AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-329
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.
You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
In this edition:
* Fox-1Cliff Launch Scheduled for 28-Nov-2018 at 18:32 UTC * Robert Bankston, KE4AL, Elected AMSAT Vice-President of User Services * Fox-1Cliff Launch - Your Help is Needed! * ESA Announces "First Telemetry" Contest for ESEO * Happy 5th Birthday FUNcube-1 * FCC Dismisses AMSAT's 2004 Petition for Reconsideration * Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule * Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-329.01 ANS-329 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 329.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE November 25, 2018 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-329.01
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ 2019 is AMSAT's 50th Anniversary! Watch this space for announcements of special events coming in 2019 Get ready to help celebrate with us at the Hamvention Symposium 2019 promises to be a special event Stand by for 50th anniversary operating events and awards +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Fox-1Cliff Launch Scheduled for 28-Nov-2018 at 18:32 UTC
SpaceX has announced that the SSO-A: Smallsat Express mission is scheduled for launch on November 28, 2018.
The SSO-A mission will carry several amateur radio satellites, including AMSAT's Fox-1Cliff, FUNcube on ESEO, JY1-SAT, K2SAT, and ExseedSat.
The launch window opens at 18:31:47 UTC and will extend for approx- imately 30 minutes each day.
[ANS thanks SpaceX and AMSAT for the above information]
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+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ For a limited time, new and rewewing AMSAT members will receive a free digital copy of "Getting Started with Amateur Satellites" Join or renew your AMSAT membership today at https://www.amsat.org/product-category/amsat-membership/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
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Robert Bankston, KE4AL, Elected AMSAT Vice-President of User Services
AMSAT President Joe Spier, K6WAO recently forwarded the name of Robert Bankston, KE4AL of Dothan, AL, to the AMSAT Board of Directors. Robert, who was this year's AMSAT Symposium Chairman, has an MBA from Troy University and is a Certified Public Accountant.
On Tuesday, November 20, 2018, Robert was elected by the Board as Vice-President of User Services. "I want to welcome Robert to the Executive Team in filling a position that has been vacant for far too long. Robert has taken on the task of essentially providing the AMSAT membership with the services that our members expect in the 21st century. I look forward to working with him." said Joe.
The AMSAT Vice-President of User Services is the team leader for the AMSAT News Service (ANS), the AMSAT Journal, Dayton Hamvention, Contests and Awards, AMSAT Ambassadors, AMSAT Nets, AMSAT Website, and Electronic Communications.
"With the AMSAT Golden Jubilee this next year, the VP, User Services will be hard work, exciting, and fun!"
[ANS thanks Joe Spier, K6WAO, AMSAT President, for the above information]
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Fox-1Cliff Launch – Your Help is Needed!
*** Please share this information through all of your club and group news outlets! ***
Following the successful launch and deployment of Fox-1Cliff, all amateur radio satellite enthusiasts can play an important part in the commissioning of the new satellite. Telemetry helps us tremendously, starting ASAP after startup (~59 minutes after deployment*) and for the next 72-96 hours at least (for the life of the satellite is preferred!) as we look for successful startup, watch the general health and function as the satellite begins to acclimate to space, and start to perform the on orbit checkout. The first station to successfully receive and submit telemetry to the AMSAT server will receive a special 3D printed QSL card acknowledging their contribution.
If you are capturing telemetry with FoxTelem, please be sure that “Upload to Server” is checked in your settings and your Ground Station Params are filled in as well. You can help AMSAT and everyone waiting to get on the air with Fox-1Cliff tremendously, by capturing Fox-1Cliff telemetry.
In the initial Safe Mode after startup, which we actually call Beacon Mode, the transmitter is limited to 10 seconds on time then does the two minutes off cycle. For those of you capturing telemetry, that means that you will only see Current frames and no High or Low frames because the High and Low are truncated as it takes just over 10 seconds to send two frames. You will hear Veronica announcing “Fox-1Cliff Safe Mode” while in Beacon Mode.
