[amsat-bb] analog the hard way

[Ron VE8RT]

  Fortunately I'm far enough north that I can work at, and mess up a
bit, getting into the analog sats while I have the footprint all to
myself for part of some passes.

  Making slow progress, I've been working at this for a long time,
getting back on the satellites.  Trying to do it with older equipment
is challenging.

  The radio is a FT-726R (no CAT provision) so Doppler correction is
manual.  The antenna pair are a helix on 435 and 8 element quad on 2M.
on a 10M (33 ft) tower.  Elevation is fixed at about 25 degrees,
rotator is Ham IV (I need to move the rotator controller closer - it
weighs less than the radio).  I can copy, without preamps, satellites
on both bands down to about 1.5 degrees above the horizon.

  Software is GPredict (OS is Elementary, Linux).

  Yes, lots of complications as I can't manage everything fast enough,
so I'm looking to simplify things one at a time.

  First, I need to get the actual Doppler shift info up on a screen as
I must enter is manually.  Using the Doppler per 100MHz shown on
GPredict which a calculator to set the radio works but is far from
practical.  I'd like to bring up actual Uplink, Downlink Doppler on the
screen, but it hasn't been evident how to do that.  GPredict maybe
isn't the right solution, as I remember it was available in the DOS
Instant Track.

  Then maybe an Arduino controller for the antenna pointing.

  With better organization of the shack I think it would work.  The
longer term goal is to get familiar with digital satellites.

  I'd like some help, starting maybe with the Doppler display problem.

  Thanks,

         Ron VE8RT in DP22

-- 
Ron VE8RT <ve8rt at yknwt.ca>