I’m having great difficulty hitting and receiving AO-85 with my Yaesu VX 6r. I have read about the frequencies, and that I’m not alone in the boat with HT’s and only 5 watts. I’m in BP51, and used to hit the easy ones when they were working. Am I simply wasting my time with AO-85?
Thanks, Kevin KL2RQ
Hi Kevin,
No, you're not wasting your time with AO-85. I also use a Yaesu VX 6R for all my Sat contacts, and have made several with AO-85. That said, AO-85 is much more difficult to work for me than SO-50. All my successful contacts have been made with an elevation above 45 degrees, so range may be a factor. I've also read (but haven't tried yet) about the trick of rotating the antenna 90 degrees on transmit, once you've established the best receive orientation.
73 de Bill, KG5FQX
On Mon, May 30, 2016 at 12:26 PM, Kevin Ehm [email protected] wrote:
I’m having great difficulty hitting and receiving AO-85 with my Yaesu VX 6r. I have read about the frequencies, and that I’m not alone in the boat with HT’s and only 5 watts. I’m in BP51, and used to hit the easy ones when they were working. Am I simply wasting my time with AO-85?
Thanks, Kevin KL2RQ _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
From this post on the AMSAT.ORG website: http://www.amsat.org/?p=4726
"Probably the most notable observations about AO-85 are an apparent lack of sensitivity and difficulty in turning on the repeater with the 67 Hz CTCSS when it is not yet activated, or holding it on by the presence of the CTCSS. We have determined a probable cause for the sensitivity issue and while that can’t be fixed on AO-85 we are taking steps to prevent similar issues on the rest of the Fox-1 CubeSats. The tone detection threshold along with the receive sensitivity issue makes it hard to bring up the repeater."
But like Bill said, you aren't wasting your time -- you will just find it harder to work through AO-85 than SO-50. Trying to work it with low power and linear antennas when it is low on the horizon won't be a great return on the time invested.
On the other hand, if you can't hear it then perhaps you have other RX issues -- AO-85's TX signal is quite strong (the voice ID will be picked up even without other activity).
73, Bob, WB4SON
Is there a reason for using a HT and not a desk top rig such as FT847?
John
On 5/30/2016 12:26 PM, Kevin Ehm wrote:
I’m having great difficulty hitting and receiving AO-85 with my Yaesu VX 6r. I have read about the frequencies, and that I’m not alone in the boat with HT’s and only 5 watts. I’m in BP51, and used to hit the easy ones when they were working. Am I simply wasting my time with AO-85?
John,
I'm guessing not everyone has a radio like an FT-847 but they have an HT or 2. It's also easier to carry an HT outside vs. an 847.
Dave-KB1PVH
Sent from my Samsung S4 On May 30, 2016 2:32 PM, "John Becker" [email protected] wrote:
Is there a reason for using a HT and not a desk top rig such as FT847?
John
On 5/30/2016 12:26 PM, Kevin Ehm wrote:
I’m having great difficulty hitting and receiving AO-85 with my Yaesu VX 6r. I have read about the frequencies, and that I’m not alone in the boat with HT’s and only 5 watts. I’m in BP51, and used to hit the easy ones when they were working. Am I simply wasting my time with AO-85?
Sent via [email protected]. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
For me working AO-85 while QRP is all about the challenge. Of course, it is way easier for me to work that satellite with 50 watts from a mobile rig, but my most memorable QSOs on AO-85 (and SO-50) were achieved using only a handheld antenna and a 4 watts handheld.
From southern Arizona, I have worked as far as Alaska, Yukon Territory, Curacao on SO-50 (that last one not easy from the Southwest) and Guadaloupe Island on AO-85. My AO-85, 5,282km QSO with FG8OJ was completed on a 2 degrees pass using an UV-B5/FT-817nd and Arrow antenna.
It takes planning, practice, but above all, patience and perseverance!
73 Fernando, NP4JV
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
From: Dave Webb KB1PVH Sent: Monday, May 30, 2016 11:38 AM To: AMSAT -BB Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AO-85 & HT
John,
I'm guessing not everyone has a radio like an FT-847 but they have an HT or 2. It's also easier to carry an HT outside vs. an 847.
Dave-KB1PVH
Sent from my Samsung S4 On May 30, 2016 2:32 PM, "John Becker" [email protected] wrote:
Is there a reason for using a HT and not a desk top rig such as FT847?
John
On 5/30/2016 12:26 PM, Kevin Ehm wrote:
I’m having great difficulty hitting and receiving AO-85 with my Yaesu VX 6r. I have read about the frequencies, and that I’m not alone in the boat with HT’s and only 5 watts. I’m in BP51, and used to hit the easy ones when they were working. Am I simply wasting my time with AO-85?
Sent via [email protected]. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
_______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Hi John!
For some, HTs are the only radios they may have. For others, it is the challenge of using portable/QRP equipment to work the satellite. It can be done, as WB4SON mentioned earlier (and others on this list over the past few months). Not all passes will lead to success for those using HTs with AO-85, but with planning many have had success working this satellite with HTs. I'm in that group, using several different HTs and combinations of radios to work AO-85 since its launch - and using a few of the Chinese-made HTs to work it full- duplex.
73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK
Is there a reason for using a HT and not a desk top rig such as FT847?
John
Yep: for me it's portability and ease of use. No worries about power supply, or having a table to set up, just grab and go to a near-by field where I have a good horizon.
At some point it would be nice to have a roof-mounted, sat-tracking antenna for an indoor rig (no mosquitoes!), but I'm not there yet.
73 de Bill, KG5FQX
On Mon, May 30, 2016 at 1:16 PM, John Becker [email protected] wrote:
Is there a reason for using a HT and not a desk top rig such as FT847?
John
On 5/30/2016 12:26 PM, Kevin Ehm wrote:
I’m having great difficulty hitting and receiving AO-85 with my Yaesu VX 6r. I have read about the frequencies, and that I’m not alone in the boat with HT’s and only 5 watts. I’m in BP51, and used to hit the easy ones when they were working. Am I simply wasting my time with AO-85?
Sent via [email protected]. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (7)
-
Bill Dillon -
Bob -
Dave Webb KB1PVH -
Fernando Ramirez -
John Becker -
Kevin Ehm -
Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)