Satellite portable ... or ... satellite tracking on your mobile phone.

Avid readers of the bulletin boards may be aware that a couple of years ago I mentioned that it might be a good idea if someone wrote a tracking program for mobile phones that ran the popular Symbian operating system.

At that time, nobody resonded.

There have been programs for certain PDA's and Win-doze mobile but until recently, nothing for the Symbian OS..

A portable satellite station can be as small as a dual-band handheld, a 3/4 wave whip (albiet minimalistic) and your mobile phone.

Of course, one can print out orbit predictions as well as lugging around a laptop for fancy graphics - but the really 'smart' people could just use a 'smartphone'.

Therefore ... since nobody responded first time around - ( I can't even write my name properly) - I repeated my request for someone to write a tracking program for Symbian phones ... which resulted in K0SM Andy making me aware of his excellent tracking program for mobile phones called 'SATme'.

Users of Java programs on mobile phones are usually aware that many strange things can and usually do happen with the installation of certain programs.

The reason I mention this is to illustrate the 'service' Andy provided - which was nothing less than spectacular! ... in fact, he customised his program - (on a Saturday night !, while we were in "QSO" on the internet) - to specifically fit my N70 phone, giving me the parameters I wanted in a tracking program for portable operations.

Tailor-made tracking programs? ...this is most certainly in the true spirit of amateur radio.

A DEMO of Andy's program may be downloaded from this location ... http://www.k0sm.com/

I'm also using my phone as a QSO recorder ... as well as transmitting CW WAV files ... to compliment the maniature homebrew keyer I have strapped to my thigh, made from 2 x microswitches 'thieved' from a computer mouse. I have the phones clock set up for various satellite 'periods' - (AOS audio warnings, to you!) while the phone's 'notepad' shows the uplink/downlink frequencies.

A mobile phone can be a very useful addition to your portable satellite station if you don't want to lug your laptop around.

The 'Mprs' program not only shows up on Findu.com - it sends your GPS position and if you wish, even a text message from your phone.

Google maps is self explaitory.

Did I mention that in extreme cicumstances my Nokia N74 could even be used as a telephone ??.

73 John. la2qaa@amsat.org