One thing I recommend for better operating practice is buying a quality-brand radio with a good receive sensitivity. I started my first couple years doing satellites with a Baofeng and just upgraded my antenna to an Arrow II Leo Satellite antenna thinking that would be enough. Yes, I made a few successful QSOs. It was a bit difficult, but they were even confirmed on LoTW. Now that I've have a chance to see side-by-side performance of that with my Yaesu, I realize I probably could not hear much of what was going on and was probably stepping on people I couldn't hear during the lower parts of the pass. I'd now strongly recommend anyone find a cheap (as in features, not quality), used, dual-band Japanese radio over wasting time with a cheap (as in quality) Chinese radio. I've seen them sold for as little as $70 on GigaParts and it will probably do you better even using it's whip antenna over a Baofeng with a good Yagi.
I have made several, easy QSOs using my current Yaesu FT-3DR during a less crowded period where I was talking back an forth with someone for about a minute on a 50 degree pass. No one else but us were on. I could hear him easily with just a cheap $15 whip antenna I got on Amazon. The receiver in that radio is just not on the same order of magnitude as a Baofeng and I apologize for anyone I stepped on trying to use that Chinese radio. Another interesting comparison was when I used a cheap $25 RTL-SDR dongle with my phone as my ears on 70cm and used my Baofeng with just a whip. I didn't hear much on the Baofeng, but I was able to use SDRTouch on Android to record the pass and operate in full-duplex with my Baofeng. That's when I realized that that cheap HT had plenty of transmit power to make it into the satellite, but the hard part was all about the receive. The SDR, being software-based, has a small amount of latency, but I could stop talking pretty quick when I realized someone else was on. I have a variety of recordings of my experiences if someone is interested in hearing what can be done with a simple and cheap setup.
My final thoughts on this would be to point out the power levels and signal strengths involved. While my HTs can transmit around 4-5 watts, most satellites are much weaker. I believe AO-91 is 100 mW only? Someone correct me if I'm wrong. The ISS is a strong satellite at 5 watts, I believe. Some satellites send CW at only 10 mW, but I can still hear them on my RTL-SDR. It's really about having a good receiver so you can hear what is going on. Transmitters are easy to make, but a good receiver is hard.
- Loren K7IW
On Thu, Mar 19, 2020 at 2:21 PM KI7UNJ Tucker via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:
Another "TIP" for the operator(s) who seem to be unable/refuse to say the callsign they want to work. Screaming out "gridline station" or "roving station" then your call trying to get them over and over.. is annoying.
As another op said to them once on the air "you want my gird say my call"
On Thu, Mar 19, 2020 at 12:54 PM John Geiger via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:
Using phonetics can really help also, especially if you have letters that sound alike in your call, such as T and D.
73 John W5TD
On Thu, Mar 19, 2020 at 2:40 PM John Kludt via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:
All,
There is another practice that I have not seen addressed here that
makes
thing really tough - talking way too fast. I understand the reason but fast talking just leads to the request for repeats which means more
traffic
and/or busted Q's. So in addition to turn down the power how about talking just a little slowly and more clearly?
Just a suggestion.
John K4SQC
On Thu, Mar 19, 2020 at 3:03 PM Isaac C via AMSAT-BB <
amsat-bb@amsat.org
wrote:
ps -. it was SO-50, pass 11:58 local time, Mar 12.
On Thursday, March 19, 2020, Isaac C shorenicehere@gmail.com
wrote:
Mike, I am Isaac, W4ITC, grid FM14. I am maybe two weeks ahead of you in the newbie category. I just
got
my
first QSO/QSL on March 12. I connected with W0NBC. After me, you can hear WB3CSY do an expert connection with someone
else.
I listened to many passed before I was brave enough to talk. It
probably
shows. My rig is qty 2 Baofengs @ 5w with a WA5VJB home-made antenna.
Best luck.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14YSF3hL6NBtRMkcw3gDcx8VURQ3dB UNl/view?usp=drivesdk
On Thursday, March 19, 2020, Mike Wilhelm via AMSAT-BB <
amsat-bb@amsat.org>
wrote:
I've been collecting equipment and waiting for the right time to
try
and
get on a bird. Life is too busy... Anyway, it might be helpful if there were a few audio examples we
could
pass on to newbies and uninformed operators of good and bad
operating.
I
would recommend beeping out any parts of the call sign for any
examples
of
poor operation. I'd sure like to hear them. Maybe even post them
to
a
section on the AMSAT page covering operating? I apologize if this
is
already out there...back to that too busy thing again. I haven't
had
many
opportunities to take my FT-470 outside with my Arrow and chase a
bird.
The QSOs I've heard seem like they go so fast and I'd hate to
annoy
anyone
by being the slowpoke. 73! Mike AF5AT
On Thu, Mar 19, 2020 at 12:52 PM Brad Smith via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:
> I am a minimalist because I want to be a minimalist. I
understand
that
the > FM bird is nothing more than a repeater and the strongest signal
takes
the > bird, even if someone else is talking. "Someone else is talking"
is
the
> rude part. Last weekend, I was chasing a rover and got "KC9" out
and
into > the bird (I work full duplux, so know that I was in) and someone
took
over > by stepping on me. Luckily, I got him anyway, but someone was
high
power
> and more important than me. That's the way contesters work.
But, I
don't
> want to plaster someone's call on the board. I just hope that
the
person is > a member and thinks about it. Getting into a peeing contest with someone is > not beneficial to anybody, including the hobby. It used to be
that
if
one > said "handheld" or "portable" guys would give them a break, but
that
> doesn't happen anymore. The birds are too crowded for that.
There
are
> several people in my ham clubs that want to try satellite
operation
and
> myself and my friend Rick (WA9JBQ) loves to > mentor them and teach them the proper way to operate. Not
everyone
has
> this benefit. I don't know what the answer is. Last Spring one
ham
was
an > extremely poor operator on the birds, but is now a better
operator.
So,
> something works. But there is always the tendency to crank up
the
power
to > get the station that you want, if you have the power available.
It
is
like > guys who I know that run 1,500 watts on FT8 to get what they
want. I
guess > it is going to happen and we have to live with that fact. > > As soon as I solve my equipment problem with my 847 and the
weather
turns > warmer, I will be back on the linear birds. I sure do miss
FO-29.
Brad
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-- *Casey Tucker KI7UNJ* _______________________________________________ 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