponder satellite. The radio appears to be just a minor hardware refresh of the FT-817 and FT-817nd so I have it configured to use Yaesu FT-817 in the radio control settings. My CAT control interface is using a U5 Link which connects to the accessory port on the back of the radio. Inside the box, it is just an FTDI chip. It is set to the baud rate 38400. I have successfully been using this box with both Ham Radio Deluxe and N1MM for various other controls. However, I had an issue with SatPC32 not making all of the correct adjustments. >From what I can tell, it is dropping commands. The radio was only partly configured correctly such as setting the USB/LSB modes on VFOs A/B. It was not adjusting the frequency. I had the CAT delay set to the original value of 70 ms and tried increasing it. At 180 ms, it was still having issues, but I finally bumped it up to 300 ms and the radio started responding correctly. I then saw it tuning both the TX and RX VFOs as needed throughout the pass. However, at this delay, it spends a noticeable amount of time in the TX VFO before it updates the frequency and, if I'm not watching carefully, will press the PTT on only to have it jump to the RX VFO to transmit. It also means more time where I won't be hearing the incoming signal if someone else is talking. Are there any recommendations for improving this situation or could I possibly have a bad (cheap Chinese clone?) FTDI chip that is limiting the rate that commands can be sent? I have not had any issues with HRD or N1MM, but I expect they are sending commands at a lower rate since it's not a constant Doppler shift. Anyone else have a solid FT-817/818 setup? - Loren K7IW

1 0

Re: [amsat-bb] How to Drive SATpc32
by Michael Walker 06 Apr '20

06 Apr '20

I'm sure that someone might be able to share that with you from this list. I'm still hacking away at them and I am amazed that I made so many errors in 3 or 4 entries. Someone might be able to share theirs with you. Mike va3mw On Sun, Apr 5, 2020 at 6:54 PM Ted Krempa <k7trkradio(a)charter.net> wrote: > Nice video, Mike. > > I wish there were something like this to cover the importing/updating/setup > of the sql files. That is where my problems have always been and what > prevents me from using the program. > > 73, Ted > K7TRK > > -----Original Message----- > From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Michael > Walker via AMSAT-BB > Sent: Sunday, April 5, 2020 11:56 AM > To: AMSAT > Subject: [amsat-bb] How to Drive SATpc32 > > Hi All > > I did this video to help experienced hams but new satellite operators to > navigate SATpc32. > > https://youtu.be/JLdROrcY7fY > > For me, the first weeks week terribly frustrating to get over the hump. > > This assumes your radio and rotator are already connected to SATpc32 but > you have yet to get a quality first QSO. > > Feel free to add useful comments in the video chat. > > Mike va3mw > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available > to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions > expressed > are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of > AMSAT-NA. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! > Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > >

1 0

How to Drive SATpc32
by Michael Walker 05 Apr '20

05 Apr '20

Hi All I did this video to help experienced hams but new satellite operators to navigate SATpc32. https://youtu.be/JLdROrcY7fY For me, the first weeks week terribly frustrating to get over the hump. This assumes your radio and rotator are already connected to SATpc32 but you have yet to get a quality first QSO. Feel free to add useful comments in the video chat. Mike va3mw

