[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[jamsat-news:1266] ANS 121
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS 121
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.
AMSAT-NA is pleased to announce that recent and future development
in Amateur Radio satellites will be presented in Portland, Maine
- October 27-29, 2000 - at the 18th Space Symposium and
AMSAT-NA Annual Meeting. The 2000 Symposium Chairman
is George Caswell Sr., W1ME.
More information is available at:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/symposium
(or from) w1me@amsat.org
Information on AMSAT-NA is available at the following URL:
http://www.amsat.org (or from)
AMSAT-NA
850 Sligo Avenue, Suite 600
Silver Spring, Maryland
20910-4703
Voice: 301-589-6062
FAX: 301-608-3410
Currently, AMSAT-NA supports the following (free) mailing lists:
* AMSAT News Service (ANS)
* General satellite discussion (AMSAT-BB)
* Orbit data (KEPS)
* Manned space missions (SAREX)
* District of Columbia area (AMSAT-DC)
* New England area (AMSAT-NE)
* AMSAT Educational Liaison mailing list (AMSAT-EDU)
To subscribe, or for more list information, visit the following URL:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/listserv/menu.html
This edition of ANS is dedicated to the memory of well-known Bosnian
DXer, contester, and QST author Samir Durakovic, T99S (ex-T94ON).
He died April 14th as a result of an auto wreck near Sarajevo. A friend,
Riad Tomasevic, T95MAW, also was killed in the crash. In the QST
article 'Heroes Under Siege' (QST, Oct 1995), Durakovic described
Bosnian Amateur Radio activity during the siege of Sarajevo, when ham
radio became a communication lifeline with the outside world after
telephone lines were cut. A 160-meter enthusiast, Durakovic, as
T94ON, set a world record in winning the CQ WW 160-Meter SSB
contest in 1996.
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-121.01
KA3HDO RECEIVES TECHNICAL AWARD
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 121.01 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 30, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-121.01
Rick Lindquist, N1RL, ARRL Senior News Editor, informed ANS that an
ARRL Technical Achievement Award 2000 will be awarded to AMSAT's
very own Frank Bauer, KA3HDO.
Living in Silver Spring, Maryland with his wife Janet and their 3 children,
Frank is a graduate of Purdue University, earning BS and MS degrees in
Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. An active ham, KA3HDO
has served as Vice President of the Goddard Amateur Radio Club for
the past two years. He is active in Club programs including education
and outreach, in Field Day, and of course, both in AMSAT and the
ARRL.
In his AMSAT-NA role, KA3HDO is currently Vice President for Human
Spaceflight Programs. He was actively involved in Phase 3D,
responsible for the spaceborne GPS flight experiment and for vibration
testing of the satellite. Frank is also a member of the SAREX Working
Group and was responsible for the acquisition, integration and testing of
the ARISS Initial Station VHF and UHF radio, TNC, cables and antenna
sets for the International Space Station. This equipment will be flown
later this year on the Space Shuttle and installed in the Russian FGB
Module. In addition, Frank was responsible for setting up and operating
the world-wide retransmission of Space Shuttle Air-to-Ground
Communications from the Goddard Amateur Radio Club station,
WA3NAN -- from its initiation in 1983 until 1990.
In his professional life, Frank is Chief of the Guidance, Navigation and
Control Center (GNCC) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
The Technical Excellence award will be presented to KA3HDO at the
June ARRL Annual Atlantic Division Banquet in Rochester, New York.
ANS, on behalf on AMSAT-NA, offers congratulations to KA3HDO on
receiving this prestigious award!
[ANS thanks the ARRL for this information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-121.02
AMSAT AT DAYTON
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 121.02 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 30, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-121.02
AMSAT-NA Vice President for Field Operations -- Barry Baines,
WD4ASW, recently updated ANS about AMSAT's 'plan of action' for the
quickly approaching Dayton Hamvention. This year, Dayton will also
include the ARRL National Convention for the very first time.
Barry reports that AMSAT-NA's activities at Dayton are extensive
- starting with a booth on the convention floor (as has been done in
previous years). AMSAT booth spaces are numbered 445 through 448.
According to WD4ASW, "AMSAT expects to have a very busy booth
again this year with a variety of updated and new items."
Some of the available items are as follows:
** Steve Thompson, W5PK, has created a new AMSAT design that will
be embroidered on golf shirt as well as offered on a new T-shirt. The
new design will also be available separately as a patch and as a decal.
