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CX2SA > SATDIG 13.10.09 08:09l 899 Lines 31441 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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To : SATDIG@WW
Today's Topics:
1. Re: FM satellite operations again again over Europe
(Tony Langdon)
2. Amsat conference follow-up regarding Cubesats, Education and
Experimental projects and ITU (Samudra Haque N3RDX)
3. Lack of CW on sats (Bato, Andras)
4. Re: Lack of CW on sats (John Geiger)
5. Re: Lack of CW on sats (Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF)
6. AO-51 mode update (Andrew Glasbrenner)
7. Re: FM satellite operations again again over Europe
(Gary Lockhart)
8. Mode S Downconverters (2.4GHz) FS (Stefan Wagener)
9. Re: AO-51 mode update (Bob- W7LRD)
10. Re: AO-51 mode update (Andrew Glasbrenner)
11. Re: Amsat conference follow-up regarding Cubesats, Education
and Experimental projects and ITU (Joe Fitzgerald)
12. Re: Amsat conference follow-up regarding Cubesats, Education
and Experimental projects and ITU (Samudra Haque)
13. Re: AO-51 mode update (John P. Toscano)
14. Re: AMSAT annual meeting (n4csitwo@xxxxxxxxx.xxxx
15. Re: AO-51 mode update (Bob- W7LRD)
16. Symposium, WD9EWK activity in/around Baltimore
(Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK))
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:51:32 +1100
From: Tony Langdon <vk3jed@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: FM satellite operations again again over
Europe
To: "Eric Knaps, ON4HF" <eric.knaps@xxxxxxx.xx>
Cc: AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <4ad388d0.0ab6660a.7fea.2334@xx.xxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
At 05:26 AM 10/13/2009, Eric Knaps, ON4HF wrote:
>I like rule number 3. I hate it when somebody calls cq while you are in
>the middle of a qso.
In my experience, this is often due to a station that can't hear the
downlink, but it's annoying in any case.
73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL
http://vkradio.com
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:28:02 -0400
From: Samudra Haque N3RDX <n3rdx@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Amsat conference follow-up regarding Cubesats,
Education and Experimental projects and ITU
To: Amsat-bb <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID:
<d8c724880910121328w1d5b6dder93d89d452f7e7bf7@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Hi all amsat-bb participants,
there were a number of good concepts that were floated at the 2009
AMSAT-NA Space Symposium and I highlighted the potential of using
AMSAT knowledgebase and experienced hobbyists to create relevant
course content for inclusion in a K-12 STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering and Math) syllabus for various standards of learning. One
of the nearest examples I can give of such a similar program is the
aviation-technology centric STARBASE program which is a civilian
operated program affiliated and funded by the DoD,
http://www.dodstarbase.com/ and of those programs, I highlighted work
of a single one at the conference, http://www.starbasebeaufort.com
If you were at the conference and had any questions about my
presentation, please let me know by e-mail. For others, you may wish
to purchase the proceedings of the conference from Martha/Amsat at
your convenience as this years proceedings is very well organized.
I was interested to know a little bit about the history of
development/spread of use and launch technology available for the
P-POD and Cubesat technology as discussed in
http://thespacereview.com/article/1490/1. Morehead State University
had a very interesting presentation given by Undergraduate students
about their Space Science program http://www.moreheadstate.edu/ssc/.
This lead me to think about what the cubesat platform is good for and
perhaps I could begin developing a cubesat proposal "with features" in
my future research plans.
But first a few questions:
Does cubesat employ all open standards, free for use, free of any
copyright -or- patents ?
Are there any alternative choices in the US ? I have heard at the
conference, a few years ago AMSAT-NA was initially against cubesats,
but now it is an accepted concept. Could someone provide a short
history of the discussion of that period ?
What types of missions have been completed using P-POD and Cubesat
type spacecraft at the current time ?
Is there an example of a cubesat with any kind of propulsion system
built in and put into service ? Any future candidates ?
