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CX2SA > SATDIG 09.04.16 05:05l 917 Lines 32442 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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Subj: AMSAT-BB-digest V11 108
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Sent: 160409/0301Z @:CX2SA.SAL.URY.SOAM #:41927 [Salto] FBB7.00e $:AMSATBB11108
From: CX2SA@CX2SA.SAL.URY.SOAM
To : SATDIG@WW
Today's Topics:
1. Re: Tracking Software (B J)
2. Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2016-04-08 02:00 UTC
(AJ9N@xxx.xxxx
3. AO-7 MODE A ! (jeffory broughton)
4. Re: Icom IC-W32a, Heil Mic, Arrow SMA Diplexer, AMSAT
magazines ... (Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK))
5. Satellites and Solar (Robert Bruninga)
6. Re: Satellites and Solar (Stephen Nelson)
7. SatPC32 V12.8C updated? (Eric Knaps, ON4HF)
8. Re: Satellites and Solar (Norm n3ykf)
9. Re: Icom IC-W32a, Heil Mic, Arrow SMA Diplexer, AMSAT
magazines ... (Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK))
10. Re: Satellites and Solar (a) (Robert Bruninga)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2016 01:48:05 +0000
From: B J <va6bmj@xxxxx.xxx>
To: Pete Moscatt <petemoscatt@xxxxx.xxx>
Cc: Pete Moscatt via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Tracking Software
Message-ID:
<CAP7QzkN1m=J=tc_nnML-xZrp0wDueO+9RxeLkdhOaBeNgp5QRg@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
On 4/8/16, Pete Moscatt via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx> wrote:
> G'Day To All,
> OK..... I am entering the wonderful world of Satellites and in the process
> of setting up the station.I predominantly run Apple PCs (iMac & iOS).
> Are there preferred applications that I can run under these environments
> without having to run Windows in the background?
<snip>
Hamlib is software which has the actual commands for controlling a
radio. However, you'll also need a user interface and Gpredict works
well for that. It not only tracks the satellite, it'll control the
frequencies as well.
Both run on Linux and, I believe, they've been ported to OS X. I use
them on a laptop that has openSUSE on it and I've had little
difficulty in running my IC-910 with them, at least with the versions
I have installed.
73s
Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Thu, 7 Apr 2016 22:11:58 -0400
From: AJ9N@xxx.xxx
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2016-04-08
02:00 UTC
Message-ID: <117d45.2e3a57d0.44386d6e@xxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2016-04-08 02:00 UTC
Quick list of scheduled contacts and events:
Kiilinik High School, Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada, telebridge via VK4KHZ
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled astronaut is Jeff Williams KD5TVQ
Contact was successful: Wed 2016-04-06 18:02:20 UTC 55 deg
Valahia University of Targoviste, Targoviste, Romania, direct via
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled astronaut is Jeff Williams KD5TVQ
Contact is a go for: Tue 2016-04-12 13:48:06 UTC 79 deg
Colegio Santa Rosa, Yerba Buena, Argentina, direct via LU1KCQ
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled astronaut is Jeff Williams KD5TVQ
Contact is a go for: Wed 2016-04-13 14:02:54 UTC 34 deg
USA Science and Engineering Festival, Washington, D.C., telebridge via
IK1SLD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled astronaut is Timothy Peake KG5BVI
Contact is a go for: Sat 2016-04-16 18:19:28 UTC 78 deg
****************************************************************************
**
The next window to submit a proposal for an upcoming contact is now open.
The window is open from 2016-02-15 to 2016-04-15 and would be for contacts
between 2017-01-01 and 2017-06-30.
Check out the ARISS website http://www.ariss.org/ or the ARRL website
http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact for full details.
****************************************************************************
**
ARISS is always glad to receive listener reports for the above contacts.
ARISS thanks everyone in advance for their assistance. Feel free to send
your reports to aj9n@xxxxx.xxx or aj9n@xxx.xxx.
****************************************************************************
***
All ARISS contacts are made via the Ericsson radio unless otherwise noted.
****************************************************************************
***
Several of you have sent me emails asking about the RAC ARISS website and
not being able to get in. That has now been changed to
http://www.ariss.org/
Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site.
****************************************************************************
Looking for something new to do? How about receiving DATV from the ISS?
