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

Re: [amsat-bb] Karl Janskey call sign
by Kevin M 02 May '19

02 May '19

Hi Jim, If you will forgive the correction, Reber's callsign was W9GFZ. And while it may be the same club in both places, the call is assigned to the club's address at the observatory in Socorro NM, not WV. (And that's PO Box 'O'... not PO Box 'zero' for anyone wondering like I did.) I screwed up the link in my previous message, but here it is again, hopefully it will work correctly this time: https://www.nrao.edu/whatisra/hist_ham.shtml -------------------------------------------------- Both Janski's and Reber's radio telescopes are on display at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank, WV, the home of the world's largest steerable radio telescope. If you ever get near the area, a stop at the facility with its many telescopes and excellent visitor's center is a MUST.The observatory's radio club has been granted Reber's call, W9GVZ, They use it to commemorate radio astronomy in special events. I spent several summers as a physics teacher studying radio astronomy at Green Bank and was able to help operate W9GVZ during a special event at the dedication of the Robert Byrd Telescope in August, 2000. I have to tell you that Green Bank is quite a place. I get back there as often as I can!

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Upcoming ARISS contact with Mildred Hall School, Yellowknife, NT, Canada
by n4csitwo＠bellsouth.net 01 May '19

01 May '19

An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Mildred Hall School, Yellowknife, NT, Canada on 03 May. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 18:32 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 NA1SS and LU8YY. The contact should be audible over Argentina 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. Mildred Hall, a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 School, is located in the heart of downtown Yellowknife with Frame Lake and its beautiful trail almost sitting in its backyard. It houses 271 students from the ages of 4 to 14 with very diverse backgrounds and cultures. Almost 80% of the students are Indigenous, so it boasts programming that is relevant to hands-on learning, science inquiry, outdoor experiential opportunities and the instruction of English, French and Dogrib. Our basic beliefs revolve around the acronym SOAR- Share what you have (S), Ownership (O), Achieve your very best (A) and Respect everyone and everything around you. (R). Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. Why is space travel so important to astronauts and other humans? 2. I saw a picture you took of the northern lights and we have a lot of them over here in Yellowknife. Are you able to fly through the northern lights? 3. How do you see the sun from where you are? Is there a sunrise or sunset? Is it different to how we see it on earth? 4. How long are you there and how long can a person stay in space? Does it affect your body in anyway, causing irreversible consequences? 5. Do you constantly work up there? Do you do anything for fun? If so,what? 6. What is your favorite thing about being in space? 7. What is the most challenging thing about being in space? 8. Does your hair and nails grow at the same rate in space? Is there anything different about the way they grow? 9. If there is an emergency on the space station and you have to escape, is there an emergency pod? If not what happens? 10. What is gravitational time dilation? 11. How do you keep time in space? Are you in a time zone? 12. Do you think humans will ever live on another planet? 13. What were you thinking when you blasted off? 14. What is the strangest thing you have ever seen or experienced in space? 15. Is it as silent as movies show? Why? 16. What do you miss the most while you are there? 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): 1. Walter Murray Collegiate Institute, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada via LU8YY. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is David St-Jacques KG5FYI Contact is go for: Mon 2019-05-06 17:35:50 UTC 2. Moriah Central School, Port Henry, NY, telebridge via K6DUE The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Nick Hague KG5TMV Contact is go for: Tue 2019-05-07 13:15:35 UTC 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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Diwata-2, PO-101 times clarification.
by Nicholas Mahr KE8AKW 01 May '19

01 May '19

Hi Tom, They are in UTC+8. However next week when they release the new schedule it should just be in plain regular UTC time to make it less confusing. In the mean time use this calculator to convert it https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html?iso=20190423T040000&p… . As of right now its only on late at night here in NA during east coast passes roughly past 1:00 AM in the morning. - Nick KE8AKW

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Diwata-2, PO-101 times clarification.
by tjschuessler＠verizon.net 01 May '19

01 May '19

Looking at the schedule for FM repeater use on Diwata-2 available at https://twitter.com/Diwata2PH, I assume the times listed there are local but denoting they are UTC+8. Looking at Diwata-2 passes over the US, I think this means that these times are mot in sync with North America availability? I may well be miscalculating though so please correct if wrong. Tom Schuessler, N5HYP EM12ms

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Formatting HRD Passes File
by k6vug＠sbcglobal.net 01 May '19

01 May '19

I have been using HRD for a long time, it produces a very useful text file, called "passes.txt", listing the pass predictions for your grid square. If you use HRD Satellite and know how to create the passes text file, you'll know what I'm referring to. I have created a simple utility that formats the text file for better readability. The utility can be downloaded at the link below. I use it all the time and am passing it along if anyone may find it useful. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1YPzTaLsp7deFUd8CyoHADbyH9G5vR-z0 In this public folder look for the file called "HRDPassesFormatter.exe". There nothing to install just download it to a convenient folder and double-click to run it. All you have to do is to select the HRD passes file. 73! Umesh k6vug

