[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

[jamsat-news:1071] ANS-108


AMSAT NEWS SERVICE	
ANS 108	

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.

AMSAT-NA is pleased to announce that recent and future development
in amateur radio satellites will be presented in San Diego, California
--October 8-11, 1999-- at the 17th Space Symposium and
AMSAT-NA Annual Meeting. More information is available from
Symposium chair, Duane Naugle, KO6BT, at:
ko6bt@amsat.org

Information on AMSAT-NA is available at the following URL:
http://www.amsat.org  (or)

AMSAT-NA
850 Sligo Avenue, Suite 600
Silver Spring, Maryland
                          20910-4703

Voice: 	301-589-6062
FAX:	301-608-3410

Currently, AMSAT-NA supports the following free mailing lists:

* AMSAT News Service (ANS)
* General satellite discussion (AMSAT-BB)
* Orbit data (KEPS)
* Manned space missions (SAREX)
* District of Columbia area (AMSAT-DC)
* New England (AMSAT-NE)
* AMSAT Educational Liaison mailing list (AMSAT-EDU)

To subscribe, or for more list information, visit the following URL:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/listserv/menu.html

This ANS Bulletin set is dedicated to the memory of former ARRL Pacific
Division Vice Director Ronald Martin, W6ZF, of Napa, California, who
recently became a silent key.

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-108.01
UOSAT-12 LAUNCH IMMINENT

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 108.01 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 18, 1999
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-108.01

Chris Jackson, G7UPN, tells ANS that "UoSAT-12 is due to be launched
aboard a converted Soviet SS-18 ICBM missile very soon." The launch,
from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, could take place as early as the week
of April 19th.

UoSAT-12 is the latest satellite from the University of Surrey. The
amateur package was built by the University's UoSAT team as a
research satellite (along the lines of UO-9, UO-11, UO-14, UO-15 and
UO-22).

UoSAT-12 carries a number of imaging payloads (with up to 10-meter
image resolution) along with digital store-and-forward communications in
both the VHF and UHF band segments. Mode L/S transponders will also
be supported with a high-speed digital downlink.

Chris reports the satellite is considerably larger than UO-22 or TO-31
and carries a propulsion system for orbital housekeeping experiments.
The imaging system comprises a panchromatic imager and a
multispectral imager along with a wide-angle color camera. The S-band
downlink can run at speeds up to 1Mb per second for downloading
imaging data, and can also be used as an L/S analog (voice)
transponder. L/S frequencies are selectable via groundstation command.

Chris reports the L/S payload consumes "an awful lot of power",
which means the transponder will be subject to on/off times following a
published schedule.

UoSAT-12 will be placed into a 640km by 66-degree inclination orbit.
During the initial orbits the satellite will be transmitting 9600 baud FSK
telemetry framed in a VLSI format using a downlink frequency of
437.400 MHz.

G7UPN promises "more information in the form of regular postings as
things progress to launch", telling ANS "there's still a lot of work to do
and not much time to get it all done." In addition, a dedicated UoSAT-12
web site with more information will soon be available. In the interim,
John, G0ORX, reports preliminary UoSAT-12 data can be found at:

http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/CSER/UOSAT/missions/uo12/index.html

[ANS thanks Chris G7UPN / ZL2TPO, and the University of Surrey, for
this information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-108.02
14TH AMSAT-UK COLLOQUIUM

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 108.02 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 18, 1999
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-108.02

Richard Limebear, G3RWL, has announced that the 14th AMSAT-UK
Colloquium, also known as SpaceComm '99, will be held at Surrey
University, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom. The Colloquium will run
from July 23rd through July 25, 1999.

AMSAT-UK invites authors to submit papers about amateur radio space
and associated activities for this event and for the Proceedings
document, which will be published at the same time. G3RWL reports
they normally prefer authors to present papers, but also welcome
unpresented papers for the event. AMSAT-UK also invites anyone with
requests for program topics (especially topics for beginners) to submit
them as soon as possible to G3RWL.

Offers of Papers should be submitted as soon as possible with the final
date for full documents currently set as mid-June 1999 (in order that the
Proceedings document is available to participants).

Submissions should be sent to G3RWL, via the following routes:

Internet e-mail:		g3rwl@amsat.org
Packet Radio:     	G3RWL @ GB7HSN.#32.GBR.EU
Satellite:        		Oscar 16/22/25

Terrestrial mail: 		R W L Limebear G3RWL
                  		60 Willow Road
                  		Enfield EN1 3NQ
                  			United Kingdom.

