Patrick,

I tried the 2115UT pass. No soap, but I Did see to undecoded packets (??PFS3-1).Also I did notice a lot of noise on the TX band, which would drop out and then back in. I noticed after the pass the DOH! Moment. I thought I had changed the packet path to Others, but apparently did not hit * to activate it..

There is a 30 degree pass at 2254UT, I'll give that a go and hopefully have a bit more luck.

73 Rick Tejera (K7TEJ) Saguaro Astronomy Club www.saguaroastro.org Thunderbird Amateur Radio Club www.W7TBC.org

-----Original Message----- From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) Sent: Sunday, October 01, 2017 11:30 AM To: Robert Bruninga bruninga@usna.edu; amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Falconsat-3 and APRS HT's?

Hi Bob!

There are more than a few of us who have tried FalconSat-3 with the HTs capable of 9600bps APRS. The TH-D7 and TH-D72 are probably the best HTs for this, as they are capable of full-duplex operation. I have used my TH-D72 to make a few QSOs last weekend, and I have also used other combinations of radios to get on these passes...

1. TX: TH-D74, RX: another TH-D74 2. TX: TH-D74, RX: TH-D74 and SDRplay with HDSDR & UZ7HO's HS-SoundModem 3. TX: TH-D74, RX: SDRplay with HDSDR & HS-SoundModem 4. TX: TH-D74, RX: SDRplay w/HDSDR, HS-SoundModem, UISS

With all of these radios and combinations of radios, I have been using my Elk Antennas handheld 2m/70cm log periodic, going through a 2m/70cm diplexer whenever I'm using more than just the TH-D72.

For a few of these passes where I used the SDR receive setup, I have made RF recordings. Using the UZ7HO or UISS programs, I am also making logs from each program. For just the HT, pictures of the HT's screen showing the messages exchanged with other stations and other information like position packets. I have posted files in my Dropbox space at http://dropbox.wd9ewk.net/ (look for folders with "FalconSat3" in the folder names).

I just tried the 4th setup listed above for the first time on the 1756 UTC pass this morning. As I've seen before, I am receiving more data with the SDR setup than with the HTs. I saw my own packets passing through the digipeater - my position/comment packet, as well as a couple of messages sent to ALL. I haven't tried using the software directly to a radio, but I have a SignaLink USB here, and may work on that. The SDRplay, along with HDSDR's AFC function, works very well on the downlink. I normally don't have to make any adjustments to the downlink frequency during passes, as long as I am reasonably accurate in pointing my antenna skyward. UISS makes it easier to keep track of call signs, rather than just looking at the HS-SoundModem window - especially when a burst of packets show up on the screen, and I might miss something as it scrolls off the window.

I have two more really nice passes this afternoon - 1935 and 2115 UTC. I am going to use the same setup on those two passes, and hope to see other stations using the digipeater like me. Maybe I will add to my short list of FalconSat-3 QSOs (currently at 3)...

73!

Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK or http://twitter.com/WD9EWK

On Sun, Oct 1, 2017 at 3:20 PM, Robert Bruninga bruninga@usna.edu wrote:

I was confused. I thought FALCONSAT-3 was a PACSAT protocol store and forward system because I thought I saw people trying to get the old PB and BG code, But the AMSAT web page says it is 9600 baud GMSK up and

down.

https://www.amsat.org/falconsat-3/

435.103 MHz down and 145.840 up DIGI call of PFS3-1. While of course setting 5 memores to chase the Doppler the full 20 KHz during the pass.

So I am surrprised that I havent heard of anyone making contacts with any ole' APRS HT or Mobile... All of these radios can do 9600 baud and APRS natively..

Im under Kitchen arrest until 1st grandkid arrives soon and cannot play. If I missed something, ignore me. Ill go back under my domestic rock...

Bob, WB4APR

_______________________________________________ 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