AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-181
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:
* ESA Education Office announce six CubeSats chosen for Phase 1 Initiative * 13 Colonies Special Event Includes Satellite Operations * 2013 AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium Starts July 19, 2013 * Two Lithuanian Amateur Radio CubeSats Plan 2013 Launch To ISS * July Space Station Spacewalks To Be Previewed And Broadcast On NASA TV * Upcoming ARISS Contacts * Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-181.01 ANS-181 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 181.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. June 30, 2013 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-181.01
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ESA Education Office announce six CubeSats chosen for Phase 1 Initiative
Six student teams and their supervisors have gathered at ESA's ESTEC centre in The Netherlands for the kick-off of the new Fly Your Satellite! Programme under the ESA Education Office.
On June 26-28, ESA experts will introduce the objectives and present the activities to be performed during the first phase of the programme.
In January, ESA's Education Office announced the 'Fly Your Satellite!' initiative. This is aimed at offering student teams the opportunity to become familiar with good engineering practice to build and perform satellite testing in order to increase the chances of a successful mission. The 2013 edition of the programme is however only focusing on testing selected university-built satellites that are already at an advanced stage of development.
'Fly Your Satellite!' builds on the success of the 'CubeSats for the Vega Maiden Flight' pilot programme. This culminated in 2012 with the launch of seven student-built CubeSats on the first flight of the new ESA Vega launcher.
The focus of the kick-off meeting will consist of coordinating the activity to be performed during the first phase of Fly Your Satellite! enabling the teams to complete the construction of their satellite. This will include extensive satellite testing in ambient conditions under the supervision of ESA specialists who will decide which satellites should participate in the next phase of the programme.
The second phase will see the satellites tested in the simulated conditions of outer space and in those the satellites will experience at launch. These will include vibration and thermal-vacuum tests.
The six CubeSats chosen for Phase 1 are:
Robusta-1B from France will validate a radiation test methodology for specific transistor components.
Oufti-1 from Belgium will demonstrate the D-STAR digital communication protocol and validate high-efficiency solar cells.
ConSat-1 from Canada will analyse radiation characteristics in the South-Atlantic Anomaly, and test technology payloads.
e-st@r-II from Italy will test an Active-Attitude Determination Control System.
AAUSAT4 from Denmark will test an improved version of student built AIS (Automated Identification System) receivers.
Politech.1 from Spain will carry a student built C-band communication system, a "GEODEYE" Earth Observation camera for academic purposes, and solar wind experiments.
Read the full ESA article at http://www.esa.int/Education/ESA_and_student_teams_kick-off_Fly_Your_Satelli...
Fly Your Satellite! initiative http://www.esa.int/Education/Students_are_you_ready_to_fly_your_satellites_i... space
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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13 Colonies Special Event Includes Satellite Operations
The 13 Colonies Special Event Stations will be active on the air for Independence Week, July 1-6, 2013. Get all of the details at http://www.13colonies.info/
On the high frequency amateur bands the 13 Colonies stations will operate from 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Savings Time (1300Z), on July 1st, to 12:00 PM (midnight) Eastern Daylight Savings Time, July 6 (0400Z, July 7).
The 13 Colonies Satellite Stations will be active as shown in the table below:
STATE SE CALL STATION CALL OPERATOR ----- ------- ------------ -------- NY K2A WB2OQQ Pete VA K2B NL7VX Steve CT K2D WA8SME Mark DE K2E KB2M Jeffrey MD K2F WA3SWJ Bruce MA K2H KB1PVH David NJ K2I KB2M Jeffrey NC K2J N8MH Mark SC K2L K4YYL Art PA K2M WB3U Elizabeth (FM Birds Only) K3BFS Richard (Linear Birds Only)
Any satellite station can work the 13 Colonies states off the birds. Please indicate your contacts are Satellite. More information can be found at http://www.13colonies.info/Satellites.htm
[ANS thanks the 13 Colonies Special Event for the above information]
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2013 AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium Starts July 19, 2013
The 2013 AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium will start late afternoon on Friday, July 19 and will run through until the afternoon on Sunday, July 21 at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ, UK.
It will be preceded by a "Hands-on" CubeSat Workshop. This free workshop will take place at the nearby University of Surrey on Friday, July 19 and this will be followed, at the hotel, by the usual Colloquium "Beginners Session" in the late afternoon.
It is anticipated that both the FUNcube-1 and FUNcube-2 missions will be launched later this year and the FUNcube team will be on hand to talk about the missions and the planned educational outreach. A full demonstration of the Engineering Model, which has been performing flawlessly for almost a year, will also be provided.
Further details and booking information at http://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/colloquium-2013/
[ANS thanks Trevor, M5AKA for the above information]
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Two Lithuanian Amateur Radio CubeSats Plan 2013 Launch To ISS
It is hoped that two Lithuanian satellites will be among the CubeSats sent by Nanoracks LLC to the International Space Station (ISS) on the SpaceX CRS-3 mission in November, 2013. They will be deployed from the ISS by the JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J- SSOD) of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
The Kaunas University of Technology is developing LituanicaSAT-1 while the Lithuanian Space Federation is working on LitSat-1.
2013 is the 80th anniversary of the historic flight by Lithuanian pilots Steponas Darius and Stasys Gire.nas in the airplane Lituanica. On July 15, 1933, they took off from Floyd Bennett Field in New York and flew across the Atlantic Ocean, covering a distance of 6,411 kilometers without landing, in 37 hours and 11 minutes. Tragically they crashed by the village of Kuhdamm, near Soldin, Germany just 650 km from their destination of Kaunas in Lithuania.
LituanicaSAT-1 plans to carry a VGA camera, GPS receiver, 9k6 AX25 FSK telemetry beacon and a 150 mW V/U FM voice transponder.
Links: • Google English web http://tinyurl.com/KosmonautaiLituanicaSAT-1 • Google English Wiki http://tinyurl.com/WikiLituanicaSAT-1 • Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Lituanicasat1
LitSat-1 is understood to be planning a U/V linear transponder for SSB/CW communications.
Links: • Lithuanian Space Association in Google English http://tinyurl.com/LithuanianSpaceAssociation • Facebook https://www.facebook.com/palydovas • Google English article http://tinyurl.com/LitSat-1-Article
Google English article on the two Lithuanian CubeSats http://tinyurl.com/LithuanianCubeSats
1933 Lituanica flight http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuanica
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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JULY SPACE STATION SPACEWALKS TO BE PREVIEWED AND BROADCAST ON NASA TV
WASHINGTON -- Two Expedition 36 astronauts will venture outside the International Space Station twice in July on spacewalks to prepare for a new Russian module and perform additional installations on the station's backbone.
NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston will host a NASA Television briefing to preview the spacewalks at 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday, July 2. Reporters may attend the briefing at Johnson and other participating NASA centers, or ask questions by calling Johnson's newsroom at 281-483-5111 no later than 1:45 p.m. Tuesday.
Briefers will include:
-- David Korth, NASA spacewalk flight director -- Ernest Bell, Spacewalk 22 spacewalk officer -- Karina Eversley, Spacewalk 23 spacewalk officer
Flight Engineers Chris Cassidy of NASA and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency will conduct the spacewalks July 9 and July 16 from the station's Quest airlock. Each spacewalk is scheduled to last 6 1/2 hours. Cassidy and Parmitano will replace a space-to-ground communications receiver and wireless video equipment and install power and cables for a Russian multipurpose laboratory module that will be launched later this year. The new module will serve as a research facility, docking port and airlock for future Russian spacewalks and will replace the Pirs module.
Cassidy, who is designated EV1 for the spacewalks, will wear a U.S. extravehicular mobility suit bearing red stripes. The spacewalks will be the fifth and sixth of Cassidy's career. Parmitano, who is designated EV2, will wear a spacesuit with no stripes and will be making the first two spacewalks of his career. He will become the first Italian astronaut to walk in space. Both spacewalkers will wear helmet cameras to provide up close views of their work.
NASA TV coverage of the spacewalks will begin at 7 a.m. on both July 9
and July 16. Both spacewalks are scheduled to begin at 8:10 a.m. For NASA TV streaming video, schedule and downlink information, visit:
For more information about the International Space Station and its crew, visit:
[ANS thanks NASA for the above information]
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Upcoming ARISS contact with Scuola Secondaria grado "Arturo Toscanini", Capiago Intimiano, Italy and Scuola Media Massimiliano Kolbe, Vercurago, Lecco, Italy
An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Scuola Secondaria 1? grado "Arturo Toscanini", Capiago Intimiano, Italy and Scuola Media Massimiliano Kolbe, Vercurago, Lecco, Italy on 29 June. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 11:50 UTC.
The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a combination of direct and telebridge with the contact starting with IK1SLD, then proceeds to IZ2WLC and finishes back with IK1SLD . The contact should be audible over Italy. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in Italian.
Scuola Secondaria 1? grado "Arturo Toscanini", Capiago Intimiano, Italy
The school is located in Capiago Intimiano, a small town in the north part of Italy, 7 km far from Como. Como and the surrounding area can be clearly seen from space due to the unique shape of Lario lake (like a Y upside down). It tooks the name from "Arturo Toscanini", a famous musician and conductor lived across the end of 19th century and early 20th.
There are 10 classes and the students are from 11 years old to 14.
Scuola Media Massimiliano Kolbe, Vercurago, Lecco, Italy
Local secondary school with students aged from 10 to 14. It's located in a building, built in 1950 by the government, originally used as a sanatorium converted into school in late 1970.
Vercurago is a small town not far from Lecco, built on the shores of Garlate's lake (as it comes out of Lario lake and become Adda river).
Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows:
1. Why did you decide to become an astronaut?
2. How do you recycle water?
3. How did you feel on your first day in space?
4. What are the main characteristics of the Earth seen from space?
5. What was your first impression of the ISS?
6. How the northern lights appear from space?
7. How is life in space for six months with only five other people?
8. What is the most difficult activity you've carried out in space?
9. When you see the Earth from the space, what do you think?
10. How do you treat waste?
11. Is the Sun different seen from the space?
12. How do you shave in space?
13. What do you usually do in your free time?
14. How does life in orbit influence vital functions?
15. When you'll come back to the Earth, what will be the first thing you'll do?
16. When the Earth is in the dark, which are the brightest cities?
17. Can you see pollution on the Earth from the ISS?
18. What kind of studies did you attend to become an astronaut?
19. Which was the strongest emotion you felt when you passed quickly from the Earth to space?
20. What is the human construction visible from the space station?
21. How hard was the training before departure?
22. What do you eat in space?
23. What did you miss more from the earth?
24. Have you ever experimented how spiders build webs in space?
25. Have you ever had any serious technical problems on the ISS?
26. What kind of experiments are you carrying out?
27. What do you like most about your job?
28. What is the most ambitious project for the future?
PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ARISS UPDATES:
Information about the upcoming ARISS contacts can be obtained by subscribing to the SAREX maillist. To subscribe, go to http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/maillist/ and choose "How to Subscribe".
Visit ARISS on Facebook. We can be found at Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS).
To receive our Twitter updates, follow @ARISS_status
Next planned event(s):
1. Association Intercultura Onlus, Frascati, Italy, telebridge
Sat, 06July2013, 17:02 UTC 40 deg via W6SRJ
ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries.
ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on- board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.ariss.org/ (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).
(ANS thanks David Jordan, AA4KN for this ARISS update)
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Satelite Shorts From All Over
Kevin, N4UFO reported on June 25 he was able to work three transatlantic contacts via AO-7. The stations he contacted included EA8HB, CT3FM, and G7BTA. Kevin noted, "I must say... three QSOs in one pass, WOW! That was a lot of fun! AO-7 is a grand old bird, long may she live! I just had to share how exciting it was!" (via N4UFO on starcomm-bb)
In the July 2013 edition of the ARRL publication of QST, ARRL Chief Executive Officer, David Sumner, K1ZZ, presents a feature on CubeSats. Steve Ford, WB8IMY, presents a column, Eclectic Technology, titled "More Satellites on the Way", a listing of the 7 satellites due to be launched in 2013. (via www.arrl.org )
A CubeSat presentation was given by AMSAT Francophone to a scientific conference held by the Radio Club of Paris F6KVP on May 29, 2013. A video of the presentation has been made available on the web. AMSAT-Francophone site in Google English: http://tinyurl.com/AMSAT-Francophone
Radio Club of Paris F6KVP in Google English: http://tinyurl.com/RadioClubParis
F6KVP on Twitter: https://twitter.com/F6KVP (via AMSAT-UK)
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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, Joe Spier, K6WAO k6wao at amsat dot org
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-202
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:
* 2013 AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Ballot Mailed July 15th * Space Station ARISS Software Upgraded by Student For Students * ARRL Teacher's Institute in Wireless Technology makes Satellite Contacts * UKube-1 with Amateur Radio Transponder may launch in October * ARISS Contact with Boy Scouts of America, 2013 National Jamboree, K2BSA, Mount Hope, WV * ARISS Contact with Colegio Urugua, El Pinar, Uruguay * ARISS Contact with Scuola Italiana di Montevideo (SIM), Montevideo, Uruguay * ARISS Contact with ESA Space Camp 2013, Radstadt, Austria * Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-202.01 ANS-202 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 202.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. July 21, 2013 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-202.01
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2013 AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Ballot Mailed July 15th.
This year there are eight candidates running for the AMSAT-NA Board of Directors. The four candidates receiving the highest number of votes will be seated as voting Board Members with two year terms. The two candidates receiving the next highest number of votes will be non-voting Alternate Board Members with terms of one year. Please vote for no more than four candidates.
Ballots were mailed to members in good standing by July 15th, and must be returned to the AMSAT-NA office no later than the close of business on September 15th, 2013. If you have not received your ballot by August 5th, please contact the AMSAT Office. Ballots sent to members outside North America are automatically sent via air mail. It is suggested that they be returned the same way.
AMSAT-NA Board candidates in alphabetical order by last name:
Barry Baines, WD4ASW Alan Biddle, WA4SCA Steve Coy, K8UD Frank Griffin, K4FEG Mark Hammond, N8MH Brian Klofas, KF6ZEO JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM Tony Monteiro, AA2TX
[ANS thanks the AMSAT Office for the above information]
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Space Station ARISS Software Upgraded by Student For Students
Nolan Replogle hasn't yet had the chance to speak with an astronaut, but he would sure like to. And now, thanks in part to the work he did as a NASA intern, other students around the world will have a better chance for opportunities to do just that-have live contact with International Space Station (ISS) astronauts.
"Yeah, I'd love to talk to astronauts! Who wouldn't?" said Replogle. "I think it's really cool! I can imagine it really helps inspire a lot of kids. I think that's the main purpose [of the ISS Ham Radio project], to inspire and engage kids to learn about space exploration."
Replogle interned with the Education Projects Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston from January to April. His role was to update the planning software for the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS), which is used to help schedule contact events.
"I brought Nolan on board to upgrade the current ARISS mission planning software, which was critical for scheduling," said Jane Gensler, former manager of the Education Projects Office. "The software was one-fault tolerant, outdated, user and time intensive. We wanted to update it to something that was user-friendly with a graphic user interface, efficient and with reduced user error where possible."
The original software's lack of a user interface meant that people needed to input data directly into text files, and then run the program to see if it worked. As a computer engineering major at Oklahoma State University, Replogle quickly got to work using his programming skills to create a more user-friendly interface for the software. Replogle named the upgraded software ARISS Assistant (ARRISA).
"The software was virtually impossible to use, unless you spent days and days studying it," said Replogle.
"The developer didn't develop it to be distributed, but for his own use, so for that reason he was the only one who really knew how to use it. It was convoluted in a lot of ways, and the technology was outdated. So, my goal was to make it easier to use to save time. The most challenging part was trying to interpret the original author's code and program, because I had to understand that to translate it to this new technology."
Now, with Replogle's updates, there is a graphic user interface that allows users to click on buttons to enter information into text boxes. This automated feature is more intuitive and requires a lot less data entry.
An added feature of the software allows for more efficient integration of the data generated by ARISSA to planning tools used by NASA's Trajectory Operations Officer (TOPO) console position in the Mission Control Center at Johnson. The TOPO uses data from ARISSA as a baseline for upcoming space station contacts, updating the inputs for accuracy as the event date approaches.
"I was broad in my description to Nolan of the project, not understanding a lot of the programming and steps," said Gensler. "He took the initiative to make it his project and took it to a level that I could not have envisioned - not being an expert in this area."
NASA's Teaching from Space Office works in coordination with the global ARISS volunteer team for the ISS Ham Radio project to put students in touch with astronauts orbiting 220 miles above the schools on Earth. The students have about 10 minutes to ask the astronauts aboard the station space-related questions about living in microgravity, science, technology and any number of other curiosities that come from their creative minds.
To plan for these contacts, organizers have to predict the location of the space station in orientation to the ground. With this knowledge, they pinpoint the dates, times and geography of possible connections. This is where the ARRISA software comes into play as a forecasting tool.
"Everybody I've shown it to says it looks pretty impressive," said Replogle. "I demonstrated it to various groups from ARISS, and they said they were excited about using it."
With Replogle's upgrades, Gensler anticipates increases in efficiency and reduced errors, which may lead to more contact opportunities between students and crews of the space station.
Upcoming contacts currently include the Boy Scouts of America 2013 National Jamboree in Mt. Hope, W. Va., scheduled to take place during the week of July 18-23. ARISS planners use the software to identify multiple options for exact dates and times; they finalize the event one week before the contact.
"The undergraduate student workforce is amazing and can bring innovation, creativity and efficiencies into our programs for little cost with big benefits," said Gensler.
"I'm not a software engineer or a computer programmer, but I can find someone like Nolan who is passionate about programming and wants to work for NASA and make a positive difference in our products and services. His success in upgrading the mission planning system in such a short timeframe makes me want to bring more interns in behind him to continue implementation and developing even more upgrades in other areas."
U.S. education organizations interested in hosting an ARISS communication can contact NASA's Teaching from Space Office for proposal information. International schools should apply via the ARISS website for consideration.
http://www.space-travel.com/reports/ Space_Station_ARISS_Software_Upgraded_by_Student_For_Students_999.html
[ANS thanks Jessica Nimon,ISS Science News,for the July 18 article]
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ARRL Teacher's Institute in Wireless Technology makes Satellite Contacts
Educators attending the ARRL's Teacher's Institute in Wireless Technology at Rocklin, CA made two satellite contacts utilizing SaudiSat 1C. At approximately 1844 PDT, on July 16, Instructor Tommy Gober, N5DUX, assisted with two successful contacts using the W1AW/6 callsign. One successful contact was reported to be in Cleveland, Ohio. Tommy used a HT with an Arrow antenna.
For more information on the ARRL program, please see:
http://www.arrl.org/teachers-institute-in-wireless-technology
[ANS thanks Carolyn, KF6JQE for the above information]
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UKube-1 with Amateur Radio Transponder may launch in October
BBC News is reporting that the UK Space Agency’s first CubeSat UKube-1, being built by Clyde Space in Glasgow, may launch in late October 2013.
Clyde Space Senior Systems Engineer Steve Greenland will be giving a presentation on UKube-1 to the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium which takes place July 20-21 at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ, UK.
The Colloquium is open to all but for those unable to attend the event all 18 presentations including UKube-1 will be web streamed live on the BATC site at
http://batc.tv/ch_live.php?ch=3
UKube-1 will carry a set of AMSAT-UK FUNcube-2 boards which will provide: • 1200 bps BPSK telemetry beacon on 145.915 MHz • Linear transponder downlink 145.930-145.950 MHz for SSB/CW communications • Linear transponder uplink 435.080-435.060 MHz
In addition UKube-1 also carries: • ISIS 1200 bps BPSK telemetry beacon on 145.840 MHz • UKSEDS myPocketQub 442 on 437.425-437.525 MHz with 11 mW output using spread spectrum • 1 watt transmitter on 2401.0 MHz from Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Cape Town, for high data rate mission data downlinking using up to 1 Mbps QPSK or OQPSK modulation
Gunter’s Space Page lists UKube-1 as manifested on a Soyuz-2-1b Fregat-M rocket to be launched from Baikonur in Kazakhstan.
If the launch does go ahead as planned in late October then the FUNcube-2 boards will be in orbit before the FUNcube-1 satellite which may launch in November, 2013 on a Dnepr rocket from Dombarovsky near Yasny.
FUNcube-1 will be using these frequencies: • 1200 bps BPSK telemetry beacon on 145.935 MHz • Linear transponder downlink 145.950-145.970 MHz for SSB/CW communications • Linear transponder uplink 435.150-435.130 MHz
There will be a presentation on FUNcube-1 at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium which will be streamed live to the web. The presentation schedule is here.
Read the BBC News story at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-23319103
[ANS thanks BBC & AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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ARISS Contact with Boy Scouts of America, 2013 National Jamboree, K2BSA, Mount Hope, WV
An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Boy Scouts of America, 2013 National Jamboree, K2BSA, Mount Hope, WV on 20 July.
The event was scheduled to begin at approximately 15:34 UTC. The duration of the contact was approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact was scheduled to be direct between NA1SS and K2BSA.
The Boy Scouts of America held its first national jamboree in 1937. There have been 17 jamborees since that first one, typically on a four-year rotation. The 2013 National Scout Jamboree will be the 18th such jamboree. Amateur radio has been a part of the jamboree experience since 1953, when K6BSA was in operation from Irvine Ranch in California. That was followed by K3BSA in 1957 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, and K2BSA in 1964 from Colorado Springs, Colorado. K2BSA was established as the amateur radio station for the national office of the BSA in 1971. It has been in operation at every jamboree since 1977. Amateur radio satellite operations have been an element of the K2BSA program for several jamborees, and the ARISS direct contact with Space Station Commander Doug Wheelock during the BSA's centennial national jamboree held at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, in 2010 was a highlight of the weeklong K2BSA amateur radio demonstration.
Participants are scheduled to ask as many of the following questions as time allows:
1. Were you in Scouting as a youth or as an adult leader?
2. In Scouting we practice "Leave No Trace", meaning that we leave campsites
as we found them. How do you practice "Leave No Trace" in space?
3. I am working on the Robotics Merit Badge and would like to know how robots
are being used on the space station.
4. Have you ever put up a satellite in space?
5. How do you communicate with your family while you are aboard the space
station?
6. What food do you miss the most from Earth?
7. How would you suggest that Scouting promote interest in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics?
8. What subjects should I study if I want to become an astronaut?
9. Do stars' size and color look different when you see them in space?
10. How many other planets have you seen from the space station?
11. What is the most difficult task during this mission?
12. Can you see meteor showers from the ISS?
13. Do you ever have a good night's sleep on the space station, and do you
dream the same way as you do on Earth?
