AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-148
In this edition:
* 2023 Hamvention Wrap-Up * AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager Retires * New SO-50 Distance Record * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for May 25, 2023 * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over
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.
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ANS-148 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002
DATE 2023 May 28
2023 Hamvention Wrap-Up
The 2023 Dayton Hamvention is in the books! It was a great weekend in Xenia, OH and at the various other events in the surrounding area. The AMSAT booth and satellite demo area saw continuous traffic and attendees had an excellent time at the informal AMSAT Dinner at Tickets on Thursday evening and the TAPR/AMSAT Banquet on Friday evening.
The AMSAT forum from Saturday afternoon can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTYTVTzJlXk&t=14680s (the ARISS forum precedes the AMSAT forum, so you can back up the live stream to view that)
The video presented at the AMSAT forum featuring AMSAT engineers can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6zTtJZPfL8
Grace Papay, KE8RJU, gave a talk at the Youth Forum on "Amateur Radio Satellites Both Near and Far" and her presentation can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U-jsYYHY8w&t
We hope everyone enjoyed Hamvention this year and hope to see everyone in Xenia next May!
[ANS thanks the AMSAT Hamvention Team for the above information]
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ The 2023 AMSAT President's Club coins are here now! To commemorate the 40th anniversary of its launch on June 16, 1983, this year's coin features an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 10. Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager Retires
It is time for me to retire from the position of AMSAT-NA Orbital Elements Manager.
I have held this position since October 8, 1993, when I inherited it from Dick Campbell, WR5RW (formally N3FKV). I also inherited a BASIC sorting program from Dick which has faithfully produced the AMSAT TLE format each week for almost 30 years. Today I have to use an emulator, but it consistently produces the format we (and our computer tracking programs) expect to see.
But, have no fear, Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P has been developing a software-based system that pulls the TLE data directly from the internet (Space-Track, 18SPCS), formats it, and sends it out to the amateur radio community. Joe has been testing it for over a month now and it is ready to go!
It has been a privilege to serve AMSAT as Orbital Elements Manager and I will miss the Thursday night routine of sending out the AMSAT TLE. But to those who have helped me along the way … thanks. Special thanks to Keith Pugh (W5IU Silent key), Dick Campbell (WR5RW), Nico Janssen (PA0DLO), and also to Joe Fitzgerald (KM1P) for stepping up to the job.
[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, for the above information]
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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/
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New SO-50 Distance Record
A new distance record has been claimed on SO-50. During a SOTA activation of Pine Mountain in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on May 24, 2023 at 13:16 UTC, Joe Werth, KE9AJ, worked George Mamjis, MI0ILE, in Northern Ireland. KE9AJ's location was EN55wu90gp and MI0ILE's location was IO64wn80. The distance between the two locations is 5,584 km. The previous record on this satellite was 5,523 km - set by F4DXV and N1AIA on October 24, 2018.
[ANS thanks Joe Werth, KE9AJ, 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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Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for May 25, 2023
Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/
This week there are no additions or deletions to the weekly AMSAT-NA TLE distribution.
[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]
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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.
Quick list of scheduled contacts and events:
Muslyumovo, Tatarstan, 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 scheduled crewmember is Dmitry Petelin The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Sun 2023-05-28 14:25 UTC
Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre, Dubai, UAE, direct via A68MBR
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The scheduled crewmember is Sultan Al Neyadi KI5VTV The ARISS mentor is ON6TI Contact is go for: Wed 2023-05-31 08:42:20 UTC 66 deg
Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre, Dubai, UAE, direct via A68MBR
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The scheduled crewmember is Sultan Al Neyadi KI5VTV The ARISS mentor is ON6TI Contact is go for: Thu 2023-06-01 07:53:35 UTC 51 deg
Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, 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 scheduled crewmember is Dmitry Petelin The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Thu 2023-06-01 08:10 UTC
Saint Petersburg, 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 scheduled crewmember is Sergey Prokopyev The ARISS mentor is RV3DR Contact is go for Sat 2023-06-10 10:15 UTC
The crossband repeater continues to be active. If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.
Comments on making general contacts
I have been seeing a lot of traffic on Facebook and I suspect on other social media sites with people asking why they are not hearing the crew make general contacts. First off the crew is very busy on the ISS and they simply may not have the time to just pick up the microphone and talk. Also, one needs to be aware of their normal daily schedule. I have listed below the constraints that we at ARISS have to follow in order to schedule the school contacts. Hopefully this will help you better schedule your opportunities.
