Login: GUEST @ JH4XSY.13.JNET1.JPN.AS [PM95VU SOK]
home | newest check | boards | help index | log | ps | userlogin | send sysop | slog | status forward | bcm news | users | version | remove cookieWG3K > ANS 12.05.24 23:13l 65 Lines 5224 Bytes #22 (0) @ AMSAT BID : $ANS133.7 Subj: A Few Minutes with AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS Path: JH4XSY<IW0QNL<IZ3LSV<DB0ERF<DK0WUE<DK0WUE<N2NOV<K7EK<KA1VSC<WG3K Sent: 240512/1400Z 4242@WG3K.#SMD.MD.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.24 ANS writer Mark Blackwood, KI5AXK, was able to catch AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS in between one of his popular club presentations. As of this writing, Clint has presented his introduction to amateur satellites and the AMSAT story over 170 time s. ANS: How did you get started in amateur satellites? CLINT: "Mark, it was about 18 years ago that I saw an AMSAT display table at a local ham convention. I initially just passed it by, mistakenly thinking a ham required 100 watts of transmit power, that expensive Yaesu rotator, and dual Yagi antennas on th e roof. But, when I was told hams were 窶忤orking some birds窶� with low power and handheld stations, well, that窶冱 when I sta rted to search the net for information. "But, there窶冱 a problem. If one Google searches 窶忤ork amateur satellites窶�, either today or 18 years ago, up pops old info rmation on some satellites that were easy to access, but whose service ended years before. I had a Boy Scout Scoutmaster call m e about five years ago. He was disappointed and irritated. He had an assemblage of 300 Scouts, parents, and community members i n an auditorium and was all set up to demonstrate satellite comms via AO-51. He searched for 窶忤ork amateur satellites窶� and found info for it, but AO-51窶冱 lifespan was from 2004 to 2011. "So I preface my satellite presentations with a disclaimer: 窶廡olks, what I am going to tell you today about, specific satelli tes, just might not be accurate next week. We may gain a bird, we may lose a bird. The ISS窶� gear may be up and running tonigh t but it gets turned off when there is a spacewalk and/or when there is a mission heading towards or away from it. Stick with a msat.org, amsat-uk.org, ariss.org or work-sat.com for current information. And, get to know some of the satellites窶� official social media accounts." ANS: Which do you enjoy more, introducing satellite ham radio to newcomers, or seasoned amateur radio folks? CLINT: "Just recently had this discussion with ARRL Orange Section Manager Bob Turner, W6RHK. Youth is our future. And it is al ways exciting to speak and demo at elementary, middle, and high school campuses. But, ham clubs have varied audiences, too. And by using Zoom, I have been able to speak to clubs not only in Southern CA, but also across the US, to Canada, and to Europe. Z oom sessions enable anyone with a smartphone or home computer to attend a session - folks without transportation, those who don 't drive, those who may be ill at the time. At the end of each presentation, I ask for a show of hands, 'Now that you窶况e seen how easy this can be, is anyone thinking of going outside and maybe just listening for the FM voice repeater on the ISS for th eir first time?' The satisfaction comes when a couple hands rise!" ANS: What is the most difficult thing for people getting started? CLINT: "Possibly the same problems I had, Mark, almost 20 years ago: mic fright and thinking I had insufficient equipment. As I walk my presentations窶� attendees through the timer on the SO-50 satellite that might need to be activated, I see jaws drop. 'Yes, you become the control operator of an orbiting satellite!' I also tell them how tentative I was doing that my first time, 窶廨awd, if I mess up, SO-50窶冱 going to crash into my Koi pond - the AMSAT handcuffs might be too tight! I also include audio of my 2 meter contact with ISS Commander, Reid Wiseman. There I am - using a non-full-duplex HT that is tu rned down to 2 watts transmit power, speaking to an ISS astronaut who was about 450 miles downrange when we began. That really shows my show attendees that elaborate, expensive station setups are not mandatory! And, it demonstrates 窶徑ine-of-sight!窶� ANS: What do people enjoy the most about amateur satellite radio? CLINT: "I have given my presentation 174 times. Never the same exact show to anyone as each is customized to their club or even t. Using a non-cookie-cutter slide show gets folks more interested in what窶冱 coming up. I couple step-by-step instructions wi th a single, large image per slide. And my mantra, 'You do not need 100 watts - you do not need expensive equipment.' Clubs con tinue to request my 'Getting Started' presentation and tell me afterwards that they enjoyed themselves. "I'm still finding audiences, well, they find me, who haven窶冲 been exposed to the easy-to-work FM voice satellites. So, getti ng them to know they don't need a lot of stuff to successfully make contacts seems to turn a lot on to this aspect of our hobby ." ANS: What types of groups or people do you usually talk to? CLINT: "The vast majority have been individual amateur radio clubs. I spoke to an astronomy club last month - not a whole lot o f hams, but we found plenty of cross interests to have a great time. I have also spoken at several ham conventions. And I was h onored to orchestrate one of those contacts between a classroom of students and an astronaut aboard the ISS. These ARISS contac ts are a year窶冱 worth of preparation for a 15-minute conversation - but, oh, what a conversation!" [ANS thanks Clint Bradford, K6LCS, AMSAT Ambassador and Mark Blackwood, KI5AXK, ANS writer for the above information
前のメール | 次のメール