AMSAT News Service

February 6, 2000

Assi Friedman, KK7KX / 4X1KX, reports "unfortunately, it appears that the ASUSat-1 satellite has stopped transmitting". Received telemetry has indicated the batteries aboard the satellite did not receive any charge from the solar-array. Due to this, the satellite worked for about 15 hours on battery power alone. KK7KX reports the ASUSat-1 team has no indications at this time to pinpoint the exact cause. The team is looking at the relationship between the solar-array and the power-board.

According to Assi, "the ASUSat1 team is disappointed but yet very happy. The satellite provided interesting telemetry when it was alive, and we are analyzing the data at present. We were thrilled that the system powered up and did what it was supposed to. In any case, the team is looking forward to future missions!"

ASUSat-1 contained an amateur packet hardware system and a 2-meter/70-cm FM voice repeater.

As ANS reported last week, the Air Force Minotaur had rocket successful lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base with a number of satellites onboard, including the Joint Air Force-Weber State University Satellite (JAWSAT), Stanford University's Orbiting Picosat Automatic Launcher (OPAL), the Air Force Research Lab's Optical Calibration Sphere - along with ASUSat-1. The primary payload was the US Air Force Academy's FalconSat.

[ANS thanks Assi Friedman KK7KX / 4X1KX for ASUSat information]

Antarctica Communications Successful

Ronald Ross, KE6JAB, reported to ANS that he recently arrived back home from Antarctica, and during the expedition successfully used amateur radio pacsats UO-22 and KO-25 for daily communications. It was an interesting way to 'phone home', and the second time that KE6JAB used the PACSAT system from the arctic region to upload daily reports and photos during the trip.

Ron used a dual band yagi and portable transceiver throughout the trip, reporting that "because of the smallness of our tent we had to do all the uploads outside. This proved a bit unpleasant in bad weather when the wind was blowing or the temperature was just too cold." KE6JAB also said that having enough available power in the batteries was always a concern. "We relied on solar panels for recharging everything. Fortunately, in the area of our expedition we were blessed with much sunlight for long periods," Ron said. To get an idea of just how the demanding the conditions were for Ron, imagine working in an area where the laptop Ron used often needed rebooting as the temperature dropped below zero!

Another successful part of the trip was the testing of a small weather station built by KF6VIC, a student at Stanford University. In addition, several hams were very helpful in relaying the messages and photos that KE6JAB was sending. Ed, KE6IZN, Roy, W0SL, Jerry, K8SAT and Kristi, N8WS, all took part in helping Ron. "Reading the messages received from this group made all the difference," said Ron.

ANS congratulates Ronald Ross, KE6JAB, on this interesting use of the Amateur Radio satellite system.

More information on the expedition can be found at http://www.thistle.org/dml/

[ANS thanks Ronald Ross, KE6JAB, for this information]

ANS in Brief

ANS news in brief this week includes the following:

Hank, N4AFL, reports that StenSat is tentatively scheduled to be released from the OPAL satellite shortly. After the release command, StenSat will be ejected from OPAL with the batteries completely discharged. After approximately one or two hours of exposure to sunlight StenSat should wake up and start transmitting telemetry consisting of a standard 1200 baud AX.25 (AFSK) telemetry packet every 5 seconds and a Morse code ID that will be sent every four minutes. StenSat's uplink frequency is 145.84 MHz and the downlink is 436.625 MHz.
-AMSAT-BB

Russia has launched a Progress cargo rocket to Mir that's carrying fuel and supplies needed to recommission the Russian space outpost. Russia is planning to send another crew to Mir in March. The supply rocket docked automatically, with fuel, water and other supplies, plus equipment needed to build up pressure inside Mir, which has a minor leak. At this time it's not known if Amateur Radio gear aboard the aging space station will be reactivated.
-ARRL

The Miami Hamboree is underway this weekend and an AMSAT Forum is part of the festivities. The Forum will cover P3-D status, provide a general 'Introduction to Satellites' and a Q&A session. In addition, an AO-27 demo is scheduled.
-Steve, N7HPR

The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous spacecraft is on its final approach to minor planet 433 Eros. An engine burn on February 3rd slowed the spacecraft enough so that it will rendezvous with Eros and become the first probe to orbit an asteroid.
-S&T

