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[jamsat-news:1355] ANS 303
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS 303
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 is currently underway in Portland, Maine at
the 18th Space Symposium and AMSAT-NA Annual Meeting.
The 2000 Symposium included once top-secret details about
intelligence gathering methods used during the early years of the Cold
War. The Saturday banquet speaker was Cargill Hall, chief historian
of the National Reconnaissance Office. He discussed (for the first time
in public) overhead reconnaissance along with a history of CIA-NRO
activities.
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)
* AMSAT K-12 Educational Liaison mailing list (AMSAT-K12)
A daily digest version is available for each list.
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 Tim Smith, KF6AUE,
of Rancho Santa Margarita, California. He passed away recently at age
47. An ARRL member, Smith was heavily involved in public service and
emergency communication activities. He was a member of the South
Orange Amateur Radio Association as well as a Disaster Action Team
volunteer for the American Red Cross. In addition, Smith was president
of the Santa Margarita Amateur Radio Team and chairman of the
Rancho Santa Margarita disaster preparation committee. [ANS thanks
Bill Westfall, KD6NJP, and the ARRL for this information]
ANS is also dedicated to the memory of past ANS editor 'BJ' Arts,
WT0N, and to the memory of long-time AMSAT supporter Werner
Haas, DJ5KQ.
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-303.01
PHASE 3D LAUNCH UPDATE
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 303.01 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 29, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-303.01
AMSAT-DL Executive Vice President Peter Guelzow, DB2OS, tells
AMSAT News Service that the Phase 3D satellite continues in a
"ready to fly" status hold at the European Spaceport in Kourou,
French Guiana.
The Phase 3D launch window will open on Tuesday, November 14,
2000. The revised launch date for Ariane 5 Flight 135 --on which
Phase 3D will fly-- was changed from the tentative October 31st
initial launch window. Phase 3D is scheduled to be launched with
three other satellites - including the large PAS-1R communications
satellite and the much smaller STRV-1C and 1D satellites
A view of the entire payload can be found at the following URL:
http://www.arianespace.com/news_missionupdate.html
Information about the STRV-1C and 1D satellites can be found at:
http://www.dera.gov.uk/html/news/strv_overview.htm
After launch, P3-D will be in a transfer orbit used for geosynchronous
satellites. Through firing the onboard 400N motor, P3D's perigee height
will be increased to 4,000 km. Then, through another firing at perigee,
P3D's apogee will be increased to 47,000 km. At apogee, the motor will
burn once again, placing the satellite in an inclination of about 60
degrees. P3D's designers are currently planning for a northern
hemisphere apogee drift after some 2-years in orbit. At that point, the
onboard ATOS motor will be used, first to change the P3D orbit to a final
inclination of about 63 degrees, and, after that time, the motor can be
used for small orbit changes.
The AMSAT launch team reports the 'Callsign to Fly' plaque was mounted
onto a side panel before the panel was installed on P3D. A photograph
of the plaque before installation is available at:
http://www.uk.amsat.org/images/onp3d.jpg
The AMSAT launch team Internet web site has been popular with
satellite operators around the world. The site features photographs
showing the Phase 3D launch preparation process. To visit the site,
point your browser to:
http://www.amsat-dl.org/launch/
Stay tuned to ANS for additional bulletins from AMSAT, the official
source for information on the Phase 3D Launch.
[ANS thanks the ARRL, AMSAT-DL and AMSAT-NA for this
information and congratulates the AMSAT launch team on their
outstanding work]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-303.02
ARISS OPERATION FROM ISS NEAR
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 303.02 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 29, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-303.02
Flight controllers in Houston and Moscow are preparing the
International Space Station to come to life next week with the arrival
of its first inhabitants. The Expedition-1 crew is set to blast off aboard
a Russian Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan,
bound for ISS. The crew should arrive aboard the station shortly
thereafter and the begin a four-month stay as the first permanent
occupancy of the international complex.
The launch from Baikonur is set for October 31st. NASA
television plans extensive coverage of the launch.
Amateur Radio satellite operators worldwide have been following
ISS developments and are especially excited about this flight as
ham operation is expected to debut soon after the Expedition-1
crew arrives aboard the International Space Station. The crew
includes expedition commander/U.S. astronaut Bill Shepherd,
KD5GSL, Soyuz vehicle commander/Russian cosmonaut Yuri
Gidzenko, and flight engineer/cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, U5MIR.
The flight to the ISS will take approximately two days following
the launch. The crew has expressed a high level of interest in
beginning Amateur Radio operations early in their mission but it
may be several weeks before they can setup the ham station and
begin operations.
