AO-51 back in mode J-FM (and VERY busy)
AO-51 is in high power mode J-FM this morning. I'm not sure if it's because it's a long weekend, in high power mode, or just off for awhile, but it was VERY crowded this morning. There were several interesting new or uncommon stations on, but they could not be worked at all QRP. I suspect they were having trouble as well. Eventually, folks did figure it out and paused to wait for a new/uncommon station to answer. It might be my own prejudices (as i haven't listened to the recording yet), but earlier in the pass, it seemed like it was mostly the 'regulars' working a few new-ish stations and each other.
While 'standing on the soapbox', i'd say that i'd like to encourge folks to use the high power mode to let stations who have trouble hearing SO-50 or AO-51 to work satellites and get started. I would hope that folks who use mode J-FM on a regular basis would use coastal/oceanic passes, or SO-50, to say hello to their friends and/or talk at length about the weather. Alas, it is these conditions that discourage me from making my nantenna design widely available, as things are like this only discourage and frustrate new users, and easier access to mode J-FM might only make this worse.
On the other hand, SO-50 has definitely seen more usage and interesting stations do pop up over the 'States, especially on transcontinental passes. So especially this week, give SO-50 a try, and try to show some restraint on AO-51 so new folks can take advantage of high power mode.
-- KD6PAG (Networking Old-Timer, Satellite QRPer)
P.S. I had mail to AMSAT-BB bounce this weekend, but retrying ten minutes later succeeded. You might try the same thing if your mail gets returned.
Hi John!
AO-51 is in high power mode J-FM this morning. I'm not sure if it's because it's a long weekend, in high power mode, or just off for awhile, but it was VERY crowded this morning. There were several interesting new or uncommon stations on, but they could not be worked at all QRP. I suspect they were having trouble as well. Eventually, folks did figure it out and paused to wait for a new/uncommon station to answer. It might be my own prejudices (as i haven't listened to the recording yet), but earlier in the pass, it seemed like it was mostly the 'regulars' working a few new-ish stations and each other.
It was probably all of those reasons. After a week of V/S, SO-50's passes for North America coming early in the mornings or now starting to come by at a decent evening hour, I think everyone was ready for AO-51 to be back on V/U - high power or not. High power always seems to draw a bigger crowd.
While 'standing on the soapbox', i'd say that i'd like to encourge folks to use the high power mode to let stations who have trouble hearing SO-50 or AO-51 to work satellites and get started. I would hope that folks who use mode J-FM on a regular basis would use coastal/oceanic passes, or SO-50, to say hello to their friends and/or talk at length about the weather. Alas, it is these conditions that discourage me from making my nantenna design widely available, as things are like this only discourage and frustrate new users, and easier access to mode J-FM might only make this worse.
Even the west-coast pass around 1648 UTC this morning was crowded. Again, probably the masses waiting for V/U to reappear on AO-51, plus some newbies hoping for the high-power mode to make receiving the downlink a little easier.
I was up a little early today (a holiday), and Tim K4SHF asked me if I could be on the earlier pass around 1510 UTC. We have been exchanging e-mails about satellite-related stuff for the past couple of months, but we have not had an opportunity to make a QSO. That pass was was a low one here, with maximum elevation of 13 degrees, but I made that QSO with him (thanks Tim!). I made a few other QSOs, including a couple where the other stations called me. The crowd was definitely larger than normal for a pass like that.
On the other hand, SO-50 has definitely seen more usage and interesting stations do pop up over the 'States, especially on transcontinental passes. So especially this week, give SO-50 a try, and try to show some restraint on AO-51 so new folks can take advantage of high power mode.
The SO-50 morning passes are too early for me right now, but the passes in the evenings are just about the same as AO-51 for North America. I might try that tonight, just to be different.... :-)
P.S. I had mail to AMSAT-BB bounce this weekend, but retrying ten minutes later succeeded. You might try the same thing if your mail gets returned.
I had that happen a couple of times, not on everything I sent, but as you said it worked OK when I resent the message to the list a few minutes later. Just weird...
73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK - Phoenix, Arizona USA http://www.wd9ewk.net/
John Mock wrote:
While 'standing on the soapbox', i'd say that i'd like to encourge folks to use the high power mode to let stations who have trouble hearing SO-50 or AO-51 to work satellites and get started. I would hope that folks who use mode J-FM on a regular basis would use coastal/oceanic passes, or SO-50, to say hello to their friends and/or talk at length about the weather.
Please don't send them over to SO-50 to 'talk at length'. Too much of that is observed sometimes on the weekends now. :)
Part of the trouble that I observed with AO-51 is some stronger stations (without PL) or illegal cordless phones, are blanking out the uplink. I had trouble after the switch to V/U. I usually run 2 watts to a CP KLM beam. Even with the rig boosted up to 45 watts, I couldn't overcome whatever/whoever was blanking out the sat most of the time. Out of two passes this morning, I made only one contact. Lots of stations on, but only the strongest seemed to make it over whatever was blocking us. Strange that I didn't have that trouble at all when it was in V/S mode earlier.
Ernie W8EH
I have noticed that most of the trouble seems to be powerful alligator stations that cannot hear the downlink and boost their uplink power to very high levels while calling long CQs. This wipes out those of us trying to make contacts with HTs.
On the whole I have found that regular satellite operators are very courteous and keep their contacts short, allowing everybody a chance to use the satellite.
73 - Zach KM7I
On 9/4/06, Ernie Howard w8eh-Ernie@cinci.rr.com wrote:
John Mock wrote:
While 'standing on the soapbox', i'd say that i'd like to encourge folks to use the high power mode to let stations who have trouble hearing SO-50 or AO-51 to work satellites and get started. I would hope that folks who use mode J-FM on a regular basis would use coastal/oceanic passes, or SO-50, to say hello to their friends and/or talk at length about the weather.
Please don't send them over to SO-50 to 'talk at length'. Too much of that is observed sometimes on the weekends now. :)
Part of the trouble that I observed with AO-51 is some stronger stations (without PL) or illegal cordless phones, are blanking out the uplink. I had trouble after the switch to V/U. I usually run 2 watts to a CP KLM beam. Even with the rig boosted up to 45 watts, I couldn't overcome whatever/whoever was blanking out the sat most of the time. Out of two passes this morning, I made only one contact. Lots of stations on, but only the strongest seemed to make it over whatever was blocking us. Strange that I didn't have that trouble at all when it was in V/S mode earlier.
Ernie W8EH _______________________________________________ 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
participants (4)
-
Ernie Howard -
John Mock -
Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) -
Zachary Schrempp