<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small"></span><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small"></span>AMSAT News Service</span></font><div><p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">
ANS-257<br>
Sept<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small">.</span> 14, 2025</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">In this edition:</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">* CubeSats to Deploy from ISS on September 19<br>
* Register Now – AMSAT Symposium Prices Increase September 16<br>
* AMSAT Board of Directors Election Ends September 15, 2025<br>
* FCC Grants AST SpaceMobile Limited Use of Amateur Radio Band<br>
* ARRL Lab Helps Radio Amateurs Avoid Interfering With US Space Force Radar<br>
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution<br>
* Space Station’s Silver Jubilee Celebrated with Silver Research<br>
* ARISS News<br>
* AMSAT Ambassador Activities<br>
* Satellite Shorts From All Over</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The AMSAT® News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and
information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.
ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including 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.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The news feed on <a href="http://www.amsat.org" target="_blank">http://www.amsat.org</a> publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><b style="font-family:georgia,serif">Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] <a href="http://amsat.org" target="_blank">amsat.org</a></b></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: <a href="https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/" target="_blank">https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/</a></span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">CubeSats to Deploy from ISS on September 19</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, has announced that five
Japanese CubeSats will be deployed from the International Space Station
(ISS) on September 19 (though the date and time of the deployment are
subject to change due to the ISS schedule modification). The deployment
event for those satellites will be broadcast via YouTube JAXA Channel.
Four of the CubeSats, carrying scientific and educational payloads, will
operate in the amateur bands, and radio amateurs around the world are
invited to participate in the projects:</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>GHS-01</b> is a 2U size CubeSat equipped with a camera
for photographing the earth, a sensor for checking the state of the
satellite, and an attitude control device. In response to commands from
the ground station, the satellite-mounted camera photographs the earth
from space and transmits the image data to the ground. In order for
amateur radio users around the world to voluntarily acquire image data
taken by this satellite by radio, the date and time of image
transmission will be published on the website <a href="https://gifuhs2022.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">https://gifuhs2022.wordpress.com/</a>.
Also, the satellite carries a digitalker mission. Audio data is
transmitted from a ground station and stored in the satellite. The voice
data is transmitted from the satellite as an analog FM voice signal,
and a message is broadcast from space. The date and time the message
will be sent will be published on the website. The satellite was built
by Gifu University with technical cooperation for using satellite radio
waves with sister schools of universities and high schools such as
Lithuania, Australia, Kenya, South Korea, and Taiwan. A downlink on
437.090 MHz has been coordinated with 20 wpm CW, 1k2 AFSK, 9k6 GMSK and
digitalker voice.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>DRAGONFLY</b>, coordinated by Kyushu Institute of
Technology, is part of the Joint Global Multi-Nation Birds Satellite
project, BIRDS-X, and funded by Amateur Radio Digital Communications in
the U.S. The 2U CubeSat will carry APRS digipeaters on 145.825 MHz, as
well as a Store and Forward messaging system. In addition to the VHF
APRS frequency, a UHF downlink for CW beacon and telemetry using 4k8
GMSK will transmit at 437.375 MHz. A ground terminal competition will be
held on DRAGONFLY. More information is available at <a href="https://birds-x.birds-project.com/" target="_blank">https://birds-x.birds-project.com/</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>STARS-Me2</b>, a 1U CubeSat built by Shizuoka University
features an earth observation camera, but the real experimentation
takes place on the AX.25 radio downlinks on which those photos are
transmitted back to earth. Reception success rates at receiving ground
stations will be measured at baud rates of 1.2kbps, 9.6kbps and
115.2kbps. The coding gain of the error correction scheme will be
measured on the downlinks. And the reception performance with
polarization diversity at multiple terrestrial receiver stations
(developed by amateur radio operators) will be evaluated. The goal is to
learn more about how large data sets, such as images, are best
transmitted from space. UHF downlinks with CW, 1k2 AFSK, 9k6 FSK and
115.2 bps GMSK are coordinated for 437.350 MHz, 437.400 MHz and 437.200
MHz.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>RSP-03</b> is also a 1U CubeSat carrying a camera, but
in this case the camera will not be aimed at earth, but at the stars.
