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CX2SA > SATDIG 17.03.16 22:33l 860 Lines 34369 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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From: CX2SA@CX2SA.SAL.URY.SOAM
To : SATDIG@WW
Today's Topics:
1. AMSAT @ ScienceCity (Tucson AZ) on 12-13 March 2016 - report
(Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK))
2. AMSAT @ "Springfest" hamfest (Scottsdale AZ) - Saturday, 19
March 2016 (Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK))
3. Squelch setting on TH-D72a for FM birds - newbie question
(kevino z)
4. Re: Squelch setting on TH-D72a for FM birds - newbie question
(Daniel Est?vez)
5. Re: 4 omni antennas plots (nulls) (Robert Bruninga)
6. Re: Squelch setting on TH-D72a for FM birds - newbie question
(Jim Walls)
7. Re: Optical shaft encoders (Zach Leffke)
8. Re: Squelch setting on TH-D72a for FM birds - newbie question
(Rick Tejera)
9. Satellite Connection (Rupert Hamblin)
10. Re: Satellite Connection (Greg)
11. Re: Satellite Connection (John Brier)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 04:26:43 +0000
From: "Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)" <amsat-bb@xxxxxx.xxx>
To: "amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxxx <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] AMSAT @ ScienceCity (Tucson AZ) on 12-13 March
2016 - report
Message-ID:
<CAN6TEUe4ZKcP=izTikATdKOvg_mKWfHQc2RrvvTxFUs7kEGf9A@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Hi!
Last weekend's (12-13 March 2016) ScienceCity science fair on the
University of Arizona campus in Tucson was a great opportunity to show off
amateur radio, and amateur satellites in particular, to a crowd much larger
than a typical ham-related event. With good weather at the start of the
spring break week for the university, and a book fair (Tucson Festival of
Books) also taking place on the campus, well over 130000 people visited the
campus during the weekend according to local media reports. This was a
great crowd, knowing that the US Air Force's Thunderbirds demonstration
team flew for crowds on both Saturday and Sunday at the nearby Davis-
Monthan Air Force Base, a few miles/km southeast of the university. The
aerial demonstrations were visible to the crowds at the university, a
bonus for those of us who didn't go to the air base. :-)
The University of Arizona's radio club, K7UAZ, had a booth on the campus
mall complete with an HF station, a demonstration of software-defined
radio using an "RTL-SDR" dongle to copy ADS-B aircraft transponders along
with a HackRF One, and my portable gear for amateur satellites. The club
also had a small 2.4 GHz dish above its tent, used to connect to the
amateur mesh network that covers the UA campus and the surrounding Tucson
area for access to high-speed data without relying on commercial Internet
services.
Even though SO-50's pass times didn't line up with the science fair, I
still had AO-85 for an FM satellite, along with 3 other satellites I used
for the satellite demonstrations (AO-7, AO-73, FO-29). Unlike when I was in
Tucson for this event in 2015, I used the club's K7UAZ call sign for my
operating during the weekend. Thanks to everyone who called K7UAZ over the
weekend, as these calls led to a total of 41 contacts logged over 11 passes
on these 4 satellites. I used a variety of equipment on the different
passes - from an IC-2730A for AO-85, to a single FT-817ND for FO-29, to
a pair of FT-817NDs for AO-7 and one AO-73 pass Saturday morning, and my
FT-817ND/SDRplay combination on one AO-73 pass Sunday morning. Contacts
were made with stations across the continental USA, along with Canada and
Mexico.
With the SDR display at the K7UAZ booth, there was a lot of interest from
the club when I used my SDRplay receiver and 8-inch Windows 10 tablet as
the downlink receiver on the AO-73 pass I worked Sunday morning. Dave
KB5WIA, in northern California, was my only contact on that pass. This was
no problem, as Dave was able to talk about his station, which was similar
to what I was using. We chatted for a few minutes, and after the pass I
answered more questions about my SDR setup.