ESA's X-ray space observatory has taken its very first pictures giving new views on the Universe. ESA reports the commissioning images confirm that the XMM spacecraft, its X-ray telescopes and science instruments are functioning perfectly.
-ESA

PanAmSat recently signed with SeaLaunch for up to five launches through to 2003. The agreement calls for the launch of the Galaxy 3C satellite during the second quarter of 2001.
-SpaceDaily

A team developing a prototype International Space Station 'lifeboat' called the X-38 Crew Return Vehicle successfully flew the largest parafoil parachute in history last week at the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Ground. They successfully released a parachute with an area almost one and a half times as big as the wings of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet.
-NASA

RapidEye has entered an agreement with Surrey Satellite Technology to become the prime contractor and spacecraft platform supplier for the RapidEye constellation of four advanced Earth Observation mini-satellites.
-AMSAT-BB

Weekly Satellite Report

Mir . RS-12 . RS-13 . RS-15 . AO-10 . AO-27 . FO-20 . FO-29 . KO-23 . KO-25 . UO-11 . AO-16 . DO-17 . WO-18 . LO-19 . UO-22 . IO-26 . TO-31 . GO-32 . SO-33 . PO-34 . SO-35 . UO-36

RS-12

Uplink 145.910 to 145.950 MHz CW/SSB
Uplink 21.210 to 21.250 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 29.410 to 29.450 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 145.910 to 145.950 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon 29.408 MHz
Robot Uplink 21.129 MHz, Downlink 29.454 MHz

Semi-operational, beacon only.

RS-13

Uplink 21.260 to 21.300 MHz CW/SSB
Uplink 145.960 to 146.000 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 29.460 to 29.500 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 145.960 to 146.000 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon 29.504 MHz
Robot Uplink 21.140 MHz, Downlink 29.458 MHz

Operational, in mode-KA with a 10-meter downlink and a 15-meter and 2-meter uplink.

AC5DK's RS-12/13 Satellite Operators Page: http://www.qsl.net/ac5dk/rs1213/rs1213.html

RS-15

Uplink 145.858 to 145.898 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 29.354 to 29.394 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon 29.352 MHz (intermittent)
SSB meeting frequency 29.380 MHz (unofficial)
Semi-operational, Mode A (2m uplink, 10m downlink)

Dave, WB6LLO, has operating information for both RS-15 and RS-13 on his personal web site. In addition to satellite data, antenna information for mode A operation is also featured. The WB6LLO web site URL is http://home.san.rr.com/doguimont/uploads

AO-10

Uplink 435.030 to 435.180 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 145.975 to 145.825 MHz CW/USB
Beacon 145.810 MHz (unmodulated carrier)
Semi-operational.

DX continues to be worked (and heard) on AO-10. 8J1RL has been active recently, working KK3K, KE9NA and KK5DO.

Stacey Mills, W4SM, has more information about the satellite at http://www.cstone.net/~w4sm/AO-10.html

[ANS thanks Stacey Mills, W4SM, for his AO-10 status information and web site]

AO-27

Uplink 145.850 MHz FM
Downlink: 436.792 MHz FM
Operational.

XE2YVW operated from grid DK99, working WA5VKS, N1JEZ, KF4FDJ, N7SFI, KK5DO, WA2HKS, K4TB, K6YK, XE1MEX, N6EMP and others.

Ray, W2RS, reports an AO-27 question-and-answer page has been established on the AMSAT-NA web site. The URL is http://www.amsat.org/amsat/intro/ao27faq.html

AO-27 uses a method called Timed Eclipse Power Regulation (TEPR) to regulate the on-board batteries. In simple terms, TEPR times how long the satellite has been in the eclipse (or in the sun) and decides what subsystems to turn on or off. The AO-27 pages on the AMSAT-NA web site include an explanation of AO-27 operations at http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/ao27.html

Chuck, KM4NZ, reset the TEPR states on AO-27 (on December 14).

TEPR 4 is 12 TEPR 5 is 48

[ANS thanks Chuck Wyrick, KM4NZ, and Michael Wyrick, N4USI, for AO-27 information]

SunSat SO-35

Operational. SunSat has been in mode-B using an uplink of 436.291 MHz (+/- Doppler) and a 145.825 MHz downlink.

