AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-163
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information 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 communicating 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: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/
In this edition:
* Call for Nominations - 2022 AMSAT Board of Directors Election * 40th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting Announced for October 21 - 22, 2022 * AO-27 Telemetry and Reception Reports Requested * AMSAT Announces Youth Initiative at Hamvention * QCWA Presents AMSAT with $4,000 Contribution * IARU Coordinates Three New Amateur Radio Satellite Projects * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over
ANS-163 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002
DATE 2022 Jun 12
AMSAT solicits nominations for the 2022 AMSAT Board of Directors election, to be held in the third quarter of the year. The seats of the following three incumbent Directors expire in 2022 and will be filled by this year's election:
Mark Hammond, N8MH Bruce Paige, KK5DO Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
Further, up to two Alternate Directors may be elected for one-year terms.
A valid nomination for Director must be written and requires either one Member Society or five current individual members in good standing to nominate an AMSAT member. Written nominations, with the nominee's name, call sign, and contact information, as well as the nominators' names, call signs, and contact information, should be sent to the Acting AMSAT Secretary:
Paul Stoetzer, N8HM 201 I St SW Apt V336 Washington, DC 20024 USA
E-mail nominations may be sent to pstoetzer at amsat.org.
The AMSAT bylaws require that the nomination be written and in the form specified by the Secretary. The Acting Secretary has elected to accept written nomination materials via mail or in electronic form, including e-mail or electronic image of a paper document. Fax transmissions cannot be accepted.
No matter what means are used, petitions MUST be received by the Acting Secretary no later than June 15, 2022. The Acting Secretary will verify the qualifications of candidates and nominating members or Member Societies as petitions are received, and will notify candidates whether their nominations are in order by the end of June.
[ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, AMSAT Executive Vice President and Acting Secretary for the above information]
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40th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting Announced for October 21 - 22, 2022
AMSAT announces the 40th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting will be held on Friday through Saturday, October 21 - 22, 2022 in Bloomington, Minnesota.
The annual AMSAT Space Symposium features: * Space Symposium with Amateur Satellite Presentations * Operating Techniques, News, & Plans from the Amateur Satellite World * Board of Directors Meeting open to AMSAT members * Opportunities to Meet Board Members and Officers * AMSAT Annual General Membership Meeting * Auction, Annual Banquet, Keynote Speaker and Door Prizes !!
The Crowne Plaza Suites, 3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN, is centrally located between the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, Mall of America, Minneapolis Zoo, and Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park. Crown Plaza Suites provides a complimentary scheduled shuttle to and from the airport.
Additional information about the 2022 AMSAT Symposium will be posted on the AMSAT web site, www.amsat.org as it becomes available.
[ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT President for the above information.]
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AO-27 Telemetry and Reception Reports Requested
Stephan Greene, KS1G reports, "AO-27's on/off times run open-loop and have drifted a bit so that the information on ao27.net is out of date. We're trying to collect current telemetry before attempting to upload new settings.
"AO-27 sends 20 seconds of AFSK telemetry followed by 240 seconds of FM repeater operation during descending nodes (North to South passes). As best we can determine from Satnogs observations, the satellite currently turns on when near the equator and shuts off at about 12-14 deg South latitude. Stations with UHF receive capability should be able to receive the telemetry and detect/use the FM repeater operation.
"We think the ascending node on time begins when AO-27 is at about 75 deg N latitude and ends around 85 deg N as the satellite begins the descending part of the orbit. Stations probably have to be fairly far north with good northern horizons to hear anything. No telemetry is sent on ascending node passes.
"The AO-27 command team would greatly appreciate reception reports, especially with the time(s) telemetry or repeater operation started/ended. Please provide station location, 6 character grid square is sufficient. If you have AFSK reception/decode capability, any telemetry successfully decoded. Reports from northern stations able to copy the start or end of the ascending node on time are also sought.
"Please send reports to ks1g at amsat dot org."
[ANS thanks Stephan Greene, KS1G for the above information.]
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Need new M2 LEO Pack for your base station? When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/
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AMSAT Announces Youth Initiative at Hamvention
During its Hamvention forum on Saturday, May 21, AMSAT formally introduced plans for its Youth Initiative. In the planning stage for two years, the program will now proceed in a series of phased releases.
Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, AMSAT VP, Development provided highlights of the program saying, "The Youth Initiative takes a radically different approach to introducing youth to Amateur Radio and Satellites. It approaches youth in terms that are already central to their everyday lives. Whether it be climate change, pollution control, preservation of natural resources, meteorology, or a career in broadcasting or transportation industries or in the military, the use of satellites is pervasive in virtually everything we do. Our message to youth is 'Satellites in Space Help Us Live Better Lives Here on Earth'. Once we have gained the youth's interests, we can engage them in experiences and exercises that then use amateur satellites and amateur radio as their 'laboratory' or 'classroom'.
