[amsat-bb] [Video] I made CONTACT! Through the UHF ISS digipeater with my Kenwood TH-D72

[John Brier]

https://youtu.be/nhv7oz_El80

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Here are all the stations I heard on the pass from this video (time
stamps GMT -5)
--------------
N4ZQ                 12/18/2016 11:08:08 System time
KG4AKV-5             12/18/2016 11:08:13
W8LR                 12/18/2016 11:09:02
KC4LE                12/18/2016 11:09:17
W0NBC                12/18/2016 11:11:07
RS0ISS               12/18/2016 11:11:38
W4TBD-6              12/18/2016 11:12:14
KA8YES-6             12/18/2016 11:12:52

Total Stations = 8

This was my second contact through the ISS digipeater. I actually
contacted the same station I contacted in this video, W8LR, three days
before, but I wasn't recording any video.

For this video I recorded the audio from my Kenwood TH-D72a and later
played it back to Soundmodem+UISS. Soundmodem decodes many more
packets than my radio does. I made a screen capture of UISS and its
map so you can see the complete details of every received packet.

Another thing this video shows is how hard it can be to track a near
overhead pass (close to 90 degrees elevation). When I was beginning in
satellites I only tried to work overhead passes because I knew the
signal would be strongest when the satellite was closest to me. While
that is true, the closer the satellite is to you the faster its
relative speed is. When it passes overhead it switches from coming
towards you to going away from you very fast, and drops 10s of degrees
in seconds. That makes the satellite very easy to lose track of.

In this video I got distracted while changing settings on my radio and
lost the ISS after it went overhead. It didn't help that I was using a
tripod for the first time. I prefer to hold the antenna in my hand
precisecly because I find it's easier to track, as I can make quick
adjustments and listen for the signal going up and down. To control
the radio for packet, it helps to have two hands. See my previous UHF
ISS digi video to see how hard it is to change settings with one hand.

Here is the very appropriate QSL card I got from W8LR for my first ISS
digi contact:
http://imgur.com/vUfwkiE
http://imgur.com/DIq7fD4

Thanks for watching,

73, John Brier KG4AKV

The music at the end is "Jubilee - Opa--locka"