If interested, then please go to the ARISS-EU website for complete
details. Look for the buttons indicating Ham Video.
http://www.ariss-eu.org/
If you need some assistance, ARISS mentor Kerry N6IZW, might be able to
provide some insight. Contact Kerry at kbanke@xxxxxxxxx.xxx
****************************************************************************
ARISS congratulations the following mentors who have now mentored over 100
schools:
Gaston ON4WF with 121
Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 117
Francesco IK?WGF with 116
****************************************************************************
The webpages listed below were all reviewed for accuracy. Out of date
webpages were removed and new ones have been added. If there are
additional
ARISS websites I need to know about, please let me know.
Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own
orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed
time.
All dates and times listed follow International Standard ISO 8061 date
and
time format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2016-04-08 02:00 UTC.
(***)
Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and
questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and
instructions for any contact that may be streamed live.
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf
Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1040.
Each school counts as 1 event.
Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1005.
Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot.
Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 47.
A complete year by year breakdown of the contacts may be found in the
file.
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf
Please feel free to contact me if more detailed statistics are needed.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact:
Arkansas, Delaware, Rhode Island, South Dakota,
Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the Virgin
Islands.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
QSL information may be found at:
http://www.ariss.org/qsl-cards.html
ISS callsigns: DP?ISS, IR?ISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RS?ISS
****************************************************************************
The successful school list has been updated as of 2016-04-06 20:00 UTC.
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf
Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing
Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correction
.rtf
Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC.
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf
Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts
https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415
****************************************************************************
Exp. 46 on orbit
Tim Kopra KE5UDN
Timothy Peake KG5BVI
Yuri Malenchenko RK3DUP
Exp. 47 on orbit
Jeff Williams KD5TVQ
Oleg Skripochka RN3FU
Aleksey Ovchinin
****************************************************************************
73,
Charlie Sufana AJ9N
One of the ARISS operation team mentors
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2016 09:34:53 -0400
From: jeffory broughton <jefforybroughton@xxxxx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] AO-7 MODE A !
Message-ID:
<CACm2je37C_tbDkgxpqRfQBJVv7QYHN+FQ2c9sZQPuZVx0XXxDQ@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
What a nice suprise to find Oscar 7 in mode A this morning at 1300 utc.It
was a max El pass of 4.8 degrees for me in central Michigan, but I was able
to hear my 10m downlink from AOS to LOS.
What fun !
jeff broughton
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2016 16:04:15 +0000
From: "Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)" <amsat-bb@xxxxxx.xxx>
To: "amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxxx <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Icom IC-W32a, Heil Mic, Arrow SMA Diplexer,
AMSAT magazines ...
Message-ID:
<CAN6TEUdfQuD5U1XtpzqtTeurY687cZd4bxzatTsO2yaKR9NXpA@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Hi!
On the QRZ.com satellite forum, Clint posted that he made a mistake
with regard to his auction posting of the Puxing PX-UV973 HT, and
that he corrected it. Unfortunately, what he did to "correct"
the misstatement in the auction posting was anything but a correction.
Clint removed the original auction listing for the Puxing HT, created
a new listing, and the new listing still has the same incorrect
description.
https://www.32auctions.com/organizations/24686/auctions/29310/auction_items/722077
Again, if the PX-UV973 was truly capable of working SO-50 full-duplex,
we would have probably heard about it in 2013 after he bought one.
We would have definitely heard about that when he was
selling them
in late 2013 and early 2014. This is coming from the same person who
prided himself on being honest (among other things), when he sold
these radios a couple of years ago.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/uv973/conversations/messages/288
A shame...
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
http://www.wd9ewk.net/
Twitter: @xxxxxx
>
> https://www.32auctions.com/organizations/24686/auctions/29310/auction_items/717906
>
>
>
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2016 12:35:24 -0400
From: Robert Bruninga <bruninga@xxxx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Satellites and Solar
Message-ID: <5a0883c68cd8531c1fa610e0b4b879bf@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Solar Rant:
Last night I gave a talk to a local Ham club about Emergency Power (solar)
for the Ham. Turns out, I had given a similar talk on the same topic to
the same group 6 years ago (2010).
But the world has CHANGED (and most of us (and them) have not? except get
older)..
I began ?How many of you pay about $200/mo for electricity?? Most hands
went up
?How many of you went solar since my last talk?? (one hand went up). ?Why
not?? I ask.
General response was, ?.. it costs too much??
I went on, ?Do the rest of you with the $200/mo electric bill realize you
have spent almost $15,000 to the utility since my last talk, and did not
also take the $5000 tax credit, so you have wasted over $20,000 and have
absolutely nothing to show for it except another $200 a month for the rest
of your life, and another $24,000 thrown away every ten years (probably
twice that with inflation)??
