[amsat-bb] AO-7 Mode B Questions (difficulty getting in)

[Scott]

After seeing your post, I setup for this afternoon's AO-7 pass.  However,
perhaps more than the other voice sats, I've found that there is a LOT of
variation between passes with how well I hear AO-7.  Sometimes I've caught
conditions where the downlink was extremely strong and sometimes I can
barely receive it.

Today's pass was the latter... I think I only heard 2 stations well enough
to copy their entire call sign.  Saw my signal several times, but if I had
tried to make a contact it would have had to have been a quick one.   I
didn't try since my uplink would have been so difficult for anyone to copy.

So, if my reception accurately depicts what conditions were for this
afternoon's pass, I don't think it was a good one to pass any judgements
about how your setup is working.  One of these passes when it's like 2m
simplex from someone in the same room will be a lot more helpful.  Just
have to get lucky and catch one of those.  They're a lot of fun when they
happen!

-Scott,  K4KDR

======================

On Sat, Aug 24, 2019 at 6:03 PM Roy Dean via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
wrote:

> M2 Leo pack on standard cross boom, G5400b.   ARR pre-amps and MFJ
> diplexers, LMR240 and 240UF feedlines.
>
> https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/ao-7-tx-power.668185/
>
> This thread has most of the details, as well as a screen grab of this
> afternoon's attempt.   I'm wondering if I am actually getting in just fine,
> but the RTL-SDR dongle is just too pathetic to pick it up.   But if that's
> the case, then it would mean that the other signals are blasting into the
> transponder.   Did anybody have a qso stomped on this afternoon by "K3RLD
> testing"?
>
> --Roy
> K3RLD
>
>
> > My thought was desense from your transmitter. What's the antenna setup? I
> > think I saw that answer on QRZ or somewhere, but don't recall. 73, Drew
> > KO4MA
>