If you followed my @xxxxxx Twitter feed over the weekend, I tweeted a
steady stream of photos from ScienceCity, along with other tweets related
to my operations as K7UAZ. If you want to see those photos but don't use
Twitter, you can view them at:
http://twitter.com/WD9EWK/media
And for all of my tweets, those can be seen at:
http://twitter.com/WD9EWK
If you worked K7UAZ over the weekend and want a QSL card, whether on HF or
satellites, please send your QSL card with SASE to the K7UAZ club. The club
has the log of satellite contacts, and will be happy to answer your QSL
requests.
Thanks to Mathias Gibbens K0WBG, the K7UAZ club president, and the K7UAZ
club for inviting AMSAT back to their effort at the 2016 ScienceCity. The
K7UAZ club, which is the campus radio club, also welcomes membership from
the Tucson area. There was a nice mix of students and non-students, along
with support from other local radio clubs (Radio Society of Tucson, Oro
Valley Amateur Radio Club), at the K7UAZ booth. All in all, a fun way to
spend a weekend...
73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
http://www.wd9ewk.net/
Twitter: @xxxxxx
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 04:51:56 +0000
From: "Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)" <amsat-bb@xxxxxx.xxx>
To: "amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxxx <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] AMSAT @ "Springfest" hamfest (Scottsdale AZ) -
Saturday, 19 March 2016
Message-ID:
<CAN6TEUfPL9UZQ5m584sA5VNwJtE=hb9F6uyFiTW-XSq7ZF57dQ@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Hi!
I will have an AMSAT table at the Scottsdale Amateur Radio Club's annual
"Springfest" hamfest on Saturday morning, 19 March 2016. The hamfest will
be at the Scottsdale Bible Church's Mountain Valley Campus on 17800 N.
Perimeter Drive in Scottsdale AZ. The hamfest site is next to the AZ-101
Pima Freeway, near exit 36 for Princess Drive. More information about the
hamfest, including a map, is available from the club's web site:
http://scottsdalearc.org/
WD9EWK will be on various satellite passes during the hamfest, which is
scheduled to run from 6am until 12 noon (1300-1900 UTC). If you hear me
on the satellites Saturday morning, please call WD9EWK and be a part of
the demonstrations. The hamfest site is in grid DM43, a few miles/km north
of my house - a much shorter drive than last weekend's trip to Tucson for
the ScienceCity event. :-) I will upload my log from the demonstrations to
Logbook of the World after the hamfest, and I will be happy to send QSL
cards to anyone who works WD9EWK at the hamfest. Just e-mail me with the
QSO details - if you're in the log, I'll send a card. No need to send me a
QSL card or SASE.
73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
http://www.wd9ewk.net/
Twitter: @xxxxxx
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 06:36:43 -0400
From: kevino z <z_kevino@xxxxxxx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Squelch setting on TH-D72a for FM birds - newbie
question
Message-ID: <SNT407-EAS334373D58C0F7AB2429AA2EFA8B0@xxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Pretty excited I heard my first satellite tonight, but not without
beginner's mistakes. I was not trying to hit the satellite with TX tonight,
just listening to learn the proper exchange.
I think I did my homework and have programmed SO-50 frequencies in my
TH-D72a correctly. I put the radio TX in the VFO "B" position, and all of
the RX in the "A" and turned on full duplex. I left the squelch one up from
open. I hooked my arrow antenna up, and held the antenna right at the
satellite. Nothing. Then I switched to VFO A (RX) and held the monitor
(squelch open) and heard some folks. While still in VFO A, I switched memory
locations while holding the monitor on, to make sure I was on frequency
(these RX memories account for doppler). When I heard a QSO, I let go of the
monitor and the signal did not break squelch.
So my question: Must I leave squelch all the way wide open when working FM
satellites?
If so, I guess that I need to buy some headphones so I do not introduce
feedback into the TX side while in full duplex.
