On 7/18/16, Philip Chimento [email protected] wrote:
I have an IC-9100 using MacDoppler and hooked up to two home-brew Eggbeater II antennas. I have had a lot of trouble finding my downlink on pretty much all of the SSB satellites that I have tried; AO-7, FO-29, AO-73 and the XWs (2A, 2C and 2F). Does anyone have suggestions, strategies for finding the downlink (so I don’t wind up annoying everyone else by uselessly transmitting).
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I've got the same problem. I first set my software (in my case, Gpredict on Linux) to mid-band. If there isn't anyone on frequency, I start looking for my downlink. If there is someone, though, I move further up in the band so that I'm out of the way and won't cause any interference.
I keep the uplink frequency steady and adjust my downlink. For me, the trick is finding what the offset from the nominal value is. On a new satellite, I start there and move up (or down, whichever the case may be) slowly. On ones I've been on before, I start at the approximate offset.
I simply speak into my mike and announce who I am and the purpose for my transmission until I find my signal. I usually find it in a minute or two.
I have to do it that way as I need to set up my station outside and I have only two hands. I hold my antenna with one and my PTT switch with the other, keeping a finger or two free so that I can adjust my software setting. Operating a Morse key might be a touch difficult when my hands are already full.
This has worked for me so far and I haven't yet figured out a way to make it quicker or easier.
73s
Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL