SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-026.01 NEXT SAREX FLIGHT INFO HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 026.01 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, JANUARY 26, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-026.01 The STS-83's launch date has been adjusted. STS-83's the next scheduled SAREX flight. Here's some preliminary information. An article with background information is being planned for the March-April issue of the "AMSAT Journal" STS-83 - Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (MSL-1) Launch: April 3, 1997 2:19 p.m. EST 2 hr 30 min. launch window, 296 km. 28.5 degree inclination Hams: Jim Halsell KC5RNI, Janice Voss KC5BTK, Don Thomas KC5FVF Configuration: SAREX Configuration B (battery operated voice) - special note - packet will only be performed if there is enough extra power available. This will probably not occur until later in the flight. Frequencies: Voice: downlink 145.55 MHz. uplinks: 144.91, 144.93, 144.95, 144.97, and 144.99 Mhz. Duration: 15 days, 17 hours [ANS thanks Philip Chien, KC4YER, Earth News - space writer and consultant for this bulletin.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-026.02 GENEVA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 026.02 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, JANUARY 26, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-026.02 Geneva, Florida - On January 9th astronaut John Blaha, KC5TZQ, talked to students at Geneva Elementary School in Geneva, Florida. The contact took place just three days before the launch of the shuttle Atlantis on the STS-81 mission, Blaha's ride home. During a near-perfect pass Blaha took the opportunity to answer questions from fifth grade students about life in space and aboard the Russian space station Mir. The students were originally introduced to ham radio by their teacher Glenda Loth, KE4BEZ, when they were in the second grade and ecstatic about their opportunity to talk to an astronaut in space. Many of the students were born in 1986 - the same year Mir's core module was launched. Nine students got to ask Blaha questions about life aboard Mir. During the contact the students got an additional surprise - Russian Mir 22 commander Valeri Korzun came on the radio to send his greetings to the students - in flawless English. The students couldn't ask Korzun questions, due to current amateur radio regulations, but were still thrilled to hear his voice. Geneva Elementary is located in Central Florida, approximately an hour's drive from the Kennedy Space Center. Many of the students went to KSC to watch the launch of STS-81 a couple of days later, carrying John Blaha's replacement Jerry Linenger. The MIREX (MIR Radio Experiment) contact was supported by the Lake Monroe Amateur Radio Society (LMARS) , John Rothert, KC4IYO and Joe Singer, N4IPV a team which had supported previous Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) contacts on the STS-37 mission with Lyman High School, STS-45 with a group of central Florida schools, and STS-65 with South Seminole Middle School. Hams participating in the contact include Fred N4NVW, Hal KK1B, Bob W2BZY, Joe N4IPV, John KC4IYO and many others. LMARS and the team plans to continue supporting Central Florida schools for future SAREX and MIREX contacts. The students, teachers, and hams would especially like to thank AMSAT school mentor Will Marchant, KC6ROL, MIREX Educational coordinator Miles Mann, WF1F, and the other members of the MIREX and SAREX team for their assistance which made the contact possible. Of course much credit has to go to Rosalie White, WA1STO of ARRL. The school would also like to thank Philip Chien, KC4YER for his support and hand-outs he brought for the kids and AES for the use of a 160 watt Amp. Geneva was one of nine schools in the United States and South Africa to take part in the program. This contact, and others in the U.S. were made possible because of the "third party" agreement concluded between the U.S. Government and Russian officials, which was in force through the duration of Blaha's stay on MIR. [ANS thanks John Rothert, KC4IYO, for this news item.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-026.03 STS-74 QSL CARDS HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 026.03 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, JANUARY 26, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-026.03 The status of STS-74 QSL cards are they have arrived from the printer and were mailed to the group that will be sending them out. The mailing of the cards to individuals who made contacts has begun. Many reports of the cards being received have appeared on the Amsat-bb.. /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-026.04 MSGMAKER 2.10a UPDATE HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 026.04 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, JANUARY 26, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-026.04 Roy Welch, W0SL has upload MSGMAKER 2.10a to both KO-23 and to the AMSAT ftp site, ftp://ftp.amsat.org/amsat/software/win32/wisp . This version makes a very minor correction in the headers of messages created by MSGMAKER and provides no additional features. The file will be MMKR210a.ZIP. [ANS thanks Roy Welch, W0SL, for this update.