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ANS-292 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by kd4iz＠frawg.org 18 Oct '20

18 Oct '20

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-292 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation 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 commun- icating 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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans In this edition: * ARRL Comments in Orbital Debris Mitigation Proceeding * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for October 15, 2020 * * * PREDICT-2.2.7 for Linux, Unix, Android, and Raspberry Pi Platforms * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over * Tips for the New Operator SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-292.01 ANS-271 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 292.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE 2020 September 27 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-290.01 ARRL Comments in Orbital Debris Mitigation Proceeding 10/13/2020 In comments to the FCC, ARRL targeted two specific areas of concern regarding a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) in IB Docket 18-313 - mitigation of orbital debris in the new space age. In an earlier phase of the proceeding, ARRL filed comments and met with FCC staff to discuss the proposed rules. In comments filed on October 9, ARRL focused on the areas of indemnification and maneuverability/propul- sion. Indemnification places the liability for any possible damage from a satellite on an individual or entity. ARRL reiterated its assertion that, as a practical matter, an indemnification requirement "would seriously impair the ability of amateur and university experimenters to launch and operate satellites under US auspices" due to the potential liability and high insurance cost. Additional information is available at the ARRL Web Site: https://bit.ly/3iZiGwj [ANS thanks ARRL News for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMSAT office is closed until further notice. For details, please visit https://www.amsat.org/amsat-office-closed-until-further-notice/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for October 15, 2020 The following satellites have decayed from orbit and have been removed from this week's AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution: MO-106 - Cat ID 44830 (decay epoch = 2020-10-09 per Space-Track). TRSI-Sat - Cat ID 44831 (decay epoch = 2020-10-11 per Space-Track). The following satellite has an estimated decay epoch determined by Space- Track as follows: EnduroSat One - Cat ID 43551 - estimated decay epoch = 2020-10-15 per Space-Track). (Still in orbit as of 2020-10-15 at 04:53 UTC.) An updated set of Orbital Elements for October 15, 2020 have been dis- tributed via the AMSAT /keps list and are available at the AMSAT website: https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/ [ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ PREDICT-2.2.7 for Linux, Unix, Android, and Raspberry Pi Platforms John Maglicane, KD2BD, has announced the release of PREDICT version 2.2.7, an Open Source satellite tracking / orbital prediction applic- ation for Linux and Unix computing environments, including PCs, laptops, and Raspberry PIs. New in this release is a version of PREDICT that operates on Android platforms under a Termux environment. Now you can carry your smartphone in your shirt pocket while voice announcements made by PREDICT's "vocalizer" tell you where to locate the ISS, Hubble, or other visible satellites in the night sky! There's even an alarm to alert the observer when the spacecraft enters into eclipse or into sunlight. Android screenshots are available here: https://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/SingleTrack-Android.jpg https://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/MultiTracking-Android.jpg The Linux/Unix version of PREDICT-2.2.7 is available here: https://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/predict-2.2.7.tar.gz And the Android/Termux release is available here: https://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/predict-2.2.7-termux.tar.gz Both versions are source code releases. An included "configure" script will configure and compile PREDICT and its associated utilities for your specific platform while you wait. Termux is an Android terminal emulator and Linux environment application that is available at no cost through Google Play. Further details are available at: https://termux.com/ Further details on PREDICT are available at: https://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/predict.html Stay safe, stay well, and Happy Tracking! 73 de John, KD2BD [ANS thanks John Magliacane, KD2BD 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 (awaiting update from AJ9N) 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 2020-10-14 18:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Ramona Lutheran School, Ramona, CA, direct via N6ROR The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The scheduled astronaut is Chris Cassidy KF5KDR Contact was successful: Wed 2020-10-14 16:26:13 UTC ARISS is very aware of the impact that COVID-19 is having on schools and the public in general. As such, we may have last minute cancellations or postponements of school contacts. As always, I will try to provide everyone with near-real-time updates. The following schools have now been postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19: Postponed: No new schools Cancelled: No new schools The ARISS webpage is at https://www.ariss.org/ Watch for future COVID-19 related announcements here also. Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. The main page for Applying to Host a Scheduled Contact may be found at https://www.ariss.org/apply-to-host-an-ariss-contact.html ARISS Contact Applications (United States) Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time. All dates and times listed follow International Standard ISO 8601 date and time format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team men- tors 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: Jerome, F4DXV, is plans to operate from a 1500 meter summit in JN15jo on Monday, 19October. He will be on RS-44 beginning at 2000utc specifically for North America. The footprint covers much of eastern NA. This is a difficult operation after dark and Jerome hopes that many will take advantage of the opportunity to work this very rare grid. RS-44 will be around 1430km. DN13/23 and DN22: @KI7UNJ, 10/16 - 10/19: No pass list, just follow Twitter, BEACON APRS KI7UNJ-9 KI7UNJ-IOS 16th DN13/23 Line 17th DN22 18th DN22 19th DN13/23 Line KQ2RP is heading to FN44/54 again. Will be on FM birds from FN54 with occasional FN44/54 line. FN53 possible. Oct 11-16th. Logging as KQ2RP/1. EL Grids, @N1PEB 10/10 -10-14: 10/10 EL95 Key Largo, 10/11 EL94 Key West, 10/12 EL84 Dry Tortuga, 10/13 EL94 Key West, 10/14 TBD >From TI2BSH: October 16, 2020 I will be working in EK71 and will go out on the satellites: AO-91 at 04: 22z,05:57z, 16:38z SO-50 at 04: 48z, 15:16z If you hear me and want that grid call in international phonetic code. 73s Major Roves: Doug N6UA and Ron AD0DX are planning to activate DL88 on Sunday Oct 25th. This will be a daytime activation only because the Talley Campground is currently closed. We will be on FM and Linear satellites. Thanks to everyone that donated back in April before the COVID restrictions. K5Z on qrz.com has more details including passes:https://www.qrz.com/db/K5Z Currently the weather looks good and we will be monitoring the weather throughout the week. If there is a chance of rain in the forecast we will have to find another date. We are looking forward to giving out this rare grid! 73 Ron AD0DX and Doug N6UA 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 Clint Bradford, K6LCS will give his "Work the FM Voice Satellites With Minimal Equipment" Zoom presentation on the following dates for: 10/27/2020 - Cherryland ARC / Traverse Bay ARC Additional presentations are in the planning stage: TBD - Antelope Valley (CA) ARC and a private presentation for a Boy Scout troop in Danville, Pennsylvania Club Groups are asked to update their copies of the Zoom application prior to the scheduled session by directly downloading it from https://zoom.us/ [ANS thanks Clint Bradford, K6CLS for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + NASA will provide live coverage of the return to Earth for agency astronaut Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR, and two Russian cosmonauts Wednes- day, Oct. 21, after six months aboard the International Space Sta- tion. Cassidy, the Expedition 63 commander, and cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos, will close the hatch to their Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft at 20:10 UTC Wednesday. Their Soyuz will un- dock at 23:32z. A parachute-assisted landing is set for 02:55z on Oct. 22 on the steppe of Kazakhstan. Complete coverage of the return will be available on NASA TV and the agency's website, https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive (ANS thanks NASA for the above information) + Joe Werth, KE9AJ Tweets about a new distance record set for AO-7 Mode A: "Amazing QSO with Olivier, @F5RRO on AO-7 MODE A. Breaking a 40 year old AMSAT distance record at 6,879 km. Olivier used a MA5B Yagi and I used my Moxon..... Thanks Olivier!" The path map may be seen at: https://bit.ly/2SUSeJM (ANS thanks Joe Werth, KE9AJ for passing along the above information) + GNU Radio Project (@gnuradio) tweeted at 3:52 PM on Tue, Oct 13, 2020: Wylie Standage-Beier's @thewyliestcoyot workshop on Writing GNU Radio Blocks is up on YouTube! A hands on intro to blocks, flowgraphs, and systems from simple Python simulation of a phase shift keyed signal in white noise to a functioning communications system. Link to Twitter Feed and Youtube link: https://t.co/XldgMCJeLy (ANS thanks JoAnn Maenpaa, K9JKM for relaying the above information from Twitter) + OSIRIS-REx, which launched in 2016 and has been orbiting the asteroid Bennu in microgravity since 2018, is going to try its first Touch And Go (TAG) maneuver next week. This maneuver involves autonomously des- cending toward the asteroid with the craft's sample arm extended, briefly making contact, using nitrogen gas to blow loose material in- to a sample collection head, and returning to orbit. The pristine sample should arrive back on Earth in September 2023. Visualization at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjlGYHJ2560&feature=youtu.be (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information) + Blue Origin's reusable suborbital New Shepard flew on October 13 for the first time since December 2019, completing its 13th flight, and seventh reuse for this booster. The mission successfully carried sev- eral NASA experiments, including a "microgravity LilyPond"--a hydro- ponic chamber for growing edible aquatic plants in space--and a sys- tem for precise planetary landing that uses both terrain relative navigation (for high altitude use, soon to be used for landing by Mars 2020) and LiDAR (for final propulsive landing), with a planned application to upcoming lunar landing missions. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information) + Tweeted on October 13: Premier signers of Virgin Orbit's payload wall, @AMSAT RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E is out of our hands and in the hands of @Virgin_Orbit to fly as part of Launcher One's first payload. Great fun sharing in their new experience and first integration. And tours of their facilities to boot! https://twitter.com/n0jy/status/1315878009371422720?s=27 (ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT VP Engineering, for the above information) + Soyuz crew docks with International Space Station: In a mission marking the end of an era, NASA astronaut and former virus hunter Kate Rubins, using NASA's last currently contracted seat on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft, rocketed into orbit Wednesday with two cosmonaut crewmates on a record-setting flight to the International Space Station. Celebrating her 42nd birthday, Rubins' launch came just two weeks before 20th anniversary of the arrival of the station's first crew on Nov. 2, 2000. Since then, the lab complex has been continuously staffed by rotating crews, or expeditions, of American, Russian, Japanese, European and Canadian fliers along with a handful of space tourists. Additional information is avalable at: https://bit.ly/31brNUw (ANS thanks Spaceflight Now and CBS News for the above information) + Oxygen supply fails on Russian segment of ISS, crew not in danger (Oct 15, 2020) The oxygen supply system has failed in a module on the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS) but the crew is in no danger, Russian space agency Roscosmos said Thursday. The oxygen supply system on the Zvezda module on the orbital lab failed late on Wednesday but a second system on the American segment is operating normally, a Roscosmos spokesperson told AFP. "Nothing threatens the security of the crew and the ISS," said the spokesperson, adding this repair work to fix the issue would be carried out on Thursday. The issue arose after three new crew -- two Russian cosmonauts and an American astronaut -- reached the ISS on Wednesday to bring the number of current crew on board to six. Additional information at:https://bit.ly/31aO596 (ANS thanks Spacetravel and AFP for the above information) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Tips for the New Satellite Operator [Tentative Add-on FOR CONSIDERATION] This is the first of a what I hope to be a monthly New Satellite Opera- tors Corner. I will offer AMSAT New Operator tips and links to AMSAT resources for new operators and posts from various interest groups where useful info is published. This weeks tip comes from Rick, WA6NDR via TH-D74A(a)groups.io. I hope you find this as useful as I have. Jack, KD4IZ, Editor, AMSAT News Service. Tip of the month: TH-D74A ISS APRS settings From: Rick - WA6NDR "I was able to make an ISS APRS contact today with just the TH-D74A and an Arrow antenna (details at the end). I started with a video from Don W6GPS and documented what I ended up doing including minor changes. Change the call sign and email address to yours. "Personal preference" settings are optional. The reasoning behind most of the settings is given in Don's video. I am using TH-D74A firmware v1.10 (with v1.11 released 8/26/2020 but not seeming worth the installation time)." . Menu 800 = SD Card, Export, Config Data (FOR LATER IMPORT AND NORMAL OPERATION). . Menu 999 = Config, System, Full Reset . [F]DUAL to set A band only. . Menu 900 = Config, Display, Backlight Control = On . Menu 404 = GPS, Basic Settings, Battery Saver = Off . Menu 500 = APRS, Basic Settings, My Callsign = WA6NDR-7 . Menu 503 = APRS, Basic Settings, Status Text = 1/1, "VIA ISS WA6NDR(a)ARRL.NET" . Menu 504 = APRS, Basic Settings, Packet Path = Others1, "ARISS" . Menu 507 = APRS, Basic Settings, DCD Sense = Detect Data . Menu 511 = APRS, Beacon TX Control, Initial Interval = 30 min. . Menu 512 = APRS, Beacon TX Control, Decay Algorithm = Off . Menu 513 = APRS, Beacon TX Control, Prop. Pathing = Off . Menu 514 = APRS, Beacon TX Control, Speed = Off . Menu 903 = Config, Display, Power-on Message = "WA6NDR ISS" . Menu 904 = Config, Display, Single Band Display = GPS(GS) . Menu 920 = Config, Battery, Battery Saver = Off . Menu 921 = Config, Battery, Auto Power Off = Off . Menu 950 = Config, Date & Time, Setting = <local>, UTC -7:00 . VFO, set frequency to 145.825 MHz . [F]APRS (see "APRS 12" on the top display, GPS info on bottom). . Personal preference, for SD Card recording and save to PC. o Menu 941 = Config, Auxiliary, PF2 = Recording (on/off) o Menu 944 = Config, Auxiliary, PF3 (Mic) = Screen Capture o Menu 980 = Config, Interface, USB Function = Mass Storage . Menu 800 = SD Card, Export, Config Data (FOR ISS OPERATION). . Operation o Arrow 146/437-10WBP antenna: Use only the 2m 3-element part. o Open squelch: [F]MONI, KNOB CCW, ENT. Listen, watch... o BCON to send a beacon. BCON again (off). Repeat. (ANS thanks Rick Nungester, WA6NDR for this information) --------------------------------------------------------------------- /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information. 73 and Remember to help keep amateur radio in space, This week's ANS Editor, Jack Spitznagel, KD4IZ kd4iz at amsat dot org

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ANS-278 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Paul Stoetzer 04 Oct '20

