AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-221
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-UK Colloquium Video and Powerpoint Available On-line * CW Contest Milestone * SpaceJam-3 Introduces Scouts to Amateur Radio in Space * UT Austin Requests Help to Track BEVO1 * Satellite shorts * ITAR Update * ARISS Status - 03 August 2009
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-221.01 AMSAT-UK Colloquium Video and Powerpoint Available On-line
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 221.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. August 9, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-221.01
The videos of the presentations at this years successful AMSAT-UK Colloquium in Guildford are now available to watch on the British Amateur Television Club (BATC) website
Among the fascinating video presentations are:
+ FUNcube, the new AMSAT-UK linear transponder satellite project by Graham Shirville G3VZV + AMSAT-NA Update by Drew Glasbrenner KO4MA + AMSAT-DL Update by Peter Guelzow DB2OS + Electronics and Teddy Bears: A Near-Space Adventure" by Ed Moore M0TEK and Fergus Noble M0NBL, Cambridge University + Engineers Wanted! Tempting Teenagers to Explore Technology by Garry Bulmer, Software Architect + Medium Earth Orbits by David Bowman G0MRF
All 18 videos can be seen at http://www.batc.tv/ Click on the "Film Archive" icon on the left to see all the videos available then select the video you wish to see (they start with 2009 AMSAT). To see the video full screen click on the icon at the bottom of the video player.
PDFs of the slides from the presentations can be found on the AMSAT-UK website at: http://www.uk.amsat.org/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,278/
Thanks to the BATC for recording and editing the videos (a time consuming job) as well providing this invaluable video service at batc.tv for the Amateur Satellite community.
[ANS thanks Trevor, M5AKA for the above information]
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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-221.02 CW Contest Milestone
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 221.02 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. August 9, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-221.02
FOR RELEASE: Immediate (August 4, 2009)
2008 CQ World Wide CW Contest Marks Major Milestone for K0DQ Becomes Possibly the Only Person Ever to Win All Six Major Ham Radio Contests
Scott Redd, K0DQ, operating the 2008 CW weekend of the CQ World Wide DX Contest from Aruba as P40Q, racked up over a million more points than his closest competitor in the Single-Operator Low Power Class, and became perhaps the only person ever to win single-op world championships in all six major ham radio DX contests.
"I don't know of anyone else" who has won all the major contests, said CQWW Contest Director Bob Cox, K3EST, in announcing the results, which will be published in the September issue of CQ magazine.
Scott had his first taste of contest victory back in 1966, as a young Navy officer posted to Uruguay and operating CX2CO in the phone weekend of the CQ World Wide DX Contest. Over the succeeding years, Scott worked his way through the Navy ranks to Vice Admiral and became Commander of the Fifth Fleet, then served as a civilian in the Iraq Coalition P rovisional Authority and as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center before retiring in late 2007. But ham radio and contesting were never far away, and operating from Mexico as XE1IIJ in the early 1970s, Scott won single-op world championships in the CQWW Phone Contest, the ARRL DX Phone and CW Contests and the CQ WPX Phone Contest. Thirty years later, when his professional life permitted a little more hamming time, Scott added the WPX CW crown as P41P, operating from P43P's station in Aruba, in 2002. The only prize that eluded him -- until now -- was the CQWW CW.
"I've been trying like a son-of-a-gun to win (the) CQ World Wide CW," Scott commented in a 2008 interview with CQ. "I've come in number two, I've come in number three, but I've never won that one . so that's still my goal, every time I get close, in CQ World Wide CW, to win the world."
When informed that he had finally achieved that goal, K0DQ said, "I guess the message is if you keep at it long enough good things happen. In this case, four decades. It's been a great ride ... and it's still magic!"
CQ congratulates Scott -- already a member of the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame, for his contesting achievements on top of all his other achievements.
[ANS thanks CQ Magazine for the above information]
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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-221.03 SpaceJam-3 Introduces Scouts to Amateur Radio in Space
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 221.03 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. August 9, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-221.03
While the world was watching replays of the history making moon walk last week, dozens of Illinois Boy Scouts were taking their first steps toward space technology.
Space Jam 3 got off the ground last week with a high altitude balloon launch in Rantoul, Illinois. Space Jam is sponsored by DePauw University. It's purpose is to get Scouts into technology.
With assistance from the Vermillion County Amateur Radio Asso- ciation, they were able to launch a helium filled balloon and use the cross band repeater for amateur radio contacts across the Midwest.
The longest radio contact occurred when the balloon reached the 99-thousand foot level. Two stations, one in Walbridge, Ohio the other in Mexico, Missouri, completed a 470 mile QSO.
On the ground, Dave Cline KB9ZMF, said he thought 200 Boy Scouts were on the radios throughout the Space Jam. They also worked on high tech merit badges in Space Exploration, Aviation, Radio & Electronics and on Nuclear Science Composite Materials
Talking with Astronaut Robert Thirsk, VA3CSA, onboard the Inter- national Space Station, topped the weekend Space Jam activities. Space Jam Four is already being planned for August of 2010.