What are the lifetime design goals of a cubesat system, and if they
deorbit in a finite time, can more than a few cubesats be deployed in
various stages in the same orbital plane and orbital track ?
BTW, I am curious, is there a certain orbital plane allocation for
cubesats/altitude ? Who regulates this ? Could a cubesat (small) be
launched into (e.g.) a fractional degree orbit .. e.g., 45.5 degrees
and separate from 45.7 degrees etc as they are very small, or are the
cubesats limited to separation in orbit by whole integer degrees
inclination ?
Also, with regard to the following ITU definition, can any one help me
locate an current list of cubesats and their mission objectives if
published on a public website ? If there is no such list readily
available, what would be the best possible method to catalog the
cubesat launches in order to determine compliance with these two
clauses ? I am looking for more comprehensive information other than
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/cubesats.php
From: http://life.itu.int/radioclub/rr/art01.htm#Serv
1.56 amateur service: A radiocommunication service for the purpose
of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations
carried out by amateurs, that is, by duly authorized persons
interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without
pecuniary interest.
1.57 amateur-satellite service: A radiocommunication service using
space stations on earth satellites for the same purposes as those of
the amateur service.
Regards from a radio amateur sat newbie,
Samudra, N3RDX
n3rdx@xxxxx.xxx
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:39:39 -0000
From: "Bato, Andras" <bato@xxxxxxx.xx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Lack of CW on sats
To: <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <1ED2D22CA8EF4EACA60D473E3EB93A5B@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-2"
Gentlemen,
I have spent a substantial amount on money to set up a satellite station.
During the past tree years I haven't heard too many station in CW!
AO-7 is used in CW but much more DX could be heard if more station were in CW.
On VO-52 we haven"t enough room. Usually a great number of stations are
calling and you can hear a devil of a noise.
The stronger wins!
K3SZH asked you to use more CW several times. I am seconding him.
Please use CW on VO-52 as well.
gl de ha6nn
Andras (Andy for short.)
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:17:11 -0700 (PDT)
From: John Geiger <aa5jg@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Lack of CW on sats
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxxx AndrasBato <bato@xxxxxxx.xx>
Message-ID: <969347.92744.qm@xxxxxxxx.xxxx.xxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
I wish we had the same problem on VO52. Not too much activity here in the
US on that wonderful sat, but I have made several CW QSOs on VO52.
73s John AA5JG
--- On Mon, 10/12/09, Bato, Andras <bato@xxxxxxx.xx> wrote:
> From: Bato, Andras <bato@xxxxxxx.xx>
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Lack of CW on sats
> To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
> Date: Monday, October 12, 2009, 3:39 PM
> Gentlemen,
>
> I have spent a substantial amount on money to set up a
> satellite station.
>
> During the past tree years I haven't heard too many station
> in CW!
>
> AO-7 is used in CW but much more DX could be heard if more
> station were in CW.
>
> On VO-52 we haven"t enough room. Usually a great number of
> stations are calling and you can hear a devil of a noise.
>
> The stronger wins!
>
> K3SZH asked you to use more CW several times. I am
> seconding him.
>
> Please use CW on VO-52 as well.
>
> gl de ha6nn
> Andras (Andy for short.)
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx.
> 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
>
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:11:31 +0000
From: Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF <nigel@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Lack of CW on sats
To: "Bato, Andras" <bato@xxxxxxx.xx>
Cc: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID: <4AD3A993.4050405@xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
Is that not to be expected now that many countries have removed the more
code requirement from their licenses?
Bato, Andras wrote:
>
> K3SZH asked you to use more CW several times. I am seconding him.
>
> Please use CW on VO-52 as well.
>
> gl de ha6nn
> Andras (Andy for short.)
