[amsat-bb] Re: was TS-2000X, now AO-40 lids

[Jon Ogden <na9d-2@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

on 2/4/03 11:42 AM, Andrew Glasbrenner at glasbrenner@mindspring.com wrote:

> Listen Jon, just because you are having good luck with your BBQ dish doesn't
> mean that everyone else is. It also doesn't mean you can't make contacts off
> it. Maybe your conditions are better than others. Maybe you've got a hot
> converter, or a very accurate pointing system, a better feed, or just good
> ears. Bottom line is the guys running small dishes (there are exceptions) or
> helixes tend to be deaf. They then turn up the power to compensate. Then the
> AGC goes up on U. We all suffer then (all of us on U).

Drew,

I don't know why I have such better results than others appear to have.  I
have to believe that there's something else that is giving them problems.  I
would lay odds that I could hear the beacon with a single 2.4 GHz patch!  I
would obviously not hear well, but bet I could hear it.  So, I guess that
they don't have their antennas aligned well or something like that.  A 432
Yagi has a much broader pattern than the dish.  There is NO excuse for
sending up any signal if you can't hear the beacon.

> 
> Some L banders aggravate this by running beacon level signals, driving up the
> ALC sometimes, and just plain giving a bad example.

I don't disagree.  It is tempting when hearing a strong L band station to
try to match him.  And the more people are running higher power, the more
self defeating the system gets.  I don't disagree with that at all.

I do still think that the L band receiver performs better.

> 
> We need to encourage better receive systems. Too many people still think a
> 15-20 dbi antenna is sufficent and experience says it is not.
>
This I don't disagree with.  And I plan on working to improve my antenna if
for any reason to give me more margin at horizon and better SNR.  By the
way, TranSystems specs their 3' x 2' dish at 24 dBi.  I'd agree that
anything smaller just wouldn't cut it for sure.  Not sure how accurate that
gain number is, but I wouldn't want anything smaller than what I have at
least for SSB operation.

 
> Are we still in disagreement?

I don't think we were ever in disagreement about the need to run 10 dB under
the beacon.  Again, I strive to do that.  In fact, just to be sure, I am
going to do some measurements tonight.  I realized I do have a variable
attenuator that is lab grade that will work fine for doing this.  I am going
to peak up the beacon, and then attenuate the signal by 10 dB and see where
the resultant reading is on the S-meter.  Then I'll know if I am full of
crap about how well I can hear my signal or anyone else's.  If knocking the
beacon down by 10 dB means I can't hear it, then heck, I'll go and get a new
antenna pronto.

What I took exception to is the statement that those who run BBQ dishes
can't hear.

Bottom line is that yes, I am looking at figuring out ways to improve on
this.

73,

Jon
NA9D

-------------------------------------
Jon Ogden
NA9D (ex: KE9NA)

Citizen of the People's Democratic Republik of Illinois

Life Member: ARRL, NRA
Member:  AMSAT, DXCC

http://www.qsl.net/na9d   <- Updated on 1/22/03!!!

"A life lived in fear is a life half lived."


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