I gave up a long time ago trying to make a contact on FM . I heard My downlink several times , and maybe got one reply . Can't get a word in edgeways with the regular bunch on there on every pass . Not worth the effort to Me .
I agree,
With the money spent on all those birds, and launch costs, they by now could have made at least one nice linear transponder bird.
I'd love to see an old 2 meter up 10 meter down bird again!
The Original Rolling Ball Clock Idle Tyme Idle-Tyme.com http://www.idle-tyme.com
On 2/2/2011 12:13 PM, jerry wrote:
I gave up a long time ago trying to make a contact on FM . I heard My downlink several times , and maybe got one reply . Can't get a word in edgeways with the regular bunch on there on every pass . Not worth the effort to Me . _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. 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
On 2/2/2011 1:25 PM, Joe wrote:
I'd love to see an old 2 meter up 10 meter down bird again!
You mean like AO-7 is half the time?
73, Drew KO4MA
he he he, Yeah that was my first bird back in the 70's! he he he, It's amazing it came back to life!
The Original Rolling Ball Clock Idle Tyme Idle-Tyme.com http://www.idle-tyme.com
On 2/2/2011 12:41 PM, Andrew Glasbrenner wrote:
On 2/2/2011 1:25 PM, Joe wrote:
I'd love to see an old 2 meter up 10 meter down bird again!
You mean like AO-7 is half the time?
73, Drew KO4MA
Who is "they?"
Mark N8MH
At 12:25 PM 2/2/2011 -0600, Joe wrote:
I agree,
With the money spent on all those birds, and launch costs, they by now could have made at least one nice linear transponder bird.
I'd love to see an old 2 meter up 10 meter down bird again!
The Original Rolling Ball Clock Idle Tyme Idle-Tyme.com http://www.idle-tyme.com
On 2/2/2011 12:13 PM, jerry wrote:
I gave up a long time ago trying to make a contact on FM . I heard My downlink several times , and maybe got one reply . Can't get a word in edgeways with the regular bunch on there on every pass . Not worth the effort to Me . _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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
----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe" [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 7:25 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: FM birds
I agree,
With the money spent on all those birds, and launch costs, they by now could have made at least one nice linear transponder bird.
I'd love to see an old 2 meter up 10 meter down bird again!
The Original Rolling Ball Clock Idle Tyme Idle-Tyme.com http://www.idle-tyme.com
Hi Joe,
I agree with you.
Yes.... a lot of money spent on all those FM birds for very small in satellite communications with a lot of QRM !
I like OSCAR-7, VO-52 , and FO-29 and I hope and pull for P3-E
73" de
i8CVS Domenico
On Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 12:31 PM, i8cvs [email protected] wrote:
----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe" [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 7:25 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: FM birds
I agree,
With the money spent on all those birds, and launch costs, they by now could have made at least one nice linear transponder bird.
I'd love to see an old 2 meter up 10 meter down bird again!
The Original Rolling Ball Clock Idle Tyme Idle-Tyme.com http://www.idle-tyme.com
Hi Joe,
I agree with you.
Yes.... a lot of money spent on all those FM birds for very small in satellite communications with a lot of QRM !
Dom --
I'm fond of linear transponder birds, too, and nobody likes hearing bad operating habits, either on a linear or FM bird. However, I think the comments above misunderstand the process by which satellites are funded and constructed. Would you begrudge the builders of SO-67 the opportunity to take part in their government's initiative? If you were able to, there's still no reason to believe that the funds and efforts expended to produce that bird could be pooled with other national groups'.
I like OSCAR-7, VO-52 , and FO-29 and I hope and pull for P3-E
The first three of these were built by a national group that considered its own interests and opportunities, just as the groups today that have recently built FM birds. Of course, there are others that are making linear birds. Let's not forget that one such has been delivered to the ISS and will be hand-launched for us.
For all that, it should be said that the the difficulty of 'getting into' AO-51, for example, indicates that it is a constantly popular mode of satellite operation. Given that we are struggling to expand our ranks, I feel compelled to say that my abiding interest in satellite communications was kindled by AO-51. For me, and I suspect many who are worried about being branded glorified CB'ers, the FM birds provided a lower-expense means of entering what I consider the most interesting aspect of ham radio today.
73" de
i8CVS Domenico
73, Bruce VE9QRP
Bruce makes a very good point about the popularity of the FM birds. Many hams already have the equipment to get on the FM satellites but may not realize it. This is where a club presentation can be very useful in making them aware of this fact. Once they try out the FM sats and get hooked, then they can invest in the equipment for the linear sats. Very few people are going to drop the funds necessary for getting into SSB/CW sats without trying out the sats first.
