January 2012 - Amsat-dc (INACTIVE)

Re: Symposium on Suborbital and Small Satellite Missions, GWU, March 22
by Daniel Schultz 27 Jan '12

27 Jan '12

Do you think we could bring an Amsat poster? Dan ------ Original Message ------ Received: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:44:05 AM EST From: Samudra Haque <samudra.haque(a)gmail.com> To: Daniel Schultz <n8fgv(a)usa.net>Cc: amsat-dc(a)amsat.org Subject: Re: [amsat-dc] Symposium on Suborbital and Small Satellite Missions, GWU, March 22 > I'm attending this event from GWU MAE Dept/MpNL Lab, and will have a poster > about my ongoing "Micro Vacuum Arc Thruster applications for LEO Space > Missions" research. > > -samudra N3RDX >

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Symposium on Suborbital and Small Satellite Missions, GWU, March 22
by Daniel Schultz 27 Jan '12

27 Jan '12

Are any Amsat people interested in attending this meeting? If we don't show the flag, they might forget that our ham radio satellites ever existed. Dan Schultz N8FGV ------------------------------------------------------------------ We are pleased to announce an invitation-only symposium on "Suborbital and Small Satellite Missions" that will be held on March 22, 2012 at Marriott Residence Inn next to NASA Headquarters. A copy of the day's agenda and registration information is attached. The event will be held at the Marriott Residence Inn in the Capitol Room at 333 E Street, SW. Please let us know as soon as convenient if you would like to attend. There is no cost to attend, but seating is limited to a maximum of 150 persons. (Our apologies for any duplicate invitations!) We hope you will be able to join us for these timely and important discussion. Marriott Residence Inn - Capitol Room 333 E Street SW Washington, DC 20024 12:50 P.M. Welcome and Introductory Remarks - FRED TARANTINO, President and CEO, USRA - SCOTT PACE, Director, Space Policy Institute 1:10 P.M. Opening Address - MASON PECK, National Aeronautics and Space Administration - RICHARD BEHNKE, National Science Foundation 2:00 P.M. Small Satellite Opportunities - JASON CRUSAN, National Aeronautics and Space Agency - THERESE MORETTO JORGENSEN, National Science Foundation - PASCALE EHRENFREUND, George Washington University - JAMES W. CUTLER, University of Michigan 3:45 P.M. Suborbital and Space Station Opportunities - DAVID L. PIERCE, National Aeronautics and Space Administration - WEBSTER CASH, University of Colorado - JEFFREY MANBER, Nanoracks - STEVE ISAKOWITZ, Virgin Galactic 5:00 P.M. Invitation to USRA Council of Institutions Reception - THOMAS ZURBUCHEN, Chair, USRA Council of Institutions Information/Registration: (202) 994-7292 Register by Fax: (202) 994-1639 http://www.gwu.edu/~spi/symposiumrsvp.cfm

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Don't Miss It: FUNcube Dongle Presentation Video
by Pat Kilroy 17 Jan '12

