All,
While planning upgrades to the shack, I've decided to try my hand at the linear birds again, taking myb TS-2000 outside and operating Semi portable. So far it has been a lesson in frustration. I've yet to find my downlink. Tonight I tried to get on XW-2C on the 0100UT pass which was 70 degrees from DM33.
First let me describe how I set up. (I finally solved the memory storage issue I wrote about a few weeks ago). basically it's just the radio into an ELK on my equatorial tripod mount and the laptop (Still waiting for the USB-->Serial converter to get SATPC 32 talking to the radio).
So I started at the center of the passband and using the doppler corrections in SAtPC, tuned the UHF uplink down to where Sat POC said it would hear at the sat and moved around bit trying to hear myself. Kept adjusting the uplink and also played with the other way Calling CQ on the uplink and moving the downlink trying to find myself.self Didn't hear jack the whole pass.
I did record the pass and thought I might have heard myself, but it was toow eak to discern my call or grid, (though it did kinda sound like me).
So, I guess I have two questions:
1) Is my methodology correct? if not what am I doing wrong?
2) Did anyone hear me?
I'm hoping once I get the Cable and SATPC talking to the radio, it might make it easier, but I think knowing how to do this manually should be skillset i should have.
Thanks in advance.
Rick Tejera (K7TEJ)
Saguaro Astronomy Club
www.saguaroastro.org
Thunderbird Radio Club
www.w7tbc.org
623-572-0713
623-203-4121 (cell)
SaguaroAstro@cox.net
More from the stupid question file: What kind of power supply are you using? Is it providing enough current?
I don't trust the power output indicator on a radio. Use an IC-7000 and an 857d portable. The 857d has a voltmeter that indicates B+. Keeping an eye on it before, duing and after key down gives me a feel for what the battery is producing.
Could also be desense. If you've got a cavity handy and a way to make a return loss measurement (tune it), it's worth a try! My Times Technologies T-100 has this function. Present generation is 200$ on my fave-rave auction site.
Find the bug, prove the bug, shoot the bug.
On Mon, Mar 28, 2016 at 11:41 PM, Rick Tejera saguaroastro@cox.net wrote:
All,
While planning upgrades to the shack, I've decided to try my hand at the linear birds again, taking myb TS-2000 outside and operating Semi portable. So far it has been a lesson in frustration. I've yet to find my downlink. Tonight I tried to get on XW-2C on the 0100UT pass which was 70 degrees from DM33.
First let me describe how I set up. (I finally solved the memory storage issue I wrote about a few weeks ago). basically it's just the radio into an ELK on my equatorial tripod mount and the laptop (Still waiting for the USB-->Serial converter to get SATPC 32 talking to the radio).
So I started at the center of the passband and using the doppler corrections in SAtPC, tuned the UHF uplink down to where Sat POC said it would hear at the sat and moved around bit trying to hear myself. Kept adjusting the uplink and also played with the other way Calling CQ on the uplink and moving the downlink trying to find myself.self Didn't hear jack the whole pass.
I did record the pass and thought I might have heard myself, but it was toow eak to discern my call or grid, (though it did kinda sound like me).
So, I guess I have two questions:
Is my methodology correct? if not what am I doing wrong?
Did anyone hear me?
I'm hoping once I get the Cable and SATPC talking to the radio, it might make it easier, but I think knowing how to do this manually should be skillset i should have.
Thanks in advance.
Rick Tejera (K7TEJ)
Saguaro Astronomy Club
www.saguaroastro.org
Thunderbird Radio Club
www.w7tbc.org
623-572-0713
623-203-4121 (cell)
SaguaroAstro@cox.net
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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
I thought the TS-2000 had all the doppler correction built in. Why aren't you using that since your laptop isn't attached to the radio????
Jeff Moore -- KE7ACY
On Mon, Mar 28, 2016 at 8:41 PM, Rick Tejera saguaroastro@cox.net wrote:
All,
While planning upgrades to the shack, I've decided to try my hand at the linear birds again, taking myb TS-2000 outside and operating Semi portable. So far it has been a lesson in frustration. I've yet to find my downlink. Tonight I tried to get on XW-2C on the 0100UT pass which was 70 degrees from DM33.
First let me describe how I set up. (I finally solved the memory storage issue I wrote about a few weeks ago). basically it's just the radio into an ELK on my equatorial tripod mount and the laptop (Still waiting for the USB-->Serial converter to get SATPC 32 talking to the radio).
So I started at the center of the passband and using the doppler corrections in SAtPC, tuned the UHF uplink down to where Sat POC said it would hear at the sat and moved around bit trying to hear myself. Kept adjusting the uplink and also played with the other way Calling CQ on the uplink and moving the downlink trying to find myself.self Didn't hear jack the whole pass.
I did record the pass and thought I might have heard myself, but it was toow eak to discern my call or grid, (though it did kinda sound like me).
So, I guess I have two questions:
Is my methodology correct? if not what am I doing wrong?
