February 2008 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

AO-51 L band
by w7lrd＠comcast.net 06 Feb '08

06 Feb '08

Hello I heard myself the last pass over the US. Very low elevation from Seattle. The first time on satellite L band, looking for contacts next pass. Receiving on 70cm. S band rx is down, long story. Do we adjust doppler with the higher frequency. Or keep it on 1268.7Ghz. -- 73 Bob W7LRD AMSAT member 28498 Seattle

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Programming help needed
by Bob McGwier 06 Feb '08

06 Feb '08

AMSAT Engineering needs experienced help programming MPS-430. This processor will be in a Cubesat. It would be my preference for us to use FreeRTOS on it but this is not a decision I will mandate if adequate reasons for not following this path can be provided. Email me directly. Bob

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AO-51 schedule updated
by Andrew Glasbrenner 06 Feb '08

06 Feb '08

I updated the AO-51 schedule text page last night at : http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/CTNews.php . Update: February 3, 2008 The AO-51 committee has completed a schedule for February. We will continue the V/US repeater mode that began on January 25th for all of February, except on Tuesdays through Thursdays when we will switch to L/US. This pattern will repeat every week in February except that the mode switch from V/US to L/US on Tuesday the 12th will be delayed until Wednesday the 13th to accommodate a School Roundup event at Two Rivers School in North Bend, Washington. The S-band downlink may be temporarily suspended for WOD telemetry download without notice. Generally this will only be for one pass per day. Regarding the graphic schedule...the software that does the schedule will not allow for the proper display of the current modes. Please refer to this page for mode change information. February 2008 AO-51 (AMSAT Echo) Schedule February 1 until February 29, subject to modification February 1 - February 4 FM Repeater, V/US Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM, NO PL Tone Downlinks: 435.300 and 2401.200 MHz FM February 5 - February 7 FM Repeater, L/US Uplink: 1268.700 MHz FM, NO PL Tone Downlinks: 435.300 and 2401.200 MHz FM February 8 - February 12 FM Repeater, V/US Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM, NO PL Tone Downlinks: 435.300 and 2401.200 MHz FM February 13 - February 14 FM Repeater, L/US Uplink: 1268.700 MHz FM, NO PL Tone Downlinks: 435.300 and 2401.200 MHz FM February 15 - February 18 FM Repeater, V/US Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM, NO PL Tone Downlinks: 435.300 and 2401.200 MHz FM February 19 - February 21 FM Repeater, L/US Uplink: 1268.700 MHz FM, NO PL Tone Downlinks: 435.300 and 2401.200 MHz FM February 22 - February 25 FM Repeater, V/US Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM, NO PL Tone Downlinks: 435.300 and 2401.200 MHz FM February 26 - February 28 FM Repeater, L/US Uplink: 1268.700 MHz FM, NO PL Tone Downlinks: 435.300 and 2401.200 MHz FM February 29 - TBD FM Repeater, V/US Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM, NO PL Tone Downlinks: 435.300 and 2401.200 MHz FM 73, Drew KO4MA AMSAT-NA VP Ops

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All the facts are wrong but
by Bob McGwier 05 Feb '08

05 Feb '08

Sent from Express News TEHRAN, Iran - Iran launched a research rocket Monday and unveiled its first major space center, which will be used to launch research satellites, state-run television reported. The report said the rocket was the first launched by Iran "into space." But analysts have expressed doubts about similar technological achievements announced by the country in the past. Iran launched its first domestically built rocket last February, which did not reach orbit level. "The first Iranian rocket Explorer-1 was fired into space," reported state TV, which showed live images of the event at the space center, with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad issuing the launch order. "With the launch, Iran has joined the world's top 11 countries possessing space technology to build satellites, and launch rockets into space." The report did not specify the altitude reached by the research rocket. Space is considered to begin at 60 miles above ground. Ham radio satellites - the lowest flying satellites - orbit between 100-300 miles, while communication, weather and global-positioning satellites fly between 250-12,000 miles up. Some Western experts also have raised the possibility that Iran's space program may be a cover to more fully develop its military ballistic missiles, a prospect many find troubling at a time when the U.S. and others worry Tehran is trying to develop nuclear weapons. Before the launch, Ahmadinejad opened the space center, which includes an underground control station and space launch pad, according to state TV. By ALI AKBAR DAREINI Associated Press Writer

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Explorer I - recordings
by Roy 05 Feb '08

05 Feb '08

I have been asked if any of the Explorer I recordings were still available in WAV, etc format. There is one posted at http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/index.php. Select the "Select a Topic" drop down menu and scroll down to "Sounds from the first satellites." There are a few recordings there with the info about the recordings. One of them is the Explorer I telemetry. You will hear several constant audio tones with one of them shifting between two tones. There was a geiger counter on board that counted cosmic ray particles according to the info I have read. After a certain number had been counted the tone shifted and after another quantity had been counted it shifted back again. The 108 mHz antenna was a six element colinear arrangement consisting of six half waves (wire elements) suspended over a 13x13 ft wooden frame covered with chicken wire laying on the roof of my house. This oriented it up about 75-80 degrees above the southern horizon. No tracking. The satellites had to fly through the main lobe of the antenna pattern. The receiving arrangement was a modified TeCraft (I think) converter with a 6BQ7 TV RF amplifier front end feeding an National NC-300 Amateur band receiver. Not very good as noise figures go today but pretty good for 1958. I still have all of the original reel to reel tapes, some of their contents transferred to cassette tape. -- Roy

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Fw: FM narrow mode for DOPPLER.SQF file (for ISS)
by Charles Reiche 05 Feb '08

