AMSAT UK MONTHLY SATELLITE REPORT:
As compiled by PAUL 2E1EUB.Inclusions to be included in this monthly report to reach me by the 25th of each month please, at: 2E1EUB@AMSAT.ORG. This report can also be found at www.uk.amsat.org and on packet Radio or may be heard live on 3.780mhz +/- QRM on the last Sunday of each month
VO52/HAMSAT
AMSAT India has applied for and has been granted an OSCAR number for HAMSAT.
In the future HAMSAT will be referred to as VUSat-OSCAR 52 or VO-52 for short.
For additional information about HamSat please see:
<http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/sat_summary/hamsat.php>
This bird has heavy traffic and plenty of new comers, lets hope it stands the pace. I’ve already noticed weaker signals than first noted. The foot print is not massive and it moves quickly, but its possible to work the USA just about. QSO'S THIS MONTH INC:PH7AT,S57LM,LA0FX,PH7PCF.
HAMSAT frequencies: ------------------- Indian transponder: Uplink : 435.225MHz to 435.275MHz LSB/CW Downlink: 145.875MHz to 145.925MHz USB/CW Beacon : 145.940MHz continue carrier signal Dutch transponder: Uplink : 435.225MHz to 435.275MHz LSB/CW Downlink: 145.875MHz to 145.925MHz USB/CW Beacon : 145.860MHz 12WPM with CW message
AO-51 ECHO
Status: operational//
modes l/s and v/s working well, but takes some tracking! Still problems with the qrm level on mode v uplink. Mode v/s went well this month with plenty of action. STATIONS WORKED ON S BAND WERE:ON5NY,OZ1MY,GM0FMW,and PD5DJ. Reports welcome from stations using the digital side of ao51. Some improvements have been made after studying the latest data! PLEASE NOTE: The bbs call sign has now been changed to: PECHO-12 and the broadcast call is :PECHO-11
Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director Contests
and Awards, reports this week congratulations go out to all of the following.
* Roger Banks, KE5AQD, Satellite Communicators Club
* Andre Theelen, PH7AT, 51 on 51 Award #34
To see all the awards visit <http://www.amsat.org/>
AO-51 Special Event - JOTA Weekend 15-16
Oct
The annual Boy and Girl Scouts "Jamboree on the Air" Amateur Radio
event is scheduled for 15 and 16 October 2005. As this is an International
Scouting event, amateur radio stations around the world are invited to participate.
The AO-51 command team is scheduling the satellite for exclusive use by the
Scouts, and Satellite operators communicating with the Scouts, for this weekend.
Please allow the Scouts the opportunity to make as many contacts as possible
via AO-51 during this short time period. Base stations, please remember that
most of the JOTA stations will be portable, so please use minimum power.
The official times for the JOTA event will be from 1200 UTC on October 15
until 1200 UTC on October 17, 2005.
For the JOTA weekend, AO-51 will be configured in the Dual FM repeater mode.
This will provide two independent FM repeaters (separate uplink and downlink
frequencies) for use over the weekend. Both repeaters will be for use by
the JOTA activity. This mode will run Monday through Friday before the event
to allow amateur satellite stations to familiarize and test this mode. The
configuration of the satellite frequencies for this mode is listed below.
AO-51 FM repeater #1
Downlink: 435.300 MHz
Uplink: 145.920 MHz with 67hz PL Tone
AO-51 FM repeater #2
Downlink: 435.150 MHz
Uplink: 145.880 MHz with NO PL Tone
Here are some web links for information on the JOTA weekend activity.
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/jota.html
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/ideas.html
http://www.scouting.org/international/jota.html
If your local club has a JOTA activity planned for the weekend please consider
volunteering your services to provide a satellite communication station for
the event.
Thanks for your support and participation.
