SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-010.01 AMSAT-UK COLLOQUIUM HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 010.01 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, JANUARY 10, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-010.01 The 14th annual AMSAT-UK Colloquium, also known as SpaceComm '99, will be held at the University of Surrey in Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom, starting Friday, July 23rd and ending Sunday, July 25, 1999. AMSAT-UK invites authors to submit papers about amateur radio space (and associated) activities, not only for the Colloquium, but also for the Proceedings document published following the event. Colloquium organizers normally prefer authors to present papers in-person, but non-represented papers will also be welcomed. AMSAT-UK committee members are also considering adding a Colloquium session specifically for newcomers to amateur satellite operating. Stay tuned to ANS for further information on this session as it becomes available. Offers of Papers should be submitted as soon as possible. The final date for full documents is mid-June, with a second and final call for papers to be issued in March, about the same time as Colloquium booking information becomes available from AMSAT-UK. Colloquium/SpaceComm 99 submissions should be sent to Richard Limebear, G3RWL, via any of the following routes: Internet e-mail: g3rwl@amsat.org Packet radio: G3RWL @ GB7HSN.#32.GBR.EU Digital satellite: AO-16/UO-22/KO-25 Terrestrial mail: RW Limebear, G3RWL 60 Willow Road Enfield EN1 3NQ United Kingdom [ANS thanks Richard Limebear, G3RWL, Colloquium Program organizer, and SpaceNews for this information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-010.02 ISS HAM GEAR INCHES CLOSER TO SPACE HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 010.02 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, JANUARY 10, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-010.02 The ARRL is reporting the first set of Amateur Radio gear to be used on the International Space Station has moved a bit closer to its rocket ride into space. The Phase-1 ham gear is on a tight proveout and delivery schedule and is due at Kennedy Space Center in Florida by January 20th. US astronaut William Shepherd will command the first ISS crew. Shepherd is now studying for his ham ticket. Accompanying him will be Russian cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev, U5MIR. All three have previous space flight experience. The crew has been training for their launch on a Soyuz vehicle and a planned five-month mission on ISS. The interim ISS ham gear package will consist of Ericsson 2-meter and 70-cm hand-held transceivers set up for FM voice and packet operation, plus power supplies, cables, and accessories. Ericsson donated the commercial transceivers for the project, while the Italian ARISS team is providing the external antennas. At this point, the equipment and accessories have been checked out in an end-to-end integration. Additionally, the transceivers have undergone EMI testing to ensure that they will not cause problems for other ISS onboard equipment. The radios will now be programmed and labeled in accordance with NASA procedures and protocols for space flight. AMSAT members who work for NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center have been doing the EMI testing. Preparing to carry Amateur Radio gear for use aboard the ISS involves careful attention to detail all along the way. Crew safety is the primary consideration. "Because of the high cost of space travel, it's critical that hardware be thoroughly tested and documented," said AMSAT's Will Marchant, KC6ROL. "Flight crews frustrated by hardware are also less likely to want to participate in Amateur Radio operations." Getting Amateur Radio a permanent berth in space aboard ISS has involved efforts in several countries. The primary players include the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan. "The ARISS team is truly an international, democratic, organization and is cooperating to provide human spaceflight Amateur Radio operations to the entire ham community well into the next decade," said Marchant. Amateur Radio has been manifested aboard the ISS as necessary crew equipment. The cost of providing just the interim Phase-1 amateur station for use aboard ISS is expected to exceed $60,000 US. The total cost of putting Amateur Radio aboard the ISS is expected to approach $700,000 