TH-D72A, press [OK] for reset

This week I had a frustrating experience with this otherwise nice "HT" (handi talkie? is that still a thing?)

In trying to hit the current, active, APRS digipeating satellites: PSAT (NO-84), ISS and occasionally FalconSat-3, one has to reconfigure the Path, and BPS.  Using this HT there is a relatively simple menu system, and a few minutes prior to the pass, you can be good to go. Typically, I will set the APRS beacon to manual and use it to send up a first message (ok, I've read this is bad form, 'technically', from the AMSAT-BB reflector threads... so, I'll probably curtail this  going forward.

We send messages to each other through these sky-digipeaters using UI / unproto messages and I have several canned (preprogrammed user) phrases to be used to "complete" a QSO.

Unfortunatly for reasons unknown, the D72A stopped sending out messages. I could beacon but not send out an actual message.

I went over every setting in detail:

300 - call sign - KA2CZU-2
301 - Beacon Type - APRS
302 - APRS Locak - OFF
310 - Data Band - A Band
311 - Speed - 1200
320 - DCD Sense - Ignore DCD (only way for me to even beacon right now)
321 - TX delay - 200 ms
380 - Position Comment - Not Emergency
390 - StatusText - set to stuff
3A0/1/2 - QSY stuff all Off
3B0/1 - Pkt Filter OFF and Type = Weather
3Cx - symbol default Kenwood
3D0 - TX Beacon Method- Manual
3D1 - Init. Interval - .2 min (tried other settings)
3E Algorithm both decal and pathing were ON... just set to OFF... don't know what these do
3F/G Smart Beacon , never have touched these
3H0 - PacketPath - *Others
3H1 - ARISS


and for the most part, everything was correct, with the exception of DCD Sense... I was told to only use "Ignore DCD" when working the full duplex 9600bps FalconSat-3 digipeater.


Fine.


That wasn't the issue.


No change made a difference, tried another ham's MC4 file and still no-workie.


What worked?


A full reset, and then restoring my (previously saved) settings.

Remember, it's [OK] to reset, if you saved your settings like you should 😃

Rotor Control - the "next" next step

Note to self:

If I ever purchase a new rotor again, I need to "read the fine print"

I forget that these rotors are used in a variety of configurations and
that they don't assume "simple 4 wire" connections.

I needed to get a cable (or special connectors) to hook up from the controller
to the rotor. - out to the interweb and ordered a pre-assembled 50' cable.

Check.

Then go to mount the rotor.

Oops, no mast mount included. Option.

Back to the interweb.

Check.

Now waiting and waiting and waiting and....

Rotor Control - The next step

ok, so my steal of a buy U-100 has started to act up, along with the manual controller.

Thus, I finally decided to bite the bullet and get a new rotor, for the sake of sanity and time, a Yaesu G-450A

 

The goal is to finally get around to building the NOS TAPR trakbox kit I bought a couple of years ago and see if that will work to control my KR-500 el rotor and this new AZ rotor together. Should be doable.

If not, then need to get another controller to finally allow some automation in the shack.

Fox In A Box

Fox in Box... no, not a Dr. Seuss rhyming story, but a pre-configured software distribution of the fox satellite telemetry software.

http://burnsfisher.com/AMSAT/FoxInABox/Building%20The%20Fox-in-a-Box.pdf
Building The Fox-in-a-Box(FIAB)Raspberry Pi Telemetry Station, 
Burns Fisher, WB1FJ ,Chris Thompson G0KLA/AC2CZ
 
I really don't know the full history here, but I put together a 7" screen, Raspberry Pi 3, RTL-SDR receiver, and this pre-configured SD card containing an image that was essentially plug-reboot-and-play.

I originally hooked this up to my 2m/70cm MFJ groundplane, but that seems to have been compromised and does not deliver a strong enough signal. Not sure of the coax has been damaged but I noticed a degradation of signals first when I had my HP Stream tablet setup to receive NOAA WX images.  Using this, I had only been able to pull maybe a dozen packets a week with FIAB.

Right now, I've shifted to a fixed orientation of my elk log periodic, just pointing NW at around 30 degree elevation, and am picking up dozens of packets a day across AO-85, 91 and 92, ... I think I picked up 1 packet from AO-95 when I caught a good pass and tracked the satellite directly by hand.

Eventually I'm going to change to yet another antenna and computer controlled tracking.

