SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0108 * SpaceNews 08-Jan-01 * BID: $SPC0108 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY JANUARY 8, 2001 * AMSAT-OSCAR-40 NEWS * ======================= Peter Guelzow, DB2OS, has confirmed that the VHF and UHF receivers on AMSAT-OSCAR-40 are okay and seem to work nominally on the HiGain antennas. So far, no results with the Omni antennas. Since controllers know that the HiGain antennas are working, they will try the VHF-TX in the near future. The magnetorquing system will also be initiated, so there should be additional FM wobbling once the magnetorquers are are in action. Depending on the outcome of this test, controllers can devise a new schedule that best exploits the currently known communications capability of the spacecraft. [Info via Peter, DB2OS] * AMSAT-UK COLLOQUIUM NEWS * ============================ The 16th AMSAT-UK Colloquium will be held at Surrey University, Guildford, Surrey, U.K., from Friday 27 July to Sunday 29 July 2001. AMSAT-UK invites speakers to submit papers, about amateur radio space and associated activities, for this event and for the "Proceedings" document which will be published at the same time. Organizers normally prefer authors to present the papers themselves rather than having someone else read them in the authors' absence, but they also welcome "unpresented" papers for the Proceedings document. There may be an award of some sort for the best presentation. Offers of Papers should be submitted as soon as possible; the final date for full documents to be received is mid-June 2001 in order that the "Proceedings" document be available to participants. An added attraction this year will be "Show and Tell" presentations. In these, the presenter will be given ten minutes to tell the assembled multitude about a useful project they have done so everyone can gain from their work. For these presentations a paper to be printed in the proceedings is not mandatory (but any submissions would be gratefully accepted). Possible speakers for these are asked to let G3RWL know of their intention so that he can allocate enough time in the program. There may be an award of some sort for one of these too. Submissions should be sent *ONLY* to G3RWL, via the following routes: Internet e-mail: g3rwl@amsat.org Terrestrial mail: R W L Limebear G3RWL 60 Willow Road Enfield EN1 3NQ United Kingdom. (no fax available) AMSAT-UK also invites anyone with requests for Program Topics to submit them as soon as possible to G3RWL. Invitations for any papers on specific subjects will be included in the future call. Additionally, AMSAT-UK will be running sessions specifically for beginners to amateur satellite operating on the Saturday; volunteers are requested to speak to these sessions. Colloquium web pages are at or follow the link from the home page. [Info via Richard, G3RWL, Colloquium Program Organizer] * NEW VERSIONS OF PREDICT RELEASED * ==================================== New versions of KD2BD's satellite tracking and orbital prediction program PREDICT have been released via the Internet. Versions for both the DOS and Linux operating systems have been released. The new DOS version, version 2.0.4d, does not add any new features, but simply corrects some minor bugs in the program. The new Linux version, version 2.1.3, also corrects some minor bugs, but also introduces much more in terms of the program's ability to act as a server by supplying real-time tracking information to client applications. Communication between the PREDICT server and client applications takes place using the UDP protocol, and allows the server and clients to be separated by a distance, provided a network connections is available between the client and server. Also included in the Linux version are three graphical tracking client applications written by three separate authors. Further information on PREDICT software, including download links and screen captures of the new graphical client applications, is available via the world wide web at the following URL: http://www.linuxfan.com/~predict * ARISS NEWS * ============== Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, reports that the ISS crew is expected to turn on the packet system fairly soon (originally scheduled for this past weekend). When it is turned on, expect to hear a periodic beacon every 2 minutes. You are also permitted to send unformatted informational (UI) packets to the ISS. In other words, it should be operational for APRS beacons. Please do not use the Packet Mailbox System at this time. The crew will not have the computer hooked up to read your messages at this juncture. Some information regarding the ARISS packet radio system follows: 1) ISS Packet Callsign: RZ3DZR 2) Uplink: 145.990 MHz Downlink: 145.800 MHz 3) Please be courteous and do not transmit on the packet uplink until for have heard the packet beacon. 4) If you copy the packet system, please let the ARISS group know and save your information for a future QSL card. 5) For more information on ARISS, see: http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov/ [Info via Frank Bauer, KA3HDO] * THANKS! * =========== Thanks to all who recently sent messages of appreciation to SpaceNews, especially: XE1L G4DF ON4WF G6XYA W8JSA OH0NC * 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/ INTERNET: kd2bd@amsat.org, magliaco@email.njin.net SATELLITE: KITSAT-OSCAR-25 <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>> <<=- Serving the planet (and beyond) since 1987 -=>> /EX