Hi all,
I've been trying to work stations on ARISS as it goes over the USA, and don't seem to be getting anywhere. I hear the ARISS exactly when my tracking software says I should. I switch to converse mode and send a "Hi". I see a number of stations sending packets, I attempt to contact them without results.
I used K9JKM's PDF to help set things up (very helpful). My unproto is CQ VIA ARISS. I looked at the bottom of www.ariss.net to see if the ARISS was hearing me, I didn't see my call, nor did I see the other calls I heard. Perhaps it takes a while to appear.
Is there another way to see if things are setup okay on my end?
I'm using Winpack on Windows 7 to a MFJ-1278T to a IC-706MKIIG connected to a vertical antenna mounted at 50' (working on a better antenna, hope to have it up soon).
Hi Kelley,
If you are able to copy stations on the 145.825 MHz downlink you have your packet setup working. If you add "more antenna" you'll find you can copy a pass starting sooner and lasting longer. Otherwise, if you hear with the vertical antenna it is working OK.
I use the USA 144.390 MHz APRS beacon frequency for testing my packet receive setups. I'm near Chicago so there is always an APRS brap-brap-brappity-brap around. In rural areas you may need to wait a while. But, if your packet setup works on terrestrial signals it is ready for the ISS. You can do testing without waiting for an ISS pass if you use 144.390. Then tune back up 145.825 and it should be ready.
But (there is always a but) ...
1. Getting on the list and/or map at www.ariss.net depends on the downlink also being heard by an earth station setup to SATGATE its received packets. There seem to be fewer SATGATE stations around than in years previously. You don't have to do anything special to get SATGATE'd. Your UNPROTO CQ VIA ARISS (CQ VIA RS0ISS works also) is all you need to do. But there has to be a SATGATE station in range.
2. ARISS has a weaker signal than before. It is still a good signal but in the past their higher power used to make the packet bursts able to be copied on an HT and rubber duck. Nowadays an external antenna is necessary (which you have). The ARISS downlink signal experiences shadowing from the ISS structure. Sometimes this contributes to the weaker downlink which means fewer stations hearing you ... or, SATGATES hearing you.
3. Setting PASSALL to ON helps you copy packets that don't complete the checksum. Many times there is enough information in there for human eyes to pick out. Still, the SATGATES will need to receive the entire packet with checksum to relay you. This is just another technique for troubleshooting. PASSALL is available on the hardware TNC configurations but I haven't found a soundcard packet program which supports it.
4. PCSAT NO-44 can digipeat on 145.825 if it has a good charge from its solar panels. Set your unproto to CQ VIA W3ADO-1. The signal from NO-44 is definitely weaker than the ISS. It often shuts down after a few packets because of power issues. On a good day it is another satellite to add to your list. The packet log and map for NO-44 is at http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/pcsat.cgi The same lack of SATGATE stations issue also applies here. Sometimes it may be a couple of days until someone makes it through and on rare passes several stations are successful.
-- 73 de JoAnne K9JKM k9jkm@amsat.org Editor, AMSAT Journal
-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of Kelley Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2014 21:08 To: AMSAT-BB Subject: [amsat-bb] ARISS
Hi all,
I've been trying to work stations on ARISS as it goes over the USA, and don't seem to be getting anywhere. I hear the ARISS exactly when my tracking software says I should. I switch to converse mode and send a "Hi". I see a number of stations sending packets, I attempt to contact
them without results.
I used K9JKM's PDF to help set things up (very helpful). My unproto is
CQ VIA ARISS. I looked at the bottom of www.ariss.net to see if the ARISS was hearing me, I didn't see my call, nor did I see the other calls I heard. Perhaps it takes a while to appear.
Is there another way to see if things are setup okay on my end?
I'm using Winpack on Windows 7 to a MFJ-1278T to a IC-706MKIIG connected to a vertical antenna mounted at 50' (working on a better antenna, hope to have it up soon).
Hi JoAnne,
I am able to copy stations on 145.825. I am also able to do APRS on 144.390 (and the aprs.fi website shows my station as being active).
