ANS-075 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for March 15th

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-075

The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on http://amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat dot org.

In this edition:

  • 38th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting Announced
  • Update from the AMSAT President
  • ARISS Video of SpaceX CRS-20 Launch Carrying IORS
  • Minor Update to FoxTelem Released
  • Use the NO-84 PSK31 Transponder Now!
  • ARISS News
  • Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • Satellite Shorts from All Over

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-075.01
ANS-075 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 075.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE March 15, 2020
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-075.01

38th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting Announced

AMSAT is pleased to announce that the 38th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will be held on Friday, October 16th – Sunday, October 18th at the Crowne Plaza Suites: MSP Airport – Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota.

The Crowne Plaza Suites is conveniently located adjacent to the American Blvd station on the Metro Blue Line, providing easy access to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, downtown Minneapolis, and the Mall of America.

The AMSAT Board of Directors will meet on Wednesday, October 14th and Thursday, October 15th at the hotel.

Further details, including hotel reservation information, tours, and other events will be shared in the coming months.

[ANS thanks the 2020 AMSAT Symposium Committee for the above information]

Update from the AMSAT President

The past six weeks since becoming AMSAT President has flown by with great speed. Thankfully I’m not travelling at 27,000 km/hour like our popular satellite AO-91. Speaking with many of our volunteers and members, I’ve felt the level of excitement and enthusiasm for the great launch opportunities ahead.

As mentioned in ANS-047, one of my tasks was to speak with the Directors and convene a meeting to conduct AMSAT corporate business. Tuesday, March 3, AMSAT held an informal working session for the Board of Directors. We are moving forward with a called Board of Directors meeting scheduled on Tuesday, March 17. The next meeting will allow Directors to put forward motions for new business, hear a status update from our officers, and set future trajectory.

The amateur radio community has felt the impact of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) with the cancellation of some regional events. Even as this health emergency has been raised to World Health Organization (WHO)’s highest level, its Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus remains hopeful that COVID-19 can be curtailed. AMSAT is closely monitoring the upcoming 2020 Hamvention being held over 60 days away in Xenia, Ohio. The Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) has publicly stated they are following guidance from the State of Ohio and Greene County. Barring further information from DARA, AMSAT will continue to make plans for our representation at the 2020 Hamvention.

AMSAT officers are also working on contingency plans if Hamvention is canceled. These plans include virtual presentations and other real-time online activities during Hamvention weekend.

Our next edition of the AMSAT Journal will be going through the editing review process soon. It will contain more detailed information about the health of AMSAT, its mission status, and share exciting news for 2020. If you’re not a member receiving the Journal, please consider joining at our website www.amsat.org.

73,
Clayton
W5PFG
AMSAT President

[ANS thanks AMSAT President Clayton Coleman, W5PFG, for the above information]

Purchase AMSAT Gear on our Zazzle storefront.
25% of the purchase price of each product goes
towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space
https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear

ARISS Video of SpaceX CRS-20 Launch Carrying IORS

On Friday, March 6, 2020 at 11:50 EST, SpaceX CRS-20 was successfully launched from Pad 40 at Kennedy Space Center. This was also a significant launch for ARISS since this cargo mission was carrying our Interoperable Radio System to the International Space Station.

This system will greatly enhance our capabilities on board Station involving our school contacts with the crew and both our current and planned future educational experiments. A special thanks to all who have donated and continue to donate to our ARISS Next-Generation Hardware Upgrade Fundrazr at our website www.ariss.org. You are making it all happen!!

I was able to attend the launch along with several other ARISS volunteers and have created a short video of the experience from our viewing location at the Banana Creek ViewPoint. Please note that you will hear two moderators on the video. One is actually at our site, announcing the launch. Another audio feed is coming from the PA system there and is delayed 30 seconds from real time, so try not to get too confused as you listen in.

Hope you enjoy the video.

Dave, AA4KN, ARISS PR

The video can be found at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-075-ARISS

[ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN, ARISS Public Relations for the above information]

Minor Update to FoxTelem Released

FoxTelem has been updated to version 1.08z5 and the latest version is here:

http://amsat.us/FoxTelem/windows/
http://amsat.us/FoxTelem/linux/
http://amsat.us/FoxTelem/mac/

This is not a mandatory upgrade. It fixes some minor bugs that caused crashes and corrects the calculation of the bit SNR for the Dot Product BPSK detector.

If you use the Dot Product detector and you care about the measured bit signal to noise ratio, then you want to upgrade. Note that if you use Find Signal in IQ mode then the bit SNR level is used to determine if the signal is found. Because the level has changed you will need to adjust the threshold value. Email Chris Thompson at g0kla at arrl.net if you need more information.

Please let me know if you see any issues, or log them on GitHub here: https://github.com/ac2cz/FoxTelem/issues

[ANS thanks Chris Thompson, AC2CZ/G0KLA, AMSAT FoxTelem Developer for the above information]

Use the NO-84 PSK31 Transponder Now!

Amid reports that NO-84’s battery is weakening, Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, shared the following message:

Before PSAT (NO-84) dies, don’t miss out on trying out its HF 28.120 PSK31 uplink transponder (435.350 MHz FM downlink). Apparently its battery is weakening and cannot make it through some eclipses. And the orbit only has 2 years left (Battery probably wont last that long).

