So how many hams view this forum??
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JerryK said:
All analog video is required to have an audio subcarrier that identifies the uplink facility. The transmissions are in morse code. The scheme is called ATIS. (Automatic transmitter indentification system.) The frequency of the subcarrier is about twice the subcarrier frequency, so noise and interference are normal.
73, K2TR
WA7QZR, Mike here. MARS member; 6/2m; Homebrewer (electronically-speaking, that is). Experimenting with moon bounce and independent (non-Seti League) amateur radio astronomy using 12' mesh and 7' aluminum dishes. Generally boring and introverted.
Back before the sat came along some of the hams were using moon bounce signals for comunication. I heard some of them on 2 but never did work any of them. I made the 8 element quagi from the handbook and was a great antena. I think would work for sat work now although have not tried it.
WD0FNU
WD0FNU
WB0VKL here, gen class listened to the beacons but havent done anything yet to try to go through the translators.
morse code on C Band
Good question with a good answer - btw - KC9AOY - Ohio here - General - I have worked MIR and ISS using 5 Watt HT and a Vertical J-Pole - doesn't take much at all to get to something that is line-of-sight and only a couple hundred miles away. hi hi
OK, CW (morse code) on C-Band. Just as we have repeater IDs on amateur radio, some transponders are using that method of IDing on a different frequency than the two common (left/right) ones. You might have had your audio shifted. Or you might have been on a TP that wasn't airing any video and was just sending test signals like a test card. Either way, I'm sure it was an ID that you were hearing. I have heard it many times over the years while tuning to locate radio audio.
Steve
Good question with a good answer - btw - KC9AOY - Ohio here - General - I have worked MIR and ISS using 5 Watt HT and a Vertical J-Pole - doesn't take much at all to get to something that is line-of-sight and only a couple hundred miles away. hi hi
OK, CW (morse code) on C-Band. Just as we have repeater IDs on amateur radio, some transponders are using that method of IDing on a different frequency than the two common (left/right) ones. You might have had your audio shifted. Or you might have been on a TP that wasn't airing any video and was just sending test signals like a test card. Either way, I'm sure it was an ID that you were hearing. I have heard it many times over the years while tuning to locate radio audio.
Steve
JerryK said:
Hello all! Very excited to see this new forum on satelliteguys.us! My call is VO1ONE and I've been a ham for 14 years. I hold a Basic plus code licence here, but I also have a class A licence in the UK (by reciprocal issue) and an Amateur Extra licence (by exam) in the US. I have worked the MIR space station on packet, heard them on voice, worked the ISS on packet and heard crew doing a school contact. I've also worked PCSAT-1, PCSAT-2, AO-51, AO-27 and SO-50.
For those who asked questions about when ISS is on voice, it's hard to predict, although school contacts are known in advance, so you can listen to the crew via voice at those times. Other times, it's pretty well chance, but you can keep track of when they have been on voice and try to predict when they would be most likely to come on again. There is a website with an activity logger for the ISS on it at http://www.issfanclub.com
If you can't get them on voice, you can use the ISS as a packet digipeater, or use the PBBS. ISS is very easy to work! When I worked MIR for the first time, I used a 5 watt HT and a quarter wave ground plane. A quarter wave ground plane works good for ISS and PCSAT-1, because these "satellites" are strong enough to hear with an omni, and a quarter wave doesn't focus all of its energy towards the horizon like a 5/8 wave. PCSAT-1 is still functional right now, by the way. It will be in full sun for a few more days so get your contacts in while you can!
If you want to use PCSAT-1, PCSAT-2 or ISS on packet as a digipeater, set your TNC to UNPROTO CQ VIA ARISS. This alias will work for all three. Make your your MONITOR and MCON are on so you can see the other traffic on the "satellites". DON'T attempt to connect to another station. It's a waste of packets and clogs the airwaves for everyone. Use CONV while unconnected and QSO via unproto packets (packets sent while not connected). Many people also use APRS via these satellites as well.
You don't have to have a TNC to work packet anymore, just some software and a computer with a soundcard! Look up on google AGWPE for sound card packet operation, and UI-View if you're interested in APRS.
As I mentioned before, I'm active on AO-27, AO-51 and SO-50. All of these can be worked with a FM dual band HT. I worked as far east as Estonia with 2.5 watts voice from a handheld, and as far west as California (long way from Newfoundland!). I think I'll start a new thread and talk about the FM sats on it.
73,
Mark VO1ONE
For those who asked questions about when ISS is on voice, it's hard to predict, although school contacts are known in advance, so you can listen to the crew via voice at those times. Other times, it's pretty well chance, but you can keep track of when they have been on voice and try to predict when they would be most likely to come on again. There is a website with an activity logger for the ISS on it at http://www.issfanclub.com
If you can't get them on voice, you can use the ISS as a packet digipeater, or use the PBBS. ISS is very easy to work! When I worked MIR for the first time, I used a 5 watt HT and a quarter wave ground plane. A quarter wave ground plane works good for ISS and PCSAT-1, because these "satellites" are strong enough to hear with an omni, and a quarter wave doesn't focus all of its energy towards the horizon like a 5/8 wave. PCSAT-1 is still functional right now, by the way. It will be in full sun for a few more days so get your contacts in while you can!
