SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-293.01 WEAK SIGNAL ZRO TEST FILES HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 293.01 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 19, 1996 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-293.01 With the imminent demise of Oscar 13, the last ZRO test from AO13 has now taken place. Thanks are in order to all of those that were involved in putting on these tests, especially Andy MacAllister, WA5ZIB. When the time comes, it is hoped that it may be possible to continue similar tests from Phase 3D. There seems to be some increasing interest in raw data files to try out DSP algorithms. Since there are no more live ZRO tests from AO13, and in case anyone is interested, there is a web site with a raw data file with a recording of the two meter signal from Oscar 13 during the AMSAT ZRO tests of April 1993, transmitted by WA5ZIB. This data file includes the complete level 8, level 9 and level A transmissions, with the signal at 24, 27 and 30 dB below the satellite beacon. By ear, one can just about copy some of the characters from the level 8 signal, and just detect the presence of, but not copy, the level 9 signal. The level A signal is much harder to detect. Rather extensive software signal processing (see QEX Jan 1994 or the proceedings of the 11th AMSAT Annual Meeting in 1993) provided 100% copy on the level A signal in this file. The data file is a continuous recording 6 minutes long, with 8-bit sampling at 4 KHz. The raw data has been inlcued as the original .VOC file and has also been converted to a .WAV format, both with and without PKZIP compression. The compressed .VOC file is the most compact, at 1 Mb. The data, with a short description and links to other relevant pages, can be found at: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/demerson/zrodata.htm . [ANS thanks Darrel Emerson, AA7FV for this interesting information. He can be reached at: aa7fv@amsat.org] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-293.02 AN L BAND TEST (FOR A FEW PEOPLE AT LEAST!) HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 293.02 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 19, 1996 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-293.02 Dennis Wingo says that the SEDSAT folks have a way for people (At least in North Alabama, USA) to try out their L band equipment prior to the launch of Phase 3D. The SEDSAT 1 Store and forward system is nearly ready to go on line. This is a UoSat compatible system and can be accessed with all existing WiSp and any other satellite software. Dennis also says that they will soon be putting out an alpha version of SEDSAT graphically oriented software for access to SEDSAT and the other satellites. The uplink frequencies for SEDSAT 1 are: 1,268.2125 MHz for the Store and Forward Uplink 437.907 MHz for the Downlink It is hoped that this transponder will be on the air in the Huntsville area in the next week. [ANS thanks Dennis Wingo KD4ETA of the University of Alabama in Huntsville for this information.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-293.03 MIR/SAFEX II OPERATION HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 293.03 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 19, 1996 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-293.03 Mike, N1JEZ, reports having a good time lately operating the new MIR/SAFEX II 70 cm repeater. However he has noticed that there seems to be some confusion about its operation, hearing quite a few people trying to access, but not making it. The following are a couple of ways that Mike says help when using RR0DL successfully. The two biggest problems are CTCSS tone and doppler shift. First off, one needs to use 141.3 CTCSS tone to be able to bring up the repeater. Secondly, one needs to compensate for doppler shift on both the downlink and well as the uplink (unlike AO-27). This seems to confuse some people. The 70 cm doppler can be as much as +/- 10KHz. Standard downlink doppler for a pass starts high in frequency and ends low. On your radio, you simply tune high at the start and move down in frequency during the pass. On the uplink, MIR hears your signal the same way ( i.e. high at the start and ending low). Since you can't tell MIR to adjust its receive frequency, one must compensate by adjusting the transmit frequency. Start the pass on the low side and increase the frequency as the pass progresses. It's the opposite of the receive doppler. This is where Mike thinks people are getting confused. Here are a couple of ways he does it on his FT-736R. The first method is to program a series of memory channels. Mike programmed 9 memory channels for +/- 8KHz doppler correction. He used a sequence of standard memory channels (not Sat channels!) set up as minus offset with tone encoding. First, program the downlink frequency, then enter the offset. Make sure you are set for negative offset and tone encoding (141.3), then save to a memory channel. He set the frequencies for