March 2008 - Amsat-dc (INACTIVE)

Re: Just found you
by Kilroy, Patrick L. (GSFC-568.0) 25 Mar '08

25 Mar '08

Hello Scott, Thanks for your message. Glad to meet you. Do you *live* in the Waldorf, Md. area as well? There are several AMSAT members in southern Maryland, as you will discover while you hang out with us on the amsat-dc e-mail list, meet on various local repeaters, run into each other at local hamfests, and participate in AMSAT activities in the Maryland-D.C. area. Several of us will be at the hamfest in Timonium, Md. on Saturday/Sunday, March 29-30. We will host an AMSAT table there. Hope you can attend. Many of us will be celebrating Space Day 2008 at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum next to the national mall in D.C. on Saturday, May 3. Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, and others are organizing the AMSAT events that day with planning in the works, so keep an eye out for news on the amsat-dc list, on www.amsat.org and in the AMSAT Journal. Please join us! Lockheed Martin is presenting Family Space Day at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Organization Type: Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum. We expect 10,000 participants for this event. Admission: Free. http://www.nasm.si.edu/ Other activities abound. Watch too the ANS bulletins! Hope to meet you in the main stream sometime soon. Sincerely, Pat N8PK Pat Kilroy Building 5, Mail Code 568 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 Phone: +1-301-286-1984 E-mail: Patrick.L.Kilroy(a)nasa.gov ________________________________ From: N3UJJ (Scott Gillis) [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 12:50 PM To: Kilroy, Patrick L. (GSFC-568.0) Subject: Just found you Pat, I just found your site (and AMSAT-dc mailing list), wish I had found it 2 weeks ago.... I'm still getting my Sat-Station set up in my shack Any local contacts that I can bounce ideas off, on the following hardware/software ? PCSAT32 Icom IC-910H Yaesu GS-5500 (with GS-232B) Gulf Alpha 2 Meter 5X5 Cross Polarity <file:///\\Product%20Page%202%20m%205%20ele%20cross%20pol%20yagi.html> Yagi Gulf Alpha <file:///\\Product%20Page%202%20m%205%20ele%20cross%20pol%20yagi.html> 70CM 8x8 Cross Polarity Yagi Just got everything up last week and now am fine tuning everything.... I seem to have more questions every day Scott Gillis N3UJJ My Current Location <http://location.n3ujj.com> My Amateur Weather Station <http://weather.n3ujj.com/> Scott Gillis Systems Administrator Toyota of Waldorf 2600 Crain Highway Waldorf, MD 20601 301.843.3700 (Receptionist) 240.607.1220 (Direct Line) 301.399.0439 (Cell Phone) 164*22*23122 (Nextel Direct Connect)

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AMSAT Lab volunteers!
by Robert Davis 18 Mar '08

18 Mar '08

To all prospective lab volunteers, We finally have liability coverage for our volunteer activities at the Pocomoke facility! Yahoo! Sorry for that delay. We all sort of thought that it would be a faster process. Even though it's Easter weekend, the AMSAT Lab will be open this Saturday. Please join us if you can! I want complete the cleanroom and start cleaning up the lab for use. Schedule: Sat Mar 22 OPEN Sat Mar 29 OPEN A couple days ago, I attended the AMSAT-DC Annual Meeting and Space Seminar. Had a good time, met some good people, and gave a presentation on the lab status. http://patkilroy.com/amsat-dc/ On Wed Mar 2, I will attend the Lewes Amateur Radio Society club meeting. I will have a presentation at 7pm on the AMSAT Lab status & projects. www.lewesars.net On Sat Mar 12, I will attend the Sussex County Hamfest. I will have the same presentation about 11:15-noon on the AMSAT Lab status & projects. www.k3str.com All are welcome to either of these upcoming events. The lab *may* be closed on Sat Mar 12. More schedule later, as that's as far as I can see into the future! For questions or directions, email me at KF4KSS(a)amsat.org or call my cell 443-783-7794. 73 bob Robert Davis KF4KSS

