I second the recent posting regarding CW activity in satellite bandpasses. Absent compelling reasons otherwise (for example, that rare DX entity operating CW high up), band management works much better when CW stations operate in the lower half of bandpasses. Along the same lines, I'll say that, when operating CW, especially working weak stations, it can be very frustrating to be QRM'd by one or more S9 SSB stations in the bottom half of bandpasses. This is particularly true when they're calling CQ after CQ, either not hearing or ignoring CW signals nearby.
At the risk of appearing grumpy (my apologies), there lately seems to be a number of CW stations looking for their downlink signal by keeping RX on one frequency, then tuning TX and simultaneously sending dits at high speed. When they are S9 they create quite a bit of QRM as well, to both SSB and CW ops. I understand, of course, the need to match RX and TX freqs--I tune manually myself, without software that helps automatically. But isn't the better procedure to briefly key down on one freq, away from the center of the bandpass, and then tune your RX and find your downlink as quickly as possible? This minimizes QRMing others. I've also found that doing this regularly makes it possible to guess pretty accurately where TX and RX freqs need to be. For instance, on RS-44, when it comes over the north to my QTH, I'm within 1-2 KHz of matching up TX and RX by setting tuning at 145.960 MHz and 435.648 MHz respectively.
All this said, I confess that I was a Mad Ditter myself when I first got on satellites two years ago. I received a couple of emails--always friendly, always helpful--from old timers about the above. This general email is sent out in the same spirit. Satellite operation is different from HF, and there definitely is a learning curve involved.
73 from FN54, Wes NA1ME
Wes,
I like the spirt of this post. Informative and not grumpy. :)
If you don't mind in reference to the lower side of the bandpass, is that for the TX or RX. I've never been straight on that. And I'd like to operate CW more on the birds.
73 Ant NU1U
On Sat, Feb 12, 2022, 9:39 AM Wes Baden [email protected] wrote:
I second the recent posting regarding CW activity in satellite bandpasses. Absent compelling reasons otherwise (for example, that rare DX entity operating CW high up), band management works much better when CW stations operate in the lower half of bandpasses. Along the same lines, I'll say that, when operating CW, especially working weak stations, it can be very frustrating to be QRM'd by one or more S9 SSB stations in the bottom half of bandpasses. This is particularly true when they're calling CQ after CQ, either not hearing or ignoring CW signals nearby.
At the risk of appearing grumpy (my apologies), there lately seems to be a number of CW stations looking for their downlink signal by keeping RX on one frequency, then tuning TX and simultaneously sending dits at high speed. When they are S9 they create quite a bit of QRM as well, to both SSB and CW ops. I understand, of course, the need to match RX and TX freqs--I tune manually myself, without software that helps automatically. But isn't the better procedure to briefly key down on one freq, away from the center of the bandpass, and then tune your RX and find your downlink as quickly as possible? This minimizes QRMing others. I've also found that doing this regularly makes it possible to guess pretty accurately where TX and RX freqs need to be. For instance, on RS-44, when it comes over the north to my QTH, I'm within 1-2 KHz of matching up TX and RX by setting tuning at 145.960 MHz and 435.648 MHz respectively.
All this said, I confess that I was a Mad Ditter myself when I first got on satellites two years ago. I received a couple of emails--always friendly, always helpful--from old timers about the above. This general email is sent out in the same spirit. Satellite operation is different from HF, and there definitely is a learning curve involved.
73 from FN54, Wes NA1ME
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The convention has long been to keep CW (and more recently, FT4) signals in the lower half of the DOWNLINK passband, and SSB signals in the upper half. I don't like seeing SSB signals at the low end of the downlink, and I usually find those who are there to be newbies. What I like even less is everyone, in all modes and in all manner of "finding themselves" (dits, whistles, holas), piling into the middle of the passband. It's good to spread out and use it all, and to find your downlink out on an edge. -- Mark D. Johns, KØJM AMSAT Ambassador & News Service Editor Brooklyn Park, MN USA EN35hd ----------------------------------------------- "Heaven goes by favor; if it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in." ---Mark Twain
On Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 8:55 AM Ant Lefebvre [email protected] wrote:
Wes,
I like the spirt of this post. Informative and not grumpy. :)
If you don't mind in reference to the lower side of the bandpass, is that for the TX or RX. I've never been straight on that. And I'd like to operate CW more on the birds.
73 Ant NU1U
On Sat, Feb 12, 2022, 9:39 AM Wes Baden [email protected] wrote:
I second the recent posting regarding CW activity in satellite bandpasses. Absent compelling reasons otherwise (for example, that rare DX entity operating CW high up), band management works much better when CW stations operate in the lower half of bandpasses. Along the same lines, I'll say that, when operating CW, especially working weak stations, it can be very frustrating to be QRM'd by one or more S9 SSB stations in the bottom half of bandpasses. This is particularly true when they're calling CQ after CQ, either not hearing or ignoring CW signals nearby.
At the risk of appearing grumpy (my apologies), there lately seems to be a number of CW stations looking for their downlink signal by keeping RX on one frequency, then tuning TX and simultaneously sending dits at high speed. When they are S9 they create quite a bit of QRM as well, to both SSB and CW ops. I understand, of course, the need to match RX and TX freqs--I tune manually myself, without software that helps automatically. But isn't the better procedure to briefly key down on one freq, away from the center of the bandpass, and then tune your RX and find your downlink as quickly as possible? This minimizes QRMing others. I've also found that doing this regularly makes it possible to guess pretty accurately where TX and RX freqs need to be. For instance, on RS-44, when it comes over the north to my QTH, I'm within 1-2 KHz of matching up TX and RX by setting tuning at 145.960 MHz and 435.648 MHz respectively.
