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[jamsat-news:2611] ANS-025 AMSAT Weekly Bulletins


AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-025

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:
* GOSAT + Six SatPals Successfully Launched By Japan
* SKN Best Fist Winners
* Latest AMSAT Awards
* ARISS Status - 19 January 2009

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-025.01
GOSAT + Six SatPals Successfully Launched By Japan

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 025.01
   From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
January 25, 2009
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-025.01

GOSAT + Six SatPals Successfully Launched By Japan

JAXA GOSAT launch site Japan has launched a satellite whose focus will
be to observe the concentration distribution of greenhouse gases from
space. The launch of the Ibuki satellite (also known by GOSAT -
Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite) took place on January 23rd at
03:54 UTC from the LP1 launch platform of the Yoshinubo launch complex
on Tanegashima. Ibuki has a approximate mass of 1750 kg. Is equipped
with two solar panels that generate 3.8 kW. The satellite will operate
for 5 years on a sun-synchronous sub-recurrent orbit with a inclination
of 98 degrees.
The small satellites with Amateur Radio capabilities launched with this
satellite are  SDS-1, SOHLA-1, SPRITESAT, PRISM, KKS-1, STARS-1, and the
KAGAYAKI.  Further information, frequencies and keplerian data can be
found on the AMSAT website.  We have some new stars to be pointing to
and check the website often as more information is passed on.

[ANS thanks Masa, JN1GKZ,for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-025.02
SKN Best Fist Winners

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 025.02
   From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
January 25, 2009
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-025.02

Many thanks to all who participated in AMSAT's Straight Key Night on
OSCAR 2009.  Thanks in large part to the popularity of AO-51, we have a
record 24 Best Fist winners this year.  Participation outside North
America was especially high, especially in Asia, a trend which we hope
will continue.

The following amateurs each received at least one Best Fist nomination
from someone they worked:

AA5PK, I6IBE, JA1COU, JA0CAW, JE4QGF, JG5WLV, JM1LRA, JN1UEP/4, JO3MQY,
JR0EFE, K8DID, K9QHO, K0RJS, KN4OK, N3TL, N4ZQ, N5AFV, N7EQF, W6ASL,
WA6ARA, WA8HOK, WA8SME, 9A5YY, 9M6YBG

See you next year!

73,

Ray W2RS

[ANS thanks Ray Soifer, W2RS, for the
   above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-025.03
Latest AMSAT Awards

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 025.03
   From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
January 25, 2009
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-025.03

We are starting the New Year with a new U.S. President and a few new
award recipients. A couple of these awards were issued at the end of 2008.

We would like to welcome the following to the satellite community. They
have made their first satellite contact and are now members of the AMSAT
Satellite Communicators Club.

Gail McDaniel, KB0RZD
Thomas Lepley, KX3TL

The following have earned the AMSAT Satellite Communications Achievement
Award.

Ivo Brungera, I6IBE, #476
Clayton Freund, WB5TOI, #477
Gail McDaniel, KB0RZD, #478
Joe Seibert, AL1F, #479


The following have earned the AMSAT South Africa Satellite Communications
Achievement Award.

Ivo Brugnera, I6IBE, #US128
Gail McDaniel, KB0RZD, #US129


To see all the awards visit http://www.amsat.org or
http://www.amsatnet.com


Bruce Paige, KK5DO
AMSAT Director Contests and Awards

[ANS thanks Bruce, KK5DO, for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-025.04
ARISS Status - 19 January 2009

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 025.04
   From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
January 25, 2009
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-025.04

1. Upcoming School Contacts

Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa, Canada was successful 
via Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
(ARISS) contact on Tuesday, January 20 at 18:06 UTC via telebridge
station ON4ISS in Belgium. A space club has been formed at the hospital
and those children participating in the club have learned about the ISS
via videos, the internet and guest speakers. They learned to use
correct radio protocol and have tracked and plotted the course of the
ISS. They have also created artwork displayed during the contact.
Media coverage of the event was a success.

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has
been scheduled for Castor Valley Elementary School in Greely, Ontario,
Canada on Tuesday, January 27 at 19:30 UTC. A space club has been formed
at the school for grades 1-8. Students from this group will ask
questions of the astronaut. Students have learned about the ISS via
video, internet and through guest speakers. They have been taught the
correct radio protocol and have tracked and plotted the course of the
ISS. All classes have taken part in space projects and activities.
Media, members of the community, the school board and other dignitaries
have been invited to attend.

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has
been scheduled with CERAM EAI in Sophia Antipolis, Alpes Maritimes,
France. The contact will take place on Thursday, January 29 at 14:54 UTC
via telebridge station VK4KHZ in Australia. CERAM University conducts
research projects in aviation, engineering and IT.  Amateur radio
communication has been introduced to students to prepare for the
contact. Newspaper and television coverage is anticipated and webcast
retransmission is possible.

Ecole & Collège Jean XXIII, a private primary & secondary school in
Pamiers, France, will experience an Amateur Radio on the International
Space Station (ARISS) contact on Friday, January 30 at approximately
13:08 UTC.  Five hundred students, ages 3 to 15 years old, attend the
school. Students in the third cycle classes (3rd - 5th grades) and those
in their second year of secondary school have studied radio
communications. Radio operators from "l'Institut de Développement des
Radiocommunications par l'Enseignement" (IDRE) have introduced radio
technology to the children. Topics covered included remote command use,
introduction to Morse code, ham radio phone contact, distress beacon
search, electronic kits, and different ham radio station possibilities.
This ARISS activity has been incorporated into the educational subjects
of Astronomy, History of Space Exploration, Geography and Writing.

2. Richard Garriott Debrief

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program
debriefing session was held with spaceflight participant Richard
Garriott, W5KWQ, on Tuesday, January 13.  Richard gave a status on the
ISS Ham equipment onboard the ISS and provided valuable feedback on
ARISS operations.

3. Cosmonaut Training Status

Cosmonaut Dmitri Kondratiev received training on the Amateur Radio on
the International Space Station (ARISS) equipment. He is scheduled to
fly on Expedition 20.  Photos of the training session are available on
the Energia Web site.  See:
http://www.energia.ru/eng/iss/iss20/photo_01-14.html

[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI, for the above information]

/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.

73,
This week's ANS Editor,
Dee Interdonato, NB2F
nb2f at amsat dot org















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