AMSAT-BB February 2018

171 participants
245 discussions

TNX for LVB tracker
by radiomb 04 Feb '18

04 Feb '18

Mike WB8CXO thanks for building my LVB tracker. I got it interfacing with SatPC32. Now I just need to get the beams, maybe Orlando. And thanks to everyone that has helped get started in this neat part of the hobby.73 Mike K4MIA

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Re: [amsat-bb] FT726R parts available?
by Gregory Beat 03 Feb '18

03 Feb '18

Yes, Consolidated Electronics in Dayton, OH area has that NEC 7-pin SIP part. Look for eBay reseller: ceitron Here is the NEC uPC1037H data sheet http://www.datasheetarchive.com/dlmain/Datasheets-16/DSA-317957.pdf w9gb > Can replacement uPC1037H's be found.

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FT726R parts available?
by Ron VE8RT 03 Feb '18

03 Feb '18

I was given a FT726R with the 6 2 and 70cm modules, the maintenance manual, and a few spares. As I was adding a CTCSS tone board it seemed like a good idea to check the adjustments and alignment. Unfortunately I've found that the TX balanced modulator doesn't balance. Checks were made for noise on the 13.8 VDC and regulated 8V (which powers the uPC1037H modulator) and these lines are quiet. The maximum carrier suppresion I could get from adjusting VR05 was 25dB, far short of the specified >40 dB. There is a good voltage swing on VR05, but the voltage on pin 6 of the modulator changes very little. I suspect it's failed. Can replacement uPC1037H's be found. If I get this sorted then I'll ask about how to run it duplex and do the Doppler correction on SSB or CW. Thanks, Ron VE8RT -- Ron VE8RT <ve8rt(a)yknwt.ca>

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ANS-035 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Lee McLamb 03 Feb '18

