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[jamsat-news:698] * SpaceNews 24-Nov-97 *
SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC1124
* SpaceNews 24-Nov-97 *
BID: $SPC1124
=========
SpaceNews
=========
MONDAY NOVEMBER 24, 1997
SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It
is published every week and is made available for non-commercial use.
* AMSAT-OSCAR-16 NEWS *
=======================
AMSAT-OSCAR-16 continues to perform well in "pacsat" duty. The kernel is
reporting an uptime of over 1160 days. The following status message is
being carried by the beacon on 437.051 MHz:
PACSAT-1>AMSAT <UI>:
November 1997
PACSAT AO-16
Owned and Operated by AMSAT-NA
Command Team WJ9F, WD0E, VK7ZBX, KB5MU
AO16 Command Team <WJ9F>
* ITAMSAT-OSCAR-26 NEWS *
=========================
ITAMSAT-OSCAR-26 was copied on its secondary downlink frequency of
435.822 MHz by KD2BD in New Jersey on 16-Nov-97 at 02:32 UTC. The
spacecraft reported a kernel uptime of over 56 days, and the beacon
carried the following status message:
IY2SAT-1>AMSAT <UI>:
*** 12th November 1997 ***
All sub-systems are OK.
Loading in progress.....
Please don't tx on uplink. Stay tuned for further news!
Best wishes from the ITAMSAT team.
* UoSAT-OSCAR-11 NEWS *
=======================
During the period 14-Oct-97 to 16-Nov-97, UoSAT-OSCAR-11 continued to
provide good downlink signals on its 145.826 MHz beacon. Telemetry has
been nominal. The battery voltage has been steady at around 14.0 volts
for most of the time, although occasional values of 13.8 and 14.2 have
been observed.
The spacecraft's internal temperatures continued to increase, reaching
maximum values around 21-Oct-97 of 18C and 15C, for battery and telemetry
electronics respectively. The temperatures have now started to fall, and
at the present time are 13.6C and 10.6C. This change in temperature is due
to variations in solar eclipse times, which have now started to increase.
Two WOD (Whole Orbit Data) surveys have been transmitted during the period.
Channels 17, 18, 27, 28 (+X, +Y, -X, -Y facet temperatures), dated 16-Sep-97
and channels 10, 20, 30, 40 (-Y, +Y, -X, +X array currents) dated 29-Oct-97
were included in the surveys. These surveys have shown the effect of solar
eclipses on array currents and external temperatures.
Followers of OSCAR-11 have noticed that the news bulletin has not been
changed recently. Richard, G3RWL, has received very little feedback from
his regular bulletin service, and at a recent AMSAT-UK committee meeting
it was decided to discontinue the weekly postings and replace them by a
static bulletin. This may be changed at monthly intervals and will contain
items such as Keplerian elements and satellite frequencies. Many thanks
Richard for providing this service for so many years -- well over a hundred
bulletins. Your efforts are much appreciated.
UoSAT-OSCAR-11's operating schedule remains unchanged:
ASCII status (210 seconds)
ASCII bulletin (60 seconds)
BINARY SEU (30 seconds)
ASCII TLM (90 seconds)
ASCII WOD (120 seconds)
ASCII bulletin (60 seconds)
BINARY ENG (30 seconds)
Additional status blocks are also transmitted after each bulletin and
between ASCII TLM and WOD.
The Mode-S beacon is ON, transmitting an unmodulated carrier, but telemetry
indicates that it has partially failed, and is delivering only half power.
This beacon is a useful test source for those testing Mode-S converters in
preparation for the Phase 3D satellite. It is considerably weaker than
DOVE-OSCAR-17, which should be used for initial testing. Any reports of
reception of the 2401 MHz beacon would be most welcome, and should be
directed to Clive Wallis at: g3cwv@amsat.org.
The 435.025 MHz (UHF) beacon is normally OFF. However it can sometimes
be heard when the satellite is being commanded by ground control (ie.
within range of Guildford, UK). When the 435 MHz beacon is transmitting,
the 145 MHz beacon is normally OFF. The data transmitted is mainly
binary.
OSCAR-11 users are welcome to visit Web site sponsored by Clive Wallis,
G3CWV. The site contains some software for capturing OSCAR-11 data, and
decoding ASCII telemetry and WOD. There is an archive of raw data (mainly
WOD) for analysis, which is continually being expanded as new data is
captured. The URL is:
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/
[Info via Clive Wallis, G3CWV g3cwv@amsat.org]
* SPUTNIK-40/RS-17 NEWS *
=========================
Gerard Auvray, F6FAO, provided the following chart that can be used to
determine the internal temperature of the Sputnik-40/RS-17 satellite based
on the audio frequency of the "beeps" sent by its 145.820 MHz FM beacon
transmitter:
50 deg C ----> 1361 Hz
30 deg C ----> 1290 Hz
25 deg C ----> 1261 Hz
10 deg C ----> 1208 Hz
0 deg C ----> 1131 Hz
-10 deg C ----> 1040 Hz
-20 deg C ----> 891 Hz
-30 deg C ----> 724 Hz
-40 deg C ----> 541 Hz
Reports can be sent to: Gerard.Auvray@bsf.alcatel.fr.
