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[jamsat-news:510] ANS-096 WEEKLY BULLETINS



SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-096.01
W3IWI REPORTS ON MO-30 

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 096.01 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 06, 1997
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-096.01

Tom Clark, W3IWI, recently reported more details on the fate of 
MEXICO-OSCAR 30 (MO-30).  In his update, Tom was able to confirm
a number of unofficial reports that the satellite failed on 
orbit and has now been declared lost.

The satellite, which also contained a 40 MHz meteor radar, was 
built at UNAM (The Autonomous University of Mexico) in Mexico
City by David Liberman, XE1TU, and his students.  The basic 
spacecraft was of the same design as the other AMSAT Microsats 
(including LUSAT, DOVE, WEBERSAT, ITAMSAT and EYESAT).

The first UNAMSAT was destroyed (along with the Israeli Techsat) when
its Russian START launch vehicle exploded shortly after the
launch from Plesetsk in March of 1995.

Tom reports that UNAMSAT-1's spare parts were successfully flown
late last summer on a different launch vehicle, also from 
Plesetsk. The new satellite, which ultimately became MO-30, 
was successfully deposited in orbit and transmitted telemetry 
for about one day.  

Unfortunately, according to Tom, the launcher was very cold. 
MO-30 separated from the launcher at a temperature of about
-30C because the satellite was under the launcher shroud for 
a couple of hours.  Apparently, the crystal oscillator in the
uplink receiver's 1st Local Oscillator (LO) never started 
oscillating, so the satellite was totally "deaf".  Because
there was no functioning uplink, battery charging parameters 
suitable for the unanticipated cold temperatures could not be 
loaded, and the satellite ran out of power.  Later attempts to
revive it were unsuccessful. 

Both Tom and Jim White, WD0E, briefly reported on the status 
of the (then ongoing) revival attempts for MO-30 at the AMSAT 
Symposium in Tucson last fall.  However, as those valiant attempts
have since proven unsuccessful, MO-30's project managers have now 
concluded that MO-30 has been lost, apparently for good.

[ANS thanks Tom Clark, W3IWI, and David Liberman, XE1TU for the
information that went into this ANS Bulletin item.]


SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-096.02
FINAL CALL FOR PAPERS

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 096.02 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 06, 1997
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-096.02

This is the final call for papers to authors who wish to present papers at
the `97 Space Symposium in Toronto on Oct.17-19,1997.  Authors and titles
are due by May 1st with abstracts due by June 1st. Final versions are due by
Aug.1st.  Symposium promoters have also encouraged those not able to attend
to consider a paper for publication in the Proceedings of the symposium.

Submissions should be made to Wayne Chandler ,ve3whc@amsat.org,or by mail
to:

W.H.Chandler
Box 6,
Carlisle,On.,L0R1H0
Ont.Canada.

[ANS thanks Wayne Chandler, VE3WHC, for this information.]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-096.03
GB1IMD MARCONI DAY

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 096.03 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 06, 1997
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-096.03

GB1IMD will be on air for 24 hours on Saturday  April 19th.  Operations 
begin with the first available orbit after 0000 UTC.  GB1IMD will be active
in voice mode on RS-10, RS-15, RS-16 (if the transponder is on) FO-20, 
AO-27, FO-29.

In it's 10th year, this popular HF event , celebrating Marconi's  
achievements in radio communication, is extended to satellite by GB1IMD.  
Operators Robert, G8ATE, and John, G7HIA, look forward to meeting old
friends and making new ones.  Please give them a call.

[ANS thanks John Heath, G7HIA, for this report.]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-096.04
THE STATION PROGRAM INFO

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 096.04 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 06, 1997
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-096.04

A number of Station users are in the process of translating the resource   
files into various languages other than English. This is in an effort 
to create one version of the Station Program, but with the option of
various local languages.

Paul Willmott, VP9MU, developer of the program reports that he is short of
a French language volunteer.  He asks that anyone fluent in French, as
well as "satellite literate" and who would also be willing to translate
some short sentences and phrases from English into French, to contact 
him at his E-mail address listed below.   Paul says he is trying to make 
the Station program a truly international one for the worldwide amateur
satellite community.

