- Amsat-dc (INACTIVE) - mailman.amsat.org

AMSAT volunteers
by Davis, Robert J 18 Jan '07

18 Jan '07

Thanks to all the volunteers from the 3-day weekend! We've made significant progress on cleaning up the cleanroom airhandlers, and on inventory. Here's the upcoming schedule of volunteer days: Sat Jan 20: prep cleanroom airhandlers & posts. Sun Jan 21: undecided; RSVP if interested. Sat Jan 27: earliest possible painting of airhandlers & posts. Sun Jan 28: if painting has started, RSVP if interested. Sat Feb 3: Closed. Sun Feb 4: Closed. When open, Saturday regular hours are 8am to 5pm. Sunday hours start later. Email or call my cell to RSVP or if you have questions, 443-783-7794. See below for a Google map to the AMSAT lab in southwest Pocomoke: http://www.google.com/maps?q=Broad+St+%26+Pocomoke+Belt,+Pocomoke+City,+MD+… <https://umesmail1.umes.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.google.com/…> The AMSAT lab is inside a large warehouse on the corner with a blue roof. Front door says "MIST". PLEASE ENTER AT THE REAR OF THE BUILDING! FRONT DOOR WILL BE LOCKED! Near-Term: 1) Sand and otherwise prep airhandlers of cleanroom for interior & exterior paint 2) Remove filters from cleanroom 3) Clean/sand steel posts of cleanroom 4) Take inventory of damaged components of cleanroom 5) Paint cleanroom airhandlers & posts (different but both interior & exterior). 6) Plan assembly of cleanroom 7) Make lists of hardware/lights/filters/walling needed to assemble cleanroom 8) Repackage items that are destined for long-term storage (like previous project documentation) 9) Discuss Eagle spacecraft with anybody that will listen! Long-Term: 1) Cleanroom operational (March) 2) Erect tower for ground station (April or sooner) 3) Build Eagle spacecraft mockup (May) 4) Build Eagle engineering unit (August? This may be pushing it...) 5) Gather all parts, components & tools for Eagle spacecraft frame by end of 2007 6) Build Eagle spacecraft start of 2008! We will be asking for volunteers most Saturdays in the foreseeable future. All help is welcome! Hams, non-hams, college students, younger students, etc! Some people on this list have already stated that they probably won't be volunteering anytime soon, but would like to remain "on the list" so they know the latest news. However, if you wish to be removed from this list, just write or call me. bob Robert Davis KF4KSS

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AMSAT lab volunteers: 3-day weekend!
by Davis, Robert J 11 Jan '07

11 Jan '07

AMSAT-DC volunteers, The Sat/Sun/Mon 3-day weekend almost got past me! We have volunteer jobs for anybody that comes to the AMSAT lab in Pocomoke, MD. Please come & invite anybody else! On Wednesday of last week, we brought three 24-foot trucks from the previous AMSAT lab in Orlando, FL. We've now got a disassembled 20'x20' cleanroom, desks, tables, cabinets, documentation, tools, electronic equipment, and various components/spares. The trucks have been unloaded, and we've completed inventory of the big items. This weekend: 1) Clean airhandlers of cleanroom 2) Remove flaking paint from airhandlers of cleanroom 3) Remove filters from cleanroom 4) Clean steel posts of cleanroom 5) Take inventory of damaged components of cleanroom 6) Plan assembly of cleanroom 7) Make lists of hardware/lights/filters/walling needed to assemble cleanroom 8) Sort/inventory hand tools (ratchet/wrench sets, screw drivers, etc) 9) Apply inventory stickers ! ! ! (This should probably be first on the list...) 10) Repackage items that are destined for long-term storage (like previous project documentation) 11) Clean up 2 desks and the best 2 computers (will collect photos & inventory database here) 12) Discuss Eagle spacecraft with anybody that will listen! I will have the lab open 8am to 5pm on Saturday and Monday. Sunday morning I will be late. If you plan to come in, please call or email me (especially for Sunday). My cell is 443-783-7794. See below for a Google map to the AMSAT lab in southwest Pocomoke: http://www.google.com/maps?q=Broad+St+%26+Pocomoke+Belt,+Pocomoke+City,+MD+… <https://umesmail1.umes.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.google.com/…> The AMSAT lab is inside a large warehouse on the corner with a blue roof. Front door says "MIST". PLEASE ENTER AT THE REAR OF THE BUILDING! FRONT DOOR WILL BE LOCKED! Here's an idea of our long-term lab plans: 1) Cleanroom operational (March) 2) Erect tower for ground station (April or sooner) 3) Build Eagle spacecraft mockup (May) 4) Build Eagle engineering unit (August? This may be pushing it...) 5) Gather all parts, components & tools for Eagle spacecraft frame by end of 2007 6) Build Eagle spacecraft start of 2008! We will be asking for volunteers most Saturdays in the foreseeable future. All help is welcome! Hams, non-hams, college students, younger students, etc! Some people on this list have already stated that they probably won't be volunteering anytime soon, but would like to remain "on the list" so they know the latest news. However, if you wish to be removed from this list, just write or call me. bob Robert Davis KF4KSS

