NOAA-15 image

The following the text of the email received from VU3VOC

Please find attached an image which i processed using wxtoimg software
 during NOAA-15 pass today  at 16:37 IST.
The signals faded when the elevation was around 5.5 deg. Frequency was
137.5 Mhz.
India looked very beautiful. One can even see the Adams Bridge near Rameswaram.
best 73's
Rajesh
vu3voc

Thanks Rajesh for the excellent Wx map of India.  Another dimension of the BIRD HUNT. HI!!!!!!!!!

Blog Header

Thanks Sai - VU2SGW for designing the header for this blog.  Feed back Please

Satellite Communications DX contact 21/03/2010

Details of contact made by VU2TQC through LEO ( Low Earth Orbiting ) Satellites on 21/03/2010.

1. VO-52

Date	Sat Name	Time(local)	Call Sign	QTH	Rx	Tx
21-03-2010	VO-52	09:31	VU3TYG	Bangalore	5/9	5/8

Antenna Details for above communications

	Antenna	Rig
UHF	Double 5-8	Yeasu FT 60R
VHF	5-8	ICOM 2200

2. AO-51

Date	Sat Name	Time(local)	Call Sign	QTH	Rx	Tx
21-03-2010	A0-51	17:28	EX8MLT	KYRGYSTAN	5/9	5/9
21-03-2010	A0-51	17:28	VU2SWG	BANGALORE	5/9	5/9

Antenna Details for above communications

	Antenna	Rig
UHF	Double 5-8	Yeasu FT 60R
VHF	5-8	ICOM 2200

Satellite QSO Log VU2TQC 18/03/2010

Morning of 18th March 2010 started with working the Sat AO-51, the pass was at 6:46 hrs local time mumbai.

The maximum elevation was 28 degrees

Could receive the echo from 12deg while approaching and upto 9 deg while receding from 435.305 Mhz to 435.290 Mhz. Also copied VU2GUR for two three calls. But could not establish the QSO with him.

Had a Dx QSO from Uzbekistan at 18: 55 hrs Mumbai Local time on AO-51. The details are as given below

Date	Sat Name	Time(local)	Call Sign	QTH	Rx	Tx
18-03-2010	AO-51	17:55	UK8GDW	UZBEKISTAN	5/9	5/9

The setup used for QSO

	Antenna	Rig
UHF	Di-pole& 5/8	Yeasu FT 60R
VHF	5-8	ICOM 2200

Satellite Activity - 10th March, 10

Another eventful evening pass for the HAMSAT today @ 2148IST.

Was able to access the Bird as it was coming up at around 15 deg elevation.

Then it was only my signal until the satellite came up to about 40 deg elevation when VU2GUR came thorugh strong with a 59 Sig. Then on the doppler shift, I was able to hear VU2TQC OM Jayant from Mumbai with a 59 signal but am not sure if he heard my report - I could hear him call me and Guru - but not report.

Then for a short burst, I heard VU2ZUB - OM Subu from Bangalore.

In the "AFTER Satellite QSO" on the local repeater, it was reported that OM Daya - VU2DPE was able to copy VU2GUR, me and another stan with the call letters JE in the call sign giving me a call - unfortunately, I did not hear that station. Om Subu was able to hear Guru, but unable to hear me. And Guru was unable to hear VU2TQC and VU2ZUB. The vaguories of Satellite communication. !!!!!!!!

Unfortunately missed the SO-50 Pass at 2035 today - Guru was able to hear his voice on the downlink freq. but no QSOs

By the way, VU3VOC - OM Rajesh Nambiar from Ottapalam, Kerala is listening to the satellites using the "IOio" antenna (above)

More reports to come from him in the near future.

VU2TQC - contacts DX on AO-51

Yesterday evening, on the AO-51 18:24 IST pass, OM Jayant - VU2TQC reports that he had a QSO with UO0UDN with a 59 copy.

Although, he says he may be confused with the call-sign as he did not find details on QRZ.com as indicated the the other station.

Anyone having any ideas if there is any error in the call letters copied by Jayant?  He is eagerly awaiting confirmation.

Any way good show Jayant - Keep it up.

AO-51 survives scare - Near Miss

Southgate ARC newsletter for 08-Mar-10 narrates a near Miss for one of the popular OSCAR's AO-51.

Details can be had at

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/march2010/ao51_survives.htm

Now all is fine and AO-51 is in good health.

Satellite Activity - AO-51 - 07 Mar 10

Successful Pass for the AO-51@ 1645 IST (1115 UTC).  It was a fairly low angle pass @ 24deg Elevation on the Eastern Hemisphere going from South to North.


At around 1648 IST (1118 UTC), I started hearing E21EJC (OM Kob) along with other Thai stations talking in their local dialect.  Then could hear Guru - VU2GUR calling Kob. Kob came back with a report.  I immediatley called Kob who gave me a 59 report.  Then another Thai station, HS1IWX (OM Amnat ?) was contacted with a 59 both ways QSO - a new station. As the satellite went Nortwards and the signals faded for us - I could feebly hear HS1EAX.

VU2GZ OM Hari also reported having heard Guru and me during the usual "after-pass" QSO on the local repeater.

The set up for this QSO was
Equipment:
TX : Kenwood -TH 255A - 5 W O/P - VHF
RX: Wouxun - KG-UVD1P - UHF

Antenna:
VHF - Moxon Rectangle

 UHF - Centre Fed - Collinear

Now the Moxon has been tested for both Tx and RX - Fully Certified for efficiency even for low angle passes !!!!!!!!!

The other antenna that I use is the bozooka - currently horizontally polarized.  It is mounted on the same boom as the Moxon antenna and fed by a seperate Cable.