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CP antenna build: unexpected discovery
by Norm n3ykf 15 Oct '18

15 Oct '18

Hi all! Built a 2x10 CP UHF antenna. Started with an Arrow 437X14. Two 7 element antennas on the same boom. Added three sets of elements. Have been using this as a linear antenna in my satellite rig. It's been performing reliably for three years, including all DX trips This is one of those projects that took a lot of learning, mostly how to use the analyzer and become good at SMA connectors. Pic of the antenna here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/n3ykf/44365875084/in/dateposted/ The next three photos are of the scans made at the end of the project, verifying CP, +/- 90 degrees. Note that the offset from the adapters has to be figured in. 18.3 degrees. Using three 9V rechargables in series to make the +V to drive the relays. RG-142b/u and SMA male connectors both from ebay. Got out to play with it a few days ago. The CP rig doesn't appear to add much to the received signal where there is no obstruction. It does make a noticeable difference toward the horizon where trees come into play. While measuring parts, I found that the little 26VDC SMA relays measured out NC and NO to 231 and 231.8 deg respectively. The actual path: 4.5cm. HUH? Managed to damage one of the relays. Bypassed the center pin crushing the female contact in the relay. So I took it apart. Nothing inside to justify an unusual measurement. Pics here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/n3ykf/44604433654/in/dateposted/ The SMA jumper that was made using 90's and adapters to connect NC->NC measured out to 281.3 degrees. Path measurement: 9.5cm. Another surprise. Doing the math, the relays appear to have a velocity factor of .1(back of the envelope math). Is this for real? A surprise considering that I've never seen anything with that low of a parameter. Catch you on the birds Norm n3ykf

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W3ZM from the ARISS-USA Education Summit
by Paul Stoetzer 15 Oct '18

15 Oct '18

Good evening, I will be demonstrating satellite operation at the ARISS-USA Education Summit in College Park, MD tomorrow afternoon on the CAS-4B pass at 20:14 UTC. I will be using the AMSAT club callsign, W3ZM. If you're around and in the footprint, please give us a call! I may also pop up on a pass or two other than that, but that will be the primary demo pass for the group. 73, Paul, N8HM

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AO-92 2018-10-14 05:34 UTC
by Endaf Buckley 14 Oct '18

14 Oct '18

The pass was literally wiped out by what I think was an "intentional" mic key which included feedback, my suspicion someone was physically holding the microphone. I did manage to pull out N6RSX & KB6LTY. A link to my recording is below. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1efUhOTs_1xq2jl9eeude6uBK0_OVAuby Endaf N6UTC / MW1BQO

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South Texas grid expedition
by Glenn Miller - AA5PK 14 Oct '18

14 Oct '18

Barring unforeseen circumstances, I plan to travel to south Texas 11-15 November. I expect to activate grids EL06, 07, 08, 15, 16, 17 and 18. I'll be on both FM and linear satellites and will post which on Twitter @AA5PK. I'll also be position beaconing on APRS AA5PK-9. QSOs will be uploaded to LoTW upon my return home. Hard copy QSLs available by email request. No SASE needed. Glenn AA5PK

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Upcoming ARISS contact with Valley High School, Albuquerque, NM
by n4csitwo＠bellsouth.net 14 Oct '18

14 Oct '18

An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Valley High School, Albuquerque, NM on 18 Oct. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 16:25 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and NM5HD. The contact should be audible over the state of New Mexico and adjacent areas. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English. Our upcoming ISS contact consists of several Albuquerque Public Schools, elementary, middle and high schools. Students from Chaparral ES, Mission Ave. ES, Garfield MS, and Valley High School will be asking questions of NASA Astronaut Serena M. Auñón-Chancellor. These students are part of a multi-year Federal Grant, "Engineering The Future" K-12 STEM Pathway and our high school students from Valley HS have already had experience tracking satellites and have learned about some of the essential systems to build a cubeSAT. Cadet Jared Manalo , KG5TWD, from Valley HS is in training to make the call. Questions have been submitted from all schools and students and teachers alike are getting very excited about the contact. Our contact will be streamed to all APS schools and lessons have been sent around the district in preparation. Exciting times for Albuquerque Public Schools. Looking forward to visiting with you soon. Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. Why did NASA originally build the Space Station, and has the mission changed over the years? 2. What is the hardest job you have done in space? 3. When you were little, did you dream of being an astronaut? 4. What kinds of hazards are astronauts exposed to on the job? 5. Do you get sick in space, and what are the procedures for an astronaut with a serious illness? 6. How well do you sleep in zero gravity, and how long do you sleep compared to your regular sleep cycle? 7. How has the ISS research prepared humans to be able to live on planets in outer space? 8. What kind of systems, testing or research is being done on the ISS to support the Deep Space Gateway project? 9. If Americans had all the materials to land on the moon in the 60's (1969) why can't we land on the moon now that we have more and better technology? 10. If a woman becomes pregnant in space, has your research shown that a fetus can develop normally? 11. What kind of physical and mental testing do you get to be ready to go into space? 12. What kind of medical testing does an astronaut have to go through to be ready for duty? 13. When in space can you see the earth spinning or rotating? 14. How many years of hard work is required to become an astronaut, and what is the best degree to get as an astronaut? 15. What is the ISS crews response if the Space Station is hit with space debris or a meteorite? PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ARISS UPDATES: Visit ARISS on Facebook. We can be found at Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS). To receive our Twitter updates, follow @ARISS_status Next planned event(s): TBD About ARISS: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or informal education venues. With the help of experienced amateur radio volunteers, ISS crews speak directly with large audiences in a variety of public forums. Before and during these radio contacts, students, teachers, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org, www.amsat.org, and www.arrl.org. Thank you & 73, David - AA4KN --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

