SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-110.01 OSCAR-11 REPORT HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 110.01 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 20, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-110.01 A quiet month on OSCAR-11! During the period 19-March to 16 April good steady signals have been received from the 145.826 MHz. beacon. Recent telemetry shows that the increasing solar eclipses have continued to reduce the internal temperatures by a further four degrees, now about 12 degrees C below the full sunlight condition. The battery voltage continues to be rather low, in the range 13.3 to 13.8 volts. The single WOD survey of channels 40, 50, 52, 63, (Array voltage, battery charge, battery voltage, BCR status) dated 22-February has been transmitted during this period. A short file of this WOD is available from the WWW site (see below for URL), and will be updated when the WOD is changed, and the maximum amount of data has been received. Two AMSAT bulletins by Richard G3RWL have been uploaded. Topics have included RS-16 /Zeya information, and Phase-3D progress report. Bulletins always include current Keplerian elements for OSCAR-11, and often for satellites featured in the bulletin. The operating schedule is unchanged. ASCII status (210 seconds) ASCII bulletin (60 seconds) BINARY SEU (30 seconds) ASCII TLM (90 seconds) ASCII WOD (120 seconds) ASCII bulletin (60 seconds) BINARY ENG (30 seconds) [ANS thanks Clive Wallis, G3CWV, for this update.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-110.02 DECODING OSCAR-11 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 110.02 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 20, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-110.02 OSCAR-11 can be heard on 145.825 Mhz. Modulation is 1200 baud AFSK, with tones of 1200/2400 Hz. There have been many designs for suitable decoders, including the high performance correlation demodulator (used by ground control), designed by James Miller G3RUH. However the simplest way is to use an old telephone modem, using Bell 202, or V23 tones. It is essential to invert the modem's output signal, before feeding it into the computer. It is also possible to use a BAYCOM type modem, which does not require any output inversion. Just connect its output to RXD instead of CTS. Another way is to use a HAMCOM interface instead of a modem. A small program called EM1200M2.COM (which is part of EMBAYCOM) emulates a MODEM on port 2. Port 1 is used for the terminal display program. Unfortunately this method uses two COM ports, and can be a little tricky to wire up. For ASCII, the serial port should be set to 1200,e,7,1. If the port is set up to eight bits, then some filtering of the data will be required before it can be displayed. Further information, and software is contained in file CTERM.ZIP, which can be downloaded from my web site. ://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/ [ANS thanks Clive Wallis, G3CWV, for this update.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-110.03 AWARDS AT SCIENCE FAIR HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 110.03 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 20, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-110.03 The Gulf Coast Ham Convention, Inc. made a number of awards at the Science Engineering Fair of Houston on April 5th, 1997. Although these awards were designed for Hams, the judges only found one ham presenting an award in the field of communications. They therefore awarded two of the three awards to non-hams. Next year hopefully there will be more hams participating. Ninth Grade Division Saif Waiz of Kerr High School in Alief ISD For his project "GPS - Don't leave home without it" The project examined the many aspects of GPS in today's lifestyle. Junior Division Scott McCormack of Space Center Intermediate School in Clear Creek ISD For his project "Out of reach, Not out of control" The project showed how communications via telephone and pager can be used to activate switches and motors at a remote location. Senior Division Richard Cross of Clear Lake High School in Clear Creek ISD For his project "Low Power? No Problem" The project showed how a low cost Yagi can be used to improve signal transmission for a handheld. Richard is also a member of the Clear Lake ARC and his call is KC5CHW All recipients will receive a Lucite plaque, a TI-80 Graphing Calculator and a certificate for free admission to the Gulf Coast Ham Convention to be held October 17-19, 1997. The 1997 Science Engineering Fair of Houston supports 16 counties and 200 schools. This year, there were 100 Special Awarding Agencies. If you would like to see the awards, check out their web site at ://www.clarc.org/gchc and click on "What's New" ANS congratulates all those that participated with special recognition to the the award winners. [ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, for this information.