Hi AMSAT-BB:
Is it bad form to call the NA1SS during a pass in a vain attempt to make a contact? I am not trying to stalk them (well actually...) but this has always been a dream of mine since I got my Amateur Radio golden ticket.
But I am trying to wake up early in the morning when presumably the ISS crew is active and call CQ.
Do folks call CQ NA1SS? Its this bad form?
I also don't know how to tell if the FM repeater is on (I have read several links on how to make contacts but they are vague, its more or less monitor 145.800Mhz and go from there).
73
-aps (KC2ZSX)
On Fri, Jun 3, 2011 at 7:39 PM, Alexander Sack pisymbol@gmail.com wrote:
Hi AMSAT-BB:
Is it bad form to call the NA1SS during a pass in a vain attempt to make a contact? I am not trying to stalk them (well actually...) but this has always been a dream of mine since I got my Amateur Radio golden ticket.
But I am trying to wake up early in the morning when presumably the ISS crew is active and call CQ.
Do folks call CQ NA1SS? Its this bad form?
I also don't know how to tell if the FM repeater is on (I have read several links on how to make contacts but they are vague, its more or less monitor 145.800Mhz and go from there).
I feel stupid after Googling some more. So to verify, when the repeater is in APRS mode, its not in FM mode?
So if I AX.25 frames aren't flying by me, it means someone is potentially operating the radio (minus technical difficulties)?
Is all of above correct?
73
-aps
Fair questions...so I will try to answer...
If the Packet system is on, voice will not be on...either direct to the shuttle or the FM repeater.
If the Packet system is off... There could be a space walk They could be docking or undocking As was recently noted...they could be using/testing the 143 mhz system They could have shut the radio off for numerous other reasons ...and they could have forgotten to turn it back on (or chose not to) or they MAY be in one of the voice modes...
Juat a note...the Packet system is not just for APRS...there are may who two way communicate using UNPROTO
The repeater system is just that....split VHF and UHF...if it is up you should be able to hear yourself in the downlink...if you don't hear yourself, don't continue to talk...you might just be making a mess for someone who can get in...the repeater sounds like any other FM Satellite repeater...
Direct to the ISS...there are two VHF uplink frequencies...occasionally the astronauts listen to the wrong one for the Zone you are in...not many "defined" Zone demarcations in space...the same with them listening on 145.800 and 145.825. I have also talked with them 435 up / 2 meters down. I believe that sometime in the way past, they ended up listening on the 143 frequency...tempting but still out of band ;-)
Calling "CQ" using many CQ's in the call as on the low bands is typically poor form on FM...you are either audible or not...so a simple "ISS this is W1XYZ" or "CQ ISS" or "Space Station this is W1XYZ in Colorado" will suffice (use one of their many callsigns if you like)....no answer...give it a minute or two, watch your pass predictions and begin and end accordingly.
Anyway...that's how I would do it...YMMV
BTW..."bad form" would probably be defined as irritating to others...unless you are making a spectical of yourself, the ones you should consider are are your fellow satellite hams close to home who have to listen to you direct.
Roger WA1KAT
On 6/3/2011 7:51 PM, Alexander Sack wrote:
On Fri, Jun 3, 2011 at 7:39 PM, Alexander Sackpisymbol@gmail.com wrote:
Hi AMSAT-BB:
Is it bad form to call the NA1SS during a pass in a vain attempt to make a contact?
Do folks call CQ NA1SS? Its this bad form?
I also don't know how to tell if the FM repeater is on So to verify, when the repeater is in APRS mode, its not in FM mode?
So if I AX.25 frames aren't flying by me, it means someone is potentially operating the radio (minus technical difficulties)?
Is all of above correct?
participants (2)
-
Alexander Sack -
Roger Kolakowski