AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-161
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation service of AMSAT North America, 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.
******************************************************************** * * * Deadline For AMSAT Board of Directors Nominations is June 15 * * See More Information Below * * * ********************************************************************
In this edition:
* AMSAT-NA Facebook Group moves to New Group Page * Deadline For AMSAT Board of Directors Nominations is June 15 * New Items in AMSAT Store * First Amateur Radio Transmissions from Lunar Orbit and Subsequent Test Plan * US Schools/Groups Move Into Phase 2 of ARISS Selections * Call for Volunteers, ANS Seeks Rotating Editors * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-161.01 ANS-161 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 161.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
June 10, 2018 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-161.01
AMSAT Facebook Group Moves to New Facebook Group Page
The AMSAT-NA group that has existed for over a decade, no longer serves as the official Facebook group of AMSAT. Please join us at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/752128438309103/
Shortly, the AMSAT logo and name will be removed from this group's pages in accordance with Facebook's Intellectual Property Policy.
AMSAT officers and board members no longer hold any role on that particular group and Facebook's policy is, the creator of the group, owns that group's resources.
For the most current information and discussion about AMSAT's activities, please join us on our new group. This new group has been placed under corporate ownership under legal advice and to insure the latest information and discussion from AMSAT.
[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information]
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Deadline For AMSAT Board of Directors Nominations is June 15
It's time to submit nominations for the upcoming AMSAT-NA Board of Directors election. Three directors' terms expire this year: Tom Clark, K3IO, Mark Hammond, N8MH, and Bruce Paige, KK5DO. In addition, up to two Alternates may be elected for one-year terms.
A valid nomination requires either one Member Society or five current individual members in good standing to nominate an AMSAT-NA member for Director. Written nominations, consisting of the nominee's name and call, and the nominating individual's names, calls and individual signatures should be mailed to:
AMSAT-NA, 10605 Concord St, #304 Kensington, MD 20895-2526.
In addition to traditional submissions of written nominations, which is the preferred method, the intent to nominate someone may be made by electronic means. These include e-mail, fax, or electronic image of a petition. Electronic petitions should be sent to martha@amsat.org or faxed to (301)822-4371.
No matter what means is used, petitions MUST arrive no later than June 15th at the AMSAT-NA office. If the nomination is a traditional written nomination, no other action is required. If it is other than this, i.e. electronic, a verifying traditional written petition MUST be received at the AMSAT-NA office at the above address within 7 days following the close of nominations on June 15th.
ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS WITHOUT THIS SECOND, WRITTEN VERIFICATION ARE NOT VALID UNDER THE EXISTING AMSAT-NA BYLAWS.
(Editor's Note: Nominating and electing your Board of Directors is your most important benefit of being an AMSAT member.)
[ANS thanks AMSAT Office for the above information]
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New Items in AMSAT Store
The AMSAT Store has three new items. New for 2018 is the AMSAT Hat. Now available in sizes Small (which fits small/medium sized heads) and Large (which fits large/xlarge size heads).
We also have the new for 2018 T-Shirts in multiple sizes and the 2018 Golf Shirt in multiple sizes.
Only small amount of each has been inventoried, as such the AMSAT office is still unpacking boxes. As soon as an accurate count for each size and item is acquired, an appropriate update to the site will be made.
(Editor's Note: Also available is the 2018 "Getting Started" Guide)
[ANS thanks Bruce KK5DO for the above information]
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First Amateur Radio Transmissions from Lunar Orbit and Subsequent Test Plan
On 2 Jun and 3 Jun we had 2 successfully tests on the UHF downlink of DSLWP-B after lunar orbit insertion. BY2HIT and PI9CAM team successfully decoded 39 GMSK packets from the satellite. SP5ULN and M0IEB also detected signals from the satellite with much smaller antenna, but the decode was not fully successful.
Two weeks ago, when the satellites were launched on 20 May, UHF signals from both satellites was received by PY2SDR, CD3NDC, PY4ZBZ and N6RFM.
The subsequent tests are planned from 4 Jun 22:00 UTC to 5 Jun 00:00 UTC, and from 5 Jun 08:00 UTC to 5 Jun 10:00 UTC. The mode is 250 bps GMSK for both 435.4 MHz and 436.4 MHz.
Tracking file updates can be found on: https://github.com/bg2bhc/dslwp_dev or http://lilacsat.hit.edu.cn/tle/program_tracking_dslwp-b.txt
[ANS thanks Wei BG2BHC for the above information]
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US Schools/Groups Move Into Phase 2 of ARISS Selections
June 08, 2018 - The ARISS-US Team (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) is pleased to announce schools or organizations submitting proposals have been selected to advance to the next stage of planning to host amateur radio contacts from January to June 2019. The contacts will be with International Space Station (ISS) crew members using the ARISS equipment on the ISS. A review team of teachers from the ARISS-US Education Committee selected proposals after the recent proposal window closed. The groups will go forward to Phase 2, developing an amateur radio equipment plan to host a scheduled ARISS contact.
