SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-132.01 AO-40 UPDATE AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 132.01 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 12, 2002 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-132.01 The AO-40 command team reports the satellite has now achieved an improved solar angle, with enough available power to activate the RUDAK, GPS, and CEDEX systems. In it's short lifetime, AO-40's GPS and CEDEX experiments have yielded exciting preliminary data, and the command team, along with the experimenters (including the folks at NASA) are anxious to receive new data. RUDAK command stations have uploaded the necessary software, and after successful testing, several stations around the world are now downloading RUDAK data. The GPS apogee receiver seems to be working fine. Three files were downloaded and sent to NASA. A quick look indicated they contained reasonable looking data. Further data analysis will be done soon by the GPS group at Goddard. The plan is to continue to download and forward that data as it is collected. Data collected last fall indicated unexpectedly strong signals from several orbiting GPS satellites. The CEDEX experiment was turned on and it was verified it was talking to RUDAK. However, only time stamps were being received. AO-40 command stations will continue to work with the system. The CEDEX data from last fall clearly showed the satellite traveling through the Van Alan belts. It also showed some interesting features just outside the known belts. The measurements of the amount of radiation exposure to the electronics in AO-40 are extremely helpful for future design efforts. Now that RUDAK is functional, there may be occasional periods, (particularly when it is visible over Australia), that RUDAK is activated briefly outside of the nominal window - to check on the directory status, etc. Please bear with these interruptions. If they occur, they should be of short length. In addition, AO-40 has been experiencing very intense RADAR interference, that makes commanding difficult on U-band and extremely difficult on L-band. This has happened once before (September-October 2001). At that time, it only lasted about a week. If commanding is not possible because of interference on U/L bands, it may be necessary to switch on the V-band receiver. This will turn off the U-band receiver and uplink during this time. Again, please bear with the command team if this becomes necessary, it should be of short duration. In summary, the command team is pleased the GPS receiver (at least the apogee unit) is functioning normally after this long period in a high radiation orbit. The hope is to get CEDEX fully operational and gather some data from it. Work with the other hardware and experiments will be undertaken as time allows. Stacey, W4SM, has updated his P3T/AO-40 telemetry program by modifying the output telemetry to include a UDP format, suitable for transmission to the Goddard telemetry server. The UDP option is in the TCP/IP window. The Help file also contains information regarding setting up this feature. You can get the updated version of P3T at the W4SM web site. [ANS thanks the AO-40 Command Team for this information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-132.02 NEW AMSAT-FRANCE PICOSATS AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 132.02 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 12, 2002 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-132.02 AMSAT-France has announced that two French Amateur Radio picosats were launched on the recent Ariane 4/V151 mission. The main mission satellite on flight V151 - was ESA's sophisticated SPOT-5 orbiter. The two picosats, designed, built and funded by AMSAT-France are battery powered and should work about 40 days. They remained fastened to the third Ariane 4 stage, with an 800-km high orbit. Both picosats will transmit NBFM voice recorded messages in English, French, German and Japanese, along with 400 baud BPSK telemetry, one on 145.840 MHz and the other on 435.270 MHz. AMSAT-France President Jean-Louis Rault, F6AGR, reported a QSL card for this mission will be available. Reception reports with QSL requests are encouraged, at the following address: AMSAT-France 14 bis, rue des Gourlis 92500 Rueil Malmaison France An SASE and 2 IRC's are required. [ANS thanks AMSAT-France for this information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-132.03 AMSAT-NA AT DAYTON AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 132.03 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 12, 2002 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-132.03 The 2002 Dayton Hamvention is this week, and AMSAT-NA will be very active! The AMSAT booth theme this year is "AMSAT: On the Horizon" - in recognition of the new satellite projects, OSCAR-Echo and Eagle. A new golf shirt design, T-shirts, hats, an updated (and laminated) AMSAT Frequency Guide, an updated Amateur Satellite Resource Guide will all be available at the booth. Other "must-have" items include the latest Working the Easy Sats manual, a revised Digital Satellite Guide and Analog Satellite Guide, the popular Arrow Antenna, the latest version of WISP, NOVA, and MacDoppler Pro, Kansas City Tracker units, SSB UEK-3000 S-Band downconverters, newly designed patches and stickers, a new ARISS CD-ROM, a video of ISS contacts and the ham antenna EVA - will all be available. All the available software will be demonstrated at the booth, so prospective buyers can check out the operating parameters and screen shots. Space Hardware will be on display, including a mockup of Project Echo, the thermal mass model of PCSat, and the original Microsat mechanical test model. AMSAT-NA President Robin Haighton, VE3FRH will be at the AMSAT booth on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. AMSAT will once again offer a membership incentive at Hamvention to encourage new members to join (and current members renew)! AMSAT members who are in Dayton on Thursday evening are invited to attend a social "get together" at Marion's Pizza in Beavercreek. Full details are available on the AMSAT-NA web site. The annual AMSAT Dayton Dinner will take place on Friday evening at the Amber Rose Restaurant in north Dayton. Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, is the keynote speaker. The AMSAT Forum is scheduled on Saturday from 08:15-09:45 in Room 1. The following presentations are currently scheduled (with Robin Haighton, VE3FRH, Forum Moderator): * Project OSCAR-Echo and Eagle by VE3FRH and W2GPS * Practical AO-40 Ground Stations by K9EK * Amateur Radio on the International Space Station by KA3HDO, (along with, Astronaut Dr. Owen Garriott, W5LFL, and Astronaut Dr. Tony England, W0ORE) KK5YY and other volunteers will be providing demonstrations of UO-14 (and other satellites) from outside the Hara Arena. AMSAT-NA is looking forward to seeing you at Dayton! [ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for this information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-132.04 ANS IN BRIEF AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 132.04 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 12, 2002 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-132.04 ANS news in brief this week includes the following: ** Schools in Sydney, Australia recently completed receiving a steady stream of information from RS-21. The students copied navigation and orientation information and are now reviewing the information for anomalies. -Graham Hughes, Knox Grammar School, Sydney, Australia ** Two rocky objects orbiting about one another appear to be common in Earth-crossing orbits, according to astronomers using the world's two most powerful astronomical radar telescopes. It is probable, they say, that these double asteroid systems were formed as a result of gravitational effects during close encounters with several inner-circle planets, including Earth. -SpaceDaily ** WY0X reports that the Internet Radio Linking Project has now exceeded 400 nodes. The Internet Radio Linking Project permits repeaters around the world to interconnect with one another using a Linux based computer and a simple computer to repeater interface. -ARNewsline ** Space may seem empty, beautiful and boundless but the immediate neighborhood of our planet is quickly resembling an ugly junkyard with more than 100,000 objects in orbit, of which only 600-700 are operational satellites. -SpaceDaily ** The March issue of the Monitoring System Newsletter discussed recent BBC Cyprus relay transmitters on 7165 and 7320 kHz that produced intermodulation products on 7010 kHz. Working with BBC engineers resulted in the problem getting solved very early. -IARU ** Chinese news media has widely reported in the past few weeks that China will attempt its first manned launch following at least one additional unmanned test flight later this year. -SpaceDaily ** The 2001 AMSAT Symposium awards included a presentation to Konrad Muller, DG7FDQ, for his generous contribution of time and effort during the Phase 3D launch campaign. His willingness to sacrifice personal time for this endeavor is greatly appreciated by hams the world over. -ANS ** NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is hot on the trail of an intriguing new class of solar system objects - dim and fleeting objects that travel in pairs in the frigid, mysterious outer realm of the solar system called the Kuiper Belt. -SpaceDaily ** Rocco, IK8XLD, has updated his web information. It contains satellite, EME, ISS, ATV and homebrew information. Check out his page at: http://www.qsl.net/ik8xld. -ANS ** In the past month two asteroids have passed close by Earth, at distances of 1.2 and 3 times the distance to the Moon. Another asteroid has recently been shown to be on course for a collision with Earth in the year 2880. -SpaceDaily ** Ralph, W0RPK, reports a high altitude balloon will be launched from Iowa on May 18th. The payload will include an FM crossband voice repeater (446.30/144.34 MHz). An apogee of 98,000 feet is planned. More information is at < http://members.crosspaths.net/wallio/ >. -ANS ** The Russian military will continue using the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan as a satellite launch site (before switching operations to Russia) until at least 2011. -SpaceDaily --ANS BULLETIN END--- /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-132.05 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 1 AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 132.05 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 12, 2002 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-132.05 Phase 3D / AMSAT OSCAR 40 / AO-40 Launched: November 16, 2000 aboard an Ariane 5 launcher from Kourou, French Guiana. Status: Currently, the U/L-1 to S-2 passband is active (various times) Uplink U-band 435.550 - 435.800 MHz CW/SSB L1-band 1269.250 - 1269.500 MHz CW/SSB L2-band 1268.325 - 1268.575 MHz CW/SSB Downlink S-band 2401.225 - 2401.475 MHz CW/SSB K-band 24,048.025 - 24,048.275 MHz CW/SSB Mike, N1JEZ, reports a successful transatlantic K-band contact with Charlie, G3WDG. Mike reports that "Charlie and I had a very pleasant QSO throughout the window." Hardy, DC8TS, reports that F6CBC is currently active from St. Denis on Reunion Island (LG78ow). AO-40 experimental transponder operation started on May 05, 2001 at approximately 08:00 UTC when the U-band and L1-band uplinks were connected to the S-2 transmitter passband downlink via the Matrix switch. Some 58 DXCC countries were QRV on AO-40 in 2001. Ground stations capturing telemetry from AO-40 are asked to send a copy of the data to the AO-40 archive at: ao40-archive@amsat.org. For the current transponder-operating schedule visit: http://www.amsat-dl.org/journal/adlj-p3d.htm [ANS thanks AMSAT-NA, AMSAT-DL and the ARRL for this information] INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION/ARISS Worldwide packet uplink: 145.990 MHz Region 1 voice uplink: 145.200 MHz Region 2/3 voice uplink: 144.490 MHz Worldwide downlink: 145.800 MHz TNC callsign RS0ISS ARISS initial station launched September 2000 aboard shuttle Atlantis. ARISS is made up of delegates from major national Amateur Radio organizations, including AMSAT. Status: Operational. ISS packet activity has resumed. Although the mailbox function has been activated, ground stations are discouraged from using it. Currently, there is no computer hooked up to the packet system. Astronaut Dan Bursch, KD5PNU, addressed school students in Lancaster, Pennsylvania recently, answering a total of 13 questions during the ten-minute ARISS contact. The latest ARISS announcements and successful school list is available at: http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov An archive of school contacts can be found at: http://www.msnbc.com/news/505064.asp NASA information on the ISS station can be found at: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/reference/radio/ The ISS daily crew schedule (which gives an idea when crew members have free time and may