October 2011 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

Short Oscar Locator Video
by Thomas Doyle 19 Oct '11

19 Oct '11

Here is a very short (< 2 min) video demonstrating the difference between standard tracking program graphical displays and the bright and beautiful Oscar Locator from the 80's. I actually find it easier to visualize what is happening with the Oscar Locator. Apologies to anyone living south of - 30 degrees latitude. I am very interested in getting a copy of any other vintage tracking maps anyone might be willing to share. Be sure to select 480p and full screen to fully appreciate the beauty of the Oscar Locator. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0QF6UNWWzU 73 W9KE tom ...

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Prospero
by Roger Duthie 19 Oct '11

19 Oct '11

Some of you may have heard that a team in the UK are trying to re-contact and old British launched satellite for the anniversary of its launch (28th October 1971). We've been given a licence to transmit and will be testing our re-engineered ground-segment in the next fortnight. The passes we are going to concentrate on will be as far out west as possible, as to minimise QRM from Europe. Earth is a lot more EM noisy than it was in 1971. If anyone in the UK wants to try and tune in to the downlink, you can help ID any response we get from the old bird. The passes are summarised here: https://public.sheet.zoho.com/public/rjaduthie/prospero-passes-in-the-next-… There are other passes, though these are the ones which are out west. We'll see how we do. -Roger -- --- Roger J A Duthie m0rja

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cards from XE3DX went in the US mail today...
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 19 Oct '11

19 Oct '11

Hi! I received a pouch from David XE3DX with at least 20 stamped envelopes addressed to hams in the USA and Canada today. All of these envelopes were dropped in the box at my post office as soon as I opened the pouch, and should be leaving the Phoenix area tonight. Not all of those were for satellite hams, but I recognized the names/calls on some of the envelopes - K8YSE, WA4NVM, ND9M, N8MH, and K4MOA among them. I also had some loose cards for K5OE and a couple of other hams, which I will mail tomorrow. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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Re: KickSat - a personal spacecraft of your own in space
by William Leijenaar 19 Oct '11

19 Oct '11

Hi Steve, I don't agree that "the more people that get a taste of satellites, the better". AMSAT will then turn from quality into quantity, with a high risk that it will get out of control (RF wise and launch space wise) with so many small sat projects. Now everything is scattered into small satellites (mostly CubeSat) and the big satellites that can unite the international AMSAT community are pushed backwards into the big crowd. Every real AMSAT ham still knows about the AO10, AO13, AO40, FO20/29... even after they stopped working. I wonder how many will remember all those Cubes... I would more like to see that people get interrested in the technology and try to get there ham license because of interrest in technology. Nowadays a license is not really needed, just a dongle and software and you can say you are working on satellites. Nice for students to get "a taste from the small cookies", but not to "have a big meal when you get more hungry", as there is not many big food available (big satellites). I really support the idea to help newcommers, but in my opinion it is getting out of balance... (I believe due to the commercial and publicity value of those Cubes...) 73 de PE1RAH William Leijenaar >>William, I have wondered about this, too. >> >>I have come to think of these as seeds. Seeds that plant the idea of >>satellites in the heads of people and make them want larger, better >>(heo) systems. >> >>They won't last that long, so the idea of RF pollution isn't really >>there. And, if the sat sub-band can have a section devoted to these >>cube sats such that they aren't everywhere, even better. >> >>The more people that get a taste of satellites, the better. >> >>--STeve Andre' >>wb8wsf en72

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Did something change on AO-51??
by Jeff Lamb 19 Oct '11

19 Oct '11

Is it just me or has something happened to the power level on AO-51 recently? Ever since Frank & Clayton (K4FEG & W5PFG) 'broke' it Monday evening on the 2130Z pass (just kidding guys), my receive audio has been 'scratchy' like I'm not getting enough signal into the receiver. Nothing has changed on my end and though I usually run mobile, I was sitting in a parking lot for that pass instead of driving down the road, I'm just curious if anything got changed during the reset. AO-51 has been my favorite satellite since I got started doing them 2 1/2 years ago and I cringe every time she 'goes down' knowing that we may never hear from her again. Jeff Lamb, NX9B (EM66) Notice: This email message, including any attachments, contains information belonging to Trinity Industries, Inc. and its business units. It has been sent solely for the use of the intended recipients and may be confidential, proprietary, copyrighted, and legally privileged. If you are not an intended recipient, please advise the sender of the error and permanently delete all copies of this email, including any copies that may reside in your deleted box. The unauthorized review, use, disclosure, distribution, or copying of this email or its contents is strictly prohibited.

