Oscar 100

MLS, one of the large UK distributors, is selling the DX Patrol Ground Staion for QO-100. I guess you have to add a GPS external reference, a LNB, a dish and a TX antenna.  

Probably you would still get change from £2k, which is less than the cost of many HF transceivers, a linear and a beam on a tower plus rotator. I guess operators now have confidence in this after many years.

The advantages are many.  The dish is small, fixed and no HF rig is needed. Within the footprint of the satellite DX is always available and without QSB. In many ways I am quite surprised many DXers have not gone for this option already.

I prefer experimentation.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ if you want to take a peek.

Incidentally, I heard recently about someone in the UK working a German station who was mobile!! I think the station in the car was listening on the webSDR but using the 2.3GHz uplink to the satellite.

I suppose a low(er) cost option is to make or buy a TX transverter and helix and liste

Oscar 100

It seems ages since I took a peek and updated you about activity on this geosynchronous satellite. 

It was designed in Qatar and has been up now for several years. Seeing that it has been around now for several years I am surprised how quiet it is. Maybe not, as this will not be of interest to "appliance" operators who really know little about the technology behind the rigs they use daily. Amateur radio becomes more like CB daily.

My last peek was late afternoon in Europe, on a Friday. I would have expected activity to have been quite good. Sadly not.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Oscar 100 narrowband activity

When I remember (!) I give an update of activity on the narrowband transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. Although activity was a bit higher than the last time I looked, it is still far lower than I was expecting.

See QO-100 / Es'hail-2 Narrowband WebSDR

Oscar 100 activity

My last peek at activity on the narrowband transponder using the web SDR at Gonhilly Downs in Cornwall was at 2210z on a Tuesday evening. There was no activity at all, which is the lowest activity I have ever seen. 

My theory is that outside Europe there are few users. In Europe it is late and most people are in bed. Also setting up a satellite station for Oscar 100 is too hard for appliance operators who are mostly old men. 

Overall, I am disappointed. However, I am not too surprised.

Oscar 100

This geosynchronous satellite has been up now for several years. Many would like a "solution in one box", which is almost possible with the DX Patrol full duplex unit. You still need rigs for TX,RX, a fixed dish and LNB plus a GPS antenna. Overall, it is still not cheap.

There  is a video of this from TX Factor.

Oscar 100 narrowband activity

Every few weeks I peak at the activity levels on the narrow-band transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. As before, I find activity levels disappointing. 

I gather someone in the UK is selling a transverter now. Unless and until a "big name" does this, I cannot see activity levels increasing.

This is disappointing. By now, I was expecting the satellite to be really busy. The fact it is not says a great deal about the state of our hobby today.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Looking around, there are other tranverters on offer. For example, see https://www.leijenaarelectronics.nl/downloads/LE016-R5_System_Manual_13-09-2021.pdf .

See also https://www.passion-radio.com/satellite-qo-100/pack-dxpatrol-100-880.html .

Some have come up with "all in one box" solutions, but I guess this is too hard for most sadly. It requires engineering, rather than a cheque book. Engineering is a dying art these days in the amateur community. Full marks for those prepared to do it.

Oscar 100 activity

Every few weeks I try to give an update on (in)activity on the narrowband transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. My last peek was shortly after European lunchtime midweek.  

To say activity is almost zero is sad, but true. I appreciate this is just a snapshot, but judging by the levels seen, I suspect this will be the last time we see a geosynchronous amateur radio transponder for very many years. It would not surprise me if this is the last.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Oscar 100 narrowband activity

Every few weeks I take a peek at the narrowband activity on Oscar 100, the geosynchronous satellite. My own view is activity is pathetically low. As I have said many times I think the main issue is the lack of a volume market in the USA and Japan as these are outside the footprint of the satellite. This means no interest by the big manufacturers.

My last peek was lunchtime in Europe on Saturday.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Oscar 100 narrowband transponder

Every few weeks I take a look at the narrowband activity on the geosynchronous Oscar 100 satellite. I am disappointed by the lack of activity.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Oscar 100 narrrowband activity

Every few weeks I take a peak at the activity of the narrowband transponder of this satellite. The last time was on a Friday early evening in Europe. 

