[jamsat-news:2998] ANS-240 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-240

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:

* AO-51 Operations Update
* Time Running Out On The DARA Matching Gift Challenge
* New ARISSat-1 FM Operating Mode
* Second Call For Papers for the 2011 AMSAT Space Symposium
* Kentucky Space Consortium Announces CubeSat Workshop
* Near-Earth Asteroid Fly-by Receiving Opportunity
* UK Students Develop Cosmic Radiation Experiment
* FCC Issues Experimental License For Imaging Tests on 2M & 70cm
* Satellite Shorts From All Over


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-240.01
AO-51 Operations Update

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 240.01
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
August 28, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-240.01

AO-51 Control Station, Mark Hammond, N8MH wrote a status update on
this satellite. Mark noted that since the failure of the first cell 
on the six-cell battery the ground controllers have been limited to 
simple commands for basic configurations. 

Mark said that ground control stations have evolved basic control
and management techniques of AO-51 which allow them to set power 
levels manually, change uplinks/downlinks. Additional features such
as telemetry collection/storage, and the BBS are not functional
at this time. If the satellite resets during eclipse these basic
functions must be restored manually by a ground station.

Ground stations have discovered there is a second cell in the bat-
tery showing problems. Mark noted, "We think it will be the next cell 
to go with the probable result that our limited manual mode of oper-
ation probably will no longer be an option, and the mission might be 
considered over."

AO-51 is currently transmitting on:

Downlink: 435.150 MHz FM (LHCP) and using a 
Uplink:   145.880  MHz FM

The power level is just under 1 watt (about 980 mW). Controllers 
expect to keep this configuration until further notice.

Keep up with the latest AO-51 Control Team News on-line at:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/CTNews.php
  
The current scenario of AO-51 is one reason we need to keep moving 
AMSAT and satellite development/building/launching moving forward!! 
We have learned a lot already with ARISSat-1, and FOX looks promising. 
AMSAT needs the support of its users now more than ever!

[ANS thanks AO-51 Control Station, Mark Hammond, N8MH for the
 above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-240.02
Time Running Out On The DARA Matching Gift Challenge

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 240.02
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
August 28, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-240.02

Donate to AMSAT and DARA will contribute matching funds. The Dayton
Amateur Radio Association (DARA) fund raising challenge for AMSAT
continues until September 1, 2011. DARA will match $1.00 for every
$3.00 donated up to $5,000.

Please consider making a donation to AMSAT and have your effort 
multiplied. We appreciate DARA's support for AMSAT! Your donation 
will support our "Getting AMSAT Back Into Space" campaign by pro-
viding needed funds for AMSAT Project Fox-1 Cubesats which will 
feature a 2M to 70cm FM transponder matching the performance of 
AO-51.

You can donate several ways:

+ On-line at the AMSAT Store:
   http://www.amsat-na.com/store/donation.php

+ You may click on the donation widget on our http://www.amsat.org
   web page.

+ You may call Martha at the AMSAT Office:
   From the US call toll free at: (888) 322-6728
   From all other locations call: (301) 589-6062
   and you can send a fax to:     (301) 608-3410

+ You can send donations by postal mail to:
   AMSAT-NA
   850 Sligo Ave #600
   Silver Spring, MD, 20910

[ANS thanks AMSAT Headquarters for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-240.03
New ARISSat-1 FM Operating Mode

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 240.03
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
August 28, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-240.03

ARISSat-1/KEDR Project Manager Gould Smith, WA4SXM reported on this 
week's status of the satellite. Gould noted that while the battery 
performed as expected during the first week of operation. Lower volt-
ages during eclipse began to show up in the telemetry on 10 Aug 2011. 
The voltages during eclipse have continued to decline causing the 
satellite to reset and occasionally go into Emergency power mode.

Gould explained the changes noted on the 145.950 MHz FM downlink that
were heard this week:

+ A Male voice for the spoken telemetry means that the female voice 
  files on the SD card could not be read.
 
+ If no greetings are transmitted this means that these message 
  stored on the SD card could not be read.
 
+ A short Mission-Elapsed-Time (minutes to hours) has been noted 
  while the satellite was still in a long period of sunlight indi-
  cating that satellite must have reset during sunlight.

Reports received on later orbits indicated that the female voiced
telemetry and the greetings messages had returned to normal operation
once the solar panels had recharged the battery.
 
After each reset the satellite MET (Mission Elapsed Timer) goes to 
000, waits during the 15 minute TX delay, the power management soft-
ware checks the current voltage and power values and determines what 
power mode to operate the satellite. The power mode is re-determined 
at fixed intervals, especially during illuminated periods to provide 
the most transmitted signals while protecting the battery.

