October 2017 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

VUCC Awards/Endorsements for September 2017
by John Papay 02 Oct '17

02 Oct '17

The VUCC Standings for September 30th are still not without problems. Totals that changed a few up or down are still not corrected. A few more callsigns are missing. Below are the totals that changed on 8 September 2017 which were in the last posting. The 30 September pdf dropped N1AIA and AK4WQ(EN34). AI6GS and K7TAB are still missing. Previous Callsigns missing on 08Sep2017: AI6GS (230) K7TAB (100) New Callsigns Missing on 30Sep2017: N1AIA (216) AK4WQ(EN34) (107) (was 106 01Aug2017) Callsigns with totals that went DOWN: KO4MA 1564 -> 1562 AC0RA 1143 -> 1142 K8TL 974 -> 973 AA5PK 876 -> 875 W6ZQ 561 -> 560 K4XP 102 -> 101 Callsigns with totals that only went UP by a few: K6FW 603 -> 606 KK4FEM 476 -> 480 (now NJ4Y at 502) KL7CN/W6 249 -> 250 KX9X 158 -> 159 AK4WQ(EN34) 106 -> 107 VA3NNA 100 -> 102 (The above callsigns could be legitimate endorsements.) Here are the apparent endorsements and new VUCC Satellite Awards issued by the ARRL for the period September 8, 2017 through September 30, 2017. Congratulations to all those who made the list this month! CALL GRIDS KB1RVT 1524 K4FEG 818 NJ4Y 502 W4FS 482 W0DHB 400 K5ND 351 NS3L 225 W6ZQ(DM42) 202 (NEW VUCC) NR0T 200 WA7HQD 138 PT2AP 102 (NEW VUCC) PS8ET 101 (NEW VUCC) K4RGK 100 (NEW VUCC) This list was developed by comparing the ARRL .pdf listings for September 8th and September 30th, 2017. It's a visual comparison so omissions are possible. Apologies if your call was not mentioned. Thanks to all those who are roving to grids that are rarely on the birds. They are doing most of the work! 73, John K8YSE --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

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TUning the antennas on a Cubesat
by Robert Bruninga 02 Oct '17

02 Oct '17

Someone asked me how to tune the antennas on a cubesat without the instrumentation totally becoming part of the antenna system itself? I said you have to put the SWR instrument inside the cubesat as we did here: http://aprs.org/PSAT2/SWR-testing-0160x.jpg But that only works on a 1.5U cubesat where and MFJ Antenna Analyzer will fit! The other method is to just put in a bidirectional coupler chip, and then feed the forward and reflected voltage taps to the internal cubesat telemetry system and then compute the SWR from these two Forward and Reflected power telemetry channels. Bob, WB4APR

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Upcoming ARISS contact with Kugluktuk High School, Kugluktuk Nunavut, Canada
by n4csitwo＠bellsouth.net 01 Oct '17

01 Oct '17

An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Kugluktuk High School, Kugluktuk Nunavut, Canada on 03 Oct. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 15:32 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 IR0ISS and IK1SLD. The contact should be audible over Italy and adjacent areas. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English. Kugluktuk is situated at the confluence of the Coppermine River and the Coronation Gulf. The hamlet has a population of approximately 1600 people; JHI KHS serve over 400 fabulous students from K to 12. 'Kugluk' is the Innunaqtun word for 'fast moving water', 'tuk' means 'place of'. The Copper Inuit have survived & thrived in this area for generations. We are located at latitude 67º 50' N and longitude 115º 06' W. Being 142 km north of the Arctic Circle means that the sun does not rise for 34 days in the winter and does not set for more than a month after May 28 in the summer. We are a fascinating people who live in a dynamic environment characterized by extreme variations! Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. How much longer will the space station be in operation? 2. The next space station is planned for a moon orbit, why a moon orbit? 3. What is the longest we can stay in space given the present technology on the ISS? 4. Are there any plans to build gravity modules for the space station and will this allow us to stay longer in space? 5. What is the greatest challenge facing you on space station? 6. What is the most important qualification or attribute one can have to seek out a career involving work in space? 7. What long term impacts occur to those who stay in space for long periods, if any? 8. What is daily life like on space station - do you follow a schedule? 9. Did you change your diet in preparation for space life or can you eat most of the same foods? 10. What are the impacts of zero gravity on overall digestive function? 11. Besides humans, what other life forms do you have on board? 12. How long can the space station last in orbit without any rocket boost to maintain its orbit? 13. Do you ever fly over the Arctic and what does that look like from up there? 14. Does space look different from where you are? 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 Next planned event(s): TBD About ARISS: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or informal education venues. With the help of experienced amateur radio volunteers, ISS crews speak directly with large audiences in a variety of public forums. Before and during these radio contacts, students, teachers, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org, www.amsat.org, and www.arrl.org. Thank you & 73, David - AA4KN --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

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Igate for Falconsat-3
by Ken Swaggart 01 Oct '17

01 Oct '17

I've set up my station to Igate Falconsat-3, but have no idea if this is even needed. Is it of any use? Using an AirSpy SDR, mast-mounted preamp, and az/el Yagi. The thing sure has a strong signal! 73, Ken, W7KKE

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Space Net
by Andrew Rich 01 Oct '17

01 Oct '17

Hello I see lots of dumped packets due to the APRS-IS being used to relay satgate packets Is there someone that has the infrastructure that can run a space only backbone server stream that we can feed packets into that don’t get dropped as dupes ? That way we can gauge the amount of space traffic ? I can try and set one up here on test For ISS, NO-84 and any other satellites ? Andrew

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Re: [amsat-bb] Waterproof mast mounted preamp enclosure?
by Gregory Beat 01 Oct '17

01 Oct '17

Steve - IF you desire a waterproof mast enclosure, used by SSB-Electronic GmbH for their mast pre-amplifiers and downconverters http://www.ssb.de/amplifiers/preamplifier/vox/100w I purchased empty mast enclosures (2) from SSB Germany, about 10 years ago. UK-based Uputronics sells a Mast Mountable Enclosure for £34.34 They have a number of other useful items. https://store.uputronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=63&produc… The other sourcing option, are outdoor low-voltage enclosures used in the CATV, Telco industry, and Electrical trades. A well-stocked electrical supply house will have Plastic & Metal boxes. Outdoor Patio Deck resellers sell an enclosure for low-voltage patio lights. http://www.thedeckstoreonline.com/low-voltage-enclosure-outdoor.html#.WdF1l… Perfect Vision enclosure for TV/CATV users. https://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=PVCB2GRY&utm_source=google&utm_medi… I have “re-purposed” obsolete CATV (1970/1989) aluminum “line enclosures” used on their outdoor distribution lines — these are very nice. Rarely sold at hamfests, as “plug-n-play” crowd did not understand potential usage. Many of these units were replaced over last 20 years as Cable industry updated their systems in 1990s for 2-way amplifiers (Internet / Home Security service delivery). greg, w9gb === > Looking to move my two mast mounted preamps into an enclosure. > Who knows of a good mast mount enclosure handle 2 Advanced Recv'r > 160 Watt Mast Mounted Amateur Preamp's inside? > The preamps are 5" wide and 2-1/2 deep. > Steve, NS3L

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Re: [amsat-bb] Falconsat-3 and APRS HT's?
by Rick Tejera 01 Oct '17