Could some of you seasoned satellite folks help a new guy out?
thank you
Kevin (KK4YEL)
No trees were killed in the sending of this message. However, a large number
of electrons were terribly inconvenienced !
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 12:36:08 +0100
From: Daniel Est?vez <daniel@xxxxxxxx.xxx>
To: "amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxxx <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Squelch setting on TH-D72a for FM birds -
newbie question
Message-ID: <56EA96A8.1000803@xxxxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
El 17/03/16 a las 11:36, kevino z escribi?:
> So my question: Must I leave squelch all the way wide open when working FM
satellites?
>
> If so, I guess that I need to buy some headphones so I do not introduce
feedback into the TX side while in full duplex.
Dear Kevin,
Yes and yes. It is usual to leave the squelch open. Although during most
of the pass the signal would be enough to open your squelch if you leave
it in the lowest setting, really the squelch setting is the last thing
you should be worrying about.
Using headphones to avoid feedback is a must. It also helps you a little
to pick signals out of the noise in bad conditions.
73,
Dani EA4GPZ.
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 10:01:34 -0400
From: Robert Bruninga <bruninga@xxxx.xxx>
To: Roland Zurmely <py4zbz@xxxxx.xxx>
Cc: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] 4 omni antennas plots (nulls)
Message-ID: <fa89bb20ad4d7894aee0bd42f57a7295@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
> ANY antenna above ground, has multiple lobes.
> You can simulate this with any program like MMANA or EZNEC...
> <http://www.qrz.ru/schemes/contribute/arrl/chap3.pdf>
Yes, and that is my point too.
To get the good gain at medium elevations from an omni, one need a large
ground plane (screen, not radials) going out several wavelengths in all
directions. In my emails I talk about being over a metal roof or large
chicken wire ground plane to properly hide the real ground reflections and
to block energy going down (which lose 3 dB) and hence all those high
angle nulls.
Bob, WB4APR
-----Original Message-----
From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@xxxxx.xxxx On Behalf Of Roland
Zurmely via AMSAT-BB
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2016 6:30 PM
To: AMSAT
Subject: [amsat-bb] 4 omni antennas plots (nulls)
Hi Bob WB4APR,
ANY antenna above ground, has multiple lobes.You can simulate this with
any program like MMANA or EZNEC...
<http://www.qrz.ru/schemes/contribute/arrl/chap3.pdf>
73 de Roland PY4ZBZ
_______________________________________________
Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 07:19:14 -0700
From: "Jim Walls" <jim@xxxxx.xxx>
To: "kevino z" <z_kevino@xxxxxxx.xxx>, <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Squelch setting on TH-D72a for FM birds -
newbie question
Message-ID: <b677adbfc4004109871828adc1ada548@xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Short answer is yes.
Jim - K6CCC
----------------------------------------
From: "kevino z" <z_kevino@xxxxxxx.xxx>
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2016 4:17 AM
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Squelch setting on TH-D72a for FM birds - newbie
question
Pretty excited I heard my first satellite tonight, but not without
beginner's mistakes. I was not trying to hit the satellite with TX tonight,
just listening to learn the proper exchange.
I think I did my homework and have programmed SO-50 frequencies in my
TH-D72a correctly. I put the radio TX in the VFO "B" position, and all of
the RX in the "A" and turned on full duplex. I left the squelch one up from
open. I hooked my arrow antenna up, and held the antenna right at the
satellite. Nothing. Then I switched to VFO A (RX) and held the monitor
(squelch open) and heard some folks. While still in VFO A, I switched
memory locations while holding the monitor on, to make sure I was on
frequency (these RX memories account for doppler). When I heard a QSO, I
let go of the monitor and the signal did not break squelch.
So my question: Must I leave squelch all the way wide open when working FM
satellites?
If so, I guess that I need to buy some headphones so I do not introduce
feedback into the TX side while in full duplex.
Could some of you seasoned satellite folks help a new guy out?
thank you
Kevin (KK4YEL)
No trees were killed in the sending of this message. However, a large
number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced !
_______________________________________________
Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 12:08:56 -0400
From: Zach Leffke <zleffke@xx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Optical shaft encoders
Message-ID: <56EAD698.4050806@xx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
This will be "Too Long - Did not read". Sorry. But for those with Alfa
Radio HR model rotators, maybe you have same/similar issues?
So first off, Bob is basically asking if anyone has built a custom
optical shaft encoder to replace the magnetic hall effect sensors in the
High Resolution Big-Ras rotators. Machining, circuit design,
performance.....?
But to answer your question about the exact problem:
Pinning down the 'exact problem' has been the trick since installing
these rotators. I now believe it has been a series of problems that
presented a mish-mash of symptoms. Every time one problem is resolved
it removes some of the symptoms to reveal others. I will attempt to
describe the symptoms and the *fixes* so far.
The specific sensors IC used in the Alfa Radio High Resolution kits are
the AM4096 chips from RLS. The output of this is a pair of signals in
phase quadrature. The lead or lag of one signal relative to the other
gives the direction of rotation, while the pulse count (together with
gearing ratios) gives the angle. Best I can figure the AM4096 output is
sine wave with only about two volts peak to peak, but the output of the
HR sensor assembly is square pulses with 0V at low and 12V at peak,
still in quadrature, so there must be additional circuitry in the sensor
housing.
The first major symptom was noise Noise NOISE on the feedback lines.
When first installed, I could turn on the control box and the feedback
would start counting away as if the rotator was moving without even
touching the U/D/L/R buttons. One day the issue would be on azimuth,
next day it would be on elevation, sometimes both, sometimes not at all
(very elusive and hard to re-create the conditions to troubleshoot). I
have about 85 feet of cable from the MD-01 control box to the rotator,
basically a massive antenna. The noise voltage was 1 or 2 volts peak to
peak when measuring the lines with an o-scope.
The guidance for best performance is to have a three conductor cable
(two wires plus shield) for each sensor: azimuth feedback plus shield
on one cable, elevation feedback plus shield on the next, power/ground
plus shield on the third. The shields of the cables are connected
together at the connector on the rotator (8 pin MIC connector) and at
the connector on the MD-01 control box. The shield is also jumpered to
a good station ground at the control box.
The major fix to the noise issue was bypass capacitors. I installed
these inside the sensor interface box on the rotator between each
feedback signal line and ground as well as on the terminal block
interface on the control box. This massively helped suppress the noise
(less than 100mV pk-pk) on the feedback lines.
So at this point no more random 'angle incrementing' when the motors
weren't even turning.
This just revealed the next issue. The 12V high square pulses going
into the control box had a major notch right in the center of the pulse
going almost down to 0 volts. Since the signals are in quadrature, this
notch lined up almost perfectly with the rising edge of the other
signal. The result of this was when I push the "up" button the
elevation readout starts counting DOWN. Push the 'left' button (which
should decrement the angle) and the feedback counts up. Basically,
whatever direction a motor turns, the feedback goes in the OPPOSITE
direction. My guess here is that the quadrature 'reader' in the control
box sees a rising edge on one signal and then checks the other signal,
if its high, the motors are turning one way, if its low they are turning
the other. Since this Notch is present (lined up with the rising edge
of the 'trigger' signal) what it should detect as a high it falsely
detects as a low and thinks the motor is turning the 'other' direction.
The fix for this was more capacitors on the control lines. Lots of
experimentation with cap values was required to find one with a time
constant such that it held the feedback signal high across the notch
period but decayed fast enough to not overly distort the falling edge of
the signal.
Which leads to the current state of the system. It works reliably maybe
90% of the time. occasionally though I'm experiencing what I call the
'runaway feedback' problem. Every now and then the motor is in some
perfect position that causes the feedback to start counting away again.
