SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-096.01 W3IWI REPORTS ON MO-30 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 096.01 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 06, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-096.01 Tom Clark, W3IWI, recently reported more details on the fate of MEXICO-OSCAR 30 (MO-30). In his update, Tom was able to confirm a number of unofficial reports that the satellite failed on orbit and has now been declared lost. The satellite, which also contained a 40 MHz meteor radar, was built at UNAM (The Autonomous University of Mexico) in Mexico City by David Liberman, XE1TU, and his students. The basic spacecraft was of the same design as the other AMSAT Microsats (including LUSAT, DOVE, WEBERSAT, ITAMSAT and EYESAT). The first UNAMSAT was destroyed (along with the Israeli Techsat) when its Russian START launch vehicle exploded shortly after the launch from Plesetsk in March of 1995. Tom reports that UNAMSAT-1's spare parts were successfully flown late last summer on a different launch vehicle, also from Plesetsk. The new satellite, which ultimately became MO-30, was successfully deposited in orbit and transmitted telemetry for about one day. Unfortunately, according to Tom, the launcher was very cold. MO-30 separated from the launcher at a temperature of about -30C because the satellite was under the launcher shroud for a couple of hours. Apparently, the crystal oscillator in the uplink receiver's 1st Local Oscillator (LO) never started oscillating, so the satellite was totally "deaf". Because there was no functioning uplink, battery charging parameters suitable for the unanticipated cold temperatures could not be loaded, and the satellite ran out of power. Later attempts to revive it were unsuccessful. Both Tom and Jim White, WD0E, briefly reported on the status of the (then ongoing) revival attempts for MO-30 at the AMSAT Symposium in Tucson last fall. However, as those valiant attempts have since proven unsuccessful, MO-30's project managers have now concluded that MO-30 has been lost, apparently for good. [ANS thanks Tom Clark, W3IWI, and David Liberman, XE1TU for the information that went into this ANS Bulletin item.] SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-096.02 FINAL CALL FOR PAPERS HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 096.02 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 06, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-096.02 This is the final call for papers to authors who wish to present papers at the `97 Space Symposium in Toronto on Oct.17-19,1997. Authors and titles are due by May 1st with abstracts due by June 1st. Final versions are due by Aug.1st. Symposium promoters have also encouraged those not able to attend to consider a paper for publication in the Proceedings of the symposium. Submissions should be made to Wayne Chandler ,ve3whc@amsat.org,or by mail to: W.H.Chandler Box 6, Carlisle,On.,L0R1H0 Ont.Canada. [ANS thanks Wayne Chandler, VE3WHC, for this information.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-096.03 GB1IMD MARCONI DAY HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 096.03 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 06, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-096.03 GB1IMD will be on air for 24 hours on Saturday April 19th. Operations begin with the first available orbit after 0000 UTC. GB1IMD will be active in voice mode on RS-10, RS-15, RS-16 (if the transponder is on) FO-20, AO-27, FO-29. In it's 10th year, this popular HF event , celebrating Marconi's achievements in radio communication, is extended to satellite by GB1IMD. Operators Robert, G8ATE, and John, G7HIA, look forward to meeting old friends and making new ones. Please give them a call. [ANS thanks John Heath, G7HIA, for this report.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-096.04 THE STATION PROGRAM INFO HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 096.04 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 06, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-096.04 A number of Station users are in the process of translating the resource files into various languages other than English. This is in an effort to create one version of the Station Program, but with the option of various local languages. Paul Willmott, VP9MU, developer of the program reports that he is short of a French language volunteer. He asks that anyone fluent in French, as well as "satellite literate" and who would also be willing to translate some short sentences and phrases from English into French, to contact him at his E-mail address listed below. Paul says he is trying to make the Station program a truly international one for the worldwide amateur satellite community. The Station Program is a complete ground-station control program, for Windows 3.1, WFW 3.11 & Windows 95. It is optimized for users of analog modes (voice & Morse etc), it is not the same as WiSP! The Station Program is currently distributed by