‰  NOW 30 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM AUGUST 2012 QST  PAGE 54‰

PATTERN.  I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT WORKING THE LOW EARTH ORBIT LEO FM
SATELLITES.  I USE A HANDHELD 2 METER AND 70 CM YAGI ANTENNA AND SOMETIMES
HAVE A HARD TIME MAKING IT INTO THE BIRD.  I TWIST THE ANTENNA TO MATCH THE
POLARIZATION OF THE SIGNAL ON 2 METERS.  I THEN MAINTAIN THIS CONFIGURATION
FOR THE DURATION OF THE PASS, DEVIATING SLIGHTLY TO COMPENSATE FOR THE
TUMBLING OF THE BIRD.  ON MY ANTENNA, THE 2 METER AND 70 CM YAGIS ARE OF
OPPOSITE POLARIZATIONS.  THERE IS ANOTHER ANTENNA IN WHICH THE TWO BANDS
ARE BOTH OF THE SAME POLARIZATION.  I WONDER IF THE TWO ANTENNAS ON THE
SATELLITE ARE OF THE SAME POLARIZATION, OR ARE THEY ORTHOGONAL AS WELL?  IF
THEY ARE OF THE SAME POLARIZATION, SHOULD I BE TWISTING MY ANTENNA 90 BY
HAND BETWEEN MY RECEIVING AND TRANSMITTING TIMES.  WHAT OTHER OPTIONS ARE
FEASIBLE?  I DONT HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING THROUGH LEOS, SO ASKED QST EDITOR
STEVE FORD, WB8IMY, WHO PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING BECAUSE HAM SATELLITES ARE
USUALLY NOT STABILIZED, THEY ARE FOREVER TUMBLING AND CHANGING THEIR
ANTENNA ORIENTATIONS.  THATS WHY SOME RECOMMEND CIRCULARLY POLARIZED GROUND
STATION ANTENNAS BETTER TO HEDGE ONES BETS, SO TO SPEAK.  THERE IS AN
‰  END OF 30 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