February 2020 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

Upcoming ARISS contact with Celia Hays Elementary, Rockwall, Texas
by n4csitwo＠bellsouth.net 23 Feb '20

23 Feb '20

An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Celia Hays Elementary, Rockwall, Texas on 25 Feb. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 17:35 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and W5SO. The contact should be audible over the state of Texas 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. Story: Named after a beloved longtime educator and native of Rockwall County, Celia Hays Elementary School opened in 2007. The school quickly established a tradition of educational excellence and student leadership. Currently serving more than 870 students with approximately 70 staff members, Hays consistently achieves the highest state rating for student performance as they educate kindergarten through sixth-grade students. As in past generations, Hays "Huskies" strive to become young people that act on quality principles for the betterment of their community. The school's vision is to create a culture of leadership and learning to develop a child's abilities to become leaders of tomorrow. They cultivate an environment where students thrive and are excited about learning while providing a safe and family-oriented atmosphere that is warm and inviting for students, parents, and staff. In short, Celia Hays Elementary is committed to academic success and fostering excellence in all areas by developing, recognizing, and celebrating the leaders within each student. At Hays...We Lead. We Learn. We Inspire. Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. How often are new supplies sent to the ISS and has your family sent you anything while you have been on the ISS? 2. What are the best and worst parts of spacewalks? 3. What are some personal items you brought to space and is there anything you did not bring that you wish you had? 4. When you get back on earth, what will you miss most about the ISS? 5. What are some of the experiments right now on the ISS that will affect our lives in the future? 6. What is the best thing you have learned or discovered on the ISS? 7. How do you get to communicate with your family on earth? 8. What happens if you are injured seriously in space? 9. Does the food taste different than it does at home and what is your favorite food on the ISS? 10. How do you remember all the buttons and controls on the ISS? 11. What is the best part of the ISS and why? 12. How do you reuse or recycle on the ISS and what do you do with your trash that can't be reused or recycled? 13. What do you do for entertainment? 14. When there are storms on the Earth, what does that look like in space? 15. Why did you choose to become an astronaut? 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): TDB 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 ISS National Lab 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 public forms. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org. Thank you & 73, David - AA4KN

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ANS-054 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Mark D. Johns 22 Feb '20