73, KE4AZN
Echo Command Team
Amsat VP-Operations
AO-51 Power Level
AO-51 is currently running at 1/2 watt output power on TXB. The PBBS is open
for users
October Schedule:
1 Oct
FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.920 mhz FM, 67 hz PL Tone
Downlink 435.300 mhz FM
9k6 Digital, V/U, PBP BBS (Pacsat Broadcast Protocol BBS)
Uplink: 145.860 mhz FM, 9k6 PBP Digital
Downlink: 435.150 mhz FM, 9k6 PBP Digital
10 Oct (JOTA weekend Oct 15 and 16)
FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.920 mhz FM, 67 hz PL Tone
Downlink 435.300 mhz FM
FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.880 mhz FM, No PL Tone
Downlink 435.150 mhz FM
17 Oct
FM Repeater, V/U, High Power Mode
Uplink: 145.920 mhz FM, 67 hz PL Tone
Downlink 435.300 mhz FM
24 Oct
FM Repeater, L/S
Uplink: 1268.700 mhz FM, No PL Tone
Downlink 2401.200 mhz FM
31 Oct
FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.920 mhz FM, 67 hz PL Tone
Downlink 435.300 mhz FM
9k6 Digital, V/U, PBP BBS (Pacsat Broadcast Protocol BBS)
Uplink: 145.860 mhz FM, 9k6 PBP Digital
Downlink: 435.150 mhz FM, 9k6 PBP Digital
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISS) - ARISS
Status: Operational
Current Mode: Packet
Digipeater: Active
Russian callsigns RS0ISS, RZ3DZR
USA callsign NA1SS
Packet station mailbox callsign RS0ISS-11
Packet station keyboard callsign RS0ISS-3
International Space Station Status Report:
SS05-045
NASA and Russian flight controllers outside Moscow are in control of the
International Space Station, after mission control in Houston was evacuated
ahead of Hurricane Rita. Aboard the station, Expedition 11 Commander Sergei
Krikalev and Flight Engineer John Phillips have a key piece of life support
equipment up and running, just in time for the next space station crew.
The crew activated the repaired Elektron oxygen generator this week. The
Elektron, which extracts oxygen from water, was put into service early Monday.
Krikalev and Phillips repaired the Elektron with a new liquids unit that
was brought up on a recent Progress spacecraft. Krikalev and Phillips also
performed maintenance on the on-board treadmill, a key piece of exercise
equipment to help keep astronauts' bones and muscles strong during long stays
in zero-gravity. They worked on an experiment designed to test the effects
of certain compounds on kidney stones, and they collected water samples to
be analyzed once they return to Earth.
The Expedition 11 crew is nearing the end of its six-month stay on the station,
and crew members spent part of the week packing up their return spacecraft,
the same Russian Soyuz that brought them to the station in April. They also
tested out their shock-absorbing seats for their landing, scheduled for October
10, U.S. time.
With Hurricane Rita strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico and targeting the
Texas shoreline, the space station program activated a well-rehearsed plan
to allow flight controllers based at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston,
to evacuate. They transitioned full control of the station to Moscow, where
Russian mission control and a permanently staffed cadre of NASA flight controllers,
known as the Houston Support Group, are keeping the station operating smoothly.
Other agency resources were tapped to ensure the station's safe flight. For
example, at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., two flight controllers
arrived from Houston to maintain communications with the station through
Goddard's Network Integrated Communications flight control room.
The next space station crew, Expedition 12's Bill McArthur and Valery Tokarev,
are beginning their journey toward launch. They travelled this week from
the Russian training facility at Star City to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in
Kazakhstan, where they'll launch to the station Sept. 30 aboard a Soyuz.
During their station stay, McArthur and Tokarev will mark five years of continuous
human presence in orbit and pursue the station's mission of learning how
to live and work for long periods in space.
