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

Share ground transport for AMSAT Symposium?
by Dave Taylor 24 Jul '16

24 Jul '16

My wife and I will be traveling from Hobby airport to the Doubletree hotel in Galveston on Wednesday, Nov. 9 about 6 PM. Is anyone else traveling around that time interested in sharing costs (van, limo, or whatever)? I’m also interested in someone to share travel to the Johnson Space Center area after the cruise (for the ARISS-International meeting). Dave, W8AAS

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ANS-206 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Lee McLamb 24 Jul '16

24 Jul '16

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-206 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-UK Colloquium 29-31 July * AMSAT-NA 2016 Symposium at Sea * IARU President's Award to Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV * 70cm Satellite WebSDR Operational in the Netherlands * LibreCube CubeSat Open Standard Draft Open for Review and Comment * Satellite Operations From the Grand Canyon National Park * Radio Amateurs Invited to 10 Downing Street SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-206.01 ANS-185 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 206.01 From AMSAT HQ Kensington, MD. July 24, 2016 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-206.01 AMSAT-UK Colloquium 29-31 July This year’s Colloquium is less than a week away. The event, taking place as usual at the Holiday Inn in Guildford, will be held over the weekend of the 29/31st July. A full programme of presentations, covering all aspects of the amateur satellite world, has been developed for the Saturday and Sunday and a “Beginners Session” is scheduled for the Friday afternoon. As well as the presentations during the day, Libby Jackson, from the UK Space Agency, with whom the ARISS UK team worked closely during the Tim Peake mission, will be speaking during the Gala Dinner on the Saturday evening. Other highlights will include visits to the SSTL facilities (Friday evening and Saturday morning) and the opportunity to see the special ground station equipment that was used for all the ARISS contacts. This will be available for use for contacts during passes of all the available satellite transponders. Visitors can either turn up on the day, book day passes on the website. The URL for the AMSAT-UK shop to book day passes is http://shop.amsat-uk.org. Day passes cost £10 per day (incl tea/coffee, etc) , please pay at the AMSAT-UK shop (not hotel reception). If you wish to attend the Gala dinner on Saturday, please book at least 7 days in advance, either with the hotel (by booking dinner, bed, and breakfast), or at the AMSAT-UK shop. As well at the AMSAT-UK shop, there will be a number of specialist suppliers present, and we are hoping that the RSGB bookshop will also be present Members and non-members will be made very welcome and booking info can be found here https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/ The Colloquium team are looking forward to meeting many old friends and making many new acquaintances during the event. [ANS thanks Jim, G3WGM, Hon Sec AMSAT-UK, for the above information] -------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT-NA 2016 Symposium at Sea Get ready to set sail for the 2016 AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting – at sea! With only a few months between now and our sailing date of November 10, cabins are starting to fill up quickly. If you have not made reservations, please consider doing so to ensure your cabin preference may be accommodated. While our AMSAT group reservation has a negotiated rate for category 4B inside cabins, many group members have opted to reserve ocean view and balcony cabins. IMPORTANT NOTES: - Booking your Carnival Cruise does not register you for the AMSAT Symposium. There is a charge for each Symposium attendee of $40. This fee applies to those who will attend the technical presentations only and includes a copy of the printed Proceedings. Additional guests are entitled to attend all other events. The registration form is available from the AMSAT office or store website. - The AMSAT 2016 Space Symposium Cruise flyer included in the 2016 Board of Directors ballot mailing lists an incorrect group booking code. The correct AMSAT group code is 8Z0FR5. - Ground transportation options have been added to the FAQ page on the AMSAT Symposium web page. Carnival offers round-trip transportation from HOU airport to the cruise terminal at approximately $74 per person, IAH airport $94 per person. CONTACT INFORMATION AND LINKS: - Symposium registration: http://store.amsat.org/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=130 - Cruise registration: 1-800-438-6744 extension number 70005. Our group name is AMSAT and the group code is 8Z0FR5. Outside of the USA, the number to call is +1 305-599-2600 extension number 70005 (not available on weekends.) DATES AND LOCATION: - 2016 AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting November 10-14 aboard the Carnival Liberty departing from Galveston, Texas. - 2016 AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting November 9-10 at the DoubleTree Galveston Beach Hotel, Galveston, Texas. [ANS thanks Clayton, W5PFG, for the above information] -------------------------------------------------------------------- IARU President's Award to Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV On Thursday 21 July, Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV, was informed by the IARU Secretariat that the IARU President's Award has been awarded to him for his many years of service to the IARU and the contributions he has made to the IARU especially in the