[amsat-bb] Hoping PAC/AS/OC on tonite

[Scott Townley <nx7u@xxxxxxxx>]

The NX7U rundown if anyone cares...
About a week ago finally fixed my 2' dish with a 2-turn helical feed, along
with DEMI 2400-144RX downconverter.  This was the first day of the latest
RUDAK testing so the transponder was off...perfect timing :-(
Heard the beacon S5 with <S0 noise level (insufficient IF gain?).  Got
louder and louder then got real quiet, as I discovered my tripod had been
tipped over by monsoon winds.  Busted my helix feed and bent the M2 440-18
yagi about 30 degrees.  UGH

Finally got a chance to revisit the feed, now using a 4-turn slightly dense
(0.8" turn spacing) feed...probably a bit underilluminated (my dish angle
is 114 degrees and the -10dB on the helix as I have modelled it in NEC2D is
102 degrees).  Return loss on the feed is <-30dB measured on HP8410 network
analyzer.  The downconverter survived the fall; However the 440-18 yagi is
now a 440-8 as the boom snapped in half trying to bend it back into place.
Here's hoping the U-RX is as sensitive as some say!

I have L-band up with a 2345 loop yagi but have to recrystal the TX
converter...

Anywho, looks good from here 2001-Aug-06 06:15Z and later.  Will be on
hoping to work any insomniac Left Coasters and (hopefully) plenty of JAs,
VKs, and points west.

CU on AO-40 from DM43
Scott Townley
nx7u@arrl.net
----
Via the amsat-bb mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA.
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org