Month: June 2016

Fox-1Cliff, Fox-1D Launch Now Scheduled for Fall 2016

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AMSAT has been informed that the launch period for Fox-1Cliff and Fox-1D has been moved and is now commencing on September 1, 2016 and ending on November 30, 2016.

Fox-1Cliff and Fox-1D will be integrated onto the Spaceflight SHERPA platform for its maiden flight aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 launching into a sun-synchronous orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Fox-1Cliff and Fox-1D carry university experiments from Pennsylvania State-Erie, Vanderbilt, University of Iowa, cameras provided by Virginia Tech, as well as amateur radio voice repeaters capable of U/v or L/v operation.

Fox1-Cliff Logo Fox-1D Logo

Phase 4B Rideshare Payload Finishes Preliminary Design Review

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From Bob McGwier, N4HY:

The GEO project at Virginia Tech being done jointly with AMSAT and using RINCON Research’s AstroSDR has completed our preliminary design review (PDR). Please visit out web site at

Phase 4B Website

We are able to provide much more information to donors if you need it including a sanitized version of our PDR slides giving much greater detail on the internal to the spacecraft project. Your donations are needed to make this project fly.

The bottom line is we have a design, an air interface document, a ground terminal project plan. We have permission from the US government to put our payload on board their spacecraft. We have been told by FEMA that they will use our capability in times of Emergency if we get it into orbit. Flex Radio has agreed to design a high end ground terminal which will be capable of supporting more missions that just this one.

We need your donations! Following the giving link on the web site. This is a tax deductible donation to our Virginia Tech if you are in the United States. We are a 501c3 entity.

Cheers! (73 de N4HY)

(L-R) Sonya Rowe, KK4NLO; Jerry Buxton, N0JY; Bob McGwier, N4HY; Franklin Antonio, N6NKF; Tom Clark, K3IO; Michelle Thompson, W5NYV; and Phil Karn, KA9Q standing next to the Aquila M8 Bus flight article.
(L-R) Sonya Rowe, KK4NLO; Jerry Buxton, N0JY; Bob McGwier, N4HY; Franklin Antonio, N6NKF; Tom Clark, K3IO; Michelle Thompson, W5NYV; and Phil Karn, KA9Q standing next to the Aquila M8 Bus flight article.

K6R Expedition to Santa Rosa Island and CM93

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From Dave Swanson, KG5CCI, via the AMSAT-BB:

Satellite Friends and Colleagues,

Today we’re happy to announce the K6R Satellite Expedition to Santa Rosa
Island and CM93 is a go for September 16th-18th, 2016. We have secured
permissions and arranged to get to the island, spend 2 nights camping, and
operate on a number of Satellite passes – as well as some terrestrial and
HF too.

We’ll be posting updates on the K6R QRZ.com page at
https://www.qrz.com/lookup/K6R and over the coming months with FAQs,
pictures, and more information.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to hit us up.

73!

Wyatt, AC0RA & Dave, KG5CCI

Location of CM93
Location of CM93
Dave Swanson, KG5CCI, and Wyatt Dirks, AC0RA
Dave Swanson, KG5CCI, and Wyatt Dirks, AC0RA