[amsat-bb] Re: Chinease sat any news?

2009-07-02 Thread Alan Kung
First Chinese armature satellite XW-1 will be launched in Dec. this year by 
CZ-4C launch vehicle.
Payloads include 70cm CW telemetry beacon, Mode J(V/U) linear transponders, FM 
repeater and 1200bps AFSK Store-Forward transponders base on Pacsat protocol.

73
Alan, BA1DU
XW-1/CAS-1 project manager

- Original Message - 
From: "Luc Leblanc" 
To: 
Cc: 
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:36 PM
Subject: [amsat-bb] Chinease sat any news?


> >From my archives did any one get fresh news about this Chinease sat?
> 
> SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-279.02 October 4 2008
> First Chinese Amateur Radio Satellite to be launched in June 2009
> 
> AMSAT News Service Bulletin 279.02
>  From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
> October 5, 2008
> To All RADIO AMATEURS
> BID: $ANS-279.02
> 
> Michael Chen, BD5RV/4, reports that he recently received an update from Alan,
> BA1DU, on the progress of the first Chinese amateur satellite.  Things are now
> going smoothly. This satellite was formerly named CAS-1 and is now XW-1. It
> carries a beacon and three cross band transponders: FM, linear, and digital.
> 
> The satellite is planned to be launched into a Sun synchronous orbit in June
> 2009 by a CZ-2C rocket in Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in North China.
> 
> [ANS thanks Michael, BD5RV/4, for the above information]
> 
> /EX
> 
> 
> "-"
> 
> 
> Luc Leblanc VE2DWE
> Skype VE2DWE
> www.qsl.net/ve2dwe
> WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE
> 
> 
> 
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>

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Jeff Davis
On Thu, Jul 02, 2009 at 06:48:51AM -0600, Jack K. wrote:
> communications anyway) and move forward... We can put up all the leos we 
> want, but until someone makes something like B. Bruninga's cell concept 
> work, we are only going to have more of the same, We don't need more of the 
> same!

I couldn't agree more - we don't need more of the same.

If I want to sit back and have a two hour rag-chew with someone on the other 
side of the planet I will 
use Skype or my cell phone!

Dreaming about what *might* be in space is a fun exercise. Actually doing 
something about it requires 
sending things to LEO because reality has dictated that's as far as we can 
afford to go.

How's about we use some of that frustrated *imagineering* to come up with 
interesting new concepts at 
LEO? We don't need any more FM repeaters buzzing overhead, but what about more 
cameras downloading HD 
images, scientific payloads that monitor the ongoing climate change, payloads 
to study the Earth's 
magnetic field, etc. etc. Our own 'Twitter' messaging network from space...?

The Apollo 13 creed of "failure is not an option" has completely infected the 
brains at AMSAT and this 
list. You want something at HEO or on the moon, cut a check for $15 million 
dollars and let's get on 
with it. Been waiting since 1996 for another AO-13 and I am getting too old to 
keep waiting.

AMSAT is becoming completely irrelevant as it strives without success for the 
impossible mission and 
exhibits a shocking amount of leadership malfesance as it stubbornly refuses to 
recognize and adapt to 
realities in the launch business.

I know, I know maybe NEXT year someone rich will die and leave us a boatload of 
cash. Or the bankrupt 
US government will suddenly cough up a billion dollars for some orbiting 
emergency communication 
system. In the meantime we have to stifle the truth because it might blow yet 
another *secret* deal 
that's in the works and *almost* a done deal, so let's not complain publicly 
and ruin it.

Heard the stories, heard the lies, got all the t-shirts and ball caps. 
Whatever. 

-- 
Jeff, KE9V
AMSAT-NA member since 1994,
Skeptic that we will ever go back to HEO since 2002
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[amsat-bb] Re: Moon can cost less than HEO/GEO

2009-07-02 Thread Greg D.

Hi Kenneth, et al,

Would this be a good opportunity to dust off the low data rate digital package 
that was planned for Eagle?  If I recall, it was to be multi-service and 
operate at relatively low s/n levels.  Replace the antennas, of course, and the 
radio power amps.  The resulting Earth station should still be quite affordable.

Just a thought,

Greg  KO6TH


> From: kenneth.g.ran...@nasa.gov
> To: ka1...@yahoo.com; amsat-bb@amsat.org
> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 21:29:47 -0500
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Moon can cost less than HEO/GEO
> 
> I realize this is still very early in the dreaming stage but it would be nice 
> to start seeing some realistic proposals soon. How about starting with a 
> blank worksheet that outlines the desirements and requirements. This would 
> give folks some specifics to address.
> 
> *LUNAR System*
> Modulation type:
> Mode: 
> Power source:
> Lunar transmitter (type, output power and band):
> Lunar TX antenna (type and gain): 
> Lunar receiver (type and band):
> Lunar RX antenna (type and gain): 
> Lunar controller (type and capability):
> 
> Delivery deadline for flight certified hardware to be launched:
> Length of time the system is expected to operate:
> Periods that the system is expected to be available for use:
> 
> Once you have some general ideas as to what the items are then you will have 
> a good idea of the total weight, size and what it will cost to buy, build and 
> certify for spaceflight. It would also be nice to know what sort of station 
> equipment would be needed to use this lunar system.
> 
> *EARTH Station*
> Description of minimal Earth station capable of operation through above 
> mentioned lunar system:
> Transmitter (type, output power and band):
> TX antenna (type and gain): 
> Receiver (type and band):
> RX antenna (type and gain): 
> Antenna tracking system:
> 
> The above should allow for a realistic guess at the number of users willing 
> to and capable of operating through the system.
> 
> Kenneth
> 
> From: amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org [amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org] On Behalf Of MM 
> [ka1...@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 8:14 PM
> To: amsat-bb@amsat.org
> Subject: [amsat-bb]  Moon can cost less than HEO/GEO
> 
>  High orbit launch prices
> 
> It is hard to find exact values for the price per kilo to a geo-stationery 
> orbit.  I did find a few old numbers on the web suggesting that around the 
> year 2000 prices were approximately 25,000 to 35,000 USD per kilo.  I can 
> only assume it will cost more today’s 2009 dollars.  If we were to build our 
> own Geo-stationary satellite and were able to keep the weight down to the 
> same weight of AO-40 (244 kilos), that would only cost us $8.5 USD million in 
> launching fees (plus inflation).  That is not including the cost of the 
> satellite.  A ballpark Geo-stationary amateur radio satellite and launching 
> fees would be in the 20-40 million-dollar range per satellite (SWAG).
> 
> If you have an extra 40 million kicking around then go ahead and build us a 
> Geo satellite. Or if you work at Huges and can talk them into attaching a 
> Micro Satellite to the next geo satellite for Free great, go for it.
> 
> I can’t afford that and I do not know anyone at Huges, so I am looking into 
> the piggyback options.  Let some other company pay the big bucks for the 
> flight and navigation and just tag along for the ride.
> 
> In this case NASA wants to send Un-manned Landers to the Moon.  All we need 
> to do is convince them to let us attached a 1-2 kilo micro-satellite to the 
> moon lander and use some of their power and antennas, etc.
> 
> Just look at the Huge Savings $$$
> No navigation system (we have never had much luck at building our own rocket 
> motors (AO-10- damaged satellite, AO-13 Miss fired and caused a premature 
> reentry and AO-40 Kaboom)
> 
> No command and control RF links (just command between the Microsat and 
> existing command and control system)
> 
> NASA will pay for the rocket (we hope)
> 
> Assuming a good landing, there will not be any need for periodic orbital 
> changes.
> 
> It’s true that our resources for building new satellites are very limited.
> I believe that Putting the effort into building a Moon qualified micro 
> satellite seems to be the most economical path to take.  And will provide the 
> greatest return on our investment.
> 
> Sincerely
> 
> Miles WF1F  MarexMG.org
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread i8cvs
- Original Message -
From: "MM" 
To: ; ; "Jack K." 
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:31 PM
Subject: [amsat-bb] The Moon is our Future

> We need a simple Mode-J transponder (2-meters up, 440 down).
> Low power consumption.
> Assume minimal antenna gain from the Lander (3 dBd on each antenna)
> Assume transmitter power 5-10 watts.
>
> Questions:
> What’s the link budget?
> How much gain will be needed on earth for such a setup?
> Can we build a working mockup in 1 year or less.
>
> The Moon is within Reach.  Let’s Go for IT.
>
> Miles WF1F   MarexMG.org

Hi Miles, WF1F

The gain of the 2 meters antenna on the Lander is 3 dBd = 5.14 dBi
Assume that the Noise Figure of the 2 meter receiver is 0.5 dB = 35 kelvin
and the sky temperature as seen by the 2 meter Lander antenna looking at
the earth is conservatively 290 kelvin but (probably more ).
The isotropic path loss earth-moon in 2 meters at an average distance of
380.000 km is 187 dB
You don't specify the IF bandwidth of your transponder so that for
simplicity I will assume that only one QSO will be possible in SSB and 3
on CW in a total BW = 2.5 KHz
With the above data the calculated Noise Floor (KTB) of the above 2 meter
Lander receiver is  -139 dBm
We assume to use an earth 2 meters antenna with a gain of 13 dBi and a power
of 100 watt pep in 2 meters.

UPLINK BUDGED:

Earth TX  power  100 watt.+ 50 dBm
Earth antenna gain. .+ 13 dB
  --
Earth EIRP.+ 63 dBm
2 m  isotropic attenuation earth-moon..-187 dB
  --
Isoptropic power received on the moon .- 124 dBm
2 meters Lander antenna gain.+ 5 dBi
  --
Power applied to the 2 m Lander receiver..- 119 dBm
Lander receiver 2 m Noise Floor...-  139 dBm
  --
S/N ratio available from the Lander receiver.. +  20 dB

COMMENT:
With a 2 meter signal +20 dB above the noise floor the
70 cm TX on the Lander transponder is in condition to
supply a noise-less power between 5 to 10 watt pep to
the 70 cm TX antenna.

DOWNLINK BUDGED:

The gain of the 70 cm antenna on the Lander is 3 dBd = 5.14 dBi
and the 70 cm power is 10 watt pep
Assume that the Noise Figure of the 70 cm earth receiver is
0.5 dB = 35 kelvin and the sky temperature as seen by the 70 cm
antenna looking at the moon  is 75 kelvin
Assume that the antenna gain of the 70 cm earth receiver is 18 dBi
The isotropic path loss earth-moon in 70 cm at an average distance of
380.000 km is 197 dB
With the above data the calculated Noise Floor (KTB) of the 70 cm
ground receiver is  -144 dBm

Lander 70 cm TX power 10 watt...+ 40 dBm
Lander antenna gain...+  5 dBi
  --
70 cm EIRP from the moon...+ 45 dBm
70 cm moon-earth isotropic attenuation .-197 dB
  --
70 cm power available in to isotropic antenna -152 dBm
70 cm earth receiving antenna gain..+ 18 dBi
  --
70 cm power on input of the earth receiver.-134 dBm
70 cm Noise Floor of the earth receiver..-144 dBm
  --
S/N ratio at the output of  70 cm receiver...+ 10 dB

COMMENT:
Using a Lander transponder on the moon with 2 meters and
70 cm antenna's gain in the order of 5 dBi will not produce
serious problems of pointing at the earth due of libration.
If the Lander transponder is capable to develope 10 watt
pep and the IF bandwidth  is very narrow in the order of
2.5 KHz it is possible to accomodate one SSB QSO or 3 CW
QSO just using the actually available TX and RX equipments for
satellite communications  i.e.
For the uplink in 2 meters 100 watt pep and a 13 dBi antenna gain
For the downlink in 70 cm a receiving system with an overall Noise
Figure of  0.5 dB and antenna gain of 18 dBi
The rate of change of the frequency due of doppler shift in 2 meters
and 70 cm is very slow and easily manually compensated even into
only a 2.5 KHz bandwidth
The antenna polarization is very important because a linear signal
transmitted from the earth or from the moon by stations located in
different continents can be reversed from Vertical to Horizontal
polarization so that at least on the earth circular RHCP and LHCP
switchable polarization is recommended.

Best 73" de

i8CVS Domenico





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[amsat-bb] Re: Yaesu LVB Nova issues - Help

2009-07-02 Thread Gould Smith
Hi Bennett,

The chances are the problem is in the data exchange from Nova - Comm port - 
USB driver.  The LVB Tracker is a data receiver and then it acts on the 
data.  I have an LVB Tracker running off a IBM laptop and a Compaq tower, 
both using XP. I am using SatPC32 on both computers. The laptop drops the 
comm link sometimes, but the tower is rock solid.  A laptop, Windows, FTDI 
drivers and dll to get the data to the logical com port can generate a good 
bit of finger pointing when things don't work.

73,
Gould, WA4SXM
- Original Message - 
From: 
To: 
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 11:10 PM
Subject: [amsat-bb] Yaesu LVB Nova issues - Help


>
> Thanks for those answering my questions on my odd 5400 motors 5600B 
> control box situation.
> Now I have it working with LVB Tracker and Nova.
> But the motors stop tracking after a few minutes.
> First it seems to track fine, with motors turning as Nova instructs.
> But after a few minutes of activating and turning motors here and there, 
> the motors don't seem to respond to the Nova software to move any more.
> I have to shut down Nova (getting a cannot write to file error), reboot 
> the computer (otherwise when I go to Nova I get an error msg that the 
> device is already connected? (but no response)), and restart Nova.? Then 
> the motors will seem to track as Nova directs, but only for a few minutes 
> and then motors stop working again.? I cannot tell if it is a computer 
> problem (IBM T41 laptop, Win XP), or LVB (just got), or what?
> Any clues??
> Thanks for the space.
> Bennett ko2ok
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[amsat-bb] Yaesu LVB Nova issues - Help

2009-07-02 Thread bpn518

Thanks for those answering my questions on my odd 5400 motors 5600B control box 
situation.
Now I have it working with LVB Tracker and Nova.
But the motors stop tracking after a few minutes.
First it seems to track fine, with motors turning as Nova instructs.
But after a few minutes of activating and turning motors here and there, the 
motors don't seem to respond to the Nova software to move any more.
I have to shut down Nova (getting a cannot write to file error), reboot the 
computer (otherwise when I go to Nova I get an error msg that the device is 
already connected? (but no response)), and restart Nova.? Then the motors will 
seem to track as Nova directs, but only for a few minutes and then motors stop 
working again.? I cannot tell if it is a computer problem (IBM T41 laptop, Win 
XP), or LVB (just got), or what?
Any clues?? 
Thanks for the space.
Bennett ko2ok
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[amsat-bb] FW: Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Dave


Could the antenna be a launched in the craft as piece of small, folded
reflective plastic that when activated by gas or ??, expands to a dish
shape, and becomes a super large plastic large dish? The dish  then could be
any size we wanted it to be and not be a hindrance to the launch craft size.
I've seen these but have trouble no putting my finger on the name. We could
make the dish 30ft around and folded it could be 4 inches square.


