April 19, 2026
In this edition:
- AMSAT/TAPR Banquet to Feature Ray Roberge, WA1CYB, Update on AMSAT’s SDR Gen2
- ARISS SSTV Series 31 “World Space Commemoration” Concludes Successfully
- AMSAT Participates in CubeSat Developers Workshop 2026
- New 2026 ITU Handbook on Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services Released
- Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for April 3, 2026
- Ambassador Events
- ARISS News
- Satellite Shorts from All Over
The AMSAT(R) News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, 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://www.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.org .
Sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List. Join this list at: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/
AMSAT/TAPR Banquet to Feature Ray Roberge, WA1CYB, Update on AMSAT’s SDR Gen2
Ray Roberge, WA1CYB, will be the speaker at the 17th annual AMSAT/TAPR Banquet. Roberge, a member of AMSAT’s Engineering team, will speak about progress on AMSAT’s SDR Gen2 project, including what it does and where it can be used.
AMSAT’s SDR Gen2 is a versatile, programmable GNU Radio transceiver/transponder designed for a 1U CubeSat footprint. The transceiver has 144 MHz – 6 GHz continuous coverage with 10 GHz coverage expected as well. The transceiver will support direct VHF, UHF, L, S, C, and X band operations in all modes – CW, SSB, FT8, NBFM, SSTV, FSTV, etc. and a downlink data rate of up to 1 MBps. This transceiver is being built to fly on GOLF and FoxPlus missions and will be both open source hardware and software.
The 17th annual AMSAT/TAPR Banquet will be held at the Kohler Presidential Banquet Center on Friday, May 15th at 18:30 EDT. This dinner is always a highlight of the TAPR (Tucson Amateur Packet Radio) and AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corp.) activities during the Dayton Hamvention.
The Kohler Presidential Banquet Center is located at 4548 Presidential Way, Kettering, Ohio – about 20 minutes away from the Greene County Fairgrounds.
Tickets ($75 each) may be purchased from the AMSAT store at https://www.amsat.org/product-category/amsat-at-hamvention/. The banquet ticket purchase deadline is Monday, May 11th at 17:00 EDT / 21:00 UTC. Banquet tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be sold at the AMSAT booth. There will be no tickets to pick up at the AMSAT booth. Tickets purchased on-line will be maintained on a list with check-in at the door at the banquet center. Seating is limited to the number of meals reserved with the Kohler caterers based on the number of tickets sold by the deadline.
[ANS thanks the AMSAT Hamvention team for the above information.]
The 2026 President’s Club Coin is Now Here!
Help Support GOLF and FoxPlus.
Annual memberships start at only $120
Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/
ARISS SSTV Series 31 “World Space Commemoration” Concludes Successfully
The ARISS Slow Scan Television (SSTV) Series 31 event, themed “World Space Commemoration,” ran from April 10 through April 14, 2026. Transmissions were made on 437.550 MHz FM using the Robot 36 mode from the International Space Station. Images celebrated major space milestones, including Cosmonautics Day and the Space Shuttle program.
Amateur radio operators worldwide captured the SSTV pictures and submitted them to the official ARISS SSTV gallery at https://ariss-usa.org/ARISS_SSTV/. Many participants received commemorative certificates for successful receptions. The event provided an excellent opportunity for stations of all experience levels to practice satellite reception techniques and enjoy space-themed imagery.
[ANS thanks ARISS for the above information]
AMSAT Remove Before Flight Key Tags Now Available
Yes, These are the Real Thing!
Your $20 Donation Goes to Help Fly a FoxPlus Satellite
Includes First Class Postage (Sorry – U.S. Addresses Only)
Order Today at https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain
AMSAT Participates in CubeSat Developers Workshop 2026
AMSAT was well represented at the CubeSat Developers Workshop 2026 (CDW26), held April 14–16 at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. AMSAT President Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, delivered updates on amateur satellite projects and conducted live on-air demonstrations using the RS-44 linear transponder in SSB mode. Workshop attendees were able to listen to and participate in real-time amateur radio satellite contacts, experiencing firsthand the capabilities of the amateur-satellite service.
The annual workshop brings together students, educators, researchers, and industry professionals to share advances in small-satellite technology through presentations, panels, and exhibits. AMSAT’s active participation continues to strengthen connections between the amateur radio community and the broader CubeSat developer ecosystem, opening doors for future collaborative amateur radio payloads.
[ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT President, for the above information.]
New 2026 ITU Handbook on Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services Released
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has published the 2026 edition of the Handbook on Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services . The updated reference provides comprehensive information on the amateur and amateur-satellite services, including relevant ITU regulatory texts, technical guidelines, and operational practices.
IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA, highlighted the handbook’s release, noting its value to national administrations, regulators, and amateur radio organizations worldwide. The document serves as an essential resource for anyone involved in frequency coordination, licensing, or satellite project planning.
The handbook is available for download free-of-charge at https://www.itu.int/pub/R-HDB-52-2026.
[ANS thanks the ITU and the IARU for the above information.]
Join AMSAT or Renew Now. . .
Download a Free ‘Getting Started with Amateur Satellites’ Book!
Get the latest edition just for doing the right thing!
Visit https://www.amsat.org/membership-specials/ for more details.
Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for April 17, 2026
Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated daily in the first hour of the UTC day. New bulletin files will be posted immediately after reliable elements become available for new amateur satellites. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/.
The following satellites have permanent object numbers assigned:
SAL-E NORAD Cat ID 68458
DISCO 2 NORAD Cat ID 68431
HADES-SA (SpinnyONE) NORAD Cat ID 68446
JACK-002 NORAD Cat ID 68417
PARUS-6U1 NORAD Cat ID 68456
[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager for the above information.]
ARISS NEWS
Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.
Successful Contacts
Scouts Australia Western Australia Branch, Mount Hawthorn, Western Australia, Australia, telebridge via AB1OC.
The ISS callsign was NA1SS.
The crewmember was Jack Hathaway, KJ5NIV.
The ARISS mentor was Shane Lynd, VK4KHZ.
Contact was successful on Friday, April 17, 2026 at 10:22 UTC.
Scheduled Contacts
Elementary School “Slava Raskaj”, Ozalj, Croatia, direct via 9A1CUA.
The ISS callsign was OR4ISS.
The crewmember was Chris Williams, KJ5GEW.
The ARISS mentor was Ferrario Gianpietro, IZ2GOJ.
Contact was successful on Monday, April 13, 2026 at 08:57 UTC .
University of Bordeaux (IUT de Bordeaux), GEII department, Gradignan, France, direct via F5KBW.
The ISS callsign was OR4ISS.
The crewmember was Sophie Adenot, KJ5LTN.
The ARISS mentor was Joseph Le Moine, F6ICS.
Contact is go for Monday, April 20, 2026 at 08:12:45 UTC.
Diamond Harbour School, Christchurch, New Zealand, telebridge via IK1SLD.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS.
The scheduled crewmember is Jack Hathaway, KJ5NIV.
The ARISS mentor is Shane Lynd,VK4KHZ.
Contact is go for Monday, April 20, 2026 at 09:51:10 UTC.
ASU Preparatory STEM Academy, Mesa, AZ, direct via WB7TJD.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS.
The scheduled crewmember is Chris Williams KJ5GE, Jack Hathaway KJ5NIV, or Sophie Adenot, KJ5LTN.
The ARISS mentor is Dale Young, K4RGK and Brian Karley, KM4YHZ.
Contact is go for Wednesday, April 23, 2026 at 17:39:24 UTC.
Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/user/ASUPrepAcademy.
The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.
As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol.
Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time.
The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html
The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html
[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information.]
AMSAT Ambassador Activities
AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.
May 15-17, 2026
Dayton Hamvention
Greene County Fair and Expo Center
210 Fairground Road
Xenia 45385
https://hamvention.org/
October 8-11, 2026
44th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Membership Meeting
Crowne Plaza JAX Airport
14670 Duval Road
Jacksonville, FL 32218
Details to follow
[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program, for the above information.]
Satellite Shorts From All Over
- FO-29’s full-sunlight period ends on April 21, 2026. The next full-sunlight period begins on approximately May 20th. See ANS-102 for the scheduled activations during the upcoming eclipse period. [ANS thanks JARL for the above information.]
- ITU Corporation has purchased the former Linton (Indiana) National Guard Armory to serve as the new manufacturing hub for Hy-gain and Cushcraft. Martin F. Jue, President and founder of MFJ Enterprises, Inc., was pleased to announce the sale of the Hy-gain and Cushcraft antenna, rotator, and communication product lines to ITU Corporation , a 25 year old Indiana engineering and manufacturing company. The designs, tooling, specialized equipment, manufacturing and marketing rights for Hy-gain and Cushcraft antennas and rotators are included in the sale. Read the complete story at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-109-Hy-gain-Cushcraft. [ANS thanks www.lintonnews.com for the above information.]
Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:
Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
Students are eligible for FREE membership up to age 25.
Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.
Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information.
73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
This week’s ANS Editor, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW.
f.karnauskas [at] amsat [dot] org
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