For information about the space station on the Internet, visit:
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html>
For information on NASA's preparations for Hurricane Rita on the Internet, visit:
<http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/rita_main.html>
1. Japan Red Cross Contact Successful
The Japan Red Cross Radio Volunteer Corps of Fukui-prefecture, Wakasa Branch,
in Obama-City, Fukui-ken, Japan had a successful ARISS contact with the
ISS. The Radio Corps provides training on how to communicate via amateur
radio during an emergency, and the students are also involved with the
Wakasa branch of the Young Astronauts Club-Japan (YAC-J), which is lead
by Japanese astronaut Mamoru Mouri. On September 8, astronaut John Phillips,
KE5DRY, answered 15 questions posed to him by the thirteen students.
Approximately 110 people gathered to observe the contact, including four
newspapers, and four television stations. The audio, video, photos, and
three newspaper articles covering the event may be found on ARISS member,
Satoshi Yasuda’s website. See: <http://jk1zrw.dyndns.org/> -Select “Successful
School in Region 3”, and then “The Japan Red Cross Corps” contact.
Students from Sanderson High School in Sanderson, Texas will speak to John
Phillips on Thursday, September 22 at 16:08 UTC.
AMSAT and ARISS Joint Meetings, 2006
ARISS plans to hold its international face to face meeting immediately following
the 2006 AMSAT-NA Symposium which will be held in the San Francisco Bay area.
Details for the joint meetings will be announced later this month.
PCSAT2 Mode Change
PCSAT2, which operated in PSK-31 mode for the last few weeks, has been changed
to UI/APRS Packet digipeater mode
Tregaron High School in Tregaron, Ceredigion, Wales, United Kingdom, had an ARISS contact. It took place on Thursday, September 29 at 11:28 UTC.
AO-7 AMSAT OSCAR 7
Status: Semi-operational in sunlight.
Return to active status: June 21,2002
Emily, W0EEC has created a website to allow the users of AO-7 to record
contacts, observations and use of the satellite more effectively at:
http://www.emilyshouse.com/experthams/ao7/main.php
This includes the ability to log contacts.
Mostly in mode B, with dx stations heard regularly, with some qrm on the 2m down link. But still plenty of traffic, showing that the old mode b transponder is much liked and rated. Tending to disappear or change modes part way through passes, perhaps due to poor solar lock?
...why not try mode A.. CW or phone ....100w eirp l/h circular uplink.......2/6db linear antenna on the down link are the requirements ! Its poss to work mode A with less....stations worked this month include: N8BBQ,DB1NT,PD5DJ, and K3SZH.
AO-27 AMRAD
Status:semi Operational( On!)
Evening time UK/Europe,FM repeater on first part off each pass.
The latest information on AO-27 can be found at: http://www.ao27.org
An AO-27 question-and-answer page is available on the AMSAT-NA web
site, Ao27 sounds great, with a good down link signal. Lets hope its ok, a big thank you to the control team for bringing ao27 back to life!
FO-29 JAS-2
Status: Operational
Working well, with strong downlink signals at times.
Voice/CW Mode JA
Mostly in voice (ssb )mode, plenty of dx with little qrm.
Please send the reception reports to lab2@jarl.or.jp . Please use the
subject line: 'FO-29reception report'. Nice to hear ok1vaw,f1gtu,va2jml,w1fc,n4zq, and do1ijb this month.
SO-50 SAUDISAT-1C
Status: Operational.
Uplink: 145.850 MHz
There have been unconfirmed reports on the amsat-bb emailer that So-50 has shifted downlink frequency as much as 5khz up.
To switch the transmitter on, you need to send a CTCSS tone of 74.4 Hz.and then ctcss of 67hz to keep the bird open. Its nice to see a bit more traffic on this bird this month.!
Vo1one (mark) operating as xn1one was heard on ao50 and a051 this month from the Marconi site in Canada. He was a great signal and I worked him for about a week, most evenings.
Gb4fun working from the Donnington show, was also heard.
On October 1, the Green Valley Amateur Radio
Club will be conducting a special event operation from the Titan Missile
Museum National Historic Site, in neighboring Sahuarita, AZ (DM41). While
most of the operation will be on HF, we plan to be on SO-50, and, if the
FM transponder is active at the time, AO-51, using the call N7GV. A special
certificate is available free of charge (SASE please) to anyone working
the station. Please QSL to W0KAD. Further details appear on p. 101 of October
QST.
