July 2021 - AMSAT-BB - mailman.amsat.org

Odd issue with CAS-4A & B
by wa2ndv＠gmail.com 10 Jul '21

10 Jul '21

I am having issues related to doppler on the uplink for these two sats. Its just started the past few days. While I am tracking the beacon freq and QSO's just fine on receive the required transmit frequency seems to be anywhere from -3 to -1 Khz from published center and it is moving throughout the pass, but does not appear to be in a linear fashion ( this in addition to normal doppler correction being applied during the pass ) This issue is not seen on RS-44 or PO-101. I'm waiting for some good XW passes to test further. Nasabare TLE's are up to date and compare closely to Kelso's TLE's. Anyway, just wondering if anyone else is noticing this ? Thanks 73 Frank WA2NDV FN30

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Re: TH-D72 Programming Files -- RT Systems
by Clint Bradford 10 Jul '21

10 Jul '21

Summarizing ... -Use VFO B for TX -VFO A for RX (it has better sensitivity) -balanced audio all the way to VFO A -open squelch for VFO A -5W transmit -DUPlex On Sent from my iPhone

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TH-D72 Programming Files -- RT Systems
by Les Rayburn 09 Jul '21

09 Jul '21

Very interested in working the APRS satellites using my Kenwood TH-D72, but repeated efforts to correctly program the radio are proving frustrating. Wondering if anyone has a fully programmed TH-D72 that works the APRS birds reliably who might be willing to share their programming file? It’s always easier for me to modify an existing file than to start from scratch. I use both the Kenwood software and the RT Systems (which I much prefer) software to program the rig. Thanks in advance for any assistance. 73, Les Rayburn, N1LF Maylene, AL EM63nf AMSAT #38965, ARRL Life Member, CVHS Life Member, SVHF Member Powered by Mailbutler <https://www.mailbutler.io/?utm_source=watermark&utm_medium=email&utm_campai…>, the email extension that does it all

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FT-818 memory question
by Mark Johns, K0JM 09 Jul '21

09 Jul '21

OK, dumb question: The Yaesu FT-818 specs say it has 200 memories, but when I get to M-020 and click one up, it takes me back to M-001. I have the Groups turned OFF, but I can't get to memory 21 and following. How do I do that??? -- Mark D. Johns, KØJM AMSAT Ambassador & News Service Editor Brooklyn Park, MN USA EN35hd ----------------------------------------------- "Heaven goes by favor; if it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in." ---Mark Twain

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2021-07-09 15:00 UTC
by aj9n＠aol.com 09 Jul '21

09 Jul '21

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2021-07-09 15:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: TBD, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled astronaut is Pyotr Dubrov Contact is a go for 2021-07-14 20:10 UTC Watch for possible operation mode change sometime after ARRL Field Day. Exact date and time TBD but it will probably be after the week of 2021-07-12 to 2021-07-18. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html ######################################################################################################################################## A multi-point telebridge contact means that each student will be on the telebridge from their own home. **************************************************************************************************************************************** ARISS is very aware of the impact that COVID-19 is having on schools and the public in general. As such, we may have last minute cancellations or postponements of school contacts. As always, I will try to provide everyone with near-real-time updates. Watch for future COVID-19 related announcements at https://www.ariss.org/ The following schools have now been postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19: Postponed: No new schools Cancelled: No new schools **************************************************************************************************************************************** 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 2021-07-09 15:00 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. https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2021-06-26 16:30 UTC. https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf The ARISS webpage is at https://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 https://www.ariss.org/apply-to-host-an-ariss-contact.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARISS Contact Applications (United States) For future proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal form, and dates and times of Information Webinars, go to www.ariss.org. 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 (STEAM) 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. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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: https://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) https://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 unless otherwise noted. ******************************************************************************* 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 https://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? Please note that the HamTV system has been brought back to earth for troubleshooting. Please monitor ARISS-EU or ARISS-ON for the very latest news on the troubleshooting efforts. 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 The HamTV webpage: https://www.amsat-on.be/hamtv-summary/ **************************************************************************** ARISS congratulations the following mentors who have now mentored over 100 schools: Sergey RV3DR with 153 Francesco IKØWGF with 140 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 140 Gaston ON4WF with 123 **************************************************************************** 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. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1459. Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1389. Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 48. 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, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the Virgin Islands. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ QSL information may be found at: https://www.ariss.org/qsl-cards.html ISS callsigns: DPØISS, IRØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RSØISS **************************************************************************** Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC https://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correcti… Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415 **************************************************************************** Exp. 64 on orbit Oleg Novitskiy Pyotr Dubrov Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP SpaceX-Crew 2 on orbit Meghan McArthur (Behnken) Akihiko Hoshide KE5DNI Thomas Pesquet KG5FYG Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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Sage By Atrium
by brunokrampz＠gmail.com 09 Jul '21

