AMSAT General News

AMSAT Academy to be Held Prior to Dayton Hamvention

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AMSAT Vice President – User Services, Robert Bankston, KE4AL, at the 2019 AMSAT Academy.

Come join us the day before Hamvention, for AMSAT® Academy – a unique opportunity to learn all about amateur radio in space and working FM, linear transponder, and digital satellites currently in orbit.

AMSAT® Academy will be held Thursday, May 14, 2020, from 9:00am to 5:00pm, at the Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) Clubhouse, located at 6619 Bellefontaine Rd, Dayton, Ohio.

The $85 registration fee includes:

• Full day of instruction, designed for both beginners and advanced amateur radio satellite operators, and taught by some of the most accomplished AMSAT operators.
• Digital copy of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites, 2020 Edition ($15 value)
• One-Year, AMSAT® Basic Membership ($44 value)
• Pizza Buffet Lunch
• Invitation to the Thursday night AMSAT® get together at Ticket Pub and Eatery in Fairborn.

Registration closes May 8, 2020. No sign ups at the door. No refunds,
no cancellations.

Registrations may be purchased on the AMSAT store.

Free Digital Copy of “Getting Started with Amateur Satellites” Now Available for New or Renewing Members

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The University of Washington’s HuskySat-1 CubeSat is scheduled to be deployed from the Cygnus NG-12 spacecraft at 22:30 UTC today. HuskySat-1 carries an AMSAT VHF/UHF linear transponder that will be made available for amateur use following its primary mission to test a pulsed plasma thruster and experimental K band (24 GHz) communications system.

While the satellite completes it’s scientific mission, check out the best resource for learning how to work through linear transponder satellites (and other types of amateur satellites). For a limited time, AMSAT is making the “Getting Started With Amateur Satellites” book available as a download with any paid new or renewal membership purchased via the AMSAT Store. This offer is only available with purchases completed online, and for only a limited time. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The book is presented in PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite.

Please take advantage of this offer today by visiting the AMSAT store at https://www.amsat.org/shop/ and selecting any membership option. While there, check out AMSAT’s other items, including the M2 LEOpack antenna system, Arrow antennas, AMSAT shirts, and other swag. Be sure to view your cart before going to checkout. If you add a membership and then go directly to checkout, you’ll never see an option to add your free gift.

 

Joe Spier, K6WAO, Resigns as AMSAT President

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Joe Spier, K6WAO

Joe Spier, K6WAO, has tendered his resignation as AMSAT President, citing personal reasons. Spier had served as AMSAT’s President since October 2017. Prior to his tenure as President, Spier served as AMSAT’s Executive Vice President and Vice President – Educational Relations. He also served as an AMSAT News Service Editor and as a member of the ARISS Education Team.

Under the AMSAT bylaws, Executive Vice President Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, assumes the office of President until the next meeting of the Board of Directors.

Stoetzer said “I want to thank Joe for his many years of service to AMSAT in a variety of roles. I especially want to recognize his efforts to mark AMSAT’s 50th Anniversary with special events at the Dayton Hamvention and AMSAT Symposium. His leadership in bringing together a variety of figures from the history of amateur radio in space in Arlington, VA this past fall helped to make the Symposium a very special event.”

CAS-7B Designated BIT Progress-OSCAR 102 (BO-102)

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On July 25, 2019, the CAS-7B (BP-1B) microsatellite was launched on a Hyperbola-1 launch vehicle from the Jiuquan Space Center, China. CAS-7B (BP-1B) was developed by the Chinese Amateur Satellite Group (CAMSAT), and in cooperation with the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT). CAMSAT completed the project planning, design, build, and testing, and manages the on-orbit operation of the satellite. BIT provided the satellite environmental testing, launch support, and financial support. Many students from BIT were involved with the project, learning about satellite technology and amateur radio. The satellite carries a CW telemetry beacon and FM repeater that has been active since launch.

At the request of CAMSAT and the BIT team, AMSAT hereby designates CAS-7B (BP-1B) as BIT Progress-OSCAR 102 (BO-102). We congratulate the owners and operators of BO-102, thank them for their contribution to the amateur satellite community, and wish them continued success on this and future projects.

73,

Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA

AMSAT VP Operations / OSCAR Number Administrator