SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0925 * SpaceNews 25-Sep-95 * BID: $SPC0925 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 1995 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for unlimited free distribution. * DD6CF SK * ============ The German astronaut Prof. Dr. Reinhard Furrer, call sign DD6CF, died in an airplane crash in Berlin on 09-Sep-95. A fellow pilot and he were aboard a Messerschmidt ME 106 (build in 1944) when (after doing some loopings) the plane hit the ground. One report indicated that one wing broke prior to the crash. Mr. Furrer was not the pilot during the fatal flight. Dr. Furrer was member of the German D1 (space lab) mission at the space shuttle Challenger 10 years ago, and was active from the Space Shuttle using the callsign DP0SL. [Info via Oliver Welp, DL9QJ, N3NSF] * EUROMIR AND SAFEX FREQUENCY CLARIFICATION * ============================================= Unfortunately there has been some out-of-date information about the EUROMIR/SAFEX 2-meter frequencies from the USA. The 2-meter frequencies published some weeks ago in our were cancelled due to many complaints from stations in Europe. The complaints were based on the fear that using 145.850 MHz would cause interference to the uplink of important satellites like KITSAT-OSCAR-23 and others. Additionally, AMSAT groups in Europe do not want to have manned spacecraft traffic within the 2-meter satellite subband. They agree to use the band edge, however. There are heavy complaints about the other frequencies too. HAMs in Europe are VERY sensitive to these things, since there had been some SAREX activity in FM and packet modes just in the 144.400-144.500 MHz segment, which is reserved for CW/SSB use ONLY in IARU Region 1, and which is intensively being used for meteorscatter activities in Europe. Many hams are now aware of possible bandplan violations and do complain immediately, when MIR or SHUTTLE activities are on frequencies that do not fit the bandplan. As a result, the DARC Satellite Coordinating Group decided to use 145.200, 145.550, and 145.800 MHz, which have been chosen at the IARU Forum of this year's AMSAT-UK Colloquium. Please note, that the 2 meter band in Europe is 144.000-146.000 MHz ONLY, and that Europeans have a very dense population and lots of VHF activity, so it is nearly impossible to find a "clear" frequency in the 2 meter band. No further freqency changes will be made as a result of problems in one part of the world, as long as a new chosen frequency will not cause bad interference in the other parts of the world or even to the OSCAR satellites. The situation in Europe is particularly complicated and sensitive. [Info via Norbert, DF5DP (DARC Coordinator Satellites And Space Projects)] * MANNED SPACECRAFT OPERATING FREQUENCIES * =========================================== For the past two years, this subject has been discussed at the AMSAT UK Satellite Colloquium, held during the last week of July at the University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom. In 1994, the recommendation was made that 145.800 MHz be used as a downlink frequency for manned spacecraft operation with 145.200 MHz the corresponding uplink. This recommendation was confirmed at the IARU International Satellite Forum and approved by representatives of 13 AMSAT organizations. Satellite and manned spacecraft operations have to compete with terrestrial services and operate within an accepted bandplan. The IARU Region 1 bandplan for 144 - 146 MHz shows that the 145.800 - 146.000 MHz is allocated to satellites, while the balance of the band is sbdivided for other specific terrestrial applications. In 1995, the last repeater was relocated from 145.800 MHz and a call was made for the use of this frequency by manned spacecraft operation. The German EUROMIR 95 group with the guidance of the DARC Person in Charge of satellites and manned spacecraft amateur radio projects, Norbert Notthof, DF5DP, acted correctly and are complimented for taking swift action to fall in line with the IARU International Satellite Forum decision. The problems experienced by some US Amateurs again highlights the need for international frequency coordination. This coordination process is becoming more complex as bandplanning in the three IARU regions is not the same. As pointed out by Norbert in his recent Email, the Region 1 two meter band is very congested and does not give planners the same latitude as in Region 2 where it is 4 MHz wide. Next week, the IARU Administrative Council will consider the draft terms of reference for the IARU AMSAT Frequency Coordinator accepted by the International Amsat Groups. Once these terms of reference have been accepted, the appointment process will start. In the interim, the IARU Satellite Advisor welcomes comments and suggestions about frequency selection for manned spacecraft operation and how best the problem can be addressed. [Info via Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS5AKV, IARU Satellite Advisor] * DP0MIR HAM ACTIVITY HAS BEGUN * ================================= As the passes over Europe fall during the working hours of the MIR crew, there will not be much HAM actvity of DP0MIR in this region for now. This will change in several weeks. DP0MIR has been heard and worked over the USA together with his Russian collegues of R0MIR on 145.550 MHz simplex. Thomas, DL2MDE, and Joerg, DL3LUM, of the German Mission Control's (DLR) Ham Radio Group ask all who had a QSO to send the details (call, report, date, time, remarks) to their club station DF0VR via packet or E-mail to make sure the data is in the log correctly for QSLing. The addresses are: Packet : DF0VR @ DB0AAB.#BAY.DEU.EU Internet : hams.df0vr@dlr.de On 21-Sep-95 there was a first school contact with DP0MIR. Students of the "Dr.-Engel-Relaschule" in Esslingen, Germany, had a 6 minute voice QSO with Thomas Reiter, DF4TR, DP0MIR. The contact on 2 meters was very good, Thomas answered a lot of questions and filled the class with enthusiasm. [Info via Norbert, DF5DP] * ITAMSAT NEWS * ================ Antonio, IW8QII, reports copying packet signals from the ITAMSAT-OSCAR-26 satellite over Italy. This may signal that the satellite is being reloaded with new software and may be available for general use in the not too distant future. * FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED * =========================== Comments and input for SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the paths listed below: FAX : 1-908-747-7107 FTP : pilot.njin.net cd to /pub/SpaceNews WWW : http://www.njin.net:80/~magliaco/ PACKET : KD2BD @ KS4HR.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org -or- magliaco@pilot.njin.net SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, LUSAT-OSCAR-19 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