--
Nigel A. Gunn, 1865 El Camino Drive, Xenia, OH 45385-1115, USA. tel +1 937
825 5032
Amateur Radio G8IFF W8IFF (was KC8NHF), e-mail nigel@xxxxx.xxx www
http://www.ngunn.net
Member of ARRL, GQRP #11396, QRPARCI #11644, SOC #548, Flying Pigs QRP
Club International #385,
Dayton ARA #2128, AMSAT-NA LM-1691, AMSAT-UK 0182, MKARS, ALC,
GCARES, XWARN.
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:22:24 -0400
From: Andrew Glasbrenner <glasbrenner@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] AO-51 mode update
To: Amsat-BB <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>, ao-51-modes@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID: <4AD3BA30.3040005@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
On tonight's pass at 23:20 I turned the 1268.7/435.15 repeater on. We'll
run this along with the 145.92/435.3 repeater for a few days, except
when collecting telemetry, until we get the rest of the schedule sorted out.
73, Drew KO4MA
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:04:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: Gary Lockhart <gary_lockhart33@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: FM satellite operations again again over
Europe
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID: <121478.62807.qm@xxxxxxxx.xxxx.xxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Thank you sharing some good operating practices that would make satellite
ops in the US more enjoyable and equitable as well.
73, Gary AB3ID ?
******************************************************************************
*******
Hi all in Europe,
It is obviously about time to repeate a few
good points about operating via the FM repeater
satellites.
1. Do not transmit if you can not hear it
2. When the satellite is busy - limit the number of QSO's to ONE
3. Do not call over an ongoing QSO
4. A valid QSO just needs the call and the report
5. Give way to weak stations like /p and /m
6. Allow DX-peditions to make as many QSO's as there are callers
That was the short version :-)
I have a long version in English, Italian, Russian, Spanish and French.
I can send it to you if you want it. Could use a few other languages
like Greek, Polish and others.
It would be nice if you can get it in your national journals.
And please no flames !
73 OZ1MY
Ib
******************************************************************************
********
------------------------------
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
------------------------------
Message: 8
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:54:04 -0500
From: Stefan Wagener <wageners@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Mode S Downconverters (2.4GHz) FS
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID: <9896EA88-E0AA-4CDD-A9AB-8967AF9C3F2A@xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed; delsp=yes
Hi,
I still have an AIDC 3731 "K5GNA" 2.4GHz downconverter. Never used
In addition, I also have three (3) unmodified CAL 130215
downconverters with brackets in their original boxes.
Will sell all four pieces for $35 plus shipping. Yes, that's $35 for
all!
Shipping should be around $35 to US, since the CALs are a bit heavy.
PayPal preferred. Please reply directly to:
wageners(at)gmail.com
73, Stefan VE4NSA
------------------------------
Message: 9
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:47:49 +0000 (UTC)
From: Bob- W7LRD <w7lrd@xxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AO-51 mode update
To: Andrew Glasbrenner <glasbrenner@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Cc: Amsat-BB <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>, ao-51-modes@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID:
<2094950750.2933191255398469263.JavaMail.root@xxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxx.xx.xxxx.xxxxx
xx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Thanks Drew et al.
No one else on but me, or at least I was all I could hear, on the 0100Z
pass, run ning about 60W to a 24 loop yagi.? Question-- What is the power of
the 1.2ghz downlink?? The signal strength is at least 3 S units less that
the 435.3 frequency.? Anyone with 1.2ghz stuff---dust it off.
73 Bob W7LRD
----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew Glasbrenner" <glasbrenner@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
To: "Amsat-BB" <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>, ao-51-modes@xxxxx.xxx
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2009 4:22:24 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: [amsat-bb] ?AO-51 mode update
On tonight's pass at 23:20 I turned the 1268.7/435.15 repeater on. We'll
run this along with the 145.92/435.3 repeater for a few days, except
when collecting telemetry, until we get the rest of the schedule sorted out.
73, Drew KO4MA
_______________________________________________
Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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
------------------------------
Message: 10
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:56:10 -0400
From: Andrew Glasbrenner <glasbrenner@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AO-51 mode update
To: Bob- W7LRD <w7lrd@xxxxxxx.xxx>
Cc: Amsat-BB <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <4AD3DE3A.4000202@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
Bob- W7LRD wrote:
>
> Thanks Drew et al.
