AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-015 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:
* RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launch Date Moved to August 29, 2017 * AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2017 * ITF-2 CubeSat Set to Deploy from ISS * Satellite Logging Updates Requested for ARRL LoTW * College OSCAR Activity, Grow Future Membership * 2017 Interplanetary Small Satellite Conference * Frequency Plan of the PicSAT Project Validated by the IARU * AMSAT Events * ARISS News * Satellite Shorts from All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-015.01 ANS-015 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 015.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE January 15, 2017 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-015.01
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RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launch Date Moved to August 29, 2017
The launch date for RadFxSat (Fox-1B) has been moved to August 29, 2017. RadFxSat is one of four CubeSats making up the NASA ELaNa XIV mission, riding as secondary payloads aboard the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS)-1 mission. JPSS-1 will launch on a Delta II from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
RadFxSat is a partnership with Vanderbilt University ISDE and hosts four payloads for the study of radiation effects on commercial off the shelf components. RadFxSat features the Fox-1 style FM U/v repeater with an uplink on 435.250 MHz (67.0 Hz CTCSS) and a downlink on 145.960 MHz. Satellite and experiment telemetry will be downlinked via the "DUV" subaudible telemetry stream and can be decoded with the FoxTelem software. RadFxSat construction and testing was completed in the fourth quarter of 2016 and the CubeSat is currently in clean storage at Fox Labs, waiting for delivery and integration which is now scheduled for June, 2017.
[ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, NØJY, AMSAT Vice President for Engineering for the above information]
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AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2017
AMSAT-UK is very happy to announce that the dates of the next AMSAT-UK Colloquium will be 14-15 Oct 2017. This year it will be incorporated into the RSGB Convention at the Kents Hill Park Convention Centre in Milton Keynes. Exact details are currently being finalized with the RSGB and these will be notified when they are known.
If you have not been to Kents Hill before, it is very close to the M1 motorway and is near to Bletchley Park, where RSGB members have free entry. For overseas visitors it is convenient for planes to London Luton Airport (30-minute taxi ride) and also London Gatwick and Birmingham airports, both of which have direct train connections to Bletchley and/or Milton Keynes stations. These stations are approximately 10 minutes away by taxi.
[ANS thanks Jim Heck, G3WGM for the above information]
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ITF-2 CubeSat Set to Deploy from ISS
Toshihiro Kameda, JJ3GRX/W3GRX, of the University of Tsukuba's "Yui" satellite project in Japan, reports that the ITF-2 ("Imagine The Future") CubeSat is set for release from the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday, January 16, at 0910 UTC.
The 1U ITF-2 was designed and built at the university. The Amateur Radio downlink is 437.525 MHz. Updated information will be announced on the AMSAT Bulletin Board at, http://www.amsat.org/pipermail/amsat-bb/ .
ITF-2 is the successor to the unsuccessful ITF-1, which launched in 2014 but was never heard.
Six CubeSats delivered to ISS by HTV-6 will deploy from ISS with new JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) at 16h Jan. New J-SSOD has four satellite install cases. One satellite install case has 3U space, so new J-SSOD can delploy twelve CubeSat at one time. Six CubeSats are installed as follows,
satellite install CubeSats case
#1 three 1U CubeSats ITF-2, WASEDA-SAT3, FREEDOM #2 one 3U CubeSat EGG #3 one 2U CubeSat AOBA-VELOX3 #4 one 3U CubeSat TuPOD (including Tancredo1 and OSNSAT)
ITF-2, WASEDA-SAT3, AOBA-VELOX3, TuPOD and Tancredo1 operate on the amateur radio bands.
#1 and #2 will be deployed at 0900-0930z 16th Jan, #3 and #4 will be 1030-1100z.
Live broadcast will start at 0850z on YouTube JAXA channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4xq_rj0QiQ
[ANS thanks the ARRL and JAXA for the above information]
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Satellite Logging Updates Requested for ARRL LoTW
AMSAT has requested that BY70-1 be added as "BY70-1" in the next configuration file for the ARRL Logbook of the World (LoTW). AMSAT has also requested that this update be made no later than January 31st due to NPOTA QSOs that were made via the satellite.
AMSAT has also requested the addition of IO-86 as well as SAREX and MIREX for previous QSOs that occurred via the digipeater carried on various Space Shuttle missions and the Mir space station.
If anyone notices a satellite that was available for amateur operation that is not included in the LoTW configuration file, please let me know: Paul Stoetzer [email protected]
Please also keep in mind that there may be a delay in requests being made for the addition of satellites to the LoTW configuration file while AMSAT awaits word of any potential OSCAR number request.
[ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, for the above information]
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College OSCAR Activity, Grow Future Membership
In 2008-2009 we used to have regular College Satellite Nights, where clubs active in our area of interest would get on the birds at the same time and give out contacts. Please let me know if there is an interest again in doing this once per month and if the group minds allowing SO-50 to be the venue.