14. What would you like to do the most after you come back to the earth?
15. What would you like to do in space in the future?
16. How did you become interested in becoming an astronaut?
17. What do you do during your down time aboard the space station?
18. What is the most valuable thing you have learned since becoming an
astronaut?
19. What does it feel like to walk in space?
20. What do you do if someone needs medical attention while in space?
21. What is one goal you want to achieve as an astronaut?
(ANS thanks David Jordan, AA4KN for this ARISS update)
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ARISS Contact with Colegio Urugua, El Pinar, Uruguay
An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Colegio Urugua, El Pinar, Uruguay on 20 July. The event was scheduled to begin at approximately 19:05 UTC. The duration of the contact was approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact was scheduled to be a telebridge between NA1SS and LU8YY.
Urugua is a college of primary education with the permission of the national administration of education and culture (ANEP). It has a total of 200 pupils in the schedules of the morning and evening.
Participants are scheduled to ask as many of the following questions as time allows:
1. What motivation led you to become an astronaut?
2. What are the requirements to be an astronaut?
3. How do astronauts train?
4. How does it feel to go from earth to space?
5. How do they get along with you and have a good relationship?
6. How does oxygen inside the ISS?
7. How and where do their physiological needs?
8. What happen if you throw paint in space?
9. What do you do in your free time on ISS?
10. Do you have something to entertain in free time on ISS?
11. How does it feel to be part of the ISS crew?
12. When you return to earth, do you have a period of adjustment?
13. How is the communication from ISS to the earth?
14. How does see the earth from space?
15. What is the thing that you miss of the Earth?
16. What are the most significant scientific goals achieved with the ISS
program?
17. How does it feel to be in space?
18. From space, we can distinguish some human construction?
19. It was possible to demonstrate the existence of extraterrestrial life?
20. What tasks do during the day on the ISS?
(ANS thanks David Jordan, AA4KN for this ARISS update)
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ARISS Contact with Scuola Italiana di Montevideo (SIM), Montevideo, Uruguay
An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Scuola Italiana di Montevideo (SIM), Montevideo, Uruguay on 22 July. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 11:39 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and VK5ZAI. The contact should be audible over portions of Australia and adjacent areas. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in Italian.
The SIM is a prestigious educational institution in Uruguay, which has a history of 125 years of uninterrupted work. Provides educational services covering all cycles from the Nursery School to High School. Its building infrastructure is established in an area of over 13 hectares, with large green spaces and vast locations closed and open. Our organization has achieved ISO 9001:2008 certification for the "Design and provision of education for all school years" is the only private educational institution in the country that has achieved this award. The Scuola Italiana di Montevideo account for over fifteen years with astronomical activities cut across the entire institution, through the SIM Astronomical Observatory.
Participants will ask as many of the following questions (translated) as time allows:
1. How do you feel about being in a spaceship in space?
2. What most impresses you of the ISS?
3. What is the mission to accomplish in space?
4. What do you do during the day? What do you do at the station?
5. What kind of research carried out on ISS?
6. How long stay in space?
7. Have some free time? How is it used?
8. Feel the lack of friends and family? Are you in contact with them? How?
9. How many people can live on the ISS?
10. How are the tests that you had to overcome to go into space?
11. How to solve the problems of hygiene: the bathroom, washing hands,
washing clothes?
12. It is difficult to return to Earth after the last few months without
gravity?
13. How you can see the Earth and the Sun from ISS?
14. When did you realize to become an astronaut?
15. What led you to become an astronaut and how you did it?
16. What does your family think about you?
17. How eat an astronaut?
18. How is it to live without gravity?
19. What's it like to travel in a spaceship?
20. How many times have you gone to space?
(ANS thanks David Jordan, AA4KN for this ARISS update)
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ARISS Contact with ESA Space Camp 2013, Radstadt, Austria
An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at ESA Space Camp 2013, Radstadt, Austria on 24 July. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 11:44 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and VK4KHZ. The contact should be audible over Australia and adjacent areas. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English.
The European Space Agency (ESA )space Camp 2013 will be held in Austria at 'JugendhotelBachlehen', 70 km away from Mozart's city of Salzburg, from Sunday 14 July to Sunday 28 July 2013.
165 children aged 8 to 17 years old will be participating in this annual space camp from every ESA establishment in Europe where their parents are working. The children will learn in the spirit of international cooperation and team work to be young space explorers.
The theme of this year's camp is Space Exploration and during the 2 week of the camp the children will be participating in a range of physical and cultural activities which will include space education.
The space education programme will encourage the children problem solve how to get to Mars.
Designing a landing system for a rover.The exploration challenges they face will be based on carrying out practical ideas to solve these challenges. How do we get the rover to Mars - design and construct your rockets and test them with different payloads. Navigation and communication exercises will enable the payload to land in the right place.
On Landing what kinds of aliens will they find? By looking at the biodiversity in extreme environments on Earth they can think about and design a possible Martian life form - how does this compare to those they found on Earth?
Food is going to be important on a long space flight - what kinds of foods will be important and what will they taste like. How will they preserve food?
The ARISS contact will give the children a chance to talk to a crew member on the ISS and enhance their space experience.
Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows:
1. Do astronauts dream in space?
2. Do you think you dream differently in space?
3. How does the Earth appear when seen from the ISS?
4. Today, one hears each day about the effects of the climatic changes and the pollution on our Earth? Do you really see the effects of this pollution aboard the ISS?
5. What interest is there to be/ to go to space?
6. Knowing that everything flies on-board the ISS, how do you eat?
7. How fast does the rocket travel in space?
8. How do you prepare for a spacewalk?
9. Could you please describe what impress you most when you look
from the window of the ISS?
10. What is your favorite dish and dessert? Do you miss it in space?
11. Could you see an earthquake, tsunami or a flooding from space? How
would it look like?
12. What colors of the earth can you recognize from space?
13. What are three coolest things you have done in space?
14. Can the International Space Station get lost in space?
15. Because night and daylight are different in space, and because
you are always "floating", I was wondering... is it easy to fall asleep
in the ISS?
16. Could 3D printers revolutionize space exploration?
17. Although the long training and, I imagine, the long hours
spent in imagining yourself out in space, now that you are there, can you
tell us whether you have been through some feeling or
experience completely unexpected to you?
18. How many times a day do you see the sunset and the sunrise
from ISS?
19. After the great success of Space Oddity, can you give us a song?
20. How are you dealing with not breathing fresh air? Could you train for
this?
PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ARISS UPDATES:
Sign up for the SAREX maillist at
http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/sarex
Visit ARISS on Facebook. We can be found at Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS).
To receive our Twitter updates, follow @ARISS_status
ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries.
ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on-board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.ariss.org/ (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).
(ANS thanks David Jordan, AA4KN for this ARISS update)
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Satelite Shorts From All Over
Scouting STEM Space Jamboree August 2-4 Announced
(ANS thanks JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM for the above update)
Mars Day! 2013 at the National Air and Space Museum
Mars Day! is an annual National Air and Space Museum event that celebrates the Red Planet with educational and fun family activities. Visitors can see a real meteorite that came from Mars, talk to scientists active in Mars research and learn about current and future missions.
Mars Day! 2013 will take place on Friday, July 26, 2013, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
For more information, visit http://airandspace.si.edu/events/marsday/.
Questions about this event should be directed to the Visitor Service line at 202-633-1000.
[ANS thanks the NASA Education Express 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, Joe Spier, K6WAO k6wao at amsat dot org
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-223
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:
* Fox-1 Z Axis Solar Panels Approved * Second call for papers for 2013 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium * AMSATDroid Free smartphone satellite tracking App * Open Source Development for MMTTY, MMVARI, and MMSSTV * NASA Interns Build CubeSat * Cal Poly and SmallSat 2013 Summer CubeSat Developers' Workshop video stream * Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-223.01 ANS-223 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 223.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. August 21, 2013 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-223.01
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Fox-1 Z Axis Solar Panels Approved
The AMSAT Fox engineering team has completed the design of the printed circuit boards for the satellite's "Z" axis solar panels. Each of these printed circuit boards (PCBs) will accommodate two Boeing/Spectrolab UTJ solar cells. There is a hole in the panel for the lens of the Camera module that is being developed by Virginia Tech. A sample PCB was fabricated and sent to our partner SpaceQuest who approved it for manufacturing into our solar panels.
[ANS thanks Tony Monteiro, AA2TX, VP for Engineering for the above information]
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Second call for papers for 2013 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium
This is the second call for papers for the 2013 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium to be held on the weekend of November 1 - 3, 2013, at the Marriott Hobby Airport Hotel, Houston, Texas. Proposals for papers, symposium presentations and poster presentations are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite community. We request a tentative title of your presentation as soon as possible, with final copy to be submitted by October 1 for inclusion in the printed proceedings. Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan Schultz at [email protected]
[ANS thanks Dan Schultz N8FGV, for the update]
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AMSATDroid Free smartphone satellite tracking App
App for Android smartphones predicts future passes for amateur radio satellites for a specified location and period of time.
Basic features:
• Calculate passes for up to the next 24 hours • Graphical pass display • Map view showing current satellite position and next two orbits • Update keps directly from the web or from a file on SD card • Set home coordinates from User Input (Lat, Long or IARU Locator), Network or GPS
AMSATDroid Free can be downloaded from Google at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.me.g4dpz.HamSatDroid Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/G4DPZ-AmsatDroid-Free/dp/B00DK7XXYK/
For those with Apple or Windows mobile devices see http://amsat-uk.org/2013/07/24/free-ham-radio-satellite-tracking-app-for-ios...
http://amsat-uk.org/2013/08/06/amsatdroid-free-smartphone-satellite-tracking...
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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Open Source Development for MMTTY, MMVARI, and MMSSTV
Mako JE3HHT, the author of MMTTY, MMVARI, and MMSSTV, has released these applications to open source development under the LGPL license. This license enables developers and companies to use and integrate MMTTY, MMSSTV, and MMVARI, while ensuring that all improvements to source code are made publicly available.
MMSSTV has been a very useful program for receiving SSTV pictures from ARISSat-1 and the ISS.
The MM-Open organization has been established to encourage and facilitate open source development. Anyone may create public or private branches of these applications. A set of Committers will maintain a master branch for each application; the initial Committers are Bob N4HY, Eric KE5DTO, Oba JA7UDE, and Steve N5AC. Packaged versions of MMTTY, MMVARI, and MMSSTV assembled from the master branches will continue to be available via web pages administered by Ken VE5KC:
http://hamsoft.ca/pages/mmtty.php
http://hamsoft.ca/pages/mmvari.php
http://hamsoft.ca/pages/mmsstv.php
Source code for these applications is available via GitHub, courtesy of FlexRadio. Existing Yahoo Groups will continue to be used to convey defect reports and enhancement requests.
For additional information about the LGPL license, MM-Open governance model, and development process, see http://mm-open.org/
[ANS thanks Dave, AA6YQ, Secretary, MM-Open for the above information]
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NASA Interns Build CubeSat
A group of interns were recruited to work at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to conceptualize and design a small CubeSat within 10 weeks as part of the Applied Engineering and Technology Directorate.
Interns: Anthony Yee, Christopher Erb, Jeffrey Sherwood, Tanzim Imam, Clayton Jacobs, Tiara Johnson, Liz Sauerbrunn, Alex Petrov, Marvin Cosare, Matthew Davis, Megan Robbett
Co-mentors: Pat Kilroy, Joe Howard, Gary Crum, David Kim, Anisa Jamil, Eric Young, Pete Rossoni, Peter Ancosta, Victor Sank, Mark Steiner, Frank Kirchman, Jeff Didion, Franklin L. Robinson, Kenneth E. Li, Porfy Beltran, Dan Solomon, Leigh Janes, Gerardo Cruz-Ortiz
Pat Kilroy and Mark Steiner are both AMSAT members.
Please see:
http://spaceref.com/nasa-hack-space/interns-build-cubesat.html
[ANS thanks Space-Ref.com for the above information]
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Cal Poly and SmallSat 2013 Summer CubeSat Developers' Workshop video stream
Link for live video stream of the Summer CubeSat Developers' Workshop @USU.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cubesat-summer-workshop- 2013?utm_campaign=www.cubesat.org&utm_source=15530551&utm_medium=social
[ANS thanks Samudra Haque, PhD Student at George Washington University, who posted on the AMSAT-BB for the above link]
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Satelite Shorts From All Over
Scotland Grid Squares Anyone?
Paul, 2E1EUB, plans to activate a number of squares in Scotland for 2 weeks, beginning on the 5th of August as 2M1EUB. QRV on 160m and 80m, via satellites (mainly AO-7 B/A mode), and 2m in SSB. Skeds can be arranged via email [email protected], for updates see qrz.com. QSL via home call.
(ANS thanks JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM for the above update)
Luca Parmitano making random ISS voice contacts.
Luca Parmitano was active on the ISS voice channel 145.800Mhz (145.200 uplink). On Monday, 8/05/2013, I had a short contact with Luca anyone made an audio recording? Please send it to my e-mail address see QRZ.com. Thanks in advance!
73s Cor PD0RKC
[ANS thanks the ISS Fan Club and Cor, PD0RKC for the above information]
AO-7 makes ARRL Letter
AO-7 "Zombie" Satellite AMSAT Article picked up by the ARRL Letter
http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter?issue=2013-08-08
[ANS thanks the ARRL Letter 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, Joe Spier, K6WAO k6wao at amsat dot org
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-244
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:
* AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Ballots Due By September 15th * FUNcube-1 Launch Date Announced * A Ham Radio AX.25 Open Source Soundcard Modem * Ham Radio Satellites at Tokyo Ham Fair * SpaceUp India 2012 Videos Now Posted * CAMSAT (AMSAT China) to host "a big DX party" * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-244.01 ANS-244 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 244.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. August 31, 2013 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-244.01
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AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Ballots Due By September 15th
A reminder that all members in good standing should have received their ballots. In order for your ballott to be counted, it will need to be RECEIVED at the AMSAT office by September 15th.
This year we have 8 candidates for 4 voting Board members and 2 non- voting Alternates. Your vote is especially important this year in selecting those who will help guide AMSAT-NA. If you have not submitted your ballot, please review the candidate biography and position statements you received, as well as the Minutes of the Board Meeting published in the May/June issue of the AMSAT Journal. Then make your voice heard by voting.
[ANS thanks the AMSAT Office for the above information]
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FUNcube-1 Launch Date Announced
AMSAT-UK and AMSAT-NL are delighted to be able to announce that they have been advised that the launch date for FUNcube-1 is now expected to be November 21, 2013. This date is still subject to final approval by the authorities.
The FUNcube project started back in 2009 so it is a great relief that we now have a confirmed date for lift off.
FUNcube-1 will lift off from the Yasny launch base located in the Orenburg Region, Russia on a Dnepr Launch Vehicle that will insert multiple satellites into a 600 km sun-synchronous orbit.
FUNcube-1 is a 1U CubeSat that will provide a signal directly from a satellite in space to the classroom, and can easily be received by schools and colleges. The target audience is students at both primary and secondary levels. The information will be displayed in an attractive format and provide stimulation and encouragement for students to become interested in all STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Maths) subjects in an unique way. In addition the spacecraft is also carrying a 435/145 MHz transponder for radio amateurs to use for communication using SSB or CW.
The spacecraft itself has now been completed and the last external panel was finally screwed and glued in place on Friday, August 30 at the facilities of ISIS BV in Delft. FUNcube-1 will be subjected to some final testing and battery charging on Tuesday when it will also be set into its pre-launch configuration. It will then be placed into its ISIPOD on Wednesday ready for transport to the launch site.
Communication subsystem: • 400 mW Inverting linear transponder for SSB and CW - Uplink 435.150 – 435.130 MHz - Downlink 145.950 – 145.970 MHz • 400 mW BPSK Telemetry 145.935 MHz
More information about how to receive the signals from FUNcube-1 will be made available over the forthcoming weeks at the www.funcube.org.uk website.
A recent presentation about the FUNcube project by Graham Shirville G3VZV and Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG can be viewed online at http://www.batc.tv/streams/amsat1311 or downloaded from http://www.batc.tv/vod/Funcube1.flv
FUNcube-1 http://amsat-uk.org/funcube/funcube-cubesat/
FUNcube Yahoo Group http://amsat-uk.org/funcube/yahoo-group/
FUNcube website http://www.funcube.org.uk/
Some of the other satellites that may be on the same Dnepr launch vehicle are listed at http://amsat-uk.org/2013/08/22/dnepr-cubesat-launch/
AMSAT-UK on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/AMSAT-UK/208113275898396 AMSAT-UK on Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK and AMSAT-NL, for the above article]
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A Ham Radio AX.25 Open Source Soundcard Modem
AX.25 packet radio is currently the most popular data protocol for use in CubeSats.
Radio amateur Alejandro Santos LU4EXT is developing extmodem, an open source APRS compatible AX.25 packet radio modem.
It is currently capable of both sending and receive packets. The main feature of the software is that it is currently running three different demodulators in parallel, increasing the quality of reception. The first modem is Thomas Sailer HB9JNX / AE4WA‘s multimon, the other two are described by Sivan Toledo 4X6IZ in an article in the July/August 2012 issue of QEX.
Download extmodem for Windows from http://extradio.sourceforge.net/extmodem.html
QEX article – A High-Performance Sound-Card AX.25 Modem http://www.tau.ac.il/~stoledo/Bib/Pubs/QEX-JulAug-2012.pdf
APRS destination address for ham radio satellites http://amsat-uk.org/2013/08/23/aprs-destination-address-for-ham-radio- satellites/
LU4EXT on Twitter https://twitter.com/alejolp
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above article]
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Ham Radio Satellites at Tokyo Ham Fair
The JARL Ham Fair 2013 was held at Tokyo Big Sight, Ariake, Tokyo on August 24- 25. JAMSAT and several amateur radio satellite projects were represented.
The University of Tsukuba CubeSat ITF-1 YUI “Binding” support project was there. The formal name ITF-1 comes from the initial letter of the university slogan “Imagine The Future”. The satellite also has a popular name YUI which means bond or binding in Japanese, it came from the project’s concept‚ “Creating the Worldwide Human Community”.
The ITF-1 satellite beacon on 437.525 MHz will send telemetry by a Morse Code audio tone on an FM transmitter running 300 milliwats output. It should be possible to receive it using simple equipment such as a handheld transceiver or scanner.
According to the ITF-1 website the “Binding” support project is organized by the student volunteers to support the construction of a consolidated network and expand public relation activities with the aim of encouraging many reception reports when the satellite is launched. ITF-1 will fly with the primary payload the Global Precipitation Measurement Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar GPM-DPR satellite in 2014.
The ARTSAT stand featured the Invader CubeSat which is being developed by students at Tama Art University. The IARU has coordinated 437.325 MHz and 437.200 MHz for Invader which aims to have a camera for Earth imaging and a Digi-Talker, to transmit voice data using FM. Invader will be on the same launch as ITF-1.
Also at the fair was the SPROUT project. This nano-satellite, built by students from Nihon University, is 20 x 20 x 22 cm with a mass of 6.7 kg. It plans to launch with the L-band (1236.5 MHz/1257.5 MHz/1278.5 MHz) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite ALOS-2 in December, 2013.
SPROUT will have a digi-talker and will transmit, using Slow Scan TV (SSTV) and FM packet, pictures of the Earth taken by an on-board camera. It is believed that radio amateurs will be able to make use of the digipeater and possibly even command when pictures are taken.
ITF-1 project in Google English http://tinyurl.com/ITF-1-Yui-Binding-Project Imagine The Future http://amsat-uk.org/2012/01/19/itf1-cubesat-imagine-the- future/
ARTSAT project in Google English http://tinyurl.com/ARTSAT A student art satellite http://amsat-uk.org/2012/04/12/invader-cubesat-a- student-art-satellite/
SPROUT project in Google English http://tinyurl.com/Sprout-Satellite SSTV satellite http://amsat-uk.org/2012/08/24/sprout-amateur-radio-sstv- satellite-to-launch-in-2013/
JARL Ham Fair 2013 in Google English http://tinyurl.com/JARL-Ham-Fair-2013
Reports on previous JARL Ham Fairs http://www.jarl.or.jp/English/4_Library/A-4- 6_ham-fair/ham-fair.htm
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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SpaceUp India 2012 Videos Now Posted
FSpace F-1 Amateur Radio CubeSatDhruva Space have released several videos recorded at the SpaceUp India event held in December 2012.
Among the presentations are those from • F1 CubeSat from Vietnam, Thu Trong Vu XV9AA • Hackerspace Global Grid, Uni Stuttgart • Amateur Radio,Suri VU2MY
Other presentations from the event can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/user/DhruvaSpace
SpaceUp India 2013 takes place December 6-7 in Manit, Bhopal http://spaceupindia.org/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceUp-India/479467792071870
SpaceUp http://spaceup.org/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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CAMSAT (AMSAT China) to host "a big DX party"
The "425 DX NEWS" reports that CAMSAT (AMSAT China) will hold "a big DX party" from the outskirts of the city of Dunhuang in northwestern China (Zone 23, WW Loc. NM79aw) between October 19-28th. Alan, BA1DU, and a very large group of operators coming from all over the country will be active with four well equipped stations: one for 2 and 6 meters, one for 70 centimeters and two for 160-10 meters. Meteor Scatter and EME activity will be emphasized (this will include participation in the ARRL EME Contest), as well activity on the low bands. Special callsign BJ9TA will be used for operating above 50 MHz and on the low bands, while BY9GA/9 will be used for the other bands and for participation in the CQ WW SSB Contest. QSL via BA1DU.
[ANS thanks the August 26, 2013 Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No.1125 for the above link]
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ARISS News
An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Amicale Space Camp organized by Sterrenlab for children of the European Patent Office/NL, Leiden, The Netherlands (Summer Space Camp, Noordwijk, Netherlandson 30 Aug. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 12:11 UTC.
The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between OR4ISS and PA3GUO. The contact should be audible over Italy. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English.
Sterrenlab is a small company in the field of science communication and education, specialized in the organization of international science and space camps for children and teenagers.
The European Patent Office is a European organization with several sites in Europe.
Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows:
1. Where do you come from?
2. Do you think aliens exist?
3. Can you see the Netherlands from the Space Station? And your house?
4. Do you have animals on board the International Space Station?
5. Are you homesick?
6. Do you have children?
7. Did you participate to survival camps during your astronaut training?
8. Would you prefer going to the Moon, to Mars or to an asteroid?
9. What languages do you speak?
10. What was your favorite subject at school?
11. Do you think the space agencies will soon detect an exoplanet with alien
forms of life?
