(portable satellite operations in Norway and Sweden)
Portable satellite / holiday equipment:
In the silver case:
- FT817ND: all mode HF-440MHz transceiver (battery powered)
- TH-D7: FM 145/440MHz transceiver with built-in TNC (for terrestial & ISS APRS and AO51 435MHz downlink)
- SEC1223: power supply to charge the FT817ND
In the black bag on the left:
- tuned dipols, one for for 14 and one for 7 MHz, the 14MHz version is laying on the bag
- ropes to hang the dipols between trees etc. on the campgrounds
On the grass in the front:
- DL6WU based 145 MHz beam, folded
- DL6WU based 440 Mhz beam, folded (see also the detailed pictures below)
DL6WU antenna for 435MHz:
For 145 & 435 MHz I use two yagis based on the DL6WU design.
These beams I call my 'wash-pin antennas'. The wash pins are used to hold the
elements on the boom (see pictures above). Slices of the innertube of a bike (black rubber) are wrapped around
the boom. The washpins are inserted inbetween the boom and these rubber slices.
And the elements can be clamped into the washpins within seconds. In fact, assembling
the whole antenna takes less then a minute. For satellite operations I use a cheap clamp
to hold the two antennas together (see picture below).
Operating AO51 from a campsite in Sweden as SM/PA3GUO/P:
My son is taking care of the downlink and holding the THD7 in his hands, I have the FT817 strap around my neck.
Results / Lessons learned as LA/PA3GUO/P:
ISS: I assumed I could used ISS for APRS (for the family to be able to track us),
but I did not realize that Norway is too much North for ISS, maximum elevation around Oslo
is already no more than 15 degrees, with soo many high mountains around me ! Poor preparation
from my side, I entirely overlooked this - HI.
AO51 Passes:
What is a disadvantage to ISS, is an advantage for AO51: due to the fact that we were so
much North, there were much more (low elevation) passes compared to the normal North/South and
South/North passes. Lots of fun and extra time available to operate the satellite.
AO51 Busy?
Where normally in Central Europe there is very busy traffic during the entire pass, I experienced
in Norway very often that I had the 2nd part of the pass the satellite for myself: when AO51 got
North of Oslo I often heared either no stations or stations you normally do not hear (OH for example).
AO51 (Mode V/U) downlink power:
There seem to be discussions around the downlink power today, but honestly, with the THD7
and the 7 elements beam I had always noise free audio, also at 5 degrees elevation. No pre-amplifiers.
To me the downlink power is more than enough.
AO51 (Mode V/U) uplink power:
Wow - I knew it, but 5W into a 4 elements hand held beam is more than enough to get noise-free
over the satellite. I used the FT817, in one case even without the beam but simply with the
rubber flex antenna mounted directly on the FT817.
Handsfree:
One hand for the antenna, one for the microphone ... and as a result I could not take notes and
write down the contacts I made. Listening back on of the recording I found out I called the same
station twice in one minute (sorry EJ4ABB)... Next time a headset would help out great. People walking by
however, seeing me pointing and waiving with my glittering aluminium sticks at the sky,
would most likely argue I already qualified for the 'Idiot of the Campground Competition' anyway ...
Conclusions after operating AO51 at 8 different campgrounds within 3 weeks:
1. Big thank you to the Command Team for having AO51 in V/U during my holidays (what a lucky guy I was)
2. Next time I will use even smaller antennas, less elements will do as well.
3. AO51 is a great satellite for portable satellite operations in remote areas.
4. Further deployment of APRS/Digipeating options on AO51 would be great as ISS does not reach all places.
5. A THD7 can convert lat./long. position (degrees) into locator/square code: very handy
6. Operating satellites is a great holiday activity - thanks to all keeping AO51 operational !
Audio recordings:
With my Nokia Cellphone I made the following recordings:
Audio recording of AO51 QSO's during the evening pass operating as LA/PA3GUO/P (July 24,2006)
Audio recording of my contact with PE1RXJ operating as LA/PA3GUO/P (July 24,2006)