Re: [amsat-bb] Problem hearing AO-40

["James C. Hall, MD" <heartdoc@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Jon:

Sounds like you're on the right track.  You didn't mention the rest of 
your receiving antenna hardware but two observations - one, aiming by 
just eyeball is really tough if your beamwidth is narrow; two, the AIDC 
3373 may be off 2-300 kHz.  When you hear it for the first time, it 
sounds like a buzz saw !  Are you using dipole feed or helical for your 
dish ?

Jamie
WB4YDL  -  a relative-sat newbie, too !


On Thursday, January 2, 2003, at 07:03 PM, Jon Ogden wrote:

> Hi gang,
>
> Well, my satellite antennas including S-band are up in the air finally 
> after
> they came crashing down in a windstorm last spring.  I took advantage 
> of
> some unseasonably warm weather earlier this week to do this.
>
> Now comes my problems.  You've already read about my rotor issue.  
> Bottom
> line: I am going to get a new rotor.  The AR-22 just won't cut it from 
> what
> I've read.  More on that in another post.
>
> OK, I cannot copy AO-40.  I am pointing directly at it right now or as 
> best
> I can tell.  W/in a few degrees.  My s-band set-up is a Trans-Systems 
> AIDC
> dish and downconverter.  It has been modified with the Murata filter 
> and the
> notch filter inside is removed, etc.  The crystal has not been changed 
> so I
> should be receiving the satellite around 123 MHz.  It is being powered 
> via
> one of the wall wart power inserters sold by K5GNA.  I have checked 
> voltages
> up the coax to the converter and it is receiving about 28 volts.
>
> I can hear on my rig (FT-847 and/or an FT-817) a change in noise when I
> connect and disconnect the coax to the downconverter.
>
> I am wondering if the downcoverter is working.  I had a friend with 
> access
> to test equipment check it out and he said it should be working.  He 
> was not
> able to measure conversion gain and all because it's just not accurate
> measuring it off the dipole antenna on the unit.  He was trying to 
> find his
> N-connector adapter for the downconverter but couldn't find it.  But
> according to him, it was downconverting just fine.
>
> So why can't I hear it?  According to my tracking software, as I write 
> the
> sat us at 179.71 degrees azimuth and 38.24 elevation and squint of 
> 20.46
> degrees and phase of 157.78.  The beacon should be booming in, 
> shouldn't it?
> I have no obstructions at this point.
>
> So anyone have any ideas?  I am brand new to AO-40.  The last time I 
> copied
> it was after launch when the 2m beacon still worked.
>
> Thanks es 73,
>
> Jon
> NA9D
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