November 2010 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

Re: [amsat-dc] O/OREOS amateur radio beacon info
by Samudra Haque 17 Nov '10

17 Nov '10

ok, Launch Video links as follows: OREOS http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/smallsats/oreos/main/index.html http://www.spaceflightnow.com/minotaur/stps26/status.html Here's the live video feed on Spaceflightnow.com: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/minotaur/stps26/status.html Keps requested. 73 de N3RDX On Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 1:03 PM, Robb Hill <vortextube(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Samudra, > > How will keplerian elements be distributed? That is always problem. When > something launches it doesn't always make it to hams very quickly. > > Also, is there a means for folks to monitor the launch? > > Thanks, > Robb > >

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RAX CubeSat Launch Announcement
by Matt Bennett 17 Nov '10

17 Nov '10

Fellow Hams, The University of Michigan's Radio Aurora Explorer (RAX) CubeSat Team is excited to announce its launch THIS FRIDAY (November 19th) out of Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska! The satellite is a space weather science spacecraft carrying a 9600 baud UHF transceiver that will transmit telemetry in the amateur satellite bands. The satellite also carries a radar receiver on board capable of 1 MHz I/Q sampling of select bandwidths between 400-500 MHz, including the amateur satellite bands. The primary objective of the mission is to use the onboard radar receiver in conjunction with a powerful radar station in Alaska to study the formation of a plasma anomaly known for causing the scintillation of radio signals in the UHF and higher bands. This scintillation effect is known to inhibit our space radar tracking capabilities and ground-space communications. Studying this anomaly in this bi-static radar configuration (ground based transmitter, space-base receiver) will provide scientists with a better understanding of these anomalies that has not been achievable with ground radars alone. If you have an amateur satellite ground station, then we want you to be involved with our mission! We are looking for amateur ground stations to help acquire RAX's UHF beacon during the next few weeks of early launch and continue to help collect telemetry throughout the mission. We also want the AMSAT community to get involved with submitting proposals on how the radar receiver could be used for amateur radio experiments after the primary mission objective is achieved. We anticipate a call for proposals to be posted to the AMSAT-BB in the next few months. For up-to-date launch information, LIVE launch video, tracking and beacon information, TLEs, and beacon decoding software, please visit our website at http://rax.engin.umich.edu. Please check this website regularly for TLEs as TLEs will NOT be posted on the usual sites (Celestrak, Space-Track, etc) for spacecraft on this launch. Thank you very much for your attention! Please email me with any questions. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, etc to get the latest updates on the launch, acquisition, and science operations! (see RAX webpage for links) Thanks and 73! Matt Bennett KF6RTB AMSAT MemberRAX Program Managerhttp://rax.engin.umich.edu

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Re: Most Wanted Grid Map - KB5WIA in DM17 next week
by David Palmer 17 Nov '10

17 Nov '10

Speaking of rare grids, I'll be heading out to one of the "orange/reddish" ones in Death Valley early next week. Will try to work DM17dc and maybe even the DM16ex/DM17ea junction on Monday / Tuesday (Nov 22/23). Look for me on all FM / SSB sats, I don't know my exact schedule but I'll try to hit as many as I can. 73 de Dave KB5WIA On Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 7:05 AM, Zachary Beougher <zack.kd8ksn(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > Hi Michael! > > The gridmaps on K8YSE's website are a good indicator of what grids are > rare/not so rare on the birds. I would obviously not go based upon my > gridmaps on there, but someone like K8YSE, KO4MA, WD9EWK and N5AFV who have > been around awhile, if you see a common grid that has not been worked on > their gridmaps, you can bet it is a rare grid on the birds. Here is the > link just in case you don't have it: > http://www.papays.com/sat/gridmaps/gridmaps.html > > 73! > > Zack > KD8KSN

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Re: John Champa, K8OCL SK
by Rsoifer＠aol.com 17 Nov '10

