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

New ANDE FCAL and HITSAT re-entry dates
by Armando Mercado 22 May '08

22 May '08

Hello, Space-Track has posted a May 27 re-entry date for ANDE FCAL (NO-62) and a May 31 re-entry date for HITSAT (HO-59). Keps for the two are: HITSAT 1 29484U 06041F 08142.86916203 +.00324211 +47945-4 +47178-3 0 04012 2 29484 098.2572 258.0871 0056273 097.5006 263.2740 16.01986861094310 ANDE FCAL SPHERE 2 1 29667U 06055J 08142.92881198 +.00868814 +12235-4 +12308-3 0 09671 2 29667 051.6113 084.6635 0003578 283.6259 076.4348 16.3412104808235 73, Armando, N8IGJ

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Re: Organized Chaos
by Keith Baker KB1SF/VA3KSF 22 May '08

22 May '08

Dave Guimomt (WB6LLO) wrote:--------------------John, the operation of FM voice satellites is a travesty for ham radio... I've been licensed for 57 years, on amateur satellites for 33 years (Oscar 7) and the FM voice operation is the most ridiculous aberration I've witnessed in all of amateur radio...Pandemonium exists here also!! It is pretty obvious NO COMMUNICATION exists on AO51,all of their communication is on here. Why do they bother to turn the radio on??? Many of us attended AMSAT a lot conventions in an attempt to discourage throwing that money "down the tubes" on FM voice, to no avail. Someone had an "ax to grind", and several of the existing "powers that be" in AMSAT-NA told me to "mind my own business". They were obviously the "ax grinders". FM voice on the amateur satellites is about equal to the same degree of difficulty as a cell phone operation! No wonder our membership is deteriorating. Ancient AO7 and present VO52 hopefully are keeping some interest, until Europe launches P3E.... That's where my donations go.....-----------Dave, As one of those who was present at the "birth" of AO-51(we called it "Echo" back then), I respectfully have todisagree with your assertions. I can assure you that nobody had an "ax to grind" in thatdecision. To the contrary, if you will recall, at that time wehad all but lost most of P3-D's on-orbit capabilities. Organizationally, our morale was very low. What's more, the BOD and officers were presented with a unique cooperative venture that offered our membership a new LEO satellite, complete with launch, for a relatively small outlay of capital resources. Naturally, we jumped at the chance. And, while FM operation may not be your particular "cup of tea" (and most of us operating there would MUCH prefer to have an HEO to play with), at least for the foreseeable future, an operational HEO on orbit is simply not in the cards. What's more, as Bob Bruninga has so eloquently pointed out, the FM birds DO serve a purpose in creating excitement among the general Ham population as well as serving as the entry point into more serious satellite operation for those who choose to engage in satellite conversations that offer something more than just a quick "hello and goodbye". As far as our declining AMSAT membership is concerned, while regrettable, I'm convinced this is simply just another reflection of the declining popularity of Amateur Radio in general. In case you hadn't noticed it, Dave, our Amateur Service is now, quite literally, dying. That's because our average age is approaching (and will soon surpass) age 60. I learned long ago that it is far easier to tear a house down than it is to build one. And sitting on the sidelines and passing judgment on decisions that have LONG since been made serves no purpose other than to create bad feelings all around. I'm sure the current officers and BOD members of all of our AMSAT organizations are doing their level best to get an HEO bird into orbit just as soon as they possibly can. However, we all must remember this is 2008, not 1968. The "space biz" has fundamentally changed into a multi-billion dollar, multi-national, military-industrial grab-bag of commercial launch companies, complete with an ever more dizzying array of government-induced, bureaucratic restrictions and regulatory limits regarding who (and/or what) can put which payload into Earth orbit. The bottom line here is that the days of "free" (or nearly free) and unencumbered satellite launches into Earth orbit are long since over. The sooner today's AMSAT members recognize and accept those fundamental changes that have occurred in a business that their predecessors in AMSAT largely helped create, the better off everyone will be. And if operating on our FM birds continues to give you heartburn, then may I suggest you (and others so 'heartburned") simply not operate on them? 73, Keith BakerKB1SF / VA3KSFPast President and BOD MemberAMSAT-NA