ARISS's primary goal is to engage people in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities, and involve them in pursuits related to space exploration, amateur radio, communications, and associated areas of study and career options. Cord Davidson, KD5J, at Central Magnet Middle School in Batesville, AR, exclaimed after a recent ARISS contact, "ARISS shows how amateur radio is the most unique hobby there is, and from the educator's perspective, what a great way to encourage STEM topics!"
ARISS anticipates that NASA will be able to provide scheduling opportunities for these US host organizations. The candidates must now complete an equipment plan that demonstrates their ability to execute the ham radio contact. Once their equipment plan is approved by the ARISS technical team, the final selected schools / organizations will be scheduled as their availability and flexibility match up with the scheduling opportunities.
The schools and organizations are: Faith Christian Academy, Orlando, FL Hidden Oaks Middle School, Prior Lake, MN Huntington High School, Huntington, TX Moriah Central School, Port Henry, NY NIH-National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences Children's Inn, Bethesda, MD Park Co. Public Library with Boys & Girls Club of the High Rockies, Fairplay, CO Pembroke Junior Senior High School, Corfu, NY
ABOUT ARISS
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States, and other international space agencies and international amateur radio organizations around the world. The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or informal education venues. With the help of experienced amateur radio volunteers from radio clubs and coordination from the ARISS team, the ISS crew members speak directly with large group audiences in a variety of public forums such as school assemblies, science centers and museums, scout camporees, jamborees and space camps, where students, teachers, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies and amateur radio.
This is an excellent opportunity to become involeved while directly supporting the AMSAT mission on a regular basis.
Find more information at www.ariss.org, and also www.amsat.organd www.arrl.org
[ANS thanks ARISS and Dave for the above information]
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Call for Volunteers, ANS Seeks Rotating Editors
The AMSAT News Service (ANS) is seeking volunteers to serve as rotating editors for its weekly newsletter.
Editors work on a rotating schedule, each taking a different turn editing a specific week's newsletter as scheduled by the ANS Editor in Chief. Editors support each other by seeking and reporting to the Editor of the week, information and resources of interest to the AMSAT community. The number of newsletters assigned will be dependent upon the number of available editors at any given time. The average editor can expect to spend, on average, 4-5 hours for each newsletter, dependent on available material. Prospective editors are required to be AMSAT members in good standing and have a genuine interest in satellite operation and an understanding of AMSAT's mission. Former editing experience is a plus but not required.
If interested, please submit an inquiry, including your contact information to ans-editor@amsat.com.
[ANS thanks the ANS editors for the above information]
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ARISS News
Recent Successful Contacts:
+ 2018-05-15 08:22 UTC between Scott Tingle KG5NZA (Exp 54), using ISS callsign NA1SS, and University of the Philippines Integrated School, Quezon City, Philippines. Contact was telebridge via W6SRJ. ARISS Mentor was Satoshi 7M3TJZ.
+ 2018-05-22 08:53 UTC between Scott Tingle KG5NZA (Exp 54), using ISS callsign NA1SS and Viktor Rydberg Gymnasium, Stockholm, Sweden. Contact was telebridge via K6DUE. ARISS Mentor was Eskil SM5SRR.
+ 2018-05-23 11:06 UTC between Ricky Arnold KE5DAU (Exp 55), using ISS callsign NA1SS ands Janusz Kusocinski Primary School No. 71, Poznan, Poland. Contact was telebridge via W6SRJ Contact was live Streamed via https://ariss.pzk.org.pl/live/ ARISS Mentor was Armand SP3QFE.
+ 2018-05-31 16:58 UTC Ricky Arnold KE5DAU (Exp 55), using ISS callsign NA1SS and Sterrenschool De Globetrotter, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Contact was telebridge via VK4KHZ. ARISS Mentor was Bertus PE1KEH
Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule
There are no contacts scheduled for the coming week.
The following astronauts are currently on board the ISS: Ricky Arnold KE5DAU Serena Aunon-Chancellor KG5TMT Alexander Gerst KF5ONO
[ANS thanks ARISS, Charlie AJ9N and David AA4KN for the above information]
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Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ May/June 2018 Apogee View Posted
The May/June 2018 edition of Apogee View, an update on AMSAT's activities from AMSAT President Joe Spier, K6WAO, has been posted to the AMSAT website:
https://www.amsat.org/apogeeview/
[ANS thanks N8HM for the above information]
+ Astronaut Drew Morgan who will be joining Luca Parmitano, KF5KDP and Alexander Skvortsov on the ISS during Expedition 60 has acquired his Technician Class license and has been assigned callsign KI5AAA.
http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=4049809
[ANS thanks Kenneth N5VHO for the above information]
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/EX
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 addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.
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 stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information.
73, This week's ANS Editor, EMike McCardel, AA8EM aa8em at amsat dot org