July 2015 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

Re: [amsat-bb] QIKCOM-2 SPoken Messages
by Robert Bruninga 27 Jul '15

27 Jul '15

Well, took a few moments and here are some of my ideas. I just realized I can allow a single digit modifier, so the digit can go from 0 to 8. Demonstrating APRStt at Hamfest Demonstrating APRStt to friends I am on schedule. I may be delayed N hours I may be delayed N days I may be early N hours I May be early N days I may quit early N stops I may go farther N stops We are camping and enjoying it greatly. We are hiking and enjoying it greatly. We are sailing and enjoying it greatly Call me on my cell Call my cell on the hour. Or there can maybe be 1-to-8 different whole word modifiers too. Like: Please Send ___ (Money, food, water, supplies, shoes, sleeping bag, blanket,fuel) We are operating on ___ power (Solar, wind, battery, generator, emergency) We are staying with ____ (Mom, dad, sister, brother, uncle, aunt,friends) Please pass to ____ (Mom, dad, sister, brother, uncle, aunt,friends) Just thinkin... Bob, WB4APR On Wed, Jul 22, 2015 at 11:11 PM, Robert Bruninga <bruninga(a)usna.edu> wrote: > Inviting proposed standard messages for the next APRS Satellite: > > Our next QIKCOM-2 APRS satellite will accept 2 digit uplink DTMF messages > to be spoken on the downlink. We have already programmed all of the ARRL > standard radio grams and emergency messages. > > But there is room for more. So think.... What kind of message would you > want to send (that is not included in the existing ones) from your HT out > in the wilderness. At a hamfest? or any other HAM Radio event or > opportunity. Keep them simple and of the same order of length as the > existing ones. > > The existing ones are listed here: > http://nts.ema.arrl.org/node/30 > > But the implementation cannot include blanks for fill-in like the regular > ones. But any sentence that stands alone can work. > > Just thought I'd open it up. Plenty of RAM and only 1 week before > delivery... > > Serious considerations only. Thanks > > Bob, WB4APR >

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Re: [amsat-bb] Rotor Controllers
by Dene Oehme 27 Jul '15

27 Jul '15

> I would prefer to use a USB port of course, but cannot find any controllers now that are ready to go, or will work with Nova. I don't know about working with Nova but the ERC-M is USB and works fine for me with a 5500 and various other software. Dene VK5DO

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Videos of P3E Announcement and FO-29 Satellite Demo
by Nicholas Mahr KE8AKW 26 Jul '15

26 Jul '15

I agree with Jerry :)

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AMSAT-UK Colloquium
by Graham Shirville 26 Jul '15

26 Jul '15

A big THANK YOU to all the presenters who made this year’s Colloquium so enjoyable! Also to the BATC for running the webstream. their recordings will be on their website shortly. Finally to Drew KO4MA for his exceptional, single handed, live demos of Satellite QSO’s form the car park. It seems we have exciting times ahead. 73 Graham G3VZV

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Why too much uplink power is bad
by Skyler F 26 Jul '15

26 Jul '15

Can someone explain to me why it is a bad thing for the satellite to have too much uplink power to it? Even if you send a huge amount of power up, I don't see how it could damage the satellite, by the time it reaches the sat, the power would be so low. Is this only something for the linear birds, does it apply to FM satellites as well? Thanks Skyler KDØWHB -- Skyler Fennell amsatnet.info KDØWHB electricity440(a)gmail.com

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AMSAT News Service Bulletin 207
by E.Mike McCardel 26 Jul '15

