[amsat-bb] FM Satellite HT Night Proposal

Sat Jul 25 21:50:04 UTC 2020

This is a great idea. However, have you thought about how you would let 
all satellite operators know? The amsat-bb only reaches so many. Twitter 
and FaceBook reach some of the same but still not all the operators. 
Then you have operators that are not members of AMSAT, the amsat-bb, 
Twitter and FaceBook. If you heard them on the satellite that one day, 
would you be telling them this day is for HT's only? They may not be 
AMSAT members, they use an online tracking program and have no idea of 
the new rules other than there is a satellite passing over and I am 
going to work someone. Or, it was their only day off that week. What if 
someone actually forgot that today is HT day and was operating with 500 
watts (just saying, there are 1kw linears for VHF) from home which by 
the way is a total waste of electricity and against the FCC rules. I 
still have my 170 watt VHF and 100 watt UHF linears from AO-10/AO-13 
days sitting on the shelf.

You can see how this would be nearly impossible to notify everyone. A 
good example is AMSAT Field Day. It is a 24 hour period. For some 10 
years we do not allow contacts on FM satellites beyond 1 per satellite. 
The reason is to allow space for those trying to make their ARRL 
satellite bonus points enough time. You can still make all the contacts 
you want on the FM satellites but we will only score 1 per satellite 
towards AMSAT Field Day. As expected several reported multiple contacts 
on an FM satellite and their score was adjusted. Field Day rules are 
written up in the Journal, on the AMSAT website, in ANS and various 
other locations. Yet, there are mistakes and they make multiple 
contacts. Sometimes the extra contact is unavoidable. You work your 
first contact and because your signal was so good, someone heard you and 
calls you. Instead of leaving them in the dust, you answer their call 
and give them their bonus points. You just cannot submit it for your 
AMSAT Field Day score.

This is the type of problem I think you would have if you were to try 
and make one day an HT day. Being a great idea to have a low power day 
it would be hard to let everyone know. Any suggestions on the 
notification process?

I think some of the frustration of new operators is not really having an 
HT day, it would be the thinning of the crowds. Satellites have become 
very popular in recent years and low cost HT's have made entry into 
working them a lot easier. With any FM single channel repeater, when you 
have two people trying to use it, it is a cake walk. When you have 100 
operators across the country all trying to get in, there is still only 
two that are going to make a contact. I have experienced the issue, I 
roved with an HT and Arrow and I too had problems getting in. The 
easiest contact for us in South Texas is when a satellite is ascending 
from the South and we are one of the first in the states to be in the 
window. Make a contact and done before the rest of the U.S. is in the 
window. Same for those in the North when there is a descending pass. 
Sometimes you have to make the satellite location work in your favor. It 
also works when you are the last in the window towards LOS. Or, for left 
and right coast only passes there is less of the U.S. in the window. 
These are natural thinning of the operators due to the satellite's 
position.

73...bruce

On 7/25/2020 3:43 PM, Doug Daniels via AMSAT-BB wrote:
> I am brand new to Satellites, and just made my first Q with my two HTs. I
> will never have the facilities to have anything more extensive than HTs and
> a Arrow/Elk type antenna. This type of agreement would be incredibly
> beneficial to me and those like me.
>
> Great idea, thanks.
>
> 73,
> Doug, K1RDD
>
> On Sat, Jul 25, 2020 at 2:00 AM Walter Holmes via AMSAT-BB <
> amsat-bb at amsat.org> wrote:
>
>> A little food for thought:
>>
>>
>>
>> Any idea what the chances would be of having something like 1 night a week
>> or month, on ONE of the FM birds, that could be reserved for HT access only?
>>
>>

>>
>> My thinking on this would be a great way for people to test out their
>> portable or limited satellite stations with a great deal less collisions
>> against all the other much stronger stations.
>>
>>
>>
>> I have heard from plenty of people that would like to try a temporary or
>> portable station on the birds, but we all know that’s not even a remote
>> possibility unless your on super early in the morning or late at night.
>>
>>
>>
>> Ie..  it would be great to see how many people could test and build their
>> skills to operate with an HT and an arrow or something, kinda like the old
>> days. 😊
>>
>>
>>
>> Just dreaming out-loud. 😊
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Walter/K5WH
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> 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.
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>

-- 

Bruce Paige, KK5DO

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