But in the sun, it should work fine. PSK31 Xponder is always enabled, all it needs is to see PSK31 on the Ten-meter uplink.

It will also send down an SSTV image (in the same waterfall) once every 2 minutes if the sun power is good.

[ANS thanks Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, for the above information]

ARISS News

Turkey Space Camp, Izmir, Turkey, telebridge via W5RRR
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled astronaut is Drew Morgan KI5AAA
Contact is go for Option #4: Thu 2020-03-19 08:59:54 UTC 37 deg

The ARISS webpage is at https://www.ariss.org/
Note that there are links to other ARISS websites from this site.

[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, of the ARISS Operations Team, for the above information]

Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows,
and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through
AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.
https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/

Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events

AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.

Note: Due to the COVID-19 situation, please check these events’ websites for up-to-date status information.

Current schedule:

March 21, 2020, Scottsdale Amateur Radio Club Hamfest, Scottsdale, AZ
March 28, 2020, Tucson Spring Hamfest, Tucson, AZ
April 4, 2020 River Bend Wireless and Mechanical Society Presentation Faribault, MN
April 18, 2020 Brainerd Area Amateur Radio Club Hamfest, Brainerd, MN
May 2, 2020 Arrowhead Radio Amateurs Club Hamfest, Superior, WI
May 2, 2020, Cochise Amateur Radio Assoc. Hamfest, Sierra Vista, AZ
May 8-9, 2020 Prescott Hamfest, Prescott, AZ
May 15-17, Hamvention, Xenia, OH
June 12-13, 2020, Ham-Con, Plano, TX

The following events scheduled to have an AMSAT presence have been CANCELED:

March 21, 2020, Midwinter Madness Hamfest, Buffalo, MN
March 29, 2020, Vienna Wireless Winterfest, Annandale, VA

[ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT VP-User Services for the above information.]

AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an amateur
radio package, including two-way communication capability, to
be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit.

Support AMSAT’s projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/

Upcoming Satellite Operations

Big Bend National Park (DL88) March 16-17, 2020
Ron AD0DX and Doug N6UA will operate from Big Bend National Park to put grid DL88 on the air. Details will be added here, as they come available, but you are more than welcome to keep an eye on their individual Twitter feeds: https://twitter.com/ad0dx and https://twitter.com/dtabor

Red River Gorge, KY (EM87) March 19-24, 2020
Michael, N4DCW will be in Red River Gorge, Kentucy, March 19th through 24th. Watch Michael’s Twitter feed for more info https://twitter.com/MWimages

Midwinter Madness Rove: (EN24, EN25, EN34) March 20-21, 2020
Mitch, AD0HJ, will roving three central Minnesota grids just prior to the Midwinter Madness Hobby Electronics Show in Buffalo, MN on March 21st, 2020. Look for him to activate grids EN24/EN25/EN35 on the evening of March 20th through the evening of March 21st, 2020. Check Mitch’s Twitter feed for updates on his planned satellite pass schedule: https://twitter.com/AD0HJ

River Bend Wireless Rove (EN22, EN33, EN34, EN42, EN43, EN44) April 2-4, 2020
Mitch AD0HJ is looking to add six more grids to his rover basket just before the April 4th AMSAT presentation/demonstration at the River Bend Wireless and Mechanical Society in Faribault, MN. Mitch will be activating the EN43/EN44 grid line on April 2nd, the EN32/EN42 grid line on April 3rd, and the EN33/EN34 grid line on April 4th, 2020. Watch Mitch’s Twitter feed as the dates approach for a detailed schedule. https://twitter.com/AD0HJ

From the Mountains to the Bay (CM88,89,98,99 DM09,19,29 DN00,01,02,10,11,20,21) April 12-21, 2020
RJ, WY7AA, is hitting the asphalt again, roving from Wyoming to Vacaville, CA. He’s attending a class from April 15-19, so most of the roving will be outside of this time. Grids to be covered include: CM88,89,98,99 DM09,19,29 DN00,01,02,10,11,20,21. Specific pass details will be posted on WY7AA QRZ page and Twitter (https://twitter.com/WY7AA) as the trip approaches.

[ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT VP-User Services for the above information]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ A Doppler.sqf file posted on the AMSAT-UK website listed FM frequencies for several satellites carrying linear transponders. Operators are reminded that FM is not to be used on linear transponders. (ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for this information)

+ On March 10th, March 10, 2020, the AMSAT-SM group was formed in connection with the closure of the AMSAT-SM organization. The process of creating AMSAT-SM for the future began after the 2019 annual meeting and now we are ready to continue with AMSAT-SM in a new and simpler way. All activities that were part of the old AMSAT-SM are now transferred to the new group. The website will be updated in March with new steering guidelines and other relevant information. Welcome with us into the future. AMSAT-SM is Amateur Radio via Satellite! (ANS thanks SM0TGU from AMSAT-SM for this information)

+ ARRL has announced a new book entitled Amateur Radio Satellites for  Beginners by Steve Ford, WB8IMY. It can be purchased at http://www.arrl.org/shop/Amateur-Radio-Satellites-for-Beginners/ (ANS thanks the ARRL for this information)

+ The CAS-4B beacon is again sending telemetry after sending only a continuous tone for the past few weeks. (ANS thanks John Papay, K8YSE, for this information)

/EX

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President’s Club. Members of the President’s Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.

Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information.

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space,

This week’s ANS Editor,

Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
n8hm at amsat dot org