The main mission is to capture the star data by camera, convert it to
“audible data,” and deliver the audio to the ground as a “Stellar
Symphony.” After acquiring data of stars and constellations captured by
the onboard camera an on-board AI will compose sounds from the star data
and transmit it to the ground via an FM Digi-talker. In addition,
digital data will be sent using various baud rates and modulation modes,
and a digital “QSL card,” stored on the satellite before launch will be
transmitted via SSTV after amateurs have uploaded their callsigns from
the ground. A downlink at 437.050 MHz will be shared by the FM
Digi-talker, 1200 BPS (AFSK on FM), 9600 BPS (GMSK), and 24000 BPS
(4FSK, OQPSK). Details are at <a href="https://rsp03.rymansat.com/en" target="_blank">https://rsp03.rymansat.com/en</a>.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Masa Arai, JN1GKZ, IARU, and JAXA for the above information.]</span></font></p>
<hr>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>Your 2025 AMSAT President’s Club Coin Is Waiting!</b><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight</b><br></span></font><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>Help Support GOLF and Fox Plus.</b></span></font></p><div style="text-align:center"></div><br><div style="text-align:center"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small"></span><img src="cid:ii_mfif34v34" alt="2025-PC-Coin-2-Sided-Color-Web.jpg" width="300" height="148"><br></div><p style="text-align:center"></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align:center"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help </b><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>Keep Amateur Radio in Space! </b><br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><a href="https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/" target="_blank"><b>https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/</b></a></span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Register Now – AMSAT Symposium Prices Increase September 16</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Discounted registration for the 2025 AMSAT Symposium, to be held
October 17-19, 2025 in Phoenix, AZ will be available through September
15th. Prices increase on September 16th.<br>
Credit: Holiday Inn Suites Phoenix Airport North</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">For details, visit <a href="https://www.amsat.org/43rd-amsat-space-symposium-and-annual-general-meeting/" target="_blank">https://www.amsat.org/43rd-amsat-space-symposium-and-annual-general-meeting/</a> .</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Proposals for Symposium papers and presentations are invited on any
topic of interest to the amateur satellite community. We request a
tentative title of your paper or presentation as soon as possible, with
final copy submitted by October 8th for inclusion in the Symposium
Proceedings.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Proposals for presentations at the Symposium do not require a paper.
Presentations will be recorded and made available on AMSAT’s YouTube
Channel and transcribed and published with its slides in the
Proceedings.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Proposals should be sent to Frank Karnauskas, N1UW via f.karnauskas [at] amsat [dot] org .</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]</span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">AMSAT Board of Directors Election Ends September 15, 2025</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Four seats on the Board of Directors are up for election this year.
The four candidates receiving the largest number of votes shall be
declared elected to the seats and the candidate receiving the next
largest number of votes shall be declared the First Alternate. Members’
opportunity to vote ends on Monday September 15, 2025. Results will be
announced no later that September 30, 2025.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The following candidates who have been duly nominated are as follows:</span></font></p>
<p style="padding-left:40px"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Barry Baines, WD4ASW<br>
Jerry Buxton, NØJY<br>
Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA<br>
Frank Karnauskas, N1UW<br>
Douglas Tabor, N6UA</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">AMSAT members may review the candidate statements and cast their ballots at <a href="https://launch.amsat.org/2025-BoD-Election" target="_blank">https://launch.amsat.org/2025-BoD-Election</a> .</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Douglas Tabor, N6UA, AMSAT Secretary, for the above information.]</span></font></p>
<hr>
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<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">FCC Grants AST SpaceMobile Limited Use of Amateur Radio Band</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The FCC Space Bureau has granted a license to AST & Science LLC
(operating as AST Space Mobile) for using the 430 — 440 MHz amateur
radio allocation for TT&C operations for 20 additional satellites.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The FCC Space Bureau commented: “At this time, to address the
concerns raised by amateur radio operators and the petitioner, we issue a
limited grant to AST to conduct emergency operations in the 430–440 MHz
bandwhen no other bands are available for the 20 additional satellites
authorized herein for a period not to exceed 24 hours.”</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">This decision is the result of over 2500 comments to the FCC by the
American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and several International Amateur