1. I now recall a series of posts not to long ago that talked about this very issue of SATGATE's. The only reason I wanted to see a posting of my callsign somewhere was to see that it was indeed working. I think I'll change my unproto to RS0ISS, seems most of the stations I hear have it set that way.
3. I do have my TNC set to PASSALL. I do see a fair amount of packet activity. I'm just not getting anything in the way of a response. I'll just keep at it and see what happens.
During the pass, I issue a "converse" command and send something like "Hi from Kelley EN25". If I see another station I send something like "Hi W0ABC this is Kelley W0RK". Is this the right format? I assume that trying to connect to another station isn't the right way?
Thanks for the very informative response JoAnne. Perhaps I'll see you on the bird.
Kelley - WØRK
On 6/8/2014 9:21 AM, JoAnne Maenpaa wrote:
Hi Kelley,
If you are able to copy stations on the 145.825 MHz downlink you have your packet setup working. If you add "more antenna" you'll find you can copy a pass starting sooner and lasting longer. Otherwise, if you hear with the vertical antenna it is working OK.
I use the USA 144.390 MHz APRS beacon frequency for testing my packet receive setups. I'm near Chicago so there is always an APRS brap-brap-brappity-brap around. In rural areas you may need to wait a while. But, if your packet setup works on terrestrial signals it is ready for the ISS. You can do testing without waiting for an ISS pass if you use 144.390. Then tune back up 145.825 and it should be ready.
But (there is always a but) ...
- Getting on the list and/or map at www.ariss.net depends on the
downlink also being heard by an earth station setup to SATGATE its received packets. There seem to be fewer SATGATE stations around than in years previously. You don't have to do anything special to get SATGATE'd. Your UNPROTO CQ VIA ARISS (CQ VIA RS0ISS works also) is all you need to do. But there has to be a SATGATE station in range.
- ARISS has a weaker signal than before. It is still a good signal
but in the past their higher power used to make the packet bursts able to be copied on an HT and rubber duck. Nowadays an external antenna is necessary (which you have). The ARISS downlink signal experiences shadowing from the ISS structure. Sometimes this contributes to the weaker downlink which means fewer stations hearing you ... or, SATGATES hearing you.
- Setting PASSALL to ON helps you copy packets that don't complete
the checksum. Many times there is enough information in there for human eyes to pick out. Still, the SATGATES will need to receive the entire packet with checksum to relay you. This is just another technique for troubleshooting. PASSALL is available on the hardware TNC configurations but I haven't found a soundcard packet program which supports it.
- PCSAT NO-44 can digipeat on 145.825 if it has a good charge from
its solar panels. Set your unproto to CQ VIA W3ADO-1. The signal from NO-44 is definitely weaker than the ISS. It often shuts down after a few packets because of power issues. On a good day it is another satellite to add to your list. The packet log and map for NO-44 is at http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/pcsat.cgi The same lack of SATGATE stations issue also applies here. Sometimes it may be a couple of days until someone makes it through and on rare passes several stations are successful.
-- 73 de JoAnne K9JKM k9jkm@amsat.org Editor, AMSAT Journal
Kelley,
One of the other problems is all the unattended beacons that are firing away every 30 seconds which make it extremely difficult for people that are at the radio trying to make actual contacts.
Dave-KB1PVH
On Sun, Jun 8, 2014 at 10:48 AM, Kelley kshaddrick@jetup.net wrote:
Hi JoAnne,
I am able to copy stations on 145.825. I am also able to do APRS on 144.390 (and the aprs.fi website shows my station as being active).
- I now recall a series of posts not to long ago that talked about this
very issue of SATGATE's. The only reason I wanted to see a posting of my callsign somewhere was to see that it was indeed working. I think I'll change my unproto to RS0ISS, seems most of the stations I hear have it set that way.
- I do have my TNC set to PASSALL. I do see a fair amount of packet
activity. I'm just not getting anything in the way of a response. I'll just keep at it and see what happens.
During the pass, I issue a "converse" command and send something like "Hi from Kelley EN25". If I see another station I send something like "Hi W0ABC this is Kelley W0RK". Is this the right format? I assume that trying to connect to another station isn't the right way?
Thanks for the very informative response JoAnne. Perhaps I'll see you on the bird.