High power mode provides continuous transmission when sunlight is 
charging the battery. If the satellite has entered low power mode 
it will transmit for 40 seconds and remain idle for 2 minutes when 
in eclipse, or when the battery voltage is low.

The ARISSat-1 team is closely monitoring the situation and is pleased 
with how well the power management software is controlling the battery 
usage to prolong the lifetime of the battery and the satellite as much 
as possible.

Please send your BPSK telemetry into the server arissattlm.org.

[ANS thanks ARISSat-1/KEDR Project Manager Gould Smith, WA4SXM for the
 above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-240.04
Second Call For Papers for the 2011 AMSAT Space Symposium

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 240.04
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
August 28, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-240.04

This is the second call for papers for the 2011 AMSAT Space Symposium 
to be held Friday, November 4th through Sunday, November 6th at the 
Wyndham San Jose Hotel, San Jose, California. 

Proposals for papers, symposium presentations and poster presentations 
are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite community. 

We request a tentative title of your presentation as soon as possible, 
with final copy submitted by October 1, 2011 for inclusion in the 
printed proceedings. 

Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan Schultz, N8FGV, at: 
n8fgv@amsat.org.

[ANS thanks Dan Schultz, N8FGV for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-240.05
Kentucky Space Consortium Announces CubeSat Workshop

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 240.05
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
August 28, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-240.05

Kentucky Space, a consortium of Kentucky-based colleges and univers-
ities and Make Magazine announced the First annual hackerSPACE Work-
shop focused on CubeSat class satellites to take place in Lexington, 
Kentucky, November 11-12.

While learning how to design and build your own fully functional 
orbital spacecraft, you will work with a team of space professionals 
and engineers led by Radio Amateur Bob Twiggs, W7RMT. Dr. Twiggs is 
Emeritus professor and former director of the Space Systems Develop-
ment Lab at Stanford University, now professor at Morehead State Uni-
versity and also with Kentucky Space. He is credited with inventing 
both the CubeSat and FemtoSat spacecraft, which are now helping to 
revolutionize space, putting it within reach of more people than 
ever.

At this hands-on workshop you’ll learn about the design and assembly 
of small satellites, what kinds of systems are common to all space-
crafts, possible satellite 'apps', the kinds of tests your craft will 
have to pass before it can be flown, raising funds to support your 
space project and possible launch opportunities.

Further details at: http://www.kentuckyspace.com/

[ANS thanks Kentucky Space for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-240.06
Near-Earth Asteroid Fly-by Receiving Opportunity

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 240.06
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
August 28, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-240.06

The 400 meter diameter near-Earth asteroid 2005 YU55 will be making 
a 0.85 lunar distance flyby of Earth on November 8. Michael Busch at
the UCLA Department of Earth and Space Sciences notes this may an
opportunity for amateur satellite operators to observe the fly-by.

UCLA will be conducting an extensive campaign of radar observations 
with the Arecibo Observatory, the Deep Space Network Goldstone facil-
ity, and the Green Bank Telescope and the Very Long Baseline Array.

Because YU55 will be so close to Earth, its radar echo will be 
detectable with even small antennas (~1 m^2). YU55's echo will be 
a slowly drifting signal with a bandwidth of ~1 Hz within a few kHz 
of 2380 MHz or 8560 MHz.

This will present amateur radio operators an opportunity to receive
the radar reflections off of the asteroid because of the big dish,
big signals originating from Arecibo and Goldstone.

On November 8, 2011, 19:15 - 19:30 UTC, Arecibo will be transmitting 
a continuous wave tuned to put the asteroid's echo at a constant 
2380.000000 MHz at the Green Bank Telescope.  Observers elsewhere on 
Earth will see the echo within 2 kHz of 2380 MHz, Doppler-shifted by 
the Earth's rotation. It will be slowly drifting in frequency and 
have a bandwidth of ~0.6 Hz.

On November 9, 2011, 01:30 - 02:00 UTC, the Goldstone Deep Space Net-
work facility will be be transmitting a continuous wave tuned to put 
the asteroid's echo a constant 8560.000000 MHz at a second antenna at 
the Goldstone site. Other observers may see the echo shifted by as 
much as 6 kHz, and it will have a bandwidth of ~2 Hz.

Initial information can be found on-line at: 
http://echo.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroids/2005YU55/2005YU55_planning.html
More details will be announced as the fly-by date approaches.

[ANS thanks Michael Busch, UCLA Department of Earth and Space 
 Sciences for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-240.07
UK Students Develop Cosmic Radiation Experiment

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 240.07
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
August 28, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-240.07

The Times newspaper reported on an experiment developed by students 
in Canterbury that will soon fly in space. They have also teamed up 
with students in Uganda.