03 Feb '18

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-035 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: * AO-92 to Initiate Operational Scheduling * Soyuz Rocket Launches 11 Satellites Including D-Star One Phoenix * Upcoming ARISS contact with Moore Square AIG/GT Magnet School, Raleigh, NC * VUCC Awards-Endorsements for January 2018 * AMSATDroidFree Source Code Released on GitHub SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-035.01 ANS-035 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 035.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE FEBRUARY 4, 2018 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-035.01 AO-92 to Initiate Operational Scheduling Since its commissioning the AO-92 U/v FM repeater has been open continuously. Beginning the first full week of February operations will be scheduled among the U/v FM repeater, L-Band Downshifter, Virginia Tech Camera, and the University of Iowa’s High Energy Radiation CubeSat Instrument (HERCI). For the week of 4-10 Feb 2018, the following mode changes are scheduled: Approximately 1510 UTC 4 Feb the L band uplink will be activated for approximately 24 hours. Approximately 0250 UTC 6 Feb the high speed data will be activated for 40 minutes to enable data download from the HERCI experiment. Approximately 1520 UTC 8 Feb the high speed data will be activated for 40 minutes to enable data download from the HERCI experiment. The U/v repeater will be open continuously at all other times outside those listed above. [ANS thank Drew, KO4MA, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Soyuz Rocket Launches 11 Satellites Including D-Star One Phoenix A Soyuz rocket crowned by a Fregat upper stage carrying 11 Russian, German and U.S. satellites into orbit lifted off Thursday from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East, the first flight from the country’s newest spaceport since a failure in November. The Soyuz-2.1a rocket lifted off at 0207:18 GMT Thursday (9:07:18 p.m. EST Wednesday) from Vostochny, a cosmodrome carved from the forests of Russia’s Amur region near the country’s border with China. A CubeSat with an amateur radio relay payload named D-Star One Phoenix, developed by German Orbital Systems in Berlin in cooperation with the Czech company iSky Technology, was also launched Thursday. It replaces the D-Star One nanosatellite lost on the last launch from Vostochny on Nov. 28. Downlink frequencies are 435.700 MHz for telemetry and 435.525 MHz for D-Star. The uplink for D-STAR will be 437.325 MHz. [ANS thanks SpaceFlightNow and IARU for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming ARISS contact with Moore Square AIG/GT Magnet School, Raleigh, NC An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Moore Square AIG/GT Magnet School, Raleigh, NC on 05 Feb. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 18:32 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and KG4AKV. The contact should be audible over the U.S. state of North Carolina and portions of the eastern U.S. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English. Students have also participated in a mock astronaut training session at Marbles Kids Museum after viewing the Hubble 3D IMAX movie. Students conducted research and composed questions based on the research they conducted. The school voted on the best 20 questions. John Brier, KG4AKV, and Jim Scarborough, KE4ROH, have worked closely by providing our students with background information and serving as guest speakers and facilitators for the event. Joshua Tate, KF4EAG, and Mark Hammond, N8MH, have also been integral to helping our school with the contact. 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 [ANS thanks David, AA4KN, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- VUCC Awards-Endorsements for January 2018 Here are the changed endorsements and new VUCC Satellite Awards issued by the ARRL for the period January 1, 2018 through January 31, 2018. Congratulations to all those who made the list this month! CALL 1Jan18 1Feb18 N8RO 1020 1030 N8HM 1005 1025 WN9Q 416 710 K5ND 439 502 WD9EWK 384 400 N9EAT 336 410 NS3L 251 275 KE4AL 177 252 VE7CEW 200 251 PT9BM 126 151 PS8ET 101 127 WB7VUF 107 (NEW VUCC) AA8CH 104 (NEW VUCC) AL6D/W4 101 (NEW VUCC) N3GS 101 (NEW VUCC) NK1N 101 (NEW VUCC) KE8FZT 100 (NEW VUCC) W5PFG (DM95) 100 (NEW VUCC) W5PFG (EM12) 100 (NEW VUCC) This is my first month creating this list. If you find errors or omissions. please contact me off-list at <mycall>@<mycall>.com and I'll revise the announcement. This list was developed by comparing the ARRL .pdf listings for January 1, 2018. and February 1, 2018. 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! [ANS thanks Ron, W5RKN for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSATDroidFree Source Code Released on GitHub Dave Johnson, G4DPZ, author of the AMSATDroidFree app, has made the source code to AMSATDroidFree available on a public repository on GitHub for those of you who like to tinker: https://github.com/g4dpz/AmsatDroidFree Dave thanks all the people who have given him suggestions and have downloaded it over the years and are still using the application. [ANS thanks Dave, G4DPZ 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, KT4TZ kt4tz at amsat dot org

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February 25, 2018 Rover trip to FM28 in Delaware
by Steve Nordahl 03 Feb '18

03 Feb '18

Hi all, Just wanted to let everyone know that I will be activating FM28(FX) from Killens State Park near Felton, Delaware on Sunday February 25, 2018 for 2-1/2 hour roving stint. I plan to work the following birds between 1700Z to 1935Z.AO-91 1707Z-1720Z 44 degree passAO-95 1749Z-1801Z 15 degree passAO-7 1815Z-1834Z 32 degree passAO-91 1945Z-1856Z 19 degree passCAS-4B 1924Z-1935Z 28 degree pass This trip will be weather dependent so if snow, ice, or heavy rain is forecast for that area on that day I may be forced to reschedule. I will update if there is any changes. Steve NS3L

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Upcoming ARISS contact with Moore Square AIG/GT Magnet School, Raleigh, NC
by n4csitwo＠bellsouth.net 03 Feb '18