Initial operations will take place only in the 2-meter band. The
tentative frequencies are:
Worldwide downlink for voice and packet: 145.800 MHz
Worldwide packet uplink: 145.990 MHz
Region 1 voice uplink: 145.200 MHz
Region 2/3 voice uplink: 144.490 MHz
Two U.S. call signs have recently been issued for Amateur Radio
operations with ISS. The FCC granted vanity call signs NA1SS
and NN1SS to the International Space Station Amateur Radio Club
in mid-October. The NA1SS call sign will be used aboard ISS, and
NN1SS will be used for ground-based transmissions from the
Goddard Space Flight Center. As ANS has reported, Russian call
sign RZ3DZR along with the German call sign DL0ISS have both
previously been issued for use aboard the station. The crew may
use their own call signs (KD5GSL, U5MIR) or they may use one
of the ISS calls.
For more information about the ARISS program, visit the following
URL:
http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov/
[ANS thanks NASA, ARISS and the ARRL for this information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-303.03
AMSAT SYMPOSIUM UNDERWAY
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 303.03 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 29, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-303.03
The 18th Space Symposium and AMSAT-NA Annual Meeting in
Portland, Maine is underway as this edition of ANS is broadcast.
A Symposium special event station has been active during the event
using the AMSAT Club Callsign W3ZM. Both satellite and HF operation
is being featured.
On Friday evening, October 27th, AMSAT-NA presented a free
educational session for students, parents and educators. Searching for
Life Among the Stars; Cansats: What to do With Your Used Pop Cans;
Project Starshine and Aerospace Science in the Schoolhouse and
Home - were each presented.
The presentations were designed to encourage learning and
experimentation in the sciences, particularly aerospace.
Stay tuned to ANS for more information about the happenings at the
18th Space Symposium and AMSAT-NA Annual Meeting.
[ANS thanks Caroline Caswell and George Caswell Sr., W1ME,
for this information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-303.04
MIR FUTURE DOUBTFUL
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 303.04 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 29, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-303.04
Several news agencies are reporting the Mir space station will be
de-orbited early next year. The previously announced hope that
private funds may save the nearly 15-year-old Mir are apparently
not coming to fruition.
Earlier this year, the station had won a new lease on life when a
private company signed a lease agreement and provided funds to
keep the station aloft. Russian officials have now left no doubt that
the decision to de-orbit Mir is indeed final and are now preparing the
details of the operation to discard the venerable station.
Mir has been quickly losing altitude since its latest crew left in June.
The current thinking is that a Progress supply ship with a larger
amount of fuel will be launched to Mir to give it the final impulse
and start the splash down.
Mir was launched on February 18, 1986. Currently, there is no human
habitation aboard the station and the onboard Amateur Radio equipment
has been turned off. Mir is currently on 'autopilot'.
ANS has carried the following report for several months:
MIR SAFEX II 70-cm Repeater
Uplink 435.750 MHz FM w/subaudible tone of 141.3 Hz
Downlink 437.950 MHz FM
Status: 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
Status: Not operational. No operation in 1999 or 2000 has been observed
[ANS thanks Florida Today for this information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-303.05
ANS IN BRIEF
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 303.05 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 29, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-303.05
ANS news in brief this week includes the following:
** Arianespace maintained its fast-paced mission schedule with the
recent successful launch of Flight 134, which orbited the first satellite
for EuropeStar telecommunications. Launch occurred right on time
from Kourou, French Guiana. The Ariane 44LP rocket lifted off under
the power of its four first stage engines, augmented by the thrust of
two large liquid strap-on boosters and two solid strap-ons. The
EuropeStar spacecraft separated from its launcher 20 minutes
later. -Florida Today
** Cassini continues to approach Jupiter on-route to Saturn, with the
spacecraft providing breathtaking views of the gas giant. -SpaceDaily
** The famous K7UGA call sign formerly held by the late Barry
Goldwater has been re-issued to the Central Arizona DX Association.
