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CX2SA > SATDIG 09.09.19 21:01l 885 Lines 35275 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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To : SATDIG@WW
Today's Topics:
1. Re: PSAT2 downlink for DTMF grids and messages (Robert MacHale)
2. ARRL/TAPR DCC, Detroit, 9/20-22 (Early Bird Registration
Discount Ending) (Mark Thompson)
3. DUV Telemetry Using SDR Console v3.x (Hasan al-Basri)
4. Space Center Abandoned Dish Rehabilitation - Outreach #1
(Michelle Thompson)
5. Re: Space Center Abandoned Dish Rehabilitation - Outreach #1
(W3AB/GEO)
6. Re: Space Center Abandoned Dish Rehabilitation - Outreach #1
(Daniel Cussen)
7. Re: Space Center Abandoned Dish Rehabilitation - Outreach #1
(Robert MacHale)
8. Re: Space Center Abandoned Dish Rehabilitation - Outreach #1
(John Kludt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2019 12:59:57 +0000 (UTC)
From: Robert MacHale <robert.machale@?????.???>
To: amsat bb <amsat-bb@?????.???>, Scott <scott23192@?????.???>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] PSAT2 downlink for DTMF grids and messages
Message-ID: <151234471.5250446.1565787597540@????.?????.???>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
That is so cool! I am beginning to TX with DTMF; I hope to get it working
soon from my Yeasu FT2DR without doppler shifting.
73
Robert MacHale. KE6BLR Ham Radio License.?http://spaceCommunicator.club/aprs?
. Supporting Boy Scout Merit Badges in Radio, Robotics, and Space Exploration
On Tuesday, August 13, 2019, 10:29:59 PM PDT, Scott via AMSAT-BB
<amsat-bb@?????.???> wrote:
Well, more great news on the PSAT-2 DTMF front.
In my previous post I had mentioned that the satellite accepted a "QSL"
from me against KC9ELU's CQ message.? Here's the downlink from that:
--------------------------------------------
}K4KDR >APS,TT,PS2*::ALL? ? ? : Q S L, your number 45, My number is 53.
--------------------------------------------
Well, on tonight's 0445 UTC pass, even though PSAT-2 was well past me and
losing elevation, KC9ELU got through to it with a QSL of my #53!
The downlink audio was something like "KC9ELU QSL your CQ #53 - Thanks for
the Contact".? I can only paraphrase because like a total idiot with the
satellite so far past me, I had stopped recording.? Yes... I should know
better and am usually more careful.
Anyway, great fun to see the full contact sequence completed, even if it
took multiple passes on different days.
***UPDATE:? Just got an email from KC9ELU - he didn't have audio but did
decode the downlink packet!? Makes me feel better to actually see it:
---------------------------------------------
}KC9ELU>APS,TT,PS2*::ALL? ? ? : Q S L, your C Q number 53 and thanks for
the contact.
---------------------------------------------
Earlier in the pass I was able to get another QSL accepted against PY5LF's
CQ #59, too:
--------------------------------------------
PSAT2-1>APOFF,ARISS:}K4KDR >APS,TT,PS2*::ALL? ? ? : Q S L, your number
59,? My number is 62.
--------------------------------------------
... but Direwolf decoded that downlink packet with a bit error, so it was
not iGated onto the greater APRS network.? But that's going to happen
sometimes, especially with a sat at low elevation.? At least I got to hear
and see the feedback that I was heard by the DTMF engine.? Here is the
downlink audio from that one:
https://www.qsl.net/k/k4kdr//files/2019-08-14--0445--psat2.mp3
So Luciano, if you'd like to QSL my #62, the satellite should respond with
that "Thanks for the Contact" message to complete that full exchange.
-Scott,? K4KDR
=================================
On the 0448 UTC pass tonight, even though the satellite was well past me
On Tue, Aug 13, 2019 at 3:38 AM Scott <scott23192@?????.???> wrote:
> Well, at the last minute before tonight's PSAT-2 passes, I finally figured
> out the correct format for the DTMF QSL messages & answered my own question.