?Don?t tell me it costs too much?. It costs too much to do nothing!?
?This other solar guy hardly pays anything now, or the last 6 years or the
rest of his life!?
Most people in the room said they would probably go solar ?someday?. But
now they are starting to realize that every single month they send another
$200 to the utility, that is another $200 thrown away? when instead it
could have gone for their solar investment which remains EQUITY in their
hands, on their roof, or in their yard and which pays back over 10% annual
return on the investment every year for the rest of their life.
Sorry for the rant. Every AMSAT station needs power. Are you going to
continue to burn coal to supply your energy and pay the utility forever, at
higher cost, or are you going to do something about it now and start
getting free power forever and breath cleaner air.
See http://aprs.org/solar-now.html
AMSAT TOO: I just looked it up. I gave this talk at the AMSAT/TAPR Dayton
Banquet in 2011. In the 5 years since, you (with $200 electric bills) have
spent over $12,000 in electric bills and have not taken the over $3600 tax
credit either. How many more years are you going to throw away good money
every month and do nothing?
Sorry, if you have shade, you are out of solar luck, but hug your trees and
birds instead! In some states, such as Maryland, you can still invest in
community solar where your solar panels will be credited to your bill.
Also in Maryland and some other progressive states, if you have some remote
land or antenna farm somewhere else, You can install your solar panels
there, and get that electric meter to provide 100% credit to your own home
bill. Neat! Its called ?virtual-net-metering?.
It?s a whole new world of energy changing under your feet?. Every day..
Bob, WB4APR
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2016 10:47:28 -0700
From: Stephen Nelson <steve.motorola.uranium@xxxxx.xxx>
To: Robert Bruninga <bruninga@xxxx.xxx>
Cc: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Satellites and Solar
Message-ID: <82ACB41C-4FA2-4AB2-807C-E18D3C8FAB45@xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=gb2312
Talking solar with my non Ham friends and there is a misconception that solar can be used for emergency power, which at least in my area, it cannot be. Solar inverter shuts down once the utility main sense is lost.
I have also heard strange rumors that the panels go bad just after the cost of the system has paid for itself. This might be a wives tail, as remote sites I have seen, the solar panels last much longer than 10 years.
Sent via iPhone 5s.....73's KD6VEX
Stephen N.
> On Apr 8, 2016, at 9:35 AM, Robert Bruninga <bruninga@xxxx.xxx> wrote:
>
> Solar Rant:
>
>
>
> Last night I gave a talk to a local Ham club about Emergency Power (solar)
> for the Ham. Turns out, I had given a similar talk on the same topic to
> the same group 6 years ago (2010).
>
>
>
> But the world has CHANGED (and most of us (and them) have not? except get
> older)..
>
>
>
> I began ?How many of you pay about $200/mo for electricity?? Most hands
> went up
>
>
>
> ?How many of you went solar since my last talk?? (one hand went up). ?Why
> not?? I ask.
>
>
>
> General response was, ?.. it costs too much??
>
>
>
> I went on, ?Do the rest of you with the $200/mo electric bill realize you
> have spent almost $15,000 to the utility since my last talk, and did not
> also take the $5000 tax credit, so you have wasted over $20,000 and have
> absolutely nothing to show for it except another $200 a month for the rest
> of your life, and another $24,000 thrown away every ten years (probably
> twice that with inflation)??
>
>
>
> ?Don?t tell me it costs too much?. It costs too much to do nothing!?
>
> ?This other solar guy hardly pays anything now, or the last 6 years or the
> rest of his life!?
>
>
>
> Most people in the room said they would probably go solar ?someday?. But
> now they are starting to realize that every single month they send another
> $200 to the utility, that is another $200 thrown away? when instead it
> could have gone for their solar investment which remains EQUITY in their
> hands, on their roof, or in their yard and which pays back over 10% annual
> return on the investment every year for the rest of their life.
>
>
>
> Sorry for the rant. Every AMSAT station needs power. Are you going to
> continue to burn coal to supply your energy and pay the utility forever, at
> higher cost, or are you going to do something about it now and start
> getting free power forever and breath cleaner air.