[Info via F6FAO]
* RS-17 TELEMETRY SURVEY *
==========================
AMSAT France would like Radio Amateurs over the world to help them in
collecting telemetry from RS-17 Saturday and Sunday November 22 and 23.
This will help in verifying the parameters of the thermal model of the
microsat that was computed before the launch. In turn, the program can
then be used for the design of their next microsat, "Maelle".
The internal temperature of the microsphere can be evaluated from the tone
of the "bip-bip" sound transmitted for 160 ms twice per second. In order
to get a set of precise measurements, the frequency of the tone should be
measured with a precision of 1 Hz. This can be achieved using direct
digital audio recording of the beacon using a PC with a sound card connected
to the audio output of the VHF receiver set in FM mode on 145.820 MHz +/-3 kHz
(Doppler effect changes the frequency of the satellite RF carrier up to 3 kHz
when the satellite is approaching your station and lower by -3 kHz when the
satellite is receding). The receiver audio must be unsquelched. In order
to keep the recorded files small, numeric samples can be performed at 8 kHz
with 8 bit precision mono. One or two seconds of beacon recording in good
receiving condition are needed. Save captured audio to .WAV file format
and note the date and precise UTC time of reception. If you have a program
than can accurately measure the audio frequency, send the value of the bip
tone in Hz. If you cannot perform it, just send the WAV file ZIPped. The
size should not be more than 16 Kb (1 or 2 seconds at 8 kHz, 8 bit samples,
mono). Up to now, reports of the frequency tone ranging from 1255 to 1300 Hz
(corresponding to temperatures between 23 and 33 degrees Celsius) have been
received.
Send your reports via packet radio to f6bvp@f6bvp.frpa.fra.eu or via Internet
to f6bvp@amsat.org.
[Info via Bernard, F6BVP]
* SAFEX FREQUENCY CORRECTION *
==============================
The table of SAFEX II frequencies listed in last week's issue of SpaceNews
were accidentially printed in reverse order. The correct frequencies are
listed below:
Repeater channel configurations for 2.0 kHz channel step transceivers:
Channel Downlink Uplink Doppler Offset
1 437.960 MHz 435.740 MHz +10 kHz 2.180 kHz
2 437.958 MHz 435.742 MHz + 8 kHz 2.184 kHz
3 437.956 MHz 435.744 MHz + 6 kHz 2.188 kHz
4 437.954 MHz 435.746 MHz + 4 kHz 2.192 kHz
5 437.952 MHz 435.748 MHz + 2 kHz 2.196 kHz
6 437.950 MHz 435.750 MHz 0 kHz 2.200 kHz
7 437.948 MHz 435.752 MHz - 2 kHz 2.204 kHz
8 437.946 MHz 435.754 MHz - 4 kHz 2.208 kHz
9 437.944 MHz 435.756 MHz - 6 kHz 2.212 kHz
10 437.942 MHz 435.758 MHz - 8 kHz 2.216 kHz
11 437.940 MHz 435.760 MHz -10 kHz 2.220 kHz
Repeater channel configurations for 5.0 kHz channel step transceivers:
Channel Downlink Uplink
1 437.960 MHz 435.740 MHz
2 437.955 MHz 435.745 MHz
3 437.950 MHz 435.750 MHz
4 437.945 MHz 435.755 MHz
5 437.940 MHz 435.760 MHz
A subaudiable (CTCSS) tone 141.3 Hz is required to access the SAFEX repeater.
The channels are listed in order. When Mir first comes over the horizon,
use the first channel in the list. When Mir is overhead, use the middle
channel. When Mir is just about to go out of range, use the highest
numbered channel in the list.
MIREX has created an Internet Web page containing information regarding Mir
and the various Amateur Radio experiments taking place from the space station.
The pages are still "under construction", but some good information can be
gathered from what has been put together so far. URLs include the following:
http://www.ik1sld.org/mirex.htm OR
http://www.ik1sld.org/mirex
http://www.geocities.com/~ik1sld/mirex.htm OR
http://www.geocities.com/~ik1sld/mirex
[Info via Miles Mann, WF1F]
* FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED *
===========================
Comments and input for SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John,
KD2BD) via any of the paths listed below:
WWW : http://www.njin.net/~magliaco/
PACKET : KD2BD @ KS4HR.NJ.USA.NA
INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org, magliaco@email.njin.net
SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, LUSAT-OSCAR-19, KITSAT-OSCAR-25
<<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>>
/EX
--
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- John A. Magliacane, KD2BD -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Internet : kd2bd@amsat.org | Voice : +1.732.224.2948
Satellite : AO-16, LO-19, KO-25 | Morse : -.- -.. ..--- -... -..
Packet : KD2BD @ KS4HR.NJ.USA.NA | WWW : http://www.njin.net/~magliaco/
Video : 426.250 MHz/439.250 MHz | FAX : +1.732.224.2060
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