EGGBEATER II TPM II: Personal Experience with Satellite Operation

This article, written by Juan Antonio Fernández Montaña (EA4CYQ), details his personal experience with amateur radio satellite operation over three years. It covers his beginnings in the hobby, influenced by EB4DKA, and his initial attempts at building antennas for satellite communication. The author discusses his use of an FT-3000M transceiver, which operates in VHF for transmission and allows UHF reception and full-duplex operation. A significant part of the article focuses on the construction of a portable 1/4 wave VHF antenna with four 1/4 wave ground planes, designed for hand-held use to change polarity. He describes tuning five memories for each operational FM satellite, specifically mentioning AO27, UO14, and the now-defunct SO35. The article is intended to assist other amateur radio operators in their satellite endeavors by sharing practical experiences, including challenges and successes. It recommends prior reading of an article by EB4DKA published in URE magazine (February 2001) or on EA1URO's website for an introduction to satellites.