[jamsat-news:1935] ANS-186 AMSAT Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE

ANS-186

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.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:
ans-editor@amsat.org

In this edition:
* President's Message - Special Edition
* ECHO Commissioning Progress Update
* AMSAT Files Reply Comments of FCC "BPL" Proposal
* ARISS Field Day Summary
* ARISS Status - 28 June 2004
* AMSAT-UK Space Colloquium Programme Update


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-186.01
President's Message - Special Edition

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 186.01 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD.  July 4, 2004
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-186.01

ECHO
It is with very great pleasure that I acknowledge the ANS news releases
concerning the successful launch of ECHO and the other related satellites
from Baikonur. This achievement is due to many individuals around the
world, who have helped in the design, building, integration, testing and
launching of this satellite. Also the members of AMSATs in many countries
who have helped us by funding this "Electronic Adventure". Without your
financial support the satellite could not have been completed, and would
never have been launched. Give yourselves a "pat on the back" for a job well
done.

Lee McLamb, KU4OS, Senior Editor of the AMSAT News Service will be issuing
up dated bulletins over the next few days to advise you on the progress
being made during commissioning. At the proper time, when sufficient data
has been confirmed, Past President Bill Tynan will issue a bulletin giving
the AO-XX designation, updated Keplerian  Elements will be issued as soon as
they are received.

MEANWHILE please DO NOT Transmit to the satellite - commissioning must take
priority. A bulletin will be released when the satellite is open for general
use.

New Web site
I am delighted to announce that our new web site will be officially opened
to coincide with the launching of ECHO. Many of you have already seen the
Beta trial and now is the big day. I must personally thank Emily Clarke for
her excellent work in developing this new web site. Judging by your comments
it already has your approval. My thanks also go to Paul Williamson for the
work on the old web site and the effort put into helping Emily. About one
year ago I asked Executive Vice President Rick Hambly to manage this
project, and I am gratified by the result. On your behalf, I thank all who
were involved.

73
Robin Haighton VE3FRH
President AMSAT

[ANS thanks Robin, VE3FRH for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-186.02
ECHO Commissioning Progress Update

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 186.02 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD.  July 4, 2004
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-186.02

Testing and checkout of ECHO is continuing.  ECHO's TX0 transmitter
can be heard transmitting 9600 baud FSK telemetry on a frequency of
435.150 MHz.  Command Stations are varying the output power of the TX0
transmitter.  During times when the satellite is in view of a command
station the power is likely to be set to a higher level, somewhere between 1
and 2 watts, depending on power budget and received signal strength.  During
the remaining time the power will be about 0.6 watts.

The command team continues to load software into Echo and as of Saturday, 03
July 2004 the file system and Whole Orbit Data software are operational.
Packets received which contain "LDR" are replies by ECHO to command stations
as they upload software to the satellite. The next step in the commissioning
process is to collect Whole Orbit Data (WOD) from the satellite through
Monday night. This will allow a good look at telemetry data for a complete
orbit.  WOD is needed to determine spacecraft attitude, configure the BCR,
and get a better look at the overall health of the satellite.

The Command Stations have confirmed that ECHO is international designator
04025K which corresponds to NORAD object number 28375 in the orbital element
set database.

The first AMSAT-NA packet satellite was PACSAT (AO-16) launched in
1990.  It continues to use the call sign PACSAT.  Since there is a limit of
6 characters for a number of software reasons, PACB, was chosen as the next
in the series if callsigns for ECHO..

BBS callsigns:
PACB-11
PACB-12

These follow the standard for all packet store and forward amateur
satellites. Once the store and forward BBS is open for general use WiSP and
other programs that implement the Pacsat Broadcast Protocol will work fine.
WiSP can be downloaded from the AMSAT website's software page at
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/software.php

With the file system now running, the downlink is going to show the BBS is
open.  Everyone is requested to please not transmit to ECHO until checkout
and commissioning has been completed. Unexpected uplinks may cause delays in
verifying the proper operation of ECHO and delay the opening of the
transponders to general use.

The Command Team would like to thank everyone that has sent in Echo
Telemetry to date.  Keep up the good work!