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March 15 Meeing Followups
by Kilroy, Patrick L. (GSFC-568.0) 17 Mar '08

17 Mar '08

Hi all, What a wonderful time we had, right? The photos, meeting minutes and comments are starting to flow in, thank you! Here are some status points and some requests for follow up, if possible and if not out of line, . . . 1. Please go to the web page, get a copy of the updated agenda, and scan for any more corrections needed. I will make the changes and then we will upload the copy to serve us For The Record. Presenters are graciously asked to check the title I have listed, because some of them are my own "cutesy" titles I had made up before the meeting. Thank you again for your support! 2. Those who brought in hardware for our hi-tech Show 'n' Tell, I believe I have on record what it is and who it belongs to. This information will be reflected in the record. If you wish to list/describe the hardware YOURSELF then please shoot me an e-mail with your text. Thank you! 3. Please let me know if I missed anyone in the "TNX List" at the bottom of the agenda. I want to capture all of our contributors to our successful meeting and space seminar and make each of you/them known. Thank you again! 4. The meeting minutes were ALREADY offered to me by Bruce Semple, WA3SWJ, and so I am doing some "touch ups" on his rather excellent work. They will be released this week for all. Any one who wishes to, in turn, add, clarify points, or "correct" anything will have a 24-48 hour opportunity to do so before they become our official "record". So BE READY and keep an eye out! 5. For photos, I wonder if we could embed the date, callsign and name, either in the image itself -OR- in the filename of each image? Example: XXXXXXXXX-2008-0315-Bob-WP4BQV.jpg, where XXXXXXXXX is your own filename or index number, followed by the mks date format, name and callsign, all separated by a dash. In the case of a hardware picture, maybe this: XXXXXXXXXX-2008-0315-N4ZPT-hardware. And then the name or callsign of the person who took or otherwise offered the photo in the first place should be represented too: W4ART-XXXXXXXXXX-2008-0315-K3IO-hardware.jpg? Or XXXXXXXXXX-W4ART-2008-0315-K3IO-hardware.jpg, where all after the date is a "description" of the photo subject. 6. We will soon identify on the amsat-dc reflector each "Special Interest List" page that was sent around the room for sign up. That way, others may sign up for a particular activity too. My last count was two by Frank Bauer, KA3HDO (one for the Space Day activity at the National Air & Space Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, May 3, and the other for a special AMSAT activity on the National Mall to take place during the annual Folk Life Festival in June/July timeframe, exact dates TBD), one by Dan Schultz, N8FGV and me (regarding volunteer sign ups for staffing the AMSAT table at the Timonium Hamfest on Saturday or Sunday, March 29-30, no experience required) and one by me (asking for volunteers to sign up for a slot on our Steering Committee to plan and prepare next year's AMSAT-DC Meeting and Space Seminar, which will have changes, new features including a a workshop to build something, however simple, e.g., a hand held 70cm Yagi, or a PICetSat flight module, or a You-Propose-It). 7. If anyone has any Lessons Learned or improvements for next year to offer then please write either to me directly, or if you wish, (diplomatically) share with all on the amsat-dc e-mail reflector. Remember, for many items for "improvement" please offer either a volunteer by name to do it or describe a means for another volunteer on how to accomplish such a task. Whew. I didn't think this message was going to be this long! I hope you stayed with me! What did I miss?? (HI, HI.) Cheers, Pat N8PK >Date: Sat, 15 Mar 2008 20:30:33 -0400 >From: "Robert Morales" <wp4bqv(a)gmail.com> >Subject: [amsat-dc] Re: Meeting: Order of Start >To: amsat-dc(a)amsat.org > >Pat (and all presenters), > >Outstanding job once again putting together memorable AMSAT-DC >gathering! My daughter Grace and I had great time. Look >forward to seeing the pictures taken during the meeting. > >Cheers and 73s de Bob, WP4BQV. > >-- >R. L. Morales, WP4BQV >wp4bqv(a)gmail.com >http://journals.aol.com/wp4bqv/RadioIntercepts/ >Echolink node# 165727 >APRS mobile: WP4BQV-7 >"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence." - Carl Sagan >