To that end, I'm putting my gasping U-100 az rotor to bed. Both the manual controller and the rotor itself need serious troubleshooting, and I just don't have the time. These will go into storage until I retire and can take on the project of fixing them. In the meantime, I ordered a Yaesu G-450A to go along with my nicely working Kenpro KR-500 elevation rotor.

Next up after getting that working will be to finally try building the "New Old Stock" TAPR Trakbox kit I purchased last year (was it last or 2 years ago???).

In the meantime, my current Fox Telemetry standings are:
#333 KA2CZU

and the last sat I collected data on was:

AO-92 (Fox-1D) | latest spacecraft health | Camera Images
Frames: 65,175 - last 24 hours: 6,819 - last 90 mins: 867
From ground stations:
SQ5WAF TI2RF K4OZS N8MH N9IP WA4SCA K4RGK KK4YEL KO4MA KB5SQG W8MRR KB2ESY NA5SS N5ZNL K9EK-FIAB K3ADA W2MMD wc7v-dn46 K3RLD-RPi K9JKM WB1FJ-main W1EME W2JTM KA2CZU KD8TBD

Happy Sat Hunting everyone and 73! 

SSTV Images received from the ISS

ARISS was running another special ISS SSTV event, using the transmitter in the russian module.

Received a number of images using a TH-D72A and a whip antenna (too lazy to pull out my elk log periodic :) )

ISS SSTV events

always cool to receive these images

L/V mode

Allright, I did it!

After getting scammed into getting 2 (count'em 2) chinese 1.2GHz yagis (long story), I finally
saw the Black Friday price of an Alinco DJ-G7T on HRO and did it!

Picked up the HT and once my wife gets over it, it'll be onto AO-92 L/V mode.

NO-84 APRS

is alive and well... but just not populated by many real live ops! :(

Amateur Radio Stations heard via Satellite - findU

www1.findu.com

findU needs your help Amateur Radio Stations heard via Satellite. This page captures downlink packets from the APRS enabled unmanned satellites.

00:00:21:25 : PSAT]APWW10,KJ4ERJ-15,TCPIP*,qAS,KJ4ERJ-15::KA2CZU-2 :E^66 SE LOS 5m56s{LL}
00:00:21:45 : W4TBD-6]CQ,PSAT,ARISS*,SGATE,FM17DK,qAR,KG4PID-14::K3RRR :73 de Ed W4TBD w4tbd@arrl.net VA FM17dk
00:00:23:01 : PSAT]APWW10,KJ4ERJ-15,TCPIP*,qAS,KJ4ERJ-15::KA2CZU-2 :E^66 SE LOS 5m56s{LL}
00:00:23:40 : PSAT]APRSON,ARISS,qAR,KG4PID-14:s#033888,0z000
00:00:23:44 : W4TBD-6]CQ,PSAT,ARISS*,SGATE,FM17DK,qAR,KG4PID-14:=3726.20N/07742.21W-73' Via ISS w4tbd@arrl.net FM17dk IGate WLNK-1
00:00:24:05 : PSAT]APWW10,KJ4ERJ-15,TCPIP*,qAS,KJ4ERJ-15::KA2CZU-2 :E^66 SE LOS 5m56s{LL}
00:00:24:17 : W4TBD-6]CQ,PSAT,ARISS*,SGATE,FM17DK,qAR,KG4PID-14::K3RRR :73 de Ed W4TBD w4tbd@arrl.net VA FM17dk
00:00:24:33 : KA2CZU-2]3Y5W7S,PSAT,ARISS*,qAR,KD2PYB-1:`fRDl#UK\]KA2CZU-2 Rob FM29 Live OP=
00:00:24:38 : PSAT]APWW10,KJ4ERJ-15,TCPIP*,qAS,KJ4ERJ-15::KA2CZU-2 :E^66 SE LOS 5m56s{LL}
00:00:24:42 : K0KOC-7]3Y2S1Y,PSAT,ARISS*,qAR,KD2PYB-1:'i4wl #/]=
00:00:24:56 : KB2M-2]3YTU0V,PSAT,ARISS*,qAR,KG4PID-14:'g]'l `/]Live Op FM29=
00:00:25:13 : KA2CZU-2]APK003,PSAT,ARISS*,qAR,KD2PYB-1::PSAT :1{28
00:00:25:13 : PSAT]APWW10,TCPIP*,qAS,KJ4ERJ-15::KA2CZU-2 :ack28
00:00:25:13 : PSAT]APWW10,KJ4ERJ-15,TCPIP*,qAS,KJ4ERJ-15::KA2CZU-2 :E^66 SE LOS 5m56s{LL}
00:00:25:14 : KA2CZU-2]APK003,PSAT,ARISS*,qAR,KD2PYB-1::K0KOC-7 :FM29 in NJ{27
00:00:25:16 : KA2CZU-2]APK003,PSAT,ARISS*,qAR,KG4PID-14::KB2HSH :TNX es 73{25
00:00:26:57 : KB2M-2]3YTU0V,PSAT,ARISS*,qAR,WA8LMF-SG:'g]'l `/]Live Op FM29=
00:00:28:18 : W4TBD-6]CQ,PSAT,ARISS*,SGATE,FM17DK,qAR,KG4PID-14:=3726.20N/07742.21W-73' Via ISS w4tbd@arrl.net FM17dk IGate WLNK-1
00:00:28:37 : KA2CZU-2]3Y5W7S,PSAT,ARISS*,qAR,W0ARP-15:`fRDl"yK\]KA2CZU-2 Rob FM29 Live OP=

