AMSAT News Service

September 3, 2000

NASA has informed ANS this it has cleared the space shuttle Atlantis for its upcoming launch to the International Space Station. The launch is set for September 8th.

The flight should last just short of two weeks during which time the seven member crew will unload space station supplies from both the shuttle and a Russian Progress cargo ship. The Progress supply ship is currently docked to ISS.

NASA also reported that the spacesuits the Atlantis crew will use during this mission are completely safe. Earlier this summer several spacesuits were found to be contaminated with potentially flammable oil. NASA engineers cleaned oily regulators in the emergency oxygen packs of several suits and then checked the operation of its entire spacesuit inventory. All the suits passed.

The suits, which cost $12 million each, should not be confused with the orange spacesuits astronauts wear at launches and landings. NASA needs all 12 'spacewalking' suits to complete construction of the space station, with at least 20 spacewalks planned during the next 18 months.

The space agency will have under three minutes to launch Atlantis on September 8th rather than the usual five to 10 minute window for a space station linkup -- the shortest launch window ever for a shuttle. NASA is attempting to trim the launch windows, thus using the least amount of fuel to reach the station.

Amateur radio operators worldwide are looking forward to the successful launch of Atlantis as it puts ham radio operation aboard the International Space Station one step closer. This Atlantis mission will not feature amateur radio operation from the shuttle or ISS, but ham radio is an important part of the mission as the Atlantis crew is scheduled to deliver ARISS hardware. Initial equipment will include 2-meter and 70cm handheld radios, a TNC, a specially developed headset and signal adapter module along with specially developed power adapters and the interconnecting cabling.

This mission marks the 4th Shuttle flight to the International Space Station and the 3rd Shuttle mission this year. Stay tuned to ANS for further updates.

[ANS thanks NASA, Roy Neal, K6DUE, and Florida Today for this information]

Microwave Update 2000 Date is Near

ANS reminds satellite operators that 'Microwave Update 2000' -- the mid-Atlantic States' VHF Conference -- will be held soon. The conference dates are September 28-30, 2000. The Mount Airy VHF Radio Club will serve as host.

Microwave Update will include the traditional surplus tour and evening flea markets, along with noise figure testing and an equipment tune-up clinic.

Presentations are scheduled by Al Ward, W5LUA, Dave Olean, K1WHS, and Steve Kostro, N2CEI. Activities will also be available for non-amateur family members.

Registration and conference information is available at http://www.ij.net/packrats/MUD_2000/mud.html

[ANS thanks the ARRL and Harry Brown, W3IIT, for this information]

ANS in Brief

ANS news in brief this week includes the following:

Russia has pledged to send eight spacecraft, both manned and unmanned, to the International Space Station in 2001, according to a release from Russian Space Agency director Yury Koptev.
-SpaceDaily

A half-kilometer wide space rock is zooming past Earth barely 12 times farther from our planet than the Moon. In cosmic terms it's a near miss, but there is absolutely no danger of a collision. Instead, the encounter offers astronomers an unusually good opportunity to study a near-Earth asteroid.
-James, KD4KLA

The U.S. government is getting ready to launch a new 267 million dollar weather satellite it hopes will improve understanding of what triggers storms, enhance flood forecasts and even offer faster search and rescue response. The NOAA-L satellite is scheduled for launch on September 20th from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. It will replace a six-year-old satellite that is drifting out of orbit as it ages.
-Florida Today

Perry, WB8OTH, suggests satellite operators check out a web based activities logger that is dedicated to satellite operation. The logger is similar to VHF and HF spotter web sites currently in operation. Take a look at http://dxworld.com/amsatlog.html.
-AMSAT-BB

ANS principal satellite investigator N1JEZ reported that all QSL cards requests received for the VE1/VO1 portion of his recent trip have been processed and mailed. Mike also said the FP cards will be sent soon. N1JEZ added "once again thanks for all the contacts."
-ANS

