Certainly Kevin,

http:www.observations.biz Observations From Norway, article 1 for 2008. ............................................................................................

73 John. la2qaa@amsat.org

From: kevin.j.smith@comcast.net To: la2qaa@amsat.org Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] S-band test gear. Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:44:17 -0500

John,

You may have been told this already but your attachment(s) was stripped off before posting to the Amsat BB. It's a shame because would have liked to see it(them). Do you have a website to see your pictures? - Kevin/N3HKQ

-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of John Hackett Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 6:23 AM To: allan_gm1sxx@hotmail.com Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org; Eu-amsat@yahoogroups.com Subject: [amsat-bb] S-band test gear.

OBSERVATIONS FROM NORWAY. February 2008.

Based on SV1BSX's comments about receiving a *THUNDERING* signal from AO-51's S-band transmitter on a patch antenna 'without' a reflector - I decided to chuck together a few components to see if somebody as 'thick' as LA2QAA could manage it.

The attached pic is the ... 'fruits of LA2QAA's labour'.

Starting at the top right we have a silver covered brass plate 2.4Ghz patch antenna (note the real gold SMA connector, folks) mounted 3mm over a (ditto) groundplane, via a short length of high quality (fell off the back of a North Sea Oil industry lorry) coax feeding the input of a 2.4G 70 70cm converter ... the output of which goes to the IC-E91 dual mode handheld and a pair of 'cans' ... (headphones, to you!).

To the right of the IC-E91 is a Nokia N70 mobile phone - (not shown in this pic because I was using it to take the picture) - with the 'SATme' tracking software ... which is very !! useful for tracking S-mode signals from LEO birds with the 'slight' doppler thus received.

The phone also contains a compas as well as GPS software so there's no excuse for ... 'but I can't find north' ... (not always easy in 3 feet of snow, null visibility and cloudy conditions) ... and there's *NEVER* a brownie or a girl guide around when you want one.

S-band signals in those conditions? ... you'd be surprised - we don't all live in satellite friendly climes you know.

Mak (SV1BSX) is right. A 60cm dish is overkill for AO-51 mode-S ... though of course, there are! those that think you need a personal Jodrell Bank to hear anything above 70cm.