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

[Goody K3NG]

I'm working on a CW keyer that uses quantum mechanics to send the code
before you actually send it, thereby negating the propagation delay.  :-)

On Thu, Mar 24, 2016 at 8:46 AM, Joe <nss at mwt.net> wrote:

> That isn't too bad.
> It would be a killer when running CW and monitoring like a sidetone tho!
> he he he.
>
> Joe WB9SBD
> Sig
> The Original Rolling Ball Clock
> Idle Tyme
> Idle-Tyme.com
> http://www.idle-tyme.com
> On 3/24/2016 7:35 AM, Paul Stoetzer wrote:
>
>> 240-280 ms
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Paul, N8HM
>>
>> On Thu, Mar 24, 2016 at 8:31 AM, Joe <nss at mwt.net> wrote:
>>
>>> 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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>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
> _______________________________________________
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> expressed
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