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AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-119
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 at the Hamvention -- 2nd Call for volunteers
* Digital Communications Conference (DCC) Call for Papers
* King’s High School ARISS contact on BBC TV
* AMSAT-UK Call for Speakers for Colloquium 2018
* Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2018-04-27
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-119.01
ANS-119 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 119.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE April 29, 2018
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-119.01
AMSAT at the Hamvention -- 2nd Call for volunteers
The Hamvention is three weeks away!
It is time to be creating your shopping list and making your travel plans.
Last year, we had 30 people assist with the AMSAT booth at the Hamvention.
We've had a good response so far to our first call for volunteers, but we
could really use another 10-15 people.
The 2018 Hamvention is May 18-20 in Xenia, Ohio. Would you consider helping
AMSAT at the Hamvention this year?
The interaction with AMSAT members, satellite operators, designers, and
builders makes the whole experience a lot of fun. Meet or renew
acquaintances, exchange operating tips, and find out what antennas, software
and equipment other AMSAT members use. We currently expect all of the AMSAT
senior officers and board members to be there too.
If you're an experienced operator, great! We can use you and your
experience.
If you've never operated a satellite before, but want to learn more, that's
OK. We can use your help too.
Whether you're available for only a couple of hours or if you can spend the
entire weekend with us, your help would be greatly appreciated.
Please send an e-mail to Phil, w1eme(a)amsat.org if you can help. Thank you!
[ANS thanks AMSAT's Hamvention 2018 Team for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Digital Communications Conference (DCC) Call for Papers
Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the ARRL and TAPR
Digital Communications Conference (DCC) and publication in the
Conference Proceedings. Annual conference proceedings are published
by the ARRL. Presentation at the conference is not required for
publication. Submission of papers are due by July 31st, 2018 and should
be submitted to
Maty Weinberg, ARRL
225 Main Street
Newington, CT 06111
or via the Internet to
maty(a)arrl.org
The ARRL and TAPR DCC is an international forum for radio amateurs
to meet, publish their work, and present new ideas and techniques.
This year, the DCC is in Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 14-
16. Presenters and attendees will have the opportunity to exchange
ideas and learn about recent hardware and software advances, theories,
experimental results, and practical applications. Topics include, but are
not limited to:
• Software Defined Radio (SDR)
• Digital voice (D-Star, P25, WinDRM, FDMDV, DRMDV, G4GUO)
• Digital satellite communications
• Global position system
• Precise Timing
• Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS)
• Short messaging (a mode of APRS)
• Digital Signal Processing (DSP)
• HF digital modes
• Internet interoperability with Amateur Radio networks
• Spread spectrum
• IEEE 802.11 and other Part 15 license-exempt systems adaptable for
Amateur Radio
• Using TCP/IP networking over Amateur Radio
• Mesh and peer to peer wireless networking
• Emergency and Homeland Defense backup digital communications in
Amateur Radio
• Updates on AX.25 and other wireless networking protocols
• Topics that advanced the Amateur Radio art
Go to https://tinyurl.com/y7wgm6vh to view the guidelines for paper
submissions
[ANS thanks the TAPR PSR for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
King’s High School ARISS contact on BBC TV
On April 19 student Eleanor Griffin led the live question and answer session
between King’s High School and Warwick Preparatory School (GB4KHS) and
astronaut
Ricky Arnold KE5DAU on the International Space Station (NA1SS).
King’s High School strongly encourage their girls to develop their interests
both inside and outside the classroom. This culture of empowerment led
one of
their girls, Eleanor Griffin, to apply to ARISS Europe (Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station) for a highly prestigious link-up to the
International Space Station.
When Eleanor Griffin was selected to hold a space conversation with an
astronaut, she was inspired to set up the Warwick Mars Project, for students
across the Warwick Independent Schools Foundation, to further interest
in Space
Science. Eleanor says: “The moon landings belong to the generation of our
grandparents, and the International Space Station to our parents. What will
happen in our generation? Will Mankind travel to another planet?”
After the ISS contact when asked what this incredible experience had
taught her
Eleanor replied “Just do it! No one is going to stop you, if you just go and
pursue your dreams, you really can do anything.”
Watch the BBC TV news item broadcast on Midlands Today @bbcmtd. Fast
forward to
18:45 into the recording at
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b09z9tw6/midlands-today-evening-
news-19042018
In this video the students present their work and activities that lead
up the
contact, followed at 12:11 by a presentation by ARISS Operations UK team
lead
Ciaran Morgan M0XTD with the ISS contact commencing at 31:32 into the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpVc1ikj4pE
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
http://www.ariss.org/apply-to-host-an-ariss-contact.html
https://twitter.com/ARISS_status
King’s High School Warwick https://twitter.com/KHSWarwick
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT-UK Call for Speakers for Colloquium 2018
This is a call for speakers for the AMSAT-UK International Space
Colloquium 2018
which, will be held this year on 13-14 October, in conjunction with the RSGB
Convention at Kents Hill Park Conference Centre, Milton Keynes, MK7 6BZ,
United
Kingdom .
AMSAT-UK invites speakers, to cover topics about Amateur satellites,
CubeSats,
Nanosats, space and associated activities, for this event.
They are also invited to submit papers for subsequent publishing on the
AMSAT-UK
web site or in Oscar News.
We appreciate that it is not always possible to give a firm indication of
attendance at this stage but expressions of interest would be appreciated.
Submissions should be sent via e-mail to: dave(a)g4dpz.me.uk
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]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2018-04-27
Mill Springs Academy, Alpharetta, GA, direct via WA4MSA
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled astronaut is Scott Tingle KG5NZA
Contact is a go for: Thu 2018-05-03 15:47:30 UTC 25 deg
Students for the Exploration & Development of Space, College Station,
TX, direct
via W5QZ
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled astronaut is Scott Tingle KG5NZA
Contact is a go for: Thu 2018-05-03 17:22:31 UTC 47 deg
[ANS thanks Charlie, AJ9N, 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 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,
Lee McLamb, KT4TZ
kt4tz at amsat dot org
1
0
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-105
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:
* Martlesham Microwave Roundtable on BATC Video Stream (April 15)
* Satellite tracking software for Mac
* Delft University of Technology Delfi-PQ PocketQube Receives IARU
Coordination
* What is a Lilac Doing in Space?
* AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2018 Call for Speakers
* Intercosmos - 40th year of international human flights - SSTV Award
* AMSAT Plans Hamvention Rollout for 2018 "Getting Started"
Satellite Book
* AMSAT Rover Award Certificate
* MiniTiouner-Express Receiver Assembly for ISS HamTV 2.395 GHz
Downlink
* ARISS News
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-105.01
ANS-105 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 105.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
April 15, 2018
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-105.01
Here is a news item which is more timely released sooner than
the weekend news cycle ... some of their topics and techniques
seem applicable to future satellites ... microwave construction,
SDR, GNUradio ...
AMSAT-UK relayed that the UKGHZ Martlesham Microwave Roundtable
Sunday [April 15] talks will be streamed live on BATCOnline:
https://beta.batc.org.uk/live/mmrt
The Sunday programe will streamed live. The times are
apparently British Summer Time which I believe is UTC+1
this time of year.
Their programe includes:
09:00 Doors Open
09:50 Welcome and Opening
10:00 UK Microwave Group AGM, Trophy Presentations
10:45 Refreshments & Judging of the Construction Contest
11:00 An introduction to SDRs and GNU Radio - Heather Lomond M0HMO
11:45 Aircraft Scatter using Airscout - John Quarmby G3XDY
12:30 Lunch Break
13:30 ATV on 5.6, 10 and 24GHz - Dave Crump G8GKQ
14:15 The Wednesday Digifest - John Worsnop G4BAO
15:00 Refreshments
15:15 UKuG Contest Forum - John Quarmby G3XDY
16:00 Close
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Satellite tracking software for Mac
Dog Park Software is pleased to announce that MacDoppler Version
2.28 has been released.
What's New in this release ?
* TS-790A/E driver rewritten (TU IU1KBH).
* Added Country names to 2D map.
* Added Natural Earth III maps.
* Added 2D/3D map snap shots.
* VFO steppers improved. (manual page 11)
* Delete Mode or Satellite from Modes editor.
* 2D Track List check box persistence fixed.
* 2D Draw performance improved.
MacDoppler is used around the world by Amateur Radio operators,
satellite spotters, educators and commercial customers from CBS News
to the International Space Station Amateur Radio Hardware Management
program, Delta Telemetry Tracking and Control at Integrated Defence
Systems, Florida State University and the CalPoly CubeSat Project.
MacDoppler will provide any level of station automation you need
from assisted Doppler Tuning and Antenna Pointing right on up to
fully automated Satellite Gateway operation.
MacDoppler features:
* Full 2D and 3D OpenGL projection model of earth.
* Track List sorted in real-time order of next pass.
* Full predictive dead spot crossing so that a pass is never
interrupted by the beam heading passing a dead spot.
* Speech advisory of next satellite Rise and Maximum Elevation.
* Horizon Window shows elevation of upcoming passes on a time line.
* Tuning Dial Tracking allows you to tune the downlink from your
radio's front panel while MacDoppler automatically adjusts the
uplink.
MacDoppler must be registered for some features to work and to work
beyond the 15 minute time limit.
This is a free upgrade for all MacDoppler Registered users and can
be downloaded from: http://dogparksoftware.com/MacDoppler.html
[ANS thanks Dog Park Software via Southgate ARN for the above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Delft University of Technology Delfi-PQ PocketQube Receives IARU
Coordination
Delfi-PQ is an educational PocketQube mission designed by the MSc
and BSc students at the Delft University of Technology in the
Netherlands. The design of this spacecraft has been carried out as
part of their curricula to acquire experience on the field. Students
are involved on all the mission phases and they will also participate
in operations.
The second goal of this mission is technology demonstration, being
this spacecraft one of the smallest ever launched belonging to the
PocketQube class with a size of 50x50x192 mm. It contains all the
required systems to operate in space.
It is one of the first PocketQubes to be launched and it is the
cornerstone for a series of PocketQubes from TU Delft with the aim
to iteratively advance the platform to enable ambitious scientific
objectives with networks of PocketQubes in the future.
Delfi-PQ mainly focusses to demonstrate a reliable core system
(comprising a power system, a communication system, an attitude
control system and an on-board computer). Furthermore, it will
host a few small-scale experiments which can be used for technology
research.
These experiments are related to future propulsion, more advanced
attitude control, navigation, thermal analysis and control. The
orbital life time of Delfi-PQ is currently foreseen to be very short
(only up to 150 days due to the low orbit of deployment). This will
ensure the spacecraft cannot contribute to the space debris problem
and also it will occupy its assigned frequency band for a very short
time, preventing spectrum pollution.
The demonstration of the core spacecraft and its experiments is
expected to take all the mission time, till deployment. The communi-
cation system, in particular, will be tested and the support of
amateurs will also be important.
AX.25 will be used worldwide to deliver telemetry. The protocol was
selected due to the widespread community around the world that make
already use of such a standard. A mode using advanced communication
protocol, using forward error correction, will be tested upon command
(and so receivable over Europe). This new protocol is decoded by the
provided decoding software. The decoding software will enable radio
amateurs to help estimating the performance of the receiver in
different conditions with statistics transmitted back to a central
server
In order to provide a return favor to the radio amateur community
for the use of the frequency bands, this mission will publish all the
instructions for satellite reception and telemetry decoding. A
decoding application will also be provided to radio-amateurs around
the world before launch to allow easy decoding with standard
hardware. This application will also be used to submit the received
frames to a central repository. The contribution from radio amateurs
in receiving the data will greatly enhance the mission.
To make it more exciting to participating radio amateurs, several
challenges will be organized. Examples of challenges are thereception
of the first and the last frame. In particular, the first received
frame will be important for the team to assess the status of health
of the spacecraft. The submitter will receive a prize for it.
Since the satellite will be deployed to only 350 km and the foreseen
operational lifetime is equal to the orbital life time, it will be
very interesting to monitor its deorbiting process. Next to this,
the number of received frames and the global distribution will also
lead to the definition of several challenges. All challenges will
have some small prize and achievement certificate associated with
it.
A UHF downlink on 436.650 MHz has been coordinated by the IARU. The
transmission protocol will be GMSK at up to 19k2 bps. Planned for a
launch on a Vector rocket from Kodiak Alaska in August 2018 with
other PocketQubes.
More information available on: http://delfispace.nl
The IARU coordination announcement can be accessed at:
http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=605
[ANS thanks the IARU and AMSAT-UK for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
What is a Lilac Doing in Space?
Student Built LilacSat-1's Success with an Amateur Radio
Mission LilacSat-1 accomplished, according to the reports from the
students at the Harbin Institute of Technology.
The student built LilacSat-1 carries an amateur radio 145/436 MHz FM
to Codec2-BPSK digital voice transponder, APRS Digipeater and camera.
The satellite was developed at the Harbin Institute of Technology
and is part of the QB50 mission which aims to study the lower
thermosphere. It was deployed from the International Space Station at
0835 GMT on Thursday, May 25, 2017.
Shortly after deployment LilacSat-1 took a picture of the solar
panels on the ISS. The image was downloaded by the students on
436.510 MHz +/- 10 kHz Doppler Shift using 9600 bps BPSK.
The FM to Codec2-BPSK transponder was activated late afternoon GMT
on Thursday, May 25:
FM Uplink 145.985 MHz with 67 Hz CTCSS (PL Tone)
Codec2 9600 bps BPSK Downlink 436.510 MHz
The first contact using the Codec2 transponder took place on May 31
between Mike Rupprecht DK3WN and John Grant GI7UGV
http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?p=79889
LilacSat-1 radio information is at
https://tinyurl.com/ANS105-LilacSatRadioInfo
Adam Whitney K0FFY has documented how to receive the LilacSat-1
Codec2 Digital Voice transponder using the FUNcube Dongle Pro+ SDR
http://adamwhitney.net/working-lilacsat-1/
M6SIG live CD for LilacSat 1 and 2
http://chertseyradioclThe main payload is an ion and neutral
particle mass spectrometer (INMS) developed by the University of
London (UCL) to measure the mass and distribution of charged and
neutral atoms.
LilacSat-1 signal received by JA0CAW
In preparation for the deployment HIT students installed new VHF and
UHF antennas for the ground station.
Harbin Institute of Technology Amateur Radio Club BY2HIT
http://www.by2hit.net/
http://weibo.com/by2hit/
http://www.qsl.net/by2hit/
https://www.qrz.com/db/BY2HIT
LilacSat-1 page (use Google translator)
http://lilacsat.hit.edu.cn/?page_id=143
QB50 LilacSat-1 information https://upload.qb50.eu/detail/CN02/
IARU information
http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=343
Keplerian Two Line Elements (TLEs) 'Keps' for new satellites
launched in past 30 days
https://tinyurl.com/ANS105-LiliacSatTLE
Lilacsat 1 and 2 decoder now available on Experimental Raspberry Pi
(3) image with GNU radio / gr-lilacsat
https://tinyurl.com/ANS105-LiliacSatDecoder
LilacSat-1 Codec2 downlink by Daniel Estévez EA4GPZ / M0HXM
http://destevez.net/2016/10/lilacsat-1-codec-2-downlink/
Updated LilacSat-1 Live CD from M6SIG latest link at
https://tinyurl.com/ANS105-LilacSatLiveCD
[ANS thanks Jill Durfee and Satnews for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2018 Call for Speakers
This is a call for speakers for the AMSAT-UK International Space
Colloquium 2018 which, will be held this year on 13-14 October, in
conjunction with the RSGB Convention at Kents Hill Park Conference
Centre, Milton Keynes, MK7 6BZ, United Kingdom .
AMSAT-UK invites speakers, to cover topics about Amateur satellites,
CubeSats, Nanosats, space and associated activities, for this event.
They are also invited to submit papers for subsequent publishing on
the AMSAT-UK web site or in Oscar News.
We appreciate that it is not always possible to give a firm
indication of attendance at this stage but expressions of interest
would be appreciated.
Submissions should be sent via e-mail to: dave(a)g4dpz.me.uk
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.]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Intercosmos - 40th year of international human flights - SSTV Award
Please act now as the deadline is May 15th, 2018.
SSTV from the International Space Station was active April 11-14
worldwide as part of Cosmonautics Day, which takes place on April 12.
Images were related to the Interkosmos project
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interkosmos).
This activity covered most of the world during the operational period.
The images were be transmitted on 145.800 MHz and the mode was PD120.
A special Award has been made available to those posting reception
reports.
To obtain the Award one should receive and decode at least one
picture during the activity period. The quality of the received image
does not have to be perfect, but good enough to identify the picture.
Partial images are acceptable.
The award is in electronic format (JPG). It will be sent by e-mail.
The criteria as follows must be met to obtain the Award:
Load your decoded images on the page:
www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/index.php
Fill in the application form on https://ariss.pzk.org.pl/sstv/
Please act now as the deadline is May 15th, 2018.
Details and a list of ARISS SSTV Award winning stations are
available at: https://ariss.pzk.org.pl/sstv/
[ANS thanks Armand, SP3QFE, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT Plans Hamvention Rollout for 2018 "Getting Started" Satellite
Book
Gould Smith's book, "Getting Started With Amateur Satellites", is
being updated to tell you all about how you can get ready to operate
through the Fox-1 satellites launching later this year. Additional
chapters in the book tell you about tracking software, orbital
mechanics, antennas, radios, Doppler tuning, and operating
techniques. Chapters are also being added to tell you about the new
satellites (and there are many)soon becoming available for amateur
radio.
