SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-101.01 FROM SUBMARINE TO SATELLITE AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 101.01 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 11, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-101.01 The Submarine Veterans Amateur Radio Association (SVARA) will activate several submarine 'radio rooms' to commemorate the 99th anniversary of the submarine service. As many as twenty-five museum submarines in the United States and overseas will be on the air the weekend of April 24-25th - all with volunteer operators. "Some of the museum boats have radio rooms restored and operable with the original equipment used at the time," said Carl Raish, KG0HS, of the SVARA. In addition to 6-meters and high frequency shortwave operation, both the USS Cavalla and the USS Stuart will be active on several of the current amateur satellites. Listen for WA5VKS calling CQ on AO-27, RS-13 and RS-15. Satellite operators from the Houston and Dallas areas will be involved in setting up the satellite stations, which will operate on both CW and voice. QSL cards commemorating the event will be available. In addition, a certificate of participation will also be available for those obtaining at least four QSL's from submarines worked on any band, mode or satellite. For a certificate, send copies of at least four submarine cards to: Jim Flanders W0OOG 1539 California Terrace Plano, Texas 75023-4300. More info on the SVARA operation can be found at: http://www.flash.net/~jflanders/ [ANS thanks AMSAT Area Coordinator Dick Raitt, WA5VKS, for this information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-101.02 SKYQUEST BALLOON LAUNCH AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 101.02 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 11, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-101.02 Weather permitting, the SkyQuest 3 balloon will be launched at the grand opening of the newly renovated Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory and Science Museum near Boston. The site of the balloon launch is significant - the 100-year-old weather observatory has often been associated with landmark research, including early experiments in VHF radio propagation that contributed to the theory of atmospheric ducting of radio waves. SkyQuest 3 will carry a low power 2-meter transmitter that will allow telemetry reception for hundreds of miles. Full details, such as frequency and exact launch time, may be found at the main source for amateur radio high altitude balloon information, the HABLIC web site - using the following URL: http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/3161/hablic.htm [ANS thanks Hank Riley, N1LTV, for this information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-101.03 FAR SCHOLARSHIPS AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 101.03 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 11, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-101.03 The Foundation for Amateur Radio, Inc., a non-profit organization with headquarters in Washington, D.C., plans to administer sixty-six scholarships for the academic year 1999 - 2000, to assist students who are also licensed ham operators. FAR, composed of over seventy-five local area amateur radio clubs, fully funds ten of these scholarships with the income from grants and its annual Hamfest. The remaining fifty-six are administered by the Foundation without cost to the various donors. Licensed radio amateurs may compete for these awards if they plan to pursue a full-time course of studies beyond high school and are enrolled in or have been accepted for enrollment at an accredited university, college or technical school. Additional information and an application form may be requested by letter or QSL card, postmarked prior to April 30, 1999 from: FAR Scholarships Post Office Box 831 Riverdale, MD 20738 Visit the brand new FAR web site at http://www.amateurradio-far.org/ [ANS thanks Pat Kilroy, WD8LAQ, for this information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-101.04 ANS IN BRIEF HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 101.04 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 11, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-101.04 ANS news in brief this week includes the following: ** AMSAT Net of the week: Central New York AMSAT Round Table. This net meets Mondays on the 146.880 MHz Rome Radio Club repeater. Main NCS is WA2EXJ. -ANS ** Sadly, ANS has several noted silent keys to report. Terry Sterman, W9DIA, the man who founded Amateur Electronic Supply as a teenager in the 1950s, recently became a SK. W9DIA was 60 and had been in ill health for several years. Cordless phone inventor, George Sweigert, N9LC, died recently at 79. Sweigert, a World War II veteran, received a patent for the invention of the cordless telephone in 1969. Radio Amateur Society of Thailand Secretary Ajarn Chamlon Chuathai, HS1AAM, died March 16th. He was 69. Cham played an active role in persuading Thai authorities to legalize Amateur Radio and draw up regulations that became law in 1987. -ARRL ** Randy, W7HR, has documented the method he is using for elevation readout using a digital inclinometer driving a serial port. Although his work is primarily intended for an EME array, this elevation system may interest satellite operators. More information can be found at: http://www.SignalONE.com/antennas/elevation.html. -Randy, W7HR ** Astronomers have used the NASA Hubble Space Telescope to produce an infrared photo essay of spiral galaxies. By penetrating the dust clouds swirling around the centers of these galaxies, the telescope's infrared vision is offering fresh views of star birth. Six images, taken with the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer, showcase different views of spiral galaxies, from a face-on image of an entire galaxy to a close-up of a core. -Florida Today ** ISS flight controllers returned a U.S. communications system to standard operation recently as they continued an analysis of a minor problem with one of the system's two antennas. The antenna, one of two that are used by the U.S. early communications system, is mounted on the exterior starboard side of the station's Unity module. Earlier, U.S. controllers noticed that communications with the antenna were impeded when the station was in certain orientations. Controllers ceased using the antenna when the problem was seen and had been using only the port antenna for communications. The starboard antenna was reselected and put back into operation, and has been operating well with only slightly reduced capability. This has had virtually no impact on the stations day-to-day operations. Engineers are continuing to evaluate the information and possible causes for the problem. -NASA ** Some doorstep astronomy from ANS. Venus is the great landmark of the western evening sky this spring, also, very high in the northeast these evenings is the Big Dipper. Its handle curves down to the lower right, pointing toward a brilliant orange Mars. -Sky & Telescope ** The FCC has again amended its rules to strengthen existing prohibitions on scanning receivers that can receive cellular telephone transmissions. While the new rules contain specific exemptions for the Amateur Service, they will have important ramifications for the manufacture of new ham equipment that scans frequencies outside the ham bands. -ARRL Letter ** The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite arrived recently at the Cape Canaveral Air Station to begin pre-launch processing. FUSE will investigate the origin and evolution of the lightest elements in the universe - hydrogen and deuterium. In addition, the FUSE satellite will examine the forces and process involved in the evolution of the galaxies, stars and planetary systems. -NASA --ANS BULLETIN END--- /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-101.05 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 1 AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 101.05 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 11, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-101.05 MIR SAFEX II 70-cm Repeater Uplink 435.750 MHz FM w/subaudible tone 141.3 Hz Downlink 437.950 MHz FM Seldom-operational. No operation in 1999 has been observed. MIR SAFEX II 70-cm QSO Mode Uplink 435.725 MHz FM w/subaudible tone 151.4 Hz Downlink 437.925 MHz FM Seldom-operational. No operation in 1999 has been observed. MIR PERSONAL MESSAGE SYSTEM (PMS) Uplink/Downlink 145.985 MHz FM 1200 Baud AFSK Semi-operational. The PBBS is running a Kantronics KPC-9612 + V.8.1 TNC. The commands are similar to most PBBS and BBS systems. AMSAT-France announced that Air Force General Jean-Pierre Haignere has been given a personal amateur radio callsign to use aboard the Mir space station - FX0STB. The QSL manager for FX0STB is: Radio Club F5KAM QSL manager MIR 22 rue Bansac 63000 Clermont Ferrand France Francisco, CT1EAT, reports that a contact between Jean-Pierre and his parents recently took place via 2-meter FM. Frederick, F5OZK, handled the terrestrial connection. Mike, KD9KC, reports Mir in packet mode over El Paso recently. Scott, WA6LIE, has a set of instructions on how to work the Mir space station. Copies are available from Scott by e-mail at: wa6lie@juno.com (or by packet) wa6lie@wa6lie.#wcca.ca.usa.noam [ANS thanks Scott Avery, WA6LIE, and the MIREX team for Mir status information] RADIO SPORT RS-12 Uplink 21.210 to 21.250 MHz CW/SSB Uplink 145.910 to 145.950 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 Robot Downlink 29.454 MHz Last reported to be semi-operational, beacon only. RADIO SPORT RS-13 Uplink 21.260 to 21.300 MHz CW/SSB Uplink 145.960 to 146.000 MHz CW/SSB Downlink 29.460 to 29.500 MHz CW/SSB Downlink 145.960 to 146.000 MHz CW/SSB Beacon 29.504 MHz Robot Uplink 21.140 MHz Robot Downlink 29.458 MHz Operational. Last reported in mode KA with a 10-meter downlink and a 15-meter and 2-meter uplink. Both Deral, K5WNO, and Jerry, K5OE, report working Gordon, 6Y5GH via RS-13. Gordon indicated he had been absent from the birds for several years due to equipment problems. 