[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Bruce Robertson
On Sat, Sep 26, 2009 at 2:03 AM, Rocky Jones  wrote:
>
>>
>> Finally, a truism that probably bears repeating, though not addressing
>> the two comments quoted above: if we call cubesats 'not amateur
>> radio', then we should tar OSCAR 1 with that same brush.
>>
>> 73, Bruce
>> VE9QRP
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> Bruce...that is really not fair.

I'm sorry if I'm not being fair. I rather think, though, that there is
an important difference of opinion here on what constitutes amateur
activity. I'd like to explore it further with your permission.

> Oscar 1 (and 2) were "first time" for a lot of things and had at their heart
> the goal of building amateur radio communications platforms...that is why
> Oscar "X" (I think that is what they call it...a repeat of Oscar 1 and 2)
> was shelved in favor of Oscar III a communications platform.

If you are advocating a litmus test for amateur activity, especially
in the satellite field, that is based on novelty, then I cannot see
how you are not equally opposed to those aspects of P3E that are
self-consciously emulating previous satellites (everything other than
SDX and CAN-DO?)

In fact, in common practice innovation is too high a bar to set for
amateur activity: we don't expect each ham to invent a new modulation
scheme before getting on a local repeater for the first time; and I
know that when and if a HEO satellite is in orbit again, you will not
deprecate my enjoyment of following in the footsteps of many before me
who have undertaken linear transponder communications on that
platform.

I will meet you half way and say that innovation is a hallmark of
amateur satellite operations, though not a requirement. This is why I
am very excited by upcoming tests of SDX. It is also, incidentally,
why I applaud the achievements of the cubesat groups, whose very
form-factor is innovative, and who undertake innovative applications,
such as spacecraft stabilization for potential experiments in
formation flying, high-quality image capture, new communication modes,
physics experiments, etc., a list that reads much like the one you
apply to Oscar V below:

> Both Oscar 1 and II lasted until their batteries ran out...indeed I think
> Number 1 lasted until it decayed..Oscar V tested communications technology
> from spacecraft stabilization to command systems etc. and it lasted until
> its batteries ran out

I can't tell here: are you suggesting that battery-operated satellites
are more in the amateur spirit?  Doesn't this contravene your
innovation criterion? Were not batteries in Oscar 1-5 faute de mieux?
You seem to be implying that the Oscar 1 designers eschewed the solar
panels available to them and wisely chose the limited lifetime option.
My understanding of the history of technology is somewhat hazy, but as
it is, it doesn't fit this picture.

> .that is far longer sat life then most of the cubesats have.  which mostly
> have nothing to do with amateur radio

In your opinion, is short life a knock against cubesats? Maybe it's a
good idea to have shorter missions in some cases. Short life is not
always true, of course: CO-57, e.g., has been in operation for over
six years.

73, Bruce
VE9QRP

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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Rocky Jones


> 
> Finally, a truism that probably bears repeating, though not addressing
> the two comments quoted above: if we call cubesats 'not amateur
> radio', then we should tar OSCAR 1 with that same brush.
> 
> 73, Bruce
> VE9QRP
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Bruce...that is really not fair.

Oscar 1 (and 2) were "first time" for a lot of things and had at their heart 
the goal of building amateur radio communications platforms...that is why Oscar 
"X" (I think that is what they call it...a repeat of Oscar 1 and 2) was shelved 
in favor of Oscar III a communications platform.

Both Oscar 1 and II lasted until their batteries ran out...indeed I think 
Number 1 lasted until it decayed..Oscar V tested communications technology from 
spacecraft stabilization to command systems etc. and it lasted until its 
batteries ran out

.that is far longer sat life then most of the cubesats have.  which mostly have 
nothing to do with amateur radio

Robert WB5MZO
  
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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Bruce Robertson
On Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 7:34 PM,   wrote:
>
> In a message dated 25/09/2009 22:10:17 GMT Standard Time, m5...@yahoo.co.uk
>  writes:
>
> Hi Bill,
>
> You're right, the potential is there for a 3U CubeSat that can achieve  an
> apogee > 1400 km.
>
> We'd need 1U of that to house the linear  transponder but as you say the
> rest could be used for the propulsion system.
>
> As yet, as far as I'm aware, no-one has actually demonstrated a  working
> propulsion mechanism that can fit in 2U but I'm convinced this is  possible.
>
> The launch costs for a 3U CubeSat into 700 km LEO are well  within the
> reach of the Amateur community, our challenge is to develop a means  of 
> raising
> the apogee.
>
> 73 Trevor M5AKA
>
>
>
>
>
> Hi Trevor.
>
> There is a propulsion system being developed for cubesats using a hydrazine
>  mono propellant that uses catalytic decomposition to produce a large
> volume of  hot gaseous products.
>
> If initial claimed results can be repeated in production, then that unit
> can be propelled from typical LEO up to 1400km circular or 2000km  eliptical.
>  It's based on a 3U structure. It's not MEO, but its a lot more  fun than
> 500km
>
> David  G0MRF

Oh, I love this idea, and I put my vote in for the elliptical. (Not
that I have a vote :-) The occasional massive footprint would be
really neat to play with, and justify all our overkill antenna arrays.
I'm guessing we'd need the 3U format for linear transponder anyway,
since the requisite solar panel area is not available in 1U.

73, Bruce
VE9QRP

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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Bruce Robertson
I will attempt a reply to both of these responses.

On Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 9:27 PM, Tony Langdon  wrote:
> At 09:34 AM 9/26/2009, James Craig wrote:
>>Good point. Not everybody is interested in monitoring the one way
>>downlinks on the majority of these more recent birds. Why is it that
>>there is no problem getting large numbers of these types of satellites
>>into orbit, yet good old fashioned two way linear and FM transponder
>>birds are relatively far and few between?

The reason cubesats are being built is because they are seen as an
excellent platform for educating space science students at the
undergraduate level. The amount of money being spent per launch is
pretty doable for many institutions or local granting agencies. These
agencies and universities are likely simply not interested in
providing you or me with a platform for two-way terrestrial
communication if it is going to slow down their project or lower its
probability of success.

The cubesat design is quite constrained moreover, typically 10cm^3 and
under one kg, even the milk-carton sized 3U format is pretty small for
the power needs of a linear or FM transponder of the sort we are
typically using. We owe a debt of gratitude to Delfi, which showed
that a linear can be put up as a secondary mission, and to William for
his 10cm^2 transponder implementation.

Those are very recent developments, and I'd agree that we should jump
on them as golden opportunities, noting however, that the result will
still be very low altitude orbits and therefore small footprints.
Similarly, SDX technology might be able to miniaturize the transponder
further and reduce its power needs (while making one circuit a
do-everything transponder!), so we're lucky that we're testing that
technology in the near future.

Please note that there is no contention for resources here: the
opportunities the universities made use of are not available to us. If
we want this phenomenon to work to the advantage of those of us who
enjoy two-way voice communications, we need to either launch a cubesat
ourselves or offer the university projects a reason that adding this
capability will *improve* the time-to-launch or probability of
success. This might be in the form of a free, tested, reliable
communications board that happens to have two-way voice capability
integrated into it. It also could be in the form of increased amateur
enthusiasm for the transponder-bearing cubesat and the resulting
increase in telemetry collection, a bargain which we proved to be good
for in Delfi C3.

> I for one was never a SWL, so I tend not to follow the one way
> satellites, unless there's a compelling reason (e.g. for test
> signals, or telemetry decoding - had fun decoding telemetry on AO-40
> when it was first launched).

Nor was I, yet I very much enjoy listening to telemetry from cubesats,
along with other activities in this corner of the hobby. I can offer
you this reason: when I listen to telemetry, I'm listening to
something which is in space and in orbit around the earth, one of the
most exotic locales from which you could receive a message. If I talk
to you on AO-51, I'm talking to you on earth by means of a space-borne
vehicle. It turns out that what's fun about that for me is not
necessarily your voice, but the vehicle. Telemetry tells me about
those vehicles: how fast they are moving, how they are tumbling and
the contents of the telemetry stream: how much power they're
collecting and using. Moreover, with some of the cubesats, the
decoding of this is very easy if one knows CW.

Two more points in my brief  "apologia pro cubesatibus"

1. So-called 'telemetry only' birds are not necessarily that. We had
the opportunity to control COMPASS during its crisis last year. The
low cost of the mission meant that any one of us was solicited to
enter the appropriate codes. I'll never be a control station for a
major bird, but I thrilled to do this for COMPASS.

2. Given that you admit above that telemetry collection is necessary
for the maintenance of communication satellites, shouldn't you be glad
that this steady stream of cubesats has allowed some enthusiasts to
continue to hone their skills in this field?

Finally, a truism that probably bears repeating, though not addressing
the two comments quoted above: if we call cubesats 'not amateur
radio', then we should tar OSCAR 1 with that same brush.

73, Bruce
VE9QRP
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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Rocky Jones


> Perhaps when commercial vehicles like the Falcon 9 begin launching,
> we'll see a sufficient reduction in payload boosting costs to make
> raising the money for a HEO satellite with significant mass reasonable.
> We shall have to see.
> 
> Mark K6HX
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Mark if there is a future for amateur HEO's the birds are going to be more 
Arsene and Oscar IV size.

Robert WB5MZO
  
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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Rocky Jones

Jim...very few of them have any potential for Amateur use at all...most however 
also die quickly.

Robert WB5MZO

> Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:38:45 -0700
> From: kq...@pacbell.net
> To: amsat-bb@amsat.org; kg4...@gmail.com
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites
> 
> Do any of these have potential for Amateur use after their "primary mission" 
> is completed? If they can be repurposed like AO-27, then I don't have any 
> complaints. If, OTOH, all they're good for is sending telemetry for 
> somebody's experiment, then I feel this is an inappropriate use of Amateur 
> frequencies.
> 73, Jim  KQ6EA
> 
> --- On Fri, 9/25/09, David - KG4ZLB  wrote:
> 
> > From: David - KG4ZLB 
> > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites
> > To: amsat-bb@amsat.org
> > Date: Friday, September 25, 2009, 1:10 PM
> > I hate to say it but you may be right
> > - the sky is now full of 
> > "beep-beep" sats!
> > 
> > David KG4ZLB
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Rocky Jones wrote:
> > > The hamsat bands are slowly being converted into
> > "cheap" telemetry bands...
> > >
> > > Robert WB5MZO
> > >
> > >   
> > > 
> > 
> >   
> >   
> > >
> > _
> > > Bing™  brings you maps, menus, and reviews
> > organized in one place.   Try it now.
> > > http://www.bing.com/search?q=restaurants&form=MLOGEN&publ=WLHMTAG&crea=TEXT_MLOGEN_Core_tagline_local_1x1
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> > >   
> > 
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> 
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[amsat-bb] Re: Arrow antenna reconfiguration results - UPDATE

2009-09-25 Thread Alan VE4YZ
I rarely use my Arrow and 2 dual band HTs, but, dragged them out this week
because I'm scheduled to do a high school demo in 2 weeks and thought I
better start practicing my technique again, update the KEPS in my Palm
PocketSat+ and get the battery packs charged.