recent Sats

Finally been carving out time to get on the relatively "recent" Satellites, AO-91 and AO-92, as well as try SO-50 and AO-85. The latter 2 have both presented challenges and AO-92's schedule hasn't been cooperating with my daytime schedule.

That leaves AO-91, and I'm finally feeling like I am getting a "feel" for the rhythm of good FM "repeater in the sky" QSOs.

Getting confirmations are another thing.

Doing this all with 2 hands is a third thing.

BUT... I'm getting there.

Elk antenna, TH-D72A, pad and pen. ISS detector w/Ham extensions (though the lunchtime pass of SO-50 seemed way screwed up... near LOS the app was showing a 20 deg + elevation which both the downlink signal strenth and common sense told me was nonsense, all other sats have seemed right on target)

So, getting some contacts in the log, if not too many confirmations.

Contact

ok, been a while since I posted.

It was a longer while since I actually tried to make 2 way contacts on the sats. Just too many pans in the fire.

That said, finally got out last week for some AO-91 and AO-92 passes. Great weather (hot), a few breaks from work, and some halfway decent passes.

The rig of choice was the simplest possible arrangement I could come up with:
- Kenwood TH-D72A
- Pryme Radio AL-800 telescoping 2m/70cm antenna








Note that the AL-800 I have came with a BNC connector, so I picked up a SMA-BNC connector that screws flush with the D72A such that it makes a firm mount... not depending on the thinner sma connector but snugged up against the D72A's shell nicely.








So, with that combo I've found some good and bad.

The good is that both AO-91 and AO-92 hear well enough for this to be a viable setup... provided it's not too busy a pass. I use an earbud and am running full duplex, but with a very busy pass you still wind up occasionally stepping on someone else. This antenna does not provide quite enough gain to hit lower angles from my locations, not capture the sat easily when there are a lot of folks *not* running full duplex, but not strong enough themselves to be heard.

All in all made a few contacts, had some fun.

Now back to bringing my elk log periodic yagi along for the ride :D

FM Satellite Frequency Summary and Programming Charts

FM Satellite Frequency Summary and Programming Charts

SO-50

Channel #	Alpha	TX Freq	TX Tone	RX Freq	RX Tone
501	50 +2	145.850	67.0	436.805	None
502	50 +1	145.850	67.0	436.800	None
503	50 74	145.850	74.4	436.795	None
504	SO-50	145.850	67.0	436.795	None
505	50 -1	145.850	67.0	436.790	None
506	50 -2	145.850	67.0	436.785	None

AO-91 (Fox-1B)

911	AOS 2	435.240	67.0	145.960	None
912	AOS 1	435.245	67.0	145.960	None
913	AO-91	435.250	67.0	145.960	None
914	LOS 1	435.255	67.0	145.960	None
915	LOS 2	435.260	67.0	145.960	None

AO-92 (Fox-1D)

921	AOS 2	435.340	67.0	145.880	None
922	AOS 1	435.345	67.0	145.880	None
923	AO-92	435.350	67.0	145.880	None
924	LOS 1	435.355	67.0	145.880	None
925	LOS 2	435.360	67.0	145.880	None

AO-85 (Fox-1A)

Fox-1A Doppler Shift Correction	Your Transmit Frequency (with 67 Hz tone)	Your Receive Frequency
AOS (Mem.1)	435.170 MHz	145.980 MHz
Approaching (Mem.2)	435.175 MHz	145.980 MHz
Passing (Mem.3)	435.180 MHz	145.980 MHz
Departing (Mem.4)	435.185 MHz	145.980 MHz
LOS (Mem.5)	435.190 MHz	145.980 MHz