SunSat was launched February 23, 1999 aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. SunSat stands for Stellenbosch University Satellite and takes it name from the South African university whose students constructed the payload.

The SunSat package includes 1200 and 9600 baud digital store-and-forward capability and a voice 'parrot' repeater system that will be used primarily for educational demonstrations. The satellite has two VHF and two UHF transmit-receive systems.

The SunSat command team recently upgraded the diary software. The team has also uploaded the parrot repeater software and early tests were satisfactory. The parrot repeater should be functional near the end of January. According to the team packet radio operation is still some 3 months away.

Henry ZS1AAZ has provided the following SunSat schedule:

February 11-12
Australia 23:55 to 00:09 UTC
RSA 08:16 to 08:30
Europe 08:35 to 08:49
USA 15:12 to 15:26

February 12-13
Japan 23:33 to 23:47 UTC
RSA 07:36 to 07:50
South America 12:36 to 12:50
USA 14:35 to 14:49

For more information on SunSat, visit http://sunsat.ee.sun.ac.za

[ANS thanks Garth Milne ZR1AFH, for this information]

JAS-1b FO-20

Uplink 145.900 to 146.000 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 435.800 to 435.900 MHz CW/USB
Operational.

FO-20 is in mode JA continuously.

JAS-1b (FO-20) was launched in February 1990 and continues to function quite well.

[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK for the FO-20 status reports]

JAS-2 FO-29

Voice/CW Mode JA: Uplink 145.900 to 146.000 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 435.800 to 435.900 MHz CW/USB
Operational, rotated with digital mode and digi-talker.
Digital Mode JD: Uplink 145.850, 145.870, 145.910 MHz FM
Downlink 435.910 MHz FM 9600 baud BPSK
Operational, rotated with analog mode and digi-talker.

JAS-2 was successfully launched on August 17, 1996, by an H-II launch vehicle from the Tanegashima Space Center.

Mike, KF4FDJ, has put together a very informative document on FO-29, addressing analog, digital and digi-talker modes. To obtain a copy e-mail Mike at kf4fdj@amsat.org

Kazu, JJ1WTK, reports the FO-29 operational schedule (announced by the JARL) is as follows:

through February 6	JD1200 mailbox
February 7 - 21	JA
February 22 - 27	JD1200 mailbox
February 28 - March 5	JA

Mineo, JE9PEL, has updated his FO-29 satellite telemetry analysis program. The software will automatically analyze all digital telemetry from the satellite such as current, voltage and temperature. The JE9PEL FO-29/software update is available at http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/

[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-29 status reports]

KITSAT KO-23

Uplink 145.850, 145.900 MHz FM
Downlink 435.175 MHz FM, 9600 Baud FSK
Non-operational.

KO-23 is non-operational. The downlink transmitter (TX-0) has been turned off. KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ, reports from the KO-23 control team that part of the problem is due the current power budget aboard the satellite.

Stay tuned to ANS for more information.

[ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, and KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ, for KO-23 status information]

KO-25

Uplink 145.980 MHz FM
Downlink 436.500 MHz FM, 9600 Baud FSK
Operational.

Jim, AA7KC, reports KO-25 is operational. Downlink efficiency is in the 60 to 70% range with good data throughput.

[ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for KO-25 status information]

UO-22

Uplink 145.900 or 145.975 MHz FM
Downlink 435.120 MHz FM 9600 Baud FSK
Operational

Chris Jackson, G7UPN, reports to ANS that UO-22 has now entered full sunlight and the temperatures have increased considerably. Controllers have turned the satellite upside down to point the critical systems to cold space. This has reduced the temperature on various systems (such as the batteries) by between 5 and 10 degrees. The unfortunate by-product of this is that the downlink is now quite weak.

The satellite will remain in full sunlight until late March, when controllers will turn it back 'over' again. According to G7UPN "over the next few years this situation will become worse as the no eclipse periods become longer."

Only the 145.900 MHz receiver is usable for communications at the moment.

More information on the satellite is available at http://www.sstl.co.uk

[ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO for UO-22 status information]

OSCAR-11

Downlink 145.825 MHz FM, 1200 baud PSK
Beacon 2401.500 MHz
Operational.