>
> Here's a tweet w/ screen shots & audio URLs from tonight's successful DTMF
> connections:
>
> https://twitter.com/scott23192/status/1161174309328621573
>
> I found the following page particularly helpful:
>
> http://aprs.org/QIKcom/Q2-DTMF-messages.txt
>
> ... in particular, the instruction:
>
> ---------------------------------------------
>
> DTMF messages are sent in a 16 key string starting with the "C", ending in #
>
>? //
>
>? ? CMMxxCCCCCCkkkk#? Where CCCCCCkkkk are your callsign keys and key code
>? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? and MM is the message number below
>
> ---------------------------------------------
>
> .. so, here is how it breaks down if anyone else could use the extra help
that I did.
>
> Get your call/grid DTMF from http://aprs.org/PSAT2Translator.html
>
> (important note:? if your callsign is less than 6 characters, put a space
or 2 at the end to bring your character count to -6- before clicking
"Translate")
>
> ... so for a CQ, I use that string exactly:
>
> *18175453702201#
>
> However, if I want to QSL someone else's CQ, I only use the call sign
portion of that DTMF string.? The string that gave me the QSL success was:
>
> C40455453702201#
>
> ... let's break that in its parts:
>
> >C :? message follows
> >40 :? message #40 is a QSL
> >45 :? I am QSL-ing CQ #45? (from KC9ELU as seen on
http://www.aprsat.com/dtmf ) [... or heard directly over-the-air!! ]
> >545370 :? the call sign portion of my original DTMF translation
> >2201 : also from the original DTMF translation - simply put, a converted
'key code' that goes with the previous numbers representing my call sign
> ># :? END of message
>
> I won't go into the creation of the DTMF audio file here (I use Audacity);
please feel free to contact me if you need help on that.? I used audio files
transmitted via Signalink at my location, but of course if you have a radio
with DTMF memory capability, that's an option, too.
>
> Hope that is helpful to someone else since I was so slow on the pick-up on
how to format the QSL type of message.
>
> -Scott,? K4KDR
>
> ======================
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 12, 2019 at 11:46 PM Scott <scott23192@?????.???> wrote:
>
>> Many thanks to Robert for the time he's put into creating these very
>> informative web pages!
>>
>> Bob, I have read and re-read the DTMF instructions but even though it
>> reflects poorly on me, I'm not sure what exact string to transmit to QSL
>> someone's previous CQ.
>>
>> So here is my best guess - please correct as required.
>>
>> My callsign/grid DTMF (that has worked once) is:? *18175453702201#
>>
>> For me to QSL CQ #45 from KC9ELU, do I transmit the following?:
>>
>> C4045*18175453702201#
>>
>>
>> Thanks in advance!
>>
>> -Scott,? K4KDR
>>
>> ==========================
>>
>> On Mon, Aug 12, 2019 at 9:55 PM Robert Bruninga via AMSAT-BB <
>> amsat-bb@?????.???> wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks to Robert, KE6BLR, we can now capture the DTMF Grids and Messages
>>> data coming down from PSAT2.? I have added the DTMF page to the list of
>>> links for PSAT2:
>>>
>>> http://aprs.org/sats.html
>>>
>>> Summary:? You encode your Grid and callsign into a 16 digit DTMF memory
>>> on
>>> your radio.? Using narrow band FM, send it on 145.98 withi doppler
>>> compensation or at the middle of a pass.
>>>
>>> PSAT2 assigns a CQ number and acknowledges it by voice and then sends an
>>> APRS packet that contains the grid.? Robert's web page will capture that
>>> packet.
>>>
>>> A second station can send their DTMF grid and get the same process but
>>> with
>>> a new CQ number.
>>>
>>> Now, either station can send a DTMF QSL Message for the other guy's CQ
>>> number which will also be spoken and recorded on the APRS downlink.
>>>
>>> Details on the psat2 page on the above web page.
>>> PSAT2 is entering a phase of Apogee in the northern hemisphere for a week
>>> or so and so is more workable in the USA and southern Europe.
>>>
>>> Bob, WB4APR
>>>
>>
_______________________________________________
Sent via AMSAT-BB@?????.???. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions
expressed
are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
AMSAT-NA.
Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2019 15:56:19 +0000 (UTC)
From: Mark Thompson <wb9qzb_groups@?????.???>
To: "freetel-codec2@?????.???????????.????
<freetel-codec2@?????.???????????.???>, "hpsdr@?????.?????????.????
