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

ARISSat-1 BPSK Reception Challenge
by Trevor . 05 Aug '11

05 Aug '11

The signal levels from ARISSat-1 should be similar to those expected from the AMSAT-UK FUNcube-1 satellite (and also from UKube-1) and the AMSAT-UK team are keen to discover what will be the minimum and best type of antennas for schools to use. To encourage everyone to receive and report the ARISSat-1 145.920 MHz BPSK telemetry signals AMSAT-UK are offering a FUN reward for listeners! For further details see the ARISSat-1 BPSK Reception Challenge at http://www.uk.amsat.org/archives/arissat-1-reception-challenge-2 Download the Windows and Mac versions of the free ARISSatTLM BPSK telemetry soundcard demodulator and display software from http://www.arissattlm.org/ How to receive ARISSat-1 http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/ARISSat/ARISSatHowTo.php Read the ARISSat-1 article from QST magazine at http://web.me.com/clintbradford/Work-Sat/ARISSat-1_files/QST-ARISSat1.pdf AMSAT-UK http://www.uk.amsat.org/ 73 Trevor M5AKA

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Re: Ham Nation 11 - Working the Sats
by Clint Bradford 05 Aug '11

05 Aug '11

>> ... good job, Clint ... THANK YOU for those kind words. From a technical standpoint, it was gruesome. Never did I ever have my earpiece audio match the live video ... same with Gordon West mid-way through ... I never knew if my slides were up ... I saw some of what I had said twenty seconds beforehand come on as "live" on my monitor ... and when the cut to Leo LaPorte himself was flawed, I can only imagine the blood pressures rising in Petaluma - where his new studio is. And the firm we were using the past week for handling audio/video from interviewees was, well, "dismissed." It was a madhouse "behind the scenes." But Leo's people are changing services around - it will ONLY get better in future episodes! I just listened to it - and wrote down the Web sites / products mentioned ... ARISSat-1 Deployment NASA.gov work-sat.com AMSAT-NA Yaesu VX-2 / VX-3 / FT-60 HAMCONINC.org AMSAT and NASA again "Full duplex is ideal ... but not mandatory" Kenwood TH-D72a Tape measure beam Arrow Antennas Elk Antennas AO-51 PocketSat HamSatDroid SatME MacDoppler Pro Nova for Windows AMSAT.ORG again Heavens-Above.com ... and in my background wall ... AMSAT-NA NASA JIMSENGRAVING.COM TWIT.tv ARRL There is a show notes Wiki for each episode - I will list all these links there by the weekend. Thanks again Clint Bradford http://twit.tv/hn clintbradford(a)mac.com

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Re: Moans and groans ...
by Clint Bradford 05 Aug '11

05 Aug '11

>> ... the failure of Yuri's Night ... Huh? Yuri's Night was a wildly successful event - with gatherings on every continent of the planet. Tell any of the 28 people who attended my Yuri's Night party of a "failure," and they'll each be able to properly educate you as to what Yuri's Night was all about. Only a few of my attendees were hams. But everyone received handouts and watched NASA and Russian videos and had a marvelous time - while being educated as to the past, present, and future of space exploration. No - We didn't have our new ham satellite to work that night. But to call Yuri's Night a "failure" is quite wrong - as would attendees of more than 550 parties in 75 countries across seven continents will tell you. No "failure" occurred on the 50th anniversary of human spaceflight - only educational opportunities, camaraderie, and knowledge was shared among thousands. Clint Bradford, K6LCS

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Re: Bickering ...
by n0jy＠lavabit.com 05 Aug '11

05 Aug '11

I spent the last two days building and putting up a temporary NVIS antenna for 60 meters that I needed for a R.A.C.E.S. exercise that took place yesterday. I used insulated wire, hose clamps, two telescoping pool cleaning poles, 4 random sections of TV antenna mast, some PVC pipe, some wood, hose clamps, and cable ties. I whacked the poles into things while moving them, scraped some doors, smashed a finger, left cut cable ties all over the yard, twisted the wires, pulled down one end support trying to put up the other, lost cable ties, and slightly bent a small bit of my backyard fence. If I had been on TV while doing this and I had to undergo the same scrutiny given the ARISSat launch by some in this crowd, I would no doubt be considered to be the clumsiest person on earth with no idea what I was doing and no clue how to do it. But you would not have been there in the 108 degree heat, to appreciate the amount of effort necessary to get this done by one person in a short period of time, with limited resources. And the antenna worked well, and accomplished its mission. So has ARISSat. If you didn't put it together and you didn't launch it... don't tell those who did, how they should have done it. Thank you. It's good to see those here who are focusing their energy on the rewards and celebrating the success, rather than complaining about the perceived mishandling (a.k.a. backseat driving). I watched the launch while we were doing our exercise, and I can't wait to get my opportunity to hear and work ARISSat this weekend when I'm not stuck at work!!! Until then, jealously enjoying reading your reports. 73 Jerry N0JY

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HamNation 11 - Clint K6LCS
by Bob K0NR - email list 05 Aug '11

05 Aug '11

I was just watching the TWiT HamNation 11 netcast on video and Clint K6LCS was on talking about working satellites. http://www.twit.tv/hn11 Nice job, Clint! 73, Bob K0NR

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a little perspective
by Bruce Robertson 05 Aug '11

