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[jamsat-news:1086] ANS-136


AMSAT NEWS SERVICE	
ANS 136	

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 in celebration of the American Radio Relay
League, now 85 years young!

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-136.01
PHASE 3-D LAUNCH STATUS UPDATE

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 136.01 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 16, 1999
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-136.01

ANS is pleased to report on a new development concerning the launch of
AMSAT's most ambitious project to date - Phase 3-D.

Keith Baker, KB1SF, AMSAT-NA President, released a letter dated May 14,
1999 from Dr. Karl Meinzer, DJ4ZC, AMSAT-DL President and Phase 3-D
Project Leader. The letter -addressed to Dayton Hamvention attendees-
sheds new light on the current launch status of the Phase 3-D International
Satellite. Dr. Meinzer wrote:

Greetings!                                                           May 14, 1999

As you well know, I very much have been looking forward to joining you
for the 1999 Dayton Hamvention. Unfortunately, recent developments
regarding our launch situation for Phase 3-D have now made it
necessary that I remain here in Germany during the Hamvention event.

As many of you know, AMSAT-DL is the principal agency responsible for
securing a safe and affordable launch for Phase 3-D. Since this project
began, we had secured such a launch opportunity on one of the Ariane-5
test flights, which were conducted under the control of the European
Space Agency (ESA).

Unfortunately, this launch agreement for P3-D with ESA did not work out,
essentially due to the failure of the first Ariane-5 flight and the resulting
aftermath. Since ESA is not conducting such flights anymore, my team
and I have been working very hard over the past year or so to find a
replacement launch. We have been patiently negotiating with a number
of different launch agencies and it looks now that this work is starting to
pay off as it is beginning to yield results.

I am pleased to report to you that we are currently in the final phase of
working out the details of an agreement for the launch of Phase 3-D with
one of these launch agencies. At this point, I am very optimistic and I
believe this launch agency is genuinely working very hard toward
providing us a launch for P3-D. I am also very hopeful that in the
following weeks a launch contract can be closed which contains
conditions we can meet. The agency has now identified some launches
over the next year or so which have enough performance margin to allow
the inclusion of P3-D in addition to the main payload.

The launcher business these days has become extremely competitive
and it is has become nearly impossible for launch agencies to fix their
launch-plan for more than half a year ahead. Thus, even after our
contract is closed, we will remain a stand-by passenger. However,
judging from the presently known plans, they could - and I emphasize
the word could - lead to a launch of our satellite as early as of October
1999. Of course, this all assumes that the remaining open details of our
interface with their launch vehicle can be successfully worked out and
that we do not run into some last-minute problems with our contract.

Needless to say, I am delighted with this turn of events. My only
remaining wish is that I could be there in Dayton to share them with you
in person. Please accept my sincere best wishes for a productive
AMSAT Forum at Hamvention and my thanks for your continued
patience and strong support of our efforts.

73,

--signed--

Dr. Karl Meinzer, DJ4ZC
AMSAT-DL President and Phase 3-D Project Leader

Stay tuned to ANS for further details of the Phase-3D launch as they
become available.

For more information about AMSAT and Phase 3-D, visit the AMSAT-NA
web site at the following URL:

http://www.amsat.org

[ANS thanks Keith Baker, KB1SF, AMSAT-NA President, and Dr. Karl
Meinzer, DJ4ZC, AMSAT-DL President and Phase 3-D Project Leader
for this information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-136.02
ARISS READIES HAM ANTENNAS FOR SPACE

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 136.02 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 16, 1999
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-136.02

In addition to the wonderful news concerning Phase 3-D, there has also
been recent forward progress in activities to establish a permanent
amateur radio presence in space aboard the International Space
Station. Training models have been prepared of the antennas that
eventually will be deployed on ISS, and pattern testing is under way on
some antenna systems.

Four flight antenna systems are being developed to support operation on
20, 15, 10, and 2-meters, plus 70-cm, L-band and S-band.

"The ARISS international team has made tremendous progress on the
design, development and flight qualification of an antenna system,"
AMSAT-NA Vice President for Human Spaceflight and ARISS
Administrative Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, said this week.