2 1

A Critique on Operations of the FM Birds
by Chris Hoffman 05 Apr '20

05 Apr '20

We all want and need more good operators on the FM Birds, and each pass is a severely-limited resource. Unfortunately, I am constantly bearing witness to operating practices which run counter to these facts. To promote more operators using the birds we have, so that they can give up new grid squares, and perhaps become more active down the road, and in order to build the AMSAT membership I offer the following: FOR *ALL* FM SATELLITE OPERATORS: Please update your personal/favored Best Practices Guide with your reflection upon the following suggestions... 1) *Record your audio for each pass* - If you are running portable: I'm in love with my little Sony voice recorder that has simultaneous audio in and out on 3.5mm jacks. - If you can run 50w, and/or high gain, you have zero excuses not to do so. 1b) When you are recording your passes, please *don't ask for callsign repeats*. - Just be sure the entire callsign was clear for the recording. - That repeat takes up an entire window for a new contact. 2) Keep your contact to *pass*ing *no more than the exchange (e.g. callsign and grid square)* - Even one extra transmission soaks valuable bird time needed for the next contact to start, ad provides no added benefit to the community. - e.g. There is no need to let the distant operator know you sent them a package. 3) *Don't repeat contacts*, even just to say 'hello.' - It soaks an entire contact window for someone else, and that person usually is not on the bird for every pass. - I have seen this, first-hand: hearing a conversation on a satellite crushes new operators (literally and figuratively). They were waiting for a window to make a contact on the only pass of the day, and hearing this provided an excellent excuse for the new operators give up, and abandon sat work entirely because they realize they may never be able to get to the 'level' of someone having that conversation, depriving the rest of us of future new contacts. 4) *Don't use 50w †* - I continually hear big-gun stations wind up crushing less-powerful operators trying to get into the bird -- many of whom are usually equipped with just a handheld and a handheld beam... and many of those are just trying to make their first contact via our 'smart space debris'. - This practice alsso keeps 'honest' 5-watt'ers from being able to score needed Grid Squares as the neelessly-stronger stations carelessly override our signals... [aherm] especially when acting contrary to Suggestion '3'. 5) *Use Full Duplex* - Out of consideration for others, please do not try to make a contact via the bird without a full-duplex radio and the ability to hear others on the satellite. - Good-quailty Full-duplex FM radios are cheap and available online for as little as $100, or new for $250 (DJ-G7). - By hearing your signal on the bird, you will begin to hear and understand that your signal may be stepping on other operators also trying to get in. - As soon as you hear yourself on top someone else, consult Suggestion 4, and make a decision about how needed your contact is. In Summary: *YOU DO NOT OWN THE BIRD* * - *If it's a blank passband... THAT'S A GOOD THING! Every blank second is an opportunity for a new station to make a call, which is what we want. - ASSUME that there is ALWAYS someone new on, usually with just an arrow/elk and their handheld, trying to make their first contact. VUCC wasn't earned in a day, but it shouldn't take 3 passes for one operator to make a single contact. I believe I may be re-sending some variation of this [message] each time I encounter more of the operating practices I've recently observed on AO-91/92 and SO-50 which sparked this Email*. † 47 CFR § 97.313 <https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/97.313> - '...minimum transmitter power necessary' * Flagrancy may earn an edited copy of these suggestions sent directly to you. Repeated Flagrancy may earn a shame-mail to the group. /ch KG6O atsin arrl dot net

1 0

More ancient technology Sat Tracker board and software
by Stephan Greene 05 Apr '20

05 Apr '20

More cleaning shack. Sat Tracker board and software. Looks like parallel printer interface to PC and 8 pin DIN to a G5400/5500 rotator control box. Includes frequency tracker add-on software on 3.5 floppy disk and Instant-Track (DOS) on 5.25 floppy and CD. No capability to check if floppies are readable. InstantTrack will run on a Win10 system using DOSBOX. Email me direct if you want it. All sent as-is. 73 Steve KS1G <callsign> at amsat.org

1 0

Anyone want a Kansas City Tracker manual?
by Stephan Greene 05 Apr '20

05 Apr '20

Found while cleaning out shack. LL Grace KCT v 2.43A instructions, June 2000. Excellent condition. Email me direct your mailing address if you want it. No I can't scan and email it. 73 Steve KS1G

1 0

Kudos: WB4SON and the AMSAT Ambassador Program
by Ev Tupis 04 Apr '20

04 Apr '20

I can't thank AMSAT enough for providing the AMSAT Ambassador program. This morning, the Rochester VHF Group convened it's first "Spring Session" of 2020 ... online! AMSAT Ambassador Bob Beatty, WB4SON kept everyone both interested and engaged. He is an extremely personable, knowledgeable and fluent speaker; an excellent AMSAT resource. His professionalism was evident as he ran two "test flights" with us prior to the live, online meeting. Everything was assured to run smoothly. I strongly endorse the AMSAT Ambassador program and recommend clubs big-and-small take pause to look into it more deeply: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/ While I'm certain that all AMSAT Ambassadors are well qualified, I can say for certainty that if you are lucky enough to get Bob's schedule to align with your clubs' then you are certain to have a successful event. Yours in the hobby, Ev Tupis, W2EV Chairman, Rochester VHF Group http://www.RVHFG.org Celebrating 71 years as the longest continuously active VHF oriented club in the known universe

2 1