It is important to our future that we grow our ranks through attracting younger hams. OSCAR operating at the college level can also be a huge advantage for attractive college students to the hobby. Many of our technician course attendees at UF are there for that reason (we give two licensing courses a year).
Please help spread the word to those at your local universities, and to other college clubs. There will be a College Student Amateur Radio Forum at HamCation HamFest in Orlando, Saturday Feb. 11. Please let college student hams know of the event info.
The event is ARRL sponsored, part of CARI, the Collegiate Amateur Radio Initiative. The forum will take place at 3pm, and there is room for 50 college student attendees. There are more events planned for the day, including an evening social event for college students. We should also have table space for the day for college clubs to distribute club info and to meet, greet, and network with alumni. The table would be a good place for high school student hams to network in preparation for a life of amateur radio during the upcoming college years.
Questions can be directed to the moderator of the forum, UF Doctoral student Andy Milluzzi, KK4KWR - [email protected]
For the latest of information see the CARI Facebook group -
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ARRLCARI/
[ANS thanks Dr. Jay H. Garlitz, AA4FL, FCC Trustee, W4DFU at Univ. of Florida, since 2005, www.gatorradio.org. The Club Station of the Gator Amateur Radio Club, at UF since 1934, for the above information]
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2017 Interplanetary Small Satellite Conference
The Interplanetary Small Satellite Conference (ISSC) will be held at San Jose State University on May 1-2, 2017 in San Jose, California. The conference addresses interplanetary small satellites, including mission design, enabling technologies, science applications, and all other technical aspects of these missions. You can find out more details about the conference at
http://www.intersmallsatconference.com/
This year we are expecting over 200 people to attend the conference. This year’s keynote speakers will be announced soon. The conference will feature a suite of talks and attendees from JPL, NASA and other space agencies, universities, and companies from around the world to work on developing this important new direction for small spacecraft missions.
The Interplanetary Small Satellite Conference also gives an exciting chance for organizations to sponsor an exhibitor table or a booth. A table is $270 (includes one registration) and a booth is $540 (includes two registrations). Prices are guaranteed until January 31, when they may increase.
Registration will be available soon on our website, but please email us at [email protected] for information and to reserve your spot. Tables and booths will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis when registration payments are received.
Please also consider submitting an abstract to represent your organization. Abstracts are due on February 15, 2017. I hope you'll be able to join us in beautiful San Jose. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any additional questions.
[ANS thanks the ISSC Committee (via the cubesat.org mailing list) for the above information]
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Frequency Plan of the PicSAT Project Validated by the IARU
AMSAT-F (AMSAT Francophone) announced on January 8 the the IARU validated the proposed frequency plan for the PICSAT satellite project of the Paris Observatory.
The satellite will offer capabilities for telemetry data transmission: AX25 - 9k6 BPSK, and an FM transponder.
Uplink : 145.910 MHz FM Downlink : 435.925 MHz FM
AMSAT-F and Réseau des Émetteurs Français (REF), the national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in France, will provide active technical support for this project.
For more information :
IARU Coordination: http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/formal_detail.php?serialnum=536
Link budget estimated: https://perso.lesia.obspm.fr/picsat/files/2016/12/PicSat_IARU_Coordination.p...
Project page: http://lesia.obspm.fr/PICSAT.html
REF-Info: http://ref-info.ref.org/projet-picsat-de-lobservatoire-de-paris/
[ANS thanks AMSAT-Francophone for the above information]
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AMSAT Events
Information about AMSAT activities at other important events around the country. Examples of these events are radio club meetings where AMSAT Area Coordinators give presentations, demonstrations of working amateur satellites, and hamfests with an AMSAT presence (a table with AMSAT literature and merchandise, sometimes also with presentations, forums, and/or demonstrations).
*Saturday, 14 January 2017 – Thunderbird Hamfest 2017 in Phoenix AZ
*Friday and Saturday, 20-21 January 2017 – Cowtown Hamfest in Forest Hill, TX
*Thursday, 26 January 2017 – presentation for Arizona Repeater Association in Tempe AZ
*Saturday, 4 February 2017 – Palm Springs Hamfest in Palm Springs CA
*Friday-Sunday, 10-12 February 2017 Orlando HamCation in Orlando, FL
*Friday and Saturday, 17-18 February 2017 – Yuma Hamfest in Yuma AZ
*Friday-Sunday, March 31, April 1 & 2, 2017, NVCON in Las Vegas, NV
[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information]
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ARISS News
Successful Contacts
* A combined telebridge via K6DUE with students at Collège Saint-Guibert, Gembloux, Belgium and Euro Space Center, Transinne, Belgium was successful Thu 2017-01-12.
* A direct contact via W6FOG with students at the World Genesis Foundation (WGF), Goodyear, AZ. & Quartzsite in Motion, Quartzsite, AZ. was successful Wed 2017-01-11.