each channel according to this list: MIR/SAFEX 70cm Doppler Correction Dnlink Uplink Offset (MHz) (MHz) (MHz) 437.958 435.742 2.216 437.956 435.744 2.212 437.954 435.746 2.208 437.952 435.748 2.204 437.950 435.750 2.200 437.948 435.752 2.196 437.946 435.754 2.192 437.944 435.756 2.188 435.942 435.758 2.184 During a pass, Mike starts with the first channel, and tunes up channel by channel, as the pass progresses. He sets the meter to DISC/ALC and keeps the meter centered as well as possible on receive. One probably can get away with fewer channels, but if enough memories are available, one might as well use them. The second method Mike suggests is full time automatic doppler correction via CAT utilizing NOVA. He notes that he posted how to use this method to the NOVA reflector a while back. There is a problem with the way NOVA works with CTCSS while doing automatic tuning, but there is a simple "work around". He says that anyone interested can drop him a note and he'll send them a copy. Mike wishes everyone good luck on using the SAFEX repeater. [ANS thanks Mike N1JEZ for this interesting rundown.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-293.04 OSCAR-11 REPORT HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 293.04 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 19, 1996 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-293.04 During the last month (18 September to 16 October) good, steady signals have been received from OSCAR-11 on 145.826 MHz. The cure for the shut-down problem has been successful, and no shut-downs have been observed. There has been a small rise in the internal temperatures, which are now within about one degree of the maximum values recorded in January. A single set of WOD, channels 0, 10, 20, 30, solar array currents, dated 17-September, has been transmitted. Analysis of the WOD, shows that the satellite is in continuous sunlight, but there is a once per orbit dip in total current. The magnitude and duration of the dip is reduced from that seen in the previous WOD (dated 01-September). This is probably due to a reduction of the partial eclipses of the sun. [ANS thanks Richard, G3RWL, for this information.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-293.05 NEW SCIENTIFIC SATELLITE WITH VHF TRANSMITTER HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 293.05 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 19, 1996 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-293.05 NASA should be launching the HETE (High Energy Transient Experiment) on a Pegasus rocket with the SAC-B satellite. A check at the web page - http://space.mit.edu/HETE/ indicates that it's a fairly easy to receive the VHF 300 bps stream. There'slots of other info on that web page, including how to receive HETE data with your own equipment. Scientific institutions that wish to be participants in the HETE ground data network will generally want to procure a HETE SGS kit. If, however, you wish to try to receive HETE data with existing equipment, read on. HETE will transmit small quantities of urgent data on its VHF downlink frequency of 137.96 MHz. Modulation is binary CPFSK, 300 baud, with a deviation of +-150 Hz. Transmitter power output is 300 mW. Radiation is linearly polarized, although it is recommended that receiving antennas be circularly polarized to avoid large amplitude fluctuations due to Faraday rotation in the ionosphere. [ANS thanks Philip Chien, KC4YER of Earth News for this information.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-293.06 FO-29 OPERATION INFORMATION HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 293.06 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 19, 1996 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-293.06 Fuji-3(FO-29) Operation Information #31 by JARL Fuji command team. [This info is available thru recorded-tape-service] [ of JARL JAS-2 Information +81-3-3942-1000 ] Fuji-3(FO-29) will be in digital mode from Oct.15. The operation may be interrupted sometime without notices. Digitalker test will be carried out from Nov.9. [ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK for this information. He can be reached at: jj1wtk@ing.alacarte.co.jp ] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-293.07 VOXSAT INFORMATION HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 293.07 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 19, 1996 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-293.07 AMSAT LU is working on the VOXSAT (Voice Experimental in the space). They are planning to put this satellite on a Russian Vector in November. The satellite is in the final mounting. VOXSAT will be on 145.825 and will be a voice store and forward satellite for education purposes. It will be able to record voice uplinks from its controllers and transmit them on 145.825. It's riding piggyback on a Russian satellite. Jim White, WD0E, of the Microsat command team, told ANS, "I'm particularly hopeful this bird succeeds as it will assume the voice