Activity continues to disappoint me. Whilst for some this has been an introduction to microwaves, I was expecting far more DXers to make use of this. 

As I have said before, I think it is just too hard for many. The main markets of the USA and Japan do not come within the satellite footprint. This means there are no mass market "black boxes".

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Oscar 100 (lack of) activity

As you know I try to take a very unscientific peek at narrowband activity on this geosynchronous satellite. My last peek was about 0950z today, which is a Saturday. Activity levels remain disappointingly low.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Oscar 100 narrowband transponder

The last time I looked was mid evening in Europe on a Thursday evening. Although activity was better than I feared, there was still plenty of space.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Oscar 100 narrowband activity

In a word - pathetic.

Every few weeks I take peek at activity of this geosynchronous satellite. It is very very low. I cannot say how disappointing I find this.

Oscar 100 narrowband transponder

Every few weeks (if I remember!) I try to give an update on activity through the narrowband transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. 

It has now been up for several years yet activity is tragically low considering it allows DX QSOs with much of the planet at any time without QSB with small fixed antennas.

The activity on this satellite says a great deal about our hobby and does not bode well for the future.

My last peek was mid-afternoon, mid-week in Europe. There was hardly anybody on. 

My theory is that unlike the few that rise to the challenge of assembling a ground station, most find this just too hard and instead just get out their credit cards so the dealer can buy a flashier car.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Oscar 100 narrowband activity

To say I am disappointed is an understatement. 

It certainly has encouraged some to assemble a ground station, but general activity is way below what I would have expected. 

My last "peek" at the narrowband webSDR at Goonhilly Down was mid evening in the UK on a Saturday evening, when I would have expected activity levels to be good.

Based on the activity levels seen, I think it is very unlikely we will see another geosynchronous amateur satellite in a hurry.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/.

OSCAR 100 activity

Every few weeks I like to give an update on the narrow-band transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. It has been in orbit now for several years. 

Apart from those keen to assemble a ground station (fixed, small antenna, no tower, much of the world in range day and night, no QSB etc.) it has been under-used. 

The last peek was a Friday evening in Europe. Once again it was sadly quiet. 

It has never appealed to me, but I was quite surprised it was not more popular. Based on this satellite, I can't see another for some time.

By now, I was expecting it to be busy. It is not.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb .

Oscar 100 Satellite

Every few weeks I try to assess the activity on the narrowband transponder of this satellite. The last time I looked was about 1845z on Friday, which is mid evening in Europe. 

Activity is still disappointing.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ 

Oscar 100 geosynchronous - narrowband transponder activity

 In a word?   Dire.

Every few weeks I try to give a very unscientific appraisal of activity through the narrowband transponder on this geosynchronous satellite. I do this by looking at the web SDR at Goonhilly in Cornwall, UK. It is a while since I did an update.  This time it was a mid afternoon, mid-week, in Europe.

Whilst I admit that some have enjoyed the challenge of building or assembling microwave kit to create a ground station, the level of activity has fallen well below that I was expecting.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

I have said before, I suspect the lack of commercial ready made gear has put off "appliance operators" who prefer to spend their money on shiny boxes from Japan.

In my view this tells us a lot about the state of amateur radio.  Most have become "black box" operators, who probably have no idea about the technology of the box they are using. Quite probably the vast majority of operators today have never, ever, done any experimentation. More than ever I can see the day coming when amateur radio ceases to exist.

Oscar 100 geosynchronous

Usually I give an update on this satellite by looking at activity levels on the narrowband transponder using the web SDR at Goonhilly in Cornwall, UK. The last time I looked was on Sunday afternoon in Europe when I would have expected activity to be at its best. 

Sadly, there were few stations active. I can well believe people like assembling a ground station, then lose interest. As I have said before, with more black boxes, activity might have been higher. Personally I prefer experimentation. Sadly my poor fine motor skills prevent me making a ground station these days. In the past I would have done so.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Oscar 100 ground station

The trouble with getting active on the geosynchronous satellite Oscar 100 is that it requires building your own gear. Sometimes this requires connecting modules together, and sometimes rolling your own gear. Black-box operators (the majority?) are not (in general) catered for, but see my post yesterday about DXPatrol.

It was refreshing to see someone who got active by creating his own ground station.

See https://m0aws.co.uk/?p=3105 .