The FCC granted the request for K7UGA on October 24th. The call
came up for grabs this fall after the mandatory two-year waiting period
-ARRL
** Shuttle Discovery finally returned to Earth on Tuesday, October 24th,
landing at Edwards Air Force Base to cap the 100th mission in the
history of the shuttle program and an important mission to the
International Space Station. The landing was two days overdue, and
occurred in California, 3,000 miles away from NASA's preferred shuttle
runway at the Kennedy Space Center. High winds at KSC forced
NASA to use its backup landing site at Edwards. -Florida Today
** The FCC is set to authorize a new Citizens Band Radio Service to be
called the Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS). The service will deploy five
former Private Land Mobile Radio Service channels for voice, data and
imaging transmissions. The channels, 151.82, 151.88, 151.94, 154.57
and 154.60 MHz --will be authorized for up to 2-watts on an unlicensed
basis. The effective date to deploy MURS is pending completion of an
FCC proceeding. -ARRL
** Could some countries vanish beneath rising seas? Are melting
icecaps responsible for ever-higher sea levels? Above all, are these
changes man-made and preventable, or part of a natural cycle? These
are the questions that could soon be answered by scientists using data
from both ESA's ERS-1 and ERS-2 and Envisat satellites. -SpaceDaily
** AMSAT-UK has announced a search engine that will help find
elusive, but vital, information on the AMSAT-UK and AMSAT-NA
Internet sites. The search engine can be found at the following
URL: http://www.uk.amsat.org/search/. -Richard Limebear, G3RWL
** The ARRL is accepting nominations for the 2000 Professional Media
Award. The award pays tribute to the late CBS News President Bill
Leonard, W2SKE. Each year the award goes to a professional journalist
whose coverage best reflects the enjoyment, importance and public
service value of Amateur Radio. The deadline for entries is December
15, 2000. The winner receives a plaque and a cash award of $500.
Contact ARRL Media Relations for more information about the award or
to obtain a nomination form. -ARRL
--ANS BULLETIN END---
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-303.06
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 1
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 303.06 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 29, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-303.06
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION/ARISS
Worldwide packet uplink: 145.990 MHz
Region 1 voice uplink: 145.200 MHz
Region 2/3 voice uplink: 144.490 MHz
Worldwide downlink for voice and packet: 145.800 MHz
ARISS initial station launched September 2000 aboard shuttle Atlantis
Status: Expected operation to begin in mid-November
The ARISS initial station gear is now temporarily stowed aboard the
Functional Cargo Block module of ISS. The initial station will use an
existing antenna that will be adapted to support 2-meter FM voice and
packet. The ARISS equipment will get a more-permanent home aboard
the Service Module in 2001, along with VHF and UHF antennas. Plans
call for amateur TV, both slow scan and fast scan ATV, a digipeater and
relay stations.
Planning for the deployment and use of the ham system aboard ISS has
been an international effort coordinated by NASA's Goddard Space
Flight Center. The effort began in 1996 with the formation of the
Amateur Radio International Space Station organization. ARISS is made
up of delegates from major national amateur radio organizations,
including AMSAT.
Two U.S. call signs have recently been issued for Amateur Radio
operations with ISS. The FCC granted vanity call signs NA1SS
and NN1SS to the International Space Station Amateur Radio Club
in mid-October. The NA1SS call sign will be used aboard ISS, and
NN1SS will be used for ground-based transmissions from the
Goddard Space Flight Center. As ANS has reported, Russian call
sign RZ3DZR along with the German call sign DL0ISS have both
previously been issued for use aboard the station. The crew may
use their own call signs (KD5GSL, U5MIR) or they may use one
of the ISS calls.
More information about the project can be found on the ARISS web site
at http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov
[ANS thanks the ARISS team for this information]
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 146.00 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon 29.458 MHz
Robot Uplink 145.840 MHz
Robot Downlink 29.504 MHz
Launched: February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian Cosmos C launcher
Status: 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 RS-12/13 Satellite Operators page at:
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)
Launched: December 26, 1994 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: 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)
Launched: June 16, 1983 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
French Guiana
Status: 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.
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
Launched: September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
French Guiana
Status: Operational, mode J
Periodically, AO-27's analog repeater will be turned off for a few days
at a time to enable ground controllers to gather Whole Orbital Data
(WOD), to verify the health of the satellite.
An AO-27 question-and-answer page is available on the AMSAT-NA
web site. 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 current TEPR settings are:
TEPR 4: 36 TEPR 5: 72
The AO-27 pages on the AMSAT-NA web site include an
explanation of TEPR AO-27 operations (at):
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/ao27.html
[ANS thanks AMRAD for AO-27 information]
UO-14
Uplink 145.975 MHz FM
Downlink 435.070 MHz FM
Launched: January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
French Guiana
Status: Operational, mode J
Tim, KG8OC, has updated the Michigan AMSAT Information site
to include 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
Mode J Uplink: 145.825 MHz FM
Mode J Downlink: 436.250 MHz FM
Mode B Uplink: 436.291 MHz FM
Mode B Downlink: 145.825 MHz FM
Launched: February 23, 1999 by a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg
Air Force Base in California
Status: Operational.
