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

FASTRAC Updates!
by Sebastian Muñoz 20 Nov '10

20 Nov '10

I want to thank everybody that has helped us track FASTRAC as we have gotten confirmation from multiple sources that they are both working beaconing and that the satellites are crosslinking. We were also able to hear a couple of beacons at our station this morning and will attempt to contact them again this afternoon on our next pass. Thanks a lot, 73, Sebastian (KE5FKV) FASTRAC Student Program Manager -- Sebastian Muñoz Toro Graduate Research Assistant The University of Texas at Austin Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Satellite Design Laboratory email: sebastian_munoz(a)mail.utexas.edu phone: +1 (512) 471-5144 cell: +1 (512) 825-3857

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G5400B Assembly
by Craig Gagner 20 Nov '10

20 Nov '10

Try to get some info on assembly. My rotor came with the elevator mounted on the wrong side, not knowing any better I put it up on the tower and this morning it wouldn't turn. Took it all down and it was full of ice and water, after going to a friend I realized that the elevator was on the wrong side of the azmith motor. Anyway took it all apart and dried it all out, but I am not sure how it all goes back together, and my meter swings all over the place and then swings hard one way to the stop and I cant seem to get it in sync with the rotator. Please e-mail me direct as I cant figure out how to subscibe to this list . crgagner(a)charter.net Thanks Craig Gagner W1MED

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FASTRAC + O/OREOS
by Nader Omer 20 Nov '10

20 Nov '10

Hi FASTRAC keps elements worked very well with HRD. I’ve Used HRD for Doppler correction to RX O/OREOS, Also I've heard a very strong FASTRAC Beacon at 145.825 . O/OREOS was pumping a very strong signal, Decoded with sound card software UISS and Multipsk . See a movie clip at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pyY4NwScJ4 73, Nader

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Re: New sat's experiences ?
by GW1FKY＠aol.com 20 Nov '10

20 Nov '10

Hi Henk, I regret to say I also had similar experiences using my TS-2000 today at my QTH in South Wales (UK) This morning was also a problem due to the ISS being very active on the same frequency during the pass and I got rather confused. Later on this afternoon I monitored and the packet bursts from the satellite were quite strong but had no success in decoding them sadly. I have to add though the signals were quite strong and could be monitored and heard using either a THD-7 handheld or a THD 700 and only an Arrow antenna. Glad to see that Mike has his usual success together with others reporting in to the BBS. Not yet submitted any report to the project web site but my congratulations to all the team, support and sponsors. Glad to see your time and efforts rewarded - Thanks for the new additions to the hobby. Ken Eaton GW1FKY Amsat-UK Amsat NA

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AO27 & SO50 Mutual Window, Possible QRM?
by Rick Tejera 20 Nov '10

20 Nov '10

All, A question. Friday between 2156 -2201 UT both SO-50 & AO-27 were visible form my QTH (in fact they had a mutual window somewhere from about 2154- 2214UT). Both birds were in the same area of the sky, so I think it'd be possible to hit both birds with my antenna pointed towards one of them. Now for the question, since both bird operate on the same frequencies, (with SO-50 requiring a PL tone), If I'm working SO-50 Wouldn't someone working AO27 hear me as well? If they do and reply, Would I hear them from the AO-27 downlink? I know SO-50 wouldn't hear them since there is no PL (Assuming the other station did not program in a PL). Also if the other station did have the PL, what would happen if both birds heard him and repeated the uplink? I imagine there would be some serious QRM as the signal reach my station out of phase. If we did hear each other and completed a QSO, I can imagine the confusion when QSL's are exchanged.... Just wondering. Clear Skies Rick Tejera Editor SACnews, Public Outreach Coordinator Saguaro Astronomy Club Phoenix, Arizona www.saguaroastro.org <http://www.saguaroastro.org/> saguaroastro(a)cox.net K7TEJ, AMSAT 38452

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new sats
by jerry 20 Nov '10

20 Nov '10

Is there a tracking map yet for the new sats. ? Jerry WB5LHD

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Please help us Track the FASTRAC satellites once they are launched Nov. 19th!!
by Sebastian Muñoz 20 Nov '10

