Realizing I need to crawl before I can walk but need to have a goal.
I've grown a strong interest in working SATS, have a few bucks and am rebuilding my station for SATS from the ground up. Been reading the G Gould Smith "Getting Started..." book I picked up in Boxboro, MA at a fest a couple months ago.
I replaced my Kenwood 440 with a TS-2000 without the 1.2 GHz option, thinking I may add 1.2 GHz next spring.
Added a 4 inch conduit to my tower with a 7/8 hard line and a run of Jetstream LMR 400+ tagged RG-8U on jacket but specs are better than LMR 400 figure I'll use the Jetstream for 2 meter, or transmit side of things.
Took down my 20 meter monoband beam, Purchased and mounted a Yaesu G-5500 (Separated). Ordered a Gulf-Alpha Gen purpose 2 meter H/V 440 V yagi, yes I also want to work land locked stuff too.
LINUX!! Linux!! LINUX if possible ONLY-Seem good to go now with GPREDICT 1.1 and 1.2, 1.2 seems to not update rotor correctly but just got it going this morning. Running 1.1 on another machine over LAN and seems to work better.
I have a 40 foot 1943 steel tower for what it's worth, it's a thing of beauty!!
My vision is to eventually move the Gulf Alpha antenna to the center mast.
Here is where my questions come to play....???? What do I want for bird anteena's? My biggest interest is packet and flying mailboxes/HEO/Eventually EME possibly.
Thinking my next antenna purchase would be the Gulf Alpha 440 and 2 meter circular polarity antennas and the phasing assy to switch polarity????
I have ample 4 port switches that can be used to switch at tower but of course less is more as I don't want to go switch crazy and add more attenuation to system than absolutely necessary.
I see SSB has some nice pre-amps, NEED I suspect eventually..
I'm getting stir crazy waiting for arrival of Yagi, one more day on tower and I should be complete except for arrival of Gulf Alpha Yagi that he is building.
Not really sure what my question is. Reading and reading, trying not to buy too ,many unnecessary components while I impatiently wait for antenna to arrive but forward thinking as I finalize tower today, need to re-mount my WX station and security camera. Also adding a camera behind garage to look up at top of tower so I can see what the heck is going on with rotors-COOL!
In mounting WX station, need to stay high as possible but of course can't interefere with back end of Yagi's
Antenna advice, any advise if someone has the time? Hope to QSO soon with ya'll on the birds. Been listening on a vertical but question the doppler accuracy so have not attempted to transmit yet.