AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-052
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(a)amsat.org
In this edition:
* ARISSat Design Review Held
* Satellite DXpeditions Coming Soon: K4T & Hawaii
* AO-27 Schedule Lister Updated
* College Satellite Night First Thursday Each Month
* Satellite and Space Shorts From All Over
* AMSAT - SUNY Binghamton - IBM NextGen CubeSat Development Report
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-052.01
ARISSat Design Review Held
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 052.01
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 21, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-052.01
Members of the ARISSat team from AMSAT, NASA and Microchip held a
Design Review in Orlando Monday and Tuesday February 15-16, 2010.
There were 23 presentations describing the operation, status and
testing of the major areas of the satellite. Many of the members
used their holiday and vacation time to participate in a 12 hour
session on Monday and 9 hour session on Tuesday before heading home.
The meeting was very successful in identifying areas that need add-
itional work and definition. The major items to work on are the Max
Power Point Tracker, the ICB (Interconnect Board), working on making
a warmer environment for the battery, power management software and
IHU software.
The prototype structure was on display and additional structures
are being built. We have nearly all the flight electronics built
and checked. The next challenges are developing test plans and
coordinating with NASA for thermal, vacuum and vibrations tests.
We will not be able to deliver an operational and vetted satellite
in March and are in discussion about a launch and EVA date later
this year.
The presentations in PDF format will shortly be available on the
arissat.org site under Design Review.
[ANS thanks Gould Smith, WA4SXM for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-052.02
Satellite DXpeditions Coming Soon: K4T & Hawaii
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 052.02
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 21, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-052.02
K4T DXpedition
--------------
The K4T DXpedtion to EL84 web page (http://aroadventures.org/) says
the team plans to include satellite operations. The DXpedition dates
are March 11-15, 2010. Team Leader for K4T, Mike Forsythe, AC2V says,
"One of the primary stations will be dedicated to satellite operations
on a 24 hour basis. Mark Hammond, N8MH will be heading up K4T satellite
operations. K4T will be using batteries, solar power, and wind power.
It's a completely 'green' operation".
Mike, AC2V said, "The satellite station plans to work FM, SSB and per-
haps a bit of CW. We have requested that the secondary repeater on AO51
be dedicated to K4T. As for equipment, at the primary station we are
going to have redundant Icom 910 transceivers, Yaesu G-5500 rotor, LVB
Tracker, ARR preamps and M2 CP yagi antennas and will be running SATPC32.
We also have the option of portable operations with a Yaesu FT-817 with
an Elk antenna."
Mark, N8MH said, "We're going to have a top-notch satellite station!
You can expect us to be active on AO-7, AO-27, FO-29, SO-50, AO-51,
VO-52, SO-67, and HO-68 (depending on the mode schedules of the satel-
lites, of course)." In order to make it easiest to catch K4T this list
of target frequencies is planned to be used as a starting point:
Target Frequencies for K4T 11 March - 15 March 2010:
Satellite Downlink Uplink
--------- ------------ -------------
AO-7 145.960 USB 432.136 LSB
AO-27 436.795 FM 145.850 FM
FO-29 435.860 USB 145.940 LSB
SO-50 436.795 FM 145.850 FM
AO-51 435.150 FM 145.880 FM (primary)
AO-51 435.300 FM 145.920 FM (secondary)
VO-52 145.910 USB 435.240 LSB
HO-68 435.760 USB 145.930 LSB
Oahu BL11 and Kauai BL01 and BL02
---------------------------------
Adrian, AA5UK, will be on Oahu (BL11) and Kauai (BL02ic & BL01) from
March 24th through April 7th 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. Adrian will post daily
availability via AMSAT BB, QRZ.com: http://www.qrz.com/db/aa5uk, and
Twitter: @AA5UK. Sked 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.
