[amsat-bb] Re: AO-7 Distance record

[Bruce Robertson]

Quoting EB3JT - Jordi <eb3jt at radioaficionats.cat>:

> 
> AO-07
> 
> My longest distance:
> 
> Date:21/11/2006
> Calls: EB3JT<->AJ9K
> SMode: AO-7/ Mode-B
> locators:  JN01UI<->EN53EB
> Distance ~7114 km.
> 
> 73 de Jordi
> EB3JT
> 

I'm very much enjoying this thread and wonder if we could expand the
discussion to include the simplicity or complexity of the antennas used. 

What's your best LEO DX distance using 
a) fixed elevation and an azimuth rotator
b) omnidirectional antennas?

I request this because I've noticed that a number of beginners to the
satellite aspect of our hobby arrive with the conclusion that a full az/el
setup is required. No wonder: the ARRL Handbook stipulates this. I was
fortunate enough to follow the wisdom of this list, which recommends a
fixed elevation, low-gain beam setup, and have had a good deal of DX fun on
AO-7 and, especially, FO-29 using that, much simpler, system. 

I'm attempting to upgrade to longer beams and az/el rotation (principally
in preparation for HEO operations), but I'm finding that the increased
winter wind-loads and strain on the mast make engineering this affair much
more difficult (and costly). Put it another way, my trusty old wooden mast
broke when I tried hoisting the new setup, and my new 9 ft. long 2m beam
keeps being rotated in elevation by the darn wind. (Living just at the end
of the Bay of Fundy, the winds can be pretty serious and sustained.) I'm
enjoying the challenge of it all, mind you, but only because I know I can
down-grade to the fixed-elevation setup when I wish. I also discovered that
my wife's training in the Canadian Naval Reserves comes in very handy when
a mast needs to be temporarily lashed up.

With the ground frozen solid until, probably, April, I won't be putting up
a new mast any time soon, so my mind turns to experimentation with
omnidirectional antennas, especially the Lindenblads described by Tony,
AA2TX, in the 2006 Symposium collection. These I could get up on the end of
just about any long piece of wood, and they wouldn't bounce around in the
wind. Fantastic for Field Day, too, I'd think.

So overall, I think it would promote the KISS principle if we highlighted
our exploits with modest equipment, at least on one end of the link.

73, Bruce 
VE9QRP