So this discussion in the last couple of days is very relevant to me and
here's my 2 cents...

The only compliant I have about the Arrow is that it looses it's speckles
and the plastic tips fad to white when used outdoor for long periods :-)
Several years ago I ran it for a full year on the roof with a hygain TV
rotator and fixed EL of about 30 degrees. The arrows are now plain
aluminium.

First I view all anecdotal comparisons of before and after results with some
caution.  A diplexer change from the OEM to another cannot account for the
improvement in one pass with fades to the next pass with no fades IHMO.  It
is so, please tell me the science behind this.  If a defective diplexer was
acting as an attenuator then I sure can see there would be an improvement in
signal.  In my location, 2 low passes with the same max elevation on the
same satellite can be quite different depending on which part of the horizon
is below the pass - open prairie vs the noise floor of city. Sometimes there
are fades and sometimes there aren't any.  Satellites tumble.  Sometimes to
your advantage and some times they work against you.

Now, as to the Arrow OEM diplexer; with the 2 HT's I don't use it except as
a mode J filter, see

http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/articles/Mode-J/ to reduce desense, and, a
mini UHF preamp

http://www.hsmicrowave.com/html/amateur_lna.htm , and, anecdotally I can
tell you that I can see the increase in bars on S-PO Meter and these old
ears can hear the difference when the preamp is switched on and off. 

For those of you who want to use an external diplexer such as a Comet, you
can still use the OEM diplexer at the same time as a filter.

BTW yesterday I just practiced listening and heard a monstrous booming
signal from ISS, got to hear 4 or 5 answers to questions during the Ottawa
ARISS with the Arrow and a max 10 degrees pass, no preamp needed,  LOS just
under 5 degrees.  Also AO-27 max 20 degrees over Eastern NOAM until it went
digital - ever notice it goes digital just as it hits the 49th parallel? Is
that an anti-Canadian thing?

73, Alan VE4YZ
EN19kv
AMSAT LM 2352 
http://www.wincube.ca

 

  





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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites (Alan P. Biddle)

2009-09-25 Thread Robert Bruninga
>> At a SmallSat conference... this summer,
>> I was amused at the casual assumption by 
>> a researcher that 50, cubesats could be 
>> launched as part of an upper atmosphere 
>> project using ham frequencies for the 
>> downlinks.

And wouldn’t it be a hoot if everyone of them could put their
RX/TX into a bent-pipe packet mode, and then we would have
amateur radio global hand-held text messaging satellite
system...

>>  (They would have a lifetime of only 3-4 months.)

But it would be FUN for a while!

Using some of the 2-way very small micro APRS packet systems, a
2 to 5 Watt transponder will easily fit on a singl circuit card
in a small cubesat.  See  www.aprs.org/cubesat-comms.html

Bob, WB4APR



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[amsat-bb] Re: Arrow antenna reconfiguration results - UPDATE

2009-09-25 Thread Art McBride
To All,
The Diplexer also acts as a filter. All solid state transmitters have "White
Noise" contributions. If you receive while transmitting the White Noise from
the 2M side will desense the 70 cm receiver. The amount of noise typically
60 dB down from the carrier varies with the type of output filter used in
the transmitter.  Of course this does not apply when working the satellite
simplex. 
A bad diplexer can also be the problem. Soldering is poor in some of these
overseas units, also excessive power in a former life will cook the parts
inside. A good test with 50 loads and a power meter will tell the condition
of the diplexer.

Art,
KC6UQH

-Original Message-
From: amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org] On
Behalf Of Joe
Sent: Friday, September 25, 2009 6:43 PM
To: Gary "Joe" Mayfield
Cc: 'AMSAT-BB'
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Arrow antenna reconfiguration results - UPDATE

as in the texts below,  there is something else going on here.

That Diplexor can not be all that bad. two reasons.

How many db down is the front to side of that antenna?

and I can not imaging someone would sell a diplexor that has greater 
than 20 db of losses.

because of the statement that how criticalpolarity was with the 
original, and now the antenna has to be nearly 90 degrees cross 
polarized to make it drop out  uhh

that close to 30 db,

at least 20,,

something else is going on here

Gary "Joe" Mayfield wrote:

>>
>>Another issue I came across was how wide the beamwidth is of the Arrow
>>Antenna between the Arrow diplexer and the new diplexer.  I was wondering
>>
>>
>if
>  
>
>>this was going to happen and it did.  The reason that this happened was
>>
>>
>with
>  
>
>>the old diplexer, the signal attenuated so much that you had to be pointed
>>right smack dab on the bird, a few degrees off and you lost the signal.
>>Now, with the new diplexer, you can point the beam in the general
>>
>>
>direction
>  
>
>>and still copy the bird.  In most cases I had to turn the beam 90 degrees
>>before I completely lost the downlink!  Twisting the antenna to make
>>polarization changes makes absolutely no difference now.  This also
>>attributes to the fact that now I'm copying the entire pass without
>>
>>
>dropouts
>  
>
>>or fades.  Makes sense.  What I've regained over the lossy diplexer makes
>>
>>
>up
>  
>
>>for any polarization differences, etc. for a better copiable signal.
>>
>>Next weekend I will have to try more passes and get a feel of how much
>>
>>
>this
>  
>
>>system has changed.
>>
>>
>>73,
>>
>>Jeff  WB3JFS
>>Las Vegas, NV
>>DM26
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>
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>
>
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17:52:00
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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Robert Bruninga
> ... few of these sats are doing anything 
> even remotely related to amateur radio or 
> even communications in general. 

Get a life.  Maybe not your very narrowminded view of amateur
radio, but you outta open your mind and do a little
investigation as to the full depth and breadth of what people do
with their amateur radio hobby...

Bob

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[amsat-bb] Re: Arrow antenna reconfiguration results - UPDATE

2009-09-25 Thread Joe
as in the texts below,  there is something else going on here.

That Diplexor can not be all that bad. two reasons.

How many db down is the front to side of that antenna?

and I can not imaging someone would sell a diplexor that has greater 
than 20 db of losses.

because of the statement that how criticalpolarity was with the 
original, and now the antenna has to be nearly 90 degrees cross 
polarized to make it drop out  uhh

that close to 30 db,

at least 20,,

something else is going on here

Gary "Joe" Mayfield wrote:

>>
>>Another issue I came across was how wide the beamwidth is of the Arrow
>>Antenna between the Arrow diplexer and the new diplexer.  I was wondering
>>
>>
>if
>  
>
>>this was going to happen and it did.  The reason that this happened was
>>
>>
>with
>  
>
>>the old diplexer, the signal attenuated so much that you had to be pointed
>>right smack dab on the bird, a few degrees off and you lost the signal.
>>Now, with the new diplexer, you can point the beam in the general
>>
>>
>direction
>  
>
>>and still copy the bird.  In most cases I had to turn the beam 90 degrees
>>before I completely lost the downlink!  Twisting the antenna to make
>>polarization changes makes absolutely no difference now.  This also
>>attributes to the fact that now I'm copying the entire pass without
>>
>>
>dropouts
>  
>
>>or fades.  Makes sense.  What I've regained over the lossy diplexer makes
>>
>>
>up
>  
>
>>for any polarization differences, etc. for a better copiable signal.
>>
>>Next weekend I will have to try more passes and get a feel of how much
>>
>>
>this
>  
>
>>system has changed.
>>
>>
>>73,
>>
>>Jeff  WB3JFS
>>Las Vegas, NV
>>DM26
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>
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[amsat-bb] Re: Arrow antenna reconfiguration results - UPDATE

2009-09-25 Thread Gary "Joe" Mayfield

Has anyone played with Kent's idea of insulating the elements from the boom?

73,
Joe kk0sd


-Original Message-
From: amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org] On
Behalf Of Bruce Robertson
Sent: Friday, September 25, 2009 8:53 AM
To: Jeff Yanko
Cc: AMSAT-BB
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Arrow antenna reconfiguration results - UPDATE

Jeff --

I really appreciate you doing this research for us. Two additional
ideas come to mind:

1. Those of us with FT-817s could configure its two RF ports to use
different bands and connect the rig directly to the beam's antenna
connectors, bypassing the duplexer. For this purpose, higher-quality
bnc terminated cable would be useful.

2. If I'm correct, your replacement duplexer is rather larger than the
one it is replacing. It would be a great topic for a Journal article
if someone with the necessary equipment and expertise were to design a
replacement with less loss.

73, Bruce
VE9QRP

On Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 6:10 AM, Jeff Yanko  wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> A quick update to my new project to improving the Arrow antenna,
efficiency
> wise.  I wanted to see how well it would perform on gaining and losing
> access during AOS and LOS.  AO-27 is not a good choice since the timer is
> turned on when it is well above the AOS horizon and it is switched off
> before it reaches its LOS horizon.  That leaves a dependable AO-51 to test
> it out.
>
> With the last setup, the OEM diplexer provided by Arrow Antenna, I would
> copy AO-51 about 3 minutes after AOS and lose it about 3 to 4 minutes
before
> LOS.  Not bad, but people were saying they worked the birds when they were
1
> degree off of the horizon.  I have some pine trees that could be an issue
> but they are spaced far enough apart that I can work between them and I
also
> have to deal with the McCollough Range to the SSE of me here in Las Vegas,
> NV.  Today, there were 2 passes of AO-51, one at 12 degrees elevation, the
> other at 74 degrees.  During both passes, I began to copy the downlink
about
> a 1.25 minute after AOS.  A considerable difference from 3 minutes.  The
> downlink also improved down to about minute before LOS.  On the last pass
I
> worked KG6NUB at 0124z and LOS was 0125z and my downlink sounded fairly
> good, though I was fighting desense.  (That's another issue I need to
> resolve.)  Also, on both passes, I never once lost the downlink.  No
> dropouts or fades.  I'm still amazed.
>
> Another issue I came across was how wide the beamwidth is of the Arrow
> Antenna between the Arrow diplexer and the new diplexer.  I was wondering
if
> this was going to happen and it did.  The reason that this happened was
with
> the old diplexer, the signal attenuated so much that you had to be pointed
> right smack dab on the bird, a few degrees off and you lost the signal.
> Now, with the new diplexer, you can point the beam in the general
direction
> and still copy the bird.  In most cases I had to turn the beam 90 degrees
> before I completely lost the downlink!  Twisting the antenna to make
> polarization changes makes absolutely no difference now.  This also
> attributes to the fact that now I'm copying the entire pass without
dropouts
> or fades.  Makes sense.  What I've regained over the lossy diplexer makes
up
> for any polarization differences, etc. for a better copiable signal.
>
> Next weekend I will have to try more passes and get a feel of how much
this
> system has changed.
>
>
> 73,
>
> Jeff  WB3JFS
> Las Vegas, NV
> DM26
>
>
>
>
>
>
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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Alan VE4YZ
Isn't it neat that Amateur Radio allows you to have a very narrow interest
and get enjoyment out of it. From HF to multi GHz.  From terrestrial to EME.