20 Nov '10

Dear members of the University Nanosat, Cubesat, and Amateur Radio communities, As many of you may know, the FASTRAC satellites built by students at UT-Austin will be launched as part of the STP-S26 mission this upcoming Friday Nov 19th (around 4:30 pm AST) from Kodiak, Alaska on board a Minotaur IV rocket. The satellites will be placed into a 650 km altitude, 72 degree inclination circular orbit. For those that don't know, the FASTRAC satellites are the winners of the University Nanosat-3 Competiton and their primary mission is to demonstrate enabling technologies for small satellites. The satellites have been designed the satellites so that amateur radio operators can track them all over the world and to do so the team has built a section on our website ( http://fastrac.ae.utexas.edu/for_radio_operators/overview.php) that allows any amateur radio operator to upload data they receive from the satellites. This serves two purposes which are that the website will parse and graphically interpret the data received and also allows the team to collect data from all over the world. With this in mind we would like to invite you to track our satellites and register on our website. All of the information to track the satellites is available on the above website where we will be posting the most up to date TLEs as they become available as well as any other pertinent information. Also, we will be posting updates as the launch approaches on our website, our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/fastracsats) and our Twitter page ( www.twitter.com/fastracsats) so make sure to chek them out. Thank you for your help. 73, Glenn Lightsey (KE5DDG) and Sebastián Muñoz (KE5FKV) FASTRAC Principal Investigator and FASTRAC Student Program Manager

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Re: NA1ISS
by Patrick E. Farcon 20 Nov '10

20 Nov '10

If I may add my two cents: After checking on http://Oscar.dcarr.org it appears that the ISS has been active on voice between 21:00 and 22:00 utc lately. Commander Wheelock seems to get into patterns of availability on the radio but of course it depends on time available on the space station. I used that as a guideline and found an excellent pass that fit in the timeframe such as that when I had made my contact back in June or July. Of course there is a chance on any decent pass that you may catch him on the frequencies you mentioned. I hope that his successors up there continue to be active after he returns to Earth at the end of the month I believe. Of course there is always packet and APRS but a voice contact is always amazing. Http://www.issfanclub.com is also a site that has a wealth of information that may be helpful. Good luck and enjoy! Pat N2VYT FN20un

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FASTRAC Emma decoded
by Mike Rupprecht 20 Nov '10

20 Nov '10

All, strong signals of internal communication between FASTRAC-1 and FASTRAC-2 (9k6) on 145.825 MHz 2010-11-20 06:01:56.250 UTC: .F401408101118.38528 0 +0.00 +0.00 +0.00 +0.00000 +0.00000 +0.000000 0 0.073..F421408101118.38528 0 0 2010-11-20 06:01:56.270 UTC: .000000000 0 0.00 +0.000 +0.000 0 0.00 +0.000 +0.000 0 0.00 +0.000 +0.000 2010-11-20 06:01:56.300 UTC: 0 0.00 +0.000 +0.000 0 0.00 +0.000 +0.000 0 0.00 +0.000 +0.000 0 0 2010-11-20 06:01:56.340 UTC: .00 +0.000 +0.000 0 0.00 +0.000 +0.000 0 0.00 +0.000 +0.000 0 0.00 and a beacon signal of Emma (1k2 AFSK) 2010-11-20 06:03:03.360 UTC: [142 Bytes KISS Frame (without CRC)] ctrl: 3 PID: F0 {UI} 123 Payload Bytes from FAST2 to BEACON: F21001408 89519.396884 +6378137.00 +0.00 +0.00 +0.00000 +0.00000 +0.0000358283287 019 020 020 018 033. 73, Mike DK3WN

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O/OREOS decoded
by Mike Rupprecht 20 Nov '10

20 Nov '10

All, strong signals on 437.305 MHz (1k2 AFSK) 2010-11-20 05:59:38.760 UTC: OOREOS.org 997F3201B2029C02029902A301280011020D5F094300204B46 2010-11-20 05:59:48.760 UTC: OOREOS.org A37F32030000920201A30131020100D0030D5F094300204B46 2010-11-20 05:59:53.760 UTC: OOREOS.org A87F3200060192021FCD02A402000272000D5F094300204B46 2010-11-20 05:59:58.800 UTC: OOREOS.org AD7F3201EF019C02029902A301280011020D5F094300204B46 2010-11-20 06:00:23.760 UTC: OOREOS.org C67F32025202A102255700A3018D005A000D5F094300204B46 2010-11-20 06:00:28.760 UTC: OOREOS.org CA7F320300008E0201A30131020100D0030D5F094300204B46 2010-11-20 06:00:33.760 UTC: OOREOS.org D07F3200280091021ECE02A702000272000D5F094300204B46 2010-11-20 06:00:38.760 UTC: OOREOS.org D57F320178039C020299021900280011020D5F094300204B46 2010-11-20 06:08:48.780 UTC: OOREOS.org BF8132030000800201A30131020100D0030D5F094300204B46 2010-11-20 06:08:53.780 UTC: OOREOS.org C4813200000087021FCF02AC02000272000D5F094300204B46 73, Mike DK3WN

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