03 Feb '18

An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Moore Square AIG/GT Magnet School, Raleigh, NC on 05 Feb. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 18:32 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and KG4AKV. The contact should be audible over the U.S. state of North Carolina and portions of the eastern U.S. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English. Moore Square GT/AIG Basics Magnet Middle School is a Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) magnet school located in the heart of downtown Raleigh. At our school, we afford our students with a variety of unique learning opportunities that allow students and teachers to amplify individual gifts and talents. We have heightened student engagement through collaboration and exploration in the classroom and through interconnected, downtown partnerships. At our school, students are able to participate in a wide range of electives with topics from Chinese, Orchestra, Modern Dance, or Space Adventures! By the end of their middle school experience, students have not only gained confidence in themselves, but have also had a robust and diverse learning experience creating well-rounded students who are poised to succeed in high school. Our school has done many things to prepare our students for the contact. Students have had the opportunity to research and participate in the Tomatosphere Citizen Science project. This project is a blind study in which students germinated two groups of tomato seeds- one group that experienced microgravity conditions on the ISS and one group of seeds that did not. We are anxiously awaiting the results of the larger experiment to see how our results compared to others! Students have also participated in a mock astronaut training session at Marbles Kids Museum after viewing the Hubble 3D IMAX movie. Students conducted research and composed questions based on the research they conducted. The school voted on the best 20 questions. John Brier, KG4AKV, and Jim Scarborough, KE4ROH, have worked closely by providing our students with background information and serving as guest speakers and facilitators for the event. Joshua Tate, KF4EAG, and Mark Hammond, N8MH, have also been integral to helping our school with the contact. Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. What is the biggest challenge that you have faced during your time in space? 2. How are everyday tasks in space different from everyday tasks on Earth? 3. What is your favorite thing about seeing Earth from space? 4. If you had to give advice to a future astronaut about something they should know that training did not prepare them for, what would you tell them? 5. What type of foods do you miss the most and how can you be sure that you are receiving adequate nutrition with the foods you are limited to eating on ISS? 6. What is your daily routine in space like and how is it different from your routine on Earth? 7. What inspired you to become an astronaut? What has been the most challenging part of that journey? 8. How would you describe what launching feels like? 9. How will the experiments you have conducted on this mission impact humanity? 10. How do you know when to go to sleep and when to wake up? How has this experience impacted your Circadian rhythm? 11. Describe your exercise routine and the equipment that you use. 12. How does your research related to the colonization of Mars? 13. How is gravitropism in plants different in space? 14. How do you entertain yourself in your spare time? 15. Describe what it feels like to wear your astronaut suit. 16. What kind of medical tests have you gone through to prepare for your mission and what kinds of tests will you have to go through when you return to Earth? 17. How has microgravity impacted your body and how does it feel different from Earth?s gravity? 18. Describe some common types of technology on the International Space Station that are essential for astronauts to survive in space. 19. What is one thing that you look forward to doing when you return to Earth? 20. What is the scariest thing that has happened to you when you were in space? 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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S BAND USE
by Bob- W7LRD 02 Feb '18

02 Feb '18

Hello-Is there any chance of using S Band (2.4 Ghz) being used on any future satellites? I know there are several of us who have a box of down converters and associated equipment, waiting for "something". I know the five & dime is being planed. 73 Bob W7LRD

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SatPC32 auxiliary files
by Jerald 02 Feb '18

02 Feb '18

Can anyone provide me with the SatPC32 doppler and tone auxiliary file numbers for the CAS 4B satellite? KJ4EU….Jerry Sent from Mail for Windows 10

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D-Star ONE PHOENIX
by Sean Waite 02 Feb '18

02 Feb '18

Looks like the group behind the burned up D-Star ONE project somehow managed to get a second satellite built and launched in a little over a month. They're getting data from it, and are awaiting the TLE. Pretty crazy how fast they got that up there. http://www.d-star.one/ I don't have a second D-Star radio, but maybe it'll be workable without being able to hear myself. 73, Sean WA1TE

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Mysterious Chinese satellite
by Roland Zurmely 02 Feb '18

02 Feb '18

I also listened at the same time of 17:40 UTC the FMN-1 or ??? on 435,350 MHz, but weaker and I did not decode. In GH70un using TLE from object 2018-015A. "zeroG" was on 435,325 MHz. 73 de Roland PY4ZBZ

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AMSAT-BB February 2018