April 2019 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

New Telemetry Decoder for FalconSat-3
by Chris Thompson 10 Apr '19

10 Apr '19

I've written a new Ground station for FalconSat-3. If you had an initial go with WISP without success or if you have never tried to decode FalconSat-3, now is a good time to try. This requires much less setup than WISP. And don't be put off if you don't have a hardware TNC, this will work with a soundcard TNC. Or, if you didn't try to listen to FalconSat-3 because you don't have a station that can transmit commands to the spacecraft, then read on. We still need your help to decode telemetry. In particular we would like to encourage people to download the Telemetry and forward it to an AMSAT telemetry server. Currently more telemetry is generated than we can download with AMSAT Operations ground stations. Receive only stations can contribute to that as well as stations equipped to transmit to FalconSat-3 and request files. You can see telemetry uploaded so far here: http://tlm.amsatfox.org/tlm/FalconSat-3 There are details about the spacecraft, how to install the software and how it works in the manual available if you download the software or online here: http://www.g0kla.com/pacsat/pacsat_ground_manual.pdf You can download the software at www.g0kla.com/pacsat/index.php. I have also written some blog posts and thoughts about the software for anyone interested. They are linked from the download page. There is much to do here of course and most of it probably won't get done. I would call this a beta release. If you have suggestions or bug fixes please log them online at https://github.com/ac2cz/Falcon/issues or send me an email. The software is open source. All the details are here: https://github.com/ac2cz/Falcon/ The telemetry processing and display leverages common code from FoxTelem in a library here: https://github.com/ac2cz/libTelem/ -- Chris E. Thompson chrisethompson(a)gmail.com g0kla(a)arrl.net

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2019-04-10 20:30 UTC
by aj9n＠aol.com 10 Apr '19