Dave
DM78qd // KA0SWT
If it weren't for Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of television, we'd still be
eating frozen radio dinners.-- Johnny Carson
+
 
 
 

-Original Message-
From: amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org] On
Behalf Of Tony Langdon
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 7:07 PM
To: James French; AMSAT-BB
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

At 02:30 AM 7/3/2009, James French wrote:

>Why not use a L/s, U/L. or a U/s transponder for this?
>Why limit ourselves to V/u for everything?
>Aren't we supposed to 'experiment' with the higher frequencies we have 
>allocated?

I agree.  I believe the Moon is a job for the microwave bands.  Antenna gain
on both ends is easier to produce (for a fixed dish/array, the Moon end will
be gain limited by the need to have the beam cover for the varying position
of the Earth due to libration).

Comeing up with a method to align the antenna initially will be an
interesting challenge.  That will have to be automated, even if it's a one
off process.

73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL
http://vkradio.com

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[amsat-bb] Re: Software Commodore 64

2009-07-02 Thread Jim Jerzycke
*Somewhere* in this grand mess of mine I have a program called "Super VR85 
Tracker" that I used for pass predictions when I ran a C=64 and C=128. I worked 
perfectly, and was what I used to track the MIR so I could make packet contacts 
with it. I'd print out the passes on my dot-matrix printer, and then run the 
DigiCom64 software to control my A&A Engineering W2UP modem for packet use. I 
couldn't afford the PK-64 until years later, but somehow it all worked, and I 
made numerous packet contacts with the MIR.
Amazing what you could do with an 8-bit machine back then!
*IF* I can find the disk, I'll fire up the C=128 and make you a copy.
73, Jim  KQ6EA

--- On Thu, 7/2/09, Jean-François Ménard  wrote:

From: Jean-François Ménard 
Subject: [amsat-bb]  Software Commodore 64
To: "AMSAT Mailing list" 
Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 4:09 PM

Hi,

Hey, I'm not crazy... Hi !!

I'm looking for satellite prediction software or similar for Commodore 64.

Anybody know where I can find this !?!?

73

 From an old fashion guy of the '80

-- 
Jean-François Ménard
VA2SS

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
AMSAT www.amsat.org
ARRL  www.arrl.org
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


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[amsat-bb] Re: Original 13 Colonies update

2009-07-02 Thread Gary "Joe" Mayfield
Is there anyone active in DE?  For WAS I worked a portable.  I noticed we
did not work DE for Field Day satellite or otherwise.

73,
Joe kk0sd

-Original Message-
From: amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org] On
Behalf Of n...@bellsouth.net
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 7:54 AM
To: Luc Leblanc; amsat-bb@amsat.org
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Original 13 Colonies update

Luc and all,

My apologies for not posting this sooner. Here is the full list of operators
- NOTE that we only have 11 of the 13 colonies active. If there is ANYone in
Connecticut or Delaware who can work some passes, please contact me off the
BB. Thank you.

K2A-NY WB2OQQ
K2B-VANL7VX 
K2C-RIN1RCN 
K2D-CTNOT currently active on the satellites 
K2E-DENOT currently active on the satellites 
K2F-MD...WA3SWJ 
K2G-GAN3TL 
K2H-MAKB1PVH 
K2I-NJW4MPS 
K2J-NCND9M, operating as K2T - See note below
K2K-NHN1XED 
K2L-SC...K4YYL
K2M-PAN2AUO 
K2T/Mobile-NC (Will count as a contact for North Carolina on Certificate)

I hope this is helpful to everyone.

73 to all,

Tim 
 
> 

-- Original message from Luc Leblanc :
-- 


> On 30 Jun 2009 at 12:32, n...@bellsouth.net wrote: 
> 
> Hey everyone, 
> I've just heard from Gary, N2AUO, who is interested in activating
Pennsylvania 
> on the satellites during the Original 13 Colonies special event this week.
That gives us 10 of the Original 13 Colonies that will be 
> active on the satellites during this event! Thanks to Gary for 
> his interest in participating. 
> At the request of the event's organizer (Ken. KU2US), those of us active
on the 
> satellites will be IDing with our own call sign/special event call. For
example, I will be IDing as N3TL/K2G. I'll add that I'm the 
> station in Georgia for the special event, just to be clear. 
> Ken also has advised that he is adding a special satellite designator to
the 
> certificates for those who earn them via satellite contacts. 
> Thanks to him for doing this. 
> For the latest information on the Original 13 Colonies Special Event,
please go 
> to www.QRZ.com/ku2us. 
> 
> The event begins at 1300 UTC July 1 and ends at 0359 UTC on July 5. 
> 
> 73 to all, 
> 
> Tim - N3TL 
> 
> On the 2145Z AO-51 pass i was able to get theses one below those with
their call 
> sign and heard those with a H 
> 
> K2A-NY 
> K2B-VA 
> K2C-RIN1RCN 
> K2D-CT 
> K2E-DE 
> K2F-MD...WA3SWJ 
> K2G-GA 
> K2H-MAKB1PVH 
> K2I-NJW4MPS 
> K2J-NC 
> K2K-NH 
> K2L-SC...H... 
> K2M-PA 
> K2T/Mobile-NC (Will count as a contact for North Carolina on Certificate) 
> 
> 30% on the first shot! did a list exist with the satellite operator call
sign? 
> As a suggestion those available can post here which 
> satellite they will be listening and operate. 
> 
> 
> 
> "-" 
> 
> 
> Luc Leblanc VE2DWE 
> Skype VE2DWE 
> www.qsl.net/ve2dwe 
> WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE 
> 
> 
> 
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[amsat-bb] Re: Moon can cost less than HEO/GEO

2009-07-02 Thread Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BARRIOS TECHNOLOGY]
I realize this is still very early in the dreaming stage but it would be nice 
to start seeing some realistic proposals soon. How about starting with a blank 
worksheet that outlines the desirements and requirements. This would give folks 
some specifics to address.

*LUNAR System*
Modulation type:
Mode: 
Power source:
Lunar transmitter (type, output power and band):
Lunar TX antenna (type and gain): 
Lunar receiver (type and band):
Lunar RX antenna (type and gain): 
Lunar controller (type and capability):

Delivery deadline for flight certified hardware to be launched:
Length of time the system is expected to operate:
Periods that the system is expected to be available for use:

Once you have some general ideas as to what the items are then you will have a 
good idea of the total weight, size and what it will cost to buy, build and 
certify for spaceflight. It would also be nice to know what sort of station 
equipment would be needed to use this lunar system.

*EARTH Station*
Description of minimal Earth station capable of operation through above 
mentioned lunar system:
Transmitter (type, output power and band):
TX antenna (type and gain): 
Receiver (type and band):
RX antenna (type and gain): 
Antenna tracking system:

The above should allow for a realistic guess at the number of users willing to 
and capable of operating through the system.

Kenneth

From: amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org [amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org] On Behalf Of MM 
[ka1...@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 8:14 PM
To: amsat-bb@amsat.org
Subject: [amsat-bb]  Moon can cost less than HEO/GEO

 High orbit launch prices

It is hard to find exact values for the price per kilo to a geo-stationery 
orbit.  I did find a few old numbers on the web suggesting that around the year 
2000 prices were approximately 25,000 to 35,000 USD per kilo.  I can only 
assume it will cost more today’s 2009 dollars.  If we were to build our own 
Geo-stationary satellite and were able to keep the weight down to the same 
weight of AO-40 (244 kilos), that would only cost us $8.5 USD million in 
launching fees (plus inflation).  That is not including the cost of the 
satellite.  A ballpark Geo-stationary amateur radio satellite and launching 
fees would be in the 20-40 million-dollar range per satellite (SWAG).

If you have an extra 40 million kicking around then go ahead and build us a Geo 
satellite. Or if you work at Huges and can talk them into attaching a Micro 
Satellite to the next geo satellite for Free great, go for it.

I can’t afford that and I do not know anyone at Huges, so I am looking into the 
piggyback options.  Let some other company pay the big bucks for the flight and 
navigation and just tag along for the ride.

In this case NASA wants to send Un-manned Landers to the Moon.  All we need to 
do is convince them to let us attached a 1-2 kilo micro-satellite to the moon 
lander and use some of their power and antennas, etc.

Just look at the Huge Savings $$$
No navigation system (we have never had much luck at building our own rocket 
motors (AO-10- damaged satellite, AO-13 Miss fired and caused a premature 
reentry and AO-40 Kaboom)

No command and control RF links (just command between the Microsat and existing 
command and control system)

NASA will pay for the rocket (we hope)

Assuming a good landing, there will not be any need for periodic orbital 
changes.

It’s true that our resources for building new satellites are very limited.
I believe that Putting the effort into building a Moon qualified micro 
satellite seems to be the most economical path to take.  And will provide the 
greatest return on our investment.

Sincerely

Miles WF1F  MarexMG.org







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[amsat-bb] Moon can cost less than HEO/GEO

2009-07-02 Thread MM

 High orbit launch prices

It is hard to find exact values for the price per kilo to a geo-stationery 
orbit.  I did find a few old numbers on the web suggesting that around the year 
2000 prices were approximately 25,000 to 35,000 USD per kilo.  I can only 
assume it will cost more today’s 2009 dollars.  If we were to build our own 
Geo-stationary satellite and were able to keep the weight down to the same 
weight of AO-40 (244 kilos), that would only cost us $8.5 USD million in 
launching fees (plus inflation).  That is not including the cost of the 
satellite.  A ballpark Geo-stationary amateur radio satellite and launching 
fees would be in the 20-40 million-dollar range per satellite (SWAG).

If you have an extra 40 million kicking around then go ahead and build us a Geo 
satellite. Or if you work at Huges and can talk them into attaching a Micro 
Satellite to the next geo satellite for Free great, go for it.

I can’t afford that and I do not know anyone at Huges, so I am looking into the 
piggyback options.  Let some other company pay the big bucks for the flight and 
navigation and just tag along for the ride.

In this case NASA wants to send Un-manned Landers to the Moon.  All we need to 
do is convince them to let us attached a 1-2 kilo micro-satellite to the moon 
lander and use some of their power and antennas, etc.

Just look at the Huge Savings $$$
No navigation system (we have never had much luck at building our own rocket 
motors (AO-10- damaged satellite, AO-13 Miss fired and caused a premature 
reentry and AO-40 Kaboom)

No command and control RF links (just command between the Microsat and existing 
command and control system)

NASA will pay for the rocket (we hope)

Assuming a good landing, there will not be any need for periodic orbital 
changes.

It’s true that our resources for building new satellites are very limited.  
I believe that Putting the effort into building a Moon qualified micro 
satellite seems to be the most economical path to take.  And will provide the 
greatest return on our investment.

Sincerely

Miles WF1F  MarexMG.org





  

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Tony Langdon
At 03:17 AM 7/3/2009, MM wrote:

>Hi James:
>
>I am in favor of any band that has the desired results.  I just used 
>the 2/440 bands as the opener.  Remember the higher in frequency the 
>less affordable the system becomes and the fewer Amateur Radio 
>operators and Short Wave listeners will have access to those 
>frequencies.  We do not want to design a system that only 2 people can afford.

V/U are the bands with the _most_ expensive antenna requirements, 
because of the sheer size of the arrays required on both ends.  L/S 
would be much cheaper, and particularly the S side is nowadays well 
supported, just have to enlarge those dishes a bit.

In years gone by, I would never have been able to operate a HEO on 2m 
and 70cm.  However, microwave bands were more practical at the 
time.  Even now, I still believe a HEO would work better for me on 
microwaves, because of the more modest mechanical requirements.  I 
don't have the mechanical skills to hoist large antenna arrays into 
the sky.  A small dish?  That's much more likely. :)

73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL
http://vkradio.com

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Tony Langdon
At 02:30 AM 7/3/2009, James French wrote:

>Why not use a L/s, U/L. or a U/s transponder for this?
>Why limit ourselves to V/u for everything?
>Aren't we supposed to 'experiment' with the higher frequencies we have
>allocated?

I agree.  I believe the Moon is a job for the microwave 
bands.  Antenna gain on both ends is easier to produce (for a fixed 
dish/array, the Moon end will be gain limited by the need to have the 
beam cover for the varying position of the Earth due to libration).

Comeing up with a method to align the antenna initially will be an 
interesting challenge.  That will have to be automated, even if it's 
a one off process.

73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL
http://vkradio.com

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[amsat-bb] AO-40 telemetry

2009-07-02 Thread Mark L. Hammond
Hi Jim,

Is this what you are looking for?

ftp://ftp.amsat.org/amsat/telemetry/ao40/

73,

Mark N8MH

___

I'm looking for an online repository of AO-40 housekeeping telemetry for 
a space weather study.  May I ask for any pointers to such a database?

Jim

j...@coloradosatellite.com
w...@amsat.org






Mark L. Hammond  [N8MH]
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[amsat-bb] Re: AO-40 telemetry database

2009-07-02 Thread Rodney Waln
this page has some info, good luck
 
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/ao40/ao40-tlm.html



 


  
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[amsat-bb] Re: 13 colonies baloney

2009-07-02 Thread n3tl
Mr. McGrane,

As the operator who emailed the organizer of rhe 13 Colonies special event to 
request that he include satellites - and as the operator who solicited all of 
the satellite stations who are operating with a special call sign - you should 
direct your vitriolic comments to me, not to one of the stations who agreed to 
assist me in getting as many of the Original 13 Colonies on the air as possible.

I regret that you don't share my (and others') enthusiasm for this special 
event. I wasn't even able to work AO-51 last night because of all the stations 
trying to call others using special call signs from "the colonies."

Please ... be angry and frustrated with me, not with anyone else. And please 
feel free to email me on or off this BB. I'll provide a phone number if you'd 
like to call and rip me by voice. Whatever.

