[jamsat-news:2793] Re: ANS-066 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-066

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:

* East Coast APRS Satellite Launch 11 March!
* A new interference threat to the Ham Bands
* SK: Dave Toth, VE3GYQ
* Daylight Savings Time
* AO-51 Survives Close Encounter With FORMOSAT-3
* A Self adjusting Orbit Scheme
* ARISS Update


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-066.01
East Coast APRS Satellite Launch 11 March!

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 066.01
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 7, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-066.01
 

East Coast APRS Satellite Launch 11 March!
You will be able to see it too over most of the mid-atlantic.  I don't see a
launch time or any other info yet.  Here is what I have received:
-----------------------------------------------------

A sounding rocket with amateur satellite operating on 144.39 MHZ APRS will
rise to 100 miles or so for an 8 minute mission.  The rocket (I think) is
the Hall 12.067.

The payload is called SOCEM/ADAMASat.  There is a computer program and GUI
to interface to your PC so you can grab the telemetry live.  It is on:
http://ssl.engr.uky.edu/adamasat_free_gui.exe

It's a one shot deal, so I'm gonna have a backup TNC and
HYPERTERM collecting everything.		
ADAMASat is the Antenna Deployment and Mono-filament Actuator Satellite.
It's a 2U CubeSat designed by Kentucky Space as part of SOCEM, the
Sub-Orbital CubeSat Experimental Mission.
ADAMASat, which is scheduled to launch on Hall 12.067 out of Wallops Flight
Facility on 11 March, will fly in space for roughly 8 minutes performing an
engineering experiment and transmitting data down to Earth via APRS packets.


More information on ADAMASat is available at
http://ssl.engr.uky.edu/suborbital/adamasat Kentucky Space is hereby
releasing to the AMSAT-NA community the ADAMASat FREE GUI, a free 32-bit
Windows binary for amateur radio operators in the Eastern United States who
are interested in tracking ADAMASat on its launch day. The GUI is a
standalone application and upon opening it on his/her computer, the HAM will
be greeted with a popup window which explains the steps required to track
the payload. 

All that is needed is a Windows machine, a radio and TNC which can receive
on 144.390 MHz, a serial or USB cable, and a suitable location. The GUI
parses the APRS packets as they are received, graphing temperatures on-board
the payload and reporting status of the mission in real-time. It also
includes instructions on e-mailing the packet log to Kentucky Space to aid
in post-processing, and a built-in aggregator for the official ADAMASat
Twitter RSS feed. 

Disclaimer: Kentucky Space provides the GUI "as is" without warranties of
any kind, and shall not incur any liability for any damages connected to the
use of the GUI.
		

[ANS thanks Bob, WA4APR, for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-066.02
A new interference threat to the Ham Bands

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 066.02
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 7, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-066.02

FCC to Permit Rescue Radio Robot in the 430 to 450 MHz Band

Reports initially carried in the February 26, 2010 edition of Amateur 
Radio NewslineT Report 1698, and on the QRZ.com website say the FCC 
has issued a waiver of the Part 90 rules to permit a company called 
Reconrobotics Incorporated to sell a remote controlled security robot 
that will operate in the 430 to 448 MHz band.  This is spectrum that 
is primary to the Federal Radiolocation Service but also encompasses 
the Amateur Service weak signal, satellite and repeater subbands.

The waiver permits Reconrobitics to manufacture and sell a device 
called the Recon Scout.  This is described as a device designed for 
state and local law enforcement and firefighting agencies, and secur-
ity personnel in critical infrastructure industries. The Recon Scout 
can be thrown, dropped, or launched into potentially hazardous areas 
and can provide real-time video to an operator located a safe dis-
tance away. Typical applications will include such things as checking 
a building prior to forced entry, searching vehicle undercarriages 
for explosives and searching for survivors in a burning structure.

The Recon Scout transmits the analog video signal to the operator on 
one of three six megahertz channels.  These are 430 to 436 MHz, 436 
to 442 MHz, and 442 to 448 MHz.  Reconrobotics says that multiple 
channels are necessary in order to avoid interference during incidents 
where multiple Recon Scouts are in use, but that such situations 
should be rare.