Radio Union (IARU) member societies, AMSAT, and individual amateur radio
operators. The IARU maintains its view that the use of Article 4.4 of
the ITU Radio Regulations is inappropriate in this matter, in particular
as there are existing allocations in the UHF spectrum for Telemetry,
Tracking and Command (TT&C) operations. There are no technical or
operational requirements for AST & Science LLC to intrude the
430–440 MHz spectrum which is a primary amateur and amateur satellite
service allocation in ITU Region 1 and in several countries in Region 2.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The IARU and its member societies will continue to monitor the
further development of this issue. As a sector member of ITU‑R, the IARU
will contribute towards improving the respective process concerning
Article 4.4.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The IARU is grateful for the support and contributions from our member-societies.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks IARU for the above information.]</span></font></p>
<hr><div style="text-align:center"><div style="text-align:center"><img src="cid:ii_mfif4bxi6" alt="AMSAT-SDR-Gen2-GNU-Radio-Based-Transverter.webp" width="578" height="355"><br></div></div><hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">ARRL Lab Helps Radio Amateurs Avoid Interfering With US Space Force Radar</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">US Space Command headquarters is being moved to Huntsville, Alabama,
known as “Rocket City USA.” The move was announced in a press conference
on September 2, 2025. Huntsville will host the 2026 ARRL National
Convention as part of the Huntsville Hamfest, but there’s a bigger
connection between U.S. Space Command and amateur radio.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Space Command utilizes forces such as the US Space Force to
accomplish its command mission. The ARRL Lab supports the U.S. Space
Force’s Phased Array Warning System (PAVE PAWS) early warning radar
installations which scan the skies for incoming missiles and space junk.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Since 2007, the ARRL Lab has been conducting this crucial analysis
using Longley-Rice terrain modeling to determine if an amateur fixed
station, repeater, or EME station is eligible for a waiver to be granted
by the military to run more than the 50 watts of RF power on the
70-centimeter band currently allowed with a 100-mile radius of either
the Cape Cod Air Force Station in Massachusetts, or Beale Air Force Base
in California. “We want to ensure that amateurs can exercise as many
operating privileges as possible, while understanding the need for the
Space Force to operate without interference,” said ARRL Lab Manager
George Spatta, W1GKS.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The reports provided to the Space Force advise a “cone of protection”
in azimuth and elevation at which the amateur would be limited to a
power level which would not interfere with the radar.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Amateurs are secondary users on the 70-centimeter band and the ARRL
Lab’s cooperation with the military helps ensure we do not interfere
with this vital function of our nation’s security. As of this writing,
the Lab is conducting this analysis for two different waiver requests.
“It is an important part of the work we do to serve radio amateurs,”
said Spatta.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks ARRL for the above information.]</span></font></p>
<hr>
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<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for September 12</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or
keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard
mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking
programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur
satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated daily in the first hour of
the UTC day. New bulletin files will be posted immediately after
reliable elements become available for new amateur satellites. More
information may be found at <a href="https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/" target="_blank">https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/</a>.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">EIRSAT-1 NORAD Cat ID 58472 Decayed from orbit on or about 5 September 2025</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager for the above information.]</span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Space Station’s Silver Jubilee Celebrated with Silver Research</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">This November marks a quarter century of continuous human presence
aboard the International Space Station, which has served as a
springboard for developing a low Earth economy and NASA’s next great
leaps in exploration, including human missions to the Moon and Mars. To
kick off the orbiting laboratory’s silver 25th anniversary countdown,
here are a few silver-themed science investigations that have advanced
research and space exploration.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><b style="font-family:georgia,serif">Antimicrobial properties</b></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Silver has been used for centuries to fight infection, and
researchers use its unique properties to mitigate microbial growth
aboard the space station. Over time, microbes form biofilms, sticky
communities that can grow on surfaces and cause infection. In space,
biofilms can become resistant to traditional cleaning products and could
infect water treatment systems, damage equipment, and pose a health
