Sad Tale of a New Rover
I've been at this satellite thing for more than 35 years, so when a family trip took me through some relatively rare grids in Nebraska last week, I thought it would be a great chance to try out my new FT-818 on a rove. Looks like fun, and how hard can it be?
Well, this old satellite hand had forgotten many of the skills needed back before I built a capable, computer-controlled station. I didn't practice enough with the new rig at home, I didn't get familiar enough with the location apps, and I assumed too much expertise on the part of the operator. In fact, I couldn't even find the grid line correctly! And on another pass, I couldn't even hear the bird (still working on what happened there).
So, moral of the story, sometimes getting out of one's comfort zone and trying something different is a good thing. But doing so requires some humility. Some things are harder than they look, whether it's building and launching a satellite, or just working one from a gravel road in Nebraska. My hat is off to the successful rovers across the nation. And I shall work on (re)learning the necessary basic skills before setting out again.
(P.S., if you were one of the stations I worked from the "grid line," the LoTW upload has been corrected. Sorry, it was only EN11.) -- Mark D. Johns, KØJM AMSAT Ambassador & News Service Editor Brooklyn Park, MN USA EN35hd ----------------------------------------------- "Heaven goes by favor; if it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in." ---Mark Twain
Thank you for sharing that, Mark!
Anyone who has roved can relate.
Keep (re)learning and keep roving!
On Sep 29, 2020, at 10:07 AM, Mark Johns, K0JM via AMSAT-BB [email protected] wrote:
So, moral of the story, sometimes getting out of one's comfort zone and trying something different is a good thing. But doing so requires some humility. Some things are harder than they look, whether it's building and launching a satellite, or just working one from a gravel road in Nebraska. My hat is off to the successful rovers across the nation. And I shall work on (re)learning the necessary basic skills before setting out again.
-- bag
Bryan KL7CN/W6 Location: CM98, usually E-Mail: [email protected] Telephone/SMS: 408-836-7279
A big +1 on both posts.
More arm chair operators should attempt to make QSO's in the field. They might get an idea of what manual everything entails.
Many times on linear birds I have been complained to about not being 100% on frequency. It is always a station sitting in a chair maxing out their level of exertion at pushing a button.
On Tue, Sep 29, 2020, 15:06 Bryan KL7CN via AMSAT-BB [email protected] wrote:
Thank you for sharing that, Mark!
Anyone who has roved can relate.
Keep (re)learning and keep roving!
On Sep 29, 2020, at 10:07 AM, Mark Johns, K0JM via AMSAT-BB <
[email protected]> wrote:
So, moral of the story, sometimes getting out of one's comfort zone and trying something different is a good thing. But doing so requires some humility. Some things are harder than they look, whether it's building and launching a satellite, or just working one from a gravel road in Nebraska. My hat is off to the successful rovers across the nation. And I shall work on (re)learning the necessary basic skills before setting out again.
-- bag
Bryan KL7CN/W6 Location: CM98, usually E-Mail: [email protected] Telephone/SMS: 408-836-7279
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: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
I have encountered the same comments -- and sometimes they do sound like complaints but not terribly often -- when operating full manual for Doppler correction while holding and rotating an antenna for manual tracking. It's a real hot mess out there for me sometimes.
Many more times, and usually from the most avid rovers and experienced operators, I have encountered patience and special "voice cadence" recognition of my callsign when I am a bit more than a little off frequency.
It takes resilience for everyone. That combined with aligning all the technical elements of a successful satellite QSO are what make it so fun to me!
Hooray Amateur Satellites!
-- bag
Bryan KL7CN/W6 Location: CM98, usually E-Mail: [email protected] Telephone/SMS: 408-836-7279
On Sep 30, 2020, at 5:55 AM, Don KB2YSI [email protected] wrote:
A big +1 on both posts.
More arm chair operators should attempt to make QSO's in the field. They might get an idea of what manual everything entails.
Many times on linear birds I have been complained to about not being 100% on frequency. It is always a station sitting in a chair maxing out their level of exertion at pushing a button.
On Tue, Sep 29, 2020, 15:06 Bryan KL7CN via AMSAT-BB [email protected] wrote: Thank you for sharing that, Mark!
Anyone who has roved can relate.