The company's now approved proposal is that the first unit sold to a 
responding organization would operate on 442 to 448 MHz. That happens 
to be where thousands of ham radio repeaters operate.  The 436 to 
442 MHz version being sold only to entities that already own the 442 
to 448 MHz version, and the 430 to 436 MHz version being sold only to 
entities that already own both of the others.

In approving the waiver, the FCC told Reconrobotics the Recon Scout 
will have to operate on a secondary basis where it cannot cause inter-
ference and is not protected from interference to all Federal users 
and licensed non-Federal users including radio amateurs.  The FCC 
also warned prospective users that operation of the Recon Scout in 
an unauthorized manner will subject licensees to Commission enforce-
ment action and license revocation.  It also said that widespread 
improper use of the device could lead the Commission to stop grant-
ing or renewing Recon Scout authorizations.

[ANS thanks Amateur Radio NewslineT Report 1698 for the above
 information]


/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-066.03
SK: Dave Toth, VE3GYQ

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 066.03
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 7, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-066.03

SK: Dave Toth, VE3GYQ

AMSAT received the sad news of the passing of a friend this week
noting the passing of Dr David Toth, VE3GYQ. Dave was the President
Emeritus of Tucson Amateur Packet Radio (TAPR) Group. He was an 
early member of TAPR, a long time supporter of AMSAT and he gave 
of his time and talents to promote technical endeavors in Amateur 
Radio. Former AMSAT President Tom Clark, K3IO remembered Dave, 
"He was always a friend of AMSAT, giving up personal vacations to 
help with the integration of AO-40 in Orlando. For many years, he 
was the glue that held TAPR together."

Former AMSAT Board Member, Bob McGwier, N4HY recalled that, "Dave
was an important player in the earliest days of packet radio in that 
he helped promote packet and supported it with on the air hardware.
As a board member and President of TAPR, he helped TAPR become the 
principal support for Open HPSDR, a project to promote the development 
of hardware and software for software defined radio use by Amateur 
Radio. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him."

Dr. Toth graduated from the University of Western Ontario Medical 
School in 1978. He practiced family medicine in London, Ontario but 
moved to the U.S. in 1993 to began a career in emergency medicine. 
He was a partner of Premier Health Care Services, in Dayton, Ohio, 
and worked at Lima Memorial Health System and St. Rita's Medical 
Center until the time of his illness.

[ANS thanks Tom Clark, K3IO; Bob Bob McGwier, N4HY; Steve Bible,
 N7HPR; ARRL, TAPR, and Amateur Radio Newsline for the above 
 information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-066.04
Daylight Savings Time

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 066.04
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 7, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-066.04

Next week, March 14th, our semi-annual time change will occur.  
And of course, do we gain or loose an hour? The words Spring ahead and Fall 
back should come to mind as this is the rule.  More modern Atomic Clocks (as
they are called)
Set themselves without any manual adjustments.  I had a clock that was pre
programmed for earlier
DST changes and sent me to work late one Monday morning.  Get out your
pencils and mark your calendar
For this event.  I'm sure the News media will advise you for several days
prior to this required
Adjustment to happen, but, someone will not get the word. Please tell that
person. 
Thank goodness GMT (UTC) stays the same no matter what time of the year it
is.  Computers too are
Pre programmed but satellite program users should make sure time was
corrected properly.  We
Wouldn't want you to miss that Sat QSO you planned for all week. Don't
forget the 1.26 micro second 
Adjustment that the Earthquake in Chile has created.

[ANS thanks ANS Editor for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-066.05
AO-51 Survives Close Encounter With FORMOSAT-3

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 066.05
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 7, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-066.05

AO-51 Survives Close Encounter With FORMOSAT-3

AMSAT-NA VP Operations, Drew KO4MA, received notification from the
US Joint Space Operations Center, located at Vandenberg Air Force 
Base, California on Sunday, February 28 warning that AO-51 would 
have a close approach to another satellite, FORMOSAT 3-D, on Monday
at 1056 UTC. This occurred over the Eastern US, with many stations
on hand capable of receiving telemetry from AO-51 before and after
the near miss. Drew said, "The predicted miss distance was 953 meters, 
which is over 3000 feet overall but the radial difference between the
two orbits was only 39 meters."