be available for Amateur Radio operations) can be found at: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/timelines/2001/may/index.html A detailed breakdown of the antenna installation with some great pictures and diagrams (depicting the entire ISS ham system including antenna's) can be downloaded at: http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov/EVAs/amsat01.pdf U.S. callsign: NA1SS Russian callsigns: RS0ISS, RZ3DZR The QSL routes for W/VE stations working NA1SS aboard the International Space Station: U.S. stations (a SASE is required to get a QSL in return): Margie Bourgoin, KC1DCO Attn: ARISS Expedition-1 (or 2, 3) QSL ARRL, 225 Main Street Newington, Connecticut 06111 Canadian stations: Radio Amateurs of Canada Attn: ARISS Expedition-1 (or 2, 3) QSL 720 Belfast Road, Suite 217 Ottawa, Ontario KEG 0Z5 European stations (a SASE and 2 IRC's are required to get a QSL in return). AMSAT-France 14 bis, rue des Gourlis 92500 Rueil Malmaison France [ANS thanks Will Marchant, KC6ROL, and Jean-Louis Rault, F6AGR, for this information] RADIO SPORT RS-12 Uplink 21.210 to 21.250 MHz CW/SSB Downlink 29.410 to 29.450 MHz CW/SSB Beacon 29.408 MHz Robot 29.454 MHz Launched: February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian Cosmos C launcher Status: RS-12 was placed in Mode-K on February 19, 2002. The latest information on RS-12 and RS-13 can be found on the AC5DK RS-12/13 Satellite Operators page at: http://www.qsl.net/ac5dk/rs1213/rs1213.html [ANS thanks Kevin Manzer, AC5DK, for RS-12 information] RADIO SPORT RS-13 Uplink 21.260 to 21.300 MHz CW/SSB Downlink 145.860 to 145.900 MHz CW/SSB Beacon 145.860 MHz Robot 145.908 MHz Launched: February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian Cosmos C launcher Status: RS-13 was re-activated in Mode-T on February 19, 2002. The latest information on RS-12 and RS-13 can be found on the AC5DK RS-12/13 Satellite Operators page at: http://www.qsl.net/ac5dk/rs1213/rs1213.html [ANS thanks Kevin Manzer, AC5DK, for this information] 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) SSB meeting frequency 29.380 MHz (unofficial) Launched: December 26, 1994 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Status: Semi-operational, mode-A, using a 2-meter uplink and a 10-meter downlink Dave, WB6LLO, has operating information for both RS-15 on his web site. In addition to satellite data, antenna information for mode-A operation is also featured. The WB6LLO web site URL is: http://home.san.rr.com/doguimont/uploads [ANS thanks Dave Guimont, WB6LLO, for this information] 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) Launched: June 16, 1983 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana. Status: Semi-operational AO-10 has been locked into a Mode-B, 70-cm uplink and 2-meter downlink for several years. Don, KD4APP, reports that he has been able to hear the beacon recently. 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] UO-14 Uplink 145.975 MHz FM Downlink 435.070 MHz FM Launched: January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana. Status: Operational, mode J Tim, KG8OC, features UO-14 information on the Michigan AMSAT web site - point your web browser to the following URL: http://www.qsl.net/kg8oc Ray, W2RS, has revised the AO-27 FAQ on < www.amsat.org > to include information on UO-14. [ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for UO-14 information] SO-41 SAUDISAT-1A Uplink 145.850 MHz Downlink 436.775 MHz Broadcast Callsign SASAT1-11 BBS SASAT1-12 Launched: September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Status: operational One of two ham satellites from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia built by the Space Research Institute at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology. The spacecraft is operating in Mode-J, currently configured as an analog FM voice repeater. The spacecraft will operate in this mode intermittently, as power and spacecraft experiments permit. SO-41's downlink RF power is 1-watt with left-hand circular polarization. The uplink antenna (located on top of the spacecraft) is linear in polarization. [ANS thanks Turki Al-Saud for this information] JAS-1b FO-20 Uplink 145.90 to 146.00 MHz CW/LSB Downlink 435.80 to 435.90 MHz CW/USB Launched: February 07, 1990 by an H1 launcher from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. Status: Operational. FO-20 is in mode JA continuously Tak, JA2PKI, reported FO-20 control station operators believe that the UVC (Under Voltage Controller) now is regulating the transponder. The controller monitors battery voltage and tries to protect the batteries from over discharge. [ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-20 status reports] JAS-2 FO-29 Launched: August 17, 1996, by an H-2 launcher from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. Status: Operational Voice/CW Mode JA Uplink 145.90 to 146.00 MHz CW/LSB Downlink 435.80 to 435.90 MHz CW/USB Digital Mode JD Uplink 145.850 145.870 145.910 MHz FM Downlink 435.910 MHz 1200-baud BPSK or 9600-baud FSK Callsign 8J1JCS Digitalker 435.910 MHz Last reported, the JARL FO-29 command station announced the operation schedule of FO-29 as mode JA through June 30, 2002. Mineo, JE9PEL, has a FO-29 satellite telemetry analysis program that will automatically analyze all digital telemetry from the satellite (such as current, voltage and temperature). The JE9PEL FO-29/shareware is available at the following URL: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/ [ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-29 status reports] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-132.06 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 2 AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 132.06 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 12, 2002 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-132.06 SAPPHIRE NO-45 Downlink 437.095 MHz 1200 baud AX-25 AFSK Uplink 145.945 MHz UI Digipeater Launched: September 30, 2001 aboard an Athena-1 rocket from the Kodiak, Alaska launch complex. Status: Operational Student built Sapphire was launched through the U.S. Naval Academy Satellite program. Its primary missions are sensor experiments, a camera, and voice synthesizer. For more information, visit the Sapphire web site at: http://students.cec.wustl.edu/~sapphire/sapphire_overview.html [ANS thanks Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, for PCSat information] PCSAT NO-44 Uplink/downlink 145.827 MHz 1200 baud AX-25 AFSK via PCSAT-1 Aux/Uplink 435.250 MHz 9600 baud via PCSAT-2 (off) APRS Downlink 144.390 MHz (Region 2) Launched: September 30, 2001 aboard an Athena-1 rocket from the Kodiak, Alaska launch complex. Status: Operational WB4APR reports PCSat "appears to be in great shape even though it has now entered another maximum eclipse period for about a month. The only restriction at this time is that we ask for no unattended overnight beacons during May." PCSat is a 1200-baud APRS digipeater designed for use by stations using hand-held or mobile transceivers. Downlinks feed a central web site < http://pcsat.aprs.org >. The APRS-equipped PCSat was built by midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy under the guidance of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR. For more information, visit the PCSat web site at: http://web.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/pcsat.html [ANS thanks Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, for PCSat information] TIUNGSAT-1 MO-46 Uplink 145.850 or 145.925 MHz 9600-baud FSK Downlink 437.325 MHz Broadcast callsign MYSAT3-11 BBS MYSAT3-12 Launched: September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Status: Operational at 38k4-baud FSK TiungSat-1 is Malaysia's first micro-satellite and in addition to commercial land and weather imaging payloads offers FM and FSK Amateur Radio communication. TiungSat-1, named after the mynah bird of Malaysia, was developed as a collaborative effort between the Malaysian government and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. [ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for this information] UOSAT UO-22 Uplink 145.900 or 145.975 MHz FM 9600-baud FSK Downlink 435.120 MHz FM Broadcast Callsign UOSAT5-11 BBS UOSAT5-12 Launched: July 17, 1991 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana. Status: Operational Jim, AA7KC, reports UO-22 is operational with good downlink efficiency. Jerry, K5OE, reports "UO-22's only active uplink is now 145.900 MHz. That is a change from the last two months where only the 145.975 MHz uplink has worked well. The message on the downlink to use both uplinks is in error." More information on the satellite is available at the following URL: http://www.sstl.co.uk/ [ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for UO-22 information and Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for status information] OSCAR-11 Downlink 145.825 MHz FM (1200-baud AFSK) Mode-S Beacon 2401.500 MHz Launched: March 1, 1984 by a Delta-Thor rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Status: Operational During the past year OSCAR-11 has operated continuously on both VHF and S band, with very little ground control needed. During the period 08-March 08-April 2002, consistent signals have been received from the 145.826 MHz beacon. The internal temperatures have decreased slightly. They are now 3.2C and 1.6C for battery and telemetry electronics respectively. The battery voltage observed during daylight passes has also decreased slightly. The average value observed was 13.6 with a range of 13.3 to 13.9 volts. The spin period has drifted between 233 and 315 seconds. The attitude is controlled solely by the gravity boom gradient. The operating schedule is unchanged. ASCII status (210 seconds) ASCII bulletin (60 seconds) BINARY SEU (30 seconds) ASCII TLM (90 seconds) ASCII WOD (120 seconds) ASCII bulletin (60 seconds) BINARY ENG (30 seconds) The ASCII bulletin is currently a static message, detailing modes and frequencies of all active Amateur Radio satellites. More information on OSCAR-11 is available at the following URL: http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/ [ANS thanks Clive Wallis, G3CWV, for OSCAR-11 status information] PACSAT AO-16 Uplink 145.90 145.92 145.94 145.96 MHz FM (using 1200-baud Manchester FSK) Downlink 437.025 MHz SSB (RC-BPSK 1200-baud PSK) Mode-S Beacon 2401.1428 MHz Broadcast Callsign: PACSAT-11 BBS PACSAT-12 Launched: January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana. Status: Semi-operational, the digipeater command is on. Telemetry is as follows: uptime is 812/17:40:56. Time is Sun May 05 21:26:19 2002 +10V Bus 10.100 V +Z Array V 0.205 V +X (RX) Temp -9.683 D RX Temp 3.629 D Bat 1 V 1.210 V Bat 2 V 1.154 V Bat 3 V 1.183 V Bat 4 V 1.234 V Bat 5 V 1.204 V Bat 6 V 1.194 V Bat 7 V 1.204 V Bat 8 V 1.232 V PSK TX RF Out 0.747 W +Z Array Temp -14.524 D +Y Array Temp -24.811 D PSK TX HPA Tmp -1.212 D A WOD collection of current graphics along with general information and telemetry samples can be found at: www.telecable.es/personales/ea1bcu [ANS thanks Miguel Menendez, EA1BCU, for AO-16 status information] ITAMSAT IO-26 Uplink 145.875 145.900 145.925 145.950 MHz FM (1200-baud) Downlink 435.822 MHz SSB Broadcast Callsign ITMSAT-11 BBS ITMSAT-12 Launched: September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana. Status: Semi-operational, the digipeater function is on and open for APRS users. [ANS thanks ITAMSAT Project Manager Alberto E. Zagni, I2KBD, for IO-26 information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-132.07 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 3 AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 132.07 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 12, 2002 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-132.07 THE FOLLOWING ARE IN ORBIT BUT ARE NON-OPERATIONAL OR SEMI-OPERATIONAL AT THIS TIME: AMRAD AO-27 Uplink 145.850 MHz FM Downlink 436.795 MHz FM Launched: September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana. Status: Non-operational, mode J. AO-27 control operator Michael Wyrick, N3UC (former N4USI), reports AO-27 has been turn off to condition the batteries. Earlier this month, the control operators noticed that AO-27's batteries had become very low and was causing the transmitter to turn off early during the passes. The on-board software was turning the transmitters off to keep the batteries from becoming too low to keep the CPU running. More information is available at: http://www.umbrasi.com/ Currently, AO-27's Amateur Radio 'bent-pipe' transmitter is off in hopes of getting enough charge to the batteries. At that time, the transmitter will resume normal FM repeater operation. At times the control stations will turn the transmitter on to collect 1200-baud AFSK telemetry. An AO-27 question-and-answer page is available on the AMSAT-NA web site, with updates by Ray, W2RS. The URL is: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/intro/ao27faq.html AO-27 uses a method called Timed