"Also unique is the fact that this is a community-based program that makes the experiences available directly to youth, their parents and all youth organizations. While our program will be promoted though our trademarks, KidzSat for grades 5-7 and BuzzSat for grades 8-12, all content is openly and freely available."
Karnauskas then went on to summarize key components of the Youth Initiative that serve as the engagement points with youth, including:
+ KidzSat.com and BuzzSat.com websites that provide age-appropriate activities and exercises that cultivate the general interests listed above into understanding of how satellites play a role in our daily lives. Activities range from simpler "merit badge" level to a complete course on satellite meteorology. Participating youth can earn certificates of completion that would be useful in college admission or job applications.
+ A network of online SDR's that serve as ground stations for youth to experience, first-hand, receiving images and telemetry from actual satellites as they pass overhead. Accompanying activities guide youth through decoding and analyzing the images and data. A fleet of 200+ ground stations is planned so that virtually every youth has access to real-time satellite experiences. It is hoped that from this starting point, a fair share of kids will become interested in the communications process and go on to set up their own dongle-based ground station and even on to an Amateur Radio license.
+ A fleet of CubeSat simulators referred to as "Non-Orbiting Earth Science Experiments" (NOESE). The NOESE "birds" transmit online telemetry for five separate values associated with climate change. Participants will learn how to download telemetry, convert it into useful data and have opportunities to study the information for short or long term study. The NOESE simulators will be deployed with the SDR ground stations so that a nationwide network of data collection points is available for local access and for comparison.
+ LEO satellites with advanced educational payloads. The websites, SDR ground stations and NOESE simulators are all designed to cultivate interest in youth to getting on the air and interacting with AMSAT satellites. Nicknamed "LOWER" (Lower Orbit Within Everyone's Reach" this family of satellites will feature higher power output to make reception by beginners an easy task. Educational payloads will be mainly based on store-and-forward imaging and digital messaging, an experience that youth are already comfortable with. And, of course, these satellites will host a combination of FM repeater and CW/SSB transponders for general Amateur Radio use.
Karnauskas concluded the presentation by saying, "The Youth Initiative is not only the right thing to do, it is the essential thing. By focusing on what our Articles of Incorporation direct us to do, advancing scientific and educational skills and knowledge, we appeal to a broader segment of society that can provide the financial support and critical resources that AMSAT needs to flourish."
[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]
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QCWA Presents AMSAT with $4,000 Contribution to Support Youth Initiative
AMSAT is pleased to announce that it received a generous $4,000 contribution from the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA). Discussions for the contribution began in early May when Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, AMSAT VP, Development spoke with Ken Oelke, VE6AFO, QCWA President. The discussion centered on how plans for the AMSAT Youth Initiative were consistent with the QCWA's vision statement stating that it "develops resources to assist young Amateur Radio operators in furthering their education through the QCWA Scholarship Program."
Thanks to Mr. Oelke's help, the QCWA Board of Directors approved the AMSAT contribution. During a brief conversation at Dayton Hamvention, Karnauskas outlined how the QCWA contribution would be used to support the AMSAT Youth Initiative's online lessons programs and accompanying SDR ground stations.
In recognition of its generous contribution, the QCWA was inducted into the AMSAT 2022 President's Club at the Platinum level.
[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]
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IARU Coordinates Three New Amateur Radio Satellite Projects
The International Amateur Radio Union has added three projects to its list of coordinated satellite projects:
+ CAS-10 CAS-10 is an 8U CubeSat sponsored by the Chinese Amateur Satellite Group, CAMSAT. It will carry a V/U Mode Linear Transponder, a UHF - CW Telemetry Beacon, a UHF - AX.25 4.8k/9.6kbps GMSK Telemetry downlink and a space camera. The VHF uplink and UHF downlink linear transponder will have a bandwidth of 30kHz. The camera will store its pictures in the flash memory on the satellite. A simple DTMF-based remote control system will allow Amateur Radio operators to download the camera photos. The CW beacon will use Morse code to send satellite telemetry data. Launch is planned for November 2022 from Hainan Launch Center using a CZ-7 launch vehicle into a 400km circular 42.9 degree inclination orbit. The uplink is 145.870 MHz and the downlink is 435.180 MHz for VHF/UHF linear transponder. The UHF CW telemetry beacon is 435.575 MHz and the AX.25 telemetry is 435.725 MHz.
+ Binar 2,3,4,5,6 and 7 The Binar series of 1U CubeSats are sponsored by the Space Science and Technology Centre, Curtin University. They will include a UHF link for student activities and experiments. Operation of student payloads will take place from high schools with ground stations built by students. Packet store and forward will be available for general amateur engagement. The beacon will include basic satellite health data that amateurs can decode and report online. Experimental format transmissions in pursuit of efficient data packing is also planned. Beacon and telemetry will include OQPSK for 100 and 38.4kbps GFSK for 19.2, 9.6 and 1.2 kbps, plus intermittent CW. Deployments from the ISS are planned in the Q1 2023 for Binar 2,3 and 4. Deployment is planned in Q3 2023 for Binar 5,6 and 7. Downlinks are 437.700 MHz for BINAR 2, 437.850 MHz for BINAR 3, 437.925 MHz for BINAR 4, 437.750 MHz for BINAR 5, 437.850 MHz for BINAR 6 and 437.725 MHz for BINAR 7.