Steve, W3HF noted, "Given the orbital uncertanties of both satellites,
an orbit separated by only 39 meters could mean that distance may become 
eaten up rather quickly!"

In preparation for the close encounter, Drew shut off the S band tran-
smitter and turned on the digital downlink at 2 watts, with telemetry 
transmitted every 5 seconds. The next morning, on March 1, Drew was able 
to post a message that AO-51 was alive and well, "It looks like we are 
fine. A second warning email this morning from the Air Force called it 
even closer, but everything was working at LOS this pass." 

FORMOSAT-3 is a constellation of satellites launched on April 15, 2006.
It is a joint U.S.-Taiwanese project with major participants including 
the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), the National 
Science Foundation, the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), the Air Force 
Research Laboratory (AFRL) on the U.S. side and the National Space 
Organization (NSPO) on the Taiwanese side.

[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA VP Operations, Drew KO4MA, and Steve, W3HF for the
 above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-066.06
A Self adjusting Orbit Scheme

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 066.06
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 7, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-066.06

>From the IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination pages at
http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru/formal_detail.asp?serial=168 

POPACS-RR a 2U cubesat will use self-contained, warm gas, propulsion system
to adjust satellite's initial circular orbit of 450 km to eccentric orbit
with apogee of 1500 km and perigee of 450 km. Demonstrate use of 3D printing
(a.k.a. rapid prototyping) for manufacturing small satellites. Measure flux
of energetic particles in lower Van Allen Belt. Test radiation-hardened
electronic components and high performance solar cells in high radiation
environment over a period of five years. Test radiation hardened components
for a Plug and Play satellite. Proposing a UHF downlink of 9k6 GMSK AX25
packet and also an S Band downlink of BPSK at 9k6 or 38k4. Planning a launch
on the first flight of SpaceX Falcon 1E not earlier than May 2011 with a 45
deg inclination. Will apply for a FCC part 5 Experimental licence for this
project.

IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination pages
http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru/

73 Trevor M5AKA

[ANS thanks Trevor, M5AKA, for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-066.7
ARISS Update

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 066.07
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 7, 2010
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-066.07

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Status Report
March 1, 2010

1.	School Contact

Expedition 22 astronaut Soichi Noguchi, KD5TVP Participated in an Amateur
Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with Hamasuka
Junior High School in Chigasaki City, Kanagawa, Japan on Thursday, March 4.
This is a direct contact and was scheduled for 10:09 UTC. Noguchi is an
alumnus of the school.

2.	Timothy Creamer Chats with Doncaster Students via ARISS Contact

On Thursday, February 25, Timothy Creamer, KC5WKI spoke with Doncaster
Primary School students in Doncaster, Victoria, Australia via an Amateur
Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact. The connection was
made through telebridge ground station VK4KHZ in Queensland. Two hundred
fifty guests attended the event and watched as the students asked nineteen
questions of the on-orbit astronaut. The students were involved in many
activities leading up to the contact in their Physics, Space, Geography, and
English classes. During one such activity, the students researched a place
in the solar system and created a short television program for the
intergalactic travel show "Postcards."

3.	ARISS Annual Report 2009 Posted

The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Annual Report
2009 has been posted to the AMSAT Web site. See:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/Papers/Annual%20Reports/ARISS_Annual_Report
_2009_Final.pdf

4.	ARISS News on Amateur Radio Newsline

The February 26, Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1698 includes one item about
the ARISS program.  The "Ham Radio in Space" article summarizes the ARISSat
Design Review meeting held in Orlando, Florida.  See:
ftp://ftp.arnewsline.org/quincy/News/news.txt


[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



_______________________________________________
Via the ANS mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA
http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans