AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-281
In this edition:
* Symposium Registration Deadlines Drawing Near * ARISS SSTV Event Rescheduled to October 16-20, 2023 * Amateurs Participate in Annular Solar Eclipse Event on October 14 * NEXUS (FO-99) Operation Schedule and JAMSAT DXpedition * Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution * VUCC Satellite Standing October 2023 * ARISS News * Upcoming Satellite Operations * Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events * Satellite Shorts From All Over
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.
The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org
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ANS-281 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
To: All RADIO AMATEURS From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653 Washington, DC 20002
DATE 2023 Oct 08
Symposium Registration Deadlines Drawing Near
Persons planning to attend the 41st Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting, October 20-21, 2023 – Dallas, TX should be aware of the upcoming deadlines.
+ The deadline for Symposium registrations with tickets to the Saturday evening banquet or the Sunday morning members breakfast is Friday, October 13th. MEALS CANNOT BE ORDERED AFTER THAT DATE.
+ The deadline for the guaranteed group rate has passed but you can call the hotel at 972-929-8400 then press #1. Request “Rodriguez” Reservation Coordinator and ask for rate RADIO AMATEUR SATELLITE. A room at that rate might still be available depending on availability.
The rate for a standard room with two Queen beds is $137.00 plus state and local taxes of 15%. Rooms may be available for check-in on Wednesday, October 18 and check out Sunday, October 22.
The Sheraton DFW Airport is located adjacent to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and provides complimentary, scheduled shuttle to and from the airport. Complimentary parking is available for those who drive to the Symposium. The hotel address and phone number is:
Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel 4440 W John Carpenter Fwy. Irving, TX 75063 972-929-8400
+ The deadline for submitting proposals for presentations at the Symposium is NOW. If you have been entertaining submitting a paper at the Symposium, contact Dan Schultz, N8FGV, AMSAT Symposium Proceedings Editor, immediately at n8fgv [at] amsat [dot] org.
We, at AMSAT, are excited to be able to host our 41st annual Symposium this year. We hope that you can join us in celebrating Amateur Radio in Space.
Schedule
Thursday, October 19, 2023 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM AMSAT Board Meeting 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Pre-Registration Check-in
Friday, October 20, 2023 8:00 – 12:00 Noon AMSAT Board Meeting (Closed Session) 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Registration 1:00 PM – 1:15 PM AMSAT Symposium Kickoff, President’s Welcome 1:15 PM – 5:00 PM Paper Sessions 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Informal Dinner on your own 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM AMSAT Reception and Auction, Cash Bar Available
Saturday October 21, 2023 8:00 AM – 11:45 AM Registration 8:00 AM – 8:15 AM AMSAT Symposium Welcome 8:15 AM – 12:00 Noon Paper Sessions 1:00 PM – 3:15 PM Paper Sessions 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM AMSAT Annual Meeting & Awards Ceremony 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Attitude Adjustment (Social), Cash Bar 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM AMSAT Banquet, Cash Bar
Sunday October 22, 2023 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM AMSAT Member Breakfast
[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information]
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Hungary Lil' Buckaroo? Make Your Reservation for the Symposium Banquet Today! (Deadline is is Friday, October 14) It's a Belt Bustin' Texas Style Barbecue with Smoked BBQ Sliced Brisket and Roasted BBQ Chicken BBQ Baked Beans, Southern Style Potato Salad, Roasted Corn Salad Greens, Corn Bread, Pecan Pie and all the fixin's! More Info At: https://tinyurl.com/AMSAT2023
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ARISS SSTV Event Rescheduled to October 16-20, 2023
The transmission of images via the SSTV protocol as part of the experiment “About Gagarin from Space” from the International Space Station is postponed to October 16-20, 2023 due to technical problems.
Images will be transmitted from the International Space Station via the SSTV protocol as part of the “About Gagarin from Space” experiment. The topic of the program is the first artificial Earth satellite, amateur radio satellites, school satellites.
SSTV images will be transmitted on 145.800 MHz using a Kenwood TM-D710 transceiver. They are expected to use the PD-120 SSTV format.
The “Russia ISS SSTV” diploma is awarded to radio amateurs (observers) for receiving SSTV (slow-scan television) broadcasts from aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the space experiment (SE) “About Gagarin from Space.” To receive the “Russia ISS SSTV” Diploma, one must receive and decode three images transmitted over a radio channel from on board the ISS using the SSTV protocol only on the days of the experiment. Each image must be at least 90% complete and of acceptable quality. Information on earning the certificate is available at https://r4uab.ru/diplom-iss-sstv/.
