[amsat-bb] Re: Newbie Here AO-51 Questions.

[Bill Dzurilla]

Hi Kent,

Welcome to the sats.  I just started myself a few
weeks ago.  AO-51 is quite popular and there are
usually many stations calling when it is on mode V/U
(Friday through Monday UTC).  So if you are not
hearing anything, even on a high pass, there must be
some problem with your receiver/antenna, or you are
not tuned to the correct frequency, or your tracking
program is off and you are not listening at the
correct time, etc.  There's a nice AO-51 operating
guide at:
http://www.g6lvb.com/Articles/operatingAO51.htm

The other sats you can work with FM-only gear are
AO-27 (daytime only) SO-50 (a bit weaker than 51 and
27), and the International Space Station (although
transponder is often turned off).

73, Bill NZ5N

>>>Hello all, my name is Kent Frazier, K5KNT. I am
just getting interested in
working amateur satellites. I just joined AMSAT on
Tuesday, 26 February
2008. My current hardware is an Icom IC2720 dual band
in my personal vehicle
with a Comet C767 dual band antenna. I also have an
Icom IC-T22A 2-meter
hand held with a Diamond RH77CA antenna.

I've been trying to listen to passes of AO-51 over the
last week.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to hear anything
since Monday, 25
February at approx 01:04 UTC (Saturday 24 FEB 19:04
CST). At that time, I
thought I heard the call W9CPV.

I'm currently using Satscape as my tracking software.
My Gridsquare location
is DM91sk.

Are there other satellites I could monitor with the
above equipment? Any
suggestions for making my first contact?

73,

Kent R. Frazier, K5KNT




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