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AMSAT News Service previously reported that the Phase 3D satellite launch window will open very soon, with the anticipated date and time of launch for Arianespace Flight 135, on which P3D will fly, confirmed for 01:07 UTC, Wednesday, November 15, 2000. The revised launch date was changed from the October 31st initial launch window.
Phase 3D was recently mounted atop the Ariane 5 launcher, along with the much smaller STRV-1C and 1D satellites. As this edition of ANS is transmitted, the large PAS-1R communications satellite is being placed aboard the launcher.
A view of the entire payload can be found at http://www.arianespace.com/news_missionupdate.html
The Radio Club of Kourou's FY5KE has announced plans to broadcast the Phase 3D launch on 14.315 MHz in French ''and probably in English.'' The FY5KE transmission will start at approximately 15 minutes prior to launch and will end about 45 minutes later when the satellite reaches orbit.
Closer to home, AMSAT-NA Vice President of Operations Keith Pugh, W5IU, reports that details are being worked out for an AMSAT-NA P3D Launch Information Net to run "live" during the launch. Keith told ANS that "at a minimum, the net will include several HF stations and bands." The current plan is to start about 15 minutes before launch and carry through separation of P3D. The U.S. net will be based on the live Arianespace satellite feed from the launch site and will also contain commentary by key AMSAT officials associated with the launch. According to W5IU, "dissemination of the launch information will be by the Houston AMSAT Net connection and by key HF stations, led by WA3NAN on their Shuttle re-transmission frequencies. Additional HF stations and frequencies will be added to fill in North American coverage."
The Houston AMSAT Net connection will also be available via the Internet using the Real Audio format.
The AMSAT launch team Internet web site has been popular with satellite operators around the world. The site now features several new photographs showing Phase 3D being placed aboard the Ariane 5 launch vehicle. See http://www.amsat-dl.org/launch/
Stay tuned to ANS for additional bulletins from AMSAT, the official source for information on the Phase 3D launch.
[ANS thanks the ARRL, AMSAT-DL and AMSAT-NA for this information and congratulates the AMSAT launch team on their outstanding work]
Amateur radio satellite operators worldwide followed the recent launch of the 120-foot white, orange and gray Soyuz TM-31 rocket as it roared into the autumn sky. The launch took place right on time from the same site from which Yuri Gagarin blasted off to become the first human in space some 39 years ago.
Satellite operators were especially excited about this flight as aboard the Soyuz rocket was the Expedition-1 crew headed for the International Space Station. The crew includes expedition commander/U.S. astronaut Bill Shepherd, KD5GSL, Soyuz vehicle commander/Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gidzenko, and flight engineer/cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, U5MIR.
The crew successfully docked with the International Space Station's Zvezda module as the spacecraft flew high above southeastern Russia, near the border with Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China.
Shepherd, Gidzenko and Krikalev begin what many people hope will be a permanent human presence in space. Shepherd, the first commander aboard ISS, became only the second American to be launched aboard a Russian rocket.
The Station at long last has a real name -- or at least a radio call sign. In a gutsy bid to get bureaucrats to deal with a political hot potato, U.S. astronaut Shepherd boldly asked for a go-ahead to christen the outpost 'Alpha' just hours after arriving at the complex last Thursday.
Amateur radio activity has not started as of this bulletin, with best estimates pointing to a mid-November start.
The Expedition-1 crew's activities are being scheduled around a UTC timeframe. It's expected that their working day will start around 08:00 UTC and end somewhere near 19:00 hours with a lunch break near 12:00 UTC.
Passes near the beginning, lunchtime, and end of the crew day might be good times to find a crewmember relaxing with ham activities, once amateur radio operation begins.
The crew will also have most weekends off -- from about mid-Saturday until the end of the day on Sunday.
It is not known at this time if the power budget on Alpha will allow for leaving the packet rig powered during times when the crew cannot perform voice contacts. The ARISS working group has requested that the packet rig be left on as much as possible. The crew has been trained in the use of the beaconing capabilities of the TNC.