10 Apr '19

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2019-04-10 20:30 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Shaftesbury High School, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, telebridge via VK6MJ The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is David St-Jacques KG5FYI Contact was successful: Wed 2019-04-10 15:57:13 UTC 37 deg (***) École des Charmilles, Thyez, France, telebridge via ON4ISS The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled astronaut is David St-Jacques KG5FYI Contact is go for: Thu 2019-04-11 12:55:18 UTC 64 deg Huntington High School, Huntington, TX, direct via KI5AJL The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is David St-Jacques KG5FYI Contact is go for: Mon 2019-04-15 15:39:46 UTC 52 deg (***) Park Co. Public Library with Boys & Girls Club of the High Rockies, Fairplay, CO, direct via WØW The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Nick Hague KG5TMV Contact is go for: Mon 2019-04-15 17:15:53 UTC 51 deg (***) École internationale de Saint-Sacrement, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, direct via VE2GHO The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is David St-Jacques KG5FYI Contact is go for: Wed 2019-04-17 18:55:09 UTC 69 deg (***) The ARISS webpage is at http://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. The main page for Applying to Host a Scheduled Contact may be found at http://www.ariss.org/apply-to-host-an-ariss-contact.html ARISS Contact Applications (United States) The ARISS webpage is at http://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. International Space Station Astronauts are Calling CQ Students ARISS-US program’s education proposal window is open April 1 - May 15, 2019 March 24, 2019: The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program is seeking proposals beginning April 1, 2019, from US schools, museums, science centers and community youth organizations (working individually or together) to host radio contacts with an orbiting crew member aboard the International Space Station (ISS) between January 1, 2020 and June 30, 2020. Each year, ARISS provides tens of thousands of students with learning opportunities about space technologies, communications, and much more through the exploration of Amateur Radio and space. The ARISS program connects students to astronauts on the ISS through a partnership between NASA, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, the American Radio Relay League, other Amateur Radio global organizations and the worldwide space agencies. The program’s goal is to inspire students to pursue interests and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and in Amateur Radio. Educators report regularly that student participation in the ARISS program stimulates interest in STEM subjects and STEM careers. One educator wrote, “Many of the middle school students who took part in and attended the ARISS contact have selected science courses in high school as a result of that contact.” Educators are setting up ham radio clubs in schools and learning centers because of students’ interest. ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed, exciting education plan. Students can learn about satellite communications, wireless technology, science research conducted on the ISS, radio science, and other STEM subjects. Students learn to use Amateur Radio to talk directly to an astronaut and ask their STEM-related questions. ARISS will help educational organizations locate Amateur Radio groups who can assist with equipment for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students. The proposal window opens April 1, 2019 and the proposal deadline is May 15, 2019. For proposal guidelines and forms and more details, go to: http://ariss-proposal-webinar-spring-2019.eventbrite.com Proposal webinars for guidance and getting questions answered will be offered April 11, 2019 at 7 pm Eastern Time and April 16, 2019 at 9 pm Eastern Time. Advance registration is necessary. To sign up, go to https://ariss-proposal-webinar-spring-2019.eventbrite.com **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** ARISS Contact Applications (Europe, Africa and the Middle East) Schools and Youth organizations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East interested in setting up an ARISS radio contact with an astronaut on board the International Space Station are invited to submit an application from September to October and from February to April. Please refer to details and the application form at www.ariss-eu.org/school-contacts. Applications should be addressed by email to: school.selection.manager(a)ariss-eu.org ARISS Contact Applications (Canada, Central and South America, Asia and Australia and Russia) Organizations outside the United States can apply for an ARISS contact by filling out an application. Please direct questions to the appropriate regional representative listed below. If your country is not specifically listed, send your questions to the nearest ARISS Region listed. If you are unsure which address to use, please send your question to the ARISS-Canada representative; they will forward your question to the appropriate coordinator. For the application, go to: http://www.ariss.org/ariss-application.html. ARISS-Canada and the Americas, except USA: Steve McFarlane, VE3TBD email to: ve3tbd(a)gmail.com ARISS-Japan, Asia, Pacific and Australia: Satoshi Yasuda, 7M3TJZ email to: ariss(a)iaru-r3.org, Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) http://www.jarl.org/ ARISS-Russia: Soyuz Radioljubitelei Rossii (SRR) https://srr.ru/ ****************************************************************************** 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 135 Francesco IKØWGF with 132 Gaston ON4WF with 123 Sergey RV3DR with 113 **************************************************************************** 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 2019-04-10 20:30 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 http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1298. (***) Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1241. (***) 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: 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 2019-04-10 20:30 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 Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415 **************************************************************************** Exp. 58 on orbit Oleg Konenenko David St-Jacques KG5FYI Anne McClain Exp. 59 on orbit Christina Koch Aleksey Ovchinin Nick Hague KG5TMV **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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Geochron4K With Amateur Satellite Overlay
by Les Rayburn 10 Apr '19

10 Apr '19

If you’re interested in seeing what the Geochron4K clock looks like with the real-time amateur satellite overlay, I’ve uploaded a sample picture at the following URL: https://on.frame.io/secuj3k8 Note that you can select which satellites to display. They are grouped first into categories such as military, GPS, etc…and then the software offers the ability to select individual satellites. You can also alter the length of the “trail” that appears behind each satellite. The trail helps you to visualize the direction of travel. Since Geochron is constantly updating the available overlays, and will soon offer a software developers kit (SDK), there is no telling what kind of information you may be able to overlay your clock. I know that the company plans to add real-time weather, radio propagation, and other overlays soon. If enough satellite operators chime in, we may be able to get them to add footprints to the satellite overlays. At $399, plus the price of a monitor, it’s a great tool for hams. I have no financial or other relationship with the company, just a fan. You can learn more at: https://www.geochron.com/4k/ If you decide to buy one, please mention AMSAT in your order. Always good to let vendors know where the business is coming from. 73, Les Rayburn, N1LF Maylene, AL EM63nf AMSAT #38965, ARRL Life Member, CVHS Life Member, SVHF Member

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AMSAT @ Cochise Hamfest in Sierra Vista AZ (4 May 2019)
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 10 Apr '19