The antenna system being developed for ISS includes a dualband
VHF/UHF antenna, a multiband microwave antenna and a diplexer
mounted on a plate that attaches to an extra vehicular activity (EVA)
handrail clamping device. These four antenna systems will attach to four
bulkhead Service Module feedthroughs, made available to the ARISS
international team through the efforts of Sergei Sambourov, RV3DR.

The four antenna systems being developed for flight will be installed
around the perimeter of the Russian developed Service Module, which
will serve as an orbiting outpost for the ISS crew.

All amateur radio initial station hardware is slated for launch on the
STS-101 mission.

[ANS thanks the ARRL and AMSAT-NA Vice President for Human
Spaceflight and ARISS Administrative Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO,
for this information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-136.03
ARRL CELEBRATES 85 YEARS

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 136.03 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 16, 1999
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-136.03

The ARRL celebrates its 85th anniversary May 18, 1999!

The American Radio Relay League was founded in 1914 by Hiram Percy
Maxim, later 1AW, and Clarence Tuska, later 1AY.

It was Maxim's desire to send an inquiry about a hard-to-get
receiving tube from Hartford, Connecticut, to Springfield, Massachusetts,
that served as the catalyst for the League's birth in 1914. After conditions
prevented him from working Springfield directly, he arranged with a
station between the two cities to relay his message. Maxim's vision for
the League became reality in May of that year. The first edition of QST
(16 pages in all) appeared in December 1915.

''Our celebration of the League's 85th anniversary would please our
founders in two ways,'' said ARRL Executive Vice President David
Sumner, K1ZZ.  ''First, we are celebrating with on-the-air
activity -- the organization, promotion, and protection of which was
why they went to the trouble of creating the League in the first
place.  Second, just as they did in the exciting early years, we are
looking forward by emphasizing new methods of radio communication.''

To mark the event, Maxim Memorial Station W1AW will operate as
special event station W1AW/85 during the week of May 17-23rd,
with plans calling for W1AW/85 to operate 160-10 meters plus
6 and 2 meters and 70-cm. SSB, CW, RTTY, PSK31, SSTV,
and activity on several of the current analog and digital satellites
as well as the Novice bands will be featured.

[ANS congratulates the ARRL on this wonderful achievement!]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-136.04
ANS IN BRIEF

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 136.04 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 16, 1999
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-136.04

ANS news in brief this week includes the following:

** The May/June AMSAT Journal will feature a complete copy of the
Dayton Hamvention Phase 3-D launch release by DJ4ZC. ANS reminds
amateurs that an AMSAT-NA membership includes the AMSAT Journal.
The May/June issue will be in the mail shortly. -ANS

** The ANS 'hint of the week': Bruce, KK5DO, has been a regular on the
ARRL Audio News, mainly with satellite reports and status. Check out
the League's web site and listen to KK5DO's reports via Real Audio.
ARRL Audio News is available at 860-594-0384 or on the web at
http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/. -ANS

** Rich, W2VU, provided ANS with more information about Don Stoner,
W6TNS, the idea man behind Project OSCAR. Stoner outlined his
concepts for an Amateur Radio space program in the February 1961
issue of QST. W2VU tells ANS that Stoner planted the seed for the
amateur satellite program with the April, 1959 'Semiconductors' column
in CQ magazine --describing a transistorized 2-meter transmitter he'd
designed, whose (very) low power signal was heard more than 100 miles
away. Stoner thought about signals traveling 100 miles straight up, and
asked, "does anyone have a spare rocket for orbiting purposes?" That
column led to the development of Project OSCAR, and the launch in
1961 of OSCAR-1, the first ham radio satellite and the first
non-governmental satellite ever put into orbit. -Rich, W2VU

** The ARRL, in lieu of a legal name change, may emphasize the
abbreviation 'ARRL' in conjunction with the tag line 'The National
Association for Amateur Radio'. The action came at an Executive
Committee meeting in Irving, Texas. The move, if accepted by the full
Board, would not actually change the name of the organization, but the
ARRL moniker and tag line would appear on all League correspondence
and publications instead of the full name. -ARRL Letter

