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CX2SA > SATDIG 22.10.17 16:45l 1098 Lines 36291 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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From: CX2SA@CX2SA.SAL.URY.SOAM
To : SATDIG@WW
Today's Topics:
1. Re: Wisp TNC Commands? (Mark L. Hammond)
2. Re: EO-79 Transponder On Times - 21-Oct-2017 (David G0MRF)
3. Re: EO-79 Transponder On Times - 21-Oct-2017 (Paul Stoetzer)
4. Re: EO-79 Transponder On Times - 21-Oct-2017 (Paul Stoetzer)
5. Fox-1A (AO-85 ) Uplink Frequency (Stefano (IU?DFT))
6. Re: Fox-1A (AO-85 ) Uplink Frequency (Paul Stoetzer)
7. Upcoming ARISS contact with Chiddix Junior High School,
Normal, IL (n4csitwo@xxxxxxxxx.xxxx
8. Falconsat Success (Tony)
9. Re: Falconsat Success (Scott)
10. ANS-295 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins (Lee McLamb)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2017 23:33:57 -0400
From: "Mark L. Hammond" <marklhammond@xxxxx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Wisp TNC Commands?
Message-ID: <Q3Zx1w0042NCbDF013ZxUw@xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Tony,
MSPE should be putting the TNC into KISS mode, and passing all of the TNC
parameters in the TNC Settings tab, and setting your call, and setting the
callsigns of the satellite, which are in the General tab.
If you want to watch the actual commands, you could set up a virtual serial
port/splitter, point MSPE to one port, and watch it via a terminal program
on the other port.
I find MSPE works as expected with the Paccomm Spirit-2 I'm using. It
supports other TNCs, via menu selection in the TNC Settings tab.
Mark N8MH
At 02:49 AM 10/21/2017 +0000, you wrote:
>Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2017 14:41:33 -0400
>From: Tony <dxdx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
>To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
>Subject: [amsat-bb] Wisp TNC Commands?
>Message-ID: <7dabcd0a-29d1-ee13-36b6-41d2065ca28f@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
>
>All:
>
>Is there a way to monitor the commands Wisp sends to a TNC during
>startup? I searched the Wisp directories and couldn't find anything.
>
>A utility program that monitors commands being sent to the TNC would be
>helpful. Thought of using a simple terminal program along with a comport
>splitter of some kind, but not sure if that would work.
>
>Perhaps there's a list of Wisp TNC commands for different TNC's
>somewhere on the web.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Tony -K2MO
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2017 06:58:34 -0400
From: David G0MRF <g0mrf@xxx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxxx n8hm@xxxx.xxx
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] EO-79 Transponder On Times - 21-Oct-2017
Message-ID: <15f3e959b9e-c18-18c05@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xxxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Hi Paul.
Thanks for the heads up on this. I'm away from home at present so not able
to check on-air.
Any transponder reports welcome.
Looking at the pass times, I think the schedule is OK. For example:
10/21/17 (all +/- 30 sec)
10.20.40 UTC exits eclipse over Antarctica.
10.56.40 UTC (+ 27 mins) Transponder turns on over Namibia at 24 degrees
south
Satellite heads North + passes over Africa and Europe with transponder on
(perhaps!)
11.21.40 (25 min of on time) Transponder switches off just East of Iceland
apx 64N
So schedule is fine, but perhaps the satellite has switched into a safe
mode. I'll forward your mail to AMSAT-NL
Many Thanks
David G0MRF
I was curious about the status of EO-79 as the transponder has not been
reported on in quite some time. AI6GS checked a pass this afternoon and
heard nothing but the beacon.
As the transponder's operation causes the satellite to be power negative,
the satellite is currently configured to charge for 27 minutes after coming
out of eclipse and then the transponder is on for 25 minutes. When this
schedule was put in place last year, this favored mid-latitudes, but due to
orbital precession and the changing seasons, this is now seems to favor
lower latitudes.
If anyone wants to check out the transponder today (21-Oct), I have
calculated the following on times (by utilizing eclipse predictions in
DK3WN's Illum).
0117 - 0132
0253 - 0318
0430 - 0455
0607 - 0632
0744 - 0809
0919 - 0944
1057 - 1122
1234 - 1259
1411 - 1436
1548 - 1613
1725 - 1750
1901 - 1926
1938 - 2003
2215 - 2240
2352 - 0017
73,
Paul, N8HM
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2017 08:50:09 -0400
From: Paul Stoetzer <n8hm@xxxx.xxx>
To: David G0MRF <g0mrf@xxx.xxx>
Cc: "amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxxx <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] EO-79 Transponder On Times - 21-Oct-2017
Message-ID:
<CABzOSOouFSXkyomcSrRrxzCAQiTPz=PWZ3mw7vioPnU47=8hXw@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
David,
Thanks for the reply. The times I posted were sloppy work on my part.