12. Do you have chocolate on the Space Station?
13. Did you have many friends when you were a child?
14. How is called the rocket you flew with?
15. Do you ever have issues with your crew mates?
16. If you would meet an alien, what would you tell him?
17. When are you coming back to Earth?
18. What's your favorite sport?
An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Gwalior Glory High School, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India on 31 Aug. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 11:22 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between IR0ISS and IK1SLD. The contact should be audible over Italy and adjacent areas. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English.
Gwalior Glory High School was established in Gwalior in the year 1991. Affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi, it has been running successfully over the years and has grown since inception from primary to a full fledged senior secondary school. Its unique curriculum, zest, zeal and an onward driving force have made it possible to attain the highest levels of excellence.
Sprawled over a lush green area of 24 Bighas, the school is imaginatively designed and aesthetically constructed. The school campus is complete in itself, being well equipped with ultra modern facilities to cater to the holistic development of the child.
The school encompasses a wide area in serving the academic and co curricular interests of boys and girls from Playgroup to Class Twelve in an amiable, conducive environment, providing opportunities to develop them into moral, confident, capable and responsible citizens having courage and positive attitude to take up any challenge.
Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows:
1. How do astronauts breathe?
2. Is ISS like a house?
3. How do astronauts bathe?
4. Can you see cyclones or pollution there?
5. Do you see sunrise or sunset there?
6. Can you see a shooting star?
7. What does it feel like to be in outer space?
8. How long does your oxygen supply last during an eva?
9. Do you feel homesick?
10. How do you cope up with zero gravity?
11. What do you do when you get sick in space?
12. How do you go for a shave or a haircut?
13. What is the cuisine of food that you eat in space?
14. How doe it feel like to blast off in space?
15. What do you do for recreation?
16. Is the space Scary?
17. Have you kept a souvenir?
18. How many hours of training you have done at Zero gravity on earth before
getting in to the space?
19. It is _________ time in India what is the time there?
20. If you could bring only one luxury to space with you what would it be?
21. Can you see the solar and lunar eclipse there?
22. What sounds do you hear in your surroundings?
PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ARISS UPDATES:
Sign up for the SAREX maillist at
http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/sarex
Visit ARISS on Facebook. We can be found at Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS).
To receive our Twitter updates, follow @ARISS_status
Next planned event(s):
1. Mill Springs Academy, Alpharetta, GA, direct via KK4OVR
Wed, 04Sept2013, 14:15 UTC
2. Duluth Children's Museum, Duluth, MN, direct via W2GKP
Sat, 07Sept2013, 15:03 UTC
ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries.
ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on-board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.ariss.org/ (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).
[ANS thanks David, AA4KN for the above information]
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Satelite Shorts From All Over
Work All Ron, N8RO
Look for Ron, N8RO who is enjoying a long road trip that began on Friday Aug 30th. Ron is heading north through OK, KS, NE, SD, ND and SK. He will then head east on the Trans Canadian Highway to MB, ON, QC, NB and NS. From NS he will go to ME and MA and then work his way home to TX. While the trip is primarily a vacation, he will attempt to make satel- lite contacts, hopefully two a day, one morning and one evening, on SO-50 and FO-29 along the way. (Ron, N8RO on the Starcomm-bb)
[ANS thanks Ron, N8RO for the above information]
Russian Spacewalk Installs Commercial Camera Mounts
UrtheCast Corp. is pleased to announce that Roscosmos has successfully installed the Bi-axial Pointing Platform (BPP) on the Russian module of the International Space Station (ISS). The BPP is the structure to which the UrtheCast cameras will be attached.
The BPP was attached to the Zvezda module on the Russian segment of the ISS on Aug. 22, 2013 during spacewalk #35, conducted by Russian cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Aleksandr Misurkin. The two UrtheCast cameras, one medium-resolution and one high-resolution, are scheduled to be launched to the ISS and installed in late 2013.
"We are thrilled with the successful installation of the BPP," President & COO Wade Larson stated. "Spacewalks are inherently risky, so having the mechanism that our cameras will be attached to successfully installed is a significant milestone."
This news story also has photos which can be viewed on-line at: http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=41428
[ANS thanks SpaceRef.com 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, Joe Spier, K6WAO k6wao at amsat dot org
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-265
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:
* 2013 AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Election Results Announced * Final Call for Papers for the 2013 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium * NASA Internship Opportunities for Spring 2014 * PSK-31 Transponder Needed for Launch Opportunity * Dutch Amateur Radio Satellite User Day – September 28, 2013 * AMSAT-DL Satellite Symposium October 5 * AMSAT-SM compares FUNcube Dongle Pro+ and RTL SDR’s * Australian ham radio BLUEsat satellite in the press * Canadian ConSat-1 CubeSat * ISS Ham Video launch campaign * Amateur Radio in Space: Radio Amateurs Headed to, Return From ISS * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-265.01 ANS-265 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 265.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. Septenber 22, 2013 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-265.01
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2013 AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Election Results Announced
As a result of the 2013 Board of Directors Election, Barry Baines, WD4ASW; Tony Monteiro, AA2TX, Alan Biddle, WA4SCA, and Mark Hammond, N8MH, will serve on the board for two years. The first alternate is JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM, and the second alternate is Steve Coy, K8UD. The results of the voting with 688 ballots cast are as follows;
Barry Baines, WD4ASW 521 Tony Monteiro, AA2TX 518 Alan Biddle. WA4SCA 424 Mark Hammond, N8MH 365
JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JK 316 Steve Coy, K8UD 186
Frank Griffin, K4FEG 158 Bryan Klofas, KF6ZEO 141
[ANS thanks Martha at the AMSAT Office for the above information]
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Final Call for Papers for the 2013 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium
This is the final call for papers for the 2013 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium to be held on the weekend of November 1 - 3, 2013, at the Marriott Hobby Airport Hotel, Houston, Texas. Proposals for papers, symposium presentations and poster presentations are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite community. We request a tentative title of your presentation as soon as possible, with final copy to be submitted by October 5 for inclusion in the printed proceedings. Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan Schultz at [email protected]
[ANS thanks Dan Schultz, N8FGV, for the above announcement]
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NASA Internship Opportunities for Spring 2014
The NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative, or OSSI, strives to provide students at all institutions of higher education access to a portfolio of internship, fellowship and scholarship opportunities offered by NASA mission directorates and centers.
Visit the Office of Education Infrastructure Division LaunchPad to find information on internship, fellowship and scholarship opportunities. The site features the OSSI online application for recruiting NASA Interns, Fellows and Scholars, or NIFS. This innovative system allows students to search and apply for all types of higher-education NASA internship, fellowship and scholarship opportunities in one location. A single application places the student in the applicant pool for consideration by all NASA mentors.
Applications for spring 2014 opportunities are due Oct. 11, 2013.
To find available opportunities and to fill out an OSSI online application for recruiting NIFS, visit https://intern.nasa.gov.
Inquiries about the OSSI should be submitted via https://intern.nasa.gov/oic/.
[ANS thanks NASA Education Express Message -- Sept. 19, 2013 for the above information]
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PSK-31 Transponder Needed for Launch Opportunity
On the AMSAT Bulletin Board (AMSAT-BB) Bob Bruninga WB4APR writes:
If someone will build a linear PSK-31 transponder, I have a launch opportunity in 9 months.
All it needs to be is a PSK-31 Linear receiver on 28.120 MHz (3 kHz bandwidth) with AGC coupled to a downlink UHF FM transmitter of about 1 Watt. Should fit on a 3.5? square card. This is the same as Brno University of Technology has built for prior missions of PCSAT2 on the ISS back in 2006 and the two on the shelf awaiting flights.
Flight delivery by May 2014 (9 months from now).
Brno University, may not have the people to make a third one for this new flight opportunity.
Just a thought for someone looking for a project.
PSK-31 Transponder Concept http://www.usna.edu/Users/aero/bruninga/psk31uplink.html
[ANS thanks AMSAT-BB, AMSAT-UK, and Bob Bruninga, WB4APR for the above information]
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Dutch Amateur Radio Satellite User Day – September 28, 2013
On Saturday, September 28, 2013 the very first Amateur Radio Satellite User Day will be held.
Location: The event will take place at restaurant ”Binnenhof”, in the small town of Paasloo, in the North of the Netherlands, a 90 minute drive by car from Amsterdam.
Join us! We invite everyone to come over and join us! For both newbies as well as experienced satellite operators it will be an exciting day with interesting presentations as well as exciting activities!
Two Dutch satellite builders will talk about their latest satellites, that both will be launched in November: FUNcube-1 (Wouter Weggelaar – PA3WEG) and Delfi-n3Xt (Jasper Bouwmeester). Both projects will take along with them engineering models: a great opportunity to see yourself how small and advanced Cubesats look like!
Furthermore we have many hands-on sessions planned: take your own radio and antenna to Paasloo, we can help you get started or you can compare yours to that of the others!
Of course this is a fantastic opportunity to ‘meet and great’ each other in person. The OSCAR lunch has a lot of time reserved for that as well. The entire day is free of charge, including coffee and lunch. From those that want to stay for the Barbecue at the end of the day we ask a contribution of 17,50 euro.
For those that cannot come over to the Netherlands: meet us during one of the on-air hands-on sessions (see the program details below).
Program 10:00 Arrival Coffee and tea, registration
10:30 – 10:45 Hands-on session VO-52 Listen to, and maybe even make a QSO via, the strongest linear transponder currently in space. We do have a low elevation pass, need to check line-of- sight. 2m/70cm SSB transponder, maximum elevation 11 degrees
10:45 – 11:00 Welcome Opening of both the “VHF-day” and the “Amateur Radio Satellite User Day”
10:43 – 11:02 Hands-on session HO-68 Listening to the CW downlink signals of this Chinese satellite. Its linear transponder is no longer functional, but its beacon is great fun to experiment with for reception of amateur radio satellites. Examples include testing and comparing different types of antennas. 70 cm CW beacon. Maximum elevation: 49 degrees
11:04 – 11:24 Hands-on session FO-29 Listening to, and maybe make a QSO via, the linear transponder of this satellite. A very distant satellite for portable equipment, but with a little bit of effort and luck we should be able to hear our own signals back on downlink. 2m/70cm SSB transponder. Maximum elevation: 73 degrees.
11:30 – 11:35 Welcome Amateur Radio Satellite User Day Opening of the very first Amateur Radio Satellite User Day in The Netherlands.
11:35 – 12:15 FUNcube-1 – A new satellite revealed (Wouter Weggelaar – PA3WEG) A presentation by one of the builders, about the technology used in FUNcube-1, a project of a series of organizations, including AMSAT-UK. Due to the delayed launch (now planned for November) FUNcube-1 is not yet in space during the event, but very likely Wouter will bring along the functional engineering-model of FUNcube-1. A presentation you don’t want to miss!
12:15 – 13:00 Amateur Radio Satellites step-by-step, for newbies and experienced operators! (Ivo Klinkert – PA1IVO and Henk Hamoen – PA3GUO) An introduction into orbits of LEO/HEO-satellites and how to predict their passes. We will also talk about which kind of equipment is needed to transmit via amateur radio satellites. So, a talk on TLE, AOS, LOS, TCA, Kepler and Doppler, RHCP, LHCP, PCs, Antennes, TRX, SDR and Cubesat CW beacons. While this session addresses the basics of satellite communications, we invite the more experienced operators to share their experiences during the presentation as well. For example which software they use, which satellites are favorite, which antennas and rotators are being used… and: which transceivers are most popular.
13:00 – 13:45 Hands-on session FUNcube-1 Engineering model Most likely it will be possible to make in Paasloo QSO’s via the transponder of the engineering-model of FUNcube-1. A fun exercise or simply a lot of fun with a satellite of which we really control when it is within reach! 2m/70cm SSB transponder.
13:00 – 14:00 OSCAR-lunch Extended buffet lunch buffet, where the objective is to meet and great your fellow radio amateurs that share the same interest amateur radio satellites. At the same time a demonstration of the famous FUNcube Dongle and equipment like Arrow antennas, LVB-tracker, etc.
13:45 – 14:15 Hands-on session LO-19 Receiving the downlink signals of the satellite. Even though this satellite has gone through some rough situations up there in space, we can still hear a very strong (continues) carrier in the 70cm band. A great opportunity to observe the Doppler-effect and to experience how large this effect is at different stages of a pass. Or: compare again the performance of the different antennas that will be brought by visitors. 70 cm constant carrier. Maximum elevation: 59 degrees
14:15 – 15:00 Delfi-n3Xt (Jasper Bouwmeester – Program Manager TU/d) An update on the status of the next Dutch satellite of the University of Delft (TU/d), which will be launched in November. Also here a lot of interesting hardware will be shown, including the engineering model of the S-band transmitter, the positioning system and the VHF/UHF antennas.
15:00 – 15:15 Radio Amateurs and scientific satellites (Henk Hamoen – PA3GUO) How radio amateurs can contribute to scientific research in satellite projects. No QSOs therefore, but rather support of science in space.
15:15 – 15:35 A portable, multi-functional satellite station (Ivo Klinkert – PA1IVO) A presentation on a portable satellite station for radio communications using low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, multi-mode, including S-band reception.
15:35 – 15:45 How to apply for an ARISS school contact (Bertus Hüsken – PE1KEH) How to apply for a school contact with the International Space Station (ISS) via ARISS.
15:45 – 16:00 AMSAT-NL (Wouter Weggelaar – PA3WEG, Chairman AMSAT-NL) How and why AMSAT-NL was founded.
16:00 – 16:15 Future of the “Amateur Radio Satellite User Day” (Ivo – PA1IVO en Henk – PA3GUO) Evaluation and gathering of ideas for the event next year.
16:15 Closure BBQ for those that upfront signed up.
18:23 – 18:35 Hands-on session VO-52 For those that can get enough of it! 2m/70cm SSB transponder. Maximum elevation: 30 degrees.
Much more information (for example regarding registration) is available on this website: http://ivok.home.xs4all.nl/other/SatDay2013.html
See you all in Paasloo! Ivo Klinkert – PA1IVO and Henk Hamoen – PA3GUO
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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AMSAT-DL Satellite Symposium October 5
The AMSAT-DL satellite symposium and AGM will be held in Bochum, Germany on October 5, 2013.
The AMSAT Deutschland Facebook page says “There will be certainly some exciting news!”
AMSAT-DL Symposium lecture schedule
Saturday 05.10.2013 10:15 – 10:30 Welcome 10:30 – 11:15 Stereo A / B status and Turbo Code introduction, experience report by Mario Lorenz, DL5MLO 11:15 – 11:45 Coffee break 11:45 – 12:15 Asteroid Defense by Wolfgang Wittholt, Fernuni Hagen 12:15 – 12:45 Space Generantion Advisory Council (SGAC) Small Satellite Project Group (SSPG) presentation and objectives by Dennis Mattes 12:45 – 14:00 Lunch break 14:00 Current and new projects / project progress / etc then an official part of the AGM with elections.
AMSAT-DL event announcement https://www.facebook.com/events/397993230305940/permalink/419259888179274/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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AMSAT-SM compares FUNcube Dongle Pro+ and RTL SDR’s
AMSAT-SM has published a comparison of the FUNcube Dongle Pro+ and the RTL TV dongle based software defined radio.
The FCD Pro+ costs about 10 times the price of the RTL TV Dongle. While the FCD Pro+ has a far wider frequency coverage enabling reception of LF, MF and HF are there any other differences ?
Read the AMSAT-SM comparison in Google English at http://tinyurl.com/FUNcubeDongle-RTL-Comparison
The FUNcube Dongle (FCD) Software Defined Radio (SDR) was originally developed for educational outreach as part of the ground segment for the FUNcube satellite. A proportion of the sales of the FCD goes to support AMSAT-UK’s FUNcube satellite.
You can join the FCDProPlus Yahoo Group by following these steps: • Send a blank email to [email protected] • Yahoo will send you an email in response, you may need to check your SPAM folder • Click on the link in the email, this will bring up a Yahoo page in your browser • On the Yahoo page ignore the big Join link in the middle and click on the link at the bottom of the page instead, it says: “As an alternate option, you may join the mailing list instead.” • You should then be a member of the group.
Some of the SDR decoding programs available include: • SDR Sharp (SDR#) http://sdrsharp.com/ • SDR-Radio http://www.sdr-radio.com/ • HDSDR http://www.hdsdr.de/
FUNcube Dongle Pro+ LF/MF/HF/VHF/UHF Software Defined Radio Video http://amsat-uk.org/2012/10/03/funcube-dongle-pro-plus-sdr-video/
FUNcube Dongle Pro+ http://www.FUNcubeDongle.com/
RTL TV Dongle SDR http://www.essexham.co.uk/news/realtek-sdr-pc-dongle-for- under-20-pounds.html
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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Australian ham radio BLUEsat satellite in the press
The Daily Advertiser newspaper reports the University of New South Wales (UNSW) undergraduate amateur radio satellite project has been given the tick of approval to have a stratospheric balloon test flight in Wagga.
The Basic Low Earth Orbit UNSW Experimental Satellite, better known as BLUEsat, will undergo a test flight in April ahead of its launch into space.
BLUEsat, a 260mm cube weighing around 13 kilograms, will carry a flight computer with transmissions to include a beacon and amateur packet radio using the AX.25 packet radio protocol in a “mode J” VHF/UHF configuration.
Once in orbit BLUEsat will be a digital amateur radio satellite, which means that voice and data files can be uploaded to it by any amateur radio operator in the world over which the satellite passes.
Read the Daily Advertiser article – Satellite project to reach new heights http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/story/1781014/satellite-project-to-reach-n... heights/
Australia’s own BLUEsat ready for launch http://amsat-uk.org/2013/09/13/australias-bluesat-ready-for-launch/
BLUEsat on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bluesat.unsw
Basic Low Earth Orbit UNSW Experimental Satellite (BLUEsat) project http://www.bluesat.unsw.edu.au/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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Canadian ConSat-1 CubeSat
The Canadian ConSat-1 3U CubeSat aims to analyze radiation characteristics in the South-Atlantic Anomaly, and test technology payloads.
Canada is an Associate Member of the European Space Agency (ESA) and ConSat-1 is one of the educational CubeSats chosen for Phase 1 of the ‘Fly Your Satellite!’ initiative.
The ‘Fly Your Satellite!’ initiative builds on the success of the ‘CubeSats for the Vega Maiden Flight’ pilot program. This culminated in 2012 with the launch of seven student-built CubeSats on the first flight of the new ESA Vega launcher.
The South-Atlantic Anomaly is a plasma cloud 200 km from the Earth’s surface, located above the east coast of South America. It appears to be constantly growing in size and a NASA report speculates that by 2240 it might cover approximately half the southern hemisphere.
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20000085550_2000122978....
ConSat-1 plans to look at various aspects of the plasma cloud: its temperature, its atomic and molecular composition, its density, and its volume. The team hope to produce meaningful data which shows the ever-changing characteristics of this extra-spatial hazard.
ESA announce six CubeSats chosen for Phase 1 http://amsat-uk.org/2013/06/26/esa-announce-six-cubesats/
ESA ‘Fly Your Satellite’ Initiative http://www.esa.int/Education/Call_for_Proposals_Fly_Your_Satellite
Wiki – South-Atlantic Anomaly http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Atlantic_Anomaly
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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ISS Ham Video launch campaign
The ARISS DATV transmitter, dubbed “Ham Video”, already onboard the International Space Station, will soon be installed in the Columbus module and commissioned.
Commissioning will be done in several steps, each during a full pass of the ISS over the Matera ground station (see Bulletin 2). It is not yet known if these passes will be chosen in close succession, or if they will cover several weeks. ARISS proposes ESA to operate so called “blank” transmissions during the commissioning period. If this is accepted, it means that Ham Video will transmit permanently without camera. The camera will not be used because it is fed on batteries and servicing it would need prohibitive crew time. Transmitting recordings is part of a future project, but not available presently.
Although ground stations will receive a black image without audio, “blank” transmissions contain all information needed for the setting up and the fine tuning of the station. Moreover, collected data will be used for a performance study of the ARISS L/S-band antennas as well as for an evaluation of the global system.
For this launch campaign, ARISS addresses a call for collaboration to the amateur radio community, especially to the operators interested in space communications. Several satellite operators have shown interest.
Ham Video technical characteristics are available at www.ariss-eu.org . Suggestions and useful addresses for the setting up of a Ham Video ground station are also provided.
Among the components of a satellite ground station, the antenna system is the most expensive. High gain antennas are needed, moved by azimuth and elevation motors and driven by an appropriate computer program. For Ham Video reception, a 1.2m dish with precision tracking is recommended. A station compliant with the recommendations provided in the aforementioned reference text should be capable of 3 to 4 minutes of DATV reception during a pass of the ISS. AO-40 operators who still have an S-band dish can now use it for Ham Video.
On the other hand, interesting data can be gathered by stations with a much simpler setup. A dish with a self made helix feed could be used without motors. This antenna could be positioned in a fixed direction, determined before a pass of the ISS, pointing to the position of the ISS at closest approach, which corresponds to the maximum elevation of the space station during the pass. With the setup as described hereunder, 1 to 2 minutes of solid reception of the Ham Video signal should be possible.
Call for participation to the Ham Video launch campaign
ARISS addresses a call to amateur radio experimenters who would like to participate to the Ham Video launch campaign.
Data gathering during the initial “blank” transmissions is important and the help of volunteering operators will be most appreciated. More details to follow.
It is to be noted that builders of the hereunder proposed “Simple Station” could later update their equipment and add tracking motors. Chained stations will be needed for ARISS Ham TV school contacts. Video and audio from the ISS will be web streamed to the schools over the Internet.
We will keep you informed of these developments. For the time being, as a starter, let us concentrate on receiving “blank” transmissions.
All Ham TV Bulletins are available at www.ariss-eu.org
[ANS thanks Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, and AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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Amateur Radio in Space: Radio Amateurs Headed to, Return From ISS
NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins, KF5LJG, and Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kotov and Sergey Ryzanskiy are scheduled to launch aboard a Soyuz spacecraft September 25 to join their Expedition 37 crewmates aboard the International Space Station. Hopkins will be the first member of the 2009 NASA astronaut class to fly into space. While he's aboard the ISS, Hopkins will install the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Ham Video gear, although that is considered a low-priority assignment.
Hopkins will join Expedition 37 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, RN3FI, and Flight Engineers Karen Nyberg, and Luca Parmitano, KF5KDP. Yurchikhin, Nyberg, and Parmitano arrived in May and will return to Earth in November.
Meanwhile, US Astronaut Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR, and Russian Cosmonaut and Expedition 36 Commander Pavel Vinogradov, RV3BS, came safely back to Earth from the ISS September 11 aboard a Soyuz capsule. Cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin rounded out the trio that landed in Kazakhstan after 166 days in space.
