Satellite Operation on Field Day 2018

Lots of lessons learned...  The configuration was my i3-powered laptop running SDR Console and PST Rotator, the FT-991a and the large Arrow antenna. The first problem was that the uplink desensed the downlink, which meant that we couldn't find our downlink freq. Also - I generally find the downlink by speaking into the mic and finding that signal, but with so many other signals that wasn't possible. Finally I found that by switching to CW and pressing the MOX button on the 991a I could get a carrier that I could find in the downlink. But the desense continued until Jim Wright brought over his log periodic antenna and we used that for the downlink, separating the antennas by about 20 feet. That created enough separation to allow finding the downlink signal for the required 1 contact. Next year we need 2 different antennas separated as much as possible.  Other plans for next year:

> Need headphones - too much conversation around the operating area
> Need az-el rotation - too hard to do it manually
> Need a more powerful laptop - the i3 locked up the waterfall occasionally
> Need glare-proof screen - there was too much glare and the screen wasn't bright enough.
> The 7a 12v battery didn't last long enough although it might not have been charged. Be ready to use the car for power.
> The laptop battery ran down on the last contact. Have an inverter in the car ready.
> Be able to separate the rig from the SDR radio. That might have been a source of the interference.
> Need a key to transmit a carrier to set the downlink freq
Need a longer USB cable

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