AMSAT DXpedition Loaner Gear
----------------------------
As a reminder, AMSAT has two Arrow antennas, and a TH-D7 available
for loan to any member going on a DXpedition, or grid trip. This is
the same gear used to activate K5D last year about this time. The D7
is programmed with Alpha-Memory tags for the FM satellites and has
both rechargeable and AA battery packs, and is very simple to use.
Contact Drew, KO4MA (ko4ma(a)amsat.org) if you have a need to use it.
[ANS thanks Mike, AC2V; Mark, N8MH; Adrian, AA5UK; and Drew, KO4MA for
the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-052.03
AO-27 Schedule Lister Updated
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 052.03
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 21, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-052.03
A new schedule was uploaded to AO-27 on February 9. The ON-OFF
timing of AO-27 may be out of sync with your prior expectations.
George, KA3HSW reminds users of the AO-27 Java schedule lister to
make sure that you have updated your data files! (File menu, Update
Data or hit CTRL U)
The AO-27 schedule lister is available to download at
http://sites.google.com/site/ao27satellitescheduler.
[ANS thanks George, KA3HSW for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-052.04
College Satellite Night First Thursday Each Month
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 052.04
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 21, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-052.04
College Satellite Night is planned for all available satellites on
the first Thursday of each month. These are a monthly event! College
club stations plan on being on birds AO51, SO50, AO7, VO52, HO-68
and FO-29. Welcome the student operators and enjoy your QSOs with
them as we are planning on creating an award for working college
club stations on satellite. Mark your calendar and spread the word
to college hams/club stations that you know!
[ANS thanks Dr. Jay Garlitz, AA4FL, Faculty Advisor for the Gator Radio
Club at the University of Florida for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-052.05
Satellite and Space Shorts From All Over
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 052.05
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 21, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-052.05
Hams like science so here we go ...
+ Spectacular SRB Videos from STS-130 Provide Night-time Shuttle
Launch can be viewed on-line at: http://tinyurl.com/yknofyh
This launch video taken from the perspective of a camera mounted
on the space shuttle's solid rocket boosters. [UniverseToday]
+ Watch Time-Lapse of EVA-1/Tranquility Node Berthing at:
http://tinyurl.com/ycsa4r7 A shorter time lapse video clip
of the berthing can be viewed at: http://tinyurl.com/y9lxyhk
[UniverseToday]
+ A collection of photos from the STS-130 mission can be found
on-line at: http://tinyurl.com/ydnugtl [UniverseToday]
+ An animation of a trip to Mars can be viewed at the One Minute
Astronomer web page: http://tinyurl.com/ycdut88
+ Matthias, DD1US has updated his "Sounds from Space" collection
at http://www.dd1us.de with recently received information about
early AMSAT satellites. He would like audio files from early
satellites AO-2 thorough AO-5 if you have them available.
+ Watch for Paul, 2M1EUB operating on the satellites from Scotland
starting on March 20, 2010 for 7 days (Grid IO87mc). QSL via home
callsign 2E1EUB.
+ Congratulations to Clint Bradford, K6LCS for a successful satellite
demonstration at the Desert Rats Amateur Radio Club on February 16.
Clint says about twenty folks showed up for the 5:37PM PST pass of
AO-51. The main meeting and presentation started at 7PM to a packed
house. Clint's web page is at: http://www.work-sat.com
[ANS thanks everyone for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-052.06
AMSAT - SUNY Binghamton - IBM NextGen CubeSat Development Report
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 052.06
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 21, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-052.06
NextGen CubeSat Program Manager, Alex Harvilchuck, N3NP has provided
an update on AMSAT's cooperative CubeSat development project working
with senior class engineering students at the State University of New
York at Binghamton (SUNY) and the IBM Research Center.
Using the ARISSat Power Supply Unit as a baseline design the backplane
and Solar Panel Charge Controller designs have been redesigned to use
Pseudocapacitors instead of traditional batteries. Based on a worse-
case, 600km orbit, the student design can produce a whole-orbit power
budget of 7.5 watts using a 3U CubeSat design. Analysis has shown if
a spacecraft is launched into a more optimal orbit, like a sun-synch-
ronous orbit, one of the two Pseudocapacitor banks can be removed.