The Station Program is a complete ground-station control program, for
Windows 3.1, WFW 3.11 & Windows 95. It is optimized for users of analog   
modes (voice & Morse etc), it is not the same as WiSP!  The Station   
Program is currently distributed by AMSAT-UK, AMSAT-NA & AMSAT-ZL. 
All proceeds are donated to the AMSAT Phase-3D fund.

The latest version can always be obtained from the AMSAT-BDA web site at
"http://www.amsat.bm"

The software supports the Kansas City Tracker, AEA ST-1, DDE Rotor,
TrakBox (Rotor), Icom CI-V radios (via CT-17) & Icom IC-IV (via
UX-14/CT-17) interfaces, Yaesu FT-736R, and is great for analog
modes...simply turn the dial and work satellite as easily as HF.

Paul also reports that support for the Kenwood TS-790 is "coming soon"!

If you want to be placed on the Station mailing list, then send a
SUBSCRIBE message, along with your real email address to vp9mu@amsat.org.  
Alias names, such as vp9mu@amsat.org, cannot be used.

This list is used to notify users about the availability of upgrades.

>From time to time, .zip files are attached.  If your email system has 
trouble with attachments, then the latest version is always available 
on the AMSAT-BDA www site.  If  you want to be removed from the list, 
then send an UNSUBSCRIBE message to "vp9mu@amsat.org".

[ANS thanks Paul Willmott, VP9MU, for this news item.]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-096.05
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PT 1

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 096.05 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 06, 1997
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-096.05

MIR: 
(New frequencies implemented 1 January 1997:
Uplink 145.2 MHz FM Downlink  145.8 MHz FM) 
Note, the above split is used for both packet and voice operation.

SAFEX, MIR 70cm Repeater
(Uplink 435.750 MHz FM, Downlink 437.950 MHz FM, 
Subaudible tone 141.3 Hz)
The repeaterhas been operational and active.

RS-10: 
(Uplink 145.865-145.905 MHz CW/SSB, Downlink 29.36-29.4 MHz CW/SSB) 
Operating normally.

RS-12: 
(Uplink 21.21-21.25 MHz CW/SSB, Downlink 29.41-29.45 MHz or
145.91-145.95 Mhz CW/SSB) 
The sat continues to provide excellent downlink signals in both T- 
and K-mode. 
[ANS thanks Dick Montgomery, N3DV, for this update.]

RS-15
(Uplink 145.858-145.898 MHz CW/SSB, Downlink 29.354-29.394 MHz CW/SSB) 
Fred Andreas, ZR5FA, has been following RS-15 "night" passes closely 
from ZS-Land  the past week and noticed the downlink signal on voice to be 
extremely strong  lately (on par with RS-10) ,despite the apparent 
charging problem. There has been no noted activity on RS-15 from the 
African continent of late .
[ANS thanks Fred Andreas, ZR5FA, for this report.]

Be aware that RS-15 has battery charging problems. When the satellite is
in the dark it has low output power..
[ANS thanks Geoff Perry  for this report.]
(Hint: If SSB doesn't work for you, try CW. CW is very easy
to hear on the downlink!)

RS-16
RS-16's 70 cm, 435.504 Mhz beacon on RS-16 operational. 
The 10 meter beacon is not active at this time. Transponder is not yet
operational.

FO-20 
(Uplink 145.9-146.0 MHz CW/LSB, Downlink 435.8-435.9
MHz CW/USB) 
Operating normally. Strong downlink signals.

KO-23 
(Uplink 145.85, 145.9 MHz FM, Downlink 435.175 MHz FM,
9600 Baud FSK.) 
KO-23 is operating normally. 

KO-25:
(Uplink 145.980 MHz FM, Downlink 436.5 MHz FM,
9600 Baud FSK.)
KO-25 is operating normally. 
[ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for his reports on
KO-25 and KO-23.]
 