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Satellite/AMSAT presentation & demo in Mesa AZ on 21 May 2019
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 01 May '19

01 May '19

Hi! I will give a presentation on how to work amateur satellites and AMSAT, along with a demonstration of satellite operating, during the Superstition Amateur Radio Club's monthly meeting on Tuesday, 21 May 2019. The meeting will be at the City of Mesa's Charles K. Luster Building, located at 640 N. Mesa Drive. in Mesa, Arizona. This is on the west side of Mesa Drive, and north of University Drive. The meeting starts at 7pm (0200 UTC on 22 May). More information about the club is available at: http://superstitionarc.org There appears to be an AO-92 pass coming by after the meeting wraps up, around 9.15pm (0415 UTC on 22 May). This pass should cover much of the continental USA. I plan on using this AO-92 pass for a demonstration of satellite operating. If you hear WD9EWK on that pass, please call and be a part of the demonstration. The meeting site is in Arizona's Maricopa County, grid DM43. QSOs made during the demonstration will be uploaded to Logbook of the World. QSL cards are available on request (please e-mail me with QSO details). Thanks, and 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK or http://twitter.com/WD9EWK

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Re: [amsat-bb] Fox -1B / AO-91 in trouble?
by Alan 01 May '19

01 May '19

Hans, Looks like if it IDs, the signal is normal and you get the usual 2 telemetry frames. If the transponder has been brought up, you get the odd signal, with a brief switch to DUV at the end, but no telemetry. The command staff have been notified. 73, Alan WA4SCA <-----Original Message----- <From: Hans BX2ABT [mailto:hans.bx2abt@msa.hinet.net] <Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2019 01:14 AM <To: APBIDDLE(a)MAILAPS.ORG <Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Fox -1B / AO-91 in trouble? < <Hello Alan, < <Then you were luckier than I was. I couldn't get anything. Let's just <wait and see. < <73 de Hans < <BX2ABT < < <On 04/30/2019 01:34 PM, Alan wrote: <> Hans, <> <> Saw your post, and was able to catch part of a pass here. As you described. <> <> <> There were two periods where the audio switched to the normal DUV <rumble, <> and I got 2 frames each time. <> <> 73, <> <> Alan <> WA4SCA <> <> <> <-----Original Message----- <> <From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of <Hans <> <BX2ABT via AMSAT-BB <> <Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2019 00:05 AM <> <To: amsat-bb(a)amsat.org <> <Subject: [amsat-bb] Fox -1B / AO-91 in trouble? <> < <> <Just had a good pass from Fox-1B, but it seems the bird is in trouble. <> <No telemetry and no voices heard, just weird noises. I put a screen shot <> <on my website: BX2ABT.com. Let's just hope a reset will cure this bird. <> <73 de Hans (BX2ABT) <> < <> <_______________________________________________ <> <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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Satellite Demo at Messilla Valley Radio Club Swap Meet
by Dan Eggert 01 May '19

01 May '19

This Saturday, May 4th., I will be doing satellite demonstrations at the Mesilla Valley Radio Clubs annual bean feed and swap meet in Las Cruces New Mexico. The grid is DM62. I will be working the passes on the FM voice satellites AO-91, AO-92 and SO-50. Dan Eggert - AC9E Sent from my iPad

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AMSAT @ Prescott (Arizona) hamfest, 31 May & 1 June 2019
by Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) 01 May '19

01 May '19

Hi! I will have an AMSAT booth at the Prescott Hamfest, a two-day hamfest at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, on 31 May and 1 June 2019. This is the Friday and Saturday following the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The hamfest is jointly sponsored by Prescott's Yavapai Amateur Radio Club and the Eagle Amateur Radio Club at ERAU. More information about the hamfest is available at: http://hamfest.w7yrc.org Along with the AMSAT booth, I will have demonstrations of satellite operating from the hamfest, located in Arizona's Yavapai County, grid DM34. If you hear WD9EWK on the satellites during these days, please call and be a part of the demonstrations. QSOs will be uploaded to Logbook of the World, and QSL cards are available on request (please e-mail me directly with the QSO details). Updates during the hamfest will be available on my @WD9EWK Twitter account. If you do not use Twitter, you can see these updates in a web browser at: http://twitter.com/WD9EWK 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK or http://twitter.com/WD9EWK

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Voice Recorders
by Robert Hynd 01 May '19

01 May '19

What voice recorders, currently available, are members using for their portable ops? Bob N5URL Sent from my iPhone

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