January 2009 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

STS-51F Videos on YouTube
by Trevor 12 Jan '09

12 Jan '09

Historic Shuttle Amateur Radio Videos http://www.southgatearc.org/news/january2009/historic_shuttle_videos.htm BBC interviews UK Cubesat builders http://www.southgatearc.org/news/january2009/bbc_interviews_cubesat_builder… Namibian VHF DXpedition logs 89 EME contacts on first night http://www.southgatearc.org/news/january2009/namibian_dxpedition_first_nigh… 73 Trevor M5AKA ---- Daily Amateur Radio News by email: http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=2783644&loc=en_US ----

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Cheap Auto Trackin Rotator Controller
by K. Tsurumi 12 Jan '09

12 Jan '09

I am using home made Auto Tracking Antenna Rotator Controller. Fairly simple and economical. I have described the details on the following URL. http://www011.upp.so-net.ne.jp/tsurumi/Track88Eng/PIC88Trk.html 73 de JA1JRZ, Kim

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Radio Shack bargain bin find
by Andrew Glasbrenner 11 Jan '09

11 Jan '09

I have a few different projects that I tackled today that involved 2.5mm stereo connectors. After finding my junk box didn't have any, I headed down to Radio Shack rather reluctantly...but it's the only game in town on a Sunday afternoon. Of course the one I went to wasn't a "parts" store, and only had mono plugs. So I decided to cruise the yellow clearance tags and lo and behold, SKU # 43-2003 was on clearance for $1.97. This is half the cost of one of the plugs from the same store. This item consists of a nice 6 ft coiled cable, with a right angle gold-plated 2.5mm stereo plug on one end, and a jack of the same size on the other end. BINGO! I bought four of the seven they had, and a few other pieces I knew the junk box was also missing. Once home, three were hacked up and made into the following cables: 1) Male 2.5mm to DB-9 for connection to the AMSAT' D7 loaner rig for programming 2) Female 2.5mm to DB-9 for connection to my Garmin GPS and D7 mobile harness in lieu of the D7. This allows me to feed NMEA GPS data into my laptop and logging software for next weekend's VHF contest while roving. 3) Male 2.5mm to female 3.5mm for connection from the D7 to normal stereo headphones. These headphones are plentiful, and by cross wiring the female end of the cable you get sound in both ears without adapters. I just wanted to share because I know there are many satellite users that have the D7 also. 73, Drew KO4MA

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Handbag Sat :-)
by Chris Bloy 11 Jan '09

11 Jan '09

Hi All, My sat has turned up :- ISS DEB [TOOLBAG] 1 33442U 98067BL 09010.11134351 .00031997 00000-0 20741-3 0 824 2 33442 51.6439 35.1576 0003034 155.3617 204.8152 15.75714425 8091 >From Celestrack... Any idea the keps of the latest launches? Thanks, Chris - M0DQO

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demo help
by Nick Pugh 11 Jan '09

11 Jan '09

Slightly off topic I have a demo for 12 year old kids Thursday at about 1600 gmt. I would like to demo Echo link with some ham outside of the USA. If you have the time to come up on Echo link and talk about ham radio and satellites please get email me. Thanks Nick k5qxj

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UNITEC-1 Freq.
by jkelly 11 Jan '09

11 Jan '09

Does anyone know what the proposed UNITEC-1 frequency(s) will be? Jeff KT2K

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Re: UNITEC-1 Freq.
by Mineo Wakita 11 Jan '09

11 Jan '09

UNITEC-1 Deveroper: UNISEC (University Space Engineering Consortium) Launch: May 2010 Vehicle: H-IIA Frequency: Undecided http://unitec-1.cc.u-tokai.ac.jp/en/news_en JE9PEL, Mineo Wakita

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P3E
by Yokshs 11 Jan '09

11 Jan '09

Happy New Year, I'd like to know the current status of Phase 3E. Seems that the last I read, the bird was nearly complete? The last launch estimate I heard was "Late 2008". Thanks.. 73. Kyle K0KN

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ANS-011 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by JoAnne Maenpaa 11 Jan '09

