RE: [amsat-bb] ERP on V and L for AO-40??

[Tony Langdon <tlangdon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Mmm... In my experience I'd take that with a small pinch of salt.
> 
> CW, yes, 25W EIRP is _possible_ - keying an HT into an Arrow 
> will generate
> this and does work if you can handle the chirp.

Hmm, might be a good time to dust off the Morse key. :-)  I can manage 10W
of real CW, probably around 50W EIRP on the uplink.

> I found when operating portable that although I could hear 
> myself at 200W
> EIRP SSB, not too many folks could hear me. I'm thinking more 
> in the 500W
> EIRP league to make much headway - just about manageable with 
> an Arrow and
> 50W.

That will be a bit impractical for me, I have some antenna gain, but not the
RF power on 70cm.  Using more antenna gain on 70 is possible, but I need
somewhere to store the thing when I'm not using it!  I'm more likely to make
it on 23cm, as I can manage higher antenna gain, and will be running 10W of
RF (mounted at the antenna so feedline loss will be insignificant).  

> My experiences could, of course, be because the AGC had 
> kicked in. I'd be
> interested to know the sorts of EIRP folks were running to 
> get LEILA to cut
> in... I've never had the pleasure myself.

I hope LEILA is set relatively low, to give those of us at the QRP end of
the spectrum a chance... :)

> Of course, not just _your_ downlink needs to be up to 
> scratch, but also that
> of the receiving station! The mount I've been using for my 
> 60cm dish is a
> camera tripod with a piece of aluminium drilled and tapped to 
> fit the camera
> mount, and a jury rigged clamp and vice arrangement. However this has
> already ended in a potential disaster as it fell down the 
> side of a lift
> shaft when a gust of wind came along and blew it over!

True...  Hmm, I wonder how cheaply I can get hold of a suitable tripod.  But
yes, you're right.  Then again, if people can't hear the weak VK, then they
should also work on their setups! :)

Time will tell.  I may change my plans and get the better downlink gear up
and running first, and knock up a moderate sized 70cm beam for U band
uplink.  I'll see after I've got our IRLP node up (which is taking the
time).

Speaking of IRLP, I'll probably use that as a liaison point when I'm getting
up on AO-40.  I will be found on Node 630. :-)
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