Kelley - WØRK
On 6/8/2014 9:21 AM, JoAnne Maenpaa wrote:
Hi Kelley,
If you are able to copy stations on the 145.825 MHz downlink you have your packet setup working. If you add "more antenna" you'll find you can copy a pass starting sooner and lasting longer. Otherwise, if you hear with the vertical antenna it is working OK.
I use the USA 144.390 MHz APRS beacon frequency for testing my packet receive setups. I'm near Chicago so there is always an APRS brap-brap-brappity-brap around. In rural areas you may need to wait a while. But, if your packet setup works on terrestrial signals it is ready for the ISS. You can do testing without waiting for an ISS pass if you use 144.390. Then tune back up 145.825 and it should be ready.
But (there is always a but) ...
- Getting on the list and/or map at www.ariss.net depends on the
downlink also being heard by an earth station setup to SATGATE its received packets. There seem to be fewer SATGATE stations around than in years previously. You don't have to do anything special to get SATGATE'd. Your UNPROTO CQ VIA ARISS (CQ VIA RS0ISS works also) is all you need to do. But there has to be a SATGATE station in range.
- ARISS has a weaker signal than before. It is still a good signal
but in the past their higher power used to make the packet bursts able to be copied on an HT and rubber duck. Nowadays an external antenna is necessary (which you have). The ARISS downlink signal experiences shadowing from the ISS structure. Sometimes this contributes to the weaker downlink which means fewer stations hearing you ... or, SATGATES hearing you.
- Setting PASSALL to ON helps you copy packets that don't complete
the checksum. Many times there is enough information in there for human eyes to pick out. Still, the SATGATES will need to receive the entire packet with checksum to relay you. This is just another technique for troubleshooting. PASSALL is available on the hardware TNC configurations but I haven't found a soundcard packet program which supports it.
- PCSAT NO-44 can digipeat on 145.825 if it has a good charge from
its solar panels. Set your unproto to CQ VIA W3ADO-1. The signal from NO-44 is definitely weaker than the ISS. It often shuts down after a few packets because of power issues. On a good day it is another satellite to add to your list. The packet log and map for NO-44 is at http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/pcsat.cgi The same lack of SATGATE stations issue also applies here. Sometimes it may be a couple of days until someone makes it through and on rare passes several stations are successful.
-- 73 de JoAnne K9JKM k9jkm@amsat.org Editor, AMSAT Journal
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
On 6/8/2014 9:58 AM, Dave Webb KB1PVH wrote:
Kelley,
One of the other problems is all the unattended beacons that are firing away every 30 seconds which make it extremely difficult for people that are at the radio trying to make actual contacts.
Dave-KB1PVH
I agree and those that try working DX via the VHF band.
I have said it before and I'll say it again. Look up some of the calls you copy and you will see the reason very fast.
John, W0JAB
Yeah, it sounds like the radio/TNC/Computer end is running. Hopefully some of my comments would prove useful to others thinking of trying ARISS packet.
"converse" command and send something like "Hi from Kelley EN25".
Yes, this will send the UI packet from you with the quoted text.
If I see another station I send something like "Hi W0ABC this is Kelley W0RK". Is this the right format?
Again, yes this is the right format. If W0ABC copies the downlink they will see your message.
I assume that trying to connect to another station isn't the right way?
Technically it should work but is not recommended. This is because your station and the other station will kick into the full AX.25 handshake protocol. If one of the handshake sequences is missed AX.25 will faithfully try, retry, retry, retry to complete the handshake message. It is likely the pass will be over before the handshake sequence is completed and you will have not received the text of the message. The retry'ed handshake messages add as much competition to a UI channel as do the unattended beacons others mentioned this morning.
I've thought I should make myself a SATGATE because there are so few active at present. I tend to leave my station off and disconnected when I'm not operating. I will likely not make my station operate unattended due to stretches of being away from the radio doing things like the Journal or news bulletins.
But when you see packets from me I really am at the keyboard. I'll look for you on upcoming passes.
-- 73 de JoAnne K9JKM k9jkm@amsat.org Editor, AMSAT Journal
participants (4)
-
Dave Webb KB1PVH -
JoAnne Maenpaa -
John Becker -
Kelley