[jamsat-news:3565] [ans] ANS-318 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin - Fox-1Cliff Launch – Your Help is Needed!

[Paul Stoetzer via ANS]

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE SPECIAL BULLETIN
ANS-318.01

In this Special Bulletin:

* Fox-1Cliff Launch – Your Help is Needed!

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-318.01
ANS-318 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin

AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin 318.01
 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD
DATE November 14, 2018
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-318.01

Fox-1Cliff Launch – Your Help is Needed!

*** Please share this information through all of your club and group
news outlets! ***

Following the successful launch and deployment of Fox-1Cliff, all
amateur radio satellite enthusiasts can play an important part in the
commissioning of the new satellite. Telemetry helps us tremendously,
starting ASAP after startup (~59 minutes after deployment*) and for
the next 72-96 hours at least (for the life of the satellite is
preferred!) as we look for successful startup, watch the general
health and function as the satellite begins to acclimate to space,
and start to perform the on orbit checkout. The first station to
successfully receive and submit telemetry to the AMSAT server will
receive a special 3D printed QSL card acknowledging their
contribution.

If you are capturing telemetry with FoxTelem, please be sure that
“Upload to Server” is checked in your settings and your Ground
Station Params are filled in as well. You can help AMSAT and everyone
waiting to get on the air with Fox-1Cliff tremendously, by capturing
Fox-1Cliff telemetry.

In the initial Safe Mode after startup, which we actually call Beacon
Mode, the transmitter is limited to 10 seconds on time then does the
two minutes off cycle. For those of you capturing telemetry, that
means that you will only see Current frames and no High or Low frames
because the High and Low are truncated as it takes just over 10
seconds to send two frames. You will hear Veronica announcing
“Fox-1Cliff Safe Mode” while in Beacon Mode.

We will likely leave the satellite in Beacon Mode for 24 hours to
observe power telemetry. If we are seeing good readings from what you
gather, when it comes over the U.S. for the first good pass after
that holding period we will command it from Beacon Mode to normal
Safe Mode. That puts Fox-1Cliff in full (still Safe Mode though)
operation and transmits a full two frames of telemetry which is one
Current frame followed by, and alternating each ID cycle, a High or a
Low frame.

We will begin the rest of the in orbit checklist activities at that
time, and it is expected to take 7 to 10 days given the Thanksgiving
holiday.

Help your friends and all of our satellite ham friends get on the air
and have fun sooner by being polite and patient!

The in orbit checkout procedure is similar to Fox-1D and could be
completed in as little as 7 days if we have the cooperation of the
users. It is very important, not to mention just plain good Amateur
Operating Practice, to refrain from using the transponder uplink so
we can do the on orbit tests, including when we turn on transponder
mode for testing. I cannot stress enough, the importance of this
cooperation not just for us but also for all users, simply having a
little patience so we can conduct the tests as quickly and accurately
as possible.

AMSAT will make it broadly known when the tests are complete and the
transponder is available for all to use. If you hear someone on the
transponder, please do not assume that it is open for general use –
check our website, Facebook, Twitter, to be sure you are not
accidentally jumping in with and unwittingly causing interference as
well.

Many hams put thousands of volunteer hours of their time into making
Fox-1Cliff happen. Just like any ham radio project you might
undertake, we build satellites. We do it because we like to, and when
we are done, we freely share our project with hams everywhere as is
the spirit of amateur radio. I have to say though, that the incidents
we have experienced in the past with stations intentionally
disregarding the command stations requests to keep the frequency
clear during testing not only delays the commissioning, but also
negatively impacts the enthusiasm that our volunteers feel toward
handing over a new bird to the members and users as soon as possible.

I am asking all satellite hams to contribute just a little bit of
your time to the fun now, by being patient and just gathering
telemetry, not using the transponder uplink, and helping us complete
the last few days of getting Fox-1Cliff in orbit and operating for
all of you.

Thank you very much, see you on the bird!

Jerry Buxton,  N0JY
(AMSAT VP Engineering)

*Time of deployment will be made generally available through AMSAT as
soon as Spaceflight provides the information to us.

[ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT Vice President-Engineering for
the above information]

/EX

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers life memberships,
and sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to
receive additional benefits. Application forms are available from
the AMSAT Office.

Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership
at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students
enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the
student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership
information.

73 and Remember to help keep Amateur Radio in space,

This week's ANS Contributing Editor,

Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
n8hm at amsat dot org
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