It has been noted by several users that TlmEcho has difficulty configuring
certain TNC's into KISS mode.  Once ECHO is commissioned, work on the
software modifications to correctly initialize those TNC's into KISS mode
can begin.  As a method to work around the situation until we can correct,
please try the following.

1) Run Wisp, Terminal Program, or you usual method to configure your TNC for
KISS mode.
2) Disconnect the serial cable to the TNC
3) Start TlmEcho
4) Reconnect your serial cable to the TNC

If you select "n" for the KISSOFF and KISSON line in the CPBINI.TXT file you
should not have to disconnect the serial cable.

[ANS thanks Jim, WD0E and Mike, KE4AZN for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-186.03
AMSAT Files Reply Comments of FCC "BPL" Proposal

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 186.03
From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD.  July 4, 2004
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-186.03

AMSAT filed reply comments with the FCC on 22 June 2004 on the FCC Notice of
Proposed Rule Making and Order, WT Docket 03-104, which addresses amending
Part 15 rules for "Broadband over Powerline Systems".

AMSAT notes that Access BPL is almost certain to have impact
beyond the frequencies it actually utilizes. This is true because of two
phenomena implicit in radio. One of these is the generation harmonics and
another is mixing products. Mixing products are generated by combinations of
two or more RF carriers being present in a nonlinear medium such as a
corroded joint in a power line. The mixing products along with the
harmonics, will appear at VHF and higher frequencies. Moreover, being higher
in frequency (shorter in wavelength), they will radiate more readily from
the power lines carrying them than will the fundamental frequencies actually
being used by the Access BPL system.

The full text of all of AMSAT's FCC filings can be found at
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/amsat-na/filings/

Dr. Perry I. Klein, W3PK, AMSAT Vice President, Government Liaison,
expressed his appreciation to Ray Soifer, W2RS, Bill Tynan, W3XO and AMSAT
President Robin Haighton, VE3FRH, for their effort in preparing these reply
comments.

[ANS thanks Perry, W3PK for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-186.04
ARISS Field Day Summary

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 186.04 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD.  July 4, 2004
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-186.04

The ISS amateur radio packet system was operational for ARRL Field Day
activities on 26 June 2004 plus Mike Fincke and Gennady Padalka both
participated on June 27 by making voice contacts with stations in the United
States (including Alaska), Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica,
Venezuela, Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. This was Mike's first time to
make general contacts and he did really well. Mike was active on 5 passes
over the US and 2 passes over Central and South America. He logged 60
contacts on 2 meter voice as NA1SS using the Ericsson radio in the FGB and
Gennady was active on 70 cm as RS0ISS  using the Kenwood in the Service
Module but only managed 4 contacts. This 70 cm operation caught many
amateurs by surprise and others commented that they were so exited at
hearing Mike on 2 meters that they forgot to check the 70 cm frequency. This
is the first time that both callsigns, NA1SS and RS0ISS, have been used
simultaneously during voice operations and the first time that 2 bands have
been used simultaneously.

By all accounts it was a very successful operation both on the ground and
from space. Mike even commented "First off-- what a great experience!  Both
Gennady and I were very happy to have "met" so many different people in
North, Central and South America.  I know I will be using the Ham radio more
often now that I could feel the warmth of the community".

The radios will again be shut off prior to the EVA scheduled for June 30 and
returned to service July 1 unless the schedule changes.

[ANS thanks Ken, N5VHO for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-186.05
ARISS Status - 28 June 2004

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 186.05 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD.  July 4, 2004
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-186.05

1.  Upcoming Schools

An ARISS contact has been scheduled for Tulsa Air and Space Museum in Tulsa,
Oklahoma on Friday, July 2, 2004 at 13:41 UTC. The museum has set up their
Amateur Radio station with the Space Colonization Exhibit, and on the day of
the contact, the children, from grades 1 - 9, will be able to speak with one
of the first space colonists.