area of satellite frequency coordination. The award will be presented to Hans during an upcoming League function. Congratulations Hans. [ANS thanks the South African Radio League News for July 23, 2016 for the above information] -------------------------------------------------------------------- 70cm Satellite WebSDR Operational in the Netherlands Fontys University Eindhoven, Netherlands, has opened their PI5FTS WebSDR to the amateur radio community. This site will receive the 70cm amateur satellite band: http://vhf.pi5fts.nl/ You need both Java and JavaScript enabled for this page to work properly. If you don't hear anything, probably Java is disabled or its version is too old (i.e., pre-1.4.2). A web chat feature for the SDR users is also included on the site. It is operated by Harry and Martin, e-mail pa3dsc-at-veron.nl. [ANS thanks the Fontys University Eindhoven for the above information] -------------------------------------------------------------------- LibreCube CubeSat Open Standard Draft Open for Review and Comment The LibreCube standard project is engaged in the endeavor to write on a handbook that surveys openly available space standards (mostly ECSS and CCSDS) for potential application in CubeSat missions. In a message posted to the cubesat.org list, Artur Scholz announced that the draft of this handbook is now ready for review. It mainly consists of two parts: 1. Processes (i.e. Management, Quality, and Engineering) 2. Systems(i.e. the Space System, composed of Space Segment and Ground Segment). The reasoning for standardizing Processes is to improve quality and reliability, and to allow for cross support in testing. The benefit of standardizing Systems is improved reliability, collaboration, and cross support during development and operations. The table of contents is here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_-jwG2gLchfa19KeHBsc1B6cWM End of the year this handbook will be published as freely available open book. Before that, it would be extremely useful to get extensive feedback and review of the draft. If you would be willing to contribute as a reviewer and receive the draft, please provide the editor, Artur Scholz (artur.scholz(a)librecube.net) the following details of you: - full name - email - short background about yourself and experience with CubeSats/SmallSats Your feedback on the draft will be duly acknowledge in the final book! [ANS thanks Artur Scholz and the LibreCube Project for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Operations From the Grand Canyon National Park Patrick Stoddard, WD9EWK/VA7EWK, reported that the ARRL just released the July issue of their National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) newsletter for National Park Service staff and volunteers. On the last page of this month's newsletter is a short mention of one way to deal with an "uncooperative ionosphere" - work satellites. It shows Fernando Ramirez, NP4JV, working a satellite from the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona. These newsletters are at: http://www.arrl.org/npota-for-nps and the July issue is available at: http://www.arrl.org/files/file/NPOTA-News/NPOTA-July2016.pdf Fernando commented, "It was a nice surprise to find our picture on this month's ARRL National Park on the Air newsletter! I am humbled by the mention. "I'm also happy to see that some of our trips and portable operations are helping to promote AMSAT and their goal of 'advancing the state of the art in space science, space education, and space technology.'" Fernando frequently posts reports of his satellite operating activities via Twitter where his ID is @NP4JV. You may also visit: http://twitter.com/NP4JV to see his activities, including the photo that got his name in the news. Sean Kutzko, KX9X, at the ARRL wrote via the AMSAT-BB, "It was an easy choice; that photo is amazing!" Congratulations, Fernando! [ANS thanks Patrick Stoddard, WD9EWK/VA7EWK, Fernando Ramirez, NP4JV, and Sean Kutzko, KX9X, at the ARRL for the above information] -------------------------------------------------------------------- Radio Amateurs Invited to 10 Downing Street Radio amateurs were invited to a reception at the UK Prime Minister’s residence to celebrate the successful mission of UK astronaut Tim Peake KG5BVI / GB1SS. Sandringham school student Jessica Leigh M6LPJ and her head teacher Alan Gray G4DJX attended the event with Tim Peake GB1SS. Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti IZ0UDF and the UK’s first astronaut Helen Sharman GB1MIR also attended. Jessica was the first UK school student to establish amateur radio communications with Tim Peake during his six month mission on the International Space Station. The contact took place on January 8, 2016 and was featured on national TV and in the press. Year 10 pupil Jessica M6LPJ, along with two other students Polly M6POG and Emma M6GJQ, passed her amateur radio Foundation exam just before Christmas 2015 after training with the Verulam Amateur Radio Club. Sandringham school caters for 1300 students aged 11-19 with 100 teachers including specialist teachers of computing science and three female physics teachers all of whom have a specialist interest in space and astronomy. In addition, the head teacher Alan Gray G4DJX is a very active radio amateur who was extremely supportive of the ISS contact. Sandringham School presentation by ML&S https://amsat-uk.org/2016/01/28/sandringham-school-presentation/ Video of Tim Peake amateur radio contact with Sandringham School https://amsat-uk.org/2016/01/09/video-tim-peake-sandringham/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] /EX 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, Lee McLamb, KU4OS ku4os at amsat dot org

