November 2013 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

Update AMSAT INDIA, AGBM -2013 - New Office Bearers
by Nitin Muttin 10 Nov '13

10 Nov '13

The AGBM was held as per schedule and all points as per the agenda were discussed and closed. Following members have been elected as office bearers of AMSAT INDIA. President - Ramesh Ramsubbu, VU2RMS Vice President - Dr. M.S.Giridhar, VU2MGD Secretary - Nitin Muttin, VU3TYG Treasurer- Venkatesh Katta, VU3ICC Technical Director- M.R. Raghavendra, VU3GTI Director, Educational Relations - B.A Subramani, VU2WMY Executive Committee Somashekhar Kummur- VU3HCJ Ganesan. N- VU3GEK Somashekhar- VU3JBA Dr. Raveendranath P - VU2RVJ K Balaji- VU3PZA Air Cmde V.Subramanian - VU2UV We would like to thank all those members who attended the AGM and participated actively in the proceedings. We would also like to thank all those members who wished (by email and phone) us for a successful AGM. 73 Nitin [VU3TYG] Secretary, AMSAT INDIA

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Re: SO-50
by Bernie and Cheryl 09 Nov '13

09 Nov '13

Paul: I didn't realize that it's downlink was only 250mw. No wonder. I don't think AO-51 had a constant carrier. But it seemed that way sometimes. And, it frequently got my receiver to full quieting, while SO-50 almost never does that. One reason why I was asking is that I have been working up to getting back on the FM birds via a handheld. I have a place in the mountains in DN60, and I suspect that's much more rare than my home QTH grid (DM 79). I was thinking of operating handheld from there, and activating it. Thanks for your answer. I really appreciate it. 73 de Bernie, KF0QS At 10:37 PM 11/9/2013, Paul Stoetzer wrote: >It's got a weaker downlink. I don't think the receiver is any less >sensitive than the other birds, but since it's only running 250 mW, >it's harder to hear. > >The other issue is that SO-50 doesn't transmit a constant carrier >like AO-27 did (did AO-51? I never operated through it), so it >doesn't sound as "smooth" during a pass. > >In case you missed it, the control operators are working on >recovering AO-27, so lets hope they are successful. I listened to >the packet tones as they commanded it during a pass this afternoon >and the transmitter sounded good. Nice strong signal. > >I too prefer the linear birds, but since there are lots of grids >where hams only have FM equipment, it'd be nice to get AO-27 back to >tide us over until Fox-1 launches next year. > >73, > >Paul Stoetzer, N8HM >Washington, DC > > > > >On Sat, Nov 9, 2013 at 7:02 PM, Bernie and Cheryl ><<mailto:[email protected]>hamdan(a)ix.netcom.com> wrote: >Dear Folks: > >Is it just me or is SO-50 not quite as easy a bird to work as AO-27 >or AO-51 were? I actually prefer working the SSB/CW birds, so I >don't have as much experience on the FM sats. That's why I'm >asking. Even though I'm able to make a few contacts on SO-50 every >pass I am on, it seems like everyone has a harder time getting >in. It seems there are few times that people seem to get into the >bird full quieting, even without other stations competing for access. > >Just curious. > >Thanks and 73 de Bernie, KF0QS > >_______________________________________________ >Sent via <mailto:[email protected]>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>http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb >

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SO-50
by Bernie and Cheryl 09 Nov '13

09 Nov '13

Dear Folks: Is it just me or is SO-50 not quite as easy a bird to work as AO-27 or AO-51 were? I actually prefer working the SSB/CW birds, so I don't have as much experience on the FM sats. That's why I'm asking. Even though I'm able to make a few contacts on SO-50 every pass I am on, it seems like everyone has a harder time getting in. It seems there are few times that people seem to get into the bird full quieting, even without other stations competing for access. Just curious. Thanks and 73 de Bernie, KF0QS

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ANS-314 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Lee McLamb 09 Nov '13