>
> No one else on but me, or at least I was all I could hear, on the
> 0100Z pass, running about 60W to a 24 loop yagi. Question-- What is
> the power of the 1.2ghz downlink? The signal strength is at least 3 S
> units less that the 435.3 frequency. Anyone with 1.2ghz stuff---dust
> it off.
>
> 73 Bob W7LRD
>
>
450mw on .150, and 650mw on .300 right now. My guess is your receive
antenna is RHCP. 435.150 feeds the LHCP antenna combination, so you are
~20 db down from the .300 downlink on a RHCP antenna.
73, Drew
------------------------------
Message: 11
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:08:09 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Joe Fitzgerald" <jfitzgerald@xxxx.xxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Amsat conference follow-up regarding Cubesats,
Education and Experimental projects and ITU
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID: <78ebedd60a26495a1526b4d170399a3b.squirrel@xxxx.xxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
Samudra,
I enjoyed your presentation and comments during the symposium, I
apologize that I did not have a chance to talk one on one. I'll take a
stab at some of your questions
> But first a few questions:
>
> Does cubesat employ all open standards, free for use, free of any
> copyright -or- patents ?
The answer to this is substantially yes, although especially with patents
it is hard to ever know for sure.
>
> What are the lifetime design goals of a cubesat system, and if they
> deorbit in a finite time, can more than a few cubesats be deployed in
> various stages in the same orbital plane and orbital track ?
Even if many cubesats were deployed at the same time they would tend to
spread out more or less randomly throughout the orbit due to minor
variations in separation velocity over the course of a few weeks.
> BTW, I am curious, is there a certain orbital plane allocation for
> cubesats/altitude ? Who regulates this ? Could a cubesat (small) be
> launched into (e.g.) a fractional degree orbit .. e.g., 45.5 degrees
> and separate from 45.7 degrees etc as they are very small, or are the
> cubesats limited to separation in orbit by whole integer degrees
> inclination ?
The inclination of the orbit that a cubesat ends up in depends on what the
orbit of the primary spacecraft. A so called "plane change" to a
different inclination is a very expensive maneuver in terms of propellant
... for example when the Space Shuttle goes to ISS it must launch within 5
minutes of the optimum time or the earth will carry the launch platform
out of the plane of the ISS' orbit and there won't have enough maneuvering
propellant to reach it. There is no specific need to hit an integer value
of degrees, and to my knowledge there is no national or international body
to regulate such things.
-Joe KM1P
------------------------------
Message: 12
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:25:15 -0400
From: Samudra Haque <samudra.haque@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Amsat conference follow-up regarding Cubesats,
Education and Experimental projects and ITU
To: Joe Fitzgerald <jfitzgerald@xxxx.xxx.xxx>
Cc: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID:
<d8c724880910121925r60cc2ae5p1b154a07843e311b@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Thank you for your response. I'll do a public search on USPTO.GOV and
see what I can find on the cubesat elements.
>
>> Does cubesat employ all open standards, free for use, free of any
>> copyright -or- patents ?
>
> ?The answer to this is substantially yes, although especially with patents
> it is hard to ever know for sure.
>
------------------------------
Message: 13
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:15:38 -0500
From: "John P. Toscano" <tosca005@xx.xxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AO-51 mode update
To: Amsat-BB <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <4AD3F0DA.4010408@xx.xxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
Bob- W7LRD wrote:
>
> Thanks Drew et al.
>
> No one else on but me, or at least I was all I could hear, on the
> 0100Z pass, running about 60W to a 24 loop yagi. Question--
> What is the power of the 1.2ghz downlink? The signal strength is
> at least 3 S units less that the 435.3 frequency. Anyone with
> 1.2ghz stuff---dust it off.