Another group to target is the VHF/UHF weak signal crowd. Many of them have the necessary equipment to get on AO7, FO29, and VO52, but might not know it, or know how to proceed. These birds will give them a chance to use their multimode rigs between band openings.
73s John AA5JG
On Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 11:06 AM, Bruce Robertson [email protected] wrote:
On Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 12:31 PM, i8cvs [email protected] wrote:
----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe" [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 7:25 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: FM birds
I agree,
With the money spent on all those birds, and launch costs, they by now could have made at least one nice linear transponder bird.
I'd love to see an old 2 meter up 10 meter down bird again!
The Original Rolling Ball Clock Idle Tyme Idle-Tyme.com http://www.idle-tyme.com
Hi Joe,
I agree with you.
Yes.... a lot of money spent on all those FM birds for very small in satellite communications with a lot of QRM !
Dom --
I'm fond of linear transponder birds, too, and nobody likes hearing bad operating habits, either on a linear or FM bird. However, I think the comments above misunderstand the process by which satellites are funded and constructed. Would you begrudge the builders of SO-67 the opportunity to take part in their government's initiative? If you were able to, there's still no reason to believe that the funds and efforts expended to produce that bird could be pooled with other national groups'.
I like OSCAR-7, VO-52 , and FO-29 and I hope and pull for P3-E
The first three of these were built by a national group that considered its own interests and opportunities, just as the groups today that have recently built FM birds. Of course, there are others that are making linear birds. Let's not forget that one such has been delivered to the ISS and will be hand-launched for us.
For all that, it should be said that the the difficulty of 'getting into' AO-51, for example, indicates that it is a constantly popular mode of satellite operation. Given that we are struggling to expand our ranks, I feel compelled to say that my abiding interest in satellite communications was kindled by AO-51. For me, and I suspect many who are worried about being branded glorified CB'ers, the FM birds provided a lower-expense means of entering what I consider the most interesting aspect of ham radio today.
73" de
i8CVS Domenico
73, Bruce VE9QRP
Sent via [email protected]. 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
Let's not forget about the funcube dongle as a terrific economical solution for receiving. And any decent FM transmitter can key CW, no? Assuming someone already has a vhf/uhf rig, I can see getting qrv on linear transponders today for under $200. Or am I being too simplistic?
Rich, N8UX
Simple answer...FM rigs will tend to "chirp" as you key the mic line as the VCO pulls onto frequency...crystal matrix FM radios such as the old Standard will be T-9...
The purists will cry about the chirpy signal...but, most people who work CW on satellites would relish a new operator/contact even if they were QLF.
That being said...I have works scores of stations with my own "chirpy" signal and even have received some polite 599's back.
Roger Kolakowski WA1KAT
On 2/4/2011 9:30 AM, Rich Dailey wrote:
Let's not forget about the funcube dongle as a terrific economical solution for receiving. And any decent FM transmitter can key CW, no? Assuming someone already has a vhf/uhf rig, I can see getting qrv on linear transponders today for under $200. Or am I being too simplistic?
Rich, N8UX
Sent via [email protected]. 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
My first Oscar Station,,,
I do not remember if it was Oscar 6 or 7, but it was 1975, and we listened to many passes on the ten meter downlink.
We got from a local ham, an old AM vfo controlled 2 meter rig. It was AM only. it had a Red face and was BIG like the size of a heathkit SB-200 amp. two VFO's one for transmit and a separate one for receive.
anyway we connected out Hallicrafters TO Keyer to the PTT line of the mic, (with no mic installed) and it worked amazingly well. That was out Oscar station back then, we made like 25 states or so on that setup,
Joe WB9SBD
The Original Rolling Ball Clock Idle Tyme Idle-Tyme.com http://www.idle-tyme.com
On 2/4/2011 9:16 AM, Roger Kolakowski wrote:
Simple answer...FM rigs will tend to "chirp" as you key the mic line as the VCO pulls onto frequency...crystal matrix FM radios such as the old Standard will be T-9...
The purists will cry about the chirpy signal...but, most people who work CW on satellites would relish a new operator/contact even if they were QLF.
That being said...I have works scores of stations with my own "chirpy" signal and even have received some polite 599's back.
Roger Kolakowski WA1KAT
On 2/4/2011 9:30 AM, Rich Dailey wrote:
Let's not forget about the funcube dongle as a terrific economical solution for receiving. And any decent FM transmitter can key CW, no? Assuming someone already has a vhf/uhf rig, I can see getting qrv on linear transponders today for under $200. Or am I being too simplistic?
Rich, N8UX
Sent via [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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
participants (9)
-
Andrew Glasbrenner -
Bruce Robertson -
i8cvs -
jerry -
Joe -
John Geiger -
Mark L. Hammond -
Rich Dailey -
Roger Kolakowski