17 Jan '12

Did you miss it? Here's another chance: See the FUNcube news below and especially the "FUNcube Dongle Presentation Video" and message way below. Have you ordered your FUNcube Dongle Pro receiver from http://www.funcubedongle.com yet? Well, ... Do it soon! Then let's talk. The FUNcube Dongle Pro can receive not only the amateur satellites -- as a general coverage all- mode VHF-UHF receiver -- but also high-altitude balloon experiments like the PICetSat module series as seen at http://simsat.net/carrollsat and beyond. More later. Cheers, Pat Kilroy N8PK MDC Area SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-008.01 ANS-001 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 008.01 >From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. January 8, 2012 To All RADIO AMATEURS [snip] --------------------------------------------------------------------- FUNcube - Launch Details and Time Frame Finalized An agreement has now been reached with ISIS Launch Services BV, who are based in Delft in the Netherlands, for them to provide a launch of the FUNcube-1 CubeSat. It is anticipated that FUNcube-1, which has been created by a team of volunteer radio amateurs and other specialists over the past two years, will be launched with a number of other spacecraft from a DNEPR rocket sometime in the third quarter of 2012. The flight is planned to take place from the Yasny launch facility which is in southern Russia near to the Kazakhstan border. The spacecraft needs to be completed by the end of July 2012, ready for shipping from the Netherlands to Russia. The orbit is still to be defined precisely but it is expected to be nearly circular and approximately sun synchronous. This will ensure that the spacecraft has the necessary solar illumination and that it will appear at regular times for educational outreach activities at schools and colleges. The FUNcube-1 spacecraft will transmit signals that can be easily received directly by schools and colleges for educational outreach purposes. This telemetry will give details of the spacecraft's health - battery voltages and temperatures and from this it will be possible to determine its spin rate and attitude by plotting simple graphs. Additionally, experimental data and messages can be displayed in an attractive format and provide stimulation and encouragement for stu- dents to become interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects in a unique way. The target audience for this project is students at both primary and secondary levels and a simple and cheap "ground station" - actually it looks just like a USB dongle, for schools to use, has already been developed. In addition to providing educational outreach for schools and colleges around the world, the spacecraft will also provide a U/V linear trans- ponder for radio amateurs during local "night", at weekends and during holiday periods. The IARU amateur satellite frequency coordination panel has announced new frequencies for the FUNcube-1 satellite to take into account other payloads on the same launch. The new frequencies are: FUNcube-1 New Frequencies ------------------------------- Uplink 435.080 - 435.060 MHz Downlink 145.960 - 145.980 MHz Beacon 145.955 MHz CW and BPSK The production and testing of the spacecraft itself has already been funded via a legacy and other sources. It will however really help the project if radio amateurs and other interested supporters could contribute something towards the cost of the actual launch itself. With this in mind a special donation scheme has been setup using the Virgin Giving charity donation website. All donations received from UK tax payers can be "Gift Aided" which will add 20% to the value of your donation. More information about this exciting project will be made available over the coming months at the FUNcube website. Journalist David Meyer interviewed Jim Heck G3WGM for his article on FUNcube-1. Read the article at: http://tinyurl.com/7nr9sec (www.zdnet.co.uk) FUNcube Giving: http://tinyurl.com/funcubegiving/ FUNcube: http://www.funcube.org.uk/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK and the FUNcube Team for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- DNEPR Launch Includes Triton-1 and Triton-2 Amateur Satellites AMSAT-UK reported this week that the same DNEPR launch in the third quarter of 2012 carrying FUNcube-1 will also have additional amateur satellite payloads aboard. Triton-1 -------- Comprising of a 3U CubeSat, the Triton-1 mission is a radio science mission which aims to test an experimental advanced AIS (Automatic Identification System) receiver. Telemetry decoding software will be made available which will allow radio amateur operators to listen to periodic downlink broadcasts containing housekeeping telemetry, payload telemetry as well as re- ceived AIS messages. Telemetry downlinks will be 9k6 RC-BPSK on VHF (145MHz). The satellite also includes two similar secondary amateur radio pay- loads, being two single channel mode U/V (435-145MHz) FM to DSB transponders. After the Triton-1 three month science mission is complete plans are to have the satellite continue in the Amateur Satellite Service for as long as possible. The following downlink frequencies have been coordinated for Triton-1: Main Downlink 145.815 MHz Backup Downlink 145.860 MHz Uplink frequencies will be announced by the project team once the satellite becomes available for amateur operations. Triton-2 -------- Comprising of a 3U CubeSat, the Triton-2 mission is a radio science mission which aims to test an experimental advanced AIS (Automatic Identification System) receiver. Telemetry decoding software will be made available which will allow radio amateur operators to listen to periodic downlink broadcasts containing housekeeping telemetry, payload telemetry as well as re- ceived AIS messages. Telemetry downlinks will be 9k6 RC-BPSK on VHF (145MHz) and 38k4 RC-BPSK on S Band (2400MHz). After the Triton-2 three month science mission is complete plans are to have the satellite continue in the Amateur Satellite Service for as long as possible. The satellite includes two secondary amateur radio payloads: + A single channel mode U/V (435-145 MHz) FM to DSB transponder. + A single channel mode U/S (435-2400 MHz) FM to FM transponder. Downlink frequency details will be published shortly. Uplink fre- quencies will be announced by the project team once the satellite becomes available for amateur operations. Power budget permitting, both payloads may be switched on at the same time. In addition to Funcube, Triton-1, and Triton-2 this DNEPR rocket will launch UKube-1, Delfi n3Xt (also carrying a linear amateur U/V linear transponder), Trio-Cinema 1 & 2 and other spacecraft using frequencies in the amateur satellite service. AMSAT-UK published the story at: http://www.uk.amsat.org/3434 [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- FUNcube Dongle Presentation Video The AMSAT-UK FUNcube Dongle is a VHF/UHF (64-1700 MHz) Software Defined Radio (SDR) on a USB Dongle. Howard Long G6VLB traveled from London to the 2011 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC) in Baltimore to address the group on this project. He details the trials and tribulations behind designing and manufacturing what turned out to be an extremely popular product. The primary aim of the FUNcube Dongle is to interest young students in science, satellites and radio. The FUNcube itself is a satellite that will be launched specifically to be monitored by all those dongles that have been sold. Watch 2011 DCC – FUNcube Dongle: http://www.uk.amsat.org/2012/01/02/funcube-dongle-presentation-video/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- [snip]

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Re: ARISS contact in Laurel [Md], May 14-19
by Kilroy, Patrick L. (GSFC-5680) 12 Jan '12

