Re: [amsat-bb] Anyone on EO-88?
What I can't understand is that people continue to shame other hams for not operating on the linears. Having only just recently obtained the equipment necessary to work the linears (and then, only at the shack, my equipment is not portable in any way), I can say that it was not cheap nor easy to do. Working the FM birds is both far cheaper and easier, for sure.
Those that are stuck on the FM birds are likely not doing it by choice. It's all they have. Please keep that in mind.
--Roy K3RLD
EO-88 is in a low inclination orbit and so stays close to the equator. Many of us in the northern part of the continental U.S. and Canada cannot access it because it never passes far enough north for us to be in the footprint. That said, it can sometimes be lonely on linear satellites on passes that cover much of the continental U.S. I can’t understand why people would prefer to step all over one another on a single channel FM bird rather than spread out on a nice passband. Yes, the linears require a bit more effort, technical skill, and possibly a bit more of a monetary investment. But by finding some bargains on used gear and learning a bit more about how things work, they are well within reach of the average ham.
If my remarks came across as “shaming,” I apologize. They were intended as encouragement. Yes, FM is cheap and easy, but the level of operator skill necessary to get QSOs on a crowded channel is daunting. The skills necessary to put together a linear station are more on the technical side. That’s a challenge, but it can be fun to get there.
On Fri, Jul 19, 2019 at 06:09 Roy Dean via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
What I can't understand is that people continue to shame other hams for not operating on the linears. Having only just recently obtained the equipment necessary to work the linears (and then, only at the shack, my equipment is not portable in any way), I can say that it was not cheap nor easy to do. Working the FM birds is both far cheaper and easier, for sure.
Those that are stuck on the FM birds are likely not doing it by choice. It's all they have. Please keep that in mind.
--Roy K3RLD
EO-88 is in a low inclination orbit and so stays close to the equator.
Many
of us in the northern part of the continental U.S. and Canada cannot
access
it because it never passes far enough north for us to be in the
footprint.
That said, it can sometimes be lonely on linear satellites on passes that cover much of the continental U.S. I can’t understand why people would prefer to step all over one another on a single channel FM bird rather
than
spread out on a nice passband. Yes, the linears require a bit more
effort,
technical skill, and possibly a bit more of a monetary investment. But by finding some bargains on used gear and learning a bit more about how things work, they are well within reach of the average ham.
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. 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
Im a new satellite OP and quickly progressed from the FM to linear... While I found FM easy in the technical aspect like mentioned before it can vary in difficulty depending on the number and skill of operators on the each pass...Linear like mentioned is much more relaxed but very much more technically challenging ... I started off trying full manual control and have progressed to partial CAT control (using portable station consisting of Ft-818 x 2) . Anyway one thing I have found is that satellite operators are a very friendly and helpful segment of the hobby... for that I am grateful ...
VRY 73 DE KQ4MM
Brian
On Fri, Jul 19, 2019 at 7:08 AM Mark D. Johns via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:
If my remarks came across as “shaming,” I apologize. They were intended as encouragement. Yes, FM is cheap and easy, but the level of operator skill necessary to get QSOs on a crowded channel is daunting. The skills necessary to put together a linear station are more on the technical side. That’s a challenge, but it can be fun to get there.
On Fri, Jul 19, 2019 at 06:09 Roy Dean via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
What I can't understand is that people continue to shame other hams for
not
operating on the linears. Having only just recently obtained the equipment necessary to work the linears (and then, only at the shack, my equipment is not portable in any way), I can say that it was not cheap
nor
easy to do. Working the FM birds is both far cheaper and easier, for sure.
Those that are stuck on the FM birds are likely not doing it by choice. It's all they have. Please keep that in mind.
--Roy K3RLD
EO-88 is in a low inclination orbit and so stays close to the equator.
Many
of us in the northern part of the continental U.S. and Canada cannot
access
it because it never passes far enough north for us to be in the
footprint.
That said, it can sometimes be lonely on linear satellites on passes
that
cover much of the continental U.S. I can’t understand why people would prefer to step all over one another on a single channel FM bird rather
than
spread out on a nice passband. Yes, the linears require a bit more
effort,
technical skill, and possibly a bit more of a monetary investment. But by finding some bargains on used gear and learning a bit more about how things work, they are well
within
reach of the average ham.
