Amateur satellites

Thanks to Tim GW4AXE, my new challenge is to be amateur satellite operation. He tells me some software really helps. See https://oscarwatch.org . 

I think my first step will be FT4 RX using the V2000 omni antenna. I need to download the software later.

Back in the early 1970s I remember the thrill of hearing east coast USA stations on 2m SSB RX via Oscar 6 and 7. My only satellite QSO was 2m to 10m (I think) but I cannot recall the satellite. It must have been near sunspot minimum when 10m was quiet. Probably some time in the 1980s?

UPDATE 0930z:  Excuse my total ignorance but what are “TLEs” please? It sounds like I should know, but don’t!!

UPDATE 1335z:  What should have been really easy wasn’t for me because of my brain fog. I was expecting to get a standard download but instead was presented with a load of GitHub files. I downloaded what I thought was the right one, then nothing. For now I have given up. My brain fog is the result of my 2013 stroke - it’s like walking through treacle all the time and my head is never clear.

New cubesat - Oscar 91

Southgate News reports that a new cubesat is "up there".

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/november/radfxsat-launched.htm#.WhFcpbp2vIU

Oscar 6 and 7

http://ukamsat.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/oscar-7-amateur-radio-satellite.gif?w=593

Many years ago when I lived in Cambridge I recall listening for the 2m transponder outputs from thse satellites at the topmost end of the band. Using my "Oscarlator" - a paper based calculator one could predict passes in range.  The best ones were late at night way out west over the Atlantic, when, for a few minutes Ws and VEs could be heard.  Also copyable was HB9HB, a 70cms beacon that got translated to 2m. I never transmitted via satellites then and used a homemade 2m converter feeding an old T28 Codar receiver. Happy days back in the 1970s. I gather Oscar 7 is still up and (sort of) functioning.

See http://www.qsl.net/pe1rah/oscarlator.htm .