22 Feb '20

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-054 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation service of AMSAT, 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 commun- icating 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. You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans In this edition: * QARMAN and Phoenix CubeSats Deployed from ISS * AMSAT Files Comments Opposing Deletion of 3.4 GHz Band * NEMO-1 Buoy Report * GNU Radio Conference - Tickets and Call for Papers * U.S. Naval Academy's PSAT3 Scheduled to Launch in Mid-March * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution * "Getting Started with Amateur Satellites" Available with Membership * ARISS Radio Telebridge Stalwart Gerald Klatzko, ZS6BTD, SK * Upcoming ARISS Contacts * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-054.01 ANS-054 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 054.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE 2020 Feb 23 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-054.01 QARMAN and Phoenix CubeSats Deployed from ISS The von Karman Institute in Belgium (VKI) reports the successful de- ployment of the QARMAN satellite from the International Space Station on Wednesday, 19 February. QARMAN is one of several cubesats that were scheduled for deployment this week. Also, Arizona State University reports that its Phoenix CubeSat was successfully deployed from the ISS as scheduled at 9:35 UTC Wednesday. Roughly 30 minutes after deployment, its beacon was heard for the first time at an amateur radio ground station located in Indonesia. VKI also reports successful reception and decoding of telemetry from QARMAN. It is important to note that both of these satellites are using the same frequency, 437.35 MHz, for telemetry transmissions, and that they are in very similar orbits. Both satellites also follow the AX.25 protocol at 9600 baud, with GMSK modulation. It will take some trial and error before each spacecraft’s TLEs can be confirmed. Operators of these satellites are actively seeking observations from amateurs. Please report to: https://community.libre.space/c/satellites-observations ANS is awaiting reports regarding the other satellites that were scheduled for deployment on Wednesday, as listed below: CubeSat Downlink (MHz) Uplink (MHz) Scheduled Deployment Time (UTC) RadSat-u 437.425 437.425 7:10 CryoCube 2261.00 2082.004 12:55 AztechSat-1 437.3 437.3 12:55 SOCRATES 914.7 914.7 14:30 Argus-02 437.29 437.29 16:00 HARP 468.0 450.0 16:00 SORTIE 468.0 450.0 17:40 [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, VKI, and Arizona State for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Files Comments Opposing Deletion of 3.4 GHz Band AMSAT has filed comments on the Federal Communications Commission's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking which proposes to delete the 3.3 - 3.5 GHz (9 cm) amateur band, including the 3.40 - 3.41 GHz amateur sat- ellite service allocation. In the comments, AMSAT opposes the deletion of this allocation and em- phasizes the necessity of adequate microwave spectrum for future ama- teur satellite projects, including AMSAT's GOLF program and the Lunar Gateway. AMSAT further notes that the most desirable allocations for use as up- links are the allocations between 2.4 and 5.67 GHz. These allocations total 80 MHz. The most desirable allocation for downlink use is the 10.45 - 10.50 GHz allocation, totaling 50 MHz. As many of the proposed uses include amateur television and high-speed data transmission with satellites in high earth orbit or lunar orbit, these allocations may quickly become inadequate. AMSAT also notes that the 2.4 and 5.67 GHz allocations are widely used for ISM and consumer devices, such as WiFi and Bluetooth-enabled devices. The 3.4 GHz allocation is shared be- tween amateur use and other non-federal and federal licensees, but is free from the unpredictable interference of consumer devices. While acknowledging that the 3.4 GHz amateur satellite service allo- cation is not currently used by any amateur satellites and that it is unsuitable for worldwide communication since it is not available in ITU Region 1, AMSAT identifies a number of potential future uses for the band as worldwide usage of the other available allocations in- creases. These potential uses include a future amateur satellite in geostationary orbit above the Americas. In the comments, AMSAT also noted several non-amateur satellite uses of the broader 3.3 - 3.5 GHz amateur service allocation, including its wide use in mesh networking, EME communications, and contesting. The full text of the comments as filed can be downloaded at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-054-FCC Interested parties may file reply comments on or before March 22, 2020 at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/ The proceeding is WT Docket No. 19- 348. [ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, Executive Vice President. for the ab- ove information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- NEMO-1 Buoy Report AMSAT ARGENTINA launched the NEMO-1 buoy into the Atlantic sea on Jan- uary 30th at noon, using the callsign LU7AA. It was transported 70 km east of Mar del Plata