** Monday, May 17th marks the start of Astronomy Week, which winds
up on at weeks end with Astronomy Day. The celebration is traditionally
on the Saturday in April or May closest to the first-quarter Moon.
-Sky and Telescope

** IARU Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ, has conveyed World
Telecommunication Day "greetings and congratulations" to the
International Telecommunication Union, on behalf of the world's
nearly 3 million radio amateurs. World Telecommunication Day is
May 17th. -ARRL Letter

** The JARL Tohoku Division will operate special event station 8J7ITU
(from Sendai/QM08KG) on all amateur HF bands in commemoration of
World Telecommunication Day 1999. Operation will take place starting
May 15th. 8J7ITU will also be QRV on AO-27 and RS-13, with a
possibility of FO-20/29 and AO-10. -Masato, JA7JZS

** Kevin, AC5DK, has added information about RS-12/13 to his web site.
It contains a simple explanation on how to operate on the satellite. In
addition, he has started a forum for operators to exchange information,
pose questions or even set up skeds via the satellite. AC5DK's RS-12/13
satellite operators page can be found at the following URL:
http://www.qsl.net/ac5dk/rs1213/rs1213.html. -Kevin, AC5DK

** The next Space Amateur Radio EXperiment shuttle flight has again
been delayed. The flight will carry the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
NASA has decided to postpone mating the observatory with its inertial
upper stage pending additional progress in the investigation of recent
launch problems with several defense satellites. The launch had been
set for July. The STS-93 mission is the only SAREX opportunity
scheduled for 1999. -NASA, ARRL

/EX

--ANS BULLETIN END---

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-136.05
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 1

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 136.05 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 16, 1999
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-136.05

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.

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           	  29.458 MHz
Robot Uplink     145.840 MHz   Robot Downlink  29.504 MHz
Operational. Last reported in mode KA with a 10-meter downlink
and a 15-meter and 2-meter uplink.

Jon, N0JK, is planning to be active on RS-13 from HC8/Galapagos
Islands, before and after the CQ WPX CW contest. Look for N0JK
between May 27-June 1. RS-15 and AO-10 may be other possibilities.
Jon will post updated times and just what satellites he will be using -
both to ANS and the AMSAT-BB.

Kevin, AC5DK, has information about RS-12/13 that contains a simple
explanation on how to operate on the satellite, including a forum for
operators to exchange information, pose questions or even set up skeds
via RS-12/13.

AC5DK's RS-12/13 Satellite Operators Page:

http://www.qsl.net/ac5dk/rs1213/rs1213.html

AC5DK's RS-12/13 Satellite Forum:

http://www.hotboards.com/powerforum/pwrforum.exe?who=rs1213

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)
SSB meeting frequency 29.380 MHz (unofficial)
Semi-operational, mode A, using a 2-meter uplink and a 10-meter
downlink.

Dave, WB6LLO, has operating information for both RS-15 and RS-13
on his personal web site. In addition to satellite data, antenna information
and AMSAT-NA Jewelry Contest information is also featured. The
WB6LLO web site URL is:

http://home.san.rr.com/doguimont/uploads

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.

Al, XE2YVW, (a regular on AO-27 and RS-12/13), recently made his first
CW contact on AO-10 by 'keying' a 30 watt FM rig on the uplink and
using a pair of K5OE designed 'Potato Mashers'. The contact was with
Tom, N7HXP. Jerry, K5OE, recently worked HB9JOI and FG5GI, and
notes that a great AO-10 orientation for North America/Asia contacts will
take place the weekend of June 12th, he will be looking for satellite
operators in Asia during that window.

Masa, JN1GKZ, reports his web page shows the current AO-10 spin
period and spin rate (by measuring the beacon with FFTDSP software).
The JN1GKZ web site can be found at the following URL:

http://www.din.or.jp/~m-arai/ao10/beacone.htm

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.

AO-27 has again been seeing very heavy use especially during the
weekends. Jerry, KK5YY, was active from the Dayton Hamvention.