One subset is amateur satellites.  Further subsets within amateur satellite
includes those who love to work the FM Grid Sats, others like the "beep"
Sats while others explore the old dead birds looking for a Phoenix a la
AO-7.

To complain about the use of spectrum by one group or another is nuts.  In
the last day I've read such nonsense as "use of amateur frequencies for
telemetry".  Duh?  Was it being used for something else?  Did anyone notice
that the "beep" Sats for the most part do their beeping on UHF.  Those are
not exclusive amateur frequencies.  We, as amateurs, are the SECONDARY user
of a shared frequency.

In the meantime, instead of complaining, get involved with your local
CubeSat project to make sure that a FM or linear transponder is part of the
spec.  I think Delfi is a perfect model for us to pursue.  Post science,
post amateurs assisting with near whole earth orbit data acquisition, the
satellite is turned over for amateur use.  What a wonderful model of
collaboration and win-win Delfi set for all of us.  

Which leads me to my final comment on this Friday night rant... I don't
expect to see another HEO or MEO in my life time.  I think there is a better
chance to see a constellation of LEO picosats running a mesh-like network.
A network built up gradually over time by the CubeSat community 2 or 3 cubes
at a time over many years costing no one group an arm and a leg to move
toward that goal.  No one launch failure jeopardizing the big picture.  No
one satellite failing in the constellation putting down the whole network or
our enjoyment of it use.

Step'n off the soap box... 

73, Alan VE4YZ
EN19kv
AMSAT LM 2352 
http://www.wincube.ca







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[amsat-bb] Re: Arrow antenna reconfiguration results - UPDATE

2009-09-25 Thread i8cvs
- Original Message -
From: "Bruce Robertson" 
To: "Jeff Yanko" 
Cc: "AMSAT-BB" 
Sent: Friday, September 25, 2009 3:53 PM
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Arrow antenna reconfiguration results - UPDATE

Jeff --



2. If I'm correct, your replacement duplexer is rather larger than the
one it is replacing. It would be a great topic for a Journal article
if someone with the necessary equipment and expertise were to design a
replacement with less loss.

73, Bruce
VE9QRP

Hi Bruce, VE9QRP

See QEX March/April 2002 page 47 "A Low-Loss VHF/UHF Diplexer"
by Pavel Zanek OK1DNZ
Loss = 0.15 dB at VHF and 0.40 dB at UHF
Insulation VHF/UHF = 70 dB
Max RF power at VHF or UHF or VHF/UHF = 100 watt CW at 25°

73" de

i8CVS Domenico





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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Mark VandeWettering
> Good point. Not everybody is interested in monitoring the one way
> downlinks on the majority of these more recent birds. Why is it that
> there is no problem getting large numbers of these types of satellites
> into orbit, yet good old fashioned two way linear and FM transponder
> birds are relatively far and few between?

> Regards and 73,
>James - ZL4JM/VK5JC

Well, after the launch of AO-51 here in the U.S., the AMSAT membership
seemed to think that they should concentrate their efforts on a HEO launch.
The problem is that there really aren't any viable launch options for HEO
satellites.   We aren't alone either:  P3E is considerably further along than
any of the AMSAT-NA projects, and yet has no hint of how it might get
boosted to orbit.

Cubesats are being launched for one simple reason: people have figured
out how to fund low mass sats to low earth orbit.   We could probably
launch a couple dozen LEO cubesats (or more) for what it would cost
to put just one payload into HEO, but nobody seems to really be interested
in doing that, since it won't give anyone the DX that they want.  I think
there have been some interesting developments in micro propulsion
technologies, but it is still challenging to get a cubesat in orbit that can
serve as a transponder within the weight and space limitations that
cubesats have.

Perhaps when commercial vehicles like the Falcon 9 begin launching,
we'll see a sufficient reduction in payload boosting costs to make
raising the money for a HEO satellite with significant mass reasonable.
We shall have to see.

Mark K6HX
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[amsat-bb] Sat status - new feature

2009-09-25 Thread Andrew Rich
Added a panel display

http://vk4tec.no-ip.org/sat_status/

Any other sats that make it onto the APRS_IS let me know and I can add


--
Andrew Rich 
Airways Technical Officer Grade 4
Surveillance - RADAR ADS-B
Amateur Radio Callsign VK4TEC
email: vk4...@tech-software.net
web: www.tech-software.net
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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Tony Langdon
At 09:34 AM 9/26/2009, James Craig wrote:
>Good point. Not everybody is interested in monitoring the one way
>downlinks on the majority of these more recent birds. Why is it that
>there is no problem getting large numbers of these types of satellites
>into orbit, yet good old fashioned two way linear and FM transponder
>birds are relatively far and few between?

I for one was never a SWL, so I tend not to follow the one way 
satellites, unless there's a compelling reason (e.g. for test 
signals, or telemetry decoding - had fun decoding telemetry on AO-40 
when it was first launched).

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

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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread James Craig
Good point. Not everybody is interested in monitoring the one way  
downlinks on the majority of these more recent birds. Why is it that  
there is no problem getting large numbers of these types of satellites  
into orbit, yet good old fashioned two way linear and FM transponder  
birds are relatively far and few between?

Regards and 73,
James - ZL4JM/VK5JC

Sent from my iPod

On 26/09/2009, at 5:01, John W Lee  wrote:

> I wonder how many of those 50  are able to handle
> ham radio 2-way contacts ?
>
> K6YK
>
> On Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:09:43 + Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF
>  writes:
>> Here's a list of all (known to me) satellites still in orbit with
>> some designed in (but not necessarily operational)
>> amateur band functionality.
>>
>> For those that think nothing has been happening recently, there have
>> been 26 (so far) satellites launched this year, 13
>> in 2008 and 11 in 2007. Thats 50 birds in less than the past 3
>> years.
>>
>> Catalog NumberCommon NameInternational
>> DesignatorComments
>> 1293 OSCAR 3 1965-016F
>> 6236 OSCAR 6 1972-082B
>> 7530 OSCAR 7 1974-089B
>> 10703 OSCAR 8 1978-026B
>> 14129 OSCAR 10 1983-058B
>> 14781 OSCAR 11 (UoSAT 2) 1984-021B
>> 16909 JAS 1 (FUJI 1) 1986-061B
>> 20437 OSCAR 14 (UoSAT 3) 1990-005B
>> 20438 OSCAR 15 (UoSAT 4) 1990-005C
>> 20439 OSCAR 16 (PACSAT) 1990-005D
>> 20440 OSCAR 17 (DOVE) 1990-005E
>> 20441 OSCAR 18 (WEBERSAT) 1990-005F
>> 20442 OSCAR 19 (LUSAT) 1990-005G
>> 20480 JAS 1B (FUJI 2) 1990-013C
>> 21039 SL-12 R/B(1) 1990-116B
>> 21087 INFORMATOR 1 1991-006A
>> 21089 COSMOS 2123 1991-007A
>> 21575 OSCAR 22 (UoSAT 5) 1991-050B
>> 22825 KITSAT B 1993-061C
>> 22826 POSAT 1 1993-061D
>> 22828 ITAMSAT 1993-061F
>> 22829 EYESAT A 1993-061G
>> 23439 RADIO ROSTO 1994-085A
>> 24278 JAS 2 1996-046B
>> 24305 UNAMSAT 1996-052B
>> 25396 TMSAT 1998-043C
>> 25397 TECHSAT 1B 1998-043D
>> 25509 SEDSAT 1 1998-061B
>> 25520 PAN SAT 1998-064B
>> 25544 ISS (ZARYA) 1998-067A
>> 25636 SUNSAT 1999-008C
>> 25693 OSCAR 36 (UoSAT 12) 1999-021A
>> 25756 KITSAT 3 1999-029A
>> 26063 OPAL 2000-004C
>> 26545 SAUDISAT 1A 2000-057A
>> 26548 TIUNGSAT 1 2000-057D
>> 26609 AMSAT OSCAR 40 2000-072B
>> 26931 PCSAT 2001-043C
>> 26932 SAPPHIRE 2001-043D
>> 27605 RUBIN 2 2002-058A
>> 27607 SAUDISAT 1C 2002-058C
>> 27842 DTUSAT 2003-031C
>> 27844 CUTE-1 2003-031E
>> 27845 QUAKESAT 2003-031F
>> 27847 CANX-1 2003-031H
>> 27848 CUBESAT XI-IV 2003-031J
>> 27939 MOZHAYETS 4 2003-042A
>> 28375 AMSAT ECHO 2004-025K
>> 28650 HAMSAT 2005-017B
>> 28890 BEIJING 1 (TSINGHUA) 2005-043A
>> 28891 TOPSAT 2005-043B
>> 28892 UWE-1 2005-043C
>> 28893 SINAH 1 2005-043D
>> 28894 SSETI-EXPRESS 2005-043E
>> 28895 CUBESAT XI-V 2005-043F
>> 28897 SSETI-EXPRESS DEB 2005-043H
>> 28898 MOZ.5/SAFIR/RUBIN 5/SL-8 2005-043G
>> 28941 CUTE 1.7 2006-005C
>> 29252 GENESIS 1 2006-029A
>> 29479 HINODE (SOLAR B) 2006-041A
>> 29655 GENESAT 2006-058C
>> 29712 PEHUENSAT 1 2007-001D
>> 31117 EGYPTSAT 1 2007-012A
>> 31122 CSTB 1 2007-012F
>> 31126 MAST 2007-012K
>> 31128 LIBERTAD 1 2007-012M
>> 31129 CP3 2007-012N
>> 31130 CAPE 1 2007-012P
>> 31132 CP4 2007-012Q
>> 31135 AGILE 2007-013A
>> 31140 NFIRE 2007-014A
>> 31789 GENESIS 2 2007-028A
>> 32781 GIOVE-B 2008-020A
>> 32783 CARTOSAT 2A 2008-021A
>> 32784 CANX-6 2008-021B
>> 32785 CUTE 1.7 & AOD 2 2008-021C
>> 32786 IMS-1 2008-021D
>> 32787 COMPASS 1 2008-021E
>> 32788 AAUSAT CUBESAT 2 2008-021F
>> 32789 DELFI C3 2008-021G
>> 32790 CANX-2 2008-021H
>> 32791 SEEDS 2008-021J
>> 32792 RUBIN 8/PSLV 2008-021K
>> 32794 AMOS 3 2008-022A
>> 32953 YUBILEINY 2008-025A
>> 33492 GOSAT (IBUKI) 2009-002A
>> 33493 PRI

[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread G0MRF
 
In a message dated 25/09/2009 22:10:17 GMT Standard Time, m5...@yahoo.co.uk 
 writes:

Hi Bill,  

You're right, the potential is there for a 3U CubeSat that can achieve  an 
apogee > 1400 km.  

