You guys are making me all teary-eyed! I loved that bird, especially for all the "challenges" it presented. Mike, I still have the 10 gHz downconverter I built for that never-used mode :-(
My first contacts were on 05 May 2001: W1BFN, KB2WQM (now KB2M), W7ID, N1JEZ, WL7BQM (first DX), and WC0Y--all in mode U/S. My last contact was K5VAS on 22 Nov 2003 using mode L/S. Later that weekend I took down my antennas to move to VK8. I took everything I needed to work AO-40 in Australia, including an 18" DSS dish with a dual-band feed, but by the time I moved and got into a penthouse apartment with a big deck looking north (why do you think I had to find a top floor with that view?), AO-40 died. If it hadn't been for the launch of Eagle (AO-51), I would have never been able to use that L/S gear. I used it dozens of times to talk to myself on AO-51 as it orbited over the Indian Ocean :-) I used to do the same thing on ISS packet. From where I was located (Darwin, NT), there were no other population centers within the footprint of the LEOs (not even Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, or Singapore). 73, Jerry, K5OE >Those were fun days Clare! > >My most challenging contacts were made using K band (24 GHz down). First >contact was on 4/20/2002 with Jerry, K5OE. > >http://www.burlingtontelecom.net/[email protected]/index.html > >I think the only mode I never got to try was 2.4 GHz up. I have the >transverter sitting here in my shack, but AO-40 went bang before I got to >use it. The plan was S/k. > >73, >Mike, N1JEZ >AMSAT 29649 >"A closed mouth gathers no feet" ----- Original Message ----- From: "Clare Fowler" <[email protected]> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AO40 contacts >I made over 1300 contacts on AO-40 during its 2 3/4 years of operation. > > The first QSO was on 05/05/01 at 08:17 with Mike N1JEZ on U/S > then at 08:39 worked Dom I8CVS, at 08:52 Fred CU8AO, and at 09:03 Frank > DL6DBN. > > I then fired up my FT-736R on 1.2 GHz and at 09:44 worked Steve KB8VAO > with > both > of us making our 1st L/S QSO on AO-40 and then at 09:55 worked Mike N1JEZ > for his first L/S contact. > > On the 25th and 26th of Jan 2003 an AO-40 QSO party was held. > 30 logs were submitted from 14 countries. > I made 107 QSO's with 19 DXCC countries. > > My last contact was on 28/01/04 at 20:39 with DG4DW. > My next log entry was at 29/01/04 at 01:35 with Jerry W0SAT and > my log note is "we talked about AO-40 gone" > > In spite of the fact AO-40 had major problems and never operated near it's > original > design I think it was a very successful amateur satellite. > > Bob (W7LRD); I guess all we can do now is remember the good old days and > cry > on > each others shoulders. SOB SOB > > Clare VE3NPC > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Floyd Rodgers" <[email protected]> > Subject: [amsat-bb] AO40 contacts > > >> Did anyone manage to bag any contacts off A040 before it's sad event? _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