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Trip to EN24 and EN25
by Rolf Krogstad 23 Jul '16

23 Jul '16

Thanks to everyone for the QSOs on my trip to EN24 and EN25 today. I was the operator and my wife (OA4ABC) was the human antenna rotator. Things did not go quite as expected. Severe weather delayed the start of our operating by about 30 minutes or so. But once we got going from EN24 we did work 5 stations on AO-73 (1558z), 14 on FO-29 (1655z), 7 on SO-50 (1708z) and 1 on UKUBE-1(1742z). EN25 was an after-thought as we had just about enough time to get there before a 32 degree pass of FO-29. It was raining pretty hard at the start of the 1849z pass, but the rain stopped and I put up the antenna and managed 6 Qs from EN25 before the heavens opened up at which time I took down the antenna and shut down the radios. I have uploaded all the Qs to LOTW. If you do not find a match for our QSO, send me an email. I transcribed the log after getting home and I may have fumble fingered something. I set up a table in the back seat of my Rav4 and put my two FT-897Ds there and set up my Arrow antenna on a heavy duty camera tripod outside the car. I also had an Amsat Preamp on the receive antenna. The antenna rotator would do her job and adjust the azimuth two or three times on a pass. So with no elevation correction it wasn't ideal, but it meant that we basically kept dry inside the car. A total of 33 contacts were made. The trip home was the worst rain driving I have ever experienced. We stopped repeatedly because the visibility was reduced to zero. A great time was had by all (er..... 'both', to be more exact) and we hope to do it again from EN23 before too long. 73, Rolf NR0T and Taty OA4ABC (antenna rotator)

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Problem found with FT817ND: No luck with FM birds, despite repeated efforts
by Mark Lunday 23 Jul '16

23 Jul '16

The rig is NOT putting out a CTCSS tone on 70 cm. I used a VX6R to test this (thanks Paul S for the suggestion). I can confirm a tone is being transmitted on 2 meters, because it breaks the squelch on the VX6R. When I transmit on 70 cm, the squelch is not broken on the VX6R. Mark Lunday, WD4ELG Greensboro, NC FM06be wd4elg(a)arrl.net http://wd4elg.blogspot.com _____________________________________________ From: Mark Lunday [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2016 3:31 PM To: 'amsat-bb(a)amsat.org' Subject: No luck with FM birds, despite repeated efforts Anyone else using an FT817ND that I can email with, offboard, regarding setup? I am not able to hear my downlink on AO-85 or SO-50 with the 67 Hz tone enabled. I must be doing something wrong. Mark Lunday, WD4ELG Greensboro, NC FM06be wd4elg(a)arrl.net http://wd4elg.blogspot.com

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No luck with FM birds, despite repeated efforts
by Mark Lunday 23 Jul '16

23 Jul '16

Anyone else using an FT817ND that I can email with, offboard, regarding setup? I am not able to hear my downlink on AO-85 or SO-50 with the 67 Hz tone enabled. I must be doing something wrong. Mark Lunday, WD4ELG Greensboro, NC FM06be wd4elg(a)arrl.net http://wd4elg.blogspot.com

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Re: [amsat-bb] SatPc32 phantom satellites
by Jim White 23 Jul '16

