SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-255.01 ECHO Schedule Changes AMSAT News Service Bulletin 255.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. September 12, 2004 To ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-255.01 Due to Tropical Storm Frances, which forced me to take down my antennas, the Echo schedule has been changed. We will postpone the PSK31 test until Tuesday 14 September. See below. FM Repeat -- 2 Sept through 10 Sept Echo is back in FM repeat mode on 435.300 mhz downlink. The BBS is closed. Command Station Testing - 11 Sept until 14 Sept On 11 Sept Echo will be turned off for all user activity, to allow testing by command stations on the 38k4 high speed digital system. Plans are to first test the 38k4 downlink on UHF (435.150), and then move to S Band (2401.200). During testing the high speed digital downlink will be turned on for complete orbits. Not just over a command station as during past tests. Echo will send Telemetry data on the 38k4 downlink just as it does now at 9k6. Therefore stations with 38k4 capability are welcome to monitor and test their ability to "make bits" at 38k4. TXB (435.300) will be off during this work. Rescheduled Experimenters Day (rescheduled from 8 Sep) for 14 September The plan for is to test the feasibility of running PSK31 on Echo. As before, reports to the amsat-bb will be needed. I am not setup for this mode so I need your feedback to know if it works. Uplink: 10 meter band: 28.140 mhz USB PSK31 ONLY Downlink: 435.300 mhz FM, Continuous Transmission, Power level to be determined The 9k6 digital downlink will most likely be off during the test. Experimenters Wednesday for 15 September Tentatively scheduled will be a test of the 38k4 digital downlink allowing user access. The exact mode will be determined by the command station testing detailed above. Uplink: TBD Freq, 9k6 Digital, Pacsat Broadcast Protocol (PBP) Downlink: TBD Freq, 38k4 Digital, PBP Other Items Power Consumption looked good while we were running the Mode L/S test on Wednesday. So look for more Mode L/S in the future. Check back to this page for the latest updates, plans, and schedule. 73 KE4AZN Echo Command Team [ANS thanks KE4AZN] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-255.02 President's Message AMSAT News Service Bulletin 227.02 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. September 12, 2004 To ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-255.02 Labor Day, has come and gone, now its back to work again, and also to get ready for our Annual Meeting and 22nd Space Symposium in the Crowne Plaza National Airport Hotel Arlington Va. Our reserved rooms, at a great rate, are not available after the 15th of September, so book now and get the AMSAT rate. I have received some reports of a problem with the hotel computer, I understand that that problem has noe been fixed and rooms are still available until Wednesday September 15th. Call 1-703-416-1600 and ask for the AMSAT/ARISS special rates ($89/day). I have had the opportunity to review the Agenda for the AMSAT portion of the meeting, and believe me when I say it looks as though it will be the best meeting ever, Frank Bauer (KA3HDO) and his team are doing a great job in organizing the meeting asnd making all the appropriate arrangements. As usual there will be a number of fantastic prizes to be drawn for at the Saturday evening Banquet including at least one full satellite transceiver. All "President's Club" Gold and Silver members are invited to the President's Club reception on the Friday Evening together with All AMSAT Officers and members of the "EAGLE" and "ECHO" teams. One more it will be my pleasure to Act as Host to this event and to introduce the Gold and Silver Members to the AMSAT workers! This year will be unique in that we are holding the Board of Directors meeting before the Annual meeting and Space Symposium, so that the delegated will be able to meet the new President after his election by the Board. At that time I will then be the Immediate Past President and I am looking forward to my retirement as President. It is appropriate that we change Presidents every few years to generate new ideas and keep AMSAT-NA as an up to date organization. Next week we will see the results of this years elections for the Board of Directors, and whoever is elected I look forward to working with my collegues on the Board for at least another year, Good Luck to All. As I noted above, I will no longer be the AMSAT-NA President after