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Upcoming ARISS contact with Sint-Jozefcollege, Turnhout, Belgium
by n4csitwo＠bellsouth.net 14 Oct '18

14 Oct '18

An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Sint-Jozefcollege, Turnhout, Belgium on 16 Oct. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 12:04 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between OR4ISS and ON4NOK. The contact should be audible over Belgium and adjacent areas. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in German/English. Saint-Josephcollege is a school situated in Turnhout, in the north of Belgium, in the middle of a green park with a lot of sporting facilities. It consists of 4 schools: kindergarten, 2 primary schools and 1 secondary school. The contact will be made with students of the secondary school and one pupil of the primary school. It's a general secondary school with around 750 students (age 12-18), 45% are girls, 55% are boys. Almost 200 of these students live here during the week in the boarding school, which is also part of Saint-Josephcollege. We have different directions at our school (ancient languages, modern languages, mathematics, science, economy, human sciences). Our school prepares students for higher education, but beside the lessons, as we are a Jesuit school, we think it's very important to cultivate every student as a single person, letting them taste of all kind of new opportunities, like this contact with ISS. Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. Is space beautiful or is it just empty and black? 2. Can you describe weightlessness? 3. I am worried about climate change. Can you see the impact of this when you look down on earth? 4. Was it your dream to go to space? 5. If you could travel to Mars, would you do so, even if you knew you couldn't come back? 6. Can you make music in space, because sound can only travel in air and there is no air in space? 7. There is no running water in space. How do you supply enough water? 8. How many degrees Celcius is it in the space station and how many degrees is it outside? 9. Which experiments do you do on ISS? Which circumstances are not possible down on earth? 10. Which experiment did you like the most? 11. If you do so, how do you make oxygen in space and how do you filter CO2 12. How did you become an astronaut, or how would one, to your knowledge, go about becoming an astronaut? 13. What is your favourite food in space? 14. What do you do in your spare time? Can you follow news and social media? 15. Do you have trouble adjusting back to earth's gravity after 6 months in space? 16. What is, after months of isolation, your relation to time? How do you maintain your biological clock? 17. What happens when an astronaut gets really ill in space? 18. Do women and men have the same physical challenges adapting to life in microgravity? 19. Why is it so important to spend so much money on space travel, when we have so many problems like famine here on earth? 20. Wieviel Kilogramm Muskeln werden Sie ungef"hr nach Ihren Aufenthalt auf der ISS verloren haben? How many kilograms of muscles will you have lost after your stay in the ISS? 21. Was ist das sch"nste der Erde dass Sie aus dem Weltraum schon gesehen haben? What is the nicest part of earth you have seen in space? PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ARISS UPDATES: Visit ARISS on Facebook. We can be found at Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS). To receive our Twitter updates, follow @ARISS_status Next planned event(s): 1. Valley High School, Albuquerque, NM, direct via NM5HD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Serena Aunon-Chancellor KG5TMT Contact is a go for: Thu 2018-10-18 16:25 UTC About ARISS: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or informal education venues. With the help of experienced amateur radio volunteers, ISS crews speak directly with large audiences in a variety of public forums. Before and during these radio contacts, students, teachers, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org, www.amsat.org, and www.arrl.org. Thank you & 73, David - AA4KN --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

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Upcoming ARISS contact with Ganerben-Gymnasium Kuenzelsau + Georg-Wagner-Schule, Kuenzelsau, Germany
by n4csitwo＠bellsouth.net 14 Oct '18

