ANS-250 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for September 6th

The AMSAT 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: [email protected]

You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans

In this edition:

  • ARISS First Element of the Interoperable Radio System is Operational
  • FCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Proposal open for comment
  • Successful Vega Mission Launches the Amicalsat Project Satellite
  • TEVEL Mission Nears Projected Launch Date
  • Changes to the AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for September 3, 2020
  • VUCC Satellite Awards and Endorsements
  • ARISS News
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
  • Satellite Shorts From All Over

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-250.01
ANS-250 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 250.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE 2020 Sept 06
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-250.01

First Element of ARISSNext Generation (Next-Gen) Radio System Installed in ISS Columbus Module

September2, 2020—The ARISS team is pleased to announce that installation and set up of the first element of the InterOperable Radio System (IORS) has been completed and amateur radio operations with it are now underway. This first element, was installed in the International Space Station Columbus module. The IORS replaces the Ericsson radio system and packet module that were originally certified for spaceflight on July 26, 2000.

Initial operation of the new radio system is in FM cross band repeater mode using an uplink frequency of 145.99 MHz with an access tone of 67Hz and a downlink frequency of 437.800 MHz. System activation was first observed at 01:02 UTC on September 2. Special operations will continue to be announced.

The IORS was launched from Kennedy Space Center on March 6, 2020 on board the SpaceX CRS-20 resupply mission. It consists of a special, space-modified JVC Kenwood D710GA transceiver, an ARISS developed multi-voltage power supply and interconnecting cables. The design, development, fabrication, testing, and launch of the first IORS was an incredible five-year engineering achievement accomplished by the ARISS hardware volunteer team. It will enable new and exciting capabilities for ham radio operators, students, and the general public. Capabilities include a higher power radio, voice repeater, digital packet radio (APRS) capabilities and a Kenwood VC-H1 slow scan television (SSTV) system.

A second IORS undergoes flight certification and will be launched later for installation in the Russian Service module. This second system enables dual, simultaneous operations, (e.g. voice repeater and APRS packet), providing diverse opportunities for radio amateurs. It also provides on-orbit redundancy to ensure continuous operations in the event of an IORS component failure.

Next-gen development efforts continue. For the IORS, parts are being procured and a total of ten systems are being fabricated to support flight, additional flight spares, ground testing and astronaut training. Follow-on next generation radio system elements include an L-band repeater uplink capability, currently in development, and a flight Raspberry-Pi, dubbed “ARISS-Pi, ”that is just beginning the design phase. The ARISS-Pi promises operations autonomy and enhanced SSTV operations.

ARISS is run almost entirely by volunteers, and with the help of generous contributions from ARISS sponsors and individuals. Donations to the ARISS program for next generation hardware developments, operations, education, and administration are welcome — please go to https://www.ariss.org/donate.html to contribute to these efforts.

(ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN of ARISS PR for the above information)


ARLB021 FCC Application Fee Proposal Proceeding is Open for Comments

Comments are being accepted on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in MD Docket 20-270, which proposes application fees for radio amateurs. Formal deadlines for comments and reply comments will be determined once the NPRM appears in the Federal Register. Comments may be filed now by using the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), located at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings, and posting to MD Docket No. 20-270. The docket is already open for accepting comments, even though deadlines have not yet been set.

The NPRM can be found online in PDF format at: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-116A1.pdf.

A review current of information on this proposal follows: Amateur radio licensees would pay a $50 fee for each amateur radio license application if the FCC adopts rules it proposed this week. Included in the FCC’s fee proposal are applications for new licenses, renewal and upgrades to existing licenses, and vanity call sign requests. Excluded are applications for administrative updates, such as changes of address, and annual regulatory fees.

The FCC proposal is contained in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in MD Docket 20-270, which was adopted to implement portions of the “Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services Act” of 2018 — the so-called “Ray Baum’s Act.”

The Act requires that the FCC switch from a Congressionally-mandated fee structure to a cost-based system of assessment. In its NPRM, the FCC proposed application fees for a broad range of services that use the FCC’s Universal Licensing System (ULS), including the Amateur Radio Service that had been excluded by an earlier statute. The 2018 statute excludes the Amateur Service from annual regulatory fees, but not from application fees.

“Applications for personal licenses are mostly automated and do not have individualized staff costs for data input or review,” the FCC said in its NPRM. “For these automated processes — new/major modifications, renewal, and minor modifications — we propose a nominal application fee of $50 due to automating the processes, routine ULS maintenance, and limited instances where staff input is required.”

The same $50 fee would apply to all Amateur Service applications, including those for vanity call signs. “Although there is currently no fee for vanity call signs in the Amateur Radio Service, we find that such applications impose similar costs in aggregate on Commission re- sources as new applications and therefore propose a $50 fee,” the FCC said.

The FCC is not proposing to charge for administrative updates, such as mailing address changes for amateur applications, and amateur radio will remain exempt from annual regulatory fees. “For administrative up-dates [and] modifications, which also are highly automated, we find that it is in the public interest to encourage licensees to update their [own] information without a charge,” the FCC said.

The FCC also proposes to assess a $50 fee for individuals who want a printed copy of their license. “The Commission has proposed to eliminate these services — but to the extent the Commission does not do so, we propose a fee of $50 to cover the costs of these services,” the FCC said.

The Ray Baum’s Act does not exempt filing fees in the Amateur Radio Service. The FCC dropped assessment of fees for vanity call signs several years ago.

Deadlines for comments and reply comments will be determined once the NPRM appears in the Federal Register. Interested parties may file comments by using the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), posting to MD Docket No. 20-270. This docket is already open to accept comments, even though deadlines have not yet been set.

[ANS thanks ARRL News for the above information]


Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMSAT office is closed
until further notice. For details, please visit
https://www.amsat.org/amsat-office-closed-until-further-notice/


Successful Vega Mission Launches the Amicalsat Project Satellite

Vega rocket (VV16) was successfully launched September 3, 2020. The rocket left Kourou on 3 September, 2020 at 01h51 UTC with 53 satellites on board.

One of the satellites launched is the Amicalsat satellite built by the CSUG (Centre Spatial Universitaire Grenoblois). Measurements made by the satellite will be available to all and will assist radio amateurs in making propagation predictions.

The project’s website (in English) has just been put online: https://bit.ly/2YWfs5B

AMSAT-F supported this project. Additional information may be found at: https://bit.ly/3lHxiCY

Linux & Windows Software is provided for decoding the Amicalsat telemetry and for sending it to the SatNogs database. An English version of the user manual is available at: https://bit.ly/2QILo8S

Beacon Frequency Modes Callsign
UHF 436.1 MHz AFSK 1200 RS17S
S band 2,415.3 MHz GFSK 1000 kb/s https://bit.ly/31LGgaq

Reports are welcome. Thank you for your help.

The first 5 people who receive a frame from AmicalSat will receive a gift. To submit your frame uses the satnogs SIDS or email [email protected].

2 other satellites are on this mission:

Satellites beacon frequency Modes Identifier
UPMSat-2 UHF 437.405 MHz AFSK 1200 UPMST2
TTU100 Primary UHF 435.450 MHz 1k2, 9k6, CW TTU100
TTU100 Secondary SHF 10465.000 MHz OPSK 62.5 Kbs and 20 Mbs

Links: UPMSat-2: https://bit.ly/2EL4VTO
TTU100: https://bit.ly/2QXRmmN

Projected TLE (Updated 03 September, 2020 after launch announcement):
1 74002U 14900A 20247.14839410 .00000000 00000-0 50000-4 0 04
2 74002 97.4424 320.0103 0002779 53.5911 328.5572 15.10021350 03

[ANS thanks Christophe Mercier, Amsat-F chairman 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/


TEVEL Mission Nears Projected Launch Date

TEVEL, a mission with eight identical CubeSats, has been coordinated and approved by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), and is scheduled for launch from India sometime this fall. The project, lead by the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, a private research college in Herzliya, Israel, consists of high-school students’ educational satellite experiments that involve telemetry beacons for educational research activities. But also on board are FM amateur radio transponders. Telemetry will 9k6 BPSK AX25 telemetry downlinks. But each satellite can be commanded to operate as U/V FM transponders. Planning a launch into a 580 km 98 degree orbit in September 2020. The eight spacecraft in the TEVEL mission, identified as T1OFK, T2YRC, T3TYB, T4ATA, T5SNG, T6NZR, T7ADM, T8GBS will all downlink for beacon, telemetry and transponder on 436.400 MHz and the transponder input on 145.970 MHz.

[ANS thanks IARU for the above information]


Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!
25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space
https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear


Changes to the AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for September 3, 2020

The names of the following satellites have been changed as follows:

S-Net G (Cat ID 43186) is now S-Net D
S-Net H (Cat ID 43186) is now S-Net B
S-Net J (Cat ID 43186) is now S-Net A
S-Net K (Cat ID 43186) is now S-Net C
Thanks to Sebastian Lange (DL7BST) for the above update.

Arianespace launched 53 new satellites on Thursday, September 3, 2020 at 01:51 UTC on a Vega POC (Proof of Concept) mission to test their new SSMS (Small Spacecraft Mission Service) satellite dispenser. At least two new satellites, TTU-100 and UPMSAT 2, carry amateur radio transmitters have been placed in orbit. So far only UPMSAT 2 has been identified as Cat ID 46277. More later.

The following satellite has been and added to this week’s AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution:

UPMSat 2 – Cat ID 46277.
Thanks to Nico Janssen, PA0DLO, for determining which object is UPMSat 2.

[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]


VUCC Awards-Endorsements for September 2020

Here are the endorsements and new VUCC Satellite Awards issued by the ARRL for the period August 1, 2020 through September 1, 2020. Congratulations to all those who made the list this month!

CallAugustSeptember
K8YSE19261935
WA5KBH759766
W5RKN708721
AA8CH641702
N6UK675687
N0JE652655
NS3L575600
KI7UNJ527551
AD0HJ450478
AF5CC425461
KE8FZT428450
N9FN403450
PS8ET434450
W7JSD355375
WA9JBQ326355
KC9UQR326351
KC9VGG310336
N3CRT200303
K0JMNew300
KS1G233285
WW8W228260
K5CIS150250
KX9X100219
WB7QXU140204
KF6JOQ101201
WD9EWK (DM41)164176
KX9X (EN50)New175
LW2DAF130166
W8LR100149
KB9STR104138
K1PADNew130
DF2ETNew129
WA8ZIDNew126
PP2RONNew106
KI4ASKNew105
KO4AQFNew104
K5TANew101
LU3FCA100101
NA1MENew100

If you find errors or omissions, please contact Ron Parsons W5RKN at <mycall>@<mycall>.com and he will revise the announcement. This list was developed by comparing the ARRL .pdf listings for two months. It’s a visual comparison so omissions are possible. Apologies if your call was not mentioned. Thanks to all those who are roving to grids that are rarely on the birds. They are doing most of the work!

[ANS thanks Ron Parsons, W5RKN 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.

The KMO Kolska Wyspa, Koło, Poland, telebridge via VK6MJ The ISS callsign was scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut was Chris Cassidy KF5KDR Contact was go for: Wed 2020-09-02 12:58:11 UTC 75 deg. There has been no report about the success of this contact.

College Raymond Sirot, Gueux, France, telebridge via VK5ZAI The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Chris Cassidy KF5KDR Contact is go for: Thu 2020-09-10 08:17:01 UTC 57 deg There is a new radio on board the ISS. The Kenwood D710GA is now in use. The crossband repeater is now avail- able when the radio is not being used for ARISS school contacts. The frequencies are 145.99 MHz up (67 tone) and 437.800 MHz down. Watch the Doppler on the downlink.

ARISS is very aware of the impact that COVID-19 is having on schools and the public in general. As such, we may have last minute cancella- tions or postponements of school contacts. As always, I will try to provide everyone with near-real-time updates.

The following schools have now been postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19:

Postponed: Green Bank Elementary Middle School, Green Bank, WV

Cancelled: No new schools

[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team men- tors 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

DM07, DM08: N6REK will be on vacation next week in the Eastern Sierra and plans to work AO-91, AO-92 and PO-101 from the DM07/08 gridline on a holiday schedule from Wednesday, Sept. 2 to Saturday, Sept. 5. Watch the AMSAT BB for details.

@WA9JBQ has been working through Idaho hitting DN24,DN25,DN26 DN34, DN16, DN15, and DN14. He started August 15th, then moved into Montana for DN35,DN36, DN37, DN38 DN49 DN47. He will be out a total of 5-6 weeks working mostly FM but also some linear birds. Details will be posted on twitter.com.

@AD7DB is heading out to hit a few grids: #Roving announcement! He hopes to activate on Fri 9/11/20 and Sun 9/13 include DM06, DM07, DM08, DM16, DM17 and DM18. He will operate all day Saturday 9/12 from DM19. He is taking just FM gear. More info as date gets closer at: https://twitter.com/ad7db/status/1300217001726500865

[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information]


Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events

Clint Bradford K6LCS has booked his “Work the FM Voice Satellites With Minimal Equipment” presentation for the following clubs:
09/02/2020 – Garden State ARA, New Jersey
09/14/2020 – North Agusta Belevedere Radio Club
10/27/2020 – Cherryland ARC / Traverse Bay ARC
TBD – Antelope Valley (CA) ARC
TBD – A private presentation fo a Boy Scout troop in Danville, PA

These will be Zoom presentations. Everyone is asked to update their copies of the Zoom application – by directly visiting Zoom.us.

