SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0829 * SpaceNews 29-Aug-94 * BID: $SPC0829 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY AUGUST 29, 1994 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for unlimited distribution. * SPACE CALENDAR * ================== Sep ?? - FAST Pegasus Launch Sep 01 - 15th Anniversary (1979), Pioneer 11, Saturn Flyby Sep 06-9 Magellan, Windmill Experiment Sep 09 - STS-64, Discovery, Lidar In-Space Technology Experiment (LITE-I) Sep 14 - Ulysses, Maximum Southern Latitude (-80.22 degrees) Sep 12 - 35th Anniversary (1959), Luna 2 Launch (Russian Moon Impact Mission) Sep 21 - 20th Anniversary (1974), Mariner 10, 2nd Mercury Flyby Sep 28 - NOAA-J Launch Sep 29 - Intelsat 7 #1 Altas IIAS Launch Sep 30 - Seastar Pegasus Launch [Info via Ron Baalke] * RS SATELLITE NEWS * ===================== Andy, RK3KPK, the operator of the RS satellite ground station RS3A reports that both RS-10 and RS-12 are both in good operating order. Andy reports there is a lot of RS activity from stations in Germany, England, Italy, and Switzerland. Activity from the Commonwealth of Independent States is low, although there are some active stations in the Leningrad region, Siberia, and Moscow. The ROBOTs (autotransponders) are functioning well on the satellites. Andy reminds us of a special channel on RS-10 that operates on an uplink frequency of 145.850 MHz and downlink of 29.350 MHz. The RS-14/AO-21 CW beacon (145.822 MHz) can sometimes be heard coming through RS-10's ROBOT, which has a downlink on 29.403 MHz. No word has been received regarding the launch of RS-15. At the RS Command Station, RS3A, Andy operates through RS-10 only. The station consists of a 100-watt uplink transmitter that feeds a groundplane antenna. The downlink receiver is an R250M2 and contains 20 tubes. It is also very heavy and weighs about 95 kilograms. A 3 element yagi antenna is used for receiving RS-10 downlinks at the RS3A Command Station. QSL cards for ROBOT contacts are available through DF4XW or Andrey Mironov, ul.V-Voloshinoj, d.11, kv.72, station Perlovskay, 141014, Moscow region, Russia, C.I.S. [Info via Andy, RK3KPK] * ENCRYPTION OF METEOSAT HRI TRANSMISSIONS * ============================================ The following information was taken from the EUMETSAT Newsletter, Darmstadt, Germany. Starting in 1995, HRI data will be transmitted in encrypted form. Test transmissions have already been scheduled this year. This service will continue with the new High Rate Image Transmission (HRIT) to be introduced with the Meteosat Second Generation, scheduled for launch in the year 2000. HRIT format will provide considerable enhancements to the information available from current Meteosat HRI transmissions. For PDUS users to be able to use encrypted data they will need to obtain a decryption facility for use within their particular receiving station. Decryption will require a Meteosat Key Unit (MKU) at a cost of 700 ECU. The apparent reason for the introduction of data encryption for meteorological data is its use by commercial enterprises, who do not contribute to the cost of data collection, but charge customers for the provided services. There are no plans to encrypt analogue WEFAX transmissions of Meteosat data, so reception via SDUS (Secondary Data User Stations will be unaffected. By the time of the launch of the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite in the year 2000, a new and improved integrated digital data transmission system known as LRIT (Low Rate Image Transmission) will replace the current analogue WEFAX data formats and MDD. This system will extend much of the functionality and flexibility which are only available currently to users of PDUS equipment. Selected sections of the LRIT data (e.g. MDD) already subject to encryption, will continue to be distributed on a restricted basis. [Info via Manfred, TG9IKE] * CHINA OSCAR NEWS * ==================== The Tinghua University Amateur Radio Club (TUARC) in Beijing, China started its long-awaited OSCAR-13 Mode B operation on Tuesday August 23, 1994, signing BY1QH. The satellite ground station consists of a Yaesu FT-726R tribander (2m/70cm/6m), a Cushcraft AOP-1 system (an A144-20T 146MHz Twist antenna and a 416TB 435 MHz Twist antenna), a Kenpro KR-400RC azimuth and KR-500 elevation rotors, a Tokyo Hy-Power HL-120U 70cm amplifier, and a GaAsFET 2m preamp. Uplink power is around 25 watts. The low uplink power is due to a defective 70-cm power amplifer and a replacement for it as well as a broken Yaesu MH-1 mobile microphone are sought. Anyone who can help is asked to contact Rick, BZ1QL at any of the addresses listed below. TUARC would like to thank CRSA, the Chinese Radio Sports Association, as well as Sam N3NFK, Bill KA3HPQ, Jackie KA3HPP, Chris AA2MJ, Allan WA2JVI, Presley N5VGC, Max G0PBZ, Rick N6NR and all of the people who have been concerned about TUARC operations. TUARC can be reached via any of the following paths: Packet - BZ1QL @ JA5TX.JPN.AS Internet - bz1ql%ja5tx@bbs.arasmith.com or bz1ql%ja5tx@bbs.lbc.com Airmail - Rick Niu BZ1QL Public Relations Manager TUARC Room 316 Building 25 Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 People's Republic of China [Info via BZ1QL] * THANKS! * =========== Thanks to all those who sent messages of appreciation to SpaceNews, especially: NS1Z KA2AEV N2MUC ZS6BMN TG9IKE * FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED * =========================== Mail to SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the following paths: FAX : 1-908-747-7107 PACKET : KD2BD @ N2KZH.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@ka2qhd.de.com -or- kd2bd@amsat.org SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16 MAIL : John A. Magliacane, KD2BD Department of Engineering and Technology Advanced Technology Center Brookdale Community College Lincroft, New Jersey 07738 U.S.A. <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>> /EX