[amsat-bb] Apollo 11 transmission on AO-51 tonight

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

Hi!

I was able to hear the transmission on two passes tonight 
(0000 and 0139 UTC).  The first pass was a tough one to hear,
as I was driving on US-6 between I-70 and Provo near the 
DM49/DN40 grid boundary, with lots of rocks and mountains 
all around me.  I could hear the middle 3 or 4 minutes of 
that pass with little difficulty using my IC-T7H HT and the 
Larsen 2m/70cm mobile whip on the roof of my truck.  For the 
later pass at 0139 UTC, I was using my normal FM satellite 
station (IC-2720H with Elk Antennas 2m/70cm log periodic)
outside the motel I'm in tonight located in DM49bq.  

I recorded the 0139 UTC pass, since I did not get my laptop 
set up to receive the SSTV signals in real time.  I have not
fed the SSTV audio into my laptop yet, but will do that in 
the next day or so to see the picture.  The four audio 
recordings were all very appropriate for the transmission,
and I'm sure the photo will be as well - when I get to see 
it from my recording. 

It has been nice to see the satellite activity commemorating
this event over the past few days - VE3MOON, K5E, and the 
AO-51 transmission this evening.  I've had the chance to work
both of those special-event stations while on the road, and 
will appreciate receiving those QSLs.    

Glad to see radio- and satellite-related chatter return to the
-BB.  Good night, and 73!




Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK - Nephi, Utah
http://www.wd9ewk.net/