And for what it's worth, I believe it was I who stepped on you to work W8MRR, 
not WA3SWJ - all the more reason to give me what for, I suppose

Sincerely,

Tim - N3TL/K2G (Georgia)
-- Original message from "Thomas McGrane" : 
-- 


> Mr. Semple 
> 
> I could not be bothered logging into QRZ.com for your email address. 
> 
> I did not appreciate being bumped off echo while trying to reach w8mrr. 
> Your lame excuse of celebrating the 13 colonies to hog the satellite was 
> inappropriate. 
> 
> Please dont bump me again. 
> 
> America is nothing like what fought the original revolution. 
> 
> Who are you kidding, not me. pat n2oeq 
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[amsat-bb] AO-40 telemetry database

2009-07-02 Thread Jim White
I'm looking for an online repository of AO-40 housekeeping telemetry for 
a space weather study.  May I ask for any pointers to such a database?

Jim

j...@coloradosatellite.com
w...@amsat.org

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[amsat-bb] Re: Software Commodore 64

2009-07-02 Thread w7lrd


I had a tracking program back when.  As I recall it would not work after the 
year 2000.  I gave away all my 64 stuff years ago. 

73 Bob W7LRD 



- Original Message - 
From: "Jean-François Ménard"  
To: "AMSAT Mailing list"  
Sent: Thursday, July 2, 2009 4:09:57 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific 
Subject: [amsat-bb]  Software Commodore 64 

Hi, 

Hey, I'm not crazy... Hi !! 

I'm looking for satellite prediction software or similar for Commodore 64. 

Anybody know where I can find this !?!? 

73 

 From an old fashion guy of the '80 

-- 
Jean-François Ménard 
VA2SS 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 
AMSAT www.amsat.org 
ARRL  www.arrl.org 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 


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[amsat-bb] Re: Software Commodore 64

2009-07-02 Thread kd8bxp
Seems to me like I might have some ham software for my C64
But I don't remember any pass prediction software

I think I remember tnc stuff, morse code, and test taking training, maybe even 
a few antenna programs 
But I will look in my collection

LeRoy, KD8BXP
http://www.HamOhio.com
--Original Message--
From: Jean-François Ménard
Sender: amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org
To: AMSAT Mailing list
Subject: [amsat-bb]  Software Commodore 64
Sent: Jul 2, 2009 7:09 PM

Hi,

Hey, I'm not crazy... Hi !!

I'm looking for satellite prediction software or similar for Commodore 64.

Anybody know where I can find this !?!?

73

 From an old fashion guy of the '80

-- 
Jean-François Ménard
VA2SS

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
AMSAT www.amsat.org
ARRL  www.arrl.org
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


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Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Gregg Wonderly
It seems to me that the correct choice is the highest frequency we can get on 
board for at least 24dB at the longest length of antenna that we would be 
allowed to send up.

Gregg Wonderly
W5GGW

Robert Bruninga wrote:
>> Why go with the minimal antenna gain?
>> ... any antenna with a 3 db point that exceeds 
>> 6.5 degrees is just wasting transmitter power.
> 
> I think that would be about a 24 dB gain antenna.  Pretty big
> and would take some careful alignment...  Kinda like a realy big
> EME array
> 
>> Just remember what an Oscar 10 station took 
>> to have reliable communications, At Apogee 
>> it was only 35,000 miles away, the Moon is ...]
>> [250,000 miles]
> 
> Which is 7 times farther, squared or 50 times more power (about
> 17 dB).
> 
> BUT one easy way to get gain is to use just a long coaxial gain
> cable.  I think it takes about 22 feet of coaxial dipole
> elements at 2 meters to give about 6 dB of gain.  So laying down
> 6 dB gain segments on the rock of the moon is as easy as
> unrolling a spool of cable.  Unrolling 8 of these with the right
> spacing could yield about 17 dB.
> 
> Of course this woiuld only point straight up, so it would need
> to be on a moon base in the middle of the earth facing side.
> But since there is a lot of interest in moon bases near the
> poles where there might be water, then a similar array of layed
> down coaxial cable arrays could be phased horizontally to point
> at earth.  Actually, just about any direction can  be obtained
> with the right spacing.
> 
> ONLY problem of course is there has to be someone with legs to
> roll out the cables.
> 
> Just a thought.
> Bob, WB4APR
> 
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[amsat-bb] Software Commodore 64

2009-07-02 Thread Jean-François Ménard
Hi,

Hey, I'm not crazy... Hi !!

I'm looking for satellite prediction software or similar for Commodore 64.

Anybody know where I can find this !?!?

73

 From an old fashion guy of the '80

-- 
Jean-François Ménard
VA2SS

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
AMSAT www.amsat.org
ARRL  www.arrl.org
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Armando Mercado
Hi Nigel,

Indeed, I can hear the ker-chunking and
cordless phone calls now. :-)

Armando, N8IGJ

>Date: Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:23:08 +
>From: Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF 
>Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future
>To: Armando Mercado 
>Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org
>Message-ID: <4a4cecfc.6070...@ngunn.net>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed

>It would be the only repeater anywhere that I've seen that would get 
>sufficient use to justify it's existance.


>Armando Mercado wrote:

>> Not to be a wet blanket, but what is the
>> advantage of an amateur repeater on the moon?


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[amsat-bb] 13 colonies baloney

2009-07-02 Thread Thomas McGrane
Mr. Semple

I could not be bothered logging into QRZ.com for your email address.

I did not appreciate being bumped off echo while trying to reach w8mrr.

Your lame excuse of celebrating the 13 colonies to hog the satellite was 
inappropriate.

Please dont bump me again.

America is nothing like what fought the original revolution.

Who are you kidding, not me. pat n2oeq
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread G0MRF
 
In a message dated 02/07/2009 13:42:15 GMT Standard Time, ka1...@yahoo.com  
writes:

Right  now this is the concept theory phase.
Is a 2m/440 SSB transponder  practical?
If our analysis proves that it is not, then we can move on  higher in 
frequency until we find an affordable solution (within the ITU  guidelines


2m to 440.  ? No, too much noise from Earth on 2m and too much path  loss 
on 440.
 
440 to 2m is a much better solution
 
David
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[amsat-bb] Re: How you do DOPPLER correction in Linear Transponders?

2009-07-02 Thread i8cvs
- Original Message -
From: "Fabiano Moser" 
To: "amsat-bb" 
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 6:19 PM
Subject: [amsat-bb] How you do DOPPLER correction in Linear Transponders?


Dear friends,

We know that some Satellite Operators use diferent system to doppler
control.

For Linear Transponder
1) Adjust uplink and downlink automatic by CAT? (Not always woks, some times
I´m up or down from the computer adjust)
2) Adjust uplink and downlink manual
3) Keep Uplink fixed and adjust only the Downlink frequency.

What is the more indicate method to use?
FT-847 have knob to adjust Uplink without change downlink VFO, and I´m using
it to keep my voice in downlink at same downlink much I can.

But I know some operators use fixed uplink.

How you do?

--
73
Fabiano Moser CR7/PY5RX
ARISS-PORTUGAL (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station)
Representative at Teleconference and Portugal Telebridge Coordinator.
AMRAD/AMSAT-CT
http://www.amrad.pt/ariss.php

Hi Fabiano, CR7/PY5RX

My preferred metod (from OSCAR-6 to AO40) is to adjust only the Uplink
frequency in order to keep my voice in downlink as clear as possible exactly
as you actually do manually.
If the station in contact with me moves up or down I invite the operator to
move the VFO of his TX to come again in my constant receiving frequency.

73" de
i8CVS Domenico




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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Joe
This I also agree with.  While the Moon  would be a flashy cool thing,  
In actuality it's less productive than a GEO bird.

Now  two geo birds with their dead zones out in the empty Pacific,  
Linked together  would be the most awesome system  yes?

Joe WB9SBD

Armando Mercado wrote:

>Hi Dave,
>
>Thanks for your comments.
>
>If the "international project" approach were
>a successful model we would have a constellation
>of amateur satellites in HEO/GEO flying now.
>But, different space groups have different
>priorities.  
>
>I am not opposed to a lunar repeater, but
>I think we can get a bigger bang for the buck
>by pursuing other opitions.
>
>To me this sounds like a one time stunt that
>will take most of our already limited resources.
>
>73's Armando N8IGJ
>
>  - Original Message - 
>  From: D R Mynatt 
>  To: Armando Mercado 
>  Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 5:28 PM
>  Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future
>
>
>  A moon repeater/datacom/SSTV/cw whatever else we can do, could be 
> coordinated with *all* the various amateur groups, not just AMSAT-NA. This 
> could make this an international project, similar to ESMO and ASMO projects 
> under way now. It would be financially feasible if, for instance, we landed 
> first (probably not going to happen) and, if I remember correctly, collect 
> the cash prize for the first  non-commercial moon landing. I think that's 
> still out there, isn't it?
>
>  Dave//KA0SWT
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>  
>
>
>
>
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
>Version: 8.5.375 / Virus Database: 270.13.2/2214 - Release Date: 07/02/09 
>05:54:00
>
>  
>
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Armando Mercado
Hi Dave,

Thanks for your comments.

If the "international project" approach were
a successful model we would have a constellation
of amateur satellites in HEO/GEO flying now.
But, different space groups have different
priorities.  

I am not opposed to a lunar repeater, but
I think we can get a bigger bang for the buck
by pursuing other opitions.

To me this sounds like a one time stunt that
will take most of our already limited resources.

73's Armando N8IGJ

  - Original Message - 
  From: D R Mynatt 
  To: Armando Mercado 
  Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 5:28 PM
  Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future


  A moon repeater/datacom/SSTV/cw whatever else we can do, could be coordinated 
with *all* the various amateur groups, not just AMSAT-NA. This could make this 
an international project, similar to ESMO and ASMO projects under way now. It 
would be financially feasible if, for instance, we landed first (probably not 
going to happen) and, if I remember correctly, collect the cash prize for the 
first  non-commercial moon landing. I think that's still out there, isn't it?

  Dave//KA0SWT
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[amsat-bb] Re: Richard Garriott qsl

2009-07-02 Thread Glenn AA5PK
I received my QSL from Richard today along with a nice letter explaining, 
among other things, why it's taken this long to get the 500+ QSLs out in the 
mail.

Glenn AA5PK 

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Joe
Now thats pretty good!

But why is it soo good,  when  the HEO birds were soo hard?

something missing?

John B. Stephensen wrote:

>Path loss for a lunar downlink at 435 MHz is 197 dB and the sky temperature 
>is about 75 K. If you assume a 2.5 kHz wide SSB voice downlink and 10dB 
>average SNR (16 dB peak) a perfect receiver needs to see -130 dBm PEP input. 
>Given 5 dBic of gain on the moon and 17 dBic (one long yagi) of gain on the 
>earth, the lunar transmitter needs to provide +45 dBm PEP (32 Watts) per 
>user.
>
>73,
>
>John
>KD6OZH
>
>- Original Message - 
>From: "MM" 
>To: ; ; "Jack K." 
>Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 11:31 UTC
>Subject: [amsat-bb] The Moon is our Future
>
>
>  
>
>>Theoretically we may have a free ride to the Moon for an Amateur radio 
>>repeater!
>>
>>In the past, the flight to the moon for a Amateur radio project has been 
>>cost prohibitive.  We just could not afford to pay for the ride to the 
>>Moon.
>>NASA is going to the moon with unmanned landers. NASA is open to the idea 
>>of flying some public service projects to the moon on their landers.
>>
>>Now there exists the possibility of getting a free ride to the moon, 
>>curtsy of NASA.
>>
>>What we need are the following:
>>
>>A stable club with funding to build a simple transponder project.
>>A plan for a simple transponder (KISS  no complex P3E).
>>A link budget plan for a Moon transponder.
>>
>>
>>One theory:
>>We need a simple Mode-J transponder (2-meters up, 440 down).
>>Low power consumption.
>>Assume minimal antenna gain from the Lander (3 dBd on each antenna)
>>Assume transmitter power 5-10 watts.
>>
>>Questions:
>>What’s the link budget?
>>How much gain will be needed on earth for such a setup?
>>Can we build a working mockup in 1 year or less.
>>
>>The Moon is within Reach.  Let’s Go for IT.
>>
>>Miles WF1F   MarexMG.org
>>
>>
>>--- On Wed, 7/1/09, Jack K.  wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>From: Jack K. 
>>>Subject: [amsat-bb]  Rebuttal -  Re: Unused sats
>>>To: kg4...@gmail.com, amsat-bb@amsat.org
>>>Date: Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 4:46 PM
>>>I have to disagree in the strongest
>>>of terms about disregarding HEOs "for
>>>now" which in essence will mean to become forever. Until,
>>>or unless, we
>>>could come up with something along the lines of a "Cell"
>>>system of leos, we
>>>are missing one of the major advantages of Satellites and
>>>that is almost
>>>guaranteed communications for long periods (several hours)
>>>at a time... I am
>>>in no way denigrating LEOs as they have their place, but in
>>>the major schema
>>>of things HEOS will and always have rule given the state of
>>>communications
>>>art...
>>>
>>>I understand the desire to "do something" but I suggest
>>>that the major
>>>thrust should be directed at getting a transponder on the
>>>moon (or Mars) or
>>>some more KISS type HEOs up... Cubesats can take care of
>>>themselves if we
>>>do, Heck I would even join in and participate in something
>>>like I just
>>>mentioned, I just can not get excited about "Contest style"
>>>contacts with a
>>>5-12 min window most of the time... I do that on 2 meters
>>>scatter all I
>>>want,
>>>
>>>DE Jack - KD1PE
>>>
>>>
>>>- Original Message - 
>>>From: "David - KG4ZLB" 
>>>To: 
>>>Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 4:09 PM
>>>Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Unused sats
>>>
>>>
>>>  
>>>
All good points but forget the HEO's for now - we just


>>>need a good
>>>  
>>>
source of regularly launched easy sats in LEO to


>>>augment the few working
>>>  
>>>
birds we have and replace what we have to as they fall


>>>out of the sky or
>>>  
>>>
just stop working.


