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SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0927
* SpaceNews 27-Sep-99 *
BID: $SPC0927
=========
SpaceNews
=========
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 1999
* FX0STB QSL OFFER *
====================
AMSAT France press release 09-99
AMSAT France became actively involved in getting french spationaute
Jean-Pierre Haignere licensed under the callsign FX0STB for ham radio
operation in the Russian space station MIR.
Using the callsign R0MIR, Jean-Pierre made a number of two way phone
contacts or SSTV re-transmissions during the 6 months time he spent
aboard MIR, to the great pleasure of radioamateur stations all around
the world and school children of many countries.
In order to provide hams or listeners a confirmation QSL card,
AMSAT-France is designing a special QSL card for Jean-Pierre Haignere,
FX0STB / R0MIR.
In order to receive this card you are invited to send a QSL card or a
post card if you do not have any QSL, including the callsign used by
Jean-Pierre Haignere, the date, hour, frequency and mode of transmission
(FM, SSTV) to the following address :
AMSAT France
FX0STB QSL Manager
14 bis rue des Gourlis
F-92500 RUEIL-MALMAISON
France
You should provide a self addressed enveloppe (half letter size or post
card size), preferably a self-adhesive one, with an International Response
Coupon (IRC) for return postage if you reside in the European Community or
two IRCs if you live outside the EC. IRCs are available in any post office.
The AMSAT secretary will enjoy very much if you care putting nice stamps
on your envelope.
[Info via Jean-Louis Rault]
* OSCAR-11 REPORT *
===================
During the period 14-August to 12-September-1999, consistent signals
have been received from OSCAR-11's 145.826 MHz beacon. Telemetry shows
that due to reduced eclipse times, the battery voltage during daylight
passes has increased. The average value observed was 13.9, with a
range of 13.6 to 14.2 volts.
The internal temperatures have risen by about two degrees during this
period. They are now 3.4C and 1.8C for battery and telemetry electronics
respectively.
The single WOD survey of channels 1, 2, 3, 61 (magnetometers) dated
15-July-1999 has been transmitted by OSCAR-11. This shows an increased
spin period of about 450 seconds, which was current when the WOD was
started, but has now been corrected by the attitude control system.
Reports of the Mode-S beacon have been received from Tony G3GHI, Ted
WA2HKS, Kevin G8DRT and Alan G2HIO. All are using Drake converters,
with various antenna systems. Kevin managed to hear the beacon on a
simple dipole antenna during an overhead pass, at a mobile location.
He had done some of the recommended Drake modifications, including
increasing the length of the filter lines, but had retained the
original crystal which gave an IF of 123.5 MHz, into his Yaesu
FRG 9600 receiver.
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, detailing modes and
frequencies of all the amateur radio satellites.
There are additional status blocks after each bulletin is transmitted,
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 delivering half
power. This beacon is a useful test source for those testing Mode-S
converters, prior to the launch of P3-D. However the signals are very
weak, and there is a lot of Doppler shift. Users should also note that
the polarization of OSCAR-11 is LHC. Even if you can't hear OSCAR-11,
your equipment may still be OK for P3-D. Any reports of reception on
2401 MHz would be most welcome. Please e-mail to Clive 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, 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.
Clive Wallis created and maintains an Internet web page containing
information of interest to monitors of the OSCAR-11 satellite. The web
site also contains details of hardware required and some software for
capturing 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. Also included are some
audio files, 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 should help listeners identify the various
types of data, and give an indication of the signal quality required
for successful decoding.
The URL is:
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/
[Info via Clive Wallis, G3CWV (g3cwv@amsat.org)]
* SUNSAT SCHEDULE *
===================
The operating schedule for SUNSAT was recently announced. SUNSAT's FM
uplink is on 436.291 MHz (+/- 9 kHz Doppler shift), and its downlink is on
145.825 MHz. Times and dates listed are in UTC. The last column shows the
duration of the transponder operation (in minutes).
25 September
Australia 01:59 - 02:15 16
Africa 10:18 - 10:33 15
Europe 10:39 - 10:55 16
USA 17:16 - 17:35 19
26 September
Australia 03:00 - 03:15 15
Africa 09:39 - 09:54 15
Europe 10:01 - 10:15 14
USA 16:36 - 16:55 19
2 October
Australia 02:19 - 02:35 16
Africa 10:38 - 10:54 16
Europe 10:58 - 11:14 16
USA 15:56 - 16:13 17
3 October
Australia 01:38 - 01:55 17
Africa 09:57 - 10:12 15
Europe 10:19 - 10:34 15
USA 15:15 - 15:33 18
9 October
Africa 09:16 - 09:32 16
USA 16:15 - 16:30 15
USA 17:50 - 18:10 20
USA 19:34 - 19:48 14
10 October
Australia 01:56 - 02:12 16
Africa 10:16 - 10:34 18
Europe 10:38 - 10:52 14
USA 17:11 - 17:30 19
The schedule has been chosen so that both Eastern and Western
parts of a country are covered.
The three successive passes over the USA are to coincide with
the VHF convention in California on 9 October.
Reports are welcomed and should be directed to: saamsat@intekom.co.za
Controllers may occasionally encounter software bugs computer hangs,
or finger trouble, so please regard the schedule as a goal, and not a
guaranteed service.
[Info via Hans van de Groenendaal (zaint026@ibm.net)]
* ITAMSAT NEWS *
================
ITAMSAT celebrated its 6th year in orbit on 26-September-1999. Satellite
ground controllers IK2XRO and IW2EGC recently reloaded the high level code
IHT and turned on ITAMSAT's 435.822 MHz PSK trasmitter. Analysis of the
telemetry showed an healty satellite with the battery fully charged after
4 months of stand-by in MBL (safe) mode. A WOD (Whole Orbit Data) survey
was started to collect data on array current, battery voltage and onboard
temperature. Following the WOD collection, controllers plan to activate
the digipeater function, and experiment using the APRS system.
Best regards
Alberto E. Zagni - I2KBD
ITAMSAT Project Manager
* KITSAT-OSCAR-23 NEWS *
========================
KO-23 controllers last week reported that the KITSAT-OSCAR-23 satellite
was back on the air with its BBS running, but without any attitude control.
Battery discharge is occuring from time to time even during sunlight periods
due to the satellite's attitude losing norminal orientation toward sun.
By the midlle of last week, it had been running without any shutdown with
the minimum power consumption configuration. The uplink is open and free
to use but uninterrupted operation cannot be guaranteed. Controllers will
attempt to gain attitude control of the spacecraft during next non-eclipse
period and until then they hope the satellite will survive without any
power failure.
[Info via Hyungshin Kim]
* APOLOGIES *
=============
My apologies for the lack of SpaceNews recently, but my Western Digital
hard disk somehow sensed its warrantee period had just ended, so it
decided it longer had to work. :-) Things are slowly getting back
to normal...
* 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 @ N2SMV.NJ.USA.NA
INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org, magliaco@email.njin.net
SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, KITSAT-OSCAR-25
<<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>>
<<=- Serving the planet (and beyond) since 1987 -=>>
/EX
--
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- John A. Magliacane, KD2BD -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Internet : kd2bd@amsat.org | Voice : +1.732.224.2948
Satellite : AO-16, KO-25 | Morse : -.- -.. ..--- -... -..
Packet : KD2BD @ N2SMV.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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