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[jamsat-news:1347] ANS 282
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS 282
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 Portland, Maine
- October 27-29, 2000 - at the 18th Space Symposium and
AMSAT-NA Annual Meeting. The Symposium Chairman is
George Caswell Sr., W1ME.
The 2000 Symposium will include once top-secret details about
intelligence gathering methods used during the early years of the Cold
War. The Saturday banquet speaker will be Cargill Hall, chief historian
of the National Reconnaissance Office. He will discuss (for the first time
in public) overhead reconnaissance along with a history of CIA-NRO
activities.
More information is available at:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/symposium
(or from) w1me@amsat.org
Information on AMSAT-NA is available at the following URL:
http://www.amsat.org (or from)
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 area (AMSAT-NE)
* AMSAT Educational Liaison mailing list (AMSAT-EDU)
* AMSAT K-12 Educational Liaison mailing list (AMSAT-K12)
A daily digest version is available for each list.
To subscribe, or for more list information, visit the following URL:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/listserv/menu.html
ANS is dedicated to the memory of Ted Marks, W2FG. A well-known
operator, W2FG, of Kendall Park, New Jersey, died recently at age 56.
An ARRL Life Member, he served as the first chairman of the ARRL
DX Advisory Committee and was on the DXCC Honor Roll with a
mixed total of 360 entities. He also served as an ARRL Hudson Division
assistant director and as an ARRL-VEC volunteer examiner along with
being a past president of the New Jersey DX Association.
[ANS thanks the ARRL and The Hudson Loop for this information]
ANS is also dedicated to the memory of past ANS editor 'BJ' Arts,
WT0N, and to the memory of long-time AMSAT supporter Werner
Haas, DJ5KQ.
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-282.01
PHASE 3D LAUNCH UPDATE
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 282.01 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 08, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-282.01
AMSAT-DL Executive Vice President Peter Guelzow, DB2OS, has
informed AMSAT News Service that the launch of the Phase 3D
satellite will now be delayed until mid-November. ANS had earlier
reported a possibility of an October 31st launch.
The November launch delay stems from the non-arrival of one of
P3D's launch partners and the subsequent launch preparations
that this satellite will need to undergo.
DB2OS told ANS that the delayed satellite is due to arrive at the
European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana very shortly and will
immediately begin the same style launch preparations that P3D has
been undergoing.
Peter also informed ANS that P3D's fueling operations are now
complete. The last chemical to be added in the fueling process was
NH3, with P3D becoming only the world's second satellite to use
ammonia in its fuel, a premiere for spaceport Kourou! Because of
the safety considerations involved in handling the chemicals loaded
into the satellite (N2O4-dinitrogen tetroxide, NH3-ammonia and
MMH-monoethylhydrazine), this was a slow tedious process.
"These are not your every-day household chemicals," said team
member Chuck Green, N0ADI, "they are very hazardous! However,
with proper training and equipment, it can be done safely."
The filling process of each chemical took approximately two days. The
first day was used in setting everything up for the fueling operation.
Actual fueling was done on the second day.
The first chemical installed was an oxidizer, N2O4. When the preparations
were completed, protective clothing worn and all the final connections
made to the equipment and tanks -- only then was the fueling
process started. The entire operation was carefully monitored by both
on-site safety people as well as members of the AMSAT launch team.
The room for monitoring the fueling operation is in a building about one
quarter of a mile away. There are several TV monitors which can be
panned and/or zoomed - enabling the safety officer to closely follow
the entire process. There is also an impressive array of vapor detection
devices and access controls available to the safety team. During
each filling operation, the three people actually doing the work
were in constant two way communication with the people in the control
room.
Filling the N2O4 tanks in P3-D took almost exactly one hour. However,
Chuck reported that "the process started early in the morning and final
clean-up ended much later that evening, a very long day through most
of which was spent wearing rather uncomfortable clothing." Dick Daniels,
W4PUJ, was one of the team members fueling P3D.
Phase 3D will be move shortly into the final assembly building at the
European Spaceport. From here, the satellite will soon be mated to
the Ariane 5 launch vehicle.
The launch team has updated its Internet web site with several new
photographs showing the Phase 3D fueling process. To visit the site,
point your browser to:
http://www.amsat-dl.org/launch/
Stay tuned to ANS for additional bulletins from AMSAT, the
official source for information on the Phase 3D Launch.
