SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0226 * SpaceNews 26-Feb-96 * BID: $SPC0226 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY FEBRUARY 26, 1996 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for unlimited free distribution. * MIR NEWS * ============ The following is a message from crews 20 and 21 aboard the Russian spacestation Mir, dated 23-Feb-96: Hello Folks! Today, at 1720 Moscow time, our follow-up crew docked to the Mir-station. We are now 5 onboard: 3 Juris, 1 Sergei and 1 Thomas. After finishing the initial checks and procedures, we already have had some time to celebrate their docking and, of course, to celebrate the imminent weekend. Well, as we have mentioned before, this will be our (i.e. Juri's, Sergei's and Thomas') last TGIF-message. But we certainly will introduce this habit to the new crew. We are looking forward to the next Friday, not only because we will be together with our wifes, children and friends again, but also because we will be able to take our famous TGIF-drinks in the old fashioned way in gravity! However, for today we still would like to ask you to have a few drinks for the five of us too (it might be a tough night ahead...). Thanks a lot for all the TGIF drinks you took extra for Juri, Sergei and myself during the last half year. We hope, no one of you became addicted. Many greetings, 73's Juri, Juri, Juri, Sergei and Thomas. [Info via Jan, ZS6BMN] * STS-75 NEWS * =============== Two Italian astronauts are currently onboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in mission STS-75. They are Umberto Guidoni, 40 years of age from A.S.I., and Maurizio Cheli, 36 years of age from E.S.A. Both are involved in an Italian experiment that deploys a satellite from the Space Shuttle from a 20 km tether. The tether produces electrical energy as it sweep through the earth's magnetic flux lines while in orbit. The tethered satellite is a product of Alenia Space in Italy. [Info via IW2BSF] * WEBERSAT NEWS * ================= WEBERSAT (WO-18) is currently sending telemetry, photos, weekly whole orbit data (WOD), and light spectra of the Sun or Earth, on Mondays. The satellite's digipeater continues in operation using an uplink on 145.900 MHz. Using a terminal program connected to your TNC/PSK modem, try connecting to yourself using the following TNC command: cmd: c yourcall via weber-1 If you're successful, try a few CQs and see who is listening...Enjoy! Photo 10/14 of Southern Chad is the current image. It has very good contrast with very few clouds and land features clearly visible. Use WW1.3 to convert the photo to a GIF image, then use your favorite graphics program to size it, and adjust the contrast and brightness slightly. The satellite continues to have 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. Night reception seems to be better than in the daytime. WOD collection and broadcast will adhere to the following schedule: 17 February/Week1: Array currents, Ch# 26 27 28 29 2A 2B 24 February/Week2: User requested channels, Ch# ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? 3 March/Week3: BCR, 21 22 29 2F 33 36 10 March/Week4: Temperatures and impact detector, Ch# 14 2F 30 35 3B 40 17 March/Week1: Array currents, Ch# 26 27 28 29 2A 2B Check your local BBS, an issue of SpaceNews, or AMSAT bulletin for the current status of your favorite satellite. [Info via Tom Davis, IK3WVJ] * DARC FUNDS PHASE IIID * ========================= In 1991, the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC) signed an agreement with AMSAT-DL in order to support the project Phase-3D with 150,000 DM per year over a period of six years to a total sum of 900,000 DM. The DARC is the national German amateur radio organization within the IARU and represents nearly 60,000 German HAMs. In the same year, the DARC General Assembly agreed to provide a major support to Phase-3D, which is beeing considered to be an important project for the entire Amateur Radio Service. This project demonstrates the state of the art of Amateur Radio as a means for technical development and self education. Additonally, Phase-3D will enforce the usage of the ham radio microwave bands, which are under high pressure from other services. These are the main reasons why the DARC General Assembly decided to support the Phase-3D Project with about $ 10 per member. In recent years, it turned out that the decision to support Phase-3D was very wise because there are many threats against the Amateur Radio Service, and those threats extend beyond Europe. DARC welcomes other national IARU member societies to support AMSAT groups with donations for Phase-3D. DARC's first payment was completed for the year 1990, and the last (sixth) for 1995 completed the total sum to 900,000 DM, which is approximately $600,000 US. DARC is proud that it could help to realize Phase-3D with this substantial contribution. [Info via Norbert Notthoff, DF5DP (DARC Staff Satellites And Space Projects)] * LUSAT GLITCH * ================ Chuck, W9ODI reports that there is a corrupt directory header on the LUSAT OSCAR-19 satellite. The header belongs to file 48CD, dated 24-Dec-95. Corrupt directory headers cause confusion to groundstation software, such as PB, WiSP, and SatLink. A solution to the problem is to delete the PFHDIR.HOL file and request a new LUSAT directory when accessing the satellite. Just remember not to request a directory that goes back to 1995, or you may pick up the bad header again. [Info via W9ODI] * OSCAR-13 NEWS * ================= N QST *** AO-13 TRANSPONDER SCHEDULE *** 1996 Jan 01 - Apr 01 Mode-B : MA 0 to MA 140 | *** P R O V I S I O N A L Mode-BS : MA 140 to MA 240 | Mode-B : MA 240 to MA 256 | Alon/Alat 220/0 Omnis : MA 250 to MA 140 | Move to attitude 180/0, Apr 01 Continuous up-to-date information about AO-13 operations is always available on the beacons, 145.812 MHz or 2400.664 MHz, in CW at 0 & 30 minutes past the hour, RTTY at 15 & 45 minutes past the hour and 400 bps PSK otherwise. These bulletins are also posted to Internet, ANS, Packet, PacSats etc, and many international newsletters. Internet users wanting the latest AO-13 information should always check: ftp://ftp.amsat.org/amsat/satinfo/ao13/ http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ Telemetry is archived at: ftp://ftp.amsat.org/amsat/satinfo/ao13/telemetry/ The active command stations are listed below, and constructive feedback about operations is always welcome. Peter DB2OS @ DB0FC.#NDS.DEU.EU James G3RUH @ GB7DDX.#22.GBR.EU Graham VK5AGR They may also be reached via Internet (callsign@amsat.org) and KO-23. Please remember to state clearly a return address. [Info via James Miller, G3RUH] * THANKS! * =========== Thanks to all who sent messages of appreciation to SpaceNews, especially: GJ3YLI G4CMT I4WRM KC5NVK F6HCC * FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED * =========================== Comments and input for SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the paths listed below: FAX : 1-908-747-7107 FTP : pilot.njin.net cd to /pub/SpaceNews WWW : http://www.njin.net/~magliaco/ PACKET : KD2BD @ KS4HR.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org, 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