26 Jul '15

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-207 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: * AMSAT-NA, AMSAT-DL, and Virginia Tech Announce Potential Phase-3E Opportunity * AMSAT Awards Update * Request for help with SPROUT Telemetry Collection * QIKCOM-2 Satellite messages * NEON - Upcoming NASA Education Events For Your Attention * 73 on 73 Awards #21-#26 * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-207 ANS-207 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 207 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. July 26, 2015 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-207 AMSAT-NA, AMSAT-DL, and Virginia Tech Announce Potential Phase-3E Opportunity Virginia Tech has approached the US Government to fly the Phase 3-E space frame into High Earth Orbit (HEO) in order to support scientific payloads as well as serve as an amateur radio satellite. During the AMSAT-DL Annual Meeting on 4 JUL 15, the AMSAT-DL membership approved the concept, agreeing to allow the Phase 3-E space frame that is currently stored in Germany to be shipped to Virginia Tech in the USA for further construction, testing and preparation for eventual launch to HEO should the US Government formally agree to fund such a mission. Should the project move forward, AMSAT-NA will apply for frequency coordination from the IARU Satellite Advisor and satellite licensing from the FCC as the satellite's initial operator. Stay tuned to the AMSAT-DL Journal, the AMSAT-NA Journal, and the AMSAT-NA News Service for further developments and details as they become known. [ANS thanks AMSAT-NA, AMSAT-DL, and Virginia Tech for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Awards Update Here are our newest award recipients and quite a good batch we have this time. The following have entered into the Satellite Communicators Club for making their first satellite QSO. Andrew Chaloupka, KB9WHV Lesley Swann, KM4BKO Joseph Kornowski, KB6IGK Bill Dillon, KG5FQX ------ AMSAT Communication Achievement Award Toralf Renkwitz, DJ8MS #563 Steve Kristoff, AI9IN #564 ------ AMSAT Sexagesimal Award Toralf Renkwitz, DJ8MS #167 David Webb, KB1VPH #168 ------ AMSAT Century Award David Webb, KB1PVH #43 Paul Stoetzer, N8HM #44 ------ AMSAT South Africa Communication Achievement Award Toralf Renkwitz, DJ8MS #US191 Steve Kristoff, AI9IN #US192 ------ AMSAT Robert W. Barbee Jr., W4AMI Satellite Operator Achievement Award for 1000 contacts Michael McCoy, KC9ELU #83 with 2000, 3000, 4000 endorsements ------ AMSAT Robert W. Barbee Jr., W4AMI Satellite Operator Achievement Award for 5000 contacts Michael McCoy, KC9ELU #32 Bruce Paige, KK5DO AMSAT Director Contests and Awards To see all the awards visit http://www.amsat.org or http://www.amsatnet.com/awards.html [ANS thanks Bruce KK5DO for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Request for help with SPROUT Telemetry Collection Students from Japan's Nihon University are requesting help gathering telemetry from the SPROUT satellite SPROUT was launched at May 24, 2014 from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. There are 3 main missions in SPROUT. ·Deployment demonstration of inflatable membrane structure. ·Demonstration of attitude determination and control technology for several kilogram class nano-satellite. ·Upbringing of human resources of a space sector For more information http://sat.aero.cst.nihon-u.ac.jp/sprout-e/ An English document describing SPROUT's FM Telemetry Data Format can be found at http://tinyurl.com/ANS207-SPROUT The students at Nihon University have deployed the demonstration of inflatable membrane structure. They find it necessary to collect as much data as possible to get information on the satellite. They are requesting reception cooperation from anyone who has the means of colecting the data, specifically mebers of AMSAT and amateur radio satellite enthusiasts. If you would like to assist contact, cssu12036 (at) g.nihon-u.ac.jp for more information. [ANS thanks Nihon University Students for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- QIKCOM-2 Satellite messages In a message to the AMSAT-BB on July 22 Bob Bruninga WB4APR, invites proposed standard messages for the next APRS Satellite: Bob writes, "Our next QIKCOM-2 APRS satellite will accept 2 digit uplink DTMF messages to be spoken on the downlink. We have already programmed all of the ARRL standard radio grams and emergency messages. But there is room for more. So think.... What kind of message would you want to send (that is not included in the existing ones) from your HT out in the wilderness. At a hamfest? or any other HAM Radio event or opportunity. Keep them simple and of the same order of length as the existing ones. The existing ones are listed here: http://nts.ema.arrl.org/node/30 But the implementation cannot include blanks for fill-in like the regular ones. But any sentence that stands alone can work. Just thought I'd open it up. Plenty of RAM and only 1 week before delivery... Serious considerations only." To clarify some thought processess Bob added in a subsequent follow- up, "Well, took a few moments and