04 Oct '20

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-278 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation 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 commun- icating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org. You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans In this edition: * Virtual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting - October 17 * AMSAT-UK Colloquium Online - October 11 * ARISS Worldwide SSTV Event - October 4-8 * Happy 27th Birthday, AMRAD-OSCAR 27 * FCC Deletes 3.4 GHz Amateur Satellite Service Allocation * Chinese Amateur Radio Satellite Launches Delayed * VUCC Awards-Endorsements for October 2020 * Message to US Educators: ARISS Contact Opportunity - Call For Proposals * Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for October 1, 2020 * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * AMSAT Awards News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Satellite Shorts from All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-278.01 ANS-278 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 278.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE October 4, 2020 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-278.01 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMSAT office is closed until further notice. For details, please visit https://www.amsat.org/amsat-office-closed-until-further-notice/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Virtual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting - October 17 Learn more about AMSAT's GOLF program, ARISS, AREx, the AMSAT CubeSat Simulator and other exciting projects taking place in the amateur satellite world. The 2020 Virtual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday, October 17th from 9:00am CDT – 5:00pm CDT (UTC-5). Symposium presentations will be a combination of pre-recorded video segments along with question and answer sessions held via a Zoom meeting. The Symposium will be made available for free live on AMSAT’s YouTube channel. Registered attendees will receive a digital copy of the AMSAT Symposium Proceedings and will be entitled to join the Zoom meeting. Only registered attendees will be able to participate in the question and answer sessions. Registered attendees will also be entered into prize drawings. Registration is free and available only for AMSAT members at launch.amsat.org. Registration will close on Friday, October 16th at 5:00pm CDT. Final papers for the Symposium Proceedings must be submitted by October 5, 2020 to Dan Schultz, N8FGV, n8fgv at usa.net. Symposium presentations should be limited to 15 minutes of pre- recorded video. Video presentations must be submitted by October 10, 2020 to Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, n8hm at arrl.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 – 12:45pm CDT - General Presentations 1:00pm CDT – 2:00pm CDT - AMSAT Education / CubeSat Simulator 2:00pm CDT – 3:00pm CDT - ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) / AREx (Amateur Radio Exploration) -ARISS: 2020 Update -Next Generation Radio System – First Element Operations and Future System Plans -AREx/Lunar Gateway and Other Lunar Opportunities 3:00pm CDT – 4:00pm CDT - AMSAT Engineering 4:00pm CDT – 5:00pm CDT - 2020 AMSAT Annual General Meeting [ANS thanks the 2020 AMSAT Symposium Team for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Purchase AMSAT Gear on our Zazzle storefront. 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT-UK Colloquium Online - October 11 The Online AMSAT-UK Convention takes place on Sunday, October 11, from 11am BST (10:00 GMT) to approximately 5pm, with a break for lunch, and several short breaks during the day. You don’t have to be a member of AMSAT-UK to participate, and the event is free of charge but please register at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-278-AUK ASAP. Those who are registered will be entered for a number of free raffles which will take place during the event. Among the many talks and demonstrations during the day are: 1100 BST (1000 GMT) Official opening by Martin Sweeting G3YJO 1105-1125 Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Update by Ciaran Morgan M0XTD 1135-1200 Decoding Mars spacecraft – Bits and pieces you can learn from spacecraft telemetry by Daniel Estévez EA4GPZ 1210-1230 Tevel FM transponder satellite constellation by David Greenberg 4X1DG 1240-1300 LUNART – A Lunar Amateur Radio Transponder Project by Peter Gülzow DB2OS 1400-1420 FUNcube next, to boldly go… creating an open platform in space by Phil Ashby M6IPX 1430-1450 QO-100 Demonstration by Mike Willis G0MJW 1500-1520 Getting Goonhilly’s 32m antenna ready to support ESA missions by Matt Cosby Director of Space Engineering at Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd 1530-1550 AMSAT North America Engineering Update by Jerry Buxton N0JY 1600-1620 LEO Sat demonstration by Drew Glasbrenner KO4MA Please register online at http://tinyurl.com/amsatukreg2020 Schedule of the day’s events https://tinyurl.com/ANS-278-AUKProg AMSAT-UK Colloquium Page https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/ [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. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ ARISS Worldwide SSTV Event - October 4-8 An ARISS Slow Scan TV (SSTV) event is scheduled from the International Space Station (ISS) for early October. The event is scheduled to begin on October 4 at 14:00 UTC for setup and operation and continue until October 8 ending at 19:15 UTC. Dates and times subject to change due to ISS operational adjustments. Images will be downlinked at 145.8 MHz +/- 3 KHz for Doppler shift and the expected SSTV mode of operation is PD 120. The main theme of this collection of images will be Satellites. Radio enthusiasts participating in the event can post and view images on the ARISS SSTV Gallery at https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/ After your image is posted at the gallery, you can acquire a special award by linking to https://ariss.pzk.org.pl/sstv/ and follow directions for submitting a digital copy of your received image. [ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN, ARISS PR, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Happy 27th Birthday, AMRAD-OSCAR 27 Happy 27th birthday to AMRAD-OSCAR 27, still alive and operating today! For an amateur radio satellite operator in the early 1990s, working on a satellite project based on the AMSAT Microsat design was a dream job! The hams on the team (including Dino Lorenzini, Mark Kanawati, Steve Greene and Mike Wyrick) couldn't help but include an amateur radio payload, and were successful with the help of fellow amateurs and the local Vienna, Virginia Amateur Research and Development (AMRAD) group: Paul Renaldo, Andre Castillot, Dave Rogers, Glenn Baumgartner, Sandy Sanders, Matt Butcher, Randy Mays, and Terry Fox, and with help from AMSAT’s Lyle Johnson, Chuck Green, and Jim White, among many others. EYESAT-1/AO-27 launched (with the amateur payload and an extra UHF antenna for the downlink) at 0145 UTC September 26, 1993. [Ariane-4 V59 also launched amateur satellites KO-25, IO-26, and PO-28, SSTL’s Healthsat-2, the Stella research satellite, and the Spot-3 earth observation satellite.] The satellite was commanded on during the next orbit and the first QSO on the amateur payload was made the following morning on September 27, 1993. (We think – does anyone have an archive of amsat-bb emails from 1993 who can check?) AO-27 was the first FM “bent pipe” satellite and proved to be easy to work with a strong downlink and sensitive receiver. The amateur FM repeater has served many Hams worldwide and was one of the first “Easy Sats”. AO-27 was later used for the first successful D-Star mode satellite QSO. The 800km orbit provides continent-spanning coverage. At least one station is known to have worked 49 states solely via AO-27! And here we are today, the 27th of September, 2020, celebrating the 27th birthday of AO-27! Thanks to Mike Wyrick N3UC who babysat the spacecraft for the last 27 years. And thanks to all those who helped. There are many untold stories and photos we hope to share in the near future. Current information on AO-27’s operating schedule is at www.ao27.net [ANS thanks Mark Kanawati, N4TPY, Mike Wyrick, N3UC, and Steve Greene, KS1G, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- FCC Deletes 3.4 GHz Amateur Satellite Service Allocation At its open meeting on September 30, 2020, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a Report and Order that sunsets amateur use of the 3.3-3.5 GHz band. This spectrum includes the 3.40-3.41 GHz amateur satellite service allocation. AMSAT had previously filed comments opposing the FCC's proposal to delete this spectrum. The adopted Report and Order can be found at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-278-FCC [ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, AMSAT Executive Vice President, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Chinese Amateur Radio Satellite Launches Delayed CAMSAT says the CAS-7A launch has been postponed until next May, and CAS-5A until next June. “Because of COVID-19, many things have been delayed,” CAMSAT’s Alan Kung, BA1DU, told ARRL. He said an announcement would be made closer to the announced launches. CAMSAT said last spring that CAS-7A would launch in mid-September; the launch has been postponed multiple times since first announced. CAS-5A was predicted to launch in October. Both satellites will carry two transponders that include HF, in a configuration similar to that of the Russian RS satellites decades ago. CAS-7A will be placed into a sun-synchronous orbit with an inclination of 98° at 500 kilometers above Earth. The transponders will have a bandwidth of 30 kHz. According to the IARU amateur satellite frequency coordination page, the HF/HF linear transponder will uplink on 15 meters — 21.245–21.275 MHz, and downlink on 10 meters — 29.435-21.465 MHz. A CW beacon will transmit on 29.425 MHz. The HF/UHF transponder will uplink at 21.3125–21.3275 MHz, and downlink at 435.3575–435.3725 MHz. A CW beacon for that transponder will transmit on 435.430 MHz. The CAS-5A nanosatellite, with a 6U form factor, carries two HF transponders and two VHF/UHF transponders. While in orbit, it will deploy the tiny CAS-5B femtosatellite, which will weigh just 0.5 kilogram. The array of CAS-5A linear transponders will include HF/HF, HF/UHF, and VHF/UHF with 30-kHz passbands (except 15 kHz for the HF/UHF transponder). CAS-5A will include CW telemetry beacons on HF and UHF. The HF CW beacon will be at 29.465 MHz, and a UHF telemetry beacon will be at 435.57 MHz. Other beacons include the HF/HF transponder beacon at 29.490 MHz; the HF/UHF transponder beacon at 435.505 MHz, and the VHF/ UHF transponder beacon at 435.540 MHz. Telemetry will be transmitted at 435.650 MHz. The V/U linear transponder will uplink at 145.820 MHz; the V/U FM transponder will uplink at 145.925 MHz. Terrestrial stations will access the transponders at 21.385 – 21.415 MHz. [ANS thanks ARRL for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- VUCC Awards-Endorsements for October 2020 Here are the endorsements and new VUCC Satellite Awards issued by the ARRL for the period September 1, 2020 through October 1, 2020. Congratulations to all those who made the list this month! WOW! Long list again this month! Almost a record. CALL Sept October K8YSE 1935 2007 Only 30393 to go! N8HM 1102 1127 N8RO 1070 1075 K8YSE/7 671 842 W5RKN 721 732 WD9EWK (DM43) 617 623 K9UO 575 600 AD0HJ 478 500 KE8FZT 450 475 MI6GTY 459 460 N7EGY 456 457 W4ZXT 327 431 KJ4EU 261 404 XE2RV 262 385 KC9UQR 351 377 KC9VGG 336 374 AC9O 204 359 K5CIS 250 300 WB7QXU 204 252 KF6JOQ 201 251 KB9STR 138 229 PU4JOE 150 210 AA8CH/N8R 113 206 K5TA 101 202 W8LR 149 175 KJ4M 170 171 N5EKO 108 152 N7AME 148 150 N1PEB (FN42) New 138 W7YED New 127 KO4AQF 104 126 WB9VPG New 116 K1ECU 100 115 N5BLY New 106 KC3KJQ New 103 K2KA New 102 N8SGZ 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 most of the work! [ANS thanks Ron Parsons, W5RKN, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Message to US Educators: ARISS Contact Opportunity - Call For Proposals 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, 2021 and December 30, 2021. 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 deadline to submit a proposal is November 24th, 2020. Proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and the proposal form can be found at www.ariss.org. An ARISS Introductory Webinar session will be held on October 8, 2020 at 8 PM ET. The Eventbrite link to sign up is: https://ariss-proposal-webinar-fall-2020.eventbrite.com The Opportunity 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.us.education at gmail.com. [ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN, ARISS PR, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for October 1, 2020 The following satellite has decayed from orbit and has been removed from this week's AMSAT TLE Distribution: MO-105 - Cat ID 44832 (decay epoch = 2020-09-28 0:00 UTC per Space- Track). The UTC time is an approximation. Note: The decay epoch predicted by Space-Track for MO-106 - Cat ID 44830 is 2020-10-15. [ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events Want to see AMSAT in action or learn more about amateur radio in space? AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. Due to COVID-19, many hamfest and events around the United States have been canceled or postponed. While we make every effort to ensure the information contained below is correct, there may be some that we missed. Clint Bradford K6LCS has booked his “Work the FM Voice Satellites With Minimal Equipment” presentation for various clubs. 10/27/2020 – Cherryland ARC / Traverse Bay ARC TBD – Antelope Valley (CA) ARC TBD – A private presentation for a Boy Scout troop in Danville, Pennsylvania These will be Zoom presentations. Everyone is asked to update their copies of the Zoom application – by directly visiting Zoom.us. [ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT Vice President - User Services, 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 Awards News Gerry Krebs, N0JE, and Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, are the latest recipients of AMSAT's GridMaster Award. This award was first introduced by Star Comm Group in 2014. AMSAT thanks Damon Runion, WA4HFN, and Rick Tillman, WA4NVM, for not only sponsoring this award since its inception, but, also, entrusting AMSAT with the honor of carrying on this important award for the benefit of the entire AMSAT community. The GridMaster award is available to all amateurs worldwide who submit proof with written confirmation of contacts with each of the 488 maidenhead grids located within the contiguous United States of America. More information about this award can be found at https://www.amsat.org/gridmaster/ [ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming Satellite Operations JQ78, JW7xK, 10/7 – 10/12 JW7XK (or maybe LA7XK) will be active on RS-44 on as many passes as possible His focus is to work NA and maybe also JA, when/if it is possible. Our QTH will be in JQ78. He is using an Arrow Antenna 10el. on 70 and 4 el on 2 mounted on a tripod with a small homemade antenna rotor. I am using filters and preamps on both 2m and 70cm. link frequency 435660 +/- Doppler. EM05/06 and EM04/14, @KL7TN, 10/4 and 10/5 DK78/ DK79, @XE1HG will be there on Oct 12th so going to activate DK78 and DK79, Holiday style on FM until now, If I have the chance to carry some brick will be on linears too. More to confirm as soon as the date get closer. CN76/77 10/3 and 10/4 @AD0DX Just booked tickets for beautiful Ocean Shores, WA… CN76/CN77 grid line Sat Oct 3 approx 0000z to Sun Oct 4th approx 1700z, pass details closer to the trip EL Grids, @N1PEB 10/10 -10-14: 10/10 EL95 Key Largo, 10/11 EL94 Key West, 10/12 EL84 Dry Tortuga, 10/13 EL94 Key West, 10/14 TBD Please submit any additions or corrections to ke0pbr at gmail.com [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Satellite Shorts From All Over + AO-7 is now in constant sunlight and the 24 hour timer is switching the satellite between Mode A and Mode B. The exact time of the switch has not yet been determined, but it appears that it is currently in Mode A on odd-numbered days and Mode B on even-numbered days. + The Moscow Aviation Institute's MAI-75 ISS SSTV activity occurred on September 30 and October 1. Images received can be viewed at https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/ + A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying 22 satellites, some transmitting on amateur bands, successfully launched on September 28. More information on this launch can be found at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-278-Soyuz + The independent accountant's review of AMSAT's 2019 financial statements is now available on the AMSAT website. https://amsat.org/audit-and-other-financial-reports/ + Several new products are available on the AMSAT Zazzle store, including a set of coasters, a watch, a t-shirt featuring the AMSAT round logo, and more. Check out the new items! 25% of the purchase price goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. + AMSAT Remove Before Flight keychains are again available on the AMSAT store. Purchases help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain/ + All issues of The AMSAT Journal dating back to 2014 are now available to AMSAT members on AMSAT's new membership portal. The 1969-2013 archive will be added at a later date. All editions of AMSAT's Symposium Proceedings are also available for members. If you're a current AMSAT member, get logged on today. If you are not yet a member, consider joining today at https://launch.amsat.org/ + The 2020 edition of AMSAT’s Getting Started with Amateur Satellites is now available on the AMSAT store. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The book is presented in DRM-free PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite. The digital download is available for $15 at https://tinyurl.com/2020GettingStarted --------------------------------------------------------------------- /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. 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 stu- dent 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 Editor, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM n8hm at amsat dot org