17 Nov '10

Hi, Like all others who knew him, I was saddened to learn of John's passing. As an executive vice president and director, he made many important contributions to AMSAT, quite a few of which were behind the scenes. John and I didn't always agree, but as Dee said on ANS, his opinions were always worth listening to. I learned a lot from him. John will be missed. 73, Ray W2RS

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Wide filter for a 910 in SSB mode?
by Graham Shirville 17 Nov '10

17 Nov '10

Hi all, This may seem a dumb question but has anyone found a wide - say 6kHz bandwidth filter at 10.8MHz suitable for a 910H? Alternative question #1 - Does anyone know if the 9100 allows different bandwidths for each mode...there is a "filter" button on the front panel - not sure what it will do Alternative question #2 - for 9k6 BPSK operation we are trying to find a suitable readily available receiver - any ideas? The FUNcube dongle and Spectravue option is already acknowledged! many thanks Graham G3VZV

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Update: QRM on HO-68 on 20:57 UTC pass over UK
by P.H. 17 Nov '10

17 Nov '10

Further to my posting of several days ago, I have just experienced similar QRM on FO-29 at 435.818 at 17.33 UTC At this time, with doppler correction taken into account that leaves the uplink around 145.915MHz just 10khz away from the QRM heard on November 10th This time it was a French station, after listening to my previous recording several times I was able to hear a French station on HO-68 also. 73 MI3EPN Pete

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Re: Most Wanted Grid Map and a quick thanks
by na2x＠yahoo.com 17 Nov '10

17 Nov '10

It was WB3JFS who collected the grid square needs, his summary is at: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/archive/amsat-bb/200901/msg07220.html

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Please help us Track the FASTRAC satellites once they are launched Nov. 19th!!
by joe barkley 17 Nov '10

17 Nov '10

Does Celestrak.com have these in their catalog yet. I found one named FAST but the elements did not seem to match up. Thanks Joe KI4TZ

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O/OREOS amateur radio beacon info
by Samudra Haque 17 Nov '10

17 Nov '10

Hello AMSAT-NA and AMSAT-DC, I have been requested to spread the word to the amateur community for the O/OREOS 3U cubesat to be launched this Friday on a Minotaur IV from Kodiak Island, relayed from Dr. Pascale Ehrenfreund of The George Washington University, Space Policy Institute. AX.25 437.305 MHz Beacon decoding information: http://beacon.engr.scu.edu/BeaconProcessingSystem/OOREOSBeaconDecoding.pdf If you are able to capture the beacon telemetry, please take the time to file a report at http://beacon.engr.scu.edu/Submission.aspx which is an interface to the Beacon Data Processing System. The O/OREOS project is co-sponsored by Santa Clara University, Ohlone College and NASA Note the same system is used for reporting beacon data from GeneSat, PharmaSat and NanoSail-D. I am interested to hear about your attempts, and discuss the results, on the AMSAT-NA list. 73 de N3RDX Samudra Haque

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Most Wanted Grid Map and a quick thanks
by Michael Elliott 17 Nov '10

17 Nov '10

Hello everyone, I have a sort of odd question which has been bouncing around in my mind. Back in the October issue of QST there was a map of the 6m grid squares that displayed a grid map with colored squares showing the most wanted to least wanted grids. I understand that the map was based on a survey of 6m users - but I was curious if there was anything similar for satellites? Also, I am sorry for the delay in sending this - but I wanted to thank Patrick, WD9EWK and Drew, KO4MA for the AO27 contacts this past Saturday. Our ARES group was helping with a county wide communications exercise assisting Emergency Services. During our late lunch we had a impromptu satellite demonstration. I had a hard time finding the satellite, but eventually made it. I mistakenly switched in to auto-mode in providing my grid information, we were actually located in EM85 instead of my home qth of EM95. My friend Mac, K3CLM tried to make it as well using his HT and Elk antenna. We had around 12 individuals watching the demo. Hopefully we will get more interested in operating the birds. Thanks again to Patrick and Drew. Michael, K4MOA

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