Agreed. Sure your arm gets tired after a long pass from satellites like HO-68, but half the fun is the simplicity and the other half being the challenge. I doubt I would personally get involved with L/U on LEO's like AO-51 because of the cost and complexity of having computer controlled servos to track them just for a 10 - 20 minute window that you only get once or twice a day depending on the LEO. Considering I work satellites mostly on weekends the amount of use it would get wouldn't be worth it for me. I'd be more likely to build a setup for working HEO's like AO-40 before building a setup for L/U work on LEO's due to the simplicity, larger foot print, and longer predictable window.
To be honest I would use FM on AO-51 as that is the most likely usage new comers to satellites will most likely end up using. If you want to demonstrate the raw rag chewing potential of satellites then demo a HEO like AO-40. ~73, KC2WQW On Tue, May 4, 2010 at 2:30 PM, Gordon JC Pearce <gordon...@gjcp.net> wrote: > On Tue, 2010-05-04 at 07:20 -0500, Alan P. Biddle wrote: > > Peter, > > > > >From past studies, mode L/U is the place to be if you want to work > someone > > on AO-51 without an EME station. ;) While the V/U FM repeater was > choked > > on every pass, there were very few stations on L/U. In the four passes I > > monitored last year, totaling 46 minutes, there were only 21 station > heard. > > Half of those were on the first pass, and by the last pass on Sunday, > only > > one plaintive station calling. > > > > Alan > > WA4SCA > > Presumably that's because very few people have L- and S-band equipment. > I'm guessing that many people are - like me - put off by the prohibitive > cost and requirement for overcomplicated tracking systems. > > Working V/U with a handheld antenna is much more fun than sitting > watching a computer twiddle servos and tune the radio for you. > > Gordon MM0YEQ > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via amsat...@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 > _______________________________________________ Sent via amsat...@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
