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ANS-272 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin - 2021 AMSAT Space Symposium to Honor the Late Dr. Tom Clark, K3IO
by Paul Stoetzer 29 Sep '21

29 Sep '21

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE SPECIAL BULLETIN ANS-272 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, 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: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * 2021 AMSAT Space Symposium to Honor the Late Dr. Tom Clark, K3IO SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-272.01 ANS-272 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin AMSAT News Service Bulletin 272.01 From AMSAT HQ WASHINGTON, DC DATE September 29, 2021 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-272.01 2021 AMSAT Space Symposium to Honor the Late Dr. Tom Clark, K3IO The 2021 AMSAT 39th Annual Space Symposium and General Meeting has been renamed in honor of Dr. Tom Clark, K3IO (SK), Director Emeritus and President Emeritus of AMSAT and Amateur Radio satellite pioneer. Clark died on September 28th. He was 82. The 2021 AMSAT Dr. Tom Clark, K3IO, Memorial Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will be held virtually on Zoom on October 30th. AMSAT members may register to attend via AMSAT's Member Portal, https://launch.amsat.org. The 2021 AMSAT Dr. Tom Clark, K3IO, Memorial Space Symposium will also be available to the general public as a livestream event on AMSAT's YouTube channel, https://youtu.be/RTvcceM7Tz0. Please join us to celebrate the many contributions of Dr. Tom Clark, K3IO, and the exciting opportunities of Amateur Radio in space. [ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT President, for the above information] /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. President's Club donations may be made at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-PresClub. 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space, This week's ANS Contributing Editor, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM n8hm at amsat dot org

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ANS-269 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Sept. 26
by Mark Johns, K0JM 25 Sep '21

25 Sep '21

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-269 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, 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: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * Virtual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting - Oct. 30, 2021 * UVSQ-SAT FM repeater ON September 26 * Temporary Shutdown of AO-92 and FalconSat-3 * ARISS Seeks Hosts for Ham Radio Contacts with Space Station Crew * Proposal to Ban All 300-2000 MHz Transmissions on Far Side of the Moon * FO-29 Operation Schedule for October 2021 * Space Station Crew to Relocate Soyuz * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-269 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2021 Sept 26 Virtual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting - Oct. 30, 2021 Due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, AMSAT has changed plans for its 39th Annual Symposium and General Meeting from an in-person event to a virtual event. This is a chance for "Amateur Radio in Space" enthusiasts from all corners of the globe to learn more about AMSAT's Strategic Plan, GOLF program, CubeSat Simulator and other exciting developments taking place in the amateur satellite world. AMSAT will host its 2021 AMSAT Virtual Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting on Zoom for its members on Saturday, October 30th from 9:00am CDT – 5:00pm CDT (UTC-5). The event will be a combination of pre-recorded video segments along with live question and answer sessions. Registration for members is required and is available on AMSAT's Member Portal, launch.amsat.org. Registration is free and registered attendees will receive a digital copy of the AMSAT Symposium Proceedings, entered into the Symposium prize drawings, and be able to participate in discussions during each question and answer session. The 2021 AMSAT Virtual Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will be available to the general public on AMSAT's YouTube channel, https://youtu.be/RTvcceM7Tz0 at no cost. Final papers for the Symposium Proceedings must be submitted by October 18, 2021 to Dan Schultz, N8FGV, n8fgv at usa dot net. Symposium presentations should be limited to 15 minutes of pre- recorded video. Video presentations must be submitted by October 18, 2021 to Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, n8hm at arrl dot net. We ask that presenters be available to take questions via Zoom following the airing of their pre-recorded video. Tentative Schedule 9:00am CDT - Opening Remarks 9:15am CDT – 2:00 pm CDT - General Presentations 2:00pm CDT – 3:00 pm CDT - AMSAT Education / CubeSat Simulator 3:00pm CDT – 4:00 pm CDT - AMSAT Engineering 4:00pm CDT – 5:00 pm CDT - 2020 AMSAT Annual General Meeting Questions regarding the Symposium can be directed to info at amsat dot org. [ANS thanks the Symposium organizers for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Join the 2021 President's Club! Score your 2" 4-Color Accent Commemorative Coin. This gold finished coin comes with Full Color Certificate and Embroidered "Remove Before Flight" Key Tag Donate today at https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ You won't want to miss it! +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ UVSQ-SAT FM repeater ON September 26 The LATMOS team has programmed the UVSQ-SAT satellite to go into transponder mode on Sunday, September 26, 2021 starting at 12:00 UTC. The transponder will be active for 11 consecutive hours. From September 25th 12:00 UTC, an ASCII message will be broadcast to announce that the transponder mode will be activated. To decode the message, you can use the UVSQ-SAT Decoder software: ApplicationUVSQsatDecoder/src/site/markdown/UserManual.md · 21-ecr-uvsqsat · xtof / JOSAST · GitLab (electrolab.fr) Frequencies used : Telemetry : 437.020 MHz - BPSK - GR3UH 9k6 FM Transponder : Uplink frequency: 145.905 MHz Downlink frequency: 437.020 MHz More information on the satellite: UVSQsat (amsat-f.org) and project : UVSQ-SAT (ipsl.fr) [ANS thanks Christophe Mercier, Président AMSAT-Francophone, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Temporary Shutdown of AO-92 and FalconSat-3 AO-92 has started to change its behavior after a number of weeks powered on. In particular, the IHU has come back on and switched to safe mode. This is likely due to low voltage during eclipse when it should be drawing very little if no one uses it. N8MH also reports that he is turning off FalconSat's transmitter for a while due to low voltage. The AMSAT Ops team is going to shut both down for a while in hopes they will recover. AO-91 still seems to be ok! [ANS thanks Burns Fisher, WB1FJ, AMSAT Engineering Team, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS Seeks Hosts for Ham Radio Contacts with Space Station Crew Starting on October 1, Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) will accept applications from US schools, museums, science centers, and community youth organizations — individually or working together — interested in hosting amateur radio contacts with crew members on the International Space Station (ISS). Contacts will be scheduled between July 1 and December 31, 2022. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw a sizeable number of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. The deadline to submit is November 24. Proposal information and more details, including expectations, proposal guidelines, and a proposal form are on the ARISS-US website. An ARISS introductory webinar session will be on October 7 at 8 PM ET (2400 UTC). Sign up via Eventbrite. Each year, ARISS provides tens of thousands of students with opportunities to learn about space technologies and communications through amateur radio. Crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will participate in scheduled amateur radio contacts. These contacts are approximately 10 minutes long and allow students to interact with the astronaut through a question-and-answer session. The program offers learning opportunities by connecting students to orbiting astronauts through a partnership that includes ARRL, AMSAT, and NASA, as well as other amateur radio organizations, and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan, and Europe. The program’s goal is to inspire students to pursue interests and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and Amateur Radio. “Educators overwhelmingly report that student participation in the ARISS program stimulates interest in STEM subjects and in STEM careers,” ARISS said in announcing the contact opportunities. ARISS says enthusiasm sparked by a school contact also may lead to an interest in ham radio among students and to the creation of ham radio clubs in schools. Some educators have even become radio amateurs after experiencing a contact with an ISS crew member. ARISS is celebrating 20 years of continuous amateur radio operations on the ISS. Contact ARISS-US for additional information. [ANS thanks ARISS and ARRL for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Proposal to Ban All 300-2000 MHz Transmissions on Far Side of the Moon Discussions about spectrum allocation, familiar to amateurs and to Global Navigation Satellite Systems designers and manufacturers on Earth, are now taking place regarding the lunar environment. The online journal, "Inside GNSS" reports on the proposal to ban all radio transmissions between 300 MHz and 2000 MHz in the area designated the Shielded Zone of the Moon (SZM), this would also be applicable to Mars. The spectrum would instead be used for radio astronomy operations, this would mean the Amateur Satellite Service allocations at 435 MHz and 1260 MHz would no longer be available to spacecraft in Lunar orbit such as Lunar-OSCAR 93 and Lunar-OSCAR 94 (Longjiang-1 and 2), see https://amsat-uk.org/2018/05/19/dslwp-satellites-lunar-orbit/ The Inside GNSS story says: The Space Frequency Coordination Group (SFCG) also has defined frequency bands allocated in the lunar region. These Radio Regulation and Recommendations therefore apply to the lunar GNSS frequencies, since a GNSS system made of lunar orbiters will cover all the far side of the Moon, and therefore must not create harmful interference on future radio astronomy observations in that zone. The ITU Radio Regulation defines the SZM as follows: “The shielded zone of the Moon comprises the area of the Moon’s surface and an adjacent volume of space which are shielded from emissions originating within a distance of 100,000 km from the center of the Earth”. Because Mars is regularly in the SZM, the specific Radio Regulation protecting radio astronomy in the SZM is therefore also applicable to Mars. Read the full story at https://insidegnss.com/the-shielded-zone-of-the-moon-protecting-radio-astro… [ANS thanks Southgate ARC for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT's GOLF Program is about getting back to higher orbits, and it all begins with GOLF-TEE – a technology demonstrator for deployable solar panels, propulsion, and attitude control, now manifested for launch on NASA's ELaNa 46 mission. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ FO-29 Operation Schedule for October 2021 JAMSAT has announced the following FO-29 operation schedule for October 2021. The satellite will be switched on while over Japan on the following dates and times (UTC). The transponder will remain on until the satellite's low voltage safety trigger shuts it down. Thus, the transponder may or may not be active by the time the satellite is over North America or other areas of the globe. 2 00:40- 10:58- 12:42- 23:45- 3 10:00- 11:45- 8 23:30- 9 09:48- 11:33- 10 00:20- 10:38- 12:23- 16 00:05- 10:23- 12:07- 23:10- 17 11:14- 12:57- 23 00:41- 10:58- 23:45- 24 10:03- 11:48- 29 23:31- 30 09:47- 11:33- Source: https://www.jarl.org/Japanese/3_Fuji/fuji3-202108.htm [ANS thanks Hideo Kambayashi, JH3XCU, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Space Station Crew to Relocate Soyuz Three residents of the International Space Station will take a short ride aboard a Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft Tuesday, Sept. 28, relocating the spacecraft to prepare for the arrival of the next set of station crew members. [Amateurs should be aware that all amateur radio operations aboard the ISS are switched off during docking and space walk operations -- Ed.] Expedition 65 flight engineers Mark Vande Hei, KG5GNP, of NASA and Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov of the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos will undock from the station’s Earth-facing Rassvet module at 1221z. They will dock again at the Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module at 1300z This will be the first time a spacecraft has attached to the new Nauka module, which arrived at the station in July. Live coverage of the maneuver will begin at 1200z on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. The relocation will free the Rassvet port for the docking of another Soyuz spacecraft, designated Soyuz MS-19, which will carry three Russian crew members to the station in October. Soyuz commander and cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos and spaceflight participants Klim Shipenko and Yulia Peresild are scheduled to launch to the station Tuesday, Oct. 5, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. This will be the 20th Soyuz port relocation in station history and the first since March 2021. Vande Hei and Dubrov are scheduled to remain aboard the station until March 2022. At the time of his return, Vande Hei will have set the record for the longest single spaceflight for an American. Novitskiy, Shipenko, and Peresild are scheduled to return to Earth in October aboard the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft. [ANS thanks NASA for the above information] -------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS NEWS Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. A contact was successfully completed on Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 18:05z between astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, KE5DNI, and Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, via a multi-point telebridge through IK1SLD. Congratulations to the Children’s National Hospital students and Akihiko! Another contact was successfully completed on Friday, Sept. 24 at 10:43z between astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, KE5DNI, and SPDW Voortrekker Movement, Oranjeville, South Africa, direct via ZS9SPD. Congratulations to the SPDW Voortrekker Movement students and Akihiko! A contact is scheduled for Monday, 2021-09-27 at 08:55z with Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS, and the scheduled Cosmonaut is Pyotr Dubrov. A contact is scheduled for Saturday, 2021-10-02 at 12:40z with Lycée Pierre Paul Riquet, St Orens De Gameville, France and CSUT University Space Center of Toulouse, Toulouse, France. This will be a multi-point telebridge via IK1SLD. The ISS callsign is presently TBD, and the scheduled astronaut is Thomas Pesquet, KG5FYG. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations K8BL will be going back to FN01, 02 & EN92 soon. He is looking to do FN14 this Fall. 2M0SQL will be operating as GB2KDR at the Keith and Dufftown Heritage Railway at Dufftown Railway Station (IO87) as part of Railways on the Air ( https://rota.barac.org.uk/) on Saturday and Sunday, September 25 & 26. He expects to be on LEO Linear and FM sats throughout the weekend will try to announce pass info on Twitter @2m0sql Please submit any additions or corrections to Ke0pbr (at) gmail.com [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT will host its 2021 AMSAT Virtual Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting on Zoom for its members on Saturday, October 30 from 9:00am CDT – 5:00pm CDT (UTC-5). [See complete article above.] AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. AMSAT Exhibit at 2021 Radio Expo Sunday, September 26, 2021 Boone County Fairgrounds Belvidere, Illinois http://www.chicagofmclub.org/ 2021 Wyoming ARRL Section Convention Saturday, October 9, 2021 Event Center at Archer 3921 Archer Pkwy Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 https://wyhamcon.org/site [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + Peter Goodhall, 2M0SQL, in IO87jp, and Dana Rushton, VE1VOX, in FN85ii set a new QSO Distance Record for UVSQ-SAT of 4,224 km Sept. 12, 2021 at 13:22z. Also, Bernd Scholer, DL6IAN, in JN49gb90, and Joe Werth, KE9AJ, in EN50fn57, set a new AO-7 Mode A QSO Distance Record of 7,248 km on Sept. 17, 2021 at 17:44z. Congratulations! (ANS thanks Dana Rushton, VE1VOX, and Peter Goodhall, 2M0SQL, for the above information) + NASA invites learners of all ages, including students and teachers who recently returned to the classroom environment, to register for a special event ahead of the upcoming launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. Webb STEAM Day: A Learning Journey Together is a virtual, interactive event that will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday, Sept. 30. Register at: https://go.nasa.gov/WebbSTEAMDay (ANS thanks NASA for the above information) + Three Chinese astronauts safely returned to Earth on Friday, Sept. 17 after completing the first crewed mission aboard the Tianhe space station module. Commander Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo touched down inside the designated landing zone near Dongfeng in the Gobi Desert, Inner Mongolia, at around 05:34z. The Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center declared the Shenzhou-12 a “complete success.” (ANS thanks SpaceNews.com for the above information) + UK stations must have Electromagnetic Field (EMF) assessments in place for operation above 110 MHz from 18th November 2021. Some RSGB guidance on EMF is here: https://rsgb.org/main/technical/emc/emf-exposure/ (ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information) + The head of NASA’s space operations division said this week an unpiloted test flight of Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule to the International Space Station, delayed from August by valve problems, will likely not launch until next year. Boeing’s Starliner test flight was supposed to launch last month to the International Space Station on a final demonstration of the crew capsule before it flies with astronauts. But managers scrubbed a launch attempt Aug. 3 after some of the valves inside the Starliner service module failed to open during a pre-flight checkout. (ANS thanks SpaceFlightNow.com for the above information) + A SpaceX Dragon cargo resupply spacecraft filled with more than 4,600 pounds of supplies and valuable scientific experiments bound for NASA’s Space Station Processing Facility is set to leave the International Space Station on Thursday, Sept. 30. NASA Television, the agency’s website, and the NASA app will broadcast the spacecraft’s departure live, beginning at 12:45z (8:45 a.m. EDT). (ANS thanks NASA for the above information) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Mark Johns, K0JM k0jm at amsat dot org