>
> 73 Bob W7LRD
Bob:
It sounds like you were transmitting on UHF and listening to L-band. If
that is the case, you will never hear anyone. You need to transmit on
(UPlink to) 1268.7 MHz and listen on (DOWNlink from) 435.3 MHz. There is
no 1.2 GHz DOWNlink. :(
OTOH, maybe that was just a typographical error on your posting, because
"60W to a 24 loop yagi" does, indeed, sound like you were UPlinking on
1.2 GHz... :)
Anyway, here are the voice modes that AO-51 supports:
Mode V/U (J) FM Voice Repeater (QRP): Operational
Uplink: 145.8800 MHz FM
Downlink 435.1500 MHz FM
Mode V/U (J) FM Voice Repeater: Operational **ON NOW**
Uplink: 145.9200 MHz FM
Downlink 435.3000 MHz FM
Mode V/S FM Voice Repeater: Operational
Uplink: 145.8800 MHz FM
Downlink 2401.2000 MHz FM
Mode L/U FM Voice Repeater: Operational **ON NOW**
Uplink: 1268.7000 MHz FM
Downlink 435.3000 MHz FM
The chicken and egg paradox continues. No one will get on the L band
uplink if no satellites listen to L band, and no satellites will listen
to L band if no ground stations get on the L band uplink. The best
solution? More satellites with multiple transponder capability,
particularly (preferably) with linear transponders, and higher orbits.
Wishing for that is a necessary, but not sufficient condition for the
dream to come to pass...
Just sign me confused and waiting,
a/k/a W0JT
------------------------------
Message: 14
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:12:44 -0400
From: <n4csitwo@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AMSAT annual meeting
To: "Bob McGwier" <rwmcgwier@xxxxx.xxx>, "'AMSAT-BB'"
<amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <1A00743CB7AB45528C2731797D6D47FD@xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
And lets not forget Steve, N9IP for his enormous effort at video taping the
proceedings.
Dave, AA4KN
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob McGwier" <rwmcgwier@xxxxx.xxx>
To: "'AMSAT-BB'" <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Sent: Sunday, October 11, 2009 3:10 PM
Subject: [amsat-bb] AMSAT annual meeting
> Tweets, Twitpix:
>
> http://twitpic.com/photos/rwmcgwier
>
>
> Apologies for the phone camera with the smudged lens (greasy fingers,
> what can I say?). MUCH better pictures were taken by Art Feller and his
> shotgun (irritatingly loud) Nikon shooting rapid fire like Puff the
> Magic Dragon and those will be available later. The symposium, full
> audio visual, will be available on DVD later thanks to Pat Kilroy and
> Dan Schultz. These offerings of mine are a quick peak at what went on.
>
> Cheers,
> Bob
> N4HY
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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
------------------------------
Message: 15
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:56:56 +0000 (UTC)
From: Bob- W7LRD <w7lrd@xxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AO-51 mode update
To: "John P. Toscano" <tosca005@xx.xxx.xxx>
Cc: Amsat-BB <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID:
<108048906.2994451255409816601.JavaMail.root@xxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxx.xx.xxxx.xxxxxx
x.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Yep that was a typo-Agreed-more opportunities to use "other" modes may
create more users.? A good gain antenna for L band is less than four feet
long.? Right now the only testing chance we have for L & S playing ?is AO-51.
73 Bob W7LRD
Seattle
----- Original Message -----
From: "John P. Toscano" <tosca005@xx.xxx.xxx>
To: "Amsat-BB" <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2009 8:15:38 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AO-51 mode update
Bob- W7LRD wrote:
>
> Thanks Drew et al.
>
> No one else on but me, or at least I was all I could hear, on the
?> 0100Z pass, running about 60W to a 24 loop yagi. ?Question--
?> What is the power of the 1.2ghz downlink? ?The signal strength is
?> at least 3 S units less that the 435.3 frequency. ?Anyone with
?> 1.2ghz stuff---dust it off.