The design can be scaled to be used with other classes of spacecraft
(2U/1U CubeSat, or Microsats). The design has gone through two reviews
with AMSAT Engineering including Lou W5DID, Barry WD4ASW & Tony AA2TX.
A second student engineering team has designed a light-weight deploy-
able solar panel design with integral magnetorquer coils for attitude
control. The design will produce about 12-15 watts per minute in any
orientation (worse-case) for 3U, less with 2U or 1U. If a spacecraft
is launched into a more optimal orbit the number of solar cells can be
reduced while maintaining the power budget
Alex also reported that the students have analyzed the existing AMSAT
spacecraft modules (from ARISSat & P3D) and determined that they can
fit the SDX and U/V Linear Transponder systems from ARISSat into a 2U
or 3U CubeSat Chassis without significant re-design. If the ARISSat
boards were redesigned/repackaged they could fit within a 1U Chassis.
The Internal Housekeeping Unit is going to be slightly redesigned to
incorporate the Command Decoder board functions. The base concepts from
P3D for the Sun & Earth Sensor Systems are reusable in the NextGen sat-
ellite.
Alex concluded, "The NextGen Satellite R&D, sponsored by AMSAT, is being
performed by Engineering Students for their Senior Design projects. We
have 8 Mechanical Engineers and Electronic Engineers plus 26 Systems
Engineering students. So I encourage everyone to contribute what you can
to AMSAT to help fund spacecraft systems development and launch oppor-
tunities. If we have reliable, lower-cost, modular systems, then AMSAT
can be more responsive to any launch opportunity.
We'll have more info on the research we're doing in the next issue of
the Journal and look for us at the AMSAT table in Dayton!
[ANS thanks Alex Harvilchuck, N3NP 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. And with that,
having recently observed President's Day in the USA please keep in mind
that when George Washington cut down the cherry tree he could not tell
a lie because he ate all the cherries, got cherry juice on his hands and
got caught red handed.
73,
This week's ANS Editor,
JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM
K9JKM at amsat dot org
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-045
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.
This is your chance to join in the ranks of AMSAT. There is still an
opening or two for someone to step in and assist with the ANS editing
process. If you are interested, please drop a line to Joanne Maenpaa,
K9JKM(a)amsat.org. There are many other volunteer slots and you can find them
in the advertisement in the AMSAT Journal. It takes many helpful hands to
keep our group well oiled. (ed.)
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:
ans-editor(a)amsat.org
In this edition:
* 36th Annual Eastern VHF/UHF Conference
* LORAN C Shutdown
* HO-68 Schedule
* Arecibo Dish to be Activated on Amateur Radio EME
* W6ZH, Silent Key
* ARISS Status - 8 February 2010
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-045.01
36th Annual Eastern VHF/UHF Conference
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 045.01
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 14, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-045.01
36th Annual Eastern VHF/UHF Conference
The 36th Annual Eastern VHF/UHF Conference will be on April 16-18,
2010 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Enfield, CT. The NorthEast Weak Signal
Group (NEWS) is calling for the submission of papers and presentations.
Papers and presentations are solicited on both the technical and opera-
tional aspects of VHF, UHF and Microwave weak signal amateur radio.
We will have a Hospitality Suite for early arrivals on Friday Evening
starting at 7:00PM to 11:00 PM. Conference registration will begin on
Saturday at 7:30 AM and talks and band sessions will start at 8:30 AM.
A banquet dinner, Triva quiz and prize raffles will begin at 7:00 PM.
On Sunday an outdoor flea market, weather permitting, will begin at
8:00 to 11:00 AM. Starting this year flea market admission will be FREE
for both buyers and sellers of VHF and above relate equipment items only.
Compliments of Greg WA1VUG and R&S we will have the following test capa-
bilities up to 50 GHz.
