AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-003
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. Speaking for the ANS team, I wish all of you a Happy New Year. Please keep us in mind for any articles and/or announcements that include information for AMSAT members worlwide.
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:
In this edition: * AMSAT Treasurer Change * HO-68 SSTV Report * Remember to Nominate SKN Best Fist * New Satellite RS38 satellite beacon heard * ARISS Status - 28 December 2009
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-003.01 AMSAT Treasurer Change
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 003.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. January 3, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-003.01
LONG-SERVING AMSAT-NA TREASURER STEPS DOWN
In a mid-December, 2009 letter to the AMSAT-NA Board of Directors, AMSAT-NA's long-serving Treasurer, Gunther Meisse, W8GSM, announced his intent to step aside from that position effective December 31st, 2009. In his letter to the Board, Gunther cited personal business pressures and his wish to spend more time with family as reasons for his decision.
"It is with regret that I find it appropriate to tender my resignation from the position of Treasurer of AMSAT, effective December 31, 2009", Gunther said. "I have enjoyed the my involvement with the largest brain trust in amateur radio. The people I have had the opportunity to work with have truly given me much more than I have contributed. Together, we have moved AMSAT through some difficult and exciting times and I am sure the present leadership team and Board of Directors will continue on a positive path over the coming years," he concluded.
AMSAT President Barry Baines, WD4ASW, accepted Gunther's resignation with deep regret. In an official statement, Barry noted that, "Guenther's work has been an invaluable asset to our organization. His "unseen hand" has left a very positive mark on all of our financial operations. During his time as an AMSAT board member (2003-2009), his strategic vision and focus on bringing greater financial management to AMSAT and improving the organization's fund raising were extremely valuable. As Treasurer (2004-2009), Gunther took the lead on having AMSAT recognized by the federal government's Combined Federal Campaign, instituted the voluntary reporting system to document the value of AMSAT volunteer hours, established a published Annual Report to be shared with potential large donors, converted AMSAT to QuickBooks for maintaining our accounts, and revised how AMSAT values its in-orbit assets. He will be sorely missed and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors," Barry said.
The AMSAT by-laws state that, "In event of the resignation, death or incapacity of any Officer, the President shall appoint a temporary Officer to fill the vacancy until the next meeting of the Board, at which time the Board shall elect a successor."
In keeping with that directive, Barry has asked former AMSAT President Keith Baker, KB1SF, to fill the position of AMSAT Treasurer until the Board can name a permanent replacement. Many may remember that Keith served AMSAT throughout the 1990s and early 2000s both as a BOD member as well as Executive Vice President before taking a turn as President from 1998 until 2000. It is expected that the Board will meet in early January via teleconference to formally elect Keith to fulfill the current term that expires in October 2010.
Prior to his work with AMSAT, Keith was a USAF comptroller officer until his retirement from the service in 1993. Among his many assignments during his Air Force career included tours on the comptroller staff of the (then) Strategic Air Command (SAC) as well as Base Comptroller for Aviano Air Base in northern Italy. Much of the rest of his Air Force career was spent at the Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, where he successfully implemented a number of emerging automated project management concepts into a wide variety of ongoing USAF aircraft development and modification efforts worth several billion dollars. Following his retirement, Keith established a management consulting firm, working with clients in both government and industry dealing with project and personnel management.
"Needless to say, I'm honored to once again be asked to serve AMSAT in a official capacity, and I will do my very best to carry on Gunther's excellent work," Keith said. "Gunther has very clearly left the fiscal processes and records of AMSAT in fine shape and I look forward to building on the firm fiscal foundation he has now created for our organization," he concluded.
Barry offered his personal thanks to Keith for accepting the position until the Board of Directors confirms a permanent successor. "I am very pleased Keith is both willing and able to once again donate his time and many unique talents to AMSAT. Keith's ability to provide solid financial oversight and counsel to the Board on financial matters based upon both his professional experience and knowledge of AMSAT are welcome, and I am looking forward working with him as a senior member of our management team", Barry said.