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. 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
-- ***Sent from Gmail on iPhone*** Mark D. Johns, Ph.D. K0JM Professor Emeritus of Communication Studies at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa USA Now residing in Minneapolis, Minn.
"Get the facts first. You can distort them later." ---Mark Twain _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. 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
07:08 Fri 19 Jul 19 , Roy Dean via AMSAT-BB wrote:
What I can't understand is that people continue to shame other hams for not operating on the linears.
It's not shame, at all!
Having only just recently obtained the equipment necessary to work the linears (and then, only at the shack, my equipment is not portable in any way), I can say that it was not cheap nor easy to do. Working the FM birds is both far cheaper and easier, for sure.
But they give less satisfation, imho. Please see my other reply on this thread.
Those that are stuck on the FM birds are likely not doing it by choice.
Yes, I've tried FM birds but I'll seldom use them again
Have a good time
73, Lapo IK5NAX
What equipment do I need to work the linear sats as a portable station? I'm a recycled sat operator with FM gear for portable ops.
Bob W7OTJ
On Fri, Jul 19, 2019 at 5:13 AM Lapo Pieri via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
07:08 Fri 19 Jul 19 , Roy Dean via AMSAT-BB wrote:
What I can't understand is that people continue to shame other hams for
not
operating on the linears.
It's not shame, at all!
Having only just recently obtained the equipment necessary to work the linears (and then, only at the shack, my equipment is not portable in any way), I can say that it was not cheap
nor
easy to do. Working the FM birds is both far cheaper and easier, for sure.
But they give less satisfation, imho. Please see my other reply on this thread.
Those that are stuck on the FM birds are likely not doing it by choice.
Yes, I've tried FM birds but I'll seldom use them again
Have a good time
73, Lapo IK5NAX _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. 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
05:27 Fri 19 Jul 19 , Bob Hammond wrote:
What equipment do I need to work the linear sats as a portable station? I'm a recycled sat operator with FM gear for portable ops.
I've never operated sat with a portable station; I've a small station but with fully stearable antenna for 2m and 70cm, I can't give you first hand information but I see several hams using hand stearable doble yagi.
Lapo, IK5NAX
I have a used IC-820H that was picked up for a few hundredbucks. It's really not that big and I use it to rove by having itin the back of my SUV with the tailgate up and plugged intothe accessory jack back there. Arrow is on a tripod and theback of the SUV makes a nice place to rest my butt. The 820works all-mode and is Full-duplex. It has worked great for mewhile roving almost 120 Grids since 2012. You can see mysetup on my QRZ Page. There are a lot of these older rigsavailable on the typical used market sites for very reasonableprices. Check them out and broaden your horizons (HIHI). GL/73, Bob K8BL
On Friday, July 19, 2019, 07:09:10 AM EDT, Roy Dean via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
What I can't understand is that people continue to shame other hams for not operating on the linears. Having only just recently obtained the equipment necessary to work the linears (and then, only at the shack, my equipment is not portable in any way), I can say that it was not cheap nor easy to do. Working the FM birds is both far cheaper and easier, for sure.
Those that are stuck on the FM birds are likely not doing it by choice. It's all they have. Please keep that in mind.
--Roy K3RLD
EO-88 is in a low inclination orbit and so stays close to the equator. Many of us in the northern part of the continental U.S. and Canada cannot access it because it never passes far enough north for us to be in the footprint. That said, it can sometimes be lonely on linear satellites on passes that cover much of the continental U.S. I can’t understand why people would prefer to step all over one another on a single channel FM bird rather than spread out on a nice passband. Yes, the linears require a bit more effort, technical skill, and possibly a bit more of a monetary investment. But by finding some bargains on used gear and learning a bit more about how things work, they are well within reach of the average ham.
_______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. 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 (6)
-
Bob Hammond -
Bob Liddy (K8BL) -
Brian L. Threlkeld -
Lapo Pieri -
Mark D. Johns -
Roy Dean