This happens randomly on both the elevation and azimuth motors (one or
the other, never both at once so far). This is similar to the first
symptom I described but is different (took me a while to realize the
symptoms were slightly different). In the case where noise was the
issue, the incrementing (or decrementing) of the feedback was random and
sporadic. In the current situation it keeps counting away at a fairly
constant rate (though the rate does vary from incident to incident). I
can turn the box off and back on and it picks right up and keeps
counting. The only fix for this is a "nintendo cheat code" button press
maneuver I have to do where I place the MD-01 in calibration mode, zero
the feedback, and then press a motion button to "bump" the motor to turn
a bit all in less than a second. I have to zero the feedback first
because the reported position in the controller is usually far outside
the software position limits programmed into the box and the motor won't
turn when I press the button. As soon as the motor moves a small
amount, the feedback stops counting away. I then have to go through a
manual calibration process to re-align the antennas to a known az el (0
and 0) and then reset the positions in the controller.
99.9% of our operation is remote or automated. So I have custom
software that is responsible for interfacing with the MD-01 control box
via ethernet. I detect this runaway feedback problem via angular
speeds. I *KNOW* that the antennas can't actually move faster than say
2.75 degrees per second. I query the box 4 times a second for feedback
and then compute angular speed based off of the current pointing angle
and the previous pointing angle (and the approximate quarter second
interval between each reading). When the rate exceeds the threshold of
2.75 degree/sec threshold, the custom sw issues a STOP command to the
box, and then shuts down the control thread to stop sending SET
commands. I'd have to comb back through the logs, but the reported
angular rates are anywhere from maybe 10 deg/s to hundreds of deg/sec
(not physically possible).
Since the physical position of the motor shaft seems to matter with this
problem, I'm leaning away from an EMI/RFI issue and more towards some
kind of mechanical problem. I've experienced this problem with multiple
control boxes and multiple rotators (swapping rotators was fun with an
already built H-Frame and a pair of UHF antennas and pair of VHF
antennas to get out of the way!). I've tried three separate sensor
cables, with similar/same results. The big difference seems to be
"loaded vs unloaded." I have a second rotator/control box installed for
the next antenna system (this one has about 110 ft of sensor cable at
the new antenna location) and have not experienced the problem at all.
The rotator is on the tower, but no antenna is installed yet. So it
seems that there is a mechanical difference here that has something to
do with it. Bob's theory that I'm currently working with is that some
kind of mechanical resonance is occurring in the VHF/UHF H-Frame stack
causing something to mechanically "glitch out" the hall effect sensor.
I'm experimenting with counterweight balancing to try to manipulate the
resonant frequency of the stack to avoid hitting that perfect alignment
that jams up the sensor.
So that's about it in a 'nutshell.' I've tried one or two other things
that I've left out of the description because they seem to have minimal
effect on the problem. Very elusive problem, which makes
troubleshooting very difficult since I can't manually re-create the
conditions that cause the problem.
Any thoughts, comments, similar experiences, would be very useful and
appreciated. Sorry If I maxed out your inbox's storage space.
-Zach, KJ4QLP
Research Associate
Ted & Karyn Hume Center for National Security & Technology
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Work Phone: 540-231-4174
Cell Phone: 540-808-6305
On 3/16/2016 6:53 PM, Daniel Cussen wrote:
> You could use an interface like this one:
> http://blog.radioartisan.com/yaesu-rotator-computer-serial-interface/
>
> to read the optical/hall effect encoders. One of the main problems
> with this setup is that there is no absolute position sent, so any
> pulses missed result in increasing and increasing errors. Also if
> there is no end stop switches you can end up moving too far damaging
> coax cables.
>
> Normally it is recommended to use separate screened cables for the
> sensors to try prevent noise pickup.
>
> Can you link to the sensors you are using and what exact problems are
occurring?
>
> On 16/03/2016, Robert McGwier <rwmcgwier@xxxxx.xxx> wrote:
>> I would like to consider adding optical shaft encoders to augment or
>> replace the hall effect sensors in use on an Alfa Spid az/el installation.
