November 2016 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

HFsat 21/29 MHz + UBAKUSAT 145/435 Linear Transponder
by Kevin M 03 Nov '16

03 Nov '16

WOW! Being that I started out on a Mode K bird (RS12/13) and operated on it for like 6-7 years right up until it's demise in 2002 (google RS-12/13 and you'll likely see my old callsign AC5DK in many of the results), I find the news about HFsat utterly fantastic! I enjoyed Mode K very much despite having to operate semi-duplex and deal with terrestrial stations in the transponder uplink window. The frequencies chosen for HFsat will likely eliminate a lot of the terrestrial station QRM problem (WE had to be careful not to QRM THEM), but I may still have to operate semi-duplex with my current setup. However I am already in the process of putting up a Cobweb antenna at about 30 feet which will likely be an excellent choice for working this bird! I would say that RS-12/13 was sort of like an 'Easysat' of it's day. Because IF you had an Advanced or Extra license you also likely had an HF station and could try satellites with little to no investment. (That is, whenever it was in Mode K, which was the majority of the time.) My first contact over the bird was using my Heathkit HF rig and a Hustler 4BTV mounted on the back deck. (Later I got a better antenna and added a 10m preamp.) Just like folks today with a $50 HT and a homebrew beam, not everybody that tried it stuck with sats, but at least they had a taste of what it was like and could appreciate satellites in the overall ham radio hobby. It would be great to figure out some award or operating activity to encourage use of the satellite once it is launched and operating. (being positive in my outlook there) =^) It was the pursuit of the CQ 50th Anniversary Award and the category of 'make a satellite contact' that got me to try satellites and develop a love affair with this fascinating mode of operation. And just to reminisce... RS-12/13 used to have a Robot that you could talk to. If you got in just the right spot in the middle of the uplink window and called the bird on CW, it would answer you on one of the two beacon frequencies and give you a unique QSO number. It was not the easiest thing to do, especially semi-duplex, but I did manage to literally 'work the bird' about 4 months before it went 'end of mission'. Supposedly you could get a QSL card for such a QSO, but it was the infamous 'Box 88 Moscow' which many older ops will recognize. (I think Jerry K5OE is the only one I know to get such a QSL card and I believe it involved hand delivery.) =^D I even received a number of QSL requests by mail for Robot QSOs as some hams thought I was the manager since I ran a website devoted to operating the bird. But alas, I was forced to return them all marked 'Not the QSL manager'. =^( Anyway, good luck to Bob & crew and know that at least someone is looking forward to the fruit of your efforts with great anticipation! And to all the ops that have never experienced Mode K operation, especially 'Over The Horizon' technique, I'd have to say, you are in for a real treat! Using that method (taking advantage of HF propagation to work stations outside of the footprint) one avid US DXer set up skeds with a number of DX stations and managed to work 100 DXCC entities JUST on RS-12/13... got your attention now?! X^D 73 all, Kevin N4UFO

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ISS UHF Dopplers
by Pedro Converso 03 Nov '16

03 Nov '16

You can get to know real/live uplink/downlink Dopplers for ISS in UHF through http://amsat.org.ar/pass.htm either online or offline. Will also control your rigs xmit/rcv frequencies if using pass.exe with wispdde. 73, lu7abf, Pedro

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M2 2M-1K2 Solid State Amplifier for Sale
by Paul Andrews 03 Nov '16

03 Nov '16

I'm selling my M2 2M-1K2 Solid State Amplifier - $1600 The 1200 watt PEP amplifier is just back from the M2 factory after a full health check up. The amp has a new MOSFET device and was upgraded with the newest system control board. This amp has a JT65 mode which detects a JT65 transmission and backs off transmit power to 900 watts (adjustable) to keep the amp cool and reliable when running at 50% duty cycle. The amp is configured for 50 watts input for full output. I have a 48 vdc / 50 amp power supply available for $200. ------------- 73 - Paul - W2HRO

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Back in USA fro VP5
by Jay Garlitz 03 Nov '16

03 Nov '16

Back in the USA from VP5. Got an Air Force One welcome in Miami, landing right near our connection gate. Got some more SAT QSOs in after CQWW. Glad to fulfill requests for QSOs. All logs have been uploaded to LOTW, Clublog and QRZ log. My VP5/AA4FL QRZ page has a Clublog search widget. If your QSO is missing from the log let me know. I have audio recordings I can review for missing QSO's. QSL cards are on order. All cards with SASE's will be replied to direct. My award totals prior to receiving paper QSLs are listed on the VP5/AA4FL QRZ page. If you have not had a chance to check out the trip photos on my Facebook page, please do so and enjoy. It is quite easy to take portable SAT equipment on trips, and the Caribbean is a great destination suggestion. Next time when I go I will even bring my wife! 73, Jay VP5/AA4FL part of VP5DX CQWW SSB team

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Re: [amsat-bb] ISS Digipeater is back! On UHF this time (437.550MHz)!
by Rick Tejera 03 Nov '16

03 Nov '16

Patrick, yeah the pass time aren't great fo me, since I'm at work, save for that lunchtime pass tomorrow. We'll see what the weekend looks like. Rick Tejera (K7TEJ) Saguaro Astronomy Club www.saguaroastro.org Thunderbird Radio Club www.w7tbc.org 623-572-0713 623-203-4121 (cell) SaguaroAstro(a)cox.net -----Original Message----- From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) Sent: Wednesday, November 02, 2016 5:55 PM To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] ISS Digipeater is back! On UHF this time (437.550MHz)! Rick, Yes, you can program the memories in a TH-D72A either way. I have yet to do that on my TH-D72A, but used the Kenwood MCP-D74 software to add those 5 channels to my TH-D74A. If you don't do that, you have to set the TNC to use one of the "bands" (VFOs) as the receive band and the other as the transmit band. Since I am not working this full-duplex, the memory channel approach seemed easier to do than having to make adjustments in both VFOs. Maybe we can hook up over the weekend. Other than possibly one pass early Friday morning, I'm probably not going to be on any ISS passes until then. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK On Thu, Nov 3, 2016 at 12:22 AM, Richard Tejera <Saguaroastro(a)cox.net> wrote: > Patrick, > > I didn't even think of using odd split. I has programmed in 5 simplex > channels into my D72A and figured I'd load them in both bands moving in > opposite directions. > > To program odd split the manual says set up the receive as simplex > channel and store it. Thee still in VFO mode select the transmit frequency. > press [F] and a memory channel should appear, select your memory channel. > Hold the PTT while pressing [OK]. The Odd split should be saved. The go and > name it as usual. > > Or if you have the MCP-4A programming software, selectthe memory channel > tab. Find an open channel and click channel edit. Enter the receive > frequency, make use the tone is off, and then check the box for Split > Channel and enter the transmit frequency. Give it a memory name and close. > Repeat ad nauseam for the rest of the channels. > > The passes for me right now are intractable with work though there is on > 25 degree pass at 1859ut (1159 most), which is right around lunch, so I'll > try that one. Keep an ear out for K7TEJ-7. > > 73 > Rick > > Rick Tejera K7TEJ > _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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Re: [amsat-bb] ISS Digipeater is back! On UHF this time (437.550MHz)!
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 03 Nov '16

03 Nov '16

Rick, Yes, you can program the memories in a TH-D72A either way. I have yet to do that on my TH-D72A, but used the Kenwood MCP-D74 software to add those 5 channels to my TH-D74A. If you don't do that, you have to set the TNC to use one of the "bands" (VFOs) as the receive band and the other as the transmit band. Since I am not working this full-duplex, the memory channel approach seemed easier to do than having to make adjustments in both VFOs. Maybe we can hook up over the weekend. Other than possibly one pass early Friday morning, I'm probably not going to be on any ISS passes until then. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK On Thu, Nov 3, 2016 at 12:22 AM, Richard Tejera <Saguaroastro(a)cox.net> wrote: > Patrick, > > I didn't even think of using odd split. I has programmed in 5 simplex > channels into my D72A and figured I'd load them in both bands moving in > opposite directions. > > To program odd split the manual says set up the receive as simplex > channel and store it. Thee still in VFO mode select the transmit frequency. > press [F] and a memory channel should appear, select your memory channel. > Hold the PTT while pressing [OK]. The Odd split should be saved. The go and > name it as usual. > > Or if you have the MCP-4A programming software, selectthe memory channel > tab. Find an open channel and click channel edit. Enter the receive > frequency, make use the tone is off, and then check the box for Split > Channel and enter the transmit frequency. Give it a memory name and close. > Repeat ad nauseam for the rest of the channels. > > The passes for me right now are intractable with work though there is on > 25 degree pass at 1859ut (1159 most), which is right around lunch, so I'll > try that one. Keep an ear out for K7TEJ-7. > > 73 > Rick > > Rick Tejera K7TEJ >

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Outernet Cube Sats
by Mike Hoblinski 02 Nov '16

02 Nov '16

I believe they are planning 3 cube sats from what I ran across on their forum. UHF downlink, VHF uplink 420 – 450 MHz Transmit frequency covering the amateur bands 130 – 150 MHz Receive frequency covering the amateur bands Transmit output power adjustable from 27 to 33 dBm o Adjustable in 3 dBm steps 9600 baud GMSK, and 1200 baud AFSK data rates Implements AX.25 protocol encoding/decoding DTMF backdoor l Low-power Flash-based FPGA Beacon (CW) mode Simple digital interfaces Here is a link to their project https://www.clyde.space/our-missions/10-outernet Mike Hoblinski N6IMF

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ISS Digipeater is back! On UHF this time (437.550 MHz)!
by John Brier 02 Nov '16

02 Nov '16

I didn't see this on amsat-bb yet. I plan on trying the upcoming 16:45 UTC pass. https://twitter.com/RF2Space/status/793559573240115200 "#ARISS ISS packet system now operational on UHF (437.550 MHz). #hamradio" http://issfanclub.com/node/41954#comment-18163 "Due to the failure of the VHF radio in the Columbus module the packet system on 145.825 is not possible. The crew just swapped the radio for the UHF equivalent and packet is now operational on 437.550 MHz. The Kenwood D700 radios were augmented a couple years ago by a Kenwood D710E radio that was dedicated to SSTV operations. The Russian team soon afterwards adopted the D710E as their only operational radio but it was never configured for packet operations. The ARISS team is working on flying replacement D710GA models to replace and unify all the hardware. Target for delivery is late 2017. Submitted by N5VHO on Tue, 2016-11-01 17:14." 73, John Brier KG4AKV

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2016-11-02 20:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 02 Nov '16

02 Nov '16

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2016-11-02 20:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Students in Ingushetia, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled astronaut is Andrei Borisenko Contact is a go for 2016-11-03 08:06 UTC Istituto Comprensivo “Marco da Melo”, Mel, Italy, direct via I3XFY The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled astronaut is Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD Contact is a go for: Fri 2016-11-04 08:47:20 UTC 42 deg Boca Raton Christian School, Boca Raton FL, direct via N4BRF The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD (***) Contact is a go for: Mon 2016-11-07 17:15:14 UTC 30 deg (***) **************************************************************************** ** Call for Proposals Proposal Window September 1 – November 1, 2016 The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS. ARISS anticipates that the contact would be held between July 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. The deadline to submit a proposal is November 1, 2016. Proposal information and documents can be found at www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact. **************************************************************************** ** 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. Listen for the ISS on the downlink of 145.8Ø MHz. **************************************************************************** *** All ARISS contacts are made via the Kenwood radio unless otherwise noted. (***) **************************************************************************** *** Several of you have sent me emails asking about the RAC ARISS website and not being able to get in. That has now been changed to http://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. **************************************************************************** Looking for something new to do? How about receiving DATV from the ISS? If interested, then please go to the ARISS-EU website for complete details. Look for the buttons indicating Ham Video. http://www.ariss-eu.org/ If you need some assistance, ARISS mentor Kerry N6IZW, might be able to provide some insight. Contact Kerry at kbanke(a)sbcglobal.net **************************************************************************** ARISS congratulations the following mentors who have now mentored over 100 schools: Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 123 Gaston ON4WF with 121 Francesco IKØWGF with 118 **************************************************************************** The webpages listed below were all reviewed for accuracy. Out of date webpages were removed and new ones have been added. If there are additional ARISS websites I need to know about, please let me know. Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. All dates and times listed follow International Standard ISO 8601 date and time format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2016-11-02 20:00 UTC. (***) Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1090. Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1055. Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 47. A complete year by year breakdown of the contacts may be found in the file. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf Please feel free to contact me if more detailed statistics are needed. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact: Arkansas, Delaware, South Dakota, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the Virgin Islands. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ QSL information may be found at: http://www.ariss.org/qsl-cards.html ISS callsigns: DPØISS, IRØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RSØISS **************************************************************************** The successful school list has been updated as of 2016-10-18 09:00 UTC. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correction .rtf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415 **************************************************************************** Exp. 48 on orbit Anatoly Ivanishin Kate Rubins KG5FYJ Takuya Onishi KF5LKS Exp. 49 on orbit Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD Andrei Borisenko Sergey Ryzhikov **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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HFsat 21/29 MHz + UBAKUSAT 145/435 Linear Transponder
by M5AKA 02 Nov '16

02 Nov '16

HFsat will have 21 to 29 MHz transponder https://amsat-uk.org/2016/11/02/hfsat-will-have-21-to-29-mhz-transponder/ Turkey's UBAKUSAT linear transponder satellite to deploy 2017 https://amsat-uk.org/2016/11/02/ubakusat-linear-transponder-satellite/ Ham radio in National Geographic film Before Mars https://amsat-uk.org/2016/10/26/ham-radio-in-national-geographic-film-befor… Raspberry Pi could generate ISS HamTV video https://amsat-uk.org/2016/10/24/raspberry-pi-iss-hamtv/ IARU issue Amateur-Satellite Service spectrum requirements https://amsat-uk.org/2016/10/24/iaru-amateur-satellite-spectrum/ Join AMSAT-UK https://amsat-uk.org/2016/09/27/autumn-fall-oscar-news/ 73 Trevor M5AKA ---- AMSAT-UK http://amsat-uk.org/ Twitter https://twitter.com/AmsatUK Facebook https://facebook.com/AmsatUK YouTube https://youtube.com/AmsatUK ----

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