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CX2SA > SATDIG 27.12.08 00:04l 550 Lines 19315 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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Sent: 081226/2300Z @:CX2SA.LAV.URY.SA #:61771 [Minas] FBB7.00e $:61771_CX2SA
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To : SATDIG@WW
Today's Topics:
1. 4A1DXXE via FM satellite this weekend
(Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK))
2. Re: Telemetry. (Alan P. Biddle)
3. Re: 4A1DXXE via FM satellite this weekend (John Marranca, Jr)
4. Re: Earthrise - add (Reicher, James)
5. Re: Earthrise - add (David Donaldson)
6. Re: Gulf Alpha Antenna Model No.2M 70CM Sat.
(DualBandAntenna) (Alan)
7. Re: An Off-Topic Question (Steve)
8. Re: An Off-Topic Question (Doug Faunt N6TQS +1-510-655-8604)
9. Re: amsat-bb] Gulf Alpha Antenna Model No.2M 70CM Sat. (Dual
(Mike Ryan)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 07:29:03 -0800 (PST)
From: "Patrick STODDARD \(WD9EWK/VA7EWK\)" <amsat-bb@xxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] 4A1DXXE via FM satellite this weekend
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID: <126645.88066.qm@xxxxxxxx.xxxx.xxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Hi!
The Mexican DX group DXXE has been authorized to use the special
callsign 4A1DXXE to commemorate the 4th anniversary of the founding
of their group, between 25 December 2008 and 6 January 2009. Along
with plans to operate on the HF bands, DXXE members will put 4A1DXXE
on the FM satellites during this time - and, in particular, this
weekend.
If you work 4A1DXXE, the QSL manager for this call is N7RO. Contacts
will also be uploaded to the ARRL Logbook of the World system. Good
luck and 73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
http://www.wd9ewk.net/
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 09:35:23 -0600
From: "Alan P. Biddle" <APBIDDLE@xxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Telemetry.
To: <la2qaa@xxxxx.xxx>, <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <090EE8CA84534A90B19EA52451BA71EA@xxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
John,
TLM on 435.150 MHz depends on the mode it is in, obtained from the AMSAT-NA
site, modified by last minute or operationally required changes. If it is
NOT a voice downlink, telemetry is normally available. Sometimes it is
independent TLM, and sometimes as part of the PBBS data stream such as the
current period.
Alan
WA4SCA
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 10:54:08 -0500
From: "John Marranca, Jr" <KB2HSH@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: 4A1DXXE via FM satellite this weekend
To: amsat-bb <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID:
<8edcdb130812260754m21909faeh24dc90ded4c2b8d5@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Sounds great, Pat.
But I can just hear the CHAOS on the FM-sats already!
John KB2HSH
--
_______________________________
John Marranca, Jr
PBX Technician/Shop Steward CWA Local 1122
BN Systems, Inc
Orchard Park, NY
(716)972-2006
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:13:33 -0600
From: "Reicher, James" <JReicher@xxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Earthrise - add
To: <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID:
<95ADAAE74104344D9B6F961E4DAD659805841CDD@xxxxxxxx.xxxxxx.xxxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Seeing this link brought tears to my eyes.
At the time the tapes were made, I was the tender age of three, but I
still have a very close connection with those images and with the tapes.
My grandfather, Walter Lyons, an electrical engineer with RCA, helped
develop the technology used in taking the images from the Lunar Orbiter
and Surveyor series and converting them into radio waves and into the
data found on these tapes.
Although he never was licensed as an amateur, he was one of my
inspirations for becoming a ham. Unfortunately, he passed away 2 years
before I earned my ticket.
73 de W0HV, Jim in Raymore, MO (ex-N8AU)
Light travels faster than sound... This is why some people appear
bright until you hear them speak.
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2008 11:30:36 -0900
From: Edward Cole <kl7uw@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Earthrise - add
To: Joe Fitzgerald <jfitzgerald@xxxx.xxx.xxx>
Cc: Amsat BB <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <200812252030.mBPKUbv8086213@xxxxxx.xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
At 04:25 AM 12/25/2008, Joe Fitzgerald wrote:
>Rocky Jones wrote:
> > I think that the first black and white photo of Earthrise over
> the Moon...was from one of the Lunar Orbiters... I think 5...
