SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-032.S1 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 1 AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 032.S1 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, February 01, 2004 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-032.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: Currently Non-Operational This from Stacey Mills, W4SM 01/29/2004: Initial attempts to turn on the K-tx with short machine code commands did not result in a detectable signal, but this will be repeated. Several additional cycles with the S2 have been repeated as well without result. These attempts always terminate with transmitter off commands, and simple commands to try to switch the battery to the aux. mode. Our hypothesis remains that we have a battery failure clamping the voltage low. We're looking at the spacecraft physical and electrical layout and even the "flaky" heatpipe reading to see if we can come up with a more detailed failure point explanation. If our theory is correct, the remaining cells of the main battery are taking quite a beating as the BCR's try unsuccessfully to bring them up to the set point voltage of about 28 volts. We expect that more than 6 amps are flowing through the remaining cells in the main battery and this current will increase by about 30% as the solar angles improve. We only need for one of these cells to lose enough electrolyte to "open" and we could be back in business. I'll repeat my comment from before that time is an unknown here and days or weeks without result do not mean ultimate failure. I will be out of town for two days on an unavoidable business trip, but will update the bulletin board when I return on Sunday. The command team will continue to try to regain the S2 and K Tx's and report any successes here. 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][02012004] ===== 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 There currently are reports of the Packet station operating in 'simplex' mode i.e. uplink/downlink on 145.800. Please send any confirmations to ans-editor@amsat.org. 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][01182004] ===== 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: Operational This off the AO-27 webpage: Current Time UTC => Sat Jan 31 16:23:26 2004 Schedule Time => 01:11:11 Current State => 7 Mode => OFF Remaining => 00:29:38 Next Event UTC => Sat Jan 31 16:53:04 2004 State => 0 Mode => Digital Med TOPR Epoch (UTC) = Sat Jan 17 21:50:37 2004 TOPR Epoch (ctime) = 1074376237 Schedule Period (sec) = 6049.475 State Start Time End Time Duration(sec) Mode -------------------------------------------------------- 0 00:00:00 00:00:20 20 Digital Med 1 00:00:20 00:09:20 540 Analogue Med 2 00:09:20 00:10:20 60 Digital Med 3 00:10:20 00:33:00 1360 OFF 4 00:33:00 00:34:00 60 Digital Med 5 00:34:00 00:34:20 20 OFF 6 00:34:20 00:34:40 20 OFF 7 00:34:40 01:40:49 3969 OFF 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 Micheal, N3UC and AMRAD for AO-27 information] [02012004] ===== 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] NNNN /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-032.S2 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 2 AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 032.S2 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, February 01,2004, TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-032.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][12212003] ===== 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] NNNN /EX SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-032.S3 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 3 AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 032.S3 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, February 01, 2004 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-032.S3 THE FOLLOWING ARE IN ORBIT BUT ARE NON-OPERATIONAL AT THIS TIME: AO-10 OSCAR 10 Catalog number: 14129 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: Non-operational. AO-10 has been locked into a Mode-B, 70-cm uplink and 2-meter downlink for several years. 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] ===== RS-12 RADIO SPORT RS-12 Catalog number: 21089 Uplink: 21.210 to 21.250 MHz CW/USB Downlink: 29.410 to 29.450 MHz CW/USB Beacon: 29.408 MHz Robot: 29.454 MHz Launched: February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian Cosmos C launcher Status: Non-operational. Hams reporting to the RS-12/13 Forum from across the US and Europe have stated that they have not been able to hear any beacons from either the RS-12 or RS-13 satellite packages since August 20, 2002. +++ Jerry, K5OE reports the following: I recently queried several of my Russian friends and received this response from Oleg, RV3TH, in Nihzni Novgorod: Yesterday I made a telephone call to my friend from Siberia. He works in one of the checking centres for satellites. He says: "Electronical devices of satellite COSMOS2123 (and RS12/13) perished after superpower protonflashes on the Sun (July/August 2002)" Control devices and receivers perished first, and then a beacon. They have hopes to restore the satellite, but it is very small. Jerry, you can use this information, but it is NON OFFICIAL information. (above paraphrased by N1JEZ) +++ 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] ===== RS-13 RADIO SPORT RS-13 Catalog number: 21089 Uplink: 21.260 to 21.300 MHz CW/USB Downlink: 145.860 to 145.900 MHz CW/USB Beacon: 145.860 MHz Robot: 145.908 MHz Launched: February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian Cosmos C launcher Status: Non-operational. Hams reporting to the RS-12/13 Forum from across the US and Europe have stated that they have not been able to hear any beacons from either the RS-12 or RS-13 satellite packages since August 20, 2002. +++ Jerry, K5OE reports the following: I recently queried several of my Russian friends and received this response from Oleg, RV3TH, in Nihzni Novgorod: Yesterday I made a telephone call to my friend from Siberia. He works in one of the checking centres for satellites. He says: "Electronical devices of satellite COSMOS2123 (and RS12/13) perished after superpower protonflashes on the Sun (July/August 2002)" Control devices and receivers perished first, and then a beacon. They have hopes to restore the satellite, but it is very small. Jerry, you can use this information, but it is NON OFFICIAL information. (above paraphrased by N1JEZ) +++ 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] ===== KO-23 KITSAT Catalog number: 22077 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] ===== KO-25 KITSAT Catalog number: 22828 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: Non-operational [ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, and Andrew, G8TZJ for this information] ===== PO-34 PANSAT Catalog number: 25520 Uplink/downlink frequency (listed on the PanSat web site) 436.500 MHz Launched: October 30, 1998 by the Shuttle Discovery. Status: Telemetry downloads only. 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] ===== UO-36 UoSAT-12 Catalog number: 25693 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 at: http://www.sstl.co.uk/ [ANS thanks Chris G7UPN/ZL2TPO, and the University of Surrey for UO-36 information] ===== SO-42 SAUDISAT-1B Catalog number: 26549 Uplink: to be released Downlink: 437.075 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. Further information is available at: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/so42.html [ANS thanks Turki Al-Saud for this information] ===== NO-45 SAPPHIRE Catalog number: 26932 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: Non-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] AO-49 AATiS OSCAR-49 (SAFIR-M) Catalog number: 27605 Launch Date: December 20, 2002 Uplink 435.275 1200-baud AFSK Downlink 145.825 9600-baud FSK (optional voice message) Broadcast callsign: DP0AIS Status: Semi-operational. AO-49 (SAFIR-M) is a German amateur radio payload onboard the small German scientific satellite "RUBIN-2". AO-49 was built by the German amateur radio association "AATiS e.V." (German acronym for "Arbeitskreis Amateurfunk und Telekommunikation in der Schule", which means: 'working group for amateur radio and telecommunications in schools'). AO-49 is designed as a "store and broadcast" system for APRS based messages, dedicated for the use of schools in combination with the existing WX-Net and planned buoy experiments in Germany. No transmissions detected since the 1st of February 2003! It appears AO-49 is not properly aligned to illuminate the solar panels. This should end soon. Due to its orbit, AO-49 will be in a phase without eclipses until 13Feb03. Martin DG8UAU has written a small software program "SAFIR-M Decoder" to allow decoding of the received DATA0 frames. It is available at http://amend.gmxhome.de in the section Aktuelles. Details on AO-49 (SAFIR-M) can be found at http://amend.gmxhome.de. Information about AATiS e.V. is available at http://www.aatis.de [ANS thanks Oliver Amend, DG6BCE for this information] NNNN /EX