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Re: Impacts? Missed Discussions?
by Daniel Schultz 05 Jan '07

05 Jan '07

It's the end of Life As We Know It. I'm going to sell all my ham gear on E-bay and take up golf. Dan Schultz > > -------------- Original message -------------- > From: Pat Kilroy <Patrick.L.Kilroy(a)nasa.gov> > > > HAVE I MISSED ANY DISCUSSIONS or posts on the > > "other" AMSAT mail list(s) regarding the impacts > > to AMSAT (good or bad, imagined or real) with > > respect to all the recent changes by the FCC to > > the Part 97 rules and regs? > > > > At first thought, the expansion of the 80m phone > > band and dropping Element 1 (Morse Code) of the ham > > license testing requirements, for example, don't > > appear to affect AMSAT and the amateur satellite > > service a single bit. But how about after a second > > thought? > > > > Might there be any indirect impacts lurking? > > > > Thanks for your thoughts. > > > > 73 de Pat N8PK

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Re: Impacts? Missed Discussions?
by kb8rtz＠comcast.net 04 Jan '07

04 Jan '07

You haven't missed anything in the VHF+ arena. The QRP folks sure went ballistic. Patrick...kb8rtz... -------------- Original message -------------- From: Pat Kilroy <Patrick.L.Kilroy(a)nasa.gov> > HAVE I MISSED ANY DISCUSSIONS or posts on the > "other" AMSAT mail list(s) regarding the impacts > to AMSAT (good or bad, imagined or real) with > respect to all the recent changes by the FCC to > the Part 97 rules and regs? > > At first thought, the expansion of the 80m phone > band and dropping Element 1 (Morse Code) of the ham > license testing requirements, for example, don't > appear to affect AMSAT and the amateur satellite > service a single bit. But how about after a second > thought? > > Might there be any indirect impacts lurking? > > Thanks for your thoughts. > > 73 de Pat N8PK > > > _______________________________________________ > Via the AMSAT-DC mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA > AMSAT-DC(a)amsat.org > http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-dc

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Impacts? Missed Discussions?
by Pat Kilroy 04 Jan '07

04 Jan '07

HAVE I MISSED ANY DISCUSSIONS or posts on the "other" AMSAT mail list(s) regarding the impacts to AMSAT (good or bad, imagined or real) with respect to all the recent changes by the FCC to the Part 97 rules and regs? At first thought, the expansion of the 80m phone band and dropping Element 1 (Morse Code) of the ham license testing requirements, for example, don't appear to affect AMSAT and the amateur satellite service a single bit. But how about after a second thought? Might there be any indirect impacts lurking? Thanks for your thoughts. 73 de Pat N8PK

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AMSAT DC Meeting 2007
by Laurie Kilroy 21 Dec '06

21 Dec '06

Hi All, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year and all the best of the holiday season to you and yours. As mentioned at the last AMSAT-DC Meeting and Space Seminar this past spring (remember Saturday, April 8, 2006?) the time is now ripe to plan our next gathering. Your help is appreciated. Are you in? The first things we need to decide are easy, and your input is valuable: 1. Day of week (Saturday or Sunday) 2. Time of day for start and the duration 3. The weekend to earmark to meet (avoiding dates like Mother's Day, Easter, Passover, etc) and 4. Location and room Would love to hear your thoughts over the next week or two, or through about January 4. Take care for now. Cheers, Pat Kilroy N8PK Note: Mail to n8pk(a)amsat.org goes to me at pat(a)patkilroy.com. Feel free to post to the amsat-dc list as appropriate. Thanks! Pat Kilroy pat(a)patkilroy.com Laurie Kilroy laurie(a)patkilroy.com (Disregard the earthlink.net address; it will be going away.)

