Re: Making contact with AO27

[John Mock <kd6pag@xxxxxxx>]

    I have been trying in vain to talk to AO27. I can [hear] the satellite
    just fine but I have not been able to make a voice contact.

That's the hard part, you have to hear it to know *when* to talk and who 
to call to.  But AO-27 is a busy bird, especially on weekends!

    I am using an Icom W32 HT at about 5 watts with a Diamond RH77CA
    antenna. I uplink on 145.85.

In the 'States, i consider trying to do a QSO on AO-27 with that level
of equipment to be advanced operation.  I've just started doing that
myself, but it helps ALOT that most regular Western U.S. ops on AO-27
already know me by voice.  5 watts is definitely QRP, *especially* in
the 'States.

    Can anybody tell me what, if anything, I am doing wrong? Is it that
    fact that I don't have enough antenna, not enough power, wrong uplink
    frequency or what?

If you're trying to work AO-27 on weekends with an HT, that's your answer.
There is simply too much contention for a single channel and often by some
folks with antenna setups good enough to work AO-10.  Even an HT on low 
power could probably even overpower a 50W mobile through such an antenna 
system!  (And if you use such an antenna system, *please* be gentle...)

    Sure will be glad when my ARROW antenna arrives!

That's the right answer.  Meanwhile, try using headphones on a non-trans-
continental weekday pass, listen carefully for a break (they're scarce
sometimes) and add "QRP" after your callsign.  You *might* make a contact
that way.  But operating QRP on AO-27 with a non-directional antenna is
*definitely* an advanced operating mode and so don't be discouraged.

			-- KD6PAG  (Networking Old-Timer, RF newbie)


[25 states/provinces, and 34 grid squares confirmed on AO-27.  Skeds welcome.]