[Fourlanders] Satellite Antennas

Tue Oct 20 11:20:03 EDT 2020

Forgot to mention a new monitoring activity for me as of late has been listening to activity on the new cross band repeater in the ISS and tracking it with the SATPC32 SW controlling my IC-9700 for Doppler.

The repeater operates on 437.800 down and 145.99 uplink (67hz tone)

Right now I'm simply using a discone antenna for this.

Ron

WW8RR

From: Ron Rogers [mailto:ww8rr at charter.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2020 10:50 AM
To: 'Jim Worsham'; 'Jeff Townsend'
Cc: 'FourLanders Contest Team'
Subject: RE: [Fourlanders] Satellite Antennas

Jim,

Just to let you know of my Sat equipment, I started out many years ago in Ohio using Icom IC-275H (2M) and IC-475H (UHF) radios controlled by the AMSAT SATPC32 tracking software. That was back in the Serial port to CIV interfacing days.  Doppler tracking worked really great with those 2 radios. Then around 2008 I invested in an Icom IC-910H for bird watching and UHF contesting. 

The antennas I had (still have and used in a couple of SARA FD events before another club member took charge of the Sat station) are older KLM 2M-22C and 435-18C circular polarized yagis. Work very sweetly !

I used the Kenpro 5400 AZ-EL rotor and LVB serial interface. Again, the AMSAT SATPC32 program works great controlling the rotor and tracking the birds. 

During SARA FD events I told the program stow the antennas in between satellite passes. Based on what birds I had chosen for SATPC32 to talk through during FD, as one of those birds came over the horizon the antennas would swing into position. That was the signal to all the guys standing around BSing that someone needed to man the Sat station and get ready. 

I've been a member of AMSAT for 40+ years now and constantly updated the SW as needed. It was ground breaking when first introduced. But, whole lot more functionality in it now as compared to its first introduction. 

Ron

WW8RR

From: Fourlanders [mailto:fourlanders-bounces+ww8rr=charter.net at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jim Worsham
Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2020 10:45 PM
To: Jeff Townsend
Cc: FourLanders Contest Team
Subject: Re: [Fourlanders] Satellite Antennas

Yes, read the article that Johnny had in his email. That seems so obvious now I am kicking myself for not thinking of it. The yagis have beam widths around 40 degrees. If you up-tilt them 15 degrees then you get coverage from the horizon to 40 or more degrees above the horizon where 90% of passes occur. This is exactly the information I was looking for guys. I know what I am doing now. Thanks!

73

Jim, W4KXY

Sent from my iPad

On Oct 18, 2020, at 8:29 PM, Jeff Townsend <wb8lyj at gmail.com> wrote:

Jim

I think you can set the antennas at 15 degrees of elevation and forgo the elevation rotator for now. 

I’m sure it is better to have full elevation but if elevation control is keeping you from getting on this may be a reasonable compromise. 

Comments on this Bill? You’re the expert. 😃

Jeff

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 18, 2020, at 8:19 PM, Jim Worsham <wa4kxy at bellsouth.net> wrote:

Yeah, anyone who knows anything about radio comm would quickly realize that FM for space comm is a bad idea. Like you said though Bill everyone thinks that is easier since everyone has an HT and can buy or make a simple handheld yagi. I will take a pass on that. I would rather play with the in crowd so to speak. Thanks for the info Bill. Yeah, the M2 sat pack with the two cross pol yagis looks good. Also looking at the egg beaters but they cost almost as much as the yagis. Then again they wouldn’t require a rotator.

73

Jim, W4KXY

Sent from my iPad

On Oct 18, 2020, at 7:33 PM, Bill Pence <pence.bill at gmail.com> wrote:

The fm sats are a mess with qrm etc, but the linear are not crowded.   If course,most folk are on fm since that is "easier"

Rs44 allows some nice dx footprints and ao7 still works nice. Certain times ao7 even does both modes also...

On Sun, Oct 18, 2020, 7:23 PM Jim Worsham <wa4kxy at bellsouth.net> wrote:

Hello everyone. I have been thinking about my Icom 9700 and some of its capabilities. One thing that is does is amateur satellites. I have never tried that before and now that the summer contest season is behind us I would like to put some antennas up for amateur satellite work. Any one on here have any suggestions? I have looked at the M2 egg beaters but for not much more I can get cross pole 2 and 432 Yagis. Expensive for what you get in other words. Of course yagis would then require me to find an elevation rotator. Anyway, just looking for some advice from those on here as I think this through. Thanks.

73
Jim, W4KXY

Sent from my iPad
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