A day earlier, Vinogradov handed over command of the ISS to another radio amateur, Cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Fyodor Yurchikhin, RN3FI, in a traditional change-of-command ceremony in the Zvezda service module.
[ANS thanks the September 19, 2013 ARRL Letter for the above link]
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ARISS News
An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Sarnelli De Donato Middle School, Polignano a Mare, Bari, Italy on 21 Sept. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 10:03 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and W6SRJ. The contact should be audible over the west coast and adjacent areas of the U.S. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in Italian.
"Sarnelli De Donato" School is a middle school. It serves the educational needs of the town because it is the only middle school in town. It caters for boys and girls, aged 11-14. Located in one of the region's tourist areas, it is in the suburbs of the pleasant town of Polignano a Mare, in the south-east of the APULIA region, south-east of Italy. In its Curriculum the school focus on: Space Communication, Media Communication, the Environment, Science activities in lab. The school has a gym, an auditorium, a music room, two computer rooms, a new scientific laboratory, a video room, 22 classrooms. At present there are 526 students on roll and they attend the regular class daily, from 8.00 am to 1.00 pm.
Participants will ask as many of the following questions (translated) as time allows:
1. What sensation do you standing there in the void thinking that everything
around is infinite?
2. How do they appear from the space station celestial bodies: sun, planets,
moon, stars?
3. The astronauts on the Space Station as they do not understand if it is
night or day on Earth?
4. A drop of water that is lost in the air is dangerous for the electronic
equipment on board?
5. What are the immediate benefits for humanity arising from the results of
the experiments of your space missions?
6. The Risk factor aboard the Space Station can change by virtue of the
activities that you carry?
7. In a simple way how can be explained the force that keeps the ISS in
orbit?
8. The infinity of space that surrounds you bring you closer to the image of
a "Creator God"?
9. The extraordinary figure of astrophysics Margherita Hack has influenced
your training program as an astronaut?
10. How do you live the danger that a meteorite will collide with the
International Space Station?
11. Assuming the distant future of man in space, the absence of gravity will
evolve as the appearance of man?
12. What factors determine the residence time of 6 months on the Space
Station?
13. Assuming that the trajectory of a meteor crosses the Earth's orbit, what
contribution can the Space Station for safety on Earth?
14. From space failed to observe atmospheric phenomena and to provide those
disasters such as tornadoes or tsunamis?
15. If the man in the distant future "inhabit" the space as it will change
your perception of spatial and temporal distances?
16. This mission how is for you example of an expression of brotherhood and
cooperation among people of different countries?
17. An 'possible for you direct contact with the family over the internet?
18. How much you exercise in Star City before you leave?
19. What specific astronomical events you witnessed during your stay on the
ISS?
20. Will it be possible in the future for a person who is not an astronaut
traveling to visit and remain on the ISS?
PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ARISS UPDATES:
Sign up for the SAREX maillist at
http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/sarex
Visit ARISS on Facebook. We can be found at Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS).
To receive our Twitter updates, follow @ARISS_status
Next planned event(s):
1. Scuola Media Statale "Salvo D'Acquisto", Cesano Maderno, Italy,
telebridge via VK5ZAI, Tue, 24Sept2013, 10:18 UTC
Watch for possible last minute cancellation.
2. College de la Combraille, La Mouniaude Chatelguyon, France,
telebridge via VK5ZAI, Sat, 28Sept2013, 08:39 UTC
ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries.
ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on-board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.ariss.org/ (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).
[ANS thanks David, AA4KN for the above information]
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Satellite Shorts From All Over
NASA/AMSAT Mentors Still Making News
Pat Kilroy N8PK, the group’s mentor, is an AMSAT area coordinator for Maryland/Washington DC. See:
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/september2013/nasa_interns_start_work_on _future_cubesat_mission.htm#.UjmW6X9Osw8
Or
http://phys.org/news/2013-09-nasa-interns-future-cubesat-mission.html
[ANS thanks Southgate ARC, for the above information]
Space Weather's Effects on Satellites
MIT Study of interest to the satellite community: http://web.mit.edu/press/2013/space-weather-effects-on-satellites.html
[ANS thanks Les Rayburn, N1LF, and Spacedaily.com 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, Joe Spier, K6WAO k6wao at amsat dot org
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-286
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:
* AMSAT Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Amateur Radio Involvement in Human Spaceflight * Keith Baker, KB1SF / VA3KSF signs off with final column for "Monitoring Times" * Hams Collaborate to Greet Juno Spacecraft on Flyby; Results Are Pending * SkySat-1 & SkySat-2 being shipped to Russia for upcoming launch * RSGB Centenary Convention October 11-13, 2013 * STRaND-1 talk at RSGB Convention this Sunday, October 13, 2013 * Raspberry Pi at RSGB Convention * AMSAT-UK FUNcube-1 Presentation at RSGB Convention * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-286.01 ANS-286 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 286.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. October 13, 2013 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-286.01
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AMSAT Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Amateur Radio Involvement in Human Spaceflight
The 31st Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting takes place 1-3 NOV 13 at the Houston Marriott South at Hobby Airport. Details about the Symposium may be found on AMSAT website (www.amsat.org). Deadline for reserving rooms under the AMSAT Block is Wednesday, 16 OCT 13. Time is running out; reserve your room directly with the hotel and register for the Symposium, the banquet, and special tours on the AMSAT website! Note: the special tour of Johnson Space Center scheduled for Monday, 4 NOV is booked and reservations are closed. All Symposium activities online reservations will close 25 OCT 2013.
A special highlight of this year's Symposium is the celebration of the 30th anniversary of amateur radio involvement in human space flight and the evolution of amateur radio into a successful program on board the International Space Station. ARISS (Amateur Radio on the ISS) is an international program that supports educational outreach as well as provides an opportunity for informal contacts between astronauts/cosmonauts and amateur radio operators around the world. The recent delivery of "Ham TV" equipment to the Columbus module by the European Space Agency is a reflection of the continued support that amateur radio holds for communicating with students.
Astronaut Owen Garriott, W5LFL on STS-9 in November 1983 was the first astronaut to utilize amateur radio to communicate with personnel on the ground, allowing the general public to speak with US astronauts from space, outside the communication channels of NASA's Mission Control. In recognition of the 30th anniversary of this historic event, a multi-media panel featuring Owen and other key individuals who initiated this amazing program will take place on Saturday evening as part of the banquet, moderated by AMSAT VP-Human Space Flight Frank Bauer, KA3HDO. The presentation includes not only remarks by Owen and others in response to Frank's questions, but video highlights of amateur radio participation in STS-9 and other Shuttle flights will be shown. Having such a celebration take place in Houston makes it more special as it allows us to have non-AMSAT personnel involved with placing amateur radio on the Shuttle and ISS participate in our special program.
Those that attended the 29th AMSAT Space Symposium that took place in San Jose, CA in November 2011 were treated to an amazing presentation as we celebrated the 50th anniversary of OSCAR-1 (launched on 12 DEC 61), with Project OSCAR and AMSAT member Lance Ginner, K6GSJ telling the story of the development and launch of OSCAR-1 with slides and his recollections of how OSCAR-1 was built and installed on the launch vehicle. Likewise, this year's banquet provides a special opportunity to "meet history" as attendees hear directly from those that initiated amateur radio into human space flight.
Come to Houston and help celebrate a significant event in amateur radio history!
[ANS thanks Martha at the AMSAT Office for the above information]
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Keith Baker, KB1SF / VA3KSF signs off with final column for "Monitoring Times"
As has been well publicized, Grove Enterprises will stop publishing "Monitoring Times" after the December 2013 issue. AMSAT's own Keith Baker, KB1SF / VA3ksf submited the last installment of his regular column "Amateur Satellite Update" in the November 2013 issue, which is now available. Keith's article begins on page 46. He discusses UKube-1, FUNcube-1 and Fox-1a. Keith sign's off saying "..., it’s been a real pleasure sharing learning with you these past few years." and then invites his readers to join and support their respective national AMSAT societies.
[ANS thanks E. Michael McCardel, KC8YLD, for the above announcement]
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Hams Collaborate to Greet Juno Spacecraft on Flyby; Results Are Pending
Radio amateurs around the globe greeted NASA's Juno spacecraft October 9 as it looped past Earth for a gravity-assisted boost on its way to Jupiter. Participants were invited to spread out across 10 meters to transmit "HI" in very slow speed CW (1/25 WPM), sending 30 second dits punctuated by 30 second spaces and 90 seconds between the two characters. The experiment involved 16 identical rounds or cycles and ran a bit longer than 2-1/2 hours all told (1800 to 2040 UTC). The object of the experiment was to see if Juno's onboard "Waves" experiment would be able to detect the collective RF. One possible glitch was that the spacecraft's systems went into "safe mode" at some point. University of Iowa researcher and Waves Principal Engineer Don Kirchner, KDØL, believes the unexplained switchover will not prove to be a problem for the "Say 'HI' to Juno" experiment.
"Safe mode entry was late enough that we likely have data taken from the event," Kirchner told ARRL. "[Project managers] are carefully working through their standard procedures, which take priority over downlinking the science telemetry that should be stored on board. I am still hopeful that we will have enough data to determine whether or not our instrument was able detect amateur signals."
Among stations participating were operators at the Virginia Tech Amateur Radio Club's K4KDJ, who posted video of their activity on YouTube.
Whatever the outcome, Kirchner said, he and the Juno team would like to thank the operators who took part in the experiment. He said reports came in from all over the world. Anyone who took part can request a QSL card that acknowledges their help.
"Indications are that we had very large and enthusiastic participation," he added.
At the time of the experiment the Juno spacecraft was within 50,000 kilometers from Earth, and the Waves team determined that would be the best opportunity for the wide-band receiver to detect Amateur Radio signals. Spreading out participants on a wide range of 10 meter frequencies was intended to improve the chance of the Waves instrument's hearing the ham signals. The detector has a bandwidth of 1 MHz.
"The natural signals we expect to measure at Jupiter will consist of a large number of discrete tones," a pre-experiment announcement explained, "so spreading the signals out in this manner is a good approximation to the signals we expect to detect. But at Jupiter, we don't expect to be able to decode CW in our telemetry!"
Despite the government shutdown two websites were available to guide participants when to key down and when to stop transmitting. Numerous operators were monitored who, apparently not having read or fully understood the instructions, transmitted "HI" and their call signs at normal CW speeds. The very slow speed CW was necessary because the Waves instrument samples the spectrum just once per second. As the website explained, "By spreading the signal out in time, we can average to reduce the noise level. In addition, the spacecraft spins at 2 RPM, so a 30 second 'dit' time gives us a full spin to see if there is any spin modulation."
Organizers were actually hoping for poor conditions on 10 meters, so that signals from Earth would pass through the ionosphere for the most part, allowing the spacecraft a better chance of detecting them.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Say "HI" to Juno web page and the Southwest Research Institute's Say "HI" to Juno Event website will report the results of the experiment.
[ANS thanks the ARRL Letter -- Oct. 10, 2013 for the above information]
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SkySat-1 & SkySat-2 being shipped to Russia for upcoming launch
Space News reports SkySat-1 and SkySat-2 being shipped to Russia for upcoming launch.
http://www.spacenews.com/article/civil-space/37671skybox-imagings-hopes-high... as-launch-of-first-satellites-draws-near
Skybox’s satellites weigh approximately 100 kilograms and are slightly larger than the miniature refrigerators often found in college dormitory rooms. Although the satellites dwarf the 1-kilogram cubesats many of the firm’s executives, including founders Berkenstock and Julian Mann, worked on in the Stanford laboratory — their professor at Stanford, Bob Twiggs, helped to invent the tiny spacecraft — the CubeSat approach is readily apparent at Skybox headquarters. The Skybox design team created satellites capable of gathering 1- meter resolution imagery while eschewing costly features that would raise the price of each satellite.
[ANS thanks the Space News and Greg, W9GB for the above information]
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RSGB Centenary Convention October 11-13, 2013
The RSGB’s Centenary Convention, generously sponsored by Martin Lynch & Sons, is scheduled over the weekend 11th –13th October 2013 at Horwood House just a few miles outside Milton Keynes.
LECTURES. Some of the highlights are…
JOE TAYLOR, K1JT. Joe is a Nobel Prize winner and is very well known in the field of amateur radio weak signal communication. He will be speaking on DXing with weak signals, which is sufficiently broad to allow an overview of both HF and EME related applications. His amateur radio feats have included mounting an ‘expedition’ in April 2010 to use the Arecibo radio telescope to conduct moonbounce with amateurs around the world using voice, Morse code and digital communications. He’s written several computer programs and communications protocols, including WSJT (Weak Signal/Joe Taylor), a software package and protocol suite useful for passing short messages via non-traditional radio communications methods, such as moon-bounce and meteor scatter and other low signal-to-noise ratio paths. It is also useful for extremely long distance contacts using very low power transmissions.
TUVALU T2GM. Tom Wylies, GM4FDM is one of the four Scottish amateurs who recently headed to Tuvalu to operate as T2GM. He has kindly agreed to give us an insight to, amongst other things, the troubles they encountered getting to Tuvalu. If you recall they made over 18,000 contacts working UK on 15m through to 40m, which was a great feat transiting the auroral oval right over the North Pole.
EASTER ISLAND XR0YG. Michael Wells, G7VJR will be giving a presentation on his venture to Easter Island where he and his colleagues operated as XR0YG in March, on all bands 160m through to 10m – CW only. Electricity on Easter Island was subject to frequent blackouts, which caused a few problems, but after six days on the air they’d made some 24,000 QSOs.
WWI COMMUNICATIONS. Dr Elisabeth Bruton is a postdoctoral researcher on a collaborative project looking at telecommunications in WWI and how quickly development in radio was made at that time. Others involved in this project are the University of Leeds and the Museum of the History of Science, Oxford, BT archives, IET archives, Porthcurno Telegraph Museum and the Science Museum. Elisabeth has kindly agreed to come and speak at the Convention. You may have heard Elisabeth recently taking part in the Radio 4 series “In our Time” hosted by Melvyn Bragg. Elisabeth was one of the three contributors to the edition broadcast on 4 July entitled “The Invention of Radio”.
DUD CHARMAN’S AERIAL CIRCUS. Continuing the historic theme, Terry Giles, G4CDY will be giving a demonstration of his recreation of G6CJ, Dud Charman’s Aerial Circus. Some Members will have seen this demonstrated at the recent Centenary Day celebrations at Bletchley Park, where Terry gave his lecture twice to packed rooms.
RASPBERRY Pi. One of the most successful lectures at last year’s event was Peter Goodall, 2E0SQL’s sessions on Raspberry Pi. I’m pleased to confirm that Peter has agreed to give another presentation at this year’s event, which will be complimented by a presentation by Eben Upton, the founder of the Raspberry Pi Foundation. Eben will also be part of the judging panel for the Centenary Construction Competition that’s being judged at this year’s Centenary Convention.
SAM JEWELL, G4DDK. Sam will be presenting a modern 70MHz transverter. At times of high Sporadic-E activity, signal levels encountered on the 70MHz (4m) band can be extremely high, especially Eastern European OIRT FM broadcast stations. To reduce intermodulation and blocking, equipment for this band must have a high dynamic range receiver. Transmit signals should also be clean to avoid interference to other services. This talk describes a modern transverter design for the radio amateur to build that meets these requirements.
CHRIS MOULDING, G4HYG. Chris will be talking about the recent developments of the Sentinel HF SDR noise measurement receiver and an HF active antenna, looking at how to get accurate RF noise measurements in an amateur radio station without spending large sums on professional test equipment. The talk will also cover SDR receiver design and a novel HF antenna designed to minimise the effects of local RF noise in a typical amateur station.
UK LICENCE EXAMINATIONS. As in previous years, the RSGB will be offering anyone wishing to obtain a UK amateur radio licence the opportunity to complete one or more of RCF Examinations over the weekend. All candidates must book their exams prior to the event and, as normal, have to provide evidence that they’ve completed the required practical assessments. Candidates for the Foundation and Intermediate exams must contact the exams co-ordinator beforehand so that their progress as regards the practical assessments can be verified. Contact the RCF Department at RSGB HQ on 01234 832 700 for further information and booking the examinations. If required, advice can be given or help finding a local tutor to complete the practical assessments in advance of the Convention weekend.
US EXAMINATIONS. The US exams will be available on Sunday 13th. Candidates will need some form of ID, preferably hoto ID, a pen, a US postal address for the FCC to send your licence to and the exam fee (currently the Sterling equivalent of $15). The whole of the US exam question pool is available in the public domain and can be downloaded. There are many websites that have practical papers with answers and (for self study candidates) there are many books available.
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, and RSGB for the above information]
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STRaND-1 talk at RSGB Convention this Sunday, October 13, 2013
Dr Chris Bridges M6OBC / M0GKK of the Surrey Space Centre is one of the volunteers who developed the UK’s first CubeSat STRaND-1 on 437.568 MHz.At 11:30 on Sunday, October 13 he will be providing an update on the satellite to those attending the RSGB Convention near Milton Keynes.
Launched on February 25, 2013 STRaND-1 was the first satellite to carry a Smartphone into space and attracted world-wide media interest.
At the heart of STRaND-1 is a Google Nexus One smartphone with an Android operating system. Smartphones contain highly advanced technologies and incorporate several key features that are integral to a satellite – such as cameras, radio links, accelerometers and high performance computer processors – almost everything a spacecraft needs except the solar panels and propulsion.
STRaND-1 information http://amsat-uk.org/satellites/strand-1/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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Raspberry Pi at RSGB Convention
Peter Goodhall 2E0SQL, a well known amateur radio satellite operator, is scheduled to give a presentation on the Raspberry Pi computer board at the RSGB Convention this weekend.
The popular Raspberry Pi has been used for many different amateur radio applications. Peter’s presentation is scheduled to be given at 14:30-15:15 on Saturday, October 12.
The RSGB’s Centenary Convention, sponsored by Martin Lynch & Sons, takes place this weekend (Fri eve-Sun) October 11-13 at Horwood House, MK17 0PH just a few miles outside Milton Keynes
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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AMSAT-UK FUNcube-1 Presentation at RSGB Convention
Dave Johnson G4DPZ is scheduled to be giving a presentation on the amateur radio AMSAT-UK FUNcube-1 and UK Space Agency (UKSA) UKube-1 satellites to the RSGB Convention on Saturday, October 12.
The presentation is scheduled to take place from 16:45-17:30 in the Cook 2 room at Horwood House, MK17 0PH on Saturday, October 12.
FUNcube-1 carries a 435/145 linear transponder for SSB and CW communications and an educational telemetry beacon using 1k2 BPSK for school outreach purposes.
Ukube-1 carries a set of AMSAT-UK FUNcube boards that will provide an additional 435/145 MHz linear transponder and educational telemetry beacon.
The current launch information has lift off for FUNcube-1 scheduled for late November and UKube-1 on February 20.
FUNcube-1 communication subsystem: • 400 mW Inverting linear transponder for SSB and CW - Uplink 435.150 – 435.130 MHz - Downlink 145.950 – 145.970 MHz • 400 mW BPSK Telemetry 145.935 MHz
UKube-1 communications subsystem: • Telemetry downlink 145.840 MHz, • FUNcube subsystem beacon 145.915 MHz • 400 mW Inverting linear transponder for SSB and CW - Uplink 435.080 -435.060 MHz - Downlink 145.930 -145.950 MHz • S Band downlink 2401.0 MHz • myPocketQub 437.425-437.525 MHz
The RSGB’s Centenary Convention, sponsored by Martin Lynch & Sons, takes place this weekend (Fri eve-Sun) October 11-13 at Horwood House, MK17 0PH just a few miles outside Milton Keynes.
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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ARISS News
Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2013-10-09 17:00 UTC
Quick list of scheduled contacts and events:
S. K. Seri Suria, Bangsar, Selangor, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN Contact was successful: Wed 2013-10-09 09:31:14 UTC 80 deg
Ecole Francaise Jacques Prevert, Saly, Senegal, direct via 6V7SPACE Contact is a go for: Mon 2013-10-14 16:31:33 UTC 30 deg
Istituto Comprensivo, Marzocchino Di Seravezza, Italy and Comprensivo Camaiore 3, Camaiore, Italy, direct via IQ5VR Contact is a go for: Sat 2013-10-19 15:54:53 UTC 33 deg
ARISS is requesting listener reports for the above contacts. Due to issues with the Kenwood radio that are not fully understood at present, the Ericsson radio is going to be used for these contacts. ARISS thanks everyone in advance for their assistance. Feel free to send your reports to [email protected] or [email protected].
Looking for something new to do? How about receiving DATV from the ISS? If interested, then please review the document provided by Gaston Bertels ON4WF, the ARISS-Europe Chairman.
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/HamTV.pdf
The webpages listed below were all reviewed for accuracy. Out of date webpages were removed and new ones have been added. If there are additional ARISS websites I need to know about, please let me know.
Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. All dates and times listed follow International Standard ISO 8061 date and time format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2013-10-09 17:00 UTC.
Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf
Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 858. (***) Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 840. (***) Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 46.
A complete year by year breakdown of the contacts may be found in the file. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf
US Hams, don’t forget that there is a new process for US school proposals. For US schools to have an ARISS contact, they must fill out a proposal, submit it to NASA, and see if they are approved or not. Once a school is approved and put on the list, an ARISS mentor will be assigned to assist the school.
NASA will have two open windows a year for schools to submit a proposal. The window for contacts during the second half of 2012 has already closed. Look for the window for first half 2013 contacts later this year. You must go through NASA to get the proposal material. Contact Teaching From Space, a NASA Education office, at [email protected] or by calling them at (281) 244-2320.
The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact: Arkansas, Delaware, Kansas, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the Virgin Islands.
IN LIGHT OF SOME COMMENTS THAT HAVE APPEARED RECENTLY ON THE VARIOUS BULLETIN BOARDS; THE COMMENTS BELOW STILL HOLD TRUE:
QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL%27s
ISS callsigns: DPØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RSØISS
The successful school list has been updated as of 2013-10-09 17:00 UTC.
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf
Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correction .rtf
Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf
Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts
ARISS School Contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415
Successful ARISS contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?OBJID=412218000000023448
Additional Zoho links may be found at http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf
Exp. 36/37 on orbit Fyodor Yurchikhin RN3FI Karen L. Nyberg Luca Parmitano KF5KDP
Exp. 37/38 now on orbit Oleg Kotov Sergey Ryazansky Michael S. Hopkins KF5LJG
ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries.
ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on-board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.ariss.org/ (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).
[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N for the above information]
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Satelite Shorts From All Over
AMSAT's Patrick Stoddard, WD9EWK was at the Mohave Amateur Radio Club's annual hamfest in Kingman, Arizona, on Saturday (12 October 2013). His plan was to have WD9EWK on as many satellite passes as possible during the hamfest for on-air demonstrations of satellite operating. The hamfest site is in grid DM25xf, in Mohave County AZ.