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)

The ASCII bulletin is currently a static message, detailing modes and frequencies of all the amateur radio satellites.

More information on OSCAR-11 is available at the following URL:

http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/

[ANS thanks Clive Wallis, G3CWV, for OSCAR-11 status information]

LUSAT-OSCAR-19

Uplink 145.840, 145.860, 145.880, 145.900 MHz 1200 bps Manchester FSK
Downlink 437.125 MHz SSB, 1200 bps RC-BPSK
Currently semi-operational.

The CW beacon is sending eight telemetry channels and one status channel. Currently, no BBS service is available. The digipeater is active.

Mineo, JE9PEL, recently recorded LO-19 CW and PSK telemetry and placed the information on his Internet homepage site at http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/

Telemetry is as follows:

Time is Sat Feb 05 22:44:10 2000 uptime is 554/09:00:53
+X (RX) Temp    -5.478 D  RX Temp          6.301 D
Bat 1 V          1.360 V  Bat 2 V          1.350 V
Bat 3 V          1.364 V  Bat 4 V          1.350 V
Bat 5 V          1.364 V  Bat 6 V          1.392 V
Bat 7 V          1.346 V  Bat 8 V          1.336 V
Total Array C= 0.008 Bat Ch Cur=-0.283 Ifb= 0.119 I+10V= 0.171
TX:017 BCR:1E PWRC:62D BT:3C WC: 0

General information and telemetry samples can be found at http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu/lo19.htm

[ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.]

AMSAT-OSCAR-16 (PACSAT)

Uplink 145.900, 145.920, 145.940, 145.860 MHz FM, 1200 bps Manchester FSK
Downlink 437.0513 MHz SSB, 1200 bps RC-BPSK 1200 Baud PSK
Beacon 2401.1428 MHz.
Semi-operational.

Russ Platt, WJ9F, of the AO-16 Command Team tells ANS the 437.025 MHz transmitter has been turned off and the S-band transmitter is now on. The satellite is back in a PHT (PACSAT Housekeeping Task) mode. This task manages the battery charging during sunlit periods and manages the decay during eclipse periods. It also includes safeguards to protect the batteries. WJ9F will be running Whole Orbit Data surveys to watch the batteries during the S-band only operation. Russ is also reloading the software to bring the file server back on line.

Stay tuned to ANS for further updates.

General information and telemetry WOD files can be found at http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu

A complete collection of WOD graphics corresponding to the year of 1998 can be found at http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu/wod1998.zip

[ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.]

TMSAT-1 TO-31

Uplink 145.925 MHz 9600 baud FSK
Downlink 436.925 MHz 9600 baud FSK
Operational.

ProcMail V2.00G has been released by G7UPN. This software permits the processing of image files from TO-31. It has been posted to the AMSAT-NA FTP site at http://www.amsat.org/amsat/software/win32/wisp

Many of the high-resolution color images transmitted by TMSAT are compressed using a UoSAT compression format. This format is supported by the VK5HI CCD display program.

[ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for this report]

UoSAT-12 UO-36

Downlink 437.025, 437.400 MHz

UoSAT-12 was successfully launched on April 21, 1999 from the Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome. UO-36 carries a number of imaging payloads, digital store-and-forward communications and mode L/S transponders.

The satellite is not currently available for general uplink transmissions.

S-band high speed downlink commissioning continues at rates between 128kb/s and 1Mb/s. The S-band downlink frequency has not been announced.

UO-36 has been transmitting 9600-baud FSK telemetry framed in a VLSI format using a downlink frequency of 437.400 MHz. Chris, G7UPN, reports UO-36 is also (at times) testing on 437.025 MHz at a baud rate of 38,400 (38k4). Currently, this downlink is switched on over Europe. Due to the limited power on UO-36, it is not possible to have this downlink on permanently over all areas.

Presently the BBS is still closed.

The VK5HI TMSAT viewer software is available on the AMSAT-NA web site at ftp://ftp.amsat.org/amsat/software/win32/display/ccddsp97-119.zip

Further information on UO-36 is available from: http://www.sstl.co.uk/

[ANS thanks Chris G7UPN/ZL2TPO, and the University of Surrey, for this information]

ITAMSAT IO-26

Uplink 145.875, 145.900, 145.925, 145.950 MHz FM
Downlink 435.822 MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK
Semi-operational.