US, with funds coming from AMSAT, the ARRL and NASA. Still unclear at this point are the actual frequencies and the call signs the crew will use aboard the ISS. The ultimate ISS ham radio complement -Phase-3-- will include equipment to operate from HF through the microwave bands, with SSB, CW, FM, packet, ATV, compressed ATV, and SSTV capabilities. The German ARISS team will supplement that station with a digitalker and full duplex repeater. Once aboard the ISS, Amateur Radio will serve as an educational tool through worldwide school contacts and as an outreach to the general public. [ANS thanks the ARRL and AMSAT's Will Marchant, KC6ROL, for this information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-010.03 SUNSAT LAUNCH IMMINENT HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 010.03 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, JANUARY 10, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-010.03 South Africa will launch its first satellite, SunSat, January 14th from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The satellite will carry an Amateur Radio package in addition to a high-resolution imager, a precision attitude control system, and several school experiments in addition to other payloads. SunSat was built by students at the University of Stellenbosch, and its name is an acronym for Stellenbosch UNniversity Satellite. Professor Garth Milne, ZR1AFH, heads the SunSat team, which has been in the United States for several weeks preparing the satellite for launch aboard a Delta II rocket. SunSat will piggyback on the Advanced Research and Global Observation Satellite (ARGOS) built by Boeing. ARGOS carries nine high-tech experiments that Boeing says "will demonstrate next-generation satellite technology." SunSat will have digital store-and-forward capability on VHF and UHF. Telemetry beacons will be on 436.250 and 436.300 MHz. SunSat also will feature voice store-and-forward capability (a parrot repeater) that will be used mainly for school demonstrations. The satellite will carry two VHF and two UHF transmit and receive systems to maximize flexibility. The basic amateur radio payload will be centered around a 2-meter parrot repeater operating 145.825 MHz using NBFM voice with 3 Hz peak deviation. Also, 1200 baud AFSK and 9600 baud AFSK store-and-forward transponders will allow digital capacity. The launch will be carried live on several shortwave stations. The shortwave broadcasts will air January 14th from 10:00 to 11:30 UTC. Scheduled frequencies include: 9.525 MHz, 17.870 MHz and 21.530 MHz. The transmissions will carry background interviews and live coverage from the launch site. Shortwave reception reports of the broadcast are welcome. QSL to: SARL P.O. Box 1942 Hillcrest 3650 South Africa For more information on SunSat, visit the following URL: http://sunsat.ee.sun.ac.za [ANS thanks the ARRL and Eric Rosenberg, ZS6SRL, for this information and passes on wishes of success from all AMSAT members to the SunSat team] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-010.04 ANS IN BRIEF HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 010.04 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, JANUARY 10, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-010.04 ANS news in brief this week includes the following: ** Ken, N1WED, tells ANS that if the Goddard Space Flight Center forecast is correct, RS-18/Sputnik 41 should have re-entered and burned up in the atmosphere on January 7, 1999. ** The Associated Press and CNN have both reported that Russia will use private funding to keep the Mir space station going for three more years -- instead of just until mid-1999. Yuri Semionov, head of Energia Aeronautics, which operates Mir, said investors were now ready to put up money to prolong the life of the aging outpost. Semyonov did not identify the investors or say how much funding they would provide. Details are available at the following URL: http://www.cnn.com/TECH/space/9812/23/mir.rescue/ --AMSAT-BB ** Bob, W7LRD, tells ANS that with recent interest in mode A operation he has received several inquires regarding a simple 10-meter antenna he described in the May/June 1997 AMSAT Journal. The antenna, a one wavelength loop hanging from a single support, uses 1/2 inch PVC pipe as a main component. Bob reports the loop is always as good as and usually better than a turnstile, needs one support, and might cost $10 to build less coax. More information is available at