Space Camp Turkey, located in Izmir, Turkey, will also experience a contact
with the ISS on Monday, July 5 at 0821 UTC via the telebridge station WH6PN.
This is the second contact for this camp whose students come from several
different countries including Turkey, Greece, Israel, and the U.S.  To join
this event, go to:
  https://e-meetings.mci.com
  CONFERENCE NUMBER:  5249702
  PASSCODE: SPACE STATIO


2.  Mike Fincke Announces Birth of Daughter via ARISS Radio System

Mike Fincke, KE5AIT, and his wife Renita became parents again on Friday,
June 18.  On Saturday, Mike announced the birth of his new daughter via the
ISS Packet radio system's beacon which read,  "It's a girl! Tarali Fincke,"
and was being sent approximately once per minute as the ISS traveled around
the world.  For more information, see ARRL's article,

"Astronaut Radios Birth Announcement, Celebrates Special Father's Day in
Space,"  at http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/06/22/2/?nc=1

Congratulations Mike and Renita!


3.  Amateur Radios Cycled for EVA

The ARISS radio systems were turned off on June 23, in preparation for the
EVA to repair the CMG.  They were turned on again, on June 25, after the EVA
attempt, and will be cycled off prior to the next CMG EVA attempt, scheduled
for June 30 and returned to service July 1.


4.  Amateur Radio License Training

Dr. Gregory Olsen will arrive at JSC on July 26 for one week of U.S.
training.  Kenneth Ransom and Nick Lance have requested 5 hours to spend
with Dr. Olsen - 4 hours to prepare him for his Amateur Radio license exam,
and 1 hour for the exam. Dr. Olsen is tentatively scheduled for a taxi
flight with the Expedition 10 crew to fly in October, 2004.

Swedish ESA astronaut, Christer Fugelsang, will receive Amateur Radio
license training at JSC the same week as Dr. Olsen. Fugelsang is expected to
fly with the crew of STS-116, an assembly and crew-rotation mission to the
ISS.


5.  Roy Neal, K6DUE, Commemorative Event Certificates Mailed

Another batch of Roy Neal, K6DUE, Commemorative Event Certificates has been
distributed to ham radio operators who participated in the Roy Neal
Commemorative Event.  The event was held from November 29 through the end of
December 2003, honoring Roy Neal for his hard work and dedication in getting
Amateur Radio in space. Anyone who contacted the ISS through either voice
(NA1SS) or packet (RS0ISS) during that time is eligible to receive a
certificate.


6.  FCC Regulations Discussed

ARISS delegate, Rosalie White, networked with the ARRL General Counsel. They
discussed the possibility of upcoming changes to the FCC regulations
concerning ham radio communications from spacecraft, and how these changes
might affect the ARISS program.

[ANS thanks Carol for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-186.06
AMSAT-UK Space Colloquium Programme Update

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 186.06 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD.  July 4, 2004
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-186.06

There will be a presentation on the new Echo satellite given by the AMSAT-NA
President Robin Haighton, VE3FRH, at the 2004 AMSAT-UK Space Colloquium
which is being held from July 30th to August 1st at the University of
Surrey, Guildford, England.

This International Annual Event attracts Radio Amateurs and Satellite
Builders from around the globe. Guildford is within easy reach of both
London-Heathrow and London-Gatwick airports.

The full programme of activities which includes tours of the Surrey
Satellite Centre has been posted on the AMSAT-UK website :

http://www.uk.amsat.org/

This years event has an Interplanetary flavor. Professor Colin Pillinger
will be giving a talk on the recent Beagle 2 mission to Mars and other talks
are on Mars Express and a Venus Microsat.  One talk sure to be popular is on
the proposed Amateur Television Repeater to be installed on the ISS.

This event is open to all Radio Amateurs and SWLs.  For further information
please contact the AMSAT-UK secretary, Jim Heck, G3WGM, on +44 125 845 3959
or e-mail:
g3wgm@amsat.org

[ANS thanks Trevor, M5AKA for the above information]

/EX

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the
President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to
AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits.
Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.

AMSAT has developed an on-line volunteer survey, designed to
identify the interests and skills of those who may be available to directly
help in efforts to develop the amateur satellite program. The survey is
online
and will be sent to the appropriate party.

You will find the volunteer survey at:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/information/volunteer.php


73,
This weeks ANS Editor,
Lee McLamb, KU4OS, ku4os at AMSAT.org

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