AO-16 "opinions"

[kc4umo]

I have made several contacts on the new mode.

I find this one very interesting to work. Talk about a pile up!.
Yesterday right in the middle of operating my Alliance U-100 rotor for elevation quit. Had to switch to my two egg beaters. Was surprised at how well these worked on that bird.

Have any here worked this bird yet and if so what are your comments?

For those that do not know:

ZCZC AS02
QST de W1AW
Space Bulletin 002 ARLS002
>From ARRL Headquarters
Newington, CT January 23, 2008
To all radio amateurs

SB SPACE ARL ARLS002
ARLS002 AO-16 Satellite Serves as Voice Repeater

Launched in January 1990, AMSAT-OSCAR 16 (AO-16) -- a digital satellite -- has been unavailable for use while the command team dealt with a serious computer problem. The satellite has since been recovered, and is now a voice repeater, at least for an unspecified "test period" using FM voice on the uplink, but SSB voice on the downlink.

Since AO-16 was recovered approximately six months ago, the command team -- Bruce Rahn, WB9ANQ, Jim White, WD0E, and Mark Hammond, N8MH -- attempted to reload the satellite software almost a dozen times without success. The team performed a series of memory tests that pointed toward a hardware failure that prevented the spacecraft software from restarting successfully.




Mode FM Voice Repeater (Downlink is double sideband.): Operational
Simplex: 145.9200 MHz FM
Downlink 437.0260 MHz SSB/CW

[ne3r]

This is an example of ham radio in action. The satellite was essentially dead, at least for its intended purpose. What did the command team do? They came up with a way to make it useful again even if it couldn't act as a digital relay anymore. It is too bad I sold my FT-847 (I sure do miss that radio) and didn't replace it with something that can do 432 SSB.

73 de Joseph Durnal NE3R

[kc4umo]

This is an example of ham radio in action.

73 de Joseph Durnal NE3R


I agree. I also applaud them for what they did with it. Hope it stays in this mode for awhile. The sat is almost like working a contest station. You may or may not get through the pile up. But it is alot of fun.

[nz3m]

I got a chance yesterday to listen to it for one pass. It was very busy, I didn't even get a chance to transmit. I don't like pileups and I can wait for a clear time, no biggie.

Interesting listening to FM converted to SSB. I had to crank up the volume a bit.

Looking forward to making some contacts.

Dave AB3BK

[kc4umo]

Hi Dave, To be honest I have not heard a time yet when it was not busy.
I have to use earphones to pic out calls myself.

[nz3m]

Hi Dave, To be honest I have not heard a time yet when it was not busy.
I have to use earphones to pic out calls myself.

yea, I suspect the newness will wear off and it will be like the other sats. I am new to working the birds, but I'm sure AO-51 was very busy for a while :) . Now, there are times when there are only 2-3 ops on for a pass.

73
Dave AB3BK

ps. I always wear headphones to prevent feedback from the downlink

[kc4umo]

ps. I always wear headphones to prevent feedback from the downlink

That is a good point for the newbies.
When running feild day yeas ago, I made a box that would handle 4 sets of earphones. So others could listen. On the main jack I put a momentary switch so I could mute the downlink. Hearing myself sometimes was a chor. Back then Oscar 13, doppler was not so bad.

[kc4umo]

Had a chance to work it again this after noon. The bird was very active.
QSO consist of call and grid exchanges.

Anyway glad to see a few people interested.

[KC2QXE]

I have just recently got back into satellites and am using the free version of pcsat32, or orbitron and AO-16 just happened to be the very first satellite passing overhead. It was very interesting and I could hear it with a simple 2m quarter wave antenna I built.

I have been interested in satellites for a while and bought the portable arrow antenna for sats, but then it got cold in NY :)

What should my power output be for this sat? I know some sats you should only use lower power.

BTW I have yet to make a contact, I almost did the last time I tried, but the sat was pretty busy, it was an FM repeater sat, I do not remember which one.

[kc4umo]

AO-51 maybe?

I do not run more than 10 watts. ( thats ten watts) UHF and VHF. Depending on mode.
The key to working sats is :
1-Knowing were they are at.
2-Good antennas and feed line.
I do not use amplifiers or preamps.