Going beyond brief descriptions in hamfest flyers, this book will
provide a complete reference for new satellite users to assemble a
basic station and to make your first satellite contacts. Also this
book you will teach you how to incrementally upgrade your initial FM
satellite station, time and budget permitting, to include automated
tracking as well as operating through the CW/SSB linear passband
satellites.
A companion Fox Operating Guide reference sheet is ready for release
at Hamvention 2018. This will be made available for the AMSAT
Ambassadors (formerly FieldOps) team for distribution at hamfests
and satellite operating demonstrations.
Watch for the 2018 "Getting Started With Amateur Satellites" book
and reference sheet at the AMSAT booth at the Hamvention. The book
will also be available in the AMSAT Store shortly after Hamvention:
https://www.amsat.org/shop/
[ANS thanks AMSAT's 2018 Hamvention Team for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT Rover Award Certificate
It has been awhile, the voting was in and the certificate has been
created. For those that have earned the award, the certificates will
be going out to the address in your AMSAT online store order soon.
If you would like to see what the certificate looks like, it is on
the AMSAT Rover Award web page.
https://www.amsat.org/amsat-rover
Thanks to everyone that submitted a picture to use on the award.
[ANS thanks Bruce KK5DO for the above information.]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
MiniTiouner-Express Receiver Assembly for ISS HamTV 2.395 GHz Downlink
A receiver suitable for the ARISS/HamTV 2.395 GHz DVB-S downlink
from the ISS is now available for purchase. The MiniTiouner-Express
receiver/tuner/analyzer assembly is a completely assembled and tested
unit contained in a small aluminum enclosure about the size of a 2
stack deck of cards.
The DATV-Express group created the design, construction and sale
of the Minitiouner-Express receiver. It is used with the free soft-
ware by Jean Pierre Courjaud F6DZP. The unit connects between an
antenna(s) and a PC computer USB2 or USB3 port using the Windows 7,
8 or 10 operating system. It receives DVB-S/S2 144MHz to 2420MHz
digital television signals for symbol rates between 100K and 10M
symbols/sec when used with the F6DZP MiniTioune software.
In operation, the computer monitor displays the received video and
graphic landing dot constellation to show the incoming signal level,
quality, FEC, MER and setup information.
The MiniTiouner-Express Receiver/Analyzer unit can be ordered from
the http://www.datv-express.com/ website. You need to first logon
to the website (or first register if you are a new user). Use the
PURCHASE A PRODUCT tab to order the product via PayPal.
The price for the MiniTiouner-Express unit is US$75 + shipping
Shipping for USA is US$7.00
Shipping to the European Union is US$24.00 including the VAT
Shipping anywhere international is US$35.00
Although initial stock has been depleted more units are on the way.
The MiniTiouner-Express User Guide (draft13) can be downloaded from
http://www.datv-express.com/CustomPage/Downloads
Information about the ARISS HamTV project can be found at:
http://www.ariss-eu.org/columbus/ham-video
The HamTV downlink from the ISS has recently only been active for
selected school contacts. HamTV often transmits a "blank signal"
useful for receiver and antenna testing when not in use for school
contacts.
[ANS thanks Daniel Cussen, EI9FHB via the HamTV(a)yahoogroups.ca list
for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ARISS News
+ A Successful contact was made between Pinson Valley HS, Pinson,
AL, USA and Astronaut Ricky Arnold KE5DAU using Callsign NA1SS.
The contact began 2018-04-10 18:02 UTC and lasted about nine and a
half minutes. Contact was Direct via KN4BBD
ARISS Mentor was John K4SQC.
+ A Successful contact was made between About Gagarin from space
Session of radio amateur communication with Vologda branch of PJSC
"Rostelecom ", Vologda, Russia and Cosmoonaut Oleg Artemyev using
Callsign RS0ISS. The contact began 2018-04-10 13:37 UTC and lasted
about nine and a half minutes. Contact was Direct via RN1QC,
ARISS Mentor was Sergey RV3DR.
+ A Successful contact was made between Freeport Public Schools,
Freeport, NY, USA and Astronaut Scott Tingle KG5NZA using Callsign
OR4ISS. The contact began 2018-03-27 17:41 UTC and lasted about nine
and a half minutes. Contact was Telebridge via IK1SLD.
ARISS Mentor was Steve W2AKK.
Quick list of scheduled contacts and events:
Additional information can be found at http://ariss-sstv.blogspot.com/
Salado Intermediate School, Salado, TX, direct via K5LBJ
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled astronaut is Scott Tingle KG5NZA
Contact is a go for: Tue 2018-04-17 16:44:23 UTC 24 deg
Central Islip Union Free School District, Central Islip, NY, direct
via KD2IFR
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled astronaut is Ricky Arnold KE5DAU
Contact is a go for: Wed 2018-04-18 15:57:46 UTC 28 deg
The school will be hosting an ARISS contact on Wednesday April 18 at
15:57:46 UTC. The video stream of the contact will be available
online.
King's High School, Warwick, UK, direct via GB4KHS
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled astronaut is Ricky Arnold KE5DAU
Contact is a go for: Thu 2018-04-19 12:05:19 UTC 72 deg
Russian school TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled astronaut is Alexander Skvortsov
Contact is a go for Tue 2018-04-24 11:05 UTC
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled astronaut is Alexander Skvortsov
Contact is a go for 2018-04-25 08:35 UTC
[ANS thanks ARISS, Charlie AJ9N and David AA4KN for the above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ Video playlist for PocketQube 2018 Workshop at TU Delft
https://tinyurl.com/ANS105-PocketQube
[AMSAT-UK and AlbaOrbital via Twitter]
+ 7X3WPL Sahara DX Club
7X3WPL is now QRV permanently from Sahara DX Club in Laghouat. They
are using a Kenwood TS-2000, G5500 rotor and Wimo X-Quad for 2m and
70cm. (via Abdel M0NPT /7X2TT on amsat-bb)
[ANS thanks Sahara DX Club for above information]
+ The March/April 2018 edition of Apogee View, an update on AMSAT's
activities from AMSAT President Joe Spier, K6WAO, has been posted to
the AMSAT website.
https://www.amsat.org/apogeeview/
[ANS thanks Paul N8HM for the above information.]
+ NASA e-Book Free Download
The flight directors in charge of the teams that oversee its
systems have written a 400-page book that offers an inside look at
the time and energy the flight control team at the Mission Control
Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston devote to the
development, planning and integration of a mission.
"The International Space Station: Operating an Outpost in the
New Frontier", is now available to download for free at
https://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/index.html.
Additional details are available at:
https://preview.tinyurl.com/ANS105-BookDetails
---------------------------------------------------------------------
/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,
EMike McCardel, AA8EM
aa8em at amsat dot org
1
0
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-105.01
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:
* Russian SSTV Event to Celebrate Cosmonautics Day
* AMSAT/TAPR Banquet Speaker - Jeri Ellsworth, AI6TK
* VUCC Awards-Endorsements for March 2018
* Balloons launched BLT-49.1 still afloat and heading for Florida
* Upcoming ARISS contact with Pinson Valley HS, Pinson, AL
* Major Rove Announcement
* JSpOC Approves AMSAT for Re-distribution of Keplerian Elements
* ARRL and CQ Magazine Announce Launch of CQ’s WAZ Award Support on
ARRL's Logbook of the World
* Call for Papers and Presentations - Central States
VHF Society, Inc. Conference
* AMSAT Announces Hamvention Forum Speaker Line Up
* AMSAT Activities for Hamvention 2018
Russian SSTV Event to Celebrate Cosmonautics Day
ARISS Russia is planning a special Slow Scan Television (SSTV) event
from the International Space Station in celebration of Cosmonautics
Day. The transmissions are to begin on April 11 at 11:30 UTC and run
through April 14 ending at 18:20 UTC.
Supporting this event is a computer on the ISS Russian Segment,
which stores images that are then transmitted to Earth using amateur
radio, specifically the onboard Kenwood TM-D710E transceiver.
Transmitted images will be from the Interkosmos project period of the
Soviet space program (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interkosmos).
Images received can be posted and viewed at
http://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/index.php .The
transmissions which were coordinated with the ARISS scheduling team,
will be broadcast at 145.800 MHz using the PD-120 SSTV mode.
Please note that the event is dependent on other activities,
schedules and crew responsibilities on the ISS and are subject to
change at any time.
Please check for news and the most current information on the
AMSAT.org and ARISS.org websites, the AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org, the ARISS
facebook at Amateur Radio On The International Space Station (ARISS)
and ARISS twitter @ARISS_status.
About ARISS
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a
cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the
space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS).
In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite
Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the
Center for the Advancement of Science in space (CASIS) and National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of
ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via
amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in
classrooms or public forms. Before and during these radio contacts,
students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space,
space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see
www.ariss.org.
Also join us on Facebook: Amateur Radio on the International Space
Station (ARISS)
Follow us on Twitter: ARISS_status
[ANS thanks ARISS for the above information}
--------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT/TAPR Banquet Speaker - Jeri Ellsworth, AI6TK
The twelfth annual joint AMSAT/TAPR Banquet will be held on Friday,
May 18 at the Kohler Presidential Banquet Center, 4572 Presidential
Way, Kettering, OH 45429 (just south of Dayton). Doors open at
6:30 PM for a cash bar with the buffet dinner served at 7:00 PM.
Jeri Ellsworth, AI6TK, will present on her innovative ideas and
adventures in Amateur Radio. Jeri is an American entrepreneur,
self-taught engineer, and an autodidact computer chip designer and
inventor.
She gained notoriety in 2004 for creating a complete Commodore 64
system on a chip housed within a joystick, called C64 Direct-to-TV.
That "computer in a joystick" could run 30 video games from the
early 1980's, and at peak, sold over 70,000 units in a single day
via the QVC shopping channel.
Ellsworth co-founded CastAR (formerly Technical Illusions) in 2013
and stayed with the company until its closure on June 26, 2017. In
2016, she passed all three amateur radio exams, earned her Amateur
Extra license, and received the AI6TK callsign. This has now launched
new adventures into Amateur Radio. She has been featured in January
2017 QST and in YouTube videos from Quartzfest earlier this year.
Jeri has been given a free hand to speak on whatever topic she wishes
(as long as it's amateur radio, somewhat).
[ANS thanks AMSAT's Havention 2018 Team for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
VUCC Awards-Endorsements for March 2018
Here are the endorsements and new VUCC Satellite
Awards issued by the ARRL for the period March 1, 2018
through March 31, 2018.
Congratulations to all those who made the list this month!
There were several calls which decreased by one this month.
These are not listed below.
CALL 1Mar18 1Apr18
KK5DO 780 781
WA5KBH 659 728
N4UFO 715 724
N9IP 574 589
W5RKN 554 575
N9EAT 410 428
WD9EWK 400 425
KE4AL 252 317
K7TAB 274 306
W7QL 275 300
AA8CH 104 175
PT2AP 102 172
PS8ET 127 157
N3GS 101 130
N7AGF 101 126
G0ABI 116 122
AL6D 112 (NEW VUCC)
W1AT 102 (NEW VUCC)
If you find errors or omissions. please contact me off-list
at <mycall>@<mycall>.com
and I'll revise the announcement.
This list was developed by comparing the ARRL .pdf
listings for March 1, 2018. and April 1, 2018. It's a visual
comparison so omissions are possible. Apologies if your
call was not mentioned. Thanks to all those who are
roving to grids that are rarely on the birds. They are
doing most of the work!
[ANS thanks for Ron Parsons for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Balloons launched March 17 - BLT-49.1 still afloat and heading for
Florida
Ballons were launched 17 March from the Houston Hamfest, we had a
great
balloon launch talk byAndy MacAllister, W5ACM, followed by two
successful
balloon launches. The first launch at 9:05am was BLT-49.2 and was a
300g 'popper' latex balloon carrying a digital Fireball smart beacon
sending the temperature in CW on 14.318 MHz & 28.322 MHz.
We copied the weak CW beacon until 11:45am and believe it burst at
well
over 110,000 feet based on the time aloft and temperatures we were
receiving.
Very successful flight!
The second launch of BLT-49.1 occurred about 9:06am and was a
'floater'
balloon (1m Qualatex Mylar) carrying a PecanPico 5 APRS tracker. It
rose
very slowly into the sky, escorted by several drones videoing the
event,
headed north then shot off to the east passing over Houston,
Beaumont and
New Orleans. After avoiding a few thunderstorms along the way, it is
currently just below Panama City, FL at ~30,000 feet heading for
Orlando &
KSC! It can be tracked on aprs.fi or tracker.habhub.org (see links
below).
After crossing Florida, we're hoping to hear from it again on the
other side
of the Atlantic
https://aprs.fi/#!mt=roadmap&z=11&call=a%2FAB5SS-11
https://tracker.habhub.org/#!mt=roadmap&mz=6&qm=1_day&mc=29.97358,-
84.9113&f
=AB5SS-11
[ANS thanks John, AB5SS for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARISS contact with Pinson Valley HS, Pinson, AL
An International Space Station school contact has been planned with
participants at Pinson Valley HS, Pinson, AL on Apr. 10. The event is
scheduled to begin at approximately 18:02 UTC. The duration of the
contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will
be direct between NA1SS and KN4BBD. The contact should be audible
over the state of Alabama 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.
Pinson Valley High School is located in Central Alabama near the
city of Birmingham and is one of 57 schools in the Jefferson County
School system. We are a very diverse school with approximately 1100
students in grades 9-12. At PVHS students have many options for
academic programs and extracurricular involvement. We have
opportunities for students to take Advanced Placement or Dual
Enrollment classes, a growing career technical education academy, and
a very popular fine arts academy. We hope that our participation in
the ARISS contact will build an increased interest in STEAM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) course pathways.
There are many sport teams for both male and female athletes. On
December 8, 2017 our football team won the Alabama 6A State
Championship, a first for our school. Our motto is "At Pinson Valley
High School we promote achievement, respect, and success." Go
Indians!
Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time
allows:
1. By having zero gravity, what type of exercises you have to do to
keep your
body from losing mass?
2. What prompted your interest or love of space?
3. Psychologically, what is the most challenging aspect of being in
space?
4. What type of research are you currently conducting on the ISS?
5. When you receive food supplies in space can you make special
request for
certain foods?
6. What can a high school student do now to prepare for a potential
career in
aerospace?
7. How much education and training does an astronaut typically have?
8. Theoretically could NASA power future rockets/spaceships via
nuclear
fusion, similar to the sun?
9. What is the scariest part of space travel; the launch, living on
the ISS,
or re-entry?
10. What happens if someone was to have a heart attack, get sick, or
have
another medical emergency in space?
11. What is a typical day aboard the ISS like?
12. Since the ISS hosts astronauts from different countries, what
language is
spoken aboard the ISS?
13. Besides your family, what do you miss most about life on earth?
14. What fuels the ISS?
15. What kind of medical testing does an astronaut have to go
through to be
physically and mentally ready for duty?
16. Can you easily communicate with your family members while you
are aboard
the ISS?
17. What are some hazards in space?
18. Have any organisms been born or conceived in space?
19. What happens if a fire occurs on the ISS?
20. Since you cannot really take a good shower in space, is the ISS
smelly?
[ANS thanks AMSAT EDU News for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Major Rove Announcement
Announcing a major rove for satellite operators; the Springtime Rove
to The Great White North!
Doug Tabor, N6UA and Ken Alexander, VE3HLS will be teaming up to
travel north to the James Bay area of Quebec to activate as many FO
grids as are accessible by road, in the time we have. Our plan is to
leave Toronto on May 5th, entering FO the next day, and spending 7 to
8 days activating rare grids.
This area is extremely remote. The James Bay Road is the main
corridor through the area and was built by Quebec Hydro to support
construction of a province-wide network of hydroelectric projects.
It's 610 km long. There are gas stations at each end and another
somewhere in the middle. Likewise, the Route du Nord is a 406 km
gravel road with no services. There is no cellphone service once you
leave Matagami, QC, the southern terminus of the James Bay Road. We
will only have internet access when we get to a town. The road will
take us through, and give us access to
FO01/02/03/10/11/12/13/20/21/22/23.
With so many satellites currently available, having two operators
will insure that everyone will have a chance to work one of us. If
two satellites are in view at the same time, we'll be on both of
them! We will also allocate ourselves so as to be present on as many
FM satellites as are available to us.
Our plans aren't complete yet. We may activate other grids, or be
forced to rein in our expectations depending on available time and
the conditions we encounter. We will provide updates in the coming
weeks.
[ANS thanks Ken, VE3HL & SDoug, N6UA for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
JSpOC Approves AMSAT for Re-distribution of Keplerian Elements
AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, says, "I am
pleased to
announce that AMSAT's request to re-distribute JSpOC Keplerian
elements from
SpaceTrack has been approved for the period April 1, 2018 to April
1, 2019.
Our USSTRATCOM ODR (Orbital Data Request)
to distribute the AMSAT-NA TLEs was approved on March 27, 2018."
Thanks to JSpOC, Perry Klein, W3PK and Paul Williamson, KB5MU for
their help
in this process.
We are "good to go" for another year.
On another note, sadly, the PICSAT team has announced today that
PICSAT is
no longer operational. But, Ray will continue to carry PICSAT TLEs for
now.(Remember AO-07?)
[ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, for
the above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL and CQ Magazine Announce Launch of CQ’s WAZ Award Support on
ARRL's Logbook of the World
Newington, CT and Hicksville, NY – April 2, 2018
Officials from CQ magazine and ARRL, The national association for
Amateur Radio®, are excited to announce the launch of support for CQ
magazine’s Worked All Zones (WAZ) award program on ARRL’s Logbook of
the World (LoTW) system, effective Monday, April 2, at 10:00 a.m. EDT
(14:00 UTC).
The goal of the project was to create the proper technical support
system to enable amateur radio operators to submit LoTW confirmations
for WAZ credit and that has been accomplished, say CQ and ARRL
officials.
“We are very pleased that participants in CQ's WAZ award program
will now be able to use their LoTW confirmations for award credit,”
said CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU. “CQ WPX Award participants have
found it very helpful and we are sure it will be equally helpful for
those pursuing WAZ and its many variations.”
ARRL First Vice President Greg Widin, K0GW, concurred. “Users of
LoTW have been telling us for some time that they would like to use
QSLs from LoTW to apply for the WAZ award. They will now be able to
select confirmations to be used for WAZ credit.”
Beta testing for bringing CQ magazine's WAZ award program into
ARRL’s LoTW system had been underway since mid-December. Any problems
in the implementation discovered by testers were corrected by the
technical support team. Also, the documentation has been improved by
feedback from the testers. At the same time, each LoTW user was given
an additional WAZ account.
Standard LoTW credit fees and separate CQ award fees will apply.
Logbook of the World is ARRL's electronic confirmation system for
amateur radio contacts. It provides a confirmation when both stations
in a contact submit their logs to the system and a match between the
logs is confirmed. LoTW has supported the CQ WPX Award program since
2012.
CQ Communications, Inc. is publisher of CQ Amateur Radio magazine
and is the world's largest independent publisher of amateur radio
magazines, books and videos. Worked All Zones is the second-oldest
active award program in amateur radio, behind only the International
Amateur Radio Union's Worked All Continents award.
ARRL The national association for Amateur Radio®, represents the
interests of Amateur (or “ham”) Radio operators across the country.
Founded in 1914 by Hiram Percy Maxim as The American Radio Relay
League, ARRL has a proud history of achievement as the standard-
bearer in amateur affairs. Now in its second century, the
organization remains focused on “advancing the art, science, and
enjoyment of Amateur Radio.”
[ANS thanks CQ Communications, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Call for Papers and Presentations - Central States
VHF Society, Inc. Conference
The Central States VHF Society, Inc. is soliciting both authors for the
"Proceedings of
the Central States VHF Society" and presenters for the technical sessions
at its 2018
Conference to be held in Wichita, KS July 26-29, 2018.
Further information for both authors and presenters may be found on the
2018 Conference
website <www.2018.CSVHFS.org under "Guidance Documents."
Topics for both papers and presentations include all topics related to
weak-signal VHF and
above amateur radio activities, including:
* Antennas: including Modeling, Design, Arrays, and Control
* Test Equipment: including Homebrew, Commercial, and Measurement
Techniques & Tips
* Construction of equipment: such as Transmitters, Receivers, and
Transverters
* Operating: including Contesting, Roving, and DXpeditions
* RF power amps: including Single and Multi-band Vacuum Tube, Solid-state,
and TWTAs
* Propagation: including Ducting, Sporadic E, Tropospheric, Meteor Scatter,
etc.
* Pre-amplifiers (low noise)
* Digital Modes : such as WSJT, JT65, FT8, JT6M, ISCAT, etc.
* Regulatory topics
* Moon Bounce (EME)
* Software-defined Radio (SDR)
* Digital Signal Processing (DSP)
Topics such as FM, repeaters, packet radio, etc., are generally considered
outside of the
scope of papers being sought. However, there are always exceptions. Please
contact either
Kent Britain, WA5VJB (wa5vjb (at) wa5vjb.com) or Donn Baker, WA2VOI (wa2voi
(at)
mninter.net) if you have any questions about the suitability of a
particular topic.
For presenters, we would appreciate a brief abstract of your presentation
topic on or
before Tuesday, May 15th to help us with the program schedule. The final
presentation
materials (i.e., PowerPoint, etc. files) are due at the Conference on
Friday morning (July
27th). However, for supporting material (NOT the presentation itself) to
be published in
the Proceedings, it must be received by Tuesday, May 15th.
For papers to be published in the Proceedings, final copies must be
received by Tuesday,
May 15th. Note that you do not have to attend the Conference nor present
your paper to
have it published in the Proceedings.
[ANS thanks Donn, WA2VOI for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT Announces Hamvention Forum Speaker Line Up
The AMSAT Forum at Hamvention 2018 will be held on Saturday,
May 19 in Forum room 4 at 2:45-3:45 PM. The speaker and topic
line up includes:
+ Moderator: Keith Baker, KB1SF / VA3KSF
+ "AMSAT Status Report" by Joseph Spier, K6WAO, AMSAT-NA President,
who will highlight recent activities within AMSAT and discuss
some of our challenges, accomplishments, projects, and any late
breaking news.
+ "AMSAT Engineering Program" by Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT-NA Vice
President for Engineering, will talk about the Fox-1 and Golf
(Greater Orbit Larger Footprint) Projects.
+ "ARISS Report 2018" by Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, AMSAT-NA Vice President
for Human Spaceflight will discus ARISS' "Next Generation ARISS
Radio System" on the International Space Station.
[ANS thanks Forum Moderator Keith baker, Keith Baker, KB1SF/VA3KSF
for the above information]
-------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT Activities for Hamvention 2018
AMSAT Booth
-----------
Stop by the AMSAT booth (1007-1010 & 1107-1110) Friday 9am-6pm,
Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 9am-1pm to meet board members, officers,
and active satellite operators. You'll be able to ask questions
and see demonstrations of AMSAT's current and upcoming technologies.
Well dressed satellite operators will look forward to picking up
the latest AMSAT "swag" and fashions for 2018. Gould Smith's book,
"Getting Started With Amateur Satellites", has been updated for
2018 and will be on sale during the Hamvention.
AMSAT Forum
-----------
The AMSAT Forum at Hamvention 2018 will be held on Saturday,
May 19 in Forum room 4 at 2:45-3:45 PM.
Amateur Satellite Demonstrations
--------------------------------
Amateur Satellite operation demonstrations will be held every day
outside the main Maxim Hall (Building 1 or E1) entrance. AMSAT will be
be demonstrating actual contacts with the operational amateur satellites.
We especially invite youth to make a contact via an amateur satellite.
All are invited to observe, participate and ask questions. Satellite
pass times will be posted at the AMSAT booth and in the demo area.
Annual AMSAT "Dinner at Tickets" Party
--------------------------------------
The annual AMSAT "Dinner at Tickets" party will be held Thursday at
1800 EDT at Tickets Pub & Eatery at 7 W. Main St, Fairborn, OH. Feast
on a great selection of Greek and American food and great company! No
program or speaker, just good conversation. Food can be ordered from
the menu, drinks (beer, wine, sodas and iced tea) are available at the
bar. Leave room for dessert, there's an in-house ice cream shop! Come
as you are. Bring some friends and have a great time the night before
Hamvention.
AMSAT/TAPR Banquet
------------------
The twelfth annual AMSAT/TAPR Banquet will be held at the Kohler
Presidential Center on Friday at 1830 EDT. This dinner is always a
highlight of the AMSAT and TAPR activities during the Dayton Hamven-
tion. We are pleased to announce that Jeri Ellsworth, AI6TK will be
our speaker. Jeri will present her innovative ideas and adventures in
Amateur Radio.
Banquet seating is limited to the number of meals reserved with the
Kohler caterers based on the number of tickets sold by the deadline.
Tickets ($37 each) may be purchased from the AMSAT store:
https://www.amsat.org/product-category/amsat-at-hamvention/
The banquet ticket purchase deadline is Tuesday, May 15. Banquet
tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be sold at the
AMSAT booth. There will be no tickets to pick up at the AMSAT booth.
Tickets purchased on-line will be maintained on a list with check-in
at the door of the banquet center.
[ANS thanks AMSAT's Havention 2018 Team for the above information]
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-042.01
ANS-105.01 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 105.01
>From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
April 8. 2018
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-105.01
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ Karhu Koti has created a mutual window calculator for satellites
between two locations. See: https://www.karhukoti.com/webtracker
+ An interesting twitter post about the 'live' on-line tracking sites
interesting:https://twitter.com/Marco_Langbroek/status/980549243701268
482
+ Not your typical space junk article. It leads with the release of
100+ sats
by the same Indian rocket that launched AO-
92.https://www.wsj.com/articles/we-need-satellitesa-speeding-mass-of-
space-junk-puts-them-at-risk-1505226427
+ Here's something to think about. L band is a lot of fun. We do
get 24 hours once a week (not complaining). With several ISS passes
every day. It is a good reflector. Plus we can use CW, SSB, many
digi modes. Just google it.
+ Next Rocket Lab launch window is starting 20th April 00:30 UTC for
4 hours.
This window repeats for the following 14 days.
See: http://rocketlabusa.com/news/updates/rocket-lab-to-launch-first-
commercial-mission-this-month/
It will be probably be watchable live from their web site.
73,
Terry Osborne ZL2BAC
+ AMSAT's plans for Hamvention 2018 for the dates May 17-20 have
been posted:
https://www.amsat.org/other-events/amsat-activities-at-hamvention-
2018/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
/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,
Chris Bradley, AA0CB
aa0cb at amsat dot org
_______________________________________________
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
Opinions expressed
are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official
views of AMSAT-NA.
Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
program!
Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
1
0
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-105.01
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:
* Russian SSTV Event to Celebrate Cosmonautics Day
* AMSAT/TAPR Banquet Speaker - Jeri Ellsworth, AI6TK
* VUCC Awards-Endorsements for March 2018
* Balloons launched BLT-49.1 still afloat and heading for Florida
* Upcoming ARISS contact with Pinson Valley HS, Pinson, AL
* Major Rove Announcement
* JSpOC Approves AMSAT for Re-distribution of Keplerian Elements
* ARRL and CQ Magazine Announce Launch of CQ’s WAZ Award Support on
ARRL's Logbook of the World
* Call for Papers and Presentations - Central States
VHF Society, Inc. Conference
* AMSAT Announces Hamvention Forum Speaker Line Up
* AMSAT Activities for Hamvention 2018
Russian SSTV Event to Celebrate Cosmonautics Day
ARISS Russia is planning a special Slow Scan Television (SSTV) event
from the International Space Station in celebration of Cosmonautics
Day. The transmissions are to begin on April 11 at 11:30 UTC and run
through April 14 ending at 18:20 UTC.
Supporting this event is a computer on the ISS Russian Segment,
which stores images that are then transmitted to Earth using amateur
radio, specifically the onboard Kenwood TM-D710E transceiver.
Transmitted images will be from the Interkosmos project period of the
Soviet space program (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interkosmos).
Images received can be posted and viewed at
http://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/index.php .The
transmissions which were coordinated with the ARISS scheduling team,
will be broadcast at 145.800 MHz using the PD-120 SSTV mode.
Please note that the event is dependent on other activities,
schedules and crew responsibilities on the ISS and are subject to
change at any time.
Please check for news and the most current information on the
AMSAT.org and ARISS.org websites, the AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org, the ARISS
facebook at Amateur Radio On The International Space Station (ARISS)
and ARISS twitter @ARISS_status.
About ARISS
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a
cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the
space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS).
In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite
Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the
Center for the Advancement of Science in space (CASIS) and National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of
ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via
amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in
classrooms or public forms. Before and during these radio contacts,
students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space,
space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see
www.ariss.org.
Also join us on Facebook: Amateur Radio on the International Space
Station (ARISS)
Follow us on Twitter: ARISS_status
[ANS thanks ARISS for the above information}
--------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT/TAPR Banquet Speaker - Jeri Ellsworth, AI6TK
The twelfth annual joint AMSAT/TAPR Banquet will be held on Friday,
May 18 at the Kohler Presidential Banquet Center, 4572 Presidential
Way, Kettering, OH 45429 (just south of Dayton). Doors open at
6:30 PM for a cash bar with the buffet dinner served at 7:00 PM.
Jeri Ellsworth, AI6TK, will present on her innovative ideas and
adventures in Amateur Radio. Jeri is an American entrepreneur,
self-taught engineer, and an autodidact computer chip designer and
inventor.
She gained notoriety in 2004 for creating a complete Commodore 64
system on a chip housed within a joystick, called C64 Direct-to-TV.
That "computer in a joystick" could run 30 video games from the
early 1980's, and at peak, sold over 70,000 units in a single day
via the QVC shopping channel.
Ellsworth co-founded CastAR (formerly Technical Illusions) in 2013
and stayed with the company until its closure on June 26, 2017. In
2016, she passed all three amateur radio exams, earned her Amateur
Extra license, and received the AI6TK callsign. This has now launched
new adventures into Amateur Radio. She has been featured in January
2017 QST and in YouTube videos from Quartzfest earlier this year.
Jeri has been given a free hand to speak on whatever topic she wishes
(as long as it's amateur radio, somewhat).
[ANS thanks AMSAT's Havention 2018 Team for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
VUCC Awards-Endorsements for March 2018
Here are the endorsements and new VUCC Satellite
Awards issued by the ARRL for the period March 1, 2018
through March 31, 2018.
Congratulations to all those who made the list this month!
There were several calls which decreased by one this month.
These are not listed below.
CALL 1Mar18 1Apr18
KK5DO 780 781
WA5KBH 659 728
N4UFO 715 724
N9IP 574 589
W5RKN 554 575
N9EAT 410 428
WD9EWK 400 425
KE4AL 252 317
K7TAB 274 306
W7QL 275 300
AA8CH 104 175
PT2AP 102 172
PS8ET 127 157
N3GS 101 130
N7AGF 101 126
G0ABI 116 122
AL6D 112 (NEW VUCC)
W1AT 102 (NEW VUCC)
If you find errors or omissions. please contact me off-list
at <mycall>@<mycall>.com
and I'll revise the announcement.
This list was developed by comparing the ARRL .pdf
listings for March 1, 2018. and April 1, 2018. It's a visual
comparison so omissions are possible. Apologies if your
call was not mentioned. Thanks to all those who are
roving to grids that are rarely on the birds. They are
doing most of the work!
[ANS thanks for Ron Parsons for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Balloons launched March 17 - BLT-49.1 still afloat and heading for
Florida
Ballons were launched 17 March from the Houston Hamfest, we had a
great
balloon launch talk byAndy MacAllister, W5ACM, followed by two
successful
balloon launches. The first launch at 9:05am was BLT-49.2 and was a
300g 'popper' latex balloon carrying a digital Fireball smart beacon
sending the temperature in CW on 14.318 MHz & 28.322 MHz.
We copied the weak CW beacon until 11:45am and believe it burst at
well
over 110,000 feet based on the time aloft and temperatures we were
receiving.
Very successful flight!
The second launch of BLT-49.1 occurred about 9:06am and was a
'floater'
balloon (1m Qualatex Mylar) carrying a PecanPico 5 APRS tracker. It
rose
very slowly into the sky, escorted by several drones videoing the
event,
headed north then shot off to the east passing over Houston,
Beaumont and
New Orleans. After avoiding a few thunderstorms along the way, it is
currently just below Panama City, FL at ~30,000 feet heading for
Orlando &
KSC! It can be tracked on aprs.fi or tracker.habhub.org (see links
below).
After crossing Florida, we're hoping to hear from it again on the
other side
of the Atlantic
https://aprs.fi/#!mt=roadmap&z=11&call=a%2FAB5SS-11
https://tracker.habhub.org/#!mt=roadmap&mz=6&qm=1_day&mc=29.97358,-
84.9113&f
=AB5SS-11
[ANS thanks John, AB5SS for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARISS contact with Pinson Valley HS, Pinson, AL
An International Space Station school contact has been planned with
participants at Pinson Valley HS, Pinson, AL on Apr. 10. The event is
scheduled to begin at approximately 18:02 UTC. The duration of the
contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will
be direct between NA1SS and KN4BBD. The contact should be audible
over the state of Alabama 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.
Pinson Valley High School is located in Central Alabama near the
city of Birmingham and is one of 57 schools in the Jefferson County
School system. We are a very diverse school with approximately 1100
students in grades 9-12. At PVHS students have many options for
academic programs and extracurricular involvement. We have
opportunities for students to take Advanced Placement or Dual
Enrollment classes, a growing career technical education academy, and
a very popular fine arts academy. We hope that our participation in
the ARISS contact will build an increased interest in STEAM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) course pathways.
There are many sport teams for both male and female athletes. On
December 8, 2017 our football team won the Alabama 6A State
Championship, a first for our school. Our motto is "At Pinson Valley
High School we promote achievement, respect, and success." Go
Indians!
Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time
allows:
1. By having zero gravity, what type of exercises you have to do to
keep your
body from losing mass?
2. What prompted your interest or love of space?
3. Psychologically, what is the most challenging aspect of being in
space?
4. What type of research are you currently conducting on the ISS?
5. When you receive food supplies in space can you make special
request for
certain foods?
6. What can a high school student do now to prepare for a potential
career in
aerospace?
7. How much education and training does an astronaut typically have?
8. Theoretically could NASA power future rockets/spaceships via
nuclear
fusion, similar to the sun?
9. What is the scariest part of space travel; the launch, living on
the ISS,
or re-entry?
10. What happens if someone was to have a heart attack, get sick, or
have
another medical emergency in space?
11. What is a typical day aboard the ISS like?
12. Since the ISS hosts astronauts from different countries, what
language is
spoken aboard the ISS?