[ANS thanks AMSAT-DL and AMSAT-NA for this information and
congratulates the launch team on their outstanding work]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-282.02
DISCOVERY MISSION DELAYED
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 282.02 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 08, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-282.02
The launch of the next mission to the International Space Station has
been delayed due to technical problems that developed recently.
Shuttle Discovery had been scheduled to launch this week but NASA
officials told ANS they have decided to delay liftoff until early next week.
A crucial valve in the shuttle's propulsion system that performed
sluggishly during tests and a bolt holding the orbiter to the mammoth
external tank has NASA concerned.
Discovery holds two new segments for the International Space Station, a
truss and a docking port for future shuttle visits. The 18,000-pound truss
contains antennas and motion-control gyroscopes. Discovery's seven
member crew will use the shuttle robot arm to attach the truss and
docking port to the space station. The astronauts will go out on four
back-to-back spacewalks to wire up the pieces.
NASA has until Wednesday to launch Discovery before standing down
for an Atlas rocket launch scheduled for Cape Canaveral Air Force
Station.
Stay tuned to ANS for more information.
[ANS thanks the ARISS team and Florida Today for this information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-282.03
AMSAT-NA BACKS ARRL PETITION
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 282.03 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 08, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-282.03
AMSAT-NA President Keith Baker, KB1SF, has informed ANS that he has
signed and sent the following document -- now before the Federal
Communications Commission:
On July 17, 2000, the American Radio Relay League submitted a petition
to the Commission requesting amendment of Section 2.106 of the
Commission's Rules, to change the domestic allocation status for the
Amateur Service and the Amateur-Satellite Service of the 2400-2402 MHz
segment from secondary to primary. The Radio Amateur Satellite
Corporation commends the ARRL for taking this action, and wishes to
express wholehearted support of it.
In its filing, ARRL very adequately addressed the background of the
2400-2402 MHz segment and, AMSAT believes, made an excellent case
for elevating its status for the Amateur Service and the Amateur-Satellite
Service. AMSAT is in agreement with everything the ARRL said in that
regard and with ARRL's contention that elevating the Amateur Service
and Amateur-Satellite allocation status in this band segment from
secondary to primary is vital to future use of this important portion of the
radio spectrum for amateur satellites.
The ARRL also did a fine job of highlighting the use of the 2400-2402 MHz
segment by present and past Amateur Radio satellites and stressing the
future importance of the segment on these satellites. AMSAT wishes to
echo what the ARRL has said, and add details regarding the Phase 3D
satellite due for launch on an Ariane 5 launch vehicle by early November
of this year. Two of Phase 3D's transmitters are in the 2400-2402 MHz
segment, as is one of its receivers. It is expected that these particular
transmitters and receivers will come into a great deal of use, once the
satellite becomes operational.
The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation urges the Commission to take
favorable action on the subject Rule Making at the earliest possible date.
Respectfully submitted,
Keith Baker KB1SF
[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for this information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-282.04
ANS IN BRIEF
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 282.04 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 08, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-282.04
ANS news in brief this week includes the following:
** The ANS quote of the week comes from Jim, KQ6EA. He told
ANS "what an exciting time to be an Amateur Radio operator! Between
P3D and ARISS things are definitely looking up!" ANS editor NN0DJ
could not agree more! -ANS
** The launch of NASA's High-Energy Transient Explorer 2 - a satellite
that will detect gamma-ray bursts in space - has been postponed until
early next week. Originally scheduled for launch this week on a Pegasus
launch vehicle from the Kwajalein Missile Range in the South Pacific,
the HETE-2 launch attempt was postponed due to communications
difficulties between Kwajalein and Cape Canaveral. -Florida Today
** The Wireless Institute of Australia has been told by the Australian
Communications Authority that the commercialization of spectrum
between 420 and 430 MHz is going forward. The WIA says the
Amateur Service was "left out in the cold" in the reallocation schemes.