The Titan Missile Museum National Historic Site houses the only remaining
Titan II ICBM, intact in its original silo except for the propellants and
nuclear warhead. The site was operational from 1963 to 1981. The facility
is open to visitors daily, with guided tours available
UO-11 OSCAR-11…semi operational
During the period 14 August to 24 September 2005 the VHF beacon on 145.826 MHz. have been heard from 19 to 29 August, and from 09 to 19 September.
Signal strengths of the beacon, which transmits ASCII telemetry, have varied from very weak to strong.
Once again, I am indebted to Jeff KB2M, who supplied telemetry files, for the passes in September, during my recent holiday. Many thanks Jeff.
Thanks also to Dave G1OCN, Thomas HB9SKA, Mineo JE9PEL and Max (White) 2E0RGO for reception reports during this period.
All the analogue telemetry channels, 0 to 59 are zero, ie they have failed. The status channels 60 to 67 are still working.
The on-board clock continues to show a very large error. On 19 September it was 17.7 days slow, having lost 21.3 days since 30 April. During the last OFF period it was loosing 0.89 hours per day. This increased to 2.1 hours per day during the ON period, that followed.
The eclipses have now ended, and the satellite should be in continuous sunlight for the remainder of this year, and well into next year. This should help the satellite to continue transmitting, although continuous sunlight can cause problems due to excessive temperatures.
The watchdog timer appears to be operating on the 20 day cycle, ie. approximately ten days ON followed by 10 days OFF. It appears to be unaffected by problems of the on-board clock. If the watchdog timer continues normal operation the VHF beacon should resume transmissions around 30 September.
The Beacon frequencies are -
VHF 145.826 MHz. AFSK FM ASCII Telemetry
UHF 435.025 MHz. OFF
S-band 2401.5 MHz. OFF
Listeners to OSCAR-11 may be interested in visiting my website which
contains an archive of news & telemetry data. It also contains details
about using a soundcard or hardware demodulators for data capture. There is software for capturing data, and decoding ASCII telemetry. The URL is www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/
73 Clive G3CWV g3cwv@amsat.org
AO-16 PACSat
Status: Semi-operational, the digipeater command is on and open for
APRS user
Broadcast Callsign: PACSAT-11
BBS: PACSAT-12
GO-32 TECHSAT-1B
Status: Operational
Roni, 4Z7DFC, reports:
Techsat1b BBS is back ..but still having problems...the last part of September its been off air!!!
Uplink freq. ; 145.859, 145.890, 1269.800
More information of GO-32 can be found at:
http://www.iarc.org/techsat/techsat.html
NO-44 PCSAT 1
Status: Operational-in sunlight
PCSat is a 1200-baud APRS digipeater
http://pcsat.aprs.org
The APRS-equipped PCSat was built by midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy
PCSAT 2
The PCSAT2 packet system is enabled for
both 1200 and 9600 baud digipeating, and it can also do cross-BAUD digipeating.
That is 1200 up and 9600 down or 9600 up and 1200 down. We had no specific
application in mind, but it is there for experimentation.
For 1200 or 9600 use the path VIA ARISS. For cross-BAUD operation use the
path VIA XBAUD.
The easiest way to experiment is to use either the Kantronics KPC-9612+ TNC
or the Kenwood D7 or D700 that can both easily switch between 1200 and 9600
baud.
Experiment with the shortest TXD delay you can get by with at 9600 baud.
Typically for one-at-a-time packets like APRS, there is not much advantage
for operating at 9600 baud, because the TXD delay is often as long or longer
than the data, so the actual throughput advantage on 9600 is more like a
factor of 2 than 8.
Perhaps the value of operating at 9600 baud would be in downloading Mail
from the PCSAT2 PBBS. That is the only time when all the delays will be amortized
and 9600 baud would give you a significant throughput advantage.
