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

Very Small-Scale Solar Power for Ham Use?
by Scott 31 Aug '16

31 Aug '16

Greetings to everyone. This is only satellite-related in the most peripheral sense, but since much of our equipment requires electricity, I hope it’s a valid question. I’m normally very good with Google searches, but for some reason I’m coming up empty on this one. In the U.S. (and probably elsewhere), it’s common now to see highway signs and stand-alone telemetry installations installed with a small solar panel and a utility box that I assume protects a charge regulator and battery for night operations. I have an interest in duplicating this type of setup for experimental antenna installations that are too far from my house to conveniently run normal power, as well as for portable use. I don’t know if the installations that I see on the highway are turn-key setups (solar panel, charge controller, battery) or if they have been pieced together sized to fit the need. Naturally, the question of power requirements would affect the response from those of you who might be particularly knowledgeable about this kind of thing. I’m talking about the low end... just enough to power things like a wi-fi router, USB webcam, or perhaps a small notebook PC charger or Raspberry Pi... that kind of thing. At the high end, perhaps a small AZ-only TV rotator which would be a VERY intermittent draw. Anyway, if anyone is already providing for small power needs in this fashion, or is familiar with the installs that I see along the road, I sure would appreciate your input. Further, one would assume that it would be cheaper to DIY this... so recommendations for small outdoor solar/charger/battery discrete components would of course be helpful, too. Thanks! -Scott, K4KDR Montpelier, VA USA

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Prediction / Tracking Programs.
by Joe 31 Aug '16

31 Aug '16

I have three prediction / tracking programs here. Simple Sat by W9KE HRD Sat Track and Orbitron. The simplesat and the HRD are perfect, and agree to the second even with each other. Orbitron on the other hand, is WAY off. Like 1/2 an orbit off. it says the tle's up date fine and clocks all say correct time. but the sat no matter what one I try is like 1/2 an orbit wrong. Also it does not have NO-84 listed. How do I get it to see that one too. Joe WB9SBD -- Sig The Original Rolling Ball Clock Idle Tyme Idle-Tyme.com http://www.idle-tyme.com

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AMSAT Live OSCAR Satellite Status Page
by Joe 31 Aug '16

31 Aug '16

This Page,,, http://www.amsat.org/status/ When you hover over a block, and the window appears it says Heard, and then a call, Now is the call, a call that was heard on the bird,,, or is it the station that simply heard the bird? Date is self explanatory, The UTC tho I'm not quite sure what it is telling me. anyone? Joe WB9SBD -- Sig The Original Rolling Ball Clock Idle Tyme Idle-Tyme.com http://www.idle-tyme.com

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Telemetry Information PLEASE
by Gerald Payton 30 Aug '16

30 Aug '16

While awaiting "parts" to assemble my station, I am interested in the TELEMETRY reception from the birds. I was looking at the "Leader Board" for FOX-1A on Amsat.org. Looking at some of those stations posted there I noticed that FoxTerm 1.04f software listed, but no TNCs. Now I am confused. I believe that the FoxTerm software may decode received audio from the passes, but what about other satellites. Is a TNC needed, especially with the 9600 baud? I'm sorry, I am trying to figure out HOW to receive and decode the telemetry signals and just do not comprehend the procedures. The AMSAT website does not seem to supply that information, and neither does the "Getting Started 2016" book. If it is too much to answer here, please contact directly at my email: gp_ab5r(a)outlook.com 73, Jerry AB5R

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Grid AP65
by Tom Lubbers K8TL 30 Aug '16

30 Aug '16

During the 2000z AO7 orbit this afternoon (8/30) a Got a report from GRID AP65. He finally got my call correct but I could never get his. Any one know who that was?

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"Fall" Grid Trip
by R.T.Liddy 30 Aug '16

30 Aug '16

SAT Grid Chasers, My annual Fall Grid Trip will be early this year due to other upcoming personal plans. Between 9/5 and 9/11, I'll travel from Ohio north to Sault St. Marie and make a loop through the following Grids: EN76/86/87/88/98/99/89/79/78/77 Operation will be on FO29, SO50 and AO7. I may check out a couple XW's before I leave to see if I can work them. I usually go about 15 KHz up from center on Linear SATs. I'll be moving across a lot of territory, so some Grids may only be operated ONCE. However, I HOPE to work as many folks as possible that NEED these Grids. C U Soon, 73, Bob K8BL P.S. I have a low tolerance level for rude/inconsiderate operations on Single-Channel SATs. If I encounter too much of it, I'll just go QRT on them.

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2016-08-30 06:30 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 30 Aug '16

30 Aug '16

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2016-08-30 06:30 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Lewis and Clark National Historic Park, Astoria, OR, direct via KF7TCG The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Takuya Onishi KF5LKS Contact is a go for: Sat 2016-09-03 18:21:03 UTC 42 deg Lawrence Public Library, Lawrence KS, direct via KCØNFL The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Takuya Onishi KF5LKS (***) Contact is a go for: Fri 2016-09-09 16:25:42 UTC 56 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 Ericsson 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: Gaston ON4WF with 121 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 121 Francesco IKØWGF with 117 **************************************************************************** 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 2016-08-30 06:30 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 Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1081. Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1046. 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 2016-08-24 02:30 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. 47 on orbit Jeff Williams KD5TVQ Oleg Skripochka RN3FU Aleksey Ovchinin Exp. 48 on orbit Anatoly Ivanishin Kate Rubins KG5FYJ Takuya Onishi KF5LKS **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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CY9C Satellite QSOs now in Club Log
by Paul Stoetzer 29 Aug '16

29 Aug '16

The CY9C satellite QSOs seem to now be in Club Log, though there are some minor band/mode inconsistencies. http://www.clublog.org/charts/?c=CY9C 73, Paul, N8HM

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N8RO Portable Operations
by Ronald Oldham 29 Aug '16

29 Aug '16

Our road trip to western Canada was completed last week. We traveled over 5900 miles and were able to activate 30 grids. The grids included: EM03/04, EM08/09, EN00/01, EN03, EN05, DN97, DN88, DN89, DO60, DN49, DO40, DO21, DO00, CO90, CN78, CN88, CN97, DN07, DN17, DN27, DN26, DN37, DN45, DN76, DN75, DN73 and DN71. A total of 169 contacts were made on satellites SO-50, FO-29, AO-85 and XW-2C All contacts will be uploaded to LOTW within the next few days. All Canadian contacts will be uploaded using the call N8RO/VE5, 6 or 7. All other contacts will be uploaded using my call N8RO without any portable designation. If you would like a paper card please send a SASE. All paper cards will be mailed out over the next few weeks. After completing this road trip I have now activated a total of 122 unique grids during my portable operations. Many thanks for all of the contacts on this trip and the previous portable operations. 73, Ron - N8RO

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F-104 will be used to launch cubesats
by Wayne Estes 29 Aug '16

29 Aug '16

Interesting BBC article about the long troubled history of the F-104 Starfighter jet. Near the end, the article explains that a company in Florida plans to use the jet together with wing-mounted mini-rockets to launch Cubesats from the Stratosphere into low earth orbit. Unlike piggyback rides on a big rocket, the customer will be able to specify the orbit and launch date. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160826-the-1950s-jet-launching-tiny-satel… Wayne Estes W9AE Oakland, Oregon, USA, CN83ik

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