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Meeting: Order of Start
by Pat Kilroy 16 Mar '08

16 Mar '08

HERE IS THE ORDER of things to start at our 2008 AMSAT-DC Meeting and Space Seminar tomorrow, Saturday, March 15. Please help me maintain this order since I could not get into the Pioneer Hall tonight as planned for an early set up ... 10:00 A.M. EDT. Doors open ONLY for volunteers with a task, and presenters. 10:30 A.M. Doors open for registration, name badge making, other set ups. 11:00 A.M. Call to order, welcome, housekeeping notes, order of Agenda. For early birds who do NOT have an ASSIGNED task to work on, PLEASE DO NOT VENTURE inside the Pioneer Hall door until after 10:30 A.M. Stay outside the door until called to the Registration table. (I will be direct and ask what you are doing there. Please help keep me nice.) Then please sign in at the registration table AND MAKE A NAME (and callsign) BADGE if you are not wearing one to the meeting. All types accepted. Thank you. We have the hall until 6:00 P.M., firm. Our day will be wonderful. Hpe to C U soon. Sincerely, Pat Kilroy N8PK AMSAT-DC Meeting Details: http://patkilroy.com/amsat-dc/

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Bring Your Dual Band HT
by Kilroy, Patrick L. (GSFC-568.0) 15 Mar '08

15 Mar '08

DON'T FORGET to bring your dual-band handheld transceiver to the AMSAT-DC gathering. And don't forget to remind yourself how to program a split offset before you leave home (check the manual). If you do this you may be glad. See again Tom K3IO's message below. TX 435.900 MHz FM RX 144.350 MHz FM C U soon, Pat N8PK http://patkilroy.com/amsat-dc/ >Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 01:11:51 -0500 >From: "Tom Clark, K3IO" <k3io(a)verizon.net> >Subject: [amsat-dc] Re: March 15 is the Date >To: AMSAT-DC <amsat-dc(a)amsat.org> > >Pat Kilroy wrote: >> Hi guys, >> >> We have about three weeks until our local >> AMSAT meeting and space seminar. Here is >> my status report. >> >In case you would be interested, I have a new project in the >works that enables a low-cost, accurate computer controlled >antenna positioner. > >This is NOT just another analog computer interface that uses >potentiometers inside the rotor --- all control is digital. I'm >getting about 1 deg accuracy in both az & el, and it is quite >suitable for small (~1m) dishes and/or small yagis. Not sure of >the final costs yet, but a 2-axis rotor system with controller >should cost <$250, with all the hard parts purchasable with >plastic over the internet. > >Also, I think we (N4HY, W2GPS & I) will be in the position to >demonstrate a functioning breadboard prototype of the Suitsat-2 >SDX transponder on the air. People should be prepared to TX on >70 cm (435.9) & RX on 2M (either 144.35 or 435.90 TBD). > >73, Tom > ----------------------------------------- Mr. Patrick L. Kilroy Flight Systems Integration and Test (I&T) Building 5, Mail Code 568 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 Phone: 301-286-1984 E-mail: Patrick.L.Kilroy(a)nasa.gov ------------------------------------------- LRO Project http://lro.gsfc.nasa.gov "Regarding Project Reviews, the nice thing about the truth is that it makes having to remember what you said so much easier."