10 Apr '19

Hi! I will have an AMSAT booth at the Cochise Amateur Radio Association's hamfest on Saturday, 4 May 2019, between 7am and noon (1400-1900 UTC). The hamfest is held at the club's "Green Acres" site in Sierra Vista, Arizona. "Green Acres" is located along Moson Road, south of AZ-90 and east of Fort Huachuca. More information about the hamfest is available at: http://www.k7rdg.org/2-Events/Planning/190504_CARA_Hamfest_Flyer.pdf A map of the hamfest site and the Sierra Vista/Fort Huachuca area is available at: http://www.k7rdg.org/8-About/About.html During the morning, WD9EWK will be on the air for demonstrations of satellite operating. The hamfest site is in grid DM41, in Arizona's Cochise County. If you hear WD9EWK on the air that morning, please call and be a part of the demonstration. All QSOs will be uploaded to Logbook of the World after the hamfest. QSL cards are available on request - no need to first send me your card or SASE; just e-mail me directly with the QSO details for verification against my log. I will use my @WD9EWK Twitter feed to post updates from the hamfest. For those who don't use Twitter, these updates are available in a web browser at: http://twitter.com/WD9EWK Thanks, and 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK or http://twitter.com/WD9EWK

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AMSAT @ Arizona ARC "DeVry" hamfest in Phoenix AZ (20 April 2019)
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 10 Apr '19

10 Apr '19

Hi! I will have an AMSAT booth at the Arizona Amateur Radio Club's annual hamfest on Saturday, 20 April 2019, in the morning. The hamfest is held at the DeVry University, along Dunlap Avenue east of I-17 exit 207 in Phoenix. The hamfest is a morning event, scheduled to run from 6am to 11am (1300-1800 UTC). During the morning, WD9EWK will be on the air for demonstrations of satellite operating. The hamfest site is in grid DM33, in Arizona's Maricopa County. If you hear WD9EWK on the air that morning, please call and be a part of the demonstration. All QSOs will be uploaded to Logbook of the World after the hamfest. QSL cards are available on request - no need to first send me your card or SASE; just e-mail me directly with the QSO details for verification against my log. I will use my @WD9EWK Twitter feed to post updates from the hamfest. For those who don't use Twitter, these updates are available in a web browser at: http://twitter.com/WD9EWK Thanks, and 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK or http://twitter.com/WD9EWK

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Event Horizon Telescope
by Robert McGwier 10 Apr '19

10 Apr '19

During his career developing techniques with his team to do Very Long Baseline Interferometry using widely separated but not connected radio telescopes, Tom Clark, K3IO made major contributions to Radio Astronomy Science and Engineering. Today, we saw another outcome. NSF, EU, and many others announced the VLBI generated image of the 4 billion solar mass Black Hole at the center of the Galaxy Messier object 87 (M87 for shorthand). You could literally see all the way down to the event horizon. The used telescopes all over the world and made the signals coherent even though they were recorded using a record and timing process developed by Tom and his team at NASA Goddard and extended into the modern era with better toys than Tom had when he was the world's most accurate geodicist. And once again, Einstein's theory of relativity was proven right in the most violent laboratory ever "seen". 73s N4HY

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SSTV app for IPhone
by David Jordan 10 Apr '19

10 Apr '19

What is the best free IPhone SSTV app to use for receiving SSTV from the ISS this weekend? Dave, AA4KN Get Outlook for Android

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KE6QMD Satellite Digipeater?)
by Robert Bruninga 09 Apr '19

09 Apr '19

Is there a satellite that is digipeating APRS packets with the callsign KE6QMD? It is in our list of digipeating APRS satelilites and I'm having a senior moment and not remembering it. Steve Dimse K4HG is in the process of cleaning up the parsing stack at FINDU.COM and I am helping to eliminate all the no-longer used aliases and calls. Bob

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Re: [amsat-bb] AISAT-1 WORKING OVER NA
by Nitin Muttin 09 Apr '19

