Posts by dm4im

  • AMSAT-DL Downconverter LNB Reference level

    Did you connect like this? Please check for shorts (Kurzschluss) you might have introduced when soldering the F-sockets.

    I no longer have the amsat-downconverter, but the SNR was as good as with any other setup i used later. So if your SNR is not what it should be, (/and you connected everything right) there is definetely something kaput.

    If you have a lnb with 2 ports, WB should carry 18V and 24/25MHz , NB should carry 14V.


    73, Martin


    Edit: I can't download the circuit diagram from the amsat wiki, i only get the first and last page, all others in between are blank.

    But i have a copy of this on my HD, so if you experience the same, just ask . I will send you a copy. OTOH, there are no levels shown .

  • Question re AMSAT Linux Transceiver software.

    There is no need to install it on a raspberry at all. Here it is running on my linux desktop machine as well as on a raspberry pi400.

    It even runs on Pi3B+ , but i never tested the performance . I'm quite sure it will also run on Odroid. Just do NOT download a ready made raspberry image with all that stuff preinstalled, if there is any (can't remember right now). Follow these instructions:


    https://github.com/dj0abr/QO100_Transceiver


    If you get lost, just ask.


    73, Martin


    https://www.rapidonline.com/ra…-pi-400-unit-only-75-1134

  • OPENATV QO-100 WB Spectrum Plugin

    oh2uds I have a gigablue Quad with 3 Tuners, i might use one of them for QO-100. It's running on OpenATV 6.3 , i could update it to what is needed. But I'm not sure if my old Quad will run smoothly on newer images. I suspect the newer images are made for newer receivers with more RAM and faster CPU's. Do you have any insight into this? Maybe even the Tuner from the Minitiouner will work in it, when the pinout is the same. Will try to find out. Thanks.


    OE6MUE No need to click the </>Code button when you reply. Just click into the blank screen under the "Taskbar" to activate the cursor, then type ahead.


    73, Martin


    EDIT: Just updated to 7.0 . So am good to go.

  • QO-100 Poor FT8 Operating Practices

    <DISCLAIMER> My knowledge about FT-8 is very limited. I once was a member of a small team operating as TO5M from FP, Saint Pierre & Miquelon. My teammates showed me which button to push now and then to keep the program going. So i sat there for a few hours and watched the contacts coming in , filling the logbook. I haven't worked FT-8 from home (not beyond a few test-qso's). <DISCLAIMER>


    While i agree with Ernst, PA1EJO, for the most part of his mentioned article, i disagree that FT-8 is a low power mode. If you need the extra 10dB to make a contact on shortwave, why not crank up the power to a kilowatt? Just set everything right to put out a clean signal, or - at least - try do do so. On satellite, you usually have a dish to add the missing dBs to your signal.

    No, it is a LOW SIGNAL Mode.

    Now that i said that, i really don't understand why most of the FT-8 signals i can see on the satellite are beacon level or even above. There is no real reason for that. Correct me if i'm wrong.

    I suspect many FT-8 users on QO-100 just can not monitor their signal because they can not receive while they transmit. They will never know they triggered Leila, because their transmit cycle is longer than the warning signal coming from Leila. Even if they hear or see Leila, most people on QO-100 think "some 1D10T triggered Leila, but not me". <polemic on>This also applies to many SSBers.<polemic off>


    Flamesuit on.

    73, Martin

  • attaching Minitiouner to SF8008

    Quote from oh2uds

    mkfifo longmynd_status_fifo

    Yes, that's what i did.

    I hoped it runs on my linux based gigablue receiver, but no joy, the architecture is very different. Maybe i should buy a octagon.... For now, I'm happy being able to run it on a headless raspberry3 and watch it via UDP on my linux machine. Will also try to run it on an old raspberry 1 (or is it a 2? ) to see if that works. Now , if someone could set up a remote ....

    73, Martin

  • attaching Minitiouner to SF8008

    Baris,

    tnx for great info. I got this error:

    It seems, longmynd wants to write into a file, so i created fifo longmynd_status_fifo , is that the way to go? The start looks ok now:

    But i don't see the stream on my vlc. What is the correct command to open the stream in vlc?

    EDIT: udp://@:1234 . It works!

    73,

    Martin

  • SDR Console Omnirig 1.19 with IC-9700

    GM,

    do you say you set up your 9700 for working with satellites, e.g. set TX to 432,200, set RX to 144.700 , interlock the VFO's so RX follows TX (and vice versa), then connect your 9700 to OmniRig and OmniRig messes this up? There are 3 .ini-Files for the 9700, one is named Ic9700-sat.ini . Use this.

    Disclaimer: I have no IC-9700.

    73, Martin

  • Keep both internal and external reference on LNB

    Maybe the BPF is too big a load for the internal oscillator, it prevents it from operating. I use a similar method to feed external 116MHz into my 2m transverter via a Resistor and a Cap. I leave the internal oscilator in place while i feed from external source, but the internal oscillator stops working when i do this. It resumes work when i unsolder the C and R combination.

    73, Martin

  • SK0EN/B audible on QO-100

    Well, if they just qsy up 1 khz, the beacon will still be heard by qo-100, but in the clear. You can always check if the beacon is operational, even if your rx on 13cm is crappy or if you are out of range ;) .

    Now it is of interest what power and antenna they use. Maybe we hear a sidelobe.

    The goonhilly websdr seems to have a strong carrier exactly on the upper beacon higher tone, thus can not resolve SK0EN/B . IS0GRB can.

    73, Martin

  • Keep both internal and external reference on LNB

    Hello,

    IIRC there are some lnb's with 2 tcxo's and 2 pll circuits onboard. Can anyone confirm this? Or was there 1 TCXO, but 2 PLL circuits. If the first applies, remove one tcxo for the use of NB Transponder and inject external 25MHz. Keep the other one installed for the DATV-Transponder.

    73, Martin

  • SK0EN/B audible on QO-100

    Maybe some mixing?

    I looked up info the moment i got the call right , but found their website stating "Not qrv yet". There is no info about the website admin or any mail address. Maybe the forum members from SM with contact to the beacon owner can shed a light on this.

  • SK0EN/B audible on QO-100

    I noticed a carrier buried under the higher tone of the upper beacon. Only audible when the tone pauses . After listening for a while it turned into morse and i noticed it was keying SK0EN/B JO99JX. :huh:

    73, Martin

  • DX-Patrol Up-Converter - Output Power

    Well, there's the rub:


    There is no wired ptt.


    It's appreciated the manufacturer intented to make it easy to use, but this in turn creates a problem by not providing wired ptt.

    The AMP HAS wired ptt and VOX, but the upconverter has no ptt in or out.


    You need 100mW to trigger VOX. I'm pretty sure, with 100mW INput the Output on 13cm is more than 100mW. The amp max. drive is 80mW.

    Thus , if you use it according to the manual, your options are:

    Clean, but stuttering signal. The upconverter stutters because input level is low.

    Clean but stuttering signal, because upconverter AND amp stutter, same as above.

    Distorted signal without stutter, because you provide enough input power.

    No signal at all, because you can not trigger VOX from a too low input level.


    There may be a small power range where all is ok. But again, it is not clarified in the manual. Oh, i know , you must insert an attenuator between upconverter and amp. This is not stated in the manual, either. Just put everything together, you will be fine. NOT!


    Look at the transponder. If I'd place bets which signals are coming from this brand, i'd win more often than loose.

    Yes, i know, there are dirty signals coming from other brands, too. Some users care, some do not, others just don't know because nobody tells them so.

    73, Martin