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>>>satellite program!
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>>>  
>>>
>>
>>
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread John B. Stephensen
Path loss for a lunar downlink at 435 MHz is 197 dB and the sky temperature 
is about 75 K. If you assume a 2.5 kHz wide SSB voice downlink and 10dB 
average SNR (16 dB peak) a perfect receiver needs to see -130 dBm PEP input. 
Given 5 dBic of gain on the moon and 17 dBic (one long yagi) of gain on the 
earth, the lunar transmitter needs to provide +45 dBm PEP (32 Watts) per 
user.

73,

John
KD6OZH

- Original Message - 
From: "MM" 
To: ; ; "Jack K." 
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 11:31 UTC
Subject: [amsat-bb] The Moon is our Future


>
> Theoretically we may have a free ride to the Moon for an Amateur radio 
> repeater!
>
> In the past, the flight to the moon for a Amateur radio project has been 
> cost prohibitive.  We just could not afford to pay for the ride to the 
> Moon.
> NASA is going to the moon with unmanned landers. NASA is open to the idea 
> of flying some public service projects to the moon on their landers.
>
> Now there exists the possibility of getting a free ride to the moon, 
> curtsy of NASA.
>
> What we need are the following:
>
> A stable club with funding to build a simple transponder project.
> A plan for a simple transponder (KISS  no complex P3E).
> A link budget plan for a Moon transponder.
>
>
> One theory:
> We need a simple Mode-J transponder (2-meters up, 440 down).
> Low power consumption.
> Assume minimal antenna gain from the Lander (3 dBd on each antenna)
> Assume transmitter power 5-10 watts.
>
> Questions:
> What’s the link budget?
> How much gain will be needed on earth for such a setup?
> Can we build a working mockup in 1 year or less.
>
> The Moon is within Reach.  Let’s Go for IT.
>
> Miles WF1F   MarexMG.org
>
>
> --- On Wed, 7/1/09, Jack K.  wrote:
>
>> From: Jack K. 
>> Subject: [amsat-bb]  Rebuttal -  Re: Unused sats
>> To: kg4...@gmail.com, amsat-bb@amsat.org
>> Date: Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 4:46 PM
>> I have to disagree in the strongest
>> of terms about disregarding HEOs "for
>> now" which in essence will mean to become forever. Until,
>> or unless, we
>> could come up with something along the lines of a "Cell"
>> system of leos, we
>> are missing one of the major advantages of Satellites and
>> that is almost
>> guaranteed communications for long periods (several hours)
>> at a time... I am
>> in no way denigrating LEOs as they have their place, but in
>> the major schema
>> of things HEOS will and always have rule given the state of
>> communications
>> art...
>>
>> I understand the desire to "do something" but I suggest
>> that the major
>> thrust should be directed at getting a transponder on the
>> moon (or Mars) or
>> some more KISS type HEOs up... Cubesats can take care of
>> themselves if we
>> do, Heck I would even join in and participate in something
>> like I just
>> mentioned, I just can not get excited about "Contest style"
>> contacts with a
>> 5-12 min window most of the time... I do that on 2 meters
>> scatter all I
>> want,
>>
>> DE Jack - KD1PE
>>
>>
>> - Original Message - 
>> From: "David - KG4ZLB" 
>> To: 
>> Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 4:09 PM
>> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Unused sats
>>
>>
>> > All good points but forget the HEO's for now - we just
>> need a good
>> > source of regularly launched easy sats in LEO to
>> augment the few working
>> > birds we have and replace what we have to as they fall
>> out of the sky or
>> > just stop working.
>>
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>
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[amsat-bb] Moon project: why not a passive refeector?

2009-07-02 Thread andy thomas

Guys,

taking a tip from ECHO, why not improve the EME link budget by building a 
structure of resonant cavities at 2m or 70cm, and above? Such a structure could 
be built by a metallic (reflective) polymer surface "bubble" or pyramid, and an 
automatic system to inject hardening-foam to give it rigidity. 

Our beams on earth would point to the structure at a target frequency and the 
increased reflectivity of the structure would bring EME  possible for more 
modest arrays.

Would bring OSCAR-0 into the backyard...

justa thought...

andy G0SFJ


  

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[amsat-bb] Re: DO-64 software support for PSK-1(T) hardware?

2009-07-02 Thread PE0SAT

On Thu, July 2, 2009 21:59, Greg Beat wrote:

Hi Greg,


> I see that DO-64 / Delfi-C3 has a 1200 baud BPSK downlink and their
RASCAL software uses the computer's soundcard DSP for decoding.
>
> Does the RASCAL software have an ability to support data stream from the
PacComm PSK-1 combo?

Look for Warble, it can be found on

http://members.casema.nl/b.ubbels/pe4wj.htm

Goodluck
> 
> w9gb


-- 
With regards PE0SAT
Internet web-page http://www.ham.vgnet.nl/


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[amsat-bb] Re: Has anyone considered???

2009-07-02 Thread David Moisan
Quote:  
Has anyone considered the notion that the communications from a HEO or Moon 
or Mars need not be analog? Has anyone considered a digital mode such as 
WSJT for comms? I know for a fact people are running meteor scatter and EME 
using a single beam (albeit a long one) and 150 watts. This is not out of 

Personally, I have no use for ssb or cw, but I would definitely like to try EME 
with WSJT or similar modes.  I would also prefer the higher frequencies.  I 
can't aim a 2m beam out of my apartment window but higher bands would not be a 
problem.  Indeed, that's probably the only way one could go in an urban 
environment.  I can't see that my investment and effort would be any less for a 
"simpler" mode.

(I'd go on about how 70cm is really prevalent and that, despite what some 
old-timers think, most hams aren't saving their pennies for the Benton Harbor 
lunchbox anymore.)

73, Dave, N1KGH

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[amsat-bb] 24 Ghz stats

2009-07-02 Thread Howie
In response to Joe, W9SBD, at 24 Ghz:

6' antenna = 51 dB gain, 3dB BW = .4 deg, EIRP @1W = 126 KW
4' antenna = 48 dB gain, 3dB BW = .6 deg, EIRP @1W = 63 KW
18" antenna = 39 dB gain, 3dB BW = 1.6 deg, EIRP @1W = 8 KW

All figures rounded to next whole number, gains assume 65% efficiency.

We have excellent space allocations at 3.4 GHz for downlink that would be
very inexpensive to build. Even a high end 30 deg./K LNB with external 10
MHz. reference is less than $500 new and will convert 3.4 Ghz to 950 Mhz.
The used price is much lower. I have sketched out some ideas to compensate
and downconvert a really cheap ($50) DRO LNB to a 432 MHz. IF using mostly
off the shelf parts. This band is great for space comms and can use very
inexpensive commercial parts. There is very little terrestrial activity to
worry about and this band is not allocated for commercial downlinks in this
region. In areas where it is allocated, the frequencies below 3.410 don't
seem to be popular commercially. 

Howie AB2S
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[amsat-bb] DO-64 software support for PSK-1(T) hardware?

2009-07-02 Thread Greg Beat
I see that DO-64 / Delfi-C3 has a 1200 baud BPSK downlink and their RASCAL 
software uses the
computer's soundcard DSP for decoding.  

Does the RASCAL software have an ability to support data stream from the 
PacComm PSK-1 combo?
DO-64 Frequencies:
  a.. Primary telemetry downlink: 145.870 MHz 1200 Baud BPSK AX.25 400mW 
  b.. Backup telemetry downlink: 145.930 MHz 1200 Baud BPSK AX.25 400mW 
  c.. Linear transponder passband downlink: 145.880 - 145.920 MHz (inverting) 
400mW PEP 
  d.. Linear transponder passband uplink: 435.570 - 435.530 MHz 
  e.. Transponder mode beacon: 145.870 MHz CW (10dB below transponder PEP)

w9gb
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread MM


Hi W0JT:

I like your simple explanation of the path loss; it should help many understand 
that an Active Repeater on the Moon will not require as big of an antenna 
system as passive Moon EME station.

Now we just need to run the path loss numbers a few different ways to see which 
Amateur Radio Band option works the best. 

If we are able to piggyback on a NASA funded Unmanned Moon lander, then we have 
the possibility of the least expensive flight to High orbit possible.
This is an opportunity we just can not miss trying for.

Our only other option for affordable high orbit flight may be with China.  I 
believe the High orbit flights with NASA and EAS are now cost prohibitive.

73 Miles WF1F MarexMG.org


--- On Thu, 7/2/09, tosca...@umn.edu  wrote:

> From: tosca...@umn.edu 
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future
> To: amsat-bb@amsat.org
> Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 11:52 AM
> On Jul 2 2009, kd8...@aol.com
> wrote:
> 
> > Don't want to get a whole new thing started here but -
> I don't think we 
> > ever went to the moon in 1969 and I don't think we
> will ever goto the 
> > moon - in 2012 or whenever they proposed a "return" to
> the moon
> 
> With that level of disbelief I can certainly see why you
> are predisposed to 
> discount the possibility of a moon-based transponder.
> 
> > I would love to see an amatuer repeater on the moon
> thou - from my 
> > understanding EME is expensive to do, so I think it
> would leave most of 
> > us out
> 
> Not necessarily. Remember, with conventional EME, you send
> as large a 
> signal as you can muster towards the moon, incur huge path
> losses along the 
> way, then incur a huge loss because the moon is a very
> imperfect reflector 
> of RF energy, then incur the huge path loss back from moon
> to earth.
> 
> With a moon-based repeater, you send as large a signal as
> you can muster 
> towards the moon, incur the same path loss from earth to
> moon; BUT, THEN 
> you enlarge the signal with a gain antenna at the repeater,
> and then have a 
> sensitive receiver that can detect and amplify the signal.
> The repeater 
> then transponds the signal to a different frequency band,
> amplifies it as 
> much as equipment weight and power availability allow,
> transmit it through 
> a gain antenna, and only THEN incur the huge path loss from
> moon to earth.
> 
> Because the path loss is only in a single direction, and
> instead of an 
> inefficient (lossy) passive reflector, you have gain
> antennas for reception 
> and transmission, plus amplification on receive and on
> transmit, the net 
> earth station requirements should be much less than
> conventional EME.
> 
> That's not to say it would be easy, just that it should be
> easier than 
> conventional EME in terms of station requirements on earth.
> As has been 
> mentioned numerous times already, the station requirements
> for the space 
> end of the system are enormously more difficult than
> anything we've ever 
> tackled so far with either LEO or HEO satellites.
> 
> But there's no harm in DISCUSSING the idea, and learning
> about the pitfalls 
> and possibilities as part of the discussion. Even if it
> never comes to 
> pass, we should all be a bit more knowledgeable after
> having had the 
> discussion.
> 
> As far as the dreaming goes, wouldn't an L/S transponder be
> better than a 
> V/U or U/V transponder? Granted, the path loss is greater,
> but the antenna 
> gain is easier to produce...
> 
> While I am a firm believer in the KISS principle (Keep It
> Simple, Stupid!), 
> I am getting a little tired of hearing people complain
> endlessly about the 
> downfall of AO-40 being due to its complexity. Uhh, the
> downfall of AO-40 
> was human error, which will ALWAYS be an issue. The only
> reason that AO-40 
> was ever usable at all was BECAUSE of its complexity, i.e.,
> the redundancy 
> of multiple transponders that could be switched into place
> after initial 
> failures, etc. OF COURSE, a mission to the moon needs to be
> as light and 
> compact as it can be made, and therefore much simpler than
> AO-40, but due 
> to the harsh environment in which it would be asked to
> operate, it needs to 
> be as complex as necessary to get the job done, i.e. not as
> simple as AO-10 
> or AO-13.
> 
> 73 de W0JT
> AMSAT-NA LM#2292
> 
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[amsat-bb] Richard Garriott qsl

2009-07-02 Thread Perry Yantis

I received my qsl today from Richard Garriott.

Perry WB8OTH
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[amsat-bb] Re: How you do DOPPLER correction in Linear Transponders?

2009-07-02 Thread Gould Smith
Tim, Fabiano and the BB,

This topic has been discussed for many decades.

Many approaches have valid logic, but there needs to be some recognized 
standard or multiple approaches will be used.
Even with a standard, there are always new (and old) users that don't know 
about it, and thus don't follow it OR do know and choose not to follow it.

AMSAT adopted the 'One True Rule' decades ago and still stands by it.

There is a copy of  'One True Rule' and a description in the AMSAT "Getting 
Started Guide", and has been for years.
'One True Rule' needs a more visible link on the AMSAT web site, but that is 
another issue.

So, the official AMSAT line is to follow 'One True Rule' .

73,
Gould, WA4SXM
AMSAT VP Operations


- Original Message - 
From: 
To: "Fabiano Moser" ; "amsat-bb" 

Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 1:29 PM
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: How you do DOPPLER correction in Linear 
Transponders?


> The latest edition of "The ARRL Satellite Handbook" contradicts earlier 
> versions, which suggested the same approach that Drew has here (i.e., 
> always Doppler-tune the higher frequency) in favor of "parking" the uplink 
> frequency and Doppler-tuning the downlink (see the section "Finding 
> Yourself ... and Others," which begins on page 5-13 of the handbook). It 
> occurs to me that, in general, that is the worst approach to take - 
> although I admit to only knowing enough about all of this to be more 
> dangerous than not.
>
> Before I added computer-aided Doppler tuning to my station, I took 
> Francesco's approach and always tried to stay at the same downlink 
> frequency, Doppler-tuning the uplink regardless of whether it was the 
> higher frequency. In reality, my approach is only inconsistent with Drew's 
> ONLY on FO-29 because, on AO-7 (when in Mode B) and VO-52 (always in Mode 
> B), the uplink IS the higher frequency.
>
> The reason I believe the 2008 edition of  "The ARRL Satellite Handbook" 
> offers the worst approach has two elements:
>
> 1 - the "slipping" on the downlink that Francesco alludes to in his post, 
> and
>
> 2 - the use of VO-52 as the "example satellite" for the description of how 
> to find one's signal. The exercise directs readers to Doppler-tune the 
> lower of the two frequencies to find themselves on the satellite.
>
> Later today, I will try the "always tune the higher frequency" rule on 
> FO-29, which I admittedly have not every tried. I'm looking forward to 
> learning how that works for me since the higher frequency on that satelite 
> is the downlink.
>
> 73 to all,
>
> Tim - N3TL
>
>
>
> -- Original message from Fabiano Moser 
> : -- 
>
>
>> Dear friends,
>>
>> We know that some Satellite Operators use diferent system to doppler
>> control.
>>
>> For Linear Transponder
>> 1) Adjust uplink and downlink automatic by CAT? (Not always woks, some 
>> times
>> I´m up or down from the computer adjust)
>> 2) Adjust uplink and downlink manual
>> 3) Keep Uplink fixed and adjust only the Downlink frequency.
>>
>> What is the more indicate method to use?
>> FT-847 have knob to adjust Uplink without change downlink VFO, and I´m 
>> using
>> it to keep my voice in downlink at same downlink much I can.
>>
>> But I know some operators use fixed uplink.
>>
>> How you do?
>>
>> -- 
>> 73
>> Fabiano Moser CR7/PY5RX
>> ARISS-PORTUGAL (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station)
>> Representative at Teleconference and Portugal Telebridge Coordinator.
>> AMRAD/AMSAT-CT
>> http://www.amrad.pt/ariss.php
>>
>> "There is no great talent without great will. (Honoré de Balzac)"
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[amsat-bb] Re: How you do DOPPLER correction in Linear Transponders?