We'd need 1U of that to house the linear  transponder but as you say the 
rest could be used for the propulsion system.  

As yet, as far as I'm aware, no-one has actually demonstrated a  working 
propulsion mechanism that can fit in 2U but I'm convinced this is  possible. 

The launch costs for a 3U CubeSat into 700 km LEO are well  within the 
reach of the Amateur community, our challenge is to develop a means  of raising 
the apogee.

73 Trevor M5AKA





Hi Trevor.
 
There is a propulsion system being developed for cubesats using a hydrazine 
 mono propellant that uses catalytic decomposition to produce a large 
volume of  hot gaseous products.
 
If initial claimed results can be repeated in production, then that unit  
can be propelled from typical LEO up to 1400km circular or 2000km  eliptical. 
 It's based on a 3U structure. It's not MEO, but its a lot more  fun than 
500km
 
David  G0MRF
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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Alan P. Biddle
Trevor,

Bill is right on about propulsion systems.  There are several types of
thrusters being worked on.  Most are being pitched to extend the life of LEO
cubesats, but in principle they could get us to MEO.  As always, cost is a
huge factor.  When the Boeing rep says after a vendor presentation, "You
what HOW MUCH for that?!" you know there are cost issues.  ;)

Alan
WA4SCA



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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites (Alan P. Biddle)

2009-09-25 Thread Mark VandeWettering
>
> At a SmallSat conference I attended on behalf of AMSAT this summer, I was
> amused at the casual assumption by a researcher that 50, Five Oh, cubesats
> could be launched as part of an upper atmosphere project using ham
> frequencies for the downlinks.  (They would have a lifetime of only 3-4
> months.)  Jan King, W3GEY/VK4GEY, who does coordination of satellite
> frequencies, gently but firmly brought them down to earth a bit.
>
> On the one hand, we get new hams with interests in space communications from
> these projects, but on the other we need to prevent the de facto
> appropriation of needed frequencies.  A fine line to walk.
>
> Alan
> WA4SCA

The thing that worries me the most is that the de facto appropriation of
our amateur satellite frequencies seems very likely if we continue along a
path which keeps us from filling those slots with payloads of our own.  All
this complaining about cubesats and the use of amateur frequencies for
telemetry is kind of pointless if we aren't using those frequencies and have
no prospect of using those frequencies in the foreseeable future.

It seems to me that coordinating 50 cubesats for four months could be
a tractable
problem, depending on the precise nature of the signals and their orbital
spacing.   It's not like there is a huge number of operational amateur
satellites
that they'd have to avoid.

Mark K6HX

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[amsat-bb] Out of the office

2009-09-25 Thread Martha
I will be out of the office on Monday.

-- 
73- Martha
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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Trevor .
--- On Fri, 25/9/09, Bill Ress  wrote:
> While it's likely a real stretch for a 1U CubeSat, in a 3U
> CubeSat with up to 2U Cubes worth dedicated to ion
> propulsion, we might have something practical. While many I
> talk with say it isn't practical, I have no doubt it will
> happen in the not too distant future. I wonder who will take
> the lead and be first?

Hi Bill, 

You're right, the potential is there for a 3U CubeSat that can achieve an 
apogee > 1400 km.  

We'd need 1U of that to house the linear transponder but as you say the rest 
could be used for the propulsion system. 

As yet, as far as I'm aware, no-one has actually demonstrated a working 
propulsion mechanism that can fit in 2U but I'm convinced this is possible. 

The launch costs for a 3U CubeSat into 700 km LEO are well within the reach of 
the Amateur community, our challenge is to develop a means of raising the 
apogee.

73 Trevor M5AKA



  


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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Trevor .
--- On Fri, 25/9/09, Alan P. Biddle  wrote:
> At a SmallSat conference I attended on behalf of AMSAT this summer, 
> I was amused at the casual assumption by a researcher that 50, 
> Five Oh, cubesats could be launched as part of an upper atmosphere 
> project using ham frequencies for the downlinks. 

Was this the Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (VKI) proposal ? 

Much as I hate to point it out the Primary User of the frequencies proposed are 
the Military. 

Regretably neither the Amateur or Amateur Satellite services has any Global 
Primary allocations between 146 MHz and 24 GHz. A point which as I recall was 
raised about a decade ago on this list. 

Perhaps the problem is that Amateur Satellite users do not lobby their National 
Societies to get them to push for some Global Primary Amateur and Amateur 
Satellite allocations in the UHF and Microwave bands. 

73 Trevor M5AKA



  


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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Rocky Jones



> From: and...@msu.edu
> To: amsat-bb@amsat.org
> Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:05:09 -0400
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites
> 
>I don't see it that way.
> 
>Every project is a set of people who have participated in what is
> at first something technical, then magical.  I have never talked
> with someone who has worked on something going into space
> that hasn't set back at some point and marveled at it.  How many
> folks have we all done demos for, and heard "Wow..!" ?
> 
> 
> --STeve Andre'
> wb8wsf  en82
> 

Steve...hope you are correct.

Very few almost none of the astronauts that get their US license to go up on 
the space station do anything with amateur radio afterwards...  I am sure "the 
magic" of space is there...and who knows it might translate into a resurgence 
of amateur radio among "the youth"...but I'll bet dollars that it wont.

 few of these sats are doing anything even remotely related to amateur radio or 
even communications in general.  the payload is "something else" and the 
amateur freqs are just used for telemetry.  and since the number of payloads 
that actually do "communications" is dwindling at somepoint my guess is that 
telemetry outright, without even the pretext of amateur radio is going to be 
seriously considered as a allocation for the band.


the good news is that most of them "crib death" and thats that.  Of course I 
still listen to Prospero everytime it goes beeping overhead...actually if one 
has the telem mask...it is still actually doing coherent stuff...and it is 
beeping on a band where telemetry is authorized...

Robert WB5MZO
  
_
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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Bill Ress
Hi Trevor,

We somehow must start to get serious about the orbital modification 
concepts proposed by David, G0MRF (see his paper from the 2009 AMSAT-UK 
Colloquium), that will get a LEO satellite into a MEO orbit.

I believe the concept (ion propulsion or similar) can, as David points 
out, over time in orbit, modify a LEO to something more useful. Many 
papers given recently by "tiny" propulsion system researchers at 
SmallSat and CubeSat conferences make it clear to me that some form of 
"samll" propulsion is in our future if we want to move out of LEO.

Come to the AMSAT Symposium and listen to Dan Schultz, N8FGV, give his 
presentation - Hall Effect Thrusters for Amsat Satellite Missions, a Report
from the International Electric Propulsion Conference

While it's likely a real stretch for a 1U CubeSat, in a 3U CubeSat with 
up to 2U Cubes worth dedicated to ion propulsion, we might have 
something practical. While many I talk with say it isn't practical, I 
have no doubt it will happen in the not too distant future. I wonder who 
will take the lead and be first?

It could sure help solve the problem of not having affordable launch 
opportunities to MEO any more.

Regards...Bill - N6GHz

Trevor . wrote:
> --- On Fri, 25/9/09, John W Lee  wrote:
>> I wonder how many of those 50 are able to handle 
>> ham radio 2-way contacts ? 
> 
> Granted most of them haven't been able to handle "UR 599 OM QSL via buro" 
> style contacts, the bulk have "just" been for self-training and technical 
> investigations. 
> 
> But there again these "self-training and technical investigation" Amateur 
> Radio satellites have been launched into very low orbits (< 1000 km) which 
> means short pass time and short range - next to useless for two-way Amateur 
> DX contacts. 
> 
> It is worth noting that Amateurs may well wax lyrical about Oscar 7 or 6 but 
> they never mention Oscar 8, which had both Mode A and J. Why is this ? Simply 
> the orbital height, nothing else. 
> 
> The fundamental problem we need to address is how to get a satellite from a 
> readily available orbit below 1000 km to one whose apogee is 1400 km or 
> greater. 
> 
> 73 Trevor M5AKA
> 
> 
> 
>   
> 
> 
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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Alan P. Biddle
At a SmallSat conference I attended on behalf of AMSAT this summer, I was
amused at the casual assumption by a researcher that 50, Five Oh, cubesats
could be launched as part of an upper atmosphere project using ham
frequencies for the downlinks.  (They would have a lifetime of only 3-4
months.)  Jan King, W3GEY/VK4GEY, who does coordination of satellite
frequencies, gently but firmly brought them down to earth a bit.  

On the one hand, we get new hams with interests in space communications from
these projects, but on the other we need to prevent the de facto
appropriation of needed frequencies.  A fine line to walk.

Alan
WA4SCA



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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread James Duffey
Are all the satellites containing the RS transponders included? It  
seems like some or all are missing. - Duffey
--
KK6MC
James Duffey
Cedar Crest NM





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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Trevor .
--- On Fri, 25/9/09, John W Lee  wrote:
> I wonder how many of those 50 are able to handle 
> ham radio 2-way contacts ? 

Granted most of them haven't been able to handle "UR 599 OM QSL via buro" style 
contacts, the bulk have "just" been for self-training and technical 
investigations. 

But there again these "self-training and technical investigation" Amateur Radio 
satellites have been launched into very low orbits (< 1000 km) which means 
short pass time and short range - next to useless for two-way Amateur DX 
contacts. 

It is worth noting that Amateurs may well wax lyrical about Oscar 7 or 6 but 
they never mention Oscar 8, which had both Mode A and J. Why is this ? Simply 
the orbital height, nothing else. 

The fundamental problem we need to address is how to get a satellite from a 
readily available orbit below 1000 km to one whose apogee is 1400 km or 
greater. 