The keps I used were a month old and it really changed the
calculations. Dumb mistake!
I'll check the transponder on my 15:58 UTC pass. With fresh keps,
Illum shows that EO-79 will be in eclipse from 15:19 UTC - 15:42 UTC,
so the transponder should come on at 15:59 UTC, one minute after my
AOS and while the satellite is at 20? 16' N. The transponder should
turn off at 16:24 UTC, when the satellite is at 65? 43' N.
So the schedule should be OK for northern hemisphere mid-latitudes,
but it does seem that the satellite may have switched to safe mode.
I'll follow up with my observations after that pass.
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Sat, Oct 21, 2017 at 6:58 AM, David G0MRF <g0mrf@xxx.xxx> wrote:
> Hi Paul.
>
> Thanks for the heads up on this. I'm away from home at present so not able
> to check on-air.
> Any transponder reports welcome.
>
> Looking at the pass times, I think the schedule is OK. For example:
>
> 10/21/17 (all +/- 30 sec)
>
> 10.20.40 UTC exits eclipse over Antarctica.
> 10.56.40 UTC (+ 27 mins) Transponder turns on over Namibia at 24 degrees
> south
> Satellite heads North + passes over Africa and Europe with transponder on
> (perhaps!)
> 11.21.40 (25 min of on time) Transponder switches off just East of Iceland
> apx 64N
>
> So schedule is fine, but perhaps the satellite has switched into a safe
> mode. I'll forward your mail to AMSAT-NL
>
> Many Thanks
>
> David G0MRF
>
> I was curious about the status of EO-79 as the transponder has not been
> reported on in quite some time. AI6GS checked a pass this afternoon and
> heard nothing but the beacon.
>
> As the transponder's operation causes the satellite to be power negative,
> the satellite is currently configured to charge for 27 minutes after coming
> out of eclipse and then the transponder is on for 25 minutes. When this
> schedule was put in place last year, this favored mid-latitudes, but due to
> orbital precession and the changing seasons, this is now seems to favor
> lower latitudes.
>
> If anyone wants to check out the transponder today (21-Oct), I have
> calculated the following on times (by utilizing eclipse predictions in
> DK3WN's Illum).
>
> 0117 - 0132
> 0253 - 0318
> 0430 - 0455
> 0607 - 0632
> 0744 - 0809
> 0919 - 0944
> 1057 - 1122
> 1234 - 1259
> 1411 - 1436
> 1548 - 1613
> 1725 - 1750
> 1901 - 1926
> 1938 - 2003
> 2215 - 2240
> 2352 - 0017
>
> 73,
>
> Paul, N8HM
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2017 09:01:19 -0400
From: Paul Stoetzer <n8hm@xxxx.xxx>
To: David G0MRF <g0mrf@xxx.xxx>
Cc: "amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxxx <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] EO-79 Transponder On Times - 21-Oct-2017
Message-ID:
<CABzOSOqzrGtEq5WPbw63K8b2Z-9AvNHQU7Zn-xvrNOrE2UDeNQ@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
Ha! I just realized I had the wrong satellite selected when checking
eclipses. Wow. I should stop trying to do this late in the evening or
early in the morning!
So, selecting the right satellite, prior to my 15:58 UTC pass, I see
the satellite will enter eclipse at 14:45 UTC and exit eclipse at
15:21 UTC. The transponder should turn on at 15:48 UTC, while it is at
about 17 degrees south and turn off at 16:13 UTC, while it is at about
71 degrees north.
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Sat, Oct 21, 2017 at 8:50 AM, Paul Stoetzer <n8hm@xxxx.xxx> wrote:
> David,
>
> Thanks for the reply. The times I posted were sloppy work on my part.
> The keps I used were a month old and it really changed the
> calculations. Dumb mistake!
>
> I'll check the transponder on my 15:58 UTC pass. With fresh keps,
> Illum shows that EO-79 will be in eclipse from 15:19 UTC - 15:42 UTC,
> so the transponder should come on at 15:59 UTC, one minute after my
> AOS and while the satellite is at 20? 16' N. The transponder should
> turn off at 16:24 UTC, when the satellite is at 65? 43' N.
>
> So the schedule should be OK for northern hemisphere mid-latitudes,
> but it does seem that the satellite may have switched to safe mode.
> I'll follow up with my observations after that pass.
>
> 73,
>
> Paul, N8HM
>
> On Sat, Oct 21, 2017 at 6:58 AM, David G0MRF <g0mrf@xxx.xxx> wrote:
>> Hi Paul.