The 420-430 MHz band currently is designated for repeater inter-linking
and amateur television. Australian hams will continue to have
430-450 MHz on a secondary basis. That includes the Amateur Satellite
band of 435-438 MHz. -ARRL/WIA
** James, KD4DLA, tells ANS that an interesting Internet site with ideas
on combining several hobbies with Amateur Radio satellite operation
can be found at the following URL:
http://www.btinternet.com/~hlong/etx125.htm. -AMSAT BB
** The special satellite issue of 73 Amateur Radio Today should be
available as this ANS bulletin set is transmitted. The issue will
include a full-page photo of Phase 3D along with seven hamsat
articles by G3RWL, W5ACM, K5OE, K6CCC, GM4PLM and G3LDI.
-Andy, W5ACM
** The NSAT-110 telecommunications satellite, designed and built for
Space Communications Corporation and JSAT Corporation of Tokyo,
Japan was launched successfully recently from Kourou, French Guiana.
Lift-off occurred aboard an Ariane 42L launch vehicle provided by
Arianespace. Initial contact with the satellite was confirmed by a satellite
tracking station in Australia. -Florida Today
--ANS BULLETIN END---
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-282.05
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 1
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 282.05 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 08, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-282.05
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION/ARISS
Uplink to be released
Downlink to be released
ARISS initial station launched September 2000 aboard shuttle Atlantis
Status: Non-operational
The ARISS initial station gear is now temporarily stowed aboard the
Functional Cargo Block module of ISS. The initial station will use an
existing antenna that will be adapted to support 2-meter FM voice and
packet. The ARISS equipment will get a more-permanent home aboard
the Service Module in 2001, along with VHF and UHF antennas. Plans
call for amateur TV, both slow scan and fast scan ATV, a digipeater and
relay stations.
Planning for the deployment and use of the ham system aboard ISS has
been an international effort coordinated by NASA's Goddard Space
Flight Center. The effort began in 1996 with the formation of the
Amateur Radio International Space Station organization. ARISS is made
up of delegates from major national amateur radio organizations,
including AMSAT.
More information about the project can be found on the ARISS web site
at http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov
[ANS thanks the ARISS team for this information]
RADIO SPORT RS-13
Uplink 1.260 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 146.00 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon 29.458 MHz
Robot Uplink 145.840 MHz
Robot Downlink 29.504 MHz
Launched February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian
Cosmos C launcher
Status: Operational, in mode-KA with a 10-meter
downlink and a 15-meter and 2-meter uplink.
More information about RS-12 and RS-13 can be found on the
AC5DK RS-12/13 Satellite Operators page at:
http://www.qsl.net/ac5dk/rs1213/rs1213.html
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)
Launched December 26, 1994 from the
Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: 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 web site. In addition to satellite data, antenna information for
mode-A operation 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)
Launched June 16, 1983 by an Ariane launcher from
Kourou, French Guiana
Status: Semi-operational, mode-B. AO-10 has been locked
into a 70-cm uplink and a 2-meter downlink
for
several years.
DX continues to be worked (and heard) on AO-10. Mike, N1JEZ, worked
Javier, EB8AYA, in the Canary Islands with 5x5 signals.
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
Launched September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from
Kourou, French Guiana
Status: Operational, mode J.
Will, N3ZLL, reports working CU6/DL7VTX from the Azores recently
on AO-27.
Periodically, AO-27's analog repeater will be turned off for a few days
at a time to enable ground controllers to gather Whole Orbital Data
(WOD), to verify the health of the satellite.
An AO-27 question-and-answer page is available on the AMSAT-NA
web site. The URL is: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/intro/ao27faq.html.
AO-27 uses a method called Timed Eclipse Power Regulation (TEPR)
to regulate the on-board batteries. In simple terms, TEPR times how
long the satellite has been in an eclipse (or in the sun) and decides
what subsystems to turn on or off. The current TEPR settings are:
TEPR 4: 36 TEPR 5: 72
The AO-27 pages on the AMSAT-NA web site include an
explanation of TEPR AO-27 operations (at):
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/ao27.html
[ANS thanks AMRAD for AO-27 information]
UO-14
Uplink 145.975 MHz FM
Downlink 435.070 MHz FM
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from
Kourou, French Guiana
Status: Operational, mode J.
Tim, KG8OC, has updated the Michigan AMSAT Information site
to include UO-14 information -- point your web browser to the
following URL:
http://www.qsl.net/kg8oc
[ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for UO-14 information]
SUNSAT SO-35
Mode J Uplink: 145.825 MHz FM
Mode J Downlink: 436.250 MHz FM
Launched February 23, 1999 by a Delta II rocket from
Vandenberg Air Force Base in California
Status: Operational.
