Randy K7AGE has produced a number of great YouTube videos on Amateur Radio. In the following clips he shows how to work through the Amateur Satellite AO-51.

Randy's first video is especially praise-worthy, it shows failure !!!

Most of the successful Amateur Satellite operators failed the first or second time they tried it, they just don't tell anybody! Randy is to be congratulated for having the courage to show on video an attempted satellite contact that failed.

Most likely the first time you try to have a contact through an Amateur Satellite it won't work. Lets face it, you're trying to send a signal over 1000 km into space to a satellite that's travelling at 25000 km an hour - It's a major challenge, you're really lucky if you succeed first time. But as you'll see from the video, despite the failure those involved still had a great time.

Remember Amateur Satellite operating is FUN even if it doesn't work first time!

N1ASA tells us how to correctly do this!

Randy uses Orbitron - Satellite Tracking software.

A very good web based site for satellite prediction is: Heavens Above

Grid squares are used for location. Randy's grid is CM99.

Arrow Antennas are also available in the United Kingdom from AMSAT-UK.