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Attends of the AMSAT-DC Meeting........
by Charles Heisler -K3VDB- 13 Mar '08

13 Mar '08

There will be 3X5 Cards available for you to advertise any Ham Radio Related 'Widgit' you might have FOR SALE. They will be displayed on a pin board. PLEASE DO NOT BRING FOR SALE ITEMS INTO THE MUSEUM OR DISPLAY THEM IN THE PARKING LOT as we don't have permission from the Museum to have a Hamfest. It is suggested interested buyers could be taken to the parking lot to see your 'widgit' and make the deal (or not) during a break or after meeting. TNX Charlie K3VDB

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Something New
by Kilroy, Patrick L. (GSFC-568.0) 12 Mar '08

12 Mar '08

ONE WEEK FROM TONIGHT, on March 14, I will be visiting Pioneer Hall at the Historical Electronics Museum at around 5:00 P.M. The task will be to decide how to set up tables and chairs for the AMSAT-DC gathering scheduled for the very next morning and then to do the set up work. IF YOU CAN MAKE IT to help set up the night before then that would be wonderful. Something new! That way, 75% of the work will be done the evening before, work that has in the past contributed to late starts. (Ugh!) I'd like to start on time, at 11:00 A.M. on March 15. Thank you, Pat N8PK http://patkilroy.com/amsat-dc/ P.S. Unfortunately, FYI, ... THINGS WE WON'T HAVE AT THE MEETING Talk-in (8 AM - 11 AM) Talk-in (11 AM - 1 PM) Greeters (3) for registration table, sign-in, name badges, etc. Sign maker and poster (2) for parking and welcome Video (2) w light, sound & editing as needed Notes/minutes (1 or 2), for meeting follow up for others Time keeper (1 or 2) Refreshment table keeper (1 or 2) Museum tour guides (2 min) For Sale board (1) and free 3x5 cards and other special touches we will be without, so far, due to no responding volunteers for these slots. ------------------------------------------- Mr. Patrick L. Kilroy Flight Systems Integration and Test (I&T) Building 5, Mail Code 568 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 Phone: 301-286-1984 E-mail: Patrick.L.Kilroy(a)nasa.gov -------------------------------------------

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ALERT: Presenter Info Needed
by Kilroy, Patrick L. (GSFC-568.0) 11 Mar '08

11 Mar '08

To all Presenters for this coming Saturday ... I am attempting to draft the final agenda and I need at least five bits of info from each presenter: 1. A working title for your talk. 2. Your full name (and callsign if available) and of each additional person appearing or presenting under your given title. 3. A time duration request. For most slots I am accepting slots -- including Q&A -- of either 10-minutes, 20-minutes or 30-minutes. If more time is needed then I ask two questions: Exactly how much more and, more importantly, Can you segregate your time in separate 10, 20 or 30-minute modules to give at different times? (I insist to keep the agenda moving quickly! Please note that I've been to plenty of professional symposiums where only ten minutes flat is given per presenter before the red light and HALT comes on!) 4. Will you have an accompanying demo for show 'n' tell? That is, do you need a half-table for Your hardware? Or how much more table space? 5. Will you make your slides available to me if I convert them to a PDF file (read only file) before posting or archiving to our amsat-dc web site? I will have a USB thumb drive with me. Sorry. Late responders go last if at all. ALERT Someone was working with a high school, TJHS, in northern Virginia. I have not heard from the teacher, Mr. Adam Kemp, in a long time. Does any one know if they are still interested in presenting? Was it you Bill W3HXFS, or Art W3ART, or David W2LNX? Can one of you get the above info from them to me by Friday? Else, no joy. Thank you! REQUEST I am looking for someone there on Saturday to offer their fast laptop PC, running either Windows XPP or Windows Vista, to let it serve as our PowerPoint PC and be plugged into my Toshiba LCD projector. Any takers for the first half of the day? Any for the second half? Thanks! Looking forward to a fine day on March 15. Cheers, Pat Kilroy N8PK ------------------------------------------- Mr. Patrick L. Kilroy Flight Systems Integration and Test (I&T) Building 5, Mail Code 568 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 Phone: 301-286-1984 E-mail: Patrick.L.Kilroy(a)nasa.gov ------------------------------------------- LRO Project http://lro.gsfc.nasa.gov "Regarding Reviews, the nice thing about the truth is that it makes having to remember what you said so much easier."