AMSAT-UK, AMSAT-NA & AMSAT-ZL. All proceeds are donated to the AMSAT Phase-3D fund. The latest version can always be obtained from the AMSAT-BDA web site at "http://www.amsat.bm" The software supports the Kansas City Tracker, AEA ST-1, DDE Rotor, TrakBox (Rotor), Icom CI-V radios (via CT-17) & Icom IC-IV (via UX-14/CT-17) interfaces, Yaesu FT-736R, and is great for analog modes...simply turn the dial and work satellite as easily as HF. Paul also reports that support for the Kenwood TS-790 is "coming soon"! If you want to be placed on the Station mailing list, then send a SUBSCRIBE message, along with your real email address to vp9mu@amsat.org. Alias names, such as vp9mu@amsat.org, cannot be used. This list is used to notify users about the availability of upgrades. >From time to time, .zip files are attached. If your email system has trouble with attachments, then the latest version is always available on the AMSAT-BDA www site. If you want to be removed from the list, then send an UNSUBSCRIBE message to "vp9mu@amsat.org". [ANS thanks Paul Willmott, VP9MU, for this news item.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-096.05 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PT 1 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 096.05 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 06, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-096.05 MIR: (New frequencies implemented 1 January 1997: Uplink 145.2 MHz FM Downlink 145.8 MHz FM) Note, the above split is used for both packet and voice operation. SAFEX, MIR 70cm Repeater (Uplink 435.750 MHz FM, Downlink 437.950 MHz FM, Subaudible tone 141.3 Hz) The repeaterhas been operational and active. RS-10: (Uplink 145.865-145.905 MHz CW/SSB, Downlink 29.36-29.4 MHz CW/SSB) Operating normally. RS-12: (Uplink 21.21-21.25 MHz CW/SSB, Downlink 29.41-29.45 MHz or 145.91-145.95 Mhz CW/SSB) The sat continues to provide excellent downlink signals in both T- and K-mode. [ANS thanks Dick Montgomery, N3DV, for this update.] RS-15 (Uplink 145.858-145.898 MHz CW/SSB, Downlink 29.354-29.394 MHz CW/SSB) Fred Andreas, ZR5FA, has been following RS-15 "night" passes closely from ZS-Land the past week and noticed the downlink signal on voice to be extremely strong lately (on par with RS-10) ,despite the apparent charging problem. There has been no noted activity on RS-15 from the African continent of late . [ANS thanks Fred Andreas, ZR5FA, for this report.] Be aware that RS-15 has battery charging problems. When the satellite is in the dark it has low output power.. [ANS thanks Geoff Perry for this report.] (Hint: If SSB doesn't work for you, try CW. CW is very easy to hear on the downlink!) RS-16 RS-16's 70 cm, 435.504 Mhz beacon on RS-16 operational. The 10 meter beacon is not active at this time. Transponder is not yet operational. FO-20 (Uplink 145.9-146.0 MHz CW/LSB, Downlink 435.8-435.9 MHz CW/USB) Operating normally. Strong downlink signals. KO-23 (Uplink 145.85, 145.9 MHz FM, Downlink 435.175 MHz FM, 9600 Baud FSK.) KO-23 is operating normally. KO-25: (Uplink 145.980 MHz FM, Downlink 436.5 MHz FM, 9600 Baud FSK.) KO-25 is operating normally. [ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for his reports on KO-25 and KO-23.] AO-27: (Uplink 145.85 MHz FM, Downlink 436.8 MHz FM) Operating normally and lots of activity heard over North America and Europe. As of NOV 2, the AO-27 schedule is as follows: TEPR 4 = 16 = 8 Minutes in Length TEPR 5 = 52 = 18 Minutes in Length TX-3 is on Mid Power during TEPR 5. This setting will have the TX turn on 8 Minutes after the satellite enters the sun for a duration of 18 Minutes. This is a "back to US Latitudes"operation. N4USI, AO-27's current Command Station sends his thanks all for their messages about the satellite turning on later than expected. He reports he's deliberately letting the "turn on" time drift later (for about 4-5 Minutes) so stations in the southern latitudes can also have a chance to work AO-27. Every few months he will be letting the turn on time drift like this to give more stations a chance to make contacts thru the satellite. [ANS thanks Michael Wyrick, N4USI, AO-27 Control-op, and Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this update.] FO-29 Voice/CW (Uplink 145.9-146.0 MHz CW/LSB, Downlink 435.8-435.9 MHz CW/USB) Digital (Uplink 145.85, 145.87, 145.910 MHz FM, Downlink 435.910 MHz FM 9600 baud BPSK) The latest FO-29 Schedule can be found at. http://www.kt.rim.or.jp/~jr1nvu/eindex.html The JARL FO-29 command station announced that FO-29 will be again put in digi-talker mode on 4th to 7th April, with thanks to well received digi-talker to satellite beginners. FO-20(Fuji-2) Operation mode schedule Apr. 11(Fri) 10:16z(19:16) JD 1200bps 18(Fri) 00:46z(09:46) JD 9600bps 25(Fri) 01:24z(10:24) JA May 2(Fri) 10:26z(19:26) JD 1200bps 9(Fri) 00:57z(09:57) JD 9600bps 16(Fri) 01:35z(10:35) JA 23(Fri) 00:29z(09:29) JD 1200bps 30(Fri) 01:07z(10:07) JD 9600bps [ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for this report.] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-096.06 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PT 2 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 096.06 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 06, 1997 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-096.06 AO-10: (Uplink 435.030-435.18 MHz CW/LSB, Downlink 145.975-145.825 MHz CW/USB) Participants in the Amsat-UK, Central England VHF Net reported good results on AO-10. Malcom, G7NFO had worked some interesting "DX" including TR8CA, PP8KWA,ZS2BWB and PY0FF. [ANS thanks John Heath, G7HIA, Net Controller, for this report.] OSCAR-11 (Downlink 145.825 MHz. FM, 1200 Baud PSK. Beacon 2401.500 MHz..) During the period 19-February to 18 March, good, steady signals have been received from the 145.826 MHz. beacon. Good signals have also been received on 435 MHz., Saturday 15 March, 14:00 pass, when the satellite was being commanded by ground control. [ANS thanks Clive Wallis, G3CWV, for this information.] AMSAT-OSCAR-16 (PACSAT) (Uplink 145.9, 145.92, 145.94, 145.86 MHz FM, Downlink 437.0513 MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK. Beacon 2401.1428 Mhz.) Russ Platt WJ9F, AO-16 Command Team , reports the digipeater on AO-16 has been on for the last couple of months. In regards to the 2.4 GHz transmitter, it does continue to work, although WJ9F has not been leaving it on for an entire orbit due to its high current load on the 10 v bus. The battery charging scheme on the micros is managed during sunlight by adjusting the RCPSK transmitter power up or down to charge and not overcharge the batteries since there is no way to turn the solar cells off. The S-band transmitter does not have the ability to vary its output so it is a high current draw throughout the orbit. In the past during Experimenters Days when the S-Band transmitter is turned on WJ9F had to scale back the output of the RCPSK transmitter to levels that were difficult to receive and even with these low levels the onboard software will still turn off the S-band TX if the Battery voltage drops too low, which it did. In the future, WJ9F plans to continue to turn on the S-band TX as power allows. [ANS thanks Russ Platt WJ9F, AO-16 Command Team for this report.] AO-16 Data/Telemetry ON-LINE uptime is 917/06:33:41. Time is Sun Mar 23 11:57:01 1997 Total Array C= 0.317 Bat Ch Cur=-0.070 Ifb= 0.079 I+10V= 0.319 TX:010C BCR:80 PWRC:5AE BT:3C WC:25 EDAC:EC WOD Dump of Bus/Power Channels 10,13,1E,22,2D,33 Will dump for 24 hours / AO-16 Command Team Graphic information about WOD/Telemetry values can find it in: http://www.arrakis.es/~ea1bcu/ao16.htm [ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.] DO-17(DOVE) ( Downlink 145.825 MHz FM, 1200 Baud AFSK. Beacon 2401.220 MHz.) DOVE is transmitting on 2M and on S-band 2401.220 MHz. The command team is keeping the S-band transmitter on as a test signal for those working on getting S receive equipment going. The S transmitter is running about .8W to a whip that sticks out the top of the satellite near one edge. In the northern hemisphere the whip is pointed away from the earth, it's toward the earth in the southern hemisphere. It is quite loud with a typical satellite S-band receive setup, but in the northern hemisphere it will fade as much as 20 dB with rotation of the satellite. Doppler of course is large, approximately 100 KHz during a pass. [ANS thanks Jim white, WD0E, DO-17 Command Team, for this news.] WEBERSAT (WO-18) (Downlink 437.104 MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK AX.25.) Webersat (WO-18) is currently in MBL mode after last weeks system crash. The satellite appears to be in good condition broadcasting MBL telemetry. BCRi316.43mA bplt 1.340C TxPw 0.231W 5 V 5.742V 8.5V10.008V 10V 14.036V [ANS thanks Tommy Davis, IK3WVJ, for this report.] LUSAT-OSCAR-19 (Uplink 145.84, 145.86, 145.88, 145.9 MHz FM, Downlink 437.1528 MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK AX.25.) (LUSAT-LO-19) uptime is 641/22:29:45. Time is Sun Mar 23 12:34:55 1997 Total Array C= 0.333 Bat Ch Cur= 0.030 Ifb= 0.020 I+10V= 0.201 TX:110 BCR:34 PWRC:133AA BT:55 WC: 0 22 de Enero de 1997. 7 years ! Gracias a todos los amigos que lo hicieron posible. Amsat -LU...LU8DYF. Graphic information about Telemetry values can be found at: http://www.arrakis.es/~ea1bcu/lo19.htm [ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report.] IO-26 ( ITAMSAT): (Uplink 145.875, 145.9, 145.925, 145.95MHz FM, Downlink 435.822 MHz SSB, 1200 Baud PSK.) IO-26 controllers report that the spacecraft is now in IHT mode. The new ROBOT software is currently undergoing tests. The beacon reports that the digipeater is OFF and that the ROBOT is also undergoing tests. Controllers ask that groundstations please not transmit on any of the satellite's uplink frequencies for the time being. [ANS thanks Daniele Piercarlo, IK2XRO, ITMSAT Command Station for this report.] [Please send your Satellite or News reports to ANS Editor B.J. Arts, WT0N, via e-mail, at bjarts@the-bridge.net or to wt0n@amsat.org] /EX