2M0SQL

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January 2018 Satellite report

Posted: 17 Feb 2018 07:51 AM PST
http://www.2e0sql.co.uk/2018/02/17/j...ellite-report/


January was an interesting month with the launch of AO-92 and PicSat which
increased interest more by amateurs however total QSOs this month for
myself have been low sitting around 72 QSOs which is pretty poor used to
work more than that in a week however with the move last year things are
still settling down and shack needs to be built, but hopefully can start
that once summer approaches.



Interesting QSOs this month have been mostly new countries

FO-29 worked HB9WDF in Switzerland for a new DXCC and square and SQ9KPA
which was a new square.

AO-7 saw a couple of new USA stations worked these being WA8FXQ and NK1N.

AO-85 worked EA7JHV which was a new callsign.

AO-92, of course, perked up some interest and my first pass was less than 8
degrees elevation to the east on the 24th this saw me working SP5MG and
SP9TTX, of course, the next few passes saw a lot more QSOs with the
regulars.

It’s also probably worth noting some bad operating standards being heard on
FM satellites, with lots of dead carriers, whistling and other random
noises, operators calling CQ for a whole pass while there’s on-going QSOs,
if you can’t hear QSO’s taking place on a mid-day FM pass I urge you to
look over your equipment these are busy passes, while semi-duplex is cheap
duplex reduces chaos.
Polarisation Panel

There also seems a culture where some of the regulars will work each other
on every FM pass even when its busy, while it’s nice to work friends with
the additions of AO-91/92 is now a good time to work new people, keep the
rag chewing for linear satellites, also try keep information to the
smallest amount possible, verbose overs take up time and stop others making
QSOs.

Outside of general operating trying to work on getting a 100 grid squares
confirmed via LOTW, I’ve been making some progress on some station elements
to help with having to route fewer cables. I’ve attached the polarisation
switch to a relay board which is now being controlled using some python and
a web interface, it also means soft switching which is helpful as on bad
pain days rotary knobs aren’t too kind, I’ll share some more info on this
at a later point.

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