SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0424 * SpaceNews 24-Apr-95 * BID: $SPC0424 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY APRIL 24, 1995 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for unlimited free distribution. * OZ7SAT NEWS * =============== OZ7SAT is the joint effort of a group of Danish hams: OZ1DTI, OZ1LBM, OZ2ABA, OZ2BOA, OZ6BL, OZ9ADL, and OZ9VQ. OZ7SAT is an automated groundstation and the eventual plan is to become part of the world wide Satellite Gateway (SatGate) project, most likely using LO-19 as the assigned satellite. The present configuration of OZ7SAT is up- and downlink capability for the 1200 baud birds using a FT-790 on 70 cm and a converted Scanti radiotelephone on 2m. The 70 cm antenna is a 6 element yagi elevated about 30 degrees and the 2m antenna is a 4 element yagi mounted horizontally. The TNC is presently a loaned DSP-12, but the group has purchased and built a DSP-93 which will be commissioned when the switch to LINUX is made. The controlling software (PB/PG, WNOS and a lot of batch programs) is presently running under DOS on a 386 PC, but as DOS is a single thredded operating system, the software structure is very complicated and it has been decided to move to a LINUX platform this spring. OZ7SAT is connected to the Danish terrestrial packet network via OZ2BOA, to which a separate link is established on 70 cm. More information is available from Bent, OZ6BL. [Info via OZ7SAT] * WEBERSAT NEWS * ================= WEBERSAT (WO-18) is broadcasting new images and light spectrometer data weekly. Software for the extraction, decoding, and display of spectrometer data, written by Bob (KB7KCL), is available by request on AO-16/KO-23, or directly from Weber State University. Monday UTC, continues to be the day for the broadcast of the most recent spectrum, along with the week's WOD. WeberWare 1.0, 1.2, 1.3, or a similar program is required for picture extraction, decoding, and display. WeberWare 1.3 is the current software version, and is available from Weber State University, AMSAT-NA, or AMSAT-UK. Photo 8/12 was taken over N. Ethiopia, and Photo 9/13 was taken over N. Chile near the coast. Henry, ZL1AAN has been uploading JPEG compressed WeberSat images to AO-16 along with some helpful hints on contrast and colorization adjustment. Thanks, Henry! The satellite now has a weak and relatively steady tone of about 1200 Hz in the downlink signal, which can cause reception problems with some modems. If this problem occurs, a ground-based solution is to adjust the IF-shift of the receiver to suppress the carrier into the skirts of the IF filter. WO-18 is currently sending BCR +10 volt bus 0x21, BCR set point 0x22, +Y array current 0x29, battery 1 temperature 0x2F, RC transmitter output power 0x33, and +Y array temperature 0x36 whole orbit data (WOD). This is an excellent opportunity for a student, group, or class to use this data in trying to better understand WeberSat's power management system. WOD collection and broadcast will adhere to the following schedule: 17 April/Week3: BCR, 21 22 29 2F 33 36 24 April/Week4: Temperatures and impact detector, Ch# 14 2F 30 35 3B 40 1 May/Week1: Array currents, Ch# 26 27 28 29 2A 2B 8 May/Week2: User requested channels, Ch# ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? 15 May/Week3: BCR, 21 22 29 2F 33 36 [Info via IK3WVJ] * THANKS! * =========== Thanks to all those who sent messages of appreciation to SpaceNews, especially: N2LXM G4LPZ F5DGQ KL7QR K8BZ DJ9MJ KB9IQL * FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED * =========================== Mail to SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the following paths: FAX : 1-908-747-7107 PACKET : KD2BD @ KS4HR.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org -or- magliaco@pilot.njin.net SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, LUSAT-OSCAR-19 MAIL : John A. Magliacane, KD2BD Department of Engineering and Technology Advanced Technology Center Brookdale Community College Lincroft, New Jersey 07738 U.S.A. <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>> /EX