AMSAT-UK will also be offering sessions specifically for satellite
beginners. There will be two identical sessions during the event.

Colloquium booking information is expected to issue shortly.

[ANS thanks Richard Limebear, G3RWL, Colloquium Program Organizer
for this information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-108.03
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 108.03 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 18, 1999
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-108.03

ARRL Headquarters has issued a hearty thank you and a tip of a
ten-gallon hat to all amateur radio volunteers during National
Volunteer Week, April 18-24, 1999.

According to the ARRL "our great hobby is even greater because of
volunteer dedication and the many types of efforts they put forth.
Volunteer activities start with planting the seed about amateur radio and
continue in assisting with earning a license to encouraging a ham's
interest in any and every aspect within amateur radio."

In the realm of public service, ham radio volunteers serve admirably
to provide emergency communication and assistance of all types
during disasters and emergencies everywhere. For disaster victims,
amateur radio volunteers often have provided a link with the outside
world when other systems failed, easing the plight of victims and
helping affected communities to recover.

ANS would like to echo the League comments. AMSAT is truly a
volunteer organization and could not exist without the dedicated efforts of
many hardworking people. ANS alone receives weekly information from
several satellite operators who help AMSAT News Service with news
and information about our wonderful aspect of amateur radio. Without
the activities of these volunteers, ANS would not exist!

ANS editor Dan James, NN0DJ, would like to thank each and every one
of the many amateur radio satellite operators that help with this important
task.

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-108.04
ANS IN BRIEF

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 108.04 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 18, 1999
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-108.04

ANS news in brief this week includes the following:

** AMSAT Net of the week: the TRW/Space Hams International Net.
This net meets on the 145.320 MHz Los Angles repeater each Thursday
evening. Stan, W6EKK, and Ronnie, N6SHI, handle net control duties.
The net provides information on how to contact the space shuttle,
Mir, satellites and also updates the ISS project along with helping hams
in visually sighting Mir, ISS and Iridium flares.

** AMSAT-NA's Martha Saragovitz tells ANS that Tom Clark, W3IWI,
recently had heart by-pass surgery. Thankfully, Martha reports Tom did
well in surgery and is recovering. Well wishes can be sent to Tom at:
tac@clark.net. -ANS

** ANS principal satellite investigator Mike, N1JEZ, is updating his
'Amateur Satellite Resource Guide'. Mike is asking two questions - what
is your favorite satellite tracking page on the web and do you operate an
AO-27 gateway or re-transmit the AO-27 downlink signal for hams in
your area to hear? Drop Mike an e-mail with the details at:
n1jez@amsat.org. -ANS

** With the current March/April AMSAT Journal issue in distribution, the
May/June plans are underway. Featured articles will include 'AMSAT-NA
30th Anniversary Interview', 'A Modest but Effective AO-10 Antenna', 'A
Chat with Andy Thomas', 'Don't Fear the LEO's', 'US/Mir QSL', 'Mir Day
at Seminary Hill School' and 'AMSAT Field Day Plans'. ANS reminds
amateurs that an AMSAT-NA membership includes the AMSAT journal.
-Russ, K5NRK

** Looking for visible satellites? Dave, WB6LLO, knows a web site that
can help. Dave tells ANS that all you need to do is enter your location
and all of the visible satellites for your location are presented along with
a wealth of information, including predictions for convenient viewing
times. The URL is:
http://www2.gsoc.dlr.de/scripts/satvis/satvis.asp. -Dave, WB6LLO

** ISS flight control teams in Moscow and Houston turned their attention
from system monitoring to system testing in preparation for the next visit
of a space shuttle to the orbiting outpost. Teams are testing the station
power system as part of preparations for the arrival of Discovery and the
STS-96 crew in late May. -NASA

** NASA Space Shuttle Program Manager Tommy Holloway has been
named manager of the International Space Station Program, replacing
Randolph Brinkley, who is departing NASA to pursue opportunities in the
private sector. Ronald Dittemore, a 22-year veteran of the Space Shuttle
Program, has been named to replace Holloway as Space Shuttle
Program manager. -NASA

** The FCC is advising applicants for reciprocal operating permits that
an application is no longer required. The new rules also will pave the way
for U.S. hams to more easily operate in most of Europe. -ARRL

