DX LEO records, fixed elevation category
Many of us have been encouraging the newcomers to this list to avoid elevation rotors if they want to begin with a simple, less expensive station. (It is unfortunate that as recently as my 2006 edition, the ARRL Handbook states that az/el rotation is necessary. I wonder if someone should contact them and offer a rewrite.) As evidence of the effectiveness of such a station, I offer the following two QSOs (chosen merely because I was writing up the QSL cards). I also submit them as the first entries in a fixed-elevation DX bragging thread:
VE9QRP (FN75tv) to IW4DVZ (JN54IM) 5600 km " " to OK2UFB (JN99as) 5847 km
Both SSB via FO-29, both using a pair of FT-817s.
73, Bruce VE9QRP
Excellent! I"m looking forward to this.
As I'm designing my antenna system, I'm noticing a critical thing - the LEO sats provide an excellent opportunity to experiment with fixed-elevation antennas. It seems as though once you get a nice 4-6 element yagi above the roof at 25-30 degrees, it covers something like 97% of visible pass time.
As soon as my stock of aluminum rod and rotator come in, it's fun time :)
Matt
On 3/8/07, Bruce Robertson broberts@mta.ca wrote:
Many of us have been encouraging the newcomers to this list to avoid elevation rotors if they want to begin with a simple, less expensive station. (It is unfortunate that as recently as my 2006 edition, the ARRL Handbook states that az/el rotation is necessary. I wonder if someone should contact them and offer a rewrite.) As evidence of the effectiveness of such a station, I offer the following two QSOs (chosen merely because I was writing up the QSL cards). I also submit them as the first entries in a fixed-elevation DX bragging thread:
VE9QRP (FN75tv) to IW4DVZ (JN54IM) 5600 km " " to OK2UFB (JN99as) 5847 km
Both SSB via FO-29, both using a pair of FT-817s.
73, Bruce VE9QRP _______________________________________________ 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
At 11:07 PM 3/8/2007, Bruce Robertson wrote:
Many of us have been encouraging the newcomers to this list to avoid elevation rotors if they want to begin with a simple, less expensive station. (It is unfortunate that as recently as my 2006 edition, the ARRL Handbook states that az/el rotation is necessary. I wonder if someone should contact them and offer a rewrite.) As evidence of the effectiveness of such a station, I offer the following two QSOs (chosen merely because I was writing up the QSL cards). I also submit them as the first entries in a fixed-elevation DX bragging thread:
VE9QRP (FN75tv) to IW4DVZ (JN54IM) 5600 km " " to OK2UFB (JN99as) 5847 km
Dear friends,
I agree with Bruce, you do not need fancy antennas to work DX on LEO satellites. Here are a few I found in my log that were completed using just omni-directional antennas - NO rotors at all:
AA2TX (FN20) to: PA0TAU (JO22) 5987 Km SM6DJE (JO99) 6411 Km OM3MM (KN09) 7084 Km
The distances were calculated using: http://home.arcor.de/waldemar.kebsch/The_Makrothen_Contest/fmaidenhead.html
Best DX and 73, Tony AA2TX
Quoting Anthony Monteiro aa2tx@comcast.net:
At 11:07 PM 3/8/2007, Bruce Robertson wrote:
Many of us have been encouraging the newcomers to this list to avoid elevation rotors if they want to begin with a simple, less expensive station. (It is unfortunate that as recently as my 2006 edition, the
ARRL
Handbook states that az/el rotation is necessary. I wonder if someone should contact them and offer a rewrite.) As evidence of the
effectiveness
of such a station, I offer the following two QSOs (chosen merely
because I
was writing up the QSL cards). I also submit them as the first entries
in a
fixed-elevation DX bragging thread:
VE9QRP (FN75tv) to IW4DVZ (JN54IM) 5600 km " " to OK2UFB (JN99as) 5847 km
Dear friends,
I agree with Bruce, you do not need fancy antennas to work DX on LEO satellites. Here are a few I found in my log that were completed using just omni-directional antennas
- NO rotors at all:
AA2TX (FN20) to: PA0TAU (JO22) 5987 Km SM6DJE (JO99) 6411 Km OM3MM (KN09) 7084 Km
The distances were calculated using: http://home.arcor.de/waldemar.kebsch/The_Makrothen_Contest/fmaidenhead.html
Best DX and 73, Tony AA2TX
Sadly, the International Panel of Judges (my cats, Oreo and Starry) has determined that omni-directional antennas belong in a separate category, thereby preserving VE9QRP's fixed-elevation directional antenna records for another 3h :-)
On a more technical note, Tony are these with your Lindenblads described in the latest Symposium proceedings? I'm a bit confused about the performance of omni-directional circular polarized antennas. I have been told that LEO satellites tend to switch from RHCP to LHCP as they change their orientation and that, therefore, it is best to include polarity switching in a CP yagi. Does this same phenomenon cause deep fades in an antenna like the Lindenblads, despite the ideal radiation (reception) pattern? Also, how does one deal with the 2m LHCP/RHCP kerfuffle in, for example VO-52 downlink and FO-29 uplink?
