[amsat-bb] Re: First XW-1 transponder pass over the US

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

Hi!

> That was some really exciting stuff!

Yes, it was exciting to hear all the activity as XW-1 came up from
the horizon.  Fun to work a new satellite on the first possible pass
for this part of the world.  :-)

After hearing many more stations than normal on AO-7's pass at
0100 UTC, I knew there would be a crowd for XW-1.  Many were
getting their non-FM setup lined up for the new satellite.

> Signals were good until the end of the pass when I think I was
> having some polarity fades on my fixed LHCP antenna. 1 to 5 watts was
> PLENTY on the uplink, even when crowded. I use a 10 element horizontal
> only yagi for the uplink.

Out here in DM43iu in the mountains almost 60 miles/100km
northeast of Phoenix AZ, the pass was only up to a maximum
elevation of 13 degrees.  Despite the shallow pass and the
mountains all around here, it was very easy to copy the
downlink.  Almost as easy to hear as VO-52.  This satellite
will be a good one when it is available on a regular basis.

I used the same setup tonight as I do for the other non-FM birds
(two FT-817NDs without computer control, maximum 5W output,
Elk Antennas handheld 2m/70cm log periodic), and made 3
quick QSOs.  Thanks to KD8CAO, K8YSE, and K7WIN for the
contacts.  I heard many others, too many to remember without
replaying the recording I made.

After tonight, I can't wait to work XW-1's FM transponder tomorrow
night.  I will be back in Phoenix for that scheduled pass, which has
about 8 degrees maximum elevation, but enough to work and
hopefully make some QSOs.  Drew - I'll be interested in getting a
copy of that large file you have from tonight's pass, when I'm back
home and have access to broadband Internet again.

A big THANK YOU to Alan BA1DU, Michael BD5RV, and the
rest of the Chinese team that made and launched XW-1.  It is
nice to have another satellite that - soon, hopefully - we can
regularly use.

73!




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