AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-290

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:

* AMSAT RadFXSat Vibration Testing * 2016 AMSAT Space Symposium at Sea Registration Still Open * AMSAT SA Sponsors SDR Workshop * Phase 4 Satellite Presentation at TAPR Digital Communication Conference

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-290.01 ANS-290 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 290.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD. DATE October 16, 2016 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-290.01

AMSAT RadFXSat Vibration Testing

RadFxSat underwent vibration testing for two of the three axes on Monday, October 10 at NTS in Boxborough, MA. The X and Z axis were tested with Y axis testing following on Tuesday and final testing completed on Friday, October 14. Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT VP-Engineering reported, "All environmental and post- environmental tests passed. In the bag, another Fox in a Box ready for delivery and integration!"

A YouTube video of the X-Axis test is available https://youtu.be/hPWxXPUmYQ4

Remaining activities include the Mission Readiness Review in December leading to delivery and integration currently scheduled for early January 2017.

(ANS Jerry, N0JY, for the above information)

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2016 AMSAT Space Symposium at Sea Registration Still Open

If you are an Individual attending Symposium on board the CARNIVAL LIBERTY departing Galveston, TX on November 10, you must register to attend the AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual Meeting through AMSAT. Cruise arrangements made through Carnival Cruise Lines does not include the registration fee for the Symposium itself.

There are three options to register for Symposium:

-Complete and mail to the AMSAT Office the 2016 Symposium Registration Form that was sent to all AMSAT members back in July along with the BoD ballot along with payment;

-Call the AMSAT Office (301-822-4376) and speak with AMSAT Office Manager Martha Saragovitz ; or

-Use the AMSAT Store (store.amsat.org) by selecting the “2016 AMSAT-NA Symposium Registration” link found under “Bestsellers” on the right hand side of the store’s main page.

Registration for the Symposium is $40.00 and includes a copy of the “Proceedings” that contains papers written for the Symposium as well as technical documentation that AMSAT is placing in the public domain. The “Proceedings” will be available to attendees onboard ship. In addition, the registration provides a means to confirm the number of individuals in your party planning to attend the AMSAT Banquet as well as an opportunity to reserve seats for the Field Ops Breakfast. Both meals are open to anyone wishing to attend (AMSAT Registration is not necessary) and there is no charge for either event as food is included in your cruise package. However, by indicating how many individuals will be attending, it helps to ensure that sufficient seating is made available for each activity.

As the AMSAT Office will not be open after Monday, 7 NOV 16 through that week, we ask that your Symposium Registration be received at the AMSAT office by Friday, 4 NOV 16.

[ANS thanks 2016 AMSAT Space Symposium Committee for the above information]

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AMSAT SA Sponsors SDR Workshop

AMSAT SA is holding a half-day SDR workshop in cooperation with the South African Radio League at the National Amateur Radio Centre on 26 November 2016. The workshop will include videos and presentations on Software Defined Radio and a practical demonstration. AMSAT SA started a conversation with radio amateurs interested in SDR and soon realised that there is a wider interest in this developing technology in Amateur Radio.

The cost of attending is a contribution to the Kletskous development fund with a minimum of R20 to cover refreshment. For more details and to book your place, visit www.amsatsa.org.za or follow the link from the League's home page.

[ANS thanks SARL weekly news in English 2016-10-15 for the above information]

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Phase 4 Satellite Presentation at TAPR Digital Communication Conference

Gary Pearce KN4AQ has released a video of the Digital Communications Conference presentation by Bob McGwier N4HY about the AMSAT payload for a geosynchronous satellite.

AMSAT-NA is developing a “hosted payload” for a spacecraft that Millennium Space Systems (MSS) of El Segundo, California, is under contract to design, launch, and operate for the US government. The satellite’s potential footprint could extend over the US from the Mid-Pacific to Africa.

The amateur radio payload will comprise a Software Defined Transponder capable of supporting many different modes, including analog SSB.

Gary Pearce KN4AQ writes: We’ve been hearing about a Geosynchronous satellite for the Western Hemisphere for a while now, but not many details. In this episode from the DCC, project leader Bob McGwier N4HY fills in a lot of blanks. There’s no launch date yet, and maybe not quite enough info to start building your ground station (a ‘Five & Dime’ setup – 5 GHz up, 10 GHz down), but you can start thinking about it.

Bob's Phase 4 presentation at DCC can be viewed at the following link: https://youtu.be/BE6ZZ3MQsNY

[ANS thanks HamRadioNow and AMSAT-UK 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 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, Lee McLamb, KU4OS ku4os at amsat dot org