w7lrd@juno.com. --Bob, W7LRD ** Solar observers report a marked increase in sunspots during the past few weeks. Sky and Telescope reports that this is the most sun spot activity seen recently. --S and T ** The VHF/UHF Spring Sprints --traditionally held during April and May-- have been dropped from the ARRL contest schedule. ARRL Contest Branch Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, cites a lack of participation for the change. "Participation in the VHF/UHF Spring Sprints has never reached the level of a healthy national event," he said. "In 1998 only 200 individuals submitted logs spread across the seven frequency bands covered by the Sprints." Henderson said budgetary constraints were another factor. --ARRL Letter ** Japan's first Mars-bound spacecraft, Nozomi (meaning 'hope') was hurled spaceward last July and has made a awing around the Moon and Earth to pick up the needed speed to reach Mars in October of this year. Once in Mars orbit Nozomi will study the Martian atmosphere and take images of the moons Phobos and Deimos. --Sky and Telescope ** The European Space Agency reports this year will see ESA support of the International Space Station, numerous launches by Ariane-4 and Ariane-5 launch vehicles and the completion of several spacecraft to be launched in 2000 and beyond. --ESA ** The Mars Polar Lander --due to become the first spacecraft to set down near the edge of Mars' southern polar cap-- was successfully launched recently from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 17B. The spacecraft is equipped with a robotic arm to dig beneath the layered terrain of the Martian polar region. --NASA, AMSAT-BB ** ANS FYI: The satellite tracking screen shown on NASA Select TV is called DEMOS, 'Distributed Earth Model and Orbiter System'. It runs on a Sun workstation and is driven by real time telemetry data. --Dan, N8FGV ** The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft was commanded to fire its main engine recently to prepare it for another try at a close up study of an asteroid 14 months from now. NEAR fell silent soon after its rocket was to fire last December 20th -- the engine failed to slow down NEAR's approach speed and the spacecraft coasted past its main objective, asteroid 433 Eros. /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-010.05 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PT 1 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 010.05 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, JANUARY 10, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-010.05 MIR/SAFEX SAFEX II 70 cm Repeater Uplink 435.750 MHz FM w/subaudible tone 141.3 Hz Downlink 437.950 MHz FM Semi-operational. SAFEX II 70 cm QSO Mode Uplink 435.725 MHz FM w/subaudible tone 151.4 Hz Downlink 437.925 MHz FM Semi-operational. PMS Uplink/Downlink 145.985 MHz FM 1200 Baud AFSK Semi-operational due to SSTV transmissions. The PBBS is running a Kantronics KPC-9612 + V.8.1 TNC. The commands are similar to most PBBS and BBS systems. MIREX has announced an on-going APRS School Days Test. MIREX is allowing schools to use APRS for position and status reports via R0MIR. Non-school stations are asked to refrain from using APRS type transmissions or beacons via R0MIR. Scott, WA6LIE, has a set of instructions on how to work the Mir space station. Copies of the instructions are available from Scott by e-mail at wa6lie@juno.com, or by packet at wa6lie@wa6lie.#wcca.ca.usa.noam. [ANS thanks Scott Avery, WA6LIE, and the MIREX team for Mir status information] Radio Sport RS-12 Uplink 145.910 to 145.950 MHz CW/SSB Uplink 21.210 to 21.250 MHz CW/SSB Downlink 29.410 to 29.450 MHz CW/SSB Downlink 145.910 to 145.950 MHz CW/SSB Beacon 29.408 MHz Robot Uplink 21.129 MHz Downlink 29.454 MHz Last reported to be semi-operational, beacon only. Radio Sport RS-13 Uplink 21.260 MHz to 21.300 MHz CW/SSB Uplink 145.960 MHz to 146.000 MHz CW/SSB Downlink 29.460 MHz to 29.500 MHz CW/SSB Downlink 145.960 to 146.000 MHz CW/SSB Beacon 29.504 MHz Robot Uplink 21.140 MHz Downlink 29.458 MHz Last reported in mode KA with a 10-meter downlink and a 15-meter and 2-meter uplink. Tim, KA8DDZ, reports he made a few contacts on RS-13 with his new satellite station. The RS-12/13 satellite has seen many recent changes in operational status. Modes K, T, KT and now mode KA operation have all been reported by a number of stations. No official word from the Russian satellite controllers has been received. ANS recommends monitoring each satellite