11 Jan '09

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-011 ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor(a)amsat.org In this edition: * Launch Alert for Seven Small Satellites on January 21 * VE3NPC and G3VZV Complete Transatlantic AO-51 Mode V/S Contact * AMSAT-DC Spring Satellite Workshop Seeks Members for Mission Teams * ARISS logo items at CafePress * Satellite Shorts From All Over * ARISS Status Report for the Week of January 5, 2009 SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-011.01 Launch Alert for Seven Small Satellites on January 21 AMSAT News Service Bulletin 011.01 >From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. January 11, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-011.01 Mineo Wakita, JE9PEL sent a Cubesat launch alert for seven amateur radio satellites planned as secondary payloads when Japan launches its GOSAT IBUKI satellite on January 21, 2009 at 03.54 UTC. GOSAT - Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite is an environmental monitoring satellite which will be launched from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center aboard the H-IIA F15 booster. Information about the primary mission can be found on-line at: http://www.jaxa.jp/countdown/f15/overview/ibuki_e.html http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/gosat/index_e.html Information about the launch vehicle can be found on-line at: http://www.jaxa.jp/countdown/f15/overview/h2a_e.html The small satellite palyload will consist of: Satellite Downlink Beacon Mode Callsign --------- ----------- ----------- -------- -------------- KAGAYAKI 437.375 437.375 FSK9k6/CW STARS 437.485/465 437.305/275 FM/CW JR5YBN/JR5YBO KKS-1 437.445 437.385 AFSK/CW JQ1YYY PRISM 437.425 437.250 AFSK/GMSK/CW JQ1YCX SOHLA-1 437.505 437.505 AFSK/CW SPRITE Scientific observation satellite SDS-1 Small demonstration satellite (Ed. note - this table and all links can also be found on the main AMSAT web page http://www.amsat.org - see the bottom story.) Masa, JN1GKZ reported that the small satellites are technically not CubeSats since they are larger in size and each platform is a unique design. He provided the following links to provide more information about each satellite. Kagayaki 31x31x35cm, 28kg http://www.sorun.co.jp/kagayaki/top.html (sorry, Japanese only) STARS - Space Tethered Autonomous Robotic Satellite KU (Mother Satellite) 16x16x25cm KAI (Daughter Satellite) 16x16x15cm http://stars1.eng.kagawa-u.ac.jp/english/index.html KKS-1 Kouku-Kousen-Satellite-1 15x15x15cm, 3kg http://www.kouku-k.ac.jp/~kks-1 (sorry, Japanese only) PRISM Pico-satellite for Remote-sensing and Innovative Space Missions 20x20x40cm, 8kg http://www.space.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/prism/main-e.html SOHLA-1 http://www.sohla.com/docs/index.php They will be launched into a sun synchronous orbit to an altitude of 660km with an inclination of 98.1 degrees. The orbital period is estimated to be 98 minutes. [ANS thanks Mineo Wakita, JE9PEL and Masa, JN1GKZ for the above information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-011.02 VE3NPC and G3VZV Complete Transatlantic AO-51 Mode V/S Contact AMSAT News Service Bulletin 011.02 >From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. January 11, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-011.02 Clare, VE3NPC and Graham, G3VZV completed a transatlantic contact via AO-51 running an uplink of 145.880 MHz FM and downlink of 2401.200 MHz FM at 10:11 UTC on January 9, 2009. Clare reported the elevation at 5 degrees and a range of 2700 km. The two stations completed a short QSO with clear signals. Clare says his equipment consists of a 52 turn helix with reflector cup into a DEM preamp and downconverter into SatPC32 controlled FT-736 for 13cm receiving on 2401.200 MHz. He used an FT-847 with 2 watts into 2 x 6 el quagis for 2m for his uplink. Complete infor- mation on the 52 turn helix was published in the September/October 2008 AMSAT Journal. At the other end of the contact Graham, G3VZV says he was operating with an IC910 barefoot. The antennas included WIMO circular polarised VHF (10 dBd) and UHF (12 dBd) crossed quad antennas and the famous G3RUH 600mm/2 foot dish and patchfeed with a Kuhne DB6NT preamp at the feed left over from AO40 operating. The antennas are all at about 40 feet. The satellite reached around 3 degrees elevation. Graham says he did all doppler tuning correction by hand. In other AO-51 news, AMSAT-NA VP Operations, Drew KO4MA provided updates to the AO-51 Operating Mode Schedule to better support a hamfest operation, and a DXpedition to Namibia. January 12 - January 18 FM Repeater, V/U Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM Downlink: 435.300 MHz FM FM Repeater, L/U Uplink: 1268.700 MHz FM Downlink: 435.150 MHz FM January 19 - January 25 FM Repeater, V/U Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM Downlink: 435.300 MHz FM 9k6 BBS, L/U Uplink: 1268.700 MHz 9k6 FM Downlink: 435.150 MHz 9k6 FM January 26 - February 1 FM Repeater, L/S Uplink: 1268.700 MHz