I have uploaded the three morning passes of SO-67 as follows:

http://www.papays.com/SO-67_29Nov2009_132150z.mp3

http://www.papays.com/SO-67_29Nov2009_145433z.mp3

http://www.papays.com/SO-67_29Nov2009_162953z.mp3

If you want to make successful qso's on SO-67, you must change the way you normally operate. The three second tail is different than any other satellite so you must adjust for it. If you don't, you will not have much fun.

The first way to make a good contact is to wait 3 seconds after the last station transmits before you transmit. You will then be able to transmit for as long as the qrm will allow. I believe there is a 30 second timer which will come into play if a valid signal with PL is continuous for that period of time.

If someone calls you and you can reply in less than three seconds, by all means jump right in and transmit as soon as the other station drops. There is enough time to acknowledge with your grid square and a "qsl." There is normally not enough time to add your callsign. If you have to say more than 3 seconds worth, wait until the tail timer expires (3 seconds) before you start transmitting.

If you are full duplex, you can easily transmit on the 3 second tail, hear yourself drop, unkey and then begin transmitting again. That has worked for some.

There is a third way to get around the tail timer and that is to start transmitting before the station you are working unkeys. If there is a squelch crash, you missed and the tail timer will get you. If you get your transmitter on before the other station drops, you'll be able to exchange your info without dropping. It's tricky and full duplex helps.

There are many other factors which can contribute to a drop including being clobbered by another station. If the clobbering station is not running PL, the three second timer starts and the bird will drop. Again, full duplex helps to hear what is going on when you are transmitting. Running too much deviation can also mute the receiver and start the timer. Turn your mic gain down and your processor off. Use narrow FM on your transmit signal if your radio has it.

Incorporating a 3 second waiting period is very difficult because we have been programmed to respond immediately after the station we are working stops transmitting. Failure to begin transmitting immediately usually results in someone else making a call. However, when working SO-67, transmitting immediately will start the 3 second timer. It takes discipline to wait.

The last option is to just listen and let the others experience the fun. (smile)

73, John K8YSE