carefully to determine the transponder in operation and which mode it is operating in. RS-12/13 command is now in the hands of Alex Papkov, in Kaluga City, Russia. Radio Sport RS-15 Uplink 145.858 to 145.898 MHz CW/SSB Downlink 29.354 to 29.394 MHz CW/SSB Beacon 29.352 MHz (intermittent) Semi-operational, mode A, using a 2-meter uplink and a 10-meter downlink. Dave, WB6LLO, reports he has prepared a "quick and dirty" set of operating instructions for RS-15 at the following URL: http://users.aol.com/dguimont OSCAR 10 AO-10 Uplink 435.030 to 435.180 MHz CW/LSB Downlink 145.975 to 145.825 MHz CW/USB Beacon 145.810 MHz (unmodulated carrier) Operational, mode B. AO-10 is locked into a 70-cm uplink and a 2-meter downlink. AO-10 continues to function well with the exception of the periodic deep QSB, which can be partially eliminated by switching antenna polarization. Strong signals have been heard even at apogee. Also note that AO-10's apogee has passed its most northern point. This gives the satellite track (on a rectangular Mercator map projection) a distinctly symmetrical pattern. The apogee has now begun a slow migration southward. Look for Charlie, VR2XMT, to be active on AO-10. W4SM tells ANS that he has, using ranging software (and hardware) developed by James Miller, G3RUH, recently made ranging measurements on AO-10 and have fed these measurements into an algorithm, which generates modified Keplerian elements from a "seed" set of elements. The Keplerian elements generated appear to be accurate within 16-25 km. Note: This element set may have to be entered by hand or cut and pasted line by line into a tracking program, rather than automatically extracted. They are not in the complete AMSAT format, orbit# (Epoch rev), and Element set# are not included. Satellite: AO-10 Catalog number: 14129 Epoch time: 99006.12821000 Element set: 003 Inclination: 27.343 deg RA of node: 49.882 deg Eccentricity: 0.60113 Arg of perigee: 279.883 deg Mean anomaly: 68.131 deg Mean motion: 2.05837888 rev/day Decay rate: 0.0 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 11705 Checksum: 240 NASA 2-line format: 1 14129U 00 0 0 99006.12821000 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 0031 2 14129 027.3430 049.8820 6011300 279.8830 068.1310 02.05837888117059 W4SM has more information about the satellite at the following URL: http://www.cstone.net/~w4sm/AO-10.html [ANS thanks Stacey Mills, W4SM, for his AO-10 status information and web site] AO-27 Uplink 145.850 MHz FM Downlink 436.792 MHz FM Operational, mode J. [ANS thanks Michael Wyrick, N4USI, for AO-27 information] JAS-1b FO-20 Uplink 145.900 to 146.00 MHz CW/LSB Downlink 435.80 to 435.90 MHz CW/USB Operational. FO-20 is in mode JA continuously. [ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-20 status reports] JAS-2 FO-29 Voice/CW Mode JA Uplink 145.900 to 146.00 MHz CW/LSB Downlink 435.80 to 435.90 MHz CW/USB Operational. Digital Mode JD Uplink 145.850 145.870 145.910 MHz FM Downlink 435.910 MHz FM 9600 baud BPSK Not operational, the satellite is in JA (voice) mode. The present JA mode of operation will continue to investigate the frequency of bit errors in the on-board-computer. Reports from Amateurs on the value of channel 2A are appreciated. The position of 2A is the fifth item after 'HI HI' in CW telemetry. The normal value is '00'. Reports should be sent to lab@jarl.or.jp. The FO-29 Command Team says digital (JD) mode operation may be available soon. Digi-talker operation is also being planned. [ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for this report] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-010.06 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PT 2 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 010.06 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, JANUARY 10, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-010.06 KITSAT KO-23 Uplink 145.900 MHz FM 9600 Baud FSK Downlink 435.175 MHz FM Operational. AA7KC reports KO-23 is operational, returning to full service on January 4th. KyungHee Kim, on behalf of the KITSAT command team, reported to ANS that the downlink transmitter on KO-23 was tripped recently. He reports the problem has happened several times for unknown reasons. [ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for KO-23 status information] KITSAT KO-25 Uplink 145.980 MHz FM 9600 Baud FSK Downlink 436.50 MHz FM Operational. [ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for KO-25 status