SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-011.S1 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 1 AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 004.S1 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, January 11, 2004 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-011.S1 AO-40 AMSAT OSCAR 40 Catalog number: 26609 Launch Date: November 16, 2000 Uplink V-band 145.840 - 145.990 MHz CW/LSB U-band 435.550 - 435.800 MHz CW/LSB L1-band 1269.250 - 1269.500 MHz CW/LSB L2-band 1268.325 - 1268.575 MHz CW/LSB S1-band 2400.350 - 2400.600 MHz CW/LSB Downlink: S2-band 2401.225 - 2401.475 MHz CW/USB K-band 24,048.010 - 24,048.060 MHz CW/USB Beacon: 2401.323, 24,048.035 Status: ACTIVE!!!! This from Stacey Mills, W4SM: ALON/ALAT is approximately 337 / 3. The U,L1 -> S2 passbands are now active from MA 20 to 140 Please run low power and stay well clear of the beacon. Thanks. N QST AMSAT AO-40 SCHEDULE 2004-01-03 MA 002 020 140 002 ---------7-----1-----5-----7 S2/K-Tx | S | S | S | MB | * | * | * | RUDAK | | | | V/U-Rx | U | U | U | Uplink | | UL1 | | -W4SM for the AO-40 Command Team Ground stations capturing telemetry from AO-40 are asked to ZIP the file and send a copy of the dat 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-DL and Stacey Mills, W4SM for this information][01042004] ===== ARISS - INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION Catalog number: 25544 Launch date: November 20, 1998 Worldwide packet uplink: 145.990 MHz FM Region 1 voice uplink: 145.200 MHz FM Region 2/3 voice uplink: 144.490 MHz FM Worldwide downlink: 145.800 MHz FM Sponsors: AMSAT, ARRL, ARISS Status: Operational since September, 2000. Digipeater: Active The current Expedition 8 crew is: Commnader Mike Foale, KB5UAC Flight Engineer Alexander Kaleri, U8MIR This from Bill, VE7WFG on Dec, 28: Commander Mike Foal was operating voice again this morning from the ISS on the 12:50 UTC pass. I asked if he would be on again on the next pass and he reported that this would be the last pass for today as other activities on the station would require his attention. I heard him work the following stations before losing the signal over the mountains. This from ARRL Letter: Astronaut Mike Foale, KB5UAC, fired up the new Phase 2 Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) equipment December 21 to make a number of 2-meter contacts with amateurs around the world. The Expedition 8 commander completed QSOs with amateurs in Australia, Europe and North America from 1100 to approximately 1700 UTC. "I heard him at approximately 1100 UTC and also on the next pass." commented Ib Christofferson, OZ1MY, on the SAREX reflector. "He had a large pileup." A new Kenwood TM-D700E VHF-UHF dualband transceiver was installed late last fall in the ISS Zvezda Service Module--the crew's living quarters. ARISS International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, said official permission to use the new gear came December 17. The RS0ISS packet system also is back in operation. "This equipment, including antennas, radios, hardware and software were developed and provided by a diverse set of team members located around the world," Bauer said in a year-end statement. "This was quite a challenge to make happen." Activation of the new gear means a power boost from 5 W to 25 W for the NA1SS downlink signal. It also means the ISS now has two functional ham stations. Additional Phase 2 equipment--which could go into space this month--is to include a slow-scan television (SSTV) system and a Yaesu FT-100 HF/VHF/UHF transceiver. "I was able to hear him from as far out as 1200 miles," reported Arthur Rowe, N1ORC, of Lawrence, Massachusetts. "I guess that the new output power was helping." The ISS daily crew schedule can be found at: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/timelines/ Remember that the crew operates on UTC time. Also, all of the time line is NOT translated from Russian and posted. U.S. callsign: NA1SS Russian callsigns: RS0ISS, RZ3DZR TNC callsign: RS0ISS-1 More information is available at: http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov/ or http://www.rac.ca/ariss or http://www.marexmg.org/fileshtml/unprotopage.html or http://www.issfanclub.com [ANS wishes to thank