I work AO-7 mode A & B
VO-52
AO-16
With great results. Set up a rotator system and then you can stay inside where it is warm :)

Here is a pic of my homebrew junk antennas.
http://www.gokarters.com/vbforum/attachment.php?attachmentid=564&stc=1&d=1199572297

[KC2QXE]

I see you opted for the nice rotor setup, which controller do you use and does it handle both azimuth and elevation or do you have to tune both by hand?

I was planning on mounting a long 2M and 70cm antenna with a cheap tv rotor at a 15 degree angle to start and then upgrade to a better azimuth rotor and then an elevation rotor.

Sats have been interesting to me, but I'm still not sure I want to dump $700 on rotors just yet. I figure with this setup I can at least use them on in the vhf/uhf contests :)

Steve

[QUOTE=kc4umo;1118419]AO-51 maybe?

I do not run more than 10 watts. ( thats ten watts) UHF and VHF. Depending on mode.
The key to working sats is :
1-Knowing were they are at.
2-Good antennas and feed line.
I do not use amplifiers or preamps.

I work AO-7 mode A & B
VO-52
AO-16
With great results. Set up a rotator system and then you can stay inside where it is warm :)

[kc4umo]

I see you opted for the nice rotor setup, which controller do you use and does it handle both azimuth and elevation or do you have to tune both by hand?

I was planning on mounting a long 2M and 70cm antenna with a cheap tv rotor at a 15 degree angle to start and then upgrade to a better azimuth rotor and then an elevation rotor.

Sats have been interesting to me, but I'm still not sure I want to dump $700 on rotors just yet. I figure with this setup I can at least use them on in the vhf/uhf contests :)

Steve

Steve,
Save your money. No need to spend that much. I have a grand total of $0.00 in the rotor. Thats is right, nothing.. The azimuth is an old radio shack rotator I removed from someones house. The older couple tried to pay me to take it down and discard of it. I refused it.

The elevation rotor is an Alliance U100. These were at one time plentiful but are getting harder to find. I have 3 spares. I made a bracket to go in the top of the azimuth rotor and turn the U100 side ways and bolts right up.

I have one control box that I built to operate both rotators.

The cross boom is an old 35 mhz fiberglass antenna.

The method you mention also works. You will just have to realign for multi pass.

[KC2QXE]

When you say multi pass, do you mean swinging the rotor back to catch another satellite?

[kc4umo]

Mostly the same one. Some of them you will get three chances at a different angle. Over a few hour period.

[KC2QXE]

Oh, ok I see what you mean. I have also been looking at the eggbeaters, do you have thought on those?

[kc4ylv]

Eggs are good if you can mount them high and feed with coax/preamp. Yagis are better for compromise stations.

FWIW, you generally don't want to up-tilt your beams when not using an elevation rotator. Path loss is so much higher at the horizon, with a 3-6 element beam you're better off keeping it at 0 deg elevation for near-horizon and terrestrial work, and grabbing the closer high-elevation stuff off the side lobes.

Or do what I do, horizontal yagi for low elevation, switching to eggbeaters above 30 degrees. It gives me a minute to spin the beam around and doppler-tune on high passes.

[kc4umo]

Steve,
YLV is correct.
I have a set of homebrew Texas potatoe mashers. Only difference is they have square loops and not round loops. Good antenna for receive. But not a lot of gain on tx. Plus as YLV said , they dont work untill the bird is around 30 degrees. I really dont like them.

I am in the design mode at the moment on a new 435 mhz antenna. I started another thread here on the folded dipole to get some input. I plan to have something new built by the first of the week. 12 to 16 element cross yagi. Something with some gain but not to sharp of a pattern.

[KC2QXE]

Ok, this is all good information, thanks!

[kc4umo]

Ok, this is all good information, thanks!

You are welcome.

But let's don't end it here. Hoping some more people will jump in and contribute some thoughts.

Every time I make a contact on the birds, it is like the first time all over again. It is very exicting to me.
And I was doing it 6 years before I even got a ham ticket. I go out with a friend of mine at field day and work with him for 24 hours.
Some of the best times in my life.