>> We have the high resolution sensors and are experiencing some annoying
>> anomalies that have been very difficult to trace and are detrimental to
>> autonomous operation at our ground station at Virginia Tech.
>>
>> Any information or help would be appreciated.
>>
>> 73s
>> Bob
>> N4HY
>> _______________________________________________
>> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
------------------------------
Message: 8
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 09:37:53 -0700
From: "Rick Tejera" <saguaroastro@xxx.xxx>
To: <jim@xxxxx.xxx>, "'kevino z'" <z_kevino@xxxxxxx.xxx>,
<amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Squelch setting on TH-D72a for FM birds -
newbie question
Message-ID: <009701d1806b$5a552300$0eff6900$@xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Sounds like you're ready to transmit. Two things to add. First, And I
presume you've already done this, but make sure you a 67.0hz PL tone
programmed on the uplink frequencies and on with a 74.4hz tone, so you can
turn it on if needed. Next, I set the Audio balance (menu 120) to A band,
mute the Tx band.
A headset is a good idea for the reason you state. You can use a set of ear
buds and still use the Mic. I use a Heil traveler head set with boom mike. I
like it since it has interchangeable interfaces for different radios. I've
got the adaptors for all my radios. Unfortunately Heil realized they can
sell more headsets by discontinuing this model rather than just selling
$10.00 adapters. I fashioned a Y cord for mine so i can plug a digital
recorder into the downlink side of the headset. Fits between the headset and
the radio.
Enjoy yourself, trust me, the only thing better than the first time you hear
your signal on the downlink. is making your first QSO. Still remember mine
like it was yesterday.
Rick Tejera (K7TEJ)
Saguaro Astronomy Club
www.saguaroastro.org
Thunderbird Radio Club
www.w7tbc.org
623-572-0713
623-203-4121 (cell)
SaguaroAstro@xxx.xxx
-----Original Message-----
From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@xxxxx.xxxx On Behalf Of Jim Walls
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2016 7:19 AM
To: kevino z; amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Squelch setting on TH-D72a for FM birds - newbie
question
Short answer is yes.
Jim - K6CCC
----------------------------------------
From: "kevino z" <z_kevino@xxxxxxx.xxx>
Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2016 4:17 AM
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Squelch setting on TH-D72a for FM birds - newbie
question
Pretty excited I heard my first satellite tonight, but not without
beginner's mistakes. I was not trying to hit the satellite with TX tonight,
just listening to learn the proper exchange.
I think I did my homework and have programmed SO-50 frequencies in my
TH-D72a correctly. I put the radio TX in the VFO "B" position, and all of
the RX in the "A" and turned on full duplex. I left the squelch one up from
open. I hooked my arrow antenna up, and held the antenna right at the
satellite. Nothing. Then I switched to VFO A (RX) and held the monitor
(squelch open) and heard some folks. While still in VFO A, I switched
memory locations while holding the monitor on, to make sure I was on
frequency (these RX memories account for doppler). When I heard a QSO, I
let go of the monitor and the signal did not break squelch.
So my question: Must I leave squelch all the way wide open when working FM
satellites?
If so, I guess that I need to buy some headphones so I do not introduce
feedback into the TX side while in full duplex.
Could some of you seasoned satellite folks help a new guy out?
thank you
Kevin (KK4YEL)
No trees were killed in the sending of this message. However, a large
number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced !
_______________________________________________
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Message: 9
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 19:16:35 +0000
From: Rupert Hamblin <rupert.hamblin@xxxxx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Satellite Connection
Message-ID: <56EB0293.9030404@xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
Hi All,
Would be grateful for any advice or your thoughts on the following...!
Ok, so I have my station virtually completed now. I have the rotator
setup correctly
and with the LVB Tracker interface unit and SatPC32 now tracking SATs
correctly (it appears).
I have a 4 ELE (2M) and 9 ELE (70cm) on the rotator.
