July 2014 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

ZF2CD on SO-50 today
by James Huhta 23 Jul '14

23 Jul '14

Please listen for me with 5 watts to a handheld log periodic on 1225 pass Cayman Is time today Jim AA4MD

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ZF2CD on SO-50 today
by Clayton Coleman 23 Jul '14

23 Jul '14

Don't worry too much about it, John. SO-50 is one of those FM analog satellites you detest vehemently. 73 Clayton W5PFG On 7/23/2014 11:07 AM, John Becker wrote: > > On 7/23/2014 10:25 AM, James Huhta wrote: >> Please listen for me with 5 watts to a handheld log periodic on 1225 >> pass >> Cayman Is time today >> Jim >> AA4MD > > Would that be your time zone, my time zone, GMT or Hong Kong ? > > JAB > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB at 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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Round-world balloon approaching Noth America M0XER-3
by Robert Bruninga 23 Jul '14

23 Jul '14

Regarding real LOW Earth “orbits”, G6UIM reports a Balloon launched in the UK is approaching Washington state from across Asia and the Pacific right now. See: http://spacenear.us/tracker/ look for Balloon B-63 It is being well received by the APRS network in Canada, Washington and Oregon as it approaches Vancoover Island as shown here: http://aprs.org/balloons/M0XER-3.jpg That image from Lynn, author of APRSIS32. Bob, Wb4APR

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Re; Inclusion
by Kevin M 22 Jul '14

22 Jul '14

> But as far as I'm concerned, it IS NOT the ultimate objective of a > satellite operator. It is the BARE MINIMUM of satellite operation, and > there is no way I'm going to be satisfied with that for more than one or > two passes. Fair opinion to have, you are entitled to it. However, stating it the way you do gives the impression (to me at least) that you can't see how anyone else would think any differently. When you say "it is NOT the ultimate objective of a satellite operator" I ask myself, 'How does he come to that conclusion?" It may not be YOUR ultimate objective, but I know several satellite operators who relish the idea of operating satellites while portable with minimum equipment. One took his annual work holiday to do nothing BUT that! It is analogous to saying that all HF operators dream of a high powered station with a tall tower and large antennas. However there are quite a number of people who prefer to pursue minimalist operations with tiny flea powered rigs and jury rigged antennas. Myself, I am somewhere in between. =^) In other words, Gus... maybe it's not that you were previously misunderstood; rather, I would suggest that you didn't realize what you were actually saying. Your statement imposed 'your goals' on the rest of the sat community. Your statement is EXCLUSIVE... I am simply suggesting to widen your view and be INCLUSIVE. > To imply to the uneducated observer and potential future satellite > operator, that standing in the rain is the pinnacle of hamsat ground > station technology is (in my opinion) counter productive and, yes, > stupid.On the contrary, I happen to think that the opposite is the ingrained preconception that uneducated observers might have. I would argue that the heretofore concept of a sat station is long boom yagi antennas, AZ-EL rotors and sophisticated, high powered equipment. Don't underestimate the power of a preconceived notion! It can linger. Because I think a lot of general hams probably still think that way. Moreover the general public and new hams likely have such a conception. I would further posit that the demonstration of simplicity actually implies that more complex equipment will beget more complex and interesting operations with the 'pinnacle' is implied to be elsewhere. In other words, "If I can do THIS with an HT, what can I do with more?" I mean, I got an HT to dip my toe in the water and now I have an FT-847 with a closet full of preamps, rotors, cable and boxed antennas waiting for good weather to dig and lay conduit. Standing in the rain is the pinnacle of the technology? I don't think anyone implies that. (That would be... dare I say, "stupid".) I'm saying that one cannot define the pinnacle of what another finds fun and interesting. Yours might be to build the latest and greatest station... others might simply see the technology as a means to an end; the actual pursuit of the communication itself as the goal. - As for the rain... I know when to get out of it. I have a rather high ceiling in my living room and a tolerant wife. But again, I reiterate, some people actually enjoy the FM birds and it IS a good place for new sat ops to get their feet wet. I'm simply asking for folks to consider that those that operate FM birds might be put off by having it implied that what they chose to do is something to be looked down upon. And for those that do not like the FM birds, I am suggesting that they are the best way to garner new members to AMSAT and therefore the financial and volunteer support needed for future, more technologically advanced sat projects. Not to mentioning the engineering expertise!!! 73, Kevin N4UFO ------------------------------------------------------------------ "Control is the need of the fearful mind. Trust is the need of the courageous heart."

