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[Video] New linear satellite HO-113 and its issues
by John Brier 08 Jan '22

08 Jan '22

Watch me work this new linear satellite HO-113 / XW-3 and talk about some of its issues so you can learn how to work it successfully despite those issues. https://youtu.be/NglO_WJ2hhc 00:00 My setup 00:48 Demonstration 03:44 Background on HO-113 04:41 weak downlink, high SWR? 06:03 Real reasons for weak downlink 06:48 Deaf receiver 07:28 Noisy passband On December 25th, while most of the space community was excitedly discussing the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) launch of that morning, the amateur radio satellite community was also anticipating their own new satellite launching that evening. On December 26th at 03:11 UTC, XW-3 (CAS-9), was launched on a CZ-4C launch vehicle from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China, piggybacked with the ZY-1(02E) earth observation satellite. XW-3 was designated HO-113 by AMSAT a few days after launch. Transponder passband frequency table for printing: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0tsrxs2l2lzr1ix/HO-113_frequency_table.pdf?dl=0 XW-3 user manual: https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/XW-3_Amateur_Rad… This video was based on this article: https://spacecomms.wordpress.com/2022/01/02/new-chinese-linear-satellite-xw… 73, John Brier KG4AKV

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2022-01-07 18:00 UTC
by aj9n＠aol.com 07 Jan '22

07 Jan '22

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2022-01-07 18:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: The next mode change to voice cross band repeater is expected to occur in late January/early February 2022. (***) 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 2022-01-07 19:0 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 2022-01-04 18:30 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) Sept. 11, 2021 --- The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS. ARISS anticipates that the contact would be held between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. The deadline to submit a proposal was November 24th, 2021 and has now closed. 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 congratulates the following mentors who have now mentored over 100 schools: Sergey RV3DR with 159 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 144 Francesco IKØWGF with 141 Gaston ON4WF with 124 Peter IN3GHZ with 107 **************************************************************************** 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 1492. Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1418. 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, FXØISS, GB1SS, 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 Pyotr Dubrov Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP Exp. 65 on orbit Anton Shkaplerov SpaceX Crew-3 on orbit Raja Chari KI5LIU Thomas Marshburn KE5HOC Matthias Maurer KI5KFH Kayla Barron KI5LAL **************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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Re: Tracking JWST
by Joseph B. Fitzgerald 07 Jan '22

07 Jan '22

Use the NASA/JPL Horizons system to track JWST and other objects that are not in a "normal" earth orbit. JWST is essentially in solar orbit, perturbed by the Earth. TLE and the underlying "simplified perturbations models" that are used by GPredict and the like don't work for solar orbits. https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons/app.html de KM1P Joe

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Launch of EASAT-2 and HADES satellites
by M5AKA 07 Jan '22

07 Jan '22

The EASAT-2 and HADES satellites, each carrying an FM transponder and digipeater, is expected to take place on January 13 at 15:25 GMT on the SpaceX Falcon-9 Transporter-3 mission https://amsat-uk.org/2022/01/07/launch-of-easat-2-and-hades-satellites/ Trevor M5AKA ---- AMSAT-UK http://amsat-uk.org/ Twitter https://twitter.com/AmsatUK YouTube https://youtube.com/AmsatUK ----

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Launch of EASAT-2 and Hades FM repeaters for Jan, 13 (SpaceX TR-3)
by Felix Paez EA4GQS 07 Jan '22