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-026.05 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PT 1 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 026.05 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, JANUARY 26, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-026.05 FO-29 Voice/CW (Uplink 145.9-146.0MHz CW/LSB, Downlink 435.8-435.9MHz CW/USB) Digital (Uplink 145.85, 145.87, 145.910 MHz FM, Downlink 435.910 MHz FM 9600 baud BPSK) FO-29 is in digital mode at the current time. [ANS thanks, Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK for this update.] MIR: (New frequencies implemented 1 January 1997: Uplink 145.2 MHz FM Downlink 145.8MHz FM) Note, the above split is used for both packet and voice operation. SAFEX, MIR 70cm Repeater (Uplink 435.750MHz FM, Downlink 437.950MHz FM, Subaudible tone 141.3 Hz) The repeater is back up again and active. RS-12: (Uplink 21.21-21.25MHz CW/SSB, Downlink 29.41-29.45MHz or 145.91-145.95Mhz CW/SSB) The sat is giving extremely good downlink signals on 2 meters. In this period of poor propagation on 15 m, the T-mode is providing very easy access to the satellite. Interesting DX activity has been spotted in Europe with stations in Egypt, Crete, Cameroon, etc. [ANS thanks Stefano Badessi, PA3FWP, for this report.] RS-10: (Uplink 145.865-145.905MHz CW/SSB, Downlink 29.36-29.4MHz CW/SSB) Operating normally. Very busy with lots of QSOs heard over north America and Europe. RS-15 (Uplink 145.858-145.898MHz CW/SSB, Downlink 29.354-29.394MHz CW/SSB) Be aware that RS-15 has battery charging problems. When the satellite is in the dark it's dead. [ANS thanks Bob Johnson, W7LRD, for this report.] (Hint: If SSB doesn't work for you, try CW. CW is very easy to hear on the downlink!) KO-23 (Uplink 145.85, 145.9MHz FM, Downlink 435.175MHz FM, 9600 Baud FSK.) KO-23's Downlink efficiency is greater than 90% with the downlink frequency set 2.0 KHz low. KO-25: (Uplink 145.87MHz FM, Downlink 436.5MHz FM, 9600 Baud FSK.) KO-25 Normal operation KO-25 returned to full service on 1/7/97. Operating Normally.. [ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for his reports on KO-25 and KO-23.] AO-27: (Uplink 145.85MHz FM, Downlink 436.8MHz FM) Jan-06-97 11:26 UTC) It is working normally. [ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.] As of NOV 2, the AO-27 schedule is as follows: TEPR 4 = 16 = 8 Minutes in Length TEPR 5 = 52 = 18 Minutes in Length TX-3 is on Mid Power during TEPR 5. This will have the TX turn on 8 Minutes after the satellite enters the sun for a duration of 18 Minutes. This is a "back to US Latitudes"operation. N4USI, AO-27's current Command Station sends his thanks all for their messages about the satellite turning on later than expected. He reports he's deliberately letting the "turn on" time drift later (for about 4-5 Minutes) so stations in the southern latitudes can also have a chance to work AO-27. Every few months he will be letting the turn on time drift like this to give more stations a chance to make contacts thru the satellite. [ANS thanks Michael, N4USI , AO-27 Control-op, for this update.] AO-10: (Uplink 435.030-435.18MHz CW/LSB, Downlink 145.975-145.825MHz CW/USB) Operational /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-026.06 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PT 2 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 026.06 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, JANUARY 26, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-026.06 AMSAT-OSCAR-16 (PACSAT) (Uplink 145.9, 145.92, 145.94, 145.86MHz FM, Downlink 437.0513MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK.) It is working normally. Example of a lit orbit. (Jan-05-97 12:36:03 UTC) The batteries load (About Tot.Bat/V = 10.865 Volts) The RC/PSK TX-OUT= 0.633 - 0.704 Wtts. Example of a nocturnal orbit. (Jan-05-97 23:57:05 UTC) The batteries load (About Tot.Bat/V = 10.433 Volts) The Transponder RC/PSK TX-OUT= 0.760 Watts.. [ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.] FO-20 (Uplink 145.9-146.0MHz CW/LSB, Downlink 435.8-435.9MHz CW/USB) Operating normally. Strong downlink signal. OSCAR-11 (Downlink 145.825MHz. FM, 1200 Baud PSK) During the past month (18 December - 14 January) good, steady signals have been received from OSCAR-11 on 145.826 MHz. [ANS thanks Clive Wallis, G3CWV, for this information.] IO-26 ( ITAMSAT): (Uplink 145.875, 145.9, 145.925, 145.95MHz FM, Downlink 435.822MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK.) Operating normally. TLM values are carried on AMSAT-BB. [ANS thanks Daniele Piercarlo, IK2XRO, ITMSAT Command Station for this report.] DO-17(DOVE) ( Downlink 145.825MHz FM, 1200 Baud AFSK.) Signals from Dove are strong. LUSAT-OSCAR-19 (Uplink 145.84, 145.86, 145.88, 145.9MHz FM, Downlink 437.1528MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK AX.25.) It is working excellently in its orbits on Europe. Example of a lit orbit. (Jan-05-97 12:00:44 UTC) The batteries in good state (Tot. Bat/V = 11.08 Volts) The RC/PSK TX-OUT= 1.004 - 1.079 Wtts. [ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.] WEBERSAT (WO-18) (Downlink 437.104MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK AX.25.) Webersat (WO-18) is fully operational broadcasting the following status message: 22-Jan-97 1:35:30 UTC Pacsat, DOVE, Webersat, Lusat -- seven years in space Gathering/Sending Week 1 WOD -- arrays Sending new pictures and spectra 73, KB7KCL & IK3WVJ The "tone" has returned, however at present does not interfere with reception at this QTH. The command team is monitoring. [ANS thanks Tommy Davis, IK3WVJ, for this report.] [Please send your Satellite or News reports to ANS Editor B.J. Arts, WT0N, via e-mail, at bjarts@uslink.net or to wt0n@amsat.org] /EX