[amsat-dc] AMSAT-DC Spring Workshop 2013 Proposed

[Kilroy, Patrick L. (GSFC-5680)]

I WISH TO PROPOSE the AMSAT-DC Spring Workshop 
2013, to take place on Saturday, March 23, at 
the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in 
Greenbelt, Md.  It will be a nearly all-day 
event.  

"Workshop on Portable Satellite Ground Stations" 

... is the title, where attendees will learn 
about and develop their own portable ground 
station and show off their wares which will 
feature one or more of the following: 

1. One's own laptop computer, with appropriate 
software installed, such as for satellite tracking, 
SDR receiver control, antenna control (optional), 
audio recording and any other apps, for example.  

2. The FUNcube Dongle Pro receiver or equivalent, 
emphasizing *receiving* and not including the 
transmit side at this particular time.  See the 
links below for ideas about software, receivers 
and antennas.  

3. Antennas for 146 MHz and 436 MHz with a 
mounting means, such as on a camera tripod, small 
mast, homebrew PVC, or other portable creation.  
Your antennas can be either the Arrow, Elk or 
equivalent, or homebrew.  Polarization linear or 
circular.  Antenna Az-El movement can be by hand 
or controller (manual activating or automated, 
fully or partially).  

Everything, or almost everything, ought to be 
designed to run from a 12-volt source of your 
choosing.  

Additional details will be determined by a small 
humble steering committee that YOU can influence 
early on.  And speaking of that, . . . 

May I include you, among others, on my steering 
committee?  If not, that's okay, but I need to 
know if you'd like to participate.  Can you 
bring in some gear to assemble and to show off 
to others attending?  

Perhaps we could meet in person, telecon by 
phone, or by EchoLink conferencing soon as a 
group to further outline this event?  

Foremost, if needed, an alternate date can be 
selected, from either March 9 or 16, or moved 
into April on a Saturday AFTER the Greater 
Baltimore Hamboree and Computerfest of April 6, 
as long as we decide in the next week or two.  

Are you in??  

Can you help organize?  Or attend?  What might 
you bring?  

Thoughts?  

Thanks,

Pat Kilroy
N8PK
amsat area coordinator

Links for antenna ideas:
http://arrowantennas.com/
http://www.elkantennas.com/
http://www.g6lvb.com/homebrewarrow.htm
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/faqs/crow/index.php
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/Az_El_Pos.pdf
http://www.wa5vjb.com/references/Cheap%20Antennas-LEOs.pdf
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/downloads/iROTOR.pdf
http://www.arrl.org/shop/The-ARRL-Satellite-Handbook/
http://ac6v.com/antprojects.htm

Links for software ideas: 
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/software.php
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/
http://www.moetronix.com/spectravue.htm
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/faqs/resguide.pdf
http://sdrsharp.com/

Links for receiver ideas: 
http://www.funcubedongle.com/
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/intro/sats_faq.html
http://www.funcubedongle.com/MyImages/SpectravueConfigurationForFCD.pdf
http://sdrsharp.com/


  "People don't care about how much 
    we know, until they know how 
   much we care."  - Jack Vieira

Outreach:
http://simsat.net/