SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC1213 * SpaceNews 13-Dec-99 * BID: $SPC1213 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY DECEMBER 13, 1999 * AMSAT-OSCAR-16 SILENT * ========================= Daniel, LW1DMO has reported that the AMSAT-OSCAR-16 satellite went silent while in range of his ground station in Buenos Aires at 0235 UTC on 12-Dec-99. The satellite was also monitored on 0045 UTC on 13-Dec-99 at KD2BD in New Jersey, and was found to be silent. AO-16 had been operating for over 1800 days without a software reload or an interruption in service before this problem occurred. * AO-27 NEWS * ============== Several months ago, Steven Bible, N7HPR, updated the AO-27 web pages on the AMSAT-NA web site to include an explanation of AO-27 operations. The page may be found at the following URL: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/ao27.html Chuck Wyrick, KM4NZ and Steve Greene, KA1LM, contributed operations information and graphics showing the orbit of AO-27: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/teprstates.html Hopefully this will help everyone understand AO-27's operation a little better and provide an easy reference for anyone to read up about AO-27. [Info via Steve Bible, N7HPR] * SKN ON OSCAR * ================ AMSAT-NA is inviting the world of Amateur Radio to join it for the 28th annual and Y2K Edition of Straight Key Night on the OSCAR satellites. As always, there are no rules, no scoring and no need to send in a log. Just operate CW with a straight, hand key using any OSCAR satellite, or the moon at any time between 00:00 and 23:59 UTC on January 1st of 2000. Then, nominate the operator with the best fist among those who you have worked. Nominations go by e-mail to: w2rs@amsat.org or by snail-mail to W2RS at his Callbook address. [Info via Ray, W2RS] * PREDICT V2 RELEASED * ======================= PREDICT Version 2.0.0 for Linux has been released! PREDICT is a multi-user satellite tracking and orbital prediction program written under the Linux operating system by John A. Magliacane, KD2BD. The major features of PREDICT Version 2 include: * Fully year 2000 compliant code. * Designed under the Linux operating system to permit operation on a wide and expanding variety of hardware platforms ranging from palmtops to supercomputers (including 32-bit PCs (80386s or better) and Macintosh PowerPCs). * Licensed under the GNU General Public License, thereby allowing anyone to contribute new features to the program while forever keeping the software, and any derivative works, non-proprietary and freely available. * Includes a *FAST* orbital prediction mode that accurately predicts satellite passes, providing dates, times, coordinates, slant range distances, and sunlight and optical visibility information. Predictions are displayed in tabular form and may be saved to a log file for later reference or printing. * Includes a visual orbital prediction mode that displays satellite passes that are potentially visible to the ground station by optical means. * Features a real-time single satellite tracking mode that provides dynamic information such as sub-satellite point, ground station azimuth and elevation headings, Doppler shift, path loss, slant range, orbital altitude, orbital velocity, footprint diameter, orbital phase, the time and date of the next AOS (or LOS of the current pass), orbit number, and sunlight and visibility information for a single satellite, while providing live azimuth and elevation headings for both the sun and moon. * Features a multi-satellite tracking mode that provides sub-satellite point, azimuth and elevation headings, sunlight and visibility, and slant range distance information for all 24 satellites in the program's current database on a real-time basis. Azimuth and elevation headings for the sun and moon are also provided, as a well as a listing of the AOS dates and times for the next three satellites expected to come into range of the ground station. * Provides static information such as semi-major axis of ellipse, apogee and perigee altitudes, and anomalistic and nodal periods of satellite orbits. * Includes command line options that permit alternate ground station locations to be specified or alternate orbital databases to be read and processed by the program, effectively allowing an UNLIMITED number of satellites to be tracked and managed. Additional options allow any orbital database file to be automatically updated using NASA Two-Line element data obtained via the Internet or via Pacsat satellite without having to enter the program and manually select menu options to update the database. * Features a voice mode that allows live azimuth and elevation headings of a satellite to be articulated to an observer to assist in locating a satellite by optical means. PREDICT may be downloaded using anonymous ftp from: ftp://ftp.amsat.org/amsat/software/Linux/predict-2.0.0.tar.gz or: ftp://metalab.unc.edu/pub/Linux/apps/ham/predict-2.0.0.tar.gz A web page describing PREDICT is available at: http://www.linuxfan.com/~predict and the program is currently being featured and reviewed at: http://www.icewalkers.com/softlib/app/app_00750.html * OSCAR-36 NEWS * ================= Chris Jackson reports that UO-36 (UoSAT-12) is currently being operated at 38k4 on 437.025MHz. Currently, this downlink is always switched on over Surrey, so should be accessible to operators in Europe. Due to the limited power on UO-36, it is not possible to have this downlink on permanently over all areas. For this reason, Chris is currently testing some software that will allow stations to switch the downlink on for a short period. This ensures that the downlink is OFF for most of the time when stations are not using the satellite, and therefore saves power. Additionally, when the groundstation requests the transmitter be switched on, it performs some checks on the available power and status of various systems before deciding to switch the downlink on. If the battery voltage is low, or if a small number of other conditions are not met, the transmitter will not be switched on. This software is currently being tested by VK5HI, W0SL and W4SM. Thus, the downlink should be available at various times over the USA, and VK/ZL. Once controllers are happy with the operation of the software, Chris will release it for general use in the form of an updated version of MSPE. Most people currently downloading at 38k4 on UO-36 are using Symek equipment.u The "IFD" module is relatively low cost and can be fitted inside most radios for reception of high data rates. Further information can be found at www.symek.com. For receiving 38k4 downlink, ground stations should ensure that their data rate between the TNC and the PC is higher than 38k4 or data will be lost. The updated version of MSPE will also support the Symek TNC3 which can run at data rates up to 1.6Mb/s and can support 2 internal modems - again, this unit from Symek is quite popular with stations currently receiving 38k4 on UO-36. UO-36 operating information -: Uplink frequency 149.600 Downlink Frequency 437.025 Broadcast callsign UO121-11 Uplink data rate 9600 Downlink data rate 38400 Note that the downlink frequency may change to 437.400 MHz in the future. [Info via Chris Jackson, G7UPN / ZL2TPO] * TMSAT NEWS * ============== Some people may have noticed that TO-31 was not available on Saturday morning UK time. This is due to the fact that Chris Jackson reloaded TO-31 with the latest version of the flight software to fix a few minor Y2K issues. Users may also note that many of the high resolution colour images on TMSAT are now compressed using a UoSAT compression format. This format is supported by VK5HIs CCD Display program. [Info via Chris Jackson, G7UPN / ZL2TPO] * FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED * =========================== Comments and input for SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the paths listed below: WWW : http://www.njin.net/~magliaco/ PACKET : KD2BD @ N2TDU.NJ.USA.NA <-------- New address! :-O INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org, magliaco@email.njin.net SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, KITSAT-OSCAR-25 <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>> <<=- Serving the planet (and beyond) since 1987 -=>> /EX