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


Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ 4A50, MEXICO (Special Event). Look for special event station 4A50CRH to be active between September 1st and December 31st. Activity is to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Club de Radioaficionados Hidro- calidos (XE2CRH). Operations will be on 160-6 meter, satellites, CW, SSB, FM, and the Digital modes. QSL via XE2AU, LoTW, eQSL or ClubLog. Every QSO will be confirmed. (ANS thanks the Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin for the above information)

+ Flying for the first time since a failure in early July, Rocket Lab’s Electron launcher delivered Capella Space’s first commercial radar remote sensing satellite to orbit after lifting off from New Zealand on Sunday, August 30. The successful mission signaled a return to launch operations for Rocket Lab after suffering a failure on the last Electron flight July 4. Investigators traced the cause of the failure to a single faulty electrical connector on the second stage, which detached in flight and led to a premature engine shutdown. (ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information)

+ A Falcon 9 rocket dodged stormy weather and successfully placed an Argentine radar observation satellite into an orbit over Earth’s poles Sunday on SpaceX’s 100th launch. Instead of launching toward the northeast or east, the Falcon 9 darted through a cloudy sky and arced to the south-southeast from Florida’s Space Coast, then made a right turn to fly along the east coast of Florida over Fort Lauder- dale and Miami on the way to a polar orbit. The launch Sunday was the first from Cape Canaveral to fly on a southerly track since 1969. (ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information)

+ A long-retired NASA satellite burned up in Earth’s atmosphere last weekend, the agency has confirmed. NASA launched the satellite, c alled Orbiting Geophysics Observatory 1, or OGO-1, in September 1964, the first in a series of five missions to help scientists understand the magnetic environment around Earth. OGO-1 was the first to launch but the last to fall out of orbit; the satellite had circled Earth aimlessly since its retirement in 1971. (ANS thanks space.com for the above information)

+ Dave, AA4KN relays that Patrice, 3B8FA, and Jean Marc, 3B8DU, held a successful QSO using the new IORS, repeater function: Jean Marc wrote: “Just to let you know that Patrice (3B8FA) and myself did superb QSO via the ISS FM repeater just a few minutes ago (reported 2 September, 2020 @ 02:22:30). Working fine 59+ both ways on V/U (145.990/437.800 MHz), really nice to have the ISS repeater back on air.” (ANS thanks Dave AA4KN of ARISS PR for the report)


/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,

Jack Spitznagel, KD4IZ

kd4iz at frawg dot org

ANS-243 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for August 30th

The AMSAT 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: [email protected]

You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans

In this edition:

  • AMSAT Member David Minster, NA2AA, Elected ARRL CEO
  • Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU, joins Starliner mission to ISS
  • ANS Editors Wanted
  • CubeSat Challenge Seeks To Inspire, Prepare Students
  • Amateur License Fee Proposal From FCC
  • AO-92 (FOX-1D) Reverting to Safe Mode
  • GRBAlpha Frequency Coordination Completed
  • ARISS News
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
  • Satellite Shorts From All Over

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-243.01
ANS-243 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 243.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE 2020 August 30
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-243.01

AMSAT Member David Minster, NA2AA, Elected ARRL CEO

The ARRL Board of Directors has elected David Minster, NA2AA, of Wayne, New Jersey, as ARRL’s new Chief Executive Officer, starting on September 28. Minster is currently Managing Partner at Talentrian Partners, a management consulting firm serving the consumer goods and luxury goods industries.

Minster began his career as a software engineer, moving into management at Unilever, as a Chief Information Officer and moved on to several other companies in the course of his career, as CIO, COO, and CEO.

Minster got his Novice license, WB2MAE, in 1977, when he was in his teens. He progressed from Advanced to Amateur Extra and, after a stint as NW2D, he settled on the vanity call sign NA2AA in the 1990s as a way to honor a mentor, N2AA, and the contest station that he used to frequent, K2GL, in Tuxedo Park, New York.

Minster’s ham radio pursuits have ranged far and wide over the years. His background includes National Traffic System training and participation in public service events, as well as contesting from home, club stations, and contest stations in the Caribbean — particularly on Bonaire, where he is a member of PJ4G. Primarily a CW operator, Minster collects unique and vintage bugs and keys.

Minster earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from The Ohio State University and has a special interest in satellites, digital communications, remote operation, and ham radio computing and software. He has written keyer software for the commercial market, and contest logging, packet, and satellite telemetry software for personal use.

In addition to being an ARRL member, Minster is a member of AMSAT, the Frankford Radio Club, the Straight Key Century Club, CWops, and the North American QRP CW Club.

“I spend every day of my life, one way or another, engaged in amateur radio. It is more than just a hobby for me; it is my community. It is where I live; where I have built lifelong friendships, and friendships that span the globe. Amateur radio allows me to dream and to experiment. I can’t wait to bring my energy and boundless enthusiasm in service to ARRL.”

ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, said, “We are excited to welcome David as our new CEO, and look forward to his progressive leadership. His experience in management and operations, plus his activities in amateur radio, will serve our organization and members well.”

Minster will succeed Barry J. Shelley, N1VXY, who was CEO in 2018, and who has been serving as ARRL’s Interim CEO since January 2020. Shelley had been ARRL’s Chief Financial Officer since January 1992.

[ANS thanks ARRL for the above information]


Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMSAT office is
closed until further notice. For details, please visit
https://www.amsat.org/amsat-office-closed-until-further-notice/


Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU, Joins Starliner Mission to ISS

NASA Astronaut Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU, NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1 mission, the first operational crewed flight of Boeing?s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on a mission to the International Space Station. Epps will join NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, and Josh Cassada, KI5CRH, for a six-month expedition planned for a launch in 2021 to the ISS. The spaceflight will be the first for Epps, who earned a doctorate in aerospace engineering in 2000 from the University of Maryland, College Park.

[ANS thanks NASA for the above information]


ANS Editors Wanted

Are you the sort of ham who may not have the skills to put together a satellite, but who does a pretty good job of putting *WORDS* together?

The AMSAT News Service (ANS) prepares and distributes weekly news bulletins about the world of amateursatellites, and ANS is in need of additional rotating editors. Editors take turns putting together the weekly bulletins, one week each month, more or less. They also help one another out by seeking news items to pass along to the editor of the week, and proofreading.

