[amsat-bb] Presentation for Mesa Community College ARC, last night (report)

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

​Hi!

Last night's presentation and demonstrations for the Mesa Community College
Amateur Radio Club (KM7CC) in Mesa, Arizona, was a great way to spend an
evening. Along with the presentation, satellite pass timing allowed for two
demonstrations, using the ISS and AO-73.

When I drove to the college, I arrived just in time for an eastern ISS pass
around 0120 UTC - 40 minutes before the start of the meeting. I was able to
make a couple of QSOs using my TH-D74A and Elk antenna, and ensure the HT
was ready for a possible demonstration later in the evening. I had planned
on using either AO-73 or EO-88 for a demonstration after the meeting around
0350-0430 UTC, but the meeting agenda had a break around 0300 UTC - just in
time for a western ISS pass.

Unlike many radio clubs, the presentations at the KM7CC club are done first.
Knowing a break was scheduled, and that the ISS was passing by around that
time, I made sure the presentation fit within the schedule. Then everyone
went outside for the ISS pass. We weren't able to see the ISS, but I wasn't
the only one reading the packet traffic on that pass. One of the attendees
had a brand new TH-D72A and Arrow Yagi, and I helped him set it up to copy
the packet traffic on 145.825 MHz. The two of us had crowds watching the
radios and listening to the packet traffic, and others were using their
mobile phones to see this happening on the ariss.net web site. I was able
to work two of the 3 stations I saw on the pass - thanks to KK6OTJ and
AD5MT in southern California for the quick exchanges.

The meeting went for about 25 minutes after the break for the ISS pass.
This meant the AO-73 pass just before 0400 UTC was available for one more
satellite demonstration. Since I mentioned my portable all-mode satellite
station during the presentation, including an SDRplay receiver and Windows
10 tablet running HDSDR, I used that setup out for the AO-73 pass. Not many
were on that pass, but I think I worked everyone else I saw and heard.
Tony XE1H in Guadalajara started things off. Tony also operates using a
club call sign, XE1TD. A contact was made with that call sign, too. A
couple of minutes later, Brad W5SAT in Las Vegas showed up for the third
and final contact for me on that pass.

With the Windows 10 tablet and HDSDR, I used the waterfall display to
show where the digital telemetry was, along with seeing the width of
the transponder. This was a great practical demonstration of using SDR
in ham radio, something that was discussed by the club during the
meeting.

Thanks to Charlie NJ7V and the KM7CC club for the opportunity to visit the
club, give a presentation, and have two demonstrations last night. And I
still have two more presentations later this week...

73!




Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
http://www.wd9ewk.net/
Twitter: @WD9EWK