<hpsdr@?????.?????????.???>, Seatcp <seatcp@??????.???>,
"wetnet@??????.??? <wetnet@??????.??>, Amsat Bb <amsat-bb@?????.???>,
"tacos@?????.???? <tacos@?????.???>
Subject: [amsat-bb] ARRL/TAPR DCC, Detroit, 9/20-22 (Early Bird
Registration Discount Ending)
Message-ID: <48131364.3811362.1565798179981@????.?????.???>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
2019 ARRL/TAPR DCC?(Digital Communications Conference)?
Detroit, MI (near airport)?
September 20 - 22
Early Bird Discount Registration Discount?
Ending on Thursday, August 15th?
DCC Features: - Two days of Technical Forums on Friday & Saturday -
Introductory Forums on Saturday - Saturday Night Banquet with Keynote
Speaker & Prize Drawing - Sunday Morning In-Depth Seminar - Demo Room with
Free Tables Available
https://www.tapr.org/dcc#registration
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2019 15:54:24 -0500
From: Hasan al-Basri <hbasri.schiers6@?????.???>
To: AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb@?????.???>
Subject: [amsat-bb] DUV Telemetry Using SDR Console v3.x
Message-ID:
<CAM4UQf3MCCTirskB8UE24apkhkvqgk+GqdgCFtMU-nianR7dcQ@????.?????.???>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
Just a reminder (as I had to remind myself when moving SDRC to a new
computer):
You must turn off HighPassFiltering in *two places* inside SDR Console
Software:
1. On the Ribbon Bar at top of screen, 3rd item from the left: Receive >
Narrow FM > Click on it and deselect High Pass.
2. In Settings > Audio > Equaliser > Deselect both boxes: Enable and 25Hz
HPF
This will allow DUV to work right in the FoxTelemetry program for
AO-85/91/92
73, N0AN
Hasan
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2019 14:09:45 -0700
From: Michelle Thompson <mountain.michelle@?????.???>
To: AMSAT BB <amsat-bb@?????.???>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Space Center Abandoned Dish Rehabilitation -
Outreach #1
Message-ID:
<CACvjz2VkkRLhuLpDzkEkMZV6gAoU=yLdbd6T+NNN-UdDbzJC_w@????.?????.???>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
A group of GNU Radio community members has permission to evaluate a dish
installation in Huntsville, AL near the Space Center. If you've ever been
to the Space Center (where the Saturn V is suspended from the ceiling) then
this dish is right outside the main entrance. Anyone attending Symposium
last year should recognize it!
Here's a set of photos:
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1d_Oi3hrIi49JxmaoNuUA-pvUXOs7vSz1
We're looking for technical information, identification of what you
recognize in the photos, recommended next steps, and what to watch out for,
prioritize, or avoid. We already know we want to take the paint off all the
ID plates and see what's under there.
We want to see if we can get this working for *amateur radio operators to
access over the internet*, ideally with a GNU Radio flowgraph to control it
from an SDR. Our priority is to make this work for amateur satellite.
This type of setup is similar to what GNU Radio Foundation is working on
with the Allen Telescope Array. We have the go-ahead from the Space Center
curator to do this study and make recommendations.
I have fully restored several basket-case British sports cars and then
successfully raced them. My other team members have restored things even
more challenging. We are not dumb, naive, or easily deterred. We know this
may turn out to be something that requires way more work than we can do in
any time frame we can manage. Documenting that is still of great value, and
that is why we are asking for your help. Right now, no one knows much of
anything about it. This sort of installation, if available for amateur
radio, is well worth the effort.
Some of the people involved have been driving past this installation for 20
years and want to see it back in service at whatever level we can achieve.
It will be discussed at GNU Radio Conference, and everyone at the
conference will have the opportunity to see it up close and in person,
since it's literally across the parking lot from the venue.
Want to attend or find out more about GRCon?
https://www.gnuradio.org/grcon/grcon19/
If you know of someone off-list that might know details that will help,
then please pass this along!
-Michelle W5NYV + Corps of Operation Flashlight
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2019 14:32:43 -0700
From: W3AB/GEO <w3ab@?????.???>
To: Michelle Thompson <mountain.michelle@?????.???>
Cc: AMSAT BB <amsat-bb@?????.???>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Space Center Abandoned Dish Rehabilitation -
Outreach #1
Message-ID: <71e28677-8d5e-48cb-8dc0-76965aea59d6@?????.???>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Wow, what an adventure. I don't recall it being there when I was, 1966.
