[amsat-bb] Issues with ISS digipeater this morning?

[Mvivona]

Good question Patrick,
I believe I am referring to the strength of the signal before the radio failed last year. I remember coming back from vacation in my car which has a tiny cellular look-alike antenna on the roof about 11 inches tall (less than optimal). I could hear the Packet data all the way to horizon even with that set up. 
I completely agree with you, with my HT and handheld Arrow I can hear the ISS perfectly, no noticeable difference. 
Don't get me wrong, this is by no means a complaint, just an observation that I discovered that I thought some members would be interested in. 

Michael KC4ZVA

On May 21, 2017, at 11:07 AM, Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) <amsat-bb at wd9ewk.net> wrote:

Michael, 

That's an interesting observation. Were you referring to how the
signals sounded last year before that VHF radio failed, or are you
going further back when packet was done with a TM-D700? 

I have worked ISS passes the past two evenings from locations near 
Dayton. Using my TH-D74 HT and Elk log periodic, the signals I 
hear now are the same as I was hearing before the mid-October 
failure of the previous VHF radio. I didn't do much packet 
through the ISS when that Kenwood radio was being used, so I can't
really speak to how it was a few years back. I hope to be on 
again tonight from .... (location yet to be determined, but not in 
the Dayton area), even though the passes will be late in the evening,
before flying home tomorrow night. 

73!





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



> On Sun, May 21, 2017 at 4:18 AM, Mvivona <Mvivona at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi Patrick!
> 
> My observations are from a non standard source for comparison purposes. I have sort of a unique situation.
> ​<snip>
> With the old radio setup on the ISS I could easily copy it the moment it crested the horizon. It was full scale by 10 deg high. Since they installed the new radio setup I can barely hear it on a direct overhead pass.
> I have no problem picking it up at home, however my home satellite station has dual high gain yagis, filtered preamps at the antenna all being driven with a rotor, short coax and feeding an iCom 910.
> 
>