6Y5GH believes he is the only active satellite operator in Jamaica. K5WNO also reports XE2YVW and YV4FZM have been active on RS-13. Marco, IK5NTE, tells ANS he recently worked N5YAV and N0IBT by using sub-horizon 15-meter signals through the transponder. 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. The 29.380 MHz SSB 'meeting frequency' used by most RS-15 operators is showing good results. 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/sat.txt 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) Semi-operational, mode B. AO-10 has been locked into a 70-cm uplink and a 2-meter downlink for several years. Jeff, K7XQ, reports AO-10 conditions are still improving, but activity is still very low. Peter, KD7MW, reports the beacon is clearly audible, especially with a very narrow bandwidth filter. He is anxious to try PSK31 on the bird. John, K6YK, tells ANS that he, VE6ITV and KA0OXY were on AO-10 recently, "and the signals were very good." N1JEZ, ANS principal satellite investigator, reports working Marc, ON1DO, and Tony, EI2FSB with "strong, slow QSB, but S-9+ signals on peaks." Look for continued improvement. 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] AMRAD AO-27 Uplink 145.850 MHz FM Downlink 436.795 MHz FM Operational, mode J. The TEPR (Timed Eclipse Power Regulation) states on AO-27 were reset by Chuck, KM4NZ, on Sunday, April 11th. They currently are: TEPR 4 is 30 and TEPR 5 is 66. Chris, KQ6UP, had reported to ANS that the TEPR values needed updating as the satellite shut down early during a recent pass. With the changes made by KM4NZ, this situation should now be corrected. XE2YVW has been active from DL95 in northern Mexico. Will, N3ZLL, will be operating from EL79 on Thursday, April 15th, with plans to operate the first and second AO-27 passes of the day. [ANS thanks Chuck Wyrick, KM4NZ, and Michael Wyrick, N4USI, for AO-27 information] JAS-1b FO-20 Uplink 145.900 to 146.000 MHz CW/LSB Downlink 435.800 to 435.900 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 146.000 MHz CW/LSB Downlink 435.800 to 435.900 MHz CW/USB Semi-operational, rotated with digital mode and digi-talker. Digital Mode JD Uplink 145.850 145.870 145.910 MHz FM Downlink 435.910 MHz FM 9600 baud BPSK Digitalker 435.910 MHz Semi-operational, rotated with analog mode and digi-talker. Kazu, JJ1WTK, reported to ANS that the new operational schedule announced by the JARL is as follows: April 05 - April 12* JD1200 April 12 - April 27 JA April 27 - May 06 Digitalker (with new message planned) *Although the schedule calls for digital operation at press time, FO-29 is currently in JA (voice) mode. [ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-29 status reports] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-101.06 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 2 AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 101.06 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 11, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-101.06 KITSAT KO-25 Uplink 145.980 MHz FM 9600 Baud FSK Downlink 436.500 MHz FM Operational. Jim, AA7KC, reports KO-25 is performing well under heavy usage with good downlink efficiency. [ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for KO-25 status information] UOSAT UO-22 Uplink 145.900 or 145.975 MHz FM 9600 Baud FSK Downlink 435.120 MHz FM Operational. Carol, W9HGI, reports UO-22 is performing within acceptable limits. W9HGI operates the West Coast Packet Satellite Gateway (WSPG) for the Worldwide Packet Network (WPN). More information on the satellite is available at the following URL: http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/EE/CSER/UOSAT/ [ANS thanks Carol Byers, W9HGI and Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for UO-22 status information] OSCAR-11 Downlink 145.825 MHz FM, 1200 Baud AFSK Mode-S Beacon 2401.500 MHz Operational. Clive, G3CWV, reports good signals have been received from the 145.826 MHz beacon. A single WOD survey dated 06-January-99 of solar array currents and array voltage has been transmitted. The WOD contains a characteristic musical tone which occurs when the constant data is captured during solar eclipses and then transmitted. The ASCII bulletin is currently a static message, detailing modes and frequencies of all the amateur radio satellites. 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 OSCAR-11 status information] PACSAT AO-16 Uplink 145.90 145.92 145.94 145.86 MHz FM using 1200 bps Manchester FSK Downlink 437.0513 MHz SSB 1200 bps RC-BPSK 1200 Baud PSK Mode-S Beacon 2401.1428 MHz Operating normally with the exception of the mode-S beacon, which is currently off. Telemetry is as follows: Time is Fri Apr 09 22:27:45 1999 uptime is 1664/16:49:13 +10V Bus 10.250 V +X (RX) Temp -10.288 D RX Temp 3.024 D Baseplt Temp 3.629 D RC PSK TX Out 0.582 W RC PSK BP Temp -5.448 D RC PSK HPA Tmp -3.027 D +Y Array Temp -24.811 D PSK TX HPA Tmp -3.632 D +Z Array Temp -17.550 D Total Array C= 0.000 Bat Ch Cur=-0.435 Ifb= 0.154 I+10V= 0.304 TX:0109 BCR:1E PWRC:59E BT: A WC:25 EDAC:B4 General information and telemetry WOD files can be found at: http://www.ctv.es/USERS/ea1bcu 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 AO-16 status information] LUSAT LO-19 Uplink 145.84 145.86 