FO-29 and being a good transponder op
Lots of activity has been happening on FO-29 in the evenings lately. The pass times are favorable, and there are rovers out and about.
This evening, there were at least three mobile, portable, or omni antenna stations all piled up in the very center of the passband calling CQ on top of each other. None were hearing the others it seems, or willing to move. It was an ugly, embarrassing mess, completely unnecessary.
Folks, FO-29 has a passband that is 100 kHz wide. There is no reason to all pile up in the dead center and QRM each other. Spread out a little bit, ESPECIALLY if your operational plan is to call CQ with omni antennas or half-duplex and tune around for replies. You'll make more contacts and have less QRM in the long run.
The long standing convention on linear transponder satellites has been lower third CW, middle mixed CW and SSB, and upper third SSB. Let's try to use this resource in a more responsible and cooperative manner.
73, Drew KO4MA
Great point, Drew.
The middle has been quite clogged the last few nights while zero activity is heard below 840 or above 870.
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 7:20 PM, Andrew Glasbrenner < [email protected]> wrote:
Lots of activity has been happening on FO-29 in the evenings lately. The pass times are favorable, and there are rovers out and about.
This evening, there were at least three mobile, portable, or omni antenna stations all piled up in the very center of the passband calling CQ on top of each other. None were hearing the others it seems, or willing to move. It was an ugly, embarrassing mess, completely unnecessary.
Folks, FO-29 has a passband that is 100 kHz wide. There is no reason to all pile up in the dead center and QRM each other. Spread out a little bit, ESPECIALLY if your operational plan is to call CQ with omni antennas or half-duplex and tune around for replies. You'll make more contacts and have less QRM in the long run.
The long standing convention on linear transponder satellites has been lower third CW, middle mixed CW and SSB, and upper third SSB. Let's try to use this resource in a more responsible and cooperative manner.
73, Drew KO4MA
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://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Another thought - if you're operating a special event or in a rare grid, announce your frequencies on this board and pick one well out of the way of the center. If people want/need to work you, they'll spin the dial! This also helps those who may have short windows to your location on a particular pass.
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 7:30 PM, Paul Stoetzer [email protected] wrote:
Great point, Drew.
The middle has been quite clogged the last few nights while zero activity is heard below 840 or above 870.
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 7:20 PM, Andrew Glasbrenner < [email protected]> wrote:
Lots of activity has been happening on FO-29 in the evenings lately. The pass times are favorable, and there are rovers out and about.
This evening, there were at least three mobile, portable, or omni antenna stations all piled up in the very center of the passband calling CQ on top of each other. None were hearing the others it seems, or willing to move. It was an ugly, embarrassing mess, completely unnecessary.
Folks, FO-29 has a passband that is 100 kHz wide. There is no reason to all pile up in the dead center and QRM each other. Spread out a little bit, ESPECIALLY if your operational plan is to call CQ with omni antennas or half-duplex and tune around for replies. You'll make more contacts and have less QRM in the long run.
The long standing convention on linear transponder satellites has been lower third CW, middle mixed CW and SSB, and upper third SSB. Let's try to use this resource in a more responsible and cooperative manner.
73, Drew KO4MA
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://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
I fully agree!
Drew
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 11, 2014, at 7:55 PM, Paul Stoetzer [email protected] wrote:
Another thought - if you're operating a special event or in a rare grid, announce your frequencies on this board and pick one well out of the way of the center. If people want/need to work you, they'll spin the dial! This also helps those who may have short windows to your location on a particular pass.
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 7:30 PM, Paul Stoetzer [email protected] wrote: Great point, Drew.
The middle has been quite clogged the last few nights while zero activity is heard below 840 or above 870.
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 7:20 PM, Andrew Glasbrenner [email protected] wrote: Lots of activity has been happening on FO-29 in the evenings lately. The pass times are favorable, and there are rovers out and about.