05 Feb '08

For anyone that has a 910 and satpc32, here is a chat I had with DK1TB. Charlie N3CRT ----- Original Message ----- From: Erich Eichmann To: Charles Reiche Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2008 4:12 AM Subject: Re: FM narrow mode for DOPPLER.SQF file Hi Charles, at present SatPC32 can't switch the IC-910H to FMN. The manual mentions only a CAT command for FM (cmd 4), but no command for FMN. Meanwhile I know that there are undocumented commands that switch the IC-910H to FMN (cmd 5 sub cmd 2. I have just tested that and it works (with the IC-821H and other Icom radios this command doesn't work at all). So, I think, I can modify the program with the next update and include the special FMN command for the IC-910H. 73s, Erich, DK1TB ----- Original Message ----- From: Charles Reiche To: dk1tb(a)amsat.org Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2008 1:21 AM Subject: FM narrow mode for DOPPLER.SQF file Im am learning the ins and outs of your fine program, but I have run into a stumbling block... I have an Icom IC-910h connected via a rigblaster PNP. My file entry for ISS voice mode reads as follows: ISS,145800,437800,FM,FMN,NOR,0,0,Cross band repeater The sub band refuses to go to Narrow mode. If I turn off CAT I can manually enter the sub band and press and hold the FM button to enter Narrow mode but this gets reset to FM on the next tune cycle. I have also tried setting both bands to FMN, without sucess. Is your program capable of setting this mode on my Icom? I am using version 12.6 Thanks Charlie N3CRT

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Dispelling a myth
by john heath 05 Feb '08

05 Feb '08

If you do some reaserch into the British Blue Streak and Black Arrow programms you will see that at the time Britain was well ahead of its competitors. Money and politics sank the project. If you are interested in further reading get, A Vertical Empire, The History of the UK Rocket and Space Programme by C.N. Hill. ISBN 1-86094-269-9 73 John G7HIA PS/ no connection with the author or the publisher, just enjoyed the book.

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Re: Looking for contact info for KB9KTD
by Joe 05 Feb '08

05 Feb '08

grrr also no good, this guy has 4 e mail addresses out on the web and all do this,, ----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors ----- <kb9ktd(a)centurytel.net> (reason: 550 5.1.1 <kb9ktd(a)centurytel.net>... User unknown) grrr Joe WB9SBD Gary Schuchardt wrote: > Joe > > I found this information on my Ham Call software. > > David J Huber, KB9KTD > 1122 Wilson St > Onalaska, WI 54650 > USA > > Class: Technician > > Previous Call: Previous Class: > > Issue Date: 06-06-1995 Expires: 06-06-2005 > Process Date: 10-09-1999 Birth Date: 06-11-1960 > > Web site lookup count: 9 as of 14 Mar 2004 > E-Mail: kb9ktd(a)centurytel.net <mailto:[email protected]> > Web Site: > (Double-click the e-mail address or web site) > > Latitude: 43d 52' 36" N Longitude: 91d 13' 14" W > Distance: 1501.57 km., Long path: 38572.49 km. > Heading: 307.3, Long path: 127.0 > > Grid Square: EN43jv Time Zone: -6 > County: La Crosse Area Code: 608 > > > I hope this helps you. > > Gary > N0EZH > > -------Original Message------- > > From: Joe <mailto:[email protected]> > Date: 2/4/2008 2:08:07 PM > To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org <mailto:[email protected]> > Subject: [amsat-bb] Looking for contact info for KB9KTD > > The address on QRZ is bad, as well as the one on his web page,, > > anyone? > > Joe WB9SBD > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org <mailto:[email protected]>. Opinions > expressed are those of the author. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > > >

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Dispelling a myth.
by John Hackett 05 Feb '08

05 Feb '08

I was rather amused at a question I received the other day ... "Why wasn't Great Britain involved in space?" ... like America, Russia, Japan, India and China. Errr ... I wonder if the words Jodrell Bank, Blue Streak, Woomera ... and in more modern times, SSTL would mean anything to the person who asked the question. How about the "other" magician ... MERLIN - (anno 2008) ... MERLIN = Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network. MERLIN operates at frequencies from 151Mhz to 24Ghz. At 5Mhz the resolution of MERLIN is better than 50 milliarcseconds, (quote) ... "somewhat greater than that of the Hubble telescope" ... (unquote). Oh, I'd say Great Britain 'is' involved in space. Perusal of the JODRELL BANK web pages ought to dispel any myths as to whether the 'Limey's' are involved in space or not. The Lovell telescope - (76m) - is the centrepiece of an impressive array of dishes on my old stomping ground at Holmes Chappel - it is also available with it's own "live" web pages. If "precision" - (space tracking) - is your thing I'd suggest you check out the parameters ... where "error" is quoted as ... 0.0000 in azimuth and elevation ... and the diameter of the main dish is *only* 76 meters. The Russians asked the 'mad professors' at Jodrell Bank to help track Sputnik way back in 1957 ... was that early enough to justify a 'presence' in space exploration?. It wasn't just the Germans who messed about with RADAR and clandestine radios in the war, you know. I can tell you ... when you start getting 'whacked' on the head by V1 rockets chucked at you from Germany, you start taking an interest in 'space'. 73 John. <la2qaa(a)amsat.org>

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Re: A considerate operating practice on FM (one channel) satellites, Europe take 2
by OZ1MY 05 Feb '08

05 Feb '08

Hi all, Thanks for the many positive replies. More than one says that it would be a good idea to have the article translated for the different national magazines in Europe. Tonight I will update the article and hope that at least one radio amateur in each European country will volunteer to translate from my English to the necessary language - and try to get it in the national magazine. Just send me an e-mail direct and you will get the article. The offer is not limited to Europe :-) By the way I like the FM satellites and use them. 73 OZ1MY Ib

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