2009-07-02 Thread Alan P. Biddle
Fabiano,

You should if at all possible follow the One True Rule of Doppler tuning and
tune both.  If you tune both the uplink and the downlink, and the person
with whom you are talking does the same, it makes the conversation much like
a terrestrial HF communications.  I often have a QSO from AOS to LOS on AO-7
and FO-29 without once tuning the radio manually.  Most modern tracking
programs, those written in the past 10 years, support this, and support the
FT-847.

http://www.amsat.org/amsat/features/one_true_rule.html

Alan
WA4SCA



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[amsat-bb] AMSAT Journal

2009-07-02 Thread Ed Long

Everyone,

The May/June issue of The AMSAT Journal was just uploaded to the printer. This 
one was a bit late too due to some content delays, but it is finished and I 
think it's a great issue. Hope you enjoy it. The Editorial team worked hard on 
it.

73 and have a very happy and safe July 4th (for those of you in the US),

Ed

Long
WA4SWJ
Editor, The AMSAT Journal


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[amsat-bb] Re: How you do DOPPLER correction in Linear Transponders?

2009-07-02 Thread n3tl
The latest edition of "The ARRL Satellite Handbook" contradicts earlier 
versions, which suggested the same approach that Drew has here (i.e., always 
Doppler-tune the higher frequency) in favor of "parking" the uplink frequency 
and Doppler-tuning the downlink (see the section "Finding Yourself ... and 
Others," which begins on page 5-13 of the handbook). It occurs to me that, in 
general, that is the worst approach to take - although I admit to only knowing 
enough about all of this to be more dangerous than not. 

Before I added computer-aided Doppler tuning to my station, I took Francesco's 
approach and always tried to stay at the same downlink frequency, 
Doppler-tuning the uplink regardless of whether it was the higher frequency. In 
reality, my approach is only inconsistent with Drew's ONLY on FO-29 because, on 
AO-7 (when in Mode B) and VO-52 (always in Mode B), the uplink IS the higher 
frequency. 

The reason I believe the 2008 edition of  "The ARRL Satellite Handbook" offers 
the worst approach has two elements:

1 - the "slipping" on the downlink that Francesco alludes to in his post, and

2 - the use of VO-52 as the "example satellite" for the description of how to 
find one's signal. The exercise directs readers to Doppler-tune the lower of 
the two frequencies to find themselves on the satellite.

Later today, I will try the "always tune the higher frequency" rule on FO-29, 
which I admittedly have not every tried. I'm looking forward to learning how 
that works for me since the higher frequency on that satelite is the downlink.

73 to all,

Tim - N3TL



-- Original message from Fabiano Moser : 
-- 


> Dear friends, 
> 
> We know that some Satellite Operators use diferent system to doppler 
> control. 
> 
> For Linear Transponder 
> 1) Adjust uplink and downlink automatic by CAT? (Not always woks, some times 
> I´m up or down from the computer adjust) 
> 2) Adjust uplink and downlink manual 
> 3) Keep Uplink fixed and adjust only the Downlink frequency. 
> 
> What is the more indicate method to use? 
> FT-847 have knob to adjust Uplink without change downlink VFO, and I´m using 
> it to keep my voice in downlink at same downlink much I can. 
> 
> But I know some operators use fixed uplink. 
> 
> How you do? 
> 
> -- 
> 73 
> Fabiano Moser CR7/PY5RX 
> ARISS-PORTUGAL (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) 
> Representative at Teleconference and Portugal Telebridge Coordinator. 
> AMRAD/AMSAT-CT 
> http://www.amrad.pt/ariss.php 
> 
> "There is no great talent without great will. (Honoré de Balzac)" 
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF
It would be the only repeater anywhere that I've seen that would get sufficient 
use to justify it's existance.


Armando Mercado wrote:

> Not to be a wet blanket, but what is the
> advantage of an amateur repeater on the moon?
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[amsat-bb] The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread MM

Hi James:

I am in favor of any band that has the desired results.  I just used the 2/440 
bands as the opener.  Remember the higher in frequency the less affordable the 
system becomes and the fewer Amateur Radio operators and Short Wave listeners 
will have access to those frequencies.  We do not want to design a system that 
only 2 people can afford.

Goals:
Uplink to the Moon with an antenna system that would cost less than $1000 USD.
Receive from the Moon with an Antenna system that would cost less than $1000 
USD.
An Off the Shelf transceiver system that cost less than $2000 USD.

With a properly designed repeater and properly selected Amateur Radio bands, it 
should be possible to meet these goals.  I have seen some project proposals for 
ISS for example, that when reviewed it was discovered that no one could afford 
the project (2 megabit fast TV, the link budget, Antenna, Receiver requirement 
and precision rotor made the project only affordable by a government).  

If we are going to seriously think about a Moon repeater, we need to make sure 
the Earth stations are practical and affordable.

It would also be helpful if we had more Amateur Radio band with ITU approved 
Satellite segments.  Anyone interested in going to the next WARC meeting to 
petition for downlink access to 1.2 Gig and wider band access on 70cm.


Thanks Miles WF1F MarexMG.org


--- On Thu, 7/2/09, James French  wrote:

> From: James French 
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future
> To: "AMSAT-BB" 
> Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 12:30 PM
> On Thu, 2009-07-02 at 10:52 -0500, tosca...@umn.edu
> wrote:
> > As far as the dreaming goes, wouldn't an L/S
> transponder be better than a 
> > V/U or U/V transponder? Granted, the path loss is
> greater, but the antenna 
> > gain is easier to produce...
> 
> Miles,
> 
> Why not use a L/s, U/L. or a U/s transponder for this?
> Why limit ourselves to V/u for everything?
> Aren't we supposed to 'experiment' with the higher
> frequencies we have
> allocated?
> 
> Its in the AMSAT by-laws to support the higher
> frequencies.
> >From the AMSAT-NA by-laws Section three, subsection E:
> Encouraging the more effective and expanded use of the
> higher frequency
> amateur radio frequency bands.
> 
> This would mean smaller antennas with MUCH better gain and
> beamwidth.
> 
> I vote in favor of at least a L/s transponder for this.
> 
> James W8ISS
> 
> ___
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> Opinions expressed are those of the author.
> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur
> satellite program!
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> 


  
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Armando Mercado
Greetings,

Not to be a wet blanket, but what is the
advantage of an amateur repeater on the moon?

>From a mid-latitude location, the moon is above
the horizon 8.5 to 16 hours per day depending on
the season.  The repeater would be in darkness
and presumably un-powered for 2 weeks each
month.  Even if it was located in a permently
illuminated point near the poles, librations would
take it out of view of earth at times.

Link margins would be large, but not insurmountable.
Designing a comm package to survive the temperature
extremes would be difficult but not impossible.  The
US and USSR had unmanned landers that survived
many lunar day night cycles.

We do have experience flying amateur repeaters on manned
space missions.  There's one on the ISS right now.
It is turned off on a regular basis because of crew time
availability and flight safety rules.  One can only imagine
what constraints would be imposed with a comm package
on the moon.

There would be many technical, logistical and financial
challenges for a lunar amateur repeater to overcome...and
all from an international organization that has yet to
replace AO-40.

73, Armando, N8IGJ


>Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 04:31:45 -0700 (PDT)
>From: MM 
>Subject: [amsat-bb]  The Moon is our Future
>To: kg4...@gmail.com, amsat-bb@amsat.org, "Jack K."
>
>Message-ID: <878811.97851...@web56408.mail.re3.yahoo.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8


>Theoretically we may have a free ride to the Moon for an Amateur radio 
>repeater!

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF
Most of us only have V/U and HF.
I vote for mode A.

James French wrote:

> 
> Why not use a L/s, U/L. or a U/s transponder for this?
> Why limit ourselves to V/u for everything?
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Joe
Maybe some converted Wild Blue dishes?
They have a 1 watt tranny that operates at 29.5 to 30 GHz,  may be able 
to drag down to 24 Ghz?

I wonder what the ERP of a 1 watt sig at 30 GHz is with say a old TVRO 
dish?  Not the tiny mini dishes but a used say 10 footer hm,,,

Joe WB9SBD

James French wrote:

>On Thu, 2009-07-02 at 10:52 -0500, tosca...@umn.edu wrote:
>  
>
>>As far as the dreaming goes, wouldn't an L/S transponder be better than a 
>>V/U or U/V transponder? Granted, the path loss is greater, but the antenna 
>>gain is easier to produce...
>>
>>
>
>Miles,
>
>Why not use a L/s, U/L. or a U/s transponder for this?
>Why limit ourselves to V/u for everything?
>Aren't we supposed to 'experiment' with the higher frequencies we have
>allocated?
>
>Its in the AMSAT by-laws to support the higher frequencies.
>>From the AMSAT-NA by-laws Section three, subsection E:
>Encouraging the more effective and expanded use of the higher frequency
>amateur radio frequency bands.
>
>This would mean smaller antennas with MUCH better gain and beamwidth.
>
>I vote in favor of at least a L/s transponder for this.
>
>James W8ISS
>
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>  
>
>
>
>
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
>Version: 8.5.375 / Virus Database: 270.13.2/2214 - Release Date: 07/02/09 
>05:54:00
>
>  
>
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[amsat-bb] Re: How you do DOPPLER correction in Linear Transponders?

2009-07-02 Thread Andrew Glasbrenner
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/features/one_true_rule.html

If you can't do CAT, adjust the higher of the two frequencies used.

73, Drew KO4MA

- Original Message - 
From: "Fabiano Moser" 
To: "amsat-bb" 
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 12:19 PM
Subject: [amsat-bb] How you do DOPPLER correction in Linear Transponders?


Dear friends,

We know that some Satellite Operators use diferent system to doppler
control.

For Linear Transponder
1) Adjust uplink and downlink automatic by CAT? (Not always woks, some times
I´m up or down from the computer adjust)
2) Adjust uplink and downlink manual
3) Keep Uplink fixed and adjust only the Downlink frequency.

What is the more indicate method to use?
FT-847 have knob to adjust Uplink without change downlink VFO, and I´m using
it to keep my voice in downlink at same downlink much I can.

But I know some operators use fixed uplink.

How you do?

-- 
73
Fabiano Moser CR7/PY5RX
ARISS-PORTUGAL (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station)
Representative at Teleconference and Portugal Telebridge Coordinator.
AMRAD/AMSAT-CT
http://www.amrad.pt/ariss.php

"There is no great talent without great will. (Honoré de Balzac)"
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Joe
he he he,

He just missed his ride with the comet Hale Bop, and the heavens gate folk
Joe WB9SBD



David - KG4ZLB wrote:

>OK, I just love conspiracy theories  :-D
>
>Are you really Michael Moore ?
>
>:-D
>
>
>
>
>kd8...@aol.com wrote:
>  
>
>>I don't think man will ever walk on the moon. And I really didn't want to 
>>start a whole thing on this - 
>>Someone said that a man would have to roll out an antenna for a amatuer 
>>project - I just don't think that will ever happen 
>>A small robotic rover could do it but then you are talking expensive unless 
>>nasa was willing to give "us" time on a rover that was going to do 
>>experiments for nasa
>>
>>LeRoy, KD8BXP
>>http://www.HamOhio.com
>>  
>>
>>
>
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>Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
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>  
>
>
>
>
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
>Version: 8.5.375 / Virus Database: 270.13.2/2214 - Release Date: 07/02/09 
>05:54:00
>
>  
>
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[amsat-bb] I: How you do DOPPLER correction in Linear Transponders?

2009-07-02 Thread Francesco Grappi
Hi Fabiano,

In my opinion for sure keep fixed downlink frequency
and adjust uplink frequency.
So on this way you don't "slip" on the transponder
downlink.

73
Frank IW4DVZ


-Messaggio originale-
Da: amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org
[mailto:amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org] Per conto di
Fabiano Moser
Inviato: giovedì 2 luglio 2009 18.20
A: amsat-bb
Oggetto: [amsat-bb] How you do DOPPLER correction in
Linear Transponders?


Dear friends,

We know that some Satellite Operators use diferent
system to doppler control.

For Linear Transponder
1) Adjust uplink and downlink automatic by CAT? (Not
always woks, some times I´m up or down from the
computer adjust)
2) Adjust uplink and downlink manual
3) Keep Uplink fixed and adjust only the Downlink
frequency.

What is the more indicate method to use?
FT-847 have knob to adjust Uplink without change
downlink VFO, and I´m using it to keep my voice in
downlink at same downlink much I can.

But I know some operators use fixed uplink.

How you do?

-- 
73
Fabiano Moser CR7/PY5RX
ARISS-PORTUGAL (Amateur Radio on the International
Space Station) Representative at Teleconference and
Portugal Telebridge Coordinator. AMRAD/AMSAT-CT
http://www.amrad.pt/ariss.php

"There is no great talent without great will. (Honoré
de Balzac)"
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread James French
On Thu, 2009-07-02 at 10:52 -0500, tosca...@umn.edu wrote:
> As far as the dreaming goes, wouldn't an L/S transponder be better than a 
> V/U or U/V transponder? Granted, the path loss is greater, but the antenna 
> gain is easier to produce...

Miles,

Why not use a L/s, U/L. or a U/s transponder for this?
Why limit ourselves to V/u for everything?
Aren't we supposed to 'experiment' with the higher frequencies we have
allocated?

Its in the AMSAT by-laws to support the higher frequencies.
>From the AMSAT-NA by-laws Section three, subsection E:
Encouraging the more effective and expanded use of the higher frequency
amateur radio frequency bands.

