[amsat-bb] Re: mode v/s

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

Hi!

> Anybody willing to admit to Tx'ing digital or anything
> else last evening on east-coast U.S. passes to confirm
> that my 2.4-GHz equipment is really working?

I didn't hear any digital stuff on a pass around 0253-0308 UTC
(Wednesday evening, local time) that was to the east of me
(DM43ao) with maximum elevation of 69 degrees.  I went back
to my recording to make sure, and there were voices and no
digital noise.  I also heard the pass at 0434 UTC to my west,
but had antenna issues with my downconverter and barely
heard W7JPI near the midpoint of that low (13 degrees
maximum elevation) pass.

As previously mentioned, AO-51 V/S was still on this morning for
a 26-degree pass around 1505 UTC.  I worked VE2DWE (FN36),
W7JPI (DM41), WB6QVU (CM98), and N5AFV (EL29) from a park
near my house in DM33xp and DM43ap.  I also heard N5ZNL, but
he never responded to anyone that called him.  No digital noise on
that pass, either.  The lower passes are easier for me to keep up
with the 2.4 GHz Doppler and antenna pointing.

I'm using an AIDC3731 downconverter modified by K5GNA, and
most of the time with the TranSystem 2.4 GHz dipole along with a
corner reflector on the end of the unit.  On 2 passes yesterday, I
tried a Linksys HGA7T 2.4 GHz "7dBi gain" duckie in place of the
dipole, with so-so results.  Time to try other WiFi antennas on future
AO-51 V/S sessions.

73!



Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK - Phoenix, Arizona USA
http://www.wd9ewk.net/