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ANS-262 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by kd4iz＠frawg.org 18 Sep '21

18 Sep '21

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-262 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, 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: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * Virtual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting - October 30, 2021 * AMSAT Board of Directors 2021 Election Results * HS18IARU and HS4ØØOZ active on Es'hail 2 / QO-100 satellite * FUNcube-1 (AO73) returns to full sunlight, continuous telemetry mode * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-262 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2021 Sep 19 Virtual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting - October 30, 2021 Due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, AMSAT has changed plans for its 39th Annual Symposium and General Meeting from an in-person event to a virtual event. This is a chance for "Amateur Radio in Space" enthusiasts from all corners of the globe to learn more about AMSAT's Strategic Plan, GOLF program, CubeSat Simulator and other exciting developments taking place in the amateur satellite world. AMSAT will host its 2021 AMSAT Virtual Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting on Zoom for its members on Saturday, October 30th from 9:00am CDT 5:00pm CDT (UTC-5). The event will be a combination of pre-recorded video segments along with live question and answer sessions. Registration for members is required and is available on AMSAT's Member Portal, launch.amsat.org. Registration is free and registered attendees will receive a digital copy of the AMSAT Symposium Proceedings, entered into the Symposium prize drawings, and be able to participate in discussions during each question and answer session. The 2021 AMSAT Virtual Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will be available to the general public on AMSAT's YouTube channel, https://youtu.be/RTvcceM7Tz0 at no cost. Final papers for the Symposium Proceedings must be submitted by October 18, 2021 to Dan Schultz, N8FGV, n8fgv at usa dot net. Symposium presentations should be limited to 15 minutes of pre- recorded video. Video presentations must be submitted by October 18, 2021 to Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, n8hm at arrl dot net. We ask that presenters be available to take questions via Zoom following the airing of their pre-recorded video. Tentative Schedule 9:00am CDT - Opening Remarks 9:15am CDT 2:00 pm CDT - General Presentations 2:00pm CDT 3:00 pm CDT - AMSAT Education / CubeSat Simulator 3:00pm CDT 4:00 pm CDT - AMSAT Engineering 4:00pm CDT 5:00 pm CDT - 2020 AMSAT Annual General Meeting Questions regarding the Symposium can be directed to info at amsat dot org. [ANS thanks the Symposium organizers for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Join the 2021 President's Club! Score your 2" 4-Color Accent Commemorative Coin. This gold finished coin comes with Full Color Certificate and Embroidered "Remove Before Flight" Key Tag Donate today at https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ You won't want to miss it! +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT Board of Directors 2021 Election Results With the election period now ended for the 2021 AMSAT Board of Directors I am pleased to announce that the following members have been duly elected to serve a two-year term on the Board: Joseph Armbruster, KJ4JIO Robert Bankston, KE4AL Jerry Buxton, N0JY Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO These join the existing Board members who have a year left in their current terms. Mark Hammond, N8MH Bruce Paige, KK5DO Paul Stoetzer, N8HM Congratulations to the new Board of Directors and sincere thanks to each for stepping up to lead the organization into the future of amateur radio in space! [ANS thanks Jeff Davis KE9V, Secretary, AMSAT for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ HS18IARU and HS4ØØOZ active on Es'hail 2 / QO-100 satellite. Two special callsigns, HS18IARU and HS400OZ, have been issued by Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). HS18IARU is promoting the upcoming 18th IARU Region 3 Conference that will be hosted online by RAST in September, is now active on all amateur radio bands.The callsign will remain active until September 30, 2021. HHS4ØØOZ is the special event callsigns to celebrate the 400th anniversary of trade relationship between DENMARK OZ4ØØHS & THAILAND HS4ØØOZ hosted by Experimenterende Danske Radioamatører (EDR) and Radio Amateur Society of Thailand under the Patronage of His Majesty the King (RAST), together with The Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce (DTCC) and Embassy of Denmark. The RAST team will operate HS400OZ and will be active on the Es'hail 2 / QO-100 satellite between October 1-31, 2021 on CW and SSB. They will use SSB on the narrow band transponder, split operation, listening 5 to 10 kHz up on the receive downlink: Uplink 2400.150 MHz, Downlink 10489.655 MHz = 5 to 10 KHz [ANS thanks Tanan Rangseeprom HS1JAN of RAST for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT's GOLF Program is about getting back to higher orbits, and it all begins with GOLF-TEE a technology demonstrator for deployable solar panels, propulsion, and attitude control, now manifested for launch on NASA's ELaNa 46 mission. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ FUNcube-1 (AO73) returns to full sunlight and continuous telemetry mode After a few months of normal eclipse periods, FUNcube-1 (AO73) will, next week, re-enter full sunlight from next week for a period of approximately two months. As we have been in continuous transponder mode for some time now, we have decided that, during this sunlight period, FUNcube-1 should operate in continuous high power telemetry mode. The change will be made within the next few days. FUNcube-1 has now been in orbit for almost eight years and the telemetry indicates that all systems, including the battery and solar panels appear to operating as well now as they did immediately after launch! [ANS thanks Trevor Essex, M5AKA AMSAT-UK for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ ARISS NEWS Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2021-09-15 15:30 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Childrens National Hospital, Washington, DC, multi-point telebridge via IK1SLD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at: https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled astronaut is Akihiko Hoshide KE5DNI. Contact is go for: Tue 2021-09-21 18:05:35 UTC 67 deg SPDW Voortrekker Movement, Oranjeville, South Africa, direct via ZS9SPD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS. The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at: https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled astronaut is Akihiko Hoshide KE5DNI. Contact is go for: Fri 2021-09-24 10:43:19 UTC 44 deg Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD (***). The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS (***). The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at: https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled astronaut is Pyotr Dubrov (***). Contact is go for 2021-09-27 08:55 UTC (***). Next mode change is expected to take place in late September 2021. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations Quick Hits: Bob Liddy, K8BL will be going back to FN01, 02 & EN92 soon. Also is looking to do FN14 this Fall. Gridders, stay tuned! Peter Goodhall, 2M0SQL writes in: - Wednesday 22nd of September, will be operating as 2M0SQL from IO97 on the North East Coast of Scotland, expect to be on Linear & FM LEO sats, keep an eye on @2m0sql for pass information. - Saturday 25th to Sunday 26th of September will be operating as GB2KDR at the Keith and Dufftown Heritage Railway at Dufftown Railway Station (IO87) as part of Railways on the Air (https://rota.barac.org.uk/) expect to be on LEO Linear and FM sats throughout the weekend will try annouce pass info on Twitter @2m0sql Major Roves: WL7T is on the road again!!! Watch Twitter for updates. https://twitter.com/WL7T_ Remaining on the schedule: Sept 19 DN00 & DN01 Sept 20 DN10 & DN11 Sept 21 DN20 & DN21 Sept 22 DN02 & DN03 Sept 23 DN12 & DN13 [ANS thanks Peter Goodhall, 2M0SQL and Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT will host its 2021 AMSAT Virtual Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting on Zoom for its members on Saturday, October 30th from 9:00am CDT 5:00pm CDT (UTC-5). The event will be a combination of pre-recorded video segments along with live question and answer sessions. Registration for members is required and is available on AMSATs Member Portal for the 39th AMSAT Virtual Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting. Go to: https://launch.amsat.org/Events. You will need to log in to access the registration page. RRRA Hamfest & ARRL Dakota Division Convention Saturday, September 25, 2021, RRV Fairgrounds Hartl AG Building, 1805 Main Ave West, West Fargo, ND 58078 https://rrra.org/cal/2021/09/25/rrra-hamfest-arrl-dakota-division-convention AMSAT Exhibit at 2021 Radio Expo Sunday, September 26, 2021 Boone County Fairgrounds Belvidere, Illinois http://www.chicagofmclub.org/ 2021 Wyoming ARRL Section Convention, Saturday, October 9, 2021, Event Center at Archer, 3921 Archer Pkwy, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 https://wyhamcon.org/site Updates may be found at: https://www.amsat.org/other-events/ AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS writes: THANK YOU, Conejo Valley Amateur Radio Club, for filling the Zoom Room tonight for my "Working the Amateur Radio FM Voice Satellites" presentation! The region has been hit by COVID, but they currently have EIGHTEEN soon-to-be hams mid-way through one of their licensing classes! They have been supporting the ARRL for more than 50 years as a Special Service Club. AMSAT member Brad, W6VO, reminded me that when I last spoke to them about 9 years ago, I stopped in mid-sentence during the show, looked at my watch, and announced: "Let's go outside and work a satellite!" And we did - SO-50 went right over the Sheriff's Station! Thanks for the invitation ... maybe in nine years we'll meet again and work a geosynchronous bird over the Americas! http://www.cvarc.org/ "Thanks for a wonderful show last night ..." I have received some nice notes saying that they learned a lot ... "Thanks as well for all the good words about the club; we were quite flattered." 126 total shows presented so far. And each is customized to the audience - so I can truthfully say I've never given the same show twice. Clubs continue to want to present this material to their members - as I have a more dates scheduled ..." AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, makes online presentations to Amateur Radio clubs and other interested organizations. Contact Clint at http://www.work-sat.com or by phone at 909-999-SATS (7287) to arrange a presentation. [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, and Clint Bradford, K6CLS for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + Two International Space Station crew members have had their stay onboard the orbiting lab extended to nearly a year. NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, KG5GNP, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov will remain aboard the station until March 2022. Upon return to Earth, Vande Hei will hold the record for longest single spaceflight for an American. (ANS thanks Mark Johns, KØJM AMSAT Ambassador & News Service Editor for the above information.) + Next SpaceX Commercial Crew to ISS Comprised of Radio Amateurs. Four radio amateurs will head to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a commercial flight, thanks to Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS). They are Raja Chari, KI5LIU; Tom Marshburn, KE5HOC; Kayla Barron, KI5LAL, and Matthias Maurer, KI5KFH. As the most experienced space traveler, Maurer, who is a European Space Agency (ESA) Astronaut, could end up with a very heavy work schedule. The targeted launch date is no sooner than October 31, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.(ANS thanks ARRL for the above information.) + With the successful launch of Inspiration4, four private citizens blasted off Wednesday night from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a first-of-its-kind fully commercial three-day spaceflight aboard a SpaceX crew capsule, riding to an altitude higher than any person has flown in two decades. A Falcon 9 rocket lit up Floridas Space Coast with a roaring liftoff from pad 39A at Kennedy at 8:02:56 p.m. EDT Wednesday (0002:56 GMT Thursday). The launch kicked off SpaceXs fourth-ever crew mission to low Earth orbit, but the first without any NASA astronauts on-board. Two-and-a-half minutes after liftoff, the rockets reusable first stage booster shut down and dropped away to descend to landing on a SpaceX recovery ship positioned downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. Moments later, the second stages single engine ignited to send the Crew Dragon capsule into orbit. The complete story may be found at: https://bit.ly/3lMVRj5 (ANS thanks Stephen Clark of Spaceflight Now for the above information.) + AMSAT-BB poster Roland Zurmely, PY4ZBZ noted on 9/16 that PSAT-2/NO-104 has not been transmitting for the preceding 7 days. Bob Bruninga, WB4APR investigated and replied that: "Problem was the bad Battery voltage telemetry went from nominal 6v readings down to 1.4v or so (140 count). Finally looked at telemetry closer as shown here: http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/tele2.cgi?call=psat2-1&last=20 And it is clear that the voltage channel (red) tracks the current (green) perfectly which is the opposite of what one would expect. So clearly the voltage bit has become detached and the voltage reading (red) is just the phantom reading of an unconnected telemetry bit following its adjacent A/D channel. So we have sent the command to turn off the PSK31 to see if battery recovers." It was not stated when the satellite would resume normal operations. (ANS thanks Roland Zurmely, PY4ZBZ and Bob Bruninga, WB4APR for the above information.) + Inspiration4 crew splashes down off Florida coast: A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying the first all-private, non-government crew to fly in low Earth orbit re-entered the atmosphere and splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean northeast of Cape Canaveral at 7:06 p.m. EDT (2306 GMT) Saturday. The return to Earth closed out a three-day mission in space for the Inspiration4 crew. https://bit.ly/39fUvr2 (ANS thanks Stephen Clark of Spaceflight Now for the above information.) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Jack Spitznagel, KD4IZ kd4iz at frawg dot org