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-110.04 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PT 1 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 110.04 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 20, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-110.04 MIR: (New frequencies implemented 1 January 1997: Uplink 145.2 MHz FM Downlink 145.8 MHz FM) Note, the above split is used for both packet and voice operation. ANS has received information that all unscheduled amateur activity from MIR has been suspended until further notice. SAFEX, MIR 70cm Repeater (Uplink 435.750 MHz FM, Downlink 437.950 MHz FM, Subaudible tone 141.3 Hz) ANS has received information that all unscheduled amateur activity from MIR has been suspended until further notice. RS-10: (Uplink 145.865-145.905 MHz CW/SSB, Downlink 29.36-29.4 MHz CW/SSB) RS-10 is operational. RS-12: (Uplink 21.21-21.25 MHz CW/SSB, Downlink 29.41-29.45 MHz or 145.91-145.95 Mhz CW/SSB) The downlink on 10m continues to be very strong, with some slow fading noticeable, but still nice strong signals heard and worked from Arizona and Puerto Rico into northern NJ. [ANS thanks Dick Montgomery, N3DV, for this update.] RS-15 (Uplink 145.858-145.898 MHz CW/SSB, Downlink 29.354-29.394 MHz CW/SSB) Be aware that RS-15 has battery charging problems. When the satellite is in the dark it has low output power. [ANS thanks Geoff Perry for this report.] (Hint: If SSB doesn't work for you, try CW. CW is very easy to hear on the downlink!) RS-16 RS-16's 70 cm, 435.504 Mhz beacon on RS-16 operational. During the April 19th 1643 UTC pass, RS16 had no beacons active on 10 meters ,2 meters or 70cm [ANS thanks Bernie Hall, WY4D, for this report.] On April 14th, Kim Petterson, copied the following on the RS-16 beacon 435.5 MHz. High speed telemetry most of the pass, later CW telemetry in this format RS16RS16 P167 O218 N5 ... Time is the start of the RS-frame. Time(z)P O N M L K J I H G F E D C B A 075726 167 218 5 0 0 - - - 49 0 164 8 5 8 8 9 075806 167 219 48 0 0 7 5 7 49 0 164 9 5 10 8 9 075850 167 218 48 0 0 7 5 7 49 0 164 - - 8 9 8 075935 167 2-- -- 0 0 7 5 7 49 0 164 - - - - According Amsat-SM:s latest bulletin: P PSU voltage O Solar panel voltage N Solar panel current F PSU voltage E-A temp in Celsius [ANS thanks Kim Petterson for this data.] FO-20 (Uplink 145.9-146.0 MHz CW/LSB, Downlink 435.8-435.9 MHz CW/USB) Operating normally. Strong downlink signal. KO-23 (Uplink 145.85, 145.9 MHz FM, Downlink 435.175 MHz FM, 9600 Baud FSK.) KO-23 began to improve downlink efficiency at 22:09 UTC on 12 April 1997. The results increased rapidly and downlinks are now over 90% since 17 April 1997. The downlink frequency is normal . KO-25: (Uplink 145.980 MHz FM, Downlink 436.5 MHz FM, 9600 Baud FSK.) KO-25 operating normally. [ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for his reports on KO-25 and KO-23.] AO-27: (Uplink 145.85 MHz FM, Downlink 436.8 MHz FM) Operating normally. Current AO-27 schedule information can be found at www.umbra.com Tepr 4 = 32 counts 16 Minutes Tepr 5 = 66 counts 18 Minutes AO-27 Will turn on Every pass 16 Minutes after entering the sun and will stay on for 18 minutes. This corrects the early shut off that has been going on for the passed few weeks. Northern Stations will see the satellite turn on after AOS for the next week or so. This is due to the TEPR states being calculated for a while from now instead of Today. So the schedule will be drifting into a better state. This gives long time before the schedule gets out of whack. Thanks goes out to the Alternate Control Station KM4NZ/N1XAU for the use of their station via the Internet for Controlling the satellite. With new software that lets the command station control the satellite at remote sights, He hopes to be able to keep the TEPR Schedule more up to date. [ANS thanks Michael Wyrick, N4USI, AO-27 Control-op, and Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this update.] FO-29 Voice/CW (Uplink 145.9-146.0 MHz CW/LSB, Downlink 435.8-435.9 MHz CW/USB) Digital (Uplink 145.85, 145.87, 145.910 MHz FM, Downlink 435.910 MHz FM 9600 baud BPSK) The latest FO-29 Schedule can be found at. ://www.kt.rim.or.jp/~jr1nvu/eindex.html The JARL FO-29 command station has announced that FO-29 will be again put in digi-talker mode on 4th to 7th April, with thanks to well received digi-talker to satellite beginners. FO-20(Fuji-2) Operation mode schedule Apr. 18(Fri) 00:46z(09:46) JD 9600bps 25(Fri) 01:24z(10:24) JA May 2(Fri) 10:26z(19:26) JD 1200bps 9(Fri) 00:57z(09:57) JD 9600bps 16(Fri) 01:35z(10:35) JA 23(Fri) 00:29z(09:29) JD 1200bps 30(Fri) 01:07z(10:07) JD 9600bps [ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for this report.