Since Kingman is near a couple of grid boundaries, he planned on driving to one of those boundaries after the hamfest for some passes on Saturday afternoon and early evening (early Sunday, 13 October, UTC time) before driving home. The DM25/DM35 grid boundary isn't too far from the hamfest site, running through the east side of Kingman. The DM24/DM25 grid boundary is about 20 miles/32km south of Kingman along I-40 He planned to operated from both of these grid boundaries. For a QSL card all QSOs should be uploaded to Logbook of the World, or you can e-mail him with the QSO details if you made a contact. If you are in the log, you will get a card.
[ANS thanks Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK, 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, Joe Spier, K6WAO
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-307
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:
* 31st Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting Nov. 1-3, 2013 * AMSAT Board Elects Senior Officers for 2013-2014 * New Transpoder Satellites on the Horizon Within the Next 12 Months * November Deployment for ISS CubeSats * CubeSats Need Coordination Too * ARLS001 RS0ISS Active on SSTV from International Space Station * AMSAT VP Named to Top University Post * Another "Last Man Standing" Ham Episode * AMSAT Awards Update * Three Space Station Crews Get Ready for Relocation, Launch, Landing * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-307.01 ANS-307 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 307.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. November 3, 2013 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-307.01
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31st Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting Nov. 1-3, 2013
The 31st Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting occurred this weekend, Nov. 1-3 2013 at the Houston Marriott South at Hobby Airport. Further details about the Symposium may be found on AMSAT website (www.amsat.org), and ANSAT's Facebook page. The special tour of Johnson Space Center scheduled for Monday, 4 NOV is booked and reservations are closed.
Attendees from all over ther the world were present, making this year's Symposium a truely international event. Global representation from South Africa, Ireland, Brazil, Britian, Cuba, Canada, United States, and the Republic of Tejas. There were also approximately 18 memebers who joined in over Echolink for the Annual Meeting.
The 30th anniversary of amateur radio involvement in human space flight and the evolution of amateur radio into a successful program on board the International Space Station, in which ARISS (Amateur Radio on the ISS) is an international program that supports educational outreach as well as provides an opportunity for informal contacts between astronauts/cosmonauts and amateur radio operators around the world panel presentation was hosted by AMSAT's Frank Bauer, KA3HDO and included indepth discussions with retired NASA Astronaut's Owen Garriott, W5LFL, & William "Bill" McArthur, KC5ACR, AMSAT's own Bill Tynan, W3XO, & Lou McFadin, W5DID, and one of the intial ARISS telebridge operators from Santa Rosa, W6SRJ, Tim Bosma, W6MU.
Astronaut Owen Garriott, W5LFL on STS-9 in November 1983 was the first astronaut to utilize amateur radio to communicate with personnel on the ground, allowing the general public to speak with US astronauts from space, outside the communication channels of NASA's Mission Control. This developed into 25 SAREX contacts from the Space Shuttle and finally into the ARISS program known today.
A great history was shared from the first amauter radio contact from space to current operations from ARISS platforms and how we got from there to now.
[ANS thanks E.Mike McCardel, KC8YLD, and Joe Spier, K6WAO for the above information]
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AMSAT Board Elects Senior Officers for 2013-2014
Election of AMSAT's Senior Officers was one of the first orders of business at the AMSAT Board of Directors meeting on October 31 in Houston, Texas.
The following positions were voted upon and filled:
Barry Baines, WD4ASW President Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA Vice-President Operations Gould Smith, WA4SXM Vice President User Services Tony Monteiro, AA2TX Vice-President Engineering Frank Bauer, KA3HDO Vice-President Human Spaceflight EMike McCardel, KC8YLD Vice-President Educational Relations Alan Biddle, WA4SCA Secretary Keith Baker, KB1SF/VA3KSF Treasurer Martha Saragovitz Manager
The following Senior Officer positions remained open at this time awaiting appointments: Executive Vice President Vice-President Marketing
[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA, for the above announcement]
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New Transpoder Satellites on the Horizon Within the Next 12 Months
Here is the latest list of the transponders scheduled for launch in 2014.
FUNcube-1 AMSAT-UK and AMSAT-NL collaboration 1U cubesat Imminent launch on Dnepr booster (21NOV2013) 600-700 km sun-sync orbit Educational beacon, 1200 baud BPSK (daytime ops) 20 khz U/V transponder, 500 mW (nighttime ops)
Triton-1 ISIS-BV (Innovative Solutions In Space BV) 3U cubesat Imminent launch on Dnepr booster (21NOV2013) 600-700 km sun-sync orbit AIS (ship location service) radio science experiment Two U/V FM to DSB (“AO-16 mode”) repeaters activated after 3 months (possibly both at once
Delfi-N3xt Technical University of Delft 3U cubesat Imminent launch on Dnepr booster (21NOV2013) 600-700 km sun-sync orbit 40 khz U/V transponder (after experiments completed) High speed S-band downlink
CubeBug-2 Argentinian Ministry of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation, INVAP S.E., Satellogic S.A., and Radio Club Bariloche 2U cubesat Imminent launch on Dnepr booster (21NOV2013) 600-700 km sun-sync orbit Technology demonstration mission Digipeater and data downloads open after initial experiments
LituanicaSAT-1 Kaunas University of Technology 1U cubesat Antares 120/Cygnus NET 11DEC2013 400 km ISS orbit VGA camera, GPS, 9k6 AX25 beacon V/U FM repeater, 150 mW
UKube-1 w/ FUNCube-2 UK Space Agency (amateur payload: AMSAT-UK) 3U cubesat 10FEB2014 launch on Soyuz-2 ~600 km orbit Educational beacon, 1200 baud BPSK 20 khz U/V transponder, 500 mW
KiwiSat AMSAT-ZL Microsat Launch under negotiation (probably Dnepr) 30 khz LU/V transponder, 2W LU/V FM repeater, 1W VHF CW/9k6 data, UHF 9k6 data beacons
LAPAN ORARI AMSAT-Indonesia Microsat Launch unclear, maybe PSLV with Astrosat in 2014 (650km, low inclination) U/V FM repeater 5W 145.825 digipeater
CAMSAT_BUAASat-1 CAMSAT 35kg Microsat Launch late 2014 800km sun-sync U/V FM repeater 500 mW VHF AX25 beacon 500 mW
CAMSAT CAS-2A1 & 2A2 CAMSAT 25kg Microsats with cross-link capability 1000km, 99.5 degree sun-sync CAS-2A1 VHF CW, Voice and AX25 beacons 50 kHz U/V transponder, 500mW 200kHz L/S transponder, 320mW U/V digipeater CAS-2A2 UHF CW and AX25 beacons S CW beacon 10GHz CW beacon V/U transponder, 500mW
QB50 precursors(not yet named) SSB/CW, FM Voice Launch 1st half 2014 (600km orbit)
[ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA for the above announcement]
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November Deployment for ISS CubeSats
Four CubeSats carrying amateur radio payloads are expected to be deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) by the JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) on November 25, 2013.
The CubeSats are: • Pico Dragon developed by the Viet Nam National Satellite Center (VNSC), University of Tokyo and IHI aerospace. 437.250 MHz CW beacon and 437.365 MHz 1200 bps AFSK AX.25 telemetry. • ArduSat-1 developed by NanoSatisfi. 437.325 MHz 9k6 MSK CCSDS downlink. • ArduSat-X developed by NanoSatisfi. 437.345 MHz 9k6 MSK CCSDS downlink . • TechEdSat-3 developed by interns at the NASA Ames Research Center. 437.465 MHz 1200 bps packet radio beacon transmitting 1 watt to 1/4 wave monopole. It plans to test an Iridium Satphone modem and has a deployment mechanism to de-orbit in 10 days.
They are 1U in size (10x10x10 cm) except for TechEdSat-3 which is 3U (30x10x10 cm).
IEEE – DIY Space Programs http://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/satellites/diy- space-programs
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above announcement]
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CubeSats Need Coordination Too
Space News reminds readers to coordinate and register CubeSat frequencies.
The SpaceNews Editor writes:
In the midst of the cubesat revolution that is opening up a whole new world of space applications to people and organizations of ordinary means comes a reminder from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which is responsible for regulating and coordinating radiofrequency transmissions of all types: The existing rules requiring ITU member states to register their satellite systems do not discriminate based on size.
That means, in a nutshell, that cubesats and other nanosatellites, like their larger operational cousins, must be entered into the ITU-managed database of satellite frequencies and orbital slots. Speaking at the International Astronautical Congress in Beijing, officials with the United Nations-affiliated ITU noted that cubesats draw on finite spectrum — however marginally — and have the potential to interfere with one another and with other systems. These officials urged ITU members to register cubesats and other microsatellites at least two years before launch.
Not only are cubesats proliferating, their missions are becoming increasingly complex. Most cubesats today operate in a frequency band set aside for so- called amateur radio services, which can accommodate low-data-rate transmissions. But as applications become more bandwidth intensive, operators will increasingly be forced to seek out spectrum in other bands. Moreover, though cubesats today typically are allocated bandwidth on a secondary-user basis, meaning they have to work around primary users, there is no reason such missions could not be granted primary-user status.
For cubesats operating in the amateur bands, the FCC relies on the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) for frequency coordination — typically the operator must submit a coordination letter from the group with its license application. But the flood of activity threatens to overwhelm the small, volunteer organization: Of the cubesats slated to deploy through the remainder of the year, 40 are being coordinated by the IARU.
Read the full Space News story at http://www.spacenews.com/article/opinion/37890editorial-cubesats-need- coordination-too
AMSAT-UK hosts the IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination pages at http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru
Information on frequency coordination can be found at http://www.iaru.org/satellite.html
ITU Radio Regulations http://www.itu.int/pub/R-REG-RR/en Articles 9 and 11 cover coordination and notification. Resolution 757, is an effort to simplify the administrative procedure for small, short life projects, and Resolution 646 applies to some amateur-satellite service stations.
[ANS thanks the Spacenews.com and AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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ARLS001 RS0ISS Active on SSTV from International Space Station
Dmitry Pashkov, UB4UAD, reports that the Amateur Radio slow-scan television (SSTV) experiment onboard the International Space Station has been active for the past couple of days on 145.800 MHz FM, mainly while the ISS is above Moscow. UB4UAD says that on October 31, RS0ISS should have transmited SSTV images showing images from the life and work of the first cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin.
Stations can view the SSTV pictures from the ISS by making a simple audio connection between the receiver output and the computer soundcard input and using one of the free SSTV programs, such as MMSSTV (for Windows systems) or the SSTV app (for Apple iOS devices). Details are on the AMSAT-UK website at,
http://amsat-uk.org/2011/08/01/1490/
Failing a hard-wired connection, just holding a microphone connected to the PC soundcard in front of the receiver's speaker should provide sufficient audio to decode the SSTV signal. SSTV images from the ISS typically are in Martin 1 format.
The ISS Fan Club website at
indicates when the ISS is within range. The Energia page at
http://www.energia.ru/eng/iss/researches/education-26.html
has more information on the SSTV experiment, which is designated MAI-75.
[ANS thanks the ARRL and AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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AMSAT VP Named to Top University Post
Mark Hammond, N8MH, AMSAT's Vice President of Educational Relations, has stepped down from the volunteer position after being named Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost of Campbell University in Buis Creek, North Carolina. The AMSAT News Service reports that E. Michael McCardel, KC8YLD, has been appointed to complete Hammond's term in the AMSAT leadership. Posted by CQ Newsroom
http://cqnewsroom.blogspot.com/2013/10/amsat-vp-named-to-top-university- post.html
[ANS thanks the CQ Newsroom, for the above information]
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Another "Last Man Standing" Ham Episode
"Last Man Standing" producer John Amodeo, NN6JA, reports that lead character Mike Baxter (Tim Allen) finally gets on the ham bands during the program's Thanksgiving episode, which was shot in mid-October and scheduled to air on November 22 on ABC.
According to John, Mike heads to his basement ham shack to escape a house full of guests waiting for Thanksgiving dinner to be served.
This is the second "Last Man Standing" episode to include ham radio as a story element, and the first in which Allen's character is seen operating his ham station.
http://cqnewsroom.blogspot.com/2013/10/another-last-man-standing-ham- episode.html
[ANS thanks the CQ Newsroom, for the above information]
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AMSAT Awards Update
Here is our latest induction into some of the AMSAT awards community. There is a pretty good batch since my last report.
The following have entered into the Satellite Communicators Club for making their first satellite QSO.
Jim Whitfield, K5JAW Giancarlo Guenzi, IZ1JPS Roberto Rachelli, IZ1WIX Brad Smith, KC9UQR Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
The following have earned the AMSAT Communications Achievement Award.
Charles Allen, KM5LY, #556 Brad Smith, KC9UQR, #557 David Johnson, KC9GHA, #558 Rolf Krogstad, NR0T, #559 Randy Morden, VE6RGU, #560 Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, #561
The following have earned the South Africa Satellite Communications Achievement Award.
Charles Allen, KM5LY, #US186 David Johnson, KC9GHA, #US187 Randy Morden, VE6RGU, #US188 Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, #US189
To see all the awards visit http://www.amsat.org or http://www.amsatnet.com/awards.html
[ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, for the above information]
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Three Space Station Crews Get Ready for Relocation, Launch, Landing
International Space Station crews commuting to and from their orbiting laboratory will be busy this November, and NASA Television will provide live coverage of their launches, landings and relocations.
Traffic starts to pick up Friday, Nov. 1. Expedition 37 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineers Karen Nyberg of NASA and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency will climb into their Soyuz spacecraft, back out of one Russian Earth-facing docking spot and fly a short distance to another one at the end of the station. NASA TV coverage starts at 4 a.m. EDT. The 24-minute maneuver begins with undocking at 4:34 a.m.
The Soyuz move opens up the Rassvet docking port for another Soyuz transporting Expedition 38/39 Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA, Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos and Flight Engineer Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to the station. Aboard their spacecraft is the Olympic torch, which is taking an out-of-this-world route -- as part of the torch relay -- to Fisht Stadium in Sochi, Russia. There, the torch will be used to light the Olympic flame at the stadium, marking the start of the 2014 winter games.
The trio is scheduled to launch at 11:14 p.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 6 (10:14 a.m. Kazakh time on Nov. 7) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. NASA TV launch coverage begins at 10:15 p.m. Docking to Rassvet is scheduled at 5:31 a.m. on Nov. 7, with NASA TV coverage beginning at 4:45 a.m. Hatches are scheduled to open at 7:40 a.m., with NASA TV coverage starting at 7:15 a.m.
Mastracchio, Tyurin and Wakata will join Yurchikhin, Nyberg and Parmitano, plus Oleg Kotov and Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos and Michael Hopkins of NASA. Their arrival will be the first time since May 2009 that nine people have served together aboard the space station without the presence of a space shuttle.
On Sunday, Nov. 10, after Yurchikhin has transferred command of the station to Kotov, the Soyuz carrying Yurchikhin, Nyberg and Parmitano will undock for a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan at 9:50 p.m. (8:50 a.m. Kazakh time on Nov. 11), wrapping up a 166-day mission. Hatch closure coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 10 with a replay of the change of command ceremony. Undocking coverage begins at 6 p.m., and deorbit and landing coverage begins at 8:30 p.m.
Special video feeds of pre-launch activities by the crew will resume on Friday, Nov. 1, and continue through Wednesday, Nov. 6.
All the times of International Space Station programming, key Soyuz event coverage and other NASA Television programming can be found at:
http://www.nasa.gov/stationnews
For information about the International Space Station, research and its crews, visit:
[ANS thanks NASA, for the above information]
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ARISS News
Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2013-10-28 20:00 UTC
Quick list of scheduled contacts and events:
Wallingford STEM Academy/Town of Wallingford, Wallingford, CT, direct via K1SEZ Contact is a go for: Thu 2013-10-31 15:45:11 UTC 46 deg
Kopernik Observatory & Science Center (KOSC), Vestal, NY, direct via K2ZRO Contact is a go for: Wed 2013-10-30 16:32:51 UTC 41 deg
Warren County Technical School, Washington, NJ, direct via KC2WT Contact is a go for: Mon 2013-11-04 14:08:48 UTC 50 deg (***)
Cradle of Aviation Museum, Garden City, NY, telebridge via IK1SLD Contact is a go for: Mon 2013-11-04 14:24:39 UTC 44 deg
For all of you Ice Pilots TV show fans, the first episode of season 5 is scheduled to have some of an ARISS contact that occurred a few months back. Depending on where you are located, the times and cable TV providers may change. History Channel is airing the show for the first time Wednesday October 23 at 22:00 EDT or Thursday October 24 at 02:00 UTC. Below are several on-line links to where you can watch it:
http://www.icepilots.com/episodes.php http://www.icepilots.com/episode5_1.php
If you are in Australia, apparently the History Channel is available via Pay-TV.
Below is word from Canadian ARISS mentor Steve McFarlane VE3TBD about this:
Wednesday Oct 23, 2013 – Season Premiere of Reality TV Show Ice Pilots will feature the ARISS program – Amateur Radio on The International Space Station. I/we do not know the full details of what will be included in this episode but we understand a Radio contact with Chris Hadfield will be shown that involves the Canadian mentors that undertake and support these events all across Canada. This team, are made up of Teacher Lori McFarlane, technical coordination Claude Lacasse and program mentor Steve McFarlane VE3TBD all located in Ottawa but were on site during this contact from Hay river. Remotely located but very much a part of this event include Teacher Mentor Brian Jackson VE6JBJ in Calgary and fellow Canadian mentor Wayne Harasimovitch VE1WPH located in Halifax.
As mentioned, exact content of the show is not known but we do know a production team from Omni productions recorded the entire presentation and event at the Hay River Public School near Yellowknife. As well, Omni productions did receive the entire video from the ISS showing Chris Hadfield an swering questions during the same event. Other video including setup, meeting the show “stars” etc., was recorded but again, we are not certain of the inclusions on the show.
All audio during the event was made available and Omni productions have a copy of that – this includes the Telebridge track.
All we can hope is that ARISS is well represented and the program receives some well-deserved recognition. I was alerted that this is a reality TV show and almost anything can be broadcast. We are at the mercy of the producers and editors of the show – as they indicated to us – this is about Buffalo Airlines. My final comment to the producer, this show and the space program are linked in ways that are sometimes difficult to understand but it is clear that early aviation pioneers from all over the world, which Buffalo epitomizes, led to what we know today as the Space Program – ARISS is about making our youth believe anything is possible so when they say this is about Buffalo Airlines what they are really saying, this is about how we started our journey to the stars.
History Channel is showing for the first time Wednesday October 23 at 22:00hrs. This is the 5th season of ice pilots and I understand some of you may only be on season 4 at this point. Within a few days, it might be available elsewhere.
ARISS is requesting listener reports for the above contacts. Due to issues with the Kenwood radio that are not fully understood at present, the Ericsson radio is going to be used for these contacts. ARISS thanks everyone in advance for their assistance. Feel free to send your reports to [email protected] or [email protected].
Looking for something new to do? How about receiving DATV from the ISS? If interested, then please review the document provided by Gaston Bertels ON4WF, the ARISS-Europe Chairman.
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/HamTV.pdf
The webpages listed below were all reviewed for accuracy. Out of date webpages were removed and new ones have been added. If there are additional ARISS websites I need to know about, please let me know.
Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. All dates and times listed follow International Standard ISO 8061 date and time format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2013-10-28 20:00 UTC.
Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf
Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 865. Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 844. Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 46.
A complete year by year breakdown of the contacts may be found in the file. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf
Please feel free to contact me if more detailed statistics are needed.
US Hams, don’t forget that there is a new process for US school proposals. For US schools to have an ARISS contact, they must fill out a proposal, submit it to NASA, and see if they are approved or not. Once a school is approved and put on the list, an ARISS mentor will be assigned to assist the school.
NASA will have two open windows a year for schools to submit a proposal. The window for contacts during the second half of 2012 has already closed. Look for the window for first half 2013 contacts later this year. You must go through NASA to get the proposal material. Contact Teaching From Space, a NASA Education office, at [email protected] or by calling them at (281) 244-2320.
The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact: Arkansas, Delaware, Kansas, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the Virgin Islands.
IN LIGHT OF SOME COMMENTS THAT HAVE APPEARED RECENTLY ON THE VARIOUS BULLETIN BOARDS; THE COMMENTS BELOW STILL HOLD TRUE:
QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL%27s
ISS callsigns: DPØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RSØISS
The successful school list has been updated as of 2013-10-27 06:00 UTC.
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf
Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correction .rtf
Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC.
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf
Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts
ARISS School Contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415
Successful ARISS contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?OBJID=412218000000023448 Additional Zoho links may be found at http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf
Exp. 36/37 on orbit Fyodor Yurchikhin RN3FI Karen L. Nyberg Luca Parmitano KF5KDP
Exp. 37/38 now on orbit Oleg Kotov Sergey Ryazansky Michael S. Hopkins KF5LJG
[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N for the above information]
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Satelite Shorts From All Over
Southeastern VHF Society WAEM Award
The Southeastern VHF Society has an award for working all of the EM grids
http://www.svhfs.org/awards.html
scroll down to the bottom for the satellite award, and get active on the birds.
(ANS thanks Damon, WA4HFN, em55 for the above information)
ESA Mars Express Video
Enjoy a virtual fly-over of Mars from the highest volcano to the deepest canyon on Mars in this great new compilation video from images taken by ESA's Mars Express. The data shown in the video was gathered from the nearly 12,500 orbits by the Mars Express spacecraft since its arrival at the Red Planet in late 2003, and used to create digital topographic models of almost the entire surface of the planet:
http://tinyurl.com/ESA-Mars-Flyover
[ANS thanks Universetoday.com for the above information]
UT1FG Found on AO-7 Mode B
Frank Griffin, K4FEG reports he made a contact with Yuri, UT1FG/MM via AO7 mode B on the 2117 UTC pass on October 29. Yuri was in grid FG40.
Frank wrote, "We had about a 60 second footprint into EM55aj to him in FG40hb, a distance of over 7500km. As the satellite rose over EM55aj84ta, I heard Yuri calling CQ at 145.9579Mhz, he called only once and I called back once and we made a successful contact, according to SatPC32 we had 1.2 degrees shared between us on the satellite".
Yuri is reported to be traveling North after two more stops in Chile. He has not had access to Wifi, so there has been very little email contact with him so far on this trip.
