I saw a mention of an issue of folks not wanting to make a big investment in satellite stuff to work SSB/CW.
ALL of the original ham satellites were SSB/CW birds. No FM. And most hams already had enough equipment to get started. The uplinks were on 2 meters or 70CM (that took a little more doing), the downlinks were on HF or 2 meters. Some of the RS birds where HF up and HF down, and HF up, 2 meters down. Interesting stuff! Most folks had HF gear to start off in ham radio. I did not have an HT until I was a ham for probably 20 years. Nowadays there is a LOT of VHF/UHF multi mode gear floating around the used market for reasonable prices. Also the antennas are available, sometimes for real cheap, or haul it away for free. Keep your eyes and ears open. You don't have to go to AES/HRO/M-squared/HyGain/Cushcraft and buy new stuff to work these birds. There are many old timers who gave up satellite work when AO-10 and AO-13 went away, and their stuff is sitting around gathering dust and rust. Hams are supposed to be resourceful and innovative! And I went and sold my FT-847 which was about the most expensive rig I ever bought! Don't need it for these FM birds, I just use a dual-band mobile rig, works just as well. 73, John K6YK On Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:51:48 -0900 "Edward R. Cole" <kl...@acsalaska.net> writes: > I was on AO-40 from its launch, initially running mode US, then mode > > LS (I bought one of the few DEMI 1268/144 Tx converters that were > made). I made several contacts after I got my s-band downlink > working. Initially, I was using too small an antenna and did not > have a decent preamp. Once I graduated to the 85cm (33-inch) offsst > > feed dish and added a MKU-232 preamp, I was able to hear anyone. I > > spent a long time collecting telemetry and could do so out to a > squint angle of 49-degrees. > > It really is a shame that there was no workaround for the battery > issue or even run on solar panels like AO7. But this was before AO7 > > reawakened to provide that insight. I lived and waited long years > for AO-40 and unfortunately wasted time I could have operated on > AO-13. > > Now I have all the stuff needed to work a Heo and hardly anywhere to > > use it (I bought one of the early FT-847 just for AO-40). I would > say a lot of the operators of the Heo years have gone away from > satellite activity (some remain lurking on Amsat-bb wishing upon a > star ...or a hope and a prayer). > > I will return, if Murphy will leave me alone long enough! But I > mainly operate Oscar-Zero now days. > > 73, ED - KL7UW > > ____________________________________________________________ $65/Hr Job - 25 Openings Part-Time job ($20-$65/hr). Requirements: Home Internet Access http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4d4b6249d8e291da604st02vuc _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@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
