AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-200
ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:
In this edition: * BOD Ballot Information * Walter Cronkite, KB2GSD, SK * OSCAR 5 In Print * AO-51 Commemorative QSL * Solar Eclipse 22nd July * ARISS Schedule
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-200.1 BOD Ballot Information
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 200.1
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
June 21, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-200.1
To All AMSAT Members: You will be receiving an envelope with important AMSAT information along with your ballot. PLEASE keep and read all information except the ballot - there is an error on it (It says vote for three candidates instead of four). Within the next few days, we will be sending a new ballot in an envelope marked "corrected ballot". The new ballot will be a different color and have the word "corrected" on the top. That is the one you need to return.
[ANS thanks Martha for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-200.2 Walter Cronkite, KB2GSD, SK
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 200.2 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. June 21, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-200.2
The Amateur Radio community has lost one of its ambassodors. Walter Cronkite, amateur call KB2GSD, was a spokesman for the hobby. He Narrated the "Amateur Radio Today" production by the ARRL. The ARRL has presented him with many awards. His love of Space science and the NASA Moon Missions won our Admiration. His coverage of those showed his interests in technology. Who Doesn't remember listening to those exciting broadcasts of the Moon Missions? Mr. Cronkite had won NASA's respect by winning one of their prestigious "Ambassodor of Exploration Awards" given by them to the only "outsider" by NASA. His contributions and support of Amateur Radio will be remembered For many years to come. Note: A prepared special 14 minute audio only tribute to Walter Cronkite hosted by Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, that you can download and play from the website at www.arnewsline.org.
[ANS thanks William Pasternack, WA6ITF, for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-200.3 OSCAR 5 In Print
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 200.3 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. June 21, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-200.3
The Oscar 5 satellite built by Australian Radio Amateurs at the end of the 60's is mentioned in the latest issue of SatMagazine.
The July/August issue of SatMagazine covers the Australian space program and mentions the work of Australian Radio Amateurs who built Oscar 5. The article on page 59 includes a picture of Oscar 5 which carried transmitters on 29.450 MHz and 144.050 MHz and was launched on January 23, 1970, into an orbit of 1435 x 1481 km with an inclination of 102.0 degrees.
Ther July/Aug 2009 issue of SatMagazine is at http://www.satmagazine.com/2009/SatMag_JulAug09.pdf
SatMagazine http://www.satmagazine.com/ ----
[ANS thanks Trevor, M5AKA, for the above information] /EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-200.4 AO-51 Commemorative QSL
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 200.4 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. June 21, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-200.4
News release July 16, 2009:
AMSAT-NA will mark the 40th anniversary of the first manned lunar landing with a special event on AO-51. AO-51 will transmit a message commemorating the event Monday, July 20 during evening passes in the U.S. and Europe. The message will be transmitted on the 435.300 MHz FM downlink and will contain a Robot 36 SSTV image as well as a voice message. A special AO-51 QSL will be available to those who copy the downlink. Send QSL requests marked "Apollo 11" with SASE to the AMSAT office at 850 Sligo Ave. Suite 600, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
[ANS thanks Drew, KO4MA, for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-200.5 Solar Eclipse 22nd July
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 200.5 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. June 21, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-200.5
Solar eclipse is visible at Asia and Pacific on 22nd July. Very limited area is able to see total solar eclipse. Many amateur satellites pass above the solar eclipse area. Electric power generated by solar cells will show very interesting behavior under solar eclipse. How about collecting telemetry and ploting solar cell power condition? Temperature may also show interesting look.
I checked the telemetry transmitting satellite orbit around Japan. The following satellites pass above solar eclipse area. COMPASS-1, FO-29, CO-66, CO-58, DO-64, STARS, PRISM, SOHLA-1, AO-27, NO-44 There is something to be said for DO-64 condition. Will DO-64 stop transmitting telemetry under the solar eclipse? If AO-27 store telemetry as WOD, WOD shows complete solar eclipse condition.
Let's try to collect telemtry under solar eclipse!
solar eclipse info http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEmono/TSE2009/TSE2009.html
[ANS thanks Masa, JN1GKZ for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-200.6 ARISS Schedule
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 200.6 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. July 13, 2009 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-200.6
1. ARISS Contact Between Koichi Wakata and Mugegawa Junior High
On Saturday, July 11, students from Mugegawa Junior High School participated
in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata, KC5ZTA. Wakata answered 17 questions posed to him by the students. Over three hundred parents and guests attended the event, which was covered by five newspapers and a television station.
2. ARISS Contact Held with Technopolis, Belgium
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact was held
between ESA astronaut Frank De Winne, ON1DWN on the ISS and TechnopolisR in Mechelen, Antwerpen, Belgium. The contact took place on Saturday, July 11 via telebridge station LU8YY in Argentina. Fourteen questions were asked and answered as an audience of 200 looked on. Belgian astronaut Dirk Frimout was present and gave a talk on space. Three radio and television stations and two newspapers covered the event. The contact audio was fed into the Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP) and EchoLink servers, providing additional outreach.
3. Successful ARISS Contact with Euro Space Center
On Sunday, July 12, youth visiting the Euro Space Center in Belgium during Air and Space Day participated in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with ESA astronaut Frank De Winne, ON1DWN on the ISS. The contact was made possible through telebridge station WH6PN in Hawaii. Twenty-four students asked one question each of the astronaut in front of an
audience of 500 guests. The contact audio was fed into the Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP) and EchoLink servers, providing additional outreach.
4. SuitSat-2 Becomes a Satellite
The Orlan spacesuit that was to house SuitSat-2 amateur radio equipment was recently discarded on a Progress due to space limitations on the ISS. Work continues on the satellite hardware with plans to use a different configuration for deployment. The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) team plans to meet delivery and launch dates for an EVA deployment in April 2010. For more information, see: http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/index.php
5. ARISS Satellite Meeting Held
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) U.S. team met in Phoenix, Arizona over the July 10 - 12 weekend. The team performed integration tests on various components of the SuitSat-2 hardware.
6. Astronaut Training Status
A training session is planned this week for astronaut Tracy Caldwell to prepare her for her amateur radio license exam. Caldwell is scheduled to fly with Expedition 23 in April 2010.
7. AMSAT Videos of Dayton Hamvention Available for Viewing
The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) has posted videos taken at the Dayton Hamvention 2009. Several Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) presentations are available for viewing. (ARISS Status, Will Marchant; Columbus Module Antennas, Lou McFadin; SuitSat-2, Gould Smith; Spaceflight Participant, Richard Garriott) See: http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/videoNews.php
8. ARISS News on Amateur Radio Newsline
On July 10, Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1665 provided a status on the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) SuitSat-2 program. To view "Ham Radio in Space: SuitSat-2 Loses the Suit Part but will Still Fly," see: ftp://ftp.arnewsline.org/quincy/News-A/news.txt
[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI, for the above information]
/EX
73, This week's ANS Editor, Dee Interdonato, NB2F nb2f at amsat dot org