73 Trevor M5AKA



  


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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Jim Jerzycke
Do any of these have potential for Amateur use after their "primary mission" is 
completed? If they can be repurposed like AO-27, then I don't have any 
complaints. If, OTOH, all they're good for is sending telemetry for somebody's 
experiment, then I feel this is an inappropriate use of Amateur frequencies.
73, Jim  KQ6EA

--- On Fri, 9/25/09, David - KG4ZLB  wrote:

> From: David - KG4ZLB 
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites
> To: amsat-bb@amsat.org
> Date: Friday, September 25, 2009, 1:10 PM
> I hate to say it but you may be right
> - the sky is now full of 
> "beep-beep" sats!
> 
> David KG4ZLB
> 
> 
> 
> Rocky Jones wrote:
> > The hamsat bands are slowly being converted into
> "cheap" telemetry bands...
> >
> > Robert WB5MZO
> >
> >   
> >     
> 
>       
>   
> >
> _
> > Bing™  brings you maps, menus, and reviews
> organized in one place.   Try it now.
> > http://www.bing.com/search?q=restaurants&form=MLOGEN&publ=WLHMTAG&crea=TEXT_MLOGEN_Core_tagline_local_1x1
> > ___
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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: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread David - KG4ZLB
I hate to say it but you may be right - the sky is now full of 
"beep-beep" sats!

David KG4ZLB



Rocky Jones wrote:
> The hamsat bands are slowly being converted into "cheap" telemetry bands...
>
> Robert WB5MZO
>
>   
> 
> _
> Bing™  brings you maps, menus, and reviews organized in one place.   Try it 
> now.
> http://www.bing.com/search?q=restaurants&form=MLOGEN&publ=WLHMTAG&crea=TEXT_MLOGEN_Core_tagline_local_1x1
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>   

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[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread STeve Andre'
   I don't see it that way.

   Every project is a set of people who have participated in what is
at first something technical, then magical.  I have never talked
with someone who has worked on something going into space
that hasn't set back at some point and marveled at it.  How many
folks have we all done demos for, and heard "Wow..!" ?

   With the technology to get things into some kind of orbit 
coming down, its only reasonable to expect that more and more
organizations will make the attempt.  Some will get amateur
licenses just so they can to telemetry, but there is an interesting
effect there, which is that some of them stick around and 
become hams, as oposed to just being licensed.

I've met two people who were in some project and got licences,
and once they attended a Dayton Hamvention, they were hooked.
I've seen one of them several times now, at Dayton.

So sure, we offer cheap telemetry but the side effects are priceless.

--STeve Andre'
wb8wsf  en82


On Friday 25 September 2009 15:56:37 Rocky Jones wrote:
> The hamsat bands are slowly being converted into "cheap" telemetry bands...
>
> Robert WB5MZO
>
> > To: ni...@ngunn.net
> > Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:31:40 -0800
> > From: k...@juno.com
> > CC: amsat-bb@amsat.org
> > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites
> >
> > I wonder how many of those 50  are able to handle
> > ham radio 2-way contacts ?
> >
> > K6YK
> >
> > On Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:09:43 + Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF
> >
> >  writes:
> > > Here's a list of all (known to me) satellites still in orbit with
> > > some designed in (but not necessarily operational)
> > > amateur band functionality.
> > >
> > > For those that think nothing has been happening recently, there have
> > > been 26 (so far) satellites launched this year, 13
> > > in 2008 and 11 in 2007. Thats 50 birds in less than the past 3
> > > years.
> > >
> > > Catalog NumberCommon NameInternational
> > > DesignatorComments
> > > 1293 OSCAR 3 1965-016F
> > > 6236 OSCAR 6 1972-082B
> > > 7530 OSCAR 7 1974-089B
> > > 10703 OSCAR 8 1978-026B
> > > 14129 OSCAR 10 1983-058B
> > > 14781 OSCAR 11 (UoSAT 2) 1984-021B
> > > 16909 JAS 1 (FUJI 1) 1986-061B
> > > 20437 OSCAR 14 (UoSAT 3) 1990-005B
> > > 20438 OSCAR 15 (UoSAT 4) 1990-005C
> > > 20439 OSCAR 16 (PACSAT) 1990-005D
> > > 20440 OSCAR 17 (DOVE) 1990-005E
> > > 20441 OSCAR 18 (WEBERSAT) 1990-005F
> > > 20442 OSCAR 19 (LUSAT) 1990-005G
> > > 20480 JAS 1B (FUJI 2) 1990-013C
> > > 21039 SL-12 R/B(1) 1990-116B
> > > 21087 INFORMATOR 1 1991-006A
> > > 21089 COSMOS 2123 1991-007A
> > > 21575 OSCAR 22 (UoSAT 5) 1991-050B
> > > 22825 KITSAT B 1993-061C
> > > 22826 POSAT 1 1993-061D
> > > 22828 ITAMSAT 1993-061F
> > > 22829 EYESAT A 1993-061G
> > > 23439 RADIO ROSTO 1994-085A
> > > 24278 JAS 2 1996-046B
> > > 24305 UNAMSAT 1996-052B
> > > 25396 TMSAT 1998-043C
> > > 25397 TECHSAT 1B 1998-043D
> > > 25509 SEDSAT 1 1998-061B
> > > 25520 PAN SAT 1998-064B
> > > 25544 ISS (ZARYA) 1998-067A
> > > 25636 SUNSAT 1999-008C
> > > 25693 OSCAR 36 (UoSAT 12) 1999-021A
> > > 25756 KITSAT 3 1999-029A
> > > 26063 OPAL 2000-004C
> > > 26545 SAUDISAT 1A 2000-057A
> > > 26548 TIUNGSAT 1 2000-057D
> > > 26609 AMSAT OSCAR 40 2000-072B
> > > 26931 PCSAT 2001-043C
> > > 26932 SAPPHIRE 2001-043D
> > > 27605 RUBIN 2 2002-058A
> > > 27607 SAUDISAT 1C 2002-058C
> > > 27842 DTUSAT 2003-031C
> > > 27844 CUTE-1 2003-031E
> > > 27845 QUAKESAT 2003-031F
> > > 27847 CANX-1 2003-031H
> > > 27848 CUBESAT XI-IV 2003-031J
> > > 27939 MOZHAYETS 4 2003-042A
> > > 28375 AMSAT ECHO 2004-025K
> > > 28650 HAMSAT 2005-017B
> > > 28890 BEIJING 1 (TSINGHUA) 2005-043A
> > > 28891 TOPSAT 2005-043B
> > > 28892 UWE-1 2005-043C
> > > 28893 SINAH 1 2005-043D
> > > 28894 SSETI-EXPRESS 2005-043E
> > > 28895 CUBESAT XI-V 2005-043F
> > > 28897 SSETI-EXPRESS DEB 2005-043H
> > > 28898 MOZ.5/SAFIR/RUBIN 5/SL-8 2005-043G
> > > 28941 CUTE 1.7 2006-005C
> > > 29252 GENESIS 1 2006-029A
> > > 29479 HINODE (SOLAR B) 2006-041A
> > > 29655 GENESAT 2006-058C
> > > 29712

[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Rocky Jones

The hamsat bands are slowly being converted into "cheap" telemetry bands...

Robert WB5MZO

> To: ni...@ngunn.net
> Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:31:40 -0800
> From: k...@juno.com
> CC: amsat-bb@amsat.org
> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites
> 
> I wonder how many of those 50  are able to handle 
> ham radio 2-way contacts ? 
> 
> K6YK
>  
> On Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:09:43 + Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF
>  writes:
> > Here's a list of all (known to me) satellites still in orbit with 
> > some designed in (but not necessarily operational) 
> > amateur band functionality.
> > 
> > For those that think nothing has been happening recently, there have 
> > been 26 (so far) satellites launched this year, 13 
> > in 2008 and 11 in 2007. Thats 50 birds in less than the past 3 
> > years.
> > 
> > Catalog NumberCommon NameInternational 
> > DesignatorComments
> > 1293 OSCAR 3 1965-016F 
> > 6236 OSCAR 6 1972-082B 
> > 7530 OSCAR 7 1974-089B 
> > 10703 OSCAR 8 1978-026B 
> > 14129 OSCAR 10 1983-058B 
> > 14781 OSCAR 11 (UoSAT 2) 1984-021B 
> > 16909 JAS 1 (FUJI 1) 1986-061B 
> > 20437 OSCAR 14 (UoSAT 3) 1990-005B 
> > 20438 OSCAR 15 (UoSAT 4) 1990-005C 
> > 20439 OSCAR 16 (PACSAT) 1990-005D 
> > 20440 OSCAR 17 (DOVE) 1990-005E 
> > 20441 OSCAR 18 (WEBERSAT) 1990-005F 
> > 20442 OSCAR 19 (LUSAT) 1990-005G 
> > 20480 JAS 1B (FUJI 2) 1990-013C 
> > 21039 SL-12 R/B(1) 1990-116B 
> > 21087 INFORMATOR 1 1991-006A 
> > 21089 COSMOS 2123 1991-007A 
> > 21575 OSCAR 22 (UoSAT 5) 1991-050B 
> > 22825 KITSAT B 1993-061C 
> > 22826 POSAT 1 1993-061D 
> > 22828 ITAMSAT 1993-061F 
> > 22829 EYESAT A 1993-061G 
> > 23439 RADIO ROSTO 1994-085A 
> > 24278 JAS 2 1996-046B 
> > 24305 UNAMSAT 1996-052B 
> > 25396 TMSAT 1998-043C 
> > 25397 TECHSAT 1B 1998-043D 
> > 25509 SEDSAT 1 1998-061B 
> > 25520 PAN SAT 1998-064B 
> > 25544 ISS (ZARYA) 1998-067A 
> > 25636 SUNSAT 1999-008C 
> > 25693 OSCAR 36 (UoSAT 12) 1999-021A 
> > 25756 KITSAT 3 1999-029A 
> > 26063 OPAL 2000-004C 
> > 26545 SAUDISAT 1A 2000-057A 
> > 26548 TIUNGSAT 1 2000-057D 
> > 26609 AMSAT OSCAR 40 2000-072B 
> > 26931 PCSAT 2001-043C 
> > 26932 SAPPHIRE 2001-043D 
> > 27605 RUBIN 2 2002-058A 
> > 27607 SAUDISAT 1C 2002-058C 
> > 27842 DTUSAT 2003-031C 
> > 27844 CUTE-1 2003-031E 
> > 27845 QUAKESAT 2003-031F 
> > 27847 CANX-1 2003-031H 
> > 27848 CUBESAT XI-IV 2003-031J 
> > 27939 MOZHAYETS 4 2003-042A 
> > 28375 AMSAT ECHO 2004-025K 
> > 28650 HAMSAT 2005-017B 
> > 28890 BEIJING 1 (TSINGHUA) 2005-043A 
> > 28891 TOPSAT 2005-043B 
> > 28892 UWE-1 2005-043C 
> > 28893 SINAH 1 2005-043D 
> > 28894 SSETI-EXPRESS 2005-043E 
> > 28895 CUBESAT XI-V 2005-043F 
> > 28897 SSETI-EXPRESS DEB 2005-043H 
> > 28898 MOZ.5/SAFIR/RUBIN 5/SL-8 2005-043G 
> > 28941 CUTE 1.7 2006-005C 
> > 29252 GENESIS 1 2006-029A 
> > 29479 HINODE (SOLAR B) 2006-041A 
> > 29655 GENESAT 2006-058C 
> > 29712 PEHUENSAT 1 2007-001D 
> > 31117 EGYPTSAT 1 2007-012A 
> > 31122 CSTB 1 2007-012F 
> > 31126 MAST 2007-012K 
> > 31128 LIBERTAD 1 2007-012M 
> > 31129 CP3 2007-012N 
> > 31130 CAPE 1 2007-012P 
> > 31132 CP4 2007-012Q 
> > 31135 AGILE 2007-013A 
> > 31140 NFIRE 2007-014A 
> > 31789 GENESIS 2 2007-028A 
> > 32781 GIOVE-B 2008-020A 
> > 32783 CARTOSAT 2A   

[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Rocky Jones

I would trade everyone of them that launched in the last 3 years for the first 
five on the list being active ...OK we have 1 out of the first 5 but all five 
would be nice...

