[amsat-bb] XW-2A and Other Roads Less Travelled

Sat Feb 2 13:54:21 UTC 2019

Dennis,
No, you have to use the method of successive approximations to qsy. Once
you see how it works, it is really easy and you can get quite good at it.

Put your RX where you want it, then key/unkey, tx/no tx to get where you
need to be. It sounds awkward, but having done it for a few months it's now
automatic.

Move the ext radio frq with the mouse wheel (not clicking) and it acts just
like a vfo, but ...do it in increments, because many radios will not accept
CAT command while PTT is asserted.

Just takes practice   :-)

73, N0AN

Hasan

On Sat, Feb 2, 2019 at 2:06 AM Dennis Veselka <dennisvipod at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hasan,
> I have played with SDR Console a bit but the one thing I would really
> would like it to do I haven’t figured out how to get it to work.
>
> That is, if I bring up a linear satellite the SDRconsole will set the
> downlink SDR frequency and set the uplink freq on the external radio which
> is fine if I just want to just stay there to work the satellite.  However
> if I see someone elsewhere in the waterfall and I click over to them the
> downlink freq will change to that freq and I can hear that contact but the
> uplink freq on the external radio is not shifted the corresponding amount
> to equate to the new downlink freq.   I can manually spin the dial on the
> external radio to get there but that is a bit of a pain.  Is there some
> trick I am missing to keep the two frequencies locked together as you move
> around searching for contacts?
>
> 73
> Dennis
> KI4KNC
>
>
>
> > On Feb 1, 2019, at 6:51 PM, Ted Krempa <k7trkradio at charter.net> wrote:
> >
> > Thanks, Hasan...
> >
> > Any tips on set up for the Console software?
> >
> > 73, Ted
> > K7TRK
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org] On Behalf Of Hasan
> al-Basri
> > Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2019 2:30 PM
> > To: Les Rayburn
> > Cc: AMSAT-BB; Work-Sat at yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] XW-2A and Other Roads Less Travelled
> >
> > KB7IJ and I are very active on XW-2A, 2B, 2C, as well as CAS-4A and
> CAS-4B.
> > We operate SSB usually a bit below the "standard" center band pair
> because
> > we experience some pretty strong WIFI/router interference in the "normal"
> > area.
> >
> > What we have found is there are a LOT of people who don't listen anywhere
> > but their favorite watering hole. The primary reason is they are using
> > conventional radios on the downlink. This is a significant handicap. IN
> In
> > fact, one might as well be operating while wearing a blind fold.
> >
> > Anyone who is serious about sat ops should invest in an SDR and use it to
> > receive. You can see the entire passband all the time. I can't tell you
> how
> > many times I'v e heard people say there is no one on the birds...when in
> > fact, people are  there calling CQ.  Or, like me,  reciting az and el,
> > polarity and signal strength (which I am recording with the SDR software,
> > btw).
> >
> > If you get an SDR and run the SDRC v3.0.x software, you will find full
> sat
> > capability, including the ability to control an external radio for
> uplink.
> > Automatic doppler, everything you could want, pass prediction, real time
> > AZ/EL map display, etc.
> >
> > If you have never run an SDR for sat work with good software (which is
> > free), you have no idea how unaware you are of what is happening on and
> > around these birds.
> >
> > There is a LOT going on that is being missed by being chained to old
> > technology.
> >
> > ...and I'm not denying that empty passes exist. They do. I have called CQ
> > for entire passes. Once I notice the lack of activity. I turn on the
> audio
> > recording (which is nothing but the press of a button in the software)
> and
> > collect data on the effects of polarization, obstructions, vegetative
> > losses, etc. It is quite easy, just recite the current conditions and and
> > let the software do the work.
> >
> > Having operated with standard high quality radios back in the days of
> > AO-6/7/8/10/13 and 40, I can simply state, there is NO comparison in
> > operating capabilities and convenience between traditional radios for
> > satellite downlinks vs. SDRs.
> >
> > Check them out, they are not expensive.  You will never go back once you
> > have used an SDR with decent software for your satellite downlink. Seeing
> > IS believing!
> >
> > 73, N0AN
> > Hasan
> >
> >
> >> On Tue, Jan 29, 2019 at 10:35 PM Les Rayburn <les at highnoonfilm.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> I’m a bit of a nomad, and have always enjoyed taking the roads less
> >> travelled. That applies to my hobby as well—those of us who work VHF
> are a
> >> fairly rare bunch. Those who work satellites; not often spotted in the
> >> wild.
> >>
> >> But apparently, rarer still are those who enjoy making contacts on
> >> satellites that are not AO-91, A0-92, SO-50, and FO-29.
> >>
> >> Working from home today, so I got on nearly every satellite pass over
> the
> >> United States. Alternated between calling CQ and searching for others to
> >> work.
> >>
> >> The results of working eight different passes? Four contacts for the
> day.
> >> Two on SO-50, one each on AO-91 and FO-29.
> >>
> >> Called CQ on XW-2A at dinner time. High elevation pass. Good strong
> >> downlink the entire pass from horizon to horizon. Nada…
> >>
> >> It did net me an SWL report from Mark Gluch, KB3CI who heard me loud and
> >> clean in EN82 near Detroit. He doesn’t have the transmit side working
> yet
> >> for the linear birds, but will soon.
> >>
> >> Ditto on AO-7, a whole pass on FO-29 this morning, and at least three of
> >> the XW birds.
> >>
> >> Last weekend, I listed to the L band activity on AO-91 and there was a
> ton
> >> more activity there than I heard today. (I’m working on getting the 1296
> >> Yagi up so I can join you folks.)
> >>
> >> We’ve got a sky full of great satellites that perform well. Let’s use
> >> them.
> >>
> >> 73,
> >>
> >> Les Rayburn, N1LF
> >> 121 Mayfair Park
> >> Maylene, AL 35114
> >> EM63nf
> >>
> >> Member WTFDA, IRCA, NRC. Former CPC Chairman for NRC & IRCA.
> >>
> >> Elad FDM-S2 SDR, AirSpy SDR2, SDRPlay RSP-2 Pro, Sony XDR-F1HD [XDR Guy
> >> Modified], Dennon TU-1500RD, Sangean HDT-1X, Ray Dees RDS Decoders,
> Korner
> >> 9.2 Antenna, FM-6 Antenna, Kitz Technologies KT-501 Pre-amps, Quantum
> >> Phaser, Wellbrook ALA1530 Loop, Wellbrook Flag, Clifton Labs Active
> Whip.
> >>
> >> “Nothing but blues and Elvis, and somebody else’s favorite song…”
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> > _______________________________________________
> > Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
> > to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
> Opinions expressed
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> AMSAT-NA.
> > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
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> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
> > to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
> Opinions expressed
> > are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
> AMSAT-NA.
> > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
> program!
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>