[ANS thanks Frank Griffin, K4FEG for the above information]
UT1FG/MM Sailing North From Chile
Yuri, UT1FG/MM is reported to be heading north which will increase opportunity to make a contact with him. Frank, K4FEG and Rick, WA4NVM contacted Yuri when he was sailing in Grid FG43 during a 2 minute pass on AO7 Mode B at 1034 UTC. His next port will be Punta Patache, Chile in Grid FG49. UT1FG can be tracked on the web at marinetraffic.com. Use either the ship name(SILVER), port name (Coquimbo) or the ship's call(5BNC3). When he is getting prepared to leave port the ship's information will change to show his next destination.
[ANS thanks Frank, K4FEG for the above information]
Pirate Slow Scan TV 255.550MHZ
While dialing around in the millsat band I noticed what sounded like slow scan tv on 255.550MHZ. It looks like the Brazilian satellite pirates are experimenting with that mode. If anyone has decoding software it would be interesting to see what they are sending. ______________________________________________________________ HearSat mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hearsat Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected]
This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[ANS thanks Dave Marthouse & E.Mike McCardel,KC8YLD for the above announcement]
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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, Joe Spier, K6WAO k6wao at amsat dot org
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-328
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:
* A Historic Week for CubeSat Launches * FUNcube-1 spacecraft now named AO-73 * Amateur Radio Satellites Launched Nov 21 on Dnepr * NASA ELaNa-4 Cubesats Launched Nov 19 with ORS-3 Minotaur from Wallops, VA * South Africa ZACube-1 Now Named TshepisoSat * Assistance requested in receiving UNISAT-5 payloads * Adding new satellites to SatPC32 and Gpredict * Triton-1 Update November 23 * Delfi-n3Xt Update November 22 * FUNcube-1 (AO-73) Transponder Activation * FUNcube-1 Transponder in Autonomous Mode * Satellite TLE Challenge Begins * FUNcube-1 (AO-73) Transponder Test Saturday November 23 * $50Sat Eagle2 PocketQube Operational * BBC TV visit FUNcube station at RSGB National Radio Centre * FUNcube-1 (AO-73): First Transponder Test * FUNcube-1 (AO-73): First Fitter Message Uploaded * FUNcube-1 Loud and Clear in Essex * FUNcube-1 on BBC News * Florida SwampSat Team Request Assistance * FUNcube-1 Deployed * FUNcube-1 Bletchley Park monitoring station ready for launch * Minotaur-1 Deploys CubeSats * Triton-1 Update * FUNcube Dashboard – New Version v806 Released * Help Track ISS CubeSats * Delfi-n3Xt Update * Help needed with the CAPE II satellite * Dual-Band Slim Jim Antenna for Satellites * PhoneSat 2.4 * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts from All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-328.01 ANS-328 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 328.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. November 24, 2013 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-328.01
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A Historic Week for CubeSat Launches
This week has seen the deployment of 64 cubesats, with 35 of the satellites operating on amateur radio frequencies, now orbiting our Earth.
Barry Baines, WD4ASW, President of AMSAT-NA and all of the editors of the AMSAT News Service wish to congratulate all of the teams that have had satellites deployed. May your birds fly high, sing loud, and live long!
I have tried to capture a majority of the events as they have occurred from the newest (at the top) to the oldest (earlier in the week at the bottom). For further information please check the team's website or better yet, get on the air and work the birds!
[73, ANS Editor, Joe Spier, K6WAO]
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FUNcube-1 spacecraft now named AO-73
The FUNcube team are delighted to be able to release the formal email received at the Bletchley Park monitoring station on the afternoon of Thursday, November 21, informing us that the FUNcube-1 spacecraft can now be referred to as AMSAT- OSCAR-73 (AO-73).
"Congratulations on the successful launch of the FUNcube-1 CubeSat, launched this morning from Yasny in Russia at 07:10:10.47 UTC November 21st 2013.
Since FUNcube-1 meets all of the requirements for being issued an OSCAR number, including coordination through IARU and requesting such a number; I, under authority vested in me by the President of AMSAT-NA, do hereby name FUNcube-1, ”AMSAT- OSCAR-73? or “AO-73.”
I, and all at AMSAT-NA wish AMSAT- OSCAR-73 great success in fulfilling all of its mission objectives and we welcome it to the long list of Amateur Radio satellites.
73,
William (Bill) Tynan, W3XO OSCAR Number Administrator
FUNcube-1 Deployed see http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/21/funcube-1-deployed/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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Amateur Radio Satellites Launched Nov 21 on Dnepr
Signals heard from Funcube-1 and Triton-1 on first pass over EU.
A Russian Dnepr rocket launched on November 21 at 07:10:11 UTC from Dombarovsky near Yasny. This launch deployed 32 satellites, many of which are amateur radio or experimental using amateur radio frequencies.
Nader, ST2NH has developed graphics depicting the known satellites on the launch, as well as published frequencies of those using amateur radio. Nader’s blog can be found at
http://st2nh-blogger.blogspot.co.uk/
A full list of known payloads can be found at
http://www.zarya.info/blog/?p=1745
Several of these satellites are expected to provide opportunities for two-way amateur communications via linear transponders, FM to DSB repeaters, or digital links.
FUNcube-1 from AMSAT-UK and AMSAT-NL is a 1U cubesat that includes an educational beacon and 20 kHz wide linear transponder. Detailed info is at:
http://funcube.org.uk/ and http://amsat-uk.org/funcube/funcube-cubesat/
Preliminary keps:
FUNCUBE-1 1 99991U 00000 13325.30956308 .00000106 00000-0 10000-3 0 00010 2 99991 097.7956 038.2570 0059925 198.5190 336.5388 14.77841394000015
Delfi-n3Xt is a 3U cubesat from Delft University of Technology that includes a 40kHz wide linear transponder and high speed S-band downlink. Detailed info may be found at
http://www.delfispace.nl/index.php/delfi-n3xt
Triton-1 is a 3U cubesat from ISIS-BV (Innovative Solutions In Space BV) with a AIS (ship location service) radio science experiment. After the experiment is complete (est. 3 months), the spacecraft radios will be reconfigured to U/V FM to DSB (“AO-16 mode”) repeaters open for amateur use. More info is at http://www.isispace.nl/cms/index.php/projects/triton-missions and http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=224S
CubeBug-2 is a 2U cubesat from the Argentinian Ministry of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation, INVAPS.E., Satellogic S.A., and Radio Club Bariloche It is a technology demonstration mission, with digipeater and data downloads open after initial experiments. See http://2.cubebug.org/ and http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=310
CubeBUG-2_SatelliteAdditional launch information will be added as it becomes available.
[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA, for the above announcement]
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NASA ELaNa-4 Cubesats Launched Nov 19 with ORS-3 Minotaur from Wallops, VA
LAUNCHED!
Eleven cubesats from NASA’s ELaNa Educational Launch of Nanosatellites program were launched on the ORS-3 mission on a US Air Force Minotaur-1 from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Launch scheduled for 2330 UTC on November 19, 2013, with a target orbit of 500km circular, and 40.5 degree inclination.
Cubesat.org recently published a list of those satellites in the amateur service, or those using amateur frequencies under an experimental license. The list includes frequencies, modulation, beacon periods, and links to the individual project web pages, and can be found at http://cubesat.org/index.php/missions/upcoming-launches/135-ors3-launch-aler...
Up to the minute launch data can be found at Spaceflight Now’s web site at http://www.spaceflightnow.com/minotaur/ors3/status.html
Real time discussion regarding the launch can be found via IRC, with details posted at http://www.cubesat.org/index.php/collaborate/ground-operators
UPDATE
Preliminary Keplerian elements have been released; refer to http://cubesat.org/index.php/missions/upcoming-launches/135-ors3-launch-aler... for P-POD order assignments.
ORS3-2.2A 1 99900U 00000 13324.06792882 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0005 2 99900 40.5215 249.9769 0002852 187.8940 351.5057 15.19723466000006 ORS3-2.3A 1 99901U 00000 13324.06827604 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0007 2 99901 40.5215 249.9769 0002954 196.7779 344.5267 15.19722048000009 ORS3-2.3B 1 99902U 00000 13324.06827604 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0008 2 99902 40.5215 249.9769 0002954 196.7779 344.5267 15.19722048000000 ORS3-2.3C 1 99903U 00000 13324.06827604 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0009 2 99903 40.5215 249.9769 0002954 196.7779 344.5267 15.19722048000001 ORS3-2.5A 1 99904U 00000 13324.06862326 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0000 2 99904 40.5214 249.9768 0003075 205.2431 337.9664 15.19728651000009 ORS3-2.5B 1 99905U 00000 13324.06862326 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0001 2 99905 40.5214 249.9768 0003075 205.2431 337.9664 15.19728651000000 ORS3-2.5C 1 99906U 00000 13324.06862326 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0002 2 99906 40.5214 249.9768 0003075 205.2431 337.9664 15.19728651000001 ORS3-2.6A 1 99907U 00000 13324.06827604 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0003 2 99907 40.5215 249.9769 0002954 196.7779 344.5267 15.19722048000005 ORS3-2.6B 1 99908U 00000 13324.06827604 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0004 2 99908 40.5215 249.9769 0002954 196.7779 344.5267 15.19722048000006 ORS3-2.6C 1 99909U 00000 13324.06827604 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0005 2 99909 40.5215 249.9769 0002954 196.7779 344.5267 15.19722048000007 ORS3-2.7A 1 99910U 00000 13324.06792882 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0006 2 99910 40.5215 249.9769 0002852 187.8940 351.5057 15.19723466000007 ORS3-2.7B 1 99911U 00000 13324.06792882 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0007 2 99911 40.5215 249.9769 0002852 187.8940 351.5057 15.19723466000008 ORS3-2.7C 1 99912U 00000 13324.06792882 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0008 2 99912 40.5215 249.9769 0002852 187.8940 351.5057 15.19723466000009
[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA, for the above announcement]
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South Africa ZACube-1 Now Named TshepisoSat
The South African Radio League posted this news in their SARL News Sunday November 24 Bulletins:
On Thursday 21 November 2013 the French South African Institute of Technology (F'SATI), at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, made history by being the first in South Africa, and indeed the first in Africa, to launch a locally built nano satellite into orbit from a site in Russia.
Deon Coetzee, ZR1DE, who represented SA AMSAT at a ceremony held in the auditorium at the university campus reports that Vice Chancellor, Prof. Vuyisa Mazwi-Tonga, paid tribute to all at the university who made this achievement possible, and said she was immensely proud of being part of it all.
Original known as ZACube-1, the satellite has been named TshepisoSat, after a competition held for Grade 9 learners. Tshepiso is the seSotho word meaning promise.
The launch was the culmination of five years' work after the first proposal to build a small satellite as part of the engineering curriculum was put forward by Professor Robert van Zyl in February 2008. Co-operation of the French Government made possible the forming of F'SATI and the French Ambassador in South Africa, Elizabeth Barbier, during a video address, promised continued support by France for the programme.
ZACUBE-1 was one of fourteen cubesats aboard the thirty metre tall, three stage rocket. All the cubesats were successfully released at a height of 600 km above the Earth. TshepisoSat will circle the Earth up to fifteen times per day in a polar orbit.
"At 11h13 the first signals from ZACUBE-1 were received amongst loud cheers", Deon said. According to Francois Visser, ZS1CED, who was the principal engineer and student mentor, the satellite was functioning well. The satellite also includes a small camera which will be used to monitor the releases of the 20 metre beacon antenna. The beacon will operate on 14 099 kHz and will be used to characterise the Superdarn antennas at the Antarctic which are used to study the ionosphere. A UHF beacon operates on 437,345 MHz. Follow progress at www.cput.ac.za/fsati and www.amsatsa.org.za
[ANS thanks the South African Radio League for the above information]
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Assistance requested in receiving UNISAT-5 payloads
The Group of Astrodynamics for the Use of Space Systems (GAUSS) has asked for assistance in receiving some of the satellites deployed by the UNISAT-5 mini- satellite which was launched on a Dnepr from Yasny on November 21.
Dear All,
The Dnepr Cluster Launch 2013 has just been successfully accomplished: if anyone of the CubeSat community has the chance, please support GAUSS team in receiving some of the US5 payloads. Try to get: - PUCPSAT (from Perù): beacon @ 145.840 MHz (transmitting call sign OA0PUCP) - HumSat-D (from Spain): 437.325 MHz - WREN: 437.405 MHz
Thank you for your support!
GAUSSteam – Gruppo di Astrodinamica per l’Uso dei Sistemi Spaziali – Group of Astrodynamics for the Use of Space Systems Via Lariana, 5 00199 Roma
Dnepr Yasny launch http://amsat-uk.org/satellites/dnepr-november-2013/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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Adding new satellites to SatPC32 and Gpredict
Erich, DK1TB, has provided a short guide on how to manually add new satellites to the SatPC32 satellite tracking app which is available from the AMSAT-UK shop.
The new FUNcube-1 AO-73 satellite is used as an example.
a. Copy the following address to the aux. file Celestrak.SQF (all aux. files can be opened and edited from menu “?”, “Auxiliary Files”): http://www.celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/tle-new.txt
b. Copy the following line to the file AmsatNames.txt 39417 13066B AO-73 That will convert the CelesTrak sat name 213-066B to AO-73. In menu “Satellites” choose “SatNames”, “Use Amsat Names if Available”.
c. Copy the following lines to Doppler.SQF: AO-73,145934.0,,USB,,,,TLM AO-73,145960.0,435140.0,USB,LS B,REV,,, Transponder
In menu “Satellites” choose “Sat Groups” and select – for example- the group “Diverse” to have the sat in a separate list. With “Update Keps” download the Celestrak file. It will appear in the left list of the menu. Click on the file name. In the middle list you will see AO-73 with this name. Select it for the right list and click “OK”. The group will later automatically use the chosen CelesTrak file.
73s, Erich, DK1TB
Gpredict
Bryce KB1LQC describes how to update the free satellite tracking software Gpredict:
You can add new TLE’s by using the Edit->Update TLE and choose network or local files. I’ve found it interesting to get some of the FUNcube TLE’s in there, maybe Gpredict is being picky but it’s worked. Also, there’s a downward facing arrow in the top right window of Gpredict with a “configure” menu option. I’ve placed my cursor over it in one of the screenshots. When you are in there you can add and remove satellites as shown in the second screenshot. Hope this helps!
Location of configure menu: http://www.flickr.com/photos/101448394@N02/11015569633/ (Preview) Inside Configure menu: http://www.flickr.com/photos/101448394@N02/11015526594/ (Preview)
Satellite TLE Challenge Begins http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/23/tle-challenge- begins/
ISS CubeSats http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/16/iss-cubesats-deploy-tuesday-and- wednesday/
Minotaur-1 ELaNa-4 launch http://amsat-uk.org/satellites/elana-4-cubesats/
Dnepr Yasny launch http://amsat-uk.org/satellites/dnepr-november-2013/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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Triton-1 Update November 23
Triton-1 is a 3U cubesat from ISIS-BV (Innovative Solutions In Space BV) with a AIS (ship location service) radio science experiment which was launched on November 21. After the experiment is complete (est. 3 months), the spacecraft radios will be reconfigured to U/V FM to DSB (“AO-16 mode”) repeaters open for amateur use.
This update was issued at 08:48 on November 23, 2013.
Hi all,
New TLE’s for the DNEPR launch have been issued, we believe that Triton-1 is object M.
2013-066M 1 39427U 13066M 13326.98436826 -.00002391 00000-0 -39688-3 0 10 2 39427 97.7901 39.5474 0120424 185.3601 174.6374 14.64539763 201
Meanwhile, Triton-1 is still in nominal mode, transmitting AX.25 BPSK on 145.822 MHz. Reception reports, especially in case the satellite is in safe mode (transmitting the safe mode CW beacon) are welcome!
73 on behalf of the team,
Wouter Jan Ubbels PE4WJ
Triton missions http://www.isispace.nl/cms/index.php/projects/triton-missions
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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Delfi-n3Xt Update November 22
Delfi Nanosatellite Program Manager, Jasper Bouwmeester, provides this update on the Delfi-n3Xt satellite which was launched November 21 and carries a 435/145 MHz linear transponder.
Dear radio amateurs,
We had a fantastic launch and early reception of Delfi-n3Xt! The good news is that Delfi-n3Xt is transmitting when in the Sun and is off in eclipse to save battery power; just as we want it to be. The signal strength is also good.
VHF Reception
We have noticed however that the DUDe telemetry client does not properly indicate the frequency offset and it is very difficult to get a lock on the signal.
Also our ICOM910 receivers have too limited bandwidth to receive a 2400 bit/s BPSK signal properly (although we had a few packets decoded with this, so it is just on the edge of what is possible). We now use only AR5000 in combination with an SDR to record a wide spectrum in IQ files. This way we can replay the files and retune the signal again and have been able to decode more packets than before. This morning at our second pass we were lucky to have a real time lock on the signal and retrieve many packets, so it is possible to have it right at once. But of course we would like to get the ‘luck-factor’ out of it.
A few people will look into the Costas PLL inside DUDe to see if we can improve its performance. Meanwhile, you can regard Delfi-n3Xt as a real challenging game to decode packets…
S-band reception
With respect to the S-band, we have not been able to test this as all our efforts go into VHF reception. The beacon is however on (also in eclipse), transmitting packets in a duty cycle of 5%, 1 Hz at 50 kbit/s MSK. The satellite is however still tumbling, so the antenna might be pointing in arbitrary direction. Next to this, a lot of gain is needed to be able to even see something above the noise floor (we have an 38dB dish). I believe that dish antenna below 25 dB will not be able to receive the beacon (let alone decode it). If someone however has the right equipment and good see the 1 Hz beacon, e.g. in a waterfall plot, please let us know and sent us a picture!
TLEs
These are the latest TLEs we have received: 1 00371U 00371A 13325.30974640 .00000000 00000-0 10000-4 0 7 2 00371 97.7888 38.2587 0131876 190.4863 345.6615 14.61864099 08
73,
Jasper
Telemetry reception http://www.delfispace.nl/operations/delfi-n3xt-telemetry- reception
Delfi-n3Xt http://www.delfispace.nl/operations/radio-amateurs
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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FUNcube-1 (AO-73) Transponder Activation
The FUNcube Team have had reports of an apparent distortion in the transmitted telemetry and difficulty in decoding around 12:00 UT today.
It is believed that this may have actually been occurring due to the natural phenomena of an active aurora rather than a problem on board the spacecraft. We understand that another spacecraft had the same issues around the same time.
The Team intend to command AO-73 back into autonomous mode during the 2035 UT pass this evening. This will mean that we should have the transponder active when in eclipse and telemetry only when in sunlight.
Everyday we learn something new!
best 73
FUNcube-1 team
Analysis of the telemetry data from FUNcube-1 (AO-73) is continuing. Thank you to all stations who have provided telemetry so far. More telemetry data is needed to enable the FUNcube team to characterise the satellite.
We would encourage stations to download the Dashboard software to receive the telemetry and upload it to the Data Warehouse.
FUNcube website http://www.funcube.org.uk/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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FUNcube-1 Transponder in Autonomous Mode
A test of the Autonomous Mode on the FUNcube-1 (AO-73) SSB/CW linear transponder has been carried out.
It was switched into Autonomous Mode during orbit 32 at 1113 UT on Saturday, November 23. In this mode the transponder will automatically switch on when the spacecraft enters darkness, and switch off again when it enters sunlight.
During the test all radio amateurs in the footprint were encouraged to make their own tests of the transponder up/down links, and make contacts.
Among the contacts reported have been:
Alan ZL2BX: Transponder switched to eclipse mode OK about mid pass over ZL. Good signals from the transponder and had a brief contact with VK2MAL.
Malcolm VK2MAL: Good signals from AO-73 over VK tonight. Stations heard through the transponder were ZL2BX Alan and VK4CBW Wal.
If you did make a contact or test please report the details as a comment on the FUNcube website at http://funcube.org.uk/
Please note that the transponder frequencies have not yet been fully characterised.
FUNcube-1 Radio Communications Payload: • 145.935 MHz BPSK Telemetry 300 mW or 30 mW when the transponder has been activated • Inverting SSB/CW transponder 300 mW PEP - 435.150 – 435.130 MHz Uplink - 145.950 – 145.970 MHz Downlink
Analysis of the telemetry data from FUNcube-1 (AO-73) is continuing. Thank you to all stations who have provided telemetry so far. More telemetry data is needed to enable the FUNcube team to characterise the satellite.
We would encourage stations to download the Dashboard software to receive the telemetry and upload it to the Data Warehouse.
FUNcube website http://www.funcube.org.uk/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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Satellite TLE Challenge Begins
This week has seen deployments from the ISS, a Minotaur-1 and a Dnepr of an estimated 35 satellites carrying amateur radio payloads along with a number of commercial and research satellites.
After a launch the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) issue the Keplerian Two Line Element Set which can be used to determine the position and velocity of the associated satellite. CelesTrak make this information available and the file for launches in the past 30 days is available here.
After a new launch this file will list the ID’s of the objects that NORAD have detected. These objects can be parts of the rocket body as well as the satellites. The challenge in the days after launch is to work out which object ID’s correspond to which satellites.
On the AMSAT Bulletin Board (AMSAT-BB) Nico Janssen PA0DLO has posted an overview of the presently known IDs for the satellites that were launched between November 19-21.
ISS JSSOD Cubesat launches 2013-11-19 12:18 UTC 39412 1998-067DA Pico Dragon ? 39413 1998-067DB ArduSat 1 ? 39414 1998-067DC ArduSat X ? To be confirmed when the objects have more separation. 2013-11-20 07:58 UTC 39415 1998-067DD TechEdSat 3P
Minotaur 1, Wallops Flight Facility 2013-11-20 01:15 UTC ORS3 & ELaNa 4: 29 satellites So far only 4 TLEs published. No IDs yet but probably: 39380 2013-064A STPSat 3
Dnepr, Yasny 2013-11-21 07:10:11 UTC 32 satellites 19 TLEs published 39417 2013-066B FUNcube 1 39427 2013-066M Triton 1 39428 2013-066N Delfi-n3Xt
Note that all designations may change later on.
73, Nico PA0DLO
Keplerian Two Line Elements (TLEs or ‘Keps’): • New satellites launched in past 30 days http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/tle-new.txt • CubeSats http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/cubesat.txt • Experimental satellites http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/x-comm.txt • Engineering satellites http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/engineering.txt • Amateur radio satellites http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ftp/keps/current/nasa.all
NORAD Two-Line Element Set Format http://celestrak.com/NORAD/documentation/tle- fmt.asp
ISS CubeSats http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/16/iss-cubesats-deploy-tuesday-and- wednesday/
Minotaur-1 ELaNa-4 launch http://amsat-uk.org/satellites/elana-4-cubesats/
Dnepr Yasny launch http://amsat-uk.org/satellites/dnepr-november-2013/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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FUNcube-1 (AO-73) Transponder Test Saturday November 23
The FUNcube Team are planning to open the SSB/CW linear transponder on the FUNcube-1 (AO-73) CubeSat for a single orbit on Saturday, November 23. The aim of this test is to establish the thermal performance of the satellite when in this mode for an extended period.