BTW I am quite sure Oscar V is still in orbit...but without ANY solar cell 
ability...we wont be hearing from it againand it wasnt a transponder  But I 
still have a tape of it...!

BTW Xenia OH is a cool place...when I was TDY in  Cleveland for a bit a friend 
who worked where I was flying has a farm there...he recently sold me some 
Silver Appleyard duck eggs to stock our pond...

Robert WB5MZO

> Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:09:43 +
> From: ni...@ngunn.net
> To: amsat-bb@amsat.org
> Subject: [amsat-bb]  All Satellites
> 
> Here's a list of all (known to me) satellites still in orbit with some 
> designed in (but not necessarily operational) 
> amateur band functionality.
> 
> For those that think nothing has been happening recently, there have been 26 
> (so far) satellites launched this year, 13 
> in 2008 and 11 in 2007. Thats 50 birds in less than the past 3 years.
> 
> Catalog NumberCommon Name International DesignatorComments
> 1293  OSCAR 3 1965-016F   
> 6236  OSCAR 6 1972-082B   
> 7530  OSCAR 7 1974-089B   
> 10703 OSCAR 8 1978-026B   
> 14129 OSCAR 101983-058B   
> 14781 OSCAR 11 (UoSAT 2)  1984-021B   
> 16909 JAS 1 (FUJI 1)  1986-061B   
> 20437 OSCAR 14 (UoSAT 3)  1990-005B   
> 20438 OSCAR 15 (UoSAT 4)  1990-005C   
> 20439 OSCAR 16 (PACSAT)   1990-005D   
> 20440 OSCAR 17 (DOVE) 1990-005E   
> 20441 OSCAR 18 (WEBERSAT) 1990-005F   
> 20442 OSCAR 19 (LUSAT)1990-005G   
> 20480 JAS 1B (FUJI 2) 1990-013C   
> 21039 SL-12 R/B(1)1990-116B   
> 21087 INFORMATOR 11991-006A   
> 21089 COSMOS 2123 1991-007A   
> 21575 OSCAR 22 (UoSAT 5)  1991-050B   
> 22825 KITSAT B1993-061C   
> 22826 POSAT 1 1993-061D   
> 22828 ITAMSAT 1993-061F   
> 22829 EYESAT A1993-061G   
> 23439 RADIO ROSTO 1994-085A   
> 24278 JAS 2   1996-046B   
> 24305 UNAMSAT 1996-052B   
> 25396 TMSAT   1998-043C   
> 25397 TECHSAT 1B  1998-043D   
> 25509 SEDSAT 11998-061B   
> 25520 PAN SAT 1998-064B   
> 25544 ISS (ZARYA) 1998-067A   
> 25636 SUNSAT  1999-008C   
> 25693 OSCAR 36 (UoSAT 12) 1999-021A   
> 25756 KITSAT 31999-029A   
> 26063 OPAL2000-004C   
> 26545 SAUDISAT 1A 2000-057A   
> 26548 TIUNGSAT 1  2000-057D   
> 26609 AMSAT OSCAR 40  2000-072B   
> 26931 PCSAT   2001-043C   
> 26932 SAPPHIRE2001-043D   
> 27605 RUBIN 2 2002-058A   
> 27607 SAUDISAT 1C 2002-058C   
> 27842 DTUSAT  2003-031C   
> 27844 CUTE-1  2003-031E   
> 27845 QUAKESAT2003-031F   
> 27847 CANX-1  2003-031H   
> 27848 CUBESAT XI-IV   2003-031J   
> 27939 MOZHAYETS 4 2003-042A   
> 28375 AMSAT ECHO  2004-025K   
> 28650 HAMSAT  2005-017B   
> 28890 BEIJING 1 (TSINGHUA)2005-043A   
> 28891 TOPSAT  2005-043B   
> 28892 UWE-1   2005-043C   
> 28893 SINAH 1 2005-043D   
> 28894 SSETI-EXPRESS   2005-043E   
> 28895 CUBESAT XI-V2005-043F   
> 28897 SSETI-EXPRESS DEB   2005-043H   
> 28898 MOZ.5/SAFIR/RUBIN 5/SL-82005-043G   
> 28941 CUTE 1.72006-005C   
> 29252 GENESIS 1   2006-029A   
> 29479 HINODE (SOLAR B)2006-041A   
> 29655 GENESAT 2006-058C   
> 29712 PEHUENSAT 1 2007-001D   
> 31117 EGYPTSAT 1  2007-012A   
> 31122 CSTB 1  2007-012F   
> 31126 MAST2007-012K   
> 31128 LIBERTAD 1  2007-012M   
> 31129 CP3 2007-012N   
> 31130 CAPE 1  2007-012P   
> 31132 CP4 2007-012Q   
> 31135 AGILE   2007-013A   
> 31140 NFIRE   2007-014A   
> 31789 GENESIS 2   2007-028A   
> 32781 GIOVE-B 2008-020A   
> 32783 CARTOSAT 2A 2008-021A   
> 32784 CANX-6  2008-021B   
> 32785 CUTE 1.7 & AOD 22008-021C   
> 32786 IMS-1   2008-021D   
> 32787 COMPASS 1   2008-021E   
> 32788 AAUSAT CUBESAT 22008-021F   
> 32789 DELFI C3 

[amsat-bb] Re: All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread John W Lee
I wonder how many of those 50  are able to handle 
ham radio 2-way contacts ? 

K6YK
 
On Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:09:43 + Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF
 writes:
> Here's a list of all (known to me) satellites still in orbit with 
> some designed in (but not necessarily operational) 
> amateur band functionality.
> 
> For those that think nothing has been happening recently, there have 
> been 26 (so far) satellites launched this year, 13 
> in 2008 and 11 in 2007. Thats 50 birds in less than the past 3 
> years.
> 
> Catalog NumberCommon NameInternational 
> DesignatorComments
> 1293 OSCAR 3 1965-016F 
> 6236 OSCAR 6 1972-082B 
> 7530 OSCAR 7 1974-089B 
> 10703 OSCAR 8 1978-026B 
> 14129 OSCAR 10 1983-058B 
> 14781 OSCAR 11 (UoSAT 2) 1984-021B 
> 16909 JAS 1 (FUJI 1) 1986-061B 
> 20437 OSCAR 14 (UoSAT 3) 1990-005B 
> 20438 OSCAR 15 (UoSAT 4) 1990-005C 
> 20439 OSCAR 16 (PACSAT) 1990-005D 
> 20440 OSCAR 17 (DOVE) 1990-005E 
> 20441 OSCAR 18 (WEBERSAT) 1990-005F 
> 20442 OSCAR 19 (LUSAT) 1990-005G 
> 20480 JAS 1B (FUJI 2) 1990-013C 
> 21039 SL-12 R/B(1) 1990-116B 
> 21087 INFORMATOR 1 1991-006A 
> 21089 COSMOS 2123 1991-007A 
> 21575 OSCAR 22 (UoSAT 5) 1991-050B 
> 22825 KITSAT B 1993-061C 
> 22826 POSAT 1 1993-061D 
> 22828 ITAMSAT 1993-061F 
> 22829 EYESAT A 1993-061G 
> 23439 RADIO ROSTO 1994-085A 
> 24278 JAS 2 1996-046B 
> 24305 UNAMSAT 1996-052B 
> 25396 TMSAT 1998-043C 
> 25397 TECHSAT 1B 1998-043D 
> 25509 SEDSAT 1 1998-061B 
> 25520 PAN SAT 1998-064B 
> 25544 ISS (ZARYA) 1998-067A 
> 25636 SUNSAT 1999-008C 
> 25693 OSCAR 36 (UoSAT 12) 1999-021A 
> 25756 KITSAT 3 1999-029A 
> 26063 OPAL 2000-004C 
> 26545 SAUDISAT 1A 2000-057A 
> 26548 TIUNGSAT 1 2000-057D 
> 26609 AMSAT OSCAR 40 2000-072B 
> 26931 PCSAT 2001-043C 
> 26932 SAPPHIRE 2001-043D 
> 27605 RUBIN 2 2002-058A 
> 27607 SAUDISAT 1C 2002-058C 
> 27842 DTUSAT 2003-031C 
> 27844 CUTE-1 2003-031E 
> 27845 QUAKESAT 2003-031F 
> 27847 CANX-1 2003-031H 
> 27848 CUBESAT XI-IV 2003-031J 
> 27939 MOZHAYETS 4 2003-042A 
> 28375 AMSAT ECHO 2004-025K 
> 28650 HAMSAT 2005-017B 
> 28890 BEIJING 1 (TSINGHUA) 2005-043A 
> 28891 TOPSAT 2005-043B 
> 28892 UWE-1 2005-043C 
> 28893 SINAH 1 2005-043D 
> 28894 SSETI-EXPRESS 2005-043E 
> 28895 CUBESAT XI-V 2005-043F 
> 28897 SSETI-EXPRESS DEB 2005-043H 
> 28898 MOZ.5/SAFIR/RUBIN 5/SL-8 2005-043G 
> 28941 CUTE 1.7 2006-005C 
> 29252 GENESIS 1 2006-029A 
> 29479 HINODE (SOLAR B) 2006-041A 
> 29655 GENESAT 2006-058C 
> 29712 PEHUENSAT 1 2007-001D 
> 31117 EGYPTSAT 1 2007-012A 
> 31122 CSTB 1 2007-012F 
> 31126 MAST 2007-012K 
> 31128 LIBERTAD 1 2007-012M 
> 31129 CP3 2007-012N 
> 31130 CAPE 1 2007-012P 
> 31132 CP4 2007-012Q 
> 31135 AGILE 2007-013A 
> 31140 NFIRE 2007-014A 
> 31789 GENESIS 2 2007-028A 
> 32781 GIOVE-B 2008-020A 
> 32783 CARTOSAT 2A 2008-021A 
> 32784 CANX-6 2008-021B 
> 32785 CUTE 1.7 & AOD 2 2008-021C 
> 32786 IMS-1 2008-021D 
> 32787 COMPASS 1 2008-021E 
> 32788 AAUSAT CUBESAT 2 2008-021F 
> 32789 DELFI C3 2008-021G 
> 32790 CANX-2 2008-021H 
> 32791 SEEDS 2008-

[amsat-bb] Re: Arrow antenna reconfiguration results - UPDATE

2009-09-25 Thread James Duffey

On Sep 25, 2009, at 7:53 AM, Bruce Robertson wrote:

>
> 2. If I'm correct, your replacement duplexer is rather larger than the
> one it is replacing. It would be a great topic for a Journal article
> if someone with the necessary equipment and expertise were to design a
> replacement with less loss.

