AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-101

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.

In this edition:

* ARISS commemorative event (April 11-14) * AMSAT KEPs Redistribution Approved for 2016-2017 * IN81 and IN82 Grid Activation via FM Sats 22 and 24 April * Upcoming Satellite DX * ARISS Contacts and Events * Geostationary / Geosynchronous Amateur Satellite Transponders * AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-101.01 ANS-101 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 080.01 From AMSAT HQ Kensington, MD. April 10, 2016 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-101.01

ARISS commemorative event (April 11-14)

Looks like all the pieces are starting to fall into place for the long awaited SSTV event. The schedule is shaping up to look like this:

* Setup and activation on April 11 about 18:25 UTC. * Paused April 12 from 12:15 until 14:15 UTC to allow for a school contact with Romania. * Paused April 13 from 12:45 until 14:30 UTC to allow for a school contact with Argentina. * Deactivation on April 14 at 11:35 UTC.

This opportunity should cover most of the world during the operational period.The image transmissions should be on 145.800 MHz and the mode is planned to be PD180.

In addition, MAI-75 will be conducting two sessions afterwards. The first one is April 14 from 14:45 until 18:00 UTC. The second session is on April 15 from 14:10 until 19:00 UTC. These times do not cross N. America but will provide opportunities for Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia and S. America.

As always, all operations aboard the ISS are subject to change and everyone interested in this activity should be vigilant and patient."

John KG4AKV has an "ISS SSTV Reception Hints" webpage which may help: https://spacecomms.wordpress.com/iss-sstv-reception-hints/

[ANS thanks ARISS for the above information]

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AMSAT KEPs Redistribution Approved for 2016-2017

AMSAT's request to re-distribute US Air Force Space Command Keplerian elements from SpaceTrack has been approved for the period April 1, 2016 to April 1, 2017. Our USSTRATCOM ODR (Orbital Data Request) to distribute the KEPs was approved on March 17, 2016.

Thanks to AFSPC, Perry Klein, W3PK and Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P for their help in this process.

We are "good to go" for another year.

[ANSS thanks Ray, WA5QGD, for the above information]

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IN81 and IN82 Grid Activation via FM Sats 22 and 24 April

Felix, EA4GQS reports that he plans to activate grids IN81 and IN82 as EA4GQS/P via the FM satellites. He will be be traveling to these grids during April 22-24. He said he will post his available passes on the Satellite and Space Communications forum at QRZ.com. He will confirm via LoTW.

[ANS thanks Felix, EA4GQS for the above information]

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Upcoming Satellite DX

4A. MEXICO (Bird Op, Special Event). Operators Ismael/XE1AY and David/XE3DX will be active using the special event callsign 4A1DX between now and June 14th. Activity is to celebrate 11th anniversary of the Grupo DXXE, Mexico's top contest and DX radio club. Operations will be on the satellite, FM only (**SO-50, AO-85 y Lilacsat-2). The QSL Manager is Dick, N7RO, direct or by the Bureau (Make sure your Bureau QSL card is clearly marked via N7RO). Don't send your QSL cards to the Mexican Bureau; they will not be answered because they have no QSLs. They will be uploading the log to LoTW and ClubLog at the end of their operation (June 2016). QSOs with this station are also good for the DXXE Award. ADDED NOTE: The special event callsign 4A1DX is also active on all HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY, PSK31, JT65 and EME. QSL Manager is also N7RO. See QRZ.com under 4A1DX for more details

VP5, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. John, NW4JG, informs OPDX that he is a resident of the Turks and Caicos Island of Providenciales (NA-002) and has just received the callsign VP5VJG (about a week ago). He mentions, "It is very difficult to get a VP5 callsign. About 5 years working with a tourist temporary permit on island." His also states [edited], "I operate with an Icom 7200 with PW-1 amp. Antennas are Force 12 (40-10m), M2 (6 meters), and a Alpha Delta dipole (160-10 meters). We live on a hill and the antennas are about 150' above the Southern Atlantic Ocean. I also work all Digital modes. Have finally received on the island all the gear for satellite and EME with Yaesu FT736R, 5500 antenna control... etc." IMPORTANT QSL INFO: John, informs OPDX to QSL via John, Graves, 3075 Ohio Street, Miami, FL 33133, when on island. There is no mail from the island. Also, during the summer he will be in a condo in Montreal: QSL via John Graves, 1605 Rue Docteur-Penfield #601, Montreal,QC, Canada H3H 1B2.

[ANS thanks Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 1258 for the above information]

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ARISS Contacts and Events

Quick list of scheduled contacts and events:

Kiilinik High School, Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada, telebridge via VK4KHZ The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Jeff Williams KD5TVQ Contact was successful: Wed 2016-04-06 18:02:20 UTC 55 deg

H.A.L. School, Lucknow, India, telebridge via W6SRJ The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Jeff Williams KD5TVQ TBD UTC (***)

Valahia University of Targoviste, Targoviste, Romania, direct via The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled astronaut is Jeff Williams KD5TVQ Contact is a go for: Tue 2016-04-12 13:48:06 UTC 79 deg

Colegio Santa Rosa, Yerba Buena, Argentina, direct via LU1KCQ The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Jeff Williams KD5TVQ Contact is a go for: Wed 2016-04-13 14:02:54 UTC 34 deg

USA Science and Engineering Festival, Washington, D.C., telebridge via IK1SLD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled astronaut is Timothy Peake KG5BVI Contact is a go for: Sat 2016-04-16 18:19:28 UTC 78 deg

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The next window to submit a proposal for an upcoming contact is now open. The window is open from 2016-02-15 to 2016-04-15 and would be for contacts between 2017-01-01 and 2017-06-30.

Check out the ARISS website http://www.ariss.org/ or the ARRL website http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact for full details.

[ANS thanks Charlie, AJ9N, for the above information]

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Geostationary / Geosynchronous Amateur Satellite Transponders

EngineerIT magazine reports on the quest by radio amateurs to get transponders on geostationary satellites.

The article quotes President of AMSAT DL, Peter Gülzow DB2OS, and describes the transponders planned for the geostationary Es’Hail-2 satellite, expected to be operational in 2017 at 26 degrees East.

Also mentioned is a project to build a transponder for a US satellite which could be in a geosynchronous orbit around 74 degrees West.

Read the EngineerIT article at http://www.ee.co.za/article/radio-amateurs-quest-geostationary-satellites.ht...

Es’Hail-2 http://amsat-uk.org/satellites/geosynchronous/eshail-2/

AMSAT Phase 4 Update for Palomar Amateur Radio Club November 4, 2015 http://www.ntms.org/files/Feb2016/PARC_4on4.pdf

[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]

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AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites

The AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites has become internationally recognized as the premier conference on small satellites. The annual gathering provides a forum for the best minds in the small satellite community to review recent successes, explore new directions, and introduce emerging technologies in small spacecraft development. In addition to creating an excellent environment for networking and talking with experts in military, science, and academic fields, the Conference offers a program of international relevance, focusing on the key challenges and opportunities facing the small satellite community today.

Proceedings from 1987 to 2015 are available online and can be accessed at: http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/smallsat/

[ANS thanks AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites amd Utah State University for the above information]

/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, In memory of my Mom. Her tireless efforts to help my independent study of math and electronics in high school set me on the path to broadcast engineering, Amateur Satellites, and eventually working as the Eastern Range's Superintendent of Range Operations. Thank's Mom.

Lee McLamb, KU4OS ku4os at amsat dot org