** NASA's Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft executed an automatic
response to place itself in a 'contingency' mode after a hinge that allows
the spacecraft's high-gain telecommunications antenna to point toward
Earth stopped moving as planned. Flight controllers at JPL in Pasadena
and Lockheed Martin in Denver are in the process of diagnosing the
problem to determine when the antenna stopped moving. -NASA

** The next generation space telescope will look deeper into space
as astronomers plan the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope.
Their goal is to build a new Hubble that will be quite different from the
venerable 9-year-old observatory, whose cosmic discoveries have made
most astronomy reference books obsolete. Plans including a deep
elliptical orbit, a mirror that will be much bigger and with advanced
instruments. The Next Generation Space Telescope (NGT) will be up to
1,000 times more sensitive than any existing or planned observatory.
NGT could launch by 2007 or 2008. -Larry Wheeler/Florida Today

** Some doorstep astronomy from ANS: Venus is the brilliant evening
star shining in the west during and after dusk, also Mars is now at its
best! The red planet shines bright orange low in the southeast at
nightfall. It's at a good, high altitude for telescopic observing. Mars
currently appears as the biggest we'll see it for another two years.
-Sky & Telescope

--ANS BULLETIN END---

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-108.05
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 1

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 108.05 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 18, 1999
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-108.05

MIR SAFEX II 70-cm Repeater
Uplink		435.750 MHz FM w/subaudible tone 141.3 Hz
Downlink  	437.950 MHz FM
Seldom-operational. No operation in 1999 has been observed.

MIR SAFEX II 70-cm QSO Mode
Uplink    	435.725 MHz FM w/subaudible tone 151.4 Hz
Downlink  	437.925 MHz FM
Seldom-operational. No operation in 1999 has been observed.

MIR PERSONAL MESSAGE SYSTEM (PMS)
Uplink/Downlink 145.985 MHz FM 1200 baud AFSK
Semi-operational.

Ernie, KF4IHX, tells ANS that during the past week the Mir PMS system
has been active, including several stations digipeating through Mir.
KF4IHX reports Cuban station C07SD was connected to R0MIR on the
night of April 13th.

The PBBS is running a Kantronics KPC-9612+ V 8.1 TNC. The
commands are similar to most PBBS and BBS systems.

AMSAT-France announced that Air Force General Jean-Pierre Haignere
has been given a personal amateur radio callsign to use aboard the Mir
space station - FX0STB. The QSL manager for FX0STB is:

Radio Club F5KAM
QSL manager MIR
22 rue Bansac
63000 Clermont Ferrand
France

Scott, WA6LIE, has a set of instructions on how to work the Mir space
station. Copies are available from Scott by e-mail at:

wa6lie@juno.com (or by packet) wa6lie@wa6lie.#wcca.ca.usa.noam

[ANS thanks Scott Avery, WA6LIE, and the MIREX team for Mir status
information]

RADIO SPORT   RS-12
Uplink		  21.210 to  21.250 MHz CW/SSB
Uplink          	145.910 to 145.950 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink	  29.410 to  29.450 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink        	145.910 to 145.950 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon  	  29.408 MHz
Robot Uplink       21.129 MHz
Robot Downlink  29.454 MHz
Last reported to be semi-operational, beacon only.

RADIO SPORT   RS-13
Uplink     	  21.260 to  21.300 MHz CW/SSB
Uplink          	145.960 to 146.000 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink          	  29.460 to  29.500 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink        	145.960 to 146.000 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon           	  29.504 MHz
Robot Uplink     	  21.140 MHz*   Robot Downlink       29.458 MHz
Operational. Last reported in mode KA with a 10-meter downlink
and a 15-meter and 2-meter uplink.

* Andy, G0SFJ, tells ANS the RS-13 robot uplink may have moved to
145 MHz (from 15-meters). G0SFJ reports RS-13 is currently sending
'CQ CQ de RS-13 QRU 145840 kHz'.

Jerry, K5OE, reports working AMSAT-NA President, Keith, KB1SF, via
RS-13. John, K2JF, has been active in the RS-13 CW passband. Ernie,
KF4IHX, reports very high activity on RS-13 "even during the week."

RS-12/13 command is now in the hands of Alex Papkov, in
Kaluga City, Russia.

RADIO SPORT   RS-15
Uplink		145.858 to 145.898 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink	  29.354 to  29.394 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon           	  29.352 MHz (intermittent)
Semi-operational, mode A, using a 2-meter uplink and a 10-meter
downlink.

