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

Satellites need to be open source
by Robin Theunis 12 Nov '09

12 Nov '09

I am telling maybe something controversial to you guys but I think it's this idea is needed for amsat. The post is made because I had a question to amsat and the satellite users, builders, controllers,... Why aren't the schematics of AO-7, AO-51, SO-50,... not posted on the internet? In these satellites is are huge amount of magnificent design electronics. Why can't ham-radio amateurs not reuse those design in other satellites, things. You will think: "That is simple to say that everything needs to be opensource but I have worked so long I don't this that other people just copy it!". If I design something for Radio amateur, I will shared it. I find it more important that someone else can use it also. He can make improvement to my design and so gaining better design/ software. Do you know many stops the mail has. Any how many of those stop are thing that run open-source software. I will start. This email is wrote in Firefox, mailed to Google (which use open source software), the mail packet is routed at my home. Which is an linksys with standard open source linux OS. Then is goes to different routers, smtp relay server which is 9 on 10 a open-source linux server. Then it goes to a POP3 server of amsat which is al so an open-source linux server. Opensource in not a bad thing. There are a lot great projects. Ubuntu, OpenOffice, gpredict, fldigi,... Why can satellite builders, controllers share the designs, software of satellite? And if you publish it with the correct license aka GPL, BSD,... Other amateurs can help, improve, make other satellites with the same tested designs. I have a lot of respect of the satellite build at amsat. They have the know-how. But I in my world I find that everyone can access that knowledge. In other words no one can own knowledge in my opinion. Smaller clubs with not so much knowledge can design his own satellite. I vote for http://www.opensatellite.com/ I gave you some stuff to thing/discuss over. What is your opinion? 73 ON8RTH Robin Theunis http://robin.tussen.be

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GWSS Small Satellites Panel: Updated Flyer
by Samudra Haque N3RDX & S21X 12 Nov '09

12 Nov '09

Attention all DC/MD/VA/DE Amsat members: Our own, Frank Bauer, KA3HDO and Chief Engineer, Exploration Systems Mission Directorate will be speaking at an event hosted by George Washington Space Society at the Elliot School of International Affairs on Thursday, November 12 at 1930 ET. See attached flyer! If you are going, hope to see you there.. 73 Samudra, N3RDX RSVP or inquiries: > > Kirk Woellert, Research Assistant > Space Policy Institute > The George Washington University > 1957 E St., NW Suite 403 > Washington, D.C 20052 > > email: kdwoell(a)comcast.net > > (703) 732-5339 (cel) >

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Hudson Valley Satcom group Net Will not be available tonight on Echolionk
by Cotejaune2＠aol.com 12 Nov '09

12 Nov '09

Hello everyone. The net will not be available tonight on Echolink I was told by our club director of engineering. The net scheduled for November 26 will be canceled due to Thanksgiving. The next net will be on December 10. If you are able to get into the Mt.Beacon repeater on 146.970 pl 100 join us tonight. Everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving. Hope to work you on the birds. 73 Gary WA2AQH

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EM03
by ted 12 Nov '09

12 Nov '09

I will be in EM03 this afternoon and evening and will QSL all contacts, no return cards needed. 73....ted....aa5ck

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Milliwat 2-way contact
by Peter 12 Nov '09

12 Nov '09

Tim, Sawson, Congratulations on your "flee power" contact! Once again experience, knowledge, patience and the cooperation of good satellite operators triumphs over power. We should tip our microphones to Tim, N3TL and Sawson (KG6NUB) for their efforts. I can hear the hiss of rigs being turned on by other amateur's to experiment and enjoy the hobby, thank you guys, well done!! 73, Pete, WB2OQQ NY Area AMSAT Coordinator

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Re: AMSAT NextGen Program Progress
by Alex, N3SQ 12 Nov '09

12 Nov '09

> So Arisssat or suitsat 2 whatever it is called is now going to be ready at the end of 2010? > > Robert WB5MZO I said that we would be in a good position to have a NextGen 2U or 3U CubeSat satellite ready for a launch opportunity anytime after late 2010. It's up to the AMSAT BoD to (a) decide to launch any NextGen satellite (b) raise the money to launch a NextGen satellite I don't remember saying anything about ARISSat-1's launch opportunities, I'm not the ARISSat Program Manager. Alex, N3NP

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AMSAT NextGen Program Progress
by Alex, N3SQ 12 Nov '09

