[amsat-bb] AO-51 V/S activity

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

Hi!

Since it is summertime here, coupled with working extra time 
during most of the last week, I didn't get out to work a lot
of AO-51 passes while the S-band downlink was on.  I was able
to work two AO-51 V/S passes - a western pass Thursday evening,
and an eastern pass Saturday afternoon.  Using the same basic 
setup as I have done for V/S over the past 3 years, changing 
only the transmit antenna (Elk log periodic, instead of my 
Arrow Antennas Yagi) and receive radio (mobile radio, instead 
of an HT), it was as I remember it.  Unfortunately, there 
weren't a lot of stations on those passes.

Thursday evening (early Friday, UTC time) had just 4 stations 
on - XE2BHL, W7LRD, KC9ELU, and N0JY.  I was operating from the
Phoenix city park where I do most of my satellite operating 
when I am not on the road, at the DM33xp/DM43ap grid boundary.
I was in Tucson for most of Saturday, and stopped in Marana -
a northwest suburb of Tucson, just off the I-10 freeway in grid
DM42jl - for that pass on my way home from there.  I worked 4 
stations from down there (K8YSE, WA5KBH, XE2BHL, and KC9ELU), 
and heard one other I was not able to make a QSO with (N5ZNL).
Thanks to all of you for showing up and putting some activity 
on those passes!

There hasn't been a lot of chatter on the -BB about this week of
V/S activity.  Did other operators hear more activity on other
passes?  How did it go for those in other parts of the world?
I hope there were times with more activity than having only 5 or
6 stations on these passes during a week's time.  I had my S-band
gear in my truck for the entire week, so I could get on whenever
I had free time to work AO-51 passes. 

73!




Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
http://www.wd9ewk.net/

P.S.: If anyone who worked me yesterday from DM42 wants my QSL
card for our QSO, please e-mail me with QSO details.  If you're
in the log, I'll send out a card.