[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index][JAMSAT Home]

[jamsat-news:1912] ANS-130 AMSAT Weekly Bulletins


AMSAT NEWS SERVICE

ANS-130

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.

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


In this edition:
*  AMSAT Files Comments with FCC on BPL
*  SDR and Spectrum Use Comments filed with FCC
*  Report on the 41st Space Congress
*  ARISS Status  03 May 2004
*  This Week's News in Brief


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-130.01
AMSAT Files Comments with FCC on BPL

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 130.01 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD.  May 9, 2004
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-130.01

Dr. Perry I. Klein, W3PK, AMSAT Vice President, Government Liaison, reports
that comments to the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rule Making on Access
Broadband over Power Line Systems (BPL) have been filed expressing AMSAT's
concern on the potential for interference that these systems represent to
the Amateur Satellite community.

While a lot of attention has been paid to the impact to HF operations, AMSAT
raises the concern that harmonics and intermodulation products could extend
the potential for interference well into VHF and UHF frequencies.  AMSAT
quoted existing Part 15 rules:

   "To determine compliance with the radiated emission limits, if the
     highest frequency generated or used in the device, or on which device
     operates or tunes is 10 MHz, the upper frequency to be examined is
     500 MHz."

AMSAT pointed out that 500 MHz is FIFTY TIMES 10 MHz and noted that the
Commission, in this instance, was clearly concerned with harmonics, and
possibly other out-of-band  emissions.  Nevertheless, AMSAT observed that
no such language appears in the new rules proposed for Broadband over Power
Lines in the Docket.

AMSAT also addressed a broader issue of the risk posed by the high voltage
involved in BPL systems.  AMSAT believes that a potential risk could be
present by the existence of "couplers" or similar devices installed across
transformers. If a short-circuit should occur in one of these devices,
dangerously high voltages could be conducted to homes and offices, with
potentially fatal results.

AMSAT urges the Commission NOT to allow Access BPL systems, even at current
Part 15 radiation limits, and certainly not at higher ones as many of its
proponents urge, until it has had a chance to review all of the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) analyses,
including that to be contained in its planned Phase II report.

AMSAT also urges the Commission NOT to allow any further deployment of
Access BPL systems until these steps have been taken and until the
Commission has had an opportunity to assess ALL the aspects of Access BPL,
including the potential interference threat posed by harmonics and other
out-of-band radiation. This assessment should, of course, include a thorough
review of the NTIA Phase II report. Furthermore, existing Access BPL systems
should be shut down pending the outcome of this assessment.

The full text of AMSAT's comments can be found at
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/amsat-na/filings/et-04-37-comments.pdf

Perry noted that a lot of hard work and study went into getting these
comments filed with the FCC in a timely manner.  Ray Soifer, W2RS and Bill
Tynan, W5XO were instrumental in helping pull these comments together along
with contributions from other AMSAT Board Members and Officers.

[ANS thanks Perry, W3PK for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-130.02
SDR and Spectrum Use Comments filed with FCC

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 130.02 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD.  May 9, 2004
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-130.02

Dr. Perry I. Klein, W3PK, AMSAT Vice President, Government Liaison, reports
that comments to the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rule Making on the feasibility
of allowing unlicensed devices to operate at higher powers than is currently
authorized under Part 15 rules, in "rural areas" operating at 2400 - 2450
MHz, 5725 - 5875 MHz and 24.0 - 24.25 GHz.  Also included in this NPRM is
the issue of the potential misuse of high speed Digital to Analog Converters
(DACs) and Software Defined Radios (SDR).

Regarding an increase in authorized power for Part 15 devices, AMSAT noted
that 2400 - 2450 MHz, 5725 - 5875 MHz and 24.0 - 24.25 GHz  are also
available for use by the Amateur-satellite Service.  Part 15 devices,
notably wireless LANs, already represent a significant source of
interference to amateurs attempting to use satellite downlinks at 2401 MHz.
In some areas, the interference is so severe as to preclude operation
altogether.  AMSAT believes that the segment 2400 - 2417 MHz which is
allocated to the Amateur Service on a Primary basis should be afforded
protection from higher power Part 15 devices.

Also included in this NPRM is the issue of the potential misuse of high
speed DACs and SDRs.  The proposed rule-change directly affects
all radio amateurs, including those who will be using Amateur Radio
satellites in the future.  One problem is that limiting the transmission
ability to amateur bands, prevents HF software defined radios from being
used as wideband IFs in conjunction with transverters to access the
microwave bands. Such transverters are frequently used in connection with
both terrestrial and satellite applications for reception and transmission
on various microwave bands. A rule such as that proposed by the Commission
will, in our opinion, severely inhibit development and introduction of
devices which might otherwise prove beneficial to radio amateurs and the
general public.