13. Besides your family, what do you miss most about life on earth?
14. What fuels the ISS?
15. What kind of medical testing does an astronaut have to go
through to be
physically and mentally ready for duty?
16. Can you easily communicate with your family members while you
are aboard
the ISS?
17. What are some hazards in space?
18. Have any organisms been born or conceived in space?
19. What happens if a fire occurs on the ISS?
20. Since you cannot really take a good shower in space, is the ISS
smelly?
[ANS thanks AMSAT EDU News for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Major Rove Announcement
Announcing a major rove for satellite operators; the Springtime Rove
to The Great White North!
Doug Tabor, N6UA and Ken Alexander, VE3HLS will be teaming up to
travel north to the James Bay area of Quebec to activate as many FO
grids as are accessible by road, in the time we have. Our plan is to
leave Toronto on May 5th, entering FO the next day, and spending 7 to
8 days activating rare grids.
This area is extremely remote. The James Bay Road is the main
corridor through the area and was built by Quebec Hydro to support
construction of a province-wide network of hydroelectric projects.
It's 610 km long. There are gas stations at each end and another
somewhere in the middle. Likewise, the Route du Nord is a 406 km
gravel road with no services. There is no cellphone service once you
leave Matagami, QC, the southern terminus of the James Bay Road. We
will only have internet access when we get to a town. The road will
take us through, and give us access to
FO01/02/03/10/11/12/13/20/21/22/23.
With so many satellites currently available, having two operators
will insure that everyone will have a chance to work one of us. If
two satellites are in view at the same time, we'll be on both of
them! We will also allocate ourselves so as to be present on as many
FM satellites as are available to us.
Our plans aren't complete yet. We may activate other grids, or be
forced to rein in our expectations depending on available time and
the conditions we encounter. We will provide updates in the coming
weeks.
[ANS thanks Ken, VE3HL & SDoug, N6UA for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
JSpOC Approves AMSAT for Re-distribution of Keplerian Elements
AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, says, "I am
pleased to
announce that AMSAT's request to re-distribute JSpOC Keplerian
elements from
SpaceTrack has been approved for the period April 1, 2018 to April
1, 2019.
Our USSTRATCOM ODR (Orbital Data Request)
to distribute the AMSAT-NA TLEs was approved on March 27, 2018."
Thanks to JSpOC, Perry Klein, W3PK and Paul Williamson, KB5MU for
their help
in this process.
We are "good to go" for another year.
On another note, sadly, the PICSAT team has announced today that
PICSAT is
no longer operational. But, Ray will continue to carry PICSAT TLEs for
now.(Remember AO-07?)
[ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, for
the above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL and CQ Magazine Announce Launch of CQ’s WAZ Award Support on
ARRL's Logbook of the World
Newington, CT and Hicksville, NY – April 2, 2018
Officials from CQ magazine and ARRL, The national association for
Amateur Radio®, are excited to announce the launch of support for CQ
magazine’s Worked All Zones (WAZ) award program on ARRL’s Logbook of
the World (LoTW) system, effective Monday, April 2, at 10:00 a.m. EDT
(14:00 UTC).
The goal of the project was to create the proper technical support
system to enable amateur radio operators to submit LoTW confirmations
for WAZ credit and that has been accomplished, say CQ and ARRL
officials.
“We are very pleased that participants in CQ's WAZ award program
will now be able to use their LoTW confirmations for award credit,”
said CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU. “CQ WPX Award participants have
found it very helpful and we are sure it will be equally helpful for
those pursuing WAZ and its many variations.”
ARRL First Vice President Greg Widin, K0GW, concurred. “Users of
LoTW have been telling us for some time that they would like to use
QSLs from LoTW to apply for the WAZ award. They will now be able to
select confirmations to be used for WAZ credit.”
Beta testing for bringing CQ magazine's WAZ award program into
ARRL’s LoTW system had been underway since mid-December. Any problems
in the implementation discovered by testers were corrected by the
technical support team. Also, the documentation has been improved by
feedback from the testers. At the same time, each LoTW user was given
an additional WAZ account.
Standard LoTW credit fees and separate CQ award fees will apply.
Logbook of the World is ARRL's electronic confirmation system for
amateur radio contacts. It provides a confirmation when both stations
in a contact submit their logs to the system and a match between the
logs is confirmed. LoTW has supported the CQ WPX Award program since
2012.
CQ Communications, Inc. is publisher of CQ Amateur Radio magazine
and is the world's largest independent publisher of amateur radio
magazines, books and videos. Worked All Zones is the second-oldest
active award program in amateur radio, behind only the International
Amateur Radio Union's Worked All Continents award.
ARRL The national association for Amateur Radio®, represents the
interests of Amateur (or “ham”) Radio operators across the country.
Founded in 1914 by Hiram Percy Maxim as The American Radio Relay
League, ARRL has a proud history of achievement as the standard-
bearer in amateur affairs. Now in its second century, the
organization remains focused on “advancing the art, science, and
enjoyment of Amateur Radio.”
[ANS thanks CQ Communications, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Call for Papers and Presentations - Central States
VHF Society, Inc. Conference
The Central States VHF Society, Inc. is soliciting both authors for the
"Proceedings of
the Central States VHF Society" and presenters for the technical sessions
at its 2018
Conference to be held in Wichita, KS July 26-29, 2018.
Further information for both authors and presenters may be found on the
2018 Conference
website <www.2018.CSVHFS.org under "Guidance Documents."
Topics for both papers and presentations include all topics related to
weak-signal VHF and
above amateur radio activities, including:
* Antennas: including Modeling, Design, Arrays, and Control
* Test Equipment: including Homebrew, Commercial, and Measurement
Techniques & Tips
* Construction of equipment: such as Transmitters, Receivers, and
Transverters
* Operating: including Contesting, Roving, and DXpeditions
* RF power amps: including Single and Multi-band Vacuum Tube, Solid-state,
and TWTAs
* Propagation: including Ducting, Sporadic E, Tropospheric, Meteor Scatter,
etc.
* Pre-amplifiers (low noise)
* Digital Modes : such as WSJT, JT65, FT8, JT6M, ISCAT, etc.
* Regulatory topics
* Moon Bounce (EME)
* Software-defined Radio (SDR)
* Digital Signal Processing (DSP)
Topics such as FM, repeaters, packet radio, etc., are generally considered
outside of the
scope of papers being sought. However, there are always exceptions. Please
contact either
Kent Britain, WA5VJB (wa5vjb (at) wa5vjb.com) or Donn Baker, WA2VOI (wa2voi
(at)
mninter.net) if you have any questions about the suitability of a
particular topic.
For presenters, we would appreciate a brief abstract of your presentation
topic on or
before Tuesday, May 15th to help us with the program schedule. The final
presentation
materials (i.e., PowerPoint, etc. files) are due at the Conference on
Friday morning (July
27th). However, for supporting material (NOT the presentation itself) to
be published in
the Proceedings, it must be received by Tuesday, May 15th.
For papers to be published in the Proceedings, final copies must be
received by Tuesday,
May 15th. Note that you do not have to attend the Conference nor present
your paper to
have it published in the Proceedings.
[ANS thanks Donn, WA2VOI for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT Announces Hamvention Forum Speaker Line Up
The AMSAT Forum at Hamvention 2018 will be held on Saturday,
May 19 in Forum room 4 at 2:45-3:45 PM. The speaker and topic
line up includes:
+ Moderator: Keith Baker, KB1SF / VA3KSF
+ "AMSAT Status Report" by Joseph Spier, K6WAO, AMSAT-NA President,
who will highlight recent activities within AMSAT and discuss
some of our challenges, accomplishments, projects, and any late
breaking news.
+ "AMSAT Engineering Program" by Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT-NA Vice
President for Engineering, will talk about the Fox-1 and Golf
(Greater Orbit Larger Footprint) Projects.
+ "ARISS Report 2018" by Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, AMSAT-NA Vice President
for Human Spaceflight will discus ARISS' "Next Generation ARISS
Radio System" on the International Space Station.
[ANS thanks Forum Moderator Keith baker, Keith Baker, KB1SF/VA3KSF
for the above information]
-------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT Activities for Hamvention 2018
AMSAT Booth
-----------
Stop by the AMSAT booth (1007-1010 & 1107-1110) Friday 9am-6pm,
Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 9am-1pm to meet board members, officers,
and active satellite operators. You'll be able to ask questions
and see demonstrations of AMSAT's current and upcoming technologies.
Well dressed satellite operators will look forward to picking up
the latest AMSAT "swag" and fashions for 2018. Gould Smith's book,
"Getting Started With Amateur Satellites", has been updated for
2018 and will be on sale during the Hamvention.
AMSAT Forum
-----------
The AMSAT Forum at Hamvention 2018 will be held on Saturday,
May 19 in Forum room 4 at 2:45-3:45 PM.
Amateur Satellite Demonstrations
--------------------------------
Amateur Satellite operation demonstrations will be held every day
outside the main Maxim Hall (Building 1 or E1) entrance. AMSAT will be
be demonstrating actual contacts with the operational amateur satellites.
We especially invite youth to make a contact via an amateur satellite.
All are invited to observe, participate and ask questions. Satellite
pass times will be posted at the AMSAT booth and in the demo area.
Annual AMSAT "Dinner at Tickets" Party
--------------------------------------
The annual AMSAT "Dinner at Tickets" party will be held Thursday at
1800 EDT at Tickets Pub & Eatery at 7 W. Main St, Fairborn, OH. Feast
on a great selection of Greek and American food and great company! No
program or speaker, just good conversation. Food can be ordered from
the menu, drinks (beer, wine, sodas and iced tea) are available at the
bar. Leave room for dessert, there's an in-house ice cream shop! Come
as you are. Bring some friends and have a great time the night before
Hamvention.
AMSAT/TAPR Banquet
------------------
The twelfth annual AMSAT/TAPR Banquet will be held at the Kohler
Presidential Center on Friday at 1830 EDT. This dinner is always a
highlight of the AMSAT and TAPR activities during the Dayton Hamven-
tion. We are pleased to announce that Jeri Ellsworth, AI6TK will be
our speaker. Jeri will present her innovative ideas and adventures in
Amateur Radio.
Banquet seating is limited to the number of meals reserved with the
Kohler caterers based on the number of tickets sold by the deadline.
Tickets ($37 each) may be purchased from the AMSAT store:
https://www.amsat.org/product-category/amsat-at-hamvention/
The banquet ticket purchase deadline is Tuesday, May 15. Banquet
tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be sold at the
AMSAT booth. There will be no tickets to pick up at the AMSAT booth.
Tickets purchased on-line will be maintained on a list with check-in
at the door of the banquet center.
[ANS thanks AMSAT's Havention 2018 Team for the above information]
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-042.01
ANS-105.01 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 105.01
>From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
April 8. 2018
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-105.01
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ Karhu Koti has created a mutual window calculator for satellites
between two locations. See: https://www.karhukoti.com/webtracker
+ An interesting twitter post about the 'live' on-line tracking sites
interesting:https://twitter.com/Marco_Langbroek/status/980549243701268
482
+ Not your typical space junk article. It leads with the release of
100+ sats
by the same Indian rocket that launched AO-
92.https://www.wsj.com/articles/we-need-satellitesa-speeding-mass-of-
space-junk-puts-them-at-risk-1505226427
+ Here's something to think about. L band is a lot of fun. We do
get 24 hours once a week (not complaining). With several ISS passes
every day. It is a good reflector. Plus we can use CW, SSB, many
digi modes. Just google it.
+ Next Rocket Lab launch window is starting 20th April 00:30 UTC for
4 hours.
This window repeats for the following 14 days.
See: http://rocketlabusa.com/news/updates/rocket-lab-to-launch-first-
commercial-mission-this-month/
It will be probably be watchable live from their web site.
73,
Terry Osborne ZL2BAC
+ AMSAT's plans for Hamvention 2018 for the dates May 17-20 have
been posted:
https://www.amsat.org/other-events/amsat-activities-at-hamvention-
2018/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
/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,
Chris Bradley, AA0CB
aa0cb at amsat dot org
_______________________________________________
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
Opinions expressed
are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official
views of AMSAT-NA.
Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
program!
Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
1
0
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-091
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:
* AO-92 Operations Schedule
* Russian SSTV Transmission Events Planned
* AMSAT at the 2018 Hamvention -- Call for volunteers
* AMSAT-UK Call for Speakers for Colloquium 2018
* Upcoming ARISS Contact and Event Schedule
* Athenoxat-1 QSL Card Challenge
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-091.01
ANS-091 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 091.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE April 1, 2018
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-091.01
AO-92 Operations Schedule
AO-92 operations are scheduled among the U/v FM repeater, L-Band
Downshifter,
Virginia Tech Camera, and the University of Iowa’s High Energy Radiation
CubeSat
Instrument (HERCI). Please keep the uplink clear during passes with
scheduled
mode changes.
For the week of 31Mar-6Apr 2018, the following mode changes are scheduled:
Approximately 0155UTC 1Apr we will enable the L band uplink for ~24 hours
Approximately 1650UTC 5Apr we will enable the VT camera and high-speed
data for
~40 minutes. Please be ready to copy high-speed data with FoxTelem, and
keep the
uplink clear at 1650UTC.
All other times the U/v repeater will be open continuously.
[ANS thanks Drew, KO4MA, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Russian SSTV Transmission Events Planned
ARISS Russia is planning Slow Scan Television (SSTV) transmissions from the
International Space Station. The transmissions are scheduled to occur over
Moscow on April 2, 2018 from 15:05 through 18:30 UTC and on April 3,
2018 from
14:15 through 18:40 UTC. The MAI-75 experiment uses a computer on the ISS
Russian Segment, which stores images that are then transmitted to Earth
using
the amateur radio, specifically the onboard Kenwood TM D710E
transceiver. Images
received can be posted and viewed at
http://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/index.php .The
transmissions will
be broadcast at 145.800 MHz using the PD-120 SSTV mode.
Please note that the event is dependent on other activities, schedules
and crew
responsibilities on the ISS and are subject to change at any time.
Please check for news and the most current information on the AMSAT.org and
ARISS.org websites, the AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org, the ARISS facebook at
Amateur Radio
On The International Space Station (ARISS) and ARISS twitter @ARISS_status.
For more information, see www.ariss.org.
Also join us on Facebook: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
(ARISS)
Follow us on Twitter: ARISS_status
[ANS thanks Dave, AA4KN, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT at the 2018 Hamvention -- Call for volunteers
The 2018 Hamvention will be held on May 18-20, 2018 at Greene County
Fairground and Expo Center in Xenia Ohio. Planning is under way for
AMSAT's participation!
Phil, W1EME, AMSAT's Hamvention Team Leader is looking for team
leaders to assist him. If you can help please consider leading in
one of the unfilled positions atw1eme at amsat.org <
http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans>
+ Volunteer Assistant
+ Publicity Assistant - JoAnne K9JKM
+ Forum Assistant - Keith KB1SF
+ Sales Assistant
+ Outdoor Demo Assistant - Paul N8HM
+ Facilities and Setup Assistant
We need as many volunteers as possible to help staff the AMSAT
booth during the Hamvention Last year, we had about 40 people assist
with the AMSAT booth at the Hamvention. It was the efforts of those
volunteers that made the 2017 Hamvention a success for AMSAT.
1. May 17 - Booth setup on Thursday.
2. May 18, 19, 20 - Staff the booth during Hamvention hours to
answer questions, enroll members, indoor demos, merchandise
and book sales. (We will train you!)
3. May 20 - Booth teardown on Sunday
The interaction with AMSAT members, satellite operators, designers,
and builders makes the whole experience a lot of fun.
Whether you're available for only a couple of hours or if you can
spend the entire weekend with us, your help would be greatly
appreciated.
Interested hams should contact Team Leader Phil Smith via email at:
w1eme at amsat.org <http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans> for
information.
[ANS thanks AMSAT Hamvention Publicity Assistant JoAnne Maenpaa,
K9JKM for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT-UK Call for Speakers for Colloquium 2018
This is a call for speakers for the AMSAT-UK International Space
Colloquium 2018
which, will be held this year on 13-14 October, in conjunction with the RSGB
Convention at Kents Hill Park Conference Centre, Milton Keynes, MK7 6BZ,
United
Kingdom .
AMSAT-UK invites speakers, to cover topics about Amateur satellites,
CubeSats,
Nanosats, space and associated activities, for this event.
They are also invited to submit papers for subsequent publishing on the
AMSAT-UK
web site or in Oscar News.
We appreciate that it is not always possible to give a firm indication of
attendance at this stage but expressions of interest would be appreciated.
Submissions should be sent via e-mail to: dave(a)g4dpz.me.uk
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]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARISS Contact and Event Schedule
Valday, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled astronaut is Oleg Artemyev
Contact is a go for 2018-04-04 TBD UTC
Vologda, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled astronaut is Oleg Artemyev
Contact is a go for 2018-04-10 13:37 UTC
Watch for SSTV
2018-04-02 15:05 UTC to 18:30 UTC
2018-04-03 14:15 UTC to 18:40 UTC
2018-04-12 to 2018-04-14
Additional information can be found at http://ariss-sstv.blogspot.com/
[ANS thanks Charlie, AJ9N, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Athenoxat-1 QSL Card Challenge
The Athenoxat-1 project team has implemented an interesting experiment
(puzzle)
where frames containing fragments of images of QSL cards are periodically
transmitted by the satellite. Amateurs can participate in the experiment by
receiving the fragments and sending KISS files via email to the Athenoxsat-1
project team. The frames will then be processed and the results will
posted in
their web site with acknowledgements to the participating stations.
AMSAT-BR would like to encourage amateurs to participate. Due to the
satellite
orbit inclination (15 degrees), only locations with latitudes below the
tropics
will be able to receive signals from the satellite on 437.485 MHz.
Signals can
be demodulated using UZ7HO’s high speed soundmodem software (using the
GOMX-1
4800 bps demodulator).
The project website is: http://www.micro-space.org/ham.html
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK and Yesie, 9V1SQ, 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 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,
Lee McLamb, KT4TZ
kt4tz at amsat dot org
1
0
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-084
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:
* AO-92 Operation Schedule
* EQUiSat to launch into space May 9
* Pearl Technology STEM Camp, June 18-22, 2018 in Illinois
* Software-Defined Radio Using MATLAB & Simulink and the RTL-SDR
* AMSAT-LU Balloon Flight Carries RepSat-1 Cubesat Transponder
* AMSAT Rover Awards Issued
* New HackSpace Magazine Available For Download
* Introducing CATSync - The new CAT tool for WebSDRs
* ARISS News
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-084.01
ANS-084 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 084.01
>From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
March 25, 2018
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-084.01
AO-92 Operation Schedule
AO-92 operations are scheduled among the U/v FM repeater, L-Band
Downshifter, Virginia Tech Camera, and the University of Iowa’s High
Energy Radiation CubeSat Instrument (HERCI). Please keep the uplink
clear during passes with scheduled mode changes.
For the week of 25-31 Mar 2018, the following mode changes are
scheduled:
Approximately 0242UTC 25Mar we will enable the L band uplink for ~24
hours.
Approximately 1645UTC 27Mar we will enable the VT camera and high-
speed data for ~40 minutes. Please be ready to copy high-speed data
with FoxTelem, and keep the uplink clear at 1645UTC.
All other times the U/v repeater will be open continuously.
The schedule can be viewed anytime at
https://www.amsat.org/satellite-schedules/
[ANS thanks Drew KO4MA for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
EQUiSat to launch into space May 9
NASA-funded student group constructs satellite, hopes to inspire
interest in space among youth.
Since its conception nearly seven years ago, a continuously
revolving group of University undergraduates has been diligently
working to send a satellite into space. Now, as May 9 draws closer,
the group of over 200 past and current students and faculty can find
catharsis as the EQUiSat will finally launch into orbit.
The project, funded by NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative, will send a
small cube satellite to the International Space Station to then
launch into orbit. The EQUiSat will test lithium iron phosphate
batteries, which are used in machines such as lawn mowers, but find
limited applications in spacecrafts. Due to its low cost and the fact
that its latitude will coincide with that of Providence, which allows
its LED flashes to be seen from the ground, the satellite will also
serve as a symbol for the accessibility of space.
“A big part of the goal is proving the accessibility of space. … We
kind of want to show people that space is right there,” said Hunter
Ray ’18, the project’s co-leader and team manager. The project could
have cost upwards of tens of thousands of dollars, but the team has
kept its cost to just $3,776.61, Ray added. The project’s relatively
low cost and mantra to “build it from the ground up” speak to the
feasibility and accessibility of space.
The EQUiSat will be equipped with powerful LED lights, a small radio
and multiple sensors to keep track of its trajectory and control
steering. “Anyone with a hand radio can pick up its frequency. … We
will be relying on the community of amateur radio (groups) around the
world to help collect EQUiSat’s data,” Ray said. He described the
construction process as his favorite part of the project. “It’s like
a Lego set. You build it and you’re like ‘great, now what do I do,’ …
but the mission will keep going.”
Ray has been a part of the project since he arrived on campus. “I
started freshman year, first week … (I decided that) I want to build
a spacecraft,” he said. “I ended up taking over for the power system
development, … (and then) I was elected as part of the project’s
manager and co-leader of the team,” he added. He hopes to see similar
projections come together in the future following the EQUiSat’s
launch. “The fact that as undergraduates we have been able to build
an entire spacecraft from scratch … (it shows where) we are going
with the space program, as humanity is progressing into the final
frontier,” he said. Ray will be delivering the EQUiSat to Houston
this week in order to facilitate preparations for the launch.
Anand Lalwani ’18 leads the power team, the group of 17 team members
in charge of the EQUiSat’s solar power and battery construction. “We
are a group of incredibly motivated, but incredibly fun people. Yes,
we have had our arguments and fights, but we still work very well
with each other,” he said. The power team not only constructed solar
panels from scratch, but also ensured that they would survive a
launch. Eventually finding a coating and the means to apply it to
protect the delicate panels was a grueling process, Lalwani said. “We
tried (different protocols) for about 12 months, … and we failed
consistently,” he said. Finding a solution “was probably (Brown Space
Engineering’s) biggest achievement,” as no other satellite group in
the country had done this, he said.
The project also serves as an outreach symbol, Lalwani said. By
talking to both middle school and high school students and teaching
them about different aspects of engineering, the team hopes to show
children that space is not as far-fetched as it may seem. “What we
had pitched to NASA in our original mission was that ‘We are going to
make space cool again,’” Lalwani said. He hopes to see BSE continue
its work with new satellites being constructed in under two years.
“For BSE, our future is very bright. … All our future applications
for launches such as this will be very likely granted. … We expect
all the sophomores in our team to have a satellite they would have
designed and built and launched before they graduate from Brown,” he
added.
Max Monn GS, one of founders of the initial project, worked on the
project from its initial creation in 2011 to 2013. “Since the manned
space missions to the moon … (the public) had a declining interest
for space” due to the lack of human connection, Monn said. The origin
for the project began as a means for creating an idea in Adjunct
Associate Professor of Engineering Rick Fleeter’s class, which has
since evolved into ENGN1760: “Design of Space Systems,” Monn
described. While other projects leaned toward theoretical concepts or
plans such as the colonization of Mars, Monn and the other founders
decided to plan something which was “down to Earth” and did not need
a large corporation to complete, Monn said.
The EQUiSat’s LED lights flashing down toward Earth show the
accessibility of space, one of the project’s main purposes. This
element was inspired by Monn’s interest in photography. Following the
initial work, the project expanded from a four-person class project
to a student group. “We weren’t really sure how it would be
received,” he said. At the first information session, 15 to 20 people
showed up. Seeing the growth of the group has been one of Monn’s
favorite memories of the project. “It feels like a legacy,” he said.
Serving as founder, member and mentor, Monn has seen the project
evolve from “wires spread out on a table” to its eventual launch. “We
had these visions of what it could be and to have left the project in
such shambles … (and) having it become more and more real… (it’s) a
pleasant surprise,” he said.
“You don’t need to be a multi-millionaire, you do not have to be a
rocket scientist, and space is not that far,” Lalwani said. The
satellite will serve as a realization that the final frontier is
truly not as far as it seems, he added. “EQUiSat is reaching down to
everyone on the Earth and showing them that space is right there, and
I hope that, in a sense, it helps unite everyone together,” Ray said.
[ANS thanks Chris Schutte and The Brown Daily Herald for the above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pearl Technology STEM Camp, June 18-22, 2018 in Illinois
The STEM Academy is sponsored and put on by Pearl Technology, with
the assistance of the University of Illinois Extension, Richwoods
Township, Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois, Peoria Area Ama-
teur Radio Club, Peoria Heights High School, volunteer Caterpillar
engineers, and ISS Above Software.
Twenty-five middle school students will spend June 18-22 attending
the STEM Academy held at Goodwill Commons, where they will learn
about space and radio communications. The students will build Rasp-
berry Pi computers that stream live video from the ISS. Students
will also participate in a high-altitude balloon launch by building
the payload with student experiments and then, use radio telemetry
to track the balloon to near-space.
The highlight of the academy will be when students communicate
directly with astronauts on the International Space Station. The
ISS contact will be open to students of all ages in the local
area.
[ANS thanks Fritz Bock, WD9FMB for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Software-Defined Radio Using MATLAB & Simulink and the RTL-SDR
Learn how to receive and analyze wireless signals using RTL-SDR,
MATLAB, and Simulink. RTL-SDR is a popular, low-cost hardware
that can receive wireless signals. The RTL-SDR dongle features
the Realtek RTL2832U chip, which can be used to acquire and
sample RF signals transmitted in the frequency range 25MHz to
1.75GHz.
A FREE ebook that teaches users how to receive and analyze
wireless radio signals using MATLAB, Simulink, and RTL-SDR
Key features of this free ebook include:
+ Illustrating how to receive wireless RF signals using RTL-SDR
and analyze the signals in time and frequency domains
+ Showing how to use RTL-SDR in conjunction with SDR transmitters
to develop a complete communication system
+ Providing an extensive set of DSP-enabled SDR examples to help
you get started
Find out more or download from:
https://tinyurl.com/ANS084-Mathwoks
This news provided by http://www.nooelec.com/store/
[ANS thanks NooElec.com and mathworks.com for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT-LU Balloon Flight Carries RepSat-1 Cubesat Transponder
AMSAT-LU reports they flew RepSat-1, a repeater designed for
cubesat operation, aboard a balloon launched from Victorica,
La Pampa, Argentina on March 24. The uplink was on 435.950 MHz
with a downlink on 145.950 MHz.
RepSat-1 is an 8 cm square board capable of being integrated
into a cubesat. The FM module transmits at 1 watt. It is also
capable of transmitting voice, SSTV in Robot 36, telemetry and
APRS location data identifying as LU7AA-11.
Telemetry and location were transmitted every 90 seconds via
1200 baud AX.25 APRS data.
A separate module on the flight transmitted tracker data for
balloon recovery on 145.930 MHz with the LU7AA-12 callsign.
It included a camera capable of filming with a 360 degree view.
The AMSAT Argentina web aite can be found at:
http://www.amsat.org.ar
[ANS thanks AMSAT-LU for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT Rover Awards Issued
On January 1, 2018, Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director Contests
and Awards announced the Rover Award. This award is granted to
stations who achieve a combined 25 points using any combination
of the defined criteria posted at:
https://www.amsat.org/amsat-rover-award/
Points can be earned for each grid square activated outside of your
home grid square using the FM, linear, and digital satellites. While
FM contacts count for 1 point each multiplier points are available
for contacts via the linear and digital satellites.
Additional points are available for photographs, publicity, social
media promotion, and AMSAT Journal articles. The options are numerous
so please refer to the Rover Award Website for all of the details.
To date, 16 rovers have earned the award:
Rover Call Date Issued
===== ============ ===========
001 AC0RA 02 Jan 2018
002 WD9EWK 05 Jan 2018
003 NJ4Y 08 Jan 2018
004 M0IDA 09 Jan 2018
005 KG5GJT 12 Jan 2018
006 EB1AO 18 Jan 2018
007 N7AGF 22 Jan 2018
008 N4YHC 29 Jan 2018
009 W0S 07 Feb 2018
010 KE0PBR 08 Feb 2018
011 K5IX 18 Feb 2018
012 AK4WQ 23 Feb 2018
013 WI7P 25 Feb 2018
014 K5ND 09 Mar 2018
015 N6UA 12 Mar 2018
016 N9IP 16 Mar 2018
[ANS thanks AMSAT Director Contests and Awards, Bruce Paige, KK5DO,
for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
New HackSpace Magazine Available For Download
Issue 5 of the free magazine HackSpace has an article about Limor
Fried AC2SN (aka LadyAda) of electronics company Ada Fruit as well as
a Dr Lucy Rogers M6CME article "Share the knowledge"
Also in this issue
- Tutorial Slack-powered On-Air sign
- Direct from Shenzhen: Stirling engine buggy
- Can I Hack It? Every home needs a hacked wireless doorbell
- Raspberry Pi 3B+
Download the free PDF of issue 5 April 2018 from
https://hackspace.raspberrypi.org/issues
[ANS thanks Southgate ARN for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Introducing CATSync - The new CAT tool for WebSDRs
Oscar, DJ0MY, has developed a new software tool for radio amateurs
and SWLs.
CATSync allows the user to control public WebSDR receivers with a
real rig connected via CAT. It supports the classical Web-SDR servers
as well as the newer Kiwi SDR servers publically available on the
internet.
This gives you access to dozens of web based receivers with the
comfort of tuning your rig at home. This software helps you to bring
you back into the fun of ham radio when you are suffering from local
temporary or permanent high noise levels in an urban QTH location.
The software has the following features:
- Syncronizes any public WebSDR server with your real RIG…
- Supports a wide number of RIG’s (it uses the popular OmniRig engine)
- Supports WebSDR and KiwiSDR browser based SDR receivers
- Tune the VFO of your radio and see the web SDR follow in realtime!
- Switch modes (SSB, CW, etc.) on your radio and see the web SDR
switch mode in realtime.
- Listen to the same frequency as your rig via web SDR
- Ideally suited e.g. for people suffering from local QRM
- Can track RX or TX VFO (e.g. to find that split of a DX station)
if radio CAT supports both simultanously
- Can be interfaced with popular logging software using OminRig or
via VSPE port splitter
For more information visit the author’s website:
https://catsyncsdr.wordpress.com/
See a YouTube video of CATSync under:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbSHfkjhx0c
[ANS thanks Southgate ARN for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ARISS News
The following contacts were successful since February 18, 2018:
On The Gagarin from Space, "Galaxy - Children and Youth Center for
Space Education", Kaluga, Russia, direct via RK3X with Alexander
Misurkin on 2018-02-18 10:45 UTC
Agrupamento de Escolas do Fundão, Fundão, Portugal, direct via
CS5DBB with Scott Tingle KG5NZA on 2018-02-21 09:38 UTC
Museum of Science & Technology - Danforth Middle School, Syracuse,
NY, direct via K2MST with Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP on 2018-02-24 08:45
UTC
On The Gagarin from Space Federal State Budgetary Educational
Institution of Higher Education "Southwest State University", Kursk,
Russia, direct via RV3DR on 2018-02-26 17:59 UTC
Parkside Middle School, San Bruno, CA, direct via K6PVJ Scott Tingle
KG5NZA 2018-03-07 18:05 UTC
Gymnasium Räddningsgymnasiet Sando, Sandöverken, Sweden, telebridge
via K6DUE with Scott Tingle KG5NZA on 2018-03-15 11:12 UTC
Templestowe Valley Primary School, Templestowe, Victoria, Australia,
telebridge via VK4KHZ with Scott Tingle KG5NZA on 2018-03-19 08:43
UTC
Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule
Quick list of scheduled contacts and events:
Templestowe Valley Primary School, Templestowe, Victoria, Australia,
telebridge via VK4KHZ
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled astronaut is Scott Tingle KG5NZA
Contact was successful: Mon 2018-03-19 08:43:46 UTC
Watch for live stream on the EchoLink AMSAT conference server live.
Freeport Public Schools, Freeport, NY, telebridge via IK1SLD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled astronaut is Scott Tingle KG5NZA
Contact is a go for: Tue 2018-03-27 17:41:04 UTC
[ANS thanks ARISS, Charlie AJ9N and David AA4KN for the above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ AO-91 Distance Record
The footprint on AO-91 has been stretched yet again to 6,123 km with
a QSO between @eb1ao and PU8MRS on 17-Mar-2018 at 14:51 UTC.
https://www.amsat.org/satellite-distance-records/ .
+ PicSat Goes Silent
PicSat @IamPicSat Tweeted:
I am feeling somewhat confused up here. My communication has
fallen silent (sorry faithful listeners, I did not see that
coming. My team is trying to find out what happened. More to
follow, when I pass over Paris @amsatf #amsat @AmsatUK
@amsat_sm @SatNOGS
PicSat @IamPicSat Tweeted:
Passed over Paris, couldn't not talk. Don't know why, neither
does my team. They tried! Fortunately, I have a so-called
watch-dog onboard, a piece of hardware that will kickstart me
if I have not received anything from nobody for 72h
PicSat team tweeted Friday morning: Nothing, nix. I still cannot
communicate. Hard for me to tell if my Watch Dog initiated the kick
start. If it did, and it did not work for some reason, it will try
again in 72h from now. In the mean time, pls stay tuned!
Monday March 26 will be the next time the 72 hour watchdog fires.
Now we wait: pic.twitter.com/OBdsOLiK67
---------------------------------------------------------------------
/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,
EMike McCardel, AA8EM
aa8em at amsat dot org
1
0
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-077
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.
You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service
Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see:
http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
In this edition:
* Article Introduces AMSAT's GOLF-TEE and GOLF-1 Satellites
* ARISS-US Program Education Proposal Deadline is April 30, 2018
* AO-92 Operating Schedule Posted for Week of March 18-24
* AMSAT at the 2018 Hamvention -- Call for volunteers
* Top 10 Reasons to Come to AMSAT at the Hamvention
* AMSAT Field Day on the Satellites
* HuskySat-1 Applies for IARU Coordination for Linear V/U Transponder
* Thousands of Kilometers Via Satellite and a WAS Award Too
* Phase 4 Weekly Update 9 March
* Early Bird Bookings for the AMSAT-SA Space Symposium Now Open
* Melbourne University Student Space Program Update
* AMSAT Member Perry F. Crabill, W3HQX Silent Key
* China's DSLWP-A1/A2 Satellites to Transmit Amateur Radio Data
from the Moon
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-077.01
ANS-077 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 077.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE March 18, 2018
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-077.01
Article Introduces AMSAT's GOLF-TEE and GOLF-1 Satellites
As a follow-up to the announcement that GOLF-TEE and GOLF-1 have
been selected for launches through NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative,
we've posted an article introducing the GOLF program on the AMSAT
website: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-077-AMSAT-GOLF
[ANS thanks Paul, N8HM for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ARISS-US Program Education Proposal Deadline is April 30, 2018
ARISS News Release No. 18-03
Dave Jordan, AA4KN
ARISS PR
aa4kn(a)amsat.org
International Space Station Astronauts are Calling CQ Students
ARISS-US program education proposal deadline is April 30, 2018.
March 15, 2018: The Amateur Radio on the International Space
Station (ARISS) program is seeking proposals from US schools,
museums, science centers and community youth organizations
(working individually or together) to host radio contacts with
an orbiting crew member aboard the International Space Station
(ISS) between January 1 and June 30, 2019.
Each year, ARISS provides tens of thousands of students with
opportunities to learn about space technologies and communications
through the exploration of Amateur Radio. The program provides
learning opportunities by connecting students to astronauts
aboard the International Space Station (ISS) through a partner-
ship between NASA, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, the
American Radio Relay League, and other Amateur Radio organizations
and worldwide space agencies. The program’s goal is to inspire
students to pursue interests and careers in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics (STEM) and Amateur Radio. A ham
recently said, “ARISS shows how Amateur Radio is the most unique
hobby/service there is.”
Educators overwhelmingly report that student participation in the
ARISS program stimulates interest in STEM subjects and in STEM
careers. One educator wrote, “It exceeded our expectations--it
created a great interest in both amateur radio and in space
exploration. Our kids are completely inspired!” Ninety-two percent
of educators who have participated in the program have indicated
that ARISS provided ideas for encouraging student exploration
and participation. An educator even joined the ham ranks, saying,
“This chance for our school’s ARISS contact helped me see the
great value of the ham world. I just passed my Technician License
this weekend and have already signed up to take a General class.”
ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers
of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed,
exciting education plan. Students can learn about satellite
communications, wireless technology, science research conducted
on the ISS, radio science, and any related STEM subject. Students
learn to use Amateur Radio to talk directly to an astronaut and
ask their STEM-related questions. ARISS will help educational
organizations locate Amateur Radio groups who can assist with
equipment for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students.
The proposal deadline for 2019 contacts is April 30, 2018. Proposal
webinars for guidance and getting questions answers will be offered
March 29, 2018, at 7 p.m. EDT and April 16, 2018, at 4 p.m. EDT.
Advance registration is necessary. To sign up, go to
https://ariss-proposal-webinar-spring-2018.eventbrite.com
For more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and
the proposal form, visit:
http://www.ariss.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact-in-the-us.html
About ARISS
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a
cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and
the space agencies that support the International Space Station
(ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur
Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League
(ARRL), the Center for the Advancement of Science in space (CASIS)
and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The
primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, tech-
nology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing
scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard
the ISS and students in classrooms or public forms. Before and
during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and
communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur
radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org.
Also join us on Facebook: Amateur Radio on the International
Space Station (ARISS)
Follow us on Twitter: ARISS_status
[ANS thanks ARISS for the above information]
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AO-92 Operating Schedule Posted for Week of March 18-24
Drew, KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations updated the AO-92 Operating Schedule
page for the coming week:
https://www.amsat.org/satellite-schedules/
AO-92 operations are scheduled among the U/v FM repeater, L-Band
Downshifter, Virginia Tech Camera, and the University of Iowa’s
High Energy Radiation CubeSat Instrument (HERCI). Please keep
the uplink clear during passes with scheduled mode changes.
For the week of 18-24 Mar 2018, the following mode changes are
scheduled:
+ 18 March at approximately 1500 UTC we will enable the L band
uplink for ~24 hours
+ 22 March at approximately 1345 we will enable the VT camera and
high-speed data for ~40 minutes. This is a Caribbean and South
America pass. Please be ready to copy high-speed data with FoxTelem,
and keep the uplink clear at 1345UTC.
+ All other times the U/v repeater will be open continuously.
[ANS thanks Drew, KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations for the above information]
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AMSAT at the 2018 Hamvention -- Call for volunteers
The 2018 Hamvention will be held on May 18-20, 2018 at Greene County
Fairground and Expo Center in Xenia Ohio. Planning is under way for
AMSAT's participation!
Phil, W1EME, AMSAT's Hamvention Team Leader is looking for team
leaders to assist him. If you can help please consider leading in
one of the unfilled positions at w1eme(a)amsat.org
+ Volunteer Assistant
+ Publicity Assistant - JoAnne K9JKM
+ Forum Assistant - Keith KB1SF
+ Sales Assistant
+ Outdoor Demo Assistant - Paul N8HM
+ Facilities and Setup Assistant
We need as many volunteers as possible to help staff the AMSAT
booth during the Hamvention Last year, we had about 40 people assist
with the AMSAT booth at the Hamvention. It was the efforts of those
volunteers that made the 2017 Hamvention a success for AMSAT.
1. May 17 - Booth setup on Thursday.
2. May 18, 19, 20 - Staff the booth during Hamvention hours to
answer questions, enroll members, indoor demos, merchandise
and book sales. (We will train you!)
3. May 20 - Booth teardown on Sunday
The interaction with AMSAT members, satellite operators, designers,
and builders makes the whole experience a lot of fun.
Whether you're available for only a couple of hours or if you can
spend the entire weekend with us, your help would be greatly
appreciated.
Interested hams should contact Team Leader Phil Smith via email at:
w1eme(a)amsat.org for information.
[ANS thanks AMSAT Hamvention Publicity Assistant JoAnne Maenpaa,
K9JKM for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Top 10 Reasons to Come to AMSAT at the Hamvention
10. Rub shoulders with 25,000 of your best friends at the largest
hamfest in the United States, including all of the AMSAT
Directors and senior officers. See the latest equipment from
Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood, Flex, Alinco, M2, Arrow, and many other
manufacturers of amateur radio equipment and accessories. Take
advantage of discounted pricing you won't find anywhere else.
9. Find out how to organize a contact with the astronauts on the
International Space Station for your local school or youth group
from our Education and ARISS experts.
8. Pickup the latest AMSAT golf shirts, T-shirts, and hats. Get
your copy of the updated "Amateur Satellite Frequency Guide"
(laminated frequency chart) and Gould Smith's just revised for
2018 "Getting Started with Amateur Satellites" book. We'll also
have assembled wide-band preamps and antennas that are great
for portable operation.
7. See demonstrations of SatPC32 and MacDoppler satellite tracking
software, and get your operational questions answered. Assembled
LVB Trackers will be available.
6. Hear the latest presentation at the joint AMSAT/TAPR dinner.
5. Hear the latest on the Fox and Golf satellites, the International
Space Station, other current and future satellites, education news,
and an AMSAT update at the AMSAT Forum Saturday, from 11:15 to 1:30.
4. Get one-on-one guidance on setting up your satellite station and
making contacts at our "Beginner's Corner". Witness live demonstra-
tions of contacts through satellites.
3. Meet and interact with some of the Engineering Team members
working on the Fox and Golf satellites and our new Five and Dime
AMSAT ground terminal.
2. Get satellite station and operating tips from some of the best
satellite operators in the country.
1. Receive your 2018 laminated Satellite Frequency Chart when you
join or renew your AMSAT membership at Hamvention. New members
will receive the Frequency Chart and the latest edition of the
AMSAT Journal.
[ANS thanks AMSAT Hamvention Publicity Assistant JoAnne Maenpaa,
K9JKM for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT Field Day on the Satellites
It’s that time of year again; summer and Field Day! Each year the
American Radio Relay League (ARRL) sponsors Field Day as a “picnic,
a campout, practice for emergencies, an informal contest and, most
of all, FUN!”
The event takes place during a 23-hour period on the fourth weekend
of June. For 2018 the event takes place during a 27-hour period from
1800 UTC on Saturday, June 23, 2018 through 2100 UTC on Sunday,
June 24, 2018.
Those who set up prior to 1800 UTC on June 23 can operate only 24
hours. The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) promotes
its own version of Field Day for operation via the amateur sat-
ellites, held concurrently with the ARRL event.
This year should be easier than many years since we have more than
10 transponders and repeaters available. Users should check the
AMSAT status page at http://www.amsat.org/status/ and the pages
at http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=177 for what is available in
the weeks leading up to field day.
To reduce the amount of time to research each satellite, see the
current FM satellite table at http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=5012
and the current linear satellite table at
http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=5033
If you are considering ONLY the FM voice satellites, there are
SO-50, AO-85, AO-91, AO-92 and possibly PicSat. It might be easier
this year to make that one FM contact for the ARRL bonus points
with so many FM birds. The congestion on FM LEO satellites is
always so intense that we must continue to limit their use to
one-QSO-per-FM-satellite. This includes the International Space
Station. You will be allowed one QSO if the ISS is operating Voice.
The full set of rules are posted at:
https://www.amsat.org/field-day/
[ANS thanks AMSAT Director Contests and Awards, Bruce Paige, KK5DO,
for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
HuskySat-1 Applies for IARU Coordination for Linear V/U Transponder
The IARU Frequency Coordination pages show that the Husky Satellite
Lab at the University of Washington applied for frequencies on March 7
for HuskySat-1, a 3U CubeSat with propulsion capability.
Launch is planned for a high inclination LEO late 2018 on the ELaNA
XXIV mission. HuskySat-1 will become the first amateur satellite
from Washington state.
HuskySat-1 will demonstrate the capabilities of new technologies being
developed at the University of Washington and expand the capabilities
of CubeSats as a whole. In particular, a high-thrust pulsed plasma
thruster (PPT), and high-gain communications system will form the core
technology suite on board the satellite.
HuskySat-1 will carry AMSAT's 30 kHz wide V/u linear transponder for
amateur radio SSB/CW communications. The transponder is the same design
as the transponder being flown on RadFXSat-2/Fox-1E in 2018 including
the 1k2 BPSK telemetry channel. HuskySat-1 will also transmit BPSK
telemetry at 1 Mbps in the 24 GHz band.
In order to utilize the transponder and telemetry beacon, equipment
suitable for other linear transponder satellites such as FO-29 and AO-73
will be needed. Estimates are that a few watts into a small beam
should be adequate, with a small beam with a low noise preamp serving
for reception.
Additional details have been posted at:
https://sites.google.com/uw.edu/huskysatellitelab/huskysat-1
https://amsat-uk.org/2018/03/10/huskysat-1-cubesat/
IARU frequency coordination activities may be followed on-line at:
http://amsat.org.uk/iaru/
[ANS thanks the IARU, the Unviversity of Washington, and AMSAT-UK for
the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Thousands of Kilometers Via Satellite and a WAS Award Too
Listen to a recording of a 6005 KM contact with KE9AJ and
OA4/XQ3SA on March 11: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-077-AO7-QSO
Recording provided by NP4JV.
A 4100 KM contact via AO-92 between Kuthumabaka Ramesh, VU3FTP,
in Hyderabad City, India and Suryono P. Kebayoran Lama Selatan
YD0NXX, in Jakarta, Indonesia on March 9 can viwed at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uShVF6Y6MzM&feature=youtu.be
On March 10 K7TAB (DM43)worked VY0ERC (ER60) located at 80
degrees north via AO-91 for a 5250 KM QSO. Both stations used a
Kenwood TH-D72A HT running 5W.
MI6GTY (IO64) and N9EAT (EN41) enjoyed a 6010 KM QSO vis AO-91
on March 11. This is a new distance record for AO-91.
See: https://www.amsat.org/satellite-distance-records/
Jose, EB1AO in Spain (IN52) and David, W0DHB (DN70) completed
a 7606 KM contact on March 12 via AO-7. They had a 2 minute
window with 0.4 degrees for EB1AO (contact was made at 0.1 degree
elevation) and 2 degrees for W0DHB. Jose operated portable on
a hilltop with an IC-910 and Arrow Antenna. To date he has 34
states via satellite.
PS8ET (GI84) worked CU2ZG (HM77) for a 5096 KM contact wia
AO-91 on March 12.
Mikey, K7ULS reported working FG8OJ and PJ2/HB9WDF via FO-29
on March 13.
Now, a report on quantity vs distance ... congratulations to
Michael, K9EI for his completion of Satellite Worked All States.
He commented on Twitter, "Please let me say thank you to everyone
who helped me finally achieve my first WAS. I became a ham in 1977,
but never was involved enough to accomplish WAS. I am even more
satisfied that I was able to do it first on satellites among so
many friends. You’ve all been fantastic."
[ANS thanks everyone for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Phase 4 Weekly Update 9 March
Michelle Thompson, W5NYV has Phase 4 Weekly Report for 9 March 2018:
View it on-line to hear all the details at:
https://youtu.be/1GirCiB5XNg
A summary of the key points discussed this week include:
+ Exploration of the use of the Ettus Research E310 and X310
Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) devices.
+ GNU Radio Conference 2018 tickets are available:
https://www.gnuradio.org/grcon-2018/
The whole conference is packed with wonderful experiences and fun.
Come join Phase 4 Ground at our DVB-S2 and DVB-S2X workshop and
hackfest on Friday! Presented by Open Research Institute, Inc.
with a goal to produce an open source DVB-S2/X receiver in GNU
Radio primarily for AMSAT. Please share with whoever you think
would love to come! There will be a new user track as well as
advanced content, workshops, vendors, demonstrations, and multiple
social events.
Look for the Phase 4 articles coming in the March/April 2018 AMSAT
Journal.
[ANS thanks Michelle Thompson, W5NYV and the Phase 4 Team for the above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Early Bird Bookings for the AMSAT-SA Space Symposium Now Open
Bookings for the annual AMSATSA Space Symposium which will be held
on May 19, at the Innovation Hub in Pretoria is now open.
The symposium features interesting subjects including development
of a new SDR transponder, building a ground station to operate Ama-
teur Radio's first geostationary satellite Es'hail-2, a BACAR-ready
10 GHz beacon to exercise your Es'hail-2 receiver, a practical approach
to improving modular system reliability, FunCube Data and some of its
secrets and a progress report on Kletskous and its next generation
transponder and systems.
Get the booking form and details on www.amsatsa.org.za.
[ANS thanks AMSAT South Africa for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Melbourne University Student Space Program Update
Gabriel, VK3EXO, provided an update to the Wireless Institute of
Australia regarding the Melbourne University Student Space Program.
From the RF perspective project personnel have successfully trans-
mitted packets between the ground station and the satellite radio.
They have interfaced the satellite radio with the flight computer
and the satellite antenna has been deployed.
The ACMA recently approved the frequency allocation request and will
be taking the application to the ITU on behalf of the project team.
This is a huge achievement, particularly for an entirely student led
organization.
A major milestone has been passed with power-up test of everything
to be included in the satellite all laid out on a flat surface called
a FlatSat. The next step is to perform extensive software and hard-
ware testing. The testing will be performed over the next few weeks.
The Mission Operations website development is going well and the team
is on track for launch at the end of this year / early next year.
[ANS thanks the Wireless Institute of Australia VK1WIA news for the
above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT Member Perry F. Crabill, W3HQX Silent Key
This week Larry Wright, W8ANT, reported the sad news that Perry F.
Crabill, W3HQX, member of AMSAT, born in 1920, formerly of Washington,
DC and suburban Maryland and until his passing of Winchester Virginia,
is now a Silent Key at age 97.
Perry was first licensed as W3HQX in "19ought38" as he was wont to
say, worked for C&P telephone for many years, served in the US Navy
in World War Two as a radio technician (passing the difficult Eddy
test,) and was active for almost 70 years in a variety of amateur radio
activities. Known affectionately by the 147.300 repeater's "Question
Of the Day" group as "The Professor", Perry had a wide range of
on-the-air acquaintances.
A memorial service and celebration of his life was held on Saturday,
March 24 in Winchester, VA.
[ANS thanks Larry Wright, W8ANT for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
China's DSLWP-A1/A2 Satellites to Transmit Amateur Radio Data from the Moon
China is planning to launch the Chang’e 4 lander and rover which is
slated to land on the far side of the moon in December. The lander
configuration will use a relay satellite for a control and data
link with Earth.
Also aboard this flight will be a pair of microsatellites, DSLWP-A1
and DSLWP-A2, which will test low-frequency radio astronomy and
space-based interferometry. These two lunar orbiting satellites
developed by students at the Harbin Institute of Technology will
include educational and amateur radio payloads (but not a trans-
ponder).
The Amateur Radio payload on DSLWP-A1 will provide a telecommand
uplink and a telemetry and digital image downlink. Radio amateurs
will be able to transmit commands that allow them to send commands
to take and download an image. The IARU has coordinated downlinks
on 435.425 MHz and 436.425 MHz for A1.
Downlinks have been coordinated for A2 are 435.400 MHz and 436.400
MHz using 10K0F1DCN or 10K0F1DEN (10-kHz wide FM single-channel
data) 250 bps GMSK with concatenated codes or JT65B.
A1 and A2 will be deployed into a 200 × 9,000 kilometer lunar
orbit. The 50 × 50 × 40 centimeter spacecrafts each weigh about
45 kilograms and are three-axis stabilized. Two linear polarization
antennas are mounted along and normal to the flight direction.
The satellites will use the moon to shield them from radio emissions
from Earth for the long wavelength space-based interferometry experi-
ments.
The launch is anticipated for May or June on a CZ-4C vehicle, putting
the satellites’ deployment about 6 months ahead of the launch of the
Chang’e 4 lander and rover.
[ANS thanks the Harbin Institute of Technology, IARU, and ARRL for the
above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ The AmazonSmile Triple Donation Promotion Now Under Way
Triple your impact! Until March 31, Amazon is tripling the
donation rate on your first AmazonSmile purchase. You can
name AMSAT to receive the donation from your purchase.
https://smile.amazon.com
+ The Station and Operating Hints page has been updated to
include WD9EWK's November/December 2017 AMSAT Journal article
Working the FalconSAT-3 Digipeater (with Kenwood TH-D72 and
TM-D710G radios) Read how to use the 9600bps AX.25 V/U digipeater.
https://www.amsat.org/station-and-operating-hints/ and scroll down
the page to the other digipeater articles.
+ Use the HA7WEN WebSDR at http://152.66.73.241:33333/ to listen to
FO-29 traffic over Europe. (via Michel F6HTJ)
+ Enjoy a video made by the University of Bristol team's entry to
the 2017 UK Students for the Exploration and Development of Space
(UKSEDS)Lunar Rover Competition: https://youtu.be/ouL-cg1U0MI
Visit http://ukseds.org/about/ to learn more about the UK’s national
student space society.
+ The March PDF of the weather satellite publication GEO Newsletter
produced by the Group for Earth Observation is now available for
free download: http://www.geo-web.org.uk/geoquarterly.php
+ Amateurs preparing for our microwave future in space may find
this information, relayed on the microwave(a)mailmanlists.us
e-mail reflector, useful. An Analog Devices RF Detector Surf
Board is $10 evaluation kit containing an RF Power detector
made up of three RF detector chips covering DC to 9 GHz,
one with 80 dB range. Search for part number ADL5XDETECTRKIT
at https://www.richardsonrfpd.com to figure out if you want one.
Even if you don't buy anything the page has links to useful
electronic design tools.
+ GM4VZY produces a weekly Weather Satellite Report listing
polar orbiting and geostationary satellites transmitting
on VHF and L-band:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/weather-satellite-reports/info
+ Space enthusiasts, make room on your calendars. The Smithsonian
Channel will premiere two sets of back-to-back space documentaries
in late March and early April:
https://www.space.com/39950-smithsonian-channel-space-specials.html
+ Not really satellite oriented but you guys are going to like this
one anyways ... HF Voyager is an ocean-going drone currently making
its way from Hawaii to California that can carry out amateur radio
contacts in several digital modes. On-board in a waterproof container
is an Elecraft KX3 and a Raspberry Pi computer enabling a variety of
digital modes to be used. The station uses FT8 and PSK-31 on the 20
meter band as its primary operating modes. You may also find it using
WSPR in times of poor propagation. Call sign to look for? KH6JF/MM.
More details and the current location of the drone are available at:
http://www.jrfarc.org/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
/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 and Happy New Year,
This week's ANS Editor,
JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM
k9jkm at amsat dot org
1
0
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-070.01
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:
* Robertsville Middle School Students Will Send a CubeSat into Space
* Call for Volunteers - Dayton Hamvention
* Maidenhead Grid EL58hx Activation Memorial Day Weekend 2018
* FJ, St. Barthelemy Operations April 19-27
* AMSAT-OSCAR 92
* Send Your Name to the Sun Aboard the Parker Solar Probe
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-070.01
ANS-014.01 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 070.01
>From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
March 8, 2018
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-070.01
Robertsville Middle School Students Will Send a CubeSat into Space
In November of last year, a team of Robertsville middle students,
educators, and Oak Ridge scientists submitted a proposal to NASA for
their Cube Satellite Launch Initiative (CSLI) in hopes of sending a
student-designed nanosatellite named, "RamSat" into space. NASA's
CSLI provides opportunities for small satellite payloads built by
various schools and non-profit organizations to fly on upcoming
launches. NASA provides CubeSat developers a low-cost pathway to
conduct scientific investigations in space, enabling students,
teachers, and industry partners to obtain hands-on development
experiences.
In a letter received on March 2, 2018, we learned that our proposal
for RamSat was accepted for participation in the CSLI, an initiative
intended to provide launch opportunities during 2019, 2020, and 2021.
CubeSats are auxiliary payloads on planned NASA, other U.S.
Government, or commercial space flight missions, or deployments from
the International Space Station. We learned that our payload is one
of 21 satellites selected or prioritized for participation in the
ninth CSLI selection. Our acceptance was also announced on NASA's
website as RamSat, an education mission to develop and implement a
middle school STEM curriculum for building a CubeSat.
Peter Thornton, one of the RamSat team leaders from Oak Ridge
National Laboratory stated, "This is such an exciting opportunity for
the students! They will now have the chance to design, build, carry
out and own a satellite mission. They will be the mission scientists,
the communication specialists, and the logistics experts. They will
calculate orbits, learn to aim their satellite camera at selected
targets on the ground, radio their commands to RamSat, and receive
and interpret the digital data streams broadcast by RamSat,
containing imagery and all the other important data gathered on-
board. They'll be working as a team to identify and solve problems,
and they will be working with NASA professionals to integrate RamSat
into the launch and deployment missions. I can't think of a more
exciting project to ignite the students' curiosity and passion for
science and engineering."
The CSLI ride-share launch features spacecraft called
nanosatellites. CubeSats are sized in units, and one unit (1U) is 10
cm x 10 cm x 10 cm. To participate in the CSLI program, CubeSat
investigations must be in alignment with NASA's Strategic Plan. The
Robertsville Middle School proposal aimed to demonstrate alignment by
creating student-driven STEM-based lessons addressing educational
development needs relevant to NASA's strategic goals. The students'
targeted mission for their RamSat is to send a small camera and radio
encased in a 2U nanosatellite that will relay data and images from
space back to earth. With this information, students will study
reforestation patterns of vegetation lost in forest fires. The
student mission arose in response to a real-world connection they had
to the Gatlinburg fires last year.
[ANS Thanks OAK RIDGE SCHOOLS OAK RIDGE, TN for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Call for Volunteers - Dayton Hamvention
The 2018 Hamvention will be held on May 18-20 2018 at Green County
Fairground and Expo Center in Xenia Ohio. Planning is under way for
AMSAT's participation, and we are looking for volunteers in the
following areas: Volunteer Assistant, Publicity Assistant, Sales
Assistant, Outdoor Demo Assistant, Facilities and Setup Assistant.
Interested Hams should contact Team Leader Phil Smith via email at
w1eme(a)amsat.org for information.
[ANS Thanks Phil Smith, W1EME for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Maidenhead Grid EL58hx Activation Memorial Day Weekend 2018
(Venice, LA, USA) Wyatt Dirks, AC0RA, and Clayton Coleman, W5PFG will
travel to the mouth of the Mississippi River in far Southeast
Louisiana
to activate maidenhead gridsquare EL58hx on Memorial Day weekend,
2018.
The primary activities will be on the 6m band and OSCAR satellites.
This
will be Wyatt's first activation of EL58 in Louisiana and Clayton's
second. Both operators have conducted multiple, successful portable
activations over the years, with Wyatt activating over 200 grid
squares
and Clayton over 150. Dates, the operating location in the grid, and
transportation arrangements are confirmed.
The activation is scheduled to begin after 23:00 UTC on May 25 and
will
conclude by 20:00 UTC on May 27. All 6m operations will use the
callsign
AC0RA. All satellite operations will use the callsign W5PFG. HF
operation will occur during slower periods on 6m and when there are
no
satellites in view. Those wishing to confirm HF contacts must do so
via
ARRL's Logbook of the World (LoTW.) 6m and Satellite confirmations
will
be available following the expedition on LoTW in addition to paper
QSL's
accompanied with a Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope (SASE.)
Further information will be released prior to the expedition. For
general inquiries contact Clayton, W5PFG, at w5pfg(a)arrl.net. For 6m
operational questions contact Wyatt, AC0RA, at dirkswyatt10(a)gmail.com.
[ANS Thanks Clayton Coleman, W5PFG for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
FJ, St. Barthelemy Operations April 19-27
AI5P, N0KV, W0ZA and WD0E plan to operate from Pointe Milou,
St. Barthelemy Island (IOTA NA-146/Grid Square FK87) from
April 19-27, 2018. Operation will be on 80-10 meters (SSB/CW/
RTTY) with satellite operation by WD0E. Conditions may largely
limit most activity to 20 meters and down. Operating 160 meters
is being considered; however, no antenna option is yet finalized.
Satellite operation will take place on several satellites. A
satellite and pass schedule will be announced on the AMSAT-bb
in advance.
Equipment includes three Elecraft K3's and two 500 watt Elecraft
amps. Antennas include a SteppIR crank IR vertical for 80-10
meters, a folding hexbeam by Folding Antennas (Germany) on 20-10
meters, LPDA's on 20 and 17 meters and verticals on 30 and 40
meters.
Operation will be as continuous as conditions warrant. The Colorado
operators have decided to use FJ/N0KV as their callsign while AI5P
will be active as FJ/AI5P.
FJ/N0KV logs will be updated to LOTW while Rick's logs (FJ/AI5P)
will not since he continues to be an analog guy with an actual
key and pen/paper log.
Paper QSLs will be available from both N0KV and AI5P direct and
via the bureau.
Further:
For satellite operation we plan to be on as many passes of as many
satellites as possible focusing on the evening hours. Equipment
will be an IC 910 and Arrow. On Montserrat in 2015 we were on
FO-29 only. For St. Barts we will also operate some FM satellites.
We will assemble a pass plan before we go and post it to this -bb.
We will stick to that plan as much as possible but of course condi-
tions may cause us adjust on the fly. The operating location has
good visibility to the horizon from about the NW through N and E
to the SE. Other directions are somewhat obscured. QSLs handled as
written above.
[ANS thanks Jim White, WD0E for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT-OSCAR 92
AO-92 operations are scheduled among the U/v FM repeater, L-Band
Downshifter, Virginia Tech Camera, and the University of Iowa's High
Energy
Radiation CubeSat Instrument (HERCI). Please keep the uplink clear
during
passes with scheduled mode changes.
For the week of 11-17 Mar 2018, the following mode changes are
scheduled:
Approximately 1420UTC 11Mar we will enable the L band uplink for ~24
hours
Approximately 1625UTC 14Mar we will enable the VT camera and high-
speed data
for ~40 minutes. This is a central US and Mexico pass. Please be
ready to
copy high-speed data with FoxTelem, and keep the uplink clear at
1625UTC.
All other times the U/v repeater will be open continuously.
[ANS Thanks Drew KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Send Your Name to the Sun Aboard the Parker Solar Probe
NASA will send your name on a microchip to the Sun aboard the
Parker Solar Probe mission due to launch in the Summer of 2018.
The probe will fly through the Sun's atmosphere and you can go
along for the ride.
To survive in the 2500° F solar environment the spacecraft and
instruments will be protected by a 4.5-inch-thick carbon-composite
shield. At its closest approach the probe will be flying at
approximately 430,000 mph.
To submit your name follow the instructions starting at:
http://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/The-Mission/Name-to-Sun/
To learn more about the mission visit:
http://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/
[ANS thanks NASA and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ Gridders, Bob K8BL be staying in grid EM32 for the next couple weeks
and operating "holiday style" while visiting family. He can probably
work out going to adjacent Grids upon request. Besides LA, TX and
AR and OK are possibilities. QSOs will be in LoTW when I return
home the end of March.
[ANS Thanks Bob K8BL, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ I just wanted to thank Doug N6UA for his dedication to the hobby
of Ham radio. Doug made an out of the way trip to nebraska to
confirm the state for several of us who needed it for WAS LOTW. Doug
fought 65 mph winds on the way and during the qso on Cas-4B . At
times the howling was so bad that the audio was distorted , however
Doug endured the elements and continued confirming the Grid/state for
many of us. On the return home Doug encountered several semi
accidents on I-25 . Thanks Doug for being so dedicated as to go out
of your in bad weather to give a new grid or state to your fellow
hams
[ANS Thanks Jack KC7MG and Alex Weimer, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ N8FQ Satalite Sked page available for amateur use.
http://n8fq.org/sked/mobile.php?board=sat
[ANS Thanks Joe, N3XLS for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Watch the development of a homebrew VHF mast head preamp design
by VU2POP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTDkRRtWTk8
[ANS Thanks VU2POP for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Information about China ham radio satellite to the moon
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/11/18/lunar-amateur-radio-satellites-dslwp-
a1a2/
[ANS Thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ The schedule page at https://www.amsat.org/satellite-schedules/
has been
updated for the coming week for AO-92 operations. We could use more
stations feeding telemetry in auto or high-speed mode for the camera
run on Wednesday!
[ANS Thanks Andrew Glasbrenner for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ All telemetry (image frames) received by anyone with FoxTelem are
sent
to the AMSAT server (if you have selected "upload to server") and used
to construct a full image, in the same fashion that collecting many
diverse telemetry frames provides a more complete record of satellite
health and science data. So you may not see a whole image on your own
FoxTelem, but you are helping everyone see the full image because you
may capture a frame that no one else did. The more stations
receiving,
the better the chances for full images.
Set your FoxTelem for "auto" source on the Input Tab and pitch in.
Thank you for being part of the fun and learning!
[ANS Thanks Jerry Buxton, NØJY, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ AYMAN ISLANDS, ZF. Operators K0NR and KB9DPF will be QRV as ZF2NR
and ZF2PF, respectively, from Grand Cayman Island from March 10 to
17. Activity will be holiday style on 40 to 10 meters using SSB and
FT8. This includes some FM Satellite activity from grid square
EK99. QSL to home calls.
[ANS Thanks ARLD011 DX news bulletin 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 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,
Chris Bradley, AA5EM
aa5em at amsat dot org
_______________________________________________
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
Opinions expressed
are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official
views of AMSAT-NA.
Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
program!
Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
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Virus-free.
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1
0
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-070.01
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:
* Robertsville Middle School Students Will Send a CubeSat into Space
* Call for Volunteers - Dayton Hamvention
* Maidenhead Grid EL58hx Activation Memorial Day Weekend 2018
* FJ, St. Barthelemy Operations April 19-27
* AMSAT-OSCAR 92
* Send Your Name to the Sun Aboard the Parker Solar Probe
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-070.01
ANS-014.01 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 070.01
>From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
March 8, 2018
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-070.01
Robertsville Middle School Students Will Send a CubeSat into Space
In November of last year, a team of Robertsville middle students,
educators, and Oak Ridge scientists submitted a proposal to NASA for
their Cube Satellite Launch Initiative (CSLI) in hopes of sending a
student-designed nanosatellite named, "RamSat" into space. NASA's
CSLI provides opportunities for small satellite payloads built by
various schools and non-profit organizations to fly on upcoming
launches. NASA provides CubeSat developers a low-cost pathway to
conduct scientific investigations in space, enabling students,
teachers, and industry partners to obtain hands-on development
experiences.
In a letter received on March 2, 2018, we learned that our proposal
for RamSat was accepted for participation in the CSLI, an initiative
intended to provide launch opportunities during 2019, 2020, and 2021.
CubeSats are auxiliary payloads on planned NASA, other U.S.
Government, or commercial space flight missions, or deployments from
the International Space Station. We learned that our payload is one
of 21 satellites selected or prioritized for participation in the
ninth CSLI selection. Our acceptance was also announced on NASA's
website as RamSat, an education mission to develop and implement a
middle school STEM curriculum for building a CubeSat.
Peter Thornton, one of the RamSat team leaders from Oak Ridge
National Laboratory stated, "This is such an exciting opportunity for
the students! They will now have the chance to design, build, carry
out and own a satellite mission. They will be the mission scientists,
the communication specialists, and the logistics experts. They will
calculate orbits, learn to aim their satellite camera at selected
targets on the ground, radio their commands to RamSat, and receive
and interpret the digital data streams broadcast by RamSat,
containing imagery and all the other important data gathered on-
board. They'll be working as a team to identify and solve problems,
and they will be working with NASA professionals to integrate RamSat
into the launch and deployment missions. I can't think of a more
exciting project to ignite the students' curiosity and passion for
science and engineering."
The CSLI ride-share launch features spacecraft called
nanosatellites. CubeSats are sized in units, and one unit (1U) is 10
cm x 10 cm x 10 cm. To participate in the CSLI program, CubeSat
investigations must be in alignment with NASA's Strategic Plan. The
Robertsville Middle School proposal aimed to demonstrate alignment by
creating student-driven STEM-based lessons addressing educational
development needs relevant to NASA's strategic goals. The students'
targeted mission for their RamSat is to send a small camera and radio
encased in a 2U nanosatellite that will relay data and images from
space back to earth. With this information, students will study
reforestation patterns of vegetation lost in forest fires. The
student mission arose in response to a real-world connection they had
to the Gatlinburg fires last year.
[ANS Thanks OAK RIDGE SCHOOLS OAK RIDGE, TN for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Call for Volunteers - Dayton Hamvention
The 2018 Hamvention will be held on May 18-20 2018 at Green County
Fairground and Expo Center in Xenia Ohio. Planning is under way for
AMSAT's participation, and we are looking for volunteers in the
following areas: Volunteer Assistant, Publicity Assistant, Sales
Assistant, Outdoor Demo Assistant, Facilities and Setup Assistant.
Interested Hams should contact Team Leader Phil Smith via email at
w1eme(a)amsat.org for information.
[ANS Thanks Phil Smith, W1EME for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Maidenhead Grid EL58hx Activation Memorial Day Weekend 2018
(Venice, LA, USA) Wyatt Dirks, AC0RA, and Clayton Coleman, W5PFG will
travel to the mouth of the Mississippi River in far Southeast
Louisiana
to activate maidenhead gridsquare EL58hx on Memorial Day weekend,
2018.
The primary activities will be on the 6m band and OSCAR satellites.
This
will be Wyatt's first activation of EL58 in Louisiana and Clayton's
second. Both operators have conducted multiple, successful portable
activations over the years, with Wyatt activating over 200 grid
squares
and Clayton over 150. Dates, the operating location in the grid, and
transportation arrangements are confirmed.
The activation is scheduled to begin after 23:00 UTC on May 25 and
will
conclude by 20:00 UTC on May 27. All 6m operations will use the
callsign
AC0RA. All satellite operations will use the callsign W5PFG. HF
operation will occur during slower periods on 6m and when there are
no
satellites in view. Those wishing to confirm HF contacts must do so
via
ARRL's Logbook of the World (LoTW.) 6m and Satellite confirmations
will
be available following the expedition on LoTW in addition to paper
QSL's
accompanied with a Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope (SASE.)
Further information will be released prior to the expedition. For
general inquiries contact Clayton, W5PFG, at w5pfg(a)arrl.net. For 6m
operational questions contact Wyatt, AC0RA, at dirkswyatt10(a)gmail.com.
[ANS Thanks Clayton Coleman, W5PFG for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
FJ, St. Barthelemy Operations April 19-27
AI5P, N0KV, W0ZA and WD0E plan to operate from Pointe Milou,
St. Barthelemy Island (IOTA NA-146/Grid Square FK87) from
April 19-27, 2018. Operation will be on 80-10 meters (SSB/CW/
RTTY) with satellite operation by WD0E. Conditions may largely
limit most activity to 20 meters and down. Operating 160 meters
is being considered; however, no antenna option is yet finalized.
Satellite operation will take place on several satellites. A
satellite and pass schedule will be announced on the AMSAT-bb
in advance.
Equipment includes three Elecraft K3's and two 500 watt Elecraft
amps. Antennas include a SteppIR crank IR vertical for 80-10
meters, a folding hexbeam by Folding Antennas (Germany) on 20-10
meters, LPDA's on 20 and 17 meters and verticals on 30 and 40
meters.
Operation will be as continuous as conditions warrant. The Colorado
operators have decided to use FJ/N0KV as their callsign while AI5P
will be active as FJ/AI5P.
FJ/N0KV logs will be updated to LOTW while Rick's logs (FJ/AI5P)
will not since he continues to be an analog guy with an actual
key and pen/paper log.
Paper QSLs will be available from both N0KV and AI5P direct and
via the bureau.
Further:
For satellite operation we plan to be on as many passes of as many
satellites as possible focusing on the evening hours. Equipment
will be an IC 910 and Arrow. On Montserrat in 2015 we were on
FO-29 only. For St. Barts we will also operate some FM satellites.
We will assemble a pass plan before we go and post it to this -bb.
We will stick to that plan as much as possible but of course condi-
tions may cause us adjust on the fly. The operating location has
good visibility to the horizon from about the NW through N and E
to the SE. Other directions are somewhat obscured. QSLs handled as
written above.
[ANS thanks Jim White, WD0E for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT-OSCAR 92
AO-92 operations are scheduled among the U/v FM repeater, L-Band
Downshifter, Virginia Tech Camera, and the University of Iowa's High
Energy
Radiation CubeSat Instrument (HERCI). Please keep the uplink clear
during
passes with scheduled mode changes.
For the week of 11-17 Mar 2018, the following mode changes are
scheduled:
Approximately 1420UTC 11Mar we will enable the L band uplink for ~24
hours
Approximately 1625UTC 14Mar we will enable the VT camera and high-
speed data
for ~40 minutes. This is a central US and Mexico pass. Please be
ready to
copy high-speed data with FoxTelem, and keep the uplink clear at
1625UTC.
All other times the U/v repeater will be open continuously.
[ANS Thanks Drew KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Send Your Name to the Sun Aboard the Parker Solar Probe
NASA will send your name on a microchip to the Sun aboard the
Parker Solar Probe mission due to launch in the Summer of 2018.
The probe will fly through the Sun's atmosphere and you can go
along for the ride.
To survive in the 2500° F solar environment the spacecraft and
instruments will be protected by a 4.5-inch-thick carbon-composite
shield. At its closest approach the probe will be flying at
approximately 430,000 mph.
To submit your name follow the instructions starting at:
http://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/The-Mission/Name-to-Sun/
To learn more about the mission visit:
http://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/
[ANS thanks NASA and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ Gridders, Bob K8BL be staying in grid EM32 for the next couple weeks
and operating "holiday style" while visiting family. He can probably
work out going to adjacent Grids upon request. Besides LA, TX and
AR and OK are possibilities. QSOs will be in LoTW when I return
home the end of March.
[ANS Thanks Bob K8BL, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ I just wanted to thank Doug N6UA for his dedication to the hobby
of Ham radio. Doug made an out of the way trip to nebraska to
confirm the state for several of us who needed it for WAS LOTW. Doug
fought 65 mph winds on the way and during the qso on Cas-4B . At
times the howling was so bad that the audio was distorted , however
Doug endured the elements and continued confirming the Grid/state for
many of us. On the return home Doug encountered several semi
accidents on I-25 . Thanks Doug for being so dedicated as to go out
of your in bad weather to give a new grid or state to your fellow
hams
[ANS Thanks Jack KC7MG and Alex Weimer, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ N8FQ Satalite Sked page available for amateur use.
http://n8fq.org/sked/mobile.php?board=sat
[ANS Thanks Joe, N3XLS for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Watch the development of a homebrew VHF mast head preamp design
by VU2POP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTDkRRtWTk8
[ANS Thanks VU2POP for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Information about China ham radio satellite to the moon
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/11/18/lunar-amateur-radio-satellites-dslwp-
a1a2/
[ANS Thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ The schedule page at https://www.amsat.org/satellite-schedules/
has been
updated for the coming week for AO-92 operations. We could use more
stations feeding telemetry in auto or high-speed mode for the camera
run on Wednesday!
[ANS Thanks Andrew Glasbrenner for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ All telemetry (image frames) received by anyone with FoxTelem are
sent
to the AMSAT server (if you have selected "upload to server") and used
to construct a full image, in the same fashion that collecting many
diverse telemetry frames provides a more complete record of satellite
health and science data. So you may not see a whole image on your own
FoxTelem, but you are helping everyone see the full image because you
may capture a frame that no one else did. The more stations
receiving,
the better the chances for full images.
Set your FoxTelem for "auto" source on the Input Tab and pitch in.
Thank you for being part of the fun and learning!
[ANS Thanks Jerry Buxton, NØJY, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+ AYMAN ISLANDS, ZF. Operators K0NR and KB9DPF will be QRV as ZF2NR
and ZF2PF, respectively, from Grand Cayman Island from March 10 to
17. Activity will be holiday style on 40 to 10 meters using SSB and
FT8. This includes some FM Satellite activity from grid square
EK99. QSL to home calls.
[ANS Thanks ARLD011 DX news bulletin 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 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,
Chris Bradley, AA5EM
aa5em at amsat dot org
_______________________________________________
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
Opinions expressed
are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official
views of AMSAT-NA.
Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
program!
Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
<http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…>
Virus-free.
www.avg.com
<http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…>
<#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>
1
0
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-063
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:
* VP9, BERMUDA on Satellites
* GOLF-TEE and GOLF-1 Selected for NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative
* Rare Grid Rover Activation Planned on Pacific Coast
* VUCC Awards-Endorsements for February 2018
* Satellite 101 Wiki Released by IIT Bombay Student Satellite Project
* Rules for AMSAT Awards updated
* BIRDS-2 CubeSat Constellation Includes 145.825 MHz Digipeater
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-063.01
ANS-063 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 063.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE MARCH 4, 2018
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-063.01
VP9, BERMUDA on Satellites
VP9, BERMUDA. Chris, KG6CIH, will be active as KG6CIH/VP9 from Bermuda
(NA-005) between March 8-12th. Activity will be holiday style in addition
to also checking out the island. He will be splitting radio time with a
friend (David/WH6DSN was mentioned by another source). They will be focused
on SSB operations on the main bands (80/40/20 meters, 15 meters if pro-
pagation is good, 160m if antenna works), and maybe some satellite contacts
too. QSL will primarily be via LoTW, but if they get enough contacts, they
will consider printing up special cards.
[ANS thanks Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin #1353 for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
GOLF-TEE and GOLF-1 Selected for NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative
On March 2, 2018, NASA announced the ninth round of selections for the
CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI). The first two AMSAT GOLF CubeSats,
GOLF-TEE and GOLF-1, were among the 21 missions recommended for
selection.
AMSAT must negotiate and execute a Cooperative Research and
Development Agreement (CRADA) with NASA for each project to finalize
selection. NASA anticipates a sufficient number of launch
opportunities but does not guarantee that all recommended payloads
will be launched.
GOLF-TEE (Technology Evaluation Environment) will serve as a rapidly
deployable Low Earth Orbit (LEO) testbed for technologies necessary
for a successful CubeSat mission to a wide variety of orbits.
AMSAT Vice-President Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY, said “The
GOLF-TEE project tees off the next phase of our CubeSat program.
GOLF-TEE provides AMSAT hardware and knowledge for Attitude
Determination and Control (ADAC) capability and the opportunity to
develop a 3U spaceframe with deployable solar panels that can be used
in LEO or HEO missions, two of the major systems required in future
GOLF and HEO missions.” Ragnarok Industries developed the attitude
control system for the Lunar Heimdallr 6U CubeSat, a NASA Cube Quest
Challenge finalist.
GOLF-TEE provides the opportunity for rapid deployment and on orbit
testing of the AMSAT’s Advanced Satellite Communications and
Exploration of New Technology (ASCENT) program’s technology, including
radiation tolerant transponder and Integrated Housekeeping Unit (IHU)
technologies that will lead the way for low cost commercial
off-the-shelf (COTS) systems that can function in the MEO and HEO
radiation environments. GOLF-TEE will also carry a Fox-1E design V/u
linear transponder and RadFx (Radiation Effects) experiment for
Vanderbilt University.
GOLF-TEE and the GOLF program will provide for the development of
“Five and Dime” Field-Programmable Gate Array Software Defined Radio
(FPGA SDR) transponders for use on a variety of missions and orbits.
The target date for launch of GOLF-TEE is 4Q 2019.
GOLF-1 will serve as a follow-on mission, also to LEO. Launch is
targeted for 2020-2021.
GOLF-1 will require a de-orbiting plan that is in compliance with
NASA's NPR 8715.6 NASA Procedural Requirements for Limiting Orbital
Debris in order to be manifested on a launch, due to the high altitude
AMSAT has requested.
Please consider a donation to the AMSAT GOLF program for development,
construction, and testing of the GOLF-TEE and GOLF-1 CubeSats. Donate
at https://goo.gl/GJ2Utb
Checks may be mailed to AMSAT, 10605 Concord St. #304, Kensington, MD
20895-2526.
[ANS thanks Paul, N8HM, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Rare Grid Rover Activation Planned on Pacific Coast
Heads up AMSAT enthusiasts. Billy Blue, KM6NJL, plans to head to
Humboldt County, California March 16-19. Billy says, "Depending
on schedule and terrain and activities I'm going to try to work
from CM89, CN70, CN80, CN71 and CN81 or the borders of these
grids. Unfortunately I won't be heading further east."
[ANS thanks Billy Blue, KM6NJL, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
VUCC Awards-Endorsements for February 2018
Here are the endorsements and new VUCC Satellite
Awards issued by the ARRL for the period February 1, 2018
through February 28, 2018.
Congratulations to all those who made the list this month!
February: Short Month -- Fewer endorsements
CALL 1Feb18 1Mar18
WA4NVM 1450 1488
WC7V 1158 1159
AA5PK 996 1012
K4FEG 841 878
N4UFO 700 715
K6FW 661 703
K0FFY 173 260
VE6SWC 173 173
K5IX 100 125
G0ABI 115 116
AB1OC 115 (NEW VUCC)
PU8RFL 101 (NEW VUCC)
If you find errors or omissions. please contact me off-list
at <mycall>@<mycall>.com
and I'll revise the announcement.
This list was developed by comparing the ARRL .pdf
listings for February 1, 2018. and March 1, 2018. It's a visual
comparison so omissions are possible. Apologies if your
call was not mentioned. Thanks to all those who are
roving to grids that are rarely on the birds. They are
doing most of the work!
[ANS thanks Ron, W5RKN, for the above information]
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Satellite 101 Wiki Released by IIT Bombay Student Satellite Project
Members of the Pratham satellite team, the first student satellite
of IIT Bombay Student Satellite Project (IITBSSP), have created the
Satellite 101 Wiki as a part of a social goal of spreading knowledge
and enthusiasm related to satellite and space technology among
various aspiring students and universities across the globe.
The Wiki discusses:
+ Starting a Student Satellite Project
- Building the Team
- Planning the mission and finalizing the Payload
- Obtaining the required Infrastructure
+ Subsystems within a Satellite
- Payload Subsystem
- Communications Subsystem
- Electrical Subsystem
- Attitude Determination and Control Subsystem
- Mechanical Subsystem
Access the Satellite 101 Wiki at:
http://www.aero.iitb.ac.in/satelliteWiki/index.php/Satellite_101
[ANS thanks the IIT Bombay Student Satellite Project for the above
information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Rules for AMSAT Awards updated
A few months ago we added Washington, DC counting the same as a state.
Today, we continued to align our awards with the ARRL. Our rules stated
contacts had to be made within 25 miles or 40 kilometers from your home
location. We have now amended the rules to read within 50 miles or 80
kilometers. This should be more beneficial for those that have moved to
a new QTH.
[ANS thanks Bruce, KK5DO, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BIRDS-2 CubeSat Constellation Includes 145.825 MHz Digipeater
The BIRDS-2 CubeSat constellation developed at Japan's Kyushu
Institute of Technology includes three 1U CubeSats:
+ BHUTAN-1
+ MAYA-1
+ UiTMSAT-1
All CubeSats in BIRDS-2 constellation have identical designs and
utilize the same radio frequencies. They are planned for release
from the ISS together in 2018.
The primary mission of BIRDS-2 CubeSat constellation is to provide
digital message relay service to the amateur radio community by means
of an APRS digipeater onboard. The APRS digipeater onboard BIRDS-2
CubeSats will use 145.825 MHz for both receive and transmit.
145.825MHz is a standard frequency used by other satellites such
as ARISS and LAPAN-A2.
Another mission of the BIRDS-2 CubeSat constellation is to demon-
strate a store-and-forward (S&F) system. In this mission, a goal
is to investigate technical challenges through experiments on
appropriate data format, multiple access scheme, file-handling
protocol while complying with limited operational time and power
constraints.
Another interesting application of BIRDS-2 CubeSat S&F system is
for the satellites to collect data from remote ground sensors,
store them onboard and download them to the different BIRDS-2
ground stations network.
Further, students of Kyushu Institute of Technology will use BIRDS-2
CubeSat constellation to enhance research and experiment in the
fields of single latch-up event detection, magnetic field measurements
using a COTS anisotropic magnetometer, and flight testing of a COTS GPS
chip which can be used for future CubeSat missions if proven effective.
Students will also explore a passive attitude stabilization mechanism
consisting of magnets and hysteresis dampers for proper orientation of
camera on a CubeSat. All measurements and image data will be shared
with the public on BIRDS-2 project website.
Moveover, BIRDS-2 CubeSat constellation will expand amateur radio
communication experiment on the operation of CubeSat constellation
via a network of UHF/VHF amateur radio ground stations (started in
BIRDS-1 CubeSat constellation project). All the above missions are
envisioned to promote awareness of amateur radio communication and
amateur satellites among the general public and students, especially
in the participating nations of BIRDS-2 Project: Bhutan, Malaysia,
Philippines, and Japan. Planning a deployment from the ISS in 2018.
The IARU has coordinated a downlink frequency of 437.375 MHz and
for APRS uplink/downlink 145.825 MHz. The IARU detailed pages are
as noted:
BHUTAN-1
http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=562
MAYA-1
http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=563
UiTMSAT-1
http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=564
An article in the Bhutan press is posted at:
http://www.kuenselonline.com/bhutan-1-expected-to-be-in-space-by-may/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK, kuenselonline.com, and the IARU for the above
information]
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Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ Congratulations on achieving a distance of 7649 km via AO-7
QSO by F6HTJ (JN12) and K4FEG (EM55) near Memphis, Tennessee.
The frequency was 145930.0. (Via F6HJT)
+ The Eureka Amateur Radio Club, VY0ERC, is located at 79 degrees 59 min
North, 85 degrees 56 min West on Ellesmere Island (IOTA NA-008).
M0NPT recorded a video of G0ABI and G7SVF working VY0ERC via AO-91:
https://youtu.be/oOiV-iEZhX4 (AMSAT-UK on Twitter)
+ 2017 Space Symposium - Corey Shields KB9JHU - Intro to SATNOGS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsKJX4WgCn0
(via AMSAT Twitter)
+ Congratulations on achieving a distance of 5,479 km via AO-91
QSO by Sam, N3ROY (FM29) and Jose, EB1AO (IN52) in Spain at
1530 Z on March 1. (via N3ROY)
+ A group of Ham Radio operators from Southern Mexico will be
operating the special event "Spring Equinox" with the call
6E3MAYA from March 17th. to 21th. The activity will be 80 to
6 meters in SSB, CW, Satellite and Digital Modes. QSL via
XE3N. (Twitter via Daily DX and XE3N)
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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,
Lee McLamb, KT4TZ
kt4tz at amsat dot org
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