[amsat-bb] Parcel from UK

["TDCarrell" <tcarrell@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All, Thought I had great news for you all regarding the Patch
antenna - but its still good news. Cleared my mail box on return from
Akaroa to find an ex-UK package. I thought "James" but it turned out
to be one of the first of the RSGB Microwave Committee's "G3WD040 
2.4GHz Low Noise RX converters."

First impressions are great but reading the manual sends a small
shiver up my spine. There are some traps which hopefully were ironed
out in the Beta testing. Even so it does not look like a "starter" kit
so I will be taking my time over construction. Might target a few 
days to complete this project.

If all goes well "according to plan" I will use this for 2M reception
at Akaroa - and you can expect a Web Site report on the final outcome.

I built up an "eq" mount. Took a few moments to figure out what I might
do however in the end the system looks quite simple. For my latitude
I chose a 36 degree tilt South from the vertical. This should give a 
maximum pointing error of less than 4 degrees except for the rouge
orbit positions around perigee when the satellite is actually below my 
visual horizon. (This varies from 6 deg El to about 12 deg. El.

Regrettably I cannot report success since the stupid operator, in wiring
in his DEM 13ULNA managed to short the power supply rail and release the 
smoke from an important 560uuH power feed choke in such a way that noting 
received the required DC volts. As always, this only happened/was found 
after everything had been installed on the roof.

At least we have the material for another item!

73, Terry.






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