Johann, ZR1CBC, reports SO-35 will be in its Parrot Repeater Mode
for voice passes during the UN World Space Week, October 4-10th.
In this mode SunSat continuously cycles through a 10 second
recording and playback period.
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 in addition
to Mode J operation. 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
A summary of the active modes and frequency allocations for
SunSat is available at the following URL:
http://esl.ee.sun.ac.za/~lochner/sunsat/modes.html
[ANS thanks Garth Milne, ZR1AFH, for this information]
JAS-1b FO-20
Uplink 145.90 to 146.00 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 435.80 to 435.90 MHz CW/USB
Launched February 07, 1990 by an H1 launcher from the
Tanegashima Space Center in Japan
Status: Operational. FO-20 is in mode JA continuously.
Several satellite operators have reported problems with FO-20's
transponder. Mike, N1JEZ, told ANS that he believes the loss of signal
is a combination of two factors. First, battery age and an increase in FM
traffic due to operators unaware of the band plan. Mike reports he
routinely hears FM signals on the transponder.
Tak, JA2PKI, reported the FO-20 control station operators now believe
that the UVC (Under Voltage Controller) now is regulating the
transponder. The UVC monitors battery voltage and tries to protect the
batteries from over discharge. Tak notes that FO-20, launched in 1990,
is now over 10 years old.
[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-20 status reports]
JAS-2 FO-29
Status: Operational
Voice/CW Mode JA
Uplink 145.90 to 146.00 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 435.80 to 435.90 MHz CW/USB
Launched August 17, 1996, by an H-2 launcher from the
Tanegashima Space Center in Japan
Digital Mode JD
Uplink 145.850 145.870 145.910 MHz FM
Downlink 435.910 MHz FM 9600 baud BPSK
Digitalker 435.910 MHz
The JARL FO-29 command station has announced the following
operation schedule of FO-29:
Oct. 7- Nov. 5 - Digi-talker (except mode JA every Wednesday)
Mike, KF4FDJ, has put together a very informative document on FO-29,
addressing the analog, digital and digi-talker modes. To obtain a copy
e-mail Mike at: kf4fdj@amsat.org.
Mineo, JE9PEL, has a FO-29 satellite telemetry analysis program that
will automatically analyze all digital telemetry from the satellite (such as
current, voltage and temperature). The JE9PEL FO-29/shareware is
available at the following URL:
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/
[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-29 status reports]
SAUDISAT-1A
Uplink to be released
Downlink 437.075 MHz
Launched September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic
missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Commissioning stage, initial housekeeping tasks
underway
SaudiSat-1A will operate as 9600 baud digital store-and-forward
systems as well analog FM repeater mode capability. One of two
new ham satellites from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia built by the
Space Research Institute at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and
Technology.
SAUDISAT-1B
Uplink to be released
Downlink 436.775 MHz
Launched September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic
missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Commissioning stage, initial housekeeping tasks
underway
SaudiSat-1B will operate as 9600 baud digital store-and-forward
systems as well analog FM repeater mode capability. One of two
new ham satellites from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia built by the
Space Research Institute at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and
Technology.
TIUNGSAT-1
Uplink to be released
Downlink to be released
Launched September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic
missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Commissioning stage, initial housekeeping tasks
underway
TiungSat-1 is Malaysia's first micro-satellite and in addition to
commercial land and weather imaging payloads will offer FM and FSK
Amateur Radio communication. Chris Jackson, G7UPN, reports
TiungSat-1 transmitted "excellent telemetry showing that the spacecraft
was in good health." Currently the spacecraft is transmitting VLSI telemetry
which is not generally decodable without special hardware. G7UPN reports
that "as soon as the flight software is running I'll release the telemetry
configuration file."
TiungSat-1, named after the mynah bird of Malaysia, was developed as
a collaborative effort between the Malaysian government and Surrey
Satellite Technology Ltd.