Eclipse Power Regulation (TEPR) to regulate the on-board batteries. In simple terms, TEPR times how long the satellite has been in an eclipse (or in the sun) and decides what subsystems to turn on or off. The AO-27 pages on the AMSAT-NA web site include an explanation of TEPR AO-27 operations (at): http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/ao27.html On Saturday, March 30, 2002, the TEPR states on AO-27 were reset as follows: TEPR 4 - 50 TEPR 5 - 90 [ANS thanks AMRAD for AO-27 information] KITSAT KO-23 Uplink 145.900 MHz FM (9600-baud FSK) Downlink 435.170 MHz FM Broadcast Callsign HLO1-11 BBS HLO1-12 Launched: August 10, 1992 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana. Status: Non-operational. Jim, AA7KC, reports that KO-23's downlink transmitter continues in a non-operational status. [ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, and KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ, for KO-23 status information] KITSAT KO-25 Uplink 145.980 MHz FM (9600-baud FSK) Downlink 436.500 MHz FM Broadcast Callsign HL02-11 BBS HL02-12 Launched: September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana. Status: Semi-operational Jim, AA7KC, reports KO-25 is essentially non-operational due to very low downlink efficiencies. Jim reports there have been a few contacts displayed on the satellite, but downlink efficiency continues to be poor. Robert, G8ATE, reports he was able to hear KO-25 recently but was unable to decode any telemetry due to weak downlink. [ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for this information] UoSAT-12 UO-36 Uplink 145.960 MHz (9600-baud FSK) Downlink 437.025 MHz 437.400 MHz Broadcast Callsign UO121-11 BBS UO121-12 Launched: April 21, 1999 by a Russian launcher from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Status: Unknown UO-36 carries a number of imaging payloads, digital store-and-forward communications and mode L/S transponders. Paul, KB2SHU, tells ANS that UO-36 has not been operational (over North America) since late July 2001. In addition, Sangat, 9M2SS, reports he has not copied UO-36 since July 30, 2001. The VK5HI viewer shareware for UO-36 is available on the AMSAT-NA web site at the following URL: ftp://ftp.amsat.org/amsat/software/win32/display/ccddsp97-119.zip Further information on UO-36 is available from: http://www.sstl.co.uk/ [ANS thanks Chris G7UPN/ZL2TPO, and the University of Surrey for UO-36 information] TMSAT-1 TO-31 Uplink 145.925 MHz (9600-baud FSK) Downlink 436.925 MHz (9600-baud FSK) Broadcast Callsign: TMSAT1-11 BBS TMSAT1-12 Launched: July 10, 1998 by a Zenit rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Status: Non-operational, no data downlinked since December 18, 2000. Chris G7UPN, (UoSAT operations manager) reports the following to ANS: The TO-31 downlink will be off over most areas, with the exception of Europe and Thailand. 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: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/software/win32/wisp Many of the high-resolution color images transmitted by TMSAT are compressed using a UoSAT compression format. This format is supported by the VK5HI CCD display program. [ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for TO-31 status information] LUSAT LO-19 Uplink 145.84 145.86 145.88 145.90 MHz FM (using 1200-baud Manchester FSK) CW downlink 437.125 MHz Digital downlink 437.150 MHz SSB (RC-BPSK 1200-baud PSK) Broadcast Callsign LUSAT-11 BBS LUSAT-12 Launched: January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana. Status: Beacon only. The CW beacon is sending eight telemetry channels and one status channel on 437.126 MHz. No BBS service is available. The digipeater is not active. Telemetry is as follows: Time is Wed Jan 25 20:58:00 2002 LUSAT HIHI 60 CW-Code: ava abv aav adb at4 ab6 ttu aae 5V-reg.: 4.85 V 8.5V-reg: 6.44 V 10V-Bat: 11.07 V 10V-Curr: 123.2 mA TX-Pwr : 0.977 W TX-Temp.: 7.68 ?C +Z-Sol.: 0.30 V Box-Temp: 11.39 ?C CW-Code: ava abv aa4 adb ate abe ttu aee 5V-reg.: 4.85 V 8.5V-reg: 8.68 V 10V-Bat: 11.07 V 10V-Curr: 122.5 mA TX-Pwr : 0.977 W TX-Temp.: 7.33 ?C +Z-Sol.: 0.30 V Box-Temp: 11.04 ?C CW-Code: ava abv aae adb at6 abe ttu aee 5V-reg.: 4.85 V 8.5V-reg: 8.68 V 10V-Bat: 11.07 V 10V-Curr: 122.5 mA TX-Pwr : 0.977 W TX-Temp.: 6.97 ?C +Z-Sol.: 0.30 V Box-Temp: 10.68 ?C General information and telemetry