Did anyone hear me?
I'm hoping once I get the Cable and SATPC talking to the radio, it might make it easier, but I think knowing how to do this manually should be skillset i should have.
Thanks in advance.
Rick Tejera (K7TEJ)
Saguaro Astronomy Club
www.saguaroastro.org
Thunderbird Radio Club
www.w7tbc.org
623-572-0713
623-203-4121 (cell)
SaguaroAstro@cox.net
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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
This is a common misunderstanding about radios with a "Satellite mode." These radios typically just lock VFO's and perform normal or inverse tracking but they cannot automatically adjust to the correct frequencies for Doppler shift. You should use external computer control to do that accurately.
In fact, if you manually lock VFO's and try to have a QSO with someone on a LEO satellite, you will quickly find yourself drifting away in frequency from the other station each time you move the main VFO. In general, this is a bad practice. If you unlock the VFO's and tune either the uplink or the downlink (depending on satellite mode,) you'll be fine.
It is best to adjust the higher of the two frequencies when manually tuning. This is the common practice known as the "one true rule." Locking the VFO's will typically inhibit your ability to adjust one band or the other separately unless you are depending on RIT/XIT.
73 Clayton W5PFG
On 3/29/2016 13:33, Jeff Moore wrote:
I thought the TS-2000 had all the doppler correction built in. Why aren't you using that since your laptop isn't attached to the radio????
Jeff Moore -- KE7ACY
On Mon, Mar 28, 2016 at 8:41 PM, Rick Tejera saguaroastro@cox.net wrote:
All,
While planning upgrades to the shack, I've decided to try my hand at the linear birds again, taking myb TS-2000 outside and operating Semi portable. So far it has been a lesson in frustration. I've yet to find my downlink. Tonight I tried to get on XW-2C on the 0100UT pass which was 70 degrees from DM33.
First let me describe how I set up. (I finally solved the memory storage issue I wrote about a few weeks ago). basically it's just the radio into an ELK on my equatorial tripod mount and the laptop (Still waiting for the USB-->Serial converter to get SATPC 32 talking to the radio).
So I started at the center of the passband and using the doppler corrections in SAtPC, tuned the UHF uplink down to where Sat POC said it would hear at the sat and moved around bit trying to hear myself. Kept adjusting the uplink and also played with the other way Calling CQ on the uplink and moving the downlink trying to find myself.self Didn't hear jack the whole pass.
I did record the pass and thought I might have heard myself, but it was toow eak to discern my call or grid, (though it did kinda sound like me).
So, I guess I have two questions:
Is my methodology correct? if not what am I doing wrong?
Did anyone hear me?
I'm hoping once I get the Cable and SATPC talking to the radio, it might make it easier, but I think knowing how to do this manually should be skillset i should have.
Thanks in advance.
Rick Tejera (K7TEJ)
Saguaro Astronomy Club
www.saguaroastro.org
Thunderbird Radio Club
www.w7tbc.org
623-572-0713
623-203-4121 (cell)
SaguaroAstro@cox.net
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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
The Satellite Mode found in older rigs is a blast from the past. Specifically P3 birds like AO-10 and AO-13. It depended on the Doppler shift being relatively constant (but not necessarily small) over a reasonable period of time. You could sync your uplink and downlink, and then tune around with the uplink automatically correcting. Over much of the P3 orbit you only needed to resync every 15-20 minutes or more. By comparison, with LEO birds the Doppler shift changes fairly rapidly throughout most of the pass, thus invalidating the basic assumption of the integral Satellite Mode. Fortunately software such as SatPC32 and MacDoppler will work for any orbit. Lacking that, or when operating a satellite such as AO-73 where the LO drifts a bit, purely manual tuning is more of a necessity than an option.