This would mean smaller antennas with MUCH better gain and beamwidth.

I vote in favor of at least a L/s transponder for this.

James W8ISS

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread David - KG4ZLB
OK, I just love conspiracy theories  :-D

Are you really Michael Moore ?

:-D




kd8...@aol.com wrote:
> I don't think man will ever walk on the moon. And I really didn't want to 
> start a whole thing on this - 
> Someone said that a man would have to roll out an antenna for a amatuer 
> project - I just don't think that will ever happen 
> A small robotic rover could do it but then you are talking expensive unless 
> nasa was willing to give "us" time on a rover that was going to do 
> experiments for nasa
>
> LeRoy, KD8BXP
> http://www.HamOhio.com
>   

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread kd8bxp
I understand completely how EME works, and understand the losses - I am even in 
favor of putting a repeater up on the moon if a way could be found to do it -

Someone in the group and had something about a man would have to roll out a 
large antenna - since I believe that no man has ever set foot on the moon I 
find it hard to believe that a man will ever roll out an antenna

IMHO a robotic device of some kind would be better suited to doing it - but 
then you have the cost factor weighting in

I just don't think any man or woman for that matter will ever walk on the moon 
or ever has

Yes I am a very skepical person, and I am wrapped in a lot of contridictions in 
my own right
- most of my skepicalism does lie in and around Nasa and the space program as a 
whole -
And again this is just my opion. We as a whole nation spend billions on a space 
program - as get very little in return.  We keep servicing  an ageing fleet of 
shuttles and nothing really new is coming from the minds of Nasa.  I am 
skepical and a nonbelieve when it comes to the moon. 

But I do agree talking about it and some of the ideas on how to over come the 
losses and power requires maybe the only way anything ever will happen

LeRoy, KD8BXP
http://www.HamOhio.com
Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

-Original Message-
From: tosca...@umn.edu

Date: 02 Jul 2009 10:52:11 
To: 
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future


On Jul 2 2009, kd8...@aol.com wrote:

> Don't want to get a whole new thing started here but - I don't think we 
> ever went to the moon in 1969 and I don't think we will ever goto the 
> moon - in 2012 or whenever they proposed a "return" to the moon

With that level of disbelief I can certainly see why you are predisposed to 
discount the possibility of a moon-based transponder.

> I would love to see an amatuer repeater on the moon thou - from my 
> understanding EME is expensive to do, so I think it would leave most of 
> us out

Not necessarily. Remember, with conventional EME, you send as large a 
signal as you can muster towards the moon, incur huge path losses along the 
way, then incur a huge loss because the moon is a very imperfect reflector 
of RF energy, then incur the huge path loss back from moon to earth.

With a moon-based repeater, you send as large a signal as you can muster 
towards the moon, incur the same path loss from earth to moon; BUT, THEN 
you enlarge the signal with a gain antenna at the repeater, and then have a 
sensitive receiver that can detect and amplify the signal. The repeater 
then transponds the signal to a different frequency band, amplifies it as 
much as equipment weight and power availability allow, transmit it through 
a gain antenna, and only THEN incur the huge path loss from moon to earth.

Because the path loss is only in a single direction, and instead of an 
inefficient (lossy) passive reflector, you have gain antennas for reception 
and transmission, plus amplification on receive and on transmit, the net 
earth station requirements should be much less than conventional EME.

That's not to say it would be easy, just that it should be easier than 
conventional EME in terms of station requirements on earth. As has been 
mentioned numerous times already, the station requirements for the space 
end of the system are enormously more difficult than anything we've ever 
tackled so far with either LEO or HEO satellites.

But there's no harm in DISCUSSING the idea, and learning about the pitfalls 
and possibilities as part of the discussion. Even if it never comes to 
pass, we should all be a bit more knowledgeable after having had the 
discussion.

As far as the dreaming goes, wouldn't an L/S transponder be better than a 
V/U or U/V transponder? Granted, the path loss is greater, but the antenna 
gain is easier to produce...

While I am a firm believer in the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid!), 
I am getting a little tired of hearing people complain endlessly about the 
downfall of AO-40 being due to its complexity. Uhh, the downfall of AO-40 
was human error, which will ALWAYS be an issue. The only reason that AO-40 
was ever usable at all was BECAUSE of its complexity, i.e., the redundancy 
of multiple transponders that could be switched into place after initial 
failures, etc. OF COURSE, a mission to the moon needs to be as light and 
compact as it can be made, and therefore much simpler than AO-40, but due 
to the harsh environment in which it would be asked to operate, it needs to 
be as complex as necessary to get the job done, i.e. not as simple as AO-10 
or AO-13.

73 de W0JT
AMSAT-NA LM#2292

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[amsat-bb] How you do DOPPLER correction in Linear Transponders?

2009-07-02 Thread Fabiano Moser
Dear friends,

We know that some Satellite Operators use diferent system to doppler
control.

For Linear Transponder
1) Adjust uplink and downlink automatic by CAT? (Not always woks, some times
I´m up or down from the computer adjust)
2) Adjust uplink and downlink manual
3) Keep Uplink fixed and adjust only the Downlink frequency.

What is the more indicate method to use?
FT-847 have knob to adjust Uplink without change downlink VFO, and I´m using
it to keep my voice in downlink at same downlink much I can.

But I know some operators use fixed uplink.

How you do?

-- 
73
Fabiano Moser CR7/PY5RX
ARISS-PORTUGAL (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station)
Representative at Teleconference and Portugal Telebridge Coordinator.
AMRAD/AMSAT-CT
http://www.amrad.pt/ariss.php

"There is no great talent without great will. (Honoré de Balzac)"
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Robert Bruninga
> But doesn't it have to be above ground?
> Yes the moon is dry and probably the 
> poorest conducting dirt there is,  But 
> just like on Earth it can't be laying 
> on the ground yes?

Good question...

Even if the ground was a perfect reflector and conductor, then
the antenna would only have  to be 19" above the ground at 2
meters.  Next consider that the moon is rock and extremely
dry...  And rock has about 1/1000 the conductivity of moist
soil...  So where the "true" reflection in the ground of the
moon is surely many feet down.  So sitting it on the ground" of
the moon is probably 99% as effective as trying to hang it 19"
up.

> Robert Bruninga wrote: 
> 
>   
>   BUT one easy way to get gain is to use just a long
coaxial gain
>   cable.  I think it takes about 22 feet of coaxial dipole
>   elements at 2 meters to give about 6 dB of gain.  So
laying down
>   6 dB gain segments on the rock of the moon is as easy as
>   unrolling a spool of cable.  Unrolling 8 of these with
the right
>   spacing could yield about 17 dB.
>   
>   Of course this woiuld only point straight up, so it
would need
>   to be on a moon base in the middle of the earth facing
side.
>   But since there is a lot of interest in moon bases near
the
>   poles where there might be water, then a similar array
of layed
>   down coaxial cable arrays could be phased horizontally
to point
>   at earth.  Actually, just about any direction can  be
obtained
>   with the right spacing.
>   
>   ONLY problem of course is there has to be someone with
legs to
>   roll out the cables.
>   
>   Just a thought.
>   Bob, WB4APR
> 
>   
> 
> 
> 
> 
>   No virus found in this incoming message.
>   Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
>   Version: 8.5.375 / Virus Database: 270.13.2/2214 - 
> Release Date: 07/02/09 05:54:00
>   
> 
> 
> 

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread tosca005
On Jul 2 2009, kd8...@aol.com wrote:

> Don't want to get a whole new thing started here but - I don't think we 
> ever went to the moon in 1969 and I don't think we will ever goto the 
> moon - in 2012 or whenever they proposed a "return" to the moon

With that level of disbelief I can certainly see why you are predisposed to 
discount the possibility of a moon-based transponder.

> I would love to see an amatuer repeater on the moon thou - from my 
> understanding EME is expensive to do, so I think it would leave most of 
> us out

Not necessarily. Remember, with conventional EME, you send as large a 
signal as you can muster towards the moon, incur huge path losses along the 
way, then incur a huge loss because the moon is a very imperfect reflector 
of RF energy, then incur the huge path loss back from moon to earth.

With a moon-based repeater, you send as large a signal as you can muster 
towards the moon, incur the same path loss from earth to moon; BUT, THEN 
you enlarge the signal with a gain antenna at the repeater, and then have a 
sensitive receiver that can detect and amplify the signal. The repeater 
then transponds the signal to a different frequency band, amplifies it as 
much as equipment weight and power availability allow, transmit it through 
a gain antenna, and only THEN incur the huge path loss from moon to earth.

Because the path loss is only in a single direction, and instead of an 
inefficient (lossy) passive reflector, you have gain antennas for reception 
and transmission, plus amplification on receive and on transmit, the net 
earth station requirements should be much less than conventional EME.

That's not to say it would be easy, just that it should be easier than 
conventional EME in terms of station requirements on earth. As has been 
mentioned numerous times already, the station requirements for the space 
end of the system are enormously more difficult than anything we've ever 
tackled so far with either LEO or HEO satellites.

But there's no harm in DISCUSSING the idea, and learning about the pitfalls 
and possibilities as part of the discussion. Even if it never comes to 
pass, we should all be a bit more knowledgeable after having had the 
discussion.

As far as the dreaming goes, wouldn't an L/S transponder be better than a 
V/U or U/V transponder? Granted, the path loss is greater, but the antenna 
gain is easier to produce...

While I am a firm believer in the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid!), 
I am getting a little tired of hearing people complain endlessly about the 
downfall of AO-40 being due to its complexity. Uhh, the downfall of AO-40 
was human error, which will ALWAYS be an issue. The only reason that AO-40 
was ever usable at all was BECAUSE of its complexity, i.e., the redundancy 
of multiple transponders that could be switched into place after initial 
failures, etc. OF COURSE, a mission to the moon needs to be as light and 
compact as it can be made, and therefore much simpler than AO-40, but due 
to the harsh environment in which it would be asked to operate, it needs to 
be as complex as necessary to get the job done, i.e. not as simple as AO-10 
or AO-13.

73 de W0JT
AMSAT-NA LM#2292

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread kd8bxp
I don't think man will ever walk on the moon. And I really didn't want to start 
a whole thing on this - 
Someone said that a man would have to roll out an antenna for a amatuer project 
- I just don't think that will ever happen 
A small robotic rover could do it but then you are talking expensive unless 
nasa was willing to give "us" time on a rover that was going to do experiments 
for nasa

LeRoy, KD8BXP
http://www.HamOhio.com
--Original Message--
From: Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF
Sender: amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org
To: amsat-bb@amsat.org
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future
Sent: Jul 2, 2009 11:43 AM

The Chinese are going to get there first.

David - KG4ZLB wrote:
> Just a question but if you do not think the US got to the Moon in 1969 
> and neither do you think they will get back to the Moon in 2012, how do 
> you propose seeing an amateur repeater on the Moon?
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF
The Chinese are going to get there first.

David - KG4ZLB wrote:
> Just a question but if you do not think the US got to the Moon in 1969 
> and neither do you think they will get back to the Moon in 2012, how do 
> you propose seeing an amateur repeater on the Moon?
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread MM





Of course, lets get more Universities involved and build more Leos satellites 
to fill those small ballast spots on new satellites.

The Moon option could be cheaper than a HEO's, if we can get it in as Public 
Relations NASA project.  The cost to get a ride on a HEO satellite is multiple 
millions just for the ride into space.  Amsat paid over a million dollars just 
to ride a Prototype Rocket (AO-4).  If you want to ride a Non-prototype rocket 
to high orbit, add another 20 million.  Cheap High orbit rocket rides are few 
and far between. The Moon is the most affordable ride option this decade.

20 years ago NASA was looking for ballast for the TDRS satellites.  We had the 
opportunity to put a ham project on a few GEO satellites and missed the 
opportunity.  Lets not miss the Moon.


http://www.marexmg.org/fileshtml/ArissRebuild.html


--- On Thu, 7/2/09, David - KG4ZLB  wrote:

> From: David - KG4ZLB 
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future
> To: amsat-bb@amsat.org
> Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 11:15 AM
> On the contrary, we need more LEO's
> to augment and replace the existing 
> aged fleet.
> 
> Whilst AMSAT works on the HEO's lets put some of our
> efforts towards the 
> Universities who seem to regularly put up 2/70 satellites!
> 
> -- 
> David
> KG4ZLB
> www.kg4zlb.com
> 
> 
> 
> Jack K. wrote:
> > I heard the same things when the first HEOs went up.
> It takes to much 
> > money, it takes to much specialized equipment, it
> takes to much 
> > knowledge, it is for elitists only... The bottom line
> is a LOT of hams 
> > used them and it took some ingenuity, some new
> equipment, and yes we 
> > all had to learn now things to use them. the bottom
> line is they 
> > worked and worked well... My suggestion is quit
> looking at pitfalls 
> > and problems as reasons not to do something, but as
> opportunities to 
> > learn to accomplish new things (or improved
> communications anyway) and 
> > move forward... We can put up all the leos we want,
> but until someone 
> > makes something like B. Bruninga's cell concept work,
> we are only 
> > going to have more of the same, We don't need more of
> the same!
> >
> > DE - KD1PE
> >
> >
> > - Original Message - From: 
> > To: ;
> "'Joe'" ;
> "'MM'" 
> > Cc: "'Jack K.'" ;
> ;
> 
> > 
> > Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 8:28 AM
> > Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future
> >
> >
> >
> >
> 
> ___
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> Opinions expressed are those of the author.
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> satellite program!
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> 


  
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[amsat-bb] Re: Has anyone considered???

2009-07-02 Thread MM



Yes, Digital is an option.
However, i would want it to pass through the analog transponder unprocessed.  
The reason is that we can't afford the Million dollar Radiation hardened chips 
to support digital processing required on satellites.  
DSP or SDR will add to the Cost and add many years to the project.
WE need projects much faster than have been delivered in the past, 1-2 year 
schedules not 10 year schedules.