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ANS-264 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Mark Johns, K0JM 20 Sep '20

20 Sep '20

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-264 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation 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 commun- icating 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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans In this edition: * AMSAT Board of Directors Elections Results * July/August AMSAT Journal Is Now Available * RAC Canada 2020 Conference and AGM is this Sunday * AO-7 Approaching Return To Full Illumination * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution * Ham Radio Club Talk Collection On YouTube * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-264.01 ANS-264 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 264.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE 2020 September 20 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-264.01 AMSAT Board of Directors Elections Results Balloting for the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation’s 2020 Board of Directors election concluded September 15. Of the 1,233 envelopes returned, 1,231 could be associated with a unique member. Ballots were separated from the envelopes to maintain secrecy and counted by the Secretary over three sessions conducted on September 16, 17, and 18. Candidates, Directors, Officers, and tellers chosen by the Secretary were invited to observe the opening of returned envelopes and handling of ballots during the count. Five envelopes contained reports of deceased members, resulting in a total of 1,226 ballots scrutinized. The number of votes cast for each candidate is as follows: Mark Hammond, N8MH 707 Paul Stoetzer, N8HM 703 Bruce Paige, KK5DO 667 Howie DeFelice, AB2S 550 Bob McGwier, N4HY 534 Jeff Johns, WE4B 429 Four ballots were spoiled. Accordingly, pursuant to Article III, Section 4 of the Bylaws: Mark Hammond, N8MH, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, and Bruce Paige, KK5DO, have been elected as Directors of the Corporation for terms ending in 2022. Howie DeFelice, AB2S, has been elected as First Alternate Director of the Corporation for a term ending in 2021. Bob McGwier, N4HY, has been elected as Second Alternate Director of the Corporation for a term ending in 2021. The Secretary thanks the candidates for their cooperation during the election process, those who observed the counting for their time and scrutiny, and the members of the Corporation for their interest and participation. (ANS thanks Brennan Price, N4QX, AMSAT Secretary for the above infor- mation) +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMSAT office is closed until further notice. For details, please visit https://www.amsat.org/amsat-office-closed-until-further-notice/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ July/August AMSAT Journal Is Now Available Due to COVID-19, the July/August 2020 issue of The AMSAT Journal will only be available to members on AMSAT’s Member Portal. Please visit launch.amsat.org to view/download your copy today. The AMSAT Journal is a bi-monthly magazine for amateur radio in space enthusiasts, published by the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT). Each issue is your source for hardware and software projects, technical tips, STEM initiatives, operational activities, and news from around the world. Inside the Current Issue Engineering Update, Jerry Buxton N0JY User Services Update, Robert Bankston KE4AL Treasurer's Report, Robert Bankston KE4AL Educational Relations Update, Alan Johnston KU2Y AMSAT Field Day 2020, Bruce Paige KK5DO For Beginners — Amateur Radio Satellite Primer VI, Keith Baker KB1SF/VE2KSF Satellite Cyber Threats, Omar Álvarez-Cárdenas XE1AO; Miguel A. García-Ruiz VE3BKM; Margarita G. MayoralBaldivia XE1BMG; Raúl T. Aquino-Santos (SWL) Integration of a Distributed Ground Station Network, M.A.Mendoza- Bárcenas (SWL); Rafael Prieto-Meléndez (SWL); Alejandro Padrón- Godínez (SWL); Gerardo Calva-Olmos (SWL), Omar Álvarez-Cárdenas XE1AO; Margarita G. Mayoral-Baldivia XE1BMG; Alfonso TamezRod- ríguez • XE2O Satellite Antenna Tracking Using Goto Telescope Mounts, Dwayne Sinclair • NA6US [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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ RAC Canada 2020 Conference and AGM is this Sunday Radio Amateurs of Canada is pleased to welcome all Amateurs to the RAC Canada 2020 Conference which will be held on Sunday, September 20 be- fore the RAC Annual General Meeting. Complete descriptions of all of the presentations can be found on the RAC website at: https://www.rac.ca/rac-canada-2020-conference-and-agm-is-this-sunday/ There is no registration fee for this event and registration is now underway. Canada 2020 Conference Overview: The RAC Canada 2020 Conference is an interactive mini-conference that will feature interesting presentations on a wide range of topics as shown below. Whether you are a new Amateur or have been enjoying Ama- teur Radio for many years there will be something of interest for you to discover. Given the great response we have received, we have now decided to ex- tend the schedule to include a keynote presentation followed by three sessions. Each session will have multiple presentations so that participants can choose those presentations that are of most interest to them. In addi- tion, all sessions will be recorded for viewing later so you won’t miss out if two of your favourites take place at the same time. Keynote presentation: 12 noon to 12:50 pm ET First session (4 presentations): 1 pm to 1:50 ET Second session (4 presentations): 2 pm to 2:50 ET Third session (3 presentations): 3 pm to 3:50 ET The Annual General Meeting will then begin after the Conference at 4 pm ET. Conference Presentations and Schedule: The following is a list of presentations and the schedule of events: Keynote Presentation: 12 noon to 12:50 pm ET “A Fireside Chat”: “Amateur Radio during the Global Pandemic and other topics” An informal discussion featuring the following distinguished guests: Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA: President, Radio Amateurs of Canada Tim Ellam, VE6SH: President, International Amateur Radio Union Rick Roderick, K5UR: President, American Radio Relay League Steve Thomas, M1ACB: General Manager, Radio Soc'ty of Great Britain In these unprecedented times, this is an excellent – and possibly historic opportunity – to engage in a discussion on the challenges we face today and the future of Amateur Radio. First session: 1 pm to 1:50 pm ET Getting Started with Amateur Radio Satellites – Tom Schuessler, N5HYP Amateur Radio and Youth – Brian Jackson, VE6JBJ Amateur Radio Challenges in Canada’s North – Ron Thompson, VE8RT and Angela Gerbrandt, VY0YL CY9C St. Paul Island DXpedition – Phil McBride, VA3QR Second session: 2 pm to 12:50 pm ET 6m FT8 DXing – Ron Schwartz, VE3VN Contesting: Remote Operating – Cary Rubenfeld, VE4EA, Tom Haavisto, VE3CX & Gerry Hull, VE1RM VO2AC: Contest DXpedition to Labrador (CQ Zone 2) – Chris Allingham, VE3FU/VO2AC Amateur Radio Hotspots: A Quick Overview – Allan Boyd, VE3AJB Third session: 3 pm to 3:50 pm ET La proposition d’une classe d’entrée pour les radioamateurs (en français) – Guy Richard, VE2QG/VE2XTD Amateur Radio: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow – Allen Wootton, VY1KX High Altitude Balloons: The Elevation Education – Kelly Shulman, VE3KLX [ANS thanks Radio Amateurs of Canada and Southgate ARC for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AO-7 Approaching Return To Full Illumination AO-7 is approaching a return to full illumination, sometime around September 25. This period will last until approximately December 26. During this time, it is likely AO-7 will switch between Modes A and B (2m/10m, and 70cm/2m) every 24 hours. Get those 10m antennas ready to enjoy mode A every other day. On another note, here’s a reminder and request to remember to keep the power down. Recently, I’ve observed sometimes several different sta- tions, usually in the middle of the passband, ditting away on CW in an attempt to find themselves. This often bounces the entire passband up and down, and sometimes causes the transponder to reset (“flip”) to Mode A. Try to find yourself with very low power, or on SSB, or best, with full Doppler control, and the other users will thank you. If you have to use high power to find yourself, your receive antenna and sys- tem probably needs improvement. SSB users should also watch their up- link power carefully. [ANS thanks Andrew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations, 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 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution The following satellites have been and removed from this week's AMSAT- NA TLE Distribution: OBJECT D - Cat ID 46275. OBJECT F - Cat ID 46277. To understand why, first consider that at this time about 52 satellites have been placed in orbit, so far. Nico Janssen, PA0DLO, has determined that Object D and Object F cannot be either AmicalSat or TTU 110. This based on the fact that Object D and Object F are in the SAME group of satellites (and orbit) into which UPMSat 2 (Cat. ID 46276) was launched. AmicalSat and TTU 100 are in another (and later) group of satellites that were launched later into a higher orbit and are now about a half an orbit away from UPMSat 2 (and Object D and Object F). This is quite a bit of good detective work by Nico! There's more! Since TTU 100 is not transmitting, it is really not pos- sible to identify TTU 100 by radio signal at this time. (The group that TTU 100 was launched still makes it sure that Objects D and F are not AmicalSat and TTU 100.) So TTU 100's Catalog Number is still (at this time) unknown. And so ... the following satellite has been and added to this week's AMSAT-NA TLE distribution: AmicalSat - Cat ID 46287. Again, a big thanks to Nico Janssen, PA0DLO. [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. Avellaneda Ikastetxea, Sodupe, Spain, telebridge via ZS6JON The ISS callsign was scheduled to be NA1SS. The scheduled astronaut was Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR. The contact was scheduled for Friday, 9-18-2020 at 12:56:34 UTC. The contact was successful. [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team men- tors 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: EM26/27 “Late this week or This weekend” @KL7TN JM08, 9/17 -9/21 @EA6/EA4NF. Formentera Island. DXCC EA6 – Grid JM08 – IOTA EU-004, LEO SAT FM & LINEARS, QSL via LoTW as EA6/EA4NF. For this new sat portable activation, Philippe will bring with him his Yaesu FT818ND and a FT817ND operating in full Duplex on all LEO satellites with an Alaskan Arrow Antenna. CN86, 9/19 & 9/20, @N7AME : I hope to access the FM satellites AO-91, and AO-92 on most passes during September 19 and 20 during the WWDXC Salmon Run. If they count, I will be at Lewis and Clark SP WA (K-3221) and in Lewis County which will be Grid CN96. K5TA will be on the air as W6H occasionally until this Sunday, 20-Sep, as New Mexico's satellite representative in the “Route 66 On The Air” special event. For general info visit http://w6jbt.org/?page_id=19. QSL via K8TE. Our coordinator is working on getting a certificate for LoTW, but it’s not up yet. Besides, the paper cards are nice-looking. Christy, KB6LTY, is also on sats as W6D from San Bernardino County — you remember the old song “…Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino!” -Scott K5TA DM65 Albuquerque. CN76/77 10/3 and 10/4 @AD0DX Just booked tickets for beautiful Ocean Shores, WA… CN76/CN77 grid line Sat Oct 3 approx 0000z to Sun Oct 4th approx 1700z, pass details closer to the trip Major Roves: Beginning this Saturday, 19 Sept thru Friday, 25 Sept, @kylee_ke0wpa and @ND0C will be doing some holiday roving in several Iowa grids: EN11, EN12, EN20, EN21, EN22 and EN30 – some lines. None of them are particularly rare, but we’ll be there nevertheless. Operation will be limited by work commitments and family activities, but we will focus on AO-91 and SO-50 and maybe some linears. Hope to turn a few grids green for some folks. Please play nice, i.e. no blind calls, no stomp- ing and allow the QSOs to be completed! [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events Clint Bradford K6LCS has booked his “Work the FM Voice Satellites With Minimal Equipment” presentation for the clubs: 10/27/2020 – Cherryland ARC / Traverse Bay ARC TBD – Antelope Valley (CA) ARC TBD – A private presentation for a Boy Scout troop in Danville, Penn. These will be Zoom presentations. Everyone is asked to update their copies of the Zoom application – by directly visiting Zoom.us. The 38th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting in- person event scheduled to be held in Bloomington, Minnesota has been canceled. The event will be shifted to a virtual, online platform. The in-person event was scheduled to occur Friday, October 16th - Sunday, October 18th. As the 2020 virtual event plans are developed, they will be announced via the usual AMSAT channels. [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + Last week Jupiter had 79 moons. This week it may have 600 more, in- cluding some that go backwards! A new study says that there may be as many as 600 small “irregular moons” orbiting Jupiter. An irregular moon is a minor object that used to orbit the Sun, but was captured by a giant planet early on in the Solar System’s history. Having swapped from being Sun-orbiting to planet-orbiting, they often have “eccentric” orbits; distant, inclined and retrograde—they orbit back- wards. (ANS thanks Forbes.com for the above information) + Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, from Gujarat State in western India, and Lucky Bijanki, VU2LBW from Bangalore in southern India, successfully worked one another via six different FM Satellites in single day on September 9. It's a record for such satellite activities in the region. Satellites worked were AO-91 (0650Z), PO-101 (0830Z), AO-27 (1305Z), SO-50 (1514Z), AO-92 (1712Z) & ARISS - ISS (1714Z). (ANS thanks Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, for the above information) + A small leak of ammonia has been detected at the U.S. segment of the International Space Station (ISS). Ammonia is used in transferring heat from the US segment on the ISS to space. Moderate levels of ammonia are not so dangerous, but exposure to high concentrations of it can be a health hazard. The leak is at a rate of about 700 grams [1.5 pounds] per year. There is no threat to the ISS crew. A similar situation occurred in 2017 and was resolved. (ANS thanks Space Daily for the above information) + Earth observation satellites are playing a key role in analyzing and responding to the fires in the western U.S. NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System provides daily fire point-source de- tection, along with real time geofenced updates, world wide. NASA also provides a dashboard of world temperature. (ANS thanks The Or- bital Index for the above information) + It was like the opening scene from a movie: cars pulled over on a busy freeway, with everyone gawking in disbelief at what they were seeing. Drivers in New Jersey on September 14 thought a flying saucer was hovering above them. But in reality, it was just another day in 2020 and the UFO was an aircraft from planet Earth: the Goodyear Blimp. With just the right lighting conditions, viewing angle and reflections, the blimp looked just like a classic flying saucer. (ANS thanks Universe Today for the above information) + Following requests from many amateurs outside South Africa, AMSAT-SA now offers its hand-held VHF/UHF yagi for export if ordered in a batch of 6, at R950 each (approx US $65), total for a batch of 6 R5700. (approx US $ 390). Available to countries in the European Union and the USA. For more information, see http://www.amsatsa.org.za/DualbandYagi.htm --------------------------------------------------------------------- /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information. 73 and Remember to help keep amateur radio in space, This week's ANS Editor, Mark D. Johns, K0JM k0jm at amsat dot org