The AMSAT booth will also have 'Ham in Space' T-shirts available.
** An updated laminated AMSAT Frequency Guide with the latest
satellite information will be offered.
** An updated Amateur Satellite Resource Guide (compiled by ANS
Principle Satellite Investigator N1JEZ).
** The latest Working the Easy Sats publication (also updated by
N1JEZ) will be available.
** A revised Digital Satellite Guide by Gould Smith, WA4SXM.
** The AMSAT booth will again offer the Arrow Antenna. This is the
antenna that many individuals are using to work AO-27, SO-35 and
UO-14 utilizing a dual-band HT.
** The latest version of WISP on diskette.
** The AMSAT booth will also be the only distributor of NOVA tracking
software at Hamvention this year. For the Mac enthusiasts, the booth will
have MacDoppler Pro and for the for the PC user, the Kansas City
Tracker will also be available.
** All of the current AMSAT publications will be available
** The latest version of the P3-D model kit by Steve Thompson, W5PK
will be offered. First introduced at Dayton last year, the kit has been
updated over the past year.
In addition to booth activities, AMSAT has been offered a wonderful
opportunity to build our membership base during the Dayton
Hamvention. In addition to the interest being generated by the
anticipated launch of Phase 3-D later this year (and the opportunities
made available by UO-14) AMSAT will have an additional incentive for
joining our organization at Dayton. An AMSAT benefactor has offered to
cover the cost of an ICOM-821H transceiver to be used as a prize
drawing at Dayton!
The drawing for the Icom will be done at the AMSAT booth on Sunday,
May 21st. The winner does not have to be present to win.
WD4ASW reminds those Dayton bound satellite operators not to forget
the AMSAT dinner on Friday evening, May 19th, at the Amber Rose
Restaurant in north Dayton (the same location that has been used for
several years). Barry says that seating is limited and interested parties
can pre-register for the dinner with Ed Collins, N8NUY.
E-mail Ed directly at: n8nuy@amsat.org.
AMSAT members will also be involved with several presentations on
Saturday, May 20, 2000 during the AMSAT Forum. The AMSAT Forum
will be held in the main Exhibit Area (and not offsite).
The schedule is as follows:
12:15-2:30 P.M. AMSAT (Room 3).
Moderator: Robin Haighton, VE3FRH AMSAT-NA Executive Vice
President.
** Welcome by Keith Baker, KB1SF, President, AMSAT-NA.
** Getting Started on the Amateur Radio Satellites by Barry Baines,
WD4ASW, AMSAT-NA Vice President, Field Operations.
** PHASE 3-D -- Spacecraft and Launch Status presented by Keith
Baker, KB1SF (along with Phase 3-D Project Team members).
** SAREX, ARISS and the International Space Station: Mission Reports
and Plans by Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, AMSAT-NA Vice President,
Human Spaceflight Programs. ARISS Team members will also be
present.
In addition to all the above mentioned activities, Jerry Schmitt, KK5YY,
will be providing demonstrations of AO-27 and other satellites from
outside the convention arena using his portable satellite station. Details
concerning the times of the passes and where to view the
demonstrations will be available at the AMSAT booth.
Barry tells ANS that Dayton is a "unique opportunity to represent AMSAT
to an extremely large number of people." If at all possible, Barry asks
Dayton bound satellite operators to consider giving AMSAT a hand
during this wonderful event!
[ANS thanks Barry A. Baines, WD4ASW, AMSAT VP-Field Operations,
for this information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-121.03
PHASE 3-D INTEGRATION LAB UPDATE
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 121.03 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 30, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-121.03
Lou McFadin, W5DID, AMSAT Phase 3D Integration Laboratory
Manager, recently told ANS that "getting Phase 3-D ready for launch
was the highest priority for the Phase 3-D Integration Team.
Because of that concentrated effort, Lou said the Lab's web site (and
related P3D information) often was not updated. "We would like to
apologize to everybody who helped support Phase 3-D, including the
many volunteers and especially those who donated to Phase 3-D's
construction for not keeping our web page up to date in the past,"
added W5DID.
The good news is the Lab's Internet site has seen some very recent
changes, said Lou, "with several photos of Phase 3-D's last
stages of integration and testing, along with photo's of the shipment
to French Guiana.