Online training and mentoring is provided. Time commitment is usually 4-6 hours per month, once trained and up to speed.

This is a great way for wordsmiths to contribute to AMSAT and to serve your fellow amateurs. Contact k0jm [at] amsat.org with questions or to volunteer.

[ANS thanks Mark Johns, K0JM, ANS Senior Editor, 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/


CubeSat Challenge Seeks To Inspire, Prepare Students

The U.S. Department of Education has launched CTE Mission: CubeSat, a national challenge to inspire students to build technical skills for careers in space and beyond. High school students from across the country are invited to design and build CubeSat prototypes, or satellites that aid in space research, bringing space missions out of the clouds and into the classroom.

“This is such an exciting way to rethink education and get students engaged in hands-on learning in the growing aerospace and technology fields,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. “I look forward to seeing the innovative prototypes students develop and hope this challenge inspires our next generation of American space explorers.”

Investors predict that space will be the next trillion-dollar industry, and as missions in space continue to expand, so do the career opportunities. This multi-phase challenge offers high school students across the United States the chance to build CubeSat prototypes while learning creative, collaborative, and technical skills for 21st century careers.

Schools interested in entering CTE Mission: CubeSat should form a team and submit a mission proposal by 5:59 p.m. ET, on Oct. 16, 2020 — no in-person collaboration or prior experience with CubeSats is required. The online submission form asks for school information, a team profile, a project proposal, and anticipated learning outcomes. Curated educational resources are available to students and teachers online in the CTE Mission: CubeSat resource hub. To learn more, schools can join a virtual information session on Sept. 1.

Up to five finalists will be selected to receive prizes and participate in Phase 2, which runs from January to May 2021. Finalists will have access to expert mentorship and additional virtual resources as they build CubeSat prototypes and plan flight events to launch their prototypes. The Department understands that due to current conditions, schools will need flexibility to safely collaborate when designing and building prototypes during the challenge. The Department looks forward to the creative solutions in the mission proposals it receives as challenge entries.

Each finalist will receive an equal share of the $25,000 cash prize pool, as well as satellite development, hardware, and software kits. Challenge sponsors include Arduino, Blue Origin, Chevron, EnduroSat, LEGO Education, Magnitude.io, MIT Media Lab, and XinaBox.

“Developing a CubeSat prototype is an opportunity for students to learn competitive skills and explore a wide range of careers in space — or their own communities,” said Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education Scott Stump. “Through CTE Mission: CubeSat, we aim to bring students new learning opportunities to build valuable technical skills for in-demand and rewarding careers.”

For details, see https://www.ctemissioncubesat.com/

[ANS thanks the U.S. Department of Education for the above information]


Amateur License Fee Proposal From FCC

The FCC has published a proposal to reinstate a $50 fee for new licenses, renewal and upgrades to existing licenses, and vanity call sign requests. Excluded are applications for administrative updates, such as changes of address, and annual regulatory fees. The The FCC proposal is contained in a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in MD Docket 20-270. The ARRL team in Newington and Washington D.C. are crafting a response to the NPRM. The ARRL is committed to opposing all fees for any aspect of the amateur radio service. Deadlines for comments and reply comments will be determined once the NPRM appears in the Federal Register. File comments by using the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), posting to MD Docket No. 20-270. This docket is already open for accepting comments even though deadlines have not yet been set. For more information see https://bit.ly/3hyNQuB

[ANS thanks Matt Holden, K0BBC, for the above information]


AO-92 (FOX-1D) Reverting to Safe Mode

AO-92 has been experiencing low battery voltage during many night time passes over the last several weeks. While the satellite is in eclipse voltage has been dropping low enough (3.6v IIRC) to cause an automatic shift to safe mode. It emerges from eclipse toward the end of night passes over North America and the transponder will then switch on, usually with a minute or two remaining in the pass. As we move to winter in the northern hemisphere, the end of the eclipse should shift over the pole and to the beginning of the descending part of the orbit, and this issue should change for at least the northern hemisphere ops.

[ANS thanks Andrew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations, and Nate White, N5LEX, for the above information]


Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff
from our Zazzle store! 25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear


GRBAlpha Frequency Coordination Completed

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) has approved frequency coordination for GRBAlpha, a 1U CubeSat built by students at the Technical University of Kosice, Slovakia, with contribution by students in Hungary and Japan. In addition to a gamma ray sensor, the satellite will have a digipeater functionality with 4k8 or 9k6 GFSK AX25 downlinks. A downlink on 437.025 MHz and an uplink on 145.905 MHz have been coordinated. Launch should take place in the third quarter of 2020 from Baikonur into a 600 kmm Sun-Synchronous Orbit. For more information see https://om3ksi.sk

[ANS thanks IARU 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.

Information and Technologies Branch, Department of Education-Queensland Government, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, telebridge via AB1OC The contact was successful: Mon 2020-08-24 09:32:57 UTC. The ISS callsign was NA1SS, and the astronaut was Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR

The KMO Kolska Wyspa, Koło, Poland, telebridge via VK6MJ. Is scheduled for Wednesday, 2020-09-02 12:58:11 UTC. The 75 degee maximum elevation pass will be heard across Australia. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS, and the scheduled astronaut is Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR.

ARISS is very aware of the impact that COVID-19 is having on schools and the public in general. As such, we may have last minute cancellations or postponements of school contacts.

[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors 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

Quick Hits:

Ron is heading out for the Kansas QSO Party, catch him on HF or DM96, 8/27 From 00:00 to 02:00, @AD0DX DM97,98, EM07,08, 8/29 from 15:00 to 20:00 @AD0DX

RJ is also heading out for the party… DN80 & DN90, 8/28 FM passes, @WY7AA DM99/EM09 AO92 8/29 03:55, @WY7AA

EL97, 8/29, @KK4YEL, details and passes to come.

FM15, FM25, FM14, FM04, 8/29 and 8/30 Holiday Style, @N4LAZ.

Bob Keating, N6REK, will be on vacation next week in the Eastern Sierra and plans to work AO-91, AO-92 and PO-101 from the DM07/08 gridline on a holiday schedule from Wednesday, Sept. 2 to Saturday, Sept. 5.

Major Roves:

@WA9JBQ is heading out to Idaho DN24,DN25,DN26 DN34, DN16, DN15, DN14 starting August 15th. Then moving into Montana for DN35,DN36, DN37, DN38 DN49 DN47. He will be out a total of 5-6 weeks Mostly FM some linear. Will post to twitter details.