by the fisherman's ship 'Porteño', from Sandokan. The buoy, which emits in WSPR mode at 14095.6 KHz and FM VHF in APRS mode, navigated drifting free for 12 days traveling about 1100 kilo- meters, until on February 11th it was sighted and taken out of the water by the tuna vessel 'Juan Pablo II'. The captain of the ship, Rinaldi Yaco, considered that the buoy was sailing semi-sunk and decided to rescue it, informing Amsat Argentina of that event. The NEMO-1 then traveled eight more days aboard the tuna vessel, con- tinuing its mission of data capture and broadcasting, until on Feb-19 it arrived at the port of Mar del Plata, where colleagues from the Mar del Plata Radio Club picked it up and kept in custody. A group of AMSAT-LU is traveling to recover NEMO-1. The buoy will be reconditioned and a new launch is planned. It will be tried to take it, on this occasion, to more than 200 km offshore, so that it will con- tinue to navigate freely, reaffirming the commitment and contribution of radio amateurs to QRPp propagation research also helping navigation and the community. AMSAT ARGENTINA especially thanks the Captains and crews of the 'Porteño', the 'Juan Pablo II' ships and the Mar del Plata RClub in the persons of its Secretary, Jose Luis Hermida (LU9DHJ) and Jorge Garelli (LU5EOR) for the help provided and to the more than 100 'trav- elers' in NEMO-1, who supported this project helping to carry it out. http://amsat.org.ar?f=ce Adventure photos: http://amsat.org.ar?f=buoy [ANS thanks LU7AA, AMSAT Argentina for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Purchase AMSAT Gear on our Zazzle storefront. 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ GNU Radio Conference - Tickets and Call for Papers GNU Radio is used by spacecraft and ground station developers around the world. GRCon is the annual conference for the GNU Radio project and community. GRCon20 will be held September 14-18, 2020 in Charlotte, N.C. The GNU Radio Conference celebrates and showcases the substantial and remarkable progress of the world’s best open source digital signal processing framework for software-defined radios. In addition to pre- senting GNU Radio’s theoretical and practical presence in academia, industry, the military, and among amateurs and hobbyists, GNU Radio Conference 2020 will have a very special focus: Speed, latency, delay, and timing! Enjoy our racing theme throughout the conference, featured in our con- tests and a high-octane Thursday night dinner. Papers and presentations on theme will be recognized at the conference with an award. But wait, there’s more! We’ll be co-located and coordinated with the TAPR Digital Communications Conference. It’s the weekend immediately preceding GRCon20. Find out more at: https://tapr.org/?page_id=68 Registration and an online and mobile-friendly schedule will be posted at https://www.gnuradio.org/grcon/grcon20/ Developers and users from the GNU Radio Community are invited to pre- sent projects, presentations, papers, posters, and problems at GRCon20. Submit talks, demos, and code! Please share this Call widely. To sub- mit your content for the conference, visit the dedicated conference submission site at: https://pretalx.gnuradio.org/grcon20/cfp First round closes 17 April 2020. If accepted, your content will be immediately scheduled. Notifications go out 26 June 2020. Final round closes 1 September 2019. Submissions received between 18 April 2020 and 1 September 2020 are accepted space permitting, and notifications will be sent out on a rolling basis. Those with questions or need assistance with submitting then please write grcon(a)gnuradio.org [ANS thanks Michelle Thompson, W5NYV, AMSAT Board Member, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Naval Academy's PSAT3 Scheduled to Launch in Mid-March The U. S. Naval Academy's PSAT3 payload is scheduled to launch in mid- March from the Pacific Spaceport Complex - Alaska in Kodiak, AK. PSAT3 is functionally equivalent to NO-104 (PSAT2), but does not in- clude PSK31 functionality. It carries a 145.825 MHz APRS digipeater and SSTV downlink capability. PSAT3 will not be a free-flying satellite. It will remain attached to the upper stage of the launch vehicle. Consequently, the mission dur- ation will be limited to a few months, when the rocket body will de- orbit. More information about PSAT3 can be found at http://aprs.org/psat3.html [ANS thanks Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, and the IARU for the above infor- mation] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution The following Amateur Radio satellite has been added to this weeks AMSAT TLE Distribution: SwampSat-2 NORAD CAT ID 45115 (Deployed from Northrop Grumman NG-12 Cygnus 2-3-2020.) (Thanks to Nico Janseen, PA0DLO, for satellite identification.) Sadly, AO-85 (Fox-1A) has been declared at end of mission. But, I think I will retain AO-85 in the TLE distribution for a while just in case there are some last comments from our friend. (Remember AO-7?) [ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Free Digital Copy of "Getting Started with Amateur Satellites" Avail- able for New or Renewing Members While HuskySat-1 completes it's scientific mission, check out the best resource for learning how to work through linear transponder sat- ellites (and other types of amateur satellites). For a limited time, AMSAT is making the "Getting Started With Amateur Satellites" book available as a download with any paid new or renewal membership purchased via the AMSAT Store. This offer is only available with purchases completed online, and for only a limited time. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The book is presented in PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite. Please take advantage of this offer today by visiting the AMSAT store at https://www.amsat.org/shop/ and selecting any membership option. While there, check out AMSAT's other items, including the M2 LEOpack antenna system, Arrow antennas, AMSAT shirts, and other swag. Be sure to view your cart before going to checkout. If you add a membership and then go directly to checkout, you'll never see an option to add your free gift. If you have trouble selecting your free gift, please see this YouTube video to see the steps necessary. https://youtu.be/oRqk5Am-UzE [ANS thanks the AMSAT Office for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS Radio Telebridge Stalwart Gerald Klatzko, ZS6BTD, SK When the International Space Station (ISS) orbit is not favorable for a direct Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) con- tact with a particular school or location scheduled to speak with an astronaut, ARISS radio telebridge stations bridge the gap. Gerald Klatzko, ZS6BTD, of Parklands, South Africa, one of the “regulars” during the earlier years of the ARISS program, died on February 1 at age 95. Klatzko served as an ARISS radio telebridge station in South Africa for many years until he retired. ARISS telebridge stations establish the direct ham radio link and feed two-way audio into a telebridge line for delivery to the contact site. John Sygo, ZS6JON, described Klatzko as “always bright and cheerful and a great operator,” who made major contributions to the amateur service. “He was one of the first to experiment with slow-scan television,” Sygo said. “For many years, he assisted NASA to link astronauts with their families using amateur radio links from Mir, the Space Shuttle, and the International Space Station. For over 2 decades he was the co- producer and presenter of Amateur Radio Mirror International.” [ANS thanks ARRL for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming ARISS Contacts ARISS lets students worldwide experience the excitement of talking directly with crew members of the International Space Station. A con- tact is scheduled with the Kittredge Magnet School, Atlanta, GA, direct via KQ4KMS. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS, and the scheduled astronaut is Drew Morgan, KI5AAA. The contact is go for: Monday, 2020-02-24 at 18:23:55 UTC (31 degrees elevation). A contact is also scheduled with the Celia Hays Elementary School, Rockwall, Texas, direct via W5SO. The ISS callsign is presently sched- uled to be NA1SS, and the scheduled astronaut is Drew Morgan, KI5AAA. The contact is go for: Tuesday, 2020-02-25 at 17:35:18 UTC (31 degrees) Watch for live stream at https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=NWM5NW The ARISS webpage is at https://www.ariss.org/ Note that all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, of the ARISS operation team for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events Want to see AMSAT in action or learn more about amateur radio in space? AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meet- ings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. Current schedule: March 6, 2020, Irving Hamfest, Irving, TX March 14-15, 2020, Science City on University of Arizona, Tuscon March 21, 2020, Midwinter Madness Hamfest, Buffalo, MN March 21, 2020, Scottsdale Amateur Radio Club Hamfest, Arizona March 28, 2020, Tucson Spring Hamfest, Tucson, AZ March 29, 2020, Vienna Wireless Winterfest, Annandale, VA May 2, 2020, Cochise Amateur Radio Assn Hamfest, Sierra Vista, AZ May 8-9, 2020 Prescott Hamfest, Prescott, AZ May 15-17, Hamvention, Xenia, OH June 12-13, 2020, Ham-Con, Plano, TX A copy of the AMSAT hamfest brochure is available for download: AMSAT Intro Brochure. This color brochure is designed to be printed double- sided and folded into a tri-fold handout. To include your upcoming AMSAT presentation and/or demonstration, please send an email to ambassadors (at) amsat (dot) org. [ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT Vice President - User Serv- ices, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an amateur radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations #SnowBirdRove (EL79) – February 1-29, 2020 Joe, KE9AJ, will cross the border into Florida, seeking climatical asylum in EL79 for the entire month of February. Since he will be there for an extended period, with both FM and linear gear, keep an eye on Joe’s Twitter feed for specific pass announcements: https://twitter.com/KE9AJ There is a possibility that Joe may have to make a pit stop in EM54 and EM53 on his way down South on February 1st. Monitor Twitter for updates. Culebra Island, PR (FK78) February 22-23, 2020 Radio Operadores del Este, Inc, KP3E will be returning to Culebra Island February 21-23. Listen for Rafael, KP4RV, on FM satellites. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xSbPgIyhtA&feature=youtu.be Vidalia, LA (EM41) February 28 – March 1, 2020 Brian, KG5GJT, will will be operating from the bank of the Missis- sippi River in Vidalia, La. (EM41), where Jim Bowie was seriously wounded in the Sandbar Fight on September 19, 1827. This will be vacation style, so keep an eye on Brian’s Twitter feed for updates: https://twitter.com/KG5GJT DN26/36 Mar 14-15 KC7JPC Linears (and possibly FM) Big Bend National Park (DL88) March 16-17, 2020 Ron AD0DX, Doug N6UA, and Josh W3ARD will operate from Big Bend National Park to put grid DL88 on the air. Details will be added here, as they come available, but you are more than welcome to keep an eye on their individual Twitter feeds: https://twitter.com/ad0dx https://twitter.com/dtabor, and https://twitter.com/W3ARDstroke5 #NevadaMayhem part 1: Central Nevada (DM19) March 21, 2020 David, AD7DB, will venture deep into Central Nevada to specifically activate grid DM19 on Saturday March 21. This is actually down a side road from “The Loneliest Road in America.” Hardly any hams even live in that grid. It’s for sure that few ever activate it. On the way there, Friday March 20, he will try to also activate some or all of: DM06, DM16, DM07, DM08, DM17 and DM18. Going home Sunday March 22, he will try to visit them again. This will be on FM satellites only. Internet and cell coverage may be very poor up there, but for updates check Twitter: https:/twitter.com/ad7db Please submit any additions or corrections to ke4al (at) amsat.org [ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT Vice President - User Serv- ices, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + Students in the Husky Satellite Lab at the University of Washington have confirmed via their Facebook page that they have been commanding HuskySat-1 to various transmitter power levels and beacon intervals. Some amateurs tracking the bird, which carries a linear transponder to be activated later, had feared that the varying levels were a sign of problems. But this is part of the experimentation. The Husky- Sat team has been providing updates on their operations on their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pg/UWCubeSat/posts/ You should not need a Facebook account to view that link. (ANS thanks UW CubeSat Team for the above information) + NASA will accept applications for its next astronaut class March 2 to 31. Applicants must be U.S. citizens with a master's degree in a STEM field and two years of relevant professional experience. To sign up, see: https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts (ANS thanks NASA HQ News for the above information) + International Astronomical Youth Camp will take place in Spain from 12 July to 1 August 2020. The camp typically hosts around 65 parti- cipants, aged between 16-24 years old. The IAYC’s main aims are to promote knowledge on astronomy and related sciences in a unique, in- ternational atmosphere. Participants work on a research project of their own choosing over the course of the three weeks, culminating in a final report. See https://www.iayc.org/ for details. (ANS thanks Carys Herbert, IAYC Leaderteam, for the above informa- tion) + The ARISS-UK Team have announced that the Electromagnetic Field 2020 event is to host an ARISS contact during the weekend of July 23-26. The event will be held at Easton Manor Deer Park, near Ledbury in Herefordshire, UK. Information and event tickets available at: https://blog.emfcamp.org/2020/02/14/ticket-sales-dates/ (ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information) + The maiden flight of the Long March-5B rocket carrying a trial ver- sion of China's new-generation manned spaceship is expected to take place in April, indicating the imminent start of construction of China's space station. The rocket, the prototype core capsule of the space station, and the experimental manned spaceship are undergoing tests at the Wenchang Space Launch Center on the coast of south China's island province of Hainan. https://bit.ly/2VcjXrO (ANS thanks Space Daily for the above information) + A new version of the game of "chicken" is evolving in outer space. According to Gen. John Raymond, the U.S. Space Force Chief, Russian "inspector" satellites are threatening the tenuous stand-off stabil- ity between adversarial spacefaring nations. Since Novemeber, the U.S. Space Command has been tracking a satellite known as Cosmos- 2542 which ejected a smaller, nested satellite referred to as Cosmos- 2543. The Russian satellites have been actively maneuvering near USA 245, a classified military imaging satellite. (ANS thanks Space Daily for the above information) + Amazon has patented a mechanism for throwing satellites into space with a multi-drone-guided whip, mounted on a boat. See details at: https://bit.ly/37KWPmL Note, though, that Amazon (and other tech companies) have a history of patenting things that they’ll never actually build, such as Amazon’s underwater fulfillment centers: https://bit.ly/2Tf7DV9 Has April Fool come early? (ANS thanks The Orbital Index 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 and Remember to help keep amateur radio in space, This week's ANS Editor, K0JM at amsat dot org

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G5500
by Kyle Y 22 Feb '20

22 Feb '20

Rotator has been sold. Thanks to all who inquired about it. 73 Kyle K0KN

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: ARISS contact with Schools
by KA9QJG 22 Feb '20

22 Feb '20

Hello hope Everyone is doing well Heatwave N/W Indiana almost 50 tomorrow and our first little local Ham fest of the yr I have a Amateur Radio Op friend who is also a School teacher 1 through 8 , He has got authorization to get some who are interested in Amateur radio He has applied for a FCC School Club call I think this is a great idea to teach the Young generation to put down their cell phones and tablets and learn this form of Communications too . At 73 I have 23 Grand and 24 Great Grandkids only one is interested in ham radio a 12 yr old girl I have had a 8 Yrs. old show me how to fix and use my fancy Motorola Smart phone LOL So the question is can someone please send Me a link that I can share with him on setting up a contact with the international Space Station Myself and a few others will be donating some equipment to him he is a new ham but wants to teach and share .. He was also on Communications in the Military Thanks 73 Don KA9QJG Ps The greatest thing I have hear from Him or anyone else it is now ok to be a Geek I got laughed at for My pocket protector LOL

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Re: [amsat-bb] AO92 L/V mode?? (Cameras and PSK31)
by Robert Bruninga 22 Feb '20

22 Feb '20

Both cameras and PSK31 are underutilized. PSAT2 downlinks an image every 2 or 4 minutes IF it is in sunlight and IF someone is uplinking PSK31 on 29.4815 or so. Then the PSK31 and any images will be downlinked on 435.350. PSAT also has PSK31 transponder on that frequency but its uplink is on 28.120 the normal ten meter PSK band. So it is active more often. -----Original Message----- From: AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb-bounces(a)amsat.org> On Behalf Of Scott Harvey via AMSAT-BB Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AO92 L/V mode?? A suggestion ... Unless I have missed it no one had requested high speed data mode, camera downlink. It seems like this mode is used way to little. There are several satellites in orbit that have the ability to downlink pictures of the earth and it seems like the feature is under used

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G5500
by Kyle Y 22 Feb '20

22 Feb '20

I'm considering parting with my G5500 rotator, and putting that toward an Icom 910. Is this still a good rig for satellites and weak signal work? Anyone looking for a G5500 or selling a 910? Please contact me directly. Thanks 73 Kyle K0KN Olathe, KS

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AO92 L/V mode?? A suggestion
by tjschuessler＠verizon.net 22 Feb '20

22 Feb '20

I would like to propose a compromise on the L/V mode day. I understand that the week days have fewer stations for L Band folks to work. The reality is that many folks have to work during the week and that means they will probably not have the ability to get on. The problem with making it from Saturday evening to Sunday evening local time is that it cuts off a whole segment of people who might only get to use U/V but on these weekend passes. Yes I know, there are plenty of U/V passes for the average Joe to use I am concerned that newer ops, might not understand and think that the hobby was only for the privileged few. My compromise suggestion would be a Sunday evening to Monday schedule. Turn it on first pass on Sunday Evening (Monday UTC) and letting the 24 hour timer go from there. It is still a weekend for many and I bet the activity level on those two local Sunday evening passes would go up from the week day version of L/V but still offer more opportunities for the U/V only operators/rovers to get their fun in. Just a thought. Tom Schuessler, N5HYP EM12ms