(I'm using this helpful list as my data: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/archive/amsat-bb/200603/msg00293.html )
Finally, does anyone have a more recent ARRL Handbook? If so, can you check if it persists in suggesting that an az/el rotor is an important asset for fixed-station, LEO satellite work? If it does we should seek to have it replaced with material based on more recent articles in QST that contradict this. I'm sure I'm not the only one who browses through the handbook to see what assets I have for undertaking new modes: if people knew it was just a matter of putting two short beams on one boom and tilting them up 20 deg., they might be more likely to give it a go.
Dear friends,
here is my best LEO contacts made by using no elevation on 2 yagi antennas. Antennas used:
12 el. 3wl for Vhf H pol. 21 el. 6wl for Uhf H pol.
IZ1EGT (JN44LK) -> VA3DB (FN25DI) 03/01/2005 FO29 J CW qrb 6343 km.
Sincerely I found that elevation is not needed on Vhf while it increases drastically sigs in Uhf.
Best 73s Fabio
IZ1EGT / F5VKV
On 3/9/07, Bruce Robertson broberts@mta.ca wrote:
VE9QRP (FN75tv) to IW4DVZ (JN54IM) 5600 km " " to OK2UFB (JN99as) 5847 km
Do my two contacts via FO-29 using a single vertical co-linear at 30ft count?
VE9QRP @ 4702Km W1FC @ 5355Km
After all it is at a fixed elevation!!!
David G8OQW
-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of Fabio Roccatagliata Sent: 09 March 2007 14:24 To: brobertson@mta.ca Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: DX LEO records, fixed elevation category
Dear friends,
here is my best LEO contacts made by using no elevation on 2 yagi antennas. Antennas used:
12 el. 3wl for Vhf H pol. 21 el. 6wl for Uhf H pol.
IZ1EGT (JN44LK) -> VA3DB (FN25DI) 03/01/2005 FO29 J CW qrb 6343 km.
Sincerely I found that elevation is not needed on Vhf while it increases drastically sigs in Uhf.
Best 73s Fabio
IZ1EGT / F5VKV
On 3/9/07, Bruce Robertson broberts@mta.ca wrote:
VE9QRP (FN75tv) to IW4DVZ (JN54IM) 5600 km " " to OK2UFB (JN99as) 5847 km
_______________________________________________ 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
I think a good DX was with AJ9K via FO-29 in May 19th 2005 at 23;20 UTC from my mobile station: EN53 to IM78 = 4157 miles (6690 Kilometers)
You can see my FO-29 mobile station here: http://miguel.servihosting.com/eb4dka/mobile.htm
and a video working FO-29 from mobile here: http://rcfo.batcave.net/fo29movil.html
Best 73 to all! Pedro EB4DKA www.eb4dka.tk
----- Original Message ----- From: "Fabio Roccatagliata" roccaf@gmail.com To: brobertson@mta.ca Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Friday, March 09, 2007 3:24 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: DX LEO records, fixed elevation category
Dear friends,
here is my best LEO contacts made by using no elevation on 2 yagi antennas. Antennas used:
12 el. 3wl for Vhf H pol. 21 el. 6wl for Uhf H pol.
IZ1EGT (JN44LK) -> VA3DB (FN25DI) 03/01/2005 FO29 J CW qrb 6343 km.
Sincerely I found that elevation is not needed on Vhf while it increases drastically sigs in Uhf.
Best 73s Fabio
IZ1EGT / F5VKV
On 3/9/07, Bruce Robertson broberts@mta.ca wrote:
VE9QRP (FN75tv) to IW4DVZ (JN54IM) 5600 km " " to OK2UFB (JN99as) 5847 km
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
participants (6)
-
Anthony Monteiro -
Bruce Robertson -
David Barber -
Fabio Roccatagliata -
Jonny 290 -
Pedro EB4DKA