There is a diplexer that is easy to make and has good performance in  
this article:

< http://www.wa5vjb.com/references/Cheap%20Antennas-LEOs.pdf >

As a bonus you get details on how to build your own handheld antenna  
for LEO Satellites. - Duffey
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[amsat-bb] All Satellites

2009-09-25 Thread Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF
Here's a list of all (known to me) satellites still in orbit with some designed 
in (but not necessarily operational) 
amateur band functionality.

For those that think nothing has been happening recently, there have been 26 
(so far) satellites launched this year, 13 
in 2008 and 11 in 2007. Thats 50 birds in less than the past 3 years.

Catalog Number  Common Name International DesignatorComments
1293OSCAR 3 1965-016F   
6236OSCAR 6 1972-082B   
7530OSCAR 7 1974-089B   
10703   OSCAR 8 1978-026B   
14129   OSCAR 101983-058B   
14781   OSCAR 11 (UoSAT 2)  1984-021B   
16909   JAS 1 (FUJI 1)  1986-061B   
20437   OSCAR 14 (UoSAT 3)  1990-005B   
20438   OSCAR 15 (UoSAT 4)  1990-005C   
20439   OSCAR 16 (PACSAT)   1990-005D   
20440   OSCAR 17 (DOVE) 1990-005E   
20441   OSCAR 18 (WEBERSAT) 1990-005F   
20442   OSCAR 19 (LUSAT)1990-005G   
20480   JAS 1B (FUJI 2) 1990-013C   
21039   SL-12 R/B(1)1990-116B   
21087   INFORMATOR 11991-006A   
21089   COSMOS 2123 1991-007A   
21575   OSCAR 22 (UoSAT 5)  1991-050B   
22825   KITSAT B1993-061C   
22826   POSAT 1 1993-061D   
22828   ITAMSAT 1993-061F   
22829   EYESAT A1993-061G   
23439   RADIO ROSTO 1994-085A   
24278   JAS 2   1996-046B   
24305   UNAMSAT 1996-052B   
25396   TMSAT   1998-043C   
25397   TECHSAT 1B  1998-043D   
25509   SEDSAT 11998-061B   
25520   PAN SAT 1998-064B   
25544   ISS (ZARYA) 1998-067A   
25636   SUNSAT  1999-008C   
25693   OSCAR 36 (UoSAT 12) 1999-021A   
25756   KITSAT 31999-029A   
26063   OPAL2000-004C   
26545   SAUDISAT 1A 2000-057A   
26548   TIUNGSAT 1  2000-057D   
26609   AMSAT OSCAR 40  2000-072B   
26931   PCSAT   2001-043C   
26932   SAPPHIRE2001-043D   
27605   RUBIN 2 2002-058A   
27607   SAUDISAT 1C 2002-058C   
27842   DTUSAT  2003-031C   
27844   CUTE-1  2003-031E   
27845   QUAKESAT2003-031F   
27847   CANX-1  2003-031H   
27848   CUBESAT XI-IV   2003-031J   
27939   MOZHAYETS 4 2003-042A   
28375   AMSAT ECHO  2004-025K   
28650   HAMSAT  2005-017B   
28890   BEIJING 1 (TSINGHUA)2005-043A   
28891   TOPSAT  2005-043B   
28892   UWE-1   2005-043C   
28893   SINAH 1 2005-043D   
28894   SSETI-EXPRESS   2005-043E   
28895   CUBESAT XI-V2005-043F   
28897   SSETI-EXPRESS DEB   2005-043H   
28898   MOZ.5/SAFIR/RUBIN 5/SL-82005-043G   
28941   CUTE 1.72006-005C   
29252   GENESIS 1   2006-029A   
29479   HINODE (SOLAR B)2006-041A   
29655   GENESAT 2006-058C   
29712   PEHUENSAT 1 2007-001D   
31117   EGYPTSAT 1  2007-012A   
31122   CSTB 1  2007-012F   
31126   MAST2007-012K   
31128   LIBERTAD 1  2007-012M   
31129   CP3 2007-012N   
31130   CAPE 1  2007-012P   
31132   CP4 2007-012Q   
31135   AGILE   2007-013A   
31140   NFIRE   2007-014A   
31789   GENESIS 2   2007-028A   
32781   GIOVE-B 2008-020A   
32783   CARTOSAT 2A 2008-021A   
32784   CANX-6  2008-021B   
32785   CUTE 1.7 & AOD 22008-021C   
32786   IMS-1   2008-021D   
32787   COMPASS 1   2008-021E   
32788   AAUSAT CUBESAT 22008-021F   
32789   DELFI C32008-021G   
32790   CANX-2  2008-021H   
32791   SEEDS   2008-021J   
32792   RUBIN 8/PSLV2008-021K   
32794   AMOS 3  2008-022A   
32953   YUBILEINY   2008-025A   
33492   GOSAT (IBUKI)   2009-002A   
33493   PRISM (HITOMI)  2009-002B   
33494   SPRITE-SAT (RISING) 2009-002C   
33495   KAGAYAKI2009-002D   
33496   SOHLA-1 (MAIDO-1)   2009-002E   
33498   STARS (KUKAI)   2009-002G   
33499   KKS-1 (KISEKI)  2009-002H   
33595   EXPRESS AM-44   2009-007A   
34808   ANUSAT  2009-019B   
34941   PROTOSTAR 2 2009-027A   
35002   PHARMASAT   2009-028B   
35003   HAWKSAT 1   2009-028C   
35004   CP6 2009-028D   
35005   AEROCUBE 3  2009-028E   
35008   MERIDIAN 2  2009-029A   
35690   DRAGONSAT   2009-038B   
35693   ANDE POLLUX SPHERE  2009-038E   
35694   ANDE CASTOR SPHERE  2009-038F   
35866   OBJECT B2009-049B   
35867   FREGAT/IRIS 2009-049C   
35868   OBJECT D2009-049D   
35869   OBJECT E2009-049E   
35870   SUMBANDILA  2009-049F   
35871   BLITS   2009-049G   
35931   OCEANSAT 2  2009-051A   
35932   OBJECT B2009-051B   
35933   OBJECT C2009-051C   
35934   OBJECT D2009-051D

[amsat-bb] Only Two Weeks Away

2009-09-25 Thread Martha
The 2009 AMSAT Symposium and Annual Meeting is only two weeks away.  If you
haven't registered on-line, please do so as soon as possible.  All the
information can be found on our website. I need to give the hotel a count
for attendees so that they can set up the meeting rooms.  In addition, we
need to give the caterer a count for dinner.  It's our 40th Anniversary -
that's something to celebrate!

-- 
73- Martha
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[amsat-bb] Re: Arrow antenna reconfiguration results - UPDATE

2009-09-25 Thread Bruce Robertson
Jeff --

I really appreciate you doing this research for us. Two additional
ideas come to mind:

1. Those of us with FT-817s could configure its two RF ports to use
different bands and connect the rig directly to the beam's antenna
connectors, bypassing the duplexer. For this purpose, higher-quality
bnc terminated cable would be useful.

2. If I'm correct, your replacement duplexer is rather larger than the
one it is replacing. It would be a great topic for a Journal article
if someone with the necessary equipment and expertise were to design a
replacement with less loss.

73, Bruce
VE9QRP

On Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 6:10 AM, Jeff Yanko  wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> A quick update to my new project to improving the Arrow antenna, efficiency
> wise.  I wanted to see how well it would perform on gaining and losing
> access during AOS and LOS.  AO-27 is not a good choice since the timer is
> turned on when it is well above the AOS horizon and it is switched off
> before it reaches its LOS horizon.  That leaves a dependable AO-51 to test
> it out.
>
> With the last setup, the OEM diplexer provided by Arrow Antenna, I would
> copy AO-51 about 3 minutes after AOS and lose it about 3 to 4 minutes before
> LOS.  Not bad, but people were saying they worked the birds when they were 1
> degree off of the horizon.  I have some pine trees that could be an issue
> but they are spaced far enough apart that I can work between them and I also
> have to deal with the McCollough Range to the SSE of me here in Las Vegas,
> NV.  Today, there were 2 passes of AO-51, one at 12 degrees elevation, the
> other at 74 degrees.  During both passes, I began to copy the downlink about
> a 1.25 minute after AOS.  A considerable difference from 3 minutes.  The
> downlink also improved down to about minute before LOS.  On the last pass I
> worked KG6NUB at 0124z and LOS was 0125z and my downlink sounded fairly
> good, though I was fighting desense.  (That's another issue I need to
> resolve.)  Also, on both passes, I never once lost the downlink.  No
> dropouts or fades.  I'm still amazed.
>
> Another issue I came across was how wide the beamwidth is of the Arrow
> Antenna between the Arrow diplexer and the new diplexer.  I was wondering if
> this was going to happen and it did.  The reason that this happened was with
> the old diplexer, the signal attenuated so much that you had to be pointed
> right smack dab on the bird, a few degrees off and you lost the signal.
> Now, with the new diplexer, you can point the beam in the general direction
> and still copy the bird.  In most cases I had to turn the beam 90 degrees
> before I completely lost the downlink!  Twisting the antenna to make
> polarization changes makes absolutely no difference now.  This also
> attributes to the fact that now I'm copying the entire pass without dropouts
> or fades.  Makes sense.  What I've regained over the lossy diplexer makes up
> for any polarization differences, etc. for a better copiable signal.
>
> Next weekend I will have to try more passes and get a feel of how much this
> system has changed.
>
>
> 73,
>
> Jeff  WB3JFS
> Las Vegas, NV
> DM26
>
>
>
>
>
>
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[amsat-bb] SwissCube telemetry

