Satellite portable
... or ... satellite tracking on your mobile phone.
Avid readers of the bulletin boards may be aware
that a couple of years ago I mentioned that it might
be a good idea if someone wrote a tracking program
for mobile phones that ran the popular Symbian
operating system.
At that time, nobody responded.
There have been programs for certain PDA's and
Win-doze mobile but until recently, nothing for the
Symbian OS..
A portable satellite station can be as small as a
dual-band handheld, a 3/4 wave whip (albeit
minimalistic) and your mobile phone.
Of course, one can print out orbit predictions as
well as lugging around a laptop for fancy graphics -
but the really 'smart' people could just
use a 'smartphone'.
Therefore ... since nobody responded first time
around - ( I can't even write my name properly) - I
repeated my request for someone to write a tracking
program for Symbian phones ... which resulted in
K0SM Andy making me aware of his excellent tracking
program for mobile phones called 'SATme'.
Users of Java programs on mobile phones are usually
aware that many strange things can and usually do
happen with the installation of certain programs.
The reason I mention this is to illustrate the
'service' Andy provided - which was nothing less
than spectacular! ... in fact, he customised his
program - (on a Saturday night !, while we were in "QSO"
on the internet) - to specifically fit my N70 phone,
giving me the parameters I wanted in a tracking
program for portable operations.
Tailor-made tracking programs? ...this is most
certainly in the true spirit of amateur radio.
A DEMO of Andy's program may be downloaded from this
location ... K0SM
I'm also using my phone as a QSO recorder ... as
well as transmitting CW WAV files ... to complement
the miniature homebrew keyer I have strapped to my
thigh, made from 2 x micro-switches 'thieved' from a
computer mouse. I have the phones clock set up for
various satellite 'periods' - (A.O.S. audio warnings,
to you!) while the phone's 'notepad' shows the
uplink/downlink frequencies.
A mobile phone can be a very useful addition to your
portable satellite station if you don't want to lug
your laptop around.
The 'Mprs' program not only shows up on Findu.com -
it sends your GPS position and if you wish, even a
text message from your phone.
Google maps is self explanatory.
Did I mention that in extreme circumstances my Nokia
N74 could even be used as a telephone ??.
73 John. la2qaa@amsat.org