09 Nov '13

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-314 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org. In this edition: * Maritime Mobile Satellite Operations * AMSAT Office Status * AMSAT at the Fort Wayne, TX Hamfest * 31st Annual AMSAT Space Symposium International Attendance Correction * FUNcube Handbook Now Available * 2014 Space Exploration Educators Conference SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-314.01 ANS-314 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 314.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. November 10, 2013 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-314.01 Maritime Mobile Satellite Operations Yuri, UT1FG/MM is reported to be heading north which will increase opportunity to make a contact with him. Frank, K4FEG and Rick, WA4NVM contacted Yuri when he was sailing in Grid FG43 during a 2 minute pass on AO7 Mode B at 1034 UTC. His next port will be Punta Patache, Chile in Grid FG49. UT1FG can be tracked on the web at marinetraffic.com. Use either the ship name(SILVER), port name (Coquimbo) or the ship's call(5BNC3). When he is getting prepared to leave port the ship's information will change to show his next destination. [ANS thanks Frank, K4FEG for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Office Status Our AMSAT office manager Martha had a leg injury which resulted in a cast on her left leg which cannot bear any weight. This of course limits her mobility. Unfortunately there have been issues in the building in which our office is housed, including basic power and elevator failures. The combination has caused significant delays in store order fulfillment and returned calls and email. The building management reports that the power and other issues should be resolved soon. We regret the perfect storm, and appreciate your patience and understanding. [ANS thanks Martha and Alan, WA4SCA, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT at the Fort Wayne, TX Hamfest The 2013 Fort Wayne Hamfest & Computer Expo and the will be held on November 16th and 17th at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum and Exposition Center, located at 4000 Parnell Avenue in Fort Wayne (at the corner of Parnell and Coliseum Blvd). An AMSAT Forum will be held at 1:30 PM on Sat. 16 Nov. More information about the Fort Wayne Hamfest can be found at the hamfest website www.fortwaynehamfest.com [ANS thanks Doug, KA8QCU, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- 31st Annual AMSAT Space Symposium International Attendance Correction Israel was inadvertently omitted from the list of participating countries in the Symposium summary in ANS-307. Below is the updated list of Countries represented. Attendees from all over the the world were present, making this year's Symposium a truly international event. Global representation from South Africa, Israel, Brazil, United Kingdom, Cuba, Canada, United States, and the Republic of Tejas. There were also approximately 18 members who joined in over Echolink for the Annual Meeting. The ANS Editorial team apologizes for the oversight. [ANS thanks EMike, KC8YLD, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- FUNcube Handbook Now Available The first edition (in English) of the FUNcube handbook is now available. Unfortunately the main Funcube website has an upload limit smaller than the book so it will need to be downloaded from the following link. <http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/FUNcube/files/Funcube%20Handbook/Funcube Handbook En v1.pdf> A version in French will be published once it has been translated. [ANS thanks Richard, G3RWL, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Art and Ham Radio in Deep Space Students at the Tama Art University are planning to send a sculpture ARTSAT2 DESPATCH along with an amateur radio payload into deep space. The ARTSAT2 Deep Space sculpture "DESPATCH" is planned to launch in mid 2014 on a H-IIA rocket with the asteroid explorer Hayabusa 2 as the main payload. Hayabusa 2 will be making a round-trip to the C-type asteroid 1999 JU3 arriving at the asteroid in mid 2018. The sculpture, which is 50 by 50 by 45 cm with a mass of 30 kg, was developed at the Tama Art University using a 3D Printer. The containment vessel will carry a CW beacon in the 435 MHz band using an omni-directional antenna. The satellite should provide the ultimate in ham radio DX reception when at its maximum operational distance of 3 million km from Earth about a week after launch. Being battery powered without solar panels it will have a low transmit cycle to maximize the life span. ARSAT2: DESPATCH in Google English http://tinyurl.com/ARTSAT-DESPATCH ARTSAT on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/artsat [ANS thanks Trevor, M5AKA, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- 2014 Space Exploration Educators Conference Make plans to attend the 20th Annual Space Exploration Educators Conference, to be held Feb. 6-8, 2014, at Space Center Houston. This conference is for all K-12 educators. Activities presented use space-related themes to teach across the curricula and can be used for science, language arts, mathematics, history and more. Attend sessions hosted by scientists and engineers working on the International Space Station, Mars exploration and the planets beyond. Hear from astronauts who will be leading the charge in exploration. Attend sessions presented by educators and receive ready-to-implement classroom ideas. Attendees can earn up to 24 hours of continuing professional education credit. Early Bird Registration closes on Nov. 10, 2013. For more information, visit http://spacecenter.org/education-programs/teacher-programs/teachers-se ec/. If you have any questions about the conference, please call 281-244-2129 or email seec(a)spacecenter.org. [ANS thanks NASA Education Express for the above information] /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information. 73, This week's ANS Editor, Lee McLamb, KU4OS ku4os at amsat dot org

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RF, another alternate energy technology (hogwash)
by Robert Bruninga 09 Nov '13