For more information on TiungSat-1, visit the following URL:
http://www.yellowpages.com.my/tiungsat/tiung_main.htm
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-282.06
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 2
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 282.06 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 08, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-282.06
KITSAT KO-25
Uplink 145.980 MHz FM (9600 baud FSK)
Downlink 436.500 MHz FM
Launched September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from
Kourou, French Guiana
Status: Operational.
Jim, AA7KC, reports nominal KO-25 operation. Current downlink
efficiency is in the 60% range with moderate traffic.
[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
Launched July 17, 1991 by an Ariane launcher from
Kourou, French Guiana
Status: Operational.
Jim, AA7KC, reports nominal UO-22 operation. Heavy traffic with a
high volume of SatGate/Gateway operation.
More information on the satellite is available at the following URL:
http://www.sstl.co.uk/
[ANS thanks 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
Launched March 1, 1984 by a Delta-Thor rocket from
Vandenberg Air Force Base in California
Status: Operational.
OSCAR-11 celebrated its sixteenth birthday in space on March 1, 2000.
During the period 15-August to 16-September 2000 good signals have
been received from the 145 MHz beacon. The battery voltage observed
during daylight passes has continued to increase. The internal
temperatures have increased by 2.6C during the month. This rise in
temperature is expected to continue until the end of the year as the
solar eclipse times become shorter.
The operating schedule is as follows:
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 active amateur radio satellites.
More information on OSCAR-11 is available at the following URL:
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/
[ANS thanks Clive Wallis, G3CWV, for OSCAR-11 status information]
LUSAT LO-19
Uplink 145.84 145.86 145.88 145.90 MHz FM
(using 1200 baud Manchester FSK)
CW downlink 437.125 MHz
Digital downlink 437.150 MHz SSB (RC-BPSK 1200 baud PSK)
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from
Kourou, French Guiana
Status: Semi-operational. The CW beacon is sending
eight
telemetry channels and one status channel.
No BBS
service is available. The digipeater is not
active.
Mineo, JE9PEL, has recorded LO-19 CW and PSK telemetry and
placed the information on his Internet homepage site at:
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/
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]
PACSAT AO-16
Uplink 145.90 145.92 145.94 145.96 MHz FM
(using 1200 baud Manchester FSK)
Downlink 437.025 MHz SSB (RC-BPSK 1200 baud PSK)
Mode-S Beacon 2401.1428 MHz
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from
Kourou, French Guiana.
Status: Semi-operational.
Russ, WJ9F, reported the S-band transmitter is off. The VHF uplink and the
UHF PSK transmitter are operational (TX power at 1.5 watts). The
digipeater command is on.
A WOD collection of satellite graphics (dated 02/26/2000) can be
found at:
http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu
[ANS thanks Miguel Menendez, EA1BCU, for AO-16 status information]
TMSAT-1 TO-31
Uplink 145.925 MHz (9600 baud FSK)
Downlink 436.925 MHz (9600 baud FSK)
Launched July 10, 1998 by a Zenit rocket from
the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Operational.
Jim, AA7KC, reports nominal TO-31 operation. Moderate traffic with a large
number of photo files
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
Many of the high-resolution color images transmitted by TMSAT are
compressed using a UoSAT compression format. This format is
supported by the VK5HI CCD display program.
[ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for TO-31 status
information]
UoSAT-12 UO-36
Uplink 145.960 MHz (9600 baud FSK)
Downlink 437.025 MHz 437.400 MHz
Launched April 21, 1999 by a Russian launcher from
the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Unknown (unofficially in full sunlight illumination)
UO-36 carries a number of imaging payloads, digital store-and-forward
communications and mode L/S transponders.
NASA has demonstrated on UO-36 the ability to use standard Internet
protocols to communicate with an orbiting spacecraft (just like any node
on the Internet). NASA has been developing this project by working with
the commercial payload aboard UoSAT-12.
The BBS is open, although uploading and downloading may be
disabled at times.
The VK5HI viewer shareware for UO-36 is available on the AMSAT-NA
web site at the following URL:
ftp://ftp.amsat.org/amsat/software/win32/display/ccddsp97-119.zip
Further information on UO-36 is available from: http://www.sstl.co.uk/
[ANS thanks Chris G7UPN/ZL2TPO, and the University of Surrey for
this information]
ITAMSAT IO-26
Uplink 145.875 145.900 145.925 145.950 MHz FM (1200 baud)
Downlink 435.822 MHz SSB
Launched September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from
Kourou, French Guiana
Status: Semi-operational, the digipeater function is on and
open
for APRS users.
