SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-048.01
W0CY IS SILENT KEY

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 048.01 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD FEBRUARY 17, 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-048.01

Jim McKim, W0CY, became a Silent Key 14 February 1996.  Jim was born in 1915
and first licensed in 1933.  He had been involved in satellites since the
launch of Sputnik I in 1957.  A Life Member of AMSAT, with a Life Membership
Number of 7,  as well as a life member of ARRL and QCWA, Jim was known as
"Mr. Ham Radio" all over central Kansas.  W0CY was an ardent supporter of
AMSAT.  Among his activities for the organization was his stewardship of the
of the Mid-America Section of the 75 Meter AMSAT Net since its inception in
the 1970's.  

Jim McKim was also active in the Central States VHF Society and was an avid
VHF'er.  He was especially fond of the six meter band.  His first love was CW
and he was still able to copy it to the end.  

The heating and air conditioning business, which he headed, designed and
installed the systems in the Eisenhower Library and Museum complex in
Abilene, KS.  Jim had also been an amateur radio equipment dealer in Salina,
KS.  His satellite activities were featured in the December 1986/Jan. 1987
issue of Smithsonian Air & Space magazine in an article titled "Homebuilt
Satellites."  This article, by Nancy Shute, captures the essence of Jim's
activity on satellites and the AMSAT 75 Meter Net.  He was also featured in
an article by Jim White WD0E in the May/June 1994 issue of the AMSAT Journal. 
W0CY's booming voice will be missed by all on the 75 Meter AMSAT Net and the
bands above 50 MHz.

Services were held at the First Presbyterian Church in Salina, KS Saturday
February 17.  Keith Pugh W5IU, a long-time friend of Jim's and AMSAT VP for
Operations, attended as AMSAT's official representative.

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-048.02
STS-76 SAREX MISSION FACT SHEET AVAILABLE FORM ARRL

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 048.02 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD FEBRUARY 17, 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-048.02


A fact sheet with complete details about the SAREX aspect of Shuttle Mission
STS-76, currently scheduled for launch March 21st, is available from ARRL's
automated email server (Infoserver). Those wishing this information may send
an email message to info@arrl.org.  They are instructed to leave the subject
line blank and type "SEND STS76FCT.TXT"  On the first line of the message and
"QUIT" on the second line.  The file will be returned via E-Mail.

STS-76 is to be put into a 51.6 degree orbit for a nine day mission involving
the third Shuttle docking with MIR.

Other sources of SAREX information include, AMSAT's SAREX distribution list
(sarex@amsat.org), the GSFC ARC BBS (wa3nan@gsfc.nasa.gov and the Spacelink
BBS (spacelink@msfc.nasa.gov.  There is also an interesting Web Page
available at URL, http://www.nasa.gov/sarex_mainpage.html.  Subscriptions to
any AMSAT distribution should be addressed to listserv@amsat.org, not to the
list desired.  The same goes for unsubscribing from any AMSAT distribution.

An article on the history and future of the SAREX Program appears in the
current issue of the AMSAT Journal.  

Information regarding the ARRL fact sheet comes from Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R
Assistant to the Manager Educational Activities Department at ARRL.  Other
information for this bulletin was obtained from Frank Bauer KA3HOD, AMSAT
Vice President for Manned Space Programs.

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-048.03
OPERATIONAL STATUS OF PHASE 3D

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 048.03 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD FEBRUARY 17, 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-048.03

In answer to a number of questions regarding the time between launch and the
beginning of general operation of Phase 3D, Peter Guelzow DB2OS provides the
following:

"We expect that P3-D will be operational for general usage not later
than three (3) months after it's launch.

The *optimum* orbit will be reached about 1 year after the launch, 
but this does only effect coverage and other criteria."

ANS thanks Peter Guelzow, DB2OS of AMSAT-DL for this clarification.  Peter
can be reached via E-Mail at db2os@amsat.org, or via World Wide Web at
http://www.aball.de/~pg/

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-048.04
SATELLITE STATUS

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 048.04 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD FEBRUARY 17, 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-048.04


AO-10 RETURNS?  

KE3RA reports the on the evening of 17 Feb.96 at about 2300Z he heard his
return signal from AO-10.  He wonders if it was just wishful thinking.  ANS
solicits any other reports on AO-10.

/EX