Bill, VE7WFG and the ARRL Letter][01042004] ===== AO-7 AMSAT OSCAR 7 Catalog number: 07530 Launch Date: November 15, 1974 Return to active status: June 21,2002 Uplink: 145.850 to 145.950 MHz CW/USB Mode A 432.125 to 432.175 MHz CW/LSB Mode B Downlink: 29.400 to 29.500 MHz CW/USB Mode A 145.975 to 145.925 MHz CW/USB Mode B Beacon: 29.502 MHz, 145.972 MHz, 435.1 MHz, 2304.1 MHz Status: Semi-operational in sunlight. Emily, W0EEC has created a website to allow the users of AO-7 to record contacts, observations and use of the satellite more effectively at http://www.experthams.net/ao7 This includes the ability to log contacts. Tim, K3TZ has written a program to decode AO-07 telemetry. The program can be downloaded at: http://www.qsl.net/k3tz/files/K3TZ_AO-07_Telemetry_Decoder_0.5.zip For more AO-7 info: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/ao7.html ===== RS-15 RADIO SPORT RS-15 Catalog number: 23439 Launch Date: December 26, 1994 Uplink: 145.858 to 145.898 MHz CW/USB Downlink: 29.354 to 29.394 MHz CW/USB Beacon: 29.352 MHz (intermittent) SSB meeting frequency: 29.380 MHz (unofficial) Status: Semi-operational, mode-A, using a 2-meter uplink and a 10-meter downlink. ===== FO-20 JAS-1b Catalog number: 20480 Launch Date: February 07, 1990 Uplink: 145.90 to 146.00 MHz CW/LSB Downlink: 435.80 to 435.90 MHz CW/USB Beacon: 435.795 Status: Semi-Operational. FO-20 is in mode JA continuously. ===== AO-27 AMRAD Catalog number: 22825 Launched: September 26, 1993 Uplink: 145.850 MHz FM Downlink: 436.795 MHz FM Status: Semi-operational, mode J. The latest information on AO-27 from control operator Michael Wyrick, N3UC (former N4USI), can be found at: http://www.ao27.org 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 [ANS thanks AMRAD for AO-27 information] ===== FO-29 JAS-2 Catalog number: 24278 Launch Date: August 17, 1996 Voice/CW Mode JA Uplink: 145.90 to 146.00 MHz CW/LSB Downlink: 435.80 to 435.90 MHz CW/USB Beacon: 435.795 MHz 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 Status: Operational Mode JA. Mineo, JE9PEL, has an FO-29 satellite telemetry analysis program that will automatically analyze all digital telemetry from the satellite (such as current, voltage and temperature). FO29CWTE is available at: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/ ===== SO-41 SAUDISAT-1A Launch Date: September 26, 2000 Catalog number: 26545 Uplink: 145.850 MHz Downlink: 436.775 MHz Broadcast Callsign: SASAT1-11 BBS: SASAT1-12 Status: Operational Further information is available at: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/so41.html ===== SO-50 SAUDISAT-1C Catalog number: 27607 Launched: December 20, 2002 Uplink: 145.850 MHz (67.0 Hz PL tone) Downlink: 436.795 MHz Status: Operational. SO-50 carries several experiments, including a mode J FM amateur repeater experiment operating on 145.850 MHz uplink and 436.800 MHz downlink. The repeater is available to amateurs worldwide as power permits, using a 67.0 Hertz tone on the uplink, for on-demand activation. [ANS thanks Turki Al-Saud for this information] /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-011.S2 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 2 AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 011.S2 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, January 11,2004, 2003 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-011.S2 UO-11 OSCAR-11 Catalog number: 14781 Launched: March 1, 1984 Downlink: 145.826 MHz FM (1200-baud AFSK) Mode-S Beacon: 2401.500 MHz Status: Semi-operational. ===== AO-16 PACSAT Catalog number: 20439 Launch Date: January 22, 1990 Uplink: 145.90 145.92 145.94 145.96 MHz FM (using 1200-baud Manchester FSK) Downlink: 437.026 MHz SSB (1200-baud PSK) Mode-S Beacon: 2401.1428 MHz Broadcast Callsign: PACSAT-11 BBS: PACSAT-12 Status: Semi-operational, the digipeater command is on and open for APRS users. A WOD collection of current graphics along with general information and telemetry samples can be found at: http://www.telecable.es/personales/ea1bcu [ANS thanks Miguel Menendez, EA1BCU, for AO-16 status information] ===== UO-22 UOSAT Catalog number: 21575 Launched: July 17, 1991 Uplink: 145.900 FM 9600-baud FSK Downlink: 435.120 MHz FM Broadcast Callsign: UOSAT5-11 BBS: UOSAT5-12 Status: Operational. More information on the satellite is available at the following URL: http://www.sstl.co.uk/ ===== IO-26 ITAMSAT Catalog number: 22826 Launch Date: September 26, 1993 Uplink: 145.875 145.900 145.925 145.950 MHz FM (1200-baud) Downlink: 435.812 MHz SSB Broadcast Callsign: ITMSAT-11 BBS: ITMSAT-12 Status: No uplinks currently This from Alberto E. Zagni - I2KBD on November 26,2003: I can confirm that IO-26 is still in Safe Mode (MBL telemetry). We have some problems to uplink the full IHT software, probably due to an unfavourable attitude of the spacecraft. Until the IHT (high level code) is reloaded, NO digipeat will be possible, since it is part of the IHT multitasking code. All the best Alberto E. Zagni - I2KBD [ANS thanks for Alberto E. Zagni, I2KBD and Don Woodward, KD4APP this information] ===== NO-44 PCSAT Catalog number: 26931 Launch Date: September 30, 2001 Uplink/downlink: 145.827 MHz 1200 baud AX.25 AFSK via W3ADO-1 Aux/Uplink: 435.250 MHz 9600 baud via PCSAT-2 (off) APRS Downlink: 144.390 MHz (Region 2) Status: Semi-Operational. This in from Bob Bruninga, Wb4APR: PCsat seems in Excellent health. But it depends on You. PCsat spends more than half its life in DEEP DISCHARGE cycles from which it cannot recover until it gets full Sun for a few orbits and can be commanded (and remember) to keep its spare RX and TX's off. PCsat was in full Sun for 2 weeks over the holidays and although it is back to maximum (35%) eclipses on every orbit now, she appears to be in good health. Several things are going on: 1) She is now back in MAX (35%) eclipse season! yet running strong. 2) As long as she doesnt reset, she rememebrs to keep spare loads OFF. 3) Northern Hemisphere (USA and Europe) passes are in mid afternoon 4) So USA/Europe ops are occurring with best solar panel towards sun 5) Night passes (USA/EUR) are after 2 AM so low use in dark when risky 6) If she resets, spare RX and TX come on and she dies till May BUT! What kills us every time is a prime-time EVENING European pass. And these are coming up in about 2 weeks or so. THere is little difference between USA and European ops, but there are just more of them that use PCsat. So, if we can get EVERYONE everywhere to only operate PCsat between the hours of Sunrise and Sunset in their area, then PCsat should operate indefinately. But all it takes is several packets in a row in the dark to cause a dip in bus voltage and a reset and all is lost till MAY. PCsat has no computer or controller on board. Just a TNC in a box, so we cannot schedule her for the 14 day/dark schedules per day... Two rules will keep us out of trouble: 1) No operation at night after 1 hour past sunset and before sunrise 2) No unattended operations. (dont waste power if you are not there) This will help avoid a crash due to high loads in the dark and loss of the bird till 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 at 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][01112004] ===== NO-45 SAPPHIRE Catalog number: 26932 Launch Date: September 30, 2001 Downlink: 437.095 MHz 1200 baud AX-25 AFSK Uplink: 145.945 MHz UI Digipeater Digi Callsign: KE6QMD Status: Operational. This in from Bob Bruninga WB4APR: Yes, we have officially announced that it will be authorized for UI digipeating very soon. Experiments are in progress and you can make the uplink with a 5W HT during an overhead pass. But we have not made the official announcement quite yet. We do need unattended SatGate volunteers to bring the 437.1 downlink into the APRS system. The pcsat.aprs.org WEB page will make the live downlink available just like it did for PCSAT... We need many more Satgates for Sapphire because its downlink is on UHF and so it is 9 dB weaker and the doppler is 3 times higher. Thus, any one ground station will only hear about 10% of all available passes (using an OMNI antenna), so we need a lot more ground stations to add up to 100%... 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 Sapphire information][122103] ===== MO-46 TIUNGSAT-1 Catalog number: 26548 Launched: September 26, 2000 Uplink: 145.850 or 145.925 MHz 9600-baud FSK Downlink: 437.325 MHz Broadcast callsign: MYSAT3-11 BBS: MYSAT3-12 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] ===== /EX