information] UO-22 Uplink 145.900 or 145.975 MHz FM 9600 Baud FSK Downlink 435.120 MHz FM Semi-operational. Chris, G7UPN, tells ANS the OBC186 flight software on UO-22 crashed recently after operating for well over 500 days. The software reload should be completed at his time. More information on the satellite is available at the following URL: http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/EE/CSER/UOSAT/ [Chris Jackson, G7UPN /ZL2TPO, is the Operations Manager of UO-22] OSCAR-11 Downlink 145.825 MHz FM, 1200 Baud AFSK Beacon 2401.500 MHz Operational. Telemetry has been nominal. The mode-S beacon is ON, transmitting an unmodulated carrier, but telemetry indicates that it has partially failed, and delivering half power. This beacon is a useful source for those testing mode-S converters, prior to the launch of P3-D. The 435.025 MHz beacon is normally off. More information about OSCAR 11 can be found at the following URL: http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/ Beacon reception reports should be sent to g3cwv@amsat.org. [ANS thanks Clive Wallis, G3CWV, for this information] PACSAT AO-16 Uplink 145.90 145.92 145.94 145.86 MHz FM 1200 bps Manchester FSK Downlink 437.0513 MHz SSB, 1200 bps RC-BPSK 1200 Baud PSK Beacon 2401.1428 MHz Operating normally. The AO-16 command team has authorized an APRS experiment on AO-16 to explore the use of the 1200-baud PACSAT for APRS position/status reporting. Test periods will run each Tuesday from 0000 to 2359 UTC. Telemetry is nominal. Time is Sun Jan 10 11:16:40 1999 uptime is 1575/05:40:31 +X (RX) Temp -6.053 D RX Temp 2.419 D Bat 1 Temp 9.680 D Bat 2 Temp 6.654 D Baseplt Temp 6.654 D RC PSK BP Temp 1.209 D RC PSK HPA Tmp 2.419 D +Y Array Temp 3.629 D PSK TX HPA Tmp 1.209 D +Z Array Temp -5.448D RC PSK TX Out 0.599 W Total Array C= 0.547 Bat Ch Cur= 0.017 Ifb=-0.013 I+10V= 0.372 TX:010C BCR:7F PWRC:59F BT: A WC:25 EDAC:3A General information and telemetry WOD files can be found at: http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu Telemetry WOD graphics corresponding to Dec-30 can be found at: http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu/wod.htm A complete collection of WOD graphics corresponding to the year of 1998 can be found at: http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu/wod1998.zip [ANS thanks Miguel Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report] LUSAT LO-19 Uplink 145.84 145.86 145.88 145.90 MHz FM 1200 bps Manchester FSK Downlink 437.125 MHz SSB 1200 bps RC-BPSK Currently semi-operational. No BBS service. OBC (on board computer) reload in progress. The Digipeater is active. Time is Sun Jan 10 11:20:47 1999 uptime is 162/21:43:11 RC PSK TX Out 0.674 W +Z Array Temp -3.235 D RC PSK BP Temp 3.496 D RC PSK HPA Tmp 5.179 D +Y Array Temp 2.374 D PSK TX HPA Tmp 2.374 D Total Array C= 0.193 Bat Ch Cur= 0.055 Ifb= 0.018 I+10V= 0.139 TX:017 BCR:89 PWRC:62D BT:3C WC: 0 General information and telemetry samples can be found at: http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu/lo19.htm [ANS thanks Miguel Menendez, EA1BCU, for this report] ITAMSAT IO-26 Uplink 145.875 145.900 145.925 145.950 MHz FM 1200 Baud Downlink 435.822 MHz SSB Semi-operational. Telemetry is reported as being received on 435.822 MHz at 1200 baud PSK. ANS has not received any recent updates concerning the status of IO-26. No additional information is available at this time. TMSAT-1 TO-31 Uplink 145.925 MHz 9600 baud FSK Downlink 436.925 MHz 9600 baud FSK TMSAT-1 is now open for general access by Amateur Radio operators worldwide. Normal access will allow operators to use the store and forward communications on the spacecraft and also download the high-resolution multispectral images. Chris, G7UPN, tells ANS that during software loading (and other command activities) ground control stations may close the satellite BBS to general users. This ensures that command activity is not obstructed or slowed by user traffic. This also allows ground control stations to complete these activities much quicker. [ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN /ZL2TPO, for this report] TechSat-1B GO-32 Downlink 435.325 435.225 MHz HDLC telemetry framed so a TNC in KISS mode will decode it The TechSat-1B micro-satellite was successfully launched from the Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 10, 1998. ANS has not received any recent updates concerning the current status of GO-32 and no additional information is available at this time. The