12 Nov '09

Just to give everyone a little update on how the AMSAT NextGen Program is doing @ Binghamton University . . . (a) CONTROL & EXPERIMENT SYSTEMS - The Systems Engineering students are doing well analyzing the ARISSat documentation and will be scheduling meetings with the primary AMSAT engineering contact to discuss documentation questions. - Identified Design Changes Needing to Occur for NextGen: * The Control/Safety Timer needs to be adapted to conform with the CubeSat deployment switch standard * Consolidation of Camera functionality into a separate camera payload board (functionality is currently spread across a number of boards in the stack) (b) RF SYSTEMS - The Systems Engineering students are doing well analyzing the ARISSat documentation and will be scheduling meetings with the primary AMSAT engineering contact to discuss documentation questions. - Identified Design Changes Needing to Occur for NextGen: * Antenna design choice - single dual-band vs dual mono-band * New RF container design needed (c) POWER & STRUCTURE SYSTEMS - The Systems Engineering students are doing well analyzing the ARISSat documentation and will be scheduling meetings with the primary AMSAT engineering contact to discuss documentation questions. - The Hardware Engineering students have been busy creating a preliminary design for solar panel deployment and use of supercapacitors to replace the battery. A Preliminary Design Review is being scheduled in mid-November with the AMSAT Engineering Team. - Identified Design Changes Needing to Occur for NextGen: * Replace Battery with modular stacks of Supercapacitors in parallel to the Solar Panels * Shrink ICB (Interconnect Board) to fit within CubeSat frame * Reduce PSU footprint by moving camera power function to a Camera Payload Board (CPB) * Slight PSU voltage supply design change * Remove test/program load functionality from ICB to external test board (XTB) via standard CubeSat & PPOD maintenance ports (per CubeSat spec.) We are still on-target to have an engineering model ready for the AMSAT table at the 2010 Dayton Hamvention with readiness for launch later in 2010. Alex Harvilchuck, N3NP NextGen Program Manager

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AO51 11Nov09 2143z FP/KV1J DX
by John Papay 12 Nov '09

12 Nov '09

FP/KV1J was on the 2143z pass of AO-51 from GN17. I have a recording of it on my webserver: http://www.papays.com/AO-51_11Nov2009_214257z.mp3 73, John John Papay john(a)papays.com

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I: SatPC32 upgrade
by Francesco Grappi 11 Nov '09

11 Nov '09

Thank you Erich ! Very easy to make backup, install the new 12.8a release and restore all personal settings ! Only a few minutes ... and again on air !! Absolutely SatPC32 is my favourite tracking program Like usual : Great Job ! 73" Frank IW4DVZ -----Messaggio originale----- Da: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] Per conto di Erich Eichmann Inviato: mercoledì 11 novembre 2009 7.59 A: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Oggetto: [amsat-bb] SatPC32 upgrade Hello, I have uploaded an upgrade of SatPC32 (V. 12.8a) on my website http://www.dk1tb.de The changes can be seen here: http://www.dk1tb.de/Changes128a.txt I hope it works. 73s, Erich, DK1TB _______________________________________________ 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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2009 Field Day results
by Luc Leblanc 11 Nov '09

11 Nov '09

With the 1 satellite QSO bonus our local amateur radio club VE2CBS got the fist Canadian position in the 1A QRP battery and 1A commercial class in the 2009 Field Day. My satellite QSO count for 100 points and was the incentive for one operator to buy a Yaesu FT-847 with an arrow just hope he will get some time to try his first satellite QSO soon! Here is the 1A battery and 1A commercial scores 1A Battery HDW QRP Club W5YA 968 5 6 10,425 NM Chew´s Ridge Gang K6MI 751 5 6 8,420 SCV Manti CC NC7X 619 5 4 7,040 UT Bear Mountain QRP Group WA5Y 525 5 10 5,575 NM Southwest OH DX & QRP Assn AE8M 552 5 4 4,990 OH QCWA Fresno Chapter 213 W6GV 387 5 3 4,220 SJV The Hapless Dinks K1SWL 290 5 3 3,400 NH Hawaii QRP Club KH6AA 223 5 16 2,980PAC Minnesota QRP Society WQØRP 233 5 19 2,955 MN Hiawatha / Falls City ARC KØJKS 261 5 22 2,465 KS Albany ARC KK4PQ 161 5 4 1,505 GA ARC Sorel / Tracy **** VE2CBS 116 5 10 1,340 QC Green Mountain Boys WA1QGC 99 5 3 1,185 VT Solder Monkeys W7FC 59 5 8 840 OR KE2UK 129 5 3 820 NLI Club Radio Amateur St Hyacinthe VE2CAM 34 5 5 535 QC 1A Commercial Callaway ARL KSØB 350 2 8 1,750 MO K5PN 452 2 30 1,514 MS Treaty City ARA W8UMD 859 1 22 1,447 OH CRALL VE2CRL 345 2 18 1,016 QC Pathfinders ARC VA4PAR 204 2 15 598 MB Macon ARC W4BKM 55 2 15 160 GA Operators of Portable K7RLL 52 2 3 104 VA Radio Equipment NØDLM 26 2 3 102 AZ Congratulations to all the Sorel-Tracy VE2CBS ARC 2009 Field Day operators. "-" Luc Leblanc VE2DWE President of Sorel-Tracy VE2CBS ARC.

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