Looks like a VHF dish. I'm sure it has been throughly decommissioned. All
the electronics, cabled & motors having been removed. But maybe not. It will
be interesting to see what you discover, especially after you can read the
ID plates.
Something in my neck of the woods.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamesburg_Earth_Station
We were pretty disappointed with the new owner, he bailed, but it was used
as a SETI project which closed down due to lack of funds.
?___
Sent from my two way wrist watch
73 de W3AB/GEO?
On Aug 14, 2019, 14:12, at 14:12, Michelle Thompson via AMSAT-BB
<amsat-bb@?????.???> wrote:
>A group of GNU Radio community members has permission to evaluate a
>dish
>installation in Huntsville, AL near the Space Center. If you've ever
>been
>to the Space Center (where the Saturn V is suspended from the ceiling)
>then
>this dish is right outside the main entrance. Anyone attending
>Symposium
>last year should recognize it!
>
>Here's a set of photos:
>
>https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1d_Oi3hrIi49JxmaoNuUA-pvUXOs7vSz1
>
>We're looking for technical information, identification of what you
>recognize in the photos, recommended next steps, and what to watch out
>for,
>prioritize, or avoid. We already know we want to take the paint off all
>the
>ID plates and see what's under there.
>
>We want to see if we can get this working for *amateur radio operators
>to
>access over the internet*, ideally with a GNU Radio flowgraph to
>control it
>from an SDR. Our priority is to make this work for amateur satellite.
>
>This type of setup is similar to what GNU Radio Foundation is working
>on
>with the Allen Telescope Array. We have the go-ahead from the Space
>Center
>curator to do this study and make recommendations.
>
>I have fully restored several basket-case British sports cars and then
>successfully raced them. My other team members have restored things
>even
>more challenging. We are not dumb, naive, or easily deterred. We know
>this
>may turn out to be something that requires way more work than we can do
>in
>any time frame we can manage. Documenting that is still of great value,
>and
>that is why we are asking for your help. Right now, no one knows much
>of
>anything about it. This sort of installation, if available for amateur
>radio, is well worth the effort.
>
>Some of the people involved have been driving past this installation
>for 20
>years and want to see it back in service at whatever level we can
>achieve.
>It will be discussed at GNU Radio Conference, and everyone at the
>conference will have the opportunity to see it up close and in person,
>since it's literally across the parking lot from the venue.
>
>Want to attend or find out more about GRCon?
>https://www.gnuradio.org/grcon/grcon19/
>
>If you know of someone off-list that might know details that will help,
>then please pass this along!
>
>-Michelle W5NYV + Corps of Operation Flashlight
>_______________________________________________
>Sent via AMSAT-BB@?????.???. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
>to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
>Opinions expressed
>are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views
>of AMSAT-NA.
>Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
>program!
>Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2019 22:51:32 +0100
From: Daniel Cussen <dan@????.???>
To: amsat-bb <amsat-bb@?????.???>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Space Center Abandoned Dish Rehabilitation -
Outreach #1
Message-ID:
<CAF3DnKgOdiCt9hsHiQcwNi=DqzaQgRHHXxnAyJmSb9ns_xvPbw@????.?????.???>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
I would recommend trying to find out if the motors are AC or DC or some
weird voltage or stepper or servo type. If you can get the motors to move,
position feedback could be added with a simple potentiometer from a belt,
or a fancy encoder. It may be possible to use the old position feedback,
but it may be faster and easier to mount something on the outside that
gives the same result.
In terms of frequency ranges, rate of tracking, dish beam width, these
will determine what it could be used for, and assuming you use the old
motors and the reflector on the dish is designed for vhf?, then this would
limit top frequency and maximum tracking ability aligned with beam width.
Say vhf, UHF lower microwave, and presumably the dish could track low earth
orbit or moon bounce.
Looking at the photos it looks like the right middle connector is an n type
coax connector for the feed. I assume the military type connectors are for
position feedback from some sort of rotary or absolute encoder. Often there
is an encoder mounted near or on the motor, which is AC or DC simple motor.
If the manual movement cranks work you could run belts to them and mount
new motors on the outside. Speed might be limited, but acceptable.