Miles


--- On Thu, 7/2/09, Jack K.  wrote:

> From: Jack K. 
> Subject: Has anyone considered???
> To: bruni...@usna.edu, "'Joe'" , "'MM'" 
> Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org, kg4...@gmail.com
> Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 8:40 AM
> Has anyone considered the notion that
> the communications from a HEO or Moon or Mars need not be
> analog? Has anyone considered a digital mode such as WSJT
> for comms? I know for a fact people are running meteor
> scatter and EME using a single beam (albeit a long one) and
> 150 watts. This is not out of the reach of most hams and it
> is not non-viable communications mode... Heck the US Navy
> even ran RTTY in the 60's from Hawaii to Maryland as a
> normal mode of communications (yes it was big and wieldy, I
> just mentioned it as an aside).
> 
> DE - KD1PE - Jack
> 
> 
> 
> >> Why go with the minimal antenna gain?
> >> ... any antenna with a 3 db point that exceeds
> >> 6.5 degrees is just wasting transmitter power.
> > 
> > I think that would be about a 24 dB gain
> antenna.  Pretty big
> > and would take some careful alignment...  Kinda
> like a realy big
> > EME array
> > 
> >> Just remember what an Oscar 10 station took
> >> to have reliable communications, At Apogee
> >> it was only 35,000 miles away, the Moon is ...]
> >> [250,000 miles]
> > 
> > Which is 7 times farther, squared or 50 times more
> power (about
> > 17 dB).
> > 
> 
> 


  

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[amsat-bb] Re: [Fwd: Re: Re: The Moon is our Future]

2009-07-02 Thread Joe
What someone really needs to do is to run a real actual link budget, and 
see what things really like are.

Joe

n...@lavabit.com wrote:

>Somehow I sent this in reply to Bob instead of the group.  Sorry, Bob.
>
>  
>
>>BUT one easy way to get gain is to use just a long coaxial gain
>>cable.  I think it takes about 22 feet of coaxial dipole
>>elements at 2 meters to give about 6 dB of gain.  So laying down 6 dB
>>
>>
>gain segments on the rock of the moon is as easy as
>  
>
>>unrolling a spool of cable.  Unrolling 8 of these with the right spacing
>>
>>
>could yield about 17 dB.
>  
>
>>Of course this woiuld only point straight up, so it would need
>>to be on a moon base in the middle of the earth facing side.
>>But since there is a lot of interest in moon bases near the
>>poles where there might be water, then a similar array of layed
>>down coaxial cable arrays could be phased horizontally to point
>>at earth.  Actually, just about any direction can  be obtained
>>with the right spacing.
>>
>>ONLY problem of course is there has to be someone with legs to
>>roll out the cables.
>>
>>
>
>How about, if the location is very near the pole, an array that extends up
>like a push-pole vertically from the craft, with tape measure type dipoles
>that spring out horizontally when the pole goes up?  You might need a
>small rotator on the base of the pole then to make sure the dipoles point
>at Earth depending on the orientation of the craft when it lands, but that
>would only need to be turned once I believe, when it is deployed.
>
>Jerry
>N0JY
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>
>
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>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
>Version: 8.5.375 / Virus Database: 270.13.2/2214 - Release Date: 07/02/09 
>05:54:00
>
>  
>
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread David - KG4ZLB
Just a question but if you do not think the US got to the Moon in 1969 
and neither do you think they will get back to the Moon in 2012, how do 
you propose seeing an amateur repeater on the Moon?

Get the crew of the ISS to toss out a repeater, like SuitSat, but throw 
it really, really hard in the general direction of the Moon and hope it 
lands?

I don't understand your logic.

73 David
KG4ZLB




kd8...@aol.com wrote:
> Don't want to get a whole new thing started here but - I don't think we ever 
> went to the moon in 1969 and I don't think we will ever goto the moon - in 
> 2012 or whenever they proposed a "return" to the moon
>
> I would love to see an amatuer repeater on the moon thou - from my 
> understanding EME is expensive to do, so I think it would leave most of us 
> out 
>
> Where as and bringing things back around - LEOs are realitive low cost to use 
> to the normal everyday day 
>
> I will put my two cents in for more LEOs - :-) 
>
> Hey are there any geosynchinze amatuer sats up? 
>
> LeRoy, KD8BXP
> http://www.HamOhio.com
> -

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread MM

Dear Jack:
Thank you for your great comments.

Let’s find the problems and find the solutions.
We solved the difficulties for working AO-10 and AO-13. 
The Moon is the Next Generation.

Lets work together to find an affordable solution.
Which band will work the best (assuming limited antenna and power recourses 
from an Un-manned Moon lander.)
The Moon will not be an “Easy-Sat”, it will be a challenge.  
However, it should be much easier to access than true EME.

Thanks all Miles WF1F MarexMG.org


--- On Thu, 7/2/09, Jack K.  wrote:

> From: Jack K. 
> Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future
> To: kd8...@aol.com, bruni...@usna.edu, "'Joe'" , "'MM'" 
> 
> Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org, kg4...@gmail.com
> Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 8:48 AM
> I heard the same things when the
> first HEOs went up. It takes to much money, it takes to much
> specialized equipment, it takes to much knowledge, it is for
> elitists only... The bottom line is a LOT of hams used them
> and it took some ingenuity, some new equipment, and yes we
> all had to learn now things to use them. the bottom line is
> they worked and worked well... My suggestion is quit looking
> at pitfalls and problems as reasons not to do something, but
> as opportunities to learn to accomplish new things (or
> improved communications anyway) and move forward... We can
> put up all the leos we want, but until someone makes
> something like B. Bruninga's cell concept work, we are only
> going to have more of the same, We don't need more of the
> same!
> 
> DE - KD1PE
> 
> 


  

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread David - KG4ZLB
On the contrary, we need more LEO's to augment and replace the existing 
aged fleet.

Whilst AMSAT works on the HEO's lets put some of our efforts towards the 
Universities who seem to regularly put up 2/70 satellites!

-- 
David
KG4ZLB
www.kg4zlb.com



Jack K. wrote:
> I heard the same things when the first HEOs went up. It takes to much 
> money, it takes to much specialized equipment, it takes to much 
> knowledge, it is for elitists only... The bottom line is a LOT of hams 
> used them and it took some ingenuity, some new equipment, and yes we 
> all had to learn now things to use them. the bottom line is they 
> worked and worked well... My suggestion is quit looking at pitfalls 
> and problems as reasons not to do something, but as opportunities to 
> learn to accomplish new things (or improved communications anyway) and 
> move forward... We can put up all the leos we want, but until someone 
> makes something like B. Bruninga's cell concept work, we are only 
> going to have more of the same, We don't need more of the same!
>
> DE - KD1PE
>
>
> - Original Message - From: 
> To: ; "'Joe'" ; "'MM'" 
> Cc: "'Jack K.'" ; ; 
> 
> Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 8:28 AM
> Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future
>
>
>
>

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[amsat-bb] Has anyone considered???

2009-07-02 Thread Jack K.
Has anyone considered the notion that the communications from a HEO or Moon 
or Mars need not be analog? Has anyone considered a digital mode such as 
WSJT for comms? I know for a fact people are running meteor scatter and EME 
using a single beam (albeit a long one) and 150 watts. This is not out of 
the reach of most hams and it is not non-viable communications mode... Heck 
the US Navy even ran RTTY in the 60's from Hawaii to Maryland as a normal 
mode of communications (yes it was big and wieldy, I just mentioned it as an 
aside).

DE - KD1PE - Jack



>> Why go with the minimal antenna gain?
>> ... any antenna with a 3 db point that exceeds
>> 6.5 degrees is just wasting transmitter power.
>
> I think that would be about a 24 dB gain antenna.  Pretty big
> and would take some careful alignment...  Kinda like a realy big
> EME array
>
>> Just remember what an Oscar 10 station took
>> to have reliable communications, At Apogee
>> it was only 35,000 miles away, the Moon is ...]
>> [250,000 miles]
>
> Which is 7 times farther, squared or 50 times more power (about
> 17 dB).
>

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF
The moon will require a reasonable radio and big antennas but at least it moves 
very slowly and you can see it so it 
should be very easy to track.
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Jack K.
I heard the same things when the first HEOs went up. It takes to much money, 
it takes to much specialized equipment, it takes to much knowledge, it is 
for elitists only... The bottom line is a LOT of hams used them and it took 
some ingenuity, some new equipment, and yes we all had to learn now things 
to use them. the bottom line is they worked and worked well... My suggestion 
is quit looking at pitfalls and problems as reasons not to do something, but 
as opportunities to learn to accomplish new things (or improved 
communications anyway) and move forward... We can put up all the leos we 
want, but until someone makes something like B. Bruninga's cell concept 
work, we are only going to have more of the same, We don't need more of the 
same!

DE - KD1PE


- Original Message - 
From: 
To: ; "'Joe'" ; "'MM'" 
Cc: "'Jack K.'" ; ; 

Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 8:28 AM
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future


> Don't want to get a whole new thing started here but - I don't think we 
> ever went to the moon in 1969 and I don't think we will ever goto the 
> moon - in 2012 or whenever they proposed a "return" to the moon
>
> I would love to see an amatuer repeater on the moon thou - from my 
> understanding EME is expensive to do, so I think it would leave most of us 
> out
>
> Where as and bringing things back around - LEOs are realitive low cost to 
> use to the normal everyday day
>
> I will put my two cents in for more LEOs - :-)
>
> Hey are there any geosynchinze amatuer sats up?
>

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[amsat-bb] [Fwd: Re: Re: The Moon is our Future]

2009-07-02 Thread n0jy
Somehow I sent this in reply to Bob instead of the group.  Sorry, Bob.

> BUT one easy way to get gain is to use just a long coaxial gain
> cable.  I think it takes about 22 feet of coaxial dipole
> elements at 2 meters to give about 6 dB of gain.  So laying down 6 dB
gain segments on the rock of the moon is as easy as
> unrolling a spool of cable.  Unrolling 8 of these with the right spacing
could yield about 17 dB.
>
> Of course this woiuld only point straight up, so it would need
> to be on a moon base in the middle of the earth facing side.
> But since there is a lot of interest in moon bases near the
> poles where there might be water, then a similar array of layed
> down coaxial cable arrays could be phased horizontally to point
> at earth.  Actually, just about any direction can  be obtained
> with the right spacing.
>
> ONLY problem of course is there has to be someone with legs to
> roll out the cables.

How about, if the location is very near the pole, an array that extends up
like a push-pole vertically from the craft, with tape measure type dipoles
that spring out horizontally when the pole goes up?  You might need a
small rotator on the base of the pole then to make sure the dipoles point
at Earth depending on the orientation of the craft when it lands, but that
would only need to be turned once I believe, when it is deployed.

Jerry
N0JY




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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread kd8bxp
Don't want to get a whole new thing started here but - I don't think we ever 
went to the moon in 1969 and I don't think we will ever goto the moon - in 2012 
or whenever they proposed a "return" to the moon

I would love to see an amatuer repeater on the moon thou - from my 
understanding EME is expensive to do, so I think it would leave most of us out 

Where as and bringing things back around - LEOs are realitive low cost to use 
to the normal everyday day 

I will put my two cents in for more LEOs - :-) 

Hey are there any geosynchinze amatuer sats up? 

LeRoy, KD8BXP
http://www.HamOhio.com
--Original Message--
From: Robert Bruninga
Sender: amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org
To: 'Joe'
To: 'MM'
Cc: 'Jack K.'
Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org
Cc: kg4...@gmail.com
ReplyTo: bruni...@usna.edu
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future
Sent: Jul 2, 2009 10:18 AM

> Why go with the minimal antenna gain?
> ... any antenna with a 3 db point that exceeds 
> 6.5 degrees is just wasting transmitter power.

I think that would be about a 24 dB gain antenna.  Pretty big
and would take some careful alignment...  Kinda like a realy big
EME array

> Just remember what an Oscar 10 station took 
> to have reliable communications, At Apogee 
> it was only 35,000 miles away, the Moon is ...]
> [250,000 miles]

Which is 7 times farther, squared or 50 times more power (about
17 dB).

BUT one easy way to get gain is to use just a long coaxial gain
cable.  I think it takes about 22 feet of coaxial dipole
elements at 2 meters to give about 6 dB of gain.  So laying down
6 dB gain segments on the rock of the moon is as easy as
unrolling a spool of cable.  Unrolling 8 of these with the right
spacing could yield about 17 dB.

Of course this woiuld only point straight up, so it would need
to be on a moon base in the middle of the earth facing side.
But since there is a lot of interest in moon bases near the
poles where there might be water, then a similar array of layed
down coaxial cable arrays could be phased horizontally to point
at earth.  Actually, just about any direction can  be obtained
with the right spacing.

ONLY problem of course is there has to be someone with legs to
roll out the cables.

Just a thought.
Bob, WB4APR

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Robert Bruninga
> Why go with the minimal antenna gain?
> ... any antenna with a 3 db point that exceeds 
> 6.5 degrees is just wasting transmitter power.

I think that would be about a 24 dB gain antenna.  Pretty big
and would take some careful alignment...  Kinda like a realy big
EME array

> Just remember what an Oscar 10 station took 
> to have reliable communications, At Apogee 
> it was only 35,000 miles away, the Moon is ...]
> [250,000 miles]

Which is 7 times farther, squared or 50 times more power (about
17 dB).

BUT one easy way to get gain is to use just a long coaxial gain
cable.  I think it takes about 22 feet of coaxial dipole
elements at 2 meters to give about 6 dB of gain.  So laying down
6 dB gain segments on the rock of the moon is as easy as
unrolling a spool of cable.  Unrolling 8 of these with the right
spacing could yield about 17 dB.

Of course this woiuld only point straight up, so it would need
to be on a moon base in the middle of the earth facing side.
But since there is a lot of interest in moon bases near the
poles where there might be water, then a similar array of layed
down coaxial cable arrays could be phased horizontally to point
at earth.  Actually, just about any direction can  be obtained
with the right spacing.

ONLY problem of course is there has to be someone with legs to
roll out the cables.

Just a thought.
Bob, WB4APR

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Joe
exactly,

thats why every DB we could get in antenna should be taken,

Joe WB9SBD

Robert Bruninga wrote:

>>Just remember what an Oscar 10 station took 
>>to have reliable communications, At Apogee 
>>it was only 35,000 miles away, the Moon is ...]
>>[250,000 miles]
>>
>>
>
>Which is 7 times farther, squared or 50 times more power.
>  
>
>
>
>
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
>Version: 8.5.375 / Virus Database: 270.13.2/2214 - Release Date: 07/02/09 
>05:54:00
>
>  
>
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread MM

Hello Joe:
Thank your comments.
My EME experience is minimal.  I have only been able to hear a few signals from 
the Moon and have yet to complete a full 2-way EME (new antenna in progress).  
I am sure there are some people on this emailing forum that have more 
experience than I have with EME communications.