W5DID also informed ANS of recent action at the Lab. "We have
cleared out much of the laboratory and taken down our clean room," said
Lou, adding, "much of the support equipment for Phase 3-D has been
put into temporary storage." The reason for the storage is that the Lab's
job isn't complete -- yet. The ground support equipment that AMSAT
borrows from individual hams still needs to be shipped to French Guiana
to support the launch site integration and testing. Other equipment will
remain in place until Phase 3-D is safely in orbit and everything has
been verified.
W5DID told ANS that the Lab will have a work party for volunteers on
Saturday, May 6th. If any ANS readers are in central Florida on that
date "they are invited to drop by," said Lou. No special skills are
necessary - just a desire to help out. W5DID added that in addition to
the work party the Lab will be working on some of the ham radio
hardware that will be flying to the International Space Station,
currently scheduled for flight STS-106 in August.
The lab's web page has more details.
"Thanks for your support!" said W5DID
The Integration Lab web address is:
http://www.magicnet.net/~phase3d/
[ANS thanks Lou McFadin, W5DID, Phase 3D Integration Laboratory
Manager for this information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-121.04
ANS IN BRIEF
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 121.04 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 30, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-121.04
ANS news in brief this week includes the following:
** Russia successfully launched a supply cargo ship recently - bound
for the Mir space station. The Progress M1-2 supply ship was launched
on a Soyuz booster rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in
Kazakhstan. The cargo (weighing over two and a half tons) includes fuel
to raise the space station's dropping altitude, food, water, oxygen
reserves and equipment for the two Russian cosmonauts on board.
-Florida Today
** Shuttle Atlantis will have to wait until May 18th for its next chance to
fly so that a hurricane-monitoring satellite can stay on track for its
planned launch attempt, NASA officials announced recently. The
hurricane craft is to fly atop a rocket also to be launched from the Cape.
NASA had considered delaying that flight so Atlantis could make a fourth
launch attempt next week instead of waiting until May 18th. The shuttle's
three straight launch tries this week were ruined by bad weather.
-Florida Today
** Russ Tillman, K5NRK, AMSAT Journal Editor, reported to ANS that
the Fox News Cable will feature a special about a visit that Astronauts
Jim Lovell and Owen Garriott, W5LFL recently made to Antarctica.
Interestingly, their visit corresponded with AMSAT member Ron Ross,
KE6JAB's visit to Antarctica (that he writes about in the March/April
issue of The AMSAT Journal). In fact, Ron mentions their visit in his
article. This issue has been printed and should be on the way to
AMSAT-NA members. -Russ, K5NRK
** The launch of the GOES-L weather satellite for NASA and the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) aboard a Lockheed
Martin Atlas IIA rocket is scheduled for Wednesday, May 3rd. Liftoff is
targeted to occur from Pad A at Complex 36 on Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station. GOES-L is the fourth spacecraft to be launched in the
new advanced series of geostationary weather satellites for NOAA.
-NASA
** Access to the ARRL Web site was disrupted recently when an
unknown individual managed to hijack the League's 'arrl.org' domain
name and redirect visitors to a bogus Netfirms site in Canada. ARRL
system managers were alerted to the illegal modification within hours
and had the change reversed. But the aftereffects continued to
reverberate across the Internet throughout the week, affecting access
for some to the League's Web pages. The ARRL Web site itself was
not 'hacked' and no ARRL files were damaged as a result of the
vandalism. -ARRL
** Some doorstep astronomy from ANS: The Big Dipper can be seen
floating nearly overhead after dark at this time of year. Face north and
look for it very high. Its bowl is on the left. The two leftmost stars of
the bowl, forming the bowl's front end, are the Pointers; they point
down almost to Polaris, the North Star, about 30 degrees away.
-S&T
--ANS BULLETIN END---
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-121.03
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 1
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 121.03 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 30, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-121.03
MIR SPACE STATION
145.985 MHz Simplex (FM) Voice and SSTV (Robot 36 Mode)
AMSAT's Bruce Paige, KK5DO, reported that two cosmonauts
--Sergei Zalyotin and Alexandr Kaleri-- have arrived on the Russian Mir
space station after an April 4, 2000 launch from the Baikonur
Cosmodrome and the successful docking with Mir.
Ham radio activity aboard the Mir space station is apparently back on
line -- currently in limited fashion.