>
> 73 Bob W7LRD
Bob:
It sounds like you were transmitting on UHF and listening to L-band. If
that is the case, you will never hear anyone. You need to transmit on
(UPlink to) 1268.7 MHz and listen on (DOWNlink from) 435.3 MHz. There is
no 1.2 GHz DOWNlink. :(
OTOH, maybe that was just a typographical error on your posting, because
"60W to a 24 loop yagi" does, indeed, sound like you were UPlinking on
1.2 GHz... ?:)
Anyway, here are the voice modes that AO-51 supports:
Mode V/U (J) FM Voice Repeater (QRP): Operational
Uplink: 145.8800 MHz FM
Downlink 435.1500 MHz FM
Mode V/U (J) FM Voice Repeater: Operational **ON NOW**
Uplink: 145.9200 MHz FM
Downlink 435.3000 MHz FM
Mode V/S FM Voice Repeater: Operational
Uplink: 145.8800 MHz FM
Downlink 2401.2000 MHz FM
Mode L/U FM Voice Repeater: Operational **ON NOW**
Uplink: 1268.7000 MHz FM
Downlink 435.3000 MHz FM
The chicken and egg paradox continues. No one will get on the L band
uplink if no satellites listen to L band, and no satellites will listen
to L band if no ground stations get on the L band uplink. The best
solution? More satellites with multiple transponder capability,
particularly (preferably) with linear transponders, and higher orbits.
Wishing for that is a necessary, but not sufficient condition for the
dream to come to pass...
Just sign me confused and waiting,
a/k/a W0JT
_______________________________________________
Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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
------------------------------
Message: 16
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:59:45 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Patrick STODDARD \(WD9EWK/VA7EWK\)" <amsat-bb@xxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Symposium, WD9EWK activity in/around Baltimore
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID: <192164.9765.qm@xxxxxxxx.xxxx.xxx.xxxxx.xxx>
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Hi!
As others have already said, thanks to Frank KA3HDO and his
group for putting on a great Symposium over the weekend. A
good show, and good news from AMSAT for the upcoming year or
two - and beyond. Before and after the Symposium activities
each day (except for Saturday), and on one lunch break, I
worked several passes from outside the hotel. I also took
quick drives north to Delaware and south to Washington DC, to
put those places on the air for some passes. As always,
working the satellites from somewhere else is a learning
experience, and fun.
Except for two passes on Sunday, I didn't post any advance
notice of my intentions to work satellite passes. I went to
Baltimore to attend the Symposium and the AMSAT Board of
Directors meeting before the official start of the Symposium,
and any radio activity would be a bonus as part of this trip
across the USA. Some stations were not fully aware of the
location I announced on the air, knowing I am normally operating
from DMxx grids in and around Arizona. It pays to listen, of
course, regardless of whether or not there was an e-mail that
announced the plans in advance.
First stop, Baltimore. The hotel, on the BWI Airport grounds
in grid FM19pe, was where I did most of my operating. The
large parking garage next to the hotel made low eastern passes
interesting. Otherwise, the only issues at the site were the
trees. I worked one pass Wednesday (7 October) evening after
arriving in Baltimore, three passes on Thursday (8 October -
early morning and evening on AO-51, lunchtime on SO-50), two
AO-51 passes on Friday (9 October), then a pass each on Sunday
(11 October) and Monday (12 October) morning on AO-51. From
all these passes, I logged 70 QSOs with stations all over the
USA, Canada, and the Dominican Republic during those 8 passes.
Along with my FM19 activity, I know that N2SPI also worked from
outside the hotel over the weekend. There may have been someone
else on from there, in addition to Richard and me. Many chances
for stations to work someone at the Symposium, even without an
"official" station.
Next, Washington...
Washington DC is about 30 miles/50km southwest of BWI Airport.
In my almost 4 years of working the satellites, I have never
heard anyone on the air from the District of Columbia. There
is a station that identifies his location as outside of
Washington DC, but never one actually on the air in the city.
