Sounds interesting! How about (for the day) we add our transmitter power to the exchange, for example "FN03 100mW". It will help reinforce the concept that only minimal power is required. 73, KenVE3HLS
From: Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) amsat-bb@wd9ewk.net To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2017 5:27 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] A suggestion for Experimenter's Wednesdays on AO-91
Hi!
Now that AO-91 has been going strong for about 3 weeks, maybe it is time to come up with something for it on Experimenter's Wednesdays, like we have seen with SSTV on AO-85. Although I think the SSTV has run its course and maybe something else should be tried, I'm not suggesting any particular change to AO-85 on Wednesdays. This is only intended as a suggestion for AO-91.
After Sean KX9X published his recent document with a list of good operating practices for FM satellites:
https://www.amsat.org/fm-satellites-good-operating-practices-for-beginning-a...
my suggestion would be a way to encourage this, especially focusing on one item. I tweeted a little earlier this afternoon the following:
"An AO-91 Experimenter's Wednesday suggestion: 5W or less, ideally using HTs or portable setups & handheld directional antennas or whips/duckies. Let's take full advantage of how well this satellite hears & can be heard on the ground."
One comment I received on Twitter questioned having something for Experimenter's Wednesdays on both AO-85 and AO-91, suggesting that another day of the week should be used for AO-91. I disagreed with that, given that it is "Experimenter's Wednesday". Unlike with AO-85 where the focus has been SSTV, my suggestion would still allow for FM voice QSOs on AO-91 - but with a focus on using less power and smaller stations. This would also go directly to the recommendations that were recently published.
For those who may be concerned about doing something like this on 2 of the 3 FM satellites, there has been Experimenter's Wednesday SSTV activity for a while now. Most of the time, this has been done when we only had two working FM satellites (AO-85, SO-50). Maybe we could see some coast-to-coast QSOs on AO-91 where both stations are using power levels at 50mW or 100mW, for example.
Thanks, and 73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK or http://twitter.com/WD9EWK _______________________________________________ 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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb