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Showing posts from July, 2008

SO-50, AO-51, VO-52 Transponder Frequencies and Rig settings

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The best way to work Amateur Satellites is to program your radios memory with the up links, down links and any necessary PL tones required to activate the Transponders. Here is the result, which if you are new or are just getting in to Satellite Communications, you may find the frequencies shown helpful. The rig seen in the pictures is an FT-847. SO-50 AMATEUR SATELLITE TX Up Link 145.850 FM 67HZ Tone. RX Down Link 436.795 FM +/- AO-51 AMATEUR SATELLITE TX Up Link 145.920 FM 67HZ Tone. RX Down Link 435.300 FM +/- VO-52 AMATEUR SATELLITE TX Up Link 435.250 LSB RX Down Link 145.900 USB+/- Hello to All at Planet Ham and Tnx for linking to Ham Radio Blogspot 73

NOAA-15, AO-51, VO-52 & ISS In Range With The Latest SATSCAPE At 2E0HTS Earth Station

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For those of you that like working satellite or possibly the ISS, have you come across the latest version of SATSCAPE? SATSCAPE has been around for years and is now written in Java which allows a better graphic display to be used whilst tracking your favourite NOAA Satellites and the ISS as well as other Space Comms such as AO-51 and VO-52. I use SATSCAPE to assist me when trying to call CQ on the Earth Orbiting Voice repeaters which are FM and SSB, so far success on SSB but still trying to make it on FM. The new version can be downloaded via the link with support and updates also found at the SATSCAPE Website AS you can see it looks very nice Satscape screen shot click to enlarge Here you can see the ISS's Orbit and course click to enlarge ISS Zoomed closer and over Europe in Range of 2E0HTS Earth station click to enlarge FT-847 Yaesu Radio is listening on 145.800 the ISS downlink but no signals are being transmitted by the crew during the overhead pass which is plotted and tra

QRP Portable Contact with C.R.A.G Member M3XLG

This afternoons walk was another chance to make a video and play radio using my little hand held transceiver. We headed up to Bardon Moor from our QTH of Baildon Moor. Yes we are Moorland addicts due to the peace and quiet, tranquility and the spectacular views you get in the unspoilt Moorland Country side. Bardon Moor is even higher than our QTH(1000 ft) with heights of 1600 ft in places which work well for VHF hand held equipment. I did'nt quite get to the maximum altitude as we only had a couple of hours and one bottle of drink each, which was needed at 23.5 degrees in the shade! We got to 1165 feet and with a scenic view in all directions I decided to get the little 5watt Kenwood out of the bag and I commenced calling CQ CQ. As usual on 2m FM there was an abundance of listeners but no takers, until after three or four shout outs were I received a reply. The Station that had returned to my call was Chris M3XLG who put a 5/9+ signal to the TH-F7 with its Diamond SRH771 Aftermar

Propagation Paradise on HF 20m & 40m

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Since my return from EA6 the propagation seems to have improved substantially with terrific openings on 20m, and 40m late at night here at Baildon Moor U.K. click on log to enlarge I have had some amazing DX contacts each evening as I have operated into the early hours of the morning with contacts into Martinique and Netherlands Antilles on 40M using the G5RV. The biggest surprise happened whilst in SWL mode as I came across a nice informal Net on 7.185 lsb consisting of a nice group of US Hams. I have worked the US on 40m before during WWCQ Contest but this opportunity was not to be missed. I managed three different stations WA3QPX, K4KOM and W3ZKY with successful reports exchanged, the other guys were just in the noise as I was to them. The US guys were very pleased to be picking up little station 2E0HTS on 50watts and I went on to work more DX as you can see in the above log. I also got the opportunity to work Ian VK3MO from Oz again as well as the other DX stations confirmed by the

Ham Radio Blogspot goes on a Tour of EA6 Mallorca

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click any image to Enlarge We had a nice week in EA6-Mallorca and are now re-vitalised and ready to make some noise up on the Amateur Radio Bands from my Licenced Station here in the U.K During the last week we covered over 350 KM on two motorcycles, Kawasaki KLE 5oo and a Suzuki Marauder whilst touring the Island of Mallorca. We both got a great Sun tan and met some very nice Mallorcan people. So hopefully I should have some energy and new experiences to try out regarding Radio and get some inspiration to blog here on ham Radio Blogspot. ;-) There were opportunities to look out for Antennas, I saw quite a few on our travels. One antenna sighting you can see here at the old town of Alcudia. I spotted some interesting Arrays up and down the Island. There were some very nice locations to operate radio but my Licence allows all bands and modes but only in the U.K so it was just pure holidaying for me!! Other News Thanks to Eric PA1TNO for commenting regarding our recent QSO via VO-52, Hop

2E0HTS makes QSO with PA1TNO via VO-52 Satellite

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Today I successfully managed a contact using my FT-847 and vertical antenna by connecting with Earth orbiting satellite VO-52. I monitored VO-52s location using satscape and once the satellite was in range I called cq on VFO B which was set at 435.250mhz lsb (uplink frequency)and at the same time I was tuning around VFO A set at 145.900mhz usb +or- 10kilo cycles. You have to search up and down the receive frequency + or - 10ish quickly whilst transmitting audio, I did this until I heard my self on the downlink signal. Once my voice was clear on the downlink I was called by PA1TNO-Eric who was located in Amsterdam in the NETHERLANDS. Eric's signal and my own were constantly shifting frequency in an upward motion due to the speed of the travelling VO-52 satellite creating the Doppler effect. I maintained continuous adjustment to the downlink RX signal but kept the uplink signal fixed on 435.250mhz lsb. We both exchanged reports and locator's without any problems, I was excited an

Amateur Radio Field Day 2008

Great video created by Kevin(stormspotterkwp) which promotes Amateur Radio. You can also catch me in there somewhere if your quick ;-) 73 have a good weekend.