We will likely leave the satellite in Beacon Mode for 24 hours to observe power telemetry. If we are seeing good readings from what you gather, when it comes over the U.S. for the first good pass after that holding period we will command it from Beacon Mode to normal Safe Mode. That puts Fox-1Cliff in full (still Safe Mode though) operation and transmits a full two frames of telemetry which is one Current frame followed by, and alternating each ID cycle, a High or a Low frame.
We will begin the rest of the in orbit checklist activities at that time, and it is expected to take 7 to 10 days given the Thanksgiving holiday.
Help your friends and all of our satellite ham friends get on the air and have fun sooner by being polite and patient!
The in orbit checkout procedure is similar to Fox-1D and could be completed in as little as 7 days if we have the cooperation of the users. It is very important, not to mention just plain good Amateur Operating Practice, to refrain from using the transponder uplink so we can do the on orbit tests, including when we turn on transponder mode for testing. I cannot stress enough, the importance of this cooperation not just for us but also for all users, simply having a little patience so we can conduct the tests as quickly and accurately as possible.
AMSAT will make it broadly known when the tests are complete and the transponder is available for all to use. If you hear someone on the transponder, please do not assume that it is open for general use – check our website, Facebook, Twitter, to be sure you are not accidentally jumping in with and unwittingly causing interference as well.
Many hams put thousands of volunteer hours of their time into making Fox-1Cliff happen. Just like any ham radio project you might undertake, we build satellites. We do it because we like to, and when we are done, we freely share our project with hams everywhere as is the spirit of amateur radio. I have to say though, that the incidents we have experienced in the past with stations intentionally disregarding the command stations requests to keep the frequency clear during testing not only delays the commissioning, but also negatively impacts the enthusiasm that our volunteers feel toward handing over a new bird to the members and users as soon as possible.
I am asking all satellite hams to contribute just a little bit of your time to the fun now, by being patient and just gathering telemetry, not using the transponder uplink, and helping us complete the last few days of getting Fox-1Cliff in orbit and operating for all of you.
Thank you very much, see you on the bird!
Jerry Buxton, N0JY (AMSAT VP Engineering)
*Time of deployment will be made generally available through AMSAT as soon as Spaceflight provides the information to us.
[ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT Vice President-Engineering for the above information]
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+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Purchase AMSAT Gear on our Zazzle storefront. 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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ESA Announces "First Telemetry" Contest for ESEO
To celebrate the launch of the European Student Earth Orbiter (ESEO), ESA's Education Office challenges the amateur radio community to listen out to be first to hear the new spacecraft orbiting Earth.
ESEO is currently due to be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, as part of the SSO-A launch; spacecraft separation and activation is scheduled at about 2 hours 13 minutes after launch.
About two minutes after being deployed into its final orbit, ESEO will begin transmitting with its beacon signals to Earth that can be picked up by anyone with common amateur radio equipment. ESA challenges anyone to send to [email protected] the recording of the signal of the 437.00 MHz signal received from ESEO during its pass in visibility of their ground station.
For one week after the ESEO launch, the first email coming from each continent (America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Oceania, Antartica), sent by radio-amateurs who recorded the signals received from ESEO, for which the signal recorded is confirmed to belong to ESEO, will be awarded an official ESA Education shirt of the ESEO mission.
More information about ESEO can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/ANS-329-ESEO1
ESEO UHF Beacon Information: Frequency: 437.00 MHz Transmission Format: https://tinyurl.com/ANS-329-ESEO2 Modulation Format: GFSK Beacon schedule: + Every 1 minute when in safe mode and just after deployment during the de-tumbling phase + Every 1 minutes when in sunlight + Every 5 minutes when in eclipse Telemetry equations are documented at: https://tinyurl.com/ANS-329-ESEO3
What your email should contain: + An IQ recording in a recognised format + Your Name + Your Callsign (if any!) + Snailmail address for delivery of your polo shirt + Reception time of the beacon + Details of any telemetry decoded + Your Location + A few lines about your equipment
Access the full press release at: https://tinyurl.com/ANS-329-ESEO4
[ANS thanks the European Space Agency for the above information]
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Happy 5th Birthday FUNcube-1
Five years ago, on November 21, 2013, FUNcube-1 launched into space. Soon, we hope to welcome ESEO (FUNcube-4) and JY1SAT (FUNcube-6) into space. A remarkable achievement by the radio amateur volunteers of AMSAT-UK and AMSAT-NL.