I would recommend adding hardware limit switches no matter what you do to
ensure the dish can never rotate too far and damage itself. It may have
limit switches inside, but they may need replacing and external switches
would be easier to service.
It would be great if this could track low earth orbit and receive school
contacts from the iss and cubesats on vhf and UHF.
I would like to see it receive 2395MHz Hamtv from the ISS, which is
relatively strong and easy to receive.
On Wed, 14 Aug 2019 22:11 Michelle Thompson via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb@?????.???
wrote:
> A group of GNU Radio community members has permission to evaluate a dish
> installation in Huntsville, AL near the Space Center. If you've ever been
> to the Space Center (where the Saturn V is suspended from the ceiling) then
> this dish is right outside the main entrance. Anyone attending Symposium
> last year should recognize it!
>
> Here's a set of photos:
>
>
> https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1d_Oi3hrIi49JxmaoNuUA-pvUXOs7vSz1
>
> We're looking for technical information, identification of what you
> recognize in the photos, recommended next steps, and what to watch out for,
> prioritize, or avoid. We already know we want to take the paint off all the
> ID plates and see what's under there.
>
> We want to see if we can get this working for *amateur radio operators to
> access over the internet*, ideally with a GNU Radio flowgraph to control it
> from an SDR. Our priority is to make this work for amateur satellite.
>
> This type of setup is similar to what GNU Radio Foundation is working on
> with the Allen Telescope Array. We have the go-ahead from the Space Center
> curator to do this study and make recommendations.
>
> I have fully restored several basket-case British sports cars and then
> successfully raced them. My other team members have restored things even
> more challenging. We are not dumb, naive, or easily deterred. We know this
> may turn out to be something that requires way more work than we can do in
> any time frame we can manage. Documenting that is still of great value, and
> that is why we are asking for your help. Right now, no one knows much of
> anything about it. This sort of installation, if available for amateur
> radio, is well worth the effort.
>
> Some of the people involved have been driving past this installation for 20
> years and want to see it back in service at whatever level we can achieve.
> It will be discussed at GNU Radio Conference, and everyone at the
> conference will have the opportunity to see it up close and in person,
> since it's literally across the parking lot from the venue.
>
> Want to attend or find out more about GRCon?
> https://www.gnuradio.org/grcon/grcon19/
>
> If you know of someone off-list that might know details that will help,
> then please pass this along!
>
> -Michelle W5NYV + Corps of Operation Flashlight
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB@?????.???. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions
> expressed
> are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
> AMSAT-NA.
> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2019 22:19:25 +0000 (UTC)
From: Robert MacHale <robert.machale@?????.???>
To: amsat-bb <amsat-bb@?????.???>, <dan@????.???>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Space Center Abandoned Dish Rehabilitation -
Outreach #1
Message-ID: <1416242549.5528708.1565821165095@????.?????.???>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Wow! Fun project. Very exciting.
Any chance there are also antique antennas at the California ground station
at Goldstone. Nasa had three primary ground stations for Apollo: Spain,
Australia, and California.
https://www.gdscc.nasa.gov/?
73
Robert MacHale. KE6BLR Ham Radio License.?http://spaceCommunicator.club/aprs?
. Supporting Boy Scout Merit Badges in Radio, Robotics, and Space Exploration
On Wednesday, August 14, 2019, 2:54:16 PM PDT, Daniel Cussen via
AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb@?????.???> wrote:
I would recommend trying to find out if the motors are AC or DC or some
weird voltage or stepper or servo type. If you can get the motors to move,
position feedback could be added with a simple potentiometer from a belt,
or a fancy encoder. It may be possible to use the old position feedback,
but it may be faster and easier to mount something on the outside that
gives the same result.
In terms of frequency ranges,? rate of tracking, dish beam width, these
will determine what it could be used for, and assuming you use the old
motors and the reflector on the dish is designed for vhf?, then this would
limit top frequency and maximum tracking ability aligned with beam width.
Say vhf, UHF lower microwave, and presumably the dish could track low earth
orbit or moon bounce.
Looking at the photos it looks like the right middle connector is an n type
coax connector for the feed. I assume the military type connectors are for
position feedback from some sort of rotary or absolute encoder. Often there
is an encoder mounted near or on the motor, which is AC or DC simple motor.
