Hi Keith,

Just so you know, HEO is probably the most contentious issue around (next to FM vs Linear). I think it is fair to say that EVERYONE would love to have an HEO bird, but it's hard-to-impossible to find a launch for free or cheap. As Domenico said, the German AMSAT (AMSAT-DL) has an HEO bird ready to fly, but they are still looking for launch opportunities, and have been for a while now. AMSAT-NA is currently focusing on LEO cubesats (and we already have commitments for two launches). The first launches will be FM satellites. The future may hold software defined radios which we could program for any modulation type.

About rotators etc: It depends. Some satellites (generally FM) are available from some handhelds with just a whip, but that is kind of iffy. Much better to have a handheld antenna with some gain, which is what I think Domenico was aluding to. I'm a fan of baby steps. First try to listen with an HT (handheld). Maybe you can transmit to the satellite, maybe not, since FM only allows a single user at a time. Then try a handheld satellite antenna (Eagle for example...look in the AMSAT store). If you already have a fixed base station, try it with an omni (e.g. an eggbeater or something). You might spend your money on a pre-amp next before a rotator.

The short answer probably is that a nice directional antenna on a rotator with a good preamp is probably best if your goal is to talk via satellite and get the strongest signal for the longest time. But starting small, you learn a lot. Using a handheld is kind of cool because you can think to yourself "I'm pointing this thing at a satellite...there is NOTHING between me and this cool piece of machinery in space".

BTW, I can say all this, but I have to admit that I have not yet been terribly successful transmitting. I can receive very well...even SO50 (1/4 watt) comes in reasonably well on my HT with a rubber ducky and no preamp (when it is high in the sky). But I think I only just managed get into SO-50 pretty recently. I think my problem is 1) Omni antenna, not beam and 2) Not a terribly good location.

Hope this helps...

73, Burns, W2BFJ

Message: 10

Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 20:21:12 +0100 From: "i8cvs" domenico.i8cvs@tin.it To: "Keith Crittenden" Keithcrittenden@eircom.net, "Amsat - BBs" amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: H.E.O.? Message-ID: 002801cedfdc$59f12c60$0401a8c0@b3o7f1 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi Keith

Only God know if and when a HEO Amateur Satellite will be placed in orbit by AMSAT.

AMSAT-DL is working around P3E wich is a satellite similar to OSCAR-13 using all modes from the VHF to Microwave but there are no money sufficient to pay for the launch at the moment.

About to work the actual operational satellites the extra expences of buying a rotator /elevator is recommended while starting the activity you can use a more simple low cost yagi antenna for 2 m and 70 cm manually aimed toward the satellite.

73" de

i8CVS Domenico

----- Original Message ----- From: "Keith Crittenden" Keithcrittenden@eircom.net To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Monday, November 11, 2013 9:43 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] H.E.O.?

...

Hi,

Two Questions from a newbie;

I'm interested to know if there are any plans to put a H.E.O. amateur

satellite into orbit in the near future, and if so does anyone have an idea as to what mode it would be likely to work in?

...

And, (second question) as I'm in the process of setting up a station

(pretty much from scratch) for the purpose of working satellites I'm wondering if it's considered worth the extra expense of buying a rotator /elevator or just a rotator.

...

All knowledgeable opinions would be appreciated.

Keith.