AMSAT Argentina is also offering a diploma for reception of ISS SSTV images. Learn more at http://amsat.org.ar/?f=9.
[ANS thanks Ignacio Granados Vega, TI3IES, and R4UAB.ru for the above information]
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+ The 2023 AMSAT President's Club coins are here now! To commemorate the 40th anniversary of its launch on June 16, 1983, this year's coin features an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 10. Join the AMSAT President's Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space! https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Amateurs Participate in Annular Solar Eclipse Event on October 14
An annular solar eclipse will make its appearance in the skies over parts of North America on October 14, creating a singular spectacle for those in its path — and a rare opportunity for amateurs to contribute to scientific research.
The dazzling celestial event will allow millions of people to witness “the awe and the wonder of seeing a beautiful ring of fire eclipse,” said Peg Luce, acting director of the Heliophysics Division at NASA headquarters.
The “ring of fire” nickname comes from the appearance of annular solar eclipses, which are like total solar eclipses, except the moon is at the farthest point in its orbit from Earth, so it can’t completely block the sun. Instead, the sun’s fiery light surrounds the moon’s shadow, creating the so-called ring of fire.
The annular solar eclipse will begin in the United States at 16:13 UTC (9:13 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time) and pass from the Oregon coast to Texas’ Gulf Coast, appearing in Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas. The lunar shadow will also be visible in parts of California, Idaho, Colorado and Arizona.
After leaving the U.S., the eclipse will cross Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Panama and Colombia before ending off South America’s Atlantic coast at Natal, Brazil.
Weather permitting, a cresecent-shaped partial solar eclipse, where only part of the sun is covered by the moon, will be visible October 14 in all 49 continental US states, including Alaska, according to NASA. Use the agency’s interactive eclipse map to check when the eclipse will pass over your area: https://bit.ly/3rCbSz1
For those unable to see the eclipse, NASA will share a live stream beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET on eclipse day, sharing views from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Kirbyville, Texas, and White Sands, New Mexico, according to Kelly Korreck, eclipse program manager at NASA.
“The next annular eclipse seen in this part of the country is actually going to be in 2046,” Korreck said. “It’s going to be a long stretch before we will see this phenomenon again, so we’re really encouraging folks to go out there and observe safely.”
It’s never safe to look directly at the sun without using specialized protection, and there is no phase of an annular eclipse that is safe to view with the naked eye because the sun’s light is never completely blocked.
To view the annular eclipse, wear certified eclipse glasses or use a handheld solar viewer. Sunglasses won’t work in place of eclipse glasses or solar viewers, which are thousands of times darker and held to an international standard, ISO 12312-2.
A Solar Eclipse QSO Party (SEQP) will be held from 1200 - 2200 UTC, and participants may use any band or mode (except WARC bands). Researchers will take the submitted logs and work to derive meaningful observations from the data. All radio amateurs need to do is operate using any mode and any band for all or part of the day, then upload their logs. Participation can be from anywhere; you don't need to be near the path of the eclipse to contribute valuable data. For SEQP contest and rules, visit www.hamsci.org/contest-info.
For information on the Gladstone Signal Spotting Challenge using CW, WSPR, and FST4W, go to https://www.hamsci.org/contest-info.
ARRL members can find out more about the SEQP by reading "The Solar Eclipse QSO Party: A Fun Way to Support Radio Science" in the September/October 2023 issue of On the Air magazine.
[ANS thanks CNN.com and ARRL for the above information]
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Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/
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NEXUS (FO-99) Operation Schedule and JAMSAT DXpedition
The October operating schedule for JAMSAT FO-99 is available at https://www.jamsat.or.jp/?p=2341. However, There is an error in the values shown in the table due to the altitude drop of the satellite. Please use the displayed time as a guide and check “Satellite Tracking” on the JAMSAT website for exact transit times.
[ANS thanks Y.Ohtani, JH4DHX/3, of the JAMSAT NEXUS operations team for the above information]
JAMSAT also reports that the VK9QO Cocos (Keeling) Island DXpedition coming up in November will include satellite operation on QO-100, IO-117, and RS-44. Unfortunately, there are not likely to be mutual windows when any satellite footprints include the island and North America. However, some amateurs in Hawaii may enjoy brief opportunities for this DX on IO-117.