2009-09-25 Thread Mike Rupprecht
All,

 

11:06 UTC CW and 1k2 BPSK active , 250 packets decoded 

 

hb9eg/1

1 0 3

2 323 325

3 301001 37

 

Error flags:

EPS:  OK

COM:  OK

CDMS: OK

ADCS: OK

Payload:OK

 

Power states:

COM:  On

Beacon: On

CDMS: Off

ADCS: Off

Payload:Off

ADS:  Off

 

Battery 1 voltage: 4.12 V

Battery 2 voltage: 4.16 V

 

Produced current:

-X:   [375;500[ mA

+X:   [0;125[ mA

-Y:   [125;250[ mA

+Y:   [0;125[ mA

-Z:   [0;125[ mA

+Z:   [125;250[ mA

 

Battery 1 temperature: -4°C 

 

1k2 packets e.g.:

 

 

2009-09-25 12:15:41.410 UTC: [72 Bytes KISS Frame (without CRC)]

ctrl: 3   PID: F0 {UI}   49 Payload Bytes

from HB9EG1-1 to HB9EG1:

   1 > 08 8C 47 00 08 08 C0 BB 00 0D 10 01 01 00 02 E1 DE 00 18 08

  21 > C0 27 41 8E 08 08 C0 BD 00 0D 10 01 07 00 02 E1 DE 00 18 08

  41 > C0 27 8A 3A B0 00 2E 1D E8

__

 

2009-09-25 12:15:43.550 UTC: [274 Bytes KISS Frame (without CRC)]

ctrl: 3   PID: F0 {UI}   254 Payload Bytes

from HB9EG1-1 to HB9EG1:

   1 > 38 8D 1A 00 08 08 C0 BC 00 EE 10 03 19 00 02 CC 04 00 62 FF

  21 > FE 05 FA FB 05 02 04 05 F8 02 05 00 00 0A 00 00 0B 07 09 08

  41 > FE 07 0A 02 01 0F 04 05 0F 0B 0C 09 03 0A 0E 03 03 11 08 09

  61 > 13 0E 0F 0A 07 0D 12 05 05 14 0C 0E 17 10 11 0B 0C 10 14 07

  81 > 06 16 0F 11 1A 12 12 0C 0F 12 16 09 08 18 11 14 1C 14 14 0D

 101 > 11 13 18 0B 0B 17 0F 15 1B 12 13 0D 0F 12 16 0C 0C 15 0D 14

 121 > 19 10 12 0D 0D 11 15 0D 0D 08 07 11 11 05 06 01 08 06 08 0C

 141 > 0C FF 00 0A 07 FE FF F8 01 FF FF 0A 0A F8 F8 04 00 F8 F8 F2

 161 > FA F8 F8 08 08 F3 F3 FE FA F2 F3 EF F4 F3 F3 05 05 EE EE F9

 181 > F4 ED EE EB EE ED EE 02 02 E9 E8 F3 EF E9 EA E9 E9 E9 E9 00

 201 > 00 E5 E4 EF EB E5 E5 E6 E5 E5 E5 FC FC ED E5 EC ED EC EE EF

 221 > E4 EB ED FC FC F5 EA EE F5 F3 F5 F8 E9 F2 F5 FC FC FC F0 F2

 241 > FA F9 FB 00 EE F8 FB B3 13 B0 00 2E 1D F1

 

 

See here: http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?p=8439

 

73, Mike

DK3WN

 

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[amsat-bb] Re: New Board

2009-09-25 Thread Alan P. Biddle
Clint,

As the FNG, I can say I have been awed by the old timers' dedication,
experience, competence, and especially the just plain hard work which
happens behind the scenes.  We live in interesting times, in the sense of
the Chinese curse, and I firmly believe that we as an organization will take
advantage of that.  The outlines of the future are at least becoming
clearer, if not in all cases the details.  See everybody at the symposium.

Alan
WA4SCA

PS  I asked, and they tell me I can't have a recount.  ;)   


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[amsat-bb] Re: New Board

2009-09-25 Thread Stephen E. Belter
Clint,

I've had the pleasure and privilege to personally meet all of the new board 
members except Bill at either Dayton or at the Symposium in San Francisco.  In 
my opinion, all of them (including Bill), are super individuals.

I am *very* pleased that they have volunteered their time and efforts on our 
behalf.  My sincere thanks to each of them.

73, Steve N9IP
--
Steve Belter
s...@wintek.com
> -Original Message-
> From: amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-boun...@amsat.org] On
> Behalf Of Clint Bradford
> Sent: Friday, September 25, 2009 2:17 AM
> To: AMSAT BB
> Subject: [amsat-bb] New Board
> 
> Didn't see much excitement about the recent election results here. But
> you should know we're in capable hands with the following board
> members in place:
> 
> Barry Baines, WD4ASW
> Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA
> Bill Ress, N6GHZ
> Alan Biddle, WA4SCA
> Tony Monteiro, AA2TX (first alternate)
> 
> In my humble opinion, we're in good hands. These gentlemen should be
> commended for stepping up and committing themselves (well,
> "committing" could be interpreted as a psychiatric term ... ) to the
> cause of promoting AMSAT.
> 
> Clint Bradford, K6LCS
> http://www.work-sat.com
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[amsat-bb] Sat status

2009-09-25 Thread Andrew Rich
http://vk4tec.no-ip.org/sat_status/

Working well, capturing ISS PCSAT AO-51 

With manual entries as well

Cheers


--
Andrew Rich 
Airways Technical Officer Grade 4
Surveillance - RADAR ADS-B
Amateur Radio Callsign VK4TEC
email: vk4...@tech-software.net
web: www.tech-software.net
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[amsat-bb] OT: CQWW RTTY

2009-09-25 Thread Jeff Yanko
Hi all,

I have an OT question about this weekends CQWW RTTY contest.  Does one in 
the US send the 599 03 (Zone) or 599 NV (State) as the exchange?  I was 
reading the rules and I'm a bit confused.  Here is what's written:

EXCHANGE:  RST plus zone (e.g., 59905).  US and VE stations also send US 
state or VE area.


Looking forward to the replies!


73,

Jeff  WB3JFS



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[amsat-bb] Re: Antenna Polarization

2009-09-25 Thread i8cvs
- Original Message - 
From: "Patrick Domack" 
To: 
Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 4:11 AM
Subject: [amsat-bb] Antenna Polarization

> I've been meaning to setup some antennas for satellite operation for  
> awhile here. And since I will probably end up doing it this  
> fall/winder I had a question I was wondering about, before I get the  
> antennas completely built connected up.
> 
> I plan on using a circular polarized antenna, for lhcr and rhcr.
> Since this setup has two coax that your switch a 1/4wave (if I  
> remember right) to either side to create the two rotations in the  
> antenna.
> 
> Is there a way I can modify this to feed two radios? so one radio  
> would receive lhcr, and the other rhcr? Or would I be forced to use  
> two antennas to do this?
> 
> The only idea I have is to use a signal splitter on each of the two  
> antenna halfs before joining them, then join each of those splits into  
> the cr parts. But I'm not sure if there is a better way to do this  
> without as much loss, or if this might cause a backfeed that would  
> defeat the me from getting any signal at all.
> 
> Maybe there is a good writeup of this on the web somewhere, but I have  
> no clue what the proper terms to google it are, and haven't had any  
> luck.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
Hi Patrick

What you propose to do is possible in theory but you need four 3 dB 
power dividers with characteristic impedance of 36 ohm each and 14
N/m male connectors so that the total losses of the system are too high.
I suggest to switch from RHCP to LHCP over the same receiver using
only a coax relay as described in all antenna books of the ARRL or into
"The Satellite Experimenter's Handbook by Martin Davidoff K2UBC
edited by the ARRL 

73" de
i8CVS Domenico 



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[amsat-bb] Arrow antenna reconfiguration results - UPDATE

2009-09-25 Thread Jeff Yanko
Hi all,

A quick update to my new project to improving the Arrow antenna, efficiency 
wise.  I wanted to see how well it would perform on gaining and losing 
access during AOS and LOS.  AO-27 is not a good choice since the timer is 
turned on when it is well above the AOS horizon and it is switched off 
before it reaches its LOS horizon.  That leaves a dependable AO-51 to test 
it out.

With the last setup, the OEM diplexer provided by Arrow Antenna, I would 
copy AO-51 about 3 minutes after AOS and lose it about 3 to 4 minutes before 
LOS.  Not bad, but people were saying they worked the birds when they were 1 
degree off of the horizon.  I have some pine trees that could be an issue 
but they are spaced far enough apart that I can work between them and I also 
have to deal with the McCollough Range to the SSE of me here in Las Vegas, 
NV.  Today, there were 2 passes of AO-51, one at 12 degrees elevation, the 
other at 74 degrees.  During both passes, I began to copy the downlink about 
a 1.25 minute after AOS.  A considerable difference from 3 minutes.  The 
downlink also improved down to about minute before LOS.  On the last pass I 
worked KG6NUB at 0124z and LOS was 0125z and my downlink sounded fairly 
good, though I was fighting desense.  (That's another issue I need to 
resolve.)  Also, on both passes, I never once lost the downlink.  No 
dropouts or fades.  I'm still amazed.

Another issue I came across was how wide the beamwidth is of the Arrow 
Antenna between the Arrow diplexer and the new diplexer.  I was wondering if 
this was going to happen and it did.  The reason that this happened was with 
the old diplexer, the signal attenuated so much that you had to be pointed 
right smack dab on the bird, a few degrees off and you lost the signal. 
Now, with the new diplexer, you can point the beam in the general direction 
and still copy the bird.  In most cases I had to turn the beam 90 degrees 
before I completely lost the downlink!  Twisting the antenna to make 
polarization changes makes absolutely no difference now.  This also 
attributes to the fact that now I'm copying the entire pass without dropouts 
or fades.  Makes sense.  What I've regained over the lossy diplexer makes up 
for any polarization differences, etc. for a better copiable signal.

Next weekend I will have to try more passes and get a feel of how much this 
system has changed.


73,

Jeff  WB3JFS
Las Vegas, NV
DM26



 


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