[amsat-bb] Icom IC-910H

[B J]

On 8/15/16, David Bondy G4NRT <david at g4nrt.com> wrote:
> I am sure that over the years many people have used the Icom IC-910H for
> satellite communications.
>
> I am new to the world of satellites and have recently acquired a used
> IC-910H (no 23cm module) and I wondered whether anyone has made up a ‘cheat
> sheet’ which would help me get it all set-up for operating.
>
> If I could find a sheet for FM, one for SSB and perhaps one even for data
> then it would save me trying to re-invent the wheel!  If anyone knows of any
> other good resources that i could consult then that would be great!

<snip>

I'm not aware of such a guide, but there are a few things you need to
keep in mind when setting up a station using a '910.

If you're using computer control, you might not be able use the
radio's satellite mode.  I use Gpredict running on Linux to operate my
rig and it requires that both the uplink and downlink VFOs be
independent.  (Hamlib runs in the background and actually controls the
radio.  Gpredict is the user interface.)

Setting up the radio is quite easy.  Each side can be set to the
applicable mode by pressing a few buttons as shown in the manual.
You'll find them right above the main VFO knob.  Once I set up my
software and engage the control function, the frequencies are set by
the computer.

Since I live in an apartment, I have to set up my station outside.  I
use an Arrow yagi, so I have only one hand free by which to operate my
mike and adjust my computer.  For that, I use a boom mike headset and
a hand-held PTT switch.  The switch is built such that I have a finger
free while I'm transmitting so that I can adjust the frequencies
through my computer to find my downlink or move elsewhere in the band.

When I go on the air, I like to find a part of the band where there's
no traffic so that when I'm looking for my downlink, I don't interrupt
any on-going QSOs.  I start by first setting my software to the
nominal frequencies, moving away a bit if there's already some
activity at or near mid-band, and then, if I don't already know what
the offset is, I slowly change the downlink until I hear my signal.

73s

Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL