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

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On Oct 18, 2020, at 8:29 PM, Jeff Townsend <wb8lyj@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

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On Oct 18, 2020, at 8:19 PM, Jim Worsham <wa4kxy@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

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On Oct 18, 2020, at 7:33 PM, Bill Pence <pence.bill@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@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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