73s,
Alan WA4SCA
<-----Original Message----- <From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of Jeff Moore <Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2016 1:34 PM <To: Amsat BB AMSAT-BB@amsat.org <Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Is it me? < <I thought the TS-2000 had all the doppler correction built in. Why aren't <you using that since your laptop isn't attached to the radio???? < <Jeff Moore -- KE7ACY < < < <On Mon, Mar 28, 2016 at 8:41 PM, Rick Tejera saguaroastro@cox.net wrote: < <> All, <> <> <> <> While planning upgrades to the shack, I've decided to try my hand at the <> linear birds again, taking myb TS-2000 outside and operating Semi portable. <> So far it has been a lesson in frustration. I've yet to find my downlink. <> Tonight I tried to get on XW-2C on the 0100UT pass which was 70 degrees <> from <> DM33. <> <> <> <> First let me describe how I set up. (I finally solved the memory storage <> issue I wrote about a few weeks ago). basically it's just the radio into an <> ELK on my equatorial tripod mount and the laptop (Still waiting for the <> USB-->Serial converter to get SATPC 32 talking to the radio). <> <> So I started at the center of the passband and using the doppler <> corrections <> in SAtPC, tuned the UHF uplink down to where Sat POC said it would hear at <> the sat and moved around bit trying to hear myself. Kept adjusting the <> uplink and also played with the other way Calling CQ on the uplink and <> moving the downlink trying to find myself.self Didn't hear jack the whole <> pass. <> <> <> <> I did record the pass and thought I might have heard myself, but it was <> toow <> eak to discern my call or grid, (though it did kinda sound like me). <> <> <> <> So, I guess I have two questions: <> <> <> <> 1) Is my methodology correct? if not what am I doing wrong? <> <> 2) Did anyone hear me? <> <> <> <> I'm hoping once I get the Cable and SATPC talking to the radio, it might <> make it easier, but I think knowing how to do this manually should be <> skillset i should have. <> <> <> <> Thanks in advance. <> <> <> <> <> <> Rick Tejera (K7TEJ) <> <> Saguaro Astronomy Club <> <> www.saguaroastro.org <> <> Thunderbird Radio Club <> <> www.w7tbc.org <> <> 623-572-0713 <> <> 623-203-4121 (cell) <> <> SaguaroAstro@cox.net <> <> <> <> _______________________________________________ <> 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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb <> <_______________________________________________ <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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Hi Alan,
Even on LEO birds, I find that locking the two VFOs comes in handy when you're operating manually on the linear ones.
To not interrupt a QSO you want to join, it's best to "find yourself" somewhere else in the passband. Then you lock the two VFOs, and spin the knob to find the QSO again. You're probably going to be pretty close when it's your turn. Unlock and tune from there, with a preference to the higher band.
That conversation too boring? Lock the VFOs and spin again.
Greg KO6TH
Alan wrote:
The Satellite Mode found in older rigs is a blast from the past. Specifically P3 birds like AO-10 and AO-13. It depended on the Doppler shift being relatively constant (but not necessarily small) over a reasonable period of time. You could sync your uplink and downlink, and then tune around with the uplink automatically correcting. Over much of the P3 orbit you only needed to resync every 15-20 minutes or more. By comparison, with LEO birds the Doppler shift changes fairly rapidly throughout most of the pass, thus invalidating the basic assumption of the integral Satellite Mode. Fortunately software such as SatPC32 and MacDoppler will work for any orbit. Lacking that, or when operating a satellite such as AO-73 where the LO drifts a bit, purely manual tuning is more of a necessity than an option.
73s,
Alan WA4SCA
<-----Original Message----- <From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of Jeff Moore <Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2016 1:34 PM <To: Amsat BB AMSAT-BB@amsat.org <Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Is it me? < <I thought the TS-2000 had all the doppler correction built in. Why aren't <you using that since your laptop isn't attached to the radio???? < <Jeff Moore -- KE7ACY < < < <On Mon, Mar 28, 2016 at 8:41 PM, Rick Tejera saguaroastro@cox.net wrote: < <> All, <> <> <> <> While planning upgrades to the shack, I've decided to try my hand at the <> linear birds again, taking myb TS-2000 outside and operating Semi portable. <> So far it has been a lesson in frustration. I've yet to find my downlink. <> Tonight I tried to get on XW-2C on the 0100UT pass which was 70 degrees <> from <> DM33. <> <> <> <> First let me describe how I set up. (I finally solved the memory storage <> issue I wrote about a few weeks ago). basically it's just the radio into an <> ELK on my equatorial tripod mount and the laptop (Still waiting for the <> USB-->Serial converter to get SATPC 32 talking to the radio). <> <> So I started at the center of the passband and using the doppler <> corrections <> in SAtPC, tuned the UHF uplink down to where Sat POC said it would hear at <> the sat and moved around bit trying to hear myself. Kept adjusting the <> uplink and also played with the other way Calling CQ on the uplink and <> moving the downlink trying to find myself.self Didn't hear jack the whole <> pass. <> <> <> <> I did record the pass and thought I might have heard myself, but it was <> toow <> eak to discern my call or grid, (though it did kinda sound like me). <> <> <> <> So, I guess I have two questions: <> <> <> <> 1) Is my methodology correct? if not what am I doing wrong? <> <> 2) Did anyone hear me? <> <> <> <> I'm hoping once I get the Cable and SATPC talking to the radio, it might <> make it easier, but I think knowing how to do this manually should be <> skillset i should have. <> <> <> <> Thanks in advance. <> <> <> <> <> <> Rick Tejera (K7TEJ) <> <> Saguaro Astronomy Club <> <> www.saguaroastro.org <> <> Thunderbird Radio Club <> <> www.w7tbc.org <> <> 623-572-0713 <> <> 623-203-4121 (cell) <> <> SaguaroAstro@cox.net <> <> <> <> _______________________________________________ <> 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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb <> <_______________________________________________ <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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (6)
-
Alan -
Clayton W5PFG -
Greg D -
Jeff Moore -
Norm n3ykf -
Rick Tejera