October 7th, thus this will be my last "President's monthly letter" it only remains for me to say that I have enjoyed serving you as President and I look forward to being active in the Organization for many more years to come. 73 Robin Haighton VE3FRH President AMSAT-NA /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-255.03 AMSAT Symposium AMSAT News Service Bulletin 255.03 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. September 12, 2004 To ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-255.03 The annual AMSAT Symposium will be held in Washington, DC in about 4 weeks. If you plan to attend, please make reservations now. It will be a great place to let your opinion be heard on all matters relating to our AMSAT organization. The general meeting will be the forum to introduce YOUR ideas and concerns. There will also be a banquet on Saturday night to enjoy the fellowship of AMSAT members. Help celebrate our 35th Anniversary with your attendance. Symposium October 7th thru 10th followed by the ARISS committee meeting starting Monday the 11th. See the AMSAT website for all the details. /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-255.04 ARISS Update AMSAT News Service Bulletin 255.04 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. September 12, 2004 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-255.04 1. Upcoming School Contacts Kingston Community School in Kingston SE, South Australia has been scheduled for an ARISS contact via the telebridge station, NN1SS. It will take place on Friday, September 10, at 0752 UTC. Aoyama Gakuin Elementary School in Tokyo, Japan will also experience a contact with the ISS. It has been scheduled for Friday, September 17, at 17:07 UTC. 2. ARRL Article on Pennsylvania School Contact The ARRL ran a web story on the August 27 Upper St. Clair High School contact. The article provides a link to an audio of the contact. See "Life in Space Fun, Challenging, Astronaut Tells Pennsylvania Students," at: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/09/03/1/?nc=1 3. ARRL Article on New Kenwood Mode The ARISS team successfully tested the Kenwood repeater mode during an ISS pass on Saturday, August 28. The ARRL ran a web story entitled, "ARISS Puts ISS Phase 2 Equipment to Use as FM "EasySat"." See: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/08/30/1/?nc=1 4. ARISS Radios Cycled The ARISS radio systems were turned off on September 2 at 1700 UTC in preparation of Expedition 9's fourth EVA. The spacewalk began on Friday, September 3 at 1650 UTC, and ended 5 hours and 21 minutes later. The crew turned on the radios before the end of the day, which was earlier than anticipated, and the radio is now in packet mode. 5. ARISS Photos Displayed at Japan's Hamfest JAIA Ham Fair, Japan's largest hamfest, was held at Tokyo's Big Sight International Convention Center on August 21 -22. Manufacturers and dealers, as well as 170 radio clubs, all had exhibit booths at this event. The ARISS U.S. team provided photographs of the ARISS radio equipment in the Service Module to Hiroto Watarikawa, JJ1LYU. A modified Kenwood D700E, which looks like the flight radio, and the ARISS supplied photos were used as part of an exhibit in the Kenwood Booth. More than 30,000 people attended the event. 6. Mike Fincke May Participate in Upcoming Events Mike Fincke has expressed interest in participating in two upcoming events. The first event, "The Long Night of the Stars," is an open house at the control center of ESA ESOC in Darmstadt, Germany, which will be held on Saturday, September 18. The second event is the Marina Air Fair which will be held in Marina,California on Saturday, October 16. Should he decide to do so, Mike's participation in these events will be handled as informal dialog, similar to that of Field Day. 7. ARRL Sponsors Teachers Institute ARRL sponsored its first Education and Technology Program (ETP) Teachers Institute the second week of August. Mark Spencer involved the participating teachers in hands-on activities for integrating wireless technology, Amateur Radio, ARISS and other space-related activities into math and science classrooms. By the end of the week, the teachers had enjoyed themselves so much, that they said they weren't ready to go home. See ARRL's article, "First "Big Project" Teachers Institute Under Way," at: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/08/10/1/?nc=1 [TNX SAREX Team for info] 73, This week's ANS editor, Dee Interdonato, NB2F - NB2F at AMSAT.org /EX