The grid, FM18, is not rare - there are stations on from both
Maryland and Virginia. I operated from River Terrace Park, a
nice park along the Anacostia River in the northeast quadrant
of the US capital, east of RFK Stadium (grid FM18mv).
I drove down for two AO-51 passes, one on Thursday evening and
one on Monday morning. The Thursday evening pass was a high
pass for me, yet the footprint covered all the way to the Pacific
coast. KG4ZLB in Florida was the first station I worked, and
K7YDL in Oregon was the last of the 21 QSOs. I was surprised
at that number, when I played back the recording to log my contacts.
On Monday morning, I worked a pass to the west and logged 13 more
QSOs with stations spanning across the USA, Canada, and Puerto
Rico - even at that early hour for those out west.
I am apparently not the only one who had never worked anyone from
Washington DC. For the most part, a contact with the District of
Columbia doesn't amount to much on its own. For many state-based
awards like the WAS awards from ARRL, DC counts as Maryland - the
state that it was carved out of. I already mentioned that the grid
covering Washington (FM18) also covers parts of Maryland and
Virginia, and there are stations that get on from both of those
states (I worked one of those stations, NL7VX, who is in the
Virginia part of FM18). Several operators thanked me for putting
DC on the air. Maybe this would be something a local ham might look
to do, operate from Washington from time to time. I still haven't
worked DC myself. :-)
Then, there's Delaware. Whether on HF, VHF, or satellites, this is
normally one of the most rare states to get a contact with - and that
all-important confirmation of the contact. I drove north on the
I-95 freeway Sunday afternoon just over an hour to reach the
Maryland/Delaware state line, contributing $11 in tolls on I-95 and
the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel to get there (tolls are not something I
normally deal with in Arizona), and then drove a few more miles/km
to the city of Bear in northern Delaware (grid FM29ep). I parked in
a restaurant parking lot near the DE-1/US-40 interchange, and saw I
had 5 minutes before the start of an AO-27 pass to the west at 2024
UTC. In the 7-minute pass, I made 14 QSOs (2 XE stations, and the
rest sprinkled across the USA). Shortly after AO-27 went away, the
first of three AO-51 passes came up from the southeast. I only
logged 3 stations on that pass, and heard a VE3 station as I lost the
downlink.
After those two passes, I updated my logbook and quickly scribbled
an e-mail to the -BB announcing I would be on the next two AO-51
passes from this location in Delaware. When the next pass came
up at approximately 2216 UTC, I started working stations in the
central and eastern parts of the USA. Seventeen stations went in
the log, and I waited near my rental car for the third - and final -
AO-51 pass of the evening from there starting just before 0000 UTC.
Only 8 stations went in the log on that pass, but two of the 8
were from Mexico. Most of the QSOs were with stations in the west,
what I had hoped for, before I went into the restaurant for dinner
followed by the (cheaper - only $7 in tolls from Delaware back to
the hotel) drive back to Baltimore for the night.
**********
With this trip, I now have operated from 42 different grids in
North America, along with a total of 8 different US states plus
Washington DC. I already have FM19 cards for QSOs made from the
Symposium, but I will need to print more of them. I will make
and print cards for the other two locations in the next few days.
In the next week or two, I will be ready to mail out cards - which
will also let me mail cards from the upcoming hamfest I will attend
in Tucson AZ on Saturday (17 October) along with the cards from my
Baltimore/Washington/Delaware trip. If you would like to receive
cards for QSOs made with WD9EWK on this trip, please e-mail me the
QSO details. No need to send me a card or SASE. If you're in the
log, you will get the QSL card(s) from me.
This was a fun weekend, with the news from AMSAT along with a chance
to work the satellites from the opposite side of the USA from where
I live. Thanks to AMSAT and KA3HDO's group for a great Symposium,
and to all the stations that worked WD9EWK from these locations over
the past few days.
73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK (back home in Arizona now)
http://www.wd9ewk.net/
------------------------------
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End of AMSAT-BB Digest, Vol 4, Issue 530
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