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ANS-236 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by KI7UNJ Tucker 23 Aug '20

23 Aug '20

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-236 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://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 dot org. In this edition: * Ballot Return Date is September 15 * Two-Minute Engineering Video Update Available * New Distance Records * ORI's Digital Microwave Broadband Communication System Determined to be Free of ITAR * SmallSat 2020 Virtual Conference Proceedings Available Online * Upcoming Satellite Operations * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts from All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-236.01 ANS-236 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 236.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. August 23, 2020 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-236.01 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Ballot Return Date is September 15 With four weeks of balloting remaining, I think a reminder of procedures is warranted. Ballots for the AMSAT board of directors election must be received by 5 p.m. US Eastern Time on Tuesday, September 15. If you have received your ballot and wish to vote, please mail your ballot with sufficient time to arrive by this time. If you have not received your ballot and were a member of AMSAT on July 1, please email me at brennanprice(a)verizon.net to request a replacement ballot. All such requests that were made by today (Monday, August 17) have been fulfilled no later than today. A note to non-US based members: The printed return envelope does not specify that the return address is in the United States. The design of the envelope (my effort alone) may be fairly criticized on this basis. Several non-US members have added USA to the printed return address and successfully returned the ballot. This is my recommended remedy, but if for whatever reason it's too late for that (and I know of one such case), I will gladly send a replacement (as I have in said case). I am verifying envelopes against the voter list and keeping them unopened until the time of counting, when they will be opened face down and separated from the ballot without immediate counting to maintain secrecy. This is a key part of verifying that each ballot going out generates no more than one ballot coming back in. Presumably out of an understandable but self-defeating desire to ensure the secrecy of the ballot beyond this procedure, about ten members have sought to obscure the return address or use a different envelope, either with no return address or a different return address. In all but one of those cases, the printed address was insufficiently obscured, or the alternate address was traceable to a member who had not yet voted. The attention required to verify the nonconforming envelope in each case substantially exceeded the attention normally necessary, and actually increased the possibility of me inadvertently discerning the contents without opening the envelope through inspection I would ordinarily forego. Nevertheless, these envelopes have been accepted for eventual accounting. [ANS thanks Brennan Price, N4QX, AMSAT Secretary for the above information.] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMSAT office is closed until further notice. For details, please visit https://www.amsat.org/amsat-office-closed-until-further-notice/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Two-Minute Engineering Video Update Available Jerry Buxton, N0JY, Vice President-Engineering has published a two- minute video update on the progress of AMSAT projects. Among the highlights are: - The RadFxSat-2 / Fox-1E satellite is ready for delivery and integration and is expected to launch by the end of the year. - The University of Maine will use an AMSAT LTM-1 module for command and control of their upcoming CubeSat mission, MESAT-1. The LTM-1 also provides a linear transponder for amateur radio use. AMSAT is in discussions with additional partners about flying LTM-1 modules. - Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, vendors have been delayed in supplying printed circuit boards for the GOLF-TEE project. The impact of the pandemic has also affected the amount of time AMSAT's volunteer engineers have for their hobby work. Completion of GOLF-TEE is expected by the end of June 2021. - Dependent on fulfilling its primary mission, the GOLF-TEE satellite may include a X-band downlink parrot of the V-band uplink and L/S band uplinks which are planned for GOLF-1. - Research is underway to place GOLF-1 into a higher orbit while meeting regulatory requirements. - GOLF-TEE is a candidate for a launch on an upcoming DoD mission. You can view Jerry's update at: https://youtu.be/9H4iM1hoVG4. [ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, N0JY, Vice President-Engineering for the above information.] -------------------------------------------------------------------- New Distance Records Congratulations to Jerome LeCuyer, F4DXV and Joseph Werth, KE9AJ on extending their record distance on AO-7 by another 140 km! The new record stands at 8,204.592 km. KE9AJ was in DM79IQ58 and F4DXV was in JN14CH76. Jerome also claimed two other records during his trip to JN14. First, on 10-Aug-2020, he worked VE1VOX in Nova Scotia on AO-92, a distance of 5,011 km. Three days later, a QSO with Nathan White, N5LEX in FN11 set a new record distance covered of 6,183 km on AO-91. The QSO occurred at 13:37 UTC on 13-Aug-2020. [ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8MH, AMSAT Executive Vice President for the above information.] -------------------------------------------------------------------- ORI's Digital Microwave Broadband Communication System Determined to be Free of ITAR The United States Department of State has ruled favorably on Open Research Institute's commodity jurisdiction request, finding that specified “Information and Software for a Digital Microwave Broadband Communications System for Space and Terrestrial Amateur Radio Use” is not subject to State Department jurisdiction under ITAR, the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Export regulations divide both technical information and actual hardware into three categories. The most heavily restricted technologies fall under ITAR, which is administered by the State Department. Technologies subject to more routine restrictions fall under EAR, the Export Administration Regulations, administered by the Department of Commerce. Technologies that are not subject to either set of regulations are not restricted for export. On 20 February 2020, Open Research Institute (ORI) filed a Commodity Jurisdiction (CJ) Request with the US State Department, seeking to establish that key technologies for amateur radio are not subject to State Department jurisdiction. “Information and Software for a Digital Microwave Broadband Communications System for Space and Terrestrial Amateur Radio Use” was assigned the case number CJ0003120. On 11 August 2020, the case received a successful final determination: the technology is not subject to State Department jurisdiction. The Final Determination letter can be found at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-236-ORI [ANS thanks Open Research Institute, Inc., 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. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ SmallSat 2020 Virtual Conference Proceedings Available Online The 34th Annual Small Satellite Conference was a virtual event hosted by SmallSat.org and Utah State University, Logan, Utah. The event attracted 8,100 participants over three days August 1-3, 2020. With the conference theme, "Space Mission Architectures - Infinite Possibilities", the conference explored the realm of possible space mission architectures and how they can be practically achieved to support the diverse needs of the global space community. Organized along twelve technical tracks, all 162 presentations are available to the public. Additionally, literally hundreds of posters can be downloaded for viewing. Especially useful is a search function on the site that can search keywords to help find presentation and posters that deal with specific topics. For those interested in the future of small satellites, including those in the Amateur Radio Satellite Service, there is one especially pertinent presentation entitled " Small Satellite Regulation in 2020" with attorneys Lynne Montgomery and Christopher Bair of Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP. In this twelve minute presentation, Ms. Montgomery thoroughly covers the range of regulations affecting small satellite operations, the agencies involved, licensing procedures and what future legal burdens are looming for small satellite operators. The complete collection of presentations and posters can be seen at: https://smallsat.org/. [ANS thanks SmallSat.org 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations * Quick Hits: DM97/98 & EM08/09, 8/29 & 8/30: Super Rover @ADoDX is heading out for the Kansas QSO party and N0E. More to come. * Major Roves: @WA9JBQ is heading out to Idaho DN24,DN25,DN26 DN34, DN16, DN15, and DN14 starting August 15th. Then moving into Montana for DN35,DN36, DN37, DN38 DN49 DN47. He will be out a total of 5-6 weeks. Mostly FM some linear. Will post to twitter details. [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR for the above information.] -------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS News * Upcoming Contacts: Kopernik Observatory & Science Center, Vestal, NY, direct via K2ZRO The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Chris Cassidy KF5KDR Contact is go for: Wed 2020-08-19 18:21:55 UTC 85 deg Watch for live stream starting about 20 to 30 minutes ahead of AOS at: https://youtu.be/1Pwcc2rilz0 [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Shorts from All Over * NASA At Home Offerings Updated Regularly As was reported before, NASA continually offers a variety of videos, podcasts, virtual tours, e-books and activities. This service has offerings that are of interest to adults as well as students with an interest in space exploration. The lineup changes weekly so, if you haven't been back in a while, take a moment to see the current assortment at: https://www.nasa.gov/specials/nasaathome/index.html [ANS thanks NASA for the above information.] * Build a Simple ISS Tracker with Raspberry Pi Fancy tracking the ISS’s trajectory? Looking for a project beyond using your smart phone app? All you need is a Raspberry Pi, an e-paper display, an enclosure, and a little Python code. Check out The MagPi Magazine issue #96. The download is free and can be found at: https://magpi.raspberrypi.org/issues/96. [ANS thanks RaspberryPi.org for the above information.] *ARS Technica Review Launch Prospects ARS reviews four smallsat rockets that might launch this year: Astra (this month?), Firefly (November?), Virgin Orbit (EOY?), and ExPace’s Kuaizhou-11 (?). Read it at https://bit.ly/3gkyLv6. [ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information] *Faster Than the Speed of Light? If you’re a fan of science fiction, chances are you've encountered spaceships that use a warp drive, “fold space,” or “jump” drive. Unfortunately, the immutable laws of physics tell us that this is simply not possible. Those same laws, however, also tell us that near-light-speed travel comes with all sorts of challenges. Luckily for all of us, NASA addresses these in a recently-released animated video that covers all the basics of interstellar travel! See it at: https://youtu.be/l4u4wV_dOi0 [ANS thanks Universe Today for the above information] *NASA Investigating Air Leak on ISS NASA is tracking down the source of a minor air leak on the International Space Station. Crewmembers of the station's current Expedition 63 are in no immediate danger and will spend the weekend in the orbiting laboratory's Russian segment, inside the Zvezda service module, NASA officials said in an update on Thursday, 20 August. Full story at https://bit.ly/34lVnZZ [ANS thanks Space.com for the above information] -------------------------------------------------------------------- In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT office. 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 six post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT office for additional student membership information. 73, This week's ANS Editor, Casey Tucker, KI7UNJ ki7unj at amsat dot org Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!

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ANS-215 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Mark Johns, K0JM 02 Aug '20

02 Aug '20

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-215 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation 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 commun- icating 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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans In this edition: * ISS MAI-75 SSTV Activity Planned For Aug 4-5 * AMSAT Awards Update * How Many Satellite Awards Have Been Issued? * VUCC Awards-Endorsements for August 2020 * First Demonstration Of Orbit Control On A 1U CubeSat * Burns Fisher, WB1JF, Featured Speaker at AMSAT SA Symposium * NASA to Provide Coverage of Astronauts' Return from ISS on SpaceX * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-215.01 ANS-215 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 215.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE 2020 August 02 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-215.01 ISS MAI-75 SSTV Activity Planned For Aug 4-5 Russian cosmonauts will transmit amateur radio Slow Scan Television (SSTV) images from the International Space Station (ISS) during August 4-5 on 145.800 MHz FM (likely using PD-120). On July 9, ESA Education had Tweeted: “We are expecting the ISS to transmit pictures in the next weeks for the 45th anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz test project. This is a perfect opportunity to try this activity for yourself!” https://twitter.com/ESA__Education/status/1281140713237946370 Apollo–Soyuz was the first international space mission, carried out jointly by the United States and the Soviet Union in mid-July 1975. An announcement made July 27 on the ARISS SSTV Blog says: The final crew schedule for the week of Aug 3-9 was released recently and it showed a MAI-75 activity scheduled for Aug 4 and 5. This is soon after the Space X Demo-2 undock so changes to that event could impact the schedule. The current dates and times of the planned activity are as follows: Aug 4 (12:25-18:10 UTC) is setup and day 1 operations. Aug 5 (11:15-18:45 UTC) is day 2 operations and close out. This is the Moscow Aviation Institute SSTV experiment that is active for orbital passes over Moscow, Russia. It has traditional been PD-180 or PD-120 and transmitting on 145.800 MHz. Source ARISS STV Blog http://ariss-sstv.blogspot.com/ The ISS puts out a strong signal on 145.800 MHz FM and a 2m handheld with a 1/4 wave antenna will be enough to receive it. Many FM mobile and base station rigs can be switched been wide and narrow deviation FM filters. For best results you should select the filter for wider deviation FM (25 kHz channel spacing). Handhelds all seem to have a single wide filter fitted as standard. The space agency ESA has released a video ‘How to get pictures from the International Space Station via Amateur Radio’ along with a collection of Tutorial videos explaining how to receive ISS Slow Scan TV (SSTV) pictures for different computers and mobile devices https://amsat-uk.org/2020/07/08/esa-promote-amateur-radio-iss-sstv/ Read the Raspberry Pi article Pictures from space via ham radio https://www.raspberrypi.org/magpi/pictures-from-space-via-ham-radio/ ISS SSTV info and links https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/iss-sstv/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMSAT office is closed until further notice. For details, please visit https://www.amsat.org/amsat-office-closed-until-further-notice/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT Awards Update Here are the awards issued in the last two months. The AMSAT Satellite Communicators Award is given to any operator for having made their first contact: Anthony Rizi, NR1Z Edward Hartzel, W3HMK James Brooks, KB3EFH Vilanova University ARC, W3YP Robin Shelley, G8VVY ------ The Oscar Satellite Communications Achievement Award is for working 20 contacts on any satellite: Anthony Rizi, NR1Z, #628 Angus Alexander, KJ7KOJ, #629 ------ The AMSAT Sexagesimal Satellite Communications Achievement Award is given for 60 satellite contacts: Stephan Greene, KS1G, #187 Casey Tucker, KI7UNJ, #188 ------ The AMSAT South Africa Satellite Communications Achievement Award is for 25 different stations on Phase 2 (LEO) satellites: Anthony Rizi, NR1Z, #US230 Casey Tucker, KI7UNJ, #US231 Angus Alexander, KJ7KOJ, #US232 ------ The Robert W. Barbee Jr., W4AMI Satellite Operator Achievement Award is awarded for the submission of 1,000 satellite contacts on OSCAR-6 or later satellites: W4AMI Award (1,000-4,000) Mitchell Whitman, N4DCW, #110 Mark Johns, K0JM, #111 David Hoffman, KL1XI, #112 Phillip Sauvey, AK7DD, #113 Dennis Love, N7EGY, #114 Kell Bodholt, KI7UXT, upgrade to 2000 ------ AMSAT Rover Award is based on a point system and is awarded to those who put grids on the air away from their home QTH: Rover Call ===== ======== #054 N0TEL #055 AK7DD #056 KE0WPA ------ GridMaster Award is presented to those who confirm QSOs with all 488 grids in the Continental U.S.: GridMaster Call ========== ======== #11 KO4MA #12 N4UFO #13 W5CBF 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] --------------------------------------------------------------------- How Many Satellite Awards Have Been Issued? When Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director Contests and Awards, was asked by a ham last week how many awards he has issued, his response was, "You know, I really had no idea." Paige took over doing the AMSAT awards in May, 2001. Most of the awards have computer records. However, the Satellite Communicator Club award, he did not start keeping track of until 2003. So, you ask, how many awards has he issued? Paige says, "Satellite Communicator 407+ but my records only go back to 2003 South Africa Satellite Communication Achievement 167 AMSAT Satellite Communication Achievement 273 Sexagesimal (60 QSOs) 64 Century (100 QSOs) 24 W4AMI (1,000 QSOs) 81 W4AMI endorsements (each additional 1,000 QSOs) 66 W4AMI 5000 (5,000 QSOs) 25 Rover 55 GridMaster 13 and if I added correctly, it comes out to 1,165 plus whatever Satellite Communicator awards were issued in 2001 and 2002. That's a lot of certificate paper, a lot of ink and a bunch of envelopes and stiffeners to get them safely to their owners." Do you have one on your wall? If not, maybe you should submit for one or more so that one day I will hit 2,000 or 3,000 who knows. Visit the awards page at https://www.amsat.org/awards-2/ [ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director Contests and Awards 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 2020 Here are the endorsements and new VUCC Satellite Awards issued by the ARRL for the period July 1, 2020 through August 1, 2020. Congratulations to all those who made the list this month! WOW! Long list this month! CALL July August W7QL 478 510 WI4T 301 461 N7EGY 405 456 PS8ET 350 434 AF5CC New 425 N9FN 303 403 HP2VX 351 377 WB7VUF 319 370 KC9UQR 301 332 W4ZXT 252 327 WA9JBQ 326 326 W4DTA 263 275 AK7DD New 255 N1PEB * 138 255 K4RGK 175 214 VE6WK New 207 S57NML 179 205 AC9O 108 204 YV1DIG 146 200 AA4FL 181 187 N3CAL 160 171 WD9EWK (DM23) 137 152 N7AME 128 148 WB7QXU New 140 K3HPA 102 128 VE2NGO 100 128 HB9WDF New 114 N5EKO 102 108 KP4RV 100 105 XE1R New 105 KB9STR New 104 N2ZN New 103 IK1IYU New 101 KF6JOQ New 101 N5MIG New 101 LU3FCA New 100 M0KDS New 100 N6RVI New 100 * For some reason, this call dropped off the list from February to now. If you find errors or omissions. please contact me off-list at W5RKN at W5RKN dot com. 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 most of the work! [ANS thanks Ron Parsons, W5RKN, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- First Demonstration Of Orbit Control On A 1U CubeSat The University Wuerzburg Experimental Satellite 4 (UWE-4) successfully used its propulsion system in order to conduct orbit control. The 1U CubeSat, developed and built at the Chair for Robotics and Telematics, is equipped with the electric propulsion system NanoFEEP which has been developed by TU Dresden. Several manoeuvres have been performed within 11 days between June 23 and July 3, 2020 such that the altitude of the CubeSat was reduced by more than 100 meters, compared to an average of 21 meters with natural decay. This marks the first time in CubeSat history that a 1U CubeSat changed its orbit using an on-board propulsion system. As chance would have it, the team of UWE-4 received a conjunction data message (CDM) in the morning of July 2, 2020 from the United States Air Force’s 18th Space Control Squadron. A conjunction of UWE-4 with a non- operational Iridium satellite (ID: 34147) in the morning of July 5, 2020 with a minimum range of about 800 meters was a threat to the safety of UWE-4. An analysis has shown that the altitude of UWE-4 would already be below the Iridium satellite at the time of conjunction. Thus the on-going altitude lowering manoeuvre could only improve the situa- tion and can be considered as a collision avoidance manoeuvre. No furt- her CDMs have been issued regarding this possible conjunction. An anal- ysis of the orbit of the two spacecraft after July 5, 2020 results in a closest approach of more than 6000 meters. Lowering the altitude of a spacecraft in low earth orbit (LEO) is equivalent to a reduction of its lifetime, since satellites in LEO usually burn up during re-entry due to the friction with the Earth’s atmosphere. Thus, this experiment is a concept demonstration of a de- orbiting manoeuvre shown at the smallest class of spacecraft in LEO. Today, there is no commitment to carry a propulsion system for space- craft. However, due to the vastly increasing number of satellites in mega constellations such obligations are being discussed in the space agencies of several space faring countries. The experiment of UWE-4 presents a de-orbiting solution for the fraction of space debris of operational but unused satellites of today and for the mega constella- tions of tomorrow. [U.S. regulations make the ability to de-orbit a requirement for HEO amateur satellites in the future -- Ed.] Stay tuned for more updates on UWE-4 and the upcoming launch of NetSat, a formation flying nano-satellite mission from the Center for Telema- tics which is expected to be launched September 2020! Kind regards, The UWE-4 Team UWE-4: First NanoFEEP thruster ignition https://amsat-uk.org/2019/03/04/uwe-4-first-nanofeep-thruster-ignition/ UWE-4 435.600 MHz https://bit.ly/39FdrPt [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Burns Fisher, WB1JF, Featured Speaker at AMSAT SA Symposium AMSAT of South Africa (AMSAT SA) has converted its annual Space Sympo- sium into a live online event to take place from 08:00z to 17:00z on Saturday 22 August with a lunch break to have your sandwiches at home. Burns Fisher, WB1JF, IHU Software Engineer and key volunteer in the construction of the Fox1 series of satellites, will join the symposium from the USA with two presentations. In one of his papers Burns will present a small, easy-to-deploy telemetry station called Fox-in-a-Box, a good way for amateurs to get started in satellite telemetry collec- tion with a modest investment. There will be features about AMSAT OSCAR 7, the longest operating ama- teur satellite, as well as about SATNOGs and how to track and decode thousands of small satellites in orbit with simple hardware/software requiring minimal outlay. Dr. Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, and his team will present the latest developments in the AfriCUBE project. To book, visit www.amsatsa.org.za. Members of the SARL or AMSATSA and may register before 15 August for a cost of only R30. Non-members may register prior to this date for a cost of R100 (approximately $6 U.S.) but the AMSAT SA website only offers instructions for registration via postal mail. Contact AMSAT SA to explore other possible options. [ANS thanks SARL News and JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM, for the above informa- tion] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ 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 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ NASA to Provide Coverage of Astronauts' Return from ISS on SpaceX NASA will provide live coverage of activities leading up to, during, and following the return of the agency's SpaceX Demo-2 test flight with the agency's astronauts Robert Behnken, KE5GGX, and Douglas Hurley from the International Space Station. The duo arrived at the orbiting laboratory on May 31, following a suc- cessful launch on May 30 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Ken- nedy Space Center in Florida. NASA and SpaceX are targeting 7:34 p.m. EDT Saturday, Aug. 1, for un- docking of the Dragon "Endeavour" spacecraft from the space station and 2:42 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2, for splashdown, which will be the first re- turn of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft carrying astronauts from the space station. Coverage on NASA TV and the agency's website will begin at 20.30z on Aug. 1, with a short farewell ceremony on station and resume at 21.00z with departure preparations through splashdown and recovery at one of seven targeted water landing zones in the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida. Watch at https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/#public [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. ARISS is very aware of the impact that COVID-19 is having on schools and the public in general. As such, we may have last minute cancella- tions or postponements of school contacts. The most recent contact was with the American School of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Multi-point telebridge via ON4ISS on Thursday, 2020-07-30 at 16:41:42 UTC. The scheduled astronaut was Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR. The contact was successful, and the recording may be found at https://youtu.be/MSyfzEHYwrE [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team men- tors 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: Do you need Hawaii? NH7WN on AO-7 Most days. Reach out for a schedule. EN57, EN56, EN67, 8/2 – 8/8: N8MR, will be in EN57 from August 2nd through August 8th. He may also activate EN56 and 67. Roving will be holiday style. DM97/98 & EM08/09, 8/29 & 8/30: Super Rover @AD0DX is heading out for the Kansas QSO party and N0E. More to come. Major Roves: AD0HJ, is heading out again for the South Dakota Super Rove Part I Rove Map: Grids DN74, DN75, DN84, DN85, DN94, DN95, EN04, EN05, EN14, EN15, EN16, and EN17. July 31st through August 7th. See the Twitter post at https://twitter.com/AD0HJ/status/1284669314637930499 to get passes and times. Then as if that isn’t enough, there is more: South Dakota Super Rove Part II Rove Map: Grids DN73, DN82, DN83, DN92, DN93, EN02, EN03, EN12, EN24, and EN25. August 17th through August 21st. Please submit any additions or corrections to Ke0pbr (at) gmail.com [ANS thanks Paul Overnfor, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events Want to see AMSAT in action or learn more about amateur radio in space? AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meet- ings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. Due to COVID-19, many hamfest and events around the United States have been cancelled or postponed. While we make every effort to ensure the information contained below is correct, there may be some that we missed. We wish all of you safekeeping and hope to be at a hamfest near you soon. A copy of the AMSAT hamfest brochure is available for download from: https://bit.ly/2ygVFmV This color brochure is designed to be printed double-sided and folded into a tri-fold handout. To include your upcoming AMSAT presentation and/or demonstration, please send an email to ambassadors (at) amsat (dot) org. [ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT VP-User Services for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC), September 11 - 13. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year's conference will be held online. Papers will be published in the Conference Proceedings; authors do not need to participate. Submit papers by August 15 via email to Maty Weinberg, KB1EIB. (ANS thanks ARRL for the above information) + AMSAT-UK has announced the OSCAR Satellite QSO Party, aimed at en- couraging radio amateurs around the world to get on the air and make contacts via satellite during summer in the Northern Hemisphere. While points are given per contact, AMSAT-UK says the OSCAR Satellite QSO Party is not a contest. The event starts at 0000 UTC on August 1 and continues until 2359 UTC on September 22. (ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information) + W5KUB's high-altitude balloon went down around July 21 between Green- land and Norway after 72 days aloft and more than three trips around Earth. "It got stuck in the Arctic for several weeks, making loops," Tom Medlin, W5KUB, said. "We are getting ready to launch W5KUB-21, an SBS-13 balloon with lithium polymer (LiPo) battery. Testing on ground is showing that we are getting 24-hour tracking. We hope to launch that in the next week or two." (ANS thanks ARRL for the above information) + NASA's latest rover, Perseverance, launched to Mars on July 30 carry- chips with 10.9 million names submitted by people all over the world. Anyone can sign up to send their name on a future Mars mission at https://mars.nasa.gov/participate/send-your-name/mars2020/ (ANS thanks NASA for the above information) + Kerry Banke, N6IZW, was featured in an article published in the La Mesa Courier newspaper of La Mesa, Calif. on July 24. The article highlighted Kerry's association with ARISS, particularly his work on the new special power supply that converts the space station power to the levels that are required by ham radio equipment aboard the ISS. See the full story at https://lamesacourier.com/space-radio/ (ANS thanks Clint Bradford, K6LCS, for the above information) + NASA and its international partners have assigned crew members for Crew-2, which will be the second operational SpaceX Crew Dragon flight to the International Space Station as part of NASA?s Commer- cial Crew Program. Crew-2 is targeted to launch in spring 2021. NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur will serve as space- craft commander and pilot, respectively, for the mission. JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, KE5DNI, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet, KG5FYG, will join as mission specialists. (ANS thanks NASA for the above information) + The 34th Annual Small Satellite Conference, SmallSat 2020, is going virtual, August 1-6, 2020. Admission is free of charge at: https://smallsat.org/conference/registration (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information) + The public disclosure copy of AMSAT's 2019 IRS filing (Form 990) has been posted to the AMSAT website at: https://www.amsat.org/audit-and-other-financial-reports/ --------------------------------------------------------------------- /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information. 73 and Remember to help keep amateur radio in space, This week's ANS Editor, Mark D. Johns, K0JM k0jm at amsat dot org

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ANS-204 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin - AMSAT Partners with UMaine's Wise-Net Lab to Develop Maine's First Small Satellite
by Paul Stoetzer 22 Jul '20

22 Jul '20

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE SPECIAL BULLETIN ANS-204 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org. You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans In this edition: * AMSAT Partners with UMaine's WiSe-Net Lab to Develop Maine's First Small Satellite SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-204 ANS-204 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin AMSAT News Service Bulletin 204.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE July 22, 2020 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-204.01 AMSAT Partners with UMaine's WiSe-Net Lab to Develop Maine's First Small Satellite The University of Maine Wireless Sensing Laboratory (WiSe-Net Lab) and AMSAT have signed an agreement to collaborate on building and operating MESAT1, Maine’s first small satellite, to be launched in space in the next three years. MESAT1 is Maine's first CubeSat — one of 18 small research satellites selected by NASA to carry auxiliary payloads into space between 2021– 23. It is part of NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative that provides opportunities for nanosatellite science and technology payloads built by universities, schools and nonprofit organizations to ride share on space launches. UMaine’s WiSe-Net Lab, established in 2005, is involved in aerospace and space research. The lab was founded by Ali Abedi, KB1VJV, assistant vice president for research and director of the Center for Undergraduate Research. Lab researchers have developed the first wireless sensor network for NASA’s lunar habitation project and launched wireless leak-detection to the International Space station. The MESAT1 initiative will enable K–12 students and teachers in Maine to access space data for educational and research purposes, and encourage students to pursue STEM careers. AMSAT will provide a Linear Transponder Module (LTM) along with integration and operational support for MESAT1. AMSAT's LTM incorporates a VHF/UHF telemetry beacon, command receiver, and linear transponder. It will be available for radio amateurs worldwide to use when the satellite is commissioned. AMSAT President Clayton Coleman, W5PFG, celebrated the announcement. "This is a great day for AMSAT and UMaine's Wise-Net Lab. This partnership is a true win-win for both education and the amateur radio community. The collaborative effort under AMSAT's engineering and operations teams has once again succeeded to bring another opportunity to AMSAT." [ANS thanks AMSAT and UMaine's WiSe-Net Lab for the above information] /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. 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 stu- dent 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-201 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletin
by Frank Karnauskas 19 Jul '20

19 Jul '20

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-201 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://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 dot org. In this edition: * AMSAT Board of Directors Election Packages Mailed July 14 * HO-107 is Back! * First Call for Papers - Virtual 2020 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium * New D-STAR Reflector for AMSAT Use * SpaceX to Launch AMSAT-EA EASAT-2 and Hades Satellites * DARC Finds Unauthorized Transmissions in 144 MHz Satellite Band * 1240-1300 MHz Discussed at CEPT SE-40 Meeting * IARU Coordinates Two New Satellites * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts from All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-201.01 ANS-201 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 201.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. July 19, 2020 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-202.01 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Packages Mailed July 14 Brennan Price, N4QX, AMSAT Secretary reports that the ballots, candidate statements, and return envelopes for the 2020 AMSAT Board of Directors Election were prepared by Paladin Commercial Printing of Newington, Connecticut. Paladin mailed the packages from Hartford, Connecticut, on Tuesday, July 14, to members of record on July 1. Non-US addresses were sent first class (the only option for overseas). US addresses were sent pre-sorted standard, which is routine for mail that requires a two-way response time measured in weeks, as this does. Allowing for postal delivery standards and guard time, the Secretary will not consider a ballot as lost in post any earlier than August 12 (four weeks after the mailing). This timing permits a replacement ballot to be mailed first class in both directions, even internationally, with time to spare under prevailing postal delivery standards. Paladin has shipped materials for 100 blank election packages to Price. Price will use these materials to assemble and mail replacement or substitute packages as necessary. These requests and packages will be tracked and accounted against the voter list and returned ballots to guard against duplicates, and will be identifiable against the package mailed by Paladin for further verification and accounting by the tellers. Members desiring a replacement ballot package should contact Price no earlier than August 12. The package is clearly labeled as election-related and contains: 1) An instruction and ballot sheet, with the ballot perforated, 2) A sheet of candidate statements, and 3) A No 9 return envelope, which bears the address to which ballots should be returned and the member's name and address for verification against the voter list and any replacement ballot requests. Secrecy at the time of counting will be maintained by separating the ballot from the envelope without inspection, placing the ballot in a receptacle, and scrutinizing the ballots after all have been separated from the envelopes. Ballots should be returned in the return envelopes provided to arrive at the designated Post Office Box in Vienna, Virginia, by 5 p.m. Thursday, September 15, 2020. Separation of the ballots from the envelopes and counting will occur as soon thereafter as practicable, and no later than September 30. Brennan can be reached at brennanprice(a)verizon.net for a query about membership status at any time or a replacement ballot after August 12. [ANS thanks Brennan Price, N4QX, AMSAT Secretary for the above information.] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMSAT office is closed until further notice. For details, please visit https://www.amsat.org/amsat-office-closed-until-further-notice/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ HO-107 is Back! On the evening of July 17, 2020, Vlad Chorney, EU1SAT, tweeted "Husky-1 ACTIVE!" with a screenshot from FoxTelem showing that he had received telemetry from HO-107 (HuskySat-1) which had been silent for nearly two months. About an hour after EU1SAT's tweet, the satellite passed over the eastern United States and AMSAT command stations KO4MA and N8MH copied telemetry. On subsequent passes, the satellite was successfully commanded. Please continue to copy telemetry in FoxTelem. If you have removed HO-107 from your tracked satellites during its period of inactivity, please add it back. The transponder remains disabled while AMSAT Operations evaluates the telemetry from the satellite. [ANS thanks AMSAT Operations for the above information] -------------------------------------------------------------------- First Call for Papers - Virtual 2020 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium This is the first call for papers for the Virtual 2020 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium to be held on October 17, 2020. Proposals for papers and symposium presentations are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite community. Further details regarding the virtual event will be announced shortly. We request a tentative title of your presentation as soon as possible, with the final copy to be submitted by October 5, 2020 for inclusion in the Symposium Proceedings. Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan Schultz at n8fgv(at)amsat.org [ANS thanks Dan Schultz, N8FGV, 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. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ New D-STAR Reflector for AMSAT Use It has been nearly two years since Walter Holmes, K5WH and friends created the AMSAT DMR Talkgroup 98006 and has been working with great success. About one year ago they created a YSF US AMSAT Reflector 11689 to pull in others using Yaesu System Fusion digital radios. As these were working so well, they decided to bridge the two systems together so it would longer matter which of these digital technologies users had. Users could cross communicate between all users of both systems. After success with the DMR talkgroup and the YSF reflector for more than a year, there was plenty of interest in adding D-STAR capability to the same system. Walter is happy to announce the creation of a new D-STAR reflector for that purpose. It supports four different reflector names such as XLXSAT, XRFSAT, DCSSAT, and REFSAT that are all linked together so that all of these work the same. As most people that are familiar with D-STAR reflectors know, they usually have numbers for the reflectors, but it seemed more appropriate to switch from the number system to the Alpha name like SAT to make it easier to find in the list. For those using hotspots, they will need to refresh or update their Pistar or BlueDV host files to see these entries before they will see this one in the pull-down list. Walter adds, "We recommend that users use module C for the AMSAT conversations but several other modules are available if we find a need to stretch out a bit. But, the C module is the one also linked to a few other repeaters. "The D-STAR SAT reflector is not currently bridged into the system as are the DMR and YSF reflectors, but we hope to have that linked in very soon after a little more testing. "If you have D-STAR capability, we invite you to give it a try and see how it works for you." [ANS thanks Walter Holmes, K5WH for the above information] -------------------------------------------------------------------- SpaceX to Launch AMSAT-EA EASAT-2 and Hades Satellites Spain's national amateur radio society URE says SpaceX expect to launch the EASAT-2 and Hades satellites in December 2020. AMSAT-EA, the URE satellite group, is building the satellites together with the European University of Madrid. The launch has been managed through the space broker Alba Orbital based in Glasgow. EASAT-2 and Hades will be launched into a sun-synchronous orbit between 500 km and 600 km and their main function is to act as analog and digital repeaters for radio amateurs. There is also a camera for SSTV transmissions provided by the Czech Republic that has already flown on the United States Marine Academy PSAT-2 satellite, and has now been adapted to fit into the PocketQube satellites. Both satellites are based on the PocketQube 1.5P (7.5 x 5 x 5 cm) architecture and represent an evolution of the previous GENESIS platform, whose GENESIS-L and GENESIS-N satellites are expected to fly before the end of the year with Firefly, in a joint collaboration with Fossa Systems and LibreSpace, which also launch their own satellites, all of them within the Picobus dispenser, developed by the latter. IARU has coordinated these frequencies: - Hades - uplink 145.925 MHz, downlink 436.888 MHz - EASAT-2 - uplink 145.875 MHz, downlink 436.666 MHz [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ DARC Finds Unauthorized Transmissions in 144 MHz Satellite Band The DARC reports unauthorized transmissions are taking place in the 144 MHz satellite segment of the 2M amateur radio primary allocation. A translation of the DARC post reads: "In the 144.010 MHz to 144.020 MHz range, illegally operated transmitters are increasingly being operated as "water vitalizers" or "water energizers". The manufacturer specifies 144.015 MHz as the transmission frequency in its product description. "The DARC EMC department asks for further information with location information about conspicuous signals in this frequency range, in preparation for collective complaints. "The devices apparently generate fields with considerable field strength and a long range. The signals appear increasingly in the morning or in the evening. The illegal transmitters are typically in operation for 5 to 60 minutes (integer multiples of 5 minutes). The signal is generally very stable in frequency, but occasionally shows short-term fluctuations of up to a few 100 Hz. Otherwise the carrier is not further modulated. The frequency range 144.000 MHz to 146.000 MHz is assigned to the Amateur Radio service in Germany as the primary exclusive user." A video of the interference caused by these devices and a map showing some of the cases so far detected in Germany can be seen at https://www.darc.de/der-club/referate/emv/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information.] -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1240-1300 MHz Discussed at CEPT SE-40 Meeting The 69th meeting of CEPT ECC Working Group SE-40, held June 23-25, discussed the Amateur Radio 1240-1300 MHz band, the meeting documents are now available. Several contributions were received for the ECC Report dealing with the coexistence between the radionavigation-satellite service and the amateur service in the frequency band 1240 - 1300 MHz. The contributions were incorporated in the draft ECC Report. The CPG arrangements for the preparation of WRC-23 for AI 9.1 topic b) was noted. The Russian Federation noted: - 1240-1260 MHz is by the GLONASS system - 1260-1300 MHz are used by EU's Galileo, Beijing's Beidou, Japan's QZSS and is planned to be used by Korea's KPS. Among the documents available in Input, Info and Minutes are: - SE40(20)052 Amateur Repeaters - IARU-R1 - SE40(20)051 Section 2 update WI_39 - IARU-R1 - SE40(20)050 Annex Draft report RNSS Amateur - Russian Federation - SE40(20)049 Suggestions for RNSS and Amateur Service Compatibility, Russian Federation - Info 1 Amateur repeaters 23 cm - IARU-R1 - Info 3 Letter to SE40 chairman on updated of ITU-R M.1092 - European Commission - Minutes - SE40(20)56A3 (1) Draft Report Amateur vs RNSS Download the meeting documents from https://tinyurl.com/ANS-201-CEPT. [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information.] -------------------------------------------------------------------- IARU Coordinates Two New Satellites - HIAPO HIAPO is a 1U CubeSat mission that is a unique platform being used to provide engaging meaningful hands-on STEM curriculum for Hawaii students K-12. Part of this curriculum involves obtaining data about solar flares solar particle events and the disturbances of the Earth's magnetic field. The students can also collect data on solar events with relation to the propagation of radio waves reflected or refracted back towards the Earth from the ionosphere. During the lifespan of this mission that data will be available for amateur operators to download directly from the satellite. The Hawaii Science & Technology Museum was awarded a no-cost flight of the launch and a limited resources will not allow the development of an Amateur Radio digipeater. However if the launch date slips they plan to work with resources at AMSAT to develop a digipeater. Proposing a UHF downlink using 9k6 FSK with AX25. Planning a Firefly launch from Vandenberg in July 2020 into a 300 km orbit with 137 degree inclination together with Serenity and Spinnaker 3. A downlink on 437.225 MHz has been coordinated. - VZLUSAT-2 VZLUSAT-2 is 3U CubeSat project of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen and Czech Aerospace Research Centre. Students from four Czech technical universities are involved along with members of an Amateur Radio community from The Czech Republic. The primary payload is the experimental Earth observation camera with an expected resolution around 30 to 50 m GSD. Secondary payloads of the mission are Radiation Orbital Monitor, Gama Ray Burst detector, X-ray detector and other sensors. This mission is fully open to Radio Amateurs who were also involved in the development of the satellite. The space segment uses two Amateur bands for communication: An S-band for payload data downlink (DVBS2 ETSI EN 302 307 standard, 2 MBd, QPSK), and UHF downlink beacon (GMSK 1200 Bd), telecommand uplink ( GMSK, 1200 Bd - 9600 Bd) and telemetry downlink (GMSK 4800, 9600 Bd). All the information is in an open format and everything needed for decoding is or will be published at: https://www.pilsencube.zcu.cz/vzlusat2/transmission.pdf. Planning a launch from Cape Canaveral in the time window from December 2020 to March 2021 into SSO 500-600 km. A downlink on 437.325 MHz has been coordinated. [ANS thanks the IARU 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: - Need Hawaii? On AO-7 Most days. NH7WN for a schedule. - EN85, 86 and maybe 75 and 76, July 11-25. @AA8CH for a schedule. - FN44/54, 7/22 - 7/31, KQ2RP: Just like last time, FM only. - FN11+21 then 12+22 grid lines, 7/25, @NS3L Steve is heading out to these lines. Schedule to come. - EN20/30 Line, July 28-31, @KX9X Sean is moving quickly towards his VUCC/R award by heading out again for two more grids. Watch his Twitter for details. - DM97/98 & EM08/09: Super Rover @AD0DX is heading out for the Kansas QSO party and N0E. More to come. Major Roves: - @WY7AA is heading out again! Mon 7/20 DN67/68. All SSB and FM passes from about 1600-0400. Tue 7/21 DN57/58. All SSB and FM passes from about 1600-0400. Wed 7/22 Travel day no sats. Thu 7/23 DN55/56. All SSB and FM passes from about 1600-0400. Fri 7/24 DN65/66. All SSB and FM passes from about 1600-0400. Watch his QRZ page for details and updates. [ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL for the above information.] -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events No events posted. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS News No pending school operations. [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N for the above information.] -------------------------------------------------------------------- Shorts from All Over - Sean Kutzko, KX9X To Present "Working Satellites" at DXE Virtual Hamfest and DX Academy July 25, 2020 Join Sean on Saturday, July 25, 2020 at 10:15 EDT for his thirty- minute presentation on Amateur Radio satellites. Sean's presentation is part of the DX Engineering Virtual Hamfest and DX Academy. The event is free and open to all. Register at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-201-Sean - Behind Scenes SpaceX Crew Dragon Mission You Haven't Seen NASA has just released a new video. It starts with "You saw history made with the first crewed launch and docking of the SpaceX Crew Dragon, but you didn't see the flurry of activity on board the International Space Station...until now. "Join Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy and his crew mates as they prepare their cameras to document the DM-2 launch, and look over their shoulders to witness the new American spacecraft dock to the station and deliver their new crew mates." Watch the twelve minute video at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-201-Dragon. [ANS thanks http://spaceref.com for the above information.] -------------------------------------------------------------------- In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT office. 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 six post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT office for additional student membership information. 73, This week's ANS Editor, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW n1uw at amsat dot org Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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ANS-194 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Paul Stoetzer 13 Jul '20

13 Jul '20

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-194 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation 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 commun- icating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org. You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans In this edition: * AMSAT Leadership Explains 2018-2020 Legal Expenses * Update on HO-107 (HuskySat-1) * AMSAT-DL Proposes LunART - Luna Amateur Radio Transponder * Buffalo Soldiers Special Event on the Satellites * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Upcoming ARISS Contacts * Satellite Shorts from All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-194.01 ANS-194 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 194.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE July 12, 2020 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-194.01 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMSAT office is closed until further notice. For details, please visit https://www.amsat.org/amsat-office-closed-until-further-notice/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT Leadership Explains 2018-2020 Legal Expenses On July 10, 2020, AMSAT President Clayton Coleman, W5PFG, sent the following letter to AMSAT members regarding legal expenses incurred during the 2018-2020 timeframe. The letter was co-signed by Dr. Tom Clark, K3IO, Martha Saragovitz, Keith Baker, KB1SF, Robert Bankston, CPA, KE4AL, Jerry Buxton, N0JY, Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, Dr. Mark Hammond, N8MH, Bruce Paige, KK5DO, and Paul Stoetzer, N8HM. https://tinyurl.com/ANS-194-Letter [ANS thanks the AMSAT Office for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Update on HO-107 (HuskySat-1) AMSAT Vice President - Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY, posted the following update on HO-107 (HuskySat-1) on the AMSAT-BB: While it is disappointing that the transponder did not see a longer period of use following the science missions, the overall HuskySat-1/HO-107 project and mission were quite beneficial for our partner and for AMSAT. The HuskySat-1 team were able to command their satellite and experiments and receive the telemetry they sought, and AMSAT was able to work through the extensive process of making a new design for a "black box" radio module that can be integrated into a non-AMSAT spacecraft and fly in the space environment. The LTM (Linear Transponder Module) on HO-107 worked for over three months after HuskySat-1 came alive following its deployment. The failure of the LTM came during or just after a period of full sun where LTM temperatures reached over 80 degrees Celsius. While licensed and operated as an amateur radio satellite by AMSAT during the transponder use, there are some facts that set HO-107 apart from our Fox-1 CubeSats and other AMSAT satellites. 1. It's not our satellite. We have no control and may not have any insight into how a partner actually uses the LTM. While we see the LTM temperatures and many of the other typical data fields that we downlink to FoxTelem regarding LTM health, data such as temperature of the host environment as well as other specific information like power and the state of the other systems in a host satellite may or may not be available to us. Whether LTM is operated within design limits is entirely up to the host. The University of Washington HuskySat Labs team was very cooperative with us on this mission, however there are things regarding their mission that we do not know because they are processing and studying their data for use in their thesis and classes and preparing it for release in a specific way typical of such an institution today. AMSAT is generally more forthcoming with information about our missions but what we can and have said about this mission is determined by UW. That is really no different to certain aspects of our own missions. Most members are likely familiar with the vague wording I provide for some of our launch timelines and that is the result of the same thing, in the owner of the launch vehicle or LSP/APIC determining what we can say to the public and when. 2. HO-107 was the first ever use of a new product, the AMSAT LTM. The LTM idea was first put forth at the AMSAT leadership strategic planning meeting in 2017 and is now coming into availability for other non-AMSAT CubeSats to fly amateur radio on their mission. HO-107 is the pilot production of LTM and was developed in partnership with UW HuskySat-1. It was the first CubeSat radio module designed and built by AMSAT for use in other host CubeSats, and UW was key in working with us through the design and processes needed to provide such a module. They did not buy it as, nor did we give it to them as an "off the shelf" product as we plan to for future LTM production. LTM was developed from the Fox-1E linear transponder design, and provided in a partnership with UW that started in November 2014 when we made an agreement with University of Washington to fly an amateur radio on their CubeSat mission. Overall, the HuskySat-1 team were quite happy with the telemetry and command performance even with the LTM anomalies showing up toward the end of their experiments. In the process of getting HuskySat-1 to orbit several students became interested in amateur radio, and we have already had preliminary discussions of future joint mission plans. The ability to provide more LTM to new and future partners will increase the number of orbiting satellites carrying amateur radio, at a low cost to AMSAT and the partner, keeping amateur radio in space even as we develop newer and more capable satellites. There is no doubt that HO-107 was a success in many ways beyond the operational life of the transponder. As usual, the AMSAT Engineering team of volunteers deserve the praise for putting yet another amateur radio in space be it in our own satellite, or in a partner satellite! [ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT Vice President - Engineering, 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. Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it! https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT-DL Proposes LunART - Luna Amateur Radio Transponder AMSAT-DL has submitted a proposal to the European Space Agency to place an amateur radio communications link on the Large European Lander. This system would support direct communication with earth through amateur radio frequencies in the microwave bands, support University and Student Payloads with direct access to their experiments, allow Radio Science for a huge community of radio amateur operators and scientists worldwide. It would also provide an important back-up communication capability and capacity during emergency or when the ESA network is busy. More details can be found at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-LunART AMSAT wishes our friends at AMSAT-DL the best of luck on their proposal. This would be a great resource for amateur radio should it come to fruition. [ANS thanks AMSAT-DL for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Buffalo Soldiers Special Event on the Satellites In honor of Buffalo Soldiers Month and to commemorate the formation of the United States Army 9th and 10th Calvary Buffalo Soldiers Regiments the Texas Parks and Wildlife will take part of a worldwide amateur radio special event on July 25th - 26th, 2020. Transmissions will begin transmitting at 8am CST Saturday morning July 25 and will end 8pm CST Sunday July 26. Commemorative QSL cards and Certificates will be available (see the callsign W5W or W5B at the QRZ.com web site for QSL information). Operations will be held on: Voice 10, 15, 20, 40 and 80 meters Digital FT8 on 20, 40 and 80 meters CW on 20, 40 meters Satellite Listen for the FCC assigned callsigns: W5W or W5B Shortwave Listeners (SWL) are encouraged to participate. For those without amateur radio privileges to transmit or listen in, please join us Saturday July 25 at 1pm CST on Facebook Live, look for Buffalo Soldiers Program - Texas Parks and Wildlife, for participation and a chance at a special QSL Card and Commemorative Certificate. For additional information about the Buffalo Soldiers legacy and an excellent video history about the Buffalo Soldiers with commentary from Judge Joe Green please visit www.qrz.com and enter W5W or W5B into the search box. [ANS thanks Rudy Hardy, W5HRH, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Purchase AMSAT Gear on our Zazzle storefront. 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 Want to see AMSAT in action or learn more about amateur radio in space? AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. Due to COVID-19, many hamfest and events around the United States have been canceled or postponed. While we make every effort to ensure the information contained below is correct, there may be some that we missed. No events are currently scheduled. We wish all of you safekeeping and hope to be at a hamfest near you soon. [ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT Vice President - User Services, 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Upcoming Satellite Operations Quick Hits: EM57 & EM67 (Saturday 7/11 & 7/12) N4DCW may also stop in EM58, passes posted on his QRZ page. FN45 & FN46, VE2FUA, 7/12 & 7/13: Chris is heading out to a little known (to rovers at least) called Maine. Might want to get him while he is there. DN44, 7/13 – 7/17, @N7AGF FM for sure may bring linear gear if it fits. FM13 & FM03, 7/12 & 7/13, Wz4M is heading out Holiday Style EN20/30 Line, July 28-31, KX9X : Sean is moving quickly towards his VUCC/R award by heading out again for two more grids. Watch his Twitter for details. DM97/98 & EM08/09: Super Rover @ADoDX is heading out for the Kansas QSO party and N0E. More to come. @WY7AA is heading out again!!! Mon. 7/13 Drive day possible FM passes from DN63 Tues – Sat. 7/14 – 7/18 SSB and FM passes from DN64 Burgess Junction, WY. Some HF POTA K-4534 Big Horn National Forest Sun. 7/19 Travel day no sats, but internet updates Mon 7/20 SSB and FM passes from DN67/68. Every pass from about 16:00 – 04:00 Tues 7/21 SSB and FM passes from DN57/58. Every pass from about 16:00 – 04:00 Wed. 7/22 Travel day no sats Thurs 7/23 SSB and FM passes from DN55/56. Every pass from about 16:00 – 04:00 Fri 7/24 SSB and FM passes from DN65/66. Every pass from about 16:00 – 04:00 Watch his QRZ page for details and updates. Please submit any additions or corrections to ke0pbr(a)gmail.com [ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming ARISS Contacts Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Don Bosco Haacht Technisch en Beroepsonderwijs, Haacht, Belgium, Multi -point telebridge via AB1OC The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Chris Cassidy KF5KDR Contact was successful: Fri 2020-07-10 10:49:51 UTC 27 deg (***) International Aerospace School, Ufa, Russia, direct via TBD The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled astronaut is Ivan Vagner Contact is go for Fri 2020-07-17 19:10 UTC [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, ARISS Operations, 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/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Satellite Shorts From All Over +Congratulations to Kevin Manzer, N4UFO, on earning AMSAT GridMaster Award #12 for working all 488 continental US grids. Kevin notes that it took him just over five years, from 2013-2018, to accomplish this goal. More information regarding the GridMaster Award can be found at https://www.amsat.org/gridmaster/ (via KK5DO and N4UFO) +F4DXV and R9LR have set another new satellite distance record - this time on LilacSat-2. The 4,561 km QSO occured on 10-Jul-2020 at 04:23 UTC. Records are listed at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-SatDist (via F4DXV and N8HM) +An article about the first amateur radio communication system in lunar orbit, aboard LO-94, has been published at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-194-LO-94 (via BG2BHC on Twitter). +Congratulations to KP4RV for being the first station in Puerto Rico to receive the VUCC Award on amateur satellites (via KF7R on Twitter). +The European Space Agency recently published a how-to video regarding reception of ISS SSTV pictures. An ISS SSTV transmission is expected within the next few weeks in commemoration of the 45th anniversary of Apollo/Soyuz: https://youtu.be/HtC-BPcMruA +All issues of The AMSAT Journal dating back to 2014 are now available to AMSAT members on AMSAT's new membership portal. The 1969-2013 archive will be added at a later date. All editions of AMSAT's Symposium Proceedings are also available for members If you're a current AMSAT member, get logged on today. If you are not yet a member, consider joining today at https://launch.amsat.org/ +The 2020 edition of AMSAT’s Getting Started with Amateur Satellites is now available on the AMSAT store. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The book is presented in DRM-free PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite. The digital download is available for $15 at https://tinyurl.com/2020GettingStarted + The AMSAT Folding at home team continues to climb the rankings. Now in the top 900 of all teams at the time of this writing, the team has grown to 48 members with 67 active CPUs within the past 50 days and includes 12 members in the top 100,000 of all users. Alex Free, N7AGF, is our top contributor with over 159,000,000 points credited to AMSAT's team. For more information about the Folding at home project and how you can contribute to scientific research, including the fight against COVID-19, see https://foldingathome.org/. AMSAT's team number is 69710: https://stats.foldingathome.org/team/69710 --------------------------------------------------------------------- /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. 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 stu- dent 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 Editor, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM n8hm at amsat dot org

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ANS-187 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Mark Johns, K0JM 05 Jul '20

05 Jul '20

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-187 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation 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 commun- icating 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: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans In this edition: * Successful Launch of BY70-2 With FM-to-Codec2 Transponder * AMSAT Responds to Allegations of Unauthorized Legal Expenses * New Satellite Distance Records Set * VUCC Awards-Endorsements for July 2020 * Virginia Air and Space Center Discontinues KE4ZXW Demo Station * AMSAT 2020 Board of Directors Election Upcoming * CAS-6 Becomes TO-108, Added to AMSAT TLE Distribution * San Diego Microwave Group Discusses ARISS Possibilities * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-187.01 ANS-187 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 187.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE 2020 July 05 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-187.01 Successful Launch of BY70-2 With FM-to-Codec2 Transponder Wei Mingchaun, BG2BHC, reports on Twitter that BY70-2 was launched on July 3 at 03:10z from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on a CZ-4B launch vehicle. BY70-2 will serve as a replacement for BY70-1, a 2U CubeSat which launched on December 26, 2016. Due to a booster failure, BY70-1 was placed in an elliptical orbit with a low perigee and the satel- lite's orbit decayed in February 2017. Unlike BY70-1, which carried an FM transponder, BY70-2 carries an FM-to-Codec2 transponder similar to the ones on board LO-90 and Taurus-1. More information about working this type of transponder can be found in an article entitled "Digital Voice on Amateur Satellites: Experiences with LilacSat-OSCAR 90" by Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, in the January/February 2019 issue of The AMSAT Journal. The article can also be found on the AMSAT website at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-166-BY70-2. BY70-2 is in a sun-synchronous orbit with an altitude of approximately 500 km. As a replacement, the satellite is sharing BY70-1's IARU coord- ination and ITU API notification. The uplink frequency is 145.920 MHz and the downlink frequency is 436.200 MHz. [ANS thanks Wei Mingchaun, BG2BHC, for the above information] +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMSAT office is closed until further notice. For details, please visit https://www.amsat.org/amsat-office-closed-until-further-notice/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ AMSAT Responds to Allegations of Unauthorized Legal Expenses The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) has been made aware of public comments alleging financial mismanagement in the form of “unauthorized” legal expenditures. AMSAT takes these allegations very seriously and in full disclosure, has investigated these claims for many months. AMSAT’s corporate records give a full accounting of all expenditures and are provided to its Directors upon request, in compliance with our governing documents and law of the District of Columbia (D.C.) Our office remains closed due to COVID-19, where those documents reside. Furthermore, AMSAT complies with IRS rules for 501(c)(3) disclosure of public financial documents, such as the Form 990 available on the AMSAT website. Financial review and accounting services from a third- party firm of Certified Public Accountants are utilized by the corporation to ensure governance to best practice and law. The Corporation vehemently denies false statements alleging “unauthorized” expenditures. On behalf of AMSAT, Clayton Coleman, W5PFG President [ANS thanks Clayton Coleman, W5PFG, AMSAT President, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- New Satellite Distance Records Set Two new distance records have been established in the past week! New records are added regularly to the AMSAT Satellite Distance Records page: https://amsat.org/satellite-dist Jérôme LeCuyer, F4DXV, and Vladimir Vassiljev, R9LR, have claimed the distance record on TO-108 (CAS-6) with a 4,458 km QSO on 28-Jun-2020 at 10:11 UTC between JN04ft91dd in France and MO27qf72nd in Russia. Congratulations to Jérôme and Vladimir! Also, congratulations to Alain Combelles, TR8CA, and Philippe Chateau, EA4NF, for a new AMSAT distance record on the CAS-4A Satellite on 27-Jun-2020 at 13:30 UTC. The contact was completed between IN80fl in Spain and JJ40ql in Gabon. These are the latest in a series of new records set over the past few months, including: EO-88 – 4,086 km. F4DXV in JN04iu <> VO1FOG in GN37in. 02-Apr-2020 at 23:20 UTC. PO-101 (FM) – 5,128 km. EA4SG in IN80cp77em<> R9LR in MO27qf72nd. 06-May-2020 at 23:03 UTC. RS-44 – 8,357 km. W5CBF in EM30jf35qi <> DL4EA in JN48ko94cw. 26-May-2020 AO-92 (L/V) – 4,202 km. OA4/XQ3SA in FH17lv <> XE1MEX in EK08mu. 03-Jun-2020 at 04:07 UTC. AO-27 – 5,682 km. E21EJC in OK03fp <> R9LR in MO27qf. 09-Jun-2020 at 23:45 UTC XW-2B – 4,978 km. KE9AJ in DM79iq47 <> FG8OJ in FK96ig17. 20-Jun-2020 at 11:14 UTC. Congratulations to all of these operators for their patience and their operating skill. [ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, AMSAT Executive Vice-President, 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 July 2020 Here are the endorsements and new VUCC Satellite Awards issued by the ARRL for the period June 1, 2020 through July 1, 2020. Congratulations to all those who made the list this month! CALL June July N0JE 637 652 WD9EWK (DM43) 600 612 NS3L 551 575 KI7UNJ 510 527 AD0HJ 425 450 KE8FZT 400 428 AA4QE 305 408 K5IX 375 402 ND0C 346 377 KC9UQR 275 301 WA9JBQ 275 300 N4YHC 250 270 W4DTA 261 263 KA9P 212 259 KS1G 170 233 KE0WPA 200 229 VU2LBW 114 200 N3CAL 100 160 K7TEJ 102 126 N7ZO New 116 AC9O New 108 DJ3GZ New 108 WD9EWK (DM45) 100 106 K3HPA New 102 WA9WUD New 102 KI5HHK New 101 N8URE New 101 KD9NGV New 100 KP4RV New 100 W8LR New 100 If you find errors or omissions. please contact me off-list at W5RKN [at] W5RKN.com and I'll revise the announcement. This list was develop- ed by comparing the ARRL .pdf listings for the two months. It's a vis- ual comparison so omissions are possible. Apologies if your call was not mentioned. Thanks to all those who are roving to grids that are rarely on the birds. They are doing most of the work! [ANS thanks Ron Parsons, W5RKN, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Virginia Air and Space Center Discontinues KE4ZXW Demo Station The Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton,Virginia has ended its twenty-five year relationship with the KE4ZXW Amateur Radio Demonstra- tion Station. Robert Griesmer, Executive Director and CEO of the Vir- ginia Air and Space Center has directed that the KE4ZXW Amateur Radio Demonstration Station located at the Virginia Air and Space Center (VASC) be disassembled and removed from the Center by June 30. In his June 5,2020, update Mr. Griesmer advised the following to the KE4ZXW group : “I am writing to you to inform you that, after careful consideration, we have decided to discontinue the Ham Radio Station Ex- hibit effective July 1st upon the re-opening of the Center.” Randy Grigg, WB4KZI, president of the Amateur Radio group, thanked the volun- teers who have supported and operated the station for the last 25 years. The station has spent the last quarter of a century demonstrating the use of Amateur Radio, its applications as a STEM Activity, communica- tions skills and communications through amateur satellites to school groups. The station also made contacts to the International Space Sta- tion. The KE4ZXW Amateur Radio station's equipment has found a new home with K4KDJ, the Virginia Tech Amateur Radio Association in Blacksburg, Va. [ANS thanks ARRL for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT 2020 Board of Directors Election Upcoming The nomination period for this year's AMSAT Board of Directors election ended June 15. The following candidates have been found to have their membership in good standing and their nomination credentials in order: Howard DeFelice, AB2S Mark Hammond, N8MH Jeff Johns, WE4B Robert McGwier, N4HY Bruce Paige, KK5DO Paul Stoetzer, N8HM This year, AMSAT will be electing three voting members of the Board of Directors. These will go to the three candidates receiving the highest number of votes. In addition, there will be two alternates chosen, based on the next highest number of votes received. Further details regarding the mechanics of the election will appear in ANS in the near future. Ballots will be mailed to the AMSAT membership by July 15th based on a membership list that will be generated as early as July 1. Members are encouraged to use the AMSAT Membership Portal at launch.amsat.org to verify that their membership is in good standing and their mailing address is correct. [ANS thanks Brennan Price, N4QX, AMSAT Secretary, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- CAS-6 Becomes TO-108, Confusion Ensues At the request of CAMSAT and the CAS-6 team, Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations & OSCAR Number Administrator announced last week that CAS-6 (TQ-1) would receive the official designation of TQ-OSCAR 108 (TO-108). Since that designation, TO-108 was added to the AMSAT Live OSCAR Satel- lite Status Page at https://www.amsat.org/status/ However, an entry for CAS-6 also remains on that page. Further, AMSAT TLE distributions continue to list the satellite as CAS-6 (NORAD Cat ID 44881). Operators should be aware that the designations CAS-6 and TO-108 both refer to the same satellite, and should be on the lookout for changes in the naming on websites and in TLE distribution sets. It many take a week or two before consistent naming filters through all systems. Frequencies for the intended radio amatuer mission are: • CW Telemetry Beacon: 145.910 MHz • AX.25 4.8kbps GMSK Telemetry: 145.890 MHz • U/V Linear Transponder Downlink: 145.925 MHz, 20 kHz bandwidth • U/V Linear Transponder Uplink: 435.280 MHz, Inverted Operator reports indicate that the transponder is active only for brief intervals of about 2 seconds, spaced approximately 5 seconds apart. With patience, and quick transmissions, QSOs have been completed. [ANS thanks Mark Johns, K0JM, 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 +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ San Diego Microwave Group Discusses ARISS Possibilities Participants in the San Diego Microwave Group's (SDMG) 29 June 2020 Zoom meetup discussed the possibility of the AREx broadband digital microwave design being potentially deployed on the International Space Station (ISS). Since the project has focused heavily on high earth orbit, geostation- ary orbit, and the lunar opportunity with Gateway, the challenges of low earth orbit (ISS) now need to be addressed. This will be an ongoing process. Here's what participants recommended at SDMG: Since there are LEO constellations up to and including Ka band, the tracking and doppler have been done. It's just a question of learning the requirements, design patterns, limitations, and techniques. Since the project already incorporates the near-space communications recommendations from Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS), little has to be done in that regard. HamTV on ISS is at 2.4 GHz, which while lower than the projected 5 GHz and 10 GHz, has all the other aspects of broadband digital. There is plenty to be learned from those experiments, and meetings are being set up to begin to collaborate with the principals of HamTV on deeply appreciated advice & next steps. There was strong advice to eliminate antenna pointing. Use of an anten- na system in space and on the ground that does not require tracking would dramatically increase adoption. With Adaptive Coding and Modula- tion, all sorts of systems can be accommodated. However, a ground sta- tion that does track can use a directional antenna with a lot more gain, and get a much higher bitrate, while a station with a 120 degree field of view would get a lower bitrate, but would not have to track at LEO. This needs thorough link budgeting. There are several link budgets in Jupyter Notebook in progress at https://github.com/phase4space/payload-dmt Others interested in help- ing here are most welcome. Testing for human rated spacecraft incurs a substantial increase in engineering, paperwork, and time requirements. Putting the equipment outside instead of inside does not eliminate the testing requirements. This is going to require advice/direction from ARISS. Space heritage of this type, where equipment is an external payload only requiring power, makes hosted payload options easier to negotiate. There are 5-6 GEO missions going up in the next 3 years that could be targeted. Doppler is a factor here, and SDMG participants received strong recom- mendations about talking with particular ARISS team members with exper- ience. SDMG will be learning from and incorporating their advice in the very near future. [ANS thanks Michelle Thompson, W5NYV, Member of the AMSAT Board of Directors, for the above report] -------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. Scheduled contacts and events: Don Bosco Haacht Technisch en Beroepsonderwijs, Haacht, Belgium, Multi-point telebridge via AB1OC. (A multi-point telebridge contact means that each student will be on the telebridge from their own home.) The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS, and the scheduled astronaut is Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR. The contact is go for Friday, July 10 at 10:49:51 UTC (27 degrees maximum elevation). ARISS is very aware of the impact that COVID-19 is having on schools and the public in general. As such, we may have last minute cancella- tions or postponements of school contacts. [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team men- tors 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: Email from @KS1G: K2B (VA, me) and K2F (MD) are both on sats for the 13 Colonies event through Tuesday evening. K2F told me K2A (NY) is also on. He will also post schedules to twitter!!! DN08, 7/4 & 7/5, @KC7JPC, John is heading out roving. Yippeeeeee!!!! DN18 / DN28, 7/11: KI7UXT and KC7JPC EM57 & EM67 (Saturday 7/11 & 7/12) N4DCW may also stop in EM58, passes posted on his QRZ page. FN45 & FN46, VE2FUA, 7/12 & 7/13: Chris is heading out to a little known (to rovers at least) called Maine. Might want to get him while he is there. FM13 & FM03, 7/12 & 7/13, WZ4M is heading out Holiday Style <- Updated Grids EN20/30 Line, July 28-31, @KX9X : Sean is moving quickly towards his VUCC/R award by heading out again for two more grids. Watch his Twitter for details. Major Roves: @KM4LAO is heading out on 7/3 – 7/9 through Texas, Colorado and Kansas. FMs for sure and maybe linears. The tentative schedule is as follows: 7/3 (evening) – 7/4: DM95 7/5: DM86/96 gridline and possibly DM85/95 line as well 7/6: DM87/88 or DM97/98 gridline based on family schedule 7/6-7/9: DM87 Details will be posted on Twitter @KM4Ruth @N5BO is heading out into the Murder Hornet territory: EM43/44 on 7/3 Starting at 15:05 EM53/54 on 7/4 Starting at 14:54 EM52 on 7/5 Starting at 16:37 Click here for pass scheduled and frequencies @WY7AA is heading out again!!! Starting July 13th DN63 (Some Day passes) DN64 fir a few days of fly fishing then DN55 – DN68, and getting home on July 31st…. ** Postponed ** DL88: Ron (@AD0DX) and Doug (@N6UA) are making another run at the elusive DL88 in Big Bend National Park, TX. As we know they tried this grid back in March, and due to the mud couldn’t get to the grid, so never ones to quit, off they go again. Today the tentative date is Monday July 6th, 2020. They will be using the K5Z call sign. More information is available at the K5Z QRZ Page. Please submit any additions or corrections to Ke0pbr (at) gmail.com [ANS thanks Paul Overnfor, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events Want to see AMSAT in action or learn more about amateur radio in space? AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meet- ings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events. Due to COVID-19, many hamfest and events around the United States have been cancelled or postponed. While we make every effort to ensure the information contained below is correct, there may be some that we missed. We wish all of you safekeeping and hope to be at a hamfest near you soon. Current schedule: * Shelby NC Hamfest (Contact N4HF for info or if you want to help.) Phil Jenkins, N4HF, is planning to present a forum – and set-up/man an info table – at the Shelby NC Hamfest Friday/Saturday Sept 4 & 5. (the ‘fest runs Sept 4-6, but he’ll probably only be there Friday and Saturday). Demos possible if additional volunteers step up. A copy of the AMSAT hamfest brochure is available for download from: https://bit.ly/2ygVFmV This color brochure is designed to be printed double-sided and folded into a tri-fold handout. To include your upcoming AMSAT presentation and/or demonstration, please send an email to ambassadors (at) amsat (dot) org. [ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT VP-User Services for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + There has been further work on trying FT8 for EME, this time on 1296. It turns out that, contrary to the original news item, the Doppler spread on the lower bands is not an issue, since the energy distribu- tion of the EME signal is mainly concentrated in a much narrower spectrum than the maximum total Doppler spread. This means that it can work probably with little degradation on bands up to and includ- ing 1296, under most circumstances. For a writeup of this work please see http://bobatkins.com/radio/FT8_EME_1296.html (ANS thanks Charles Suckling, G3WDG, via Southgate ARC, for the above information) + Two ISS astronauts, including newly-arrived Bob Behnken, KE5GGX, per- formed a spacewalk to replace batteries on the outside of the station (and dropped a handheld mirror which promptly became the newest piece of space debris). (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above infor- mation) + Hackster recently featured a nice little project using a Raspberry Pi to display the current location of the International Space Station (ISS) and its trajectory over time, using an ePaper Display, Proto- Stax Enclosure and some Python code. See https://bit.ly/2Ao9HVa (ANS thanks to hackster.io and JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM, for the above information) + The Space Science Center at Morehead State University (Kentucky) is accepting applications for a full-time position as a Space Systems Engineer – Software Engineer. For details and to apply, see: https://moreheadstate.peopleadmin.com/postings/9284 Please note: The preferred closing date has passed, but they are still accepting applications! (ANS thanks Morehead State and JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM, for the above information) + The Benchmark Space Systems team is excited to sponsor and present a complimentary “Propulsion Systems 101” workshop Wednesday July 8 at 1:00 p.m. EST (1700z) The workshop will provide satellite integrators and constellation developers with a broad overview of propulsion technologies and their associated operational capabilities. Register at: https://www.lrainstitute.com/event_post/0720-propulsion-systems/ (ANS thanks Benchmark Space Systems and JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM, for the above information) + --------------------------------------------------------------------- /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information. 73 and Remember to help keep amateur radio in space, This week's ANS Editor, Mark D. Johns, K0JM k0jm at amsat dot org

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ANS-186 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin - AMSAT Responds to Allegations of Unauthorized Legal Expenses
by Paul Stoetzer 04 Jul '20

04 Jul '20

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE SPECIAL BULLETIN ANS-186 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org. You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans In this edition: * AMSAT Responds to Allegations of Unauthorized Legal Expenses SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-186 ANS-186 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin AMSAT News Service Bulletin 186.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE July 4, 2020 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-186.01 AMSAT Responds to Allegations of Unauthorized Legal Expenses The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) has been made aware of public comments alleging financial mismanagement in the form of “unauthorized” legal expenditures. AMSAT takes these allegations very seriously and in full disclosure, has investigated these claims for many months. AMSAT’s corporate records give a full accounting of all expenditures and are provided to its Directors upon request, in compliance with our governing documents and law of the District of Columbia (D.C.) Our office remains closed due to COVID-19, where those documents reside. Furthermore, AMSAT complies with IRS rules for 501(c)(3) disclosure of public financial documents, such as the Form 990 available on the AMSAT website. Financial review and accounting services from a third- party firm of Certified Public Accountants are utilized by the corporation to ensure governance to best practice and law. The Corporation vehemently denies false statements alleging “unauthorized” expenditures. On behalf of AMSAT, Clayton Coleman, W5PFG President [ANS thanks Clayton Coleman, W5PFG, 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 addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. 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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