The reason for a small antenna setup on the NASA lander proposal is because I 
believe it will be harder to convince NASA to allow us to install a 20 foot 
boom on the lander.

Right now this is the concept theory phase.
Is a 2m/440 SSB transponder practical?
If our analysis proves that it is not, then we can move on higher in frequency 
until we find an affordable solution (within the ITU guidelines).

The ground stations will need to be Oscar  class or better (12-15+ dBd).  
The question is, which frequency combination will give us the best bang for the 
buck and provide access to the most users?

A Moon repeater will never be accessible via a HT.  And with the exception of 
one (1) truck I saw, it will not be accessible to mobile SSB systems.


--- On Thu, 7/2/09, Joe  wrote:

> From: Joe 
> Subject: Re: [amsat-bb]  The Moon is our Future
> To: "MM" 
> Cc: kg4...@gmail.com, amsat-bb@amsat.org, "Jack K." 
> Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 9:20 AM
> 
> 
> MM wrote:
> 
> > Theoretically we may have a free ride to the Moon for
> an Amateur radio repeater!
> >  
> [snip]
> 
> > 
> > 
> > One theory:
> > We need a simple Mode-J transponder (2-meters up, 440
> down).
> > Low power consumption.
> > Assume minimal antenna gain from the Lander (3 dBd on
> each antenna)
> > Assume transmitter power 5-10 watts.
> > 
> >  
> Why go with the minimal antenna gain?  From the moon
> the whole Earth only displays less than 2 degrees in the
> sky. ( Moon shows 0.5 degrees from earth)
> Why spill all the power where people are not?
> 
> In addition,  once the antennas are positioned, 
> that's more or less it.  There is a slight wobble
> (Libration) of 6.5 degrees  So  any antenna with a
> 3 db point that exceeds 6.5 degrees is just wasting
> transmitter power.
> 
> And with this link budget even an active bird that has
> landed and not flying it still will need some pretty hefty
> power to not need a major antenna setup on the earth side of
> the system.
> 
> Just remember what an Oscar 10 station took to have
> reliable communications,,  At Apogee it was only 35,000
> miles away,  the Moon is almost  a ten fold
> increase in distance,  to keep the lander from having
> to run hundreds of watts to be heard on the earth, 
> ever DB of antenna gain will be needed for sure!
> 
> Joe WB9SBD
> 


  

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Robert Bruninga
> Just remember what an Oscar 10 station took 
> to have reliable communications, At Apogee 
> it was only 35,000 miles away, the Moon is ...]
> [250,000 miles]

Which is 7 times farther, squared or 50 times more power.

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Joe


MM wrote:

>Theoretically we may have a free ride to the Moon for an Amateur radio 
>repeater!
>  
>
[snip]

>
>
>One theory:
>We need a simple Mode-J transponder (2-meters up, 440 down).
>Low power consumption.
>Assume minimal antenna gain from the Lander (3 dBd on each antenna)
>Assume transmitter power 5-10 watts.
>
>  
>
Why go with the minimal antenna gain?  From the moon the whole Earth 
only displays less than 2 degrees in the sky. ( Moon shows 0.5 degrees 
from earth)
Why spill all the power where people are not?

In addition,  once the antennas are positioned,  that's more or less 
it.  There is a slight wobble (Libration) of 6.5 degrees  So  any 
antenna with a 3 db point that exceeds 6.5 degrees is just wasting 
transmitter power.

And with this link budget even an active bird that has landed and not 
flying it still will need some pretty hefty power to not need a major 
antenna setup on the earth side of the system.

Just remember what an Oscar 10 station took to have reliable 
communications,,  At Apogee it was only 35,000 miles away,  the Moon is 
almost  a ten fold increase in distance,  to keep the lander from having 
to run hundreds of watts to be heard on the earth,  ever DB of antenna 
gain will be needed for sure!

Joe WB9SBD
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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread MM



From WF1F:
Yes, that is one of the many challenges we have to plan for.  14 days of pure 
sunlight (Lunar-Day) and 14 days of freezing darkness (Lunar-Night).

We also have some unknown questions about our power source.  
Will we be able to run during the 14 days of darkness or will we be operating 
during the Lunar days only?
  
What I mean by Simple, is the design of the transponder needs to be Simple 
(KISS).  Strictly analog circuits for the transponder, NO DSP, NO CPU’s,  No 
SDR to run the transponder.  
We need the reliability of the AO-10 transponder and not the complexity of 
AO-40.


--- On Thu, 7/2/09, Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF  wrote:

> From: Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF 
> Subject: Re: [amsat-bb]  The Moon is our Future
> To: "MM" 
> Cc: kg4...@gmail.com, amsat-bb@amsat.org, "Jack K." 
> Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 8:56 AM
> There is nothing simple about a
> project that can withstand the extreme temperature changes
> and eclipse periods that exst on the moon. It's probably the
> most hostile environment we're likely to build for.
> 
> 
> MM wrote:
> 
> > A plan for a simple transponder (KISS  no complex
> P3E).
> 


  

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[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF
There is nothing simple about a project that can withstand the extreme 
temperature changes and eclipse periods that exst 
on the moon. It's probably the most hostile environment we're likely to build 
for.


MM wrote:

> A plan for a simple transponder (KISS  no complex P3E).
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[amsat-bb] Re: Original 13 Colonies update

2009-07-02 Thread n3tl
Luc and all,

My apologies for not posting this sooner. Here is the full list of operators - 
NOTE that we only have 11 of the 13 colonies active. If there is ANYone in 
Connecticut or Delaware who can work some passes, please contact me off the BB. 
Thank you.

K2A-NY WB2OQQ
K2B-VANL7VX 
K2C-RIN1RCN 
K2D-CTNOT currently active on the satellites 
K2E-DENOT currently active on the satellites 
K2F-MD...WA3SWJ 
K2G-GAN3TL 
K2H-MAKB1PVH 
K2I-NJW4MPS 
K2J-NCND9M, operating as K2T - See note below
K2K-NHN1XED 
K2L-SC...K4YYL
K2M-PAN2AUO 
K2T/Mobile-NC (Will count as a contact for North Carolina on Certificate)

I hope this is helpful to everyone.

73 to all,

Tim 
 
> 

-- Original message from Luc Leblanc : 
-- 


> On 30 Jun 2009 at 12:32, n...@bellsouth.net wrote: 
> 
> Hey everyone, 
> I've just heard from Gary, N2AUO, who is interested in activating 
> Pennsylvania 
> on the satellites during the Original 13 Colonies special event this week. 
> That gives us 10 of the Original 13 Colonies that will be 
> active on the satellites during this event! Thanks to Gary for 
> his interest in participating. 
> At the request of the event's organizer (Ken. KU2US), those of us active on 
> the 
> satellites will be IDing with our own call sign/special event call. For 
> example, I will be IDing as N3TL/K2G. I'll add that I'm the 
> station in Georgia for the special event, just to be clear. 
> Ken also has advised that he is adding a special satellite designator to the 
> certificates for those who earn them via satellite contacts. 
> Thanks to him for doing this. 
> For the latest information on the Original 13 Colonies Special Event, please 
> go 
> to www.QRZ.com/ku2us. 
> 
> The event begins at 1300 UTC July 1 and ends at 0359 UTC on July 5. 
> 
> 73 to all, 
> 
> Tim - N3TL 
> 
> On the 2145Z AO-51 pass i was able to get theses one below those with their 
> call 
> sign and heard those with a H 
> 
> K2A-NY 
> K2B-VA 
> K2C-RIN1RCN 
> K2D-CT 
> K2E-DE 
> K2F-MD...WA3SWJ 
> K2G-GA 
> K2H-MAKB1PVH 
> K2I-NJW4MPS 
> K2J-NC 
> K2K-NH 
> K2L-SC...H... 
> K2M-PA 
> K2T/Mobile-NC (Will count as a contact for North Carolina on Certificate) 
> 
> 30% on the first shot! did a list exist with the satellite operator call 
> sign? 
> As a suggestion those available can post here which 
> satellite they will be listening and operate. 
> 
> 
> 
> "-" 
> 
> 
> Luc Leblanc VE2DWE 
> Skype VE2DWE 
> www.qsl.net/ve2dwe 
> WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE 
> 
> 
> 
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[amsat-bb] Re: Antenna Question

2009-07-02 Thread Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF
It surprises me that nobody appears to sell commercially made Lindenblads.

Jim Jerzycke wrote:
> An altenative would be to build a Lindenblad like Tony AA2TX designed. I have 
> the parts collected to do just that, but won't have the time to build one for 
> a few weeks.
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[amsat-bb] Chinease sat any news?

2009-07-02 Thread Luc Leblanc
>From my archives did any one get fresh news about this Chinease sat?

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-279.02 October 4 2008
First Chinese Amateur Radio Satellite to be launched in June 2009

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 279.02
  From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 5, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-279.02

Michael Chen, BD5RV/4, reports that he recently received an update from Alan,
BA1DU, on the progress of the first Chinese amateur satellite.  Things are now
going smoothly. This satellite was formerly named CAS-1 and is now XW-1. It
carries a beacon and three cross band transponders: FM, linear, and digital.

The satellite is planned to be launched into a Sun synchronous orbit in June
2009 by a CZ-2C rocket in Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in North China.

[ANS thanks Michael, BD5RV/4, for the above information]

/EX


"-"


Luc Leblanc VE2DWE
Skype VE2DWE
www.qsl.net/ve2dwe
WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE

 

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[amsat-bb] Re: QSL card?

2009-07-02 Thread Luc Leblanc

A partial answer on the frequently ask questions:

How do I QSL or SWL? Details are being finalized for the handling of QSL/SWL 
cards. Please check back again soon for more information. 

http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/SSTV/faq.php


And some more fresh news about ARISS on:

http://www.marexmg.org/fileshtml/ArissRebuild.html





On 1 Jul 2009 at 19:26, Greg D. wrote:

> 
> Ok, so this doesn't sound like the regular ARISS QSL service... 
> Where did you send your card (for those who weren't at Dayton)?  Is he still 
> accepting them?
> 
> Greg  KO6TH
> 
> 
> > From: dave.w8...@verizon.net
> > To: amsat-bb@amsat.org
> > Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 08:35:39 -0400
> > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: QSL card?
> > 
> > Richard has the cards made up, and was handing them out at Dayton  
> > Hamvention to those who were there.  (He also had his log from ISS so  
> > people could see their call in it.)  I don't know what his schedule is  
> > for a general mailing.
> > 
> > -- Dave, W8AAS
> > 
> > 
> > On Jun 30, 2009, at 10:29 PM, Scott Smith wrote:
> > 
> > > Hi, has anyone received there QSL card from Richard Garriott? when  
> > > he was aboard the ISS?.
> > > 73 de VE6ITV  Scott



"-"


Luc Leblanc VE2DWE
Skype VE2DWE
www.qsl.net/ve2dwe
WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE

 

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[amsat-bb] AMSAT-UK COLLOQUIUM 25/26 July

2009-07-02 Thread Jim Heck
Hi Folks,

  Just a reminder about the AMSAT-UK Colloquium on Sat/Sun 25/26 July. The hotel
will stop holding our rooms after tomorrow (Fri 3 July), so it would be best to 
book
over the next 48 hrs to be sure of a room being available.

  The easiest way to do this is to phone the hotel on +44 (0) 1483 78 and 
quote
reference R0F (That's R zero F).

  I understand that the hotel will still have rooms available after tomorrow, 
but if
you book after then, availability is not guaranteed!

73 Jim G3WGM
Hon Sec AMSAT-UK
www.uk.amsat.org

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[amsat-bb] The Moon is our Future

2009-07-02 Thread MM

Theoretically we may have a free ride to the Moon for an Amateur radio repeater!

In the past, the flight to the moon for a Amateur radio project has been cost 
prohibitive.  We just could not afford to pay for the ride to the Moon.  
NASA is going to the moon with unmanned landers. NASA is open to the idea of 
flying some public service projects to the moon on their landers.

Now there exists the possibility of getting a free ride to the moon, curtsy of 
NASA.

What we need are the following:

A stable club with funding to build a simple transponder project.
A plan for a simple transponder (KISS  no complex P3E).
A link budget plan for a Moon transponder.


One theory:
We need a simple Mode-J transponder (2-meters up, 440 down).
Low power consumption.
Assume minimal antenna gain from the Lander (3 dBd on each antenna)
Assume transmitter power 5-10 watts.

Questions:
What’s the link budget?
How much gain will be needed on earth for such a setup?
Can we build a working mockup in 1 year or less.

The Moon is within Reach.  Let’s Go for IT.

Miles WF1F   MarexMG.org


--- On Wed, 7/1/09, Jack K.  wrote:

> From: Jack K. 
> Subject: [amsat-bb]  Rebuttal -  Re: Unused sats
> To: kg4...@gmail.com, amsat-bb@amsat.org
> Date: Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 4:46 PM
> I have to disagree in the strongest
> of terms about disregarding HEOs "for 
> now" which in essence will mean to become forever. Until,
> or unless, we 
> could come up with something along the lines of a "Cell"
> system of leos, we 
> are missing one of the major advantages of Satellites and
> that is almost 
> guaranteed communications for long periods (several hours)
> at a time... I am 
> in no way denigrating LEOs as they have their place, but in
> the major schema 
> of things HEOS will and always have rule given the state of
> communications 
> art...
> 
> I understand the desire to "do something" but I suggest
> that the major 
> thrust should be directed at getting a transponder on the
> moon (or Mars) or 
> some more KISS type HEOs up... Cubesats can take care of
> themselves if we 
> do, Heck I would even join in and participate in something
> like I just 
> mentioned, I just can not get excited about "Contest style"
> contacts with a 
> 5-12 min window most of the time... I do that on 2 meters
> scatter all I 
> want,
> 
> DE Jack - KD1PE
> 
> 
> - Original Message - 
> From: "David - KG4ZLB" 
> To: 
> Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 4:09 PM
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Unused sats
> 
> 
> > All good points but forget the HEO's for now - we just
> need a good
> > source of regularly launched easy sats in LEO to
> augment the few working
> > birds we have and replace what we have to as they fall
> out of the sky or
> > just stop working.
> 
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