Stay tuned to ANS for further details.
RADIO SPORT RS-13
Uplink 21.260 to 21.300 MHz CW/SSB
Uplink 145.960 to 146.000 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 29.460 to 29.500 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 145.960 to 146.000 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon 29.458 MHz
Robot Uplink 145.840 MHz
Robot Downlink 29.504 MHz
Operational, in mode-KA with a 10-meter downlink
and a 15-meter and 2-meter uplink.
More information about RS-12 and RS-13 can be found on the
AC5DK's RS-12/13 Satellite Operators Page:
http://www.qsl.net/ac5dk/rs1213/rs1213.html
RADIO SPORT RS-15
Uplink 145.858 to 145.898 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 29.354 to 29.394 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon 29.352 MHz (intermittent)
SSB meeting frequency 29.380 MHz (unofficial)
Semi-operational, mode-A, using a 2-meter uplink and a
10-meter downlink.
Dave, WB6LLO, has operating information for both RS-15 and RS-13
on his web site. In addition to satellite data, antenna information for
mode-A operation is also featured. The WB6LLO web site URL is:
http://home.san.rr.com/doguimont/uploads
OSCAR 10 AO-10
Uplink 435.030 to 435.180 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 145.975 to 145.825 MHz CW/USB
Beacon 145.810 MHz (unmodulated carrier)
Semi-operational, mode-B. AO-10 has been locked into a 70-cm
uplink and a 2-meter downlink for several years.
DX continues to be worked (and heard) on AO-10. Alain, IZ6BYY,
reports contacts with LY3BH and DG7MHR. Eddie, DU1EV reports
working Len, W7MCU.
W4SM has more information about the satellite at the following URL:
http://www.cstone.net/~w4sm/AO-10.html
[ANS thanks Stacey Mills, W4SM, for his AO-10 status information and
web site]
AMRAD AO-27
Uplink 145.850 MHz FM
Downlink 436.795 MHz FM
Operational, mode J.
An AO-27 question-and-answer page is available on the AMSAT-NA
web site. Ray, W2RS, recently updated the information. The URL is:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/intro/ao27faq.html
AO-27 uses a method called Timed Eclipse Power Regulation (TEPR)
to regulate the on-board batteries. In simple terms, TEPR times how
long the satellite has been in an eclipse (or in the sun) and decides
what subsystems to turn on or off. The AO-27 pages on the AMSAT-NA
web site include an explanation of AO-27 operations (at):
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/ao27.html
Chuck, KM4NZ, reset the TEPR states on AO-27
(on 03/19/2000). TEPR 4 is 28 - TEPR 5 is 64
[ANS thanks Chuck Wyrick, KM4NZ, and Michael Wyrick, N4USI, for
AO-27 information]
UO-14
Uplink 145.975 MHz FM
Downlink 435.070 MHz FM
Operational, mode J.
UO-14 was launched in January 1990.
Pedro, CU2AHD, reports contacts with EB/N1/VE from his QTH using
an HT and 5-watts. Alain, IZ6BYY, told ANS that he worked TF3FK,
EA8CVE and SV1AQY via UO-14.
Tim, KG8OC, has updated the Michigan AMSAT Information Site
with UO-14 information, point your web browser to the following URL:
http://www.qsl.net/kg8oc
[ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN / ZL2TPO, for UO-14 information]
SUNSAT SO-35
Uplink 436.291 MHz FM
Downlink 145.825 MHz FM
Operational, mode B.
SunSat was launched February 23, 1999 aboard a Delta II rocket from
Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
The SunSat package includes 1200 and 9600 baud digital
store-and-forward capability and a voice 'parrot' repeater system
that will be used primarily for educational demonstrations.
The satellite has two VHF and two UHF transmit-receive systems.
According to the SunSat web page "all amateur transponder operation is
cancelled for the coming week due to high satellite temperatures caused
by the current satellite orbit orientation."
For more information on SunSat, visit the following URL:
http://sunsat.ee.sun.ac.za
A summary of the active modes and frequency allocations
for SunSat is available at the following URL:
http://esl.ee.sun.ac.za/~lochner/sunsat/modes.html
[ANS thanks Garth Milne ZR1AFH, for this information]
JAS-1b FO-20
Uplink 145.900 to 146.000 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 435.800 to 435.900 MHz CW/USB
Operational. FO-20 is in mode JA continuously.