[ANS thanks Mikio Mouri, JA3GEP/VK9QO, and JAMSAT for the above information]
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Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition? Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear
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Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for Oct. 6
Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. Elements in the TLE bulletin files are updated daily. TLE bulletin files are updated to add or remove satellites as necessary Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/
The following satellites have been removed from this week's AMSAT-NA TLE distribution:
Grizu 263a NORAD Cat ID 51025 Decayed from orbit on or about 01 October 2023 PICSAT NORAD Cat ID 43132 Decayed from orbit on or about 01 October 2023 NUSAT-2 Norad Cat ID 41588 Decayed fromorbit on or about 02 October 2023 Suchai 1 NORAD Cat ID 42788 Decayed from orbit on or about 05 October 2023
[ANS thanks AMSAT Orbital Elements page for the above information]
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VUCC Satellite Standing October 2023
------------------------------------------------------------ VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for September 01, 2023 to October 01, 2023. ------------------------------------------------------------ AA5PK 1350 1382 N8RO 1342 1356 W5CBF 841 1201 KF7R 1027 1050 N0JE 1000 1025 DF2ET 950 1000 N3GS 932 980 K6FW 825 951 CO6CBF 841 900 XE1L 639 860 EA2AA 800 825 W8LR 783 801 OZ9AAR 700 800 N6UK 707 777 K0JM 601 702 KE8FZT 625 700 N9FN 569 700 KB1HY 521 604 VA7LM 400 600 N8MR 557 581 NM3B 566 572 JL1SAM 410 511 A65BR 455 477 IW7DOL 101 474 HB9GWJ 412 450 KO9A 423 424 N3CAL 352 412 AB1OC 400 407 AG7NR 300 350 F6EQD 130 311 M0SKM 118 300 W1LE New 300 N6PAZ 262 290 CT1ETE New 283 AD2DD 175 261 N9XG 151 252 JR0GAS 140 250 ZS2BK 213 244 JA6SZV 205 207 KH6WI 155 203 JQ1TIV New 201 W6AER 126 201 IK7EOT New 171 K6VHF New 151 JF3MKC 103 150 N7GR 113 141 DJ7NT 100 133 W8XCT New 127 VU2YQ New 125 K9JKM New 114 K2HAT New 103 K2PLL New 102 N6UTC (DM05) New 101 XE1BRX New 100
------------------------------------------------------------ Congratulations to the new VUCC holders. XE1BRX is first VUCC Satellite holder from DL90 CT1ETE is first VUCC Satellite holder from IN51 IK7EOT is first VUCC Satellite holder from JN80 VU2YQ is first VUCC Satellite holder from MK65
[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ, for the above information]
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ARISS NEWS
Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.
RECENTLY COMPLETED CONTACTS: 149 Secondary School, Baku, Azerbaijan, direct via 4K6EH The ISS callsign was OR4ISS The rewmember was Andreas Mogensen KG5GCZ The ARISS mentor was SP3QFE Contact was successful: Fri 2023-10-06 08:29:20 UTC 32 degrees elevation Congratulations to the 149 Secondary School students, Andreas, and mentor SP3QFE!
Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, direct via EI1ISS The ISS callsign was OR4ISS The crewmember was Jasmin Moghbeli KI5WSL The ARISS mentor was EI8BP Contact was successful: Fri 2023-10-06 13:11:32 UTC 49 deg Congratulations to the Technological University Dublin students, Jasmin, and mentor EI8BP! Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E8wZd2gBoo or https://www.youtube.com/@tudublin/
UPCOMING CONTACTS: Belgian Defence (KSOO), Koninklijke School voor Onderofficieren, Sint-Truiden, Belgium, direct via ON4BAF AND telebridge to IEPSCF Colfontaine, Colfontaine, Belgium The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled crewmember is Jasmin Moghbeli KI5WSL The ARISS mentor is ON6TI Contact is go for: Tue 2023-10-10 11:36:29 UTC 78 deg
Sekolah Kebangsaan Wangsa Maju Seksyen 2, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled crewmember is Andreas Mogensen KG5GCZ The ARISS mentor is 7M3TJZ Contact is go for: Wed 2023-10-11 11:12:42 UTC 78 deg
Covenant Christian Academy, West Peabody, MA, direct via N1DQF The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled crewmember is Loral O’Hara KI5TOM The ARISS mentor is AB1OC Contact is go for: Fri 2023-10-13 13:51:42 UTC 39 deg (***) Watch for Livestream at https://vimeo.com/event/3761617 (***)
The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.
The packet system is also active (145.825 MHz up & down).
As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol.
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.
The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html
The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html
[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information]
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Upcoming Satellite Operations
JW7XK (Svalbard Island) will be activated around October 11th to 16th by Halvard Eriksen, LA7XK, on RS-44 and Greencube IO-117 packet satellite. (ANS thanks AMSAT-UK and DX News for the above information)
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Jonathan, N4AKV, will be QRV ‘from the EM93/EM94 line and the FM03/FM04 line’ on the afternoon of 13th October and all day on the 14th. This will be a LEO/MEO operation. Check hams.at for passes/times.