Students at the Simon Langton Grammar school, led by Head of Physics, 
Dr. Becky Parker are developing a Cosmic Radiation experiment (LUCID) 
that will be part of the TechDemoSat-1 satellite. It is based around 
a Cosmic Ray detector chip from CERN and the school raised £60,000 to 
fund the experiment.

The school say that Dr Obote College in Uganda will soon be working 
with one of the LUCID cosmic ray detectors and Ugandan students will 
play an equal part with Langton students in collecting and analysing 
data on cosmic ray activity as part of an international experiment.

As part of the project Dr. Becky Parker is looking for money to install 
LUCID equipment in schools across the Britsh Isles and Europe providing 
ground-based data in a way that will involve hundreds of thousands of 
students.

TechDemoSat-1 (TDS-1) is developed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd 
(SSTL). The TechDemoSat will function as an ‘in-orbit test facility’ 
for the UK Space Agency once launched, qualifying onboard payloads as 
well as UK satellite software.

At around one meter cubed and a mass of 150kg, TechDemoSat (TDS-1) 
will carry no less than eight payloads. Additional features proposed 
for this mission include:

+ An enhanced on board computer giving greater ability to conduct 
  software experiments remotely.

+ A new battery charge regulator and newly qualified cell types on 
  two of the solar panels.

+ A propulsion system will see a smaller tank size trialled with a new 
  high performance resistojet thruster.

+ New sun sensors in the Altitude and Orbital Control System.

+ Standard CANbus interface.

More details can be found on-line at: 
http://tinyurl.com/3nvp8zn (sstl.co.uk)

[ANS thanks the Southgate ARC site for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-240.08
FCC Issues Experimental License For Imaging Tests on 2M & 70cm

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 240.08
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
August 28, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-240.08

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1776, dated August 26, 2011, carried 
a report that the FCC has issued a new experimental license with the 
call letters WF2XSP to one James Cutler to operate in 144 to 146 MHz 
and 437 to 439 MHz spectrum.  This, for testing an image processing 
algorithm that will be used on a future space flight mobile, Low 
Earth Orbit operations ranging from 450 to 820 kilometers in altitude.

The FCC announcement made no other reference to the nature of Cutler's 
experimentation nor why he requested to do so in the amateur 2 meter 
and 70 centimeter bands. QRZ.com lists six radio amateurs by the name 
of James Cutler, but its unknown if any of them are the same James 
Cutler who has obtained the Experimental License from the FCC.

[ANS thanks Amateur Radio Newsline Report for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-240.09
Satellite Shorts From All Over

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 240.09
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
August 28, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-240.09

+ Bryce, KB1LQC has posted a video showing reception of the ARISSat-1 
  amateur radio satellite using a handheld arrow yagi antenna: 
  http://tinyurl.com/42fbrqe (Southgate ARC)

+ Mario Lorenz, DL5MLO from AMSAT-DL gave a presentation, in English, 
  at the Hacker Space Program track at the Chaos Communication Camp 
  2011 which ran from August 10-14 at Finowfurt near Berlin, Germany.
  A video of Mario's presentation, "From OSCAR 1 to Mars and Beyond",
  can be seen at: http://tinyurl.com/445w7re

+ If a tower falls and no one is near does it still make a sound?
  Find out when you view a video of the demolition of the 126 meter
  tower at the Beromünster national transmission center. The 216
  meter tower at this site remains standing as part of protected 
  monument status. 

+ NASA STEREO spacecraft captured a billion-tons cloud of solar plasma
  from a Coronal Mass Ejection event as it engulfed the Earth:
  http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo/news/solarstorm-tracking.html

+ We have software defined radios ... are you ready for a software
  defined antenna tuner (of sorts)? A series capacitor, parallel induc-
  tor T-network radio frequency impedance match written in JAVA that 
  runs on a web page can be tuned at:
  http://fermi.la.asu.edu/w9cf/tuner/tuner.html

+ NPR has posted a video, "The Astronaut's Guide To Life In Space" at:
  http://vimeo.com/27738605

+ The dates for the next Hudson Valley Satcom nets are September 1, 
  September 15, and September 29 at 8:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time 
  (UTC - 4). You can tune in via the 146.970 MHz Mt. Beacon repeater, 
  PL 100.0 or via EchoLink on the N2EYH-L node. More info is available 
  at: http://www.hvsatcom.org (Stu, WA2BSS)

[ANS thanks everyone 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 addi-
tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT 
Office. And with that please keep in mind the two ham radio bro-
thers called William and Wayne. Will was a CW operator and Wayne 
was a phone operator. Hams noticed they always went around together. 
If William went to the CW band, Wayne would be in the shack tuning 
the phone band. One ham noticed they were so inseparable. It was 
easy to explain, because where there's a Will there's a Wayne!

73,
This week's ANS Editor,
JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM
K9JKM at amsat dot org



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