23 Jul '16

Erich, Thanks for the explanation. Would it be cleaner to delete all the old sats loaded in the table when the user switches to a different list? The current behavior is unpredictable. Jim On 7/20/2016 12:06 AM, Erich Eichmann wrote: > Jim, > If you want to track other satellites from a different "list" (that > means from a different source file) use the "Groups" feature (menu > "Satellites"). You can create "selected" lists for up to 12 groups. > You can select the source file you want to use with the particular > group. The selection will be saved when you click the "OK" button in > menu "Satellites". When you later select a group the program will > unload the previously loaded satellites and read the new data from the > selected source file and display (only) the satellites selected for > the group. > > With your methode (loading another source file and selecting a > satellite from that file while you are tracking the satellites from > another source file) one or more satellites from the previously loaded > source file can remain loaded. If the second data file is shorter > than the first one it will not overwrite all data lines of the first > file and the satellite data from these lines will remain loaded until > you restart the program. > > 73s, Erich, DK1TB > > Am 17.07.2016 um 23:38 schrieb Jim White: >> When I switch to a satellite in a different keps list and select just >> one sat to be visible and be the active satellite one or more sats >> from the previous list continue to show up in the display. I have to >> select the new sat twice before the old ones disappear. >> >> Example: >> I had 6 sats in the display from the 'amateur' list. >> Using the satellites menu I switched to the 'cubesat' list, selected >> just one sat, made it visible and made it the active sat. >> Clicked OK and one of the sats from the 'amateur' list continues to >> be visible in the display along with the cubesat I just selected. >> Back into the satellites menu and my selection of the cubesat list >> and the one cubesat has disappeared. Selected the cubesat list and >> the one satellite again, back into display and the one from the >> amateur list is still visible along with the cubesat. >> Into the satellites menu and now cubesat is selected and my one >> cubesast is shown in the selected box, and when I OK that back to the >> display the phantom one from the amateur list is finally gone. >> >> How can get the program to take the changes I make to what is >> displayed and tracked the first time? >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Sent via . 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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AMSAT-UK Colloquium Programme available as PDF
by David Johnson 23 Jul '16

23 Jul '16

Hi, The programme can be found online as a PDF at: http://tinyurl.com/amsat-2016-colloquium-programm More details of the event at: https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/ IMPORTANT: For those attending and wishing to visit the Surrey Satellite Technology Kepler building, please read the notes on the main web page regarding security registration. BEGINNERS SESSION: In a previous version of the web site, this was stated as starting at 15:30 on Friday, please note that the start time is now 14:00 to allow us to catch more passes. 73 Dave, G4DPZ on behalf of the AMSAT-UK Committee

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Presentations on UK School ARISS Contacts
by M5AKA 23 Jul '16

23 Jul '16

There will be several presentations at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium in Guildford about the successful school Amateur Radio contacts with Tim Peake GB1SS during his Principia mission on International Space Station (ISS). The Colloquium takes place at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, July 29-31 and is Open to All. Admittance is £10 per day. The School ISS presentations are: Saturday, July 30 All Times BST (GMT+1) 14:30 - The Sandringham School Principia Experience by students Jessica M6LPJ and Polly M6POG Evening - After Dinner Speaker will be Libby Jackson, Astronaut Flight Education Programme Manager at the UK Space Agency Sunday, July 31 09:15 - ARISS UK view of school contacts by Team Lead Ciaran Morgan M0XTD 09:45 - The Tim Peake Effect 1 by John Hislop G7OHO 10:15 - The Tim Peake Effect 2 and Life after Principia by RSGB Board Chair Steve Hartley G0FUW Further details and full schedule of speakers at http://amsat-uk.org/ For those unable to attend volunteers from BATC.tv will be streaming the presentations 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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EN24 activation Saturday
by Rolf Krogstad 23 Jul '16

23 Jul '16

I will be operating from EN24 on Sat. July 23rd from 1600z to 1800z. The plan is to work passes on passes of Ukube-1, FO-29, SO-50 & AO-73. 73 Rolf NR0T

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October East Coast Cruise
by Lee Ernstrom 22 Jul '16

22 Jul '16

Hi Satellite Grid chasers, This coming October my wife and I will be taking a cruise up the east coast beginning in New York. Hopefully I will be passing through some grids that my satellite friends still need. On the 20th of July I received my Bahamas reciprocal license (C6AQD) At this time I haven't charted the course because I have been so busy on our new garage project so I don't know what grids I will be passing through. We will be on the Norwegian Gem. More details to follow when I have them. WA7HQD/C6AQD Lee Ernstrom

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