Registration is now open for this years conference. A block of Hotel Rooms
is available at the Crowne Plaza, Enfield under the NEWS group for $99.
The latest conference news can be found on-line at:
http://www.newsvhf.com/vhfconf.html
[ANS thanks Bruce, N2LIV Conference Chairman for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-045.02
LORAN C Shut Down
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 045.02
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 14, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-045.02
LORAN-C shut down
On February 8 the U.S Coast Guard shut down the Loran-C a navigation
system that has been in use since World War II.
LORAN (LOng RAnge Navigation) made use of a network of Low Frequency
(LF) radio transmitters and the receivers used these multiple signals
to determine the location and speed of the vessel. It has served
mariners and aviators well for over 60 years.
President Obama has called the system obsolete, saying it is no
longer needed in an age in which Global Positioning System devices
are nearly ubiquitous in cars, planes and boats.
Running Loran-C is claimed to cost the Federal Government about
$38 million a year but shutting it down means there is no longer
a back-up system for GPS.
[ANS thanks Southgate news service for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-045.03
HO-68 Schedule
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 045.03
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 14, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-045.03
14 Feb. 2010, Linear Transponder
=======================================
01:37...Turn On FM/Digital Transponder
North Asia,East Asia,South Asia
01:52...Turn Off
08:40...Turn On
Europe,Africa
09:20...Turn Off
19:15...Turn On
Africa,Europe,NA
20:00...Turn Off
15 Feb. 2010, FM/Digital Transponder
=======================================
00:25...Turn On
South America, NA
01:05...Turn Off
03:03...Turn On
North Asia,East Asia,South Asia
03:18...Turn Off
06:10...Turn On
NA,North Asia,Middle East,Europe,Africa
06:55...Turn Off
15:25...Turn On
Middle Asia,India,Europe,NA
16:10...Turn Off
18:45...Turn On
Africa,Europe,NA
19:30...Turn Off
16 Feb. 2010, FM/Digital Transponder
=======================================
01:55...Turn On
South America,NA,North Asia
02:35...Turn Off
11:00...Turn On
Oceania,South Asia,
East Asia,North Asia,Europe
11:40...Turn Off
15:25...Turn On
NA,South America
15:55...Turn Off
16:50...Turn On
India,Middle East,Europe,NA
17:35...Turn Off
20:15...Turn On
Africa,Europe,NA
21:00...Turn Off
17 Feb. 2010, FM/Digital Transponder
=======================================
02:24...Turn On
North Asia,East Asia,South Asia
02:39...Turn Off
10:45...Turn On
Oceania,East Asia,North Asia,Europe
11:30...Turn Off
15:10...Turn On
Europe,NA,South America
15:40...Turn Off
18:30...Turn On
India,Middle East,Africa,Europe,NA
19:15...Turn Off
20:10...Turn On
Africa,Europe,NA
20:55...Turn Off
18 Feb. 2010, FM/Digital Transponder
=======================================
02:17...Turn On
North Asia,East Asia,South Asia
02:32...Turn Off
03:10...Turn On
South America,NA,North Asia
03:55...Turn Off
10:25...Turn On
Oceania, South Asia, East Asia,
North Asia,Europe
11:10...Turn Off
16:15...Turn On
India,Middle East Asia,Europe,NA,
17:00...Turn Off
19:40...Turn On
Africa,Europe,NA,
20:25...Turn Off
19 Feb. 2010, FM/Digital Transponder
=======================================
01:54...Turn On
North Asia,East Asia,South Asia
02:10...Turn Off
02:50...Turn On
South America,NA,North Asia
03:35...Turn Off
14:35...Turn On
South America,NA,North Asia,Europe
15:05...Turn Off
19:35...Turn On
Africa,Europe,NA
20:20...Turn Off
23:20...Turn On
South America,NA,North Asia,East Asia
24:05...Turn Off
20:00...Turn On
Africa,Europe,NA,North Asia
20:45...Turn Off
20 Feb. 2010, FM/Digital Transponder
=======================================
01:34...Turn On
North Asia,East Asia,South Asia
01:49...Turn Off
02:35...Turn On
South America,NA,North Asia
03:20...Turn Off
08:45...Turn On
North Asia, Europe,Africa
09:25...Turn Off
19:05...Turn On
Africa,Europe,NA
19:50...Turn Off
21 Feb. 2010, FM/Digital Transponder
=======================================
01:27...Turn On
North Asia,East Asia,South Asia
01:41...Turn Off
02:20...Turn On