12 Jan '12

The Waxter grounds are tucked into the SW corner of the BW Pkwy and MD 198 behind the shopping center. Attached is a JPG layout of the property and the immediate vicinity. Note that there is a big water tower to the northwest. Let's go do a site visit in person soon. An obscuration plot is in order once we have a good idea of exactly where the contact will take place and thus the placement of the antennas. I would not delay in assembling the primary stations and putting them through their exercises. I suggest a low to modest gain omni on the back up station, not so much a turnstile or a turnstile over reflector antenna. When can we go? Cheers, Pat -----Original Message----- From: wa3nan Robert.DiRosario(a)avayagov.com Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2012 11:28 AM To: Frank H. Bauer; 'Dave Taylor'; wa3nan(a)lists.nasa.gov Subject: Re: [WA3NAN] ARISS contact in Laurel, May 14-19 I have one of the clubs az-el controllers, but not the cable or rotator. I also have the club's 2m / 70cm Kenwood all mode radio. (Note this is NOT the 711/811 radios, but a single radio that does 2m and 70cm.) I also have two of our Astron 12V power supplies, 20 or 30 Amps I think. In the past when we have done direct SAREX contacts we used the clubs 2m turnstile antenna as a backup to the AZ/EL. I think it's up in the NASA warehouse in Laurel. We should be able to get it out if we need it. (It does not have an ECN tag.) Robert ________________________________________ From: wa3nan Frank H. Bauer [ka3hdo(a)verizon.net] Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 5:06 PM To: 'Dave Taylor'; wa3nan(a)lists.nasa.gov Subject: Re: [WA3NAN] ARISS contact in Laurel, May 14-19 Dave, I might have some equipment to use. I have antennas and could provide a radio, if necessary. I do believe that K6DUE has an extra az/el rotator. Only other thing is the cable. Frank, KA3HDO -----Original Message----- From: wa3nan Dave Taylor Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 4:01 PM To: wa3nan(a)lists.nasa.gov Subject: Re: [WA3NAN] ARISS contact in Laurel, May 14-19 My thanks to those who are willing to support this contact. I understand the GARC equipment is a problem; I'll be contacting the Columbia club about availability of their Field Day satellite station. -- Dave On Jan 11, 2012, at 11:55 AM, Kilroy, Patrick L. (GSFC-5680) wrote: > With apologies to baseball movie fans, . . . > > If you build it (get the VOLUNTEERS to support > the contact) then they (the gear needed for > a direct contact the required back up station) > will come. > > I'm in. > > Cheers, > > Pat > N8PK > > P.S. Marco N5ACR said he and his home station > as a combo are available to support the contact > too. > > -----ORIGINAL Message----- From: wa3nan Daniel Schultz Sent: Thursday, December 15, 2011 12:03 AM To: wa3nan(a)lists.nasa.gov; amsat-dc(a)amsat.org Subject: [WA3NAN] ARISS contact in Laurel, May 14-19 GARC members and local Amsat-DC members: Who is interested and available to support an ARISS contact with Waxter Young Women's Academy in Laurel in May? (The same week as Dayton unfortunately.) Please contact me with a CC: to Dave if you are interested. Dan Schultz N8FGV Dave's email is: dave.w8aas(a)verizon.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Dan, We are arranging the contact with Waxter Young Women's Academy in Laurel for the week of May 14-19, 2012. Can you check with GARC and confirm that you can support the contact in that week? It is, unfortunately, the week that ends with the Dayton Hamvention (18-20 May), but with luck we can get the contact in before anyone needs to leave. We might also be able to get some assistance from the Columbia club's satellite group, if needed. Thanks. -- Dave

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ARRL and TAPR 2011 DCC videos are available
by David Bern 07 Jan '12

07 Jan '12

All: ARRL and TAPR 2011 Digital Communications Conference videos are available to view for free at http://arvideonews.com/dcc2011/index.html Of particular note, take a look at the open source codec2 speech codec presentation by David Rowe, VK5DGR at http://arvideonews.com/dcc2011/2011_DCC_CODEC_2.html Thank you, David, W2LNX

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AMSAT at BARC Hamfest March 31
by Pat Kilroy 05 Jan '12

05 Jan '12

"The Greater Baltimore Hamboree and Computerfest is one of the largest Amateur Radio and technology shows on the East Coast!" Hi! I'm looking forward to the BARC hamfest on Saturday, March 31, in Timonium, Md. and want to put on a nice display for AMSAT. Even in light of dwindling attendance these days, this now one- day event promises to be lots of fun! In addition to staffing the AMSAT booth in a great location on the grounds, we will also run some demos or offer show-n-tells if we have the local support. Wanna join me? ... YES ! Perhaps we can do some satellite contacts, show off the FUNcube Dongle Pro receiver, give a talk, or anything else you wish. Thoughts? For more info about the hamfest go to their Website at: http://www.gbhc.org/ Then please contact me soon, because I need to register for the tables soon. Thank you! Cheers, Pat Kilroy, N8PK Sykesville, Maryland "The Greater Baltimore Hamboree and Computerfest is one of the largest Amateur Radio and technology shows on the East Coast!"

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