here are some of my ideas. I just realized I can allow a single digit modifier, so the digit can go from 0 to 8. Demonstrating APRStt at Hamfest Demonstrating APRStt to friends I am on schedule. I may be delayed N hours I may be delayed N days I may be early N hours I May be early N days I may quit early N stops I may go farther N stops We are camping and enjoying it greatly. We are hiking and enjoying it greatly. We are sailing and enjoying it greatly Call me on my cell Call my cell on the hour. Or there can maybe be 1-to-8 different whole word modifiers too. Like: Please Send ___ (Money, food, water, supplies, shoes, sleeping bag, blanket,fuel) We are operating on ___ power (Solar, wind, battery, generator, emergency) We are staying with ____ (Mom, dad, sister, brother, uncle, aunt,friends) Please pass to ____ (Mom, dad, sister, brother, uncle, aunt,friends) Just thinkin..." [ANS thanks Bob, WB4APR, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- NEON - Upcoming NASA Education Events For Your Attention NEON - NASA Educators Online Network Free NASA STEM Education Webinars -- NASA Educator Professional Development Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators + July 27, 2015, at 4:00 p.m. EDT: Exploring Strange New Worlds Series: Exoplanets and Kepler Mission (Grades 4-8) - Celebrate The centuries-old quest for other worlds like our Earth has been rejuvenated by the intense excitement and popular interest surrounding the discovery of hundreds of planets orbiting other stars. There is now clear evidence for substantial numbers of the three types of exoplanets; gas giants, hot super-Earths in short period orbits, and ice giants. During this webinar, teachers will learn to use tools scientists use to determine planet characteristics, learn about the mission and explore and interpret data from the mission. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/133574 + July 28, 2015, at 6:00 p.m. EDT: ISS Across the Curriculum: Social Studies and Geography in Space (Grades 4-8) - The International Space Station (ISS) is not just a science and math mission. It is a unique, orbiting laboratory that travels around the world and across your curriculum. This webinar will explore how the ISS can also be integrated into your social studies and geography curriculum with NASA inquiry lessons, online resources and teaching strategies. Let the ISS bring space and the world around us together in your classroom. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/129777 + July 29, 2015, at 6:30 p.m. EDT: Art and the Cosmic Connection (Grades K-16) - Celebrate New Horizons arrival at Geology meets art! Let you inner geologist use art to recreate craters, mountains, rivers, wind driven landscapes and more. Learn to read planetary images as well as Earth images. Meets NGSS for Earth Place in the Universe, Earth Systems, and with Social Studies integrations. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/134190 + July 30, 2015, at 4:00 p.m. EDT: Rockets 2 Racecars: Session 4 - Educators Go Green (Grades 3-9) - Get your students revved up about science, technology, engineering and mathematics with NASA's Rockets 2 Racecars (R2R) STEM Education webinar series! In this webinar you will have access to various solar and engineering activities for the classroom and will discover various solar energy uses in space as well as on planet Earth. Join NASA Specialists to discuss how NASA utilizes the power of the Sun in our missions, such as the International Space Station and Mars Exploration Rovers, as well as how Pocono Raceway uses solar energy at the Pocono Raceway track! This webinar is guaranteed to brighten your day! Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/133233 For the NASA STEM Educator Professional Development webinar schedule, go to: http://www.txstate-epdc.net/events/ [ANS thanks NEON - NASA Educators Online Network for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- 73 on 73 Awards #21-#26 Several 73 on 73 Awards have been recently issued. Congratulations to all! #21 - Kiyosi Hasegawa, JA3FWT #22 - Mariusz Kocot, SQ9MES #23 - Hector Luis Martinez, W5CBF #24 - George Carr, WA5KBH #25 - Michel Ribot, F6GLJ #26 - Paul Stoetzer, N8HM (application reviewed and award issued by W5PFG) For more information on the award see http://amsat-uk.org/funcube/73-on-73-award/ [ANS thanks Paul N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS News + A Successful contact was made between [Entity, City, State, Country] and Astronaut [NAME, CALLSIGN] using Callsign [CALLSIGNE. The contact began [YEAR, Month, Date Time] UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was[direct/telebridge] via K6DUE. ARISS Mentor was KA3HDO. Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule United Space School, Seabrook, TX 12:52 UTC July 28 An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at United Space School, Seabrook, TX on 28 July. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 12:52 UTC. It is recommended that you start listening approximately 10 minutes before this time.The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and W6SRJ. The scheduled astronaut is Kimiya Yui KG5BPH The contact should be audible over the west coast of the U.S. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English. The United Space School is the premier educational program hosted by the Foundation for International Space Education (FISE). For two weeks each summer, FISE invites approximately 50 students from 23 different countries to the Clear Lake, Texas area to introduce them to aspects of working in the space sciences. During their stay, the students work together in teams to assemble a manned mission to Mars, utilizing knowledge gained from guest lecturers and interactive field trips. The Foundation for International Space Education Board of Directors has two head teachers and five team mentors to assist the students in their day-to-day activities. United Space School culminates in a project presentation, in which the students present their final project to a panel of industry experts and the public. Upon successful completion of their final project presentation, the students are awarded a graduation certificate. Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. How has your understanding of the universe changed now that you are seeing it from space? 2. What do you think about the plans of some multi-billion dollar investors to mine raw materials on asteroids and satellites? 3. If you were in an emergency situation inside the ISS where an ammonia leak is quite high and the hatches don't work, what would you propose as escape route to save you and your team, and why? 4. What is the most interesting experiment to perform, and why? 5. Do you see the speed of space travel progressing much further than the point it's at now (within our own solar system)? 6. When you return to Earth what do you think you will miss most about the Space Station? 7. What are your expectations of the manned trip to Mars? 8. Isn't the NanoRacks deployer a cool temperature when it's actually working? 9. How do you maintain a natural sleep pattern aboard the ISS? 10. What were the steps you took to become an astronaut? Do you have any advice for those of us who wish to go into space? 11. What do you think the biggest challenge to the space industry today, besides budget? 12. In terms of hardware, if you could have one thing installed on the ISS, what would it be? 13. What went through your mind while listening to the final countdown before lift-off? 14. How does the ISS keep away from space junk? 15. What are the first effects that you feel in zero gravity? 16. What was a favorite experience of yours while in space school? 17. How many meals do you eat in a day, and has your appetite changed at all? 18. Is moving around in microgravity conditions always fun, or does it get uncomfortable and annoying? 19. What do you think the most important decision you made that put you on the path to becoming an astronaut? 20. Have you ever seen anything weird in space you couldn't explain? 21. What planet would you like to investigate more, aside from Mars? Next planned event: 23rd World Scout Jamboree Nippon Boy Scout Amateur Radio Club, Bunkyo-ku, Japan, direct via 8N23WSJ The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS Contact is a go for: Fri 2015-07-31 11:26 UTC PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ARISS UPDATES: Visit ARISS on Facebook. We can be found at Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS). To receive our Twitter updates, follow @ARISS_status Exp. 44 is now on orbit. Welcome aboard! Oleg Kononenko RN3DX Kimiya Yui KG5BPH Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS >From 2015-12-20 to 2016-01-04, there will be no US Operational Segment (USOS) hams on board ISS. So any schools contacts during this period will be conducted by the ARISS Russia team. ARISS is always glad to receive listener reports for the above contacts. ARISS thanks everyone in advance for their assistance. Feel free to send your reports to aj9n(a)amsat.org or aj9n(a)aol.com. [ANS thanks ARISS, Charlie AJ9N and David AA4KN for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + On July 22, 1962 the first live public trans-Atlantic TV broadcast was relayed by Telstar 1, a communications satellite that had been launched two weeks earlier. The broadcast featured CBS's Walter Cronkite and NBC's Chet Huntley in New York and the BBC's Richard Dimbleby in Brussels. Later that same day the satellite relayed the first telephone call to be transmitted through space. Although it is no longer fully functional, Telstar 1 is still in orbit around Earth. https://youtu.be/xdaHYAReYkg + What does it take to test, build and launch a compact (yet highly sophisticated) satellite into orbit? U-M students explain in this behind-the-scenes look at U-M's latest CubSat: http://tinyurl.com/UMich-Cubesat --------------------------------------------------------------------- /EX AMSAT User Services and the Editors of the AMSAT New Service pass on our condolences to ANS Weekly Co-Editor Joe Spier K6WAO and his family on the death of Joe's mother this week. 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, EMike McCardel, KC8YLD kc8yld at amsat dot org

