[amsat-bb] AO-40 Tuning

[Phil - KB9CRY <kb9cry@xxxxxxxxx>]

Still a newcomer to satellites and AO-40, I'd like to pose some 
questions to the group as to their suggestions/comments on how best to 
tune to a QSO on AO-40.  I'll describe what I am doing as of present and 
ask some questions.  First off, I'm having a blast working the birds and 
AO-40 and have not had many real problems except those that are 
self-induced.

First I get the Nova and the antennas pointing in the right direction 
and find the middle beacon and make sure that is peaked.
Then I tune around and find a station that I wish to work.  
Now I need to synch my xmit/receive signals, so I tune up real high in 
the passband.  Then I make sure that my up and down link frequencies are 
where they should be ( I make extensive use of the published passband 
frequency charts for this.).
I'm using a FT-736R.  I then vary my RX frequency until I can find my TX 
signal.  I trust that this is the best method as it doesn't put a signal 
across a wide swath of band.
Then I move to that QSO station that I'd like to work.  I have found 
that if I just start transmitting, my TX signal will be off frequency 
somewhat.  Is this because I synched them up high and now down low 
(towards the MB) they are offset some?
Anyway what I do now is to tune up or down a few from that QSO and 
re-synch the two frequencies.  
Then I move back to the QSO and wait to drop in my call.  During this 
time I have switched my radio to allow changing of the TX frequency 
while keeping the RX the same.  I then drop in my call and if the sig is 
not zero beat, I'll move it as I drop in my call.  
Now, once the station starts to acknowledge my callsign, I'll switch the 
radio to allow movement of the RX frequency while keeping the TX the 
same.  Should I be doing this or should I just switch back to keeping 
the two freqs sychned with the REV switch and vary both during the QSO 
that I will have with the station?  Hopefully y'all know what I mean by 
this?

Just wondering.  Phil  KB9CRY

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