[ANS thanks Amateur Radio NewslineT Report 1668 - July 31 2009 for the above information]
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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-221.04 UT Austin Requests Help to Track BEVO1
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 221.04 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. August 9, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-221.04
Last week STS-127 deployed DragonSat last week via its Space Shuttle Picosatellite Launcher (SSPL) system. Dragonsat was the designation for both Aggiesat2 and Bevo1 (DragonSat = AggieSat2 + BEVO1). They were ejected together from the SSPL, but it appears that they failed to separate.
As of ANS press time still no signals have been received from BEVO1, although beacon packets were heard from AggieSat2. The current theory on the state of the satellites is that only partial separation occur- red. The inhibit switches keeping the satellites powered off have been closed, allowing the satellites to boot up. However, it is likely that the antennas did not deploy correctly, leaving the antennas disconnec- ted from their respective transmitters. AggieSat2 transmits with 1W of power so it is easier to hear, while BEVO1 only transmits with 200mW during beacon mode.
AggieSat-2 transmits on 436.250 MHz using a proprietary data format.
BEVO1 Downlink Information:
Beacon Mode Downlink Freq: 437.325 MHz Modulation: FM, 200mW, Morse Code, ~20 WPM
Data Mode Downlink Freq: 437.325 MHz Modulation: GMSK, 1W, 9600 baud, AX.25 (default) FM, 1W, Bell 202, AX.25
UT Austin has also posted some pictures here: http://paradigm.ae.utexas.edu/ops/
The 2-line tracking elements are: DRAGONSAT 1 35690U 09038B 09217.97658609 +.00019083 +00000-0 +10072-3 0 00133 2 35690 051.6416 050.8490 0005305 104.3300 255.8301 15.80669917001027
[ANS thanks Karla Vega, KE5FKU for above information]
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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-221.05 Satellite shorts
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 221.05 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. August 9, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-221.05
+AMSAT-UK's FUNcube Amateur Radio satellite project is featured in this week's Electronics Weekly email newletter and a longer article should appear in the next issue of the printed magazine which will also be available in digital format. See http://tinyurl.com/kmlssm for the article in the e-mail newsletter.
A free subscription to the digital version of Electronics Weekly maga- zine is available at: http://www.qssweb.co.uk/controlledcirc/main/index.aspx
Electronics Weekly Magazine is on-line at: http://www.electronicweekly.com/
[ANS thanks Trevor, M5AKA for the above information]
+ Gould, WA4SXM reported the AO-51 Command Team has set the satellite into the following configuration: FM repeater V/U (620 mW) Uplink 145.920 MHz FM Downlink 435.300 MHz FM
FM 9k6 digital (590 mW) L band uplink on 1268.700 MHz Downlink 435.150 MHz FM
+ AMSAT INDIA July News letter is available for download at http://www.amsatindia.org/Newsletter or directly at http://amsatindia.org/Newsletter/AmsatIndia-News-July-09.pdf
+ Makoto, JI5RPT will operate as JD1BLY and Yoshihi, JO1LVZ will operate as JD1BNF from Chichijima, Ogasawara Island, Japan be- tween August 9-15. Satellite operation is planned. QSLs via homecalls. (DXNL DX Newsletter #1635 - Aug 5, 2009)
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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-221.06 ITAR Update
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 221.06 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. August 9, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-221.06
AMSAT Files CJ Requests with US State Department
The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation filed four Commodity Jurisdiction (CJ) requests with the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, US State Department last week. These requests ask that the four commodity groups that AMSAT provided support for AMSAT-DL's Phase 3-E project (SDX, IHU-3, Can-Do! Bus, and thermal design) be transferred to the Department of Commerce and be regulated under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), removing them from ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) managed by the State Department's DDTC.
"Our CJ requests are based upon AMSAT's status as a not- for-profit corporation that adheres to 'open source' and ' public domain' principles where all of our technical activities are freely available through the Internet and publications, such as the "AMSAT Journal", observed AMSAT President Barry Baines, WD4ASW. "Given the open nature of our activities, the focus on scientific and educational purposes of our satellites, and lack of military applications, we believe that our activities in these areas are better suited for EAR rather than ITAR", said Barry.
The CJ requests will be reviewed by the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls as well as other federal agencies such as the Commerce Department and Department of Defense. AMSAT expects this review to take several months before a decision is made by DDTC whether to grant the request.
AMSAT's involvement with P3-E halted in 2006 due to concerns over possible ITAR violations. In January 2009, AMSAT filed a 'Voluntary Disclosure' with DDTC outlining AMSAT's activities with AMSAT-DL and AMSAT-UK on P3-E. In March 2009, DDTC advised AMSAT that ITAR violations did occur but that the case was being closed. AMSAT was admonished not to violate ITAR in the future. Subsequent to receiving DDTC's letter closing the case, AMSAT is now seeking a means to re-establish technical exchanges in support of P3-E while abiding under rules administered by the Commerce Department.
