SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC1212 * SpaceNews 12-Dec-94 * BID: $SPC1212 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY DECEMBER 12, 1994 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for unlimited free distribution. * APT OBSERVATIONS * ==================== The following report is based on observations made by Peter Henne at 50.61 deg NLat, 7.55 deg ELon on 03-Dec-94: Following the satellite-name you read the approximate hour (local=sun-time) and motion-direction of the pass (N=northbound, S=southbound). This time +/-1.5h is valid for the next 10+ days to expect the satellite to be visible in range of northern-hemisphere-stations, add 11h and switch S<->N for another pass to observe. NOAA-9 09:S APT 137.62 MHz On NOAA-10 17:N APT 137.50 MHz *OFF* NOAA-11 17:N APT 137.62 MHz AVHRR dead NOAA-12 08:S APT 137.50 MHz On Meteor 2-21 12:S APT 137.85 MHz On Meteor 3-5 18:N APT 137.85 MHz *OFF* OKEAN 1-7 11:N APT 137.40 MHz On (sometimes) APT of OKEAN 1-7 was on during rev.# 785 southbound before it was switched off over 60 deg N. NOAA-11 transmits synch-bursts but imaging is dead. NOAA-10 APT is off, satellite is in standby status due to TBUS. Meteor 2-21 is active, but the signal remains weak. No other APT-signals in the 137.00-137.99 MHz range between 07:00 and 20:00 UT were noted [Info via Peter Henne @ German Nat.Research Center.f.Comp.Science] * SKN ON OSCAR * ================ Since New Year's Eve, 1972 (January 1, 1973 UTC), a number of OSCAR enthusisats us have been combining the best of the old and the new in Amateur Radio by operating in Straight Key Night on OSCAR. You're most cordially invited to join in the 23rd annual edition. Just call CQ SKN in the CW passband segment of any OSCAR satellite from 0000 to 2359 UTC on January 1, 1995, or answer a CQ SKN call from another station. OSCAR Zero (EME) contacts count too! Of course, all SKN operating must be done with a straight hand key. It's entirely unofficial: no rules, no scoring and no need to send in an entry. However, if you care to send in a "best fist" nomination, please address it via packet to W2RS @ GB7HSN or W2RS @ WA2NDV, via Internet to , or via "snail-mail" to W2RS' callbook address. Last year's "best fist" nominees included W1NU and W6HDO, both two-time winners, and first-time winner WQ3Y. CU SKN! [Info via Ray Soifer, W2RS] * WISP NEWS * ============= Chris Jackson, ZL2TPO, author of "WiSP", the Windows Integrated Satellite Program reports that there is a "bug" in the GSC file. Users of GSC version 0.85 or older will find the schedule window filled with dates showing the year 1970. Users of version 0.86 will not get any pass schedules for the month of December. The only way a user can correct the problem is by updating his/her version of the Ground Station Control (GSC) program. Versions of GSC older than V0.86a will not work during December due to a bug with one of the time routines. The latest versions of all WiSP files can be obtained from ftp.amsat.org. [Info via Chris Jackson, ZL2TPO] * FTP.AMSAT.ORG NEWS * ====================== James Miller, G3RUH is gradually uploading many of the articles he has written over the last decade to the new AMSAT FTP site. Below is the current list. Each article has ASCII text and GIF diagrams, and is compressed using PKZIP software. Details: Site: ftp.amsat.org OR lorien.qualcomm.com OR 192.35.156.5 Username: anonymous Password: your e-mail address Directory: amsat/articles/g3ruh Filename: as below FileName kB Uploaded Orig Title =========================================================================== 00README 1 94 Nov 17 Commentary ) INDEX 11 94 Dec 04 No prizes ) Text only BIBLIOG 24 94 Dec 04 The full list ) a100.zip 5 94 Nov 11 85 Dec 30.6 Days hath September a101.zip 5 94 Nov 11 86 Apr 10 Ways To Ensure Failure on Oscar 10 a102.zip 2 94 Nov 11 86 Apr Phase 5 Satellites a103.zip 25 94 Nov 17 94 Jul Icom's IC 820H, A Satellite User's Perspective a104.zip 56 94 Nov 14 89 Jun Planning AO-13 Mode Schedules a105.zip 25 94 Nov 18 90 Feb Shannon, Coding and the Radio Amateur a106.zip 3 94 Nov 18 91 Feb 1991, 1992, 1993 ...and all that a107.zip 51 94 Nov 17 94 Aug Down Memory Lane? a108.zip 168 94 Nov 18 91 Apr The Shape of Bits to Come a109.zip 193 94 Nov 24 88 Oct 9600 Baud Packet Radio Modem Design a110.zip 15 94 Dec 04 94 Apr The Earth Moved a111.zip 56 94 Dec 04 90 Oct PLAN-13 Satellite Position Calc. Program a112.zip 56 94 Dec 04 84 Dec Sun's Up! (Parts 1 - 3) a113.zip 213 94 Dec 04 85 Aug Sensorship - A Question of Attitudes 1 & 2 And there's lots more to come! In addition to G3RUH's work, Steve Bible, N7HPR, is working with Paul Williams, KB5MU, on the Web pages for AMSAT, and will be including copies of the "Spotlight" series of articles your SpaceNews editor authored for "The AMSAT Journal" several years ago. These articles contain a wealth of information on many of the currently active OSCAR satellites. Once on the AMSAT Web, a reader can select a satellite and (hopefully) get all the information they need about operating the satellite. [Info via G3RUH and N7HPR] * WATCH FOR MIR * ================= Dave Mullenix, N9LTD, reminds us that Mir will soon begin a series of visible evening passes over North America this month. Most of us will have some excellent evening passes just before and after Christmas. Dave has uploaded Traksat and SkyMap to oak.oakland.edu, which he finds helpful in predicting visible passes for Mir. Both programs provide star charts which are helpful for predicting which stellar constellations the Russian space station will pass through. This makes Mir's track easy to identify. "Predict", by KD2BD can also be used to quickly identify visible satellite passes. The program is very easy to use and is currently available via anonymous ftp at pilot.njin.net as well as ftp.amsat.org, and ftp.funet.fi. Dave has found that people are VERY interested in knowing when and where to look to actually see Mir. He makes predictions of visible passes and announces the information on local 2-meter nets, and usually attracts the interest of dozens of hams who monitor the tracking net and venture outdoors at the precise moment to see Mir flying across the sky. It is also a good idea to monitor 145.550 MHz while watching Mir pass by. Being able to see Mir and hear radio tranmissions coming from it is truly a delightful experience. You can hardly find a better way of introducing hams to satellite communications! [Info via Dave, N9LTD] * 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 @ KS4HR.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org -or- magliaco@pilot.njin.net SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, LUSAT-OSCAR-19, FUJI-OSCAR-20 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