COMMUNICATING OVER LOE FM SATELLITES

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COMMUNICATING OVER LOE FM SATELLITES

• LARRY BROWN
• WB5CXC

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WB5CXC making a satellite contact
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Equipment

• Dual Band Handheld - 2M 70 CM
• Dual Band Antenna - 2M 70 CM (3 elements on 2M
  - 6 elements on 70 CM)
• Duplexer for the antenna
• Satellite Tracking Program
• Portable Recorder (optional)

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FINDING THE SATELLITES

• THERE ARE SEVERAL PROGRAMS AVAILABLE
• ORBITRON IS A CARDWARE PROGRAM

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Orbitron Main Screen
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Setting up for a Prediction
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Results of a Prediction
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What kind of coverage etc. do we have at 4/01 _at_
930
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Elevation
Azimuth
On 4/01/08 at 2035 at 10 deg. elevation and 177
deg. azimuth you will get AOS (Acquisition of
Signal).
On 4/01/08 at 2040 at 63 deg. elevation and 258
deg. azimuth you have Mid-Path (highest
elevation).
On 4/01/08 at 2045 at 10 deg. elevation and 340
deg. azimuth you will get LOS (Loss of Signal).
Most of the time you need to try for a Mid-Pass
elevation above 30 deg. 10 deg. elevation is
the practical elevation to start hearing the
satellite and 15 deg. is where you can
start making contacts.
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Simulation of a pass in the Future
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MacDoppler - MAC program - 3D View
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MacDoppler - MAC program - 2D View
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Antenna

• Dual Band Antenna - 2M 70 CM (3 elements on 2M
  - 6 elements on 70 CM)
• Homebuilt using a 1 X 2 pine boom 3
• Elements are made from 8 solid copper wire
• Arrow Antenna Duplexer

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Antenna Plans

• Cheap Antenna designed by WA5VJB
• Web site www.fredspinner.com/W0FMS/cheapyagi/vjbc
  y.html
• 2M Elements are rotated 90 degrees from 70 CM
  Elements
• Arrow Antenna 10W duplexer (board parts 29)

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Elements are 8 bare copper wire ( 1/8)
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440 Mhz Driven Element
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3 Element 2 M Yagi
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2M Driven Element
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WA5VJB Cheap Antenna Design 2M 70CM
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Arrow Antenna 10W Duplexer
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AO-51 Frequencies

• Transmit 145.920
• Receive 435.300 10 Khz doppler effect
• Doppler Effect - satellite coming towards you -
  the frequency is higher - when the satellite is
  going away the frequency is lower

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Transmit Tone Receive
145.920 67.0 435.310
145.920 67.0 435.305
145.920 67.0 435.300
145.920 67.0 435.295
145.920 67.0 435.290
AOS
Mid-Pass
LOS
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Operating

• Set your handheld for receive on 435.310 and
  transmit 145.920 tone 67.0 hz
• Open your squelch (satellite wont be full
  quieting)
• Observe the time and point your antenna toward
  the bearing and elevation as indicated by the
  software
• When the noise starts to fade you are starting to
  pick up the satellite

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Yaesu VX-5 Using both VFOs 1 for Tx the other for
Recv
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Elevation
Azimuth
On 4/01/08 at 2035 at 10 deg. elevation and 177
deg. azimuth you will get AOS (Acquisition of
Signal).
On 4/01/08 at 2040 at 63 deg. elevation and 258
deg. Azimuth you have Mid-Path (highest
elevation).
On 4/01/08 at 2045 at 10 deg. elevation and 340
deg. Azimuth you will get LOS (Loss of Signal).
Most of the time you need to try for a Mid-Pass
elevation above 30 deg. 10 deg. elevation is
the practical elevation to start hearing the
satellite and 15 deg. is where you can
start making contacts.
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The satellite will start to fade, rotate your
antenna to get a stronger signal (changing the
antenna phase).
As the signal gets muffled or the satellite gets
higher you will have to decrease the frequency
due to the doppler effect.
Typical exchanges are short - This is Whiskey
Bravo 5 Charlie Xray Charlie Echo Mike 2 0
Copy EM 2 0 - N5FGM EM 45 The exchange is
your call sign and your Grid Square - mine is
EM20. Give your call using ITU phonetics.
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Worked Grid Square program http//VE2ZAZ.net/Wor
kedGrids/WorkedGrids.htm
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IOio Satellite Antenna
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432 IO Satellite Antenna
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Egg Beater II - 432Mhz