09 Nov '13

A fellow came to me convinced that capturing RF energy from cell phones, and radio and TV waves was free energy. He couldn’t wait to invest in these pocket sized antennas that have achieved the same 37% energy reception efficiencies as do the most expensive solar cells:. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131107154818.htm I told him to not believe everthing he hears and you Amsat radio guys might get a kick out of my response: -------------------------------------- Thanks for sending me this interesting example of hype gone ridiculous. I was glad to receive it. The problem is apples and oranges. Yes, they got ”37% efficiency, similar to the most expensive solar cells”, but the difference is that solar energy imparts about 100 watts of energy per square foot on a solar panel – remember, ONE HUNDRED WATTS/sqft. The amount of energy from a Cell tower onto a small antenna 1 mile away from the cell tower (typical) is only 0.000000000004 Watts. So there is about a one hundred trillionth of the practicality. Or another way to look at it. If you could hold their RF energy collecting antenna 1 inch from the cell phone tower (not one mile), to get more power, then the most power he could get would be only 3 watts. Still nothing close to what the sun provides. Plus, he would be absorbing all the power from the cell phone tower making it useless, plus the energy is not free. SO to get the same power as a palm sized solar panel, his RF capture antenna would have to be ONE INCH away from THIRTY cell phone towers. And, to generate that same 100 watts worth of RF energy, it takes about 300 watts of electrical power. (1 inch away) All to deliver about 1 Watt of power compared to the Sun which is free. Thanks. A great lesson in hype! Bob Bruninga, WB4APR

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2013 AMSAT Symposium in Houston - My Observations
by Clayton Coleman 09 Nov '13

09 Nov '13

1. It was great to see so many operators in attendance. I lost count of the total but here are just a few of the more frequent North American stations heard on the birds: N5AFV, N5ZNL, AC0RA, CO6CBF/KF5YXV, KO4MA, WD9EWK K5OE/M0GOE, WA5KBH, KF5LOQ, N8RO, N0JE 2. There were lots of great presentations. I stayed awake for most! 3. The forecast for future transponder-capable satellites (FM & SSB) looks bright. 4. The banquet panel was outstanding and very well received by all. 5. Houston knows how to put on a fun Symposium. Kudos to the host committee! 6. I was pleased to see some of the developments around licensing Cubesats in terms of experimental versus amateur licensing. 7. We had an eclectic collection of amateurs in attendance – all with their own unique perspectives in building and/or operating satellites. You could likely never assemble such a team outside of the AMSAT Symposium venue. 8. There are many kind and generous individuals within AMSAT-NA who were supportive of one of our foreign visitors and in making his journey special. 9. Only a few people fell asleep during my presentation. None snored. 10. Even Texas BBQ from Papa’s is better than Memphis B-B-Q. The opinions and observations made above are those of W5PFG and not of any other entity. 73, Clayton W5PFG

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Duh! moment
by Ted 09 Nov '13

09 Nov '13

I reloaded W7 on my sat 'puter and can't seem to find out where Satpc32ISS can be downloaded. Any help appreciated (hope the answer won't be too embarrassing for me !) 73, Ted K7TRK

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DM32/DM42 on 0027 UTC VO52 pass today
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 09 Nov '13

09 Nov '13

Hi! On my way home from the Tucson Hamfest this afternoon, I will stop on the DM32/DM42 grid boundary south of Phoenix for the VO52 pass at 0027 UTC. This will be the only pass I work today from there, as I don't want to be out there past sunset. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/

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SSTV on Sunday Indianapolis Balloon Flight on 144.310 MHz
by JoAnne Maenpaa 09 Nov '13

09 Nov '13

Some amateurs in the midwest may be interested in this news posted by Bill, WB8ELK on the Balloon_Sked list: Spaceport Indiana balloon launch around 11 am to noon EST Sunday, November 10 from downtown Indianapolis at the IUPUI campus carrying a student experiment. Landing zone is a few miles northeast of Cincinnati about 10 miles west of Blanchester. One of the payloads includes SSTV on 144.310 MHz in Scottie 2 format. APRS: WB8ELK-11 and WB8ELK-12 SSTV: 144.310 MHz S2 mode 110 baud ASCII RTTY: 433.996 MHz USB Iridium satellite modems might also report on APRS.FI as WB8ELK-13 and WB8ELK-14. -- 73 de JoAnne K9JKM k9jkm(a)amsat.org Editor, AMSAT Journal

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Dnepr Launch November 21
by M5AKA 08 Nov '13

08 Nov '13

Latest news from FUNcube-1 launch site http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/08/latest-news-from-funcube-1-launch-site/ Mass Amateur Radio Satellite Launch November 21 http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/08/mass-amateur-radio-satellite-launch-november… ---- 73 Trevor M5AKA AMSAT-UK website http://amsat-uk.org/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/AMSAT-UK/208113275898396 Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK ----

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