07 Jan '22

Hi friends, I just wanted to confirm with you all that the launch of EASAT-2 and Hades satellites is scheduled for this January, 13, 15.25 UTC on SpaceX TR-3 flight, as it has been confirmed to us by Alba Orbital. As it has been noted in older posts, both satellites offer voice communications in FM and data retransmission in FSK or AFSK up to 2400 bps, such as AX.25 or APRS frames. They also transmit voice beacons in FM with the callsigns AM5SAT and AM6SAT, as well as CW, and, in the case of Hades, SSTV live images too. We thank you in advance for trying to receive their signals and of course for trying to use the repeater. EASAT-2 one will be automatically active 30 minutes after the launch although it would be a priority for us trying to have some telemetry frames first to check if all is working properly. I tell you a bit more about the satellites: EASAT-2 has been designed and built jointly by AMSAT-EA and students from the European University of Degrees in Aerospace Engineering in Aircraft and in Telecommunication Systems Engineering, with contributions from ICAI in the communications part, and it incorporates as an experimental load a basalt material from Lanzarote, similar to lunar basalts, provided by the CSIC research group on meteorites and planetary geosciences at the Institute of Geosciences, IGEO (CSIC-UCM) and that could be used as a construction material on the Moon. This project was promoted and has the collaboration of the ETSICCP (UPM). The UNESCO world geopark of Lanzarote and the Chinijo archipelago has been used for different investigations as an analogue of the Moon and Mars, also including the training of ESA astronauts. The selected basalt material meets the requirements to be used as a simulant of the existing basalt on the Moon. The purpose of the experiment is to determine its evolution in space based on periodic measurements of some of its properties. Although the experiment is limited and constitutes the first phase of this type of study, it represents an important milestone as it is the first of its kind to be introduced on such a small satellite. As for Hades, its payload consists of a miniature camera module that outputs the captured images as an audio signal in SSTV mode. The SSTV formats it uses are compatible with Robot36, Robot72, MP73 and MP115. The design of the cam module is based on the one used in the successful mission of the PSAT2 satellite, an amateur radio satellite of the United States Naval Academy and the Brno University of Technology. This camera has been operational since June 25, 2019: (http: // www.aprs.org/psat2.html). The camera chip is the Omnivision OV2640, which provides a resolution of up to 2M pixels and compressed JPEG output. The resolution is limited by the internal memory of the CPU (MCU) that controls the camera to 320x240 (typical) or 640x480 maximum. The MCU selected for the control is the STM32F446RET6, which has the smallest possible footprint with connection to a DCMI peripheral, necessary for the connection with the camera. Images can be stored in 2MB serial flash memory. The complete SSTV encoder has managed to be implemented on a 4 layer PCB with dimensions of only 38x38mm. The MCU can be fully controlled from ground stations. The firmware allows the sending of live camera images, images previously saved in flash memory, or images encoded in ROM. It also provides PSK telemetry and imaging advance scheduling with current status (event counters, temperature, voltage, light conditions, etc.) and a brief summary. The described module has been developed and manufactured in the Department of Radioelectronics of the Brno University of Technology in the Czech Republic. Both hardware and firmware designs with the source codes will be available on Github under the MIT license (https://github.com/alpov/SatCam). As noted, initially only the EASAT-2 repeater is active. Hades one will be activated by remote control a few days after launch. The frequencies coordinated with IARU for both satellites are as follows: EASAT-2 145.875 MHz uplink, Modes: FM voice (no subtone) and FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200/2400 bps 436.666 MHz downlink, Modes: FM voice, CW, FSK 50 bps, FM voice beacon with AM5SAT callsign HADES 145.925 MHz uplink, Modes: FM voice (no subtone) and FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200/2400 bps 436.888 MHz downlink, Modes: FM voice, CW FSK 50 bps, SSTV Robot 36, FM voice beacon with callsign AM6SAT The description of the transmissions can be found in the following document. https://www.amsat-ea.org/app/download/12530621/AMSAT+EA+-+EASAT-2+and+HADES… AMSAT-EA appreciates the receipt of telemetry, voice beacons and SSTV images. A paper QSL will be sent to those who submit their transmissions. It can be done through the following link: http://data.amsat-ea.org Thanks a lot! 73s, Felix Paez EA4GQS - AMSAT EA Mission manager

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EM03 Friday January 7
by John Geiger 06 Jan '22

06 Jan '22

Hope to do a quick trip to EM03 tomorrow, will try to make these passes 1618 AO91 1628 CAS4A 1637 JO97 1655 CAS4B 1707 AO92 1721 HO113 1736 TO108 1756 AO91 1804 CAS4A 1835 CAS4B Hope to see everyone who needs EM03 73 John AF5CC

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Anyone gotten a handle on HO-113 (CAS-9, XW-3)?
by William Herbert Sims 06 Jan '22

06 Jan '22

Seems like low horizon passes the uplink/downlink offset changes drastically (3-6KHz), where high passes seem a lot more stable. If the Keps were messed up I would expect the opposite observations. Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks, Herb N4RG

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AMSAT Ambassadors - Presentations
by Clint Bradford 06 Jan '22

06 Jan '22

Part of the “job description” for volunteer AMSAT Ambassadors is to “spread the gospel” of working satellites to clubs and conventions. PS 2022 is starting off with a bang! Presentations set for clubs in … Tennessee South Bay CA New York British Columbia Ontario Canada Victoria BC Sonoma CA Tampa FL Texas Nevada Think a 90-minute lively, informative, and fun “How to Work the Easy Satellites” Zoom presentation would be appropriate for your convention or club? Always included are overviews of the ARRL, AMSAT, and ARISS. And pre-presentation questions are solicited and welcome. Send an email or call! Clint Bradford K6LCS AMSAT Ambassador, ARRL instructor http://www.work-sat.com <http://www.work-sat.com/> 909-999-SATS (7287)

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eu1aem
by nick 06 Jan '22

06 Jan '22

Does anyone on the list how to get InTouch with eu1aem who is active on satgnos? nick Cell 337 258 2527 Helping UL become a world Class Engineering and Educational School Disagree I Learn

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XW-3 or HO-113
by Larry Ryan 06 Jan '22

06 Jan '22

I've been reading of some difficulties working XW-3. I found there is an "XW-3 (CAS-9) Amateur Radio Satellite User's Manual" and on page 2 and 3 I read the transponder power is 20 dbm. So everybody on that bird is sharing 100 mW. Even if you're talking to yourself, its not a lot of downlink power. I got SatPC32 configured for this sat quite easily. I found HO-113 in my sats list by updating keps. I set up doppler.sqf and I was in business for this pass here in WA: 0550Z, Jan 6th. It was a nearly zenith pass and when it was up at 50 deg or more, I found my signal right away. No problems! When it was at 25 deg elevation, I heard a couple W6 stations. Welcome XW-3! My working conditions: IC-9700, SatPC32, M2 eggbeaters with preamps.The 2m eggbeater is at 35 ft and the 70cm is at 25 ft (both outdoors). I did not do anything special to hear myself on XW-3. I was not really loud but very Q5. I also want to say that user's manual provides very complete documentation. II found it on the Amsat-UK website. 73, Larry W7DGP

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