risk to astronauts. The Bacterial Adhesion and Corrosion investigation
studied the bacterial genes that contribute to the formation of biofilms
and tested whether a silver-based disinfectant could limit their
growth.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Another experiment focused on the production of silver nanoparticles
aboard the space station. Silver nanoparticles have a bigger
surface-to-volume ratio, allowing silver ions to come in contact with
more microbes, making it a more effective antimicrobial tool to help
protect crew from potential infection on future space missions. It also
evaluated whether silver nanoparticles produced in space are more stable
and uniform in size and shape, characteristics that could further
enhance their effectiveness.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><b style="font-family:georgia,serif">Wearable tech</b></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Silver is a high-conductivity precious metal that is very malleable,
making it a viable option for smart garments. NASA astronauts aboard the
orbiting laboratory tested a wearable monitoring vest with
silver-coated sensors to record heart rates, cardiac mechanics, and
breathing patterns while they slept. This smart garment is lightweight
and more comfortable, so it does not disturb sleep quality. The data
collected provided valuable insight into improving astronauts’ sleep in
space.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><b style="font-family:georgia,serif">Silver crystals</b></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">In microgravity, there is no up or down, and weightlessness does not
allow particles to settle, which impacts physical and chemical
processes. Researchers use this unique microgravity environment to grow
larger and more uniform crystals unaffected by the force of Earth’s
gravity or the physical processes that would separate mixtures by
density. The NanoRacks-COSMOS investigation used the environment aboard
the station to grow and assess the 3D structure of silver nitrate
crystals. The molecular structure of these superior silver nitrate
crystals has applications in nanotechnology, such as creating silver
nanowires for nanoscale electronics.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks NASA for the above information.]</span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">ARISS NEWS</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts
between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact
with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station.
The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>RECENTLY COMPLETED</b><br>
Taka Town Board of Education Children’s Future Division, Taka Town, Japan, direct via JA3YRL<br>
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS<br>
The scheduled crewmember is Kimiya Yui KG5BPH<br>
The ARISS mentor is 7M3TJZ<br>
Contact was successful: Thu 2025-09-11 09:22:34 UTC 45 degrees elevation</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>UPCOMING</b><br>
National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Abuja, Nigeria, telebridge via ZS6JON<br>
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS<br>
The scheduled crewmember is Zena Cardman KJ5CMN<br>
The ARISS mentor is IN3GHZ<br>
Contact is go for: Sat 2025-09-20 09:37:23 UTC 83 degrees elevation</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The crossband repeater continues to be <b>active</b>
(145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so
inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the
volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you
just never know.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The packet system is also <b>active</b> (145.825 MHz up & down).</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS
radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol. Scheduled radio
power down and power up times:</span></font></p>
<p style="padding-left:40px"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Sat 2025-09-13 12:40 UTC Power Down due to Progress 93P Arrival<br>
Sun 2025-09-14 14:05 UTC Power Up due to Progress 93P Arrival</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your
own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the
listed time.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The latest information on the operation mode can be found at <a href="https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html" target="_blank">https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at <a href="https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html" target="_blank">https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information.]</span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">AMSAT Ambassador Activities</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating
through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club
meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><i>Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, writes…</i><br>
“My 184th “How to Work the Easy Satellites” presentation was to a
wonderful club last night: the Lapeer County ARA in Michigan. Email
received this morning:<br>
‘Hi, Clint~I want to thank you for your presentation last night for our
club meeting. We had many good comments afterward and I hope it has
inspired more of our members to give satellites a try. I was surprised
how much research you did on Lapeer and the photos/graphics you put
together to personalize your presentation for us. We will be having our
annual picnic in a couple of weeks and we will be demonstrating with the
Arrow and Elk antennas with a variety of radios and letting members
make contacts. Hopefully we’ll get several good runs that afternoon.
