[amsat-bb] PCsat Users authorized

[Bob Bruninga <bruninga@xxxxxxxx>]

As of 1930z on 3 Oct, PCsat has been enabled for user access in accordance
with the User Service Agreement found on the PCSAT WEB page.  In that
document (which will change to meet operational requirements), is
everything you need to know to operate via PCsat.  Please note, that the
full potential of PCsat (as appears in some of the "hype") will not be met
until we have permanent APRS Igates monitoring the downlink in each
region.

The success of everyone will be based on the discipline of users to follow
the posted guidance.  For your convenience, I will post it here:

PCsat USER SERVICE AGREEMENT                           de WB4APR
----------------------------

SERVICE:

PCsat provides a worldwide position, status and messaging
service for mobile and handheld amateur radio satellite users.
Base station transmissions through PCsat are not encouraged
except for special tests, demos or other circumstances.  Grade
of service depends on user adherence to Power levels, trans-
mission Period, and Precedence criteria.

POLICY STATEMENT:

PCsat is an open system in accordance with the ITU regulations for
the Amateur Satellite Service.  To provide the best overall
throughput for the largest collection of users PCsat is protocol
driven and requires that all users adhere to the fundamental
protocol requirements at all times.  Users that adhere to these
published protocol and operating standards are welcome.

AGREEMENTS:

You may use PCsat if you adhere to the following agreements:

1) Keep informed of the current protocol requirements via the PCsat
   web page and/or via bulletins in the downlink.  As of activation
   on 3 Oct 2001, the requested user uplink rate is only 1 packet
   per 2 minutes.  The design goal is one per minute, but we want
   to approach that cautiously.  Also, the once a minute BText from
   PCSAT will always announce the expected default rate for routine
   mobiles using the syntax:  "OPS-Normal 2m rate...." etc.

2) Understand that the PCsat mission and your objective is only to
   get your position and or status and or message digipeated once
   or maybe twice.  Anything more is not being fair to other users.

3) The user uplink path is "VIA APRSAT".  Like all terrestrial
   APRS digipeaters, PCsat will do callsign-substitution to indicate
   that it has digipeated the packet and the packet will come
   back down as PCSAT-nn*.   Do not digipeat via PCSAT-nn* because
   it will not work in OPS-NORMAL mode.

4) Use only the authorized power levels, channel and periodicity for
   your station class and precedence as posted and published below.


   STATION CLASS   PWR  BAUD  UPLINK   PERIOD   DIGIPATH  DOWNLINK
   --------------  ---  ----  -------  -------  --------  ---------
   Legacy Packet*  50W  1200  145.825  5 min    APRSAT    145.825
   APRS Base stn   50W  9600  435.250  5 min    APRSAT    145.825
   Mobile          50W  9600  435.250  various  APRSAT    145.825
   Handi-Talkie     5W  1200  145.825  various  APRSAT    145.825

4) Use a TXD of about 200ms if possible.

5) Use the shortest possible packets.  Mic-E protocol or APRS
   compressed is preferred (typically 30 bytes or so).

6) Determine your own precedence based on your current communications
   requirements for each pass.  In general, all use is routine except
   for special circumstances.  Typical Special usage is for demonstra-
   tions, and long term events.  Priority usage may be for VIP demos
   or special one-time events.  Use good judgment, being fair to all
   other usrs.  To alert other users to your precedence/priority, Set
   your period and position comment as follows:


   STN CLASS    PRECEDENCE  PERIOD  ICON   POSITION COMMENT
   -----------  ----------  ------  -----  ------------------------
   Mobile/HT    Emergency  .2 min   any    EMERGENCY
                Priority   .5 min   any    PRIORITY
                Special     1 min   any    Special
                Routine     2 min   any    Off-duty,Enroute,...,etc
   Legacy Pkt*  ALL         X * 2   N/A    Short BText
   Base Stns    ALL         X * 2   House  Off-Duty
   GPS Traker   ALL         X * 2   GPSxyz N/A

   Notice that legacy packet stations, base stations, and NMEA Trackers
   are requested to minimize QRM by setting their packet rates
   to the next longer period (twice as long) for any given precedence
   to account for their longer packets.

ACCEPTANCE:

If you accept the conditions of operation for PCsat, please sign this
document and post it in your primary wallpaper location.

Whenever PCsat RESETS to "safe mode", we ask that all user transmissions
cease.  SAFE mode can be recognized by these items:

1) If either BText says "US Naval Academy Prototype Comm Satellite..."
2) If you see the callsign W3ADO-1 or -2 on 145.825
3) If you hear the callsign PCsat-11 or -12 on 144.825
4) If you hear the callsign PCsat-1 or -2 on 144.39 over the USA

If you see any of these, then stop transmitting on the uplinks and wait
for us to fix it.  This User Service Agreement is subject to  change at
any time and will be posted on the http://www.ew.usna.edu/pcsat web page
for frequent updating.  In these first few weeks. it will take a while for
things to stabalize, so just gather statistics to see if we can make this
work..    Thanks, de WB4APR

SIGNITURE:

___________________________________   Date:   _______________________



----
Via the amsat-bb mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA.
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org