All radio amateurs who are in the footprint are welcome to make their own tests of the transponder up/down links, and make contacts. It is planned to switch on the transponder either during the orbit timed at 0937 UT (orbit 31) at the Time of Closest Approach (TCA) to Bletchley Park, or the following orbit at 1113 UT (orbit 32).
If you do make a contact or test please report the details as a comment on the FUNcube website at http://funcube.org.uk/2013/11/22/transponder-test-tomorrow- 23-nov-2013/
Please note that the transponder frequencies have not yet been fully characterised.
FUNcube-1 Radio Communications Payload: • 145.935 MHz BPSK Telemetry 300 mW or 30 mW when the transponder has been activated • Inverting SSB/CW transponder 300 mW PEP - 435.150 – 435.130 MHz Uplink - 145.950 – 145.970 MHz Downlink
FUNcube website http://www.funcube.org.uk/
First Transponder Test http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/22/funcube-1-ao-73- transponder-tested/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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$50Sat Eagle2 PocketQube Operational
$50SAT – Eagle2 – the PICAXE and RFM22B micro satellite was successfully launched from Dombarovsky Air Base in Russia on November 21 at 07:10 UT.
It went active soon after being released from UNISAT-5 and the 437.505 MHz (+/- 10 kHz Doppler shift) Morse beacon from $50SAT was heard in the UK at 10:28 that morning (Nov. 21).
$50SAT is a very low cost and simple satellite and most radio amateurs should be able to receive the Morse beacon and FSK RTTY data with an omni directional antenna.
The primary purpose of $50SAT (Eagle2) was to create a cost effective platform for engineering and science students to use for developing real world skills. The PocketQube form factor has no precision mechanical parts and can be built from locally obtained sheet metal.
$50sat is comprised of two 40mm x 40mm circuit boards. The first is the processor/radio board which contains the PICaxe 40X2 processor programmed in PICaxe basic, the Hope RFM22B single chip radio and some peripheral devices. The PICaxe 40X2 is an easy to use micro controller popular in the education sector.
The second board is the power control and monitor board. This board contains four maximum power point controllers, one for each solar array on each side of the spacecraft as well as current monitors for the battery and summed solar power. The battery is a common 3.7 volt lithium ion camera battery.
The satellite will transmit data telemetry about the satellites operation, a sequence of call signs in slow FM Morse and some key data as fast FM Morse (120 WPM). The main data payload will also be transmitted as FSK RTTY which should be readily heard on the ground with basic amateur radio equipment.
$50SAT has been a collaborative education project between Professor Bob Twiggs, KE6QMD, Morehead State University and three other radio amateurs, Howie DeFelice, AB2S, Michael Kirkhart, KD8QBA, and Stuart Robinson, GW7HPW.
The $50SAT team plan to make all the software and hardware designs freely available to anyone who wants them for personal or educational use. The PICAXE software and EagleCad files for the processor and radio board should soon be added to the $50SAT DropBox.
Information on the communications payload is now available in the $50SAT Dropbox at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l3919wtfiywk2gf/-HxyXNsIr8
There is a discussion group for $50SAT at: http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/50dollarsat/conversations/topics
The $50SAT team plan to make all the software and hardware designs freely available to anyone who wants them for personal or educational use.
50DollarSat http://www.50dollarsat.info/
HOPE RFM22B FSK transceiver http://www.hoperf.com/rf/module/fsk/RFM22B.htm
PICAXE-40X2 microcontroller http://www.picaxe.com/Hardware/PICAXE-Chips/PICAXE- 40X2-microcontroller/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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BBC TV visit FUNcube station at RSGB National Radio Centre
On Friday, November 22 a film crew from the BBC Breakfast show visited the RSGB National Radio Centre (NRC) at Bletchley Park to interview the FUNcube Project team about the new educational amateur radio satellite FUNcube-1 (AO- 73).
BBC presenter John Maguire interviewed Graham Shirville G3VZV at the GB3RS station in the NRC. Other members of the FUNcube team were filmed making a SSB contact from the Bletchley Park car park using the linear transponder on FUNcube-1.
The interview should be broadcast on the BBC One TV Breakfast show on Monday, November 25, between 6 and 9 AM. Shortly after a recording of the show should be made available for 7 days to view on the web at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03jcfh2
The FUNcube segment will be short, only 2 or 3 minutes, but should be shown several times during the 3 hour show possibly at 10 minutes before each hour.
During the visit to the National Radio Centre, John Maguire asked the FUNcube Team to support a visit to a local school, Abbeys Primary School in Bletchley, to meet up with some 10-11 year old pupils and talk to them about the FUNcube project.
The visit was a huge success, with the school children asking lots of questions. As this was the first educational outreach opportunity after launch, the school children were asked to compose a Fitter message which the FUNcube Team will upload to FUNcube-1 (AO-73) when they have decided what it should be! (Teachers’s comment “Might be their home work!”).
BBC One TV live on the web http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/bbcone/live
BBC Breakfast show http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006v5tb
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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FUNcube-1 (AO-73): First Transponder Test
The first test of the FUNcube-1 (AO-73) SSB/CW linear transponder took place on Friday, November 22. The transponder was successfully commanded on at 10:49 UT and at 10:51 GB3RS successfully transmitted through the inverting transponder using a pair of Yaesu FT-817 transceivers and an Arrow dual-band antenna.
A two-way contact was then made between GB3RS and G0AUK who worked each other at 10:53 UT. Both stations were operating from the Bletchley Park car park each running 5 watts PEP to Arrow antennas.
Ciaran Morgan M0XTD captured the entire downlink passband during the pass on a Microsoft Surface Tablet using a FUNcube Dongle Pro+ SDR connected to an Elk dual-band antenna.
Howard Long G6LVB also worked AO-73 while Ciaran Morgan M0XTD captured the downlink passband data using a FUNcube Dongle Pro+ and Microsoft Surface Tablet
FUNcube-1 carries a 20 kHz bandwidth transponder for SSB and CW communications. To reduce the Doppler shift the transponder is inverting meaning that a Lower Sideband (LSB) signal on the uplink comes out as an Upper Sideband (USB) signal on the downlink.
Testing and analysis of the telemetry data from FUNcube-1 (AO-73) is continuing.
Thank you to all stations who have provided telemetry so far. More telemetry data is needed to enable the FUNcube team to characterise the satellite.
We would encourage stations to download the Dashboard software to receive the telemetry and upload it to the Data Warehouse
The FUNcube Team hope to do further transponder tests possibly Saturday, November 23.
FUNcube-1 Deployed !!! http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/21/funcube-1-deployed/
BBC TV visit FUNcube station at RSGB National Radio Centre http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/22/bbc-visit-funcube-station-at-rsgb-national- radio-centre/
FUNcube website http://www.funcube.org.uk/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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FUNcube-1 (AO-73): First Fitter Message Uploaded
First Fitter Message Uploaded (FM8)
On Thursday evening the FUNcube team successfully uploaded the first Fitter message to the FUNcube-1 (AO-73) satellite.
‘Fitter’ is derived from ‘Twitter’. So it’s like a tweet, but via FUNcube.
The message is a short (200 characters maximum) text-like message which can be uploaded to the satellite (by authorised ground stations), and which can be transmitted several times every five minutes or so. It will continue to be retransmitted until such time as it is replaced by a new Fitter Message.
The message uploaded was: "Thanks to ZS1LS for receiving and uploading the first FUNcube-1 (AO-73) packets"
There is memory space for a total of nine such Messages (total 1800 characters).
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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FUNcube-1 Loud and Clear in Essex
Pete Sipple M0PSX from the Essex Ham website was one of a handful of UK amateurs to receive and decode the data signals from the satellite in its second UK pass at 10:28 GMT today.
Pete had tried receiving the first pass over the UK just before 09:00 GMT, but this was very low on the horizon and he wasn’t able to receive it here in Essex. At the time FUNcube-1 was on low power running just 30 mW by the time of the second UK pass it was running high power, 300 mW.
You can see screenshots of the data, an audio recording of the pass, and details on how to receive signals from FUNcube-1 on the Essex Ham site: http://www.essexham.co.uk/news/funcube-1-live-and-heard-over-essex.html
The audio of FUNcube-1 received in Essex on an omni-directional colinear http://www.essexham.co.uk/media/funcube_1028_21nov13.mp3
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above announcement]
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FUNcube-1 on BBC News
The BBC report that the Dnepr rocket launching from Yasny in Russia has set a record for the most payloads carried to orbit in a single mission.
They say the converted intercontinental missile released 32 objects in space – mostly small, so called “cubesats”.
Read the BBC story Rocket deploys spacecraft armada at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25035490
Story on NASA Space Flight http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/11/russian-dnepr-record-breaking-32- satellite-haul/
Latest FUNcube-1 TLE’s:
FUNCUBE 1 00312U 00312A 13325.30964218 .00000000 00000-0 10000-4 0 7 2 00312 97.7992 38.2578 0062122 196.7894 338.6768 14.77349691 03
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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Florida SwampSat Team Request Assistance
The SwampSat team at the University of Florida is requesting assistance in collecting telemetry from their 1U pico-satellite, which was successfully launched at 01:15 UT on November 20. SwampSat will begin transmitting a beacon after 01:15 UT on November 21 (24 hours after launch). The details are:
Tx frequency = 437.385 MHz AFSK modulation 9600 baud, 60 second interval AX.25 1 W transmission power
The call sign is currently WG4SAT. Any operators who are able to copy telemetry are encouraged to send it to [email protected]. Telemetry strings can be pasted into the email body, or attached as a text file. Please include your call sign in telemetry submissions. We will be distributing some more automated tools in the near future.
Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely, The SwampSat team University of Florida
University of Florida Small Satellite Design Club (SSDC) http://www.ufsmallsat.com/
Gator Amateur Radio Club http://www.gatorradio.org/
Unveiling of Florida Student CubeSat SwampSat http://amsat-uk.org/2012/06/30/unveiling-of-florida-student-cubesat-swampsat...
SwampSat on TV News http://amsat-uk.org/2012/06/19/swampsat-on-tv-news/
[ANS thanks the SwampSat Team and AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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FUNcube-1 Deployed
The Dnepr carrying FUNcube-1 and 18 other satellites carrying amateur radio payloads successfully launched at 07:10:11 UT on Thursday, November 21. Approximately 8 minutes later, FUNcube-1 was deployed from the upper stage of the Dnepr rocket.
About 10 minutes after separation, telemetry was successfully been received, decoded using the Dashboard App, and uploaded to the data warehouse by ZS1LS (at 07:37) and ZS6BMN in South Africa. There was a huge cheer at Bletchley Park and the FUNcube-1 Project team toasted the successful launch .
All main parameters on FUNcube look nominal; temp, battery voltage, solar panel charging rate, etc and the data received so far is available in the Data Warehouse. The team are already seeing some superb examples of the data that will be fundamental to the educational aspect of FUNcube – thank you to all stations around the world for your efforts so far.
The first signals from FUNcube-1 were heard in the UK on the first visible pass at 3 degrees above the horizon and Mike Willis, G0MJW, became the first UK station to receive and decode the telemetry from FUNcube-1 – congratulations Mike.
For the first two orbits FUNcube-1 was in Safe mode with the beacon transmitting low power just 30 mW. FUNcube-1 was then commanded into Educational mode which increased the power to 300 mW. This enabled it to be copied on a SSB handheld with whip antenna.
The FUNcube team encourage all stations to continue to receive the telemetry and upload it to the Data Warehouse as we monitor the spacecraft and continue with the early operations tasks.
These satellites were heard during the morning passes: • FUNcube-1 • ZACUBE-1 • Delfi-n3xt • Triton-1 • CubeBug-2 • UWE3 9k6 • HumSat-D
One of the satellites on the launch UniSat-5 will deploy a number of additional satellites. Among them should be the CubeSats PUCP-SAT-1, HumSat-D, estar-2, Icube-1 and the PocketQubes Wren, Eagle-1 (BeakerSat), Eagle-2 ($50Sat), QB-Scout1. PUCP-SAT-1 intends to subsequently release a further satellite Pocket-PUCP.
As well as UniSat-5 and its associated CubeSats and PocketQubes these amateur radio satellites were also on the launch: HinCube FUNcube-1 ZAcube-1 First-MOVE UWE-3 Velox-PII CubeBug-2 Triton-1 Delfi-n3Xt GOMX-1
Frequency list for amateur radio satellite deployments in November http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/13/three-amateur-radio-satellite-deployments-in- november/
Mass Amateur Radio Satellite Launch November 21 http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/08/mass-amateur-radio-satellite-launch-november-...
Download the FUNcube-1 Dashboard App http://funcube.org.uk/working-documents/funcube-telemetry-dashboard/
FUNcube-1 Data Warehouse http://funcube.org.uk/ground-segment/the-data-warehouse/
Online Real-Time satellite tracking of FUNcube-1 based on preliminary keps http://www.n2yo.com/?s=99991
A live video stream from the Bletchley Park station is at http://batc.tv/streams/funcube1
[ANS thanks the AO-73 Team and AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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FUNcube-1 Bletchley Park monitoring station ready for launch
FUNcube team members spent Wednesday, November 21 setting up and testing the satellite monitoring station at the RSGB National Radio Centre (NRC) in Bletchley Park.
All members of the FUNcube development team (except Gerard Albers, who has had to stay Holland) assembled at National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park ready for the launch early tomorrow morning.
They added satellite equipment to the existing excellent demonstration station. As part of our testing, we made a couple of QSOs via VO- 52, one with UR3CTB and another with OH5LK. Earlier in the day, we also confirmed that we could receive signals from a low elevation pass of the same satellite. So we are poised for an early start tomorrow morning.
A live video stream from the Bletchley Park station is at http://batc.tv/streams/funcube1
Preliminary Keplerian Two-Line Elements (TLEs): FUNCUBE-1 1 99991U 00000 13325.30956308 .00000106 00000-0 10000-3 0 00010 2 99991 097.7956 038.2570 0059925 198.5190 336.5388 14.77841394000015
Satellite tracking http://amsat-uk.org/beginners/satellite-tracking/
FUNcube communication subsystem: • 145.935 MHz BPSK Telemetry 30 or 300 mW • Inverting SSB/CW transponder 300 mW PEP - 435.150 – 435.130 MHz Uplink - 145.950 – 145.970 MHz Downlink
FUNcube website http://www.funcube.org.uk/
Forum for Question and Answers on FUNcube Satellite and Dashboard App http://amsat-uk.org/funcube/yahoo-group/
FUNcube Yahoo Group http://amsat-uk.org/funcube/yahoo-group/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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Minotaur-1 Deploys CubeSats
A large number of CubeSats carrying amateur radio payloads were launched from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Va., on Nov. 19, 2013 at 0115 UT. In total 29 satellites were on the rocket of which 12 operate in Amateur Satellite Service frequencies.
Radio amateurs from around the world have reported receiving signals from the satellites.
For the latest news check the DK3WN satellite blog http://www.dk3wn.info/p/
Also see the AMSAT Bulletin Board (AMSAT-BB) http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/maillist/
Minotaur-1 Launch: Keplerian Two-Line Elements (TLEs) http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/19/minotaur-1-launch-keplerian-two-line-elements... tles/
Doppler.sqf data at http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?p=38470
Satellite tracking http://amsat-uk.org/beginners/satellite-tracking/
Frequency list for amateur radio satellite deployments in November http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/13/three-amateur-radio-satellite-deployments-in- november/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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Triton-1 Update
As part of the November 21 of the Dnepr launch vehicle, the Triton-1 satellite, a 3-unit cubesat developed by ISIS – Innovative Solutions In Space from Delft, The Netherlands. Note that the Triton-2 satellite is not on this launch, its launch date is yet to be determined at this stage. Triton-2 will be similar to Triton-1, the main difference being that it will also carry an S-band downlink and associated mode US transponder.
Triton-1 is a satellite which will serve as a test bed for an experimental receiver, designed to receive Automatic Identification System (AIS) messages from ships. During the first three months after launch, the plan is to characterize the AIS receiver in orbit. After approximately three months of experimenting, we intend to activate a single channel FM to DSB mode UV transponder (similar to AO-16?s transponder). The exact transponder uplink frequency in the 435-438 MHz band will be announced at that time as well.
We have created an amateur radio information page which contains all information related to its downlink signals at:
We intend to publish regular status updates on the AMSAT-BB as well as on the aforementioned page.
[ANS thanks the Triton-1 team and AMSAT-UK, for the above information]
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FUNcube Dashboard – New Version v806 Released
A couple of issues have come to light and have been corrected in this latest version.
Fixes in release v806 - enhancements to the audio capture and processing. - Audio Devices now handled correctly when a Dongle is attached with Dashboard running. - User Warehouse settings will now be retained for future upgrades to the Dashboard. - Updates error messages. - Should no longer crash when going to settings and help pages
To download this latest version of the FUNcube Dashboard and the supporting documentation go to
http://funcube.org.uk/working-documents/funcube-telemetry-dashboard/
which is being kept right up-to-date.
FUNcube Yahoo Group http://amsat-uk.org/funcube/yahoo-group/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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Help Track ISS CubeSats
Astronaut Koichi Wakata, KC5ZTA, deployed the CubeSats ArduSat-1, ArduSat-X along with Pico Dragon from the International Space Station at 1218 UT on Tuesday, November 19.
Pico Dragon was developed by the Viet Nam National Satellite Center (VNSC), University of Tokyo and IHI aerospace. It has a 437.250 MHz CW beacon and 437.365 MHz 1200 bps AFSK AX.25 telemetry.
Mineo Wakita, JE9PEL, has received the CW signal from Viet Nam’s Pico Dragon CubeSat but nothing was heard from ArduSat-1 or ArduSat-X.
Listen to the recording of the PicoDragon CW beacon made at 16:08-16:17 UTC, 19 Nov 2013, Ele 28 S-E-EN, 437.250MHz CW http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/31119pic.mp3
The Pico Dragon beacon has been reported as appearing about 3 kHz high of the expected frequency.
Edward BX1AD reports hearing ArduSat-1: I heard ArduSat-1 CW (FM-modulated 800Hz tone) on 437.000 MHz during the pass 01:51 – 02:00 UT Nov. 20, decoded as following: WG9XFC-1 D16 WG9XFC-1 E16 WG9XFC-1 A7.27
The ArduSat team have released the following information:
If you’re a radio amateur and would like to help out the ArduSat team, you can listen for our Morse beacons and send them to us! This beacon gives us important information – like battery voltage and lets us know that the satellites are still alive!
The initial TLE for AS-1 and AS-X will be the same as the ISS until they put some distance between each other and are assigned their own Noad IDs. TLE for ISS: http://www.celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/stations.txt
Both satellites will have a Morse beacon (FM-modulated 800Hz tones) that is transmitted at 20 WPM every two or three minutes on 437.000 MHz. The beacon will be structured in the following format:
ArduSat-1 beacon: Battery voltage (uint16_t), RX_counter (number of received valid data packets, uint32_t), TX_counter (number of sent valid data packets, uint32_t), “WG9XFC-1?
ArduSat-X beacon: Battery voltage (uint16_t), RX_counter (number of received valid data packets, uint32_t), TX_counter (number of sent valid data packets, uint32_t), “WG9XFC-X”
Submitting a beacon packet: You can submit a beacon as plain text to [email protected] – be sure to put the word “packet” in the subject line so that we can parse it quickly.
Submitting audio: You can submit audio as an email attachment. Send an email to [email protected] – with the audio file as an attachment.
ArduSat https://ardusat.org/
Source: http://www.nanosatisfi.com/2013/11/help-track-ardusat-1x/
ISS CubeSats Deploy Tuesday and Wednesday http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/16/iss-cubesats-deploy-tuesday-and-wednesday/
Frequencies of amateur radio satellites launching in November http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/13/three-amateur-radio-satellite-deployments-in- november/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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Delfi-n3Xt Update
The Delfi-n3Xt has a 435/145 MHz linear transponder and is on the November 21 Dnepr launch. Jasper sends this update:
Dear radio amateurs,
We have made some changes to the webserver and the telemetry client to resolve some issues with the connection as stated before. It seems that the system is now improved, but we are not a 100% certain if it will be stable for long term. Unfortunately our resources and time are limited, so we have decided to go ahead with the systems as-is.
Attached is the new DUDe client, version 5.0. Please delete the previous version (4.7) in case you still have this on your computer. Thank you for your help and patience so far!
After orbit injection of Delfi-n3Xt, the satellite will first be idle for 25 minutes and then start deployment of about 5 minutes. The satellite will not transmit on the 145.870 MHz during eclipse, so the first time Delfi-n3Xt can theoretically be heard is about 8:38h UTC.
Attached are also the pre-launch TLE set which can be used in tracking programs. We will announce new TLEs on our website after launch as soon as they become available. After a few days, the satellite should appear in one of the regular automatically updated lists.
I am looking forward for a wonderful launch next Thursday, with many radio amateur satellites on board, and of course successful reception of Delfi-n3Xt!
73,
Jasper
J. (Jasper) Bouwmeester, MSc. Delfi Nanosatellite Program Manager & Researcher Small Satellite Technology Chair of Space Systems Engineering Delft University of Technology
Telemetry reception http://www.delfispace.nl/operations/delfi-n3xt-telemetry- reception
Delfi-n3Xt http://www.delfispace.nl/operations/radio-amateurs
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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Help needed with the CAPE II satellite
Nick K5QXJ writes: On November 20 at 0030 GMT the CAPE II satellite is scheduled to be launched.
CAPE stands for Cajun Advanced Picosat Experiment and is a completely nonprofit and student run organization which develops and builds picosatellites.
The frequencies are 145.825 MHz FM and 437.325 MHz FSK. On the VHF FM frequency the beacon will be in CW and AX.25
Please listen to our sat and send reports to me at [email protected] Please include your location and time you first hear our sat.
The preliminary Keplerian Two Line Elements (TLEs) are:
ORS3-2.5B 1 99905U 00000 13323.95403993 0.00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0009 2 99905 40.5214 208.6139 0003075 205.2431 337.9664 15.19728651000004
Thanks Nick Pugh K5QXJ
CAPE website http://ulcape.org/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CajunAdvancedPicosatelliteExperiment
[ANS thanks Nick Pugh K5QXJ & AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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Dual-Band Slim Jim Antenna for Satellites
The AMSAT-SM website has an article on the dual-band omni-directional 145/435 MHz Slim Jim antenna developed by N9TAX.
Lars SM0TGU comments that the antenna works great for satellite passes below 30 degrees elevation, but signals are considerably weaker on high elevation passes.