> >
> >
> >
>There was a nice story recently about a recent restoration of that
photo
>...http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-111408a.html
>
>-Joe KM1P
>_______________________________________________
>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
I am amazed at times how my own past resurfaces.
One of my duties at Goldstone from 1974-1976 was to manage the tape
backup for data received from spacecraft like the Voyagers and
Pioneers that flew by Jupiter, Saturn (and the outer planets after my
time), and other missions. It was sort of an unwanted task handed
off on me. But I took it serious and devised a record system to keep
track of when they were recorded and so they would be retained for
the required time period. These were backups as the prime data had
been transmitted to the mission scientist. These were held a minimum
of 30-days in case of any bad data in the originals. I started
stacking them in an unused office but in time they ended up in the
climate-controlled "basement" of the 64m DSS-14 Control
Building. They ended up being kept much longer than 30-days. I'm
guessing these reel tapes were made by the same recorder as mentioned
in the article. Isn't it fantastic that the old Lunar tapes were
recoverable! 2009 will be my 30th anniversary of leaving Jet
Propulsion Lab to move to Alaska...tempis fugit!
The, then new, Hydrogen Maser Master Clock was installed in this same
room. It was used for precise timing of VLBI experiments, which
previously required calibration by the famous "flying clock" or the
x-band Moon Bounce timing system (ask Dick, K6HIJ). Not only
Goldstone, but Madrid, and Canberra stations required to be on the
same accurate time (ask Tom Clark about that).
As the New Year approaches we reflect on the past. Thanks to those
who recently found those articles.
Merry Christmas and Happy New year!
73, Ed Cole - KL7UW (& Janet)
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:35:18 -0600 (CST)
From: "David Donaldson" <wb7dru@xxxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Earthrise - add
To: <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <002201c96780$580fb8f0$01fea8c0@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Just like A0-7 coming back from the dead!
I wonder if the tape is acetate or something more modern?
73
Dave
WB7DRU, NNN0AXK
Burnsville, MN
-----Original Message-----
From: amsat-bb-bounces@xxxxx.xxx [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@xxxxx.xxxx On
Behalf Of Reicher, James
Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 11:15 AM
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Earthrise - add
Seeing this link brought tears to my eyes.
At the time the tapes were made, I was the tender age of three, but I
still have a very close connection with those images and with the tapes.
--- Get FREE High Speed Internet from USFamily.Net! --
http://www.usfamily.net/mkt-freepromo.html ---
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:44:54 -0600
From: "Alan" <ve4yz@xxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Gulf Alpha Antenna Model No.2M 70CM Sat.
(DualBandAntenna)
To: "'Gary \"Joe\" Mayfield'" <gary_mayfield@xxxxxxx.xxx>, "'Guy
Brauning'" <guyjeanbraun@xxxxxxx.xxx>, <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <1FD73B7E679A432F876AF14FD053B586@xxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hi Guy and the group...
Here is Pete's current dual band yagi which I believe you are referring to
http://www.gulfalphaantennas.com/Product%20Page%202M%2070CM%20sat%20yagi.htm
l
As Joe mentioned, the craftsmanship and material quality is first class. I
am also the owner of the older versions shown in the first couple of
pictures here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ve4yz.alan/VE4YZ#
where I ran a pair of them with M2 matching tees and no mast mount preamps (
but with the internal preamps in the FT847 ) but with AZ and EL control.
This was satisfactory for me for a while and worked well especially on the
SSB sats, FO-29, VO-52, AO-7. On FM AO-52 and SO-50 there were fads due to
lack of polarity control. GO-32 and ISS TX are so strong that polarity
control was not an issue.
However, I eventually moved to abbreviated KLM's ( due to tower limitations
and roof clearance ) with polarization control and Landwehr preamps shown in
the later photos. The improvement was huge! I have the KLM's and HyGain's
full length at 2 other locations and the performance is a little better but
not a huge an improvement as going for no polarity control to the switchable
polarization.
Here... http://www.mts.net/~ve4wsc/photogallery/tour3.htm M2/KLM
And here... http://picasaweb.google.com/WinCube.Winnipeg/GroundStation#
HyGain
The GulfAlphas are in storage in the garage rafts and are ready for use at
Field Day and other events.
At my QTH I think I am an example of what is often heard in ham circles -
invest as much as you can on the antenna, on feedline and preamps. At home
I went from a rotator mounted Arrow to the GulfAlphas to the KLMs over the
course of about 4 years. They all worked. But they all worked differently
:-) Unfortuantely this is a case of $$$ being a big part of the solution.