145.88 145.90 MHz FM 1200 bps using Manchester FSK Downlink 437.125 MHz SSB 1200 bps RC-BPSK Currently semi-operational. No BBS service - EA1BCU and ANS have not received any updated information for several months. The digipeater is active. Telemetry is as follows: Time is Fri Apr 09 21:56:49 1999 uptime is 252/08:22:11 RC PSK TX Out 0.659 W Total Array C= 0.008 Bat Ch Cur=-0.289 Ifb= 0.125 I+10V= 0.171 TX:017 BCR:1E 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 LO-19 status information] TMSAT-1 TO-31 Uplink 145.925 MHz 9600 baud FSK Downlink 436.925 MHz 9600 baud FSK Operational. ProcMail V2.00G has been released by G7UPN. This software permits the processing of image files from TO-31. It has been posted to the AMSAT-NA FTP site at the following URL: www.amsat.org/amsat/software/win32/wisp [ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for TO-31 status information] PANSAT PO-34 Uplink/downlink frequencies have not been established. The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions. PanSat, developed by the Naval Postgraduate School, was launched from the shuttle Discovery during STS-95. PanSat spread-spectrum digital transponders will be available to amateur radio operators in the near future along with software to utilize this technology. Dan Sakoda, KD6DRA, PanSat Project Manager recommends 'The ARRL Spread Spectrum Sourcebook' as a good place to start in understanding the spread-spectrum scheme. 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] SUNSAT SO-35 Uplink/downlink frequencies have not been established. The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions. At this time the command team is planning general amateur radio service in the near future. SunSat was launched February 23, 1999 aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. SunSat stands for Stellenbosch University Satellite and takes it name from the South African university whose students constructed the payload. The SunSat package includes 1200 and 9600 baud digital store-and-forward capability and a voice 'parrot' repeater system that will be used primarily for educational demonstrations. The satellite has two VHF and two UHF transmit-receive systems. For more information on SunSat, visit the following URL: http://sunsat.ee.sun.ac.za [ANS thanks Garth Milne ZR1AFH, for this information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-101.07 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 3 AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 101.07 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 11, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-101.07 THE FOLLOWING SATELLITES ARE IN ORBIT BUT ARE NON-OPERATIONAL AT THIS TIME: RS-16 The 435 MHz beacon (only) is operational. Attempts to command the mode A transponder 'on' have been unsuccessful to date. No additional information is available at this time. DOVE DO-17 Downlink 145.825 MHz FM 1200 Baud AFSK 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. 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 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. ITAMSAT IO-26 Uplink 145.875 145.900 145.925 145.950 MHz FM 1200 Baud Downlink 435.822 MHz SSB Unknown status. ANS has not received any recent updates concerning the status of IO-26. No additional information is available at this time. TECHSAT-1B GO-32 Downlink 435.325 435.225 MHz HDLC telemetry framed so a TNC in KISS mode will decode it Unknown status. ANS has not received any recent updates concerning the current status of GO-32. The TechSat-1B micro-satellite was successfully launched from the Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 10, 1998. Last reported, 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 constructed a home page about TechSat. To view the site, point your web browser to: http://techsat.internet-zahav.net/ No additional information is available at this time. SEDSAT-1 SO-33 Downlink 437.910 MHz FM 9600 Baud FSK The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions. Recovery efforts have been unsuccessful. 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 was last reported to be performing as it has since launch, transmitting telemetry until the batteries are depleted --going into safe mode-- recharging batteries and then repeating the process. For more information on SedSat-1 visit the satellite web site at the following URL: http://www.seds.org/sedsat No additional information is available at this time. KITSAT KO-23 Uplink 145.900 MHz FM 9600 Baud FSK Downlink 435.175 MHz FM Not operational. The downlink transmitter has not been operational for any normal communication for several months. ANS has learned (from HL0ENJ) that satellite downlink telemetry shows one of KO-23's battery cells to be very unstable. [ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, and KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ, for KO-23 status information] --ANS END--- ANS would like to thank Mike Seguin, N1JEZ, ANS principal satellite investigator, for helping provide current satellite information for ANS. Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to ans-editor@amsat.org /EX