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 in addition
to Mode B/J operation. The satellite has two VHF and two UHF
transmit-receive systems.
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 145.90 to 146.00 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 435.80 to 435.90 MHz CW/USB
Launched: February 07, 1990 by an H1 launcher from the
Tanegashima Space Center in Japan
Status: Operational. FO-20 is in mode JA continuously
Several satellite operators have reported problems with FO-20's
transponder. Mike, N1JEZ, told ANS that he believes the loss of signal
is a combination of two factors. First, battery age and an increase in FM
traffic due to operators unaware of the band plan. Mike reports he
routinely hears FM signals on the transponder.
Tak, JA2PKI, reported the FO-20 control station operators now believe
that the UVC (Under Voltage Controller) now is regulating the
transponder. The UVC monitors battery voltage and tries to protect the
batteries from over discharge. Tak notes that FO-20, launched in 1990,
is now over 10 years old.
[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-20 status reports]
JAS-2 FO-29
Launched: August 17, 1996, by an H-2 launcher from the
Tanegashima Space Center in Japan
Status: Operational
Voice/CW Mode JA
Uplink 145.90 to 146.00 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 435.80 to 435.90 MHz CW/USB
Digital Mode JD
Uplink 145.850 145.870 145.910 MHz FM
Downlink 435.910 MHz FM 9600 baud BPSK
Digitalker 435.910 MHz
The JARL FO-29 command station has announced the following
operation schedule of FO-29:
Oct. 7- Nov. 5 - Digi-talker (except mode JA every Wednesday)
Mike, KF4FDJ, has put together a very informative document on FO-29,
addressing the analog, digital and digi-talker modes. To obtain a copy
e-mail Mike at: kf4fdj@amsat.org.
Mineo, JE9PEL, has a FO-29 satellite telemetry analysis program that
will automatically analyze all digital telemetry from the satellite (such as
current, voltage and temperature). The JE9PEL FO-29/shareware is
available at the following URL:
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/
[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-29 status reports]
SAUDISAT-1A
Uplink to be released
Downlink 437.075 MHz
Launched: September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic
missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Commissioning stage, initial housekeeping tasks underway
SaudiSat-1A will operate as 9600 baud digital store-and-forward
systems as well analog FM repeater mode capability. One of two
new ham satellites from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia built by the
Space Research Institute at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and
Technology.
SAUDISAT-1B
Uplink to be released
Downlink 436.775 MHz
Launched: September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic
missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Commissioning stage, initial housekeeping tasks underway
SaudiSat-1B will operate as 9600 baud digital store-and-forward
systems as well analog FM repeater mode capability. One of two
new ham satellites from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia built by the
Space Research Institute at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and
Technology.
TIUNGSAT-1
Uplink to be released
Downlink 437.325 MHz
Broadcast callsign: MYSAT3-11
BBS: MYSAT3-12
NUP: MYSAT3-10
Launched: September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic
missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Commissioning stage, initial housekeeping tasks underway
TiungSat-1 is Malaysia's first micro-satellite and in addition to
commercial land and weather imaging payloads will offer FM and FSK
Amateur Radio communication.
TiungSat-1, named after the mynah bird of Malaysia, was developed as
a collaborative effort between the Malaysian government and Surrey
Satellite Technology Ltd.
For more information on TiungSat-1, visit the following URL:
http://www.yellowpages.com.my/tiungsat/tiung_main.htm
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-303.07
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 2
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 303.07 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 29, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-303.07
KITSAT KO-23
Uplink 145.900 MHz FM (9600 baud FSK)
Downlink 435.170 MHz FM
Launched: August 10, 1992 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
French Guiana
Status: Intermittent operation with the downlink transmitter operating at
unpredictable intervals
Jim, AA7KC, reports that KO-23's downlink transmitter has been
operational (as of 10/27/00). Duration of this status is unpredictable.
KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ, reports (from the KO-23 control team) that part
of the problem with non-operation has been the power budget aboard
the satellite. HL0ENJ also reports that KO-23 is currently in a full
sunlight
period that should last through the end of October. The control team will
attempt to operate the satellite during this period along with an attempt
to control the attitude system. "We are not sure when the bird might be
turned off again due to insufficient power. The capability of the onboard
power system has been less and less," said Kim.
[ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, and KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ,
for KO-23 status information]
KITSAT KO-25
Uplink 145.980 MHz FM (9600 baud FSK)
Downlink 436.500 MHz FM
Launched: September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
French Guiana
Status: Operational
Jim, AA7KC, reports nominal KO-25 operation, with 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
Launched: July 17, 1991 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
French Guiana
Status: Operational
Jim, AA7KC, reports nominal UO-22 operation, with heavy traffic and
major sat-gate operation.
