MM3YCG said :

Hi all, Does anyone know or have they heard any more regarding the special certificate being issued by AMSAT India for having a QSO on the VO 52 satellite as was mentioned In a previous posting on this digest as I am unable to find any Information regarding this anywhere ??

Callum, I am about to send some cards, but haven't heard anything further. Here is the original AMSAT Bulletin from ANS a few weeks back. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-039.01 AMSAT India Sponsors VO-52 Operating Certificate

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 039.01

From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.

February 8, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-039.01

Nitin, VU3TYG announced AMSAT India will issue a certificate for Amateur Radio operators who establish two way contact thru VO-52 between January 26, 2009 until May 5, 2009.

The first fifty certificates have been sponsored by a well-wisher which includes postage. After the 50 certificates have been issued a fee will apply. AMSAT India will announce these details when the information is available.

Please send your QSL card containing the details of the QSO on VO-52 AMSAT India at the following address:

AMSAT India (Regd.) No. 201, 2nd Main Road, Mahalakshmi Layout, Bangalore 560086 India.

Also include your mailing address where you would like to have the certificate sent to.

[ANS thanks Nitin, VU3TYG for the above information]

/EX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have only indoor antennas currently, but work VO-52 fairly reliably. (Not enough muscle to get thru on the orbiting repeaters...)

There was also a report recently about the upcoming launch of ANUSAT. http://www.spacemart.com/reports/ISRO_To_Launch_A_Breakthrough_Satellite_999... I haven't seen any details, but mention was made of store and forward... Perhaps it will perform as an APRS digipeater as well as a BBS. That might be useful I would think. 73 for now /;^)