On 21/08/12 19:31, B J wrote:
I made my first satellite QSOs with my FT-817ND and the stock antenna that came with it. That combination was adequate provided the satellite was at a higher elevation and the downlink was strong and clear.
Yeah, but look how far south you are - you get far more chances at high-elevation passes. Even just a couple of degrees of latitude makes a hell of a difference.
Those limitations alone persuaded me to get my Arrow Yagi.
I had heard the birds with a K5OE "Handi-Tenna" design pretty well, but when I actually tried to work them I found a WA5VJB "Cheap Yagi" design with three elements for 2m and five elements for 70cm was excellent.
Do bear in mind that not everyone *wants* to go for a huge computer-controlled setup with everything done for you. If you want something incredibly portable a simple crossed Yagi and a dual-band HT is the weapon of choice.
-- Gordon JC Pearce MM0YEQ _______________________________________________ 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
