I think it's because more people use SatPC32 then any other satellite tracking program. The majority of SatPC32 users don't have a problem. Also the experienced users of SatPC32 don't mind helping out the new users of the s/w simply because it is the best satellite tracking package in use today, hands down...

73 Jeff kb2m

-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2009 7:20 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [amsat-bb] SatPC32

It amazes me, the number of people who, every time a new satellite/radio/rotor/interface etc appears, have to ask how to configure SatPC32 to work with the new equipment. I've never seen this with other software, other than the HRD suite.

I've not used SatPC preferring Orbitron or InstantTrack. Does SatPC not have a manual or instructions? Are we breeding operators who cannot read or understand the language?

What's going on?

On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 8:23 PM, [email protected] wrote:

Add them in the amateur.txt file.

C:/Documents and Settings/ (your user name)/Application Data/SatPC32/Keplar/amateur.txt Edit this file and add the XW-1 keps

XW-1 1 36121U 09072A 09349.53641119 -.00000045 00000-0 00000+0 31 2 36121 100.5050 046.6267 0007989 035.4736 324.6735 13.16391085 50

Restart your computer and files should appear.

One possible source of confusion is due to the fact that amateur.txt is not the only possible source of keplerian elements. If you call up the window that appears with the 'Satelites' menu, on the far left you will see a list of files in the SatPC32/Kepler directory. Clicking on any one of these will generate a list of satellites whose orbits are defined in that file, and from there you can select a subgroup to be displayed in the main program. As a result, if you edit the 'amateur.txt' file, be sure that this is the file you have selected under the 'Satellites' window as well. Also note that when you update the keps from the web, you'll clobber the file that you edited by hand.

73, Bruce

It would be nice if someone could convince the powers-that-be at Celestrak to add newly-launched amateur satellites to the amateur.txt file sooner...

My experience is that they do it immediately when asked. Its just that someone has to ask. If no one asks, then they don't move it there.

Bob, WB4APR

It's in one of the Celestrak files - http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/tle-new.txt - last 30 days.

Simon Brown http://sdr-radio.com

-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Robert Bruninga

My experience is that they do it immediately when asked. Its just that someone has to ask. If no one asks, then they don't move it there.

Hi Elan, WB2IOL

Actually 50 feet of LMR400 adds 0.75 dB to the Noise Figure of your 144 MHz preamplifier and 1.35 dB to the Noise Figure of your 432 MHz preamplifier.

Why deteriorate the Noise Figure of your receiving system adding the losses of a coax cable between the antenna and preamplifier ?

73" de

i8CVS Domenico

----- Original Message ----- From: "Elan Portnoy" [email protected] To: "'amsat bb'" [email protected] Sent: Friday, December 18, 2009 6:52 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Preamp location tech question

Hello all,

In the midst of all the excitement around the new birds, I have a question

for all of you:

I have ARR preamps on both the 432 and 145 transmission lines. At the

moment, they are located in shack, just before the transceiver.

Both lines to antennas are 50 feet (15.24 meters) of LMR400. How much of a

performance improvement should I expect from mast mounting the preamps? It could be done, but I'd rather keep them inside if there's nothing to be gained.

Thanks, Elan - WB2IOL _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. 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

Hi, it is more efficient to keep preamps to the nearest place of antenna..... at this moment you are also amplify noise that is pick up by your coax. I tested the difference before changing my feed line with heliax ldf4, and you can hear a difference on low elevevation pass. I really think it worth it, even if you have only 50 feet run. I have alsmost the same lenght of feed line at my place.

73

J-F VA2SS

2009/12/18 Elan Portnoy [email protected]:

Hello all,

In the midst of all the excitement around the new birds, I have a question for all of you:

I have ARR preamps on both the 432 and 145 transmission lines. At the moment, they are located in shack, just before the transceiver.

Both lines to antennas are 50 feet (15.24 meters) of LMR400. How much of a performance improvement should I expect from mast mounting the preamps? It could be done, but I'd rather keep them inside if there's nothing to be gained.