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Informal ARISSat-1 Poll
by Clint Bradford 19 Oct '11

19 Oct '11

My informal "poll" of Web site visitors to ... http://web.me.com/clintbradford/Work-Sat/ARISSat-1.html ... were given a link to an informal ARISSat-1 poll: "Will You be Working ARISSat-1?" Almost 300 responded, able to choose multiple modes ... YES - Monitoring the FM voice announcements, 249 - 34.16% YES - SSTV, 132, - 18.11% YES - Transponder, linear, inverting - SSB/CW, 114 - 15.64% YES - Telemetry, 99 - 13.58% YES - Morse code beacon, BPSK-400, 66 - 9.05% YES - Morse code beacon, BPSK-1000, 66 - 9.05% No interest - sorry! - ONE, 0.41% Clint Bradford, K6LCS NOTE: The author of this message wishes to point out, in case it was not already embarassingly, ridiculously obvious, that the "poll" data is in no manner scientific in nature. Results are offered for entertainment purposes only.

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Re: Did something change on AO-51??
by Andrew Glasbrenner 19 Oct '11

19 Oct '11

Not that I'm aware of. Ironically, I also have an email asking if the power was increased after that short telemetry session. Every pass now with 51 is a bonus. It should be inoperative by all measures with 2 of the 6 cells shorted. 73, Drew KO4MA AMSAT-NA VP Operations -----Original Message----- >From: Jeff Lamb <Jeff.Lamb(a)trin.net> >Sent: Oct 19, 2011 12:23 PM >To: "amsat-bb(a)amsat.org" <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> >Subject: [amsat-bb] Did something change on AO-51?? > >Is it just me or has something happened to the power level on AO-51 recently? Ever since Frank & Clayton (K4FEG & W5PFG) 'broke' it Monday evening on the 2130Z pass (just kidding guys), my receive audio has been 'scratchy' like I'm not getting enough signal into the receiver. Nothing has changed on my end and though I usually run mobile, I was sitting in a parking lot for that pass instead of driving down the road, I'm just curious if anything got changed during the reset. >AO-51 has been my favorite satellite since I got started doing them 2 1/2 years ago and I cringe every time she 'goes down' knowing that we may never hear from her again. > >Jeff Lamb, >NX9B (EM66) > >Notice: This email message, including any attachments, contains >information belonging to Trinity Industries, Inc. and its business >units. It has been sent solely for the use of the intended >recipients and may be confidential, proprietary, copyrighted, and >legally privileged. If you are not an intended recipient, please >advise the sender of the error and permanently delete all copies of >this email, including any copies that may reside in your deleted >box. The unauthorized review, use, disclosure, distribution, or >copying of this email or its contents is strictly prohibited. >_______________________________________________ >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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cost HEO
by Bob- W7LRD 19 Oct '11

19 Oct '11

With the occasional conversations going on with leo, nano sat, GEO, cube sat, heo, etc. Just what does it cost to put these gizzmos up there? Who are the major players who do the putting? More and more countries and private companies are developing this capability. Competition is the cost equalizer. I mean what if North Korea said, "we can do that for for cheap". To save face would say NASA , "step up"? I, and we in the majority do not understand all the ramifications political and otherwise to be made in these decisions. I do know we (AMSAT) have some very smart and "well placed" people within the industry. I hear the term, "benevolent benefactor", "pool our visa cards", "get lottery tickets", etc. I have yet to see a "dig in our heels" concept and make it happen. There is not a specific answer to these questions and ideas. I feel it important to keep this carrot in front of our nose. 73 Bob W7LRD Seattle

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SRMVU Recording 2011_10_19_1221UTC
by Carl Rimmer W8KRF 19 Oct '11

19 Oct '11

Another 7 degree pass at 1221UTC. 73, -- *Carl W8KRF*

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Horyu-2
by Mineo Wakita 19 Oct '11

19 Oct '11

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/horyu2jp.htm JE9PEL, Mineo Wakita

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