Keep (re)learning and keep roving!
On Sep 29, 2020, at 10:07 AM, Mark Johns, K0JM via AMSAT-BB [email protected] wrote:
So, moral of the story, sometimes getting out of one's comfort zone and trying something different is a good thing. But doing so requires some humility. Some things are harder than they look, whether it's building and launching a satellite, or just working one from a gravel road in Nebraska. My hat is off to the successful rovers across the nation. And I shall work on (re)learning the necessary basic skills before setting out again.
-- bag
Bryan KL7CN/W6 Location: CM98, usually E-Mail: [email protected] Telephone/SMS: 408-836-7279
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: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Operating standing on a hill in blowing snow never seems to bother me, having an audience brings out the hot mess! ;D
On Wed, Sep 30, 2020 at 5:16 PM Bryan KL7CN [email protected] wrote:
I have encountered the same comments -- and sometimes they do sound like complaints but not terribly often -- when operating full manual for Doppler correction while holding and rotating an antenna for manual tracking. It's a real hot mess out there for me sometimes.
Many more times, and usually from the most avid rovers and experienced operators, I have encountered patience and special "voice cadence" recognition of my callsign when I am a bit more than a little off frequency.
It takes resilience for everyone. That combined with aligning all the technical elements of a successful satellite QSO are what make it so fun to me!
Hooray Amateur Satellites!
-- bag
Bryan KL7CN/W6 Location: CM98, usually E-Mail: [email protected] Telephone/SMS: 408-836-7279
On Sep 30, 2020, at 5:55 AM, Don KB2YSI [email protected] wrote:
A big +1 on both posts.
More arm chair operators should attempt to make QSO's in the field. They
might get an idea of what manual everything entails.
Many times on linear birds I have been complained to about not being
100% on frequency. It is always a station sitting in a chair maxing out their level of exertion at pushing a button.
On Tue, Sep 29, 2020, 15:06 Bryan KL7CN via AMSAT-BB [email protected]
wrote:
Thank you for sharing that, Mark!
Anyone who has roved can relate.
Keep (re)learning and keep roving!
On Sep 29, 2020, at 10:07 AM, Mark Johns, K0JM via AMSAT-BB <
[email protected]> wrote:
So, moral of the story, sometimes getting out of one's comfort zone and trying something different is a good thing. But doing so requires some humility. Some things are harder than they look, whether it's building and launching a satellite, or just working one from a gravel road in Nebraska. My hat is off to the successful rovers across the nation. And I shall work on (re)learning the necessary basic skills before setting out again.
-- bag
Bryan KL7CN/W6 Location: CM98, usually E-Mail: [email protected] Telephone/SMS: 408-836-7279
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: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Bryan,
Yes, I can relate. I've roved to over 125 Grids over the years and it has always been a blast! There will always be comments and most of them are good. If there are any not-good ones, my response is usually something like DILLIGAS. I keep on keepin' on.
From my Roving experiences, I jotted down a few notes on the "ease" of SAT Roving.
Here's all you need to do to be a SAT Rover, especially if you want to do it from a Grid Line. It's a piece of cake!! And, it's loads of fun!!!
- Check out some juicy Grids that Gridders might need - Go to a Website such as the SOTA Map to look for a likely spot or two - Drive to the spot to make sure it's good and find the Line on your GPS - Use a compass to find real N/S so you can orient for AOS/LOS - Connect all your power, antenna, mic and recorder cables - Power up to check that you're not in a bad noisey spot - Set your radio(s) for the SAT you're going to operate - Watch your smartphone for actual AOS and aim your antenna to that heading - Listen for the Beacon or chatter - Make sure your recorder is on - When you're hearing the SAT good, announce yourself when it's clear - Assuming you're Full/Dplx & you hear yourself, call someone or announce yourself - Continue orienting your Ant for AZ/EL, adjust for Doppler and make lots of QSOs! - Repeat the above step continuously/constantly throughout the Pass - When LOS occurs, turn off your recorder - If you plan to operate another SAT from that Line, orient yourself for that AOS and begin again as above at the "Set your radio" step - If not, stow your gear and move on - At a convenient time, transcribe the QSO info from the recorder and upload to LoTW - Upon returning home, wait for the bills for gas, food, tolls and lodging to arrive and pay them and think about the fabulous time you had and where to go next!!