[ANS thanks Paul Overnfor, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information]


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.

Clint Bradford K6LCS has booked his “Work the FM Voice Satellites With Minimal Equipment” presentation for the clubs.

09/02/2020 – Garden State ARA, New Jersey

09/14/2020 – North Agusta Belevedere Radio Club

10/27/2020 – Cherryland ARC / Traverse Bay ARC

TBD – Antelope Valley (CA) ARC

TBD – A private presentation for a Boy Scout troop in Danville, Penn.

These will be Zoom presentations. Participants are asked to update their copies of the Zoom application – by directly visiting Zoom.us.

[ANS thanks Paul Overnfor, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information]


Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ NASA will broadcast a Space Launch System (SLS) rocket full-scale booster test at 2:40 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Sept. 2, on NASA Television and the agency’s website, followed by a media teleconference. The Flight Support Booster-1 test builds on three full-scale development test firings and two qualification test firings NASA and Northrop Grumman successfully completed with the five-segment solid rocket motor in preparation for the first three Artemis missions. (ANS thanks NASA JPL and Joanne Maenpaa, K9JKM, for the above information)

+ NASA JPL provides a web application, “Eyes on the Solar System”, to track the Mars 2020 mission. Fully interactive, Eyes on the Solar System. doesn’t just let you track Perseverance in real time as it travels to the Red Planet. Dozens of controls on pop-up menus allow you to customize not just what you see – from faraway to right “on board.” Give the Mars 2020 Perseverance spacecraft a spin at: https://go.nasa.gov/32uc3Mo (ANS thanks NASA JPL and Joanne Maenpaa, K9JKM, for the above information)

+ OSIRIS-REx just performed its last dress rehearsal before gathering a sample from asteroid Bennu in October. This dress rehearsal maneuver took the craft down to 40 m and resulted in high resolution images of the site. October’s sampling maneuver will use optical navigation to slowly bring the craft down, with minimal thruster firings to avoid contaminating the surface with hydrazine propellant. The craft will briefly touch down, dissipating momentum in the spring loaded Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) arm, and fire a burst of nitrogen to blow particles into its sample collection head. These samples will eventually make it back to Earth in fall of 2023. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information)

+ Masten Space Systems announced on August 26 that it has selected SpaceX to launch Masten Mission One (MM1). As part of MM1, Masten’s lunar lander will deliver nine NASA-sponsored science and technology demonstration experiments and several commercial payloads to the lunar south pole. Masten’s first mission to the Moon, MM1 is a collaboration with NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Project Office. The Masten XL-1 lunar lander is scheduled to touch down on the lunar south pole in 2022, carrying a suite of NASA-sponsored scientific instruments and various payloads from commercial space customers. (ANS thanks spaceref.com for the above information)

+ In early August a cable snapped at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, causing substantial damage to one of the largest single dish radio telescopes in the world. In an episode of the National Public Radio podcast, Short Wave,” planetary scientist Edgard Rivera-Valentín explains what’s at stake until the damage can be repaired, and he unique role the telescope plays in both scientific research and popular culture. Listen to the 12-minute program at: https://one.npr.org/?sharedMediaId=906366009:906835109 (ANS thanks npr.org for the above information)

+ Malcolm “Mal” Preston, NP2L, an AMSAT life member and longtime sup porter, died last month at the age of 85. Mal retired in 1991 and moved to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, where he practiced accounting through 1997. An active volunteer, Mal served on the church vestry, was treasurer of St. John’s yacht and hiking clubs. He assumed many leadership roles in ham clubs and won many international champion ships as a member of the Contesting Consortium PJ2T. He was the Assistant Section Manager for the American Relay League in the USVI. (ANS thanks John Shew, N4QQ, and Joanne Maenpaa, K9JKM, for the above information)

+ NASA’s associate administrator for Human Exploration and Operations, Kathy Lueders, has named Robyn Gatens as acting director of the In ternational Space Station at NASA Headquarters. The appointment was effective Aug. 25. Sam Scimemi, the former director, has assumed new responsibilities as a special assistant for the agency’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. In this role, Gatens will lead strategy, policy, integration, and stakeholder engagement for the space station program at the agency level, working closely with International Space Station Program Manager Joel Montalbano at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Gatens will provide technical advice for the program, as well as overseeing program execution and managing risks. Gatens has 35 years of experience at NASA in both the space station program and in development and management of the life support systems for human spaceflight missions.


/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,

Mark D. Johns, K0JM

k0jm at amsat dot org

 

ANS-236 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for August 23rd

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: [email protected]

In this edition:

  • Ballot Return Date is September 15
  • Two-Minute Engineering Video Update Available
  • New Distance Records
  • ORI’s Digital Microwave Broadband Communication System Determined to be Free of ITAR
  • SmallSat 2020 Virtual Conference Proceedings Available Online
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • ARISS News
  • Satellite Shorts from All Over

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-236.01
ANS-236 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 236.01 >
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
August 23, 2020
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-236.01


Ballot Return Date is September 15

With four weeks of balloting remaining, I think a reminder of procedures is warranted.

Ballots for the AMSAT board of directors election must be received by 5 p.m. US Eastern Time on Tuesday, September 15. If you have received your ballot and wish to vote, please mail your ballot with sufficient time to arrive by this time.

If you have not received your ballot and were a member of AMSAT on July 1, please email me at [email protected] to request a replacement ballot. All such requests that were made by today (Monday, August 17) have been fulfilled no later than today.

A note to non-US based members: The printed return envelope does not specify that the return address is in the United States. The design of the envelope (my effort alone) may be fairly criticized on this basis. Several non-US members have added USA to the printed return address and successfully returned the ballot. This is my recommended remedy, but if for whatever reason it’s too late for that (and I know of one such case), I will gladly send a replacement (as I have in said case).

I am verifying envelopes against the voter list and keeping them unopened until the time of counting, when they will be opened face down and separated from the ballot without immediate counting to maintain secrecy. This is a key part of verifying that each ballot going out generates no more than one ballot coming back in. Presumably out of an understandable but self-defeating desire to ensure the secrecy of the ballot beyond this procedure, about ten members have sought to obscure the return address or use a different envelope, either with no return address or a different return address.

In all but one of those cases, the printed address was insufficiently obscured, or the alternate address was traceable to a member who had not yet voted. The attention required to verify the nonconforming envelope in each case substantially exceeded the attention normally necessary, and actually increased the possibility of me inadvertently discerning the contents without opening the envelope through inspection I would ordinarily forego. Nevertheless, these envelopes have been accepted for eventual accounting.

[ANS thanks Brennan Price, N4QX, AMSAT Secretary for the above information.]


Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
the AMSAT office is closed until further notice.
For details, please visit
https://www.amsat.org/amsat-office-closed-until-further-notice/


Two-Minute Engineering Video Update Available

Jerry Buxton, N0JY, Vice President-Engineering has published a two-minute video update on the progress of AMSAT projects. Among the highlights are:

  • The RadFxSat-2 / Fox-1E satellite is ready for delivery and integration and is expected to launch by the end of the year.
  • The University of Maine will use an AMSAT LTM-1 module for command and control of their upcoming CubeSat mission, MESAT-1. The LTM-1 also provides a linear transponder for amateur radio use. AMSAT is in discussions with additional partners about flying LTM-1 modules.
  • Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, vendors have been delayed in supplying printed circuit boards for the GOLF-TEE project. The impact of the pandemic has also affected the amount of time AMSAT’s volunteer engineers have for their hobby work. Completion of GOLF-TEE is expected by the end of June 2021.
  • Dependent on fulfilling its primary mission, the GOLF-TEE satellite may include a X-band downlink parrot of the V-band uplink and L/S band uplinks which are planned for GOLF-1.
  • Research is underway to place GOLF-1 into a higher orbit while meeting regulatory requirements.
  • GOLF-TEE is a candidate for a launch on an upcoming DoD mission.

You can view Jerry’s update at: https://youtu.be/9H4iM1hoVG4.

[ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, N0JY, Vice President-Engineering for the above information.]


New Distance Records

Congratulations to Jerome LeCuyer, F4DXV and Joseph Werth, KE9AJ on extending their record distance on AO-7 by another 140 km! The new record stands at 8,204.592 km. KE9AJ was in DM79IQ58 and F4DXV was in JN14CH76.

Jerome also claimed two other records during his trip to JN14. First, on 10-Aug-2020, he worked VE1VOX in Nova Scotia on AO-92, a distance of 5,011 km. Three days later, a QSO with Nathan White, N5LEX in FN11 set a new record distance covered of 6,183 km on AO-91. The QSO occurred at 13:37 UTC on 13-Aug-2020.

[ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8MH, AMSAT Executive Vice President for the above information.]


ORI’s Digital Microwave Broadband Communication System Determined to be Free of ITAR

The United States Department of State has ruled favorably on Open Research Institute’s commodity jurisdiction request, finding that specified “Information and Software for a Digital Microwave Broadband Communications System for Space and Terrestrial Amateur Radio Use” is not subject to State Department jurisdiction under ITAR, the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.

Export regulations divide both technical information and actual hardware into three categories. The most heavily restricted technologies fall under ITAR, which is administered by the State Department. Technologies subject to more routine restrictions fall under EAR, the Export Administration Regulations, administered by the Department of Commerce. Technologies that are not subject to either set of regulations are not restricted for export.

On 20 February 2020, Open Research Institute (ORI) filed a Commodity Jurisdiction (CJ) Request with the US State Department, seeking to establish that key technologies for amateur radio are not subject to State Department jurisdiction. “Information and Software for a Digital Microwave Broadband Communications System for Space and Terrestrial Amateur Radio Use” was assigned the case number CJ0003120. On 11 August 2020, the case received a successful final determination: the technology is not subject to State Department jurisdiction.

The Final Determination letter can be found at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-236-ORI

[ANS thanks Open Research Institute, Inc., for the above information]


AMSAT’s GOLF Program is about getting back to higher orbits,
and it all begins with GOLF-TEE – a technology demonstrator for
deployable solar panels, propulsion, and attitude control.
Come along for the ride. The journey will be worth it!

https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF


SmallSat 2020 Virtual Conference Proceedings Available Online

The 34th Annual Small Satellite Conference was a virtual event hosted by SmallSat.org and Utah State University, Logan, Utah. The event attracted 8,100 participants over three days August 1-3, 2020. With the conference theme, “Space Mission Architectures – Infinite Possibilities,” the conference explored the realm of possible space mission architectures and how they can be practically achieved to support the diverse needs of the global space community.

Organized along twelve technical tracks, all 162 presentations are available to the public. Additionally, literally hundreds of posters can be downloaded for viewing. Especially useful is a search function on the site that can search keywords to help find presentation and posters that deal with specific topics.

For those interested in the future of small satellites, including those in the Amateur Radio Satellite Service, there is one especially pertinent presentation entitled, “Small Satellite Regulation in 2020” with attorneys Lynne Montgomery and Christopher Bair of Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP. In this twelve minute presentation, Ms. Montgomery thoroughly covers the range of regulations affecting small satellite operations, the agencies involved, licensing procedures and what future legal burdens are looming for small satellite operators.

The complete collection of presentations and posters can be seen at: https://smallsat.org/.

[ANS thanks SmallSat.org 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/


Upcoming Satellite Operations

* Quick Hits:

DM97/98 & EM08/09, 8/29 & 8/30: Super Rover @ADoDX is heading out for the Kansas QSO party and N0E. More to come.

* Major Roves:

@WA9JBQ is heading out to Idaho DN24,DN25,DN26 DN34, DN16, DN15, and DN14 starting August 15th. Then moving into Montana for DN35,DN36, DN37, DN38 DN49 DN47. He will be out a total of 5-6 weeks. Mostly FM some linear. Will post to twitter details.

[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR for the above information.]


ARISS News

* Upcoming Contacts:

Kopernik Observatory & Science Center, Vestal, NY, direct via K2ZRO

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Chris Cassidy KF5KDR Contact is go for: Wed 2020-08-19 18:21:55 UTC 85 deg

Watch for live stream starting about 20 to 30 minutes ahead of AOS at: https://youtu.be/1Pwcc2rilz0

[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N 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/


Shorts from All Over

* NASA At Home Offerings Updated Regularly
As was reported before, NASA continually offers a variety of videos, podcasts, virtual tours, e-books and activities. This service has offerings that are of interest to adults as well as students with an interest in space exploration. The lineup changes weekly so, if you haven’t been back in a while, take a moment to see the current assortment at: https://www.nasa.gov/specials/nasaathome/index.html
[ANS thanks NASA for the above information.]

* Build a Simple ISS Tracker with Raspberry Pi
Fancy tracking the ISS’s trajectory? Looking for a project beyond using your smart phone app? All you need is a Raspberry Pi, an e-paper display, an enclosure, and a little Python code. Check out The MagPi Magazine issue #96. The download is free and can be found at: https://magpi.raspberrypi.org/issues/96.
[ANS thanks RaspberryPi.org for the above information.]