The Expedition-1 portion of the ARISS web page has been updated. See http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov/ExpeditionOne/
[ANS thanks NASA, ARISS and the ARRL for this information]
The 18th Space Symposium and AMSAT-NA Annual Meeting in Portland, Maine has been judged an unqualified success. "Thanks to all those folks who worked to make the Maine experience a good one," said Richard, G3RWL. "The locals in Portland were surely entertained with the sight of a dozen antenna waving satellite operators in the parking lot at all hours of the day and night," reported Bob, WB4APR. "Thanks to Caroline and George Caswell (W1ME) and crew for their flawless arrangements. For us it was a tremendous 8-day vacation," said Dave, WB6LLO. Cliff, K7RR, added, "many thanks to all that worked so hard in Portland."
Over 170 AMSAT members attended the event with some 20 satellite related presentations given during the Friday and Saturday sessions. Great interest was shown in the two sessions dealing with Phase 3D. Part of the P3D launch team (who had recently returned from Kourou) showed photographs and explained the operations which had taken place during the P3D pre-launch campaign.
Many excellent papers were also presented with a continuing theme of AMSAT participation in education at all academic levels from beginning through very advanced levels.
A very important part of the Symposium is the AMSAT-NA Board of Directors meeting. As reported by ANS, Keith Baker, KB1SF, had previously indicated he was stepping down as AMSAT-NA President. The BOD commended KB1SF for his outstanding accomplishments and past several years as President. KB1SF will remain a member of the AMSAT-NA Board of Directors.
An election was then held which included the following results:
Robin Haighton, VE3FRH, is well known in AMSAT circles. A Canadian Advanced class amateur radio operator, Robin also holds the callsign GD4INU. A professional electrical engineer, he was first licensed in 1977 and has been an AMSAT member since 1991. Robin also organized the 1997 AMSAT-NA Symposium and Annual Meeting.
Robin is a past president of the Burlington Amateur Radio Club and is a Canadian ARISS team member as well as a life member of the Canadian Amateur Radio Foundation/Radio Amateurs of Canada organization.
Ray Soifer, W2RS, is also no stranger to AMSAT circles. Ray has served as Vice President-International Affairs since 1994, mainly looking after relations with the International Amateur Radio Union and other AMSAT organizations around the world. This will be the second time that Ray will serve as Executive Vice President, having been in the post from 1991 until 1994.
W2RS has been a long-time AMSAT member (since 1969) and has held various AMSAT positions including a stint as a Board of Directors member from 1972 to 1974.
Congratulations to both VE3FRH and W2RS on your new positions from AMSAT News Service!
Dave, WB6LLO, reported on the annual 'Jewelry Contest' held during the Symposium. "This year we had a total of 91 entries, the biggest response ever," reported WB6LLO. The measured frequency of the Tuney-Tuna was 145.925821 MHz. The winner of the contest was Anthony, AA2TX, with his entry of 145.925426 MHz. In second place was Bill, W3XO, followed by Harley, K6DS and Cliff, K7RR.
Congratulations Anthony, Bill, Harley and Cliff from ANS!
A Symposium special event station was active during the event using the AMSAT Club Callsign W3ZM. Both satellite and HF operation was featured.
Bruce Paige, KK5DO, told ANS that all Symposium audio files are now available on the Houston AMSAT Net web site. In addition, Bruce has also posted several photographs from the event. See http://www.amsatnet.com
[ANS congratulates Caroline Caswell and George Caswell Sr., W1ME, for the Symposium success!]
Chris Jackson, G7UPN, has informed ANS that "all commissioning duties have been completed on TiungSat-1 and the spacecraft is now open for general amateur radio use."
Chris reports that currently the downlink is "operating in a digital mode at 9600 baud, although this will be switched to 38k4 in the coming weeks." According to G7UPN, "when this is done the downlink will not be on at all times since we will operate using the high power transmitter which consumes considerably more power than the current transmitter." The same system as currently employed on UO-36 will be used to allow satellite operators to switch on the downlink from their ground stations.
The imaging systems aboard the satellite are still being calibrated and not all images will be available for download. Chris notes that since the images from TiungSat-1 should be the primary interest, uploading to the bird is restricted to command stations only.
The imaging system has a Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) of about 70 m and a wide angle camera with a GSD of approximately 1 km.
No word was received when repeater style, FM 'bent pipe' operation will be scheduled.
[ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN, for this information]
ANS news in brief this week includes the following:
ISS . 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
Worldwide packet uplink: 145.990 MHz
Region 1 voice uplink: 145.200 MHz
Region 2/3 voice uplink: 144.490 MHz
Worldwide downlink for voice and packet: 145.800 MHz
TNC callsign RZ3DZR
ARISS initial station launched September 2000 aboard shuttle Atlantis
Status: Expected operation to begin in mid-November
The ARISS initial station gear is now temporarily stowed aboard the Functional Cargo Block module of ISS. The initial station will use an existing antenna that will be adapted to support 2-meter FM voice and packet. The ARISS equipment will get a more-permanent home aboard the Service Module in 2001, along with VHF and UHF antennas. Plans call for amateur TV, both slow scan and fast scan ATV, a digipeater and relay stations.
Planning for the deployment and use of the ham system aboard ISS has been an international effort coordinated by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The effort began in 1996 with the formation of the Amateur Radio International Space Station organization. ARISS is made up of delegates from major national amateur radio organizations, including AMSAT.
Two U.S. call signs have recently been issued for amateur radio operations with ISS. The FCC granted vanity call signs NA1SS and NN1SS to the International Space Station Amateur Radio Club in mid-October. The NA1SS call sign will be used aboard ISS, and NN1SS will be used for ground-based transmissions from the Goddard Space Flight Center. As ANS has reported, Russian call sign RZ3DZR along with the German call sign DL0ISS have both previously been issued for use aboard the station. The crew may use their own call signs (KD5GSL, U5MIR) or they may use one of the ISS calls. RZ3DZR is also the callsign entered into the TNC currently onboard Alpha.
More information about the project can be found on the ARISS web site at http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov
[ANS thanks the ARISS team for this information]
Uplink 21.260 to 21.300 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 29.460 to 29.500 MHz CW/SSB
Downlink 145.860 to 145.900 MHz CW/SSB
Beacon 145.863 MHz
Launched February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian Cosmos C launcher
Operational, recently changed to mode-KT with a 2-meter and 10-meter downlink and 15-meter uplink
First noted on the AMSAT bulletin board by Randy, N7SFI, RS-13 apparently has switched to mode KT. Jerry, K5OE, confirmed the move. Jerry notes that "2-meter beacon is at 145.863 MHz, and the 2-meter downlink seems to be 145.860-145.900 MHz. K5OE reports the "2-meter downlink audio is terrific, much better than the 10-meter audio."
Kevin, AC5DK, also reported the mode change on RS-13 "and it's thrown everybody for a loop!"
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
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
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]
Uplink 145.850 MHz FM
Downlink 436.795 MHz FM
Launched September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Operational
Periodically, AO-27's analog repeater will be turned off for a few days at a time to enable ground controllers to gather Whole Orbital Data (WOD), to verify the health of the satellite.
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 an eclipse (or in the sun) and decides what subsystems to turn on or off. The current TEPR settings are:
TEPR 4: 36
TEPR 5: 72
The AO-27 pages on the AMSAT-NA web site include an explanation of TEPR AO-27 operations at http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/ao27.html
[ANS thanks AMRAD for AO-27 information]
Uplink 145.975 MHz FM
Downlink 435.070 MHz FM
Launched January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana
Operational.
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]
Uplink 436.291 MHz CW/LSB
Downlink 145.825 MHz CW/LSB
Mode J uplink 145.825 MHz FM
Mode J downlink 436.250 MHz FM
Mode B uplink 436.291 MHz FM
Mode B downlink 145.825 MHz FM
Launched February 23, 1999 by a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base
in California
Operational.
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]
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.
Several satellite operators have reported problems with FO-20's transponder. Mike, N1JEZ, told ANS that he believes the loss of signal is a combination of two factors. First, battery age and an increase in FM traffic due to operators unaware of the band plan. Mike reports he routinely hears FM signals on the transponder.
Tak, JA2PKI, reported the FO-20 control station operators now believe that the UVC (Under Voltage Controller) now is regulating the transponder. The UVC monitors battery voltage and tries to protect the batteries from over discharge. Tak notes that FO-20, launched in 1990, is now over 10 years old.
