[SMCARA] Experiment du jour

[Tom Shelton]

Good Morning All...

Just tried to make my first Satellite contact on AO-51.  http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/index.php

I picked this one for my first SAT-QSO as it is set up like our terrestrial repeaters and uses FM - I also read that it can be worked with a hand-held and a rubber duck (though not very well).

I was able to hear the satellite as it made its pass - lots of folks talking, but never got a really good signal level from it - just barely enough to understand what they were saying with the squelch turned off.  The next good pass of this one is at 21:45 UTC.   Satellite VO-52 http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/satInfo.php?satID=2&retURL=/satellites/status.php has a good pass at 14:39 UTC, so I might try that one.  I'm surprised at the number of Amateur Satellites available, so checking them all out and hoping to work at least one of them today.

Tom Shelton, AB3IC

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