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
Launched: March 1, 1984 by a Delta-Thor rocket from Vandenberg
Air Force Base in California
Status: Operational
OSCAR-11 celebrated its sixteenth birthday in space on March 1, 2000.
During the period 16-September to 17-October excellent signals have
been received from the 145 MHz beacon. The satellite is currently
experiencing very good solar conditions that should continue through
the end of the year.
Ground control operations recently reset the magnetorquer counters
and the spin period has now started to slowly return to a nominal value.
The battery voltage observed during daylight passes has continued to
increase. The average value observed was 14.0, with a range of
13.9 to 14.1 volts. The internal temperatures have increased recently.
They are now 5.8C and 4.2C for battery and telemetry electronics
respectively. This rise in temperature is expected to continue as solar
eclipse times become shorter.
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.
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)
Launched: January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
French Guiana
Status: Semi-operational. The CW beacon is sending eight telemetry
channels and one status channel. No BBS service is available. The
digipeater is not 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/
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
Launched: January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
French Guiana
Status: Semi-operational
Russ, WJ9F, reported the S-band transmitter is off. The VHF uplink and the
UHF PSK transmitter are operational (TX power at 1.5 watts). The
digipeater command is on.
[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)
Launched: July 10, 1998 by a Zenit rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Operational
Jim, AA7KC, reports nominal TO-31 operation, with moderate traffic and
large image files.
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
Launched: April 21, 1999 by a Russian launcher from the Baikonur
Cosmodrome
Status: Operational
UO-36 carries a number of imaging payloads, digital store-and-forward
communications and mode L/S transponders.
NASA has demonstrated on UO-36 the ability to use standard Internet
protocols to communicate with an orbiting spacecraft (just like any node
on the Internet). NASA has been developing this project by working with
the commercial payload aboard UoSAT-12.
The BBS is open, although uploading and downloading may be
disabled at times.
The VK5HI viewer shareware for UO-36 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
Launched: September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
French Guiana
Status: Semi-operational, the digipeater function is on and open for
APRS users
[ANS thanks ITAMSAT Project Manager Alberto E. Zagni, I2KBD, for
IO-26 information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-303.08
WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 3
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 303.08 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 29, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-303.08
THE FOLLOWING ARE IN ORBIT BUT ARE NON-OPERATIONAL
AT THIS TIME:
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
Launched: February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian Cosmos C launcher
Status: Non-operational. No operation in 2000 has been observed
TECHSAT-1B GO-32
Downlink 435.225 MHz using HDLC telemetry
Launched: July 10, 1998 by a Russian Zenit rocket from the Baikonur
Cosmodrome
Status: Semi-operational
Efforts were reported to be underway to bring GO-32 on line,
however, no information has been received by ANS (the last
report was dated November 1999).
Last reported, the satellite does transmit a 9600-baud burst every
30 seconds (the GO-32 beacon sends one short telemetry status
transmission of 44 bytes) and upon request the complete
telemetry buffer. The program to the access the satellite can be
downloaded from the homepage.
The TechSat team has a home page about TechSat. To view the site,
point your web browser to:
http://www.technion.ac.il/pub/projects/techsat/asher/techsatmain.html
PANSAT PO-34
Uplink/downlink frequencies have never been released
Launched: October 30, 1998 by the Shuttle Discovery
Status: Unknown
The satellite is not currently available for general uplink transmissions.
PanSat was developed by the Naval Postgraduate School. 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 (the story written by KD6DRA and N7HPR).
MIR SPACE STATION
145.985 MHz (FM) voice and SSTV (Robot 36 Mode)
Launched: February 18, 1986
Status: Unmanned
Currently, there is no human habitation aboard the station and the
onboard Amateur Radio equipment has been turned off. Several
news agencies have reported that Mir in now on 'autopilot'.
Stay tuned to ANS for further details.
MIR SAFEX II 70-cm Repeater
Uplink 435.750 MHz FM w/subaudible tone of 141.3 Hz
Downlink 437.950 MHz FM
Status: 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
Status: 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
Launched: January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
French Guiana
Status: 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)
Launched: January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
French Guiana
Status: Non-operational
WO-18 was last 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)
Launched: October 24, 1998 by a Delta 2 rocket from Cape
Canaveral, Florida
Status: Semi-operational
The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions and
the image and transponder recovery efforts have been unsuccessful.
SedSat-1 signifies Students for the Exploration and Development of
Space (satellite number one).
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
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