[amsat-bb] AMSAT Store
The AMSAT store is now up and running! -- 73- Martha ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Very Interesting Radio - Possible Sat Use
This may have been discussed previously but just in case it has not. I purchased an interesting radio that might be an inexpensive way to operate full duplex on the FM sats. The radio cost $65 including shipping and all accessories. It runs 2W on both 2M and 70cm. It has almost all the bells and whistles you would expect on a dual band handi. 99 memories - tone squelch ... In addition to the low cost the radio is very small. See pic - I have fairly normal size hands so you can see how small it is. http://www.tomdoyle.org/UV-X4.jpg I purchased it expecting the worst. Much to my surprise it actually works quite well. The menu system is the most intuitive I have found on any radio. The only negatives I could find were - no channel lockout when scanning - I put the local weather station in one of the memories. Since it is always on you can not use the scan function. - I fully expected a radio of such a small size would not have adequate sound from the speaker. In fact the sound from the speaker is really loud. Everything is set using a rotary digital switch with detents. This works great for selecting channels and using the menu functions. There are only 9 detent positions for the volume. The lowest volume setting is mute, one click up and it is loud and it keeps getting louder as you go up. There was nothing wrong with my radio - they all do it. - no DTMF pad None of these negatives affect the use of the radio with an FM sat. You could buy a pair of these for $130 including shipping. Add a diplexer and Elk/Arrow antenna and I think you would be good to go with a very compact low cost full duplex portable FM station. I bought mine from http://www.maintradingcompany.com and received excellent service. In case you were wondering what the goofy looking LED between the switch and the antenna is - it is for the flashlight function the radio offers as a feature. The flashlight feature is invaluable :-) Sent from my computer. W9KE Tom Doyle ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Re: Very Interesting Radio - Possible Sat Use
Excellent idea and post, Tom. I have posted two YouTube videos of the Baeofeng UV-3R being used for satellite work. I would suspect performance of the UV-X4 to be similar in nature. AC0RA and I have made a few Baofeng to Baofeng contacts to test the performance on several of the LEO FM satellites. Timing and antenna orientation is key and I would recommend two the radios be used for full-duplex, as in your suggestion Tom. Here's a video of receiving AO-27 using the stock rubber duck: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYZyC_vkew0 here's a video of receiving AO-51 using an Arrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRN4uJXvnK0 (I did make a contact on this AO-51 pass, though I wouldn't recommend it because of the semi-duplex limitation) 73, Clayton W5PFG On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 9:49 AM, Thomas Doyle tomdoyle1...@gmail.com wrote: This may have been discussed previously but just in case it has not. I purchased an interesting radio that might be an inexpensive way to operate full duplex on the FM sats. The radio cost $65 including shipping and all accessories. It runs 2W on both 2M and 70cm. It has almost all the bells and whistles you would expect on a dual band handi. 99 memories - tone squelch ... In addition to the low cost the radio is very small. See pic - I have fairly normal size hands so you can see how small it is. http://www.tomdoyle.org/UV-X4.jpg I purchased it expecting the worst. Much to my surprise it actually works quite well. The menu system is the most intuitive I have found on any radio. The only negatives I could find were - no channel lockout when scanning - I put the local weather station in one of the memories. Since it is always on you can not use the scan function. - I fully expected a radio of such a small size would not have adequate sound from the speaker. In fact the sound from the speaker is really loud. Everything is set using a rotary digital switch with detents. This works great for selecting channels and using the menu functions. There are only 9 detent positions for the volume. The lowest volume setting is mute, one click up and it is loud and it keeps getting louder as you go up. There was nothing wrong with my radio - they all do it. - no DTMF pad None of these negatives affect the use of the radio with an FM sat. You could buy a pair of these for $130 including shipping. Add a diplexer and Elk/Arrow antenna and I think you would be good to go with a very compact low cost full duplex portable FM station. I bought mine from http://www.maintradingcompany.com and received excellent service. In case you were wondering what the goofy looking LED between the switch and the antenna is - it is for the flashlight function the radio offers as a feature. The flashlight feature is invaluable :-) Sent from my computer. W9KE Tom Doyle ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Re: Very Interesting Radio - Possible Sat Use