See https://amsat-uk.org/2018/11/21/happy-5th-birthday-funcube-1/ for more information.
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT and ARISS are currently supporting a FundRazr campaign to raise $150,000 for critical radio infrastructure upgrades on ISS. The upgrades are necessary to enable students to continue to talk to astronauts in space via Amateur Radio. We have reached a great milestone with $15,645 raised or about 10% towards our goal. This would not have been possible without your outstanding generosity!!
For more information and to DONATE TODAY visit:
https://fundrazr.com/arissnextgen?ref=ab_e7Htwa_ab_47IcJ9 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
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FCC Dismisses AMSAT's 2004 Petition for Reconsideration
On November 15, 2018, the Federal Communications Commission approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order on Reconsideration regarding mitigation of orbital debris. In the Order on Reconsider- ation, the Commission dismissed AMSAT's 2004 Petition for Reconsider- ation of the Commission's 2004 orbital debris regulations as applied to amateur satellites.
AMSAT released a statement on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and dismissal of the Petition for Reconsideration:
"For nearly 60 years, amateur radio hobbyists, experimenters, and researchers from AMSAT, other amateur radio organizations, and universities worldwide have pioneered numerous satellite tech- nologies, including inter-satellite communication links, search-and- rescue satellite systems (SARSAT), reception of GPS signals at altitudes above the GPS constellation, and the use of commercial off-the-shelf components in space while accomplishing this with smaller and smaller satellites. We look forward to working with the FCC to craft a regulatory framework that addresses the growing concerns regarding orbital debris while preserving the flexibility for hobbyists, experimenters, and researchers to access a variety of orbits."
The full text of the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order on Reconsideration can be found at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-18-159A1.pdf
[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information]
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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule
IMP Aerospace & Defence, Goffs, NS, Canada, telebridge via IK1SLD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled astronaut is Serena Aunon-Chancellor KG5TMT Contact was successful: Sat 2018-11-24 19:05:09 UTC 50 deg (***)
Ecole Primaire Jean Jaurès et Arnaud, Troyes, France, telebridge via IK1SLD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled astronaut is Serena Aunon-Chancellor KG5TMT Contact is go for: Tue 2018-11-27 16:28:57 UTC 34 deg
If you are interested in applying for an ARISS contact, please go to http://www.ariss.org/apply-to-host-an-ariss-contact.html
[ANS thanks ARISS for the above information]
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Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ Randy, K7AGE has released a video of the November 2018 AMSAT Symposium in Huntsville Al. The video highlights are at : https://youtu.be/bS3Y12dyyD0 (K7AGE on Twitter)
+ James WX4TV wrote, "Watch the DX Clusters for N4P." This will be for the Dry Tortugas National Park DXpedition that we are doing from December 14-17. They will be on 80m, 40m, 20m, 17m, and the FM satellites. (WX4TV via Facebook)
+ John, N7AME, will be in Hawaii December 3 - 14 and will on two islands, Oahu and Maui. He hopes to rove BL01, BL10 and BL11. The Hawaiian Islands appear to have ten (10) different grids and he hopes he could work all of them. Contacts are planned to be worked on AO91 and AO92. (John N7AME johnv at frontier.com)
+ The C. A. Muller Radio Astronomy Station (PI9CAM) has posted an article about photographing the far side of the moon with the LO-94 amateur radio satellite. https://tinyurl.com/ANS-329-PI9CAM (PI9CAM)
[ANS thanks everyone 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 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 and remember to do your part to help Keep Amateur Radio In Space,
This week's ANS Editor,
Paul Stoetzer, N8HM N8HM at amsat.org