South America,NA,North Asia
03:00...Turn Off
08:30...Turn On
North Asia,Europe,Africa
09:10...Turn Off
11:25...Turn On
Oceania
11:40...Turn Off
73
Alan Kung, BA1DU
HO-68(XW-1) Project Manager
www.camsat.cn
[ANS thanks Alan Kung, BA1DU
HO-68(XW-1) Project Manager for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-045.04
Arecibo Dish to be Activated on Amateur Radio EME
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 045.04
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 14, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-045.04
Arecibo Dish to be Activated on Amateur Radio EME
While this item is not satellite related it may provide our ANS
readers with a unique opportunity to utilize modest UHF and 1296
stations to copy EME signals. A large OSCAR-class antenna array
equipped station may be able to participate.
Echoes of Apollo EME 2010 or World Moon Bounce Day, is scheduled
for the weekend of April 16, 17, and 18. This year, EOA has been
graced with a special opportunity to use the Arecibo Dish as the
ultimate "big gun" station on 432 MHz SSB & CW. EME operation on
1296 MHz may also be possible. Arecibo has more than 50 dbi gain
on 432 MHz so the team thinks it can be heard with modest equip-
ment.
[ANS thanks the Echoes of Apollo project for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-045.05
W6ZH, Silent Key
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 045.05
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 14, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-045.05
It is with much sadness that AMSAT notes the passing on Feb.4 of Herbert
"Pete" Hoover III, W6ZH at his home in San Marino, CA. Pete was the grandson
of former President Herbert Hoover. Pete's W6ZH call was inherited from his
father who served as ARRL President; Pete's original call was W6APW. He was
AMSAT Life Member #65.
In the 1970's, Pete and Bill Eitel (W6UF) saw that AMSAT and amateur
satellites were a significant wave of amateur radio's future. In addition to
making substantial contributions, they worked with the ARRL to form the ARRL
Foundation in 1976. Beginning in 1978 Pete served on the ARRL Long Range
Planning Committee.
I remember the hospitality Pete and his wife Meridith showed to Jan King
(W3GET) and me on several occasions when we dropped by his home in San
Marino to discuss AMSAT's future.
Pete was always very active in the American Red Cross. When the Pacsat
concept was being developed, Harold Price (NK6K) and I called on Pete at the
Hoover Foundation offices to discuss the concept of a store-and-forward
messaging satellite to provide medical communications to a remote area. At
Pete's instigation, we began working with VITA (Volunteers in Technical
Assistance) and our Pacsat concept bore fruit when UoSAT-3 was re-badged as
Healthsat-1 (see http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/healthsat-2.htm).
I last saw Pete at Dayton two years ago. I was in the chow line when I heard
a "Hey Tom" from a nearby table. Pete was spending most of his time at his
retirement home on Maui and he looked very fit and had an incredible tan!
While I was munching on a hamburger we has a great face-to-face QSO. He told
me that he was still on the air, now using an Elecraft radio.
I'll miss Pete's enthusiasm and friendship. I could always count on his
thoughtful advice.
73 de Tom, K3IO (ex W3IWI)
[ANS thanks Tom, K3IO, for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-045.06
ARISS Status - 8 February 2010
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 045.06
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 14, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-045.06
1. Astronaut T. J. Creamer Enjoys ARISS Contact with Riley Ave.
Students
On Tuesday, February 2, astronaut Timothy Creamer, KC5WKI spoke with Riley
Avenue Elementary School students through an Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS) contact. The Calverton, New York youth
spent weeks preparing for the contact, studying space and the solar system
during Science and creating rockets and robots in Art class. The Peconic
Amateur Radio Club helped coordinate the contact and provided the equipment
used. A Riley fourth grader and newly licensed ham acted as the control
operator during the contact.
