Adrian and all,
I didn't get to work you on your trip, although I listened. Never heard you from here in EM84. Thank you for going to the trouble of enabling operations on both the FM and CW/SSB satellites. I appreciate it, and it's obvious that others do from your comments.
To amplify (yes, pun intended ... I couldn't help myself!) your reference to using the lowest power level necessary to establish communications, I think it appropriate to note that, per Drew's (KO4MA) post to the BB earlier this week, AO-51 recently has been operating with twice the power of AO-27 and four times the power of SO-50. Yes, AO-51 has been transmitting one full watt rf out. So, at least half of every satellite contact we make is QRP and, more often than not, milliwatt QRP.
All of that being said ... I have not and will not ask for any quarter on the satellites from any operator. I spent my first nine years as a licensed amateur working mostly QRP on HF. I chose to do that. I choose to take a similar approach to operating the satellites. Therein lies the sport for me ... personally. I don't suggest it's right for anyone else, but I enjoy the heck out of it.
Adrian ... you ask what the sport is in working the same stations in the same grids over and over. In response, I suggest to you that working the FM satellites (or the linear satellites, for that matter) isn't about a competitive, sporting endeavor to everyone. Some guys don't chase grids and couldn't care less about them. I applied for Satellite VUCC only because I could do so exclusively with handheld contacts - two-way QRP, for sure. I applied for AMSAT's Satellite Communications Achievement Award because I could do so exclusively with contacts that not only were handheld, but all made running 50 mW out here on my VX-7R on the same set of two Duracells. At no time did I ever expect or ask for any quarter. I paid my money for the station I chose to operate, and I continue to takes my chances, as they say.
I suspect that every operator has a very personal set of reasons and motivations for working the satellites. None of those reasons and motivations are less valid than anyone else's. I have operated portable from several different grids, and I drove over to South Carolina a couple months ago because someone needed it for their Satellite WAS. Activating those grids/states was my reason for being at some of the places I've operated from. At no time did I think my operation should take precedence over any other contacts during a given pass. I either called somebody or threw out my call as portable and the state or grid I was working from. Those who needed or wanted that spot confirmed called me. Those who didn't, didn't.
Chasing grids, states and/or DX entities aren't the reason(s) we have amateur satellites in orbit. They aren't the reason(s) we have the amateur radio service. They can be fun operating activities, but not every licensed amateur who enjoys working the satellites shares that sentiment.
73 to all,
Tim - N3TL
-------------- Original message from Adrian Engele aa5uk@yahoo.com: --------------
As many of you know I operated as ZF2AE from EK99 back in late March and early April during my vacation from Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. I received numerous direct requests to have a sked as EK99 was needed for their VUCC awards. I made a big effort to meet all these requests received prior or during that trip and in most instances I was successful. As a portable, I worked AO-51 and SO-50 with just an Arrow Antenna with an ARR preamp and 5W with my VX7R. I also worked other stations on AO-7, FO-29 and VU52 using the same setup but with my FT857D with 10 Watts instead. Let me tell you setting up as a portable station to work the linear birds is time consuming and required a big effort
everytime. I was on vacation and Hamradio was a secondary activity. After my return, I went through my recordings it was clear that there were many missed opportunities to work certain stations for their requested skeds . Why was this? In most cases, it came down to stations both domestic and international that are NOT LISTENING or not leaving enough space between calls. Also it was clear these same stations were calling the same stations day in and day out. What is the sport in this, working the same stations and the same grids over and over again; especially when a DXpedition is ongoing and others need to work that grid. I had numerous passes where I could not get once into an FM satellite during a planned sked. In some cases, I only managed one or two contacts. It was frustrating to say the least. Out of the 45+ passes I completed during my trip there was only one satellite pass that was disciplined, operators listened, called in order and over 15 contacts were worked in sequence with zero interference and many happy operators.
I encourage operators with deluxe satellite stations running power with full computer and rotation tracking to let more modest stations have their fair share of opportunities to get into the satellites. You may disagree with this concept, but I would like to remind the readers the FCC mandates that minimum power should be used to make at all times in to establish a contact.
During my trip and upon my return, I received countless emails and QSL cards thanking me for activating a new country and a new grid. In the end, that was the biggest satisfaction of the whole DXpedition giving out a new one!
73,
Adrian AA5UK ZF2AE & ZF2AE/ZF8
From: Thomas McGrane To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2009 8:04:40 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] equal time
To the regular repetitive users of Echo
Please refrain from hogging the satellite every pass for multiple contacts.
I cant get into the satellite anymore and I am not going to use the amplifier to fight everyone.
Sorry if you are offended but you need to be told.
My support of amsat is directly proportional to my ability to use the satellite.
pat _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb