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ANS-035 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Lee McLamb 03 Feb '18

03 Feb '18

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-035 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org. In this edition: * AO-92 to Initiate Operational Scheduling * Soyuz Rocket Launches 11 Satellites Including D-Star One Phoenix * Upcoming ARISS contact with Moore Square AIG/GT Magnet School, Raleigh, NC * VUCC Awards-Endorsements for January 2018 * AMSATDroidFree Source Code Released on GitHub SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-035.01 ANS-035 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 035.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE FEBRUARY 4, 2018 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-035.01 AO-92 to Initiate Operational Scheduling Since its commissioning the AO-92 U/v FM repeater has been open continuously. Beginning the first full week of February operations will be scheduled among the U/v FM repeater, L-Band Downshifter, Virginia Tech Camera, and the University of Iowa’s High Energy Radiation CubeSat Instrument (HERCI). For the week of 4-10 Feb 2018, the following mode changes are scheduled: Approximately 1510 UTC 4 Feb the L band uplink will be activated for approximately 24 hours. Approximately 0250 UTC 6 Feb the high speed data will be activated for 40 minutes to enable data download from the HERCI experiment. Approximately 1520 UTC 8 Feb the high speed data will be activated for 40 minutes to enable data download from the HERCI experiment. The U/v repeater will be open continuously at all other times outside those listed above. [ANS thank Drew, KO4MA, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Soyuz Rocket Launches 11 Satellites Including D-Star One Phoenix A Soyuz rocket crowned by a Fregat upper stage carrying 11 Russian, German and U.S. satellites into orbit lifted off Thursday from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East, the first flight from the country’s newest spaceport since a failure in November. The Soyuz-2.1a rocket lifted off at 0207:18 GMT Thursday (9:07:18 p.m. EST Wednesday) from Vostochny, a cosmodrome carved from the forests of Russia’s Amur region near the country’s border with China. A CubeSat with an amateur radio relay payload named D-Star One Phoenix, developed by German Orbital Systems in Berlin in cooperation with the Czech company iSky Technology, was also launched Thursday. It replaces the D-Star One nanosatellite lost on the last launch from Vostochny on Nov. 28. Downlink frequencies are 435.700 MHz for telemetry and 435.525 MHz for D-Star. The uplink for D-STAR will be 437.325 MHz. [ANS thanks SpaceFlightNow and IARU for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming ARISS contact with Moore Square AIG/GT Magnet School, Raleigh, NC An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Moore Square AIG/GT Magnet School, Raleigh, NC on 05 Feb. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 18:32 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be direct between NA1SS and KG4AKV. The contact should be audible over the U.S. state of North Carolina and portions of the eastern U.S. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English. Students have also participated in a mock astronaut training session at Marbles Kids Museum after viewing the Hubble 3D IMAX movie. Students conducted research and composed questions based on the research they conducted. The school voted on the best 20 questions. John Brier, KG4AKV, and Jim Scarborough, KE4ROH, have worked closely by providing our students with background information and serving as guest speakers and facilitators for the event. Joshua Tate, KF4EAG, and Mark Hammond, N8MH, have also been integral to helping our school with the contact. Visit ARISS on Facebook. We can be found at Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS). To receive our Twitter updates, follow @ARISS_status [ANS thanks David, AA4KN, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- VUCC Awards-Endorsements for January 2018 Here are the changed endorsements and new VUCC Satellite Awards issued by the ARRL for the period January 1, 2018 through January 31, 2018. Congratulations to all those who made the list this month! CALL 1Jan18 1Feb18 N8RO 1020 1030 N8HM 1005 1025 WN9Q 416 710 K5ND 439 502 WD9EWK 384 400 N9EAT 336 410 NS3L 251 275 KE4AL 177 252 VE7CEW 200 251 PT9BM 126 151 PS8ET 101 127 WB7VUF 107 (NEW VUCC) AA8CH 104 (NEW VUCC) AL6D/W4 101 (NEW VUCC) N3GS 101 (NEW VUCC) NK1N 101 (NEW VUCC) KE8FZT 100 (NEW VUCC) W5PFG (DM95) 100 (NEW VUCC) W5PFG (EM12) 100 (NEW VUCC) This is my first month creating this list. 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 January 1, 2018. and February 1, 2018. It's a visual comparison so omissions are possible. Apologies if your call was not mentioned. Thanks to all those who are roving to grids that are rarely on the birds. They are doing most of the work! [ANS thanks Ron, W5RKN for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSATDroidFree Source Code Released on GitHub Dave Johnson, G4DPZ, author of the AMSATDroidFree app, has made the source code to AMSATDroidFree available on a public repository on GitHub for those of you who like to tinker: https://github.com/g4dpz/AmsatDroidFree Dave thanks all the people who have given him suggestions and have downloaded it over the years and are still using the application. [ANS thanks Dave, G4DPZ for the above information] /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information. 73, This week's ANS Editor, Lee McLamb, KT4TZ kt4tz at amsat dot org

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ANS-028 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by JoAnne K9JKM 27 Jan '18

27 Jan '18

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-028 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: * AO-92 Commissioned, Open for Amateur Use * AMSAT Membership Deal and Getting Started * FoxTelem Version 1.06 Software Released * GOLF-TEE $15,000 Matching Funds President’s Challenge * AMSAT Rover Award Up and Running - Already Up to #7 Awarded * D-Star ONE v.1.1 Phoenix Satellite Planned for Launch February 1 * AO-91 QSO Two YLs Meet on the Air * Two More US Schools/Groups Move Into Phase 2 of ARISS Selections * ARISS APRS Packet Currently Non-Operational * ARISS School Contact First for Cyprus * PicSat Requests Amateur Radio Assistance to Capture/Upload Telemetry * AO-73 Operating Schedule Changes Announced * Volunteer Opportunity - Openings for News Service Rotating Editor * AMSAT Argentina LU1ESY-3 WSPR Balloon Flight Heading Out of Africa * OR4ESA Redu Ground Station Belgium on the Air Until February 6 * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-028.01 ANS-028 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 028.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE January 28, 2018 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-028.01 AO-92 Commissioned, Open for Amateur Use On the 03:25 UTC pass on January 26, 2018, AMSAT Vice President – Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY, announced that AO-92 had been commissioned and formally turned the satellite over to AMSAT Operations. AMSAT Vice President – Operations Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, then declared that AO-92 was now open for amateur use. Initially, the U/v FM transponder will be open continuously for a period of one week. After the first week, operations will be scheduled between the U/v FM transponder, L-Band Downshifter, Virginia Tech Camera, and the University of Iowa’s High Energy Radiation CubeSat Instrument (HERCI). Schedule updates will appear in the AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins and will also be posted to the AMSAT-BB, AMSAT’s Twitter account (@AMSAT), the AMSAT North America Facebook group, and the AMSAT website at https://www.amsat.org/satellite-schedules/ AO-92 was launched on the PSLV-C40 mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India on January 12, 2018. For the past two weeks, the AMSAT Engineering and Operations teams have been testing the various modes and experiments on board. Testing has shown that both the U/v FM transponder and L-Band Downshifter work very well. The Virginia Tech camera has returned stunning photos and data from HERCI has been successfully downlinked. AMSAT thanks the 178 stations worldwide that have used FoxTelem to collect telemetry and experiment data from AO-92 during the commissioning process. The collection of this data is crucial to the missions of AMSAT’s Fox-1 satellites. Please continue to collect data from AO-85, AO-91, and AO-92. RADIO PROGRAMMING CHART Fox-1D Doppler Shift Correction Memory 1 (AOS) - TX 435.340 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), RX 145.880 MHz Memory 2 (Rise) - TX 435.345 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), RX 145.880 MHz Memory 3 (TCA) - TX 435.350 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), RX 145.880 MHz Memory 4 (Descend) - TX 435.355 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), RX 145.880 MHz Memory 5 (LOS) - TX 435.360 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), RX 145.880 MHz The L-band experiment will use 1267.350 MHz uplink with 145.880 MHz downlink. UHF and L-band uplink operation are set by the command stations; the operating schedule will be posted. [ANS thanks AMSAT Vice-President Engineering, Jerry Buxton, NØJY, AMSAT Vice President Operatings Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, and AMSAT Executive Vice President Paul Stoetzer, N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Membership Deal and Getting Started AMSAT membership supports the organization and construction of new satellites. Right now, we are offering a free PDF copy of our Getting Started with Amateur Satellites with every new on-line membership. This is -the- primer for getting on the sats, and is updated every year. See https://www.amsat.org/product-category/amsat-membership/ AMSAT also sells both the popular Arrow Antenna satellite models and the M2 LEOpack antennas. Sales also benefit AMSAT projects. https://www.amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ [ANS thanks AMSAT Office for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- FoxTelem Version 1.06 Software Released Chris, G0KLA, has released version 1.06 of FoxTelem on January 27. This release addresses several defects and instabilities in FoxTelem version 1.05 and earlier. It also introduces a new Earth Plot that allows any telemetry value to be plotted as a heat map against a map of the earth. For more details about the Earth Plot and some example plots, you can read a quick tutorial posted at: http://www.g0kla.com/workbench/2018-01-26.php As always, let Chris know if you see any issues or log them on github at https://github.com/ac2cz/FoxTelem/issues KEY CHANGES ~~~~~~~~~~~ * EARTH PLOTS allow you to plot any telemetry value as a heat map on a map of the earth * Allow graphs and telemetry results to be searched with UTC dates and for ranges of uptime/dates * Allow stepping through the telemetry with up/down arrows * Prevent hang when decoder starts if FCD returns an error * Fixed bug where TLEs were not updated in the name is changed in the spacecraft settings window * Fixed crashes introduced in 1.05 release * Display all HERCI High Speed payloads when Raw Byte Payloads shown * Fix bug where missing TLE disables spacecraft from being tracked at all * Fixes bug where DDE connection to SatPC32 fails with European decimal point format * Add MPPT calibration values for Fox-1D * Improved the RF signal measurements * Improved the Find Signal algorithm * Space graph labels more evenly * Put the spacecraft tabs in FoxId order And many other bug fixes. Full list of changes here: https://github.com/ac2cz/FoxTelem/milestone/3?closed=1 [ANS thanks FoxTelem author Chris, G0KLA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- GOLF-TEE $15,000 Matching Funds President’s Challenge In October 2017 AMSAT announced the GOLF (Greater Orbit, Larger Foot- print) program. The first project of the GOLF program is a technology demonstrator named GOLF-TEE (Technology Evaluation Environment). The design is a 3U CubeSat with deployable solar panels, ADAC (attitude determination and control), Software Defined Radio (SDR) Transponder, and a Vanderbilt University Low Energy Proton (LEP) experiment. Now is the time to begin work on the GOLF-TEE Project. At the end of 2017, AMSAT has generous offers from two AMSAT Past Presidents for matching funds up to $15,000 for those that contribute to the GOLF-TEE campaign at: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=STK27W… (Shortened URL without linewrap: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-028-PayPal-GOLF-Donation ) between now and Feb- ruary 15th. Make your donation twice as valuable by taking advantage of this opportunity and contributing, and help AMSAT fund the launch of the next series of satellites of the GOLF program. There are also donate buttons for GOLF-TEE on the AMSAT website. Planning is for a launch in 2019. Donations of $100 and $1,000 or more will be eligible for a special AMSAT GOLF premium. (Both premiums are currently being designed, so please be patient awaiting delivery.) AMSAT is a 501-(c)-(3) not-for-profit educational and scientific organization of amateur radio operators whose purpose is to design, construct, launch, and operate satellites in space and to provide the support needed to encourage amateurs to utilize these resources. Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to AMSAT to help under- write the development and launch expenses of our GOLF satellite program. Donors wishing to provide additional matching funds please contact Joe Spier, K6WAO at k6wao(a)amsat.org. (ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information) --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Rover Award Up and Running - Already Up to #7 Awarded On January 1, 2018, Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director Contests and Awards announced the Rover Award. This award is granted to stations who achieve a combined 25 points using any combination of the defined criteria posted at: https://www.amsat.org/amsat-rover-award/ Bruce says the AMSAT Rover Award is up to #7 - Congrats to Jose, N7AGF, Rover Award #007. Points can be earned for each grid square activated outside of your home grid square using the FM, linear, and digital satellites. While FM contacts count for 1 point each multiplier points are available for contacts via the linear and digital satellites. Additional points are available for photographs, publicity, social media promotion, and AMSAT Journal articles. The options are numerous so please refer to the Rover Award Website for all of the details. Keep on roving! [ANS thanks AMSAT Director Contests and Awards, Bruce Paige, KK5DO, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- D-Star ONE v.1.1 Phoenix Satellite Planned for Launch February 1 German Orbital Systems GmbH (GOS) and iSky Technology s.r.o. (iSky) have announced a revival of the D-Star ONE satellite project to replace their satellite lost as a result of a failed launch of the Roscosmos Meteor-M No.2-1 meteorological mission on November 28, 2017. GOS and iSky said their teams were actively working together during the Christmas and New Year holidays, and are now happy to announce that they we have completed the assembly and final checks of a replacement satellite named D-Star ONE v.1.1 Phoenix satellite. The project is Phoenix as symbol of the rebirth and revival of the project. The launch of D-Star ONE v.1.1 Phoenix plans to launch on a Soyuz-2/Fregat rocket for the launch from the Vostochny launch site on February 1, 2018. D-Star repeater & beacon frequencies: Uplink: 437.325MHz Downlink: 435.525MHz RF-Power: 800mW Additional information will be posted at: http://www.d-star.one/ -and- http://www.orbitalsystems.de/d-star-one-second-birth/?lang=en Spaceflightinsider.com published an article about successful final testing on D-Star ONE: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-316-Spaceflightinsider www.spaceflightinsider.com) [ANS thanks the D-Star ONE Team for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AO-91 QSO Two YLs Meet on the Air Jeff Johns, WE4B, tweeted about the satellite contact via AO-91 his daughter Marissa, W4AQT, completed with Alyssa and her dad Charlie Azofeifa, TI2CDA. Jeff said Alyssa had seen Marissa's QRZ page and it turns out they are both Harry Potter, Pete the Cat and Minecraft fans and she wanted to get Marissa's QSL card. Charlie and I looked for favorable passes and decided the 18:16z pass of AO-91 on 1/20/2018 would be our first attempt to have the girls make contact. Marissa and dad Jeff went outside with radios and our Arrow antenna and waited for AO-91 to crest the horizon. As soon as they could hear the bird, W4AQT started calling TI2CDA. After a few calls, there was Alyssa with Charlie serving as the control op. The girls had a very sweet, quick QSO. Jeff wrote, "Ham radio is supposed to be about learning and progressing the radio art but it's also about forming friendships, even if they are long distance friendships. I have no doubt that this will not be the last time that Marissa and Alyssa have a QSO and I am confident that Alyssa will soon get her own license as Marissa is almost ready to take her General exam. I was fortunate that my daughter became inter- ested in amateur radio when she would go outside with me and listen to me talking to other hams with my Arrow antenna pointed at the sky. Now that she's licensed, it's allowed us to have some great father and daughter time together, as well as, providing her some excellent STEM education." Jeff's post on the QRZ.com satellite forum and photos can be seen at: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-028-AO91-YL-QSO [ANS thanks Jeff Johns, WE4B for the above information and congratulates Marissa, W4AQT on her satellite QSO] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Two More US Schools/Groups Move Into Phase 2 of ARISS Selections January 13, 2018 — The ARISS-US team (Amateur Radio on the Inte national Space Station) is pleased to announce that two more US schools or organizations have had their ARISS proposals selected for advancement to the next stage of planning for amateur radio contacts in 2018. These schools will take advantage of new scheduling opportunities to speak with International Space Station (ISS) crew members using the ARISS equipment. The selected schools submitted proposals before the proposal window closed last November and join the 13 schools and groups chosen a few weeks ago. The two extra scheduling opportunities are special events thanks to ARISS’s two major sponsors, the NASA Space Communications and Navigation group and the Center for the Advance- ment of Science in Space. The events that the schools’ students will travel to are aerospace conferences where their ARISS radio contacts will be a highlight open to conference attendees. The schools and venues are: + Quest for Space/Quest Institute for Quality Education in San Jose, California, whose ARISS contact will be featured at the ISS R&D Conference, July 23-26 in San Francisco, California + Burns Science & Technical Charter School in Oak Hill, Florida, whose ARISS contact will be featured at the S.P.A.C.E. Conference, July 11-13 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. ARISS’s primary goal is to engage young people in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities, and to involve them in activi- ties related to space exploration, amateur radio, communications, and areas of associated study and career possibilities. ABOUT ARISS Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a coop- erative venture of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States, and other international space agencies and international amateur radio organizations around the world. The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or informal education venues. With the help of experienced amateur radio volunteers from amateur radio clubs and coordination from the ARISS team, the ISS crew members speak directly with large group audiences in a variety of public forums such as school assemblies, science centers and museums, Scout camporees, jamborees and space camps, where students, teachers, parents, and communities learn about space, space technol- ogies and Amateur Radio. Find more information at www.ariss.org, www.amsat.organd www.arrl.org. [ANS thanks ARISS for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS APRS Packet Currently Non-Operational ARISS NEWS RELEASE no. 18-02 January 26, 2018 David Jordan, AA4KN, ARISS PR An unidentified anomaly involving the radio serving the ARISS APRS Packet System on board the ISS has led to the system not functioning. A similar problem has occurred on other occasions and solutions that resolved the problem proved to be only temporary fixes. The system may return to service as it has in the past or it may have finally failed completely. ARISS sees the delivery of the interoperable radio system as the true solution to securing our ARISS packet operation. Current target period for delivery and installation of the replacement system is Fall 2018. In the meantime, ARISS continues to investigate the problem and seek opportunities to resolve the issue. The ARISS team knows many amateur radio operators really enjoy using the ARISS APRS packet system, and thanks everyone for understanding the issues involved with not having it available. [ANS thanks ARISS for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS School Contact First for Cyprus For the first time, students in Cyprus spoke live with an astronaut on the International Space Station orbiting the Earth on January 24. A video of this historic event can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/RJvDskycyj4?t=52m The English School has established significant partnerships with the Cyprus Amateur Radio Society and the Kition Planetarium & Observatory who have been assisting throughout the long preparation period, while Cyta, PM-ICT Solutions with Polycom and Delta Electronics will offer their specialised technical assistance. Also, Alpha Cyprus is the media sponsor for the event. The English School thanks them all on behalf of the student “adventurers” who are thrilled by this great opportunity! [ANS thanks ARISS for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- PicSat Requests Amateur Radio Assistance to Capture/Upload Telemetry Cubesat PicSat was launched on the same PSLV-C40 flight from India that delivered AO-92 to orbit. PicSat is a nano-satellite aimed at observing the transit of the young exoplanet Beta Pictoris b in front of its bright and equally young star Beta Pictoris, and at demonstrating an innovative technological concept to use optical fibres for astronomical observations from Space. The cubesat contains an embedded FM transponder. It will be avail- able when possible during the mission. Frequency information: Uplink FM 145.910 MHz 1750 Hz tone when in amateur mode Downlink FM 435.525 MHz 9k6 BPSK AX25 Data and FM voice when in amateur mode (Despite the documentation, PicSat beacons so far have been 1k2 BPSK.) There is a 1k2 BPSK software modem in: http://uz7.ho.ua/modem_beta/other-versions.zip A report posted by K4KDR advises to receive using upper sideband with the audio output centered on the middle of the passband. A description of the telemetry and related information are available on https://picsat.obspm.fr/data/telemetries?locale=en. This week the PicSat team requested amateur radio assistance to capture and upload telemetry packets from the satellite. Beacons received from all over the world are especially useful to monitor the status of satellite along its orbit (and not just when it is above our own station). Science data are obviously useful for the science mission. And all other packets, even when they do not look like much, can be of great importance! For example, we often receive satellite acknowledgements to our commands from ground station in France or Europe which are listening at the same time as us. It may look useless, but it is not. We regularly miss those packets our- selves, so it is good to have other people receiving them and sending them to us. There are three ways to send your data. The options for your upload will become available on your profile tab after registration at their website: https://picsat.obspm.fr/connexion?locale=en. Full details of the packet uploading procedure are posted at: https://picsat.obspm.fr/contributing/send-packets?locale=en + Fast upload beacon: mainly intended as a way to directly upload a beacon by copy/paste when you receive, and to get an immediate overview of the satellite status. When you are a new user, this is also the only way you can upload a packet. Upload one beacon successfully, and you will have access to the other methods! This page accepts a hexadecimal string, like "0123456789ABCDEF" in which whitespaces and upper/lower case are ignored ("01 23 45 67 89 ab cd ef", or even something like "0 1 234 56789 aBc dEf" will be accepted). The hexadecimal string must represent the AX.25 packet (without flags), possibly KISS encapsulated (starting with "C0 00" and ending with "C0") + Upload data: this can be used to upload files containing multiple packets at once. The files are stored on our servers, and processed daily. + SiDS requests: This will be implemented in the near future. PicSat shares a similar orbit with AO-91 since they were both deployed at approximately the same time. PicSat has been included in the 2 line Keplerian Elements distributions. On-line orbit predications for PicSat can be found at: https://picsat.obspm.fr/operations/orbital-map?locale=en. PicSat news and information is presented in their on-line video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BadAt92qHdU [ANS thanks the PicSat Team for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AO-73 Operating Schedule Changes Announced The FUNcube Operations Team says that AO73 will shortly be entering full sun light. Already the eclipse periods are only 11/12 minutes every orbit.Current predictions indicate that full sun will commence on February 6 and last through until March 14. The FUNcube autonomous, on-board, scheduling system is based upons witching modes when entering and leaving eclipses, was not designed for this situation. The scheduling system will therefore not be suit able for operations over the next few months. In line with the recently published plan, AO73 was switched to continuous amateur mode earlier commencing Thursday morning and will stay in this mode until Sunday night or Monday morning. We expect that this schedule will continue until mid April. The next full sun periods are then expected to return again in late August. Further info is available at https://funcube.org.uk/news/ [ANS thanks Graham G3VZV and the FUNcube Operations Team for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Volunteer Opportunity - Openings for News Service Rotating Editor If you're open to volunteering to help AMSAT this is your chance! We have openings for a few volunteers willing to help as an AMSAT News Service editor. Our editors work on a rotating schedule with each taking turns as the current week's news editor. Using input received from members, the amateur radio community, officers, plus our other editors your job is to assemble the AMSAT News Service bulletin for your week. (Template is provided to help you format the message.) If you can help contact our Senior News Service Editor, Lee McLamb, KT4TZ via his e-mail: kt4tz(a)amsat.org (Ed. note: the need for at least one, hopefully many volunteer editors, is immediate. K9JKM will be retiring at the end of March with extensive travel plans, often out of reach of the internet.) [ANS thanks the AMSAT News Service for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Argentina LU1ESY-3 WSPR Balloon Flight Heading Out of Africa AMSAT-LU (Argentina) advises that as part of LUSAT's 28th aniversary celebrations, Ignacio, LU1ESY, launched a PicoBalloon on January 19 from Villa Gessell, Argentina. Floating at 12 KM height, it crossed the South Atlantic Ocean, left South Africa, and last reports show it some 500 km SSE from Madagascar, hopefully heading to Australia and New Zealand. It is transmitting as LU1ESY-3 on 14075.6 KHz WSPR, 25 mW, 25 gram payload using a WB8ELK tracker. As of January 27, LU7AA reports that the balloon has completed one orbit around the world. The APRS track can be followed on aprs.fi: https://aprs.fi/#!call=a%2FLU1ESY-3&timerange=604800&tail=604800 and also at http://lu7aa.org/wspr.asp Pictures on http://amsat.org.ar/globo09.htm and http://amsat.org.ar Thanks to hams in Antartica, South Africa and Namibia for their WSPR captures & upload to http://wsprnet.org . [ANS thanks AMSAT Argentina for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- OR4ESA Redu Ground Station Belgium on the Air Until February 6 Javier Roldan, EA1HEO, will be activating OR4ESA from the ESA Redu Ground Station in Belgium from the 16th of January until the 6th of February 2018. He is taking advantage of a visit to the site during refurbishment of the 15m dish S-Band antenna. OR4ESA is the temporary special callsign for the activation at the European Space Agency (ESA) - Redu Site and Satellite Tracking Station in Redu, Belgium. (Grid locator: JO20na) Javier will try to be on the air daily (Monday to Friday) in the evening after work approximately 18:00 - 21:00 UTC both in SSB and in digital modes. Digital modes will be mainly PSK31 and RTTY as QRP. The contacts are valid for the ESA Amateur Radio Award (2 points per first QSO per mode and band). All the QSOs will be uploaded to LoTW, eQSL, Clublog, HRDLog and QRZ.com. He prefers electronic QSLs as they are faster, cheaper, easier to archive and they are more friendly to the environment. Paper QSLs should be sent via bureau or direct to DL0ESA. Please include SASE and $1 USD Europe, $2 USD outside Europe. Paper QSLs will only be sent in reply to the ones received. All details of the activation can be found in www.qrz.com/db/OR4ESA [ANS thanks Javier Roldan, EA1HEO and OR4ESA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ESA Announces Winners Cubesat to the Moon Competition The European Space Agency has announced two cubesat project teams as winners of a competition to send cubesats to the moon. + The Lunar Meteoroid Impact Orbiter, or Lumio for short, would circle over the far side of the Moon to detect bright impact flashes during the lunar night, mapping meteoroid bombardments as they occur. + The other, the Lunar Volatile and Mineralogy Mapping Orbiter, or VMMO, would focus on a permanently shadowed crater near the lunar south pole, searching out deposits of water ice and other volatiles of interest to future colonists, while also measuring lunar radiation. The impact-tracking Lumio is a single 12-unit CubeSat, conceived by a consortium including Politecnico di Milano; TU Delft, EPFL, S[&]T Norway, Leonardo-Finnmeccanica and the University of Arizona. VMMO, developed by MPB Communications Inc, Surrey Space Centre, Univer- sity of Winnipeg and Lens R&D, also adopts a 12-unit CubeSat design. Its miniaturised laser would probe its primary target of Shackleton Crater, adjacent to the South Pole, for measuring the abundance of water ice. The region inside the crater is in permanent darkness, allowing water molecules to condense and freeze there in the very cold conditions. No amateur radio content has been announced for these missions. The ESA said the idea behind our lunar CubeSat competition was challenging - up until now CubeSats have operated solely within Earth orbit. However, opportunities should open up to piggyback to the Moon in the coming decade, with circumlunar flights of the NASA-ESA Orion spacecraft and planned commercial flights. The ESA announcement can be accessed on-line at: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-028-ESA-CubesatMoon (www.esa.int) [ANS thanks the European Space Agency for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + On Jan. 31, the Super Blue Blood Moon Eclipse will be visible before sunrise in North America, Alaska and Hawaii. http://tinyurl.com/ANS-028-LunarEclipse (space.com) + Michelle Thompson, W5NYV, posted the January 19 video Phase 4 Ground Weekly Status report at: Part 1 - https://youtu.be/eD5P4tHIb9w Part 2 - https://youtu.be/gY0IQsppSI4 Her reports cover the IEEE Radio and Wireless Week, held in Anaheim, California from 14 - 17 January 2017. RWW is an annual technical conference from IEEE, and is sponsored primarily by Microwave Theory and Techniques Society. It consists of five different co-located topical conferences. One of those conferences was the Topical Work- shop on The Internet of Space or TWIoS, with two sessions. There was also a CubeSat workshop! + The Humanity Star was carried to orbit on-board the Rocket Lab launch from New Zealand. Their website advises, "Visible from space with the naked eye, the Humanity Star is a highly reflective satellite that blinks brightly across the night sky to create a shared experience for everyone on the planet. Created by Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck, the Humanity Star is a geodesic sphere made from carbon fibre with 65 highly reflective panels. It spins rapidly, reflecting the sun’s rays back to Earth, creating a flashing light that can be seen against a backdrop of stars." More information and a tracking map (showing when it is visible and when it is in eclipse) is posted on the project's website: http://www.thehumanitystar.com/ + Watch this video as KD2AVU worked KC8QDQ in EM89 on FO29. He doesn't have elevation rotor so best chance for him to work the bird is when it's on the low angle. Antenna: 2m beam (TX) homebrew DK7ZB 5 element 70cm beam (RX) stacked homebrew 10 element. Transceiver: Yaesu FT-847 TX power: 25W. Both antennas are in the attic! Watch on-line at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifpZMkACNNw + A frequently asked question during these good times of new satellite launches involves how to update the Keplerian Elements as orbits are identified or new satellites are launched. AMSAT-UK has a nice resource, "Adding new satellites to #SatPC32, Gpredict and Nova", see: https://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/23/adding-new-satellites-to-satpc32/ + On January 18, Thursday night at 9 pm Eastern time, Jerry Buxton, N0JY the vice president for engineering at AMSAT was interview on the HamTalkLive webcast to talk about the process of building amateur radio satellites, and the latest on the newest bird, Fox-1D. You can listen on demand 24/7/365.25 at: https://www.spreaker.com/show/ham-talk-live - select episode #98. + Enjoy the satellite presentation by Doug Tabor, N6UA, during his talk at the 2018 Winter Hamfest hosted by Northern Colorado Amateur Radio Club: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJoh7g8BWok&feature=youtu.be + Are any of you interested in pursuing a PhD-degree, within space radio systems (software defined radio) or integrated operations involving small satellites and other autonomous vehicles? We are seeking two new PhD-candidates to join our small satellite team, at Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway. Full text and how to apply: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-028-UnivNorwaySmallSat More information about our team and on-going missions can be found here: https://www.ntnu.edu/ie/smallsat (via cubesat e-mail list) + Rocket Lab conducted its second Electron launch on January 21 placing three cubesats into orbit. The launch occurred from the remote Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand. Mission control is located in Auckland, New Zealand. On board was a Planetlab cubesat named Dove Pioneer which will conduct Earth resource imaging and two Lemur-2 cubesats for Spire which will be used for weather and ship tracking. Full report and video posted at: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-028-RocketLabsLaunch + NASA released this new video on January 11, 2018, which was created by astronomers and visualization specialists from its Universe of Learning program. These experts have combined visible and infrared images from the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes to create a three-dimensional, fly-through view of the Orion Nebula, a fuzzy patch in your sky tonight, really a place where new stars are forming: http://earthsky.org/space/video-visualization-3d-orion-nebula-nasa --------------------------------------------------------------------- /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information. 73 and Happy New Year, This week's ANS Editor, JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM k9jkm at amsat dot org

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ANS-021 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by E.Mike McCardel 20 Jan '18

20 Jan '18

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-021 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org. In this edition: * Dr. Junior Torres de Castro, PY2BJO SK * AMSAT Membership Deal and Getting Started * Upcoming club satellite presentations (and hopefully demos...) * Zhou Enlai Student Satellite to Launch * AO-92 camera results * N8RO Logs 488th US Grid - Earns Grid Master Award #8 * Updates to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for 1-16-2018 * Fox-1 MPPT Developers Interviewed on HamRadio360 Podcast * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-021.01 ANS-021 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 021.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. January 21, 2017 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-021.01 Dr. Junior Torres de Castro, PY2BJO SK It is with great sadness that the Directors and Officers of AMSAT- North America announce the passing of Dr. Junior Torres de Castro, PY2BJO. According to his son, Allan Kardec, Junior passed away on January 17, 2018 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. A very active radio amateur, Junior was a great collaborator of LABRE (The League of Brazilian Amateur Radio Transmitters) serving for a time as its President. He was also a founder of BRAMSAT, the Brazilian AMSAT group as well as an active member of the AMSAT-NA Board of Directors during the early 1990s. But, perhaps what Junior will be best remembered for among the rest of the world's amateurs was his work with AMSAT-NA in helping to build (and financially underwrite) Brazil's very first amateur radio satellite. Called "DOVE short for "Digital Orbiting Voice Encoder", the satellite was successfully launched on January 22, 1990 on an Ariane 4 rocket from the European Space Agency's Kourou Space Center in French Guiana. Besides the main payload, that launch also included three other AMSAT MicroSats along with two larger UOSats. Surrey Satellite Technology in England built the two larger satellites. Junior's vision for his DOVE satellite was to provide a strong 2m, audio FM downlink signal ("This is DOVE in Space") that could be easily received by educational institutions around the world. Downlink telemetry was via 1200 Baud AFSK, AX.25 packet radio, a data format that was easily decoded with receivers and TNCs that were very popular among radio amateurs at the time. When told of Junior's passing, Jan King, W3GEY, a founding AMSAT Director and AMSAT's Vice President of Engineering during the MicroSat project said that, "I'm very sorry to hear about Junior. He certainly made the 4 MicroSat mission happen. He was a very important part of AMSAT and a fond memory for me." Likewise, Former AMSAT-NA BOD member Bob McGwier, N4HY, noted that, "This is a sad day. Junior was a great guy, full of life, and he loved AMSAT. It was a pleasure for me to help build his MicroSat for him. When I became an AMSAT employee for getting these spacecraft done, Junior paid the bills." Another MicroSat Project team member, Jim White, WD0E, noted that, "This is indeed sad news. It was a pleasure to work with him on DOVE. He was a very warm and generous person and not only conceived of and funded DOVE, but also a receiver for the 60-foot radio dish that the Table Mountain the Deep Space Exploration Society was refurbishing. He was always tinkering and building things at his house near Sao Paulo. He even dreamed of building a round swimming pool that, when drained, would double as a radio astronomy dish! During the time his DOVE satellite was sending "This is DOVE in space" audio from orbit we received nearly 200 SWL cards from around the world, all of which we shared with him. Needless to say, he was absolutely delighted." At ANS deadline, funeral arrangements for Junior were still pending. But word was received that his funeral and interment was to be in at the Gethsemane Cemetery in Sao Paulo, Brazil. [ANS thanks Keith KB1SF/VA3KSF for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Membership Deal and Getting Started Just a few reminders for all the new folks joining us: AMSAT membership supports the organization and construction of new satellites. Right now, we are offering a free PDF copy of our Getting Started with Amateur Satellites with every new on-line membership. This is -the- primer for getting on the sats, and is updated every year. See https://www.amsat.org/product-category/amsat-membership/ AMSAT also sells both the popular Arrow Antenna satellite models and the M2 LEOpack antennas. Sales also benefit AMSAT projects. https://www.amsat.org/product-category/hardware/ [ANS thanks AMSAT Office for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming club satellite presentations (and hopefully demos...) Philip N4HF announces a couple of presentations he'll be doing. 1) Blue Ridge ARC (Henderson County NC), Tuesday March 6, 7pm. http://radioclub.org/ (this club has also started streaming club meetings via TeamViewer; the demo, if it happens, will be outside though) 2) Haywood County ARC (NC), Thursday April 12, 7 pm. http://kw4p.org/ (Meeting place is incorrect on the website, but hopefully that will be updated in the next few days) Philip states he will be at one hamfest under the AMSAT banner, and possibly two, in the next couple of months. He will be announcing those when the info is finalized. [ANS thanks Philip N4HF for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Zhou Enlai Student Satellite to Launch The 2U CubeSat Zhou Enlai, developed with primary and middle school students, is expected to launch on Friday, January 19, 2018 The satellite is named after the first Premier of the PRC. Zhou Enlai held office from October 1949 until January 1976. A report on Xinhua Net says: The satellite was sent from its production base in Huai'an Youth Comprehensive Development Base in east China's Jiangsu Province to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China's Gansu Province Monday, where a CZ-11 solid fuel rocket is scheduled to put it into orbit Friday. Twenty teenagers who participated in the development project accompanied the transport group to the launch center and will witness the lift-off. Zhang Xiang, chief designer of the satellite, said that the nano- satellite, weighing 2 kilograms, is set to run in sun-synchronous orbit. Equipped with a HD optical camera, it can capture space photos with the highest resolution among those shot by other Chinese satellites for scientific education purpose. Zhang said that the students had taken their spare time to join the development and groundbased simulation performance of the satellite, and had learnt to assemble and practice voice data transfer and telecommunication applications. "A scientific satellite like this is like a teacher in space, carrying cameras or spectroscopes to study the upper atmosphere or to shoot space pictures of the stars. Students can grasp the mystery of the universe through the messages transmitted by the teacher," said Zhang, a professor with Nanjing University of Science and Engineering. Read the full story at http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-01/17/c_136902466.htm The IARU satellite pages list a 2U CubeSat called HA-1 with FM transponder and SSTV developed by the Teenagers Amateur Radio Center of Activity in Huai'an. Zhou Enlai may well be the new name for this satellite. http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=589 [ANS thanks Southgate ARN for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AO-92 camera results For those that have not been following AMSAT on Twitter or Facebook, we have done a few camera runs with AO-92 with very good results. A pass this morning yielded 4 good images, two of which I have located their position on the ground. The images can be seen at: http://www.amsat.org/tlm/fox1d/images/index1.html Some side by side comparisons with Google Earth and NOAA images can be found at: https://twitter.com/AMSAT/status/953294176933896195 and https://twitter.com/AMSAT/status/953304248162406401 . Congratulations again to Virginia Tech, and thanks for providing the camera experiments for AO-92 and Fox-1Cliff! [ANS thanks Drew KO4MA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- N8RO Logs 488th US Grid - Earns Grid Master Award #8 Congratulations to Ron Oldham, N8RO, to log his last grid needed to have worked via satellite all 488 grids in the Lower 48 United States. Ron's message on the amsat-bb reads, "On Sunday [January 14] I was able to log the last grid I needed to complete the 488 US grids. I would like to publicly thank Doug, N6UA, for going out of his way to help me get DN23 in my log. Without the efforts of many portable satellite operators like Doug it would not be possible to achieve this accomplishment. Many thanks to all of the operators that helped me throughout the years." Ron also noted the Top 10 portable satellite operators who's efforts have provided opportunities for contacts including: ND9M - 332 K8YSE - 273 AC0RA - 234 W5PFG - 205 WC7V - 126 WD9EWK - 117 KA6SIP - 108 NJ7H - 89 A5CK - 710 KB5WIA - 610 KB0RZD - 6 On January 17 Damon, WA4HFN announced, "Congrats to Ron,N8RO for earning Grid Master Award #8". The Grid Master Award is given for confirmed satellite contacts with all 488 U.S. Grids." These awards are available at no cost but Damon requests that you make a donation to AMSAT-NA. For more information visit the web site: http://www.squirtthebirds.com [ANS thanks Ron, N8RO via the amsat-bb, and Damon, WA4HFN for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Updates to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for 1-16-2018 Here is the current tracking status for AO-92 and PICSAT. Updates to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution Nico Janssen, PA0DLO, by detailed doppler measurements has confirmed the identity of the AO-92 and PICSAT from the 1-12-2018 0358 GMT India PSLV-C40 launch. They have been added to the AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution: PICSAT - NORAD CAT ID 43131 AO-92 - NORAD CAT ID 43137 The following objects have been dropped from the AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution: OBJECT A - NORAD CAT ID 43111 OBJECT B - NORAD CAT ID 43112 OBJECT C - NORAD CAT ID 43113 OBJECT D - NORAD CAT ID 43114 OBJECT E - NORAD CAT ID 43115 OBJECT F - NORAD CAT ID 43116 OBJECT T - NORAD CAT ID 43128 OBJECT U - NORAD CAT ID 43129 99934 - NORAD CAT ID 99934 Please modify your tracking program as required. To receive AMSAT's Keplerian Element updates directly to your e-mail box subscribe at: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/keps [ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Fox-1 MPPT Developers Interviewed on HamRadio360 Podcast Cale, K4CDN, interviewed the Salmi brothers, Brent, KB1LQD, and Bryce, KB1LQC, on the HamRadio360 podcast. Brent and Bryce are the developers of the Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) used in the Fox-1B, Fox-1Cliff, and Fox-1D cubesats. The MPPT is the controlling interface between the solar panel with the electrical system of the Fox-1 satellites in such a way that the conditions for maximum power are always met when needed. Cale, Brent and Bryce also discuss their Open Source Digital Radio company, Faraday RF. Listen to the HamRadio360 podcast at: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-HamRadio360-Podcast [ANS thanks Cale, K4CDN, and HamRadio360 for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS News + A Successful contact was made between Higher National School of Computer Science and Systems Analysis (ENSIAS), Rabat, Morocco and Astronaut Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP using Callsign NA1SS. The contact began 2018-01-03 13:52 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was telebridge via VK5ZAI]. ARISS Mentor was Eskil SM5SRR. + A Successful contact was made between Prva srednja informaticka škola, Zagreb, Croatia] and Astronaut Scott Tingle KG5NZA using Callsign NA1SS. The contact began 2018-01-18 08:46 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was telebridge via VK6MJ. ARISS Mentor was Marco 9A8MM. Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2018-01-20 01:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Naka Junior High School, Kakamigahara City, Japan, direct via 8J25D The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP Contact is a go for: Mon 2018-01-22 10:23:21 UTC Contact is direct with 8J25D and should be audible over Japan and adjacent areas. The English School, Nicosia, Cyprus, telebridge via W6SRJ The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP Contact is a go for: Wed 2018-01-24 10:35:45 UTC [ANS thanks ARISS, Charlie AJ9N and David AA4KN for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + MONTSERRAT, VP2M. Daniel, KD9HNL is QRV as VP2MDH until January 29. Activity is on various FM satellites. QSL via LoTW. [ANS thanks ARRL DX news for the above information] + AMSAT-NA President Joe Spier K6WAO Interviewed in February QST Read Steve Ford's WB8IMY interview of AMSAT-NA President Joe Spier K6WAO in Frebrauary's QST. The interview which, appears on page 69 of the issue, covers Joe's amateur radiocCareer, his vision for the future of AMSAT-NA and amateur satelites in general, challenges on the horizon, prospect of HEOs and geostationary amateur satellites. [ANS thanks QST for the above information] + More background on the satellites aboard the PSLV-C40 flight: https://amsat-uk.org/2018/01/13/ham-radio-cubesat-launch-success/ [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information] + NASA Social Media event https://www.nasa.gov/social/state-of-nasa-social-2018 [ANS thanks NASA for the above information] + Jerry Buxton N0JY VP Enginneering On HamTalkLive On January 18, Thursday night at 9 pm Eastern time, Jerry Buxton, N0JY the vice president for engineering at AMSAT was interview on the HamTalkLive webcast to talk about the process of building amateur radio satellites, and the latest on the newest bird, Fox 1D which just arrived in space last week! If you miss the show live, you can listen on demand 24/7/365.25 at: https://www.spreaker.com/show/ham-talk-live - select episode #98. or https://tinyurl.com/ANS021-HamTalkLive [ANS thanks HamTalkLive.com for the above information]) --------------------------------------------------------------------- /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information. 73, This week's ANS Editor, EMike McCardel, AA8EM aa8em at amsat dot org

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ANS-014 AMSAT Weekly News Service Bulletins
by Chris Bradley 14 Jan '18

14 Jan '18

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-014.01 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org. In this edition: * Z-Sat Frequency Coordination Submitted to IARU * Handy Fox 1D Links * Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2018-01-12 * Nova Maker Faire * AMSAT North America has issued a statement formally designating Fox-1D as AO-92 * AMSAT Office Closed Monday January 15 * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-014.01 ANS-014.01 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 309.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. November 5, 2017 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-014.01 Z-Sat Frequency Coordination Submitted to IARU AMSAT-UK reported that the IARU has received a frequency coordination request from the Komaki Amateur Radio SATCOM Club in Japan for Z-Sat 50kg microsat with two missions: (1) Mission: BBS service Exchanging messages between amateurs all over the world in amateur service. Any amateur can use the space station like a BBS by uploading and downloading messages. The specific steps includes: An amateur radio station transmits messages to the space station for indiv- idual/public and these messages are stored in the space station. Another amateur radio station transmits a specific message to the space station and the space station transmits a reply message whether any message to him exists or not. If exists, the amateur radio station can receive the message by transmitting a specific message to the space station. Frequency band: - UPLINK : 435-438 MHz DOWNLINK : 145-146 MHz (Note: The usage of the BBS is shown in the following URL. same as ChubuSat-2 except frequencies https://www.frontier.phys.nagoya- u.ac.jp/en/chubusat/chubusat_satellite2.html (2) Mission: The Earth observation Imaging particular site with the infrared camera. Frequency band: - UPLINK : S-band - DOWNLINK : S-band No launch defined but planning a sun synchronous LEO. http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/formal_detail.php?serialnum=580 [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK and the IARU for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Handy Fox 1D Links Fox-1D Launch Live Blog https://www.amsat.org/fox-1d-launch-live-blog/ Fox Telemetry Leaderboard (With links to FoxTelem) http://www.amsat.org/tlm/ AMSAT Live OSCAR Satellite Status Page (Report Fox-1D reception here) http://amsat.org/status/ Getting Ready for Fox-1D PDF https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Getting- Ready-for-Fox-1D.pdf Updates will be found on AMSAT's Twitter account (@AMSAT). Note that you do not need to be a Twitter user to view AMSAT's tweets. https://twitter.com/AMSAT The latest Keps can be found in AMSAT's Keps distribution. Any tracking software using the AMSAT Keps distribution should identify new object "99934" after refreshing your Keps. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ftp/keps/current/nasabare.txt [ANS would like to thank Paul Stoetzer, N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2018-01-12 Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Prva srednja informaticka škola, Zagreb, Croatia, telebridge via VK6MJ The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Scott Tingle KG5NZA Contact is a go for: Thu 2018-01-18 08:46:52 UTC 34 deg ARISS is always glad to receive listener reports for the above contacts. ARISS thanks everyone in advance for their assistance. Feel free to send your reports to aj9n(a)amsat.org or aj9n(a)aol.com. Listen for the ISS on the downlink of 145.8Ø MHz. All ARISS contacts are made via the Kenwood radio unless otherwise noted. Several of you have sent me emails asking about the RAC ARISS website and not being able to get in. That has now been changed to http://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. Looking for something new to do? How about receiving DATV from the ISS? If interested, then please go to the ARISS-EU website for complete details. Look for the buttons indicating Ham Video. http://www.ariss-eu.org/ If you need some assistance, ARISS mentor Kerry N6IZW, might be able to provide some insight. Contact Kerry at kbanke(a)sbcglobal.net ARISS congratulations the following mentors who have now mentored over 100 schools: Francesco IKØWGF with 132 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 127 Gaston ON4WF with 123 Sergey RV3DR with 100 The webpages listed below were all reviewed for accuracy. Out of date webpages were removed and new ones have been added. If there are additional ARISS websites I need to know about, please let me know. 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 The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2018-01-12 00:00 UTC. (***) Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1201. Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1150. Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 47. A complete year by year breakdown of the contacts may be found in the file. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf Please feel free to contact me if more detailed statistics are needed. The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact: Arkansas, Delaware, South Dakota, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the Virgin Islands. QSL information may be found at: http://www.ariss.org/qsl-cards.html ISS callsigns: DPØISS, IRØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RSØISS The successful school list has been updated as of 2018-01-04 09:00 UTC. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_cor rection .rtf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415 Exp. 53 on orbit Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP Alexander Misurkin Joe Acaba KE5DAR Exp. 54 on orbit Scott Tingle KG5NZA Norishige Kanai Alexander Skvortsov [ANS would like to thank Charlie Sufana, AJ9N for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Nova Maker Faire is coming up March 18th. This year, the venue will be the GMU campus. Attendance last year was over 4000. Last year's AMSAT presence at the faire was a big hit. I hope you guys can exhibit again. The organizers would like a placeholder application filled in by Jan 14. Let me know if you need help with registering. https://nova.makerfaire.com/cfm/ [ANS would like to thank AMSAT.org Office (Martha) for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Fox-1D was successfully launched at 03:59 UTC on the PSLV-C40 mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. UA9UIZ received and uploaded the first telemetry to AMSAT servers at 05:28 UTC. Initial telemetry values appear nominal. The first set of post-launch Keplerian elements are reproduced below: Fox-1D 1 99934U 1801D 18012.18036412 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 15 2 99934 97.6514 74.0671 0008545 308.1824 275.3575 15.22876478 16 [ANS would like to thank Paul Stoetzer, N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT North America has issued a statement formally designating Fox-1D as AO-92: Fox-1D, a 1U CubeSat, is the third of AMSAT's five Fox-1 CubeSats to reach orbit, being preceded by AO-85 (Fox-1A) and AO-91 (RadFxSat/ Fox-1B). Fox-1D carries the Fox-1 U/v FM transponder, with an uplink of 435.350 MHz (67.0 Hz CTCSS) and a downlink of 145.880 MHz. In addi- tion, Fox-1D carries several university experiments, including a MEMS gyro from Pennsylvania State University-Erie, a camera from Virginia Tech, and the University of Iowa's HERCI (High Energy Radiation Cube- Sat Instrument) radiation mapping experiment. Fox-1D also carries the AMSAT L-Band Downshifter experiment which enables the FM trans- ponder to be switched to utilize an uplink of 1267.350 MHz (67.0 Hz CTCSS). Fox-1D was sent aloft as a secondary payload on the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s PSLV-XL rocket as part of the PSLV-C40 mission. Fox-1D was one of thirty-one satellites successfully deploy- ed on this launch. Since Fox-1D has met all of the qualifications necessary to receive an OSCAR number, I, by the authority vested in me by the AMSAT President, do hereby confer on this satellite the designation AMSAT-OSCAR 92 or AO-92. I join amateur radio operators in the U.S. and around the world in wishing AO-92 a long and successful life in both its amateur and scientific missions. I, along with the rest of the amateur community, congratulate all of the volunteers who worked so diligently to construct, test and prepare for launch the newest amateur radio satellite. William A. (Bill) Tynan, W3XO AMSAT-NA OSCAR Number Administrator [ANS would like to thank JoAnne, K9JKM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Office Closed Monday January 15 The AMSAT Office will be closed on Monday, January 15th in observance of Martin Luther King Jr Day. [ANS would like to thank AMSAT.ORG (Martha) for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + ARRL is picking up on Fox-1D news. http://www.arrl.org/news/view/fox-1d-satellite-set-to-launch-this- week-china-to-launch-five-new-cubesats [ANS Joanne K9JKM, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- + AMSAT's next Fox-1 satellite, Fox-1D, is scheduled for launch on January 12, 2018 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. Fox-1D will launch as part of the PSLV-C40 mission on board a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle with Cartosat, an imaging satellite for the Indian government, and 30 other payloads." [ANS Jerry Buxton, N0JY for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- + KK5DO reports we just issued Rover Award #005 to KG5GJT. Congrats and keep on roving. Find details of the AMSAT Rover Award at: https://www.amsat.org/amsat-rover-award/ [ANS Joanne 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, This week's ANS Editor, Chris Bradley, AA5EM aa5em at amsat dot org _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

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ANS-007 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by JoAnne K9JKM 06 Jan '18

06 Jan '18

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-007 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: * GOLF-TEE $15,000 Matching Funds President’s Challenge * Launch Watch - India's ISRO PSLV-C40 Mission With Fox-1D Aboard * Your Telemetry Data is Needed to Assist With Fox-1D Commissioning * French PicSat With V/U FM Transponder Also Aboard PSLV-C40 Launch * AMSAT Announces the Rover Award * AMSAT Second Annual CW Activity Day Wrap Up * AMSAT-UK Reporting on a Chinese Launch With Five 6U Cubesats * Volunteer Opportunity - Openings for News Service Rotating Editor * AMSAT South Africa and SARL Hosting January 20 SDR Workshop * New Grid Master Awarded * NASA on the Air Events to Highlight Key Space Milestones * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-007.01 ANS-007 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 007.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE January 7, 2018 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-007.01 GOLF-TEE $15,000 Matching Funds President’s Challenge In October 2017 AMSAT announced the GOLF (Greater Orbit, Larger Foot- print) program. The first project of the GOLF program is a technology demonstrator named GOLF-TEE (Technology Evaluation Environment). The design is a 3U CubeSat with deployable solar panels, ADAC (attitude determination and control), Software Defined Radio (SDR) Transponder, and a Vanderbilt University Low Energy Proton (LEP) experiment. Now is the time to begin work on the GOLF-TEE Project. At the end of 2017, AMSAT has generous offers from two AMSAT Past Presidents for matching funds up to $15,000 for those that contribute to the GOLF-TEE campaign at: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=STK27W… (Shortened URL without linewrap: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-007-PayPal-GOLF-Donation ) between now and Feb- ruary 15th. Make your donation twice as valuable by taking advantage of this opportunity and contributing, and help AMSAT fund the launch of the next series of satellites of the GOLF program. There are also donate buttons for GOLF-TEE on the AMSAT website. Planning is for a launch in 2019. Donations of $100 and $1,000 or more will be eligible for a special AMSAT GOLF premium. (Both premiums are currently being designed, so please be patient awaiting delivery.) AMSAT is a 501-(c)-(3) not-for-profit educational and scientific organization of amateur radio operators whose purpose is to design, construct, launch, and operate satellites in space and to provide the support needed to encourage amateurs to utilize these resources. Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to AMSAT to help under- write the development and launch expenses of our GOLF satellite program. Donors wishing to provide additional matching funds please contact Joe Spier, K6WAO at k6wao(a)amsat.org. (ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Launch Watch - India's ISRO PSLV-C40 Mission With Fox-1D Aboard The PSLV-C40 flight from India has been rescheduled from December 30 to January 10 seems to have settled on a firmer schedule. According to the Launch Schedule posted by SpaceflightNow.com current planning indicates (at ANS press time): January, 11/12, 2018 PSLV • Cartosat 2F & NovaSAR-S Launch time: 0358 GMT on 12th (10:58 p.m. EST on 11th) Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/ India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, flying on the PSLV-C40 mission, will launch India’s Cartosat 2ER high-resolution Earth observation satellite and the NovaSAR-S radar remote sensing satellite for Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. of the United Kingdom. A collection of approximately 30 smaller secondary payloads from Indian and inter- national companies and institutions will also be on the launch. AMSAT Fox-1D will be aboard this flight. Additional information can be followed for launch updates at: https://spaceflight101.com/events/pslv-c40-cartosat-2er/ http://tinyurl.com/ANS-007-SpaceFlight-PSLVC40 http://tinyurl.com/ANS-007-SpaceDaily-PSLV [ANS thanks SpaceFlightNow.com for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Your Telemetry Data is Needed to Assist With Fox-1D Commissioning AMSAT will release Keplerian elements for Fox-1D as soon as the data becomes available via the AMSAT Web Site. Participation in telemetry collection by as many stations in as many parts of the world as possible is essential as AMSAT Engineering looks for successful startup and indications of the general health and function of the satellite as it begins to acclimate to space. If you are capturing telemetry with FoxTelem please be sure that "Upload to Server" is checked in your settings, and that your "Ground Station Params" are filled in as well. You can help AMSAT and everyone waiting to get on the air with Fox-1D tremendously by capturing the telemetry. If AMSAT Engineering is seeing nominal values from the telemetry you gather, the satellite will be commanded from Beacon Mode to Safe Mode on the first good pass over the United States. In Safe Mode, the satellite transmits a full two frames of telemetry (one Current frame followed by, and alternating each ID cycle, a High or a Low frame). Veronica now has time to make the whole ID announcement in Safe Mode. The on-orbit checkout procedure for Fox-1D is similar to Fox-1A/AO-85 and RadFxSat. It could be completed in as little as a few days if users cooperate. It is very important, and good amateur operating practice, to refrain from using the transponder uplink so the on-orbit tests can be performed, including when the satellite is switched into Transponder Mode for testing. AMSAT will make it broadly known when the tests are complete and the transponder is available for all to use. If you hear someone on the transponder, please do not assume that it is open for general use - check AMSAT's website, Facebook, and Twitter before transmitting to be sure you do not interfere with testing. AMSAT asks all satellite operators to contribute just a little bit of your time by gathering telemetry, not using the transponder uplink, to help complete the last few days of getting RadFxSat operating for the amateur radio community. Lots of hams put thousands of volunteer hours of their time into making RadFxSat happen. Just like any ham radio project you might undertake, AMSAT builds satellites. AMSAT volunteers do it because they like to, and when they are done, AMSAT freely shares their project with hams everywhere as is the spirit of amateur radio. Thank you very much and see you on the bird! In addition to the Fox-1 U/v FM transponder, Fox-1D contains a number of exciting experiments, including a camera built by stu- dents at Virginia Tech, the University of Iowa's HERCI (High Energy Radiation CubeSat Instrument), and AMSAT's L-Band Downshifter which will give amateur radio operators an opportunity to experiment with a different uplink band. Stay tuned for more information about the launch and early operations of the satellite. RADIO PROGRAMMING CHART Fox-1D Doppler Shift Correction Memory 1 (AOS) - TX 435.340 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), RX 145.880 MHz Memory 2 (Rise) - TX 435.345 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), RX 145.880 MHz Memory 3 (TCA) - TX 435.350 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), RX 145.880 MHz Memory 4 (Descend) - TX 435.355 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), RX 145.880 MHz Memory 5 (LOS) - TX 435.360 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), RX 145.880 MHz The L-band experiment will use 1267.350 MHz uplink with 145.880 MHz downlink. Frequencies are subject to change post-launch. [ANS thanks AMSAT Vice-President Engineering, Jerry Buxton, NØJY, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- French PicSat With V/U FM Transponder Also Aboard PSLV-C40 Launch Cubesat PicSat is currently in India waiting for launch in January. PicSat is a nano-satellite aimed at observing the transit of the young exoplanet Beta Pictoris b in front of its bright and equally young star Beta Pictoris, and at demonstrating an innovative tech- nological concept to use optical fibres for astronomical observa- tions from Space. The cubesat contains an embedded FM transponder. It will be avail- able when possible during the mission. Description of telemetry and related information are available on https://picsat.obspm.fr/data/telemetries?locale=en. Frequency information: Uplink FM 145.910 MHz Downlink FM 435.525 MHz Short videos on project is available on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbVE3QEJO74NbJ-tHtThHpg The project team has set up a dedicated web site with lot of information including for hamradio: https://picsat.obspm.fr/ [ANS thanks Christophe Mercier, AMSAT-F President for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Announces the Rover Award On January 1, 2018, Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director Contests and Awards announced the Rover Award. This award is granted to stations who achieve a combined 25 points using any combination of the defined criteria posted at: https://www.amsat.org/amsat-rover-award/ Points can be earned for each grid square activated outside of your home grid square using the FM, linear, and digital satellites. While FM contacts count for 1 point each multiplier points are available for contacts via the linear and digital satellites. Additional points are available for photographs, publicity, social media promotion, and AMSAT Journal articles. The options are numerous so please refer to the Rover Award Website for all of the details. Bruce is also asking for your help to design a certificate that helps show what a rover is. He would like some photos of a rover station, rover antennas, anything that would be really neat on the certificate. Now that everyone knows what the award is and has had a bit of time to look it over, we need your help. I would like to design a certificate that helps show what a rover is. Therefore, I would like some photos of a rover station, rover antennas, anything that would be really neat on the certificate. (the photos cannot show anyone's callsign, cannot show anyone in the picture that makes them identifiable.) Send your photos to bruce via kk5do(a)amsat.org Bruce will take submissions for until January 19. After this date he will post the pictures on the AMSAT website for members to choose the two, three, or four pictures and after the two weeks, we will place the pix on the AMSAT website and let the AMSAT members choose the two, three or four pictures that they think reflect the best of roving. [ANS thanks AMSAT Director Contests and Awards, Bruce Paige, KK5DO, for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Second Annual CW Activity Day Wrap Up Ray, W2RS, wrote, "Many thanks to all who participated in AMSAT's second annual CW Activity Day on OSCAR, held in memory of Pat Gowen, G3IOR. We didn't ask for logs to be submitted, so we obviously have no figures, but activity seemed up significantly from last year. I worked two all-time new stations (new for me, that is) on FO-29, as well as some old friends. CU on CW in 2018, and of course in AMSAT's third annual CW Activity Day, same time next year." [ANS thanks Ray, W2RS for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT-UK Reporting on a Chinese Launch With Five 6U Cubesats A launch from China's Jiuquan Space Center on a CZ-11 on January 17 will fly Hunan Amateur Radio Society's constellation of five similar 6U CubeSat spacecraft intended to: 1.Carry out synchronous ionospheric transmission detection experiments based on multi-satellite and multi-band with the same GPS time base. 2.Carry out amateur HF/VHF/UHF re-transmitting experiments in any narrow-band mode. 3.Carry out communications experiments between inter-satellite amateur loads, LIFI high-speed digital downlink and CW lamp signal communication experiments. 4. Planned downlinks on 437.5 MHz using 9k6 GMSK and on 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz using 5Mbps OFDM. The IARU says these frequencies have been coordinated: Cubesat Uplink/Downlink ------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- TY2 435.350 MHz / 2403.000 MHz / 5833.000 MHz down / 5653.000 MHz up TY3 435.875 MHz / 2406.000 MHz / 5836.000 MHz down / 5656.000 MHz up TY4 435.925 MHz / 2409.000 MHz / 5839.000 MHz down / 5659.000 MHz up TY5 436.025 MHz / 2412.000 MHz / 5842.000 MHz down / 5665.000 MHz up TY6 436.100 MHz / 2415.000 MHz / 5845.000 MHz down / 5667.000 MHz up Additional information can be found at: http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=556 https://www.chinaspaceflight.com/satellite/Changsha-Tianyi/TY-2-3-4-5.html [ANS thanks AMSAT-UK and the IARU for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Volunteer Opportunity - Openings for News Service Rotating Editor If you're open to volunteering to help AMSAT this is your chance! We have openings for a few volunteers willing to help as an AMSAT News Service editor. Our editors work on a rotating schedule with each taking turns as the current week's news editor. Using input received from members, the amateur radio community, officers, plus our other editors your job is to assemble the AMSAT News Service bulletin for your week. (Template is provided to help you format the message.) If you can help contact our Senior News Service Editor, Lee McLamb, KT4TZ via his e-mail: kt4tz(a)amsat.org [ANS thanks the AMSAT News Service for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT South Africa and SARL Hosting January 20 SDR Workshop SARL and AMSAT SA will be holding another SDR workshop at the National Amateur Radio Centre from 09:00 - 13:00 CAT on Saturday 20 January 2018. The objective of the workshop is to review the application of SDR dongles and the various software packages made available at pre- vious workshops. Anton Janovsky ZR6AIC will be on hand to assist with any technical difficulties. There will be a discussion of the HF Noise monitoring system and the setting up of a server to store the data. AMSAT SA will present a brief update on Kletskous. The cost of the workshop is R50 for SARL and AMSAT SA members and R100 for non-members. Light refreshments will be served. For details and registration visit www.amsatsa.org.za [ANS thanks SARL weekly news in English 2018-1-6 for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- New Grid Master Awarded Rick, WA4NVM and Damon, WA4HFN have teamed up to promote the use of amateur satellites and support AMSAT North America with a series of awards for satellite operators. On January 1 Damon announced, "Congrats to Fernando, NP4JV for earning Grid Master Award #7". The Grid Master Award is given for confirmed satellite contacts with all 488 U.S. Grids. Previous Grid Master award winners include: #1 John K8YSE 5/16/2014 #2 Doug KD8CAO 12/15/2014 #3 Rick WA4NVM 4/26/2015 #4 Glenn AA5PK 8/22/2017 #5 Clayton W5PFG 9/14/2017 #6 Al XE2AT 11/03/2017 In addition to the Grid Master award Rick and Damon also sponsor these satellite operating awards: + Got Grids Award - for 1 satellite contact in each of the 10 maiden head grids blocks in the US + 5 in EM55 Award - for 5 satellite contacts with operators in EM55 + These awards are available at no cost but Rick and Damon request you make a donation to AMSAT-NA. For more information visit their web site: http://www.squirtthebirds.com [ANS thanks Damon, WA4HFN for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- NASA on the Air Events to Highlight Key Space Milestones by Bob Granath - Dec. 1, 2017 NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida http://tinyurl.com/ANS-344-NASAEvent NASA is known for communicating with astronauts on missions to space, but regular citizens can radio NASA centers across the country. From the end of this year through the next, NASA will mark several key milestones. Amateur radio clubs at agency centers across the nation plan to celebrate these occasions with several "NASA on the Air" events. "We enjoy sharing NASA's story as part of the fun of making contact with fellow ham radio operators across the nation and around the world," said Kevin Zari, who is activities officer for the Amateur Radio Club at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "We occasionally communicate with people who think that because we're not flying the space shuttle anymore, NASA has almost gone out of business. We tell them about activities such as the Inter- national Space Station and the Space Launch System, and they appreciate the update." Amateur, or ham, radio operators use a frequency spectrum for communicating noncommercial and private messages. One of the most important uses of ham radio operations is providing emer- gency messaging following disasters, such as the recent Hurricane Maria that destroyed most avenues of communication in Puerto Rico. "The amateur radio clubs at NASA centers are made up of civil servants, contractors and tenants who participate on their own time," said Zari, who has been at Kennedy since 1990 and is chief technology officer in the Mission and Support Office of Exploration Research and Technology Programs. "We all have a common goal to show our support for NASA and highlight some of the agency's amazing accomplishments." Zari added that he hopes, if time permits, International Space Station astronauts can participate using ham radio equipment aboard the orbit- ing laboratory 225 miles above the Earth, made possible by the Amateur Radio on International Space Station (ARISS) Program. Amateur radio has even been part of NASA space flights since Shuttle Amateur Radio operations started in 1983. The plan is to talk about these anniversaries and their place in the history of NASA, explains Rob Suggs, who is the secretary of the amateur radio club at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. "We also want people to know what we are doing now and what's coming up in the near future," he said. "This includes the Commercial Crew Program, as well as plans to send astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit with the Space Launch System and Orion." "We plan to publicize the "NASA on the Air" events in amateur radio magazines, on our Facebook site and web page," said Suggs who has worked for NASA since 1994 and is the Space Environments Team lead at Marshall. Zari added that they plan to use the hashtag #NOTA when announcing events on Twitter (@NASAradioClubs). While NASA amateur radio stations are commemorating historic mile- stones, Zari explains they also are making it into a contest. "Ham radio enthusiasts usually exchange QSL cards," he said. "When you make contact with someone, you exchange a postcard noting the contact was made. For this yearlong event, some clubs at NASA centers are offering commemorative QSL cards and a special certi- ficate indicating how many centers a participant contacted on various frequency bands." QSL cards serve as written confirmation of communication between amateur radio stations. QSL derived its name from the Q, or question, code message: "QSL?" It simply means, "Do you confirm receipt of my transmission?" According to Suggs, points will be awarded to each center's amateur radio club based on the number of contacts made during the yearlong event. Participants can enhance their award by using one of the existing capabilities of amateur radio on the space station such as packet (digital operations) or listening in to an astronaut giving answers to school children during one of the scheduled school contacts. No special activity is planned from the station and only one activity from the space station is needed to qualify. "We plan to have a web-based system for participants to check their points total and download a printable certificate at the end of the event," he said. "Points will be awarded for each center's contacts." Learn more about the "NASA on the Air" events at: http://nasaontheair.wordpress.com 'NASA on the Air' Events - Milestones coming up between Dec. 11, 2017 and Dec. 27, 2018, will include: + 45th anniversary of Apollo 17, Dec. 12-19, 1972 + 60th anniversary of the establishment of NASA, Oct. 1, 1958 + 20th anniversary of the launch of the first U.S. element of the International Space Station during STS-88, commanded by Kennedy's Director Bob Cabana, Dec. 4-16, 1998 + 50th anniversary of Apollo 8, the flight of Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders to orbit the Moon, Dec. 21-27, 1968 [ANS thanks NASA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + AMSAT's Michelle Thompson, W5NYV was interviewed on the January 1 podcast of Ham Radio Workbench to discuss the AMSAT Phase 4B pro- gram and her role in leading the Ground Station team. Listen to the podcast at: http://hamradio360.com/index.php/podcast-player/ (Michelle's interview starts at approximately 1:00:00 point - you can enjoy the entire 2 hour podcast or fast forward to the interview). + Felix, EA4GQS says the January 2018 AMSAR-EA newsletter is available for download from: https://t.co/uJ3O4mNWsB + Alex, OZ9AEC, reports that Gpredict 2.2 has been released. https://community.libre.space/t/gpredict-2-2-released/1577 to read about the latest improvements and find links to source code and instruction manuals. + The Jet Propulsion Lab has published an educational project which may be of interest to hams also pursuing amateur astronomy. Have you ever wondered when the next full moon will be? How about the first quarter moon? Now you can have all the dates and times for all the moon phases for the year at your fingertips by building your own Moon Phases Calendar and Calculator: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-007-NASA-MoonPhases + A 9-ton Chinese space lab will fall out of the sky soon — and if you predict exactly when, you can win some swag. The Aerospace Corp.'s Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies (CORDS) is sponsoring a guessing game about the death day of China's uncrewed Tiangong-1 spacecraft, which is currently forecast to plunge uncontrolled into Earth's atmosphere in mid-March, plus or minus two weeks. If you pick the correct day — or if you're closer than anyone else — you'll win some Aerospace Corp. booty. To play, go to the CORDS site in the article posted at: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-007-ChickenLittleContest + The UK's Goonhilly radio telescope will be featured on a Great British Railway Journeys program on BBC2. Brian, G4NNS operating his station to "talk to the moon" and hear his echos coming back will be shown on Friday, January 12, 2018 at 1830 UTC. The pro- gramming schedule is posted at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00xgqxy/broadcasts/upcoming --------------------------------------------------------------------- /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information. 73 and Happy New Year, This week's ANS Editor, JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM k9jkm at amsat dot org

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ANS-365 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by JoAnne K9JKM 30 Dec '17

30 Dec '17

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-365 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: * GOLF-TEE $15,000 Matching Funds President’s Challenge * New Year's Weekend - AMSAT CW Activity Day 2018 In Memory Of G3IOR * New Year's Weekend - AO73 / FUNcube-1 Happy Holiday Mode * New Year's Weekend - AMSAT Office Closed For Holiday * KB1LQC's Faraday RF Blog Describes the Development of the AO-91 MPPT * Fernando, NP4JV Completes Satellite Contact With All 488 CONUS Grids * KA9Q AMSAT Archive Updated With Phase 3-B/Oscar-10 Documents * Volunteer Opportunity - Openings for News Service Rotating Editor * The ARRL International Grid Chase Includes Satellite Contacts * NASA/JPL is Testing Combined Deployable Solar Cell & Antenna Panel * Philippines’ Diwata-2 Microsat to Include Amateur Radio Transponder * IARU Coordination Completed for DreamSat for ISS Deployment in 2019 * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-365.01 ANS-365 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 344.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE December 31, 2017 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-365.01 GOLF-TEE $15,000 Matching Funds President’s Challenge In October 2017 AMSAT announced the GOLF (Greater Orbit, Larger Foot- print) program. The first project of the GOLF program is a technology demonstrator named GOLF-TEE (Technology Evaluation Environment). The design is a 3U CubeSat with deployable solar panels, ADAC (attitude determination and control), Software Defined Radio (SDR) Transponder, and a Vanderbilt University Low Energy Proton (LEP) experiment. Now is the time to begin work on the GOLF-TEE Project. At the end of 2017, AMSAT has generous offers from two AMSAT Past Presidents for matching funds up to $15,000 for those that contribute to the GOLF-TEE campaign at: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=STK27W… (Shortened URL without linewrap: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-365-PayPal-GOLF-Donation ) between now and Feb- ruary 15th. Make your donation twice as valuable by taking advantage of this opportunity and contributing, and help AMSAT fund the launch of the next series of satellites of the GOLF program. There are also donate buttons for GOLF-TEE on the AMSAT website. Planning is for a launch in 2019. Donations of $100 and $1,000 or more will be eligible for a special AMSAT GOLF premium. (Both premiums are currently being designed, so please be patient awaiting delivery.) AMSAT is a 501-(c)-(3) not-for-profit educational and scientific organization of amateur radio operators whose purpose is to design, construct, launch, and operate satellites in space and to provide the support needed to encourage amateurs to utilize these resources. Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to AMSAT to help under- write the development and launch expenses of our GOLF satellite program. Donors wishing to provide additional matching funds please contact Joe Spier, K6WAO at k6wao(a)amsat.org. (ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information) --------------------------------------------------------------------- New Year's Weekend - AMSAT CW Activity Day 2018 In Memory Of G3IOR You are cordially invited to participate in AMSAT's second annual CW Activity Day. It will be held from 0001 to 2400 UTC on January 1, 2018. This year's event is dedicated to the memory of Pat Gowen, G3IOR. The rules are very simple: there aren't any. Just operate CW through any amateur radio satellite. Straight keys and "bugs" are encouraged, but not required. The important thing is to get on the air and have fun. [ANS thanks Ray W2RS for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- New Year's Weekend - AO73 / FUNcube-1 Happy Holiday Mode AO73/FUNcube-1 is now operating in full time transponder mode and will continue in this mode until the evening of Wednesday 3rd January 2018. Please enjoy the transponder during this happy holiday period! Season's greetings from the whole FUNcube team. [ANS thanks Graham, G3VZV for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- New Year's Weekend - AMSAT Office Closed For Holiday The AMSAT Office is closed from Friday, Dec 22 - Friday, Jan 5th. Please check the website (amsat.org) for information. HAPPY HOLIDAYS and a VERY HAPPY HEALTHY NEW YEAR. [ANS thanks Martha for the above information --------------------------------------------------------------------- KB1LQC's Faraday RF Blog Describes the Development of the AO-91 MPPT Bryce Salmi, KB1LQC, writes about the development and successful launch and deployment of the Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) designed by himself and Brent Salmi, KB1LQD. The design started as a senior design project at the Rochester Institute of Techno- logy. Bryce wrote, "The story of the Fox-1 MPPT is a great example of how amateur radio is what you want it to be. The MPPT symbolizes the vast nature of amateur radio which spans far beyond just com- municating over the airwaves." Continuing, "The Maximum Power Point Tracker has no radio inside of it yet it is profoundly amateur radio. It’s sole purpose is to enable scientific and ham radio payloads on-board the spacecraft. Amateur radio is about learning, having fun, and applying techno- logy to accomplish great things. Let’s explore this side of the hobby!" Follow the rest of the blog, the MPPT, with photos and videos at: https://faradayrf.com/ham-radio-is-about-more-than-radios-amsat/ [ANS thanks Bryce Salmi, KB1LQC for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Fernando, NP4JV Completes Satellite Contact With All 488 CONUS Grids Congratulations are due to Fernando, NP4JV, for completing satellite contacts with all 488 Maidenhead grids in the contin- ental United States. His December 28, 2017 contact with Ken, VE3HLS in grid FN65 on XW-2B completed Fernando's quest. Ken was mobile on his trip to to New Brunswick. The satellite was at 2º elevation when the contact was completed. Fernando wrote on amsat-bb, "I would like to publicly express my gratitude to Ken for going out of his way to help bring down the "white whale", and last grid needed in the 488 CONUS." Continuing, "I want to also thank all the satellite operators that made this possible. All credit goes to them! Extra thanks to all those who travelled and helped with multiple grid squares. This has been a fun and exciting 2 years and 3 months of opera- ting Ham Radio Satellites." Fernando compiled a list of the stations contacted which can found on the archived copy of his original posting: http://www.amsat.org/pipermail/amsat-bb/2017-December/066053.html [ANS thanks and congratulates Fernando, NP4JV for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- KA9Q AMSAT Archive Updated With Phase 3-B/Oscar-10 Documents Phil Karn, KA9Q, wrote on amsat-bb that he has been scanning and categorizing his stacks of paper files. He's been working on old AMSAT documents from the early 1980s. Phil says, "I have a good pile of stuff on Phase 3-B/Oscar-10 that might be of interest to the old-timers among you (and maybe of archeological interest to others)". He will be placing these documents in raw form on his personal website. There's no index or HTML framing at the moment, but hopefully the file names are at least slightly descriptive. Phil advises to watch: http://www.ka9q.net/amsat/Oscar-10 Phil's AMSAT Newsletter archives can be accessed on his website: http://www.ka9q.net/newsletters.html [ANS thanks Phil Karn, KA9Q for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Volunteer Opportunity - Openings for News Service Rotating Editor If you're open to volunteering to help AMSAT this is your chance! We have openings for a few volunteers willing to help as an AMSAT News Service editor. Our editors work on a rotating schedule with each taking turns as the current week's news editor. Using input received from members, the amateur radio community, officers, plus our other editors your job is to assemble the AMSAT News Service bulletin for your week. (Template is provided to help you format the message.) If you can help contact our Senior News Service Editor, Lee McLamb, KT4TZ via his e-mail: kt4tz(a)amsat.org [ANS thanks the AMSAT News Service for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- The ARRL International Grid Chase Includes Satellite Contacts Beginning at 0000 UTC on January 1, 2018, the ARRL International Grid Chase kicks off. The objective is simple: Work stations in as many grid squares as possible and upload your log data to ARRL's Logbook of The World. Visit the ARRL Grid Chase web page at: http://www.arrl.org/international-grid-chase-2018 (If you are not currently registered with Logbook of The World, this is a good reason to get started. Go to https://lotw.arrl.org/lotw-help/getting-started/. Registration and uploading are free.) Every new grid square contact confirmed through Logbook of The World counts toward your monthly total, which begins when you ring in the New Year. Just turn on your radio and start calling "CQ Grid Chase," or listen for others doing the same. Make the contact, enter it into your log, and you're on to your next QSO. At the end of each month, your totals on the Grid Chase leader board will reset to zero. Fear not, though. The online scoring system will maintain your monthly totals for a grand total at the end of the year, when an annual summary will be released and awards given to top finishers in various categories. The ARRL International Grid Chase is open to all amateurs, regard- less of location or license class. Any operating mode is eligible as well as every band, except 60 meters. You'll find the complete rules at www.arrl.org/aigc2018. Any contact can count for your Chase score; it doesn't have to involve an exchange of grid squares. As long as other operators participate with Logbook of The World, you'll get the credit automatically when they upload their logs. This means that contest contacts will count, as will contacts with special-event stations, or any other on-air activity. As long as stations upload their logs to Logbook of The World, you're good. Satellite contacts count. Contacts made through earthbound repeaters do not count for the Grid Chase, but repeaters in outer space are the exception. This includes all low-orbiting satellites that support CW, SSB, and even FM contacts. [ANS thanks the ARRL for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- NASA/JPL is Testing Combined Deployable Solar Cell & Antenna Panel After cargo ship Cygnus OA-8E (SS Gene Cernan) was unberthed from the Unity module of the ISS on December 5 it continued in orbit to release cubesats and perform additional testing. On December 6 Cygnus raised its orbit from 402 x 407 km to 447 x 456 km. It then deployed 14 cube- sats on December 6 and 7. Cygnus was deorbited on December 18, with entry over the South Pacific. One of the cubesats deployed from Cygnus was the NASA/JPL Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA) mission to demonstrate a reflectarray antenna that increases downlink data rates for CubeSats from the existing baseline rate of 9.6 kilobits per second (kbps) to more than 100 megabits per second (Mbps). The reflectarray antenna consists of three panels, electrically tied together through hinges, which have an array of printed circuit board patches on them. The size of the patches are adjusted so that the phase of the reflected feed illumination collimates the radiation in much the same way a parabolic dish reflector would. Unlike a parabolic dish, however, the reflectarray panels are flat, which enables them to be folded down against the CubeSat. On the opposite side of the printed reflectarray antenna, solar cells have been added. Additional information and illustration can be found on the web: Jet Propulsion Labs ISARA page: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/missions/isara.php NASA ISARA page: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-365-NASA-ISARA-Project NASA ISARA PDF data sheet http://tinyurl.com/ANS-365-ISARA-PDF [ANS thanks Jonathan's Space Report No. 743, NASA, and Jet Propulsion Labs for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Philippines’ Diwata-2 Microsat to Include Amateur Radio Transponder The IARU frequency coordination pages show that the Diwata-2 team have applied for amateur radio frequency coordination: http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/formal_detail.php?serialnum=593 Diwata-2 is the Philippines’ second microsatellite designed and developed by Filipino scientists and engineers under the PHL-Microsat Program. They describe their program at: http://phl-microsat.upd.edu.ph/diwata2 Diwata-2 is a 50x50x50 cm microsatellite with estimated mass of 50kg. It features two deployable systems - solar array panels and amateur radio antennas. Diwata-2 will carry optical payloads that will support the following objectives: + Determining the extent of damages from disasters + Monitoring natural and cultural heritage sites + Monitoring changes in vegetation + Observing cloud patterns and weather disturbances These paylaods will use non-amateur S and X Band frequencies. In addition to these optical payloads, Diwata-2 will also carry an amateur radio unit. This payload is intended to pro- mote awareness and interest in amateur radios and satellite technology in the country. It is also intends to provide an alternative means of communication at times of disasters and emergencies. Diwata-2 is proposing a U/V FM transponder with APRS and CW beacon. Planning a launch from Tanegashima, Japan into a 613km polar orbit in Q2 2018. [ANS thanks the IARU and the PHL-Microsat Program for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- IARU Coordination Completed for DreamSat for ISS Deployment in 2019 The Dream Satellite Project plans to develop and deploy a 1U cube- sat from the ISS in 2019. The structure and bus system of this sat- ellite consists of the OPUSAT-Kit, which is developed based on Osaka Prefecture University’s OPUSAT CubeSat, manufactured by NISSIN Co., Ltd. The Dream Satellite Project will develop the mission system: + Provide amateur radio mailbox service + Provide QSL service + Store and forward message operations A downlink at 145.860 MHz and UHF uplink have been coordinated. DreamSat has not yet announced their UHF uplink frequency. Data formats include CW, AFSK 1k2 packet and GMSK 9k6 packet. The DreamSat webpage: http://faspia.or.jp/ Planned for deployment from the ISS during Q1 2019. The IARU coordination information can be viewed at: http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=590 [ANS thanks the IARU and Katsuya Shibata, JJ1GPJ for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + Bryce, KB1LQC, at faradayrf.com and AMSAT volunteer designer has a new entry in his blog https://faradayrf.com/antenna-every-pot/ Bryce discusses the effects of ITAR over the years and shows a really neat segment from a 1996 show which aired on the Discovery network about the construction of antennas for AO-40. This is quite a find ... you're going to like this one folks ... + The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has published a document on Agenda Items of Interest to the Science Services at the World Radiocommunication Conference 2019. The docu- ment addresses potential threats to the Radio Astronomy Service and Earth Exploration-Satellite Service. (A word search of the document does not reveal specific menition of amateur radio or amateur satel- lite.) Among the many frequency ranges mentioned are 45 MHz, 24 GHz, 47 GHz. Download document as "Guest" at: https://www.nap.edu/download/24899 (via W4ART and Southgate) + Pierros Papadeas, SV1QVE gave this presentation on December 29 about the LibreSpace_Fnd UPSat Open Source satellite to the Chaos Communication Congress in Leipzig: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boZRB4Qpg9s Nikos Roussos gives an overview of the LibreSpace_Fnd SatNOGS project, a network of satellite ground station around the world: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiMXW6URg0U + How Many New Year’s Eves Will NOAA’s Satellites Celebrate? http://tinyurl.com/ANS-365-NOAA-NewYear + An ARISS School Contact with the Higher National School of Computer Science and Systems Analysis (ENSIAS), Rabat, Morocco, Wed 2018-01-03 13:52:42 is planned to be streamed on-line at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVrHxxZ5pCvF-6I2O1-wgqQ/live + Peter Parker, VK3YE, has published two excellent introductions to amateur satellites videos. Peter describes his two-part video demonstration as, "A new amateur satellite has just gone up and it's super easy to work. You just need a pair of handhelds on 2m & 70cm FM. Watch these videos to find out how to make contacts through AO91 with equipment you probably already have." Part 1 - https://youtu.be/astteV2umOg Part 2 - https://youtu.be/XNB7Nc4HFYs + 6O6O from Somalia - Operators Ken, LA7GIA and Adrian, KO8SCA will be active as 6O6O from Somalia between January 3-16th, 2018. This will be an HF DXpedition but they invite amateur radio operators worldwide to participate in a humanitarian portion of their trip. Both Ken and Adrian will pay for all the DXpedition expenses. All money raised during the DXpedition will go to the not-for-profit Doctors Without Borders. They have also set up a dedicated PayPal address for these donations 6o6o(a)la7gia.com. Closing date for donations is February 1st, 2018, when donations will be wire transferred to Doctors Without Borders. + Visit https://www.smallsat.org/ to find information on the 2018 SmallSat Conference August 4-9, 2018 at Utah State University. The theme this year is "Delivering Mission Success". + Terry, ZL2BAC, posted plans and photos of his 3 element 2M yagi antenna he made from old TV antenna parts in his junk box. Terry wrote, "It seems to work well on AO-91. If anyone is interested, see the details at:" http://tinyurl.com/ANS-365-ZL2BAC-Antenna + The AMSAT Station and Operating Hints page has been updated. 1) The Fox Operating Guide has been updated for 2018. This is in color, designed to print two-sided. A low-resolution PDF for e-mailing or screen viewing; and, a high-resolution PDF is available for high quality printing. 2) A copy of the I8CVS Antenna Polarization Switching article from the AMSAT Journal was added after many expressed interest in obtaining a copy. See: https://www.amsat.org/station-and-operating-hints/ --------------------------------------------------------------------- /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information. 73 and Happy New Year, This week's ANS Editor, JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM k9jkm at amsat dot org

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ANS-358 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by E.Mike McCardel 23 Dec '17

23 Dec '17

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-358 The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites. The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org. In this edition: * AO73 / FUNcube-1 Happy Holiday Mode * Satellite Activity Planned From Solomon Islands * AMSAT CW Activity Day 2018 In Memory Of G3IOR * Another Radio Amateur Joins ISS Crew, Three Hams Now On Board * AMSAT Officed Closed For Holiday * 13 US Schools/Groups Move Into Phase 2 of ARISS Selections * Satellite DXCC Awarded to K8YSE * Special Membership Offer Continues for RadFxSat/AO-91 Launch * Donate to AMSAT Tax-Free From Your IRA * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-358.01 ANS-358 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 358.01 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. December 24, 2017 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-358.01 AO73 / FUNcube-1 Happy Holiday Mode AO73/FUNcube-1 is now operating in full time transponder mode and will continue in this mode until the evening of Wednesday 3rd January 2018. Please enjoy the transponder during this happy holiday period! Season's greetings from the whole FUNcube team. [ANS thanks Graham, G3VZV for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Activity Planned From Solomon Islands H44, SOLOMON ISLANDS. Shane, VK4KHZ, will once again be active as H44DA from his holiday home in Busuone, Guadalcanal Island (OC-047), until sometime early January 2018. His main focus is on 6 meters, but he will also be active on various HF bands (80/40/20/15/10m) using SSB and also on the SO-50 satellite. Suggested 6m frequencies are: calling on 50.110 MHz, Shane will always QSY to 50.125 as his primary frequency and 50.135 as his secondary frequency (secondary frequency will only be used if primary is in use or too much QRM). QSL via his home callsign direct. NO Bureau. PLEASE NOTE: This is not a DXpedition, but Shane's annual holiday - he will be operating the radio only as time permits and when doing so, training the locals in the operation of the equipment so please be patient and courteous. [ANS thanks Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 1344 for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT CW Activity Day 2018 In Memory Of G3IOR You are cordially invited to participate in AMSAT's second annual CW Activity Day. It will be held from 0001 to 2400 UTC on January 1, 2018. This year's event is dedicated to the memory of Pat Gowen, G3IOR. The rules are very simple: there aren't any. Just operate CW through any amateur radio satellite. Straight keys and "bugs" are encouraged, but not required. The important thing is to get on the air and have fun. [ANS thanks Ray W2RS for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Another Radio Amateur Joins ISS Crew, Three Hams Now On Board The International Space Station crew is back to its nominal complement of six members, after Scott Tingle, KG5NZA, Anton Shkaplerov, and Norishige Kanai arrived on board early this week. Cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin is the new Expedition 54 commander. The other crew members are Mark Vande Hei, KG5GNP, and Joe Acaba, KE5DAR. On December 17, Tingle, Shkaplerov, and Kanai headed into space on board a Soyuz MS-07 vehicle from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. [ANS thanks ARRL for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Officed Closed For Holiday The AMSAT Office is closed from Friday, Dec 22 - Friday, Jan 5th. Please check the website (amsat.org) for information. HAPPY HOLIDAYS and a VERY HAPPY HEALTHY NEW YEAR. [ANS thanks Martha for the above information --------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 US Schools/Groups Move Into Phase 2 of ARISS Selections The ARISS-US Team (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) is pleased to announce that 13 of the 25 schools or organizations submitting proposals have been selected to advance to the next stage of planning to host amateur radio contacts in July to December 2018. The contacts will be with International Space Station (ISS) crew members using the ARISS equipment on the ISS. A review team of educators from the new ARISS-US Education Committee selected proposals after the recent proposal window closed. The groups will go forward into Phase 2, the submitting of an amateur radio equipment plan to host a scheduled ARISS contact. ARISS's primary goal is to engage young people in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities, and involve them in activities related to space exploration, amateur radio, communications, and areas of associated study and career possibilities. ARISS anticipates that NASA will be able to provide scheduling opportunities for these US host organizations during the second half of 2018. These candidates must now complete an equipment plan that demonstrates their ability to execute the ham radio contact. Once their equipment plan is approved by the ARISS technical team, the final selected schools / organizations will be scheduled as their availability and flexibility match up with the scheduling opportunities. The schools and organizations are: Allen Park Elementary School, Lee County School District Ft. Myers FL Ashford School Ashford CT Bishop O'Connell High School Arlington VA Delcastle Technical High School Wilmington DE Hudson Memorial School Hudson NH Kopernik Observatory & Science Center Vestal NY Mendez Fundamental Intermediate School Santa Ana CA Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School Palmer MA Pearl Technology STEM Academy Peoria Heights IL Pell Elementary School Newport RI St. Catherine of Bologna School Ringwood NJ Tallmadge Community Learning Center Lancaster OH Valley High School Albuquerque NM ABOUT ARISS Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or informal education venues. With the help of experienced amateur radio volunteers, ISS crews speak directly with large audiences in a variety of public forums. Before and during these radio contacts, students, teachers, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org, www.amsat.org, and www.arrl.org. Find more information at www.ariss.org, and also www.amsat.organd www.arrl.org. [ANS thanks David AA4KN for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite DXCC Awarded to K8YSE Congratulations to John Papay, K8YSE, who has been awarded satellite DXCC with 101 entities verified. The satellite DXCC standings are available at http://www.arrl.org/dxcc-standings While there is no way to be certain, John's satellite DXCC is likely the first to be obtained without the use of either HEO satellites or sub-horizon Mode K propagation since prior to the launch of AO-10 in 1983. Starting on satellites in 2006, John did not even enjoy the advantage of FO-20's higher LEO apogee or RS-15's high LEO orbit in his quest to work and confirm 100 DXCCs via satellite.This is certainly a noteworthy achievement! [ANS thanks Paul N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Special Membership Offer Continues for RadFxSat/AO-91 Launch AO-91 is open to all and works great! Now is a good time to join AMSAT and receive a free digital copy of "Getting Started with Amateur Satellites"! Visit https://www.amsat.org/product-category/amsat-membership/ and help AMSAT Keep Amateur Radio in Space. AMSAT is making our "Getting Started With Amateur Satellites" book available for a limited time as a download with any paid new or renewal membership purchased via the AMSAT Store. This offer is only available with purchases completed online, and for only a limited time. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The 182 page book is presented in PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite. Please take advantage of this offer today by visiting the AMSAT store at https://www.amsat.org/shop/ and selecting any membership option. While there, check out our other items, including the M2 LEOpack antenna system, Arrow antennas, AMSAT shirts, and other swag. Thank you, and see you soon on AO-91! [ANS thanks Paul N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Donate to AMSAT Tax-Free From Your IRA Are you over 70-1/2 years of age and need to meet your IRA's Required Minimum Distribution for 2017? Consider making a donation to AMSAT! Under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, individuals over 70-1/2 years of age may make direct transfers of up to $100,000 per year from a traditional IRA to an eligible charity without increasing their taxable income. Consult your tax advisor or accountant to make certain you are eligible. AMSAT is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational and scientific organization whose purpose is to design, construct, launch, and operate satellites in space and to provide the support needed to encourage amateurs to utilize these resources. AMSAT's federal tax ID is 52-0888529. [ANS thanks the AMSAT Board of Directors for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISS News + A Successful contact was made between Ashbury College, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and Astronaut Joe Acaba KE5DAR using Callsign NA1SS. The contact began 2017-11-27 18:39 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was Telebridge via VK4KHZ. ARISS Mentor was Steve VE3TBD. + A Successful contact was made between Huntley Centennial Public School, Carp, ON, Canada and Astronaut Paolo Nespoli IZØJPA using Callsign IR0ISS. The contact began 2017-11-28 18:46 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was Telebridge via IK1SLD. ARISS Mentor was Steve VE3TBD. + A Successful contact was made between S.G.B. De La Salle, Rome, Italy and Astronaut Paolo Nespoli IZØJPA using Callsign NA1SS. The contact began 2017-11-30 08:04 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was Telebridge via W6SRJ. ARISS Mentor was Francesco IKØWGF. + A Successful contact was made between Istituto Comprensivo Luigi Nono, Mira, Italy and Astronaut Paolo Nespoli IZØJPA using Callsign NA1SS. The contact began 2017-11-30 08:04 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was Telebridge via W6SRJ. ARISS Mentor was Gianpietro IZ2GOJ. + A Successful contact was made between Bishop Hendricken High School, Warwick, RI, USA and Astronaut Paolo Nespoli IZØJPA using Callsign IZ0ISS. The contact began 2017-11-30 17:02 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was Telebridge via IK1SLD. ARISS Mentor was John K4SQC. + A Successful contact was made between School of Telecommunications and Aerospace Engineering (EETAC), Castelldefels, Spain and Astronaut Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP using Callsign OR4ISS. The contact began 2017-12-04 15:10 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was Direct via EG3UPC. ARISS Mentors were Marcelo IKØUSO primary/ Francesco IKØWGF backup. + A Successful contact was made between Shirokawa Elementary School, Seiyo, Japan and Astronaut Paolo Nespoli IZØJPA using Callsign NA1SS. The contact began 2017-12-11 11:06 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was Direct via 8J5SS. ARISS Mentor was Satoshi 7M3TJZ. + A Successful contact was made between Antietam Elementary School, Woodbridge, VA, USA and Astronaut Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP using Callsign NA1SS. The contact began 2017-12-11 18:30 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was Direct via KM4TAY. ARISS Mentor was Dave AA4KN. + A Successful contact was made between Summa-Aldapeta, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain and Astronaut Joe Acaba KE5DAR using Callsign OR4ISS. The contact began 2017-12-12 13:01 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was Direct via EG2SMA. ARISS Mentors were Marcelo IKØUSO primary/ Francesco IKØWGF backup. + A Successful contact was made between Taipei Municipal Ximen Elementary School, Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C. and Astronaut Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP using Callsign OR4ISS. The contact began 2017-12-21 08:49:07 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was Direct via BNØSM. ARISS Mentor was Satoshi 7M3TJZ. [ANS thanks ARISS, Charlie AJ9N and David AA4KN for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + Because of current high interest, here is the link for AMSAT's list of Station and Operating hints. https://www.amsat.org/station-and-operating-hints/ + FM Satellites: Good Operating Practices for Beginning and Experienced Operators Sean Kutzko, KX9X, has written a helpful document explaining good operating practices for working FM satellites. It's been posted to the AMSAT website at https://tinyurl.com/ANS358-FMSats A PDF version is also available at https://tinyurl.com/ANS358-FMSatsPDF --------------------------------------------------------------------- /EX In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi- tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office. Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu- dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information. 73, This week's ANS Editor, EMike McCardel, AA8EM aa8em at amsat dot org

1 0

ANS-351 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Chris Bradley 17 Dec '17

17 Dec '17

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-351 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: * November/December 2017 Apogee View Column Posted on the AMSAT Web * Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2017-12-13 09:00 UTC * Special Membership Offer Continues for RadFxSat/AO-91 Launch * Donate to AMSAT Tax-Free From Your IRA * Satellite Activity From Azores Islands on Christmas * December 20 Launch for HA-1 CubeSat with FM transponder and SSTV * Information for Requesting UT1FG/MM QSL Cards * Two-Part Video Demonstration Working AO-91 from Down Under * AMSAT Awards Update * KG5CCI and F4DXV 7,634.775 km QSO Sets New Distance Record on FO-29 * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-351.01 ANS-344 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 351.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE December 10, 2017 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-351.01 November/December 2017 Apogee View Column Posted on the AMSAT Web The November/December 2017 edition of Apogee View, a comprehensive bimonthly update of AMSAT's activities written by AMSAT President Joe Spier, K6WAO, has been posted on the AMSAT website. https://www.amsat.org/apogeeview/ [ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2017-12-13 09:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Taipei Municipal Ximen Elementary School, Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C., direct via BNØSM (***) The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled astronaut is Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP Contact is a go for: Thu 2017-12-21 08:49:07 UTC 72 deg ********************************************************************* ******* ** ARISS is always glad to receive listener reports for the above contacts. ARISS thanks everyone in advance for their assistance. Feel free to send your reports to aj9n(a)amsat.org or aj9n(a)aol.com. Listen for the ISS on the downlink of 145.8Ø MHz. ********************************************************************* ******* *** All ARISS contacts are made via the Kenwood radio unless otherwise noted. ********************************************************************* ******* *** Several of you have sent me emails asking about the RAC ARISS website and not being able to get in. That has now been changed to http://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. ********************************************************************* ******* Looking for something new to do? How about receiving DATV from the ISS? If interested, then please go to the ARISS-EU website for complete details. Look for the buttons indicating Ham Video. http://www.ariss-eu.org/ If you need some assistance, ARISS mentor Kerry N6IZW, might be able to provide some insight. Contact Kerry at kbanke(a)sbcglobal.net ********************************************************************* ******* ARISS congratulations the following mentors who have now mentored over 100 schools: Francesco IKØWGF with 132 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 126 Gaston ON4WF with 123 Sergey RV3DR with 100 ********************************************************************* ******* The webpages listed below were all reviewed for accuracy. Out of date webpages were removed and new ones have been added. If there are additional ARISS websites I need to know about, please let me know. 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 The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2017-12-13 09:00 UTC. (***) Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1199. Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1148. Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 47. A complete year by year breakdown of the contacts may be found in the file. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf Please feel free to contact me if more detailed statistics are needed. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++ The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact: Arkansas, Delaware, South Dakota, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the Virgin Islands. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++ QSL information may be found at: http://www.ariss.org/qsl-cards.html ISS callsigns: DPØISS, IRØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RSØISS ********************************************************************* ******* The successful school list has been updated as of 2017-12-12 18:00 UTC. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_cor rection .rtf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415 ********************************************************************* ******* Exp. 52 on orbit Randy Bresnik Paolo Nespoli IZØJPA Sergey Ryazanskiy Exp. 53 on orbit Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP Alexander Misurkin Joe Acaba KE5DAR [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana AJ9N for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Special Membership Offer Continues for RadFxSat/AO-91 Launch AO-91 is open to all and works great! Now is a good time to join AMSAT and receive a free digital copy of "Getting Started with Amateur Satellites"! Visit https://www.amsat.org/product-category/amsat-membership/ and help AMSAT Keep Amateur Radio in Space. AMSAT is making our "Getting Started With Amateur Satellites" book available for a limited time as a download with any paid new or renewal membership purchased via the AMSAT Store. This offer is only available with purchases completed online, and for only a limited time. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The 182 page book is presented in PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite. Please take advantage of this offer today by visiting the AMSAT store at https://www.amsat.org/shop/ and selecting any membership option. While there, check out our other items, including the M2 LEOpack antenna system, Arrow antennas, AMSAT shirts, and other swag. Thank you, and see you soon on AO-91! [ANS thanks Paul N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Donate to AMSAT Tax-Free From Your IRA Are you over 70-1/2 years of age and need to meet your IRA's Required Minimum Distribution for 2017? Consider making a donation to AMSAT! Under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, individuals over 70-1/2 years of age may make direct transfers of up to $100,000 per year from a traditional IRA to an eligible charity without increasing their taxable income. Consult your tax advisor or accountant to make certain you are eligible. AMSAT is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational and scientific organization whose purpose is to design, construct, launch, and operate satellites in space and to provide the support needed to encourage amateurs to utilize these resources. AMSAT's federal tax ID is 52-0888529. [ANS thanks the AMSAT Board of Directors for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Activity From Azores Islands on Christmas Pedro, CU2ZG says he will be active on satellites from grid square HM58 on Christmas. His equipment will include an Alaskan Arrow antenna, Yaesu FT-817ND, Yaesu FT-857D, Kenwood TS-2000 and a Wouxun KG-UV9DPlus. Most of the operation will be done using the TS-2000. Expected operating days are December 23 and 24, plus December 25 during the afternoon/evening hours. Pedro says this will be a family holiday and skeds will be accepted depending on his availability. His exact location will be HM58qm, at the CU7BC QTH (check QRZ.com) Watch his twitter account (@pdsousa) for updates. [ANS thanks Pedro, CU2ZG for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- December 20 Launch for HA-1 CubeSat with FM transponder and SSTV The IARU has announced frequency coordination has been completed for HA-1, a 2U CubeSat developed by the Teenagers Amateur Radio Center of Activity in Huaian, China. HA-1 is planned for launch on December 20. HA-1 will be mainly used for teenagers in Huaian to carry out activities related with amateur radio and aerospace science education. The cubesat is equipped with amateur radio repeater and SSTV(Slow Scan Television) component, which is to validate still image transmission in narrowband voice channel. There is an SSTV beacon, which puts Date/Time/Location information/temp- erature etc on a SSTV picture. Amateurs worldwide can also use HA-1 to test SSTV via the cubesat. Uplink: 145.930 MHz FM Downlink: 436.950 MHz FM Telemetry: 437.350 MHz 9k6 BPSK [ANS thanks the IARU for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Information for Requesting UT1FG/MM QSL Cards John, K8YSE, posted a message on the amsat-bb on behalf of Yuri, UT1FG/MM currently at sea aboard the MV Seahorse, "Yuri has asked that anyone who has not received confirmations from this year and previous year's operations to prepare logsheets so that he can mail them out when he arrives in New Orleans." John has posted an Excel Spreadsheet for you to enter your log data plus an example of a completed log sheet at: http://www.papays.com/sat/ut1fgqsl.html John's web page includes instructions to prepare your logsheet of QSO's that Yuri can print, verify, sign and mail from one of his destination ports. E-mail your logsheet to John at the address he lists in his instructions. John will send an acknowledgement email when he receives your request. This way you will know that Yuri will have your logsheet. Marinetraffic.com anticipates a December 15-16 arrival in New Orleans. John requests you send your logsheet QSL request as soon as possible so Yuri will have time to get them ready for mailing. Yuri's current ship, Seahorse, is a relatively new ship and is wider than previous vessels he has captained so it cannot go through the locks in the Great Lakes. On this voyage he will be more restricted as to possible destinations than he was last season. John concluded, "Yuri has been very busy with his duties and has had little time for anything else. He sends his regards to all." [ANS thanks John Papay, K8YSE for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Two-Part Video Demonstration Working AO-91 from Down Under Peter Parker, VK3YE, has published two excellent introduction to amateur satellites videos. Note that some of the QSO customs shown are a little different than the common practice in Europe and North America, but the tips are still generally applicable. Peter, VK3YE, describes his two-part video demonstration as, "A new amateur satellite has just gone up and it's super easy to work. You just need a pair of handhelds on 2m & 70cm FM. Watch this video to find out how to make contacts through AO91 with equipment you probably already have." Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=astteV2umOg Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNB7Nc4HFYs&feature=youtu.be [ANS thanks Peter Parker, VK3YE, and Paul Stoetzer, N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Awards Update We have a good list of recipients this time for the AMSAT Awards. This will also be the last update for 2017. With the new satellites this year and a crop of new ones coming in 2018 there will be a lot of operating going on. AMSAT Satellite Communicators Award for making their first satellite QSO Perikles Monioudis, HB9IQB Tae-Ryon Kim, DS5DNO Lawrence Witker, KE8BHX Adam Zabrowski, W8OOO Robert Twigg, KE8GDD Dan Howard, VA3MA ------ AMSAT Communications Achievement Award Ed Poccia, KC2LM, #579 ------ AMSAT Sexagesimal Award Adrian Liggins, VA3NNA, $180 Mac Cody, AE5PH, #181 ------ AMSAT Century Club Award George Carr, WA5KBH, #53 ------ AMSAT Robert W. Barbee Jr., W4AMI Award Carlo Morandi, IK4JQQ, #93 Mac Cody, AE5PH, #94 ------ Bruce Paige, KK5DO AMSAT Director Contests and Awards [ANS thanks Peter Bruce Paige, KK5DO for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- KG5CCI and F4DXV 7,634.775 km QSO Sets New Distance Record on FO-29 David Swanson, KG5CCI, and Jerome Lecuyer, F4DXV completed a 7,634.775 km QSO on December 12 via FO-29. This eclipses their previous record on that satellite by 26.62 km and greatly exceeds the theoretical maximum range of the satellite, which is calculated at 7,502 km. Video of the QSO as recorded by F4DXV can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sPe9wSOvAY&feature=youtu.be [ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + Did you know you can help AMSAT by logging into your Amazon account using http://smile.amazon.com/ch/52-0888529 to designate AMSAT-NA as the organization of your choice. When shopping on-line you must use the URL http://smile.amazon.com for AMSAT to receive the donation from your purchases. + 2017: FUNcube Status and New Developments - Wouter Weggelaar, PA3WEG walks us through the whole FUNcube family of spacecraft at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium in Milton Keynes, October 15th 2017. Watch on-line at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELFoLtm44Kc&feature=share + While waiting for the next satellite pass have a listen at http://www.livemeteors.com/ to hear meteor pings as they happen. The pings are a bit more frequent during the popular meteor showers. + Hackaday posted an article showing how to build your own azimuth- elevation rotor: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-344-HackadayRotor (via Bernhard, VA6BMJ) + The 3Y0Z DXpedition Team on Bouvet Island is asking the amateur radio community to help with flying costs. See the details on the web: http://www.bouvetdx.org/news-and-updates/ + European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli, IZØJPA, is compiling TimeLapseADay videos and is sharing them on-line. These can be found on his playlist posted on YouTube: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-344TimeLapseADay + The December 2017 issue of SatMagazine has been posted at: http://www.satmagazine.com/ Vytenis Buzas LY1ZY features in this issue, see pages 76-77. + Read about new analysis of the famous Hubble Deep Field images and watch a video scan across the Deep Field. Each of those blobs and dots is a galaxy. See: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-344-UniverseToday --------------------------------------------------------------------- /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. And, with that consider that bowling is more advantageous than golf since you rarely lose a bowling ball. 73, This week's ANS Editor, Chris Bradley, AA5EM aa5em at amsat dot org

1 0

ANS-351 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by Chris Bradley 17 Dec '17

17 Dec '17

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-351 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: * November/December 2017 Apogee View Column Posted on the AMSAT Web * Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2017-12-13 09:00 UTC * Special Membership Offer Continues for RadFxSat/AO-91 Launch * Donate to AMSAT Tax-Free From Your IRA * Satellite Activity From Azores Islands on Christmas * December 20 Launch for HA-1 CubeSat with FM transponder and SSTV * Information for Requesting UT1FG/MM QSL Cards * Two-Part Video Demonstration Working AO-91 from Down Under * AMSAT Awards Update * KG5CCI and F4DXV 7,634.775 km QSO Sets New Distance Record on FO-29 * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-351.01 ANS-344 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 351.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE December 10, 2017 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-351.01 November/December 2017 Apogee View Column Posted on the AMSAT Web The November/December 2017 edition of Apogee View, a comprehensive bimonthly update of AMSAT's activities written by AMSAT President Joe Spier, K6WAO, has been posted on the AMSAT website. https://www.amsat.org/apogeeview/ [ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2017-12-13 09:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Taipei Municipal Ximen Elementary School, Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C., direct via BNØSM (***) The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled astronaut is Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP Contact is a go for: Thu 2017-12-21 08:49:07 UTC 72 deg ********************************************************************* ******* ** ARISS is always glad to receive listener reports for the above contacts. ARISS thanks everyone in advance for their assistance. Feel free to send your reports to aj9n(a)amsat.org or aj9n(a)aol.com. Listen for the ISS on the downlink of 145.8Ø MHz. ********************************************************************* ******* *** All ARISS contacts are made via the Kenwood radio unless otherwise noted. ********************************************************************* ******* *** Several of you have sent me emails asking about the RAC ARISS website and not being able to get in. That has now been changed to http://www.ariss.org/ Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site. ********************************************************************* ******* Looking for something new to do? How about receiving DATV from the ISS? If interested, then please go to the ARISS-EU website for complete details. Look for the buttons indicating Ham Video. http://www.ariss-eu.org/ If you need some assistance, ARISS mentor Kerry N6IZW, might be able to provide some insight. Contact Kerry at kbanke(a)sbcglobal.net ********************************************************************* ******* ARISS congratulations the following mentors who have now mentored over 100 schools: Francesco IKØWGF with 132 Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 126 Gaston ON4WF with 123 Sergey RV3DR with 100 ********************************************************************* ******* The webpages listed below were all reviewed for accuracy. Out of date webpages were removed and new ones have been added. If there are additional ARISS websites I need to know about, please let me know. 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 The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2017-12-13 09:00 UTC. (***) Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1199. Each school counts as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1148. Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 47. A complete year by year breakdown of the contacts may be found in the file. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf Please feel free to contact me if more detailed statistics are needed. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++ The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact: Arkansas, Delaware, South Dakota, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the Virgin Islands. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++ QSL information may be found at: http://www.ariss.org/qsl-cards.html ISS callsigns: DPØISS, IRØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RSØISS ********************************************************************* ******* The successful school list has been updated as of 2017-12-12 18:00 UTC. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_cor rection .rtf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf Check out the Zoho reports of the ARISS contacts https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415 ********************************************************************* ******* Exp. 52 on orbit Randy Bresnik Paolo Nespoli IZØJPA Sergey Ryazanskiy Exp. 53 on orbit Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP Alexander Misurkin Joe Acaba KE5DAR [ANS thanks Charlie Sufana AJ9N for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Special Membership Offer Continues for RadFxSat/AO-91 Launch AO-91 is open to all and works great! Now is a good time to join AMSAT and receive a free digital copy of "Getting Started with Amateur Satellites"! Visit https://www.amsat.org/product-category/amsat-membership/ and help AMSAT Keep Amateur Radio in Space. AMSAT is making our "Getting Started With Amateur Satellites" book available for a limited time as a download with any paid new or renewal membership purchased via the AMSAT Store. This offer is only available with purchases completed online, and for only a limited time. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The 182 page book is presented in PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite. Please take advantage of this offer today by visiting the AMSAT store at https://www.amsat.org/shop/ and selecting any membership option. While there, check out our other items, including the M2 LEOpack antenna system, Arrow antennas, AMSAT shirts, and other swag. Thank you, and see you soon on AO-91! [ANS thanks Paul N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Donate to AMSAT Tax-Free From Your IRA Are you over 70-1/2 years of age and need to meet your IRA's Required Minimum Distribution for 2017? Consider making a donation to AMSAT! Under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, individuals over 70-1/2 years of age may make direct transfers of up to $100,000 per year from a traditional IRA to an eligible charity without increasing their taxable income. Consult your tax advisor or accountant to make certain you are eligible. AMSAT is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational and scientific organization whose purpose is to design, construct, launch, and operate satellites in space and to provide the support needed to encourage amateurs to utilize these resources. AMSAT's federal tax ID is 52-0888529. [ANS thanks the AMSAT Board of Directors for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Activity From Azores Islands on Christmas Pedro, CU2ZG says he will be active on satellites from grid square HM58 on Christmas. His equipment will include an Alaskan Arrow antenna, Yaesu FT-817ND, Yaesu FT-857D, Kenwood TS-2000 and a Wouxun KG-UV9DPlus. Most of the operation will be done using the TS-2000. Expected operating days are December 23 and 24, plus December 25 during the afternoon/evening hours. Pedro says this will be a family holiday and skeds will be accepted depending on his availability. His exact location will be HM58qm, at the CU7BC QTH (check QRZ.com) Watch his twitter account (@pdsousa) for updates. [ANS thanks Pedro, CU2ZG for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- December 20 Launch for HA-1 CubeSat with FM transponder and SSTV The IARU has announced frequency coordination has been completed for HA-1, a 2U CubeSat developed by the Teenagers Amateur Radio Center of Activity in Huaian, China. HA-1 is planned for launch on December 20. HA-1 will be mainly used for teenagers in Huaian to carry out activities related with amateur radio and aerospace science education. The cubesat is equipped with amateur radio repeater and SSTV(Slow Scan Television) component, which is to validate still image transmission in narrowband voice channel. There is an SSTV beacon, which puts Date/Time/Location information/temp- erature etc on a SSTV picture. Amateurs worldwide can also use HA-1 to test SSTV via the cubesat. Uplink: 145.930 MHz FM Downlink: 436.950 MHz FM Telemetry: 437.350 MHz 9k6 BPSK [ANS thanks the IARU for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Information for Requesting UT1FG/MM QSL Cards John, K8YSE, posted a message on the amsat-bb on behalf of Yuri, UT1FG/MM currently at sea aboard the MV Seahorse, "Yuri has asked that anyone who has not received confirmations from this year and previous year's operations to prepare logsheets so that he can mail them out when he arrives in New Orleans." John has posted an Excel Spreadsheet for you to enter your log data plus an example of a completed log sheet at: http://www.papays.com/sat/ut1fgqsl.html John's web page includes instructions to prepare your logsheet of QSO's that Yuri can print, verify, sign and mail from one of his destination ports. E-mail your logsheet to John at the address he lists in his instructions. John will send an acknowledgement email when he receives your request. This way you will know that Yuri will have your logsheet. Marinetraffic.com anticipates a December 15-16 arrival in New Orleans. John requests you send your logsheet QSL request as soon as possible so Yuri will have time to get them ready for mailing. Yuri's current ship, Seahorse, is a relatively new ship and is wider than previous vessels he has captained so it cannot go through the locks in the Great Lakes. On this voyage he will be more restricted as to possible destinations than he was last season. John concluded, "Yuri has been very busy with his duties and has had little time for anything else. He sends his regards to all." [ANS thanks John Papay, K8YSE for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Two-Part Video Demonstration Working AO-91 from Down Under Peter Parker, VK3YE, has published two excellent introduction to amateur satellites videos. Note that some of the QSO customs shown are a little different than the common practice in Europe and North America, but the tips are still generally applicable. Peter, VK3YE, describes his two-part video demonstration as, "A new amateur satellite has just gone up and it's super easy to work. You just need a pair of handhelds on 2m & 70cm FM. Watch this video to find out how to make contacts through AO91 with equipment you probably already have." Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=astteV2umOg Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNB7Nc4HFYs&feature=youtu.be [ANS thanks Peter Parker, VK3YE, and Paul Stoetzer, N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Awards Update We have a good list of recipients this time for the AMSAT Awards. This will also be the last update for 2017. With the new satellites this year and a crop of new ones coming in 2018 there will be a lot of operating going on. AMSAT Satellite Communicators Award for making their first satellite QSO Perikles Monioudis, HB9IQB Tae-Ryon Kim, DS5DNO Lawrence Witker, KE8BHX Adam Zabrowski, W8OOO Robert Twigg, KE8GDD Dan Howard, VA3MA ------ AMSAT Communications Achievement Award Ed Poccia, KC2LM, #579 ------ AMSAT Sexagesimal Award Adrian Liggins, VA3NNA, $180 Mac Cody, AE5PH, #181 ------ AMSAT Century Club Award George Carr, WA5KBH, #53 ------ AMSAT Robert W. Barbee Jr., W4AMI Award Carlo Morandi, IK4JQQ, #93 Mac Cody, AE5PH, #94 ------ Bruce Paige, KK5DO AMSAT Director Contests and Awards [ANS thanks Peter Bruce Paige, KK5DO for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- KG5CCI and F4DXV 7,634.775 km QSO Sets New Distance Record on FO-29 David Swanson, KG5CCI, and Jerome Lecuyer, F4DXV completed a 7,634.775 km QSO on December 12 via FO-29. This eclipses their previous record on that satellite by 26.62 km and greatly exceeds the theoretical maximum range of the satellite, which is calculated at 7,502 km. Video of the QSO as recorded by F4DXV can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sPe9wSOvAY&feature=youtu.be [ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + Did you know you can help AMSAT by logging into your Amazon account using http://smile.amazon.com/ch/52-0888529 to designate AMSAT-NA as the organization of your choice. When shopping on-line you must use the URL http://smile.amazon.com for AMSAT to receive the donation from your purchases. + 2017: FUNcube Status and New Developments - Wouter Weggelaar, PA3WEG walks us through the whole FUNcube family of spacecraft at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium in Milton Keynes, October 15th 2017. Watch on-line at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELFoLtm44Kc&feature=share + While waiting for the next satellite pass have a listen at http://www.livemeteors.com/ to hear meteor pings as they happen. The pings are a bit more frequent during the popular meteor showers. + Hackaday posted an article showing how to build your own azimuth- elevation rotor: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-344-HackadayRotor (via Bernhard, VA6BMJ) + The 3Y0Z DXpedition Team on Bouvet Island is asking the amateur radio community to help with flying costs. See the details on the web: http://www.bouvetdx.org/news-and-updates/ + European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli, IZØJPA, is compiling TimeLapseADay videos and is sharing them on-line. These can be found on his playlist posted on YouTube: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-344TimeLapseADay + The December 2017 issue of SatMagazine has been posted at: http://www.satmagazine.com/ Vytenis Buzas LY1ZY features in this issue, see pages 76-77. + Read about new analysis of the famous Hubble Deep Field images and watch a video scan across the Deep Field. Each of those blobs and dots is a galaxy. See: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-344-UniverseToday --------------------------------------------------------------------- /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. And, with that consider that bowling is more advantageous than golf since you rarely lose a bowling ball. 73, This week's ANS Editor, Chris Bradley, AA5EM aa5em at amsat dot org

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ANS-344 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
by JoAnne K9JKM 09 Dec '17

09 Dec '17

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-344 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: * November/December 2017 Apogee View Column Posted on the AMSAT Web * New Video: AO-91 Integration and Testing Before Launch * Special Membership Offer Continues for RadFxSat/AO-91 Launch * Donate to AMSAT Tax-Free From Your IRA * AMSAT Keplerian Elements Updated with AO-91 NORAD Tracking Number * New Distance Record via AO-91 5,955 km * Satellite Activity From Azores Islands on Christmas * December 20 Launch for HA-1 CubeSat with FM transponder and SSTV * Information for Requesting UT1FG/MM QSL Cards * English Edition of AMSAT-EA Newsletter * New Cuban Movie Features Ham Radio Contact With MIR * 2017 Open Source Cubesat Workshop Talks Posted On-line * Spaceflight Prepares to Launch Eleven Spacecraft on India's PSLV-C40 * Satellite Shorts From All Over SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-344.01 ANS-344 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins AMSAT News Service Bulletin 344.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE December 10, 2017 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-344.01 November/December 2017 Apogee View Column Posted on the AMSAT Web The November/December 2017 edition of Apogee View, a comprehensive bimonthly update of AMSAT's activities written by AMSAT President Joe Spier, K6WAO, has been posted on the AMSAT website. https://www.amsat.org/apogeeview/ [ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- New Video: AO-91 Integration and Testing Before Launch AMSAT VP of Engineering, Jerry Buxton, NØJY has released a video report on YouTube, "The Good and the Bad with AO-91". During the 12 minute video Jerry describes what's right and what went a little wrong with AO-91: She hears very well, but she had a heck of a time learning to talk. Watch on-line at: https://youtu.be/no4pHx02lSI [ANS thanks AMSAT VP of Engineering, Jerry Buxton, NØJY for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Special Membership Offer Continues for RadFxSat/AO-91 Launch AO-91 is open to all and works great! Now is a good time to join AMSAT and receive a free digital copy of "Getting Started with Amateur Satellites"! Visit https://www.amsat.org/product-category/amsat-membership/ and help AMSAT Keep Amateur Radio in Space. AMSAT is making our "Getting Started With Amateur Satellites" book available for a limited time as a download with any paid new or renewal membership purchased via the AMSAT Store. This offer is only available with purchases completed online, and for only a limited time. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The 182 page book is presented in PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite. Please take advantage of this offer today by visiting the AMSAT store at https://www.amsat.org/shop/ and selecting any membership option. While there, check out our other items, including the M2 LEOpack antenna system, Arrow antennas, AMSAT shirts, and other swag. Thank you, and see you soon on AO-91! [ANS thanks Paul N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Donate to AMSAT Tax-Free From Your IRA Are you over 70-1/2 years of age and need to meet your IRA's Required Minimum Distribution for 2017? Consider making a donation to AMSAT! Under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, individuals over 70-1/2 years of age may make direct transfers of up to $100,000 per year from a traditional IRA to an eligible charity without increasing their taxable income. Consult your tax advisor or accountant to make certain you are eligible. AMSAT is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational and scientific organization whose purpose is to design, construct, launch, and operate satellites in space and to provide the support needed to encourage amateurs to utilize these resources. AMSAT's federal tax ID is 52-0888529. [ANS thanks the AMSAT Board of Directors for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSAT Keplerian Elements Updated with AO-91 NORAD Tracking Number AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, Ray Hoad, WA5QGD advises that the AO-91 (FOX-1B) object number has now been updated as NORAD CAT ID 43017 based on the results of detailed orbit analysis by Nico Janssen, PA0DLO. This is expected to be the last change of object number. Ray thanks to all who have labored to finally come to this conclusion. to this point. The AMSAT Keplerian elements have added AO-91 and EcAMSat (NORAD CAT ID 43019) to the AMSAT-NA TLE distribution. The following satellites have de-orbited and have been removed from the AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution: NORAD CAT ID 40949 - GomX-3 NORAD CAT ID 41477 - NODES 1 NORAD CAT ID 41478 - NODES 2 NORAD CAT ID 41931 - TANCREDO NORAD CAT ID 42770 - INFLATESAIL Visit http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/keps to subscribe to weekly e-mail delivery of the AMSAT-NA TLE distribution [ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- New Distance Record via AO-91 5,955 km Satellite operators are continuing to push AO-91's footprint to the limit. Joel Diaz, EB1AO, and Mike Diehl, W8LID, completed a 5,955 km QSO via the satellite this morning. The maximum elevation of the pass was just 0.9° for Mike and the QSO was made at 0.5° on his end. Who will be the first to complete a 6,000 km QSO? The theoretical maximum range is 6,072 km. Visit the AMSAT Distance Record page for a complete list of all satellite records: https://www.amsat.org/satellite-distance-records/ [ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Activity From Azores Islands on Christmas Pedro, CU2ZG says he will be active on satellites from grid square HM58 on Christmas. His equipment will include an Alaskan Arrow antenna, Yaesu FT-817ND, Yaesu FT-857D, Kenwood TS-2000 and a Wouxun KG-UV9DPlus. Most of the operation will be done using the TS-2000. Expected operating days are December 23 and 24, plus December 25 during the afternoon/evening hours. Pedro says this will be a family holiday and skeds will be accepted depending on his availability. His exact location will be HM58qm, at the CU7BC QTH (check QRZ.com) Watch his twitter account (@pdsousa) for updates. [ANS thanks Pedro, CU2ZG for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- December 20 Launch for HA-1 CubeSat with FM transponder and SSTV The IARU has announced frequency coordination has been completed for HA-1, a 2U CubeSat developed by the Teenagers Amateur Radio Center of Activity in Huaian, China. HA-1 is planned for launch on December 20. HA-1 will be mainly used for teenagers in Huaian to carry out activities related with amateur radio and aerospace science education. The cubesat is equipped with amateur radio repeater and SSTV(Slow Scan Television) component, which is to validate still image transmission in narrowband voice channel. There is an SSTV beacon, which puts Date/Time/Location information/temp- erature etc on a SSTV picture. Amateurs worldwide can also use HA-1 to test SSTV via the cubesat. Uplink: 145.930 MHz FM Downlink: 436.950 MHz FM Telemetry: 437.350 MHz 9k6 BPSK [ANS thanks the IARU for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Information for Requesting UT1FG/MM QSL Cards John, K8YSE, posted a message on the amsat-bb on behalf of Yuri, UT1FG/MM currently at sea aboard the MV Seahorse, "Yuri has asked that anyone who has not received confirmations from this year and previous year's operations to prepare logsheets so that he can mail them out when he arrives in New Orleans." John has posted an Excel Spreadsheet for you to enter your log data plus an example of a completed log sheet at: http://www.papays.com/sat/ut1fgqsl.html John's web page includes instructions to prepare your logsheet of QSO's that Yuri can print, verify, sign and mail from one of his destination ports. E-mail your logsheet to John at the address he lists in his instructions. John will send an acknowledgement email when he receives your request. This way you will know that Yuri will have your logsheet. Marinetraffic.com anticipates a December 15-16 arrival in New Orleans. John requests you send your logsheet QSL request as soon as possible so Yuri will have time to get them ready for mailing. Yuri's current ship, Seahorse, is a relatively new ship and is wider than previous vessels he has captained so it cannot go through the locks in the Great Lakes. On this voyage he will be more restricted as to possible destinations than he was last season. John concluded, "Yuri has been very busy with his duties and has had little time for anything else. He sends his regards to all." [ANS thanks John Papay, K8YSE for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- English Edition of AMSAT-EA Newsletter Spain's amateur satellite group AMSAT-EA have released an English language edition of their December newsletter It covers the recently launched RADFXSAT (FOX-1B) FM transponder CubeSat and the HA-1 FM / SSTV CubeSat due to launch in December. There is an article on the satellite tracking software Orbitron and Robert KE4AL describes his experiences operating satellites during a DXpedition to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Island. The translation was made by Fernando EC1AME. Download the newsletter from http://tinyurl.com/ANS-344-AMSATEA-News AMSAT-EA https://www.amsat-ea.org/ https://twitter.com/AmsatSpain [ANS thanks Southgate and AMSAT-EA for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- New Cuban Movie Features Ham Radio Contact With MIR The Havana, Cuba Film Festival begins on December 7. One of the movies features a cuban amateur radio operator talking to the MIR space station. Posted on tiff.net: "As the Soviet Union crumbles in 1991, an amateur radio operator in Cuba makes unexpected contact with stranded cosmo- naut Sergei Krikalev as he observes the dissolution of his nation from orbit, in Cuban director Ernesto Daranas Serrano's comedic yet poignant reflection on how big events can impact ordinary lives." Check the videos and pictures here (google translation available on the site) http://ea1uro.com/radio/peliculacubana/ [ANS thanks the Southgate Amateur Radio News site for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- 2017 Open Source Cubesat Workshop Talks Posted On-line The Open Source Cubesat Workshop which was held on November 23-24 at the European Space Operations Center (ESOC/ESA), Darmstadt, Germany co-organized by Libre Space Foundation, the Librecube initiative and ESA/ESOC Cybernetics Team (https://oscw.space) have posted a YouTube playlist of the presentations and talks at: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-344OpenSourceCubesat [ANS thanks the Libre Space Foundation for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Spaceflight Prepares to Launch Eleven Spacecraft on India's PSLV-C40 by SpaceDaily.com Staff Writers Seattle WA (SPX) Dec 05, 2017 http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Spaceflight_Prepares_to_Launch_ Eleven_Spacecraft_on_Indias_PSLV_C40_999.html http://tinyurl.com/ANS-344-SpaceflightPSLVLaunch Spaceflight, a satellite rideshare and mission management provider, has announced it will be launching 11 spacecraft in early January from India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Spacecraft include Finland's ICEYE-X1 SAR microsatellite, Planetary Resources' Arkyd-6 6U asteroid prospecting demonstration cubesat, four Spire Global Lemur-2 cubesats, Astro Digital's Landmapper-BC3, AMSAT's Fox-1D cubesat, and others. Spaceflight performed the cubesat integration at its Seattle Inte- gration Facility and is in the process of shipping the spacecraft to India for the PSLV-C40 mission. The PSLV rocket is scheduled to lift off from India's Satish Dhawan Space Center in early January 2018 with the Cartosat-2ER navigation satellite, in addition to Space- flight's rideshare customers. "PSLV-C40 is a perfect example of how our flexible, full-service rideshare model is enabling new commercial space businesses to exist while expanding into new markets," said Curt Blake, president of Spaceflight. "This mission brings new customers from outside the industry into space while continuing partnerships with existing customers for their ongoing satellite constellations." One first-time customer on the mission is Finland's ICEYE with the country's first commercial satellite, ICEYE-X1. ICEYE developed its own synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) sensor technologies suitable for satellites under 100kg in weight, making it one of the bigger payloads on the PSLV-C40 mission. This is ICEYE's first proof-of-concept microsatellite mission with a SAR sensor as its payload and also the world's first SAR satel- lite in this size, enabling radar imaging of the Earth through clouds and even in total darkness. Potential use-cases for the data are monitoring sea ice movements or marine oil spills, and preven- tion of illegal fishing. "Working together with Spaceflight to schedule and make this launch a reality has been an outstanding experience for ICEYE, and it has given us the necessary opportunities for scaling up operations for our constellation of micro-SAR satellites as planned," said Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and co-founder at ICEYE. Spaceflight offers customers the most options for getting to space, working with nearly every global launch vehicle provider, including the Falcon 9, PSLV, Antares, Cygnus, Electron, Soyuz and others. Much like buying an airline ticket that is valid on multiple airlines, Spaceflight can ensure organizations have flexibility to move vehicles if changes or delays occur. Additionally, the smallsat rideshare service model helps organizations reach a desired orbit at a much lower cost than buying their own launch vehicle. Spaceflight has negotiated the launch of more than 120 satellites on behalf of its customers and has contracts to deploy nearly 200 more through 2018. The company plans to coordinate and deploy its largest launch to date in 2018 with its first dedicated rideshare mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. [ANS thanks SpaceDaily.com for the above information] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Satellite Shorts From All Over + Did you know you can help AMSAT by logging into your Amazon account using http://smile.amazon.com/ch/52-0888529 to designate AMSAT-NA as the organization of your choice. When shopping on-line you must use the URL http://smile.amazon.com for AMSAT to receive the donation from your purchases. + 2017: FUNcube Status and New Developments - Wouter Weggelaar, PA3WEG walks us through the whole FUNcube family of spacecraft at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium in Milton Keynes, October 15th 2017. Watch on-line at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELFoLtm44Kc&feature=share + While waiting for the next satellite pass have a listen at http://www.livemeteors.com/ to hear meteor pings as they happen. The pings are a bit more frequent during the popular meteor showers. + Hackaday posted an article showing how to build your own azimuth- elevation rotor: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-344-HackadayRotor (via Bernhard, VA6BMJ) + Wyatt, AC0RA plans to be active from the Carnival Sunshine cruise between December 9-16. He will use the callsign C6AWD/MM. He will operate in semiduplex mode with his FT817 and Arrow antenna. More info at the callsign listing for C6AWD on qrz.com + The 3Y0Z DXpedition Team on Bouvet Island is asking the amateur radio community to help with flying costs. See the details on the web: http://www.bouvetdx.org/news-and-updates/ + European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli, IZØJPA, is compiling TimeLapseADay videos and is sharing them on-line. These can be found on his playlist posted on YouTube: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-344TimeLapseADay + The December 2017 issue of SatMagazine has been posted at: http://www.satmagazine.com/ Vytenis Buzas LY1ZY features in this issue, see pages 76-77. + Read about new analysis of the famous Hubble Deep Field images and watch a video scan across the Deep Field. Each of those blobs and dots is a galaxy. See: http://tinyurl.com/ANS-344-UniverseToday --------------------------------------------------------------------- /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. And, with that consider that bowling is more advantageous than golf since you rarely lose a bowling ball. 73, This week's ANS Editor, JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM k9jkm at amsat dot org

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