Users are welcome to use the PCSAT2 digipeater for experimentation.
Uplink is 145.825
Downlink 435.275 +/- 10 KHz Doppler
DIGIpeater call is ARISS for 1200 or 9600
DIGIpeater call is XBAUD for cross-baud
PBBS callsign is MAIL
The Kenwood D7 and D700 can do either 1200 or 9600 and on either band, but
not both baud rates at the same time. The KPC-9612+ can transmit either 1200
or 9600, but because it is dual port, it can receive both at the same time.
Suitsat on board iss
Frank H. Bauer, KA3HDO, who is the ARISS
International Chairman, AMSAT V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs, and
NASA ARISS Program Manager, provided an update on the status of the SuitSat
and the SSTV gear for the ISS this week.
On Thursday September 8 at 13:08 UTC, Progress 19P lifted off from the Baikonur
Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Included in the 2.5 tons of fuel, food and supplies
and two Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) systems---the
Suitsat amateur radio hardware and the Slow Scan Television (SSTV) hardware
and software. The successful docking of Progress to ISS on September 10 culminates
the successful design, development, certification and delivery of these two
ARISS Projects. The ISS Expedition 11 crew will unpack this equipment, making
it available for installation, use and deployment by the Expedition 12 crew.
The Suitsat amateur radio system, coupled with a school artwork project,
is planned to be installed in an outdated Russian Orlon spacesuit. It will
then be deployed from the ISS during an Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA, or
spacewalk). This is expected to occur in the December timeframe by the Expedition
12 crew. The Suitsat amateur radio system will beam down special messages
and an SSTV image from within the Orlon space suit as it floats in space.
Suitsat radio system will allow hams and students to track the suit and decode
special international messages, space suit telemetry, and a preprogrammed
Slow Scan TV image through its specially built digital voice messaging system
and amateur radio transmitter. As built, Suitsat will be a transmit-only
capability that will run on the space suit's battery power.
As part of the Suitsat project, a CD with hundreds of school pictures, artwork,
poems, and student signatures is included. Two identical CDs were flown,
one will go in the suit and the other will be for the crew to review. Using
the crew CD, we hope to downlink these images using the SSTV system that
will be located inside the Service Module once it is operational. There are
approximately 300 items on the CD. These are from all over the world (Japan/Asia,
Europe, Russia, Canada, US, South America and Africa). Several NASA Explorer
Schools participated as well as numerous ESA and Russian Space Agency-sponsored
schools.
The idea for Suitsat was first conceived by the ARISS-Russia team, led by
Sergey Samburov, RV3DR, and was extensively discussed at the joint AMSAT
Symposium/ARISS International Partner meeting in October 2004. The project,
also called Radioskaf or Radio Sputnik in Russia, is being led by project
manager A. P. Alexandrov and Deputy Project Manager A. Poleshuk from RSC
Energia, located in Korolev (Moscow area) Russia. On the US side, the hardware
project development was led by AMSAT member Lou McFadin, W5DID.
Since October 2004 the Suitsat design concept matured and evolved due to
the challenging development time constraints. In a very short timeframe,
the ARISS international team designed built and tested a simple, yet fully
featured system that we hope will inspire hams and students around the world.
The SSTV system will be installed inside the Service module as an integral
part of the ARISS ham radio system. It will transmit and receive (JPG) still
images from the International Space Station in a format called Slow Scan
TV (SSTV). When fully operational, the SSTV system is capable of sending
up to 480 images per day from ISS. It will also be able to receive images
from amateur radio stations on Earth. This system will utilize the already
installed Kenwood D-700 radio and the ARISS antennas mounted on the Service
Module. The SSTV equipment flown on Progress 19P includes the SpaceCam software,
a radio/computer interface module, and data cables. The dedicated laptop
for SSTV operations will be launched on a subsequent Progress vehicle.