Looks like a knock off of Yaesu VX-3. For $65 not bad Sent from my iPhone On Jan 12, 2012, at 12:49 PM, Clayton Coleman W5PFG kayakfis...@gmail.com wrote: Excellent idea and post, Tom. I have posted two YouTube videos of the Baeofeng UV-3R being used for satellite work. I would suspect performance of the UV-X4 to be similar in nature. AC0RA and I have made a few Baofeng to Baofeng contacts to test the performance on several of the LEO FM satellites. Timing and antenna orientation is key and I would recommend two the radios be used for full-duplex, as in your suggestion Tom. Here's a video of receiving AO-27 using the stock rubber duck: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYZyC_vkew0 here's a video of receiving AO-51 using an Arrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRN4uJXvnK0 (I did make a contact on this AO-51 pass, though I wouldn't recommend it because of the semi-duplex limitation) 73, Clayton W5PFG On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 9:49 AM, Thomas Doyle tomdoyle1...@gmail.com wrote: This may have been discussed previously but just in case it has not. I purchased an interesting radio that might be an inexpensive way to operate full duplex on the FM sats. The radio cost $65 including shipping and all accessories. It runs 2W on both 2M and 70cm. It has almost all the bells and whistles you would expect on a dual band handi. 99 memories - tone squelch ... In addition to the low cost the radio is very small. See pic - I have fairly normal size hands so you can see how small it is. http://www.tomdoyle.org/UV-X4.jpg I purchased it expecting the worst. Much to my surprise it actually works quite well. The menu system is the most intuitive I have found on any radio. The only negatives I could find were - no channel lockout when scanning - I put the local weather station in one of the memories. Since it is always on you can not use the scan function. - I fully expected a radio of such a small size would not have adequate sound from the speaker. In fact the sound from the speaker is really loud. Everything is set using a rotary digital switch with detents. This works great for selecting channels and using the menu functions. There are only 9 detent positions for the volume. The lowest volume setting is mute, one click up and it is loud and it keeps getting louder as you go up. There was nothing wrong with my radio - they all do it. - no DTMF pad None of these negatives affect the use of the radio with an FM sat. You could buy a pair of these for $130 including shipping. Add a diplexer and Elk/Arrow antenna and I think you would be good to go with a very compact low cost full duplex portable FM station. I bought mine from http://www.maintradingcompany.com and received excellent service. In case you were wondering what the goofy looking LED between the switch and the antenna is - it is for the flashlight function the radio offers as a feature. The flashlight feature is invaluable :-) Sent from my computer. W9KE Tom Doyle ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Re: Very Interesting Radio - Possible Sat Use
You can find them for $46 shipped on ebay. 73s John AA5JG On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 12:22 PM, KP4TR (Ramon Gonzalez) kp4tr.ra...@gmail.com wrote: Looks like a knock off of Yaesu VX-3. For $65 not bad Sent from my iPhone On Jan 12, 2012, at 12:49 PM, Clayton Coleman W5PFG kayakfis...@gmail.com wrote: Excellent idea and post, Tom. I have posted two YouTube videos of the Baeofeng UV-3R being used for satellite work. I would suspect performance of the UV-X4 to be similar in nature. AC0RA and I have made a few Baofeng to Baofeng contacts to test the performance on several of the LEO FM satellites. Timing and antenna orientation is key and I would recommend two the radios be used for full-duplex, as in your suggestion Tom. Here's a video of receiving AO-27 using the stock rubber duck: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYZyC_vkew0 here's a video of receiving AO-51 using an Arrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRN4uJXvnK0 (I did make a contact on this AO-51 pass, though I wouldn't recommend it because of the semi-duplex limitation) 73, Clayton W5PFG On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 9:49 AM, Thomas Doyle tomdoyle1...@gmail.com wrote: This may have been discussed previously but just in case it has not. I purchased an interesting radio that might be an inexpensive way to operate full duplex on the FM sats. The radio cost $65 including shipping and all accessories. It runs 2W on both 2M and 70cm. It has almost all the bells and whistles you would expect on a dual band handi. 