[ANS thanks Barry, WD4ASW, for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-003.02 HO-68 SSTV Report
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 003.02 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. January 3, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-003.02
HO-68 SSTV Report ================= Dec 30th, 17:53 UTC 20 deg pass
During a low elevation pass, Mike DK3WN and Henk PA3GUO made the very first SSTV contact via the HO-68 - linear transponder.
A few images were transmitted between the two radio stations in Germany and The Netherlands. Signals were transmitted via HO-68, which was 1200km above earth and about 8000km distant from both radio amateur stations.
See the images here: http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?p=10478
73, Mike & Henk
Video of HO-68 operational modes
Henk PA3GUO has produced a video showing all the modes available on the Amateur Radio satellite Xi Wang 1 (HO-68). This 2 minute video features the launch of the satellite and shows its various modes of operation - Beacon, FM, AX.25 Packet and SSB/CW linear transponder. Callsigns heard during the video include M3PQQ, N1AIA, KC9ELU, VA3FM, WA3CZY and I6IBE. You can find the video at http://tinyurl.com/ycjp4dg
NZ3M has put a video on YouTube of SSB contacts via the new Amateur Radio satellite HO-68. This video can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/ya2uyzs
Piraja, PS8RF reported that a contact between Dean, ZD8DC on Ascension Island and Michel, F6HTJ in France was completed via HO-68.
[ANS thanks Mike and Henk, for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-003.03 Remember to Nominate SKN Best Fist
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 003.03 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. January 3, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-003.03
Remember to Nominate SKN Best Fist
Many thanks to all who participated in Straight Key Night on OSCAR 2010. If you have not already done so, please take a moment to nominate someone you worked for Best Fist. Your nominee need not have the best fist of those you heard, but only of those you worked.
Please send your nomination to Ray at [email protected]. A list of those nominated will be published in an ANS bulletin in early February, and in The AMSAT Journal.
[ANS thanks Ray, W2RS for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-003.04 New Satellite RS38 satellite beacon heard
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 003.04 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. January 3, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-003.04
New Satellite RS38 satellite beacon heard
Mike Rupprecht DK3WN reports on the hearing a new CW satellite beacon RS38 on 435.490 MHz. In an email on the AMSAT Bulletin Board he indicates that it is coming from the Russian UGATUSat. He writes:
UGATUSat is RS-38
09:48 UTC strong CW beacon on 435.490 MHz
rs38 ubs189 uab176 [DATA] rs38 ubs188 uab177 ibs17 iab110 isp0 tab156 tsep146 tuf0 tbi167 tspa134 tspb255 mcon69 sma115 smb111 mra11 mrb14 rs38 ubs189 uab177 ibs17 iab130 isp22 tab156 tsep146
An audio file of a complete beacon record (4 min) can be heard at http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?p=10401
UGATUSat Real Time Tracking http://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=35869
[ANS thanks Mike, DK3WN and SouthGate Amateur Radio News for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-003.05 ARISS Status - 28 December 2009
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 003.05 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. January 3, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-003.05
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Status Report December 28, 2009
1. Upcoming School Contact Status
There are no Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contacts planned at this time. The ARISS team expects scheduling to resume the first week of the New Year.
2. Canadian Web Site Promotes ARISS
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Canadian delegate has been working to promote the ARISS program. In doing so, a new Web page has been developed by the Ottawa Valley Mobile Radio Club which provides information on amateur radio and the ARISS program. To view the site, go to: http://www.ovmrc.on.ca and select "ARISS" at the bottom of the left hand side menu.
3. ARRL QST Covers ARISS News
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) published an ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) news item in its January 2010 issue of QST. The column "This Just In" contains a small item about the Columbus antennas having been delivered to, and installed on, the ISS. The ARRL monthly journal has a circulation of 150,000.
[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI, 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 additional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.
73, This week's ANS Editor, Dee Interdonato, NB2F Nb2f at amsat dot org