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Upcoming ARISS contact with Kittredge Magnet School, Atlanta, GA
by n4csitwo＠bellsouth.net 21 Feb '20

21 Feb '20

An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Kittredge Magnet School, Atlanta, GA on 24 Feb. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 18:23 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and KQ4KMS. The contact should be audible over the U.S. state of Georgia 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. Story: Kittredge Magnet School (KMS) is a public magnet school for high-achieving students, and has been recognized three times as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Our students are drawn from 45 public schools across the DeKalb County School District. Students must first score a high level on the standardized testing at their home schools, then they can apply for admission to Kittredge via a lottery system. Once a student is accepted into Kittredge, he/she can remain in the magnet program through high school. The Georgia Governor's Office of Student Achievement recently awarded Kittredge Magnet School the Platinum Award, as one of the Highest Performing Schools in the state. There are currently 480 students at Kittredge in grades four through six, comprising a demographically and culturally diverse community. Our faculty and staff work hard to provide a rigorous program that challenges students to "see beyond" their textbooks, be creative problem-solvers, and to explore the real-world applications of their learning in all fields of discipline. We offer students a creative and challenging approach to problem solving with flexible content. Our school has established an amateur radio station, used to enhance classroom instruction, and there is also a school amateur radio club. Sixth grade science curriculum focuses on Earth and Space; students recently took a 3-day field trip to Space Camp in Hunstville, AL. Kittredge students have been planning for and building towards this ARISS contact all year, and they are so excited and honored to have this opportunity. Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. What education is required to become an astronaut? Do you have any advice for students who want to become astronauts? 2. Is an American always "in charge" on the ISS or do the different countries take turns? 3. Do you only go to the ISS with the same team, or do you meet new people every time you go? 4. Is there a "waiting list" for countries that want to be part of an ISS team, and is there a maximum number of team members at one time? 5. How do you communicate with fellow astronauts aboard the ISS when there is a language barrier? 6. What is the hardest activity that you do on the Space Station? 7. Does the food taste good? How do you season it? 8. What type of experiments do astronauts do in space? 9. What would happen if you put dry ice inside the space station and outside the space station? 10. What were you allowed to take with you to the ISS, how much are you allowed, and how did you decide what to bring? 11. Are you able to see some of the other planets and their moons more clearly from the ISS? 12. How does the 16 sunrises and sunsets affect your sleep schedule? 13. Can you vote for political events while in space and if so how? 14. Is there an emergency plan in case something goes wrong during launch? If so, what is it? 15. Has someone ever gotten sick or had a medical emergency on the ISS? If so, what is the procedure? 16. How much radiation do you get, on average, in a normal stay on the ISS, and do you see any change in physical and/or mental health as a result? 17. How would the ISS get more oxygen if it ever ran out of oxygen? 18. Is it easy to write in space, or do you have to use different materials to write there? 19. What do you with your trash in space? 20. Do you grow any food up there and how do you make sure you have enough food to last you before another shipment comes in? 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. Celia Hays Elementary, Rockwall, Texas, direct via W5SO astronaut is Drew Morgan KI5AAA Contact is go for: Tue 2020-02-25 17:35 UTC Watch for live stream at https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=NWM5NW 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 ISS National Lab 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 public forms. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org. Thank you & 73, David - AA4KN

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HUSKYSAT-1 pass over VK 0736utc 21st February
by cjhurst＠bigpond.net.au 21 Feb '20

21 Feb '20

Husysat-1 just passed over VK with 16 degree elevation pass. 10 second bursts of telemetry at 2minute 15 second intervals. Not sure what that means in terms of operation. Power output recorded were 190 milliwatts, 310 milliwatts and 240 milliwatts. 4 bursts noted 9 packets decoded. 73 Colin VK5HI.

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AMSAT Presence in Kodiak, AK?
by Robert Bruninga 21 Feb '20

21 Feb '20

Is there any local AMSAT rep or operator in Kodiak Alaska? PSAT3 should launch from there in Mid March and it would be nice to know if there is any local hams interested in the launch. Bob

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