>>
>> Thanks for the heads up on this. I'm away from home at present so not able
>> to check on-air.
>> Any transponder reports welcome.
>>
>> Looking at the pass times, I think the schedule is OK. For example:
>>
>> 10/21/17 (all +/- 30 sec)
>>
>> 10.20.40 UTC exits eclipse over Antarctica.
>> 10.56.40 UTC (+ 27 mins) Transponder turns on over Namibia at 24 degrees
>> south
>> Satellite heads North + passes over Africa and Europe with transponder on
>> (perhaps!)
>> 11.21.40 (25 min of on time) Transponder switches off just East of Iceland
>> apx 64N
>>
>> So schedule is fine, but perhaps the satellite has switched into a safe
>> mode. I'll forward your mail to AMSAT-NL
>>
>> Many Thanks
>>
>> David G0MRF
>>
>> I was curious about the status of EO-79 as the transponder has not been
>> reported on in quite some time. AI6GS checked a pass this afternoon and
>> heard nothing but the beacon.
>>
>> As the transponder's operation causes the satellite to be power negative,
>> the satellite is currently configured to charge for 27 minutes after coming
>> out of eclipse and then the transponder is on for 25 minutes. When this
>> schedule was put in place last year, this favored mid-latitudes, but due to
>> orbital precession and the changing seasons, this is now seems to favor
>> lower latitudes.
>>
>> If anyone wants to check out the transponder today (21-Oct), I have
>> calculated the following on times (by utilizing eclipse predictions in
>> DK3WN's Illum).
>>
>> 0117 - 0132
>> 0253 - 0318
>> 0430 - 0455
>> 0607 - 0632
>> 0744 - 0809
>> 0919 - 0944
>> 1057 - 1122
>> 1234 - 1259
>> 1411 - 1436
>> 1548 - 1613
>> 1725 - 1750
>> 1901 - 1926
>> 1938 - 2003
>> 2215 - 2240
>> 2352 - 0017
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Paul, N8HM
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2017 18:26:12 +0200
From: "Stefano (IU?DFT)" <iu0dft@xxxxx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Fox-1A (AO-85 ) Uplink Frequency
Message-ID: <57D33265-4561-4845-A503-EF7FE4225670@xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
I have a doubt, since I?m seeing different Fox-1A (AO-85 ) Nominal Uplink
Frequencies on the net.Some report 435.180 MHz as the correct one, other
sites write that AMSAT made a change and the correct Uplink is 435.170 MHz.
Which one do you guys think is right? Thanks in advance for your reply.
73 Stefano (IU?DFT)
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2017 12:40:18 -0400
From: Paul Stoetzer <n8hm@xxxx.xxx>
To: Stefano (IU?DFT) <iu0dft@xxxxx.xxx>
Cc: "amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxxx <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Fox-1A (AO-85 ) Uplink Frequency
Message-ID:
<CABzOSOrE3MNEmBkEtF1RDRwALiY0E1ArW7dSC9u1f8dmg3-fNQ@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
435.180 MHz was the planned frequency. Due to unexpected differences
in temperature, the actual frequency is estimated to be around 435.172
MHz. If you're using an FM only radio, you should use 435.170 MHz as
your center uplink frequency.
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Sat, Oct 21, 2017 at 12:26 PM, "Stefano (IU?DFT)" via AMSAT-BB
<amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx> wrote:
> I have a doubt, since I?m seeing different Fox-1A (AO-85 ) Nominal Uplink
Frequencies on the net.Some report 435.180 MHz as the correct one, other
sites write that AMSAT made a change and the correct Uplink is 435.170 MHz.
Which one do you guys think is right? Thanks in advance for your reply.
>
> 73 Stefano (IU?DFT)
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2017 14:47:02 -0400
From: <n4csitwo@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
To: <ariss-press@xxxxx.xxx>, "amsat-edu" <amsat-edu@xxxxx.xxx>,
<amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Upcoming ARISS contact with Chiddix Junior High
School, Normal, IL
Message-ID: <459939CDD8454396BD49891824060D15@xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
An International Space Station school contact has been planned with
participants at Chiddix Junior High School, Normal, IL on 23 Oct. The event
is scheduled to begin at approximately 15:31 UTC. The duration of the
contact is approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds. The contact will be
direct between NA1SS and W9AML. The contact should be audible over the state
of Illinois and adjacent areas. Interested parties are invited to listen in
on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in
English.