Again, I appreciate the effort you put into your presentation. Well
done! 73, Viki Clark, N8VLC'”</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">October 11, 2025<br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>North Star Radio Convention & ARRL Minnesota State Convention</b><br>
Hennepin Technical College<br>
9000 Brooklyn Boulevard<br>
Brooklyn Park, MN 55445<br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><a href="https://northstarradio.org/" target="_blank">https://northstarradio.org/</a><br>
ADØHJ</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">October 16, 17, 18, 19, 2025<br></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting and 43rd Annual AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting</b><br>
Holiday Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport North<br>
1515 North 44th Street<br>
Phoenix, Arizona 85008<br>
Details at <a href="https://www.amsat.org/2025-symposium/" target="_blank">https://www.amsat.org/2025-symposium/</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program, for the above information.]</span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Satellite Shorts From All Over</span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ Alex Shovkoplyas, VE3NEA, has developed a Windows program — SkyRoof
— that combines satellite tracking and SDR functions in one
application. Those using SDRs as receivers for satellite downlinks can
now see all satellite traces on the waterfall labeled with satellite
names and the boundaries of the transponder on screen. The program
follows the Doppler shift, and all frequency tuning is done visually,
with a mouse. Provision is made for CAT control of a separate external
uplink transceiver. Full information at <a href="https://ve3nea.github.io/SkyRoof/index.html" target="_blank">https://ve3nea.github.io/SkyRoof/index.html</a> (ANS thanks Tom Schuessler, N5HYP, for the above information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ Rolling across the rugged, rusty red terrain on Mars, NASA’s
Perseverance rover came upon some rocks with peculiar green, blue, black
and white dots. After detailed image analysis, scientists have come to a
potentially encouraging conclusion: If those speckled rocks were formed
like they are on Earth, they might be evidence of past life on the
dusty planet. The rocks “very well could be the clearest sign of life
that we’ve ever found on Mars, which is incredibly exciting,” acting
NASA administrator Sean P. Duffy said in a news conference Wednesday.
The findings were published in the journal <i>Nature</i> on September 10. (ANS thanks <i>The Washington Post</i> for the above information. Full article at <a href="https://wapo.st/4mapyHQ" target="_blank">https://wapo.st/4mapyHQ</a>.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ “<i>The Most Important Satellite You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of</i>,” a video produced as part of the PBS Space Time series, is available at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlNKj0K_3FY" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlNKj0K_3FY</a> (ANS thanks The Orbital Index and PBS for the above information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ Xiamen Radtel Electronics Co., Ltd. of Fujian, China has introduced
a 12-watt FM VHF/UHF hand-held transceiver which they claim will
operate in full duplex across bands. Full duplex is preferred for
satellite operation and is rarely offered in handheld radios. The radio
also includes reception of AM aircraft frequencies and wide-band
commercial FM broadcast frequencies. The Radtel R8000 sells for less
than $120 U.S. Another model, the Radtel RT-69, adds GPS and the 222 MHz
band, as well as some shortwave SWL coverage. It sells for less than
$200 U.S. Details at <a href="http://bit.ly/4ph72QT" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/4ph72QT</a> (ANS thanks Clint Bradford, K6LCS, for the above information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">+ The Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) is a
multi-national forum for the development of communications & data
systems standards for spaceflight. An announcement about a competition
to help develop new CCSDS protocols will be made at the AMSAT-UK
Colloquium 2025 by Matt Cosby, CTO of Goonhilly Earth Station. Further
details will be provided in his talk on Saturday<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small">,</span> October<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small"></span></span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small"></span> 11</span></font>
<font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">from 15:15
to 16:00, titled “Challenges in Deep Space Communications – and how this
community can contribute.“ Details will also be posted on social media
after the presentation. The event will be streamed by the BATC at <a href="https://amsat-uk.org/" target="_blank">https://amsat-uk.org/</a>. (ANS thanks Dave Johnson, G4DPZ, Hon. Sec. AMSAT-UK, for the above information.)</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"> </span></font></p>
<hr>
<h2><font size="6"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Join AMSAT today at <a href="https://launch.amsat.org/" target="_blank">https://launch.amsat.org/</a></span></font></h2>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">* Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).<br>
* Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate.<br>
* Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status
shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary
years in this status.<br>
* Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Contact info [at] <a href="http://amsat.org" target="_blank">amsat.org</a> for additional membership information.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">This week’s ANS Editor, Mark Johns, KØJM<br>
mjohns [at] <a href="http://amsat.org" target="_blank">amsat.org</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002<br>
AMSAT is a registered trademark of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.</span></font></p>
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