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[jamsat-news:1070] * SpaceNews 19-Apr-99 *
SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0419
* SpaceNews 19-Apr-99 *
BID: $SPC0419
=========
SpaceNews
=========
MONDAY APRIL 19, 1999
* UoSAT-12 LAUNCH *
===================
UoSAT-12, the latest satellite from the University of Surrey, is due for
launch this Wednesday on a converted SS-18 ICBM from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
UoSAT-12 carries a number of imaging payloads (up to 10 meter resolution)
along with store and forward communications in VHF / UHF and an LS band
transponder / high speed digital downlink.
The satellite is considerably larger than UO-22 or TO-31, and carries a
propulsion system for orbital housekeeping experiments. The imaging system
comprises a panchromatic imager with 10m resolution and multispectral imager
with 40m resolution along with a colour wide angle camera. The S band
downlink can run at speeds up to 1Mb/s for downloading imaging data,
and can also be used as a 1 MHz wide LS band analogue transponder.
UoSAT-12 will be placed into a 640km by 66 degree inclination orbit. The
downlink frequency is 437.400 MHz and during the initial orbits it will
be transmitting the VLSI telemetry format at 9600 bd FSK.
Additional information is available at:
http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/CSER/UOSAT/missions/uo12/index.html
[Info via Chris Jackson, G7UPN / ZL2TPO]
* FUJI-OSCAR-29 NEWS *
======================
The JARL's FO-29 command station has released a new operating schedule
for the period of mid-April through the end of May. The schedule is as
follows:
12-Apr-99 (Mon) - 27-Apr-99 (Tue) Mode JA
28-Apr-99 (Wed) - 06-May-99 (Thu) Digitalker
07-May-99 (Fri) - 17-May-99 (Mon) Mode JA
17-May-99 (Mon) - 24-May-99 (Mon) Mode JD (1200 bps PSK)
24-May-99 (Mon) - 31-May-99 (Mon) Mode JA
[Info via Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK]
* OSCAR-11 NEWS *
=================
Clive Wallis reports that during the period 16 March to 15 April 1999,
good signals have been received from OSCAR-11's 145.826 MHz beacon
transmitter. Telemetry shows that OSCAR-11's battery voltage during
daylight passes has decreased particularly towards the end of the
reporting period. The average value is 13.6 volts, with 13.3 volts
recorded on one occassion.
The internal temperatures have decreased slightly and are now 4.0C
and 2.2C for battery and telemetry electronics respectively.
The WOD survey dated 06-January-99 of solar array currents and array
voltage (channels 10, 20, 30, 40 (+Y, -X, +X, V)) has now been replaced
by channels 39, 50, 52, and 63 (telemetry electronics temperature,
battery charge current, battery voltage, and BCR status). A quick
look at current WOD surveys show the battery voltage varying between
13.4 and 14.1 volts during sunlight, and a steady decrease to 12.3
volts during the eclipse period.
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)
The ASCII bulletin is currently a static message that details modes
and frequencies of all the amateur radio satellites. Additional
status blocks are transmitted after each bulletinand also between
ASCII TLM and WOD transmissions.
The Mode-S beacon is currently ON transmitting an unmodulated carrier.
However, telemetry indicates that the beacon transmitter has partially
failed and delivering half power. This beacon is a useful test source
for those testing Mode-S converters, prior to the launch of P3-D. It
is considerably weaker than DOVE, which should be used for initial
testing. Any reports of reception on 2401 MHz would be most welcome,
and should be directed to Clive Wallis at: g3cwv@amsat.org.
The 435.025 MHz beacon is normally OFF. However, it can sometimes be
heard when the satellite is being commanded by ground control (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.
Listeners to OSCAR-11 may be interested in visiting an OSCAR-11 web
site that contains details of hardware required and some software for
capturing data, and decoding ASCII telemetry and WOD transmitted by
OSCAR-11. An archive of raw data (mainly WOD) is available for analysis
which is continually being expanded as new data is captured. Also
included are some audio files that provide examples of each type of
data transmitted by OSCAR-11. Each one plays for about ten seconds.
There are also examples of Mode-S reception. All the audio files
are zipped so that they can be played off-line. These are intended
to help listeners identify the various types of data transmitted by
OSCAR-11, and give an indication of the signal quality required for
successful data decoding.
Recent additions were made to the web site to include WOD surveys dated
10-Oct-98 and 04-Jan-99, Magnetometer channels 1, 2, 3, 61 and channels
10, 20, 30, 40, and Solar Array Currents and Voltage dated 06-Jan-99.
The survey dated 04 January is from a single pass and would benefit by
being merged with other data captured from this survey.
The program TOSPLOT.BAS has recently been updated to version 1.2.
Unfortunately, there was a minor error in the previous version of
TOSPLOT that caused problems when processing WOD surveys with dates
after 1998. The current version of U2WOD has been updated, but if
this package was downloaded BEFORE 27-March-1999, then the new version
of TOSPLOT.BAS should be downloaded. TOSPLOT is only required if
listeners wish to use the SPLOT plotting program written by the
University of Surrey. No other files in U2AWOD package have been
changed, and here are no problems with SPLOT.EXE
The URL for the OSCAR-11 Web page is:
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/
[Info via Clive Wallis, G3CWV]
* TMSAT NEWS *
==============
The OBC flight software on TMSAT crashed some time on the morning of
Friday April 16 and was promptly reloaded by controllers from Surrey.
GU8IRF has received a number of images taken by TMSAT's earth imaging
cameras, and has uploaded several of these images to the KITSAT-OSCAR-25
satellite for general download in JPG format.
* AMSAT-UK CALL FOR PAPERS *
============================
The 14th AMSAT-UK Colloquium, SpaceComm '99, will be held at Surrey
University, Guildford, Surrey, UK, from Friday 23rd July to Sunday 25th
July 1999. See below for information about a "beginners' session".
AMSAT-UK invites authors to submit papers about amateur radio space and
associated activities for this event and for the "Proceedings" document
which will be published at the same time. AMSAT-UK normally prefers
authors to present the papers themselves rather than having someone
else read them in the authors' absence, but they also welcome
"unpresented" papers for the document.
Offers of Papers should be submitted as soon as possible; the final
date for full documents is mid-June 1999 in order that the "Proceedings"
document be available to participants.
Submissions should be sent *ONLY* to G3RWL, via the following routes:
Internet e-mail: g3rwl@amsat.org
Packet Radio: G3RWL @ GB7HSN.#32.GBR.EU
Satellite: OSCARS 16/22/25
Terrestrial mail: R W L Limebear G3RWL
60 Willow Road
Enfield EN1 3NQ
United Kingdom.
(no fax available)
AMSAT-UK also invites anyone with requests for Program Topics (especially
topics for beginners) to submit them as soon as possible to G3RWL.
This year, organizers are running sessions specifically for beginners
to amateur satellite operating. There will be two (identical) sessions,
one on Saturday morning and the other on Sunday morning; these will run
in parallel with the regular presentations.
You do not have to be a member of AMSAT-UK to come to this popular
international event.
Colloquium booking information is expected to issue shortly.
73 Richard G3RWL
Colloquium Programme organiser
* GET WELL W3IWI *
==================
AMSAT-NA Board of Directors member Dr. Tom Clark, W3IWI had heart bypass
surgery on Thursday April 15th at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in
Baltimore, Maryland. Get well wishes may be sent to: tac@clark.net or
6388 Guilford Rd, Clarksville, Maryland 21029.
[Info via Martha Saragovitz]
* 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, KITSAT-OSCAR-25
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/EX
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