samples can be found at: www.telecable.es/personales/ea1bcu [ANS thanks Miguel Menendez, EA1BCU, for LO-19 status information] SO-42 SAUDISAT-1B Uplink to be released Downlink 436.075 MHz Broadcast Callsign SASAT2-11 BBS SASAT2-12 Launched: September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Status: Unknown, ANS has received no additional information. When/if operational, SaudiSat-1B will operate as 9600-baud digital store-and-forward systems as well analog FM repeater mode capability. One of two new ham satellites from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia built by the Space Research Institute at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology. SUNSAT SO-35 Launched: February 23, 1999 by a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Status: Non-operational The SunSat team released the following statement, dated February 1, 2001: We regret to announce that the last communication with SunSat from our ground station at the Electronic Systems Laboratory at Stellenbosch University took place recently. We are certain, after having performed several tests since the last contact, that an irreversible, physical failure has occurred on the satellite. It is therefore unlikely that we will have any further contact with SunSat, apart from the occasional visual sighting by telescope! When it was operational the SunSat package included 1200 and 9600 baud digital store-and-forward capability and a voice 'parrot' repeater system in addition to Mode B/J operation with 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] TECHSAT-1B GO-32 Downlink 435.225 MHz using HDLC telemetry Launched: July 10, 1998 by a Russian Zenit rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Status: Semi-operational. Last reported, the satellite does transmit a 9600-baud burst every 30 seconds (the GO-32 beacon sends one short telemetry status transmission of 44 bytes) and upon request the complete telemetry buffer. [ANS has no further information] PANSAT PO-34 Uplink/downlink frequency (listed on the PanSat web site) 436.500 MHz Launched: October 30, 1998 by the Shuttle Discovery. Status: Unknown The satellite is not available for general uplink transmissions. The Naval Postgraduate School developed PanSat. At the time of launch, PanSat spread-spectrum digital transponders were to be available to Amateur Radio operators along with software to utilize this technology. The satellite is still operating, however, the spread spectrum packet radio portion never took place. The spacecraft is now beyond it's initial 2-year mission life, but telemetry records are still being downloaded. For more information, visit the official PanSat web site at: http://www.sp.nps.navy.mil/pansat/ PanSat was the featured cover article on the July/August 1999 issue of the AMSAT-NA Journal (the story written by KD6DRA and N7HPR). [ANS has no further information] DOVE DO-17 Downlink 145.825 MHz FM (1200-baud AFSK) 2401.220 MHz Launched: January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana. Status: 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. [ANS has no further information] WEBERSAT WO-18 Downlink 437.104 MHz SSB (1200 baud PSK AX.25) Launched: January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou, French Guiana. Status: Non-operational. WO-18 was last reported to be in MBL mode after a software crash. [ANS has no further information] SEDSAT-1 SO-33 Downlink 437.910 MHz FM (9600-baud FSK) Launched: October 24, 1998 by a Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Status: Semi-operational. The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions and the image and transponder recovery efforts have been unsuccessful. SedSat-1 signifies Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (satellite number one). SedSat-1 has downlinked months worth of telemetry data on the performance of its electrical power system parameters. The Nickel Metal Hydride batteries on the spacecraft were experimental and experienced some abuse due to a power negative situation. This information has provided NASA with useful information. With the exception of the imaging system and the use of the transponders, SedSat-1 has been judged a success. For more information on SedSat-1 visit the satellite web site at the following URL: http://seds.uah.edu/projects/sedsat/sedsat.htm [ANS has no further information] /EX