Hi Ron
I will corroborate what John said. I have made several hundred FM and SSB satellite contacts over the past year using a Diamond X-50A dual-band vertical and IC-9100 or FT-736r, as well as more than 100 FM contacts using a D72A handheld and a dual-band 1/4 wave mag mount on my truck. At least 80 grids towards my VUCC came via these antennas.
I would expect a Comet GP-6 will do fine. Sure, an AZ-EL yagi system would be nice, but I’m a believer in working with what you’ve got and keeping it simple. And pick your passes, especially at the outset (though if there is a clear horizon, even fairly low angle passes will yield contacts). My first few contacts, in fact, were overhead FM sat passes, using a half-duplex HT with a little Diamond dual-band whip.
Good luck and have fun! geoff - W1OH
*********************************************************************** Geoff Allsup, W1OH gallsup@whoi.edu or w1oh@whoi.edu Senior Engineer (Retired) Upper Ocean Processes Group Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole, MA, USA ***********************************************************************
On May 11, 2019, at 18:30, Ron VE8RT via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
Thanks John,
that would be the easiest solution to start with. VY0YL is s city administrator, not someone with a technical background. Maybe she could get some help locally. I have a Comet GP-6 dual band base antenna still in its shipping tube, I haven't put it up yet so I haven't tried it. They advertise that it has 6.5 dDi gain on 2M and 9 dBi on 70 cm I was going to match that up with a TM-V71A to see how well that worked out.
At this time, VY0YL has no antenna, or equipment. As equipment that won't do the job may be discouraging getting the first radio operating the first time is important.
Ron VE8RT
On Sat, 11 May 2019 15:11:23 -0500 John Kludt via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
Ron,
Everything Jeff days is true. But some of us live in covenant restricted settings and an omni is much easier to sneak in under the radar. I have switched back and forth between eggbeaters and various verticals. So far 88 grids. Three points:
- Pay attention to ERP. You are going to need a little more uplink power to make up for the lack of Tx antenna gain.
- Always, always use a preamp at the antenna on 435 down links
- Be patient. This is a compromise solution and you are not going to knock them down every pass.
If it is all you can do go ahead. Better to be on the air working the birds as best you can than doing nothing at all.
John
Sent from my Verizon Motorola Smartphone On May 11, 2019 00:34, Jeff Moore via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
As was stated multiple times in a very recent thread - omnis for sat work are a poor compromise!! Even a small beam at a 15-degree angle will generally blow most omnis off the roof! Even better would be a pair of beams (one for uplink, one for downlink) on an azimuth/elevation rotor! But handheld can work almost as good!!
7 3 Jeff Moore --- KE7ACY CN94
On Fri, May 10, 2019 at 10:08 PM Ron VE8RT via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
We have a newly licenced amateur in DP79. Because they fell a fewpoints of getting their Basic with Honours they do not have HF privileges, their only way to communicate with the outside world is via satellite. Anticipating this possible outcome, that they may not get access to the HF bands, I sent them a hard copy, (no home internet, and its slow and expensive there if you do have it), of the current copy of "Getting Started with Amateur Satellites". As we're heading into the time of year to do any outside work, the most pressing question is what is the best compromise antenna for a base station. Keeping in mind their location, in order to work anyone they'll have to get into the satellites while the satellite is close to their horizon, otherwise the satellite footprint will not cover areas with any satellite operators.
Ron VE8RT in DP22-- Ron VE8RT ve8rt@yknwt.ca _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@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
Sent via AMSAT-BB@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
Sent via AMSAT-BB@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
-- Ron VE8RT ve8rt@yknwt.ca _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@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