*ARS Technica Review Launch Prospects
ARS reviews four smallsat rockets that might launch this year: Astra (this month?), Firefly (November?), Virgin Orbit (EOY?), and ExPace’s Kuaizhou-11 (?). Read it at https://bit.ly/3gkyLv6.
[ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information]

*Faster Than the Speed of Light?
If you’re a fan of science fiction, chances are you’ve encountered spaceships that use a warp drive, “fold space,” or “jump” drive. Unfortunately, the immutable laws of physics tell us that this is simply not possible. Those same laws, however, also tell us that near-light-speed travel comes with all sorts of challenges. Luckily for all of us, NASA addresses these in a recently-released animated video that covers all the basics of interstellar travel! See it at: https://youtu.be/l4u4wV_dOi0
[ANS thanks Universe Today for the above information]

*NASA Investigating Air Leak on ISS
NASA is tracking down the source of a minor air leak on the International Space Station. Crew members of the station’s current Expedition 63 are in no immediate danger and will spend the weekend in the orbiting laboratory’s Russian segment, inside the Zvezda service module, NASA officials said in an update on Thursday, 20 August. Full story at https://bit.ly/34lVnZZ
[ANS thanks Space.com for the above information]


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 six post-secondary years in this status.

Contact Martha at the AMSAT office for additional student membership information.

73, This week’s ANS Editor, Casey Tucker, KI7UNJ ki7unj at amsat dot org

Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA.

Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!

ANS-229 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for August 16th

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-229

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:

  • Two-Minute Engineering Video Update Available
  • CubeSat.org Announced CubeSat Design Specification Rev.14
  • US Department of Defense to Share 3450 – 3550 MHz with 5G Commercial Operations
  • QSO Today Virtual Expo Satellite Presentations Still Available
  • Chinese Mars probe Tianwen-1 successfully received by AMSAT-DL
  • SmallSat 2020 Virtual Conference Proceedings Available Online
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • ARISS News
  • Satellite Shorts from All Over

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-229.01
ANS-229 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 229.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
August 16, 2020
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-229.01

Two-Minute Engineering Video Update Available

Jerry Buxton, N0JY, Vice President-Engineering has published a two-minute video update on the progress of AMSAT projects. Among the highlights are:

  • The RadFxSat-2 / Fox-1E satellite is ready for delivery and integration and is expected to launch by the end of the year.
  • The University of Maine will use an AMSAT LTM-1 module for command and control of their upcoming CubeSat mission, MESAT-1. The LTM-1 also provides a linear transponder for amateur radio use. AMSAT is in discussions with additional partners about flying LTM-1 modules.
  • Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, vendors have been delayed in supplying printed circuit boards for the GOLF-TEE project. The impact of the pandemic has also affected the amount of time AMSAT’s volunteer engineers have for their hobby work. Completion of GOLF-TEE is expected by the end of June 2021.
  • Dependent on fulfilling its primary mission, the GOLF-TEE satellite may include a X-band downlink parrot of the V-band uplink and L/S band uplinks which are planned for GOLF-1.
  • Research is underway to place GOLF-1 into a higher orbit while meeting regulatory requirements.
  • GOLF-TEE is a candidate for a launch on an upcoming DoD mission.

You can view Jerry’s update at: https://youtu.be/9H4iM1hoVG4.

[ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, N0JY, Vice President-Engineering for the above information]

CubeSat.org Announced CubeSat Design Specification Rev.14

The Cal Poly CubeSat Lab has announced that a draft version of the newest CubeSat Design Specification (CDS) is available. Feedback before the official release of the 14th revision is welcome.

There are a number of changes, which are detailed in the Appendix of the document. But overall, the document has been updated to act as more of a guide for CubeSat designers, rather than a how-to” manual.

The original CDS introduced the CubeSat Standard to the world almost two decades ago. It defined the physical and electrical characteristics for a 1U and 3U size CubeSat and included requirements for interfacing with the only CubeSat dispenser available at the time, the Poly-Pico Orbital Deployer (P-POD). Since then the industry has expanded to include more standard sizes and additional dispensers with more available options.

To accommodate these new advancements, the CDS has been retooled to be more flexible and inclusive of developments within the industry. Requirements that were originally written specifically for the P-POD will encompass requirements for all dispensers currently available. It is also the intention for the new revision of the CDS to identify the available options on dispensers that are widely available for use. Currently that list is limited to dispensers that publish their specifications online, but can be updated as dispenser companies make that information available to us. The CDS will also define all U configurations in one document with one set of requirements for ease of reference.

The new CDS should be the first stop for any developer beginning their CubeSat design.

A complete copy of the revised specification can be seen at: https://www.cubesat.org/cds-announcement

[ANS thanks Cal Poly CubeSat Lab for the above information.]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMSAT office
is closed until further notice. For details, please visit
https://www.amsat.org/amsat-office-closed-until-further-notice/

US Department of Defense to Share 3450 – 3550 MHz with 5G Commercial Operations

The FCC will auction sharing rights to the upper 50 MHz of the 3300 – 3500 MHz secondary amateur radio allocation to commercial 5G interests in the wake of the Department of Defense (DoD) agreement to share spectrum at 3450 – 3550 MHz. The entire band currently supports a variety of military operations, and amateur radio has a long history of peaceful coexistence with the Department of Defense as a secondary user of this spectrum.

Late last year, the FCC proposed to delete the amateur secondary 3300 – 3500 MHz secondary allocation as well as the amateur-satellite allocation at 3400 – 3410 MHz. The FCC could auction the 100 MHz of spectrum in early 2022. This latest move makes a contiguous band of spectrum from 3450 – 3980 MHz available for commercial 5G networks.

“For a number of years, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and FCC have focused on the 3450 – 3550 MHz band as the spectrum most conducive to sharing with commercial users,” said ARRL Washington Counsel David Siddall, K3ZJ. “Monday’s statements announced that a framework for sharing has been worked out.”

In December 2019, the FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in WT Docket 19-348 proposing to delete the 3300 – 3500 MHz secondary amateur band. ARRL strongly opposed the move in its comments on the NPRM, which put forward the FCC’s plans to remove “existing non-federal secondary radiolocation and amateur allocations” in the 3300 – 3500 MHz band and to consider options for relocating incumbent non-federal operations.

Siddall said the spectrum below 3450 MHz presents a more difficult government/commercial sharing scenario, and that future sharing there remains uncertain. “We continue to argue that the amateur secondary allocation should not be deleted in this band,” he said. “We recognize that our access is secondary, and ask only to be given a chance to use our considerable technical skills to work around whatever future uses may be implemented in this spectrum.”

The complete article can be seen at: https://tinyurl.com/ANS-229-5G.

[ANS thanks the ARRL for the above information.]