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-110.05 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PT 2 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 110.05 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 20, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-110.05 AO-10: (Uplink 435.030-435.18 MHz CW/LSB, Downlink 145.975-145.825 MHz CW/USB) OZ1MY/Ib reports AO-10 has been FM'ing over the past few days. Possibly due to poor sun angle. Stacey Mills, W4SM also reports that on the evening of (04/13/97, 2300+ UTC) AO-10 was showing a weak beacon with definite FM'ing. An attempt at an uplink produced a similar weak, FM'ing downlink when the satellite was at approximately 26,000 km range. AO-10 1 14129U 83058B 97086.09215926 -.00000160 00000-0 10000-3 0 4644 2 14129 25.6368 156.5618 6073912 102.9697 328.9901 2.05881543 75687 [ANS thanks Ken Ernandes, N2WWD, for getting these keps..] OSCAR-11 (Downlink 145.825 MHz. FM, 1200 Baud PSK. Beacon 2401.500 MHz..) Operating normally. [ANS thanks Clive Wallis, G3CWV, for this information.] AMSAT-OSCAR-16 (PACSAT) (Uplink 145.9, 145.92, 145.94, 145.86 MHz FM, Downlink 437.0513 MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK. Beacon 2401.1428 Mhz.) *Typical Telemetry Status (At night window): uptime is 937/18:08:14. Time is Sat Apr 12 23:31:34 1997 Bat 1 V 1.206 V Bat 2 V 1.210 V Bat 3 V 1.274 V Bat 4 V 1.257 V Bat 5 V 1.195 V Bat 6 V 1.199 V Bat 7 V 1.222 V Bat 8 V 1.256 V Array V 10.024 V +5V Bus 4.718 V +8.5V Bus 7.819 V +10V Bus 9.900 V Total Array C= 0.000 Bat Ch Cur=-0.484 Ifb= 0.161 I+10V= 0.343 TX:010A BCR:1E PWRC:5AE BT:3C WC:25 EDAC:80 Graphic information about WOD/Telemetry values can be found at: http://www.arrakis.es/~ea1bcu/ao16.htm [ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.] PACSAT (AO-16) Russ Platt WJ9F, AO-16 Command Team , reports the digipeater on AO-16 has been on for the last couple of months. In regards to the 2.4 GHz transmitter, it does continue to work although WJ9F has not been leaving it on for an entire orbit due to its high current load on the 10 v bus. The battery charging scheme on the micros is managed during sunlight by adjusting the RCPSK transmitter power up or down to charge and not overcharge the batteries since we have no way to turn the solar cells off. The S-band transmitter does not have the ability to vary its output so it is a high current draw throughout the orbit. In the past during Experimenters Days when WJ9F turned on the S-Band transmitter he had to scale back the output of the RCPSK transmitter to levels that were difficult to receive and even with these low levels the onboard software will still turn off the S-band TX if the Battery voltage drops too low, which it did.. [ANS thanks Russ Platt WJ9F, AO-16 Command Team for this report.] DO-17(DOVE) ( Downlink 145.825 MHz FM, 1200 Baud AFSK. Beacon 2401.220 MHz.) DOVE is transmitting on 2M and on S-band 2401.220 MHz. The command team is keeping the S-band transmitter on as a test signal for those working on getting S receive equipment going. The S transmitter is running about .8W to a whip that sticks out the top ofthe satellite near one edge. In the northern hemisphere the whip is pointed away from the earth. It's toward the earth in the southern hemisphere. It is quite loud with a typical satellite S-band receive setup, but in the northern hemisphere it will fade as much as 20 dB with rotation of the satellite. Doppler of course is large, approximately 100 KHz during a pass. [ANS thanks Jim white, WD0E, DO-17 Command Team, for this news.] WEBERSAT (WO-18) (Downlink 437.104 MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK AX.25.) Webersat (WO-18) is currently in MBL mode after a system crash. The satellite appears to be in good condition broadcasting MBL telemetry. BCRi316.43mA bplt 1.340C TxPw 0.231W 5 V 5.742V 8.5V10.008V 10V 14.036V [ANS thanks Tommy Davis, IK3WVJ, for this report.] LUSAT-OSCAR-19 (Uplink 145.84, 145.86, 145.88, 145.9 MHz FM, Downlink 437.1528 MHz SSB, 1 200 Baud PSK AX.25.) (LUSAT-LO-19) Note: To establish position with respect to the time, add 6 minutes to compensate for the lag of the clock in the satellite. Typical Telemetry Status: uptime is 662/22:12:03. Time is Sun Apr 13 12:17:13 1997 Array V 21.816 V +5V Bus 4.968 V +8.5V Bus 8.926 V +10V Bus 11.200 V BCR Set Point 126.938 C BCR Load Cur 0.189 A +8.5V Bus Cur 0.023 A +5V Bus Cur 0.165 A +X Array Cur -0.016 A Total Array C= 0.187 Bat Ch Cur=-0.017 Ifb= 0.019 I+10V= 0.170 TX:018 BCR:80 PWRC:36E BT:3C WC: 0 uptime is 662/22:16:03. Time is Sun Apr 13 12:21:13 1997 Total Array C= 0.082 Bat Ch Cur=-0.110 Ifb= 0.030 I+10V= 0.159 TX:017 BCR:35 PWRC:323632 BT:2F WC:32 Graphic and general information about Telemetry values can be found at: http://www.arrakis.es/~ea1bcu/lo19.htm [ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.] IO-26 ( ITAMSAT): (Uplink 145.875, 145.9, 145.925, 145.95MHz FM, Downlink 435.822 MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK.) IO-26 controllers report that the spacecraft is now in IHT mode. The new ROBOT software is under currently undergoing tests. The beacon reports that the digipeater is OFF and that the ROBOT is undergoing tests. Controllers ask that groundstations please do not transmit on any of the satellite's uplink frequencies for the time being. [ANS thanks Daniele Piercarlo, IK2XRO, ITMSAT Command Station for this report.] [Please send your Satellite or News reports to ANS Editor B.J. Arts, WT0N, via e-mail, at bjarts@the-bridge.net or to wt0n@amsat.org] /EX