AMSAT contends that a better way to deal with infractions committed by those
misusing such high speed DACs, or any other transmitting device, would be on
an individual basis, rather that penalizing everyone merely to head off
infractions which can only be speculated on at this time.  AMSAT urges that
the Commission not impose any restrictions on the development and marketing
of high speed DACs or require that hardware devices to prevent transmission
outside amateur bands, be required to be installed in software defined
radios.

The full text of AMSAT's comments can be found at
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/amsat-na/filings/et-03-108-comments.pdf

Perry noted that a lot of research and hard work went into getting these
comments filed with the FCC in a timely manner.  Ray Soifer, W2RS and Bill
Tynan, W5XO were instrumental in helping pull these comments together along
with contributions from other AMSAT Board Members and Officers.

[ANS thanks Perry, W3PK for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-130.03
Report on the 41st Space Congress

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 130.03 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD.  May 9, 2004
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-130.03

One of the objectives identified during the Strategic Planning Meeting held
last February was to begin an on-going effort to develop points of contact
and relationships within the space industry to further the Mission and
Vision of AMSAT.  Board Member, Lou McFadin, W5DID and Board Alternate, Lee
McLamb, KU4OS attended the 41st Space Congress in Cape Canaveral, FL 27-29
April 2004 in support of that effort.  Some of the attendees and panelists
were already familiar with AMSAT from previous projects and indicated a
willingness to assist in the future.

Details about Space Congress and the overall agenda can be found at
www.spacecongress.org

[ANS thanks Lee, KU4OS for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-130.04
ARISS Status  03 May 2004

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 130.04 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD.  May 9, 2004
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-130.04

1. ESA Article on ARISS Radio Contact

The European Space Agency ran an article on their web page about the ARISS
contact between Andre Kuipers, PI9ISS, and the school children who were
winners of the Zeg het ISS competition. See:

.http://www.esa.int/export/SPECIALS/Delta_Mission/SEMWAW67ESD_0.html


2. ARISS Attends 2004 Wheels and Wings Airshow

ARISS supported an Airshow/Amateur Radio Event in Millville, New Jersey on
May 1 & 2.  The ARISS poster used during the IMAX premiere was on display
and members of AMSAT were in attendance to answer questions regarding the
ARISS program.


3. ARISS Presentation at Dayton Hamvention 2004

On May 15, ARISS Chairman, Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, will give a presentation
entitled, " AMSAT's Future Role in Human Spaceflight Exploration -- ARISS,
the Moon and Mars," at the Dayton Hamvention 2004. AMSAT and ARRL will both
have exhibits at the event, which will run from Friday, May 14 through
Sunday, May 16 in Dayton, Ohio. For further information, see the ARRL
article, entitled, "Hamvention to combine awards presentation, prize
drawings," at http://www.arrl.org/ and see AMSAT's agenda:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/activities/dayton/dayton04.html


4.. Crew Debrief Questions Compiled

ARISS team members continue to generate questions for the debriefing session
with Mike Foale. The team is looking for recommendations for improving
school contacts, as well as technical information concerning the radio
systems, and computer availability on the ISS.

[ANS thanks Carol for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-130.05
This Week's News in Brief

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 130.05 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD.  May 9, 2004
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-130.05

**     NASA's Genesis spacecraft flew past Earth on Saturday in a loop that
puts it on track for home and a dramatic mid-air recovery Sept. 8. The
Genesis mission was launched in August of 2001 to capture samples from the
storehouse of 99-percent of all the material in our solar system ュ the Sun.
Helicopter flight crews, navigators and mission engineers are preparing for
the return of the spacecraft. The will dispatch a sample return capsule that
will re-enter Earth's atmosphere for a planned mid-air capture at the U.S.
Air Force Utah Test and Training Range on Sept. 8  --SpaceDaily

**     The consortium Sea Launch said it had placed a large US satellite in
orbit, fulfilling the first-ever contract in a cooperation agreement between
three of the world's biggest satellite-launch operators.  DirecTV-7S, a
geostationary satellite designed to beam services to 60 local markets in the
United States, was taken aloft at 1242 GMT by a Ukrainian-made Zenit-3SL
rocket, launched from a mobile platform in international waters in the
Pacific.  --SpaceDaily

**    After a 50-meter (164-foot) drive on sol 94, which ended at 10:10 p.m.
April 29 PDT, and the final approach of 17 meters (56 feet) on sol 95, which
ended at 10:49 p.m. April 30 PDT, Opportunity arrived on the western rim of
"Endurance Crater" and began surveying the spectacular new view.
--SpaceDaily

/EX


In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the
President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to
AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits.
Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.

AMSAT has developed an on-line volunteer survey, designed to
identify the interests and skills of those who may be available to directly
help in efforts to develop the amateur satellite program. The survey is
designed to be completed and returned on-line, and takes only a few minutes
to fill out.  To request the survey, simply send an e-mail request
to:volunteer at AMSAT.org

73,
This weeks ANS Editor,
Lee McLamb, KU4OS, ku4os at AMSAT.org

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