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Alex, N7AGF, says he’ll be in DN02 for the solar eclipse on 14th October. -Ed: this is really all I know at the moment. Best suggestion is to watch his X account or keep an eye on hams.at for additional info.
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Adrian, N8AJM, will be QRV from EM85 (TN) 16th – 20th October. This will be LEO/MEO. Details are available at hams.at
A growing number of satellite rovers are currently engaged in sharing their grid square activations on https://hams.at. By visiting the website, you gain easy access to comprehensive information about the operators responsible for activating specific grid squares. Additionally, you have the ability to assess the match score between yourself and a particular rover for a given pass, while also being able to identify the upcoming satellite passes that are accessible from your location.
[ANS thanks Ian Parsons, K5ZM, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information]
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Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.
+ ARRL Minnesota State Convention Saturday, October 14 Hennepin Technical College 9000 Brooklyn Blvd. Brooklyn Park, Minnesota http://mnconvention.org
+ 41st AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting October 20-21, 2023 Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel 4440 W John Carpenter Fwy, Irving, TX 75063 https://tinyurl.com/AMSAT2023
+ ARRL Pacific Division Convention Friday, October 20 - Sunday, October 22 San Ramon Marriott 2600 Bishop Drive San Ramon, CA 94583 https://www.pacificon.org
AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, has spoken to these clubs recently … + Gallatin Ham Radio Club, Montana + London Bridge ARC, Arizona + Sevir Amateur Radio Society, Tennessee + GOTA HAMS, Southern California + Daytona Beach ARA, Florida
This month, he'll be informally visiting with hams in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands during a personal trip.
Think a 75-minute presentation on "working the easy satellites" would be appropriate for your club or event in November or December? Send email to Clint at k6lcsclint (at) gmail (dot) com
[ANS thanks the AMSAT Events page and Clint Bradford, K6LCS, for the above information]
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Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ The International Telecommunications Union has released a 'Handbook on Small Satellites.' The guide was developed in response to the United Nations agency's Resolution ITU-R 68 on “Improving the dissemination of knowledge concerning the applicable regulatory procedures for small satellites, including nanosatellites and picosatellites.” It includes a section (5.4) on what types of satellites should qualify for use of amateur radio frequencies. See https://www.itu.int/hub/publication/r-hdb-65-2023/ (ANS thanks the ITU for the above information)
+ The Federal Communications Commission has fined Dish Network $150,000 for failing to properly remove a satellite from geostationary orbit, the U.S. regulator said Oct. 2 in a first for its space debris enforcement action. The settlement includes an admission of liability from Dish for leaving EchoStar-7 at 122 kilometers above its operational geostationary arc, less than halfway to where the satellite broadcaster had agreed. (ANS thanks SpaceNews for the above information)
+ NASA announced on Friday (Sept. 29) that it will extend operations for New Horizons until the spacecraft exits the Kuiper Belt, which is expected in 2028 or 2029. New Horizons launched in January 2006, on a mission to provide the first-ever up-close looks at Pluto, the Kuiper Belt's most famous resident. NASA extended the mission to include a flyby of another Kuiper Belt object (KBO) — the 21-mile-wide (34 kilometers) Arrokoth. Additional extensions are possible. New Horizons has enough nuclear fuel remaining to continue flying through at least 2040, mission team members have said. (ANS thanks Space.com for the above information)
+ NASA delayed the launch of the Psyche asteroid mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy by a week to October 12. The spacecraft will explore the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche that orbits between Mars and Jupiter. (ANS thanks The Parabolic Arc for the above information)
+ Amazon has officially joined the race to build massive constellations of satellites that can blanket the globe in internet connectivity — a move that puts the tech company in direct competition with SpaceX and its Starlink system. The first two prototype satellites for Amazon’s network, called Project Kuiper, launched aboard a United Launch Alliance rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Friday, Oct. 6.
+ It was a bad week for small satellite launchers with multiple failures: Galactic Energy’s Ceres-1 suffered its first failure in 10 launches on September 21. The failure lowered the solid-fuel booster’s reliability to 90 percent. Galactic Energy has not revealed the cause of the failure. The failure came two days after a Rocket Lab Electron booster fell back to Earth after its second stage failed to ignite properly. It was the fourth failure in 40 launches for the orbital rocket, whose reliability fell to 90 percent as a result. (ANS thanks The Parabolic Arc for the above information)
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Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:
* Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization). * Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. * Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. * Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.
Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information.
73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
This week's ANS Editor, Mark Johns, KØJM k0jm [at] amsat.org