99 memories - tone squelch ... In addition to the low cost the radio is very small. See pic - I have fairly normal size hands so you can see how small it is. http://www.tomdoyle.org/UV-X4.jpg I purchased it expecting the worst. Much to my surprise it actually works quite well. The menu system is the most intuitive I have found on any radio. The only negatives I could find were - no channel lockout when scanning - I put the local weather station in one of the memories. Since it is always on you can not use the scan function. - I fully expected a radio of such a small size would not have adequate sound from the speaker. In fact the sound from the speaker is really loud. Everything is set using a rotary digital switch with detents. This works great for selecting channels and using the menu functions. There are only 9 detent positions for the volume. The lowest volume setting is mute, one click up and it is loud and it keeps getting louder as you go up. There was nothing wrong with my radio - they all do it. - no DTMF pad None of these negatives affect the use of the radio with an FM sat. You could buy a pair of these for $130 including shipping. Add a diplexer and Elk/Arrow antenna and I think you would be good to go with a very compact low cost full duplex portable FM station. I bought mine from http://www.maintradingcompany.com and received excellent service. In case you were wondering what the goofy looking LED between the switch and the antenna is - it is for the flashlight function the radio offers as a feature. The flashlight feature is invaluable :-) Sent from my computer. W9KE Tom Doyle ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Re: Very Interesting Radio - Possible Sat Use
Main drawback appears to be that they are not full duplex... but at those prices, why not buy TWO? George, KA3HSW - Original Message From: Clayton Coleman W5PFG kayakfis...@gmail.com To: Thomas Doyle tomdoyle1...@gmail.com Cc: AMSAT-BB@amsat.org Sent: Thu, January 12, 2012 11:49:11 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Very Interesting Radio - Possible Sat Use Excellent idea and post, Tom. I have posted two YouTube videos of the Baeofeng UV-3R being used for satellite work. I would suspect performance of the UV-X4 to be similar in nature. AC0RA and I have made a few Baofeng to Baofeng contacts to test the performance on several of the LEO FM satellites. Timing and antenna orientation is key and I would recommend two the radios be used for full-duplex, as in your suggestion Tom. Here's a video of receiving AO-27 using the stock rubber duck: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYZyC_vkew0 here's a video of receiving AO-51 using an Arrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRN4uJXvnK0 (I did make a contact on this AO-51 pass, though I wouldn't recommend it because of the semi-duplex limitation) 73, Clayton W5PFG ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Re: Very Interesting Radio - Possible Sat Use
Hmmm... the review on QRZ says they're not full duplex. Guess they actually ARE. Oops. My bad. From: Thomas Doyle tomdoyle1...@gmail.com To: George Henry ka3...@att.net Cc: AMSAT amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Thu, January 12, 2012 1:40:25 PM Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: Very Interesting Radio - Possible Sat Use You might want to take a quick look at the posting that started this thread. 73 W9KE tom ... On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 1:01 PM, George Henry ka3...@att.net wrote: Main drawback appears to be that they are not full duplex... but at those prices, why not buy TWO? George, KA3HSW - Original Message From: Clayton Coleman W5PFG kayakfis...@gmail.com To: Thomas Doyle tomdoyle1...@gmail.com Cc: AMSAT-BB@amsat.org Sent: Thu, January 12, 2012 11:49:11 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Very Interesting Radio - Possible Sat Use Excellent idea and post, Tom. I have posted two YouTube videos of the Baeofeng UV-3R being used for satellite work. I would suspect performance of the UV-X4 to be similar in nature. AC0RA and I have made a few Baofeng to Baofeng contacts to test the performance on several of the LEO FM satellites. Timing and antenna orientation is key and I would recommend two the radios be used for full-duplex, as in your suggestion Tom. Here's a video of receiving AO-27 using the stock rubber duck: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYZyC_vkew0 here's a video of receiving AO-51 using an Arrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRN4uJXvnK0 (I did make a contact on this AO-51 pass, though I wouldn't recommend it because of the semi-duplex limitation) 73, Clayton W5PFG ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb -- Sent from my computer. tom ... ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Re: Very Interesting Radio - Possible Sat Use