01 Oct '17

Patrick, I tried the 2115UT pass. No soap, but I Did see to undecoded packets (??PFS3-1).Also I did notice a lot of noise on the TX band, which would drop out and then back in. I noticed after the pass the DOH! Moment. I thought I had changed the packet path to Others, but apparently did not hit * to activate it.. There is a 30 degree pass at 2254UT, I'll give that a go and hopefully have a bit more luck. 73 Rick Tejera (K7TEJ) Saguaro Astronomy Club www.saguaroastro.org Thunderbird Amateur Radio Club www.W7TBC.org -----Original Message----- From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) Sent: Sunday, October 01, 2017 11:30 AM To: Robert Bruninga <bruninga(a)usna.edu>; amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Falconsat-3 and APRS HT's? Hi Bob! There are more than a few of us who have tried FalconSat-3 with the HTs capable of 9600bps APRS. The TH-D7 and TH-D72 are probably the best HTs for this, as they are capable of full-duplex operation. I have used my TH-D72 to make a few QSOs last weekend, and I have also used other combinations of radios to get on these passes... 1. TX: TH-D74, RX: another TH-D74 2. TX: TH-D74, RX: TH-D74 and SDRplay with HDSDR & UZ7HO's HS-SoundModem 3. TX: TH-D74, RX: SDRplay with HDSDR & HS-SoundModem 4. TX: TH-D74, RX: SDRplay w/HDSDR, HS-SoundModem, UISS With all of these radios and combinations of radios, I have been using my Elk Antennas handheld 2m/70cm log periodic, going through a 2m/70cm diplexer whenever I'm using more than just the TH-D72. For a few of these passes where I used the SDR receive setup, I have made RF recordings. Using the UZ7HO or UISS programs, I am also making logs from each program. For just the HT, pictures of the HT's screen showing the messages exchanged with other stations and other information like position packets. I have posted files in my Dropbox space at http://dropbox.wd9ewk.net/ (look for folders with "FalconSat3" in the folder names). I just tried the 4th setup listed above for the first time on the 1756 UTC pass this morning. As I've seen before, I am receiving more data with the SDR setup than with the HTs. I saw my own packets passing through the digipeater - my position/comment packet, as well as a couple of messages sent to ALL. I haven't tried using the software directly to a radio, but I have a SignaLink USB here, and may work on that. The SDRplay, along with HDSDR's AFC function, works very well on the downlink. I normally don't have to make any adjustments to the downlink frequency during passes, as long as I am reasonably accurate in pointing my antenna skyward. UISS makes it easier to keep track of call signs, rather than just looking at the HS-SoundModem window - especially when a burst of packets show up on the screen, and I might miss something as it scrolls off the window. I have two more really nice passes this afternoon - 1935 and 2115 UTC. I am going to use the same setup on those two passes, and hope to see other stations using the digipeater like me. Maybe I will add to my short list of FalconSat-3 QSOs (currently at 3)... 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK or http://twitter.com/WD9EWK On Sun, Oct 1, 2017 at 3:20 PM, Robert Bruninga <bruninga(a)usna.edu> wrote: > I was confused. I thought FALCONSAT-3 was a PACSAT protocol store and > forward system because I thought I saw people trying to get the old PB > and BG code, But the AMSAT web page says it is 9600 baud GMSK up and down. > > https://www.amsat.org/falconsat-3/ > > 435.103 MHz down and 145.840 up DIGI call of PFS3-1. While of course > setting 5 memores to chase the Doppler the full 20 KHz during the pass. > > So I am surrprised that I havent heard of anyone making contacts with > any ole' APRS HT or Mobile... All of these radios can do 9600 baud > and APRS natively.. > > Im under Kitchen arrest until 1st grandkid arrives soon and cannot play. > If I missed something, ignore me. Ill go back under my domestic rock... > > Bob, WB4APR > > _______________________________________________ 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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Conventions for apogee and perigee altitudes?
by Phil Karn 01 Oct '17

01 Oct '17

I've been returning to satellite tracking software after a while (I wrote some early AMSAT tools in the early 1980s) and am wondering if there has ever been a resolution of the exact definitions of "apogee height" and "perigee height". The simple geometric definitions of "perigee" and "apogee" are the points where the spacecraft is the closest to or farthest from the center of the earth. This is easy if you assume the earth is a perfect sphere; all you need is the semimajor axis a and the eccentricity e: apogee = a * (1+e) - earth_radius perigee = a * (1-e) - earth_radius But reality is more complicated than that. For a nonequatorial orbit the apogee and perigee usually occur over some point off the equator where the earth's radius is smaller than at the equator. You can correct for this given the inclination and the argument of perigee, which together tell you the latitude at which apogee and perigee occur; one will occur in the northern hemisphere and the other will occur in the southern hemisphere at the opposite latitude. There's a complication here in that this is geocentric latitude, while we more often use geodetic latitude on a daily basis. Converting geodetic latitude to geocentric is fairly easy, but converting in the other direction is like Kepler's equation: apparently there's no closed form solution so you have to iterate. But this is a relatively minor detail. The real problem comes when you have a satellite with a relatively high inclination and an argument of perigee close to 0 or 180 degrees; in this situation the satellite can easily be farther from the earth's surface than *either* the calculated apogee or perigee! The ISS is a case in point at the moment. Using element set 906, which has an argument of perigee of about 329 degrees I calculate an apogee of 408 km and a perigee of 402.4 km assuming an oblate earth and ignoring the distinction between geodetic and geocentric latitude (which is relatively small for this argument of perigee). But near the southernmost point of its orbit, I calculate an altitude of about 421 km, well above both the perigee and apogee heights because the earth's surface through the poles is more elliptical than the ISS's orbit. So what conventions do people use? How meaningful do people expect these figures to be? For a low altitude orbit like the ISS, the difference in drag between 402 and 421 km is actually quite significant. At the very least it would be nice if everybody used the same convention.