>
>
>
> See http://aprs.org/solar-now.html
>
>
>
> AMSAT TOO: I just looked it up. I gave this talk at the AMSAT/TAPR Dayton
> Banquet in 2011. In the 5 years since, you (with $200 electric bills) have
> spent over $12,000 in electric bills and have not taken the over $3600 tax
> credit either. How many more years are you going to throw away good money
> every month and do nothing?
>
>
>
> Sorry, if you have shade, you are out of solar luck, but hug your trees and
> birds instead! In some states, such as Maryland, you can still invest in
> community solar where your solar panels will be credited to your bill.
>
>
>
> Also in Maryland and some other progressive states, if you have some remote
> land or antenna farm somewhere else, You can install your solar panels
> there, and get that electric meter to provide 100% credit to your own home
> bill. Neat! Its called ?virtual-net-metering?.
>
>
>
> It?s a whole new world of energy changing under your feet?. Every day..
>
>
>
> Bob, WB4APR
> _______________________________________________
> 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: Fri, 8 Apr 2016 19:52:21 +0200
From: "Eric Knaps, ON4HF" <on4hf@xxxxxxx.xx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] SatPC32 V12.8C updated?
Message-ID: <5707EFD5.6030700@xxxxxxx.xx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
Hello all,
I had some minor issues with satpc32 (V12.8c) and I wanted to uninstall
and install the program again.
So I decided to download the latest program version from the website.
I had the latest version but downloaded it anyway to be sure to have a
good copy.
http://www.dk1tb.de/indexeng.htm
It was also V12.8c. But to my surprise that program had some nice
improvements.
In the satellites menu you can change the window size now to see the
complete satellite name.
In that same menu there is an extra button : "Display Data" to show more
data from the selected satellite.
In the "options" menu you can change a setting to update the map
(every...seconds)
That value changed with me everytime i started the program, now it stays
on every 1 sec.
To control my sat antennas I use the ServerSDX program delivered with
SatPC32.
That window also changed (more info on it)
Maybe there are more things that have changed, need to find out...
Maybe others have that latest version already but I didn't know there
were some changes made to the program.
73,
Eric.
--
Amateur radio station ON4HF
Satellite manager UBA
Member Amsat-NA #39595
Member Amsat-UK
Member Amsat-ON
http://www.on4hf.be
------------------------------
Message: 8
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2016 13:54:08 -0400
From: Norm n3ykf <normanlizeth@xxxxx.xxx>
To: Stephen Nelson <steve.motorola.uranium@xxxxx.xxx>
Cc: "<,amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxxxxxxx <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Satellites and Solar
Message-ID:
<CAJUhCTMh-yWAX0xuCTcfBmE3SqBF2So1B9X4kBrSwtBDE8Zs2w@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Newer inverters allow for AC power (like 1.5 kW per inverter) to be
drawn without primary power. Considering four of these (4kWAC, each)
as phase II.
11kWAC already installed and running. 50kWH so far today.
Maximum tax/real estate advantages for the DIY guy.
On Fri, Apr 8, 2016 at 1:47 PM, Stephen Nelson
<steve.motorola.uranium@xxxxx.xxx> wrote:
> Talking solar with my non Ham friends and there is a misconception that solar can be used for emergency power, which at least in my area, it cannot be. Solar inverter shuts down once the utility main sense is lost.
>
> I have also heard strange rumors that the panels go bad just after the cost of the system has paid for itself. This might be a wives tail, as remote sites I have seen, the solar panels last much longer than 10 years.
>
> Sent via iPhone 5s.....73's KD6VEX
>
> Stephen N.
>
>> On Apr 8, 2016, at 9:35 AM, Robert Bruninga <bruninga@xxxx.xxx> wrote:
>>
>> Solar Rant:
>>
>>
>>
>> Last night I gave a talk to a local Ham club about Emergency Power (solar)
>> for the Ham. Turns out, I had given a similar talk on the same topic to
>> the same group 6 years ago (2010).
>>
>>
>>
>> But the world has CHANGED (and most of us (and them) have not? except get
>> older)..
>>
>>
>>
>> I began ?How many of you pay about $200/mo for electricity?? Most hands
>> went up
>>
>>
>>
>> ?How many of you went solar since my last talk?? (one hand went up). ?Why
>> not?? I ask.
>>
>>
>>
>> General response was, ?.. it costs too much??
>>
>>
>>
>> I went on, ?Do the rest of you with the $200/mo electric bill realize you
>> have spent almost $15,000 to the utility since my last talk, and did not
>> also take the $5000 tax credit, so you have wasted over $20,000 and have
>> absolutely nothing to show for it except another $200 a month for the rest
>> of your life, and another $24,000 thrown away every ten years (probably
>> twice that with inflation)??