I can receive very good copy of downlinks from quite low passes on both
2M & 70CM,
and I have recently had the FT-847 lab repaired and tested on output -
which I know are
working ok.
The problem I have is - whichever satellite i try to work, low pass /
high pass, SSB or FM, high power
or low power - I am unable to hear my own signal on the downlink and
hence so far have no QSO's
....Any suggestions or clues as to what I may be doing wrong or have
setup incorrectly...?
Would appreciate any clues / tips here ! :-)
Cheers
RH / G0TKZ
------------------------------
Message: 10
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 16:14:11 -0400
From: Greg <gjd1958@xxxxxxx.xxx>
To: Rupert Hamblin <rupert.hamblin@xxxxx.xxx>
Cc: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Satellite Connection
Message-ID: <FAE90C25-4D53-4F20-807B-014AE58AD831@xxxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Are you having issues adjusting for Doppler?
greg
N3MVF
On Mar 17, 2016, at 3:16 PM, Rupert Hamblin <rupert.hamblin@xxxxx.xxx> wrote:
Hi All,
Would be grateful for any advice or your thoughts on the following...!
Ok, so I have my station virtually completed now. I have the rotator setup
correctly
and with the LVB Tracker interface unit and SatPC32 now tracking SATs
correctly (it appears).
I have a 4 ELE (2M) and 9 ELE (70cm) on the rotator.
I can receive very good copy of downlinks from quite low passes on both 2M &
70CM,
and I have recently had the FT-847 lab repaired and tested on output - which
I know are
working ok.
The problem I have is - whichever satellite i try to work, low pass / high
pass, SSB or FM, high power
or low power - I am unable to hear my own signal on the downlink and hence
so far have no QSO's
....Any suggestions or clues as to what I may be doing wrong or have setup
incorrectly...?
Would appreciate any clues / tips here ! :-)
Cheers
RH / G0TKZ
_______________________________________________
Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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.
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------------------------------
Message: 11
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 16:23:51 -0400
From: John Brier <johnbrier@xxxxx.xxx>
To: Greg <gjd1958@xxxxxxx.xxx>
Cc: Rupert Hamblin <rupert.hamblin@xxxxx.xxx>, AMSAT BB
<amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Satellite Connection
Message-ID:
<CALn0fKMcivSLMSoV3DkQgxOALw5zSCjkMqrX04H5eYNeDWqe_Q@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
If he can hear the FM sat SO-50 he shouldn't have to worry about doppler.
He doesn't have to find himself like on an SSB sat's passband.
Rupert, can you get into terrestrial repeaters? Verify in a simple way that
transmit works.
On Mar 17, 2016 4:14 PM, "Greg" <gjd1958@xxxxxxx.xxx> wrote:
> Are you having issues adjusting for Doppler?
>
> greg
> N3MVF
>
>
> On Mar 17, 2016, at 3:16 PM, Rupert Hamblin <rupert.hamblin@xxxxx.xxx>
> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> Would be grateful for any advice or your thoughts on the following...!
>
> Ok, so I have my station virtually completed now. I have the rotator setup
> correctly
> and with the LVB Tracker interface unit and SatPC32 now tracking SATs
> correctly (it appears).
> I have a 4 ELE (2M) and 9 ELE (70cm) on the rotator.
>
> I can receive very good copy of downlinks from quite low passes on both 2M
> & 70CM,
> and I have recently had the FT-847 lab repaired and tested on output -
> which I know are
> working ok.
>
> The problem I have is - whichever satellite i try to work, low pass / high
> pass, SSB or FM, high power
> or low power - I am unable to hear my own signal on the downlink and hence
> so far have no QSO's
> ....Any suggestions or clues as to what I may be doing wrong or have setup
> incorrectly...?
>
> Would appreciate any clues / tips here ! :-)
>
> Cheers
>
> RH / G0TKZ
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
>
------------------------------
Subject: Digest Footer
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End of AMSAT-BB Digest, Vol 11, Issue 84
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