05 Aug '11

I wonder if I might hope that the outrage from us amchair cosmonauts will abate by tomorrow. Let's take a look at what we need and what we've got: as an organization, we need cheap rides to space; but we have some pretty find satellite-building expertise. The relationship with ISS will, if we are reasonable, give us cheap rides. The NASA-TV announcer repeatedly said that ARISSAT-1 was the prototype of a series of satellites! Already, we've had the opportunity to fly our first SDX.The cost of making more along the lines of ARISSAT-1 is minimal compared to the cost of the ride, so this is a crucial relationship. What does ISS want from our relationship? Probably, an increased sense of purpose: we get a ride, they get recognition, and perhaps a bit more TV time for the EVA, and a connection with student research. Here's where it counts for us to be polite in a difficult situation. Focusing on errors, nationalistic name-calling, and the rest, just diminish what they get out the bargain, and make things more difficult for those who work with us who have negotiated these waters. Besides, I think the criticisms underestimate the technical difficulty and novelty of what we've been part of. I've watched many EVAs, and the feeling that things are not exactly going by plan is pretty common (even when Americans are running the show :-) How do you most reliably ship and store a small satellite to an orbiting space station? How do you most safely jettison it during EVA? As a species we have very little experience with this, and didn't get it 100% this time. Surely, kudos is due to AMSAT for being part of the group that is trying to answer these questions. Anyway, I have more fun thinking of it that way. And I'm looking forward to downloading as much telemetry for Kursk as I can. 73, Bruce VE9QRP -- http://ve9qrp.blogspot.com

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And now for something different
by Rick Tejera 05 Aug '11

05 Aug '11

All, Got this from one of my astronomy buddies, thought it might be of interest to some on this list. Would've posted it sooner but it got lost among all the chatter about ARISSat-1: Just announced, a huge nearly x class solar flare that was earth directed should yield some aurora possibly here in Arizona: Moving at an estimated speed of 1950 km/s, this CME is expected to sweep up two earlier CMEs already en route. Analysts at the GSFC Space Weather Lab say the combined cloud should reach Earth on August 5th at 13:55 UT plus or minus 7 hours: "The impact on Earth is likely to be major. The estimated maximum geomagnetic activity index level Kp is 7 (Kp ranges from 0 - 9). Clear Skies, Clear Skies Rick Tejera Saguaro Astronomy Club Phoenix, Arizona www.saguaroastro.org <http://www.saguaroastro.org/> saguaroastro(a)cox.net K7TEJ, AMSAT 38452

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Congrats on ARISSAT-1 deployment and Telemetry
by charlie Cantrill 05 Aug '11

05 Aug '11

Congrats to AMSAT on a job well done! My cisco networking class participated in receiving SSTV images, telemetry, and they got a kick out of the voice greetings. The Decoder was a snap once I found the CW spike in the spectrum and got it lined up. We did notice the deep fades and can see the fades in the SSTV images, and one student pointed out the panel voltages and temps confirming the rotating. Looks like the z- panel was spending more of its time out of the sun. Charlie CantrillKI4RDTNelson County Area Technology Center

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5 in EM55
by wa4hfn＠comcast.net 05 Aug '11

05 Aug '11

Congrats to Ted K7TRK award # 018 for 5 in EM 55 WA4HFN EM55 Damon

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Re: Information Request
by Len Revelle 05 Aug '11

05 Aug '11

AMSAT web site's store page also has MacDoppler listed. I have been very pleased with it. Len Revelle N9IJ Sent from my iPad On Aug 4, 2011, at 11:41 AM, Martha <martha(a)amsat.org> wrote: > I forwarded the request for information to Dee. Dee provided accurate > information to the individual. There is no reason to "pick" on him for > trying to > inform this individual of other alternates and, raise money for AMSAT. We > do depend on memberships, donations, etc for our survival. We receive no > grants or funds from other sources. If you believe in what we are doing, > then support AMSAT. If not, do not pick on the messenger. > > On Thu, Aug 4, 2011 at 11:45 AM, Michael Schulz > <mschulz(a)creative-chaos.com>wrote: > >> So what you're saying is that I should use Windows, even though I don't >> want to? I did not know >> that it was mandatory to use a certain OS in order to use the satellites. I >> also did not know that >> purchasing a piece of software was the only way to support AMSAT. Shame on >> me :) >> >> I was just making a suggestion not based on the fact that it's free of >> charge (re-read my mail) but >> based on the fact that Gpredict supports other platforms as Windows. >> >> And no, I don't feel guilty about not using Windows for my shack PC while >> I'm typing this on my Mac. >> >> Have a lovely day. >> >> Mike K5TRI >> >> >> On Aug 4, 2011, at 10:38 AM, Dee wrote: >> >>> And you and Nigel should feel guilty about using the sats that others >>> contribute to and support- Try putting up your own...Don't know what >>> beef you have against those that are trying to get better sats in >>> orbit, but if you continue to omit and not support the facts that they >>> cost money and NEED support, so goes that end of the hobby...I for >>> one, do not wish for this to happen- Different discussion. Go >>> ARRISat-1 ! >>> Dee, NB2F >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org [mailto:[email protected]] >>> On Behalf Of Michael Schulz >>> Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2011 11:29 AM >>> To: AMSAT BB >>> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Information Request >>> >>> You should switch to GPredict it's free (as in freedom) and open >>> source and available >>> for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows. >>> >>> http://gpredict.oz9aec.net/ >>> >>> 73 Mike K5TRI >>> >>> On Aug 4, 2011, at 10:21 AM, Nigel A. Gunn, W8IFF/G8IFF wrote: >>> >>>> You should switch to Orbitron. >>>> It's free and you don't have to pay for it. >>>> http://www.stoff.pl/ >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On 08/04/2011 02:59 PM, Dee wrote: >>>>> >>>>> You should switch to SATPC32 available at the AMSAT website for >>>>> purchase since this is the program AMSAT supports.. >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> 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 >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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 >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> > > > > -- > 73- Martha > _______________________________________________ > 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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