>>
>>
>>
>> ?Don?t tell me it costs too much?. It costs too much to do nothing!?
>>
>> ?This other solar guy hardly pays anything now, or the last 6 years or the
>> rest of his life!?
>>
>>
>>
>> Most people in the room said they would probably go solar ?someday?. But
>> now they are starting to realize that every single month they send another
>> $200 to the utility, that is another $200 thrown away? when instead it
>> could have gone for their solar investment which remains EQUITY in their
>> hands, on their roof, or in their yard and which pays back over 10% annual
>> return on the investment every year for the rest of their life.
>>
>>
>>
>> Sorry for the rant. Every AMSAT station needs power. Are you going to
>> continue to burn coal to supply your energy and pay the utility forever, at
>> higher cost, or are you going to do something about it now and start
>> getting free power forever and breath cleaner air.
>>
>>
>>
>> See http://aprs.org/solar-now.html
>>
>>
>>
>> AMSAT TOO: I just looked it up. I gave this talk at the AMSAT/TAPR Dayton
>> Banquet in 2011. In the 5 years since, you (with $200 electric bills) have
>> spent over $12,000 in electric bills and have not taken the over $3600 tax
>> credit either. How many more years are you going to throw away good money
>> every month and do nothing?
>>
>>
>>
>> Sorry, if you have shade, you are out of solar luck, but hug your trees and
>> birds instead! In some states, such as Maryland, you can still invest in
>> community solar where your solar panels will be credited to your bill.
>>
>>
>>
>> Also in Maryland and some other progressive states, if you have some remote
>> land or antenna farm somewhere else, You can install your solar panels
>> there, and get that electric meter to provide 100% credit to your own home
>> bill. Neat! Its called ?virtual-net-metering?.
>>
>>
>>
>> It?s a whole new world of energy changing under your feet?. Every day..
>>
>>
>>
>> Bob, WB4APR
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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: 9
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2016 20:15:12 +0000
From: "Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)" <amsat-bb@xxxxxx.xxx>
To: "amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxxx <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Icom IC-W32a, Heil Mic, Arrow SMA Diplexer,
AMSAT magazines ...
Message-ID:
<CAN6TEUcvK8xkr_c=+MNEoPMLh=avjAi76w6VVT-1X3_KraMv_Q@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Hi again!
After two posts on this list, and posts on a couple of other forums,
Clint has finally updated the description of the Puxing PX-UV973 HT
in his auction. He removed the references to this radio performing
well in full-duplex mode for working V/U FM satellites. That part
of the product description now reads:
"This model was the first of the recent crop of Chinese HTs to
actually perform well in true, full-duplex mode. Truly crossband-
repeats, too."
(from
https://www.32auctions.com/organizations/24686/auctions/29310/auction_items/722077
)
Since I posted my objection to how Clint mischaracterized that radio
here on this list, it is only proper to acknowledge that Clint
addressed my complaint when he removed the incorrect text from the
product description.
73.
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
http://www.wd9ewk.net/
Twitter: @xxxxxx
------------------------------
Message: 10
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2016 16:23:18 -0400
From: Robert Bruninga <bruninga@xxxx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Satellites and Solar (a)
Message-ID: <d7d01c8102d2e619bac266a9673082c7@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
> Talking solar with my non Ham friends...
That's a problem, Anything they were sure they knew before, is these days
almost obsolete a year later. I too had misconceptions all based on my 50
year ham experience with solar (and batteries) for remote digipeaters,
etc. My historical background was WRONG on the most basic concepts or
modern solar..., hence my sounding "born-again! "
That is, FORGET the batteries. The economical revolution in solar is
grid-tie. Has nothing to do with batteries (and nothing to do with backup
power). Getting rid of the batteries got rid of half the cost and all the
lifetime maintenance. It also greatly relaxed the pointing requirements
and angles... A true revolution. Solar generation now costs less than a
coal plant. Even the Saudi's are building all new energy as solar. Since
solar is cheaper than coal or oil, they want to use Solar for all their
own energy needs because they can save their oil for export where they can
sell it for higher prices.
> and there is a misconception that solar can be
> used for emergency power... Solar inverter
> shuts down once the utility main sense is lost.
Yep, same as always. The backup power issue has nothing to do with
economical power. Providing emergency power is a totally different
function and financial problem no different from what you currently do.
