AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-297

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:

* LightSail Backup Being Built * ARISS Status - 18 October 2010 * FO-29 Eclipses * Minutes of BOD meeting * Call for Papers SE VHF Society

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-297.01 LightSail-1 Backup Being Built

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 297.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. October 24, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-297.01

Louis Friedman, program director for LightSail-1, has announced that a back-up craft to LightSail-1 will be built,

instead of an investment in insurance for an estimated cost of $ 200,000.

As previously announced in July 2010 by AMSAT News Service (SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-206.08)

LightSail-1 is planned to be launched in early 2011.

LightSail-1 is a three Cubesat spacecraft (size of shoebox and proposed AMSAT Fox).

It will use UHF frequencies for tracking and command control stations.

California Polytechnic University is supplying the Cubesat bus, avionics and launch vehicle P-POD interface;.

Georgia Tech University is leading the mission operations, Dave Spencer serving as mission manager;

Stellar Exploration, Inc. led by Tomas Svitek is building LightSail-1;

Jim Cantrell of Strategic Space Systems is project manager; and

Louis D. Friedman is the LightSail-1 program director.

The LightSail-1 program will be featured this weekend in Washington D.C.

The USA Science & Engineering Festival National Mall in Washington, D.C. October 23 & 24, 1010 10am to 5:50pm

http://www.planetary.org/programs/projects/space_information/usa_science_fes tival_2010.html

For further information on this Planetary Society program:

http://www.planetary.org/programs/projects/innovative_technologies/solar_sai ling/

[ANS thanks Greg, W9GB, for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-297.02 ARISS Status - 18 October 2010

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 297.02 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. October 24, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-297.02

1. School Contact in Australia

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact for Carine Primary School in Perth, Western Australia, Australia was held on Tuesday, October 19 at 07:06 UTC via telebridge station WH6PN in Hawaii. The school has incorporated the contact into its science curriculum. Guest speakers present included representatives from an amateur radio club and the science center, Scitech. Students from Kindergarten through grade 7 have been involved in research and other activities in preparation for this event, using IT and online resources, including the NASA Web site.

2. George Observatory Contact Successful

On Saturday, October 16, an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact was held with scouts and astronomy club members attending the Astronomy Day event at George Observatory in Needville, Texas. This was a telebridge contact via station WH6PN in Hawaii. Approximately 150 people attended and listened as Doug Wheelock, KF5BOC answered 12 questions about life in space posed to him by the youth. As part of the event, scout troops set up an amateur radio station near the observatory to conduct their all-day Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) radio contacts and also worked on Radio Merit Badges. The Brazos Valley Amateur Radio Club was on hand to assist with JOTA activities and prepared for afternoon satellite contacts with an Arrow hand-held antenna.

3. ARRL Article on ARISS Contacts

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) ran a story on recent ARISS contacts including those with Windsor Central School District, Utah Scouts and IRSEA, as well Doug Wheelock's many general contacts. The article, written by Rick Lindquist, WW3DE may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/news/iss-astronaut-creating-ham-radio-buzz-taking-scienc e-to-students

4. Amateur Radio Newsline Covers ARISS

On October 15, the Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1731 included two ARISS related stories. "Ham Radio in Space: ARISSat-1 Enroute to Russia" announces ARISSat's arrival at JSC and its planned shipment to Russia. "Challenger Learning Center Inaugurates Ham Station" is about the station set up at the CLC in Oregon, Ohio to get students interested in STEM studies. Both stories may be found at: ftp://ftp.arnewsline.org/quincy/News/news.txt

5. ARISSat-1 Safety Review Held

The Johnson Space Center Payload Safety Review Panel performed a Phase 2 flight safety review of ARISSat-1 on Wednesday and Thursday, October 13 and 14 in Houston. ARISSat passed the review with modifications to the hazard reports. As soon as the updates requested are incorporated, the hazard reports will be approved and then passed on for the next phase of the review process.

[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI, for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-297.03 FO-29 Eclipses

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 297.03 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. October 24, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-297.03

FO-29 Operating Schedule Affected by Eclipses

Mineo Wakita, JE9PEL reported that JARL has been making necessary adjustments to the FO-29 satellite operating schedule as the sat- ellite enters a period of eclipses. The eclipses have reduced the power budget requiring frequent analysis of available power aboard the satellite.

FO-29 will be enable when the power budget allows. JARL requests that satellite operators access FO-29 with as little power as nec- essary to maintain communication.

Mineo has posted calculations of the FO-29 eclipses at: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/fo29ilum.htm

[ANS thanks Mineo Wakita, JE9PEL for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-297.04 BOD Minutes of 5 January 2010

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 297.04 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. October 24, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-297.04

AMSAT BoD Telecon Meeting, 5 January 2010

Called to order by President Barry Baines, WD4ASW at 2005 EST.

Attending:

Directors Barry Baines, WD4ASW Tom Clark, K3IO Gould Smith, WA4SXM Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA Lou McFadin, W5DID Bill Ress, N6GHZ Alan Biddle, WA4SCA Tony Monteiro, AA2TX (Alternate) Others: Martha Saragovitz, Officer Manager Keith Baker, KB1SF, Treasurer Elect

Due to the resignation of AMSAT Treasurer Gunther Meisse, W8GSM, President Baines appointed Keith Baker, KB1SF/ VA3KSF to fill this position on an interim basis, pending formal approval by the BoD. Keith spoke briefly, stating that the transition had gone smoothly, and that he would be continuing with past practices. He did bring up the status of the AMSAT logo registration status. Martha reported that it had recently been renewed. Barry moved, and Tom seconded, that Keith be approved. This was passed unanimously.

The final version of the AMSAT Bulletin Board Acceptable Use Policy (AUP, attached) was brought up for discussion. Bill expressed concern that the dissemination was not adequately addressed, particularly with respect to the Bulletin Board itself. Both Tom and Gould mentioned that the implementation was separate from the AUP, and Lou emphasized that it should be in any case readily accessible. Gould assured the BoD that it would be widely disseminated, including the Bulletin Board itself. With this clarification, it was moved by Barry and seconded by Alan and Tom that the AUP be accepted. This was passed unanimously.

The current working revision of the AMSAT budget was not approved at the annual BoD meeting due to some information not being available. This information is now reflected in version #8, though Lou emphasized that the ARISSat-1 budgeting was still incomplete. It was moved by Barry and seconded by Drew that this version be approved. This was passed unanimously.

It was moved by Barry and seconded by Drew that the 3 November 2009 BoD telecon meeting be approved as circulated and published in the Journal. This was passed unanimously.

There being no additional formal business, it was moved by Barry and seconded by Alan that the meeting be adjourned. This was passed unanimously.

The Official Board meeting closed at 2027 EST.

[ANS thanks Alan Biddle, WA4SCA for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-297.05 Call for Papers SE VHF Society

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 297.05 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. October 24, 2010 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-297.05

Call for Papers: 15th Annual Southeastern VHF Society Conference

If you are looking for something to do during the long, cold winter nights you may consider writing a paper in response to the Southeast- ern VHF Society's call for papers and presentations for their 15th annual conference to be held in Huntsville, Alabama on April 29th and 30th, 2011.

Papers and presentations are solicited on both the technical and oper- ational aspects of VHF, UHF and Microwave weak signal amateur radio. Full details of the Conference, requested paper and presentation topics and submission details can be found on-line at: http://www.svhfs.org

[ANS thanks Robin Midgett, K4IDC 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