Over the course of the past several months, the Suitsat and SSTV system passed
the stringent NASA and Energia safety certification process and were deemed
ready for flight--clearing the way for the incorporation into the Progress
19P vehicle. More information on SSTV and Suitsat will be provided as we
get closer to installation and deployment.
On behalf of the ARISS International team, I want to congratulate the Suitsat
hardware development team and the SSTV development team on a job well done.
We look forward to future operation of these systems on ISS, inspiring the
next generation of space explorers.
ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the ISS
space agency partners--NASA, RSA, ESA, JAXA, and CSA, with volunteers from
the AMSAT and IARU (International Amateur Radio Union organizations from
participating countries. ARISS offers an inspirational opportunity for students
to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crew
members on-board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities
see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters'
interest in science, mathematics, technology, and learning. Further information
on the ARISS program is available on the website <http://www.rac.ca/ariss>
Island of Alderney on satellite
From Wednesday the 12th October to Wednesday the 19th October 2005, a group of five amateur radio operators from around the U.K. will be operational on all HF bands, 6 metres, VHF APRS, VHF/UHF FM and hopefully, some FM satellite activity, from the Island of Alderney, the most northerly island of the Channel Islands group. It is anticipated that the first CQ calls could be made during the evening of Wednesday the 12th, most probably on 40 and 80mtrs, but depending on band conditions. There may be some suitable FM satellite passes too. The Team comprises: Carol 2E1DQZ, Russell G5XW, Tim M3SDE, Dave G1OCN & Anthony MW0JZE.A generator has been made available, so the Worked All Britain and Lighthouse activity should take place during the weekend. Most probably on Sunday the 16th. Again weather dependant as the operating position at the lighthouse has not been confirmed. The WAB square from the main operating location in St Anne is: WA50 ALD The IARU locator is IN89VR at St Anne. Height ASL is 162 metres at St Anne. The WAB square from the Lighthouse is: WA60 ALD The Quénard Point, Alderney Lighthouse reference number is: GUE 004 and/or A1536. Due to the lack of transport, it is not anticipated that any of the other seven navigational aids to shipping on the Island will be activated. (Anyone want to sponsor us for a hire car?) Skeds are welcomed and encouraged, therefore the following numbers are available for sending SMS texts to ONLY: +44 7976 292980 if you are outside the U.K. 07976 292980 if you are in the U.K. and,or: +44 7970 044625 if you are outside the U.K. 07970 044625 if you are in the U.K. These numbers should ONLY be used for requesting skeds by SMS text messaging. E-mails for sked requests may be sent to: alderney@inkinkink.net </ym/Compose?To=alderney@inkinkink.net&YY=46714&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b> Please do not expect an immediate response to e-mails Text messages will not be replied to. QSL route(s) are: GU5XW GU1OCN MW0JZE 2E1DQZ - All QSL via G5XW. MU3SDE via M3SDE. Further information available under individual call signs on QRZ.COM. Any further update(s) will be sent prior to departure. We look forward to working you. Regards, The Alderney DX Team. P.M.T. DX Group.
Sseti Express launch 30.September put on hold
Unfortunately we have just learnt that we have an INDEFINITE launch delay. This is due to one of the spacecraft on the launch, "SINAH", having suffered a significant failure and not being ready to fly Early indications suggest that we have a delay of at least one month. But this is not confirmed.
The launch campaign team will make the spacecraft and the ground Support equipment safe and then come home.
This is, of course, very unfortunate, but it is not critical! The Spacecraft can easily wait for the new launch date without any significant problems, and we will fly it as soon as we can.
FO 20 HEARD!
Je9pel heard again FO-20 strong PSK(USB) signals from 70 elevations up around 06:50-06:55 UTC. The ground station of JARL said that FO-20 PSK switch board changed from 435.910 to 435.795 MHz. Today I heard them at 435.792 MHz +/- doppler. <http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/51001f20.mp3>
PAUL . 2E1EUB. (AMSAT UK 6236)