AO-27:
(Uplink 145.85 MHz FM, Downlink 436.8 MHz FM) 
Operating normally and lots of activity heard over
North America and Europe.
As of NOV 2, the AO-27 schedule is as follows:
  TEPR 4 = 16 = 8 Minutes in Length
  TEPR 5 = 52 = 18 Minutes in Length

  TX-3 is on Mid Power during TEPR 5.

This setting  will have the TX turn on 8 Minutes after the satellite
enters the sun for a duration of 18 Minutes. This is a "back to US
Latitudes"operation.

N4USI, AO-27's current Command Station sends his thanks all for
their messages about the satellite turning on later than expected. He
reports he's deliberately letting the "turn on" time drift later
(for about 4-5 Minutes) so stations in the southern latitudes can also
have a chance to work AO-27.  Every few months he will be letting the
turn on time drift like this to give more stations a chance to make
contacts thru the satellite.
[ANS thanks Michael Wyrick, N4USI, AO-27 Control-op, and Miguel A.
Menendez, EA1BCU, for this update.]

FO-29 
Voice/CW
(Uplink 145.9-146.0 MHz CW/LSB, Downlink 435.8-435.9 MHz CW/USB) 
Digital
(Uplink 145.85, 145.87, 145.910 MHz FM, Downlink 435.910 MHz FM 9600
baud BPSK)
The latest FO-29 Schedule can be found at.
http://www.kt.rim.or.jp/~jr1nvu/eindex.html
The JARL FO-29 command station announced that
FO-29 will be again put in digi-talker mode on 4th to 7th April,
with thanks to well received digi-talker to satellite beginners.

FO-20(Fuji-2) Operation mode schedule
Apr.   11(Fri)   10:16z(19:16)     JD 1200bps
    18(Fri)   00:46z(09:46)     JD 9600bps
    25(Fri)   01:24z(10:24)     JA
May  2(Fri)   10:26z(19:26)     JD 1200bps
     9(Fri)   00:57z(09:57)     JD 9600bps
    16(Fri)   01:35z(10:35)     JA
    23(Fri)   00:29z(09:29)     JD 1200bps
    30(Fri)   01:07z(10:07)     JD 9600bps
[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for this report.]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-096.06
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PT 2

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 096.06 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 06, 1997
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-096.06

AO-10:
(Uplink 435.030-435.18 MHz CW/LSB, Downlink 145.975-145.825 MHz 
CW/USB) 

Participants in the Amsat-UK,  Central England VHF Net reported good results
on AO-10.  Malcom, G7NFO had worked some interesting "DX" including TR8CA, 
PP8KWA,ZS2BWB and PY0FF.
[ANS thanks John Heath, G7HIA, Net Controller, for this report.]

OSCAR-11
(Downlink 145.825 MHz. FM, 1200 Baud PSK. Beacon 2401.500 MHz..)
During the period 19-February to 18 March, good, steady
signals  have  been  received  from  the  145.826 MHz.  beacon.  Good
signals have also been received on 435 MHz., Saturday 15 March, 14:00
pass, when the satellite was being commanded by ground control.
 [ANS thanks  Clive Wallis, G3CWV, for this information.]

AMSAT-OSCAR-16 (PACSAT) 
(Uplink 145.9, 145.92, 145.94, 145.86 MHz FM, Downlink 437.0513 MHz SSB, 
1200 Baud PSK. Beacon 2401.1428 Mhz.)

Russ Platt WJ9F, AO-16 Command Team , reports the digipeater on AO-16 has  
been on for the last couple of months.  In regards to the 2.4 GHz 
transmitter,  it does continue to work, although WJ9F has not been leaving 
it on for an entire orbit due to its high current load on the 10 v bus.
The battery charging scheme on the micros is managed during  sunlight
by adjusting the RCPSK transmitter power up or down to charge and
not overcharge the batteries since there is no way to turn the solar
cells off.  The S-band transmitter does not have the ability to vary
its output so it is a high current draw throughout the orbit.  In the
past during Experimenters Days when the S-Band transmitter is turned on
WJ9F had to scale back the output of the RCPSK transmitter
to levels that were difficult to receive and even with these low levels
the onboard software will still turn off the S-band TX if the Battery
voltage drops too low, which it did. In the future, WJ9F plans to continue
to turn on the S-band TX as power allows. 
[ANS thanks Russ Platt WJ9F, AO-16 Command Team  for this report.]