[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK for the FO-20 status reports]
The JARL FO-29 command station has announced the following operation schedule of FO-29:
| Oct 7 - Nov 5 | Digi-talker (except mode JA every Wednesday) |
The FO-29 command station further reports the mode switching Digi-talker to mode JA was unsuccessful recently and FO-29 will remain in Digi-talker mode until the next switch attempt can be made.
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]
Uplink to be released
Downlink 437.075 MHz
Launched September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Commissioning stage, initial housekeeping tasks underway
SaudiSat-1A will operate as 9600 baud digital store-and-forward systems as well analog FM repeater mode capability. One of two new ham satellites from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia built by the Space Research Institute at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.
Uplink to be released
Downlink 436.775 MHz
Launched September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Commissioning stage, initial housekeeping tasks underway
SaudiSat-1B will operate as 9600 baud digital store-and-forward systems as well analog FM repeater mode capability. One of two new ham satellites from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia built by the Space Research Institute at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.
Uplink 145.850 or 145.925 MHz 9600 baud FSK
Downlink 437.325 MHz
Broadcast callsign: MYSAT3-11
BBS: MYSAT3-12
NUP: MYSAT3-10
Launched September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Status: Operational in digital mode, currently at 9600 baud FSK
TiungSat-1 is Malaysia's first micro-satellite and in addition to commercial land and weather imaging payloads will offer FM and FSK amateur radio communication.
TiungSat-1, named after the mynah bird of Malaysia, was developed as a collaborative effort between the Malaysian government and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.
For more information on TiungSat-1, see http://www.yellowpages.com.my/tiungsat/tiung_main.htm
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.
Jim, AA7KC, reports nominal KO-25 operation, with low traffic.
[ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for KO-25 status information]
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
Jim, AA7KC, reports nominal UO-22 operation at high efficiency, with heavy traffic and major sat-gate operation.
More information on the satellite is available at http://www.sstl.co.uk
[ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO for UO-22 status information]
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 16-September to 17-October excellent signals have been received from the 145 MHz beacon. The satellite is currently experiencing very good solar conditions that should continue through the end of the year.
Ground control operations recently reset the magnetorquer counters and the spin period has now started to slowly return to a nominal value.
The battery voltage observed during daylight passes has continued to increase. The average value observed was 14.0, with a range of 13.9 to 14.1 volts. The internal temperatures have increased recently. They are now 5.8C and 4.2C for battery and telemetry electronics respectively. This rise in temperature is expected to continue as 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]
Uplink 145.840, 145.860, 145.880, 145.900 MHz 1200 bps Manchester FSK
Downlink 437.150 MHz SSB, 1200 bps RC-BPSK
CW Downlink 437.125 MHz
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.telecable.es/personales/ea1bcu
[ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.]
Uplink 145.900, 145.920, 145.940, 145.860 MHz FM, 1200 bps Manchester
FSK
Downlink 437.025 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.
General information and telemetry samples can be found at http://www.telecable.es/personales/ea1bcu
[ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.]
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.
Jim, AA7KC, reports nominal TO-31 operation, with moderate traffic and new image files available as of early November.
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]
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: Operational
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]
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]
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: Intermittent operation with the downlink transmitter operating at unpredictable intervals
Jim, AA7KC, reports that KO-23's downlink transmitter had been operational recently, but is (again) not transmitting. Duration of this status is unpredictable. Last received downlink was on October 28th.
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. HL0ENJ also reports that KO-23 is currently in a full sunlight period that should last through the end of October. The control team will attempt to operate the satellite during this period along with an attempt to control the attitude system. "We are not sure when the bird might be turned off again due to insufficient power. The capability of the onboard power system has been less and less," said Kim.
[ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, and KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ, for KO-23 status information]
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.
Downlink 435.225 MHz, HDLC telemetry
Launched July 10, 1998 by a Russian Zenit rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Semi-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 (the GO-32 beacon sends one short telemetry status transmission of 44 bytes) and, upon request, the complete telemetry buffer. The program to the access the satellite can be downloaded from the homepage.
The TechSat team has a home page about TechSat: http://www.technion.ac.il/pub/projects/techsat/asher/techsatmain.html
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]
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.
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.
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.
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.
This week's AMSAT News Service bulletins were edited by AMSAT News Service editor Dan James, NN0DJ.
