I saw a mention of an issue of folks not wanting to make a big investment in satellite stuff to work SSB/CW.
ALL of the original ham satellites were SSB/CW birds. No FM. And most hams already had enough equipment to get started. The uplinks were on 2 meters or 70CM (that took a little more doing), the downlinks were on HF or 2 meters. Some of the RS birds where HF up and HF down, and HF up, 2 meters down. Interesting stuff!
Most folks had HF gear to start off in ham radio. I did not have an HT until I was a ham for probably 20 years.
Nowadays there is a LOT of VHF/UHF multi mode gear floating around the used market for reasonable prices. Also the antennas are available, sometimes for real cheap, or haul it away for free. Keep your eyes and ears open.
You don't have to go to AES/HRO/M-squared/HyGain/Cushcraft and buy new stuff to work these birds. There are many old timers who gave up satellite work when AO-10 and AO-13 went away, and their stuff is sitting around gathering dust and rust.
Hams are supposed to be resourceful and innovative!
And I went and sold my FT-847 which was about the most expensive rig I ever bought! Don't need it for these FM birds, I just use a dual-band mobile rig, works just as well.
73, John K6YK
On Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:51:48 -0900 "Edward R. Cole" kl7uw@acsalaska.net writes:
I was on AO-40 from its launch, initially running mode US, then mode
LS (I bought one of the few DEMI 1268/144 Tx converters that were made). I made several contacts after I got my s-band downlink working. Initially, I was using too small an antenna and did not have a decent preamp. Once I graduated to the 85cm (33-inch) offsst
feed dish and added a MKU-232 preamp, I was able to hear anyone. I
spent a long time collecting telemetry and could do so out to a squint angle of 49-degrees.
It really is a shame that there was no workaround for the battery issue or even run on solar panels like AO7. But this was before AO7
reawakened to provide that insight. I lived and waited long years for AO-40 and unfortunately wasted time I could have operated on AO-13.
Now I have all the stuff needed to work a Heo and hardly anywhere to
use it (I bought one of the early FT-847 just for AO-40). I would say a lot of the operators of the Heo years have gone away from satellite activity (some remain lurking on Amsat-bb wishing upon a star ...or a hope and a prayer).
I will return, if Murphy will leave me alone long enough! But I mainly operate Oscar-Zero now days.
73, ED - KL7UW
____________________________________________________________ $65/Hr Job - 25 Openings Part-Time job ($20-$65/hr). Requirements: Home Internet Access http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4d4b6249d8e291da604st02vuc
At 01:18 PM 2/4/2011, k6yk wrote:
I saw a mention of an issue of folks not wanting to make a big investment in satellite stuff to work SSB/CW.
ALL of the original ham satellites were SSB/CW birds. No FM. And most hams already had enough equipment to get started. The uplinks were on 2 meters or 70CM (that took a little more doing), the downlinks were on HF or 2 meters. Some of the RS birds where HF up and HF down, and HF up, 2 meters down. Interesting stuff!
70cm SSB radios weren't common here, only the serious UHF DXers and satellite operators had one. Thankfully, this situation has changed over the last 10 years, thanks to the all in one radios that are on the market. I myself have gone from no 70cm SSB capability, to no fewer than 3 suitable radios in the last year. 2m SSB was a lot more common here, has been for many years. I've had 2m SSB myself for over 10 years, and have at least 4 radios now that can do it.
As you'd expect, HF is common down here, but are VHF/UHF FM only radios, both mobile and HTs, especially near the major cities.
Most folks had HF gear to start off in ham radio. I did not have an HT until I was a ham for probably 20 years.
I was the opposite. Economics made it easier for me to start with a 2m HT. I didn't have an all band HF transceiver until 2000, when secondhand prices had come down enough, and I had the money to pick one up secondhand. Still got that radio too. :)
Nowadays there is a LOT of VHF/UHF multi mode gear floating around the used market for reasonable prices. Also the antennas are available, sometimes for real cheap, or haul it away for free. Keep your eyes and ears open.
Many more opportunities now. There has never been a better time to try SSB on the birds.
Hams are supposed to be resourceful and innovative!
And I went and sold my FT-847 which was about the most expensive rig I ever bought! Don't need it for these FM birds, I just use a dual-band mobile rig, works just as well.
I've just upgraded and got radios with VHF/UHF SSB capabilities. This will be used both terrestrially (I have used one to gather telemetry from a balloon launch on 70cm) and hopefully on the sats. These days it's good how a simply HF upgrade can give one so much more. And there's the bonus FT-736 as a "hand me down" from a ham friend, in appreciation for the help I've given him over the years with antennas and other projects. :)
73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL http://vkradio.com
participants (2)
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k6yk -
Tony Langdon