JAS-1b (FO-20) was launched in February 1990.
Jim, K6CCC, reports that "it has been lonely on FO-20 lately. FO-20's
beacon is either dead or so weak I can't receive it on a AO-10 class
station, but the transponder is working great!"
Ken, N1WED, reports a contact with special event station N2SE aboard
the submarine USS LING -- via FO-20.
Takushi, JO2OXL, reports that the JARL FO-20 Ground Station
operators believe that with the inability to (now) determine the
satellite battery status (through the loss of the beacon), it is
possible that FO-20 is in its final phases. Operation will continue
as long as possible.
[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-20 status reports]
JAS-2 FO-29
Voice/CW Mode JA
Uplink 145.900 to 146.000 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 435.800 to 435.900 MHz CW/USB
Operational, rotated with digital mode and digi-talker.
JAS-2 was successfully launched on August 17, 1996, by an H-II
launch vehicle from the Tanegashima Space Center.
Digital Mode JD
Uplink 145.850 145.870 145.910 MHz FM
Downlink 435.910 MHz FM 9600 baud BPSK
Digitalker 435.910 MHz
Operational, rotated with analog mode and digi-talker.
Mike, KF4FDJ, has put together a very informative document on FO-29,
addressing analog, digital and digi-talker modes. To obtain a copy
e-mail Mike at: kf4fdj@amsat.org
Kazu, JJ1WTK, reports the FO-29 operational schedule
(announced by the JARL) is as follows:
April 21-May 7th - JA
May 8-14th - JD1200
May 15-June 8th - JA
Mineo, JE9PEL, has updated his FO-29 satellite telemetry analysis
program. The software will automatically analyze all digital
telemetry from the satellite such as current, voltage and temperature.
The JE9PEL FO-29/software update is available at:
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/
[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-29 status reports]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-121.04
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 2
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 121.04 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 30, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-121.04
KITSAT KO-25
Uplink 145.980 MHz FM 9600 baud FSK
Downlink 436.500 MHz FM
Operational.
Jim, AA7KC, reports KO-25 is operational with high downlink efficiency
and with low to moderate traffic.
[ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for KO-25 status information]
UOSAT UO-22
Uplink 145.900 or 145.975 MHz FM 9600 baud FSK
Downlink 435.120 MHz FM
Operational.
Chris Jackson, G7UPN, reports to ANS that UO-22 continues in full
sunlight and the temperatures have increased considerably. Controllers
have turned the satellite upside down to point the critical systems to cold
space. This has reduced the temperature on various systems (such as
the batteries) by between 5 and 10 degrees. The unfortunate by-product
of this is that the downlink is now quite weak.
Only the 145.900 MHz receiver is usable for communications at the
moment.
More information on the satellite is available at the following URL:
http://www.sstl.co.uk/
[ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for UO-22
status information]
OSCAR-11
Downlink 145.825 MHz FM, 1200 baud AFSK
Mode-S Beacon 2401.500 MHz
Operational.
OSCAR-11 celebrated its sixteenth birthday in space on March 1, 2000.
The operating schedule is as follows:
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 active amateur radio satellites.
Users should note that the date in the hardware generated ASCII
telemetry is now advanced by 3 days and the other dates (which
are generated by software) are advanced by 1 day. Ground control
may be able to correct the software generated dates, but not the
hardware generated date.
More information on OSCAR-11 is available at the following URL:
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/
[ANS thanks Clive Wallis, G3CWV, for OSCAR-11 status information]
LUSAT LO-19
Uplink 145.84 145.86 145.88 145.90 MHz FM
using 1200 baud Manchester FSK
CW downlink 437.125 MHz
Digital downlink 437.150 MHz SSB RC-BPSK 1200 baud PSK
Currently semi-operational. The CW beacon is sending eight telemetry
channels and one status channel. Currently, no BBS service is available.
The digipeater is active.