* A direct contact via K4JMC with students at Rainbow Middle School in Rainbow City, AL. was successful Wed 2017-01-04.
* A direct contact via F1IMF with students at Collège Mathilde Marthe Faucher, Allassac, France was successful Wed 2017-01-04.
* A direct contact via F4KJV with students at Primary School Georges Wallers, Saint-Amand-les-Eaux (59), France was successful Sat 2016-12-31.
* A direct contact via IK1SLD with students at Ecole Communale de Saint Sylvestre, Saint Sylvestre, France was successful Wed 2016-12-21.
Upcoming Contacts
* A telebridge via K6DUE students at the Léon Blum High School, Le Creusot, France, is presently scheduled for Mon 2017-01-16 11:53:17 UTC 60 deg. The scheduled astronaut is Thomas Pesquet, KG5FYG.
Le Creusot is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France. Formerly a mining town, its economy is now dominated by large metallurgical companies such as ArcelorMittal, Schneider Electric, and Alstom. In the 19th century, iron ore mines and forges around Le Creusot generated a business in steel, railways, armaments, and shipbuilding.
The lycée Léon Blum (Le Creusot-71) together with the lycée international Charles de Gaulle (Dijon-21) and lycée Pierre Paul Riquet (Saint-Orens-31) were selected after a call for projects in March 2015 by the CNES Youth Education department for the PROXIMA mission. The project is named CERES (after the name of ancient roman goddess of agriculture). Thomas will grow some seeds in space as part of the CERES educational experiment. A special cargo of mustard, lentil and radish seeds was sent to him on the Space Station. He should water them and take pictures at regular intervals to study how the seeds grow in space. Students of the two partner high schools and a local elementary school are also participating to the list of questions.
Watch http://www.ariss.org/upcoming-contacts.html for information about upcoming contacts as they are scheduled.
[ANS thanks ARISS and Charlie, AJ9N for the above information]
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Satellite Shorts From All Over
South East VHF Society Conference Charlotte NC April 28-29
The SVHF Society will hold their convention in Charlotte, NC this year on April 28 and 29 at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Charlotte Airport, 2600 Yorkmont Road, Charlotte, NC 28201.
We have arranged rooms at $95; you can call 800-222-TREE and ask for this rate under the name "South East VHF Society". Early registration guest room rate of $89 is offered for reservations made by January 31, 2017. If you plan to attend, please call now to reserve your room at this lower rate before the end of January.
Registration information will be posted soon on the web site (http://svhfs.org) so watch for the sign up details. The conference fee for pre-registration is $30, Friday's Luncheon is $15, and Saturday's banquet is $40.
[ANS thanks Gary Greene, W2ZV, SVHF Society conference committee member for the above information]
AMSAT CW Activity Day reports
As of 8 January, only two of the participants in AMSAT CW Activity Day have posted reports to amsat-bb. While there is no requirement to do so, if you participated, please consider posting one while it's still fresh in your mind. You can post a list of stations worked, satellites used, "Soapbox" comments, suggestions for next year's event, or what have you.
[ANS thanks Ray, W2RS, for the above information]
DXpedition Teams Make Satellite Plans
FP, ST. PIERRE & MIQUELON. Eric, KV1J, will once again be operating from the Island of Miquelon (NA-032, DIFO FP-002 WLOTA 1417, Grid GN17) as FP/KV1J between July 4-18th. Activity will be on 160-10 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY (but primarily SSB and RTTY). He will generally be on the highest frequency band that is open (favoring 12/10m). He will be active in the IARU HF Contest (July 8-9th), NA QSO Party-RTTY (July 15-16th) and the CQ VHF Contest [6M only] (July 15-16th). QSL via KV1J, direct or by the Bureau. Also eQSL and LoTW. For more details and updates, check out his Web page at: http://www.kv1j.com/fp/July17.html
PLEASE NOTE: Eric mentions, "I will also be on the analog Satellites when the WX is good enough to operate from outside."
YN, NICARAGUA. A team of four operators, sponsored by Texas DX Society, will be operating near Granada beginning March 20th and ending March 27th. Operators mentioned are Keith/NM5G (YN2MG), Ken/KD2KW (YN2KW), Bill/K5WL (YN2WL) and Marty/W5MF (YN2MF). The group plans to participate in the CQWW WPX SSB Contest (March 25-26th) as YN2KW and station, as a Multi-Op/Single- Transmitter/All-Bands/Low-Power entry. Outside of the contest, operators will use their own callsigns on CW, SSB, RTTY and other Digital modes. They will also have equipment to make some satellite contacts as time and weather permit. QSL YN2KW via N5ET, all others callsigns listen for instructions, but probably the same route.
[ANS thanks the Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 1299 for the above information]
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/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, Joe Spier, K6WAO k6wao at amsat dot org