AMSAT-BB August 2014

125 participants
197 discussions

Rosetta probe has rendezvoused with comet
by Mike Lemons 06 Aug '14

06 Aug '14

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2715387/Rosettas-best-view-E… The space probe has passed within 1,000 kilometers of the comet and is maneuvering to match velocity. The space probe took an amazing photo. (Ugliest looking comet that I have ever seen!) The space probe will send a lander to the comet's surface. (Next year, maybe?) Unfortunately, the European Space Agency is not as open with their data as the American space agency is. They let their people study the photos first before they release them to the public.

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Running dual IC706MKII-G radios
by Tom Warren 06 Aug '14

06 Aug '14

As a follow-up to this thread, I would like to thank all who replied to my questions and helped me along the way. By following the instructions given, I now have both Icom’s running together with SatPC32…..how sweet !!!! Sure beats using the ‘ol overlay plotter…wasn’t it an Oscarlator ? Thanks again and it’s time to finish my Satellite station with some antennas (cp) and get on the air ;0) I’ve already completed the WRAPS-II az/el rotator system. 73 Tom W4TMW

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NO EJECTION MASS Propulsion
by Mike Lemons 06 Aug '14

06 Aug '14

It doesn't violate any laws of physics if you are expending power from photovoltaics to propel your spacecraft. For example, you could push against the Earth's magnetic field to get a satellite into a higher orbit. This article seems to confirm this model, although they don't know what they are pushing against: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-07/31/nasa-validates-impossible-sp… I agree that this is probably nonsense, but maybe it isn't.

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test
by Nick Pugh K5QXJ 06 Aug '14

06 Aug '14

This is a test message Thanks nick Office 337 593 8700 Cell 337 258 2527 Helping UL become a world Class Engineering and Educational School

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Problem with original AMSAT Satellite RX preamp
by Ronald G. Parsons 06 Aug '14

06 Aug '14

I have one of the Original AMSAT Broadband Satellite RX Preamps which has quit functioning. I have checked most of the components and everything looks normal except there is a large loss of signal instead gain. I suspect the Mini-Circuits MAR-07 has failed. Both Mouser and Digikey list the part as discontinued and zero stock. Is there a source for quantity 1-2 each of the part, or does the AMSAT group that builds it have the part available? Or is a substitute available? Ron W5RKN

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Telemetry Data FUNcube-2
by Peter Kaminski 05 Aug '14

05 Aug '14

Hello, a question to the FUNcube-2 experts: are the transmitted data of the FUNcube-2 correct? In one of the last orbits I notice a raising of the PA reverse power in the dashboard software (248 mW forward, 453 mW reverse). Also in the Data Collection section Antenna Bus 1 and EPS for example said failed. Compared to the FUNcube-1 the signal strength of the FUNcube-2 beacon is less. 73 DL9DAK Peter

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Crowdfunding for Fox-1C launch
by Andrew Glasbrenner 05 Aug '14

05 Aug '14

AMSAT has set up a campaign page with FundRazr to help launch Fox-1C next year. In order to maximize our success in raising the required funds, please visit the following link and use the buttons to share the campaign with your friends and contacts on social media and via email. The more it is shared, the more people will see it, and the more support we will receive. http://fnd.us/c/6pz92/sh/561Zd We will continue to explore other fundraising venues between now and launch, so please follow us on Twitter (AMSAT), Facebook (The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT)), and at www.amsat.org for updates. 73, Drew KO4MA

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DL90 SKED
by David Maciel (XE3DX) 05 Aug '14

05 Aug '14

@AMSAT <https://twitter.com/AMSAT/> if someone is interested in DL90 I can activate it in coming days,not in my plans but I can work for many. SKED. xe3dx(a)amsat.org Sent for Iphone David Maciel XE3DX

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Cubesat H2 - radar calibration
by Philip Jenkins 05 Aug '14

05 Aug '14

In the July/August 2014 issue of "Potentials" (which is the magazine for student members of IEEE), three professors from the University of Hawaii present a general overview of CubeSats. The authors then describe their and their students' designs (and success) in building a CubeSat designated H2 (Hooponopono) to replace the RADCAL satellite (used for radar calibration) which ceased communication in May 2013, 17 years after its predicted life time of three years. Among other things, I find it interesting that the team members are using Ham Radio Deluxe and a Yaesu GS-232 rotor controller for tracking at their ground station. The ELaNA program also gets a prominent mention. The satellite transmits and receives on 437.22 Mhz, so the frequency coordination and licensing were handled through the IARU and FCC. Philip N4HF

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Re: [amsat-bb] NO EJECTION MASS Propulsion
by Franklin Antonio 05 Aug '14

05 Aug '14

At 03:54 PM 8/4/2014, Robert McGwier wrote: >I hope they aren't wrong because they clearly don't understand how it >works!!! http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20140006052 The result is surely wrong. When measuring MICROnewtons, from a device that's going to be getting very hot (because the microwave energy is dissipated in the walls of the cavity) you may need to do the experiment in a vacuum, to avoid air convection confusing the experiment. In any case, they say they worked on the experiment for 8 days, which is not enough time to figure out all the engineering aspects of the experiment. They did the test in a vacuum chamber (which means they must have been thinking along the lines of my statement above about convection, but they did the test with "the door closed but at ambient atmospheric pressure". Maybe they didn't have enough time to do the tests at vacuum. If they have resources to do more work, clearly pulling a vacuum on that chamber is the next thing to do. I predict that the thrust will disappear as the air is pumped out of the chamber. However, of course I'm not absolutely sure its wrong. I'll be very happy if it turns out to be correct. My bet, however, is firmly on the no side.

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AMSAT-BB August 2014