Mineo, JE9PEL, has recorded LO-19 CW and PSK telemetry and
placed the information on his Internet homepage site at:
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/
Telemetry is as follows:
Uptime is 637/07:44:33 Time is Fri Apr 28 21:27:50 2000
+10V Bus 10.617 V RC PSK TX Out 0.495 W
Bat 1 V 1.330 V Bat 2 V 1.327 V
Bat 3 V 1.343 V Bat 4 V 1.332 V
Bat 5 V 1.349 V Bat 6 V 1.359 V
Bat 7 V 1.337 V Bat 8 V 1.311 V
Total Array C= 0.008 Bat Ch Cur=-0.252 Ifb= 0.119 I+10V= 0.139
TX:016 BCR:1E PWRC:62D BT:3C WC: 0
General information and telemetry samples can be found at:
http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu/lo19.htm
[ANS thanks Miguel Menendez, EA1BCU, for LO-19 status information]
PACSAT AO-16
Uplink 145.90 145.92 145.94 145.96 MHz FM
using 1200 baud Manchester FSK
Downlink 437.025 MHz SSB RC-BPSK 1200 baud PSK
Mode-S Beacon 2401.1428 MHz
Semi-operational.
Russ, WJ9F, reports ground stations are currently running memory
test software on the satellite. In addition to the memory testing, the
spacecraft spin rate around the vertical (Z) axis has created a less
than ideal condition for battery charging. The spin rate evaluation
confirms a rate of 1 revolution every 18 minutes. Power output
is low due to this spin rate.
Normally, the S-band transmitter is off. Recently, WJ9F reported the
S-Band transmitter (2401.143 MHz) was powered on for a short
time. A Whole Orbit Data survey was conducted during this operation.
Nando, CX6DD, reports good signals from the S-band downlink of
AO-16. He also reports his modem "had a hard time tuning the
receiver due to the tremendous doppler!"
Telemetry is as follows:
Note: The batteries are is a state of discharge at the end of a
dark orbit.
Uptime is 075/18:09:07 Time is Fri Apr 28 21:39:20 2000
+10V Bus 10.050 V PSK TX RF Out 0.781 W
Bat 1 V 1.183 V Bat 2 V 1.177 V
Bat 3 V 1.204 V Bat 4 V 1.227 V
Bat 5 V 1.182 V Bat 6 V 1.188 V
Bat 7 V 1.181 V Bat 8 V 1.242 V
+5V Bus 4.718 V +8.5V Bus 7.727 V
Total Array C= 0.000 Bat Ch Cur=-0.306 Ifb= 0.154 I+10V= 0.166
TX:1006 BCR:1E PWRC:06C BT:1E WC:25 EDAC:4A
A new WOD collection of current graphics (dated 02/26/2000)
can be found at:
http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu
[ANS thanks Miguel Menendez, EA1BCU, for AO-16 status information]
TMSAT-1 TO-31
Uplink 145.925 MHz 9600 baud FSK
Downlink 436.925 MHz 9600 baud FSK
Operational.
ProcMail V2.00G has been released by G7UPN. This software permits
the processing of image files from TO-31. It has been posted to the
AMSAT-NA FTP site at the following URL:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/software/win32/wisp
Many of the high-resolution color images transmitted by TMSAT are
compressed using a UoSAT compression format. This format is
supported by the VK5HI CCD display program.
[ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for TO-31 status
information]
UoSAT-12 UO-36
Uplink 145.960 MHz 9600 baud FSK
Downlink 437.025 MHz 437.400 MHz
UoSAT-12 was successfully launched on April 21, 1999 from the
Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome. UO-36 carries a number of imaging
payloads, digital store-and-forward communications and mode L/S
transponders.
The BBS is open, although uploading (and the downlink) may be
disabled at times.
The VK5HI viewer shareware is available on the AMSAT-NA
web site at the following URL:
ftp://ftp.amsat.org/amsat/software/win32/display/ccddsp97-119.zip
Further information on UO-36 is available from: http://www.sstl.co.uk/
[ANS thanks Chris G7UPN/ZL2TPO, and the University of Surrey for
this information]
ITAMSAT IO-26
Uplink 145.875 145.900 145.925 145.950 MHz FM 1200 baud
Downlink 435.822 MHz SSB
Semi-operational, the digipeater function is on.
IO-26 was launched on the September 26, 1993.
Alberto, I2KBD, reports IO-26 has been opened to APRS use.
[ANS thanks ITAMSAT Project Manager Alberto E. Zagni, I2KBD, for this
information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-121.05
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 3
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 121.05 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 30, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-121.05
THE FOLLOWING ARE IN ORBIT BUT ARE
NON-OPERATIONAL AT THIS TIME:
KITSAT KO-23
Uplink 145.900 MHz FM 9600 baud FSK
Downlink 435.175 MHz FM
Non-operational.