This evening, there were at least three mobile, portable, or omni antenna stations all piled up in the very center of the passband calling CQ on top of each other. None were hearing the others it seems, or willing to move. It was an ugly, embarrassing mess, completely unnecessary.
Folks, FO-29 has a passband that is 100 kHz wide. There is no reason to all pile up in the dead center and QRM each other. Spread out a little bit, ESPECIALLY if your operational plan is to call CQ with omni antennas or half-duplex and tune around for replies. You'll make more contacts and have less QRM in the long run.
The long standing convention on linear transponder satellites has been lower third CW, middle mixed CW and SSB, and upper third SSB. Let's try to use this resource in a more responsible and cooperative manner.
73, Drew KO4MA
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://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
It was the same on Field day.
I was consistently by myself in the upper third of the transponder, and had to drop downto make QSO's.
73, Jim KQ6EA (K6AA FD Op)
On 09/11/2014 11:20 PM, Andrew Glasbrenner wrote:
Lots of activity has been happening on FO-29 in the evenings lately. The pass times are favorable, and there are rovers out and about.
This evening, there were at least three mobile, portable, or omni antenna stations all piled up in the very center of the passband calling CQ on top of each other. None were hearing the others it seems, or willing to move. It was an ugly, embarrassing mess, completely unnecessary.
Folks, FO-29 has a passband that is 100 kHz wide. There is no reason to all pile up in the dead center and QRM each other. Spread out a little bit, ESPECIALLY if your operational plan is to call CQ with omni antennas or half-duplex and tune around for replies. You'll make more contacts and have less QRM in the long run.
The long standing convention on linear transponder satellites has been lower third CW, middle mixed CW and SSB, and upper third SSB. Let's try to use this resource in a more responsible and cooperative manner.
73, Drew KO4MA
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://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Paul,
The relatively rapid transition to the use of FUNcube dongles or similar, even for portable operations, will both help solve this, and encourage people to do so. It really drives home how much unused spectrum exists on FO-29, and allows you to find the openings on AO-73.
73s,
Alan WA4SCA
<-----Original Message----- <From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Paul Stoetzer <Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2014 6:55 PM <To: Andrew Glasbrenner <Cc: AMSAT BB <Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] FO-29 and being a good transponder op < <Another thought - if you're operating a special event or in a rare grid, <announce your frequencies on this board and pick one well out of the way of <the center. If people want/need to work you, they'll spin the dial! This <also helps those who may have short windows to your location on a <particular pass. < <73, < <Paul, N8HM < <On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 7:30 PM, Paul Stoetzer [email protected] wrote: < <> Great point, Drew. <> <> The middle has been quite clogged the last few nights while zero activity <> is heard below 840 or above 870. <> <> 73, <> <> Paul, N8HM <> <> On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 7:20 PM, Andrew Glasbrenner < <> [email protected]> wrote: <> <>> Lots of activity has been happening on FO-29 in the evenings lately. The <>> pass times are favorable, and there are rovers out and about. <>> <>> <>> <>> This evening, there were at least three mobile, portable, or omni antenna <>> stations all piled up in the very center of the passband calling CQ on top <>> of each other. None were hearing the others it seems, or willing to move. <>> It <>> was an ugly, embarrassing mess, completely unnecessary. <>> <>> <>> <>> Folks, FO-29 has a passband that is 100 kHz wide. There is no reason to <>> all <>> pile up in the dead center and QRM each other. Spread out a little bit, <>> ESPECIALLY if your operational plan is to call CQ with omni antennas or <>> half-duplex and tune around for replies. You'll make more contacts and <>> have <>> less QRM in the long run. <>> <>> <>> <>> The long standing convention on linear transponder satellites has been <>> lower <>> third CW, middle mixed CW and SSB, and upper third SSB. Let's try to use <>> this resource in a more responsible and cooperative manner. <>> <>> <>> <>> 73, Drew KO4MA <>> <>> _______________________________________________ <>> 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://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://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (4)
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Alan -
Andrew Glasbrenner -
Jim Jerzycke -
Paul Stoetzer