14 Oct '18

An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Ganerben-Gymnasium Kuenzelsau + Georg-Wagner-Schule, Kuenzelsau, Germany on 16 Oct. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 10:28 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between DP0ISS and DN6SP. The contact should be audible over Germany and adjacent areas. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in German. Das Ganerben-Gymnasium hat 600 Schüler und ca. 55 Lehrer. Im deutschen dreistufigen Schulsystem ist ein Gymnasium akademisch orientiert und bereitet auf die Hochschulbildung vor. Das Ganerben-Gymnasium konzentriert sich insbesondere auf Fremdsprachen (Englisch, Latein oder Französisch) und Naturwissenschaft und Technik. In Klassenstufe 8. wählen unsere Schüler zwischen Spanisch als dritter Fremdsprache oder angewandten Naturwissenschaften. Wir sind stolz auf unsere vielfältigen Aktivitäten in MINT und unsere enge Zusammenarbeit mit Unternehmen der Region und der Hochschule Heilbronn / Reinhold-Würth Hochschule. Die Georg-Wagner-Schule besteht aus drei Schularten (Grundschule, Werkrealschule und Realschule) mit rund 900 Schülern von der Primarstufe bis zur Sekundarstufe (1.-10. Klasse). Das Hauptziel der Georg-Wagner-Schule ist die Vorbereitung der Schüler auf die berufliche Ausbildung. Translated: Ganerben-Gymnasium has 600 pupils and around 55 teachers. In the German three-tier secondary school system, a Gymnasium is academically oriented and prepares pupils for university/college education. Ganerben-Gymnasium especially focusses on foreign languages (English, Latin or French) and STEM. For year 8, our pupils choose between Spanish as a third foreign language or Applied Sciences. We are proud of our wide range of activities in STEM and our close cooperation with local companies and Heilbronn University/Reinhold-Würth Hochschule. The event is planned to be organized in cooperation with the Georg-Wagner-Schule. The Georg-Wagner-Schule consists of three types of school (Grundschule, Werkrealschule und Realschule) with around 900 pupils from Primarstufe to Sekundarstufe (1-10 Klassen). The main target of the Georg-Wagner-Schule is preparation of the pupils for being successful in profession. Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. Sie können die Auswirkungen des Jahrhundertsommers sehen. Was muss aus Ihrer Sicht gegen den Klimawandel getan werden? 2. Gibt es neue oder überraschende Forschungsergebnisse aus den Experimenten, welche Sie bei Ihrem Aufenthalt auf der ISS durchführen? 3. Warum ist es in Zeiten globaler Herausforderungen wie Armut und Naturkatastrophen so wichtig, so viel Geld für Raumfahrt auszugeben? 4. Was hat Sie als Astronaut am meisten beeindruckt? 5. Werden Pflanzen auf der ISS angebaut? Können Pflanzen auf der ISS wachsen? 6. Im November werden Sie den Photobioreaktor testen. Wird in der Zukunft Leben im All möglich sein, wenn Kohlendioxid erfolgreich in Sauerstoff umgewandelt wird? 7. Ist Krafttraining in der Schwerelosigkeit genauso anstrengend wie auf der Erde? 8. Wie schnell kann man die ISS verlassen, wenn es etwas schiefläuft oder Schwierigkeiten auftreten? 9. Ist es jemals vorgekommen, dass ein Astronaut auf der ISS ernsthaft krank oder verletzt wurde und wie wurde damit umgegangen? 10. Welches sind Ihre deine drei wichtigsten Erfolgsregeln? 11. Man befindet sich mit wenigen Menschen auf engem Raum. Gibt es auch einmal Streit und wie gehen Sie damit um? 12. Welcher Ort oder Raum auf der ISS wird am meisten genutzt und warum? 13. Sehen Sie die Verschmutzung (Müll) im All und auf der Erde? 14. Haben Sie Probleme beim Schlafen im Weltall bzw. in der Schwerelosigkeit? 15. Wie oft wechseln Astronauten ihre Kleidung und wie wird sie gewaschen? 16. Was vermissen Sie im Weltraum am meisten? 17. Wie war das Gefühl, als Sie zum ersten Mal zu einem Weltraumspaziergang die ISS verlassen haben? 18. Wie bereiten Sie sich auf der Erde auf Toilettengänge in der Schwerelosigkeit vor? 19. Nutzen Sie Dronen für den Außeneinsatz auf der ISS? 20. Wie fühlt es sich an, wenn man die Schwerelosigkeit wieder verlässt und man zurück auf die Erde kommt? 21. Auf der ISS geht am Tag 16 Mal die Sonne auf. Wie gewöhnt man sich an den Tages- und Schlafrhythmus auf der ISS? Wie gestaltet sich die Umgewöhnungsphase nach der Rückkehr auf die Erde? 22. Welche Ratschläge können Sie von Ihrem täglichen Leben auf der ISS für ein verantwortungsvolles Verhalten auf der Erde geben? 23. Würden Sie an einer dritten Weltraummission teilnehmen? Besteht die Chance, dass Sie nochmals ins Weltall fliegen? 24. Wer entscheidet über die Durchführung von Experimenten auf der ISS und gibt es besondere Zulassungskriterien? 