SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC1221 * SpaceNews 21-Dec-98 * BID: $SPC1221 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY DECEMBER 21, 1998 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for non-commercial use. * AMSAT-OSCAR-10 NEWS * ======================= AO-10 continues to function well with the exception of the long-standing QSB problem, which varies in severity at differing times in the orbit. Several have noted that the keps posted several weeks ago are beginning to "slip" a bit. Here are some updated keps based on recent ranging data: Satellite: AO-10 Catalog number: 14129 Epoch time: 98351.41768 Inclination: 27.0440 deg RA of node: 53.3190 deg Eccentricity: 0.60045 Arg of perigee: 274.4330 deg Mean anomaly: 220.1480 deg Mean motion: 2.05837918 rev/day Decay rate: 0.00 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 11664 AO-10 1 14129U 98351.41768000 0.00000000 00000-0 0 1 2 14129 27.0440 53.3190 6004500 274.4330 220.1480 2.05837918116643 [Info via Stacey Mills, W4SM] * RS-12/RS-13 NEWS * ==================== Tom Hart, AD1B, reports that he has been using the RS-12/13 satellite extensively for the last couple of years. The satellite has been operating on the following frequencies for several weeks: VHF Beacon: 145.916 MHz HF Beacon: 29.505 MHz HF Uplink: 21.260 - 21.500 MHz HF Downlink: 29.460 - 29.500 MHz Tom believes that the 2m beacon is RS-12 and the Mode K transponder is that of RS-13. Activity has been modest. With the satellite in its present state, Mode A stations are unable to access the satellite. [Tom Hart, AD1B] * OSCAR-11 NEWS * ================= The current duration of solar eclipse time has continued to provide OSCAR-11 with near optimum conditions, maintaining an adequate power budget, while not allowing internal temperatures to rise to excessive levels. During the period 1998-Nov-15 to 1998-Dec-16, reasonable signals have been received from OSCAR-11's 145.826 MHz FM beacon. Telemetry has been nominal, and the battery voltage is now usually around 13.9 volts. The magnetorquer spin correction counters have continued to be of interest. Recently there have been very few spin counter increments, although the spin period remains around its nominal value of -300 seconds. The internal temperatures have fallen slightly, by about one degree C after reaching a peak last month. They are now 9.0C and 7.0C for battery and telemetry electronics respectively. The single WOD survey, of channels 1, 2, 3, 61 (magnetometers) dated 1998-Oct-10 is still being transmitted. This current WOD starts at the normal time of 00:00:05 UTC. Reports have been received of the Mode-S beacon from Jack W9JIU and Victor OK1VKW. Victor uses a 40 element horizontally polarized Yagi with an SSB Electronics converter. Signal strengths are S1 - S2, which are about 10 dB above the ambient noise. OSCAR-11's 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) The ASCII bulletin is currently a static message, detailing modes and frequencies of all the amateur radio satellites. There are additional status blocks after each bulletin is transmitted, and between ASCII TLM and WOD. The Mode-S beacon is ON, transmitting an unmodulated carrier, but telemetry indicates that it has partially failed, and delivering half power. This beacon is a useful test source for those testing Mode-S converters, prior to the launch of P3-D. It is considerably weaker than DOVE, which should be used for initial testing. Any reports of 2401 MHz Mode S beacon reception would be most welcome, and should be directed to Clive Wallis, G3CWV at: g3cwv@amsat.org OSCAR-11's 435.025 MHz UHF beacon is normally OFF. However, it can sometimes be heard when the satellite is being commanded by ground control, ie. within range of Guildford, UK. When the 435 MHz UHF beacon is transmitting, the 145 MHz VHF beacon is normally OFF. The data transmitted is mainly binary. Listeners to OSCAR-11 may be interested in visiting a web site designed by Clive Wallis, G3CWV. The site contains details of hardware required and some software for capturing data, and decoding ASCII telemetry and WOD (whole orbit data) from the OSCAR-11 satellite. The site includes an archive of raw data (mainly WOD) for analysis, which is continually being expanded as new data is captured. Also included are some audio files which contain examples of each type of data transmitted by OSCAR-11. Each file plays for about ten seconds, and there are even examples of Mode-S reception. All the audio files are zipped, so that they can be played off-line. They are made available to help listeners identify the various types of data, and give an indication of the signal quality required for successful decoding of OSCAR-11 telemetry. The URL is - http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/ [Info via Clive Wallis, G3CWV] * 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, KITSAT-OSCAR-25 <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>> <<=- Serving the planet (and beyond) since 1987 -=>> /EX