A Great Conversation With N3FL, Via RS-44

[@stevegriffin9552]

Good morning from the Texas Hill country. Just got through watching the video, really enjoyed it. I have pretty close to same set up as you do the S.A.T. controller in the icon 9700 but the antenna I’m using is M2 satpact Egg beaters. And believe it or not I do watch how you have your radio set up and that has helped me out a lot. I’ve made my first contact on RS-44 not too long ago with the preamps from the radio. And it was very exciting. I hope you keep producing videos like this. It’s always fun to watch. By the way, where I live at we are right in the middle of the total solar eclipse a population of under 25,000 expecting anywhere between 120,000 to 500,000 people here, hope you have a fantastic day and again thanks for the videos. 73 WD5ENH Steve

[@W0CYC-HamRadioEndeavors]

Hello Steve thanks for watching and the kind words! I appreciate the feedback. I always wonder if it’s worth the time it takes to put them up and if anyone learns anything from them. That’s fantastic with your setup! Glad I helped a little in the setup. I am traveling south in Missouri for the eclipse and if I can I’m gonna try to catch a satellite on FM portable for a video. I’ll keep an ear out for you on the birds! Thanks for watching!! 73, Rob

[@johnsonstechworld]

Nice to see your sattellite antennas! I have a simple Moxon Yagi with single feeder and no rotator, kept at highest elevation azimuth prior to the pass by 'Armstrong method". Today I was able to work one of my pals at 1900 km on ARISS. After that I gave a few CQ calls so that my HF friends could listen on their dual bander VHF/UHF radios. Couple of them send back video recordings of their radio receiving my CQ calls through ARISS. One was receiving with a handy and just a rubber ducky. I have not ventured into linear satellites as my radio is IC2730, FM only. 73 de Jon, VU2JO

[@W0CYC-HamRadioEndeavors]

Hello Jon! Thanks for watching. That sounds like you have a solid setup! If you have a video you can share please send it to my email on QRZ I’d love to hear your station. 1900 km on ISS is fantastic! The ISS is so busy state side it’s nearly impossible to get in. I also use a 2730 for portable FM. I have several videos using it in the field if you are interested. I love that rig. 73!!

[@johnsonstechworld]

@@W0CYC-HamRadioEndeavors Yes, I have heard that ISS is quite busy there. One friend told me on Twitter (X) that he made his first contact recently at 2 am or so when it was less busy. He has had so many QSOs on other satellites and is a regular rover as well. Today after my first QSO in the early part of the pass, there were no takers for my CQ calls. My HF friends who heard me were newbies who could not access the uplink.

[@W0CYC-HamRadioEndeavors]

Yeah at 2 am there is maybe a couple people on. The peak hours its almost disgusting its so crowded. Hopefully your HF friends got the bug for it and can join you on satellites soon! By the way, it looks like you have a very good channel. I subscribed!!

[@johnsonstechworld]

@@W0CYC-HamRadioEndeavors Thanks a lot for visiting and subscribing my channel. I do hope that my friends will soon come up on LEO satellites. 73 de Jon, VU2JO.

[@terryadams8012]

Lots of good information on this video. It's amazing what you can learn just by listening to other operators. I had a teacher once that always said...there is a reason you have two ears and one mouth, use this to your advantage. I have made 3 different contacts with Fred, he sounds very knowledgeable. You both had very good audio during the entire pass. EME is something I would like to try as well. When you were listening did you use a particular frequency or were you scanning? Keep up the good work Rob, it's amazing how far you have come in the last year, and you never seemed like a beginner at all. Catch you on the satellites.

[@W0CYC-HamRadioEndeavors]

Thank you Terry! It’s always a pleasure to work you. Even though I’m fairly new to sats I’ve been licensed for 25 years and played radio for at least a decade before that. Plus I am a former Sergeant at a local PD so I did a lot of emcomm. It is great to learn from everyone. Everybody has something to contribute no matter what level of experience they have. Some of the best questions come from those that know the least and the ultimate answer is then well thought out. Fred seems to really know his stuff with EME, maybe someday I’ll know a fraction of what he does. I’m glad you enjoyed the QSO, 73!!

[@W0CYC-HamRadioEndeavors]

Oh and as far as listening to the Moon, I rolled through the lower portion of 2m/70cm on side band listening for things. It’s really wild to listen to very spooky sounding.

[@hanssiegenthaler1958]

Hi congratulations on the video. I have the same antennas as yours. I wanted to ask you besides the preamplifier, what do you use to combine the two polarizations? 73 de HB9OBX Hans

[@W0CYC-HamRadioEndeavors]

Hello Hans! Thanks for the kind words. I am using the WiMo phase cables set to RHCP. An eventual upgrade will be the WiMo phase switch’s but that’s about another $600usd.