SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC1129 * SpaceNews 29-Nov-99 * BID: $SPC1129 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY NOVEMBER 29, 1999 * HAWAII ON AO-27 * =================== Those wishing to contact Hawaii via the AO-27 satellite may be interested to learn that Jerry, KK5YY, will be active on AO-27 from Hawaii between 28-Nov-99 until 11-Dec-99 on most passes that fall on both the Islands and the US mainland. * RHODE ISLAND ROCKET LAUNCH CORRECTION * ========================================= Last week's report on the rocket launch that took place from Rhode Island on November 18, 1999 contained several errors. Here is the full story from Hank Riley, N1LTV: With crystal clear skies but blustery winds, the Viper-Dart sounding rocket left the launch site right on schedule early afternoon at Ninigret State Park in Charlestown, Rhode Island with a loud roar to the delight of several thousand students gathered from four states. Earlier in the day model rockets in several size categories and one high altitude balloon were launched. This marked the first time a missile launched from a New England state had reached space at approximately 60 miles in altitude. In the blink of an eye, only a nearly vertical snow white exhaust trail was left to slowly dissipate against a background of deep blue sky. The nosecone, designed to capture comet dust from the Leonids meteor shower, was to have been tracked with the aid of GPS signals transmitted from the payload on a microwave frequency, but a malfunctioning receiver aboard the Coast Guard cutter Monomoy on station south of Block Island made that task almost impossible. The nosecone has not been recovered, and chances are very slim it ever will be. It's possible it may wash ashore in Rhode Island or Massachusetts and be found months or years later by someone. It is designed to float for a number of days is highly waterproof. Viper-Dart launch pictures from Charlestown at: http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/3161/hablic.htm [Info via Hank Riley, N1LTV] * FUJI-OSCAR-29 NEWS * ====================== Here's the latest operating schedule for the FUJI-OSCAR-29 satellite: 26-Nov-99 -to- 30-Nov-99 Digitalker 01-Dec-99 -to- 12-Dec-99 Mode JA 13-Dec-99 -to- 19-Dec-99 Mode JD 1200 bps PSK Mailbox 20-Dec-99 -to- 11-Jan-00 Mode JA [Info via Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK] * RS-13 NEWS * ============== Numerous reports were received indicating the reception of data signals throughout RS-13's 10-meter downlink passband, and the inability to repeat uplinked signals through the satellite's transponder. It is believed that the satellite's 2-meter uplink is being desensed by the commercial navigational satellite that shares "living quarters" with the RS amateur satellite payload. The navigational satellite transmits somewhere between 149.900 and 150.000 MHz. More information on the RS-12/RS-13 satellite may be found on AC5DK's RS-12/13 Satellite Operator's Page at: http://www.qsl.net/ac5dk/rs1213/rs1213.html * NEWS OSCARS ON THE LAUNCH PAD * ================================= JAWSAT, OPAL, STENSAT and ASUSAT-1 are scheduled for launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on 08-Dec-99 at 02:22 UTC, with a launch window between 02:12 and 02:32 UTC. The following are prelimary Keplerian orbiat data for JAWSAT issued by Randy, N7SFI: WEBER2 1 99999U 00 0 0 99342.10840000 .00000001 00000-0 00000-0 0 21 2 99999 100.0000 164.2099 0000001 0.0000 180.0000 14.42590000 15 Epoch time: 99342.1084 Decay: 0.00000001 Element set: 1 Inclination: 100.0 RAAN: 164.2099 Eccentricity: 0.0000001 Arg Perigee: 0.0 Mean Anomaly: 180.0 Mean Motion: 14.4259 Orbit #: 1 Randy asks that any AX-25 9600 baud telemetry received from JAWSAT on 437.175 and/or 437.070 MHz be sent to him via e-mail at: n7sfi@amsat.org. [Info via Randy, N7SFI] * NEW PB/PG VERSIONS * ====================== Roy, W0SL reports that Chris Jackson has issued updated versions of PB.EXE and PG.EXE for communication with Pacsat satellites under DOS operating systems. This update is to provide Y2K compliance for these programs. They are being made available via the UO-22 and KO-25 satellites as well as being put on the AMSAT-NA web site. Roy reports that these programs have been tested, but cautions users to retain their present ones until they are satisfied that the new programs work in their setup. [Info via Roy, W0SL] * THANKS! * =========== Thanks to all who recently sent messages of appreciation to SpaceNews, especially: ZS6RSW * 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 @ N2TDU.NJ.USA.NA <-------- New address! :-O 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