You might want to take a quick look at the posting that started this thread. 73 W9KE tom ... On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 1:01 PM, George Henry ka3...@att.net wrote: Main drawback appears to be that they are not full duplex... but at those prices, why not buy TWO? George, KA3HSW - Original Message From: Clayton Coleman W5PFG kayakfis...@gmail.com To: Thomas Doyle tomdoyle1...@gmail.com Cc: AMSAT-BB@amsat.org Sent: Thu, January 12, 2012 11:49:11 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Very Interesting Radio - Possible Sat Use Excellent idea and post, Tom. I have posted two YouTube videos of the Baeofeng UV-3R being used for satellite work. I would suspect performance of the UV-X4 to be similar in nature. AC0RA and I have made a few Baofeng to Baofeng contacts to test the performance on several of the LEO FM satellites. Timing and antenna orientation is key and I would recommend two the radios be used for full-duplex, as in your suggestion Tom. Here's a video of receiving AO-27 using the stock rubber duck: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYZyC_vkew0 here's a video of receiving AO-51 using an Arrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRN4uJXvnK0 (I did make a contact on this AO-51 pass, though I wouldn't recommend it because of the semi-duplex limitation) 73, Clayton W5PFG ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb -- Sent from my computer. tom ... ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] pc sat
are attempts still in the works for restoring pcsat ? Just came over and seen echo s from command-1 A couple other calls as well . Jerry WB5LHD ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Re: Very Interesting Radio - Possible Sat Use
At 06:01 AM 1/13/2012, George Henry wrote: Main drawback appears to be that they are not full duplex... but at those prices, why not buy TWO? All of my full duplex sat operation has been with 2 radios, so why not. :) There are some advantages of running two radios, especially where the uplink is on UHF, as with some radios, adjusting the uplink for Doppler can be fiddly. With 2 radios, you simply tweak the relevant VFO knob. :) 73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL http://vkradio.com ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Re: pc sat
are attempts still in the works for restoring pcsat ? Just came over and seen echo s from command-1 A couple other calls as well . Yes, I got in and got control, and that freed up power, but almost immediately several stations hit it with digipeats before I got the digi turned off. So it crashed on the next eclipse. Im going to try real hard to remember to try again on Friday. Bob, WB4aPR ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Re: pc sat
Hi Bob, Is this something where a West Coast command station would be more likely to succeed, given the satellite's West-to-East orbit. Catch it while it's still over the ocean, before the mass of home station beacons come in to view? That was our unfair advantage in making contacts with MIR / ISS astronauts... I recall having a nice chat with John Blaha on the MIR station years ago. Caught him just as he came up over the horizon, as I was driving west down the hill on my way in to work. Just a thought. Greg KO6TH From: bruni...@usna.edu To: jkb...@wildblue.net; amsat-bb@amsat.org Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:44:05 -0500 Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: pc sat are attempts still in the works for restoring pcsat ? Just came over and seen echo s from command-1 A couple other calls as well . Yes, I got in and got control, and that freed up power, but almost immediately several stations hit it with digipeats before I got the digi turned off. So it crashed on the next eclipse. Im going to try real hard to remember to try again on Friday. Bob, WB4aPR ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Icom 451 questions
A local friend here has an Icom 451A 70cm all mode which he might sell me. What is the typical selling price for these rigs? It is in good physical condition with the mic and power cord. Are there any typical problems that show up with these rigs as they age, that I should be looking out for? 73s John AA5JG ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Re: Icom 451 questions
On 01/12/12 23:19, John Geiger wrote: A local friend here has an Icom 451A 70cm all mode which he might sell me. What is the typical selling price for these rigs? It is in good physical condition with the mic and power cord. Are there any typical problems that show up with these rigs as they age, that I should be looking out for? 73s John AA5JG ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb During my quest for x75 Icom rigs, I was told a few times that the 471 did not have a service manual, and you had to use a 271 manual for it. Since I have not ever seen one, I tend to think that is true. I've only used a 471 once, but I have respect for it. The larger problem with it may be its age, and getting some of the specialty ICs could be hard. I seem to remember a few of them selling on ebay in the $200 area? --STeve Andre' wb8wsf en72 ___ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
