AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-080

ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:

ans-editor@amsat.org

******************************************************************** * The AMSAT team is preparing for the 2010 Dayton Hamvention AMSAT * * Booth and activities. For the latest information go to: * * http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/hamvention/2010/Dayton.php * ********************************************************************

In this edition: * Satellite Operations from Oahu and Kauai Hawii * AMSAT Hamfest Activities for 27 March 2010 * AO-51 to support Boy Scouts 100th Anniversary * AMSAT-DL Symposium and AGM * Call for Papers--2010 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference * SpaceX Completes Falcon 9 Static Fire Test * ARISS Status - 15 March 2010

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-080.01 Satellite Operations from Oahu and Kauai Hawii

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 080.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. March 21, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-080.01

Adrian, AA5UK, will be on Oahu (BL11) and Kauai (BL02ic & BL01) operating portable KH6. He plans to operate on the Linear and FM satellites during his stay, mostly from his rented house in BL02ic (March 27th through April 5th) and will try to operate portable/mobile from BL11 and BL01 time permitting. Emphasis will be SSB on FO-29, VU-52, AO-7 and HO-68. He will post daily availability via AMSAT BB, his QRZ page and Twitter: @AA5UK. Schedule requests are encouraged due to the limited pass windows for those operators needing HI for WAS at the fringe of the footprints. Please use the email listed on QRZ.com to arrange for a time and date.

[ANS thanks JoAnne, K9JKM, for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-080.02 AMSAT Hamfest Activities for 27 March 2010

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 080.02 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. March 21, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-080.02

The Radio Society of Tucson (K7RST) will host the Tucson spring hamfest on Saturday, 27 March 2010, at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, AZ. The Kino Sports Complex is on Ajo Way, east of the I-10 freeway and Tucson Electric Park stadium in Tucson. The hamfest will run from 7am-11am (1400-1800 UTC).

Along with an AMSAT table, Patrick Stoddard, WD9EWK, will have on-air demonstrations using various satellites during the hamfest.

Meanwhile, further East, Keith Pugh, W5IU, will have an AMSAT booth and be conducting demonstrations at the Parker County Hamfest in Weatherford, TX.

[ANS thanks Patrick, WD9EWK, and Keith, W5IU, for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-080.03 AO-51 to support Boy Scouts 100th Anniversary

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 080.03 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. March 21, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-080.03

AMSAT-NA is supporting the Boy Scouts of America 100th Anniversary Jamboree by dedicating an AO-51 V/U FM repeater for the event. From Friday April 16, 15:00 UTC until Sunday April 18 19:00 UTC, an AO-51 repeater will be allocated for Jamboree use. All users are requested to give way to Jamboree stations or QSO's with Jamboree stations.

The frequencies used will be 145.880 FM uplink, and 435.150 FM downlink, no PL tone required.

AMSAT wishes the Scouts good luck operating via the AO-51 satellite for the event.

73, Ed N8BBQ AO-51 Operations Group

[ANS thanks Ed, N8BBQ, for the above information}

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-080.04 AMSAT-DL Symposium and AGM

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 080.04 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. March 21, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-080.04

The AMSAT-DL Symposium and AGM will be held in the radome of the spectacular 20 metre dish at Bochum.

The event takes place on Saturday April 24, 2010 from 10:00 to 17:00 local time.

There will be a lecture programme and an update on AMSAT-DL projects and the results of the joint study between AMSAT-DL and the Federal Republic of Germany Research Center for Aeronautics and Astronautics (DLR).

For further details of the Symposium including directions see http://tinyurl.com/ykezgjj

AMSAT-DL in Google English http://tinyurl.com/AMSAT-DL

Federal Republic of Germany Research Center for Aeronautics and Astronautics (DLR) http://tinyurl.com/GermanyDLR

GO-Mars with AMSAT-DL's P5A Mission - Pixel Page http://ticket-to-mars.org/index.pl?lang=en_EN

[ANS thanks AMSAT-DL for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-080.05 Call for Papers--2010 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 080.05 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. March 21, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-080.05

Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the 29th Annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference to be held September 24-26, 2010 in Vancouver, Washington [Portland, Oregon]. These papers will also be published in the Conference Proceedings (you do NOT need to attend the conference to have your paper included in the Proceedings). The submission deadline is July 31, 2010. Please send papers to:

Maty Weinberg ARRL 225 Main St Newington, CT 06111

or you can make your submission via e-mail to: maty@arrl.org

Papers will be published exactly as submitted and authors will retain all rights.

[ANS thanks Steve, WB8IMY, for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-080.06 SpaceX Completes Falcon 9 Static Fire Test

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 080.06 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. March 21, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-080.06

On Saturday, March 13, SpaceX successfully completed a test firing of the inaugural Falcon 9 launch vehicle at Space Launch Complex 40 located at Cape Canaveral. Following a nominal terminal countdown, the launch sequencer commanded ignition of all 9 Merlin first stage engines for a period of 3.5 seconds.

Just prior to engine ignition, the pad water deluge system was activated providing acoustic suppression to keep vibration levels within acceptable limits. The test validated the launch pad propellant and pneumatic systems as well as the ground and flight control software that controls pad and launch vehicle configurations.

This was the final step for the rocket and launch pad before launch itself. SpaceX is now waiting for completion of the final set of tests of the flight termination system, specifically the explosives and initiators, and the acceptance of that test documentation by Air Force range safety.

[ANS thanks SpaceX for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-080.07 ARISS Status - 15 March 2010

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 080.07 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. March 21, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-080.07

1. Upcoming School Contacts

Shiogama Daini Junior High School in Shiogama, Japan has been scheduled for an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Thursday, March 25 at 07:44 UTC. To prepare for the contact, the youth studied astronomy and were introduced to the Hubble Space Telescope. They learned about radio communication and some students continued their studies and prepared for their amateur radio license exams.

2. JAXA Astronaut Participates in ARISS Contact with Alma Mater

On Tuesday, March 9, JAXA's Soichi Noguchi, KD5TVP participated in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with his alma mater, Ikaruga Elementary School, in Taishi Town, Japan. Approximately 350 guests watched as fifteen students asked their questions of the on-orbit astronaut. This ARISS activity was the highlight of the Ikaruga science curriculum on environmental issues and received significant media coverage.

[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI, for the above information]

/EX

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.

73, This week's ANS Editor, Lee McLamb, KU4OS ku4os at amsat dot org