Thanks, Elan - WB2IOL _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. 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

Hi Elan,

You don't mention the model of preamplifiers from ARR that you are using but I suppose that you got the better between the tree models available i.e. the SP144VDG 144-148 MHz with NF = 0.55 dB and the SP432VDG 420-450 MHz with NF= 0.55 dB

Now if you add between the antenna and preamplifiers 50 feet of coax cable LMR400 then the loss of 0.75 dB at 144 MHz and the loss of 1.35 dB at 435 MHz adds to the Noise Figure of your preamplifiers so that it is like to have:

a 144 MHz preamplifier with an overall NF = 0.55 + 0.75 = 1.3 dB a 435 MHz preamplifier with an overall NF = 0.55 + 1.35 = 1.9 dB

Supposing that you have the preamplifier antenna mounted working out the numbars for 144 MHz we get:

Noise Figure NF = 0.55 dB Noise Factor F = 10^(NF/10) = 10^0.055 = 1.13 The equivalent Noise Temperature T = (1.13 -1 ) x 290 = 39 kelvin If you live in a rural area at 144 MHz the equivalent Noise Antenna Temperature T1=200 kelvin so that your Tsys1=39+200= 239 kelvin

Let see what happens if you mount the preamplifier in the shack:

Overall Noise Figure = 0.55 + 0.75 = 1.3 dB Overall Noise Factor F = 10^(10/1.3) = 10^0.13 = 1.35 The equivalent Noise Temperature T = (1.35-1) x 290 = 101 kelvin Since the antenna is the same Tsys2 = 101+200 = 301 kelvin

The improvement putting the preamplifier antenna mounted against shack mounted is

10 log (Tsys2 / Tsys1 ) = 10 log (301 / 239 ) = 1.0 dB 10 10

The improvement at 144 MHz is very small because the Antenna Temperature = 200 kelvin predominates.

Let see the situation for 435 MHz were the Antenna Temperature is less and only 50 kelvin in a rural area

Preamplifier antenna mounted:

Noise Figure NF = 0.55 dB Noise Factor F = 10^(NF/10) = 10^0.055 = 1.13 The equivalent Noise Temperature T = (1.13 -1 ) x 290 = 39 kelvin If you live in a rural area the equivalent Noise Antenna Temperature T1 = 50 kelvin so that your Tsys1 = 39 + 50 = 89 kelvin

Preamplifier in the shak:

Overall Noise Figure = 0.55 + 1.35 = 1.9 dB Overall Noise Factor F = 10^(10/1.9) = 10^0.19 = 1.55 The equivalent Noise Temperature T = (1.55-1) x 290 = 159 kelvin Since the antenna is the same Tsys2 = 159 +50 = 209 kelvin

The improvement with the preamplifier antenna mounted against shack mounted is

10 log (Tsys2 / Tsys1 ) = 10 log (209 / 89 ) = 3.7 dB 10 10

The improvement in 435 MHz is greater because the Antenna Temperature = 50 kelvin do not predominates over the equivalent Preamplifier Noise Temperature.

By the way 3.7 dB of more swing in the S meter over the noise is more than half of a S point so that in your situation I would put only the 435 MHz preamplifier at the antenna and would leave the 144 MHz preamplifier in the shack.

CONCLUSION:

Since the loss of 50 feet of LMR400 is very small the advantage in (S+N)/N ratio to put the low noise preamplifiers antenna mounted is only 1 db at 144 MHz and 3.7 dB at 435 MHz in a rural area. If the installation is made in a suburban area or in a urban area where the equivalent Antenna Noise level is greater and predominates then the advantages are accordingly less.

I hope this helps.

73" de

i8CVS Domenico

----- Original Message ----- From: "Elan Portnoy" [email protected] To: "amsat bb" [email protected] Sent: Sunday, December 20, 2009 6:40 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Preamp location tech question

Well, it's clear what I should do. Will try remounting on masts as soon as

weather permits. Looking forward to improvements in performance.

Thanks to all and happy holidays!

It is only necessary to restart SatPC32 after editing any of the auxiliary files.... not the whole computer.

George, KA3HSW

----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: "Bob- W7LRD" [email protected] Cc: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2009 6:23 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: XW-! keps

Add them in the amateur.txt file.

C:/Documents and Settings/ (your user name)/Application Data/SatPC32/Keplar/amateur.txt Edit this file and add the XW-1 keps

XW-1 1 36121U 09072A 09349.53641119 -.00000045 00000-0 00000+0 31 2 36121 100.5050 046.6267 0007989 035.4736 324.6735 13.16391085 50

Restart your computer and files should appear.

This info was sent to me yesterday and is right on as of today's passes. You can also use Hope-1 as the name of the satellite..

John W6ZKH