Around here the grid is 99.95% reliable. That means, it goes out on
average about 4 hours a year. For a 1kW average house load, that is about
60 cents of power loss per year.
Adding TEN THOUSAND dollars of "whole house backup battery system" to
replace that 60 cents of power per year is not economical... Especially
since 5 years later, you will have to replace all those batteries after
having only used them maybe 20 hours in 5 years.. No, The answer to
"backup" is no different whether one has solar or not. One easy way to do
backup, is the same $200 generator and $6 can of gas one might use now.
Or plug into the 50kW generator in your Hybrid car, or the 24 kWh battery
in your EV, or maybe $400 worth of marine batteries and a $200 inverter
form Home depot. All far-far less than a whole house battery system added
to solar for 60 cents worth of back up power once a year. AND... the
knowledgible Ham who still has 10kW of DC solar power can always find lots
of ways to use it even if the grid is down.
See http://aprs.org/alternative-energy.html
> I have also heard.. rumors that the panels go bad
> just after the cost of the system has paid for itself.
Solar panels degrade over time. After 25 years they will have lost 20% of
their capacity. But, in 25 years I think I can guarantee that one's
appliances and electric loads will be 20% more efficient. Hence no change
in life style. Just look at the 4-to-1 drop in power needed for lighting
in just the last few years.
Anyway, yes, they degrade, but less than 1% per year. But they are still
producing power. After another 25 years (50 years from now) there will be
another 20% loss down to 60% of original power.... but in 50 years you'll
be dead or one probably won't need all the power we waste now. And
lastly, the cost of 20% more panels to bring your array back up to snuff
25 years from now will cost pennies.
Hope that helps. Solar power is cheap, clean power (now costs less than
coal. Even the Saudi's are going to all new solar power
Bob, WB4APR
> On Apr 8, 2016, at 9:35 AM, Robert Bruninga <bruninga@xxxx.xxx> wrote:
>
> Solar Rant:
>
> Last night I gave a talk to a local Ham club about Emergency Power
> (solar) for the Ham. Turns out, I had given a similar talk on the
> same topic to the same group 6 years ago (2010).
>
> But the world has CHANGED (and most of us (and them) have not.
> except get older)..
>
> I began "How many of you pay about $200/mo for electricity?" Most
> hands went up
>
> "How many of you went solar since my last talk?" (one hand went up).
> "Why not?" I ask.
>
> General response was, ".. it costs too much."
>
> I went on, "Do the rest of you with the $200/mo electric bill realize
> you have spent almost $15,000 to the utility since my last talk, and
> did not also take the $5000 tax credit, so you have wasted over
> $20,000 and have absolutely nothing to show for it except another $200
> a month for the rest of your life, and another $24,000 thrown away
> every ten years (probably twice that with inflation)."
>
> "Don't tell me it costs too much.. It costs too much to do nothing!"
>
> "This other solar guy hardly pays anything now, or the last 6 years or
> the rest of his life!"
>
> Most people in the room said they would probably go solar "someday".
> But now they are starting to realize that every single month they send
> another $200 to the utility, that is another $200 thrown away.
> when instead it could have gone for their solar investment which
> remains EQUITY in their hands, on their roof, or in their yard and which
> pays back over 10% annual return on the investment every year for the
> rest of their life.
>
> Sorry for the rant. Every AMSAT station needs power. Are you going
> to continue to burn coal to supply your energy and pay the utility
> forever, at higher cost, or are you going to do something about it now
> and start getting free power forever and breath cleaner air.
>
> See http://aprs.org/solar-now.html
>
> AMSAT TOO: I just looked it up. I gave this talk at the AMSAT/TAPR
> Dayton Banquet in 2011. In the 5 years since, you (with $200 electric
> bills) have spent over $12,000 in electric bills and have not taken
> the over $3600 tax credit either. How many more years are you going
> to throw away good money every month and do nothing?
>
> Sorry, if you have shade, you are out of solar luck, but hug your
> trees and birds instead! In some states, such as Maryland, you can
> still invest in community solar where your solar panels will be credited
to your bill.
>
> Also in Maryland and some other progressive states, if you have some
> remote land or antenna farm somewhere else, You can install your
> solar panels there, and get that electric meter to provide 100% credit
> to your own home bill. Neat! Its called "virtual-net-metering".
>
> It's a whole new world of energy changing under your feet.. Every day..
>
> Bob, WB4APR
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