FM Downlink: 2401.200 MHz FM SSTV Repeater, V/U Uplink: 145.860 MHz FM SSTV Downlink: 435.150 MHz FM SSTV The full AO-51 schedule and Command Team News can be found on-line at: http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/ControlTeam.php. The AMSAT main web page will also provide a quick status update when the infor- mation changes. Operating mode requests can be sent via e-mail to ao51-modes(a)amsat.org . [ANS thanks Drew, KO4MA, and congratulates Clare, VE3NPC, and Graham, G3VZV for the above information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-011.03 AMSAT-DC Spring Satellite Workshop Seeks Members for Mission Teams AMSAT News Service Bulletin 011.03 >From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. January 11, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-011.03 If you find yourself in the Baltimore-Washington DC area this spring you may be interested in learning more and participating in an AMSAT-DC workshop which simulates building, testing, launch- ing, and receiving signals from an Amateur Radio satellite. AMSAT Area Coordinator for the Maryland-DC area, Pat Kilroy, N8PK is proposing such a workshop for the 2009 AMSAT-DC Meeting and Space Seminar. This meeting is historically held in early spring at or near the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. Pat is proposing individuals and groups of Amateur Radio operators form teams who compete at this AMSAT-DC workshop to create and operate a satellite mission. The first groups will build a PICetSat II flight module from a kit of electronic parts on a small printed circuit board. You can see an example of the original PICetSat module at: http://patkilroy.com/simsat/3/ The second groups will set up simple satellite ground stations to operate on 433.920 MHz SSB. These team members need to provide a radio, antenna, and feedline for the 70 cm band. The third groups will be in charge of setting up and loading soft- ware in the computers at the ground stations to decode the telemetry and to analyze it according to a set of instructions. This event will be perfect for beginners and advanced satellite users alike, all ultimately working together to "launch" the flight module, receive the downlink, and decode the telemetry. Instructions will be provided in advance of the event to enhance preparation. Pat notes he needs volunteer help to plan and organize this event. A couple of dedicated individuals are needed immediately to start the plans to lock in the workshop meeting space, advertise the event, to do the footwork needed to process participant applications, and to assure one set of radio and computer stations are on hand and ready at the start of the workshop. To volunteer contact Pat at his e-mail address: n8pk(a)amsat.org as soon as possible. Pat will convene a conference call for all interested participants to finalize the Workshop details with the volunteers. Pat requests that interested amateur radio operators RSVP to him via e-mail n8pk(a)amsat.org and indicate which group you will be most inter- ested in working with. The cost of the Workshop is still "TBD" to cover the materials and meeting space. Those choosing the PICetSat II will keep their completed project. [ANS thanks Pat, N8PK for the above information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-011.04 ARISS logo items at CafePress AMSAT News Service Bulletin 011.04 >From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. January 11, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-011.04 Will, KC6ROL says, "The ARISS team is pleased to announce the availability of ARISS logo items through the online store at: http://www.cafepress.com/ariss " The ARISS logo is being made available as a courtesy to the members of the amateur radio community for personal use. Persons wishing to market items with the ARISS logo need to contact the ARISS Secretary Treasurer, Rosalie White, at k1sto(a)arrl.org to receive permission. AMSAT-NA receives 10% from sales through this store. These funds will be used to support the ARISS team activities. Neither ARISS nor AMSAT have any control over items ordered, or returns, through Café Press. [ANS thanks Will, KC6ROL for the above information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-011.05 Satellite Shorts From All Over AMSAT News Service Bulletin 011.05 >From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. January 11, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-011.05 + CQ Magazine announced a new e-mail list has been established to notify readers of the availability of each new issue of WorldRadio magazine, which is converting to a free online-only publication. You may sign up for the list at: http://mailman.sunserver.com/mailman/listinfo/WorldRadio-L . Direct links to this signup page will be posted on both the CQ magazine website at http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com and the old WorldRadio website at http://www.wr6wr.com . + SatMagazine, a free web based magazine is available on-line at: http://www.satmagazine.com/cgi-bin/display_edition.cgi . This month's issue is dedicated to Cubesats. AMSAT and Amateur Radio are mentioned. + If you participated in OSCAR SKN, please nominate someone you worked for Best Fist now, while you're thinking of it. Remember, your nominee need not have the best fist you heard, just the best of those you worked. Send your nomination to w2rs(a)amsat.org + The first English issue of the free electronic Amateur Radio magazine Ham-Mag is now available and features an article on working satellites with your HT by K6LCS. The first issue can be downloaded from the maga- zine's website at http://www.ham-mag.com/ and if you subscribe (free) the magazine will be emailed to you each month. + Information about the Southeastern VHF Society Conference April 24-25 in Charlotte, NC can be found at: http://www.w4dex.com/svhfs_2009.htm + An upgrade to the RASCAL software to decode DO-64 telemetry is avail- able at http://www.delfic3.nl/rascal - this page also includes the upgrading instructions if you are moving up from a previous version. [ANS thanks everyone for the above information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-011.06 ARISS Status Report for the Week of January 5, 2009 AMSAT News Service Bulletin 011.06 >From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. January 11, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-011.06 1. School Contacts Axam Jatiya Vidyalaya in Guwahati, India had a successful ARISS contact on Wednesday, January 7 at 08:01 UTC via telebridge station W6SRJ in California. Approximately 1300 students are enrolled at the school. All students are taught in Assamese with English taught as a compulsory second language. Tongfu Road No. 1 Primary School in Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R. China has been scheduled for an ARISS contact on Saturday, January 17 at 10:23 UTC. The school is over 70 years old with an enrollment of over 1000 students. An amateur radio club was established at the school in 2007 and during the same year a team from this school won the national youngster's amateur radio contest. Elective courses on amateur radio, space technology and ARISS are offered to the students. All grades have participated in essay and cartoon contests to prepare for the contact. Students have written letters to the astronauts and determined the questions to ask. Media coverage is planned with newspapers, tele- vision and the internet. 2. Technopolis Contact Successful On Saturday, January 3, students visiting Technopolis in Mechelen, Belgium experienced an ARISS contact via telebridge station VK4KHZ in Australia. The students asked Mike Fincke, KE5AIT, 16 questions with time left over to exchange Season's Greetings. Approximately 100 students, parents and ham radio operators attended the event. Three television stations and two newspapers reported on the contact. The audio was fed into the EchoLink AMSAT and JK1ZRW servers and received 29 connections from ten different countries including the Ukraine and Romania. More information on the contact may be found on the ARISS-Europe Web site: http://www.ariss-eu.org/2009_01_03.htm 3. ARISS 25th Anniversary Special Event Update To celebrate the 25th anniversary of ham radio in space, an ARISS commemorative event will be held during the month of December through mid January. A special certificate is being developed for those who communicate with the ISS, either 2-way direct (with the ISS crew, the digipeater, or cross band repeater), or 1-way reception of SSTV or voice downlink. For more information and an update on this event, see: http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm under "Latest News." [ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI for the above information] /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. With that recall the time two silk worms had a race which ended in a tie. 73, This week's ANS Editor, JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM K9JKM at amsat dot org

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Re: Equador on AO-7
by K7WIN - Jeff 10 Jan '09

10 Jan '09

Hi Glenn, I worked HC2FG, in grid FI07 via AO-51in August of 2007. I will have to listen for the HC station. 73, Jeff - K7WIN > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Glenn Miller" <aa5pk(a)hotmail.com> > To: "AMSAT BBS" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> > Sent: Friday, January 09, 2009 7:43 PM > Subject: [amsat-bb] Equador on AO-7 > > > > I heard an HC7? in grid FI07 on AO-7 last evening (Jan 9) around 0318Z. I > missed his call sign, but copied his grid before he was LOS. > Has anyone else heard or worked him? > > 73 de Glenn AA5PK > San Angelo, TX DM91 > > _________________________________________________________________ > Windows Live™ Hotmail®: Chat. Store. Share. Do more with mail. > http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t1_hm_justgotbetter_explor… > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. 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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