[amsat-bb] Station decisions re. upcoming Geosync bird

[Joe]

Full Duplex on a Geo Bird,,,,?

What is the delay lag time on such a distance?

Joe WB9SBD
Sig
The Original Rolling Ball Clock
Idle Tyme
Idle-Tyme.com
http://www.idle-tyme.com
On 3/23/2016 11:17 PM, John Toscano wrote:
> Details on the satellite are still quite sensitive, but details on ground
> station requirements are much more readily discussed due to the lack of
> ITAR restrictions there.
>
> One approach to the ground station would be to add a 5G and a 10G
> transverter to your existing radios, using them for IF radios. Though many
> 5G and 10G transverters use a 144 MHz IF, some are available with a 432 MHz
> IF. Getting one of the two transverters with a 432 MHz IF and one with a
> 144 MHz IF would probably facilitate full-duplex operation, unless you have
> two 144 MHz IF radios available.
>
> This sort of approach might be preferred by an operator who plans to add
> those two bands to BOTH terrestrial and satellite operation. But if you
> were adding these two bands for satellite use only, there is significant
> opportunity for financial savings. You only need a 5G transmitting
> converter and a 10G receiving converter. On the receiving end, a modest
> satellite dish and an inexpensive LNBF designed for for satellite TV will
> convert the satellite downlink to a signal somewhere near 700 MHz, which is
> easily within the RF range of many software-defined radios. The ground
> station team has been hoping that an under-$20 satellite TV PLL-LNBF
> coupled with an inexpensive RTL-SDR dongle MIGHT suffice for the heart of
> the 10G receiver. For the uplink, it is possible that a $300-ish HackRF One
> SDR (which can transmit at up to 6 GHz), coupled with appropriate filtering
> and a suitable power amplifier might form the heart of an inexpensive 5G
> transmitter. The ground station team is looking at other, more expensive
> solutions, as well, and we can't yet promise that the rock-bottom-price
> solutions will work until they have been well-tested.
>
> In any event, digital modes are going to be the order of the day, so if you
> are using a pair of all-mode radios as IF's, they will need to support a
> digital interface to a computer. That's one of the reasons why we are so
> excited about the possibilities of SDR to get us from RF to digital data
> and back at affordable prices.
>
> \I hope that helps at least a little bit.
>
> John Toscano, W0JT/5
>
> On Wed, Mar 23, 2016 at 7:44 PM, Peter Klein <pklein at threshinc.com> wrote:
>
>> I've been casually following the discussion of the upcoming geosynchronous
>> satellite.  I currently have a Mode B , J and A analog setup that I've used
>> on Oscar 10 and 13, and on some LEOs. This includes crossed Yagis on 2m and
>> 70cm, and an all-mode radio for those bands.  LEOs and flying mailboxes no
>> longer interest me, so in recent years that setup has only been used for
>> occasional terrestrial VHF SSB/CW, plus local repeater activity.
>>
>> I will need to make some decisions on my general station setup soon.
>> Antenna space is limited, and I want to take the possibility of the geosync
>> bird into consideration.  From what I've read and seen on video, the
>> uplinks and downlinks to the satellite will be microwave.  The satellite
>> track will make a figure-8 pattern in the sky, but I don't know how large
>> that pattern will be at my location. My 144 and 440 MHz antennas will not
>> be compatible with the new bird.  But will the 144/440 radios be useful,
>> perhaps as an IF after the digital gymnastics happen in a converter?
>>
>> So, my questions:
>>
>> - Are any "dummy" Keplarian elements available for the geosynch bird's
>> planned (or likely) orbit? That would let me do some "what-iffing."
>> - If the above are not available, could someone tell me the approximate
>> range of azimuth and elevation I might expect from CN87 (Seattle area)?
>> - What is the physical size of the required dishes?
>> - Will the radio for the new bird be self-contained, or require another
>> radio as an IF?  If the latter, what frequency band or bands are being
>> contemplated for the IF?
>>
>> If I've asked things that are too sensitive to discuss right now, let me
>> know and I'll shut up.  :-)
>>
>> 73,
>> --Peter, KD7MW
>>
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> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed
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> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
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