The 29.380 MHz SSB 'meeting frequency' used by most RS-15
operators is showing good results.

Dave, WB6LLO, reports he has prepared a "quick and dirty" set of
operating instructions for RS-15 at the following URL:

http://users.aol.com/dguimont/sat.txt

OSCAR 10   AO-10
Uplink		435.030 to 435.180 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink  	145.975 to 145.825 MHz CW/USB
Beacon    	145.810 MHz (unmodulated carrier)
Semi-operational, mode B. AO-10 has been locked into a 70-cm uplink
and a 2-meter downlink for several years.

John, M1BTR, reports some FMing still evident on the downlink, as does
Jerry, K5OE. Mike, N1JEZ, the ANS principal satellite investigator,
reports working CX6DD. Jeff, KB2WQM, has been active on AO-10.

Look for AO-10 downlink signals to improve.

W4SM has more information about the satellite at the following URL:

http://www.cstone.net/~w4sm/AO-10.html

[ANS thanks Stacey Mills, W4SM, for his AO-10 status information and
web site]

AMRAD   AO-27
Uplink    	145.850 MHz FM
Downlink  	436.795 MHz FM
Operational, mode J.

The TEPR (Timed Eclipse Power Regulation) states on AO-27 were
reset by Chuck, KM4NZ, on 13-April-99. They currently are:

TEPR 4 is 34 and TEPR 5 is 70.

Al, XE2YVW, is looking for North Dakota via AO-27. Al recently activated
rare grid square EK16, 200 miles from the Guatemalan border on AO-27.

[ANS thanks Chuck Wyrick, KM4NZ, and Michael Wyrick, N4USI, for
AO-27 information]

JAS-1b   FO-20
Uplink   	145.900 to 146.000 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 	435.800 to 435.900 MHz CW/USB
Operational. FO-20 is in mode JA continuously.

Brian, N3MIQ, reports working IW2MEX via FO-20.

[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-20 status reports]

JAS-2   FO-29
Voice/CW Mode JA
Uplink   	145.900 to 146.000 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 	435.800 to 435.900 MHz CW/USB
Semi-operational, rotated with digital mode and digi-talker.

Digital Mode JD
Uplink     	145.850  145.870  145.910 MHz FM
Downlink   	435.910 MHz FM 9600 baud BPSK
Digitalker 	435.910 MHz
Semi-operational, rotated with analog mode and digi-talker.

Kazu, JJ1WTK, reported to ANS that the new operational
schedule announced by the JARL is as follows:

April  12  -  April 27	mode JA
April  28  -  May 06    	digitalker
May  07  -  May 17    	mode JA
May  17  -  May 24    	mode JD 1200 baud PSK mailbox
May  24  -  May 31  	mode JA

[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-29 status reports]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-108.06
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 2

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 108.06 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 18, 1999
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-108.06

KITSAT   KO-25
Uplink		145.980 MHz FM 9600 baud FSK
Downlink 	436.500 MHz FM
Operational.

Jim, AA7KC, reports KO-25 is performing well under heavy usage with
good downlink efficiency.

[ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for KO-25 status information]

UOSAT   UO-22
Uplink   	145.900 or 145.975 MHz FM 9600 baud FSK
Downlink 	435.120 MHz FM
Operational.

Carol, W9HGI, reports UO-22 is performing within acceptable limits.
W9HGI operates the West Coast Packet Satellite Gateway (WSPG) for
the Worldwide Packet Network (WPN).

More information on the satellite is available at the following URL:

http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/EE/CSER/UOSAT/

[ANS thanks Carol Byers, W9HGI and Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO,
for UO-22 status information]

OSCAR-11
Downlink  	  145.825 MHz FM, 1200 baud AFSK
Mode-S Beacon  2401.500 MHz
Operational.

Clive, G3CWV, reports during the period 16-March to 15-April-1999 good
signals have been received from the 145.826 MHz beacon. The battery
voltage during daylight passes has decreased (particularly towards the
end of the reporting period). The average value is 13.6 volts, with 13.3
volts recorded on one occasion. A quick look at the current Whole Orbit
Data (WOD) survey shows the battery voltage varying between 13.4 and
14.1 volts during sunlight, and a steady decrease to 12.3 volts during the
eclipse period.

The internal temperatures have decreased slightly and are now 4.0C
and 2.2C for battery and telemetry electronics respectively.

The operating schedule is unchanged.