Further details on AMSAT's efforts to comply with ITAR while developing ways which will allow AMSAT satellite builders to work cooperatively with foreign nationals on amateur radio satellite projects will be available in the next issue of the "AMSAT Journal."
[ANS thanks, Barry, WD4ASW, for the above info]
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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-221.07 ARISS Status - 3 August, 2009
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 221.07 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. August 9, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-221.07
1. ARISS School Contact with Space School
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been conducted with the United Space School in Seabrook, Texas on Wednesday, August 5 at 13:47 UTC via telebridge station ON4ISS. The school is a once a year session of high school students that meets annually in the NASA/Clear Lake Area. These students come from around the world for a two week session, during which they stay with local host families while being mentored by astronauts, engineers, and scientists to design a mission to Mars as their team project. Class sessions are held at the University of Houston at Clear Lake. The contact allowed students to learn firsthand what the experience of spaceflight is like. They will use this knowledge in putting together their team project presentation, which they will present to the Houston space community at the end of their session.
2. ARISS Contact with Hospital for Sick Children
On Thursday, July 30, patients of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, Canada participated in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact. Children spoke with Astronaut Robert Thirsk, VA3CSA via telebridge station ON4ISS in Belgium and were able to ask 18 questions about life in space. Nearly 100 people were present for the event and the contact was broadcasted throughout the hospital on closed circuit television.
3. ARISS Contact Between Michael Barratt and Summer Playground Camp
Borough of New Providence, NJ, Summer Playground Camp in New Providence, New Jersey took part in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Thursday, July 30. Ten children asked twenty questions of Expedition 19's Michael Barratt, KD5MIJ in front of an audience of approximately 100 people. This was a town sponsored summer camp activity for elementary school children (K - 6). The New Providence Amateur Radio Club (NPARC) has been involved with this type of camp for the last five years and regularly provides an introduction to amateur radio on the air by setting up HF and VHF stations so that campers may communicate with hams around the world. The ARISS contact was an extension of this activity.
4. ARISS News on Amateur Radio Newsline
On July 31, Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1668 reported on the Scout Space Jamboree in Rantoul, Illinois which included an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact. To view "Ham Radio in Space: Space Jam 3 in Illinois," see: ftp://ftp.arnewsline.org/quincy/News-A/news.txt
5. ARISS International Meeting Minutes Posted
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) team held its annual meeting at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands in June. Minutes are now available and have been posted to the ARISS Web site. See: http://www.rac.ca/ariss/ARISS-I%202009%20Annual%20Mtg%20final%20edit%20minut es.doc
6. ARRL Articles on FUNcube
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) posted a Web story on a new AMSAT-UK (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) satellite project, FUNcube. FUNcube is a cubesat which will educate youth about radio, electronics and physics. For more information, see: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/07/29/10985/?nc=1 The article may also be found in the ARRL Letter: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/09/0731/
7. SuitSat-2 Demo
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) SuitSat-2 prototype was demonstrated at the Microchip Master's conference which was held in Phoenix on July 29 - August 1. See: https://secure.microchip.com/usmasters/EveningEvents.aspx
8. De Winne Comments on Importance of Amateur Radio on ISS
During a recent Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact, Astronaut Frank De Winne was asked about the importance of amateur radio on the ISS. He answered that the radio was an important means of psychological support. The audio of this contact may be found on the ARISS-Europe Web site. See: http://www.ariss-eu.org/2009_07_31.htm
9. ARISS Teleconference Minutes Posted
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) team held its monthly meeting on Tuesday, July 21. Agenda items included a recap of the face-to-face meeting held in the Netherlands and the status of the SuitSat-2 project. The minutes have been posted. See: http://www.rac.ca/ariss/arisstel2009-07-21.htm
10. MAI-75 Experiments Planned
MAI-75 (Moscow Aviation Institute) experiments are planned for August 3 and 4. The VC-H1 unit will run in auto mode (Robot-36 and transmitting once every 3 minutes) and should be operational on 145.800 MHz from approximately 0800-1600 UTC each day. Information on the MAI-75 experiment is available at: http://www.energia.ru/eng/iss/researches/education-26.html
11. Astronaut Training Status - Simulated Contact Scheduled
A simulated contact is planned for Thursday, August 6 at approximately 13:30 UTC. The contact will be between Euro Space Camp (ESC) and Paolo Nespoli, IZ0JPA. Audio should be available on EchoLink and IRLP (Internet Radio Linking Project). The training session is a terrestrial-based amateur radio contact using Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) equivalent equipment.
[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, Dee Interdonato, NB2F nb2f at amsat dot org