Digipeater function is on.

IO-26 was launched on September 26, 1993.

Alberto, I2KBD, reports IO-26 has been opened to APRS use.

[ANS thanks ITAMSAT Project Manager Alberto E. Zagni, I2KBD, for this information]

The following satellites are in orbit but are non-operational at this time:

TechSat-1B GO-32

Downlink 435.225 MHz, HDLC telemetry

Updated status. Shlomo, 4X1AS, tells ANS that efforts are underway to bring GO-32 on line.

Stay tuned to ANS for further information.

The TechSat-1B micro-satellite was successfully launched from the Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 10, 1998.

Last reported, the satellite does not have a continuous beacon, but does transmit a 9600-baud burst every 30 seconds (for about 3 seconds in length), currently on 435.225 MHz.

The TechSat team has constructed a home page about TechSat. To view the site, point your web browser to:

http://techsat.internet-zahav.net/

PANSAT PO-34

Uplink/downlink frequencies have not been established.
The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions.

PANSAT, developed by the Naval Postgraduate School, was launched from the shuttle Discovery. PANSAT spread-spectrum digital transponders will be available to amateur radio operators in the near future along with software to utilize this technology.

Dan Sakoda, KD6DRA, PANSAT Project Manager recommends 'The ARRL Spread Spectrum Sourcebook' as a good place to start in understanding the spread-spectrum scheme.

For more information, visit the official PANSAT web site at:

http://www.sp.nps.navy.mil/pansat/

PanSat is the featured cover article in the July/August 1999 issue of the AMSAT-NA Journal (written by KD6DRA and N7HPR).

[ANS thanks Dan Sakoda, KD6DRA, for this information]

Mir Space Station

Ham radio activity aboard the Mir space station came to a close on August 28, 1999 as the crew returned to Earth, leaving the station unmanned. Mir is in a stable orbit with only essential systems running. All amateur radio activities have ceased. Currently, the station is being prepared for re-entry sometime in the first quarter of 2000. However, the final fate of the space station has not been formally announced. Stay tuned to ANS for further developments.

Current Amateur Radio equipment aboard Mir includes:

SAFEX II 70cm Repeater: Uplink 435.750 MHz FM with subaudible tone 141.3 Hz
Downlink 437.950 MHz FM
Not operational. No operation in 1999 has been observed.
SAFEX II 70cm QSO Mode: Uplink 435.725 MHz FM with subaudible tone 151.4 Hz
Downlink 437.925 MHz FM
Not operational. No operation in 1999 has been observed.
Packet Radio PMS: Uplink/Downlink 145.985 MHz FM, 1200 baud AFSK
Not operational.

DO-17 (DOVE)

Downlink 145.825 MHz FM, 1200 Baud AFSK
Beacon 2401.220 MHz
Non-operational.

DOVE stopped transmitting in March 1998. The 145.825 MHz and 2401.220 MHz downlinks are off the air and the satellite has not responded to ground station control.

No additional information is available at this time.

WEBERSAT (WO-18)

Downlink 437.104 MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK AX.25
Non-operational.

WO-18 is reported to be in MBL mode after a software crash.

No additional information is available at this time.

SEDSAT SO-33

Downlink 437.910 MHz FM 9600 Baud FSK
The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions. Recovery efforts have been unsuccessful.

Mineo, JE9PEL, reports he has again received minimal telemetry from the satellite recently, dated October 22nd.

SEDSAT-1, signifying Students for the Exploration and Development of Space Satellite number one, was successfully launched and placed in orbit on Saturday, October 24, 1998.

For more information on SedSat-1 visit the satellite web site at http://www.seds.org/sedsat

No additional information is available at this time.

ANS would like to thank Mike Seguin, N1JEZ, ANS principal satellite investigator, for helping provide current satellite information for ANS.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to the ANS Editors at ans-editor@amsat.org, or to ANS Editor Dan James, NN0DJ, at nn0dj@amsat.org.

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This week's AMSAT News Service bulletins were edited by AMSAT News Service Editor Dan James, NN0DJ.