SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-037.01
AMSAT P3E Meeting Report

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 037.01
 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 6, 2005
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-037.01

A P3E satellite design review meeting was held in Marburg Germany from
January 26th through January 30th. The primary focus of this meeting 
was the
design of the IHU-3 and the CAN-Do interface. In attendance for AMSAT-NA
were Bob McGwier N4HY, Bdale Garbee KB0G, Stephen Moraco KC0FTQ, Lyle
Johnson KK7P, and Chuck Green N0ADI. AMSAT-DL was represented by 
AMSAT-DL
President Peter Guelzow DB2OS, Prof. Dr. Karl Meinzer DJ4ZC, Hartmut 
Paesler
DL1YDD, Gerhart Metz DG2CV and 3-E Project Manager Heike Straube. A 
great
deal of progress was made during the week. A detailed task and schedule 
list
was prepared for completion of IHU-3 and related tasks over the next 
several
months.

AMSAT-NA President Rick Hambly W2GPS, who spent the week in Germany and
Austria on business, joined the meeting on Saturday, January 29th.  
This was
Rick's first visit to AMSAT-DL in Marburg.  Rick was very pleased with 
the
warm reception he received and with the great progress that has been 
made on
the P3E satellite.

[ANS thanks Rick, W2GPS for the above information]

/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-037.02
OSCAR SKN 2005

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 037.02
 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 6, 2005
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-037.02

Activity in OSCAR SKN 2005 was up significantly from last year, 
especially in
western North America where Cliff, K7RR, reported that the FO-29 
passband
sounded like 40 meters!

Eight SKN participants received at least one Best Fist nomination:

Frank Riedel, DJ3FR
Bill Erhardt, K7MT
Cliff Buttschardt, K7RR
Ron Gorzynski, K8DID
Frank Wiesenmeyer, K9CIS
Al Ozias, N7EQF
Diane Bruce, VA3DB
Kerry La Duke, WC7V

Congratulations to all of our Best Fist winners, and CU next year!

[ANS thanks Ray, W2RS for the above information]

/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-037.03
AMSAT  National Fundraising Effort

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 037.03
 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 6, 2005
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-037.03

At the last Annual Meeting the Board of Directors authorized the 
selection
of a national Fundraising professional to commence a National 
Feasibility
Study for AMSAT. This project will involve the interviewing of a 
selected
group of AMSAT supporters and potential donors to a national fund 
drive. If
the study comes back with a positive outlook a national drive would 
follow
in the following year. While the feasibility study would assist in 
setting a
goal for the drive, it is safe to say that the AMSAT program of work 
for the
next decade demands a goal well in the millions.

To assist the professional in the creation of the Feasibility Study, we 
have
been developing the necessary documentation on the past, present and 
future
of AMSAT. This past week the first draft of a Case for Support went out 
to
the Board and officers as well as selected senior advisors who will 
assist
in the finalization of that cornerstone document. Hopefully the Case for
Support can be completed within the next 90 days after which we will 
meet
with the professionals to start the Study.

Much more info will follow over the next few months and years... Stay
tuned..

Gunther Meisse
W8GSM
AMSAT Treasurer

[ANS thanks Gunther, W8GSM for the above information]

/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-037.04
ARISS Status January 31, 2005

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 037.04
 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 6, 2005
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-037.04

New Mexico School Contact Successful

Students at Pinon Elementary School in White Rock, New Mexico spoke 
with Leroy
Chiao, KE5BRW, on Thursday, January 27. Twelve students asked 14 
questions, as
an additional 60 students and their parents, teachers, and media 
personnel
looked on. The event was covered by a local newspaper and the 
University of
California Television filmed the contact. It will be used in the series 
"Behind
the White Coat," which is produced at Los Alamos Labs, and distributed 
by UCTV
over the air and internet at the UCTV website. The recording will be 
available
on their website in 5 / 6 weeks.

Upcoming School Contacts

Fairview Elementary School, in Mount Prospect, Illinois, has been 
scheduled for
a contact with Leroy Chiao, KE5BRW.  This school was chosen for a 
contact by
Leroy, and will take place on February 10, at 17:58 UTC.

ARRL Article on French School Contact

B. Robespierre School in Rueil Malmaison, France had a successful 
contact with
Leroy Chiao, KE5BRW on January 18. ARRL covered the event in the 
article,
"Many Millions" of Kilometers Traveled to Date, Astronaut Tells French 
Pupils.

See:   http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2005/01/26/3/?nc=1

Tulsa Air and Space Museum Contact Video

The Tulsa Air and Space Museum experienced a contact with the ISS crew 
in
December, 2004.  A video of the contact is available for viewing on the 
Tulsa
Repeater Organization’s website.

See:  "http://www.tulsahamradio.org/2004ARISSKidsSpace_hamwx.htm

ARRL Article on Kenwood Radio System

On January 25, the ARRL ran a story on the ARISS Phase 2 equipment. 
"ISS RS0ISS
packet system remains problematic."

See:  http://www.arrl.org/" http://www.arrl.org/

Astronaut Passes Amateur Radio License Exam

On January 28, astronaut John Phillips took and passed his Amateur 
Radio license
exam. Phillips and Sergei Krikalev, U5MIR, are the two Expedition 11 
crew
members slated to fly in April 2005.  Both members are now qualified to
participate in ARISS school contacts.

SuitSat Meeting Planned for February, 2005

Approval has been given for a Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM) to be 
held on
Monday, February 14 through Friday, February 18 in Houston.  The 
purpose of the
meeting is to discuss and design SuitSat. A Letter of Invitation has 
been
extended to ARISS-Russia delegate Sergey Samburov so that he may attend 
the
conference.

[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI for the above information]

/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-037.05
ARISS ATC Contact Successful

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 037.05
 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 6, 2005
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-037.05

The Air Training Corps 1132 Squadron of Stalham High School in Norfolk, 
England
successfully made a contact with the ISS. The cadets spoke with Leroy 
Chiao on
Wednesday, February 2, at 12:54 UTC.

A recording of the contact between GB3ATC and the ISS was made by 
Howard Long,
G6LVB, AMSAT-UK ARISS Rep.

It can be found at:

http://www.g6lvb.com/images/ISSgb2atc8kbps8kHz.mp3 (566KB)

All 20 questions 100%.

About 3 minutes 20 seconds in we had a fade that was corrected within a
second so by changing polarisation. We missed a couple of words of an
answer, but that was it. Apart from the fade, the signal end-stopped
throughout.

The ISS was still in packet for the first minute, but Leroy came 
through.

[ANS thanks Howard, G6LVB for the above information]

/EX