AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-232

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:

ans-editor@amsat.org

In this edition: * NASA Announcement of the Next CubeSat Launch Initiative * National Scouting Museum Announces JOTA Contest for ISS Contact * VQ9JC Activates Diego Garcia on Satellites * AMSAT at the ARRL New England Convention * Satellite Shorts From All Over * ARISS Status - 13 August 2012

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-232.01 ANS-232 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 232.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. August 19, 2012 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-232.01

NASA Announcement of the Next CubeSat Launch Initiative

On February 14, 2012 NASA announced that the AMSAT-NA Fox-1 Cube- sat was selected as one of 33 small satellites to fly as auxiliary payloads aboard rockets planned to launch in 2013 and 2014 during their third round of CubeSat Space Mission Candidates.

NASA released the next Announcement of Cubesat Launch Initia- tive document on August 10, 2012. The CubeSat Launch initiative (CSLI) provides opportunities for small satellite payloads to fly on rockets planned for upcoming launches. These CubeSats are flown as auxiliary payloads on previously planned missions. The NASA document can be accessed on-line at:

http://tinyurl.com/NASA-CubeSat-Initiative-PDF (www.nasa.gov).

Electronic Proposals may be received until the close date on Novem- ber 12, 2012 at 4:30 P.M. EST via email to jason.c.crusan@nasa.gov.

Proposed CubeSat investigations must be consistent with NASA's Stra- tegic Plan and the NASA education vision and goals. The research must address aspects of science, exploration, technology development, education or operations.

NASA will enter into a collaborative agreement with the selected Cube- sat development teams to provide integration and other services as necessary to complete the launch activity. CubeSat developers are res- ponsible for the development cost of their satellite.

The CubeSat Launch Initiative is open to NASA centers, U.S. not-for- profit organizations, and accredited U.S. educational organizations. Participation in the CubeSat Launch Initiative will be contingent upon selection by NASA and negotiation of an appropriate Agreement between NASA and the Collaborator.

More information of the NASA CubeSat Launch initiative (CSLI) can be accessed on the web at: http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/home/CubeSats_initiative.html

[ANS thanks Jason Crusan at NASA for the above information]

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National Scouting Museum Announces JOTA Contest for ISS Contact

On October 20, 2012, the National Scouting Museum in Irving, Texas (a suburb of Dallas) will contact an astronaut on the International Space Station via amateur radio, during the 55th Jamboree On-The-Air (JOTA).

The National Scouting Museum says they expect as many as 25 partici- pants will be selected in a competition to speak via amateur radio with an astronaut in space. The competition is open to all currently registered Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, Sea Scouts, and Venturers who submit the following:

1) Answer the following question: Why should we continue space exploration? in 100 words or less.

2) Indicate if you have any experience with amateur radio or STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) subjects, as well as if you have earned the Astronomy academic belt loop and pin for Cub Scouts, the Space Exploration and/or the Astronomy merit badges, and any other special interests and training related to amateur radio, STEM, or space.

Scouts must send their response by e-mail to nsmuseum@scouting.org before 11:59 p.m., Friday, September 15, 2012 for their chance to be selected to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Scouts who enter should be capable of getting to Irving, Texas for JOTA but that should mean most of Texas, Oklahoma, western Louisiana, and Arkansas.

[ANS thanks Tom Schuessler, N5HYP, Scout Radio Coordinator, Irving Amateur Radio Club for the above information]

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VQ9JC Activates Diego Garcia on Satellites

A news item in the Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 1074, dated August 13, 2012, reports Jim Clary, VQ9JC/ND9M, is back on Diego Garcia until mid-November, 2012. Jim operates through the LEO satellites with an FT-857 (TX) and FT-817 (RX) for duplex comms. His satellite antenna is a 5-element Elk log periodic.

The ham shack building on Diego Garcia is closed for maintenance. Jim operates Field Day style from two recreational parks on the is- land. His HF antennas are hung from trees and he needs to bring all of his amateur radio gear with him including the radio, power supply, antennas, power and coax cables, keyer, laptop, and tools) with him in two backpacks. Jim's HF rig is an FT-897D (barefoot at 100W) and single-band dipoles. Most operating will be on CW, with SSB on occa- sion. Since his two operating spots are outside in public areas, Jim has to set up the station and then break it down each day, which further limits his operating time to 1230-1615z on most days. QSL via ND9M.

All VQ9JC HF operating is from the island, so contacts are valid for DXCC and other awards. Satellite operating is from both the island as well as the ship Jim works on. All QSOs made from the ship will be clearly identified as '/MM' or 'maritime mobile', and the QSLs will indicate that as well.

On his return voyage home from Diego Garcia to the United States last year Jim operated shipboard providing maritime mobile satellite con- tacts from rare ocean grids. No information is available yet about his return voyage plans for this trip.

[ANS thanks Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 1074 for the above information]

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AMSAT at the ARRL New England Convention

AMSAT will be at the ARRL New England Convention 24-26 August 2012. The convention will be held at Holiday Inn in Boxborough, Massachusetts. Ernie Bauer, N1AEW, is leading the booth manning efforts. A forum session will also be held from 1000 to noon on Saturday, 25 August, which will include talks by AMSAT President Barry Baines, WD4ASW and VP Engineering Tony Monterio, AA2TX.

[ANS thanks Ernie, N1AEW, for the above informaion]

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Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Check out the "Eclectic Technology" column on page 44 of the August 2012 QST Magazine, by Steve Ford, WB8IMY for an article about the Fox-1 satellite (and brief mention of AMSAT's accomplishments in developing small satellites.

+ Some may wish to investigate the free Ham Radio Toolbar for your web browser by John, G0DPC at: http://www.haminfobar.co.uk/ John says he provides a completely free download, with no hidden catches.

+ You can see the images sent back from Japan's HORYU-2 amateur sat- ellite at: http://www.uk.amsat.org/9548 This link also provides latest mission information and telemetry capture/decoding tools. The satellite's callsign is JG6YBW and it transmits on 437.375 MHz.

+ In a 20 minute video Korean artist Hojun Song and Donghee Park des- cribes the Open Source Satellite Initiative amateur radio CubeSat OSSI-1. This satellite plans to launch on a Soyuz-2-1b rocket from the Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan along with the Bion-M1 and Dove-2 satellites in December, 2012 with an orbit of 575 km by 290 km and 64.9 degrees inclination. It has a beacon in the 145 MHz band and a data communications transceiver in the 435 MHz band. Also aboard is a 44 watt LED array to flash Morse Code messages to observers on Earth. Watch at: http://www.uk.amsat.org/9600

+ This video report will update you with the Mars post-landing check out and preparations for the rover mission: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YyodK2g6aok And, get a personal perspective of the mission from Mark Rober, one of Curiosity's 3000 developers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PCKogFDM3Zg

[ANS thanks everyone for the above information]

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ARISS Status - 13 August 2012

1. Missed Contact with Canada Science and Technology Museum

Canada Science and Technology Museum Summer Day Camps had been scheduled for an ARISS contact on Thursday, August 9 via station IK1SLD in Italy. The contact was unsuccessful. ARISS is investigating the reason for the failure.

2. Expedition 30/31 Scheduled for Debrief

Astronauts Don Pettit and André Kuipers (Expedition 30/31) will take part in an ISS Ham debrief session to give feedback on the ARISS program. The debrief is scheduled for August 15.

[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.

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. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information.

73, This week's ANS Editor, Lee McLamb, KU4OS ku4os at amsat dot org