I totally agree with Mark: that is the sort of thing that those of us just starting into the amateur satellite can benefit greatly from knowing.

When I first started looking skyward shortly after getting my ham license (in August last year), what I read on contacting the ISS had me thinking I needed a 2m rig with 25-50W RF output and a circular polarized cross-beam yagi antenna. Imagine my surprise when a local ham I was talking with told me he had worked the ISS using just a handheld! I have since gotten my hands on 25W rigs but still no yagi: time and money are in very short supply for me at the moment, so I have not been able to attain to a simple yagi, let alone a complex as specified on the ARISS web site.

Now all I need to do to start into the exciting world of amateur satellite is to get co-ordinated with the birds that fly over my head! Unfortunately, spare time is scarce, so co-ordinating for a contact may take a while...

TTFN., Graeme ZL2GDN

Mark Vandewettering wrote:

On Mar 15, 2008, at 2:29 PM, Wayne Estes wrote:

...

Bob Bruninga wrote: The #1 point I make at hamfests are:

1. You dont need special antennas
2. You dont need elevation rotators
3. You dont need tracking software
4. Just operate from your mobile FM or APRS rig anytime you are

commuting or otherwise in the car.

Wayne replies: I'm amused at your presumption that all hams have a mobile ham radio and spend a great deal of time in their car.

I think it's a fair guess that more of them have mobiles than have alt- az rotors driving large antenna arrays. Bob's point (and it's a good one) is that you don't need that kind of equipment to work satellites and have fun, and it _is_ a message that bears repeating.

If you look at The Radio Amateur's Satellite Handbook, you might not even realize that you can work satellites that way. It'll tell you all about helix antennas and stuff that you might be able to use on birds which are no longer active, or which might be active in the future, but really doesn't tell you very much about working FM birds in the obvious, inexpensive and fun way that I enjoy: QRP with a handheld Yagi. I've worked from Hawaii to Maine, Manitoba to Socoros Island. It's really a hoot. I've also bounced APRS packets off NO-44 and the ISS using just 5w into the mag mount whip on top of my car.

It's a blast. It's gotten me excited about satellites. It made me a member of AMSAT.

Check out the ARRL handbook chapter on space communications. You'll see a great deal about satellites that no longer fly, and microwave modes that are only part time on AO-51. It's really shameful that absolutely no mention of the fun of operating satellites mobile and QRP is made in the premier publication of the ARRL.

Bob's message is a good one: you probably _can_ work sats, without a huge investment of time, without a fixed ground station, without computer controlled doppler, without 17 element antennas. If anyone is even faintly interested, they can do it. I think they need to hear that.

Mark KF6KYI

...

...

The #1 point I make about AMSATS at hamfests are:

1. You dont need special antennas
2. You dont need elevation rotators
3. You dont need tracking software
4. Just operate from your mobile FM or APRS rig ...

...

I'm amused at your presumption that all hams have a mobile ham radio and spend a great deal of time in their car.

I have worked many many sats over the years and the mobile hams are way in the minority. It really does not matter tho, does it.

Which is my point. One of the reasons we don't hear many mobiles is because of how we still promote AMSATS to the other 99% of ham radio operators as big antennas, big AZ/EL arrays, fancy computer controllers and operating from our shack to be able to have all that stuff. Items #1,2,3,4 above are what we overlook.

This is also why 99.9% of ham radio overlooks EmComm via our satellites too..

Thanks Bob, WB4APR