... Alan
> -----Original Message-----
> From: amsat-bb-bounces@xxxxx.xxx
> [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@xxxxx.xxxx On Behalf Of Gary "Joe" Mayfield
> Sent: December 26, 2008 7:28 AM
> To: 'Guy Brauning'; amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Gulf Alpha Antenna Model No.2M 70CM
> Sat. (DualBandAntenna)
>
> Guy,
>
> I have the previous version of the Gulf Alpha dual band.
> We use it at field day every year and it performs well.
> Your idea to add the pre-amp is wise as it is a little short
> for some of the UHF downlink signals.
>
> You may also want to plan for some classic mode J
> de-sense issues which aren't really a factor of the antenna
> as much as a reality of listening on the third harmonic of
> your transmit signal.
>
> On the whole it has been a great antenna, and that
> sucker is built like a battleship. I wish he had a larger
> line of antennas as he builds a VERY solid product. I
> believe Gulf Alpha is a one man shop so there may be some
> lead time as well, but definitely worth the wait!
>
> 73,
> Joe kk0sd
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: amsat-bb-bounces@xxxxx.xxx
> [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@xxxxx.xxxx On Behalf Of Guy Brauning
> Sent: Thursday, December 25, 2008 7:44 PM
> To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Gulf Alpha Antenna Model No.2M 70CM Sat. (Dual
> BandAntenna)
>
> Hello and thanks for reading this. I am looking for some
> "Owner Experience"
> before making a decision about buying one of the Gulf Alpha
> dual band satellite antennas. I know the antenna is a
> compromise compared to a pair of circular polarized yagis;
> however, I am looking for a less expensive alternative for a
> basic 2M/70CM base set-up. My only experience with the
> satellites has been with handheld/portable radios (FT-60R and
> FT-817ND) and the Arrow and ELK handheld antennas. My guess
> is that the Gulf Alpha dual band satellite antenna (installed
> above obstructions and with an AZ rotator / low loss feed
> lines / and a 70CM mast mounted pre-amp) would be comparable
> if not considerably better than the handheld Arrow/ELK for FM
> work on AO-51 and SO-51 (for passes at or below 40 degrees
> max elevation) but I would also like to work some of the
> linear sats on SSB/CW and I don't know if the antenna would
> meet that need. (I already have a 2Meter all mode in addition
> to the FT-817 as well as a refurbished CD-44 rotor.) If this
> antenna would support reliable CW/SSB contacts on the linear
> satellites, it would be a good fit. I would install the
> antenna at approximately 25 feet in height, leave it fixed at
> 15 degs elevation using the supplied mast mount, and rotate
> it with a CD-44 rotator. I plan on using LMR-600 coax for
> the 432 run and LMR-400U for the 2 meter run (Total length
> for each run about 30 - 40 feet). I would also use an AR2
> mast mounted 432 preamp and Polyphasers at the shack entry
> with appropriate jumpers (best loss specs vs. needed
> flexibility) from the Polyphasers to the radios. Radios
> would be a Yaesu FT-290R MKII (2 MTR All-Mode) and a Yaesu
> FT-817ND for 432. I'm looking for someone with experience
> using the Gulf Alpha to let me know their opinion of how well
> the antenna might play given my anticipated installation specifics.
>
>
>
>
> Thanks for your help!
>
>
>
> Guy
>
> N3SCR
>
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 18:16:44 -0000
From: "Steve" <ai7w@xxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: An Off-Topic Question
To: "AMSAT-BB" <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <8C31A9211CA94F949077106A70F9645F@xxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
----- Original Message -----
From: "D. Mynatt"
To: "AMSAT-BB"
Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 02:58 UTC
Subject: [amsat-bb] An Off-Topic Question
>I asked sometime ago in the group, but sometimes things change and stuff
>comes along so I thought I'd ask again and see if any one had a
>mini-computer like a PdP-11 with tapes drives and the large external disk
>drives in the floor boxes.
>
> As I mentioned before, just trying to find a unit to show students the
> older technologies as well as how to program with Cobol/Fortran.
>
> Using PCs is the best way to do a lot of stuff, but a mini-mainframe is
> the visually appealing idea.
>
> Just thought I'd ask in case things changed out there!
