Made my first HT satellite contacts yesterday - fun!

[Moleculo]

RadioTech, that's not a thread hijack

Right now I'm FM only and am only doing it with an HT and the handheld Antenna (which is why it's FM only). Maybe if I get a Yaesu FT-817 someday I'll be able to try SSB mode using the handheld.

I'm not getting a noisy signal, but I was considering the advice of N1ASA in that document I attached to try a preamp if you're using a handheld antenna. I figured that if I could find one cheap enough that delivered 15-50db gain and only 1db or so of noise, then that would be worth a try??

I have a 2m 35 watt brick amp, too. I might try putting 20 watts or so into that Arrow antenna to see what kind of difference that makes also

 

[Radio Tech]

kf7cuy
Yes. But sold the amp and got out of EME. My 726 was modified to connect the two antennas to BNC jacks on the side of the rig. I split them in the module. This way it was possible to hear your own CW echo. Also the ARR preamps were mounted directly on the RX board inside the module. It was fun. But remember that this is very weak signal and really is a task at hand. The two antennas were not really enough to complete the system. And at the time money was getting tight.

mole,
dont get me wrong. Nothing wrong with trying at all. I understand now you are using a HH. I forget that. LOL. So go for it...

When I work AO-51 I use about 1 watt uplink. But I am also running 1/2 inch super flex to the array. And it is less than 25 feet. Plus the gain on the homebreww antennas is quite good. 20 element UHF and 24 on VHF. (I do have the drawn plan design for the UHF antenna if anyone wants it. just pm me.) Both are homebuilt but the UHF is of my own design.

The amp will most likely get you a good signal into the bird. Try to keep it low. I have had to appoligize on more than one occasion just running the full 30 watts out of the 736. I forget and key up and wipe the bird clean!. That makes them hams mad...

Anyway I just fired up mine and the elevation rotor is stuck. Been so busy in the shop my stuff and been ignored. Got to quit that...

On edit***
The Yaesu FT-817 is a great little compact rig. It will serve you well if you get one. Also it is a good QRP rig for HF. Dont know if you ever works 6 meters but that is a blast also. Worked about 8 station on 6 a few moments ago. With the 726. 10 watts and a 6 element homebrew beam.

 

[Radio Tech]

Over the past 5 months I have not been very active on the ham bands. Seems everytime I am in the shop it is work wrok work. I got up at 5 am this motning and went out in the shop. Dusted off the rigs, fixed the sat antenna array, updated orbitron, climbed the tower and fixed a broken rotator wire. All by 8:30 am.

Got on 6 meters and checked into the NC 6 meter net, made a few contacts on 80 meters, then got a few contacts on Ao-7. By 10:30 folks were rolling in for repairs. Last one left at 7:15 tonight. It wwas a good day.

Thanks mole for the inspiration with this thread..

 

[Moleculo]

Hey cool! Yeah give us some more pics of your setup there...it sounds like you got some neat stuff! I didn't get a chance to play on any of the birds over the weekend, but I'm determined to start trying some of the others and see how many I can get into with an HT

 

[Radio Tech]

Hey cool! Yeah give us some more pics of your setup there...it sounds like you got some neat stuff! I didn't get a chance to play on any of the birds over the weekend, but I'm determined to start trying some of the others and see how many I can get into with an HT

Neat stuff?? naw, just a bunch of old junk.
Hope you get a chance to get on this coming week end.

I will take new pics this week after I clean the shack/shop.

 

[Moleculo]

Have you tried to get into A0-51 on 1.2Ghz or 2.4Ghz?

 

[Radio Tech]

Wished I could. But sad to say at the moment I do not own any 1.2 or 2.4 gig equipment. I know I am a slacker. But the price of a 1.2 module for my 736 is unbeleivable. Artaiund 800 bucks seems to be the going price. One day I will find one in need of repair. Then I will buy at a fraction of the price.

 

[Radio Tech]

Mole,
AO-51 in 17 minutes. It is 7:33 here.
Comon, fire it up.

 

[Radio Tech]

Went to get on AO-51...
But it was in a special mode. Retransmitting the Appolo 11 moon landing. Over and over. That was pretty neat.

So caught AO-7 right after 51's pass.
Great signal tonight in the old girl. Remeber, this thing was put up in 1974. And still working! Made a few contacts and heard my old friend K3SZH.
Remember if you ever work AO-7 to log the AO 7 log.
The AO-7 Log

News release July 16, 2009:

AMSAT-NA will mark the 40th anniversary of the first manned lunar landing with a special event on AO-51. AO-51 will transmit a message commemorating the event Monday, July 20 during evening passes in the U.S. and Europe. The message will be transmitted on the 435.300 MHz FM downlink and will contain a Robot 36 SSTV image as well as a voice message. A special AO-51 QSL will be available to those who copy the downlink. Send QSL requests marked "Apollo 11" with SASE to the AMSAT office at 850 Sligo Ave. Suite 600, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/news/