Satellite Frustration

[KG6EAK]

Well, since NA1SS is in packet mode for the day, I decided to try a different satellite. I chose AO-27

I prepped
I tuned
I received
I called out
I got a response. An XM (canada) station, hit me back, and then......He died out during our QSL, right before he gave me his full callsign, and grid square.. I tried to call back to him, but he was gone. 1st satellite contact ever, and it got all choked up somewhere. :blink: Damn.

All in in all, not bad for an HT, with a Diamond rubber whip....

 

[Moleculo]

It's STILL a contact! Good job on the first one. Now you're gonna be hooked.

 

[KG6EAK]

Moleculo,
Please check you PM's..I posted a question to you..

Brian (KG6EAK)

 

[KG6EAK]

A little digging, and listening to some audio files, and I have found who I made contact with...

XE2/WD9EWK - Based in Arizona, but vacationing in Mexicali (Hence the XE2/ at the front of his call sign).

Good times...

 

[0x33f]

congrats on the contact next time you will make it a complete QSO
If you on the birds tomorrow maybe i will work you.

 

[KG6EAK]

I made a complete contact today with WV3V about 130 miles away from me. I have to say, I'm not doing to bad, for just a 5 watt handheld, and a Diamond RH77CA rubber whip. I'm figuring out how to hold it, and how if I move it just a half an inch or so, makes a lot of difference in reception. I'm still going to home brew an antenna, but for now, I like the thrill of low watt, and minimal antenna requirements. I have to work a bit harder to make the contact, but I like the thrill of the chase..

0x33f,
email me @ kg6eak@hotmail.com, and we'll try to set something up soon... Tomorrow is no good for me..Sorry

 

[wd9ewk]

A little digging, and listening to some audio files, and I have found who I made contact with...

XE2/WD9EWK - Based in Arizona, but vacationing in Mexicali (Hence the XE2/ at the front of his call sign).

Good times...

This may be a little late, but I'm glad to have worked you from down there. By now you should have received a QSL card from me.

I made the trip out there in late July, since I had a couple of weeks remaining on the 6-month Mexican ham permit I obtained in February. I operated from Mexicali (grid DM22) and one afternoon from grid DM21 about 50 miles south of the USA border along the San Felipe highway on a dry lakebed. I have a few videos from that trip, and others, posted on my YouTube "channel" if you're curious to see how I work the satellites.

Since those permits cost about US$ 120 when all is said and done, I try to make more than one trip across the border to operate there while I have one. It is fun to take some gear along and operate from wherever you happen to be. You obviously have to be extra careful in Mexico, and I rely on the advice of long-time friends down there along with my 25 years' of trips into northern Mexico to know where I should - or shouldn't - go. Unfortunately, a lot of the country is a no-go zone for me.

73!




Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
http://www.wd9ewk.net/

 

[KF7MYK]

So have you made any since?

 

[jwilkers]

I made a complete contact today with WV3V about 130 miles away from me. I have to say, I'm not doing to bad, for just a 5 watt handheld, and a Diamond RH77CA rubber whip. I'm figuring out how to hold it, and how if I move it just a half an inch or so, makes a lot of difference in reception. I'm still going to home brew an antenna, but for now, I like the thrill of low watt, and minimal antenna requirements. I have to work a bit harder to make the contact, but I like the thrill of the chase..

0x33f,
email me @ kg6eak@hotmail.com, and we'll try to set something up soon... Tomorrow is no good for me..Sorry

Oh yes, great fun working a bird on an HT. I always record the contact on my cell phone voice recorder, then work on the file on my computer to get all the data.

Got a wall full of QSL cards from sats. One pass, knocked off 3 contacts...

Definitely a challenge.. but it pays off in the end...

73

 

[KF7MYK]

Contacts

I dont have that great a station at my house, compared to my brothers, but I get a new one in every now and then. Like toady I squeecked one in at the end of the afternoon 51 pass.

I still get excited and I love the QSL cards. Neat part of the hobby for sure. I have gotten some really nice ones, one guy put a funny on the back. I think I will start doing that too.

However it is hard to find sat pics/funnies. Anyone got any ideas?