[amsat-bb] seeking advice on easy sats

[Phil <phil@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello All,

I'm wondering if I might be expecting too much from AO 14 and FO 20 because
I don't seem to receiving either of them as well as some operators appear 
to. My expectations are bases on RS 12 which is receivable from horizon to 
horizon.

AO 14 is often only receivable for short bursts and periods of say 30 seconds 
to a minute two or three time during each pass. Signal strength is usually 
between S1 and S4 during those times. I'm only guessing that the reason might 
be that the satellite may be tumbling slowly which means that the satellite's 
antenna is pointing away from the earth for long periods of time. Is this 
correct?

FO 20 is very weak and I'm not sure if the signal fades to the same extent as 
AO 14 although it does seem more consistant. The difficulty with this one is 
compounded because it receives little use although the whistles and hellos 
does indicate that the satellite is still functioning.

My station is very modest and consists of an FT-817 and a hand-held home 
built 6 element Yagi. I don't have a preamplifier and I can't be sure that 
the antenna is performing to it's peak because I don't have access to a UHF 
SWR meter. However the beam width is around 25 degrees which I expect is 
normal and it certainly out performs a rubber duckie. 

-- 
Regards,
Phil
phil@spiderweb.com.au
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