09 Jul '21

https://www.sage-homes.com.au/

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Sage By Atrium
by brunokrampz＠gmail.com 09 Jul '21

09 Jul '21

Address: 9 Willclock Street, Ardross, Perth, WA 6153 Phone: (08) 6310 8855 Email: enquiries(a)sage-homes.com.au Website: https://www.sage-homes.com.au/ Business Hours: Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm Sage Homes is pleased to offer a complete, start-to-end building partnership that starts with advice on choosing the block of land, and ends with the keys in your hands.

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Long Live PCSAT (NO44) (and PCSAT-11)
by Robert Bruninga 08 Jul '21

08 Jul '21

Some (current) APRS Amateur Satellite history: CONSTRUCTION: For what it is worth, After 20 years, both PCSAT side A and B transponders (digipeaters) remain semi-operational as the longest running student project satellites in space.. Further they were built desk-top style using simple off-the-shelf Kantronics KPC-9612 TNC's and Hamtroncs kit TX/RX boards. All parts are.COTS and chips are in sockets. Batteries are AA NiCd's. There are no CPU's on board. All command/control/telemetry is just what is inherent in the TNC's. Only thing we did was replace all electrolytic caps with tantilums. Having no clean room, we just used kem wipes and alcohol to wipe off all the fingerprints and dust before bagging for delivery. NOTE: No one should be so cavalier if their mission is REAL and costing great amounts of expectations and money. Back then it was just a free ride with no expectations other than student involvement. SAFE MODE (NOT): The only thing wrong was stupid thinking on the power budget. As our first satellite, we put on dual A/B systems AND additional 9600 baud DUAL UHF backup link receivers so that we had QUAD backup command RX capabilities in case of failures. The problem was we decided that all systems must come up on power-up in order to have access to all the redundant backup reset and command capabilities if needed and (DUH!), if all was OK, we would turn off the unnecessary backup-UHF receivers and un-crossconnect the transmitters. TOO-COMPLEX LOGGON: That is what kills it (on every orbit). If the reason it reset is because of low battery, then the last thing you want is for EVERYTHING to be ON when you are coming into the sun and trying to charge back up. There is not yet enough power to get the command in to command off the unnecewssary systems! Further, the commands required a full two-way AX.25 connection requiring 5 packets to exchange the password challenge and password response. All of which fully loaded the cross-connected XMTRs while trying to recover. power. NO CPU or OPERATING SYSTEM: PCSAT had no programmable CPU. Just two-dual-port TNCs and 2 VHF XMTrs and 2 VHF RCVRS, and 2 UHF 9600 baud RCVRS. There was nothing in which to put SMART-safe-mode power-up thinkinng. Hence the fatal flaw to just power up everything and command later... duh... WITH LUCK: But luckily, the orbit occasionally has short eclipses and longer sun side (about 1 hour) which gives it enough time to sometimes have enough power to do a few user digipeats. Though after only a few, that usually kills the battery for the rest of the orbit.. We long since gave up trying to go through the entire secret logon process to try to turn off the extra UHF receivers, only to have it last another' 10 minutes or so until the next eclipse. and so that is why it just does its thing and sometimes people are successful, or not. MISSION: Side A of PCSAT (AKA W3ADO-1) remains operational on 145.825 digipeating when power permits. Same for side B which has a digipeater with a 144.39 MHz downlink for use over North America which at the time was thought would be useful for communicating *TO* normal 144.39 travelers who may be traveling outside of range of the terrestrial network for a while. TODAY, one of our sysops tested the side "B" and confirmed it remains operational. That is why you might occasionally see PCSAT-11 in the APRS logs. Although within the rules at the time of launch, in the last decade, the IARU has officially made notice that operation of satellite downlinks in the old 144.30-144.40 are no longer authorized. Besides, we never came up with a good use of the side B anyway. (Broqdcast an APRS message to all North American mobiles, or special traffic to a specific mobile). Of course, we learned those lessons and had 6 successful followon APRS satellites with only the last two (PSAT and PSAT2) had programmable CPUs. (Basic Stamps). See http://aprs.org/sats.html Bob, WB4APR On Thu, Jul 8, 2021 at 9:54 AM McKinley Henson <ke4azz> (PcsaT sysop) wrote: > > I was able to digi off PCSAT-11 this morning, but no Igates picked it up… > I have to turn my Igate off, otherwise it makes the network dump the packet > picked up by others… tried filtering but it still dumps. > > Fm KE4AZZ To APRS Via PCSAT-11* <UI pid=F0 Len=36 >[08:44:42] > =2702.06N/08209.93W` KE4AZZ EL87 > > Fm KE4AZZ To APRS Via PCSAT-11* <UI pid=F0 Len=36 >[08:44:47] > =2702.06N/08209.93W` KE4AZZ EL87 > > Fm KE4AZZ To APRS Via PCSAT-11* <UI pid=F0 Len=36 >[08:44:52] > > 73 > McKinley Henson > KE4AZZ

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Falconsat-3 again open (users please read)
by Mark L. Hammond 08 Jul '21

08 Jul '21

Hello Folks, I had sufficient wifi to check out Falconsat-3 this morning around 1200utc 8 July 2021. Thankfully, only the TX had gone off and a reload right now isn't necessary. If I can make the time, I'll look over the telemetry logs and see if we had a low voltage trip or something, but not sure. Users---until further notice, please limit the size of your uploaded files to around 10k or less. Just before the bird went silent, numerous large files were being uploaded and downloaded. I cannot say for sure if this is related to the recent issue, but let's call it a hunch. In the meantime, Falconsat-3 is again open for BBS and digipeater use-please limit file upload size to 10k or less. 73, Mark L. Hammond [N8MH] AMSAT Director and Command Station

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AMSAT CubeSatSim First Official Release v1.0
by Alan Johnston 08 Jul '21

08 Jul '21

I am very pleased to announce the first software release of the CubeSatSim software v1.0! Along with the first hardware release v1.0 last month, this is an important milestone for this AMSAT educational project. All the CubeSatSim software and hardware is fully open source. The v1.0 release info is available on GitHub here: https://github.com/alanbjohnston/CubeSatSim/releases/tag/v1.0 and the v1.0 hardware info including gerber files is available here: https://github.com/alanbjohnston/CubeSatSim/tree/v1.0/hardware/v1.0 Thanks to Bruce Paige, KK5DO, we have CubeSatSim blank PCB sets and CubeSatSim Raspberry Pi SD cards available on the AMSAT Store. For the moment, they are only available to ship to US addresses. In a post-COVID future, we hope to offer worldwide shipping. The CubeSatSim Raspberry Pi SD Card is a 16 GB micro SD card with Raspberry Pi OS Lite and all the CubeSatSim software installed and configured on it. It is available at the AMSAT Store for $20 https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-cubesatsim-raspberry-pi-sd-card/ You can also download the image and flash it to your own SD card using these instructions https://github.com/alanbjohnston/CubeSatSim/wiki/2.-Software-Install Here is the readme file for the CubeSatSim software https://cubesatsim.org/download/cubesatsim-readme.pdf With the 3 board sets of blank PCBs, you can order the parts and solder your own CubeSatSim. They are available at the AMSAT Store for $35 https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-cubesatsim-pcb/ I want to take this opportunity to thank the team that has been working on the CubeSatSim Project including Pat Kilory, N8PK, Jim McLaughlin, KI6ZUM, and David White, WD6DRI. In addition, Chris Thompson, G0KLA/AC2CZ has been instrumental in helping me get the FSK/BPSK transmit code working and has added support for the CubeSatSim to FoxTelem. Yesterday's release of FoxTelem v1.11 has full CubeSatSim support. And of course, thank you to the AMSAT Board of Directors and the AMSAT membership who have supported this project for many years. 73, Alan KU2Y AMSAT Vice President for Educational Relations P.S. AMSAT has CubeSatSim Loaners available to ship to your event or presentation or STEM outreach activity - just contact me if you have an upcoming event.

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