        ASCII status (210 seconds)
        ASCII bulletin  (60 seconds)
        BINARY SEU (30 seconds)
        ASCII TLM (90 seconds)
        ASCII WOD (120 seconds)
        ASCII bulletin (60 seconds)
        BINARY ENG (30 seconds)

The ASCII bulletin is currently a static message, detailing modes and
frequencies of all the amateur radio satellites. There are additional status
blocks after each bulletin is transmitted, and between ASCII TLM and
WOD.

The 2401 MHz mode-S beacon is on, transmitting an unmodulated
carrier, but telemetry indicates that it has partially failed and is delivering
half power output. Any reports of reception on 2401 MHz should be sent
to g3cwv@amsat.org.

Listeners to OSCAR-11 may be interested in visiting the G3CWV web
site. The site contains details of the hardware and some software for
capturing OSCAR-11 data and decoding ASCII telemetry and WOD.
There is also an archive of raw data (mainly WOD) for analysis, which is
continually expanded as new data is captured. Audio files are also
included with examples of each type of data transmitted by the satellite
(each one plays for about ten seconds). Examples of mode-S reception
can also be found at the site. All the audio files are zipped so that they
can be played off-line. The URL is:

http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/

[ANS thanks Clive Wallis, G3CWV, for OSCAR-11 status information]

PACSAT   AO-16
Uplink     145.90 145.92 145.94 145.86 MHz FM 
               using 1200 baud Manchester FSK
Downlink 437.0513 MHz SSB RC-BPSK 1200 baud PSK
Mode-S Beacon   2401.1428 MHz 
Operating normally with the exception of the mode-S beacon, 
which is currently off.

Telemetry is as follows:

Time is Sat Apr 17 21:56:27 1999 uptime is 1672/16:17:55
+10V Bus        10.750 V  	+X (RX) Temp   -12.104 D
RX Temp          0.603 D  	Baseplt Temp     2.419 D
RC PSK BP Temp  -3.027 D  	RC PSK HPA Tmp  -3.027 D
+Y Array Temp  -18.155 D  	PSK TX HPA Tmp  -3.027 D
+Z Array Temp  -19.365 D  	RC PSK TX Out    0.534 W
Total Array C= 0.173 Bat Ch Cur=-0.040 Ifb= 0.017 I+10V= 0.281
TX:010B BCR:6C PWRC:59E BT: A WC:25 EDAC: 0

General information and telemetry WOD files can be found at:

http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu

A complete collection of WOD graphics corresponding to the
year of 1998 can be found at:

http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu/wod1998.zip

[ANS thanks Miguel Menendez, EA1BCU, for AO-16 status information]

LUSAT   LO-19
Uplink 	  145.84 145.86 145.88 145.90 MHz FM
               using 1200 baud Manchester FSK
Downlink 437.125 MHz SSB RC-BPSK 1200 baud PSK
Currently semi-operational.

No BBS service - EA1BCU and ANS have not received any
updated information for several months. The digipeater is active.

Telemetry is as follows:

Time is Sat Apr 17 23:00:29 1999 uptime is 260/09:25:51
+10V Bus        10.668 V  	+X (RX) Temp    -8.844 D
RX Temp          1.252 D  	Baseplt Temp     1.252 D
RC PSK TX Out    0.630 W
Total Array C= 0.008 Bat Ch Cur=-0.280 Ifb= 0.122 I+10V= 0.168
TX:017 BCR:1E PWRC:62D BT:3C WC: 0

General information and telemetry samples can be found at:

http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu/lo19.htm

[ANS thanks Miguel Menendez, EA1BCU, for LO-19 status information]

TMSAT-1   TO-31
Uplink   	145.925 MHz  9600 baud FSK
Downlink 	436.925 MHz  9600 baud FSK
Operational. Chris, G7UPN, reported to ANS that the OBC flight software
on TMSAT crashed some time on the morning of 16-April. The reload
began immediately and is now completed.

ProcMail V2.00G has been released by G7UPN. This software permits
the processing of image files from TO-31. It has been posted to the
AMSAT-NA FTP site at the following URL:

www.amsat.org/amsat/software/win32/wisp

[ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for TO-31 status
information]

PANSAT   PO-34
Uplink/downlink frequencies have not been established.
The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions.

PanSat, developed by the Naval Postgraduate School, was launched
from the shuttle Discovery during STS-95. PanSat spread-spectrum
digital transponders will be available to amateur radio operators in the
near future along with software to utilize this technology.