If you want to use PCSAT-1, PCSAT-2 or ISS on packet as a digipeater, set your TNC to UNPROTO CQ VIA ARISS. This alias will work for all three. Make your your MONITOR and MCON are on so you can see the other traffic on the "satellites". DON'T attempt to connect to another station. It's a waste of packets and clogs the airwaves for everyone. Use CONV while unconnected and QSO via unproto packets (packets sent while not connected). Many people also use APRS via these satellites as well.
You don't have to have a TNC to work packet anymore, just some software and a computer with a soundcard! Look up on google AGWPE for sound card packet operation, and UI-View if you're interested in APRS.
As I mentioned before, I'm active on AO-27, AO-51 and SO-50. All of these can be worked with a FM dual band HT. I worked as far east as Estonia with 2.5 watts voice from a handheld, and as far west as California (long way from Newfoundland!). I think I'll start a new thread and talk about the FM sats on it.
73,
Mark VO1ONE
KQ4BX here.. Never worked any satellite, but did most everything else until I sold most of it. I kept the tower for HD TV, and I have a couple of duel band moble radios. I was one of the first n0-code techs, took the test on the first day it was offered. I upgraded to Extra so I eventually worked CW and tested up until General , 13 WPM.
N1IHL here! I never did any AMSAT stuff, but I do remember receiving the MIR packet beacon back around 1990. I'm not very active in ham radio these days - I prefer to receive rather than transmit - but one of these days I'll sent my VX-7R handheld back to Yaesu for repair and get back on the air.
VO1ONE said:
No, I love my VX-7R! It was entirely my fault. I shoved it into a tight space in the center console of my SUV and couldn't get it out. I'm sittin' there yankin' on it and wigglin' it back 'n' forth (yes, we're still talking about my radio here, folks) and it finally pops free! Then I realize the "5" key has pulled out and dropped down into the depths of the center console. I even partially disassembled it to try to find it, but to no avail. So I have a perfectly functional radio with no "5" key. From what I can tell, the keys are just long pieces of rubber, basically, that press up on a membrane keypad inside the radio (which makes sense, given that the radio is waterproof). But, of course, there's no way to get a replacement key without sending it back to Yaesu.
Oh, I did have one other minor complaint. They claim the radio has receive capability in the 902-928 MHz band, but it only covers a part of that band. I think that's because it's a dual-conversion receiver, not triple, so they blocked the part of the band where images from the cellular band would otherwise show up. And, you know, despite the fact that 99.99% of cellular calls are digital now, that would be illegal, so the radio has to be crippled due to stupid legislation...
Still, for pure ham-band use, it's a great radio.Good Forum
Good Forum. I enjoy most all the forums. I'm just getting into satellites. Mostly HF. Lots of interesting ideas and very helpful and friendly people here. The antenna experiments are nice ideas. Cascade you should be a ham. I like his flair for the unknown. It is the fun part of the hobby. The glorious failures and the surprising achievements. Just finished MLIS program so should be around more. Nice to meet up.
Jim WM8M
ex WD8LYE
Good Forum. I enjoy most all the forums. I'm just getting into satellites. Mostly HF. Lots of interesting ideas and very helpful and friendly people here. The antenna experiments are nice ideas. Cascade you should be a ham. I like his flair for the unknown. It is the fun part of the hobby. The glorious failures and the surprising achievements. Just finished MLIS program so should be around more. Nice to meet up.
Jim WM8M
ex WD8LYE
WA3BJA inactive, not renewed (Advanced Class).
Also hold an FCC General RT, a.k.a. First Class license, active.
Ham Radio was something I did as a kid up until I was about 30 and then went on to other things. My favorite thing was building as well as designing my equipment. It was all "home brew" Including the receiver. I was active in Slow Scan TV and AM as well as a bit of Moon Bounce.
I got my younger cousin into it when he was in Highschool and he is still quite active> He also runs a small Ham Radio antenna manufacturing business part time.
I find that most broadcast engineers have a ham background although most are no longer active.
Also hold an FCC General RT, a.k.a. First Class license, active.
Ham Radio was something I did as a kid up until I was about 30 and then went on to other things. My favorite thing was building as well as designing my equipment. It was all "home brew" Including the receiver. I was active in Slow Scan TV and AM as well as a bit of Moon Bounce.
I got my younger cousin into it when he was in Highschool and he is still quite active> He also runs a small Ham Radio antenna manufacturing business part time.
I find that most broadcast engineers have a ham background although most are no longer active.
Ham Radio Guys
WA8KXP here. Still a HAM but have not been active for about 15 years.
Sat stuff sounds interesting.
WA8KXP here. Still a HAM but have not been active for about 15 years.
Sat stuff sounds interesting.
I am a new HAM and have what we call a foundation license (we have 3 levels, foundation, intermediate and full) with them having power restrictions and limitations on what bands we can use.
my callsign is M3KUB - all foundations begin with M3
Going for my intermediate next month
my callsign is M3KUB - all foundations begin with M3
Going for my intermediate next month
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