25. Haben Sie einen persönlichen Lieblingsplaneten? Wenn ja, welchen? 26. Gab es Momente während ihrer Zeit im Weltraum, in welchen Sie Angst empfunden haben? Translated: 1. You can see the effects of the exceptional summer this year. What would you recommend to work against climate change? 2. Have there been any surprising or astonishing results from your experiments, which you did on the ISS? 3. With global challenges like poverty and natural disasters, why is it important to spend so much money on space travel? 4. What is your most important insight as an astronaut? 5. Are there plants grown under zero-gravity-conditions on the ISS? 6. In November you are going to experiment the photo bioreactor. Is life in orbit possible in the future, if carbon dioxide could be successfully converted into oxygen? 7. Is fitness training in weightlessness as strenuous as on earth? 8. How fast can you leave the ISS, when something goes wrong? 9. Has an astronaut ever become seriously ill or injured while you have been on the Space Station and how was it dealt with? 10. Can you name your top three rules for being successful? 11. There is only little space on the ISS and you live there in close contact with other people. Has there ever been a quarrel and how did you handle it? 12. What is the most used room or area on the space station and why? 13. Can you recognize environmental pollution from space - and in the orbit? 14. Do you have any problems while sleeping under zero-gravity-conditions? 15. How often do Astronauts change their clothing and how do you do the washing? 16. What do you miss most in space? 17. What did you feel, when you made your first spacewalk? 18. Since the toilet is made for zero gravity, how do you train to use it on earth? 19. Do you use drones in space outside of the ISS? 20. How does it feel, to leave the zero-gravity when you are back on earth? 21. How do you adjust to a sleep cycle on the ISS (the sun sets 16 times)? How do you re-adjust to a sleep cycle when you return to earth? 22. From your daily life on the ISS, what advice could you give us about responsible ways of behaviour on earth? 23. Would you join a third mission to space? Is there a chance for you, to have another flight to space? 24. Who decides about the approval of an experiment on the ISS and what are the main criteria in the selection process? 25. Do you have a favourite planet? 26. Have you ever been frightened during your stay in space? PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ARISS UPDATES: Visit ARISS on Facebook. We can be found at Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS). To receive our Twitter updates, follow @ARISS_status Next planned event(s): 1. Sint-Jozefcollege, Turnhout, Belgium, direct via ON4NOK/P The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled astronaut is Alexander Gerst KF5ONO Contact is a go for: Tue 2018-10-16 12:04 UTC 2. Valley High School, Albuquerque, NM, direct via NM5HD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Serena Aunon-Chancellor KG5TMT Contact is a go for: Thu 2018-10-18 16:25 UTC About ARISS: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or informal education venues. With the help of experienced amateur radio volunteers, ISS crews speak directly with large audiences in a variety of public forums. Before and during these radio contacts, students, teachers, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org, www.amsat.org, and www.arrl.org. Thank you & 73, David - AA4KN --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

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Office Closed
by Martha 13 Oct '18

13 Oct '18

The Office will be closed on Monday October 15th. -- 73- Martha

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Re: [amsat-bb] Yaesu Cable Pin Out
by Jerry Buxton 13 Oct '18

13 Oct '18

Yeah, like the one in that picture. None of the wires are crossed, they don't change pins. Pin 1 to pin 1 and so forth. Jerry Buxton, NØJY On 10/12/2018 12:05, Apostolos Kefalas wrote: > https://images.shopwired.co.uk/images/user/fileUp/radioworld2/T9101534_ > CTCable_s.JPG

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Yaesu Cable Pin Out
by Gary 13 Oct '18

13 Oct '18

Howdy Amsaters, I sold a car and got the radio out, but left the cabling in as it was really in there.... I need to re-create the cable connecting the control head to the main body of a Yaesu FT-8900r. It looks like an RJ12 connector on each end. What I don't know is do any of the conductors cross in the cable??? Thanks and 73, Joe kk0sd

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