satellite does not have a continuos beacon, but does transmit a 9600-baud burst every 30 seconds (for a continuous 3 seconds in length), currently on 435.225 MHz. The TechSat team has also constructed a home page about TechSat. To view the site, point your web browser to: http://techsat.internet-zahav.net/ [ANS thanks Shlomo Menuhin, 4X1AS, for this information] SedSat SO-33 Downlink 437.910 MHz FM 9600 Baud FSK The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions. SedSat-1, signifying Students for the Exploration and Development of Space Satellite number one, was successfully launched and placed in orbit on Saturday, October 24, 1998. SedSat is continuing to perform as it has since launch, transmitting telemetry until the batteries are depleted and then going into safe mode (for about ten hours) and then repeating the process. "The orbital geometry is such that we have had as much as 120 hours of continuous operation from the bird before the batteries die," said Dennis, KD4ETA. Recovery efforts continue. For more information on SedSat-1, including Version 1.2 of the SedSat ground station software -- visit the satellite web site at the following URL: http://www.seds.org/sedsat [ANS thanks Dr. Mark Maier, KF4YGR, for this information] PanSat PO-34 Downlink frequency not established. The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions. PanSat, developed by the Naval Postgraduate School, was launched from the shuttle Discovery. PanSat spread-spectrum digital transponders will be available to amateur radio operators in the near future along with software to utilize this technology. The PO-34 command station is located in Monterey, California. Dan Sakoda, KD6DRA, PANSAT Project Manager recommends 'The ARRL Spread Spectrum Sourcebook' as a good place to start in understanding the spread-spectrum scheme. The PANSAT Team does not expect the satellite to be available to the Amateur Radio community for another few months. For more information, visit the official PANSAT web site at: http://www.sp.nps.navy.mil/pansat/ [ANS thanks Dan Sakoda, KD6DRA, for this information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-010.07 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PT 3 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 010.07 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, JANUARY 10, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-010.07 THE FOLLOWING SATELLITES ARE NON-OPERATIONAL AT THIS TIME: RS-16 Attempts to command the mode A transponder 'on' have been unsuccessful to date. At this time the RS-16 transponder is non-operational. The 435 MHz beacon (only) is operational. No additional information is available at this time. RS-18/Sputnik 41 Russian cosmonauts successfully launched RS-18/Sputnik 41 on November 10, 1998, during a spacewalk from the Mir space station. The satellite stopped transmitting early on December 11, 1998, meeting the 30-day projected lifetime. If the Goddard Space Flight Center forecast is correct, RS-18/Sputnik 41 should have re-entered and burned up in the atmosphere on January 7, 1999. A computer .wav file of the actual received signal can also be found at: http://www.ik1sld.org/sputnik41.htm F6FAO suggests the following address for RS-18 QSL requests: AMSAT-France RS-18 QSL Manager 14 bis rue des Gourlis 92 500 Rueil-Malmaison France The list of received QSL's by the French QSL manager is available at the following link (note: the list changes daily as cards are received): http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ascerland/sp41QSL.htm DOVE DO-17 Downlink 145.825 MHz FM 1200 Baud AFSK Beacon 2401.220 MHz Non-operational. DOVE stopped transmitting in March 1998. The 145.825 MHz and 2401.220 MHz downlinks are off the air and the satellite has not responded to ground station control. Command stations will again attempt contact in the near future. QSL cards for receiving DOVE (when the satellite is operating) may be obtained from: Dianne White, N0IZO 45777 Rampart Road Parker, Colorado 80138-4316 USA Dianne has received a few cards recently for what apparently is UO-11. Dianne handles cards for DOVE (DO-17) only. No additional information is available at this time. WEBERSAT WO-18 Downlink 437.104 MHz SSB 1200 Baud PSK AX.25 Non-operational. WO-18 is reported to be in MBL mode after a software crash. No additional information is available at this time. --ANS END--- Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to ans-editor@amsat.org /EX