[amsat-bb] GRRRRRRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGG

["Timothy A. Holmes (W8TAH)" <w8tah@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Folks:

I am experiencing extreme frustration trying to hear AO-51

Let me describe my setup which, I realize is not great for satellite 
work (which is why I'm only trying to hear the blasted thing)

Radio - IC706MKII
Antenna 5/8 wave Bottom loaded groundplane at about 15 feet
the only pre-amp I have is the one in the radio, and the COAX is basic 
RG -8 i think


I have been trying off and on to hear AO51 -- even just a gradual slight 
silencing of the static would make me happy just to know I can hear it.  
I mean guys are working the thing with HT's and Rubber duckies without 
any trouble, and I used to use the same antenna to listen to UO 14 on my 
vx5R.

Last Night about 9:30 or quarter to 10 -- I dont have my numbers in 
front of me, I was listening from 435.290 to 435.310 during a 69 degree 
pass here in the cleveland area and I heard nothing. My keps are only 
about 2 days old, I use nova and just had it do an automatic download 
from whereever it defaults to to get them (celestrack I think). I didnt 
see anything on the schedule page about the spacecraft being off.

I really dont know where the problme is.  I had just used the radio and 
antenna system earlier in the night for a net, so I know that its all good.

Please throw some suggestions out here, I know I really dont have a 
prayer of making it into the spacecraft without el-az antennas and true 
full duplex, but I would think that I should be able to at least here 
some of the downlink from it.

Thanks 

TIM
W8TAH
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