RF power required for linear satellites?
Hello AMSATers,
I’m wondering if 5 watts is generally sufficient RF output to work the common linear satellites using a handheld satellite antenna (Arrow or Elk)?
For example, would an FT-817ND (or the new FT-818) suffice for the uplink radio, or would you need an amplifier with those 5 (6) watt radios, or just a more powerful radio such as the FT-857D?
Thanks & 73, Ken VA7KBM
Five watts is definitely sufficient for the common linear satellites.
There are circumstances when it is nice to have a little more -- maybe 10 watts -- such as on a very low pass from a high location.
But, there are so many who use the 5-watt FT-817ND that you will soon hear a chorus. :)
-- bag
Bryan KL7CN/W6 Location: CM98, usually E-Mail: [email protected] Telephone/SMS: 408-836-7279
On Jun 20, 2018, at 00:18, Ken M [email protected] wrote:
Hello AMSATers,
I’m wondering if 5 watts is generally sufficient RF output to work the common linear satellites using a handheld satellite antenna (Arrow or Elk)?
For example, would an FT-817ND (or the new FT-818) suffice for the uplink radio, or would you need an amplifier with those 5 (6) watt radios, or just a more powerful radio such as the FT-857D?
Thanks & 73, Ken VA7KBM _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. 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
Ken,
I agree with Bryan, for 364 of the days of the year. 5 watts is usually fine and sometimes too much for the linear satellites.
This is really a function of how busy the satellite is, and how much power the other operators are using. On a quiet pass, some operators report success with only 50 milliwatts.
The one day of the year that you may have trouble with is Field Day, with lots of traffic, and a few QRO stations.
I'm not encouraging you to use more power, as that can cause real problems on AO-7 (usually causing it to crash or reset to Mode A) or FO-29 (usually causing severe FM'ing of the entire passband). But be aware that your experience on Field Day may be different than the rest of the year.
I do encourage you to use a good antenna (e.g., Arrow or Elk), a relatively short length of quality coax (6-10 feet of LMR-240 Ultraflex, not RG-8), and no connector adapters.
73, Steve N9IP -- Steve Belter, [email protected]
On 6/20/18, 5:57 PM, "AMSAT-BB on behalf of Bryan KL7CN" <[email protected] on behalf of [email protected]> wrote:
Five watts is definitely sufficient for the common linear satellites.
There are circumstances when it is nice to have a little more -- maybe 10 watts -- such as on a very low pass from a high location.
But, there are so many who use the 5-watt FT-817ND that you will soon hear a chorus. :)
-- bag
Bryan KL7CN/W6 Location: CM98, usually E-Mail: [email protected] Telephone/SMS: 408-836-7279
> On Jun 20, 2018, at 00:18, Ken M [email protected] wrote: > > Hello AMSATers, > > I’m wondering if 5 watts is generally sufficient RF output to work the common linear satellites using a handheld satellite antenna (Arrow or Elk)? > > For example, would an FT-817ND (or the new FT-818) suffice for the uplink radio, or would you need an amplifier with those 5 (6) watt radios, or just a more powerful radio such as the FT-857D? > > Thanks & 73, > Ken VA7KBM
_______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. 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
5w is plenty!
73
Peter, 2M0SQL
On Wed, 20 Jun 2018, 23:50 Ken M, [email protected] wrote:
Hello AMSATers,
I’m wondering if 5 watts is generally sufficient RF output to work the common linear satellites using a handheld satellite antenna (Arrow or Elk)?
For example, would an FT-817ND (or the new FT-818) suffice for the uplink radio, or would you need an amplifier with those 5 (6) watt radios, or just a more powerful radio such as the FT-857D?
Thanks & 73, Ken VA7KBM _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. 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
Five watts should be find. If I remember right, my low power record into FO-20 or FO29 was 20 milliwatts for a perfectly usable QSO. I will point out that I was using a full Oscar 10 class station. http://members.dslextreme.com/users/k6ccc/Photo/Pics/SatAnt1.html
Jim Walls K6CCC
-----Original Message----- From: "Ken M" [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2018 00:18 To: "[email protected]" [email protected] Subject: [amsat-bb] RF power required for linear satellites?
Hello AMSATers,
I’m wondering if 5 watts is generally sufficient RF output to work the common linear satellites using a handheld satellite antenna (Arrow or Elk)?
For example, would an FT-817ND (or the new FT-818) suffice for the uplink radio, or would you need an amplifier with those 5 (6) watt radios, or just a more powerful radio such as the FT-857D?
Thanks & 73, Ken VA7KBM _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. 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 have heard myself on FO-29 with 50 mW to an Arrow (at a high elevation) and made one QSO using 250 mW.
I've used 500 mW quite frequently.
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Wed, Jun 20, 2018 at 7:27 PM, [email protected] [email protected] wrote:
Five watts should be find. If I remember right, my low power record into FO-20 or FO29 was 20 milliwatts for a perfectly usable QSO. I will point out that I was using a full Oscar 10 class station. http://members.dslextreme.com/users/k6ccc/Photo/Pics/SatAnt1.html
Jim Walls K6CCC
-----Original Message----- From: "Ken M" [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2018 00:18 To: "[email protected]" [email protected] Subject: [amsat-bb] RF power required for linear satellites?
Hello AMSATers,
I’m wondering if 5 watts is generally sufficient RF output to work the common linear satellites using a handheld satellite antenna (Arrow or Elk)?
For example, would an FT-817ND (or the new FT-818) suffice for the uplink radio, or would you need an amplifier with those 5 (6) watt radios, or just a more powerful radio such as the FT-857D?
Thanks & 73, Ken VA7KBM _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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
On 06/20/18 02:18, Ken M wrote:
Hello AMSATers,
I’m wondering if 5 watts is generally sufficient RF output to work the common linear satellites using a handheld satellite antenna (Arrow or Elk)?
This page has some useful tips:
https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/how-to-work-ssb-satellites/
--- Zach N0ZGO
On 6/20/18, Ken M [email protected] wrote:
Hello AMSATers,
I’m wondering if 5 watts is generally sufficient RF output to work the common linear satellites using a handheld satellite antenna (Arrow or Elk)?
For example, would an FT-817ND (or the new FT-818) suffice for the uplink radio, or would you need an amplifier with those 5 (6) watt radios, or just a more powerful radio such as the FT-857D?
<snip>
The lowest output power of my radio is 5 W and that's more than adequate for working linear satellites.
For example, I've often been on south-north FO-29 passes to the west of me. From my balcony, I've been able to hear my signal, however faintly, all the way to LOS. According to my tracking software, the grid square where that occurs is somewhere on the Arctic Ocean with the distance to the satellite usually more than 3500 km from my QTH.
73s
Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL
participants (8)
-
B J -
Bryan KL7CN -
jim＠k6ccc.org -
Ken M -
Paul Stoetzer -
Peter Goodhall (2M0SQL) -
Stephen E. Belter -
Zach Metzinger