(BTW... I use a tripod for my Arrow Ant which frees up a hand for tuning and Doppler adjustments. Yes, I heard that "real men" don't use tripods, but I'll live with that - HIHI.)
That sums up what you already know from your comments. Now, we can all understand that life on SATs can still be loads of fun when you're totally manual out in the field. Soon, when the "virus" is more under control, I hope to be back out having fun again.
73, Bob K8BL
On Wednesday, September 30, 2020, 05:18:58 PM EDT, Bryan KL7CN via AMSAT-BB [email protected] wrote:
I have encountered the same comments -- and sometimes they do sound like complaints but not terribly often -- when operating full manual for Doppler correction while holding and rotating an antenna for manual tracking. It's a real hot mess out there for me sometimes.
Many more times, and usually from the most avid rovers and experienced operators, I have encountered patience and special "voice cadence" recognition of my callsign when I am a bit more than a little off frequency.
It takes resilience for everyone. That combined with aligning all the technical elements of a successful satellite QSO are what make it so fun to me!
Hooray Amateur Satellites!
-- bag
Bryan KL7CN/W6 Location: CM98, usually E-Mail: [email protected] Telephone/SMS: 408-836-7279
On Sep 30, 2020, at 5:55 AM, Don KB2YSI [email protected] wrote:
A big +1 on both posts.
More arm chair operators should attempt to make QSO's in the field. They might get an idea of what manual everything entails.
Many times on linear birds I have been complained to about not being 100% on frequency. It is always a station sitting in a chair maxing out their level of exertion at pushing a button.
On Tue, Sep 29, 2020, 15:06 Bryan KL7CN via AMSAT-BB [email protected] wrote: Thank you for sharing that, Mark!
Anyone who has roved can relate.
Keep (re)learning and keep roving!
On Sep 29, 2020, at 10:07 AM, Mark Johns, K0JM via AMSAT-BB [email protected] wrote:
So, moral of the story, sometimes getting out of one's comfort zone and trying something different is a good thing. But doing so requires some humility. Some things are harder than they look, whether it's building and launching a satellite, or just working one from a gravel road in Nebraska. My hat is off to the successful rovers across the nation. And I shall work on (re)learning the necessary basic skills before setting out again.
-- bag
Bryan KL7CN/W6 Location: CM98, usually E-Mail: [email protected] Telephone/SMS: 408-836-7279
Wait until you're my age. Everything is new every day so I have to relearn everything...every day!
Cheers, Frank
Frank Karnauskas, N1UW 1402 Summit Shores Drive Burnsville, MN 55306 [email protected] 612-644-9174
-----Original Message----- From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mark Johns, K0JM via AMSAT-BB Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2020 10:07 AM To: AMSAT-BB Subject: [amsat-bb] Sad Tale of a New Rover
I've been at this satellite thing for more than 35 years, so when a family trip took me through some relatively rare grids in Nebraska last week, I thought it would be a great chance to try out my new FT-818 on a rove. Looks like fun, and how hard can it be?
Well, this old satellite hand had forgotten many of the skills needed back before I built a capable, computer-controlled station. I didn't practice enough with the new rig at home, I didn't get familiar enough with the location apps, and I assumed too much expertise on the part of the operator. In fact, I couldn't even find the grid line correctly! And on another pass, I couldn't even hear the bird (still working on what happened there).
So, moral of the story, sometimes getting out of one's comfort zone and trying something different is a good thing. But doing so requires some humility. Some things are harder than they look, whether it's building and launching a satellite, or just working one from a gravel road in Nebraska. My hat is off to the successful rovers across the nation. And I shall work on (re)learning the necessary basic skills before setting out again.
(P.S., if you were one of the stations I worked from the "grid line," the LoTW upload has been corrected. Sorry, it was only EN11.) -- Mark D. Johns, KØJM AMSAT Ambassador & News Service Editor Brooklyn Park, MN USA EN35hd ----------------------------------------------- "Heaven goes by favor; if it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in." ---Mark Twain _______________________________________________ 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: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (5)
-
Bob Liddy (K8BL) -
Bryan KL7CN -
Don KB2YSI -
Frank Karnauskas -
Mark Johns, K0JM