Starting September 1st, every U.S. amateur is required to fully comply with the FCC's RF exposure guidelines. U.S. amateur radio operators are required to understand the rules and, where necessary, perform technical evaluations to determine that their stations are compliant with the new regulations. Under the regulations, an amateur station must not exceed the maximum permissible exposure limits for transmitter operation, which are both frequency and power-dependent.
-ARRL

N9AVG, KE6QIS, W8ZCF, KD4DLA all reported on the AMSAT-BB about a nice write up on the Science@NASA web site. The story is about former astronaut Dr. Owen K. Garriott, W5LFL, and the thrills he experienced talking with hams 'down' on Earth. Checkout the story at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast21aug_1.htm?list.
-ANS

Need a list of amateur radio satellites, features modes? Check out http://www.uk.amsat.org/satfreqs.htm. The web page also has explanations of modes and the new letter designations to be used on P3D.
-Richard, G3RWL

Weekly Satellite Report

Mir . RS-12 . RS-13 . RS-15 . AO-10 . AO-27 . UO-14 . 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-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 29.458 MHz
Robot Uplink 145.840 MHz, Downlink 29.504 MHz
Launched February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian Cosmos C launcher

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

More information about RS-12 and RS-13 can be found on 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)
Launched December 26, 1994 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
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)
Launched June 16, 1983 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Semi-operational.

DX continues to be worked (and heard) on AO-10.

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
Launched September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana

Software upgrades to AO-27 are currently underway. Satellite operators are asked to refrain from transmitting on the AO-27 uplink. Resumption of service will be announced on the AMSAT-BB and in ANS.

Jim, K6CCC, reports he copied the AO-27 exciter as it passed near his QTH recently. He reports a very readable signal and "although not really very exciting to listen to as it's just an unmodulated carrier, it was nice to be able to hear it."

An AO-27 question-and-answer page is available on the AMSAT-NA web site. 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 July 26).

TEPR 4 is 46 TEPR 5 is 82

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

UO-14

Uplink 145.975 MHz FM
Downlink 435.070 MHz FM
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Operational.

KD6PAG and KD6SOC have joined forces to activate rare grid square DN00. Look for KD6SOC on UO-14 morning and evening passes this holiday weekend.

Tim, KG8OC, has updated the Michigan AMSAT Information site to include UO-14 information, see http://www.qsl.net/kg8oc

[ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN / ZL2TPO, for UO-14 information]

SunSat SO-35

Uplink 436.291 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 145.825 MHz CW/LSB
Launched February 23, 1999 by a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California
Operational.

At last report SunSat was in mode J. The voice repeater is active for 14 minutes at a time. Weekday operations may be cancelled to support the non-ham payloads.

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 in addition to Mode J operation. The satellite has two VHF and two UHF transmit-receive systems.

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

A summary of the active modes and frequency allocations for SunSat is available at http://esl.ee.sun.ac.za/~lochner/sunsat/modes.html

[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
Launched February 7, 1990 by an H1 launcher from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan
Operational.

FO-20 is in mode JA continuously.

OZ1MY reports the beacon on FO-20 is working again, mostly in CW.

[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.
Launched August 17, 1996, by an H-2 launcher from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan

The JARL FO-29 command station has announced the following operation schedule of FO-29:

through Sep 10	JA
Sep 11 - 17	JD1200 mailbox operation
Sep 18 - 24	JA
Sep 25 - Oct 1	JD1200 mailbox operation
Oct 2 - 6	JA
Oct 7 - Nov 5	Digi-talker (except mode JA every Wednesday)

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

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
Launched August 10, 1992 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Status: unconfirmed

At last report KO-23 was (again) operational.

KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ, reports (from the KO-23 control team) that part of the problem with non-operation has been the power budget aboard the satellite.

[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
Launched September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Operational.

[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
Launched July 17, 1991 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Operational

At last report, both uplinks were available.

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
Launched March 1, 1994 by a Delta-Thor rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California
Operational.

OSCAR-11 celebrated its sixteenth birthday on March 1, 2000.

During the period through August 15, 2000 good signals have been received from the 145 MHz beacon in spite of low battery voltage for much of the time. The battery voltage observed during daylight passes has slightly increased. The average value observed was 13.6 volts, with a range of 13.4 to 13.9 volts.