09 Apr '19

Both will work . 73 Nitin [VU3TYG] -------------------------------------------- On Tue, 9/4/19, alex weimer via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AISAT-1 WORKING OVER NA To: k6vug(a)sbcglobal.net, amsat-bb(a)amsat.org Date: Tuesday, 9 April, 2019, 4:30 PM Also The PATH is AISAT-1 or ARISS Both work fine !! > On April 9, 2019 at 10:06 AM alex weimer <ingejack(a)cox.net> wrote: > > By the way: I don't use SATPC32 to track Doppler on the digi birds. I put it on 145825 simplex and it will track just fine without satpc32. I just use Satpc32 to watch the position of the satellite throughout the pass and correct az/el manually ! > > > > > On April 9, 2019 at 10:01 AM alex weimer <ingejack(a)cox.net> wrote: > > > > AISAT-1 needs a DASH in between the AISAT and 1 .. Sorry for the problem. Here is the correct TLE and Doppler.sqf > > AISAT-1,145825,145825,FM,FM,NOR.0,0 PKT DIGI > > Hope this helps Umesh ! 73 JACK KC7MG This should now work fine > > > > > > > > > On April 8, 2019 at 5:27 PM "k6vug(a)sbcglobal.net" <k6vug(a)sbcglobal.net> wrote: > > > > > > Thanks, I see that it is now included in "nasa.all", and is picked up by SatPC32. > > > > > > However, when I add an entry for "AISAT 1" in Doppler.sqf, the frequency pair does'nt show up. > > > So I ended up working at a fixed frequency without doppler. > > > > > > AISAT 1,145825,145825,FM,FM,NOR,0,0,Pkt Digi > > > ISS,145825,145825,FM,FM,NOR,0,0,Pkt Digi > > > etc... > > > > > > Later, on a hunch I tried other birds with a SPACE in their name and they seem to have the same issue. the frequency pair does not get picked up from Doppler.sqf How do I get around it, any help is most appreciated. > > > > > > > > > > > > 73! > > > Umesh > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Sunday, April 7, 2019, 6:29:41 AM PDT, alex weimer <ingejack(a)cox.net> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Umesh the correct item number is 44104 NOT 114104 Sorry !! > > > > > > > > > > > > > On April 7, 2019 at 1:18 AM "k6vug(a)sbcglobal.net" <k6vug(a)sbcglobal.net> wrote: > > > > > > > > Thank you KC7MG, I'll look that up ! > > > > Good to chat with you via email (hihi) :) > > > > 73 > > > > Umesh, k6vug > > > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, April 5, 2019, 6:28:49 AM PDT, alex weimer <ingejack(a)cox.net> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Umesh: Here are the TLE's for AISAT-1 > > > > 14104 19018AC AISAT-1 > > > > AISAT-1,145825,145825,FM,FM,NOR,0,0 1200 BAUD DIGIPEATER > > > > Hope this helps 73 JACK KC7MG The satellite is listed under NEW in SATPC32 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On April 4, 2019 at 8:09 PM "k6vug(a)sbcglobal.net" <k6vug(a)sbcglobal.net> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Are the TLEs for this sat part of the normal download from AMSAT ? > > > > > If not could please share the TLEs. I don't have the updated ones. > > > > > Thanks. > > > > > > > > > > 73! > > > > > Umesh, k6vug > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, April 4, 2019, 11:16:04 AM PDT, alex weimer via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb(a)amsat.org> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Using M2 horizontally polarized 7 el M2 horizontal yagi and 432 Mhz M2 12 el yagi horizontally polarized as well. 25 watts power. > > > > > No other stations heard throughout pass ! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On April 4, 2019 at 12:56 PM alex weimer < ingejack(a)cox.net mailto:[email protected] > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Great pass at 1642 Z using both ARISS and AISAT-1 and UISS had no problem digipeating from DM42 throughout the pass 73 JACK KC7MG DM42 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. mailto:[email protected]. 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: https://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: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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Grid Master #10 Award
by Rick - WA4NVM 09 Apr '19

09 Apr '19

We are pleased to announce Frank C Westphal – K6FW has completed and verified the 488 continental U. S. grid squares on satellite for Grid Master Award #10. Congratulation Frank on his achievement! 73 all, Damon WA4HFN Rick WA4NVM

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