[amsat-bb] Re: AO-51 back in mode J-FM (and VERY busy)

[DOBarrows@aol.com]

W8EH observes:
Part of the trouble that I observed with AO-51 is some stronger stations 
(without PL) or illegal cordless phones, are blanking out the uplink. I had 
trouble after the switch to V/U. I usually run 2 watts to a CP KLM beam. 
Even with the rig boosted up to 45 watts, I couldn't overcome 
whatever/whoever was blanking out the sat most of the time. Out of two 
passes this morning, I made only one contact. Lots of stations on, but only 
the strongest seemed to make it over whatever was blocking us. Strange that 
I didn't have that trouble at all when it was in V/S mode earlier.

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I noticed the same thing - it was like AO51 had the
squelch set too high.  I would hear stations call me and when
I keyed the mic to answer I couldn't hear myself in the downlink.
It seems to happen more when AO51 is at a high elevation, maybe
because the offending non-pl tone station is in my part of the 
country or maybe it is just that my transmit antenna (KB6KQ loop)
works best at lower angles.  Don't notice it on SO50.

-- Dave W8IJ