2. Principal has Good Memories of First ARISS Contact
The first Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact
was held between Bill Shepherd on the ISS and students attending Burbank
School in Burbank, Illinois on December 21, 2000. Recently Burbank's
principal made the comment, "I continue to feel that the contact and the
follow-up visit were by far my best experiences as an educator," which says
much about the program and its effect on those who participate. The school
continues to display a plaque commemorating the ARISS event in its lobby.
3. ISS Ham Debrief Held with Frank De Winne
Expedition 20/21 astronaut Frank DeWinne, ON1DWN participated in an Amateur
Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) debrief session on
Thursday, February 4, 2010. The feedback provided will help ARISS update
program operations.
4. ARISSat-1 Status Report Posted
AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) posted an article on the status
of ARISSat-1. To view "Building the First US ARISSAT-1 Flight Unit Begins,"
see:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/index.php
[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,
Dee Interdonato, NB2F
nb2f at amsat dot org
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-038
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(a)amsat.org
In this edition:
* FO-29 Status Update
* AMSAT Activities at Orlando Hamcation
* First call for speakers for the AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2010
* Satellite Presentation at Palm Springs Desert RATS Meeting
* ARISS Status - 1 February 2010
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-038.01
FO-29 Status Update
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 038.01
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 7, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-038.01
The JARL FO-29 command team reported on the status of FO-29 this
week. After long eclipse periods caused a negative power budget
on FO-29 in early November, 2009 which took it off the air temp-
orarily the command team switched the satellite from continuous
operation to scheduled operations. This allows the command team
to monitor the state of the battery charge aboard the spacecraft
and adjust operations as required.
Since the last commanded power up of the analog transponder on
January 27, 2010 the command team has received reports worldwide
which indicate that FO-29 has been able maintain continuos oper-
ation. The power budget aboard the spacecraft is improving as the
eclipse periods decrease.
If the power budget decreases too much the satellite will auto-
matically power down. The JARL command team requests telemetry
reports (either direct or posted via the amsat-bb) from stations
that may have data from January 27 to January 28. Additionally,
if you find the transponder is off during a scheduled ON period
please report this to the command team as well.
JARL places no restrictions on the use of FO-29 during scheduled
operation periods except to remind satellite ground stations to
transmit with as low as uplink transmitter power as possible.
[ANS thanks thanks Yutaka Murata, JA1COU and the JARL command team
for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-038.02
AMSAT Activities at Orlando Hamcation
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 038.02
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 7, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-038.02
AMSAT will once again have a major presence at the Orlando Hamcation
(http://www.hamcation.com),which takes place next weekend, 12-14 FEB at the
Central Fairgrounds, 4603 West Colonial Drive, Orlando. AMSAT Team leader for
Hamcation, Dave Jordan, AA4KN, reports that AMSAT will have a booth
at the same
location as in prior years (Booth 83 and 84) in the main commercial area. A
satellite station will be operating and satellite demonstrations are planned.
Stop by the booth to get a list of scheduled satellite passes on Friday
afternoon, Saturday and Sunday. Those who have attended Hamcation in
past years
will remember the satellite antenna trailer maintained by the Lake Monroe
Amateur Radio Society (LMARS); this will be in operation again this year by
AMSAT.
An AMSAT Forum is scheduled from 1000-1100 on Saturday morning in the 'Bubble
Buildiing.' Presenters will include:
AMSAT President Barry Baines, WD4ASW
AMSAT Chief Scientist and Board Member Tom Clark, K3IO
AMSAT VP-Operations and Board Member Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA
ARISSat-1 Program Manager and Board Member Gould Smith, WA4SXM, and
ARISS Hardware Manager and Board Member Lou McFadin, W5DID
Presentations will cover a variety of topics, including an AMSAT Status report
which will discuss AMSAT's strategic direction and focus on LEO satellites, an
update on current satellite operations, and an update on ARISSat-1 which is
expected to deploy from the International Space Station in late 2010.
In addition to the operational satellite station, ARISSat-1 RF hardware will be
demonstrated at the booth. AMSAT members and others are also
encouraged to stop
by the AMSAT booth to ask questions and meet with members of the AMSAT
Leadership Team.
[ANS thanks Barry, WD4ASW, for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-038.03
First call for speakers for the AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2010
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 038.03
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 7, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-038.03
This is the first call for speakers for the AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2010 which will
be held at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, UK
(same venue as in 2009) on *Sat 31st Jul and Sun 1st Aug 2010*
AMSAT-UK invite speakers, about amateur radio, space and associated activities,
for this event. They are also invited to submit papers for the "Proceedings"
document which will be published at the same time but printed papers are not
mandatory. We normally prefer authors to present talks themselves rather than
having someone else give them in the authors' absence. We also welcome
"unpresented" papers for the Proceedings document.
Offers of talks should be submitted as soon as possible; the final
date for full
documents to be received is late-June 2010 in order that the "Proceedings"
document be available to participants.
Submissions should be sent ONLY to G4DPZ, via the following routes:
e-mail: david.johnson AT blackpepper.co.uk
SnailMail: QTHR from www.QRZ.com
AMSAT-UK also invite anyone with requests for Program Topics to submit them as
soon as possible to G4DPZ. Invitations for any papers on specific subjects will
be included in the future call.
Likewise if anyone knows of a good speaker, please send contact and other
information to G4DPZ.
[ANS thanks Dave, G4DPZ, for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-038.04
Satellite Presentation at Palm Springs Desert RATS Meeting
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 038.04
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 7, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-038.04
AMSAT area coordinator Clint Bradford, K6LCS, will be
presenting his "Working Amateur Satellites With Your HT"
multimedia session at the February 16, 2010 meeting of
the Desert RATS of Palm Springs. All are welcome to attend.
"Tentatively, we'll have a workable pass of AO-51 at
5:37PM that evening," Clint reports. If you would like to
show up early, Clint will be working the satellite from the
Jack-in-the-Box parking lot at 2591 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way,
and monitoring the 146.940- 107.2 repeater.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Desert RATS meeting starts at 7PM
Palm Springs Corporate Yard
425 N. Civic Drive
Palm Springs CA 92262-0331
Attendees should download Clint's four-page tutorial and radio
programming matrix before the meeting from ...
http://www.work-sat.com
And Clint welcomes pre-presentation questions - call him at
909-241-7666, or send email to clint(a)clintbradford.com
[ANS thanks Clint, K6LCS, for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-038.05
ARISS Status - 1 February 2010
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 038.05
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 7, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-038.05
1. JAXA Astronaut Participates in ARISS Contact with Boy Scouts
On Thursday, January 28, JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi, KD5TVP conducted an
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with
Boy Scouts
visiting the Morioka Children's Museum of Science in Morioka, Iwate, Japan. The
children asked questions such as, "What is done to avoid collisions with space
debris?" and "Why don't artificial satellites fall on the earth?" Through this
activity, the youth learned about the ISS, satellite orbits and amateur radio.
2. Moscow Aviation Institute Experiment Activated
Cosmonaut Maxim Suraev activated the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI-75)
experiment onboard the ISS on Wednesday - Friday, January 27 - 29. Slow Scan
Television (SSTV) images of Earth and the ISS were downlinked to ground
stations. Images received were archived to the ARISS SSTV Gallery. See:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/SSTV/
3. ISS Ham Debrief Scheduled
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) debrief session has
been scheduled with Expedition 20/21 astronaut Frank DeWinne, ON1DWN on
Thursday, February 4. The feedback provided will help ARISS update program
operations.
[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