SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0224 * SpaceNews 24-Feb-97 * BID: $SPC0224 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY FEBRUARY 24, 1997 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for non-commercial use. * MIR NEWS * ============ Pete Greene, N2LVI, has assembled the following notes that reflect the current amateur radio operating conditions on the Mir space station: 440 Repeater ------------ Mode Uplink (MHz) Downlink (MHz) PL Tone (Hz) Callsign ---- ------------ -------------- ------------ -------- Voice 435.750 437.950 141.3 RR0DL Packet 435.750 437.950 None RR0DL-1 QSO 435.725 437.925 141.3 RR0DL Notes: 1. Output power is 1.5 Watts 2. Maximum Doppler is +/- 10 kHz 3. The Tx/Rx split is 2.2 MHz (excluding Doppler) 4. PL (or CTCSS) opens the repeater; once open, PL not needed; Time to reset PL is not known 5. FM used for all modes 2-m Packet/QSO -------------- Mode Uplink (MHz) Downlink (MHz) PL Tone (Hz) Callsign ---- ------------ -------------- ------------ -------- Voice 145.200 145.800 None R0MIR Packet 145.200 145.800 None R0MIR-1 Notes: 1. Maximum Doppler is +/- 3.4 kHz 2. Tx/Rx split is standard 600 kHz 3. No PL/CTCSS on 2-meter operation 4. FM used for all modes Doppler: Listen high, call low at begin of pass; nominal Tx and Rx frequencies overhead; Listen low, call high at end of pass. Doppler shift is maximum at horizons, approaches zero at middle of pass. Pete also reports that astronauts Jerry Linenger, KC5HBR and Colin (Mike) Foale, KC5UAC (who will replace Linenger in May) have received FCC permission to make scheduled and general QSOs and pass third-party traffic with unlicensed "schools, family and friends" (with a licensed control operator, of course), according to ARLS003, 31 Jan 1997. Reports continue to be received that severe interference is still being caused to users of the Mir PMS by groundstations who insist on digipeating via Mir. Although the Mir PMS has its digipeat function turned ON, it is understood that over populated areas, digipeating accomplishes little more than creating interference to legitimate users of the Mir PMS. * ITAMSAT-OSCAR-26 NEWS * ========================= 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. [Info via IK2XRO & IW2EGC - ITAMSAT Command Station] * OSCAR-11 NEWS * ================= The last month (14 January - 17 February) has been uneventful for OSCAR-11. Good, steady signals have been received from the 145.826 MHz beacon. Mirek, OK2AOK, reports hearing the mode-S beacon on January 25th. The signals peaked at S6 on a pass when the maximum elevation was 21 degrees. Telemetry is nominal. The solar eclipses have reduced the internal temperatures by about eight degrees compared to the full sunlight condition. The battery appears to be maintaining its charge. The spin period has varied from 300 to 378, but most of the time it is around 365 seconds. The single WOD survey of channels 1, 2, 3, 61, (magnetometers) dated 02-January-97 has been transmitted. When the survey is changed, Clive, G3CWV, will put the data he has collected on the Web at the following URL: http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/ Four AMSAT bulletins by Richard G3RWL have been uploaded. Topics have included RS-16, MIR frequencies and schools QSO, AMSAT-QATAR, Microsat 7th anniversary. The current bulletin is Richard's 100th. OSCAR-11's operating schedule remains unchanged. [Info via Clive, G3CWV, g3cwv@amsat.org] * WEBERSAT-OSCAR-18 NEWS * ========================== WEBERSAT-OSCAR-18 is taking pictures once again. Picture 15 was taken on 16-Jan-97 at 15:55:52 UTC while the satellite was near Chile was copied by Henry, ZL1AAN, and uploaded to the AMSAT-OSCAR-16 "Pacsat" satellite as a JPG image. * THANKS! * =========== My apologies for the delay in sending out the last several issues of SpaceNews. Thanks to the following who sent messages of appreciation to SpaceNews: IW5DWP VK5KP GM6MEN RN6BL G7MUB VE9MJ * 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