AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-162 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:

* ITF-2 is now Tsukuba-OSCAR 89 (TO-89) * AMSAT Strategic Planning Member Poll * May/June Issue of The AMSAT Journal Sent to Printer * May/June 2017 Edition of Apogee View Posted on AMSAT.org * AMSAT Member is Author of July 2017 "This Month in QST" Free Article * 2017 AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Nominations Notice * DXCC Needs List for Satellites * AMSAT Events

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-162.01 ANS-162 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 162.01

From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.

DATE June 11, 2017 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-162.01

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ITF-2 is now Tsukuba-OSCAR 89 (TO-89)

In accordance with your request sent to the AMSAT-NA Board of Directors for an OSCAR number for ITF-2, and evidence that all of the conditions for an OSCAR number have been met, I hereby by the authority vested in me by the AMSAT-NA President, do convey on ITF-2 the designation Tsukuba-OSCAR 89 or TO-89.

Along with the rest of the Amateur Radio satellite community, I see that TO-89 has been meeting its objectives since its deployment from ISS and trust that it will continue to do so for the remainder of its mission.

I wish you and your group at the University of Tsukuba YUT Satellite Project Team the best of luck in this and future endeavors to keep Amateur Radio in space.

73, William A. (Bill) Tynan, W3XO OSCAR Number Administrator

[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information]

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AMSAT Strategic Planning Member Poll

A key part of the strategic planning process, as President Barry Baines explains in his article (http://www.amsat.org/?p=6058), is “member engagement.” The reason is that, in a non-profit membership organization like AMSAT, the members quite simply are the lifeblood, the key stakeholders, or what a commercial enterprise would call “customers.”

Member engagement can take many forms. In the strategic planning process, however, member engagement means helping AMSAT figure out how and where to find new and realistic opportunities to move the organization forward. To that end, AMSAT is asking for your help by “engaging” the AMSAT leadership with YOUR desires, needs and vision about the future direction of AMSAT by providing your best answers to the five questions below:

1. What are 3-5 new products, services or activities that AMSAT should START offering or doing (in order of priority, 1 being highest)?

2. What 3-5 current offerings or activities should AMSAT STOP offering or doing (in order of priority, 1 being highest)?

3. What are the top 3 ways that you would prefer AMSAT to communicate with you as a member (in order of priority) [e.g., email, social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, other), website, text, HF radio nets, etc.]?

4. If you were going to recruit another amateur radio operator as an AMSAT member, what pitch do you think would be most successful in making that ham want to join?

5. From your perspective, what would AMSAT ideally look like in 3 years? What would it be doing? What products and services would it offer?

We will share your answers with the AMSAT Board of Directors and members of the strategic planning team.

PLEASE EMAIL RESPONSES TO: journal@amsat.org SUBJECT: Reader Poll

[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information]

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May/June Issue of The AMSAT Journal Sent to Printer

The May/June 2017 issue of The AMSAT Journal has been sent to the printer and should begin arriving in members’ mailboxes shortly.

In this issue:

*AMSAT Announcement

*Apogee View Barry Baines, WD4ASW

*AMSAT Strategic Planning Update Barry Baines, WD4ASW Keith Baker, KB1SF/VA3KSF Clayton Coleman, W5PFG Paul Stoetzer, N8HM Jerry Buxton, N0JY

*AMSAT Journal Strategic Planning Poll

*Hamvention 2017 Joe Kornowski, KB6IGK

*Setting the ISS UHF Distance Record Jerry L. Rogers, W8LR

*Going Portable with the Amateur Radio Satellites Keith Baker, KB1SF/VA3KSF

*AMSAT Goes to the Moon with the Cube Quest Challenge Howie DeFelice, AB2S

[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information]

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May/June 2017 Edition of Apogee View Posted on AMSAT.org

The May/June 2017 edition of Apogee View, a comprehensive bimonthly update of AMSAT's activities written by AMSAT President Barry Baines, WD4ASW, is now available on the AMSAT website at http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=5850

Topics covered in this edition include: -Hamvention -Board of Directors Election & Leadership Changes

[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information]

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AMSAT Member is Author of July 2017 "This Month in QST" Free Article

AMSAT member Gabriel Zeifman, NJ7H/VE6NJH, is the author of the ARRL's "This Month in QST" Free Article for July 2017. The article, "Satellite Roving in the Northwest Territories", chronicles his trip north of the 60th parallel this past winter. A copy of the article is available at

http://www.arrl.org/this-month-in-qst

[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information]

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2017 AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Nominations Notice

It's time to submit nominations for the upcoming AMSAT-NA Board of Directors election. Four directors' terms expire this year: Barry Baines, WD4ASW, Jerry Buxton, N0JY, Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, and Bob McGwier, N4HY. In addition, up to two Alternates may be elected for one year terms.

A valid nomination requires either one Member Society or five current individual members in good standing to nominate an AMSAT-NA member for Director. Written nominations, consisting of the nominee's name and call, and the nominating individual's names, calls and individual signatures should be mailed to: AMSAT-NA, 10605 Concord St, #304 Kensington, MD 20895-2526.

In addition to traditional submissions of written nominations, which is the preferred method, the intent to nominate someone may be made by electronic means. These include e-mail, fax, or electronic image of a petition. Electronic petitions should be sent to martha@amsat.org or faxed to (301)822-4371.

No matter what means is used, petitions MUST arrive no later than June 15th at the AMSAT-NA office. If the nomination is a traditional written nomination, no other action is required. If it is other than this, i.e. electronic, a verifying traditional written petition MUST be received at the AMSAT-NA office at the above address within 7 days following the close of nominations on June 15th.

ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS WITHOUT THIS SECOND, WRITTEN VERIFICATION ARE NOT VALID UNDER THE EXISTING AMSAT-NA BYLAWS.

[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information]

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DXCC Needs List for Satellites

DXCC (NEEDS) ON THE BIRDS. The Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin notes that OPDX's Webmaster, John, K8YSE, is getting close to DXCC on the current Low Earth Orbit Satellites.

His want list includes 3A, 3C, CN, CP, EA9, HB0, HC8, HK0, JW, JX, OH0, P4,U, A2, V44,P2E and ZB2, plus DXpedition entities like 5T, 6W, C5, OJ0, TI9 and XF4.

If you want to try working him, contact John at his QRZ.com address. And if you are planning a DXpedition to a place that is within 6000km of a population center, please consider adding satellites to your operation. You can receive assistance from John and AMSAT. More info at <papays.com/sat> and amsat.org.

[ANS thanks Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 1317 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).

*Tuesday, 20 June 2017 – presentation for Superstition Amateur Radio Club in Mesa AZ

[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA 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