[jamsat-news:2272] ANS-288 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-288

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:

* FCC Rules Changes Affect Amateur Radio Space Operations
* AO-51 QRP Repeater to be Activated for JOTA on October 21-22
* Satellite DX - Sudan Active During October
* Help Wanted:  AMSAT News Service Rotating Editor Positions Available
* Thirty Songs To Be Broadcast From Lunar-Probing Satellite
* PCSAT-1 Enters Negative Power Budget Due to Eclipse
* ARISS Status for the Week of October 9, 2006

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-288.01
FCC Rules Changes Affect Amateur Radio Space Operations

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 288.01
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 15, 2006
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-288.01

The Federal Communications Commission released a Report and Order
which modifies several amateur radio regulations.  Several aspects
of the amateur rules are addressed.  Two key areas will affect
operators interested in space communications.  These include:

 + Retransmission of Space Station Communications
 + Space Station Launch Notification (to the FCC)

Current FCC rules prohibit amateur stations from retransmitting
programs or signals emanating from any other type of radio station
with certain exceptions including allowing amateur stations to
retransmit communications originating on United States Government
frequencies between a space shuttle spacecraft and associated Earth
stations.  The FCC will amend its rules to additionally allow re-
transmission of communications between Earth stations and the Inter-
national Space Station.  The FCC agreed that retransmission of space
communications is a public service that may be used as an educational
resource.

Another rules change involves the required timing of notification to
the FCC to launch and initiate transmissions from orbiting satellites
in the Amateur Satellite Service.

The Commission left existing rules in effect in regards to orbital
space debris mitigation from amateur satellites.

Full details can be found in the documents available on-line at:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-149A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-149A1.txt
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-149A1.doc

[ANS thanks the FCC for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-288.02
AO-51 QRP Repeater to be Activated for JOTA on October 21-22

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 288.02
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 15, 2006
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-288.02

The AO-51 Operations Group announced plans for AMSAT's support of the
Jamboree on the Air event (JOTA) on the weekend of October 21st and 22nd.
AO-51 will run in dual repeater mode with the 435.150 QRP repeater reserved
for JOTA contacts on the weekend.  Please yield the 435.150 repeater to
JOTA contacts, especially between two JOTA stations.  The normal AO-51 QRP
rules apply: 10 watts to omni or handheld antennas only.

Visit the AO-51 schedule at:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/ControlTeam.php

[ANS thanks the AO-51 Operations Group for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-288.03
Satellite DX - Sudan Active During October

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 288.03
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 15, 2006
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-288.03

A two week window of opportunity for satellite DX into Sudan may
give amateurs in Africa, Europe and the Middle East a contact into
a new country.  ST2NH, operator Nader, has made contacts via FO-29
with stations in Europe.

[ANS thanks Domenico, I8CVS and Carles, EB3FYM for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-288.04
Help Wanted:  AMSAT News Service Rotating Editor Positions Available

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 288.04
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 15, 2006
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-288.04

The AMSAT News Service (ANS) is responsible for researching, writing,
editing, and publishing the weekly amateur satellite news bulletins.
We have a team of editors who take a turn weekly to publish the bulletins.
This generally involves taking a turn about every 4 weeks.

At present we a looking for interested satellite enthusiasts to join the
ANS editorial team.  Professional writing/editing experience is not a
requirement.  Your interest and enthusiasm in following and reporting on
amateur radio in space will get you started!

If you can commit to working on the bulletins for a week on a rotating
basis please reply to JoAnne K9JKM, ANS Senior Editor at k9jkm@amsat.org.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-288.05
Thirty Songs To Be Broadcast From Lunar-Probing Satellite

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 288.05
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 15, 2006
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-288.05

China announced a list of 30 songs to be broadcast to Earth next year
from its first lunar-probing satellite. The Commission of Science,
Technology and Industry for National Defense, in charge of the lunar
project, announced Friday a list of 30 tunes to be played from the
lunar-probing satellite.

The lunar satellite is designed to obtain 3D images of the lunar
surface, analyze the content of useful elements and materials, and
probe the depth of the lunar soil and the space environment between
the earth and the moon.

The satellite will be 2,350 kg in weight with 130 kg of payload, and
will orbit the moon for one year. A Chinese Long March III A carrier
rocket will be used to launch the satellite.

The satellite launch at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest
China's Sichuan Province next year will be followed by the landing of an
unmanned vehicle on the moon in 2010 and collecting samples of lunar soil
with an unmanned vehicle in 2020.

[ANS thanks SpaceDaily.com for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-288.06
PCSAT-1 Enters Negative Power Budget Due to Eclipse

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 288.06
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 15, 2006
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-288.06

On 11 Oct, after a full 2 weeks of normal operations, PCSAT-1
returned to negative power budget with the default callsign of
W3ADO-1.  Bob, WB4APR of the US Naval Academy Satellite Lab
said, "We have tried on several orbits to restore all parameters,
but they are all lost during the next eclipse 30 minutes later."

Bob continues, "So it looks like we will not have reliable APRS
digipeating until the next full sun period in the first week of
January and then again in the middle of April.  But then it should
really be fun, because there will be 3 APRS satellites all in orbit
at the same time on 145.825."

[ANS thanks Bob, WB4APR for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-288.07
ARISS Status for the Week of October 9, 2006

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 288.07
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 15, 2006
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-288.07

1.	Upcoming School Contacts

The ARISS team continues to work on scheduling the Expedition 14
school contacts. The next one is expected to take place at the end
of October.

2.	AMSAT/ARISS Meetings Held

The AMSAT-NA Annual Meeting/Space Symposium was held October 5 8
in San Francisco. ARISS Chairman Frank Bauer gave two presentations
during the Symposium. The first speech given covered the tenth anni-
versary of ARISS and the second was on the SuitSat-2 project. Astronaut
Bill McArthur, KC5ACR, was the keynote speaker at the AMSAT banquet
on Saturday evening. Conferences continue as the ARISS International
Team Face to Face Meeting kicks off today, October 9.

3.	ARISS Members Visit JSC

In August, ARISS-U.S. team members visited several NASA offices in
Houston to discuss the future of Amateur Radio in space.  ARRL
reported on this in its story, 鄭RISS Team 羨lways on a Roll,ARRL
Liaison Says.See: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/10/03/101/?nc=1

The article also appeared in the ARRL Letter:
http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/06/1006/

4.	ESA Article on Greek Contact

Students attending the ESA Space Camp in Patras, Greece enjoyed the
experience of speaking with Thomas Reiter, DF4TR.  ESA Education ran
an article on the event.
See: http://www.esa.int/esaED/SEMYH76LARE_index_0.html

[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI 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.


73,
This week's ANS Editor,
JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM
K9JKM at amsat dot org


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