Jon, N0JK, is planning to be active on AO-27 from HC8/Galapagos
Islands, before and after the CQ WPX CW contest. Look for N0JK
on the following passes:

May 27 - 15:15 UTC     May 28 - 16:30 UTC     May 31 - 15:07 UTC

The TEPR (Timed Eclipse Power Regulation) states on AO-27 currently
are: TEPR 4 is 34 and TEPR 5 is 70.

[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.

Bruce, KK5DO, has posted pictures of JARL Headquarters and the
FO-20/29 Command Station on his web site. They were taken during
a recent visit. Visit the site using the following URL:

http://www.amsatnet.com/jarl.html

[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.

Mike, KF4FDJ, confirms FO-29 is in analog mode. Mike reports that
"since it was last toggled into analog mode from the digitalker, the
polarity must be switched about every 40 seconds. The bird appears to
have an 80 second rotational period, give or take a second or two".
KF4FDJ's theory is that only half the turnstile is functioning. As the
signal fades with one polarity, there is a deep null, then a switch of
polarity brings the signal back up to S-8 or better. Mike says "if you have
the ability to change polarity on your uplink and downlink, the bird is
working quite well."

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

May 10 - May 17 	JA
May 17 - May 24 	JD1200
May 24 - May 31	JA

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

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-136.06
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 2

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 136.06 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 16, 1999
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-136.06

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 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.

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 May 15 21:32:02 1999 uptime is 1700/15:53:30
+X (RX) Temp   -13.919 D  	RX Temp         -1.817 D
Bat 1 Temp          1.209 D  	Bat 2 Temp       3.024 D
Baseplt Temp      1.209 D  	RC PSK BP Temp  -1.817 D
RC PSK HPA Tmp  -2.422 D  	+Y Array Temp  -15.734 D
PSK TX HPA Tmp  -3.027 D  	+Z Array Temp  -19.365 D
RC PSK TX Out    0.274 W
Total Array C= 0.144 Bat Ch Cur=-0.019 Ifb= 0.024 I+10V= 0.143
TX:0109 BCR:67 PWRC:59E BT: A WC:25 EDAC:8B

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 May 15 22:33:09 1999 uptime is 288/08:58:31
+10V Bus        10.566 V  	RC PSK TX Out    0.520 W
+X (RX) Temp   -11.087 D  	RX Temp          0.131 D
Total Array C= 0.008 Bat Ch Cur=-0.258 Ifb= 0.122 I+10V= 0.143
TX:012 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. 

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:

http://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 general 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 general uplink transmissions.

Hans, ZS5AKV, reports that SunSat is still in the initial test stages and
the command team will provide more information as it becomes
available. General amateur radio service is planned for 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

Ground control stations have received images from the PAL-TV imager
on SunSat. The imager is a commercial grade TV camera connected to
the S-band transmitter.

[ANS thanks Garth Milne ZR1AFH, for this information]

UoSAT-12   UO-36
Uplink/downlink frequencies have not been established.
The satellite is not currently available for general uplink transmissions.

UO-36 has been transmitting 9600-baud FSK telemetry framed in a VLSI
format using a downlink frequency of 437.400 MHz.

UoSAT-12 was successfully launched on April 21, 1999 from the
Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome. UO-36 carries a number of imaging
payloads, digital store-and-forward communications and mode L/S
transponders.

Further information is available from:

http://www.sstl.co.uk/

G7UPN reports UO-36 commissioning is proceeding well. During the
past week spacecraft operators have concentrated on checking out
advanced attitude determination sensors, including the two CCD
Star-Field Cameras. Ground operators are also continuing the calibration
of UO-36's satellite's Earth imaging systems.

Recent CCD images from UO-36 are available at:

http://www.sstl.co.uk/primages/UO12-Star-Camera.jpg

The magnetic torquers, magnetometers, sun-angle sensors, horizon
sensor and rate gyro have also been checked and are performing as
expected. The remaining reaction wheel and cold-gas thruster systems
will be checked in coming weeks.

Kazu, JJ1WTK, reports receiving TLMS data from UO-36.

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

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-136.07
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 3

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 136.07 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 16, 1999
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-136.07

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
Downlink       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 	435.225 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.

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]

/EX

--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

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	


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