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Fwd: Amateur Satellite Ground Station Budget Task
by W3HXF＠aol.com 30 Nov '06

30 Nov '06

In a message dated 11/27/06 12:36:37 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, Patrick.L.Kilroy(a)nasa.gov writes: amsat-dc(a)amsat.org Re: Please forward this to whoever in AMSAT Please forward this to whoever in AMSAT may have forming a list of equipment/materials for school(s) to participate in future OSCARs. 73, Bill, W3HXF Examples of areas to be covered in a multi-year equipment list. Each task below is a complete station. Complete to serve a particular satellite. The first task/year's budget are for a few of those satellites that are in orbit. Other task/year's aimed toward planned OSCARs not in orbit yet. >Budget task A: >Please provide a list (better yet a kit, for a cubesat-capable >ground station), >so I can compile budgetary information. > >For a later year: >Budget task B: > AO-13 or AO-40-capable ground station: >145.880 MHz USB + 145.920 MHz USB Up & 435.300 MHz High to listen >FM (S) mode: 2401.200 MHz to listen. >Uplink: 1268.700 MHz USB transmit. >http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/ControlTeam.php >KK5DO > >Please provide a list (better yet a kit for an AO-13 or >AO-40-capable ground station), >i.e., AMSAT's Project Eagle plans call for an mode U/V transponder >for SSB, CW and other modes. > I wish to leave the budgetary information for The Excelsior Team > <_excelsior.tj(a)gmail.com_ (mailto:[email protected]) > >Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is located >on Braddock Road. >The address is: 6560 Braddock Road Alexandria, VA 22312 >What satellite(s) have their eastern USA pass between >12:45 pm is a good time because lunch would have ended (which equals >1745 UTC) >and 4 hours later. > >For a much later year, Eagle could launch by 2010: >Budget task C: > >Specification would make the satellite's S2 band uplink and C band downlink.

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Amateur Satellite Ground Station Budget Task
by Pat Kilroy 27 Nov '06

27 Nov '06

Hello Bill W3HXF, I think it is great that you are helping the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology of Alexandria on their quest in satellite technology. It's great news to hear of such a newly active school in our local area! Seems like more and more are popping up around the country. To answer your questions and address your comments, I hope the information below is helpful and not "too much too soon" ... First, a lot of the information you seek for ground station equipment can be found in the "Amateur Satellite FAQ" on the AMSAT web site at http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/archive/intro/index.php This is your best start. Next, you will note that the equipment identified there does not include price or inter-connection block diagrams. The prices vary widely, especially for new and used gear. Current pricing can be found by surfing the web at amateur radio outlets. See the ads in QST magazine and in the AMSAT Journal! Or Google on "amateur radio equipment" anytime. Visit local hamfests for previously owned ham gear and check eBay and others. The station equipment block diagrams are available from many sources, including The Radio Amateur's Satellite Handbook by Martin Davidoff, K2UBC, author of the highly acclaimed predecessor, The Satellite Experimenter's Handbook. Available at: http://www.arrl.org/catalog/index.php3?category=Space%2FSatellites Block diagrams are nice, but you'll want to tap into people who know this stuff in their heads. So don't forget to tap into fellow experienced hams that each and every school will want to have on hand (not just Thomas Jefferson High). To find another one you may start by looking up an AMSAT Area Coordinator. Check at: http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/ac.php A Note: Each CubeSat has different operating modes and frequencies, tailored to their own experiment. Go to the university or group that sponsors a particular CubeSat to find their specific information. (Links below.) Remember: The "dual use" capability of this equipment. You can also use it for local high-altitude balloon experiments and other activities too. AN INVITATION Come to our next local AMSAT-DC meeting and space symposium in the late winter or early spring. Invite your school group members too. Watch for the announcements after the holidays! Tap into the local group of satellite guys through amsat-dc(a)amsat.org. I believe with this advice you are now several steps closer to achieving your budget task objective and more. See the links below for your next steps. Let me know when you have more questions. Maybe the amsat-dc guys will chime in with their advice too. Take care for now. Sincerely, Pat Pat Kilroy, N8PK AMSAT Area Coordinator Maryland-DC Area ADDITION LINKS FOR YOU Satellite Radios http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/faqs/houston-net/radios.php Amateur Satellite Resource Guide http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/faqs/resguide.pdf CubeSat Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CubeSat CubeSat Community Home http://cubesat.calpoly.edu/ Working Your First Satellite http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/faqs/langdon.php Searching for Info on the AMSAT web site http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/about/searching.php Amateur Radio Licensing http://www.arrl.org/cce/Tech.html CubeSat Launch Info http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/cubesats.php Future OSCARs http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/sat_summary/future.php Don't Forget ARISS Opportunities http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/ariss/index.php AMSAT Member Services http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/AboutAmsat/services.php Join AMSAT http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/membership/index.php At Friday 11/17/2006 11:34 AM, W3HXF(a)aol.com wrote: Re: Please forward this to whoever in AMSAT >Please forward this to whoever in AMSAT may someday be forming a list >of equipment/materials for school(s) to participate in future OSCARs. > >73, Bill, W3HXF > >Budget task A: >Please provide a list (better yet a kit, for a cubesat-capable >ground station), >so I can compile budgetary information. > >For a later year: >Budget task B: > AO-13 or AO-40-capable ground station: >145.880 MHz USB + 145.920 MHz USB Up & 435.300 MHz High to listen >FM (S) mode: 2401.200 MHz to listen. >Uplink: 1268.700 MHz USB transmit. >http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/ControlTeam.php >KK5DO > >Please provide a list (better yet a kit for an AO-13 or >AO-40-capable ground station), >i.e., AMSAT's Project Eagle plans call for an mode U/V transponder >for SSB, CW and other modes. > I wish to leave the budgetary information for The Excelsior Team > <excelsior.tj(a)gmail.com> >Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is located >on Braddock Road. >The address is: 6560 Braddock Road Alexandria, VA 22312 >What satellite(s) have their eastern USA pass between >12:45 pm is a good time because lunch would have ended (which equals >1745 UTC) >and 4 hours later. > >For a much later year, Eagle could launch by 2010: >Budget task C: > >Specification would make the satellite's S2 band uplink and C band downlink. ================================================================= Patrick L. Kilroy WK Integration & Test (I&T) Manager 301-286-1984 Voice NASA Goddard Space Flight Center 301-286-1673 Fax Building 5, Mail Code 568 Patrick.L.Kilroy(a)nasa.gov Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 http://patkilroy.com/balloon/ ================================================================= "A problem well stated is a problem half solved." -Charles F. Kettering