All this said, I confess that I was a Mad Ditter myself when I first got on satellites two years ago. I received a couple of emails--always friendly, always helpful--from old timers about the above. This general email is sent out in the same spirit. Satellite operation is different from HF, and there definitely is a learning curve involved.
73 from FN54, Wes NA1ME
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)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. Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/
View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)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. Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/
View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org
I'm happy to voluntarily comply with operating CW in the lower portion of the pass band. I much prefer CW over voice whether working HF or Sats. My frustration is that there is little CW operation on Sats! At one point, I had more cross mode contacts on Sats (me on CW talking with someone using SSB) than CW to CW contacts. I wish more folks would operate CW on Sats. In my opinion, it is much easier to make and keep a CW contact while compensating for doppler.
73,
Marshall AA0FO EM29ne
On Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 8:40 AM Wes Baden [email protected] wrote:
I second the recent posting regarding CW activity in satellite bandpasses. Absent compelling reasons otherwise (for example, that rare DX entity operating CW high up), band management works much better when CW stations operate in the lower half of bandpasses. Along the same lines, I'll say that, when operating CW, especially working weak stations, it can be very frustrating to be QRM'd by one or more S9 SSB stations in the bottom half of bandpasses. This is particularly true when they're calling CQ after CQ, either not hearing or ignoring CW signals nearby.
At the risk of appearing grumpy (my apologies), there lately seems to be a number of CW stations looking for their downlink signal by keeping RX on one frequency, then tuning TX and simultaneously sending dits at high speed. When they are S9 they create quite a bit of QRM as well, to both SSB and CW ops. I understand, of course, the need to match RX and TX freqs--I tune manually myself, without software that helps automatically. But isn't the better procedure to briefly key down on one freq, away from the center of the bandpass, and then tune your RX and find your downlink as quickly as possible? This minimizes QRMing others. I've also found that doing this regularly makes it possible to guess pretty accurately where TX and RX freqs need to be. For instance, on RS-44, when it comes over the north to my QTH, I'm within 1-2 KHz of matching up TX and RX by setting tuning at 145.960 MHz and 435.648 MHz respectively.
All this said, I confess that I was a Mad Ditter myself when I first got on satellites two years ago. I received a couple of emails--always friendly, always helpful--from old timers about the above. This general email is sent out in the same spirit. Satellite operation is different from HF, and there definitely is a learning curve involved.
73 from FN54, Wes NA1ME
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)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. Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/
View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org
Marshall,
You’re absolutely right about Doppler being less of an issue on CW. Also, I’ve experimented lately with chasing DX using low horizon RS-44 and AO-7 passes, 2 degrees and less. I’ve heard and worked many new entities on CW, located on the far edge of the sat footprints. Were they sometimes weak, S2-3? Yes. But SSB signals were more frequently unintelligible, despite my low noise QTH and what I’ve done to upgrade my RX antenna systems. Like you, I hope for lots more CW on satellites.
73, Wes NA1ME
On Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 12:51 PM Marshall Toburen [email protected] wrote:
I'm happy to voluntarily comply with operating CW in the lower portion of the pass band. I much prefer CW over voice whether working HF or Sats. My frustration is that there is little CW operation on Sats! At one point, I had more cross mode contacts on Sats (me on CW talking with someone using SSB) than CW to CW contacts. I wish more folks would operate CW on Sats. In my opinion, it is much easier to make and keep a CW contact while compensating for doppler.
73,
Marshall AA0FO EM29ne
On Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 8:40 AM Wes Baden [email protected] wrote:
I second the recent posting regarding CW activity in satellite bandpasses. Absent compelling reasons otherwise (for example, that rare DX entity operating CW high up), band management works much better when CW stations operate in the lower half of bandpasses. Along the same lines, I'll say that, when operating CW, especially working weak stations, it can be very frustrating to be QRM'd by one or more S9 SSB stations in the bottom half of bandpasses. This is particularly true when they're calling CQ after CQ, either not hearing or ignoring CW signals nearby.
At the risk of appearing grumpy (my apologies), there lately seems to be a number of CW stations looking for their downlink signal by keeping RX on one frequency, then tuning TX and simultaneously sending dits at high speed. When they are S9 they create quite a bit of QRM as well, to both SSB and CW ops. I understand, of course, the need to match RX and TX freqs--I tune manually myself, without software that helps automatically. But isn't the better procedure to briefly key down on one freq, away from the center of the bandpass, and then tune your RX and find your downlink as quickly as possible? This minimizes QRMing others. I've also found that doing this regularly makes it possible to guess pretty accurately where TX and RX freqs need to be. For instance, on RS-44, when it comes over the north to my QTH, I'm within 1-2 KHz of matching up TX and RX by setting tuning at 145.960 MHz and 435.648 MHz respectively.
All this said, I confess that I was a Mad Ditter myself when I first got on satellites two years ago. I received a couple of emails--always friendly, always helpful--from old timers about the above. This general email is sent out in the same spirit. Satellite operation is different from HF, and there definitely is a learning curve involved.
73 from FN54, Wes NA1ME
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)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. Acceptable Use and Privacy Policies available at https://www.amsat.org/about-amsat/
View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org
participants (4)
-
Ant Lefebvre
-
Mark Johns, K0JM
-
Marshall Toburen
-
Wes Baden