educational role DOVE was aimed at." [ANS thanks Sergio Adrian Gorgone, LW7DXF, and Jim White, WD0E for this news.] /EX] SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-293.08 KEITH PUGH RECOVERING FROM SURGERY HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 293.08 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 19, 1996 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-293.08 AMSAT-NA has learned that Keith Pugh, W5IU, AMSAT Vice President of Operations, is now recovering from a recent surgery. ANS joins all of his many friends in AMSAT in wishing Keith all the best for a speedy recovery! /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-293.09 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PT 1. HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 293.09 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 19, 1996 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-293.09 FO-29 (Fuji OSCAR 29) is reported to be in good condition. See ANS bulletin # ANS-293.06 for further information. MIR: Several reports have been coming in reporting the reception of MIR on 145.55 voice and packet. Reports show strong signals and much activity over Europe and North America. Other MIR reports indicate that the repeater on 437.950 is back up and going strong. MIR SAFEX INFORMATION: See ANS bulletin # ANS-293.03 for more information. [ANS thanks John W5HUQ for this information.] R0MIR and R0MIR-1(packet bbs) are the calls being used by MIR. Also KC5TZQ, John Blaha, is using his own call on MIR. RS-12: Operating normally. With strong downlink signals reported both on 2 and 10 meters. RS-10: Operating normally. Very busy and lots of QSO's heard over north America. RS-15 Operating normally. Down link signals are never very strong and there is much deep QSB. Some activity heard on the bird over the past week. KO-23: The decreased downlink efficiency has been the subject of discussion among users. The downlink frequency seems to be off approximately 2.5khz from normal according to user's opinions. This could be due to faulty keplerian elements causing incorrect automatic tuning or other unknown causes KO-25: Operating normally. [ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for his reports on KO-23 and 25.} AO-27: Seems to be coming on about half way through its path over North America. [ANS thanks Scott Smith, VE6ITV, for this report.] AO-10: Operating normally. There's been some confusion between signals coming from AO-10 and 13as the satellite footprints have been overlapping over the U.S. in the evenings the last couple of days. /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-293.10 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PT 2. HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 293.10 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 19, 1996 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-293.10 FO-20 FO-20 is working normally. OSCAR-11: See ANS bulletin # ANS-293.04 for details on Oscar-11. IO-26 ( ITAMSAT): As of 26th September 1996, ITAMSAT is three years old! The ITAMSAT team reports that new ROBOT code is under development. Digipeater is OFF [ANS thanks Alberto, I2KBD, ITAMSAT Mission Manager for this update.] DO-17(DOVE) N5HAD and WD0E are continuing to develop, load, and run software in DOVE to troubleshoot the apparent hardware problem. The s-band transmitter was off briefly a couple of weeks ago but is back on now. They will attempt to keep it on as much as possible as a signal source for equipment testing. The analog data being sent from DOVE right now is mostly inaccurate. In the data below the WD0E reports that the only value that may be correct is the baseplate temperature which usually runs between -5 and +5 C. The focus of the current test software is diagnosis of what appears to be a hardware problem in the satellite that prevents them from running the normal software. They continue to work on that effort. [ANS thanks Jim White, WD0E, for this information.] AO-13: James Miller G3RUH reports that the AO-13 re-entry keps file on the AMSAT ftp site has been updated. The file is: ftp://ftp.amsat.org/amsat/satinfo/ao13/decaykep.zip He says that anyone who downloaded this any time prior to this message should download the new version to replace the current copy. James expresses thanks to Hardy, DC8TS who spotted a date error, and apologizes for the mistake In addition, a number of reports have been received about the good conditions on AO-13 over the past few days. Many are taking advantage of possibly the final period of good conditions on this old friend. WO-18 (WEBERSAT-OSCAR-18): WO-18 has experienced many software crashes recently. Efforts are underway by the command team to identify the cause and make the appropriate corrections. Controllers all hope that WO-18 will be operational again very soon sending telemetry, photos, weekly whole orbit data (WOD), and light spectra of the Sun or Earth. [Please send your Satellite reports to bjarts@uslink.net or to wt0n@amsat.org] /EX