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R60SAT Special Call on the air. Sputnik-1 60 Year Celebration
by Steve Nordahl 01 Oct '17

01 Oct '17

Keep your eye out for "R60SAT" a special call on the air from European Russia celebrating "Sputnik-1 The First Artificial Earth Satellite" Steve NS3L R60SAT Callsign Page | | | | | | | | | | | R60SAT Callsign Page R60SAT personal biography | | | |

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Re: [amsat-bb] WISP replacement? (or Live digipeating?)
by Robert Bruninga 01 Oct '17

01 Oct '17

It was possible to enable digipeating in a PACSAT protocol satellite. I wonder if it should be considered? I know I'd like it... ;-) Live Real-time satellite operations. I remember 20 years ago, I worked for a month and finally got a PACSAT ground station to work. Did one pass. Once I saw that it was a hands off, automatic process, with nothing to do during the pass but just watch it work, I lost interest and never went back... I wanted something live... Bob, WB4APR. On Sat, Sep 30, 2017 at 3:09 PM, Douglas Quagliana <dquagliana(a)gmail.com> wrote: > All, > I'd like to get pbpg running with a soundcard modem on Linux. First, I'm > just trying to get pbpg running. > > I was able to download pbpg-2.2.1.tar.gz from the AMSAT website, and > after a little work I got it to compile and got it installed, but it > doesn't seem to run properly on my Linux box. I have kernel version 4.4.75 > on this machine, but I could try another kernel version or a completely > different distro quite easily. > > I strongly suspect I'm "doing it wrong" and there's some more missing > setup and config (for example, the "configure/make/make install" didn't > create the control FIFO (/etc/pbpg/pb-fifo) nor any of the > /var/spool/pbpg/satellite-name directories. > > I think I'm missing a required step. Is there more install/config > documentation somewhere besides what comes with pbpg-2.2.1.tar.gz ? > > Douglas KA2UPW/5 > > > On Thu, Sep 28, 2017 at 11:23 AM, Edson W. R. Pereira <ewpereira(a)gmail.com > > > wrote: > > > The Linux version of PB and PG talks to a pseudo TNC using the native > Linux > > AX.25 sockets. It has been more than two decades since I have last used > the > > native AX.25 sockets and, as far as I can remember, it was not trivial. I > > suggest modifying the PB and PB software to speak the AX.25 KISS over TCP > > protocol and talk with DireWolf, a software TNC that implements the G3RUH > > GFSK 9600 bps modem. DireWolf can be found here: > > > > https://github.com/wb2osz/direwolf > > > > I will try modifying PB and PG to use the KISS protocol as soon as I can > > spare some time. > > > > DireWolf could be used with a classic transceiver via soundcard and also > to > > a SDR receiver such as GQRX or GNURadio and a classic (or SDR) > transmitter. > > The software modem could also be implemented directly in GNUradio as > well. > > > > It will be a blast to operate a PACSAT BBS again. > > > > 73, Edson PY2SDR > > > > > > On Thu, Sep 28, 2017 at 12:55 PM, Paul Stoetzer <n8hm(a)arrl.net> wrote: > > > > > The Linux tools (PacSatTools and PB/PG) are distributed as source > > > code. That code could potentially serve as a guide for how to encode > > > files and interface with a KISS TNC. > > > > > > See https://www.amsat.org/falconsat-3/ > > > > > > 73, > > > > > > Paul, N8HM > > > > > > On Thu, Sep 28, 2017 at 11:18 AM, Robert Switzer via AMSAT-BB > > > <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > > > > Don't know if this is opensource ( a quick search only found the old > > > WiSP32 download setup.exe), but this as well as other old programs (I'm > > > thinking Nova, but perhaps others?) would be best > > > > served by getting it out there in the public domain. > > > > The other option is to reverse engineer if someone has a working > copy. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, September 28, 2017 9:19 AM, Andrew Glasbrenner < > > > glasbrenner(a)mindspring.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > For all our talented coders out there, a replacement for the > venerable > > > WISP > > > > software would be well received, and allow much more utilization of > > this > > > > satellite resource. Anyone interested? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > 73, Drew KO4MA > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > 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 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > > > 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 > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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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