If the manual movement cranks work you could run belts to them and mount
new motors on the outside. Speed might be limited, but acceptable.
I would recommend adding hardware limit switches no matter what you do to
ensure the dish can never rotate too far and damage itself. It may have
limit switches inside, but they may need replacing and external switches
would be easier to service.
It would be great if this could track low earth orbit and receive school
contacts from the iss and cubesats on vhf and UHF.
I would like to see it receive 2395MHz Hamtv from the ISS, which is
relatively strong and easy to receive.
On Wed, 14 Aug 2019 22:11 Michelle Thompson via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb@?????.???
wrote:
> A group of GNU Radio community members has permission to evaluate a dish
> installation in Huntsville, AL near the Space Center. If you've ever been
> to the Space Center (where the Saturn V is suspended from the ceiling) then
> this dish is right outside the main entrance. Anyone attending Symposium
> last year should recognize it!
>
> Here's a set of photos:
>
>
> https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1d_Oi3hrIi49JxmaoNuUA-pvUXOs7vSz1
>
> We're looking for technical information, identification of what you
> recognize in the photos, recommended next steps, and what to watch out for,
> prioritize, or avoid. We already know we want to take the paint off all the
> ID plates and see what's under there.
>
> We want to see if we can get this working for *amateur radio operators to
> access over the internet*, ideally with a GNU Radio flowgraph to control it
> from an SDR. Our priority is to make this work for amateur satellite.
>
> This type of setup is similar to what GNU Radio Foundation is working on
> with the Allen Telescope Array. We have the go-ahead from the Space Center
> curator to do this study and make recommendations.
>
> I have fully restored several basket-case British sports cars and then
> successfully raced them. My other team members have restored things even
> more challenging. We are not dumb, naive, or easily deterred. We know this
> may turn out to be something that requires way more work than we can do in
> any time frame we can manage. Documenting that is still of great value, and
> that is why we are asking for your help. Right now, no one knows much of
> anything about it. This sort of installation, if available for amateur
> radio, is well worth the effort.
>
> Some of the people involved have been driving past this installation for 20
> years and want to see it back in service at whatever level we can achieve.
> It will be discussed at GNU Radio Conference, and everyone at the
> conference will have the opportunity to see it up close and in person,
> since it's literally across the parking lot from the venue.
>
> Want to attend or find out more about GRCon?
> https://www.gnuradio.org/grcon/grcon19/
>
> If you know of someone off-list that might know details that will help,
> then please pass this along!
>
> -Michelle W5NYV + Corps of Operation Flashlight
> _______________________________________________
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Message: 8
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2019 18:34:43 -0400
From: John Kludt <johnnykludt@?????.???>
To: Robert MacHale <robert.machale@?????.???>
Cc: amsat-bb <amsat-bb@?????.???>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Space Center Abandoned Dish Rehabilitation -
Outreach #1
Message-ID:
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Robert,
Not that it is something we could fix but really like this site:
https://eyes.nasa.gov/dsn/dsn.html
It lets you real time observe what Canberra, Madrid and Goldstone are
doing. Fascinating to watch.
I don't recall the name of the site in North Carolina that has the
rejuvenated dishes. But a ham friend of mine took a tour and it is pretty
cool stuff. Unfortunately they are not much used because according to them
these old dishes are very expensive to operate. Must be kind of like
buying a horse - the real money gets spent not when you buy the horse but
over the next twenty years as you pay to maintain the trusty steed!
John
On Wed, Aug 14, 2019 at 6:22 PM Robert MacHale via AMSAT-BB <
amsat-bb@?????.???> wrote:
> Wow! Fun project. Very exciting.
> Any chance there are also antique antennas at the California ground
> station at Goldstone. Nasa had three primary ground stations for Apollo:
> Spain, Australia, and California.
> https://www.gdscc.nasa.gov/
>
> 73
> Robert MacHale. KE6BLR Ham Radio License.
> http://spaceCommunicator.club/aprs
> . Supporting Boy Scout Merit Badges in Radio, Robotics, and Space
> Exploration
>
>
>
> On Wednesday, August 14, 2019, 2:54:16 PM PDT, Daniel Cussen via
> AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb@?????.???> wrote:
>
> I would recommend trying to find out if the motors are AC or DC or some
> weird voltage or stepper or servo type. If you can get the motors to move,
> position feedback could be added with a simple potentiometer from a belt,
> or a fancy encoder. It may be possible to use the old position feedback,
> but it may be faster and easier to mount something on the outside that
> gives the same result.
