Hi Mike,
Generally, Sat operators don't call CQ, at least not like they do on HF.
Especially on the FM birds, the general protocol is to throw your call
sign in during a pause in the activity, when you can find one. It's more
like working through a busy terrestrial FM repeater. The trick is to be
able to tell the difference between a break in the traffic, where
nobody's keyed up, and a double (or triple, or quadruple), where you'd
just be adding to the confusion. If there's someone you want to work
specifically, quickly injecting <their call sign> <your call sign> is
most likely to fit. Spare the phonetics until you need to be precise;
clarity with speed is the objective.
If there's nobody on, or in a quiet part of an SSB/CW bird's bandpass, a
brief CQ Satellite de <call sign> is needed to let people know you're
there, and so they can get roughly tuned to you. Hopefully you have full
duplex capability (being able to listen while you're transmitting), so
you can tell if someone else is keying up. Satellite contacts tend to be
fairly quick, since the passes are so short. Round-tables are possible
on the SSB/CW birds, and even fun, but you need to keep things moving.
Because SSB/CW doesn't have the capture effect that FM has, full duplex
operation on an SSB/CW bird means you can even talk at the same time and
be understood.
As for arranging a scheduled contact, the neat thing about Satellite
communication is that you can predict with mathematical certainty when
the "band" will be open. Let us know when you'll be on, and on what
bird, and I'm sure you'll have lots of company. Good luck, and enjoy!
Greg KO6TH
Michael Bales wrote:
Hi all- I'm relatively new to sat operations/ but not ham radio(novice in 1987
then general in 1996), and noticed this message. I've been researching alot and
now have suitable equipment for working birds. How would I go about finding
someone(s) to schedule a few contacts with, as opposed to calling cq to no-one
inparticular? Any info/help is greatly appreciated... 73 - Mike - k8mcb
_______________________________________________
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