Read the AMSAT-SM article in Google English at http://tinyurl.com/AMSAT-SM-Dual-Band-Antenna
Further information on the N9TAX dual-band Slim-Jim antenna is at http://n9tax.com/Slim Jim Info.html
The antenna is available via the Two Way Electronix website at http://www.2wayelectronix.com/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-SM & AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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PhoneSat 2.4
*** UPDATE *** A Minotaur I rocket carrying the DOD's Operationally Responsive Space-3 mission successfully launched at 8:15 p.m. EST, November 19. The PhoneSat 2.4 payload also successfully deployed and sent its first transmissions. The satellite is performing as expected.
For the second time this year, NASA is preparing to send a smartphone- controlled small spacecraft into orbit. The PhoneSat 2.4 mission is demonstrating innovative new approaches for small spacecraft technologies of the future.
The NASA PhoneSat 2.4 is hitch-hiking a ride onboard an Orbital Minotaur I rocket slated for a November 19 liftoff from the Mid Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The primary payload on the booster is the U.S. Air Force Office of Responsive Space ORS-3 mission, which will validate launch and range improvements for NASA and the military.
PhoneSat 2.4 builds upon the successful flights of a trio of NASA smartphone satellites that were orbited together last April. That pioneering mission gauged use of consumer-grade smartphone technology as the main control electronics of a capable, yet very low-cost, satellite, reports Andrew Petro, program executive for small spacecraft technology at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
Each smartphone is housed in a standard cubesat structure, measuring roughly four inches square.
The soon-to-be lofted PhoneSat 2.4 has two-way radio communications capability, along with reaction wheels to provide attitude control, Petro says, and will be placed into a much higher orbit than its PhoneSat predecessors. Those were short-lived, operating for about a week in orbit.
Tabletop technology
“We’re taking PhoneSat to another step in terms of capability, along with seeing if the satellite continues to function for an extended period of time,” Petro explains.
The PhoneSat mission is a technology demonstration project developed through the agency’s Small Spacecraft Technology Program, part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.
NASA PhoneSats take advantage of “off-the-shelf” consumer devices that already have many of the systems needed for a spacecraft, but are ultra-small, such as fast processors, multipurpose operating systems, sensors, GPS receivers, and high-resolution cameras.
“It’s tabletop technology,” Petro says. “The size of a PhoneSat makes a big difference. You don’t need a building, just a room. Everything you need to do becomes easier and more portable. The scale of things just makes everything, in many ways, easier. It really unleashes a lot of opportunity for innovation,” he says.
There’s another interesting aspect to using the smartphone as a basic electronic package for PhoneSats.
“The technology of the consumer electronics market is going to continue to advance,” Petro notes. “NASA can pick up on those advances that are driven by the needs of the consumer.”
What’s the big deal about small satellites?
NASA is eyeing use of small, low-cost, powerful satellites for atmospheric or Earth science, communications, or other space-born applications.
For example, work is already underway on the Edison Demonstration of Smallsat Networks (EDSN) mission, says Petro. The EDSN effort consists of a loose formation of eight identical cubesats in orbit, each able to cross-link communicate with each other to perform space weather monitoring duties.
Magic dust
The three PhoneSats that were orbited earlier this year signaled “the first baby step,” says Bruce Yost, the program manager for NASA’s Small Spacecraft Technology Program at the Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif.
“The PhoneSat 2.4 will be at a higher altitude and stay in space for a couple of years before reentering,” Yost adds. “So we’ll be able to start collecting data on the radiation effects on the satellite and see if we run into anything that causes problems.”
Yost says where the real “magic dust” of PhoneSats comes into play is how you program them. “That is, what applications can you run on them to make them useful. We’re adding more and more complexity into the PhoneSats.”
To that end, PhoneSats and the applications they are imbued with can lead to new ways to interact with and explore space, Yost observes. “You can approach problems in a more distributed fashion. So it’s an architectural shift, the concept of inexpensive but lots of small probes.”
NASA’s Petro sees another value in pushing forward on small satellites.
“It used to be that kids growing up wanted to be an astronaut. I think we might be seeing kids saying, what they want to do is build a spacecraft. The idea here is that they really can do that,” Petro says. “They can get together with a few other people to build and fly a spacecraft. Some students coming out of college as new hires have already built and flown a satellite…that’s a whole new notion, one that was not possible even 10 years ago,” he concludes
[ANS thanks NASA for the above announcement]
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ARISS News
Update will occur in ANS-335
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Satellite Shorts from all over
Update will occur in ANS-335
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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, Joe Spier, K6WAO k6wao at amsat dot org
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-349
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:
* KySat-2 Ham Radio Software Update * UKube-1 on its way to Kazakhstan * PUCP-SAT-1 Deploys POCKET-PUCP Femtosatellite * FUNcube-1 Whole Orbit Data Available * WRAPS: A Portable Satellite Antenna Rotator System * NASA video of ham radio participation in Juno * 10 GHz CubeSat ESTELLE to carry Cold Gas Thruster * $50SAT team seek help from radio hams * KB1WTW Addresses US House Committee * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts from All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-349.01 ANS-349 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 349.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. December 15, 2013 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-349.01
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KySat-2 Ham Radio Software Update
Jason Rexroat KK4AJE of the University of Kentucky KySat-2 team brings news of the latest version of the amateur radio ground station telemetry decoder software.
We really appreciate everyone using our ground station software to decode KySat-2 packets! We are continuing to take suggestions and made several more bug fixes, and the third version of this software is now available for download!
Link: http://ssl.engineering.uky.edu/amateur-radio-operators/ KySat-2 Info: http://kentuckyspace.com/ or http://kysat2.engr.uky.edu/
Our changelog is included in the download, and also copied below. Again, we appreciate all who have helped us gather telemetry from our satellite, and please continue to do so! Email us with any bugs or suggestions for improvements and we’ll be sure to work on it!
Changelog:
- “Share” button to automatically email us our log files, along with counters showing how many beacons you’ve shared - Custom COM port selection in case your created COM port doesn’t show up in our list - Drag and dockable tabs - Packaged into single executable file
These changes will enable further customization on your part, and the automatic sharing will put the data into a format our automated scripts can handle to generate our running telemetry tables. I know that the ping functionality is still disabled, but we are pushing through further subsystem checkout that will allow us to enable this and other functionality for you!
Jason Rexroat KK4AJE Space Systems Lab, University of Kentucky jason.rexroat<at>uky.edu
Minotaur-1 ELaNa-4 Satellites http://amsat-uk.org/satellites/elana-4- cubesats/
[ANS thanks Jason Rexroat, KK4AJE, AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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UKube-1 on its way to Kazakhstan
UKube-1 left Clyde Space in Glasgow on its way to Baikonur in Kazakhstan on December 12, 2013. The 3U CubeSat carries a set of AMSAT-UK FUNcube boards (FUNcube-2) to provide an Educational beacon and a 435/145 MHz linear transponder for amateur radio SSB/CW communications.
Reports on a space flight forum indicate that the Soyuz-2-1B/Fregat- M which will carry UKube-1 is currently expected to launch on March 27, 2014.
Russian launch schedule thread http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=26990.450
Clyde Space on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/clydespace
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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PUCP-SAT-1 Deploys POCKET-PUCP Femtosatellite
The Peruvian CubeSat PUCP-SAT-1 (145.840 MHz AX.25 FM) was carried by the microsatellite UNISAT-5 which was launched on a Dnepr on November 21, 2013.
When in orbit UNISAT-5 deployed PUCP-SAT-1 and Neilsao Vilchez reports PUCP-SAT-1 has in turn deployed an even smaller satellite POCKET-PUCP.
The femtosatellite POCKET-PUCP measures just 8.35 by 4.95 by 1.55 cm and has a 10 mW 12 wpm CW (On-Off-Keying OOK) beacon on 437.200 MHz. The team at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú would welcome any reception reports.
Neilsao Vilchez says:
On Wednesday December 4 we detected our satellite PUCP-SAT-1 (launched from Dnepr RS-20/UNISAT-5).
We think it is one of the following objects:
-2013-066AC -2013-066S -2013-066T -2013-066U
Which are very close to each other and we can not resolve which one it is.
We got our packet beacon at 145.840 MHz with packets stays 20 seconds, so, it is undoubtedly our beacon, we know that PUCP-SAT-1 is alive, healthy, it has been recharging its batteries okay.
On Friday, December 6, as planned, the POCKET-PUCP (femtosatellite) was released around 0800 UT, we are looking for its 437.200 MHz transmission at 12 wpm.
Its transmission is OA4PUCP SAT1 XXX YYY ZZZ
PUCP-SAT-1 website http://inras.pucp.edu.pe/en/proyectos/pucp-sat- 1/especificaciones-del-satelite/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pucp
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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FUNcube-1 Whole Orbit Data Available
The Data Warehouse now provides the facility to download FUNcube-1 (AO-73)Whole Orbit Data (WOD) as a .csv file. The file is produced at 23:59 every day and contains data for the preceding 24 hours. It contains all the channels shown on the WOD graph, which shows the latest orbit data captured.
The WOD page is at https://warehouse.funcube.org.uk/wod.html
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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WRAPS: A Portable Satellite Antenna Rotator System
The January 2014 edition of QST contains an article by ARRL Education and Technology Program Coordinator Mark Spencer WA8SME on a portable azimuth and elevation rotator system for tracking satellites called WRAPS.
WRAPS stands for Wobbler RadFxSat Antenna Pointing System rotator system which Mark developed to support tracking CubeSats such as FUNcube-1 and the upcoming Fox-1 and RadFxSat/Fox-1B. His target audience includes school groups who want to access the capabilities of the CubeSats.
Thanks to Mark and the ARRL a copy of the article in PDF format is available here WRAPS - Mark Spencer WA8SME QST Jan 2014 Copyright ARRL. For personal use only - no copying, reprinting or distribution without written permission from the ARRL.
Mark Spencer WA8SME gave a presentation on WRAPS during the 2013 AMSAT Space Symposium in Houston, Texas, on Friday, November 1, 2013. His talk was recorded by Patrick Stoddard VA7EWK.
Apologies for missing the start of Mark's introduction, and for the quality of this video. The Symposium organizers dimmed the lights in the front of the room for this presentation, which meant Mark was essentially standing in the dark as he gave his presentation.
At the AMSAT Forum at the 2013 Dayton Hamvention the presentations on education wrapped up with a talk by Mark Spencer, ARRL Education & Technology Program Director. "Spence", WA8SME, briefly described his classroom experiments for measuring the "wobble" of the Fox satellite, demonstrating a Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) for a solar array, and WRAPS a lower cost azimuth-elevation rotor system for lightweight satellite antennas.
A limited number of complete WRAPS systems will be available through the AMSAT-NA Store. As of December 12 they were not yet available, and AMSAT-NA do not at present have a firm date when they will be in stock. Because of uncertainty of the price and number which will be available, they are not taking advanced orders. When they are ready to process orders, AMSAT-NA will make the information public. Please do not call the AMSAT office.
ARRL http://www.arrl.org/
AMSAT-NA http://www.amsat.org/
Fox-1 http://ww2.amsat.org/?page_id=1113
[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA, the ARRL, and Spence, WA8SME, for the above announcement]
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NASA video of ham radio participation in Juno
When NASA's Juno spacecraft flew past Earth on Oct. 9, 2013, it received a boost in speed of more than 7.3 kilometers per second, which set it on course for a July 4, 2016, rendezvous with Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system.
During the flyby, Juno's Waves instrument, which is tasked with measuring radio and plasma waves in Jupiter's magnetosphere, recorded amateur radio signals. This was part of a public outreach effort involving ham radio operators from around the world. They were invited to say "HI" to Juno by coordinating radio transmissions that carried the same Morse-coded message. Operators from every continent, including Antarctica, participated. The results can be seen in this video clip at
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/archive/PIA17744.mov
One of Juno's sensors, a special kind of camera optimized to track faint stars, also had a unique view of the Earth-moon system. The result was an intriguing, low-resolution glimpse of what our world would look like to a visitor from afar.
"If Captain Kirk of the USS Enterprise said, 'Take us home, Scotty,' this is what the crew would see," said Scott Bolton, Juno principal investigator at the Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio. "In the movie, you ride aboard Juno as it approaches Earth and then soars off into the blackness of space. No previous view of our world has ever captured the heavenly waltz of Earth and moon."
The cameras that took the images for the movie are located near the pointed tip of one of the spacecraft's three solar-array arms. They are part of Juno's Magnetic Field Investigation (MAG) and are normally used to determine the orientation of the magnetic sensors. These cameras look away from the sunlit side of the solar array, so as the spacecraft approached, the system's four cameras pointed toward Earth. Earth and the moon came into view when Juno was about 600,000 miles (966,000 kilometers) away - about three times the Earth-Moon separation.
During the flyby, timing was everything. Juno was traveling about twice as fast as a typical satellite, and the spacecraft itself was spinning at 2 rpm. To assemble a movie that wouldn't make viewers dizzy, the star tracker had to capture a frame each time the camera was facing Earth at exactly the right instant. The frames were sent to Earth, where they were processed into video format.
"Everything we humans are and everything we do is represented in that view," said the star tracker's designer, John Jørgensen of the Danish Technical University, near Copenhagen.
"With the Earth flyby completed, Juno is now on course for arrival at Jupiter on July 4, 2016," said Rick Nybakken, Juno project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.
The Juno spacecraft was launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on August 5, 2011. Juno's launch vehicle was capable of giving the spacecraft only enough energy to reach the asteroid belt, at which point the sun's gravity pulled it back toward the inner solar system. Mission planners designed the swing by Earth as a gravity assist to increase the spacecraft's speed relative to the sun, so that it could reach Jupiter. (The spacecraft's speed relative to Earth before and after the flyby is unchanged.)
After Juno arrives and enters into orbit around Jupiter in 2016, the spacecraft will circle the planet 33 times, from pole to pole, and use its collection of science instruments to probe beneath the gas giant's obscuring cloud cover. Scientists will learn about Jupiter's origins, internal structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere.
Source: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-360
Radio Hams Say Hi To Juno http://amsat-uk.org/2013/10/09/radio-hams-say-hi-to-juno/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, and Andy Thomas, G0SFJ for the above announcement]
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10 GHz CubeSat ESTELLE to carry Cold Gas Thruster
The 2U ESTELLE will accommodate the QB50 scientific payload and an experimental miniaturized cold gas thruster module with four thrusters and 50grams of fuel.
This mission is a partnership between Estonia, Sweden, Latvia and Slovenia. The general hardware design will improve upon the single unit ESTCube-1, launched on May 7, 2013.
Cold gas propulsion system is seen as a very attractive solution for the CubeSats, as the standard limits the use of pyrotechnics and high-pressure systems. The propulsion module, developed by NanoSpace, uses butane under 2-5 bar pressure. This should be in accordance with the next CubeSat standard revision. The 0.3 unit module will be located at the opposite end from the QB50 payload. It contains four thrusters, which are placed on the same side for maximum delta-v capability (40 m/s). This delta-v capability can be used to alternate the orbit in order to enhance the scientific return of the QB50 mission by extending the satellite's lifetime.
An experimental high data rate transmitter (HDRT) is envisaged if it fits within the system margins to include it on-board the satellite. It would operate on S, C or X band amateur radio frequencies and use BPSK modulation. Up to 10 Mbit/s data rates can be achieved with 3 W of operating power.
Proposing a UHF GMSK/BPSK downlinks up to 19k2 bps and a series of HDRT experiments including a 2.4 GHz downlink using GFSK/BPSK at up to1Mbps, a 5.8 GHz downlink using GFSK and BPSK at up to 10Mbps and a 10 GHz downlink at up to 10 Mbp.
EstCube https://www.facebook.com/estcube
Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) https://www.facebook.com/SSC.SwedishSpaceCorporation
NanoSpace http://www.sscspace.com/nanospace
Communication link design at 437.5 MHz for a nanosatellite http://upcommons.upc.edu/pfc/bitstream/2099.1/19403/4/elec_2013_cante ro_jorge.pdf
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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$50SAT team seek help from radio hams
The $50SAT team is asking for help in capturing telemetry from the amateur radio 1.5U PocketQube satellite $50SAT on 437.505 MHz (+/-9 kHz Doppler shift) CW.
We are trying to determine the charging characteristics of the power system. The three team members all live above 40 degrees north and the satellite does not warm up enough during nighttime N-S passes to allow charging to begin. None of us are usually around during the daytime S-N passes and we would particularly appreciate telemetry reports when the satellite is in daylight.
Any form of report is welcome: decode of the fast Morse (120 WPM), RTTY demod, audio recording or I/Q capture from a FUNcube or RTL dongle would be greatly appreciated.
A link to a detailed description of the communications package can be found on the $50SAT website, http://www.50dollarsat.info/. The last distribution of Keps from AMSAT contain good elements for $50SAT.
$50SAT is one of the smallest amateur radio satellites ever launched at 5x5x7.5 cm and weighs only 210 grams. Transmitter power is just 100 mW.
Thanks, Howie DeFelice AB2S Email: howied231<at>hotmail.com
$50SAT has been a collaborative education project between Professor Bob Twiggs, KE6QMD, Morehead State University and three other radio amateurs, Howie DeFelice, AB2S, Michael Kirkhart, KD8QBA, and Stuart Robinson, GW7HPW.
The $50SAT team plan to make all the software and hardware designs freely available to anyone who wants them for personal or educational use. For further information see the $50SAT Dropbox at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l3919wtfiywk2gf/-HxyXNsIr8
There is a discussion group for $50SAT at: http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/50dollarsat/conversations/topics
50DollarSat http://www.50dollarsat.info/
HOPE RFM22B FSK transceiver http://www.hoperf.com/rf/module/fsk/RFM22B.htm
PICAXE-40X2 microcontroller http://www.picaxe.com/Hardware/PICAXE-Chips/PICAXE-40X2- microcontroller/
Revolution Education http://www.rev-ed.co.uk/
$50SAT Eagle2 PocketQube Operational http://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/22/50sat-eagle2-pocketqube-operational/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above announcement]
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KB1WTW Addresses US House Committee
Dr. Sara Seager, KB1WTW, Class of 1941 Professor of Physics and Planetary Science Massachusetts Institute of Technology addressed the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, United States House of Representatives December 4, 2013.
Invited witnesses were:
Dr. Mary Voytek Senior Scientist for Astrobiology, Planetary Science Division National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Dr. Sara Seager KB1WTW Class of 1941 Professor of Physics and Planetary Science Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Dr. Steven Dick Baruch S. Blumberg Chair of Astrobiology, John W. Kluge Center Library of Congress
Dr. Sara Seager KB1WTW highlights the importance of CubeSats in education at 0:46 into this video.
Watch Astrobiology: Search for Biosignatures in our Solar System, House Space Committee, Dec 4, 13
This video was uploaded to YouTube by SpaceKSC http://www.spaceksc.com/ Twitter @SpaceKSCBlog Professor Sara Seager KB1WTW - Image credit MIT
Professor Sara Seager KB1WTW – Image credit MIT
Testimony of Dr. Sara Seager KB1WTW, Hearing on Astrobiology http://astrobiology.com/2013/12/testimony-of-dr-sara-seager-hearing- on-astrobiology.html
Concord resident earns Genius Grant http://www.wickedlocal.com/concord/news/x1868848071/Concord-resident- earns-Genius-Grant
Inflatable Antenna Could Give CubeSats Greater Reach http://amsat-uk.org/2013/09/07/inflatable-antenna-could-give- cubesats-greater-reach/
How a Pocket-Size Satellite Could Find Another Earth http://amsat-uk.org/2012/05/12/how-a-pocket-size-satellite-could- find-another-earth/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK and David J. Mercado, KK4MND for the above announcement]
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ARISS News
SuccessfulARISS contact with Tochigi Science Lion Project, Utsunomiya, Japan
An International Space Station school contact was completed with participants at Tochigi Science Lion Project, Utsunomiya, Japan on 14 Dec. The event was scheduled to begin at approximately 07:00 UTC. The duration of the contact was approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. 15 students asked their question to Koichi. Koichi answered all the questions. But 2 or 3 answers were very weak signal. The contact was direct between NA1SS and 8N1ISS.
The ARISS school contact event was held as a part of the "Tochigi Science Lion Project". The project aims at constructing a science communication network in order to enhance interest in science and the science literacy of residents in Tochigi prefecture. Teikyo University manages the project and it is subsidized by JST (Japan Science and Technology Agency). The name of the project comes from the shape of Tochigi prefecture, which looks like the profile of a lion.
A group of students were selected from different elementary and junior high schools around Tochigi prefecture. There were 89 applicants, and 15 students were selected. The group consists of 12 elementary school students including 3 members of YAC (Young Astronauts Club), 2 junior high school students and a student from a school for the visually impaired.
Participants asked the following questions:
1. The moment you get into zero gravity, how is the condition of your body? And how do you feel?
2. It is said that the body's internal clock is set by the morning sun on Earth. Does your body's clock work even in space? When do you feel sleepy or hungry? Is it the same time as you are on Earth?
3. Please tell me how to put out a fire in case one breaks out on the "ISS."
4. What do you do if you feel bad and you can't work on the "ISS"?
5. Can you see "Ison Comet" in space?
6. How does your body pressure or your body's condition change between when you are on Earth and in space?
7. What do you think about "space debris"?
8. Do you sometimes quarrel with other astronauts?
9. When you became captain of the spaceship, what did you decide to do to organize the team?
10. Please tell me about your goals and dreams.
11. Tochigi is famous for strawberries. If we were to grow them in space, what shape would they become?
12. Is there any thing that you think is more convenient in space than on Earth?
13. What kinds of space foods do you have? Aren't you bored with space foods?
14. If you cut onions in space, do your tears still run down your face?
15. While training to become an astronaut, did you have any problems? What is your motivation to make your dreams come true?
PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ARISS UPDATES:
Sign up for the SAREX maillist at http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/sarex
Visit ARISS on Facebook. We can be found at Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS).
To receive our Twitter updates, follow @ARISS_status
Next planned event(s):
1. Istituto Tecnico Industriale "Galileo Ferraris", San Giovanni Valdarno, Italy, direct via IQ5GX Mon, 16Dec2013, 16:28 UTC
ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries.
ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on- board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.ariss.org/ (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).
[ANS thanks David Jordan, AA4KN, and ARISS for the above information]
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Satellite Shorts from all over
LITHUANIA, LY. Vilmantas LY3BY is QRV as LY2013SAT until December 24 to commemorate the first Lithuanian nano-satellite LituanicaSAT-1. QSL via LY3BY.
[AMSAT thanks the ARLD050 DX news for the above short)
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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, Joe Spier, K6WAO k6wao at amsat dot org
participants (1)
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Joe Spier