Fox-1 Series UHF Transmit Doppler Shift Correction

Transmit with	67 Hz CTCSS on all	uplink frequencies	Fox-1A (AO-85)	Receive 145.980
RadFsSat/Fox-1B	(AO-91)	Receive 145.960	Fox-1Cliff	Receive 145.920
Fox-1D (AO-92)	Receive 145.880	AOS (Mem.1)	Fc - 10 KHz *	Fc - 10 KHz
Fc - 10 KHz	Fc - 10 KHz	Approaching (Mem.2)	Fc - 5 KHz	Fc - 5 KHz
Fc - 5 Khz	Fc - 5 KHz	Nearest (Mem.3)	Fc = 435.170 MHz	Fc = 435.250 MHz
Fc = 435.300 MHz	Fc = 435.350 MHz	Departing (Mem.4)	Fc + 5 KHz	Fc + 5 KHz
Fc + 5 KHz	Fc + 5 Khz	LOS (Mem.5)	Fc + 10 KHz	Fc + 10 KHz
Fc + 10 KHz	Fc + 10 KHz

Frequencies for Fox-1A, B, Cliff, and D

	Uplink FM (67 Hz tone)	Downlink FM
Fox-1A (AO-85)	435.170 MHz	145.980 MHz
Fox-1B (AO-91) / RadFxSat	435.250 MHz	145.960 MHz
Fox-1Cliff*	435.300 MHz / 1267.300 MHz **	145.920 MHz
Fox-1D (AO-92)*	435.350 MHz / 1267.350 MHz **	145.880 MHz

AMSAT Fox-1 Satellites
	Uplink FM	Downlink FM	Comments
	(67 Hz CTCSS)
AO-85 (Fox-1A)	435.170 MHz	145.980 MHz	Operational
AO-91 (RadFxSat / Fox-1B)	435.250 MHz	145.960 MHz	Operational
AO-92 (Fox-1D)	435.350 MHz &	145.880 MHz	Operational
	1267.359 MHz*
Fox-1Cliff	435.300 MHz &	145.920 MHz	Launch Summer 2018
	1267.300 MHz*
* Switchable by command station. Not operational simultaneously.
SO-50 (SaudiSat-1C)
	Uplink FM	Downlink FM	Comments
	(67 Hz CTCSS)
SO-50	145.850 MHz	436.795 MHz	Operational
SO-50 also has a 10 minute timer that must be armed before use. Transmit a 2 second carrier with a CTCSS tone of 74.4 Hz to arm the timer.
CAS-3H (LilacSat-2)
	Uplink FM	Downlink FM	Comments
CAS-3H (LilacSat-2)	144.350 MHz	437.200 MHz	Operational
When FM transponder is not on, there is a telemetry beacon on 437.200 MHz (LilacSat-2 Home Page). The FM transponder is on no set schedule. For real time updates about which mode the satellite is in, see the AMSAT Live OSCAR Satellite Status Page
IO-86 (LAPAN-A2)
	Uplink FM	Downlink FM	Comments
	(88.5 Hz CTCSS)
IO-86 (LAPAN-A2)	145.880 MHz	435.880 MHz	Operational
Satellite is in a low-inclination low earth orbit and not visible north of about 30 degrees north or south of 30 degrees south. FM transponder operations are by schedule only. See https://twitter.com/lapansat for schedule updates.
FUNcube on ESEO
	Uplink FM	Downlink FM	Comments
FUNcube on ESEO	1263.500 MHz	145.895 MHz	Launch 2018
Also downlinks 4k8 BPSK telemetry
Duchifat3
	Uplink FM	Downlink FM	Comments
Duchifat3	145.970 MHz	436.400 MHz	Launch Late 2018
Also downlinks 9k6 BPSK AX.25 telemetry 437.475 MHz. Possible 145.825 MHz APRS transceiver.
K2SAT
	Uplink FM	Downlink FM	Comments
K2SAT	145.980 MHz	435.835 MHz	Launch H2 2018
Telemetry downlink 435.835 MHz. Data downlink 2404 MHz (2 mbps QPSK).
Diwata-2
	Uplink FM	Downlink FM	9Comments
Diwata-2	43X.XXX MHz	145.XXX MHz	Launch Q2 2018
Also includes APRS and a CW beacon.