June 2010 AO-51 Schedule

June 1 - June 21 10:40Z
FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.920 Mhz FM, PL 67Hz
Downlink: 435.300 Mhz FM

June 21 10:40Z - June 24 09:35Z
FM Repeater, V/S
Uplink: 145.880 Mhz FM
Downlinks: 2401.200 Mhz FM

June 24 09:35Z - June 27 06:40Z
FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.920 Mhz FM, PL 67Hz
Downlink: 435.300 Mhz FM

June 27 06:40 - June 27 22:00Z
FM Repeater, V/S
Uplink: 145.880 Mhz FM
Downlinks: 2401.200 Mhz FM

June 27 22:00Z - July 5
FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.920 Mhz FM, PL 67Hz
Downlink: 435.300 Mhz FM

73, Drew KO4MA
AMSAT-NA VP Operations

Courtesy: http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/CTNews.php

SATELLITE USERS - STATION SETUP - VU2GUR

Popularly called the “SAT-Guru” – OM Guru has been active on the Satellites for a decade now – starting under the tutelage of OM Bindu – VU2IR (SK) during 2000.

He has at present worked through 8 Satellites with more than 2000 QSO’s and has recorded and reported reception of the Digitalker aboard FO-29. The Impressive list of satellites and the number of stations contacted are :

UO-14 – 35 VU + 5 DX = 1137 QSOs

SO-35 – 13  VU + 7 DX = 90+ QSOs

SO-50 – 4 VU + 1 DX = 15 QSOs

AO-51 – 25 VU + 20 DX = 235 QSOs

VO–52 – 44 VU + 8 DX = 525 QSOs

SO-67 – 3 VU + 2 DX = 7 QSOs

HO-68 – 7 VU + 4 DX = 11 QSOs.

ISS – ARISS – SPACE STATION – 20 VU + 2 DX + 1 DIRECT TO V/V REPEATER = 54 QSOs.

He has contacted the following DX countries:

Thailand, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and ND9M both from the International Waters and from Diego Garcia.  

He uses a FT-2600 M VHF Base and a FT – 530 UHF handy for both terrestrial and satellite use.

He has a set of four Antennae – 2 for VHF and 2 for UHF

                    

1  VHF - Slim Jim for Vertical polarisation                   1 VHF - Dipole for Horizontal polarization                       

2 UHF - Slim- jim and Dipole on the same mast - seperate cables.

He has been instrumental in coaxing a lot of us into taking to the BIRD HUNTING – working the OSCARs.

Thanks Guru – “SAT-GURU” for showing us that we too can work the OSCARs with simple setup – a lot of dedication – and a Zeal to learn.

AO-51 Schedule for the Month of May

May 17 - May 30

FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM
Downlink: 435.300 MHz FM
67 Hz PL Tone Required

73, Drew KO4MA

AMSAT-NA VP Operations

Source :http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/CTNews.php

SATELLITE USERS - STATION SETUP -1 - VU2TQC

I recently had an idea of running a series of posts giving details of the station setups of the HAMS frequently or regularly working through the OSCARs.

The main intention is to spread the awareness of the basic requirements required to work the OSCARs.  It is also to dissolve any misconcept Hams may have as regards the expertise required to establish contacts through the OSCARs.

I therefore requested a few of the HAMs to send in their station details so that we can create a comparative catalogue of different working setups and their success stories.

First is this series is from OM Jayant - VU2TQC.

Rigs used are:-


a) Yeasu FT 60R ( Dual Band VHF/UHF Handy; max. power output 5w).
b) ICOM 2200 (VHF Rig, max power output 65 watt)

The antennas which he uses are:-

VHF:- 5/8 (from VU2GT), di-pole (home brewed using stainless steel radio whip)
UHF :- Slim Jim (home brewed using 5 mm brass rod), dipole (home brewed using 6mm aluminum rods)

The dipole on top - the slim jim suspended from the cross boom

He has been having QSOs through satellites using di-poles in case of overhead or near overhead (65 degrees and above). For other lower angle passes, he uses the slimjim for UHF and 5/8 for VHF.  He has worked on VO-52, AO-51, SO-50 quite regularly and has had successful QSOs with DX stations - EX8MLT KYRGYSTAN and UK8GDW UZBEKISTAN.  One big advantage being in the cetral part of the Indian sub-continent.

And this is the operator operating from his rooftop - with a beam.

You will be able to follow his Satellite activity on on his blog (Click Here to go to his Blog)

Thanks Jayant for sharing your details.  I am sure this will be of motivation to others who want to come on the OSCARs

My First DX QSL card for QSO through Satellite

I received my first DX QSL Card from OM Polkit - E29AJP

Eager to work many more and share the info on this blog

Look out for some DX on AO-51

OM Guru - VU2GUR has received an email from OM Jim- ND9M that he will be QRV from Diego Garcia, in the Indian Ocean (Co-Ordinates - 7°18′48″S / 72°24′40″E) for the next couple of days with the call - VQ9JC

From the 29th April, 2010, he will be signing ND9M/MM from the international waters.

During this period he will be active on AO-51 - ECHO Satellite - especially when the satellite is coming up from the south.

This should be interesting - All the best guys - because on weekdays, AO-51 pass is usually before 1800 IST (1230 UTC)

AO-51 Schedule for the Month of April

April 2010 AO-51 Schedule

April 5 - April 11

PL testing April 10-11. Please use 67 Hz. See Amsat-BB for details.

FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM
Downlink: 435.300 MHz FM

April 12 - April 18

FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM
Downlink: 435.300 MHz FM

FM Repeater, V/U to support the Boy Scout 100th    anniversary
Uplink: 145.880 MHz FM
Downlink: 435.150 MHz FM

April 19 - April 25

FM Repeater, V/S
Uplink: 145.880 MHz FM
Downlink: 2401.200 MHz FM

April 26 - May 2

FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM
Downlink: 435.300 MHz FM

FM Repeater, L/U (Subject to frequent interruption for telemetry collection)
Uplink: 1268.700 MHz FM
Downlink: 435.150 MHz FM
73, Drew KO4MA
AMSAT-NA VP Operations 


Source: http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/CTNews.php

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.