The internal temperatures have increased by 1.4C during the month (at 0.4C and -1.0C for battery and telemetry electronics respectively). This rise in temperature is expected as the solar eclipse times become shorter.

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 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
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Semi-operational.

The CW beacon is sending eight telemetry channels and one status channel. No BBS service is available. The digipeater is not active.

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

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.
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Semi-operational.

Russ, WJ9F, reported the S-band transmitter is off. The VHF uplink and the UHF PSK transmitter are operational (TX power at 1.5 watts). The digipeater command is on.

A WOD collection of satellite graphics (dated 02/26/2000) can be found at http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu

[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
Launched July 10, 1998 by a Zenit rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
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

Uplink 145.960 MHz, 9600 baud FSK
Downlink 437.025, 437.400 MHz, 9600 baud FSK
Launched April 21, 1999 by a Russian launcher from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Unknown (unofficially in full sunlight illumination)

Bill, KK2L, reports no signals from UO-36 recently.

UO-36 carries a number of imaging payloads, digital store-and-forward communications and mode L/S transponders.

NASA has demonstrated on UO-36 the ability to use standard Internet protocols to communicate with an orbiting spacecraft (just like any node on the Internet). NASA has been developing this project by working with the commercial payload aboard UoSAT-12.

The BBS is open, although uploading and downloading may be disabled at times.

The VK5HI viewer shareware for UO-36 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
Launched September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Semi-operational.

Digipeater function is on, open 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:

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
Launched February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian Cosmos C launcher

Non-operational. No operation in 2000 has been observed.

TechSat-1B GO-32

Downlink 435.225 MHz, HDLC telemetry
Launched July 10, 1998 by a Russian Zenit rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Non-operational.

Efforts were reported to be underway to bring GO-32 on line, however no additional information has been received by ANS (the last report was dated November 1999).

Last reported, the satellite does transmit a 9600-baud burst every 30 seconds (for a continuous 3 seconds in length) on 435.225 MHz.

The TechSat team has a home page about TechSat: http://techsat.internet-zahav.net/

PANSAT PO-34

Uplink/downlink frequencies have never been released.
Launched October 30, 1998 by the Shuttle Discovery
Status: unknown

The satellite is not currently available for general uplink transmissions.

PanSat was developed by the Naval Postgraduate School. At the time of launch, PanSat spread-spectrum digital transponders were promised to be available to amateur radio operators along with software to utilize this technology. To date, this has not happened.

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

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

PanSat was 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

145.985 MHz simplex FM voice and SSTV (Robot 36 mode)
Launched February 18, 1986
Unmanned.

MIR SAFEX II 70-cm Repeater
Uplink 435.750 MHz FM w/subaudible tone 141.3 Hz
Downlink 437.950 MHz FM
Not operational. No operation in 1999 or 2000 has been observed.

MIR SAFEX II 70-cm QSO Mode
Uplink 435.725 MHz FM w/subaudible tone 151.4 Hz
Downlink 437.925 MHz FM
Not operational. No operation in 1999 or 2000 has been observed.

Currently, there is no human habitation aboard the station and the amateur radio equipment has been turned off. Several news agencies have reported that Mir in now on 'autopilot'.

Stay tuned to ANS for further details.

DO-17 (DOVE)

Downlink 145.825 MHz FM, 1200 Baud AFSK
Beacon 2401.220 MHz
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
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
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Non-operational.

WO-18 was last 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
Launched October 24, 1998 by a Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida
Non-operational.

The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions and image and transponder recovery efforts have been unsuccessful.

SEDSAT-1 signifies Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (satellite number one).

SedSat-1 has downlinked months worth of telemetry data on the performance of its electrical power system parameters. The Nickel Metal Hydride batteries on the spacecraft were experimental and experienced some abuse due to a power negative situation. This information has provided NASA with useful information. With the exception of the imaging system and the use of the transponders, SedSat-1 has been judged a success.

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.