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Not enough digipeaters

VK3UKF – January 1, 2008 – 12:41

Wowweee, I just got ISS to digipeat while it was only just a few degrees above the horizon with 10 watts out. Unfortunately it was in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica at the time.
It then cruised over New Zealand. I could hear its beacon but it could no longer hear me.
I tried.
I seem to have a lobe of opportunity at only a few degrees above the horizon. I am using only a VHF mobile whip on the roof.
I will try again in a few orbits. ISS will be closer.

Packet Radio
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What wave length?

N5VHO – January 1, 2008 – 14:33

What wave length is your vertical whip? The higher the gain, the more that the gain is focused at the horizon.
Many find a 1/4 wave whip to work well as it gives greater coverage to the Zenith and since ISS is much closer at higher elevations so the extra gain is not needed.

Kenneth - N5VHO
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/reference/radio/
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Hello Kenneth, yes you are

VK3UKF – January 2, 2008 – 03:27

Hello Kenneth, yes you are correct, my antenna is in fact a 1/4 wavelength mobile whip on a mag base with a big sheet of metal under it.

The day I stop learning will be the same day that I die.

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