AO-16 Data/Telemetry ON-LINE
uptime is 917/06:33:41.  Time is Sun Mar 23 11:57:01 1997
Total Array C= 0.317 Bat Ch Cur=-0.070 Ifb= 0.079 I+10V= 0.319
TX:010C BCR:80 PWRC:5AE BT:3C WC:25 EDAC:EC

WOD Dump of Bus/Power Channels 10,13,1E,22,2D,33
Will dump for 24 hours / AO-16 Command Team <WJ9F>
Graphic information about WOD/Telemetry values can find it in:
http://www.arrakis.es/~ea1bcu/ao16.htm
[ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.]

DO-17(DOVE)
( Downlink 145.825 MHz FM, 1200 Baud AFSK.
Beacon 2401.220 MHz.)
DOVE is transmitting on 2M and on S-band 2401.220 MHz.
The command team is  keeping  the S-band transmitter on as a 
test signal for those working  on getting S receive equipment going.
The S transmitter is running about .8W to a whip that sticks out the top of
the satellite near one edge.  In the northern hemisphere the whip is
pointed away from the earth, it's toward the earth in the southern
hemisphere.  It is quite loud with a typical satellite S-band receive
setup, but in the northern hemisphere it will fade as much as 20 dB with
rotation of the satellite.  Doppler of course is large, approximately  
100 KHz during a pass.
[ANS thanks Jim white, WD0E, DO-17 Command Team, for this news.]

WEBERSAT (WO-18) 
(Downlink 437.104 MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK AX.25.)
Webersat (WO-18) is currently in MBL mode after last weeks system 
crash. The satellite appears to be in good condition broadcasting 
MBL telemetry.

BCRi316.43mA bplt 1.340C  TxPw 0.231W  5 V  5.742V  8.5V10.008V  
10V 14.036V
[ANS thanks Tommy Davis, IK3WVJ,  for this report.]

LUSAT-OSCAR-19 
(Uplink 145.84, 145.86, 145.88, 145.9 MHz FM, Downlink 437.1528 MHz SSB, 
1200 Baud PSK AX.25.)
(LUSAT-LO-19)
uptime is 641/22:29:45.  Time is Sun Mar 23 12:34:55 1997
Total Array C= 0.333 Bat Ch Cur= 0.030 Ifb= 0.020 I+10V= 0.201
TX:110 BCR:34 PWRC:133AA BT:55 WC: 0 
<BEACON>
22 de Enero de 1997.
7 years ! Gracias a todos los amigos que lo hicieron posible.
Amsat -LU...LU8DYF.
Graphic information about Telemetry values can be found at:
http://www.arrakis.es/~ea1bcu/lo19.htm
[ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.]

IO-26 ( ITAMSAT):
(Uplink 145.875, 145.9, 145.925, 145.95MHz FM, Downlink 435.822 MHz SSB, 
1200 Baud PSK.)
IO-26 controllers report that the spacecraft is now in IHT mode.  The new
ROBOT software is currently undergoing tests.  The beacon reports
that the digipeater is OFF and that the ROBOT is also  undergoing tests.
Controllers ask that groundstations please not transmit on any of
the satellite's uplink frequencies for the time being.
[ANS thanks Daniele Piercarlo, IK2XRO, ITMSAT Command Station for this 
report.]

[Please send your Satellite or News reports to ANS Editor B.J. Arts, WT0N, 
via e-mail, at bjarts@the-bridge.net or to wt0n@amsat.org]

/EX

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BJ Arts  
WT0N in EN-37,  ARMY MARS AAR5EL
Hibbing, Minnesota. U.S.A.
e-mail bjarts@the-bridge.net or wt0n@amsat.org
Amsat News Service Bulletin Editor