>
> Dave // DM78qd // KA0SWT
Hi Dave,
As a retired Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC) employee I am very familiar
with the PDP-11 product line (as well as the PDP-8,10,12 and VAX).
I don't know how much help it will be but there was (and I believe still
is) a computer museum in Mountain View, California that had a number of
PDP-11's as well as some PDP-8's and PDP-12's with peripherals such as tape
drives, external disk drives and card readers. I know there once was a very
good museum in Boston (they had a functional PDP-1) but it may have closed
when DEC was sold off to Compaq. I've also heard there was a DEC Museum in
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada but I don't know much about it.
Regarding the Fortran and Cobol programming languages, I believe there are
freeware versions of both available for the windows PC. This wouldn't be
like using the punch card system we suffered through back in the day, but
they might give your students a feel for the structure of the older
languages.
73
Steve .. AI7W
------------------------------
Message: 8
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 13:49:42 -0500 (EST)
From: Doug Faunt N6TQS +1-510-655-8604 <faunt@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: An Off-Topic Question
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Message-ID: <20081226184942.0E70313805@xxxxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
It's 36-bit oriented, but take a look here:
http://pdpplanet.com
73, doug- who's programmed PDP-8's, 11's, 15's and DEC-20's. Oh, yes,
Vaxen too.
From: "Steve" <ai7w@xxxx.xxx>
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 18:16:44 -0000
----- Original Message -----
From: "D. Mynatt"
To: "AMSAT-BB"
Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 02:58 UTC
Subject: [amsat-bb] An Off-Topic Question
>I asked sometime ago in the group, but sometimes things change and stuff
>comes along so I thought I'd ask again and see if any one had a
>mini-computer like a PdP-11 with tapes drives and the large external disk
>drives in the floor boxes.
>
> As I mentioned before, just trying to find a unit to show students the
> older technologies as well as how to program with Cobol/Fortran.
>
> Using PCs is the best way to do a lot of stuff, but a mini-mainframe is
> the visually appealing idea.
>
> Just thought I'd ask in case things changed out there!
>
> Dave // DM78qd // KA0SWT
Hi Dave,
As a retired Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC) employee I am very familiar
with the PDP-11 product line (as well as the PDP-8,10,12 and VAX).
I don't know how much help it will be but there was (and I believe still
is) a computer museum in Mountain View, California that had a number of
PDP-11's as well as some PDP-8's and PDP-12's with peripherals such as tape
drives, external disk drives and card readers. I know there once was a very
good museum in Boston (they had a functional PDP-1) but it may have closed
when DEC was sold off to Compaq. I've also heard there was a DEC Museum in
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada but I don't know much about it.
Regarding the Fortran and Cobol programming languages, I believe there
are
freeware versions of both available for the windows PC. This wouldn't be
like using the punch card system we suffered through back in the day, but
they might give your students a feel for the structure of the older
languages.
73
Steve .. AI7W
_______________________________________________
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: 9
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:38:46 -0500
From: "Mike Ryan" <mryan301@xxxxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: amsat-bb] Gulf Alpha Antenna Model No.2M 70CM
Sat. (Dual
To: <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Message-ID: <4A1DF83F9CF84269982E70CD3A6FE000@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Why not start with upgrading from handheld using what you already have before
making the leap to the expensive antenna? I was recently right where you are
in development but will hold off a little bit.This is what I did. I already
had a Elk, and Arrow, 2 FT-857s, a switched AR2 (not mast mounted) preamp. I
also picked up a Comet CF-416 duplexer.
I put the Elk on a Alliance U100 and set elevation for 20 degrees, so far just
out on sawhorse in the back yard. It works great and does very well for both
FM Sats and SSB. Does as well as standing outside but much warmer for the
winter and I can safely push a little more power. I run up to 35 W on 2M and
20 W on 70cm but rarely is more than 5 W needed on 2M. I do experience a
little crosstalk running V/U but none running U/V. When it gets too annoying I
just switch to Xmitting on my 2M turnstile. In my experience, the turnstile is
more than enough for the VHF side. Its the 70cm side that really needs all the
help it can get.
I can routinely start copying at 5-7 degrees or so, even without being on the
roof. Will a beefier antenna do better? Probably, but I was so intrigued by
what I had on hand could do that I will run it for a while.
Mike WB1AAT
------------------------------
_______________________________________________
Sent via amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
End of AMSAT-BB Digest, Vol 3, Issue 670
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