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ANS-255 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by n1uw＠gokarns.com 11 Sep '21

11 Sep '21

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-255 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, 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(a)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: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * AMSAT 2021 Symposium and Annual Meeting Changes to Virtual Event * Second Call for Papers for the 39th AMSAT Space Symposium Proceedings * UVSQ-SAT FM Repeater to be Turned On September 12, 2021 * AMSAT President's Club Closing in on 2021 Goal * Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact Opportunity * AREx and the NASA Lunar Gateway Update * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-255 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2021 Sep 12 AMSAT 2021 Symposium and Annual Meeting Changes to Virtual Event Due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, AMSAT has announced that its 39th Space Symposium scheduled for October 29-31, 2021 will now take place as a virtual event. The Symposium was originally planned to be held at the Crowne Plaza AiRE hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota. AMSAT President, Robert Bankston, KE4AL, explained, "Our membership has voiced its concern over the continued presence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the risks associated with long distance travel and attendance at large group gatherings. In the interest of everyone's comfort and safety, we have made the difficult decision to return to a virtual meeting platform. If there is any good news in this, we know that last year's virtual Symposium event was well received and that we have the opportunity to repeat its success this year." The dates for the virtual symposium will remain the same as was originally announced. The schedule will be reviewed by Symposium organizers and adjusted as needed to accommodate the virtual setting. Persons who have already registered for the Symposium will automatically receive refunds in the days ahead. Please watch for further announcements as they become available. Questions regarding the Symposium should be addressed to info at amsat dot com. [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Join the 2021 President's Club! Score your 2" 4-Color Accent Commemorative Coin. This gold finished coin comes with Full Color Certificate and Embroidered "Remove Before Flight" Key Tag Donate today at https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ You won't want to miss it! +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Second Call for Papers for the 39th AMSAT Space Symposium Proceedings This is the second call for papers for the 39th AMSAT Space Symposium to be held on the weekend of October 29-31, 2021. The Symposium will be a virtual event. Proposals for symposium presentations are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite community. We request a tentative title of your presentation as soon as possible, with final copy submitted by October 18 for inclusion in the symposium proceedings. Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan Schultz, N8FGV at n8fgv at amsat.org. [ANS thanks Dan Schultz, N8FGV, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- UVSQ-SAT FM Repeater to be Turned On September 12, 2021 The LATMOS team has programmed the UVSQ-SAT satellite to go into transponder mode on Sunday, September 12, 2021 starting at 12:00 UTC. The transponder will be active during 11 consecutive hours. From September 11, 2021, 12:00 UTC, an ASCII message will be broadcast to announce that the transponder mode will be activated. To decode the message, you can use the UVSQ-SAT Decoder software available at: https://code.electrolab.fr/xtof/josast/-/blob/21-ecr-uvsqsat/ApplicationUVS… The frequencies used are: Telemetry: 437.020 MHz - BPSK - G3RUH 9k6 FM Transponder: Uplink frequency: 145.905 MHz Downlink frequency: 437.020 MHz More information on the satellite is available at https://site.amsat-f.org/uvsq-sat/ and on the project at http://uvsq-sat.projet.latmos.ipsl.fr/. [ANS thanks Christophe Mercier, PrÃ©sident AMSAT-Francophone for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT President's Club Closing in on 2021 Goal While the AMSAT President's Club had been around for many years, it was reinvigorated and re-launched at the 2020 AMSAT Symposium and general meeting. With a fresh look and attractive recognition items, the goal of $18,000 was set for the year of 2021. Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, Vice President, Development reports, "We are closing in on reaching our 2021 goal with $15,140 already donated by President Club members. With three months to go in this year, I'm confident we'll hit the $18,000 mark and then some. "In addition to direct President's Club registrations, we automatically enroll anyone who makes a donation of $120 or more to the general fund. This represents yet another $16,015 of generous giving by AMSAT members." Karnauskas adds, "Although there are three months left in the year, we have only a very limited supply of commemorative coins and, once they're gone, they're gone. These polished gold finish coins with four color accent colors have become quite a hit among members. We would hate to see someone not get one these collector items because they waited too long." Full details on the President's Club and registration page are located at: https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/. [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact Opportunity The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS. ARISS anticipates that the contact would be held between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. The new proposal window is October 1, 2021 to November 24, 2021. The deadline to submit a proposal is November 24, 2021. Proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and the proposal form can be found at: https://ariss-usa.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact-in-the-usa/. An ARISS introductory webinar session will be held on October 7, 2021 at 8 PM ET. The Eventbrite link to sign up is: https://ariss-proposal-webinar-fall-2021.eventbrite.com. Crew members aboard the International Space Station will participate in scheduled Amateur Radio contacts. These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session. An ARISS contact is a voice-only communication opportunity via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station and classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts afford education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space and to learn about space research conducted on the ISS. Students also will have an opportunity to learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science. Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in dates and times of the radio contact. Amateur Radio organizations around the world with the support of NASA and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe present educational organizations with this opportunity. The ham radio organizations' volunteer efforts provide the equipment and operational support to enable communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world using Amateur Radio. Please direct any questions to ariss dot us dot education at gmail dot com. [ANS thanks ARISS for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AREx and the NASA Lunar Gateway Update Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, ARISS-USA Executive Director, provides the following update on AREx plans to participate in NASA's Lunar Gateway system. "Originally planned to be launched separately, the Power Propulsion Element (PPE) and the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) will now be launched together on a commercial launch vehicle as the first Lunar Gateway systems. As a result, the launch mass is high and the resulting payload mass to be flown on this inaugural mission is very low. "The current complement of scientific payloads flying with PPE and HALO are the space weather, radiation and lunar dust experiments. For astronaut health reasons, the radiation and space weather measurements are critically important to understand the environment that astronauts will be subjected to. The lunar dust experiment is critical since these dust particles are highly corrosive and can impact Gateway machinery as well as spacesuits and the astronauts themselves. Beyond these three experiments, no other payloads have been manifested yet. "NASA and the other space agencies continue to refine their plans for Gateway, Artemis and other lunar missions. It should be noted that the space agencies are still designing Gateway so they are defining payload opportunities on a vehicle that is still being designed. This is kind of like driving a car on a bridge as it is being built! "Right now AREx is working to ensure that we are located on Gateway with a good field of view to the Earth. This will ensure more frequent AREx communications opportunities with folks on the ground. Some of the modules to be launched later than PPE and HALO appear to provide much richer Earth communication fields of view. We anticipate getting a better understanding of Earth viewing for the payload "ports" (or SORIs) on each module in the future. The current payloads need sun viewing so NASA is trying to determine which payload "port" would be best for them. "AREx is engaged. But, like ARISS and Space Station 25 years ago, Gateway payload manifesting will be a "fits and starts" opportunity. Therefore, patience and persistence are critically important traits the ARISS/AREx team uses as it moves forward. As the co-leader of the AREx team, I remain cautiously optimistic that we will be on-board Gateway in the future. And, I am maintaining patience." [ANS thanks Frank H. Bauer, KA3HDO, ARISS-USA Executive Director for the above information.] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT's GOLF Program is about getting back to higher orbits, and it all begins with GOLF-TEE â€“ a technology demonstrator for deployable solar panels, propulsion, and attitude control, now manifested for launch on NASA's ELaNa 46 mission. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ ARISS NEWS Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. The following schools have now been postponed due to COVID-19: Notre Dame Jogakuin Junior and Senior High School, Kyoto, Japan Direct via 8N3ND Originally scheduled for Saturday, September 18, 2021 at 09:26:41 UTC. Next mode change is expected to take place in late September 2021. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an amateur radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations + EN76: September 12, 2021, 1800-2000 UTC EN85/EN86 gridline: September 12, 2021, 2000-2200 UTC EN75/EN76 gridline: September 12, 2021, 2200-0000 UTC AA8CH reports on his upcoming rove: Times tentative and I may go to the EN85/EN86 gridline a little earlier depending. On Monday, September 13 I may do EN75/EN76 or EN85/EN86 again if there is need but would prefer to hit EN84/EN85 and EN74/EN75 so get in the log on Sunday if you really need the others. Will try to list probable passes here. Send me an email if you need any of the above and Iâ€™ll be sure to listen for you on the birds! + EN75: September 13-15, 2021 N8AJM is planning to make as many FM satellite passes Holiday style. He may also be in EN76 for a couple hours on September 14. POTA is also a possibility. Watch Twitter for updates. + FN26: September 16-18, 2021 VE3KY will be returning for a three day holiday style operation and will operate both linear and FM birds, hopefully trying to update operating times and passes on twitter @busman49. + CN70 & CN71: September 16, 2021 CN80 & CN81: September 17, 2021 CN90 & CN91: September 18, 2021 DN00 & DN01: September 19, 2021 DN10 & DN11: September 20, 2021 DN20 & DN21: September 21, 2021 DN02 & DN03: September 22, 2021 DN12 & DN13: September 23, 2021 WL7T is on the road again! Watch Twitter for updates at https://twitter.com/WL7T_ [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events + RRRA Hamfest & ARRL Dakota Division Convention Saturday, September 25, 2021 RRV Fairgrounds Hartl AG Building 1805 Main Ave West West Fargo, ND 58078 https://rrra.org/cal/2021/09/25/rrra-hamfest-arrl-dakota-division-convention + 2021 Wyoming ARRL Section Convention Saturday, October 9, 2021 Event Center at Archer 3921 Archer Pkwy Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 https://wyhamcon.org/site + 39th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting October 29-31, 2021 Online [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + AmazonSmile reports that a $384.06 donation was issued to AMSAT thanks to shopping activities of AMSAT members between April 1 and June 30, 2021. Thank you shoppers! [ANS thanks AmazonSmile for the above information.] + On September 2, 2021, Open Research Institute (ORI) received an advisory opinion from US Commerce Department BIS. The letter confirmed that posting information on the internet so that it is available to the public means that open source amateur satellite communications work is not subject to the Export Administration Regulation (EAR). Prior work by ORI established that open source amateur satellite communications work was free of International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). [ANS thanks ORI for the above information.] + Cosmonauts found "superficial fissures" in the aging Zarya module of the International Space Station, and worry that they will expand over time. Vladimir Solovyov, a Russian space program chief engineer, also pointed out that "at least 80 percent of in-flight systems on the Russian segment of the ISS have passed their expiration date." [ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.] + Charlie, EI8JB, will be active as EJ8JB from Bere Island which is located off the coast of West Cork between September 16-19th. He states, "Amateurs have authorization from our regulator to use the 'EJ' prefix once operating from one of the offshore Coastal Islands of Ireland." Activity will be on various HF bands using CW, SSB and some Digital modes (PSK/RTTY) as well as possibly FM Satellite. QSL via LoTW (Preferred), and by the Bureau and ClubLog's OQRS. [ANS thanks the Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin for the above information.) + At the AMSAT-DL General Meeting on August 28, 2021 in Bochum, the members elected the new Board of Directors for the next regular term of 2 years. Peter GÃ¼lzow DB2OS was again appointed in his function as 1st Chairman unanimously re-elected. Likewise, Thilo Elsner DJ5YM has now been appointed to the position of 2nd Chairman unanimously re-elected. Dr. Charly Eichhorn DK3ZL completes the executive committee as new 3rd Chairman and Treasurer, he too was unanimously elected. [ANS thanks AMSAT-DL for the above information.] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW n1uw at amsat dot org

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ANS-253.02 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin
by Mark Johns, K0JM 10 Sep '21

10 Sep '21

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE SPECIAL BULLETIN ANS-253.02 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, 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: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * AMSAT 2021 Symposium and Annual Meeting Changes to Virtual Event ANS-253.02 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE: 2021 Sep 10 AMSAT 2021 Symposium and Annual Meeting Changes to Virtual Event Due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, AMSAT has announced that its 39th Space Symposium scheduled for October 29-31, 2021 will now take place as a virtual event. The Symposium was originally planned to be held at the Crowne Plaza AiRE hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota. AMSAT President, Robert Bankston, KE4AL, explained, "Our membership has voiced its concern over the continued presence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the risks associated with long distance travel and attendance at large group gatherings. In the interest of everyone's comfort and safety, we have made the difficult decision to return to a virtual meeting platform. If there is any good news in this, we know that last year's virtual Symposium event was well received and that we have the opportunity to repeat its success this year." The dates for the virtual symposium will remain the same as was originally announced. The schedule will be reviewed by Symposium organizers and adjusted as needed to accommodate the virtual setting. Persons who have already registered for the Symposium will automatically receive refunds in the days ahead. Please watch for further announcements as they become available. Questions regarding the Symposium should be addressed to info at amsat dot com. [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.] --------------------------------------------------------------- Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW n1uw at amsat dot org

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ANS-248 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Paul Stoetzer 04 Sep '21

04 Sep '21

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-248 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, 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: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * AMSAT-EA's GENESIS Satellites Lost in Firefly Alpha Launch Failure * MESAT1 Submitted for IARU Coordination * AO-7 to Enter Full Sunlight Period * Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Recognizes ARISS Organization * VUCC Awards-Endorsements for September 1, 2021 * Call for Papers for the AMSAT Space Symposium * Registration Open for AMSAT Space Symposium * Voting Period for 2021 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Closes September 15th * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-248 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2021 Sep 05 AMSAT-EA's GENESIS Satellites Lost in Firefly Alpha Launch Failure Firefly's first launch attempt for their Firefly Alpha rocket ended approximately 2.5 minutes after liftoff on Thursday evening when an anomaly resulted in the loss of the vehicle. Among the payloads lost were AMSAT-EA's GENESIS-L and GENESIS-N amateur radio satellites. Felix Paez, EA4GQS, from AMSAT-EA said "we are very proud of all the team work and very grateful for this opportunity Firefly has granted to us." He added, "in January we will launch with SpaceX through Alba Orbital, our FM repeaters Hades and EASAT-2. We will keep you posted." Other payloads lost on the mission are listed at https://firefly.com/firefly-aerospace-announces-dream-payload-participants/ [ANS thanks for Felix Paez, EA4GQS, and Firefly for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Join the 2021 President's Club! Score your 2" 4-Color Accent Commemorative Coin. This gold finished coin comes with Full Color Certificate and Embroidered "Remove Before Flight" Key Tag Donate today at https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ You won't want to miss it! +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ MESAT1 Submitted for IARU Coordination The University of Maine's WiSe-Net Lab has applied for IARU coordination for their 3U CubeSat, MESAT1. MESAT1 will carry an LTM-1 transponder, provided by AMSAT, that will serve as a linear transponder for amateur radio operators to use for recreation and practice in addition to supporting telemetry and command with the satellite systems. This operation will provide education and training in the radio arts for students at the University of Maine, as they monitor onboard systems and receive telemetry and data from the onboard sensors, including remote sensors. MESAT1 also provides an opportunity for AMSAT to further characterize and test the capabilities of the LTM-1 in orbit, and to gain more flight heritage for the device. The LTM-1 is a 30 kHz wide V/u linear transponder with a 1k2 BPSK beacon. MESAT1 will also carry an L-band GlobalStar transmitter with a carrier frequency of 1616.25 MHz. This will be used along with the onboard GPS receiver, to provide back to the team early mission TLEs. These will be published on our website as well as on Space Track, to allow our ground station as well as hams worldwide to accurately point antennas and access the LTM-1. MESAT1 is scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in June 2022 into a 555 km SSO. More information is available at https://umaine.edu/wisenetlab/mesat1/ [ANS thanks the IARU for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AO-7 to Enter Full Sunlight Period AO-7 will enter a period of full illumination on September 9, 2021. This full illumination period will last until April 11, 2022. While in full illumination, the satellite's 24 hour timer will automatically switch between operation in Mode A (145 MHz uplink / 29 MHz downlink) and Mode B (432 MHz uplink / 145 MHz downlink). The Mode A transponder uses a 145.850 - 145.950 MHz uplink and a 29.400 - 29.500 MHz downlink. Unlike the Mode B transponder, the Mode A transponder is non-inverting. QSOs have been made using small portable 10m antennas for the downlink, but a full size dipole or directional antenna works best. [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Recognizes ARISS Organization Kathryn Lueders, Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA has posted a statement recognizing Amateur Radio On The International Space Station (ARISS) for its accomplishments in promoting STEM initiatives through amateur radio: NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) networks enable #NASA to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers – even from 350 kilometers above Earth. In addition to connecting the science community on Earth with the groundbreaking research studies and experiments aboard the International Space Station, SCaN enables the space station to act as a unique platform for global STEM outreach and education efforts. For over 20 years, the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program, a non-profit supported by SCaN, has connected classrooms on Earth with astronauts aboard the space station, allowing students to engage directly with astronauts in real-time. Using ham radio equipment installed on the space station and a ham radio station on the ground, students are able to establish a direct radio connection with the space station and ask the crew questions about living in space and what it takes to become an astronaut. In preparation for their ARISS contact, the students explore a variety of #STEM studies, including space exploration, radio communication, and wireless technologies. With tens of thousands of student participants each year, the ARISS program plays an important role in inspiring the Artemis Generation and encouraging students to pursue STEM careers. Learn more about the ARISS program and how you can bring space into your classroom here: www.ariss.org [ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN, ARISS PR, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- VUCC Awards-Endorsements for September 1, 2021 Here are the endorsements and new VUCC Satellite Awards issued by the ARRL for the period August 1, 2021 through September 1, 2021. Congratulations to all those who made the list this month! Congratulations to Dave Chasey N9FN on achieving the AMSAT GridMaster Award. CALL August September N8RO 1100 1105 WI7P 858 859 AA8CH 750 775 K9UO 653 675 WD9EWK 655 667 (DM43) KE8FZT 500 550 KB9STR 431 508 KS1G 451 484 W8LR 453 479 AK8CW 451 456 (DM37) HP2VX 406 425 VE4MM 350 361 KN2K 300 350 EA2AA 300 346 K5ZM 277 326 K8BL 278 283 KC1MMC 150 230 RA3DNC 156 200 VE3KY 150 182 N2NWK New 173 KD9NGV 100 151 KE7RTB 100 150 W5ERX New 133 DL6GBM 100 114 VY2HF New 103 AA8CH 101 102 (EN84) CM2ESP New 101 JK2XXK New 100 LA9XGA New 100 WA5RR New 100 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 the two months. 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 a lot of the work! [ANS thanks Ron Parsons, W5RKN, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT's GOLF Program is about getting back to higher orbits, and it all begins with GOLF-TEE – a technology demonstrator for deployable solar panels, propulsion, and attitude control, now manifested for launch on NASA's ELaNa 46 mission. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Call for Papers for the AMSAT Space Symposium Proceedings This is the first call for papers for the 39th AMSAT Space Symposium to be held on the weekend of October 29-31, 2021 at the Crowne Plaza AiRE hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota. Proposals for symposium presentations are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite community. We request a tentative title of your presentation as soon as possible, with final copy submitted by October 18 for inclusion in the symposium proceedings. Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan Schultz, N8FGV at n8fgv at amsat.org. [ANS thanks Dan Schultz, N8FGV, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Registration Open for AMSAT Space Symposium The 39th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will be held Friday through Sunday, October 29-31, 2021, at the Crowne Plaza AiRE in Bloomington, Minnesota. Registration is now open for the event at https://launch.amsat.org/Events Student registrations are available at $40, and General registration is at $75. Registration for the Saturday evening Symposium Banquet is an additional $55. Full details are available at the registration website. The Crowne Plaza AiRE is located at 3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN 55245, adjacent to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and only steps away from the METRO Blue Line’s American Blvd. stop. Nearby shopping and tourist attractions include Mall of America, SEA LIFE at Mall of America, Nickelodeon Universe, and the Minnesota Zoo. The Symposium includes presentations, exhibit space, and the AMSAT Annual General Meeting. The preliminary schedule is presented at https://launch.amsat.org/event-4414716 The AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting will be held before the Symposium, October 28-29, at the same hotel. Those attending may make hotel reservations by calling the hotel directly at (952) 854-9000 or (877) 424-4188 (toll free). The group name is Amateur Satellite Group. Platinum and Titanium members of the AMSAT President's Club receive free admission to the Symposium and receive a complimentary lunch with the President on Saturday afternoon. Please email members(a)amsat.org to arrange registration. Presenters are invited to participate at the Symposium and/or submit a paper to the Symposium Proceedings. Read the Call for Papers at https://www.amsat.org/2021-amsat-symposium-proceedings-call-for-papers/ for more information. [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Voting Period for 2021 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Closes September 15th The nomination period for the 2021 Board of Directors Election ended on June 15, 2021. The following candidates have been duly nominated and their candidate statements can be found at link that follows: Joseph Armbruster, KJ4JIO Robert Bankston, KE4AL Jerry Buxton, N0JY Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO In accordance with our Bylaws, AMSAT must hold an election, even though we have four nominations for four open Director positions. As such, we will host electronic voting on our Member Portal this year, at no cost to the organization. Voting is now open and will close on September 15, 2021. When members click on the poll link, they will see their ballot (poll question). After choosing from the possible options, click the Submit button to cast your vote. Unlike many online polls, the results of all votes cast, up to the point of your vote, will not be displayed. AMSAT members can only vote once. If you click the poll link again after already voting, a vote submitted message will be displayed. As four seats on the Board of Directors are up for election this year, all four candidates will be seated on the Board when the voting period concludes on September 15, 2021. To read candidate biographies visit: https://launch.amsat.org/2021-BoD-Election AMSAT members may access their ballots at: https://launch.amsat.org/Sys/Poll/25943 [ANS thanks Jeff Davis, KE9V, AMSAT Secretary, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS News The next scheduled ARISS contact is TBD. Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. Columbus Module radios: IORS (Kenwood D710GA) – STATUS - Configured. Supporting cross band repeater (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). Next mode change is to packet operation (145.825 MHz up & down) in late September. Power down for upcoming RS EVA on Sep. 09. Power down for upcoming US EVA on Sep. 12. Supporting USOS scheduled voice contacts, packet and voice repeater ops. Service Module radios: Kenwood D710E – STATUS - Radio usually off. Power down for upcoming RS EVA on Sep. 09. Power down for upcoming US EVA on Sep. 12. Supporting ROS scheduled voice contacts and SSTV. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations VE7KPM: CN78, 3-6 September – the 4th & 5th being the big operating days. Might be on the night of the 3rd, and bit on the morning of the 6th. VE3KY will be returning to FN26 for a three day holiday style operation on Sept 16, 17 and 18. I will operate both linear and FM birds and will hopefully try to update operating times and passes on twitter @busman49. K8BL: I’ll be going back to FN01, 02 & EN92 soon. Looking to do FN14 this Fall. VE1VOX: I’ll be operating holiday style Sept 4,5,6 from FN63, FN64. FM only using VE1VOX.. W2, UNITED STATES (Special Event/We Will Never Forget). Members of the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club (GSBARC)[W2GSB] and the Northeast Wireless Radio Club [NW2C] will activate the special event callsign W2T from Fort Totten Park (Army Base) Queens, NY, on September 11th, between 10 am EST to 8 pm EST. Activity is to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center. Operations will be on various HF bands using CW, SSB, satellites and the Digital modes. Please visit the QRZ.com W2T page after the event to get a downloadable certificate only. TI200, COSTA RICA (Special Event). Members of the Radio Club of Costa Rica (TI0RC) will be active as TI200I from San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, between September 1-30th. Activity is to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Independence of Costa Rica. Operators mentioned are Carlos/ TI2CC, Gus/TI2ALF, Carlos/TI2BSH, Eugenio/TI2CCC, Charlie/TI5CDA, Luis/TI2CLX, Gregory/TI2GBB, Hugo/TI2HAS, Javier/TI2JS, Rob/TI3RCS, Eduardo/TI2SD, Victor/TI2VVV, Alfonso/TI3ATS, Jon/TI5JON, Juan "JC"/TI5VMJ, Kamal/N3KS/TI5, Adrian/TI2LCO, Juan/TI2JCY, Francisco/TI2OKY and Minor/ TI2YO. Activity will be on all HF bands using CW, SSB, FT8, RTTY, PSK31 and the Satellites. QSL via LoTW. For QSL and certificate info: ti200i(a)ti0rc.org [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, and the Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 1529 for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. Northeast HamXposition - Sep 10-12, 2021, Marlborough, MA https://hamxposition.org/ AMSAT will have a booth at the event. Additionally, the following forums on Saturday will be of interest to AMSAT members and those interested in amateur satellites. AMSAT and Satellite Status Forum Burns Fisher, WB1FJ Burns’ presentation will talk about what is currently going on with AMSAT, including the new on-line membership portal and on-line distribution of The AMSAT Journal, as well as the current state of AMSAT satellites and new satellites that we are working on. Time: 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM Room: Princess Room Getting Started With Amateur Satellites Robert Hayes, KB1SWZ Bob will share tips for the beginner to get started with the “easy” FM satellites. Time: 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM Room: Princess Room An ISS Crew Contact: Planning, Execution & Learnings Along the Way Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC Prepare to blast off for an Amateur Radio experience of a lifetime! The ARISS program provides a way that Amateur Radio operators can work with schools and youth groups to talk to an astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS) using Amateur Radio. Fred will share all the steps needed to secure, prepare for and perform an ISS contact along with a school or youth group. Topics covered include proposal development to secure a contact, education planning around Amateur Radio and other STEM activities, and preparing and testing an Amateur Radio Ground Station to communicate with the ISS. The talk includes video from actual ISS contacts made between schools and astronauts on the ISS. Time: 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM Room: Salon A AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, has online Zoom presentations scheduled in coming weeks with amateur groups in New Jersey Central New Hampshire North Carolina Conejo Valley CA Sonoma County CA Massachusetts Antelope Valley CA Contact Clint to arrange other events: Clint Bradford K6LCS, AMSAT Ambassador; ARRL instructor http://www.work-sat.com Email: clintbradford AT mac DOT com (909) 999-SATS (7287) - voicemail/message [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Satellite Shorts From All Over + Hiroyuki Ishida, 7N1PFW, has received the 57th 73 on 73 Award. He completed the requirements for the award exclusively using CW. This award is issued for working 73 unique stations on AO-73 since September 1, 2014. To apply, send a list of your stations worked to n8hm at arrl.net (Thanks to Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, 73 on 73 Award Sponsor) + JARL has released the FO-29 operation schedule for September. It can be found at https://www.jarl.org/Japanese/3_Fuji/fuji3-202108.htm + JAMSAT has released the FO-99 operation scehdule for September. It can be found at https://www.jamsat.or.jp/?p=1605 + JAXA will launch its Epsilon rocket for the 5th time on October 1st. JA1OGZ has posted a summary of the satellites with amateur payloads on the launch at https://twitter.com/ja1ogz/status/1433236305970794499 + Congratulations to Dave Chasey, N9FN, on receiving the 33rd AMSAT GridMaster Award. The GridMaster Award is issued to amateurs who work and confirm QSOs via satellite with all 488 grid squares in the continental United States. More information at https://www.amsat.org/gridmaster/ (Thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards) + An acrylic GridMaster desk plaque is now available on the AMSAT store for GridMaster Award recipients. https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-gridmaster-acrylic-desk-plaque/ --------------------------------------------------------------------- Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM n8hm at amsat dot org

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ANS-241 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Aug. 28
by kd4iz＠frawg.org 28 Aug '21

28 Aug '21

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-241 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, 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: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * AMSAT-EA GENESIS satellites may launch September * Registration Now Open for AMSAT Space Symposium (Repost) * 2021 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Being Held (Repost) * Satellite Contact Acheivements and Records * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-241 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2021 Aug 29 AMSAT-EA GENESIS satellites may launch September Spain’s national amateur radio society, the URE, report two AMSAT-EA GENESIS satellites are expected to be launched on September 2, 2021. A translation of the URE post reads: The GENESIS-L and GENESIS-N satellites, designed and built by AMSAT-EA in collaboration with students from the European University and ICAI, will be launched, in a first attempt, on September 2, once the American company Firefly has carried out the static test of the Alpha launcher, this being the last step before its launch. The vehicle is ready for takeoff on its platform from Vanderberg Air Force Base in California and carries, for this inaugural flight, many other satellites from various organizations and universities. The GENESIS are digital repeating satellites of ASK and CW and also carry Applied Ion Systems’ AIS-gPPT3-1C experimental ion thrusters. The working frequencies of the satellites are as follows: GENESIS-L 145.875 MHz uplink, Modes: CW, ASK 50 bps 436.875 MHz downlink CW, ASK 50 bps, am2sat callsign GENESIS-N 145.888 MHz uplink, Modes: CW and ASK 50 bps 436.888 MHz downlink CW ASK 50 bps, am3sat callsign The description of the telemetry and the mode of operation of its repeaters can be found in the following links: Link to telemetry transmissions description (in English) https://www.amsat-ea.org/app/download/12293076/AMSAT+EA+-+GENESIS+transmiss… Source URE https://www.ure.es/satelites-genesis-de-amsat-ea-2/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information and the translation] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Join the 2021 President's Club! Score your 2" 4-Color Accent Commemorative Coin. This gold finished coin comes with Full Color Certificate and Embroidered "Remove Before Flight" Key Tag Donate today at https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ You won't want to miss it! +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Registration Now Open for AMSAT Space Symposium (Repost) The 39th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will be held Friday through Sunday, October 29-31, 2021, at the Crowne Plaza AiRE in Bloomington, Minnesota. Registration is now open for the event at https://launch.amsat.org/Events Student registrations are available at $40, and General registration is at $75. Registration for the Saturday evening Symposium Banquet is an additional $55. Full details are available at the registration website. The Crowne Plaza AiRE is located at 3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN 55245, adjacent to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and only steps away from the METRO Blue Line’s American Blvd. stop. Nearby shopping and tourist attractions include Mall of America, SEA LIFE at Mall of America, Nickelodeon Universe, and the Minnesota Zoo. The Symposium includes presentations, exhibit space, and the AMSAT Annual General Meeting. The preliminary schedule is presented at https://launch.amsat.org/event-4414716 The AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting will be held before the Symposium, October 28-29, at the same hotel. Those attending may make hotel reservations by calling the hotel directly at (952) 854-9000 or (877) 424-4188 (toll free) or online by visiting crowneplazaaire.com. The group name is Amateur Satellite Group. Platinum and Titanium members of the AMSAT President's Club receive free admission to the Symposium and receive a complimentary lunch with the President on Saturday afternoon. Please email members(a)amsat.org to arrange registration. Presenters are invited to participate at the Symposium and/or submit a paper to the Symposium Proceedings. Read the Call for Papers at https://www.amsat.org/2021-amsat-symposium-proceedings-call-for-papers/ for more information. [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ 2021 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Being Held The nomination period for the 2021 Board of Directors Election ended on June 15, 2021. The following candidates have been duly nominated and their candidate statements can be found at link that follows: Joseph Armbruster, KJ4JIO Robert Bankston, KE4AL Jerry Buxton, N0JY Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO In accordance with our Bylaws, AMSAT must hold an election, even though we have four nominations for four open Director positions. As such, we will host electronic voting on our Member Portal this year, at no cost to the organization. Voting is now open and will close on September 15, 2021. When members click on the poll link, they will see their ballot (poll question). After choosing from the possible options, click the Submit button to cast your vote. Unlike many online polls, the results of all votes cast, up to the point of your vote, will not be displayed. AMSAT members can only vote once. If you click the poll link again after already voting, a vote submitted message will be displayed. As four seats on the Board of Directors are up for election this year, all four candidates will be seated on the Board when the voting period concludes on September 15, 2021. To read candidate biographies see: https://launch.amsat.org/2021-BoD-Election AMSAT members may access their ballots at: https://launch.amsat.org/Sys/Poll/25943 [ANS thanks Jeff Davis, KE9V, AMSAT Secretary, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT's GOLF Program is about getting back to higher orbits, and it all begins with GOLF-TEE – a technology demonstrator for deployable solar panels, propulsion, and attitude control, now manifested for launch on NASA's ELaNa 46 mission. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Satellite Contact Acheivements Congratulations Toshio Arai, JM1LRA, and Junta Ohsone, 7L1ETP, on receiving the 55th and 56th 73 on 73 Awards by AMSAT-UK issued for working 73 unique stations on AO-73 (FUNcubeUK). Both operators completed the requirements for the award exclusively using CW. (posted via Twitter) A new distance record has also been claimed on AO-73 (FUNcubeUK). A65GC (@farangov) worked F4DXV at 02:37 UTC on 20-Aug-2021 - a distance of 5,313 km. https://amsat.org/satellite-distance-records/ A new distance record has been claimed on AO-27. @N5LEX in FN11nq65 worked @F4DXV in JN04it22 on 18-Aug-2021 at 20:46 UTC. https://amsat.org/satellite-distance-records/ Image [ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM AMSAT Director & Executive Vice President for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ ARISS NEWS Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. As of 08/26/2021 the next scheduled contact is yet to be determined. Current Status of ISS Stations: Columbus Module radios: IORS (Kenwood D710GA) – STATUS - Configured. Supporting cross band repeater (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). Next mode change is to packet operation (145.825 MHz up & down) in late September. Power down for upcoming RS EVA on Sep. 03. OFF Sep. 02 about 18:10 UTC. Back ON Sep. 04 about 13:45 UTC. Power down for upcoming RS EVA on Sep. 09. Power down for upcoming US EVA on Sep. 12. Supporting USOS scheduled voice contacts, packet and voice repeater ops. Service Module radios: Kenwood D710E – STATUS - Radio usually off. Power down for upcoming RS EVA on Sep. 03. Off Sep 02 about 18:10 UTC. Power down for upcoming RS EVA on Sep. 09. Power down for upcoming US EVA on Sep. 12. Supporting ROS scheduled voice contacts and SSTV. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations KX9X: Time to rove again! @Nancy_N9NCY & I are heading back up to Minneapolis for a few days. Will activate the EN36/46 grid line on Sunday 8/29 on linear & FM sats. Pop ups while driving up 8/28 & back 9/2 possible. More info soon! KB3IAI will be in FM26 on the coast from August 29th – Sept 5th. No set schedule, FM and SSB. VE7KPM: CN78, upcoming. 9/2 approx. [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events The 2021 HamXposition is taking place September the 11th and 12th, in Marlborough, Massachusetts. The convention has a new home at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center. If you would like to volunteer at the booth contact Phil Smith w1eme at amsat.org. REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for the 39th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting October 29-31, 2021 Crowne Plaza AiRE 3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN 55245. Complete information and registration at tinyurl.com/ANS-227-SYMPOSIUM. RRRA Hamfest & ARRL Dakota Division Convention Saturday, September 25, 2021, RRV Fairgrounds Hartl AG Building, 1805 Main Ave West, West Fargo, ND 58078 https://rrra.org/cal/2021/09/25/rrra-hamfest-arrl-dakota-division-convention 2021 Wyoming ARRL Section Convention, Saturday, October 9, 2021, Event Center at Archer, 3921 Archer Pkwy, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007 https://wyhamcon.org/site Updates may be found at: https://www.amsat.org/other-events/ AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, has online presentations scheduled for the following clubs: Sonoma (CA) ARC STARS - Easy Coast Fairlawn NJ Portland OR Longmont CO SW Florida Contact Clint at http://www.work-sat.com or by phone at 909-999-SATS (7287) to arrange a presentation. [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, and Clint Bradford, K6CLS for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + At Space Symposium (https://www.spacesymposium.org/), Aerospace Corp proposed a new form factor alternative to CubeSats: DiskSats. These disks could be 1 m in diameter and 2.5 cm thick, allowing enough surface area for 200 watts of solar panels. On a CubeSat, this would require deployables. “The point of DiskSat is that it complements cubesats for missions that consist primarily of electronics that need higher power.” A stack of 20 plates is also easier to launch on a small launch vehicle than 20 CubeSats. It feels like this borrows a lot from Starlink’s form factor, and potentially, its deployment mechanism. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.) + At SmallSat (https://smallsat.org/), Florence Tan from NASA mentioned that NASA’s SMD has been shifting from very small CubeSats to 6U+ CubeSats, ESPA-class spacecraft, and constellations. Roger Walker from ESA mentioned a similar trend of moving from 3U to 6U and then 12U CubeSats for operational science missions, facilitated by accurate COTS pointing and propulsion.(ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.) + BryceTech just released their very thorough Smallsats by the Numbers Report, which they define as satellites under 600kg. 1,282 spacecraft launched in 2020, of which 94% were smallsats, representing 43% of the total upmass—of these, 937 were Starlink or OneWeb. A whopping 40% of all smallsats launched in the last 10 years launched in 2020. See also this interesting Tableau report on the uses, locations, and life-spans of satellites. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.) + Space station spacewalk postponed by astronaut medical issue: A planned spacewalk outside the International Space Station Tuesday was postponed after NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei was diagnosed with a pinched nerve, which NASA described as a “minor medical issue.” Vande Hei planned to head outside the space station Tuesday with Japanese crewmade Akihiko Hoshide for a nearly seven-hour spacewalk to install a support bracket and modification kit that will enable the attachment of upgraded solar arrays set to arrive on a future cargo mission. The astronauts also planned to replace a floating point measurement unit, a device that measures the electrical charging potential of the space station solar arrays. NASA announced the postponement of the spacewalk Monday, describing Vande Hei’s condition as a “minor medical issue” and not a medical emergency. Additional detail at: https://bit.ly/3mCJSXc (ANS thanks Stephen Clark, Spaceflight Now for the above information.) + Launch of lunar CubeSat moved from Virginia to New Zealand: The launch of a miniature trailblazer probe for NASA’s planned Gateway lunar space station has been moved from Rocket Lab’s new launch pad in Virginia to the company’s spaceport in New Zealand, officials recently announced. NASA’s Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, or CAPSTONE, mission will test deep space navigation and communications technology in the vicinity of the moon. CAPSTONE will also demonstrate maneuvers to enter and operate in a near rectilinear halo orbit, an elliptical orbit around the moon that will be home to the Gateway, a critical piece of NASA’s architecture to return humans to the lunar surface. The Gateway is a mini-space station NASA intends to use as a staging point for crewed lunar landings later in the 2020s. Additional info at:https://bit.ly/3BjP8mP (ANS thanks Stephen Clark, Spaceflight Now for the above information.) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Jack Spitznagel, KD4IZ kd4iz at frawg dot org

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ANS-234 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Aug. 22
by Mark Johns, K0JM 21 Aug '21

21 Aug '21

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-234 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, 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: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * Contacts Completed Successfully Through AO-109 * Registration Now Open for AMSAT Space Symposium * 2021 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Being Held * AMSAT Awards Update * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-234 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2021 Aug 22 Contacts Completed Successfully Through AO-109 Several amateurs have reported successful operation through the AO-109 satellite, even though the satellite's power output has been determined to be less than 10 milliwatts. Carlos Cardon, W7QL in DN40, completed a contact with Dave Beumer, W0DHB in DN70, on August 12 using FT4. They repeated with additional QSOs on August 15 and 18. Also on August 15, W7QL completed a contact with Alan Bowker, WA6DNR in CM87 using FT4. Further, W0DHB and Mark Johns, K0JM in EN35, completed an FT4 QSO through the satellite on August 18, and repeated with a second QSO on August 19. Carlos noted, "Based upon our testing the past couple of days, I think FT4 QSOs should be consistently achievable on this satellite." These contacts have been an extension of digital mode experiments via satellite involving a larger number of stations, as reported earlier and in greater detail in the May/June 2020 issue of The AMSAT Journal. The stations involved have been fairly typical satellite setups without exotic additions. W7QL reports "using my IC-9700 (in Data mode, full power) and LEO-Pack antenna, with SatPC32 and WSJT-X." W0DHB, WA6DNR, and K0JM are using FlexRadio transcievers with transverters. All report using 75-100 watts of transmit power to get signals through AO-109, although care is taken to reduce power to 1 or 2 watts when using digital modes on other linear satellites, such as RS-44. While FT4 activity is generally at the low end of the downlink passband on other linear satellites (5 kHz above the bottom passband limit), activity on AO-109 has been on a downlink frequency of 435.770 (5 kHz below transponder center). Several other stations have reported experimenting with CW on AO-109. Take Tone, JK2XXK in PM85, completed a CW QSO with Tetsurou Satou, JA0CAW in PM97, on May 1, and other contacts among Japanese amateurs have followed. John Papay, K8YSE, Doug Tabor, N6UA, and Burns Fisher, WB1FJ, in addition to W7QL and W0DHB, have reported hearing or experimenting with CW on the bird in North America. K8YSE in EN91 and Stephan Greene, KS1G in FM18, reported a completed CW QSO on August 21. Mark Hammond, N8MH, AMSAT Director and Command Station, has also been paying close attention to AO-109 signals. He notes, "All you need is to use AF from the built in sound cards of the 9700, directly into WSJT-X, over USB cable. Then, have the radio use USB-D and LSB-D modes. It will probably give you a little better signal to noise I think? Seeing 3 kHz of the transponder downlink is plenty. Doppler correction is important, especially around TCA. Tell SatPC32 under the CAT tab to do Intervals of "0 Hz" for SSB/CW and use a Speed of x5." [ANS thanks Carlos Cardon, W7QL, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Join the 2021 President's Club! Score your 2" 4-Color Accent Commemorative Coin. This gold finished coin comes with Full Color Certificate and Embroidered "Remove Before Flight" Key Tag Donate today at https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ You won't want to miss it! +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Registration Now Open for AMSAT Space Symposium The 39th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will be held Friday through Sunday, October 29-31, 2021, at the Crowne Plaza AiRE in Bloomington, Minnesota. Registration is now open for the event at https://launch.amsat.org/Events Student registrations are available at $40, and General registration is at $75. Registration for the Saturday evening Symposium Banquet is an additional $55. Full details are available at the registration website. The Crowne Plaza AiRE is located at 3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN 55245, adjacent to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and only steps away from the METRO Blue Line’s American Blvd. stop. Nearby shopping and tourist attractions include Mall of America, SEA LIFE at Mall of America, Nickelodeon Universe, and the Minnesota Zoo. The Symposium includes presentations, exhibit space, and the AMSAT Annual General Meeting. The preliminary schedule is presented at https://launch.amsat.org/event-4414716 The AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting will be held before the Symposium, October 28-29, at the same hotel. Those attending may make hotel reservations by calling the hotel directly at (952) 854-9000 or (877) 424-4188 (toll free) or online by visiting crowneplazaaire.com. The group name is Amateur Satellite Group. Platinum and Titanium members of the AMSAT President's Club receive free admission to the Symposium and receive a complimentary lunch with the President on Saturday afternoon. Please email members(a)amsat.org to arrange registration. Presenters are invited to participate at the Symposium and/or submit a paper to the Symposium Proceedings. Read the Call for Papers at https://www.amsat.org/2021-amsat-symposium-proceedings-call-for-papers/ for more information. [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ 2021 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Being Held The nomination period for the 2021 Board of Directors Election ended on June 15, 2021. The following candidates have been duly nominated and their candidate statements can be found at link that follows: Joseph Armbruster, KJ4JIO Robert Bankston, KE4AL Jerry Buxton, N0JY Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO In accordance with our Bylaws, AMSAT must hold an election, even though we have four nominations for four open Director positions. As such, we will host electronic voting on our Member Portal this year, at no cost to the organization. Voting is now open and will close on September 15, 2021. When members click on the poll link, they will see their ballot (poll question). After choosing from the possible options, click the Submit button to cast your vote. Unlike many online polls, the results of all votes cast, up to the point of your vote, will not be displayed. AMSAT members can only vote once. If you click the poll link again after already voting, a vote submitted message will be displayed. As four seats on the Board of Directors are up for election this year, all four candidates will be seated on the Board when the voting period concludes on September 15, 2021. To read candidate biographies see: https://launch.amsat.org/2021-BoD-Election AMSAT members may access their ballots at: https://launch.amsat.org/Sys/Poll/25943 [ANS thanks Jeff Davis, KE9V, AMSAT Secretary, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT's GOLF Program is about getting back to higher orbits, and it all begins with GOLF-TEE – a technology demonstrator for deployable solar panels, propulsion, and attitude control, now manifested for launch on NASA's ELaNa 46 mission. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT Awards Update Here are the latest award updates for the first half of the year, plus a bit. AMSAT Satellite Communicators Award for making their first satellite QSO John Wedge, VA6WEG Brandon Coon, KI5MJH Davy Jacobs, ON8ZJ Ryan Frederick, K7NZE Peter Spinelli, N4YOT John Hutchison, KI5NYZ Allen Beard, K4WSD David Johnston, WD6AOE ------ AMSAT Communications Achievement Award Martin Schuette, N9EAT, #633 Stephen DeVience, N8URE, #634 Dave Lane, KB0RFY, #635 Allen Beard, K4WSD, #636 Wes Baden, NA1ME, #637 Thomas Talley, K0CFI, #638 ------ AMSAT Sexagesimal Satellite Communications Achievement Award Martin Schuette, N9EAT, #190 Stephen DeVience, N8URE, #191 Wes Baden, NA1ME, #192 ------ AMSAT Century Award Martin Schuette, N9EAT, #57 Wes Baden, NA1ME, #58 ------ AMSAT South Africa Satellite Communications Achievement Award Martin Schuette, N9EAT, #US236 Stephen DeVience, N8URE, #US237 Dave Lane, KB0RFY, #US238 Allen Beard, K4WSD, #US239 Wes Baden, NA1ME, #US240 Thomas Talley, K0CFI, #US241 ------ AMSAT Robert W. Barbee Jr., W4AMI Award (1,000-4,000) Ken Bodholt, KI7UXT #US104 upgraded to 4,000 Bernd Scholer, DL6IAN #US116 upgraded to 3,000 Michael Mark, VE4MM, #117 upgraded to 2,000 Stephen DeVience, N8URE, #US118 Larry Callahan, KF6JOQ, #US119 ------ AMSAT Rover Award Rover Call ===== ======== #57 ND9M/MM #58 LA9XGA #59 WI7P #60 KF6JOQ ------ GridMaster Award GridMaster Call ========== ======== #27 W9TWJ #28 W5RKN #29 KI7UXT #30 K8YSE/7 #31 KB6LTY #32 KC9ELU To see all the awards visit http://www.amsat.org and click on Services then Awards. [ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director Contests and Awards, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ ARISS NEWS Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. The next scheduled contact is with Carl Fuhlrott-Gymnasium, Wuppertal, Germany, direct via DN1CFG. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS. The scheduled astronaut is Akihiko Hoshide, KE5DNI. The contact is go for: Monday, 2021-08-23 07:54:53 UTC, 81 degrees maximum elevation over Germany. The ARISS station is currently supporting packet operation (145.825 MHz up & down). Next mode change is to cross band repeater after the school contact on Aug 23 (after 08:05 UTC). The station will power down for upcoming U.S. EVA [spacewalk] on August 24. Shutdown scheduled for about 19:00 UTC Aug 23. Power up scheduled for 07:45 UTC Aug 25. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations WL7T will be putting a number of Alaska grids on the air, August 21-27: BP44, BP45, BP46, BP47, BP54, BP55, BP57, BP58, BP59, BP64, BP65, BP75, BP84, BP85 VE7KPM: CN78, upcoming. 9/2 approx. [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, has online presentations scheduled for the following clubs: Sonoma (CA) ARC STARS - Easy Coast Fairlawn NJ Portland OR Longmont CO SW Florida Contact Clint at http://www.work-sat.com or by phone at 909-999-SATS (7287) to arrange a presentation. The 2021 HamXposition is taking place September the 11th and 12th, in Marlborough, Massachusetts. The convention has a new home at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center. If you would like to volunteer at the booth contact Phil Smith w1eme at amsat.org. REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for the 39th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting October 29-31, 2021 Crowne Plaza AiRE 3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN 55245. Complete information and registration at tinyurl.com/ANS-227-SYMPOSIUM. [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + The previously announced schedule of FCC amateur radio application fees likely will not go into effect before 2022. FCC staff confirmed during a recent virtual meeting with Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (VECs) that the agency is still working on the necessary changes to the Universal Licensing System (ULS) software and other processes and procedures that must be in place before it starts collecting fees from amateur applicants. Once it's effective, a $35 application fee will apply to new, modification (upgrade and sequential call sign change), renewal, and vanity call sign applications. (ANS thanks ARRL for the above information.) + AMSAT-DL reports the antenna used by DP0GVN in Antarctica for the QO-100 geostationary satellite amateur radio transponder is completely destroyed. According to the Alfred-Wegener-Institute (AWI), a severe winter storm hit Atka Bay (Antarctica) at the end of last week. Unfortunately, the satellite antenna for the geostationary QO-100 amateur radio satellite was also completely destroyed during the storm, despite the weatherproof radome, so no school contacts with DP0GVN can take place until further notice. AMSAT-DL and AWI hope to erect a new antenna early next year, in particular to continue the very successful contacts with schools. (ANS thanks AMSAT-UK and AMSAT-DL for the above information.) + NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, KG5GNP, and astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, KE5DNI, of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will venture outside the International Space Station on Tuesday, Aug. 24, for a spacewalk to install a support bracket in preparation for future installation of the orbiting laboratory’s third new solar array. NASA will discuss the upcoming spacewalk during a news conference at 1800z (2 p.m. EDT) Monday, Aug. 23. Live coverage of the news conference and spacewalk will air on NASA Television, the agency’s website, and the NASA app. [Amateurs should be aware that all amateur radio transmissions are powered off during spacewalks.] (ANS thanks NASA for the above information.) + The Ingenuity helicopter on Mars has now completed its 12th flight, where it acted as a scout, looking ahead for dangerous terrain for it’s partner in crime, the Perseverance rover. The 4-pound autonomous rotocraft climbed over almost 10 meters (33 ft) high, and traveled a total of 450 meters (1,476 ft) in 169 seconds. It flew over the over an area dubbed the ‘South Seitah’ region of Mars, where Perseverance will explore. (ANS thanks Universe Today for the above information.) + Scientists have spotted a previously unrecognized feature of our Milky Way galaxy: A contingent of young stars and star-forming gas clouds is sticking out of one of the Milky Way's spiral arms like a splinter poking out from a plank of wood. Stretching some 3,000 light-years, this is the first major structure identified with an orientation so dramatically different than the arm's. (ANS thanks Space Daily for the above information.) + NASA is calling on all sixth through 12th-grade educators and students to submit experiments for possible suborbital flights as a way of gaining firsthand experience with the design and testing process used by NASA researchers. The NASA TechRise Student Challenge invites students to design, build, and launch experiments on suborbital rockets and high-altitude balloons. Each winning team will receive $1,500 to build their experiment and an assigned spot to test it on a NASA-sponsored suborbital flight. For details, see https://www.futureengineers.org/nasatechrise (ANS thanks NASA for the above information.) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Mark Johns, K0JM k0jm at amsat dot org

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ANS-227 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for August 15, 2021
by n1uw＠gokarns.com 14 Aug '21

14 Aug '21

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-227 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, 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(a)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: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * Call For Papers For The 39Th AMSAT Space Symposium (Repost) * IARU Coordinates Two New Satellites * AMSAT at the Northeast HamXposition - Call for Volunteers * MIR-SAT 1 Reaches STEM Objective * FT4 via the AO-73 CubeSat Demonstration Video * Weekly Changes for Keplerian Elements/TLE's * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-227 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2021 Aug 15 Call For Papers For The 39Th AMSAT Space Symposium (Repost) This is a call for papers for the 39th AMSAT Space Symposium to be held on the weekend of October 29-31, 2021 at the Crowne Plaza AiRE hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota. Proposals for symposium presentations are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite community. We request a tentative title of your presentation as soon as possible, with final copy submitted by October 18 for inclusion in the symposium proceedings. Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan Schultz, N8FGV at n8fgv(a)amsat.org [ANS thanks Dan Schultz N8FGV, Symposium Program Chair, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Join the 2021 President's Club! Score your 2" 4-Color Accent Commemorative Coin. This gold finished coin comes with Full Color Certificate and Embroidered "Remove Before Flight" Key Tag Donate today at https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ You won't want to miss it! +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ IARU Coordinates Two New Satellites Cape IV-GTO A 100x100x20mm Picosat sponsored by the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. The first mission is to teach by doing to design, build, test, launch and operate satellite on orbit. The second mission is to reach out to high schools in the area to design and operate devices in orbit. This will train high school students in radio communications and encourage STEM activities. Proposing LoRa comms using 10.3 Fd1 18bps. Downlinks on 145.825 MHz, 145.990 MHz (spare) and 437.325 MHz have been coordinated. No launch info yet available but planning a 36000 x 200 km orbit. More info at https://ee.louisiana.edu/research/cape. QubeSat A 2U CubeSat sponsored by the University of California – Berkeley. The QubeSat mission is to research the effects of space environment on a quantum gyroscope based on NV–centers in diamond. These sensors could support better attitude determination systems for cubesats, including Amateur cubesats. The OpenLST uses the TI CC1101 packet structure, supported by the accompanying OpenLST software. This packet format can be decoded by anyone since it is well documented, so it could be useful to the amateur satellite community. Proposing a 2-FSK UHF downlink at 5k5 bps. A downlink on 437.740 MHz has been coordinated. Planning an Astra launch into a 500 km orbit in Dec 2021. More info from https://stac.berkeley.edu/project/qubesat. [ANS thanks IARU and AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT at the Northeast HamXposition-- Call for volunteers It is the efforts of volunteers that make Hamvention's a success for AMSAT. The interaction with AMSAT members, satellite operators, designers, and builders make the whole experience a lot of fun. The 2021 HamXposition is taking place September the 11-12, 2021 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. The convention has a new home at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center. If you would like to volunteer at the booth contact Phil Smith w1eme(a)amsat.org. [ANS thanks Phil Smith, W1EME for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ MIR-SAT 1 Reaches STEM Objective One of the main objective of the MIR-SAT 1 project is to promote STEM and HAM radio which is fully in line with the AMSAT Ambassador initiative. Mauritius Amateur Radio Society (MARS) is quite proud to announce that three schools in 3B8 have successfully capture the TLM of MIR-SAT 1 so far and that many others Educational institution are already equipped to succeed same soon. The following certificate were issued today by the Mauritius Amateur Radio Society today, - 3B8BBD - AM_nml - E29AHU - JH4XSY - OM7AAK - FSGSSS (The first 3B8 school to obtain the Award, Forestside State Secondary School (Girls) - 3B8FV - LZ1NY - PMLMB (The second 3B8 School to obtain the Award, Polytecnics Mauritius Ltd. Montagne Blanche) Prof. Hassan Rafa State Secondary School of Terre Rouge were the second school to receive and decode the signals from MIR-SAT 1 but unfortunately without a permanent internet connection they did not upload the telemetry to SatNOGS thus not eligible for the Award, hopefully they will get it soon. Congratulations to the winners and thanks to them for providing TLM of MIR-SAT 1 to MARS through SatNOGS. Note that MIR-SAT 1 is still in safe mode and under testing. MARS will advise when it will be available to Amateur use ASAP. [ANS thanks Jean Marc Momple, 3B8DU for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- FT4 via the AO-73 CubeSat Demonstration Video Sweden’s AMSAT-SM has released a short video showing communications via the amateur radio satellite AO-73 (FunCube-1) using the popular digital mode FT4. This is a short video of FT-4 communication via satellite AO-73 with SDR-Console V3.1 and Icom IC-705. It is a part of a guide that will be published later on AMSAT-SM web https://www.amsat.se/ In the first part you will see the first screen with SDR-Console with Airspy Mini as receiver, audio is piped to WSJT-X. You will also see SDR-Console handle the TX Doppler correction for the IC-705 via “External radio”. In the second part you will see the second screen with WSJT-X connected to IC-705. The output was only one (1) to two (2) watts! You can see that WSJT-X is reading the Doppler corrected frequency. You will also see SDR-Console satellite tracking and PstRotator controlling the SPID RAS rotor. For more information see https://amsat-uk.org/. [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT's GOLF Program is about getting back to higher orbits, and it all begins with GOLF-TEE – a technology demonstrator for deployable solar panels, propulsion, and attitude control, now manifested for launch on NASA's ELaNa 46 mission. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Weekly Changes for Keplerian Elements/TLE's The following satellite has been added to this week's AMSAT TLE Distribution: FEES - NORAD Cat ID 48082 (Thanks to Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P for the identification.) Complete information on TLE Keplerian Elements and resources can always be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/ [ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS NEWS Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. Next mode change is expected to take place in late August 2021. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an amateur radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations + Trans-Nevada: August 16-20, 2021 David AD7DB is planning a rove starting August 16 on FM satellites. - Mon 8/16 DM09 in Reno area. - Tue 8/17 DN00, DN10 & 11 later, near Lovelock and Winnemucca. - Wed 8/18 DN10, DN20 & 21 later, near Elko. - Thu 8/19 DN21, DN20 & 30 later, near Wells and Wendover. - Fri 8/20 DN20 and 30, near Wendover. The actual satellite passes and times are still being worked out but plans are for AO-91, AO-92, SO-50, AO-27 and PO-101. Go to twitter.com/ad7db for the latest updates during the rove. + BP44, BP45, BP46, BP47, BP54, BP55, BP57, BP58, BP59, BP64, BP65, BP75, BP84, BP85: August 21-27,2021 Look for Taylor, WL7T as he is on the move in Alaska. [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events 39th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting October 29-31, 2021 Crowne Plaza AiRE 3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN 55245. Complete information at tinyurl.com/ANS-227-SYMPOSIUM. 2021 HamXposition September the 11-12, 2021 Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center Marlborough, Massachusetts [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + AMSAT-DL will hold its Satellite Symposium and General Assembly 2021 on August 28 in Bochum. As it currently stands, this will be a face-to-face event. More information at tinyurl.com/ANS-227-AMSAT-DL. + A student of ARISS educator Joanne Michael won an AIAA Kahn $10,000 scholarship. Joanne taught him hands-on science in kindergarten through fifth grade at Meadows Elementary in the Manhattan Beach Unified School District. The young man is now enrolled at Stanford University. He wrote, “I love finding out the mechanics of any device and gaining knowledge by hands-on experience. I cannot stand not knowing what lies beyond our reach in the universe. My goal is to take part in the Mars colonization plans as an engineer astronaut and help advance the astronautical-engineering world.” + Cubesat has announced next year's CubeSat Developers Workshop on April 26–28, 2022. Mark your calendar and get more information at www.cubesatdw.org/. + From 12 to 20 July 2021, ESA Academy’s Training and Learning Program teamed up with ESA experts in the field of Space Systems Engineering to run the second edition of the Space Systems Engineering Training Course . The goal was to offer university students an overview of the different aspects of Space Systems Engineering while also affording them the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through group exercises. Held fully online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, in (virtual) attendance were 30 university students from 11 different ESA Member States and Canada. More information at tinyurl.com/ANS-227-ESA. + The newly released SDR++ V1.0.0 software is featured on the YouTube SignalsEverywhere channel. SDR++ is an open source, cross platform, C++ based GUI general receiver program for various SDR's including the RTL-SDR. The video shows it's basic usage in action and highlights many of the features that SDR++ has. The producer notes that she is very impressed with SDR++, praising it as one of the best SDR applications released in a while. More information at tinyurl.com/ANS-227-SDR. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW n1uw at amsat dot org

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ANS-220 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Paul Stoetzer 07 Aug '21

07 Aug '21

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-220 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, 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: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/ In this edition: * Debugging AO-109: An Update * AO-92 Returned to Service for Daylight Operations Only * VUCC Awards-Endorsements for August 1, 2021 * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over ANS-220 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002 DATE 2021 Aug 08 Debugging AO-109: An Update Introduction At the end of our article in the May/June AMSAT Journal, we said “By the time you read this, AO109 may be opened for general amateur use.” The opening announcement, in fact, came on July 19, just shortly after the Journal was available. Very shortly after that, we started getting reports that some SatNOGS stations had seen telemetry signal from AO-109 as early as May 2021. Chris, G0KLA managed to partially decode one frame from SatNOGS. It was hard work and there were too many errors for our Forward Error Correction algorithm to fix, but by ignoring errors, we could see some data; however we had to guess which data was wrong. We asked for more people to try to get telemetry, and we were pleased to receive 29 frames over several days from W7KKE, W7FWF, and K8DP. Thanks so much to all of them! Thanks to them we can now say a few more things about the AO-109 situation. What we have seen and learned from telemetry First the telemetry we have received confirms what we inferred from our earlier experiments: • The antenna telemetry shows that they are open (more on that later) • AO-109 is in transponder mode • AO-109 does receive commands successfully, especially from a strong command station In addition, telemetry shows some other anomalies that let us make better hypotheses for other behavior that we have seen. • First the telemetry IS working, which tends to exonerate the telemetry modulator and software. • The transmitter is sending telemetry with power output between 6 and 8 mW. You can compare this to our pre-launch testing which showed power output of somewhat over 100mW, as designed. • The power amplifier current is higher than expected based on pre-launch testing. • The min/max telemetry shows that the maximum power output since launch was about 440mW implying that the transmitter was likely working immediately after launch. (During the attempted early commissioning period, we tried both transponding, and increasing the telemetry gain, which could explain the relatively high power output.) • It is even more clear seeing the telemetry downlink on a waterfall that the signal strength varies cyclically. The period seems to be around 25 seconds. After a discussion with Dan W9EQ, one of our transmitter engineers, we believe a reasonable hypothesis for the low power is that one of the dual power amplifier chips has failed shorted. This not only increases the current to the PA, but reduces the power available to the other PA chip. Dan also hypothesizes that running high power into a poorly deployed antenna might cause the blowout, although it is still hard to understand why we initially had no reception at all. Note that even if the 70cm antenna was not fully deployed, it does not cross over itself to make it electrically shorter even when stowed. Since getting this telemetry, we commanded higher output from the telemetry modulator into the mixer and power amplifier, but saw essentially no change in the output power telemetry. According to W9EQ, this is to be expected with a shorted PA. (It may imply that 8mW is the highest to expect from the transponder as well). As we hypothesized in the last paper, the cyclic strength of the telemetry beacon could be explained by the antenna being only partly released and blocked by the satellite part of the time as the satellite rotates. Similarly, if the receive antenna were only partly released, it would make commanding difficult for the same reason. One further hypothesis: Carl, N3MIM proposed that the Nitinol wire used for our antennas was too cold to fully restore to its original shape after it was released. This could explain why both receive and transmit have problems, but does not explain why this satellite in particular should have problems that the other Foxes did not. Vanderbilt University Experiment Data As we said in the previous article, one of our goals is to provide data for the Vanderbilt University COTS radiation experiment. This experiment not only funded the AO-109 flight but also will, in the long term, provide great information for satellite builders who can only afford common off-the-shelf parts in their birds. We are happy to say that we have been able to provide some data for Vanderbilt. Of course, more data over a longer period will be that much better, but at least Vanderbilt is getting something. Where is the data? The data from AO-109 is on AMSAT server at the same location as all Fox data. You can see the entire dataset by using FoxTelem and downloading Fox-1E (the latest versions of FoxTelem do not require you to download all the other satellites.) You will see that despite having only 29 frames, there are a lot more health records than that in the WOD tab. This is because of AO-109’s new capability: Whole Orbit Data, which captures a full set of health data every 60 seconds, stores it in memory, and transmits several of these WOD data payloads in each frame. Similarly, Vanderbilt data is stored as WOD, so more science information than you might expect is also available. In addition, you can see the AMSAT web page for AO-109 health at https://www.amsat.org/tlm/health.php?id=5&port= Telemetry Reception Unfortunately, it seems that it requires a fairly “hefty” station to receive AO-109 telemetry. A normal end-mounted M2 LEO Pack, for example, is not enough. Everyone we have seen who has been successful has had a longer yagi, a preamp, and short coax. One person felt that the ability to reverse circular polarity also helped. Several SatNOGS stations have received a signal, but so far we have not been able to cleanly decode any of them. Both for Vanderbilt University and for our own engineering testing, we would really appreciate even a few frames of telemetry that any stations can receive. One way to do this is to use FoxTelem directly via a Fun Cube Dongle Pro Plus (FCDPP) and an antenna as mentioned above. Another way that we know works is to record the IF or AF from an ICOM 9700 that is being doppler corrected during an AO-109 pass. The best chance for useful frames may be to record IQ using SDR# or HDSDR with something like an FCDPP or Airspy SDR Dongle, and then playing it back into FoxTLM. We continue to thank all of our supporters and data collectors around the world! Please keep trying! [ANS thanks Burns Fisher, WB1FJ, AMSAT Flight Software, and Mark Hammond, N8MH, AMSAT Director and Command Station Operator, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Join the 2021 President's Club! Score your 2" 4-Color Accent Commemorative Coin. This gold finished coin comes with Full Color Certificate and Embroidered "Remove Before Flight" Key Tag Donate today at https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ You won't want to miss it! +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AO-92 Returned to Service for Daylight Operations Only On August 1, 2021 at about 16:30 UTC, AO-92 was commanded into carrier operated repeater mode. In this mode, AO-92 operates as a simple FM repeater. The IHU and experiments are disabled and there is no telemetry transmitted. As the battery condition is poor, please only use the satellite when it is illuminated by the sun. The satellite may shut off even while illuminated if the bus voltage drops below a point at which the transmitter cannot operator. [ANS thanks Mark Hammond, N8MH, AMSAT Director and Command Station for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ VUCC Awards-Endorsements for August 1, 2021 Here are the endorsements and new VUCC Satellite Awards issued by the ARRL for the period July 1, 2021 through August 1, 2021. Congratulations to all those who made the list this month! Congratulations to Michael McCoy KC9ELU on acheiving the AMSAT GridMaster. CALL July August KO4MA 1783 1786 N8RO 1096 1100 NS3L 697 702 K9UO 631 653 N9FN 550 561 AF5CC 525 547 MI6GTY 461 462 WA4HFN 413 454 S57NML 291 409 DL6IAN 154 335 EA2AA 280 314 KQ4DO New 306 AB1OC 285 291 KE8RJU 101 256 NA1ME 225 250 N3CAL 204 214 N5EKO 152 207 KC5TT 100 135 WD9EWK (DM45) 127 135 W3FGP 100 130 K6SFO New 129 KB3IAI New 103 DL6GBM New 100 KE4IP New 100 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 the two months. 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 a lot of the work! [ANS thanks Ron Parsons, W5RKN for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT's GOLF Program is about getting back to higher orbits, and it all begins with GOLF-TEE – a technology demonstrator for deployable solar panels, propulsion, and attitude control, now manifested for launch on NASA's ELaNa 46 mission. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ ARISS News Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide. Notre Dame Jogakuin Junior and Senior High School, Kyoto, Japan, direct via 8N3ND The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The scheduled astronaut is Thomas Pesquet KG5FYG Contact was unsuccessful: Tue 2021-08-03 11:10:15 UTC 77 deg (***) ARISS is working to understand the issue. (***) Watch for livestream at https://youtu.be/4uL-kHi1Bsw 1st Ono Group Hyogo Council Scout Association of Japan, Ono, Japan, direct via 8J3ONO (***) The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The scheduled astronaut is Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD Contact is go for: Wed 2021-08-11 08:05:06 UTC 82 deg (***) Next mode change is expected to take place in late August 2021. The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit. Support AMSAT's projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations VE7KPM: CN78, upcoming. 9/2 approx. EA8/EA4NF: Phillippe will be on the Fuerteventura island and Gran Canary island SAT DXpedition. He will use Linear & FM satellites August 1-14, 2021. IL27, IL28, IL38 KE2QI: Will be roving FN44 Sunday. Both FM and linear. He will try to maximize the RS-44 apogee passes for Europe. EN56, 57, 67: N8MR will be in EN57, EN67 and EN56 from Aug 7 thru Aug 14. Using an Icom 9700, Arrow antenna and SatPC32 to control uplink and downlink for Doppler. EN12, EN13: W0AAE will be roving in the EN12-13 grids this upcoming week from August 1-6. He will be doing both linear and FM satellites VE7KPM: CN78, upcoming. 9/2 approx. Trans-Nevada Rove. David AD7DB is planning a rove starting August 16 on FM satellites. Mon 8/16 DM09 in Reno area. Tue 8/17 DN00, DN10 & 11 later, near Lovelock and Winnemucca. Wed 8/18 DN10, DN20 & 21 later, near Elko. Thu 8/19 DN21, DN20 & 30 later, near Wells and Wendover. Fri 8/20 DN20 and 30, near Wendover. The actual satellite passes and times are still being worked out but plans are for AO-91, AO-92, SO-50, AO-27 and PO-101. You can go to twitter.com/ad7db for the latest updates during the rove. Wl7T - August 21-27: BP44, BP45, BP46, BP47, BP54, BP55, BP57, BP58, BP59, BP64, BP65, BP75, BP84, BP85 [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, has online Zoom presentations scheduled in coming weeks with amateur groups in New Jersey Central New Hampshire North Carolina Conejo Valley CA Sonoma County CA Massachusetts Antelope Valley CA Contact Clint to arrange other events: Clint Bradford K6LCS, AMSAT Ambassador; ARRL instructor http://www.work-sat.com Email: clintbradford AT mac DOT com (909) 999-SATS (7287) - voicemail/message [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Satellite Shorts From All Over + The newly revised, printable Amateur Satellite Frequency Guide is now available for AMSAT members at https://launch.amsat.org/Member_Resources + NU1U has posted a tutorial on YouTube for running WSJT-X and SatPC32 simultaneously with an Icom IC-9700 in order to make satellite QSOs using FT4. The video can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhfUSRUP910 + The first SSB QSO has been reported via AO-109. Doug Papay, K8DP, and John Papay, K8YSE, completed two QSOs via CW and two QSOs via SSB between EN62 and EN91 between July 31st and August 3rd. + On July 30th at 19:40 UTC, F4DXV and A65GC completed a record 5,300 km QSO via JO-97. This is the longest claimed QSO completed on any of the FUNcube transponders. + A new distance record has been set on the QO-100 narrowband transponder. PR8KW in GI27pn49rs worked YC5YC in OJ00rl66we at 23:06 UTC on 10-Jul-2021, covering a distance of 17,378 km. More records can be found at https://www.amsat.org/satellite-distance-records/ + AMSAT Rover Award #60 was issued to Larry, KF6JOQ. For more information on the AMSAT Rover Award, visit https://www.amsat.org/amsat-rover-award/ (Thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards) + The ARRL has released TQSL config file version 11.15. This update allows QSOs on AO-109 and UVSQ-SAT (as UVSQ) to be uploaded. TQSL should prompt you to update your config file when launching the application. + Three videos from the AMSAT-SA Space Symposium, held July 10th, have been uploaded to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLA7TGecJAILXTwm9HSQ4cw/videos. Other talks will be uploaded later (Thanks to AMSAT-SA and AMSAT-UK) + A video of John Brier, KG4AKV, operating portable via RS-44, filmed and edited by W4MPS, has been posted to YouTube at https://youtu.be/8xg5VLrcttU + The first call for papers has been issued for the 39th AMSAT Space Symposium to be held on the weekend of October 29-31, 2021 at the Crowne Plaza AiRE hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota. Proposals for symposium presentations are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite community. We request a tentative title of your presentation as soon as possible, with final copy submitted by October 18 for inclusion in the symposium proceedings. Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan Schultz, N8FGV at n8fgv at amsat.org. + Registration is open for the 39th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting, to be held Friday through Sunday, October 29-31, 2021, at the Crowne Plaza AiRE in Bloomington, Minnesota. Crowne Plaza AiRE is located at 3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN 55245. For more information, visit https://www.amsat.org/39th-annual-amsat-space-symposium-and-annual-general-… --------------------------------------------------------------------- Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/ In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to: * Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * 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 student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms. Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information. 73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! This week's ANS Editor, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM n8hm at amsat dot org

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