Typical daily schedule
Wakeup to Workday start= 1.5 hours Workday start to Workday end=12 hours Workday end to Sleep= 2 hours Sleep to wakeup= 8.5 hours
The crew's usual waking period is 0730 - 1930 UTC. The most common times to find a crew member making casual periods are about one hour after waking and before sleeping, when they have personal time. They're usually free most of the weekend, as well.
SSTV events are not that often. So please check out https://www.ariss.org/ for the latest information or watch for the ARISS announcements.
And don’t forget that the packet system is active.
As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol.
ARISS Radio Status
Columbus Module radios: IORS (Kenwood D710GA) – STATUS - Configured. Default mode is for cross band repeater (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). * Powering off for U.S. EVA targeting June 09. OFF June 08 about TBD. ON June 10 about TBD. * Powering off for Russian EVA targeting June 28. OFF June 27 about TBD. ON June 29 about TBD. * Powering off for Russian EVA targeting July 26. OFF July 25 about TBD. ON July 27 about TBD. * Capable of supporting USOS scheduled voice contacts, packet and voice repeater ops.
Service Module radios: IORS (Kenwood D710GA) – STATUS - Configured. Default mode is fo packet operations (145.825 MHz up & down) * Powering off for U.S. EVA targeting June 09. OFF June 08 about TBD. ON June 10 about TBD. * Powering off for Russian EVA targeting June 28. OFF June 27 about TBD. ON June 29 about TBD. * Powering off for Russian EVA targeting July 26. OFF July 25 about TBD. ON July 27 about TBD. * Capable of supporting ROS scheduled voice contacts, packet, SSTV and voice repeater ops.
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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Upcoming Satellite Operations
From Mike, N8MR:
I will be in EN84, EN85 and EN76 from Friday, May 26 thru Monday, May 29. Using an Icom 9700, Arrow antenna and SAT controller. Listening for Europe for eastern passes. All QSOs going to LoTW as N8MR.
Major Roves: I post ’em as soon as I know about ’em. Just be aware that I still work roughly 60 hours a week. Tnx!
Please submit any additions or corrections to k5zm (at) comcast (dot) net.
[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, 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.
+ AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting October 20-21, 2013 Dallas, Texas
AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.
AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says,
"Think a 75-minute presentation on "working the easy satellites" would be appropriate for your club or event? Let me know by emailing me at k6lcsclint (at) gmail (dot) com or calling me at 909-999-SATS (7287)!"
Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+ presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences. An email message received after a recent presentation:
"I really enjoyed Clint's presentation last night. The fact that he had taken the time to research and know something about his audience and welcomed interaction made it very informative and enjoyable. This was a refreshing change from many canned YouTube presentations I've tried to watch, which were poorly done, fuzzy video or muddy audio, or a badly prepared presenter stumbling his way through, with any valuable info lost along the way. Thanks for hooking this one up."
[ANS thanks Clint Bradford, K6LCS, and AMSAT for the above information]
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Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ John Shoffner, KO4MJC, pilot of the Axios Space AX-2 mission, was reported to have made casual QSOs from the ISS via the ISS repeater on May 25, 2023. (Thanks to ARISS for this information)
+ The Tevel-3 and Tevel-6 satellites will be active through May 29, 2023 at 18:35 UTC. Downlink frequency = 436.400 MHz, Uplink frequency = 145.970MHz NO PL tone. (Thanks David Greenberg, 4X1DG, for this information)
+ Four CubeSats developed by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) were launched on a Korean NURI rocket this past week. These CubeSats were not IARU coordinated and the downlink of one of the satellites is on 437.800 MHz. This has the potential to cause QRM to the ISS FM repeater. (Thanks PE0SAT for the above information)
+ URESAT Antonio de Nebrija is expected to launch on the SpaceX Transporter-8 mission on June 8th. Details available at https://www-ure-es.translate.goog/uresat-antonio-de-nebrija-sera-lanzado-el-... (Thanks to URE for the above information)
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73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
This week's ANS Editor,
Paul Stoetzer, N8HM n8hm [at] amsat.org