SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0923 * SpaceNews 23-Sep-96 * BID: $SPC0923 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 1996 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for non-commercial use. * STS-79 / SAREX NEWS * ======================== Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off into a clear, pre-dawn sky on Monday 16-Sept-96, and later docked with the Mir space station on Thursday 19-Sep-96. STS-79 is carrying the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) payload in Configuration M. Configuration M is voice-only operations on a downlink frequency of 145.840 MHz FM. Voice uplinks are on 144.45 and 144.47 MHz. Packet radio is NOT on Atlantis this mission. The STS-79 crew members to listen for are William Readdy, Commander; Terry Wilcutt, Pilot; Tom Akers, Mission Specialist; Jay Apt, N5QWL, Mission Specialist; and Carl Walz, KC5TIE, Mission Specialist. Also listen for John Blaha, KC5TZQ, Mission Specialist, who will trade places with Shannon Lucid, Mission Specialist on Mir. Amateur radio operators are invited to post their STS-79 SAREX signal reports and technical observations on the AMSAT Internet e-mail list, sarex@amsat.org, for the benefit of all. To subscribe to the SAREX mailing list, send a message with your request to listserv@amsat.org. Be sure to include your call sign (if any), your correct e-mail address, and the proper name of the mailing list you wish to receive (SAREX). Your request will be processed manually for now, so the format of your request is not important. When posting a brief message to the list please be sure to include the standard QSL report information, your *location* (either city and country or grid square) and any additional comments. To unsubscribe from the mailing list, send another message with your request to listserv@amsat.org. To receive a STS-79 QSL card, send your 2-way report or heard-only (SWL) report to: ARRL EAD, STS-79 QSL, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111-1494 USA. Include the following information in your QSL or report: STS-79, date, time in UTC, frequency and mode. In addition, you must also include an SASE using a large, business-sized envelope if you wish to receive a card. Submitted by (Pat Kilroy, WD8LAQ for) Frank H. Bauer, KA3HDO for the SAREX Working Group * OSCAR-11 REPORT * =================== During the last month, OSCAR-11 has continued to provide good signals on 145.826 MHz. Starting September first, ground control has arranged for the watch-dog timer to be reset automatically, every ten minutes. This appears to have cured the shut-down problem, which has been a feature of recent OSCAR-11 activity. The internal temperatures have continued to rise and are now within about three degrees of the maximum values recorded in January. The increase in 145 MHz beacon temperature has reduced its power output to a level in the uncalibrated range of the power meter. A noticeable reduction in signal strength has been observed. The status telemetry shows that battery charge regulator (BCR) A is in use. When the watchdog timer was being reset manually, BCR B was usually selected, although BCR A was sometimes active, after the watchdog had been reset. WOD channels 37, 38, 57, 58 (equipment temperatures) dated 9-August continued until September 1st, when they wre replaced by channels 0, 10, 20, 30, solar array currents. A further set of solar array data dated 17th September recently started. Analysis of the WOD of September 1st shows the satellite in continuous sunlight, but there is a once per orbit dip in total current. This is probably due to partial eclipses of the sun. The next WOD should be be of interest. AMSAT bulletins by Richard G3RWL have been uploaded each week. Topics have included SAFEX/MIR, AMSAT SA, FO29. The current bulletin is No 082, about UNAMSAT. The operating schedule is unchanged. [Info via Clive, G3CWV @ GB7ZPU - g3cwv@amsat.org] * WA2LQQ SK * ============= The AMSAT News Service reports that Vern Riportella, WA2LQQ, the third president of AMSAT-NA, died suddenly but peacefully on Friday, September 13, at his home in Warwick, New York. "Rip" was 53 years of age; the cause of death was reported to be a heart attack. A former officer in the U.S. Air Force, "Rip" became active in AMSAT affairs in the late 1970s, rising to the position of Executive Vice President. He was elected President in 1984, serving until 1988. "Rip" tirelessly worked to create our present high-altitude transponder satellites. Without his unceasing devotion to fundraising, organizing, recruiting and the general encouragement of all concerned, AMSAT-OSCAR 10 (launched in 1983) and AMSAT-OSCAR 13 (launched in 1988) might never have become realities. He also revitalized The AMSAT Journal and created a new publication, AMSAT Satellite Report (which later became a commercial publication called OSCAR Satellite Report, not directly associated with AMSAT). Rip began the AMSAT News Service and wrote most of the ANS material for several years. WA2LQQ was very active in AMSAT HF nets and ran the East Coast 75 meter net for a few years. He was also one of the earliest to try Narrow Band Voice Modulation and held regular skeds using the technique. One of those he convinced to try NBVM was current AMSAT-NA President Bill Tynan W3XO. Bill commented that Rip was forever trying something new and always with great gusto. He was devoted to the concept of hams in space and was instrumental in helping to convince NASA that Owen Garriot W5LFL should be allowed to operate from the Shuttle. Bill notes that, as AMSAT- NA President, Rip created the post of Vice President for Manned Space Programs and appointed Bill to fill it. Rip officiated as President at the 1987 AMSAT Annual Meeting in Detroit at which the Microsat concept was introduced. He enthusiastically embraced the concept and helped make it happen with encouragement and fundraising efforts. Following the conclusion of his active days in AMSAT affairs, "Rip" turned his attention to non-amateur space projects, one of which was to become VITASAT. With the end of the Cold War, he did much to build bridges between Amateur Radio satellite enthusiasts in the West and their Russian colleagues. He kept actively informed about AMSAT affairs, helping out wherever he could (e.g., in the installation and upgrading of packet radio equipment aboard MIR). AMSAT-NA President Bill Tynan commented that Rip was always very enthusiastic in whatever project he took on. Many of the AMSAT activities we take for granted today, were begun by Rip. He left a significant positive mark on the amateur space community, Bill concluded. Ray Soifer, W2RS, AMSAT-NA's International Vice President said "the entire international Amateur Radio satellite community mourn Vern Riportella's loss. His enthusiastic spirit, needed now more than ever, will sorely be missed. I, myself, have lost a good friend." In a separate message to Ron Broadbent G3AAJ Secretary of AMSAT-UK, W2RS said that he can think of no more fitting memorial for Rip than to have his name and callsign fly on Phase 3-D. Accordingly, he is sponsoring Rip as one of those listed on the AMSAT-UK "Names in Space" plaque which will be affixed to the satellite. ANS thanks Ray Soifer, W2RS and Martha Saragovitz for information used in the preparation of this special bulletin. [Info via the AMSAT News Service] * MEXICO-OSCAR-30 NEWS * ======================== David Libermen XE1TU, who heads up the UNAMSAT-B effort in Mexico, has reported that the group wants their new satellite to carry an "OSCAR" designation. This statement came in answer to a congratulatory message sent from Bill Tynan W3XO President of AMSAT-NA, asking what they want to call their new satellite. David further indicated that, henceforth, they would like to have UNAMSAT-B called "MEXICO-OSCAR-30, or MO-30". David also expressed appreciation for all the messages received congratulating the UNAMSAT-B team and himself. [Info via ANS] * FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED * =========================== Comments and input for SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the paths listed below: WWW : http://www.njin.net/~magliaco/ PACKET : KD2BD @ KS4HR.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org, magliaco@email.njin.net SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, LUSAT-OSCAR-19 <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>> /EX