[amsat-bb] Re: AO-51 QRP channel

[DOBarrows@aol.com]

You had better luck than I did, Pat.  Tried again 19 Oct 0140 pass and heard 
K3BSB but don't think he was hearing the downlink.  I put out my call for most 
of the pass and finally worked VE3IGJ toward the end.

For those of you on the list new to handheld operation, I would recommend 
putting a 70cm preamp in the receive side if you can.  I used an Icom IC-R10 last 
week for receive and put in a SSB electronics SP-7000 preamp powered by two 
lantern batteries and it made a tremendous difference.  I could hear AO51 and 
SO50 on high passes for a solid 7 or 8 minutes with the arrow antenna indoors 
in an upstairs room.  This preamp is physically bigger than the R10 and the 
VX5R (uplink radio) put together.

Tonight I toted up a FT-726R to receive on (doesn't do pl tones) and the VX5R 
to transmit with.  Again heard a good 7 minutes or more solid with indoor 
setup.

73,
Dave W8IJ


In a message dated 10/18/2006 12:21:04 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
pagreen at gmail.com writes:
heard 3 stations besides myself on the pass 2 hours ago and managed to use up 
the whole pass 'chatting' because of the lack of stations.  I didn't hear 
many transmitters without ears on the pass either.  I'll be more of the passes 
this week due to the lack of activity to "tune up" more JOTA stations.  Hope to 
hear you on. 

73 de Pat --- KA9SCF.
Amsat 35741