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Fwd: SO-50 2015-07-26 00:11 UTC pass. KG4AKV was in FM06, not FM05
by John Brier 26 Jul '15

26 Jul '15

Meant to CC amsat-bb for anyone else interested in the recording. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: John Brier <johnbrier(a)gmail.com> Date: Sun, Jul 26, 2015 at 4:08 AM Subject: SO-50 2015-07-26 00:11 UTC pass. KG4AKV was in FM06, not FM05 To: n5jf(a)att.net, k8yse(a)papays.com, w5cbf(a)amsat.org Sorry folks, I was actually in FM06 in Durham, NC, not my usual location of FM05 in Raleigh, NC. I was working the bird with my new ham friend, KK4TJH, who lives there in Durham. He got on at the end of our pass. He almost/[barely?] made contact with KV4NF in Florida. I have an audio recording if anyone is interested: https://soundcloud.com/johnbrier/satellite-so-50-recording-from-2015-07-26-… Here are some notes I made from the recording: EN91 DM66 New Mexico SE EN91 W5PFG KG6SLA EN42 (Iowa/Illonois/Wisconsin) 6:04 K8YSE EN91 Ohio - Contacted W5CBF EM21 - contacted N5JF EM40 KE8AKW - called me NX9B EM66 KV4NF EL97 (says it phonetically at 9:08) 08:15 N5JF EM40 - Contacted 10:09 KA4H 11:31 KP4WK EL87 (St. Petersberg Florida) 11:50 KK4TJH - called by KV4NF in EL97 Palm Bay Florida 73, John Brier, KG4AKV

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Potential Phase-3E Opportunity
by Nicholas Mahr KE8AKW 26 Jul '15

26 Jul '15

Wow, great to hear another developement in P3E after so many years. P3E has been one of my favorite projects, Hopefully we can get it launched. 73's KE8AKW

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Potential Phase-3E Opportunity
by Nicholas Mahr KE8AKW 26 Jul '15

26 Jul '15

Also looks like they are going to change the antenna config, and get rid of the rocket motor and propellant tank. I find that good because it reduces weight and complexity, and more space for payloads, And yes nothing is certain! :)... I'd rather have a HEO than a GEO, At least you can actually still move your antennas and work diffrent locations rather than a fixed location. And if they are going to move forward they need to make it so the batterys run off the panels when they die. Its quite sad its been sitting in storage for 7 years now, hopefully the goverment will help. 73's KE8AKW, Nick

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FSZ: Icom Z1A dualband HT
by John Geiger 26 Jul '15

26 Jul '15

I have for sale on of the select group of HTs that does full duplex, making it great for the FM satellites. It is an Icom Z1A 2m/70cm HT that does up to 5 watts with the correct battery pack. It does dual receive so you can listen to 2 frequencies at the same time, and can do dual inband receive as well. It works fine and comes with the BP170 battery case, so you can add AA cells to it. I will include 4 recharable AA batteries, which I have no way to charge. Also come with the belt clip, antenna, and wrist strap. You can find the manual on line. The lettering on a couple of the keys is warn, but you get use to their function rather quickly. This is the model where you can remote the top half of the HT to use as a speaker mic, if you can find the remote cable, which I don't have. I am asking $75 plus shipping for it and can take paypal/check/MO. 73 John AF5CC

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