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Re: Something New
by Bruce Semple 07 Mar '08

07 Mar '08

Hi Pat -- I have signed up to help setup (and clean up ) -- so I blocked out Saturday morning -- -- I can't make it Friday night @ 5:00pm I can be there as early as you need Saturday morning -- 9:00am If you want to just leave a diagram , instructions I can work on it SAT morning -- I can bring a laptop to take notes -- if no-one else wants to do it. and I can certainly sit on the registration table. Looking forward to it -- 73, Bruce WA3SWJ At 10:31 AM 3/7/2008, Kilroy, Patrick L. (GSFC-568.0) wrote: >ONE WEEK FROM TONIGHT, on March 14, I will be >visiting Pioneer Hall at the Historical Electronics >Museum at around 5:00 P.M. > >The task will be to decide how to set up tables and >chairs for the AMSAT-DC gathering scheduled for the >very next morning and then to do the set up work. > >IF YOU CAN MAKE IT to help set up the night before >then that would be wonderful. Something new! > >That way, 75% of the work will be done the evening >before, work that has in the past contributed to >late starts. (Ugh!) > >I'd like to start on time, at 11:00 A.M. on March 15. > >Thank you, > >Pat >N8PK >http://patkilroy.com/amsat-dc/ > > >P.S. Unfortunately, FYI, ... > >THINGS WE WON'T HAVE AT THE MEETING > >Talk-in (8 AM - 11 AM) >Talk-in (11 AM - 1 PM) >Greeters (3) for registration table, sign-in, name badges, etc. >Sign maker and poster (2) for parking and welcome >Video (2) w light, sound & editing as needed >Notes/minutes (1 or 2), for meeting follow up for others >Time keeper (1 or 2) >Refreshment table keeper (1 or 2) >Museum tour guides (2 min) >For Sale board (1) and free 3x5 cards > >and other special touches we will be without, so far, >due to no responding volunteers for these slots. > > >------------------------------------------- >Mr. Patrick L. Kilroy >Flight Systems Integration and Test (I&T) >Building 5, Mail Code 568 >NASA Goddard Space Flight Center >Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 >Phone: 301-286-1984 >E-mail: Patrick.L.Kilroy(a)nasa.gov >------------------------------------------- > > > >_______________________________________________ >Via the AMSAT-DC mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA >AMSAT-DC(a)amsat.org >http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-dc

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AMSAT Lab volunteers!
by Robert Davis 07 Mar '08

07 Mar '08

All volunteers, It appears we're within about 3 work days of completing the cleanroom at the AMSAT lab in Pocomoke, MD! This is good news for those of us that have spent a year cleaning, scraping, painting, etc. I have just returned from the Orlando Hamcation, where AMSAT had a booth, presentation, Board of Directors meeting and engineering meetings. The entire weekend was very productive. In my absence, J.C., Ray, Steve & Martin worked on the cleanroom. It is really starting to look complete now. Here is the Lab schedule for the next couple of weeks: Sat Feb 16 - Open 9-5. Mon Feb 18 - Open 9-5 (this is President's Day) Sat Feb 23 - Open 9-5. I'm hoping that these dates will conclude the cleanroom effort (which is dependent on us volunteers!). Then, we will begin the Eagle Engineering Unit. This is a flight-like structure we use to verify some things before we are messing with the expensive (and schedule driven) flight unit. It will be taken (incomplete) to the Dayton Hamfest in May. We also have a couple antennas we want to raise... Anyway, all volunteers are welcome! RSVP would be nice, but not required. For directions, map to this intersection: Broad St & Pocomoke Belt Pocomoke City, MD 21851 If you have any questions, email me at KF4KSS(a)amsat.org or call my cell 443-783-7794. 73 bob Robert Davis KF4KSS

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