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Beiijing to Launch Amateur Radio Satellite for Olympics ?
by Trevor 22 May '08

22 May '08

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/may2008/beijing_satellite.htm Lets hope they do. 73 Trevor M5AKA --------------- Daily Amateur Radio RSS News: http://www.southgatearc.org/ Email your news items to: editor at southgatearc.org News On Your Website: http://www.southgatearc.org/rss/index.htm News On Your PC: http://www.southgatearc.org/rss/newsreader.htm Upload Your News: http://www.southgatearc.org/news/your_news.htm --------------- __________________________________________________________ Sent from Yahoo! Mail. A Smarter Email http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html

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Delfi-C3 heard by anyone recently ?
by Henk, PA3GUO 22 May '08

22 May '08

I did not hear Delfi-C3 yesterday evening, and also not this morning (Sat) during the full sun / max 90 degrees elevation pass. Btw I also scanned the other 2 mtr downlink freq. For me this is new, that the sat is totally quiet during entire passes. Did anyone hear this sat recently ? ps: would be nice to have, like for example we have it for PCSAT and ISS, a realtime website where the latest received packets are visable. then I would see eg that last reception was 2 hrs ago over US by K6xyz(for example). Henk, PA3GUO The Netherlands, Europe

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DO-64 heard over VK
by David 22 May '08

22 May '08

Hello All, Just caught the end of a pass over VK. By the time I had the computers/radio/tracking fired up and synchronised RASCAL, i managed to capture 26 packets. On the earlier pass this morning I heard SEEDS in CW mode, COMPASS with 8 minute intervals and decoded telemetry from CUTE in CW mode. 73 de David VK5DG

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AAUSAT-II FFSK/MSK burst length
by Mineo Wakita 22 May '08

22 May '08

Bottom of this page: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/aausati2.htm de JE9PEL, Mineo Wakita

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145 MHz IF on mode V/s
by K & R Yoksh 22 May '08

22 May '08

Hello all, Thanks for the many replies to my question. There were a couple with quite a lot of detail. I'll likely just go with the AIDC 3731 with 145 MHz IF mounted at the dish. I don't know the noise figure of my 123 MHz units. I needed a 145 MHz IF in the AO-40 days, as I discovered that an original Icom 706 (mkI) has lousy sensitivity at 123 MHz. I've since upgraded to twin 706MK2g rigs that hear just fine at 123.. BTW, anyone have a ballpark idea of when P3E will launch? Last I heard was late 2008? 73, Kyle Yoksh K0KN Olathe, Kansas

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QSL's to Canada and Mexico
by Ronald Nutter 21 May '08

21 May '08

I am trying to get VUCC and have made several contacts in Canada and Mexico. In trying to be courteous, I dont just want to drop the cards in the mail and hope that I get a return. I would like to get local postage so they can put the card in the mail and get it back to me with no cost to them. I have found a link to the Canadian post office and am waiting for a login to the website so I can order stamps. The Mexican post office doesnt seem to be as organized in the same way. There isnt a english page on the site and google translating only gets you so far. What are my options with getting postage to Mexico ? Ron KA4KYI

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Re: Beacon Freqs for New Sats
by Clint Bradford 21 May '08

21 May '08

>The Delfi-C3 (DO-64) beacon is on 145.870 MHz in CW and SWITCHED OFF >at the moment. >At the moment listen at 145.930. There is a telemetry channel there >with 1200 Baud BPSK AX.25. >The spacecrafts current status can be viewed on the mission operations >page at http://www.delfic3.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=93&Itemid=1… THANK YOU. Do you still want our pass reception reports - as described on your Web site? Clint Bradford -------------------------------------- Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666 - cell

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Beacon Freqs for New Sats
by Clint Bradford 21 May '08

21 May '08

Please edit/amend/update as needed... AAUSat-II Beacon: 437.425 MHz CanX-2 Beacon: N/A COMPASS-1 Beacon: 437.275 MHz Cute-1.7+APDII Beacon: 437.275 MHz Delfi-C3 Beacon: 145.930 MHz SEEDS Beacon: 437.485 MHz NTS Beacon: N/A Clint Bradford, K6LCS -------------------------------------- Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666 - cell

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