Jim, AA7KC, reports KO-23 is (again) non-operational. The downlink
transmitter is off, with the last received data received on 4/13/2000 at
04:10 UTC. KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ, reports (from the KO-23
control team) that part of the problem with recent non-operation
has been the power budget aboard the satellite.
[ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, and KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ,
for KO-23 status information]
RADIO SPORT RS-12
Uplink 21.210 to 21.250 MHz CW/SSB
Uplink 145.910 to 145.950 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 29.410 to 29.450 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 145.910 to 145.950 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon 29.408 MHz
Robot Uplink 21.129 MHz
Robot Downlink 29.454 MHz
Non-operational. No operation in 2000 has been observed.
TECHSAT-1B GO-32
Downlink 435.225 MHz using HDLC telemetry
Efforts were reported to be underway to bring GO-32 on line,
however no additional information has been received by ANS
(the last report was dated November 1999).
The TechSat-1B micro-satellite was successfully launched from the
Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 10, 1998.
Last reported, the satellite does not have a continuos beacon, but does
transmit a 9600-baud burst every 30 seconds (for a continuous 3
seconds in length), on 435.225 MHz.
The TechSat team has constructed a home page about TechSat.
To view the site, point your web browser to:
http://techsat.internet-zahav.net/
PANSAT PO-34
Uplink/downlink frequencies have never been released.
The satellite is not currently available for general uplink transmissions.
PanSat, developed by the Naval Postgraduate School, was launched
from the shuttle Discovery (during STS-95) on October 29, 1998.
At the time of launch, PanSat spread-spectrum digital transponders
were promised to be available to Amateur Radio operators along with
software to utilize this technology. To date, this has not happened.
For more information, visit the official PanSat web site at:
http://www.sp.nps.navy.mil/pansat/
PanSat was the featured cover article on the July/August 1999 issue
of the AMSAT-NA Journal (written by KD6DRA and N7HPR).
[ANS thanks Dan Sakoda, KD6DRA, for this information]
MIR SPACE STATION
MIR SAFEX II 70-cm Repeater
Uplink 435.750 MHz FM w/subaudible tone 141.3 Hz
Downlink 437.950 MHz FM
Not operational. No operation in 1999 or 2000 has been observed.
MIR SAFEX II 70-cm QSO Mode
Uplink 435.725 MHz FM w/subaudible tone 151.4 Hz
Downlink 437.925 MHz FM
Not operational. No operation in 1999 or 2000 has been observed.
DOVE DO-17
Downlink 145.825 MHz FM 1200 baud AFSK
2401.220 MHz
Non-operational.
DOVE stopped transmitting in March 1998. The 145.825 MHz and
2401.220 MHz downlinks are off the air and the satellite has not
responded to ground station control. No additional information is
available at this time.
WEBERSAT WO-18
Downlink 437.104 MHz SSB 1200 baud PSK AX.25
Non-operational.
WO-18 is reported to be in MBL mode after a software crash.
No additional information is available at this time.
SEDSAT-1 SO-33
Downlink 437.910 MHz FM 9600 baud FSK
The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions and
image and transponder recovery efforts have been unsuccessful.
SedSat-1, signifying Students for the Exploration and Development of
Space Satellite number one, was successfully launched and placed in
orbit on Saturday, October 24, 1998.
SedSat-1 has downlinked months worth of telemetry data on the
performance of its electrical power system parameters. The Nickel
Metal Hydride batteries on the spacecraft were experimental and
experienced some abuse due to a power negative situation. This
information has provided NASA with useful information. With the
exception of the imaging system and the use of the transponders,
SedSat-1 has been judged a success.
For more information on SedSat-1 visit the satellite web site at the
following URL:
http://www.seds.org/sedsat
No additional information is available at this time.
/EX
--ANS END---
ANS would like to thank Mike Seguin, N1JEZ, ANS principal satellite
investigator, for helping provide current satellite information.
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to
ans-editor@amsat.org
Daniel (Dan) James
AMSAT News Service Bulletin Editor
AMSAT-NA Vice President/Public Affairs
Amateur callsign: NN0DJ
Grid Square EN28iv
Warroad, Minnesota U.S.A.
E-mail: nn0dj@amsat.org
----
Via the ans mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA.
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe ans" to Majordomo@amsat.org