+ MRC-100 MRC-100 is a 3p PocketQube mission sponsored by the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. MRC-100 is the continuation of SMOG-P, SMOG-1 and ATL-1 spectrum monitoring PocketQube class satellites with wider monitored spectrum range 30MHz- 2600 MHz, focused on HAM, ISM and broadcasting bands. With MRC-100 the mission is able to measure the electromagnetic pollution not only on the broadcast bands, but on Ham, ISM and Wi-Fi bands. With the help of worldwide Amateur Radio stations receiving its spectrum monitoring data, the mission hopes to create a global electromagnetic pollution map. The UHF downlink on 436.720 MHz will use selectable data rates 1250, 2500, 5000, and 12500 bit/s with GMSK modulation. A RocketLab launch from New Zealand is planned for Q4 2022 into a 600km polar SSO.
More information on all three satellite programs can be found at http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru/.
[ANS thanks the IARU for the above information.]
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Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear
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ARISS NEWS
Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.
* Upcoming Contacts
+ Istituto Tecnico Industrile "Alessandro Rossi", Vicenza, Veneto, Italy, direct via I3IRV The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be IRØISS. The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz. The scheduled crewmember is Samantha Cristoforetti, IZØUDF Contact is go for Tuesday, June 14, 2022 at 10:08:55 UTC. Watch for a livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DeYw0Fi0xA
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
[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information.]
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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/
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Upcoming Satellite Operations
KQ2RP: Will be heading back up to Maine on 6/9 – 6/15. Operating FM birds holiday style from FN44, 45, 54. 6/11 & 6/12 will be best chance for FN45 (probably FN44/45 line). Rest of dates will be mostly from FN54 with outside chance of FN43,44,53. Logging as KQ2RP/1.
WL7T: EL84, June 23-27. Sats on Thursday and Friday.
K4DCA: plans to be in CN74 on June 24-29 too Hopefully they can raise the number on the heat map
WL7T: EL58 locked in for June 29, 30, and July 1. He plans to work 6 meters for the majority of the time with sat passes as requested. He is going to operate from a boat from around 9 AM to 5 PM each day.
W3IPA: DM42 vacation planned for July 30 to August 6. He will be on FM passes vacation style. He will be close to DM41 so he might be able to work a gridline. He will post more updates closer to that week!
KX9X & N9NCY Wild West Rove: Sean and Nancy will be on the road from July 1-25 while hiking in National Parks. They will travel through twelve states and over 50 grids, planning activation on FM and linear satellites. Extensive operation in Montana and North Dakota along the northern border (all the “8” grids). There will also be 6 meter and occasional HF POTA activity as well. Complete info on their trip can be found on their website https://www.wildwestrove.com/
[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information.]
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Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.
* 2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention Friday, October 7, 2022 to Sunday, October 9, 2022 Event Center at Archer 3921 Archer Pkwy Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 https://wyhamcon.org/site
* JAMSAT Symposium June 25 from 9:50~17:15 JST (UTC +9 hours). Anyone can participate. If you would like to participate, please email ja3nas at gmail.com to be informed of the opening URL. Please include your name, call sign and email address in your email.
* QO-100 User Meeting HAM RADIO 2022 in Friedrichshafen, Germany Saturday, June 25, 2022 starting at 7pm CEST QO-100 users plan to meet at a restaurant near HAM RADIO on Saturday. Link to registration/reservation: https://nuudel.digitalcourage.de/gRajeEEUKrJLvXK9.
[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information.]
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Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ Hubble broke its own record, detecting an individual star 12.9 billion light-years away (paper). The (very Lord of the Rings-sounding) star "Earendel" existed when the Universe was just 900 million years old. (Around the same time that the Milky Way started to form.) It is only visible due to gravitational lensing. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information)
+ China's Shenzhou-14 crewed spacecraft docked with the Tianhe space station module early Sunday, June 5, marking the start of a crucial six-month-long mission. Also docked with the 16.6-meter-long, 4.2-meter-diameter Tianhe is the Tianzhou-4 cargo spacecraft, launched in May, containing supplies for the crew, along with propellant, science experiments and a number of CubeSats. The Shenzhou-14 mission will, crucially, manage the arrival of two new 20-metric-ton-plus modules to the space station, namely Wentian and Mengtian, in July and October respectively. There is speculation that the previously announced amateur radio equipment will be installed during this period. (ANS thanks SpaceNews for the above information)
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Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:
* Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.
Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information.
73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
This week's ANS Editor, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW n1uw at amsat dot org