Went out with a bunch of students to observe ISS SSTV downlink. ISS was transmitting but I demonstrated how not to do a pass:
OLD FUD Approach:
1) Prepped the laptop. Battery was dead 2) rigged up heavy battery and 60 Hz inverter (1 hr to go) 3) Booted laptop but it was locked out of network 4) After three tires at password, it locked me out of all my accounts on every PC at the school 5) Gave up and dug out a Kenwood VC-H1 SSTV handheld to go with a TH-D72 (30m to AOS) 6) VC-H1 batteries were of course dead 7) Found new batteries (10m to AOS) 8) From 20 years ago, had a hard time remembering how to work it 9) Nothing heard at beginning with 3 element yagi 10) commented how this is not unusual for ISS to change schedules 11) Then heard it, but too weak 12) I explained how to track in AZ and EL and Polarity to maximize the signal 13) Had to keep asking the mids for the TIME so I knew where to point
MELINNIAL APPROACH:
MEANWHILE I noticed some of the students holding their Phones in their hands at arms length and waving them around. They pointed to ISS... The phones showed exactl;y where the ISS was as the AP placed the ISS and sky track on the sky view. Done!
Im sure most of you are well aware of these things, but for the other old fuds:
The AP was SKYGUIDE: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sky-guide/id576588894 And SKYWALK: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/star-walk-explore-the-sky/id295430577 I am sure there are others.
Time for me to get out of the way... ;-( Bob, WB4APR
On 2019-02-08 12:11 PM, Robert Bruninga wrote:
OLD FUD Approach: MELINNIAL APPROACH:
Using the old method one learns how it all works..trial, error and experiment. This to me is the real ham radio experience. I remember all that stuff from my SWl days and ham radio for almost 60 years now. I am still doing it that way with EME on 23cm.
Now the new way they know nothing...soon there will be an app (if there isn't already) to work the sats with a dongle and the portable device...but the user will know nothing.
With all the conversation lately on here lately it appears most tend to be an appliance operator and it should be like a local repeater.
I guess my age is showing but I remember the bit about the ham who did eveything AUTO in their shack...including the card...but was never home.
Sorry to vent here but I miss the old days of trial,error and experiment to learn.
I use https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xdsopl.robot36 To decode my SSTV signals, point a fm ht at the ISS or attach it to a vertical, and just use the audio to decode.
I'm sure there's an apple equivalent.
Henry
On Fri, 8 Feb 2019, 18:09 Bill Booth <ve3nxk@gmail.com wrote:
On 2019-02-08 12:11 PM, Robert Bruninga wrote:
OLD FUD Approach: MELINNIAL APPROACH:
Using the old method one learns how it all works..trial, error and experiment. This to me is the real ham radio experience. I remember all that stuff from my SWl days and ham radio for almost 60 years now. I am still doing it that way with EME on 23cm.
Now the new way they know nothing...soon there will be an app (if there isn't already) to work the sats with a dongle and the portable device...but the user will know nothing.
With all the conversation lately on here lately it appears most tend to be an appliance operator and it should be like a local repeater.
I guess my age is showing but I remember the bit about the ham who did eveything AUTO in their shack...including the card...but was never home.
Sorry to vent here but I miss the old days of trial,error and experiment to learn.
-- Bill Booth VE3NXK Sundridge ON, Canada 79.23.37 W x 45.46.18 N FN05ns
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participants (3)
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Bill Booth -
Henry Bond -
Robert Bruninga