QSO Today Virtual Expo Satellite Presentations Still Available

Congratulations to Tom Schuessler, N5HYP of Irving, Texas for his outstanding presentation, “Getting Started with Amateur Radio Satellites.”  Tom’s thirty-three minute presentation provided an excellent review of the basics needed to enjoy this aspect of the hobby, on-the-air-demonstrations, and prominent promotion of AMSAT as the center of Amateur Radio Satellite activity.

Also presented at the Virtual Expo was 4Z1ZV, Zvi Segal’s overview of the Qatar-OSCAR 100 Satellite running seventeen minutes.

Watch the presentations at https://qsotoday.vfairs.com/. Even if you didn’t register for the original event, you can still register to watch the presentations which will be available until September 9, 2020.

With over 14,000 participants each day of the August event, organizers are already the next QSO Today Virtual Expo for March 13-14, 2021.

[ANS thanks QSO Today for the above information.]

AMSAT’s GOLF Program is about getting back to higher orbits, and it
all begins with GOLF-TEE – a technology demonstrator for deployable
solar panels, propulsion, and attitude control. Come along for the
ride. The journey will be worth it!

https://tinyurl.com/ANS-GOLF

Chinese Mars probe Tianwen-1 successfully received by AMSAT-DL

Soon after its launch on July 23rd, the Chinese Mars mission Tianwen-1 has been received by AMSAT-DL with its 20m ground station in Bochum, Germany. Amateur radio observers Paul Marsh M0EYT and his #hearsat group have been tracking Tianwen-1 since its launch from Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site. As no trajectory data was published Daniel Estevez, EA4GPZ used the coordinated observations to generate an estimated trajectory which allows narrowing down the search area.

After some reformatting of the data by James Miller G3RUH, AMSAT-DL gave it a first try during on July 24th and 25th with successful detection of the Tianwen-1 telemetry on 8430.911 MHz. An initial guess suggests a BPSK modulation with residual carrier and data modulated on a subcarrier. More than 2 GB of baseband data have been recorded and are being analyzed by the #hearsat group.

This report not only demonstrates the capabilities of Amateur Radio operators when it comes to deep space missions but also the flexibility and performance of the AMSAT-DL 20m ground station in Bochum which (except for scheduled maintenance on site) can be operated fully remotely.

The complete story can be seen at: https://tinyurl.com/ANS-229-Tianwen-1

[ANS thanks AMSAT-DL for the above information.]

SmallSat 2020 Virtual Conference Proceedings Available Online

The 34th Annual Small Satellite Conference was a virtual event hosted by SmallSat.org and Utah State University, Logan, Utah.  The event attracted 8,100 participants over three days August 1-3, 2020. With the conference theme, “Space Mission Architectures – Infinite Possibilities”, the conference explored the realm of possible space mission architectures and how they can be practically achieved to support the diverse needs of the global space community.

Organized along twelve technical tracks, all 162 presentations are available to the public.  Additionally, literally hundreds of posters can be downloaded for viewing. Especially useful is a search function on the site that can search keywords to help find presentation and posters that deal with specific topics.

For those interested in the future of small satellites, including those in the Amateur Satellite Service, there is one especially pertinent presentation entitled ” Small Satellite Regulation in 2020″
with attorneys Lynne Montgomery and Christopher Bair of Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP. In this twelve minute presentation, Ms. Montgomery thoroughly covers the range of regulations affecting small satellite operations, the agencies involved, licensing procedures and what future legal burdens are looming for small satellite operators.

The complete collection of presentations and posters can be seen at: https://smallsat.org/.

[ANS thanks SmallSat.org 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/

Upcoming Satellite Operations

Quick Hits:

DM97/98 & EM08/09, 8/29 & 8/30: Super Rover @ADoDX is heading out for the Kansas QSO party and N0E. More to come.

IL38 EA8/EA4NF 8/10-8/17 IL38/39

Major Roves:

@AD0HJ, is heading out again for the South Dakota Super Rove Part II Rove: Grids DN73, DN82, DN83, DN92, DN93, EN02, EN03, EN12, EN24, and EN25. August 17th through August 21st.

@WA9JBQ is heading out to Idaho DN24,DN25,DN26 DN34, DN16, DN15, and DN14 starting August 15th. Then moving into Montana for DN35,DN36, DN37, DN38 DN49 DN47. He will be out a total of 5-6 weeks. Mostly FM some linear. Will post to twitter details.

[ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL for the above information.]

ARISS News

Upcoming Contacts:

Kopernik Observatory & Science Center, Vestal, NY, direct via K2ZRO.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS.
The scheduled astronaut is Chris Cassidy KF5KDR.
Contact is go for Friday, August 21, 2020 at 18:23:40 UTC. 29 deg.
Watch for live stream starting about 20 to 30 minutes ahead of AOS at: https://youtu.be/1Pwcc2rilz0

NOTE: AS of August 14, 2021, this contact has been rescheduled again due to ISS hatch closures for leak detection activity.

Completed Contacts:

GAGARIN FROM SPACE. Performing a radio amateur session with school children of Tatarstan, Russia, direct via RZ4PXO.
The ISS callsign was RSØISS.
The scheduled astronaut was Ivan Vagner.
Contact was successful on  August 7, 2020 at 11:18 UTC.

[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N  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/

Shorts from All Over

NASA At Home Offerings Updated Regularly

As was reported before, NASA continually offers a variety of videos, podcasts, virtual tours, e-books and activities.  This service has offerings that are of interest to adults as well as students with an
interest in space exploration.  The lineup changes weekly so, if you haven’t been back in a while, take a moment to see the current assortment at:
https://www.nasa.gov/specials/nasaathome/index.html

[ANS thanks NASA for the above information.]

Build a Simple ISS Tracker with Raspberry Pi

Fancy tracking the ISS’s trajectory? Looking for a project beyond using your smart phone app? All you need is a Raspberry Pi, an e-paper display, an enclosure, and a little Python code. Check out
The MagPi Magazine issue #96.  The download is free and can be found at: https://magpi.raspberrypi.org/issues/96.

[ANS thanks RaspberryPi.org for the above information.]

Another Distance Record Claimed

Another distance record claimed by Jerome LeCuyer, F4DXV this time on AO-92 (U/v). Jerome worked Dana Rushton, VE1VOX in Nova Scotia at 12:54 UTC on August 10, 2020, a distance of 5,011 km.

[ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, AMSAT Executive Vice President for the above information.]

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 six post-secondary years in this status.

Contact Martha at the AMSAT office for additional student membership information.

73,

This week’s ANS Editor,

Frank Karnauskas, N1UW
n1uw at amsat dot org