Date: Fri, 13 May 94 04:30:22 PDT From: Ham-Space Mailing List and Newsgroup Errors-To: Ham-Space-Errors@UCSD.Edu Reply-To: Ham-Space@UCSD.Edu Precedence: Bulk Subject: Ham-Space Digest V94 #122 To: Ham-Space Ham-Space Digest Fri, 13 May 94 Volume 94 : Issue 122 Today's Topics: 435 MHZ down converters? Is there a Pacsat/Internet Gateway?? Send Replies or notes for publication to: Send subscription requests to: Problems you can't solve otherwise to brian@ucsd.edu. Archives of past issues of the Ham-Space Digest are available (by FTP only) from UCSD.Edu in directory "mailarchives/ham-space". We trust that readers are intelligent enough to realize that all text herein consists of personal comments and does not represent the official policies or positions of any party. Your mileage may vary. So there. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 11 May 1994 17:54:02 -0400 From: agate!darkstar.UCSC.EDU!news.hal.COM!olivea!charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!gatech!news.ans.net!newstf01.cr1.aol@ihnp4.ucsd.edu Subject: 435 MHZ down converters? To: ham-space@ucsd.edu I'm just about set up for the packet sats with just one exception: I don't have a receive setup. I'm planning to use a TS-670, or possibly a TS-690, HF rig as an IF, but I'll be needing a down converter. Since the satellites seem to down-link on 435.xxx through 437.xxx MHz, I'll need one that will allow switching segments or have a 6M output. I have a mast-mount pre-amp at 70cM, but would like to mount the converter at the antenna to minimize coax signal loss. Is this a big concern if I use the pre-amp? I'd certainly appreciate suggestions and/or observations of the set-up anyone might be using. PS, can't really afford a full blown xcvr for the band at this time unless someone has something for sale or can point me in the right direction. Thanks. Gary WA4YMZ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 May 1994 13:33:04 GMT From: ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!news.duke.edu!eff!news.kei.com!ub!penny!jane!hansen@network.ucsd.edu Subject: Is there a Pacsat/Internet Gateway?? To: ham-space@ucsd.edu Jim Corenman (dentarthur@delphi.com) wrote: : This is probably a dumb question, but I've been unable to find the answer : amongst the packet or satellite faq files, or anywhere esle I've looked. : Frequencies and modes I found, but is it possible, on a routine basis, : to pass messages between the packet birds and internet e-mail? I'm quite active on the packet birds and I know of no such system. One of the principle problems with establishing such a system is that the legally allowed content of messages differs substantially between radio and the internet and someone would have to monitor each message that was passed into the radio system. Another problem is the relatively limited bandwidth on the pacsats, they could easily be swamped with traffic from internet. : : It sounds like it ought to work, in theory, but I have not seen any : reference to a gateway between a pacsat and anything else, like either : the 2-meter packet or internet directly. 2 meter packet is a different story. There exist a few digital nodes that seamlessly bass traffic between the 2 meter system and the satellites. I wrote the software that does this and operate one of these nodes. : The goal is to be able to pass traffic to and from our sailboat from : offshore in the South Pacific. Going between internet and the terrestrial : packet network is no problem, but then what? I believe that one or more of the nodes I mentioned above is in this part of the world, but whether you would be able to access it from your boat is another matter. Please bear in mind that these nodes are designed to let bbs users operate as if they were satellite groundstations, it is not designed for bbs to bbs traffic. There is an international packet forwarding system that works via satellite as well, but this works virtually transparently. Your best bet, assuming you are contemplating workign the satellites from your ship, might well be to either contact the satellite forwarding coordinator (I'm not sure who is doing this these days) and see if you can get special permission to tap into it (I know this has been done for an occasional maritime mobil before) or to find someone on the satellites who is willing to pick up your messages and introduce them into the terrestrial system. good luck and 73, John ------------------------------ End of Ham-Space Digest V94 #122 ******************************