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ISS HAM TV Downlink Active 2395Mhz
by Daniel Cussen 22 Jul '14

22 Jul '14

HAM video Blank Transmission from the ISS was activated again today Tuesday July 22 at 9:55 UTC, which is 11:55 CEST. It will be switched off again on August 6th so make the most of the chance to receive and test equipment. The Ham Video transmitter will stay on in Configuration 4 till August 6: - 2.395GHz - 2.00 MSym/sec This is a high bandwidth digital downlink, so for all those into their digital modes and all those calling for non FM downlinks here you go! The downlink is type DVB-S MPEG2 compression. Most of the details on how to set up to receive are included in the bulletins here: http://www.ariss-eu.org/ There is a dedicated mailing list for the system here: https://ca.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/HamTV/info I will be receiving the transmissions, will you? Dan EI9FHB

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Amazon Smile
by Gus 22 Jul '14

22 Jul '14

I've been meaning to ask... It's been a while now, since Amazon introduced the Smile program. Is there anyone who knows if it is paying dividends of any sort? Is it rude of me to ask? I'd like to think that anyone who supports amateur satellites would have signed up, but who knows? Maybe I'm the only one that did! (Actually, I know a couple others signed up at the same time I did, but I can't remember who.) Anyway, just wondered if the whole thing was a storm in a teapot, or if the ham satellite programme is receiving any real benefit. -- Gus 8P6SM The Easternmost Isle

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NASA TV Broadcast Progress 56 Cargo Craft on Wednesday
by JoAnne Maenpaa 22 Jul '14

22 Jul '14

For those of us who enjoy the roar of a big rocket on a Wednesday afternoon ... NASA TV will broadcast the ISS Progress 56 cargo craft launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Wednesday at 5:44 p.m. EDT on a 4-orbit, 6-hour fast track rendezvous to dock with the station's Pirs docking compartment at 11:30 p.m. EDT. Live NASA Television coverage of the Progress launch begins at 5:30 p.m. EDT and returns at 11 p.m. EDT for docking coverage. Press release: http://www.nasa.gov/content/next-station-cargo-spacecraft-rolls-out-to -pad/ NASA TV: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv (or, I watch it on my Roku streaming box) -- 73 de JoAnne K9JKM k9jkm(a)amsat.org Editor, AMSAT Journal

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Re: [amsat-bb] AMSAT where are we going for what it is worth.
by Andrew Glasbrenner 22 Jul '14

22 Jul '14

> >FOX seems to be a great answer to entry levels operators, possibly the >majority of the operators. > >With that said, Linear Transponders like AO 7 and FO 29 at higher altitudes >are needed. We have lost VO 52. > As the lead AMSAT person investigating launch opportunities, and the one responsible for bringing the Fox-1C launch to fruition, I couldn't agree more. I enjoy all satellites, analog and digital, FM or SSB, and operate frequently. Having over 1,000 confirmed grid squares and nearly DXCC should prove that. I also, like Kevin, cut my teeth on RS-12, along with AO-21. Unlike our spacecraft, AMSAT-NA does not exist in a vacuum. AMSAT-UK and -NL has been very successful and now have THREE linear transponders in orbit. They started just a bit ahead of us on their cubesat program, and has it been a thing to behold, and learn from, as we trail a bit behind them. It seems balanced that we also have three launches to look forward to (Fox-1A, RadFXsat, and 1C), and a fourth satellite held as a "just in case" spare. As part of the group that decided from whence we should go after ARISSat, the -UK efforts were certainly part of the equation. Both types of satellites are needed, along with digital ones as well. We chose the path that would allow easy integration with university missions for ELANA subsidized launches, in a size and expense that we thought we could afford to finance and complete in a reasonable amount of time. Balance is important. Keep in mind the overall plan has always been that the -1 sats were to lay the groundwork for bigger and better things. We have a nearly entirely new cadre of engineers building things, and yes, relearning some lessons again, and dealing with new ones, like reduced radiation tolerances from parts so small you lose them if you exhale too hard, and difficult thermal environments. We are on the cusp of seeing all that come to fruition and moving to designing and building Fox-2 satellites. These will be SDR based linear transponders (or whatever we program them to be!, and I hope to find more interesting orbits for them. I fully recognize that in order to reach their full potential, we also need to identify better orbits than where most of the cubesats end up. 600km is fun, but if we want to go higher again, we need to learn to work with launch providers outside of the normal channels, as paying customers. We need to navigate orbital debris rules. We need to find our way upward. The days of launching an AO-7 to 1450km circular with no propulsion and no deorbit mechanism are completely done! Our current partner offers many opportunities for higher orbits, either as deployed spacecraft or on a hosted basis. But! we have to learn to navigate this terrain, and doing so with a 1U on our back is much easier and less risk than something bigger and more complicated. So there is a large part of the thinking and reasoning behind Fox-1C, at least from my point of view. Obviously, I don't represent the BOD. Fox-2 is coming. Be a part of it by joining, building, donating, promoting, operating. Stay informed, attend Symposium and Dayton, watch the presentations, make your wishes known to your elected Directors and Officers. 73, Drew KO4MA

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Re: [amsat-bb] Amazon Smile
by kb2m＠comcast.net 22 Jul '14

22 Jul '14

Easy Art.... I just went to smile.amazon.com to sign up. It also explains the whole thing... 73 Jeff KB2M ----- Original Message ----- From: Arthur Feller <afeller(a)ieee.org> To: kb2m(a)comcast.net Sent: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 17:52:48 -0000 (UTC) Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Amazon Smile Suggest explaining: [1] the nature of Amazon Smile, [2] how to sign up. Hope this helps. 73, art….. W4ART Arlington VA On 22-Jul-2014, at 01:50 PM, kb2m(a)comcast.net wrote: > It just got me to sign up. I spend at least 10% of the total AMSAT smile amount every year on Amazon. If everyone signs up the total would be significantly larger... > > 73 Jeff KB2M > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Gus <gus(a)8p6sm.net> > To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org > Sent: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 17:43:00 -0000 (UTC) > Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Amazon Smile > > It isn't a lot of revenue earned but it's one more capacitor on a > cubesat board, I guess. The thing is to persuade more people to sign up. > > On 07/22/2014 12:03 PM, Bryce Salmi wrote: >> Thats actually an impressive total, the percentage for AMSAT Is small but >> wow! Every bit counts. >> >> On Tuesday, July 22, 2014, Brenton Salmi <kb1lqd(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> Wait, if my math is right that means a total of $13,324 has gone through >>> Amazon smile in the name of AMSAT! >>> >>> >>> >>> - Brent >>> >>> >>> On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 7:45 AM, Martha <martha(a)amsat.org <javascript:;>> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> To date, we have received $66.62 from Amazon Smile >>>> >>>> 73- Martha >>>> >>>> >>>> On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 8:35 AM, Burns Fisher <burns(a)fisher.cc> wrote: >>>> >>>>> I've also signed up, and have probably bought a few hundred dollars >>> worth >>>>> of stuff since then. .5% is not huge, and is probably more helpful to >>>>> Amazon (via publicity) than to AMSAT, but it can't hurt. >>>>> >>>>> I would add that usually I go directly to the Smile page with my link, >>>> but >>>>> on the rare occasion when I might follow another link or even type in >>>>> amazon.com, Amazon reminds me that I am signed up for Smile. Not bad. >>>>> >>>>> Burns >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 2:12 AM, Bryan Herbert <ke6zgp(a)gmail.com >>> <javascript:;>> wrote: >>>>>> I also signed up and have bought a few things but it is my >>>> understanding >>>>>> only 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products goes to AMSAT. >>> So >>>> if >>>>>> you buy a DVD worth $19.99 and it's eligible for AmazonSmile, roughly >>>>> $0.10 >>>>>> of that $19.99 will go to AMSAT but I think Amazon waits until >>>> something >>>>>> like $100 is collected before sending any money to AMSAT. >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> Bryan Herbert - KE6ZGP >>>>>> Newhall, CA. DM04RJ USA >>>>>> http://bryanherbert.com >>>>>> http://twitter.com/ke6zgp >>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org <javascript:;>. 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 <javascript:;>. 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 <javascript:;>. 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 <javascript:;>. 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 >> > > > -- > Gus 8P6SM > The Easternmost Isle > > _______________________________________________ > 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 "Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” - Robert Heinlein, “Stranger in a Strange Land” http://afeller.us

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I don't care
by Bob- W7LRD 22 Jul '14

22 Jul '14

Not withstanding all the brouhaha over various satellite types. I don't care if it's FM, I don't care if it's digital, I don't care if it's linear, I don't care if it's LEO, I don't care if it's MEO, I don't care if it's HEO. To quote Frank-K4FEG, "work 'em till the antennas vaporize". I would prefer a AO-40 (sobsob), until then I'll do what Frank suggests! 73 Bob W7LRD

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