[ANS thanks ITAMSAT Project Manager Alberto E. Zagni, I2KBD, for
IO-26 information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-282.07
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 3
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 282.07 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 08, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-282.07
THE FOLLOWING ARE IN ORBIT BUT ARE NON-OPERATIONAL
AT THIS TIME:
KITSAT KO-23
Uplink 145.900 MHz FM (9600 baud FSK)
Downlink 435.175 MHz FM
Launched August 10, 1992 by an Ariane launcher from
Kourou, French Guiana
Status: Non-operational.
Jim, AA7KC, reports that KO-23's downlink transmitter was operational
on October 5th, but has since returned to the transmitter off state. The
downlink transmitter is operating at unpredictable intervals.
KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ, reports (from the KO-23 control team) that part
of the problem with non-operation has been the power budget aboard
the satellite.
[ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, and KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ,
for KO-23 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
Launched February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian
Cosmos C launcher
Status: Non-operational. No operation in 2000 has
been observed.
TECHSAT-1B GO-32
Downlink 435.225 MHz using HDLC telemetry
Launched July 10, 1998 by a Russian Zenit rocket
from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Non-operational.
Efforts were reported to be underway to bring GO-32 on line,
however, no information has been received by ANS (the last
report was dated November 1999).
Last reported, the satellite does transmit a 9600-baud burst every
30 seconds (the GO-32 beacon sends one short telemetry status
transmission of 44 bytes) and upon request the complete
telemetry buffer. The program to the access the satellite can be
downloaded from the homepage.
The TechSat team has a home page about TechSat. To view the site,
point your web browser to:
http://www.technion.ac.il/pub/projects/techsat/asher/techsatmain.html
PANSAT PO-34
Uplink/downlink frequencies have never been released
Launched October 30, 1998 by the Shuttle Discovery
Status: Unknown.
The satellite is not currently available for general uplink transmissions.
PanSat was developed by the Naval Postgraduate School. At the time of
launch, PanSat spread-spectrum digital transponders were promised to
be available to Amateur Radio operators along with software to utilize
this technology. To date, this has not happened.
For more information, visit the official PanSat web site at:
http://www.sp.nps.navy.mil/pansat/
PanSat was the featured cover article on the July/August 1999 issue
of the AMSAT-NA Journal (the story written by KD6DRA and N7HPR).
MIR SPACE STATION
145.985 MHz (FM) voice and SSTV (Robot 36 Mode)
Launched February 18, 1986
Status: Unmanned.
Currently, there is no human habitation aboard the station and the
onboard Amateur Radio equipment has been turned off. Several
news agencies have reported that Mir in now on 'autopilot'.
Stay tuned to ANS for further details.
MIR SAFEX II 70-cm Repeater
Uplink 435.750 MHz FM w/subaudible tone of 141.3 Hz
Downlink 437.950 MHz FM
Status: Not operational. No operation in 1999 or 2000 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
Status: Not operational. No operation in 1999 or 2000 has been observed.
DOVE DO-17
Downlink 145.825 MHz FM (1200 baud AFSK)
2401.220 MHz
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from
Kourou, French Guiana
Status: 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)
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from
Kourou, French Guiana
Status: Non-operational.
WO-18 was last reported to be in MBL mode after a software crash.
No additional information is available at this time.
SEDSAT-1 SO-33
Downlink 437.910 MHz FM (9600 baud FSK)
Launched October 24, 1998 by a Delta 2 rocket from
Cape Canaveral in Florida
Status: Non-operational.
The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions and
the image and transponder recovery efforts have been unsuccessful.
SedSat-1 signifies Students for the Exploration and Development of
Space (satellite number one).
SedSat-1 has downlinked months worth of telemetry data on the
performance of its electrical power system parameters. The Nickel
Metal Hydride batteries on the spacecraft were experimental and
experienced some abuse due to a power negative situation. This
information has provided NASA with useful information. With the
exception of the imaging system and the use of the transponders,
SedSat-1 has been judged a success.
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.
/EX
--ANS END---
ANS would like to thank Mike Seguin, N1JEZ, ANS principal satellite
investigator, for helping provide current satellite information.
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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