[amsat-bb] New Operational Amateur Satellite

[VEFRH@xxxxxxx]

I am pleased to announce that I have received the following E-mail from Saudi 
Arabia.
This satellite will require activation on each pass by a designated control 
operator. 
A worldwide network of designated control operators is now being developed so 
that Radio Amateurs may begin using the satellite immediately. You will note 
however that a 67.0 Hz tone is required to switch on the satellite when 
uplinking. The purpose of this is to try and remove annoying interference.
You will note that the operational Frequencies are the same as AO-27.
We expect that the satellite will receive an OSCAR Number within a few days.

>From Saudi Arabia :-

Dear Mr. Robin Haighton,

We are pleased to inform you that the Space Research Institute of KACST has 
successfully launched its third spacecraft, SaudiSat-1C. The launch and 
separation were accomplished flawlessly on December 20th, 2002, using a 
modified SS-18 intercontinental ballistic missile.

SaudiSat-1C carries several experiments, including a new mode J FM amateur 
repeater experiment operating on 145.850 MHz uplink and 436.800 MHz downlink. 
The repeater was activated and tested this past week, and we are pleased to 
make it available to your members and amateurs worldwide as power permits. 
The repeater is accessible using a 67.0 Hertz tone on the uplink, for 
on-demand activation.

The receive antenna is a single element quarter wave whip on top of the 
spacecraft, feeding a VHF receiver with -124 dBm sensitivity, while the UHF 
transmitter is coupled to a quarter wave antenna element on the bottom of the 
spacecraft, radiating 250mW of RF energy.

We kindly request a new Saudi Oscar designator for our spacecraft.

73

Turki Al Saud

Director, Space Research Institute.
KACST.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia


Please enjoy the new satellite 
73
Robin Haighton VE3FRH
President AMSAT
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