Dan Sakoda, KD6DRA, PanSat Project Manager recommends
'The ARRL Spread Spectrum Sourcebook' as a good place to start in
understanding the spread-spectrum scheme.

For more information, visit the official PanSat web site at:

http://www.sp.nps.navy.mil/pansat/

[ANS thanks Dan Sakoda, KD6DRA, for this information]

SUNSAT   SO-35
Uplink/downlink frequencies have not been established.
The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions.

At this time the command team is planning general amateur radio
service in the near future.

SunSat was launched February 23, 1999 aboard a Delta II rocket from
Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. SunSat stands for
Stellenbosch University Satellite and takes it name from the South
African university whose students constructed the payload.

The SunSat package includes 1200 and 9600 baud digital
store-and-forward capability and a voice 'parrot' repeater system
that will be used primarily for educational demonstrations.
The satellite has two VHF and two UHF transmit-receive systems.

For more information on SunSat, visit the following URL:

http://sunsat.ee.sun.ac.za

[ANS thanks Garth Milne ZR1AFH, for this information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-108.07
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 3

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 108.07 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 18, 1999
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-108.07

THE FOLLOWING SATELLITES ARE IN ORBIT BUT ARE
NON-OPERATIONAL AT THIS TIME:

RS-16
The 435 MHz beacon (only) is operational.

Attempts to command the mode A transponder 'on' have been
unsuccessful to date. No additional information is available at this time.

DOVE   DO-17
Downlinks      145.825 MHz FM 1200 baud AFSK 
  	       2401.220 MHz
Non-operational.

DOVE stopped transmitting in March 1998. The 145.825 MHz and
2401.220 MHz downlinks are off the air and the satellite has not
responded to ground station control. No additional information is
available at this time.

WEBERSAT   WO-18
Downlink 	437.104 MHz SSB 1200 baud PSK AX.25
Non-operational.

WO-18 is reported to be in MBL mode after a software crash.
No additional information is available at this time.

ITAMSAT   IO-26
Uplink   	145.875 145.900 145.925 145.950 MHz FM 1200 baud
Downlink 	435.822 MHz SSB
Unknown status. ANS has not received any recent updates concerning
the status of IO-26. No additional information is available at this time.

TECHSAT-1B   GO-32
Downlink 	435.325  435.225 MHz using HDLC telemetry framed so
that a TNC in KISS mode will decode it
Unknown status. ANS has not received any recent updates concerning
the current status of GO-32.

The TechSat-1B micro-satellite was successfully launched from the
Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 10, 1998.

Last reported, the satellite does not have a continuos beacon, but does
transmit a 9600-baud burst every 30 seconds (for a continuous 3
seconds in length), on 435.225 MHz.

The TechSat team has constructed a home page about TechSat.
To view the site, point your web browser to:

http://techsat.internet-zahav.net/

No additional information is available at this time.

SEDSAT-1   SO-33
Downlink 	437.910 MHz FM 9600 baud FSK
The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions.

Recovery efforts have been unsuccessful.

SedSat-1, signifying Students for the Exploration and Development of
Space Satellite number one, was successfully launched and placed in
orbit on Saturday, October 24, 1998.

SedSat was last reported to be performing as it has since launch,
transmitting telemetry until the batteries are depleted --going into
safe mode-- recharging batteries and then repeating the process.

For more information on SedSat-1 visit the satellite web site at the
following URL: 

http://www.seds.org/sedsat

No additional information is available at this time.

KITSAT   KO-23
Uplink   	145.900 MHz FM 9600 baud FSK
Downlink 	435.175 MHz FM
Not operational. The downlink transmitter has not been operational for
any normal communication for several months.

ANS has learned (from HL0ENJ) that satellite downlink telemetry shows
one of KO-23's battery cells to be very unstable.

[ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, and KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ,
for KO-23 status information]

--ANS END---

ANS would like to thank Mike Seguin, N1JEZ, ANS principal satellite
investigator, for helping provide current satellite information for ANS.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to
ans-editor@amsat.org

/EX

Daniel  (Dan) James	
AMSAT News Service Bulletin Editor 
AMSAT-NA Vice President/Public Affairs	
Amateur callsign: NN0DJ	
Grid Square EN28iv	
Warroad, Minnesota U.S.A.	
e-mail:  nn0dj@amsat.org	


----
Via the ans mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA.
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe ans" to Majordomo@amsat.org