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

AMSAT @ Palm Springs Hamfest, 4 February 2017
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 14 Dec '16

14 Dec '16

Hi! I don't normally write about an event I plan on attending where I represent AMSAT so far in advance, but I'm making an exception for this event. Even though it has been mentioned in recent AMSAT News Service bulletins, and listed on the AMSAT web site, there has been an attempt at misinformation on a web forum about this. To clear the air... AMSAT will be at the Palm Springs Hamfest in southern California on Saturday, 4 February 2017. Thanks to Rick Fearns and the Palm Springs Hamfest committee, AMSAT will have a booth at the hamfest. Along with a change in date (this had been held in mid-March for the past couple of years), the location has moved to the Palm Springs Air Museum along Gene Autry Trail, south of I-10 and near the Palm Springs Airport. More information about the hamfest is available at: http://palmspringshamfest.com/ I have been in contact with the hamfest committee, trying to get AMSAT listed on the hamfest's web site. Hopefully that will be rectified shortly. In any event, AMSAT will be present at this hamfest, which should draw hams from around southern California, as well as from Arizona and possibly southern Nevada. I will be there, and I am looking forward to making the trip out there. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK

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ITF-2 downlink data format
by Toshihiro Kameda 13 Dec '16

13 Dec '16

ITF-2 downlink data format is announced. http://operationitf-2.blogspot.jp/p/blog-page_13.html Currently Japanese version only, English version will appear soon. Updated information will be announced here, amsat-bb. ITF-2 is a 1U cubesat designed and built by Univesity of Tsukuba, Japan, which just arrived at ISS and soon be released from ISS. Toshihiro KAMEDA, JJ3GRX (also W3GRX) Director of University of Tsukuba Satellite project

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OMOTENASHI UHF operation from the moon
by Masahiro Arai 13 Dec '16

13 Dec '16

OMOTENASHI(Outstanding Moon exploration Technologies demonstrated by Nano Semi-Hard Impactor) which is spacecraft by JAXA will UHF operation from the moon. OMOTENASHI is one of the CubeSats which will be carryied on NASA's new SLS(Space Launch System) EM-1(Exploration Mission 1). The launch is expected on 31th July 2018. OMOTENASHI, 6U CubeSat consists of Orbiting module and Surface probe. Orbiting module and Surface probe will separate on the moon orbit and Surface probe will land on the moon. Surface probe will observe radiation and soil environment of the moon surface. Orbiting module and Surface probe have UHF TX. Frequency has just coordinated as 437.310 and 437.410 MHz. They transmit CM/PSK/PM/PSK31 beacons with 1W. check the following web site for detail IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination STATUS REPORT http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=532 SLS EM-1 secondary payload OMOTENASHI http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/home/hashimoto-lab/OMOTENASHI/OMOTENASHItoutline.pdf Masa JN1GKZ Tokyo Japan

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Look OUT Cube Sats
by Gerald Payton 12 Dec '16

12 Dec '16

Look out Cube Sats, you may be whupped on: http://www.foxnews.com/science/2016/12/12/japan-to-smack-space-junk-with-2-… [http://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/science/2016/12/…]<http://www.foxnews.com/science/2016/12/12/japan-to-smack-space-junk-with-2-…> Japan to smack space junk with 2.3K-foot whip<http://www.foxnews.com/science/2016/12/12/japan-to-smack-space-junk-with-2-…> www.foxnews.com Can a whip as long as six football fields destroy some of the 500,000 pieces of space junk spinning around Earth at 17,500 miles per hour?

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Newbie Question on Active Satellites
by Les Rayburn 12 Dec '16

12 Dec '16

Please pardon the newbie question, but I’m trying to get active on the birds again during the holidays after being off the air for well over a year. During that time, several new birds have been launched. It’s hard to keep up—and made more difficult because each satellite has multiple designations (names.) Depending on the application that you’re using, such as SatPC32, you may not find the satellite using the name listed on one of the sites designed to keep us all abreast of current activity. Adding to the confusion, many web sites list birds that are technically active (such as in beacon mode, or downloading telemetry) but not available for amateur use. Can someone provide a short list of the current active satellites for both FM and SSB/CW available for amateur use? I’d be most grateful. If the run of launches continues, we’ll need to update the “Getting Started” booklet quarterly! :-) Good problem to have. Thanks in advance. Hope to work some of you during the next few days. 73, Les Rayburn, N1LF 121 Mayfair Park Maylene, AL EM63nf Member WTFDA, IRCA, NRC. Former CPC Chairman for NRC & IRCA. Elad FDM-S2 SDR, AirSpy SDR, Quantum Phaser, Wellbrook ALA1530 Loop, Wellbrook Flag, Clifton Labs Active Whip.

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SatPC32
by Terry 12 Dec '16

12 Dec '16

I need some help with SatPC32. I have been using it for some time (over a year) with no problems but now it is looking for a serial port I don't have. I am using a Yaesu G-5500 rotor which should be on port 10 but it some how got changed to port 13. I tried to access the help for Yaesu rotors (? - hints - rotor - Yaesu g-232) but it won't open. How do I change it back? I'm having a CRS moment I guess. Terry - AF7W EL98ok --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

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Mir SSTV 18th Anniversary
by Farrell Winder 12 Dec '16

12 Dec '16

Today, December 12, 2016, marks the 18th anniversary of the activation of the MIR SSTV Amateur Radio developed System which was transported and put aboard the MIR Space Station. The MIR SSTV System sent pictures over a period of about 2 years and 4 months to the delight of Amateur Radio Operators and others worldwide. (Mir was deorbited in March, 2001) For those interested in this historical event and background, the publication Amateur Television Quarterly (ATVQ), Spring 2015 issue has an article, “How Did the MIR SSTV System come into Existence”? Back issue copies of ATVQ containing this article are available via WA6SVT(a)aol.com. See also web address: www.ATVQuarterly.com. A small sampling of perhaps thousands of received pictures may be found in web sites: http://www.marexmg.org/marexmirweb/fileshtml/galleryimagepage1.htm http://www.qsl.net/dg7ro/afu/mirsstv.htm Background information and initial efforts on developing the MIR System and early efforts to provide SSTV for the ISS may be reviewed at: http://www.marexmg.org/fileshtml/sponsorspeople.htm The ISS is now transmitting a similar series of SSTV Transmissions to that of MIR: https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/iss-sstv 73, Farrell Winder, W8ZCF fwinder(a)fuse.net

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Trakbox Substitute
by Vincenzo Mone 11 Dec '16

11 Dec '16

Hi folks, is there anything that does what trakbox does that can substitute it? I mean something that tracks the satellite moving automatically the rotators and The radio frequencies? Thanks Enzo 73 de Enzo IK8OZV EasyLog 5 BetaTester EasyLog PDA BetaTester WinBollet BetaTester D.C.I. CheckPoint Regione Campania Skype: ik8ozv8520 ******************************************* ****** GSM +39 328 7244294 ****** ***** SMS +39 328 7244294 ***** *******************************************

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A satellite transponder is a shared resource
by Clayton Coleman 11 Dec '16

11 Dec '16

There is a finite amount of shared satellite downlink power available for users of a linear transponder. When someone is operating CW and fails to adjust their power appropriately, everyone suffers. I made this recording today: https://soundcloud.com/w5pfg/fo-29-20161210-1805z-aa5pk-dl98-qro-cw Glenn, AA5PK was operating portable from the USA/Mexico border in grid square DL98. Using an Icom IC-910 and Arrow antenna, you could tell he was perfectly readable yet in his voice you could detect very strong CW elsewhere on the satellite passband. Often there are portable stations running 5 watts with their Arrow antennas. Please, please reduce your CW power. If you are operating CW to overcome hearing deficiencies at your station,please consider making station improvements rather than taking more of the transponder's limited power for yourself. 73 Clayton W5PFG

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2016-12-11 05:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 11 Dec '16

11 Dec '16

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2016-12-11 05:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: The Museum of Innovation and Science (miSci), Schenectady NY, direct via W2IR The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD Contact was successful for: Sat 2016-12-10 19:49:54 UTC 85 deg (***) Maristes High School, Toulouse, France, direct via F8IDR The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be FXØISS The scheduled astronaut is Thomas Pesquet KG5FYG Contact is a go for: Mon 2016-12-12 13:29:47 UTC 38 deg Scuola Secondaria di Primo Grado “Niccolò Pisano”, Marina di Pisa, Italy, telebridge via IK1SLD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled astronaut is Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD Contact is a go for: Thu 2016-12-15 12:31:13 UTC 68 deg **************************************************************************** ** 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 2016-12-11 05:00 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 1097. (***) Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1062. (***) 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 2016-12-11 05:00 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. 49 on orbit Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD Andrei Borisenko Sergey Ryzhikov Exp. 50 on orbit Peggy Whitson Thomas Pesquet KG5FYG Oleg Novitskiy **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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