Re: [amsat-bb] not enough hands?

["Bruce Paige" <kk5do@xxxxxxxx>]

well, i thought of the same thing when i operate. i solved the problem, at 
least for myself.

i use an icom w32a with an arrow antenna. i flip the radio upside down so the 
antenna connector is pointing towards the ground. i lay it over the handle of 
the arrow and wrap one hand from the back with my fingers holding the radio. 
this leaves room for me to actually hold my palm pilot with pocketsat running 
on top of it (if i need to see where the pass is going). 

i hold the mic in the right hand. this allows me to also use my right hand to 
quickly switch the radio memories to correct for doppler. i then have a pad of 
paper and a pen. a pad is easier because a single sheet tends to want to blow 
away. a pad stays in place. 

i listen to the pass for a minute or so and write down the calls that i hear. 
then i start operating if i work one of the calls i wrote down, i only have to 
place a checkmark next to them. if i work someone else, i only have to write 
down a quick call. 

the other way to log is to announce yourself, then write down all the calls 
that call you and go back and say 'i have xx1xx, xx2xx, xx3xx etc). that way 
you are not flipping between talking and writing as much.

both methods work for me some tweaking on your part might be necessary if your 
fingers are not long enough to wrap around the arrow, radio and palm pilot. 
several rubber bands could always be used to hold the radio to the handle of 
the arrow. in fact, i saw keith, kb1sf, and he had placed his ht in his shirt 
pocket. that made a handy carrying case for it. 

73...bruce



Bruce Paige, KK5DO                                                  
AMSAT VP-User Services & Awards Manager          
ARRL Awards Manager (WAS, 5BWAS, VUCC), VE               
Houston AMSAT Net - Wed 0200z on W0KIE AMC-7, T5, 7.5Mhz
Also streaming MP3 at http://www.amsatnet.com                
Latest satellite news on the ARRL Audio News   http://www.arrl.org

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