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Amsat speaker needed November 3 Charles County
by Daniel Schultz 24 Oct '06

24 Oct '06

Is there anyone in the local area who could do an Amsat presentation for Charles County on November 3? (I am scheduled for work that evening.) If not November 3, they might be open for a later date. "There is a high interest in satellite operations by the club members." Dan Schultz N8FGV Original message: ************************************************************************ > This message is being sent to you through the AMSAT Area Coordinator's contact database. > > Message Sent by Eugene Risso, KB3MDH > > Subject: Charles County Amateur Radio Club > > Message Content: > Good afternoon I am the activities manager for the Charles County Amateur Radio Club and would like to have a guest speaker from your organization attend one of our club meetings to give a demo. There is currently in opening for a guest speaker for the November 3rd club meeting. There is a high interest in satellite operations by the club members. The monthly meetings are held in the La Plata area of Charles County. I look forward to hearing from you regarding this matter. Thank you for your time.

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Mason-Dixon Hamfest, Sun Oct 29
by Pat Kilroy 13 Oct '06

13 Oct '06

HI! I EXPECT TO set up an AMSAT table in a nice, highly visible location at the coming Mason-Dixon Hamfest. This event will be held at the end of this month, located in Westminster, Maryland (about ten miles northwest of the famous Howard County fairgrounds) and sponsored by K3PZN, the Carroll County Amateur Radio Club, Inc. Would you like to join me? Details and maps/directions are given at the web page ... http://www.qis.net/~k3pzn/mdhfest.htm We will have the huge AMSAT banner and bright red table cloths. Running satellite tracking software and dialing up a receive demo, ... We will be near hot food, the raffle barrel, and around a fun buzz of activity. (Am I coloring a nice picture in your mind?) Shoot me an e-mail message and we will team up for some good stuff. Thanks, Pat N8PK mailto:[email protected]?subject=Mason-Dixon-AMSAT Click on the above line now! ================================================================= Patrick L. Kilroy WK Integration & Test (I&T) Manager 301-286-1984 Voice NASA Goddard Space Flight Center 301-286-1673 Fax Building 5, Mail Code 568 Patrick.L.Kilroy(a)nasa.gov Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 http://patkilroy.com/balloon/ ================================================================= "The purpose of freedom is to create it for others." - Bernard Malamud, author "The Fixer"

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