>
> In terms of frequency ranges, rate of tracking, dish beam width, these
> will determine what it could be used for, and assuming you use the old
> motors and the reflector on the dish is designed for vhf?, then this would
> limit top frequency and maximum tracking ability aligned with beam width.
> Say vhf, UHF lower microwave, and presumably the dish could track low earth
> orbit or moon bounce.
>
> Looking at the photos it looks like the right middle connector is an n type
> coax connector for the feed. I assume the military type connectors are for
> position feedback from some sort of rotary or absolute encoder. Often there
> is an encoder mounted near or on the motor, which is AC or DC simple motor.
>
> If the manual movement cranks work you could run belts to them and mount
> new motors on the outside. Speed might be limited, but acceptable.
>
> I would recommend adding hardware limit switches no matter what you do to
> ensure the dish can never rotate too far and damage itself. It may have
> limit switches inside, but they may need replacing and external switches
> would be easier to service.
>
> It would be great if this could track low earth orbit and receive school
> contacts from the iss and cubesats on vhf and UHF.
>
> I would like to see it receive 2395MHz Hamtv from the ISS, which is
> relatively strong and easy to receive.
>
>
> On Wed, 14 Aug 2019 22:11 Michelle Thompson via AMSAT-BB <
> amsat-bb@?????.???
> wrote:
>
> > A group of GNU Radio community members has permission to evaluate a dish
> > installation in Huntsville, AL near the Space Center. If you've ever been
> > to the Space Center (where the Saturn V is suspended from the ceiling)
> then
> > this dish is right outside the main entrance. Anyone attending Symposium
> > last year should recognize it!
> >
> > Here's a set of photos:
> >
> >
> >
> https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1d_Oi3hrIi49JxmaoNuUA-pvUXOs7vSz1
> >
> > We're looking for technical information, identification of what you
> > recognize in the photos, recommended next steps, and what to watch out
> for,
> > prioritize, or avoid. We already know we want to take the paint off all
> the
> > ID plates and see what's under there.
> >
> > We want to see if we can get this working for *amateur radio operators to
> > access over the internet*, ideally with a GNU Radio flowgraph to control
> it
> > from an SDR. Our priority is to make this work for amateur satellite.
> >
> > This type of setup is similar to what GNU Radio Foundation is working on
> > with the Allen Telescope Array. We have the go-ahead from the Space
> Center
> > curator to do this study and make recommendations.
> >
> > I have fully restored several basket-case British sports cars and then
> > successfully raced them. My other team members have restored things even
> > more challenging. We are not dumb, naive, or easily deterred. We know
> this
> > may turn out to be something that requires way more work than we can do
> in
> > any time frame we can manage. Documenting that is still of great value,
> and
> > that is why we are asking for your help. Right now, no one knows much of
> > anything about it. This sort of installation, if available for amateur
> > radio, is well worth the effort.
> >
> > Some of the people involved have been driving past this installation for
> 20
> > years and want to see it back in service at whatever level we can
> achieve.
> > It will be discussed at GNU Radio Conference, and everyone at the
> > conference will have the opportunity to see it up close and in person,
> > since it's literally across the parking lot from the venue.
> >
> > Want to attend or find out more about GRCon?
> > https://www.gnuradio.org/grcon/grcon19/
> >
> > If you know of someone off-list that might know details that will help,
> > then please pass this along!
> >
> > -Michelle W5NYV + Corps of Operation Flashlight
> > _______________________________________________
> > Sent via AMSAT-BB@?????.???. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
> > to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
> Opinions
> > expressed
> > are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
> > AMSAT-NA.
> > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
> program!
> > Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB@?????.???. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions
> expressed
> are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
> AMSAT-NA.
> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB@?????.???. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions
> expressed
> are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
> AMSAT-NA.
> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>
------------------------------
Subject: Digest Footer
_______________________________________________
Sent via amsat-bb@?????.???.
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without requiring membership. Opinions expressed
are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
AMSAT-NA.
Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
------------------------------
End of AMSAT-BB Digest, Vol 14, Issue 315
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