FD is a mess every year. No matter what bird(s) you try.
Most of the FD stations have no clue about satellites, they just get the idea they need to make 1 satellite contact or as many as they can. They don't know about all the rules particular to AMSAT, and they dont' care.
They ask somebody what frequency to transmit and listen on and then they get their 500 watt amp, big beam or no beam, no preamp, and start calling and calling. They don't hear anything so they just mess up the whole works. Happens every year.
You either have to bear with it and make your one contact or give up.
73, K6YK
On Mon, 27 Jun 2011 21:33:34 +0100 Gordon JC Pearce gordonjcp@gjcp.net writes:
On Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:48:48 -0500 Patrick Green pagreen@gmail.com wrote:
The ARRL should impose an ERP limit for satellite contacts. That would solve the problem. I don't see how running amplifiers on FD
is
in the spirit of what FD is all about. I've made contacts using
50 mw
so why do stations use 100+ watts *before* the antenna.. I
wouldn't
want my kids playing around a FD site with this time of setup.
Wouldn't that be AMSAT's job? It's certainly possible to work an FM bird with 5W from a handie, and a hand-held yagi.
I don't understand the obsession with having all-singing-all-dancing computer-controlled setups, where it automatically updates its orbital elements, automatically calculates when the next pass is, automatically calculates where to steer the aerial and what to tune the radio to and leaving the operator to just push the PTT and shout over the top of the QRP/P stations.
All the computer-controlled stuff just plain isn't amateur radio. If you want to sit in front of a computer and talk to people, use Skype.
Gordon MM0YEQ _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
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K6YK, FD has always been a mess, A mixture of new and old amateurs good and bad operators and the majority just trying to learn. We had several ex Amateurs stop by our FD site, some were just looking others helped and operated. We may reactivate some. SSB birds sound like 20 Meters, huge pile ups. I hate to tell them that will only happen, one day a year.
KO6BT got started in satellites at a PARC FD using a station I put together with home brew antennas on a 6' step ladder. He worked a JA on AO-10 CW. He was really excited. So FD has a purpose, introduction lies beneath the attraction of chaos.
I think more operators would work the linear transponder satellites if better equipment was available. The stuff from the big three in Japan does not give the user what they need. The best receiver with the most features is tied to the transmitter leaving the operator with an under performing sub receiver for listening. The list goes on. Tracking programs are helpful, but s means of checking the beacon level and a means of easily adjusting your power level are not always provided. Responses of digital knobs playing analog are hard to deal with until you get use to the delay of your radio. Quick tuning is nearly impossible.
Art, KC6UQH
-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of k6yk Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 2:02 PM To: gordonjcp@gjcp.net Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: FD Mess
FD is a mess every year. No matter what bird(s) you try.
Most of the FD stations have no clue about satellites, they just get the idea they need to make 1 satellite contact or as many as they can. They don't know about all the rules particular to AMSAT, and they dont' care.
They ask somebody what frequency to transmit and listen on and then they get their 500 watt amp, big beam or no beam, no preamp, and start calling and calling. They don't hear anything so they just mess up the whole works. Happens every year.
You either have to bear with it and make your one contact or give up.
73, K6YK
On Mon, 27 Jun 2011 21:33:34 +0100 Gordon JC Pearce gordonjcp@gjcp.net writes:
On Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:48:48 -0500 Patrick Green pagreen@gmail.com wrote:
The ARRL should impose an ERP limit for satellite contacts. That would solve the problem. I don't see how running amplifiers on FD
is
in the spirit of what FD is all about. I've made contacts using
50 mw
so why do stations use 100+ watts *before* the antenna.. I
wouldn't
want my kids playing around a FD site with this time of setup.
Wouldn't that be AMSAT's job? It's certainly possible to work an FM bird with 5W from a handie, and a hand-held yagi.
I don't understand the obsession with having all-singing-all-dancing computer-controlled setups, where it automatically updates its orbital elements, automatically calculates when the next pass is, automatically calculates where to steer the aerial and what to tune the radio to and leaving the operator to just push the PTT and shout over the top of the QRP/P stations.
All the computer-controlled stuff just plain isn't amateur radio. If you want to sit in front of a computer and talk to people, use Skype.
Gordon MM0YEQ _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
____________________________________________________________ Groupon™ Official Site 1 ridiculously huge coupon a day. Get 50-90% off your city's best! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4e08f240241f6c2ab4st04vuc _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
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The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
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On 6/28/2011 12:19 AM, Art McBride wrote:
K6YK, FD has always been a mess,
{snip}
I think more operators would work the linear transponder satellites if better equipment was available. The stuff from the big three in Japan does not give the user what they need.
Art, KC6UQH
I beg to differ here, A real bird enthusiast equipment would not be a reason for not getting on. I became active in the mid 70's on the Oscars of those days in Mode A.
Station?
Novice HF station, Old Drake TR-4 tranciever for the 10 meter receive. no pre amps or nothing fed with radio shack RG-58 about 100 feet of it, (maybe a few DB loss there?) 10 meter ant? 10 meter dipole up about 20 feet on my roof.
2 Meter Transmitter? I honestly can not remember what it was. I just remember it was a VFO controlled AM only transciever that ran like 5 watts on AM output. We simply disconnected the Mic. and added a straight Key to the PTT line and had a blast on the Birds. Worked like 30 to 40 sates with that set up.
So fancy state of the art equipment from Japan is Not needed.
Joe WB9SBD
-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of k6yk Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 2:02 PM To: gordonjcp@gjcp.net Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: FD Mess
FD is a mess every year. No matter what bird(s) you try.
Most of the FD stations have no clue about satellites, they just get the idea they need to make 1 satellite contact or as many as they can. They don't know about all the rules particular to AMSAT, and they dont' care.
They ask somebody what frequency to transmit and listen on and then they get their 500 watt amp, big beam or no beam, no preamp, and start calling and calling. They don't hear anything so they just mess up the whole works. Happens every year.
You either have to bear with it and make your one contact or give up.
73, K6YK
On Mon, 27 Jun 2011 21:33:34 +0100 Gordon JC Pearcegordonjcp@gjcp.net writes:
On Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:48:48 -0500 Patrick Greenpagreen@gmail.com wrote:
The ARRL should impose an ERP limit for satellite contacts. That would solve the problem. I don't see how running amplifiers on FD
is
in the spirit of what FD is all about. I've made contacts using
50 mw
so why do stations use 100+ watts *before* the antenna.. I
wouldn't
want my kids playing around a FD site with this time of setup.
Wouldn't that be AMSAT's job? It's certainly possible to work an FM bird with 5W from a handie, and a hand-held yagi.
I don't understand the obsession with having all-singing-all-dancing computer-controlled setups, where it automatically updates its orbital elements, automatically calculates when the next pass is, automatically calculates where to steer the aerial and what to tune the radio to and leaving the operator to just push the PTT and shout over the top of the QRP/P stations.
All the computer-controlled stuff just plain isn't amateur radio. If you want to sit in front of a computer and talk to people, use Skype.
Gordon MM0YEQ _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Groupon™ Official Site 1 ridiculously huge coupon a day. Get 50-90% off your city's best! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4e08f240241f6c2ab4st04vuc _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 6241 (20110626) __________
The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 6245 (20110627) __________
The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (3)
-
Art McBride -
Joe -
k6yk