AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-174
************************************************************** *** 2008 AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting *** *** October 24-26 in Atlanta, Georgia *** **************************************************************
ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS 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.
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:
In this edition: * AMSAT Receives CFC Certification for 2008 * 9 Cubesats on Maiden Vega Launch * Nominees for AMSAT Board of Directors * Call for Papers--2008 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference * AMSAT Award Recipients * ARISS Status - 16 June 2008
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-174.01 AMSAT Receives CFC Certification for 2008
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 174.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. June 22, 2008 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-174.01
On June 13, 2008 The Office of Combined Federal Campaign Operations issued the final draft of the listings for independent organizations that have been approved for participation in the 2008 CFC. The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) was again included in the approvals.
The CFC, or Combined Federal Campaign, is the U.S. Government equivalent Of the United Way in the private sector. The campaign affords all US Government employees the opportunity to make donations from their regular paychecks to CFC approved Charities.
AMSAT has again successfully applied to CFC for that status and is grate- ful for the approval. This stamp of approval means that AMSAT has met the strict standards set by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) assuring donors that AMSAT's programs of work and financial operational standards meet the CFC requirements.
Those AMSAT supporters who wish to make payroll contributions should select the Radio Amateur satellite Corporation (AMSAT) during their campaign this coming fall. The AMSAT CFC Charity number is 10158. Payroll deduction is a simple, convenient way to support AMSAT.
Gunther Meisse W8GSM Treasurer, AMSAT North America
[ANS thanks Bunther, W8GSM, for the above information]
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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-174.02 9 Cubesats on Maiden Vega Launch
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 174.02 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. June 22, 2008 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-174.02
Cubesats built by students from universities in Poland Spain Italy Switzerland Romania France and Belgium have been selected for a free ride to low earth orbit. The launch is scheduled on the Vega maiden flight from Kourou at the end 2008 / early 2009.
One Belgium cubesat proposes to use D-Star as a communications protocol
[ANS thanks David, G0RMF, for the above information]
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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-174.03 Nominees for AMSAT Board of Directors
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 174.03 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. June 22, 2008 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-174.03
Nominations for the 2008 AMSAT Board of Directors have closed. The list of qualified candidates is:
Tom Clark K3IO Lou McFadin W5DID Bill Ress N6GHZ Gould Smith WA4SXM
Three Directors' terms are up this year. Directors serve a two year term. Ballots will be in the mail by July 15th and must be received in Silver Spring no later than the close of business on September 15th.
[ANS thanks Martha for the above information]
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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-174.04 Call for Papers--2008 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 174.04 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. June 22, 2008 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-174.04
Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the 27th Annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference to be held September 26-28, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois. These papers will also be published in the Conference Proceedings (you do NOT need to attend the conference to have your paper included in the Proceedings). The submission deadline is July 31, 2008. Please send papers to:
Maty Weinberg ARRL 225 Main St Newington, CT 06111
or you can make your submission via e-mail to: [email protected]
Papers will be published exactly as submitted and authors will retain all rights.
[ANS thanks Steve, WB8IMY, for the above information]
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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-174.05 AMSAT Award Recipients
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 174.05 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. June 22, 2008 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-174.05
We would like to welcome the following to the satellite community. They have made their first satellite contact and are now members of the AMSAT Satellite Communicators Club.
Robert Netzband, NA2H Piyumi Perera, VE4WPL Keith Cutter, KD7GOP
The following have earned the AMSAT Satellite Communications Achievement Award
Dimitrios Pallis, SW1JGW #464 Rob Rousseau, KI4BKE #465 Rafael Valdez, Jr., XE2RV #466
The following have earned the AMSAT Robert Barbee, Jr., W4AMI Satellite Communication Achievement Award
Rafael Valdez, Jr., XE2RV #51
To see all the awards visit http://www.amsat.org or http://www.amsatnet.com
[ANS thanks Bruce, KK5DO, for the above information]
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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-174.06 ARISS Status -- 16 June 2008
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 174.06 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. June 22, 2008 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-174.06
1. Upcoming School Contact
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been scheduled with Robinson Elementary School in Robinson, Texas on Wednesday, June 25 at 15:45 UTC, via telebridge station WH6PN in Hawaii. This is the first ARISS contact to be held with astronaut Greg Chamitoff, KD5PKZ. Approximately 300 second and third graders are enrolled at the school.
2. ARRL PR Campaign Includes ARISS
On June 10, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) ran an article about its new PR campaign called "We Do That." A portion of a new brochure and accompanying Web material cover Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS). There is also an audio sample of an ARISS contact on the Web site. For more information, go to: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/06/10/10151/?nc=1
The story also ran in the ARRL Letter. See: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/08/0613/
3. ARISS Face to Face Meeting
Preparations continue for the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Face to Face Meeting. The conference will be held on July 17-18. It will be preceded by an Amateur Radio Working Group (ARWG) meeting on July 14-16 which will be attended by representatives from the international partner space agencies. Both meetings will be held in Moscow, Russia.
[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI, for the above information]
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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 additional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.
73, This week's ANS Editor, Lee McLamb, KU4OS ku4os at amsat dot org