Chiddix Junior High School (CJHS) in Normal, IL, in partnership with the
Challenger Learning Center (CLC), the Children's Discovery Museum (CDM) and
Central Illinois Radio Club CIRC), W9AML is pleased to talk with astronauts
on the International Space Station (ISS). The ARISS contact aligns with
CJHS's mission for students to achieve personal success and the CLC's
learning objective to engage students in hands-on, dynamic activities while
increasing interest in STEM careers. In preparation for this event,
approximately three hundred CJHS students have participated in a question
writing contest.
Students will have the chance to participate in designing a mission patch
for the CJHS ARISS contact and will learn about the ISS. The contact will
be broadcast live to the entire school and Unit 5 school district.
Hari Rebba, a community leader, a member of the Central Illinois Radio Club
(CIRC), and Lead Program Coordinator for ARISS school contact, who pursued
this idea with his son, Dhruv for more than two years, has been instrumental
in this program that benefits all students. Dhruv Rebba, KC9ZJX, the
Student Lead, will be the control operator.
Students from the CLC attended this summer's International Space Station
Underwater Adventure camp where they learned about the ISS, living and
working in space and built a model of the ISS underwater at the Normal
Community West High School swimming pool.
Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows:
1. How do you prepare mentally and physically to go to the ISS?
2. What must you do to prepare for coming back to earth and its gravity?
3. What did you do when you were a child that helped get you to where you are
today?
4. What is the most fascinating part of Earth to fly over?
5. How would you describe space to someone who has not been there?
6. What do you do to stay busy in space? Do the days go by really fast or
does it feel like a very long time up in space?
7. What is the most accurate space travel movie you have seen?
8. How do you get exercise in space?
9. What has been your favorite experiment so far?
10. Does space have different effects other than gravity on the human body
than being on Earth? If yes, do you feel those effects while in space,
or are they just happening?
11. What are some difficult health effects, you have to overcome aboard the
ISS?
12. When you trained for being an astronaut, did you ever train under water?
If so, is it close to what space is like?
13. What are some simple tasks on Earth that can be very challenging in
space?
14. What is the most unusual payload you have seen on the ISS?
15. What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you while in space?
16. Does your view of Earth and Space ever get old?
17. Do you think it would be safer to have a space station based on the moon
instead of floating in space?
18. How often do you go into space for spacewalks?
19. What advice would you give to young people dreaming about becoming an
astronaut?
20. What influenced you to or what made you want to go in space?
21. What do you miss the most from Earth that you don't have in space?
22. How do you protect the spacecraft from being damaged by meteoroids or
other space debris?
23. What do you do if you get sick in space?
PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ARISS UPDATES:
Visit ARISS on Facebook. We can be found at Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS).
To receive our Twitter updates, follow @xxxxxxxxxxxx
Next planned event(s):
1. Beaconsfield State School, Mackay, Queensland, Australia, telebridge
via IK1SLD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be IR?ISS
The scheduled astronaut is Paolo Nespoli IZ?JPA
Contact is a go for: Thu 2017-10-26 08:23:02 UTC
2. Glanmire Community College, Cork, Ireland, direct via EI5CRC and
Colegiul National Calistrat Hogas Piatra Neamt, Piatra Neamt, Romania,
telebridge via EI5CRC
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled astronaut is Joe Acaba KE5DAR
Contact is a go for: Thu 2017-10-26 09:55:45 UTC
3. Istituto Tecnico Tecnologico "Enzo Ferrari", Borgo A Mozzano, Italy
and Liceo Statale "G. D. Cassini", Sanremo, Italy direct via IQ5LU and
IQ1SM The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be IR?ISS
The scheduled astronaut is Paolo Nespoli IZ?JPA
Contact is a go for: Sat 2017-10-28 08:13:31 UTC
Watch for Ham TV
About ARISS:
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative
venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that
support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States,
sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American
Radio Relay League (ARRL), the Center for the Advancement of Science in
Space (CASIS) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts
via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in
classrooms or informal education venues. With the help of experienced
amateur radio volunteers, ISS crews speak directly with large audiences in a
variety of public forums. Before and during these radio contacts, students,
teachers, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies,
and amateur radio. For more informa
tion, see www.ariss.org, www.amsat.org, and www.arrl.org.
Thank you & 73,
David - AA4KN
---
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------------------------------
Message: 8
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2017 04:39:52 -0400
From: Tony <dxdx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Falconsat Success
Message-ID: <85437a0c-0bee-6d64-08b5-7093b03392df@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
All:
Managed to work Falconsat this morning using UZ7HO's Soundmodem, WISP
and VSP. I don't have a PTT circuit so I had to use the rigs MOX
function to send file requests. I wouldn't recommend doing that for
obvious reasons -- need to build a PTT circuit ASAP.
If anyone is interested, this video guide shows the basics on how to
setup Wisp and Soundmodem using HW-VSP.? See:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ahlA-bRb5A
73, Tony -K2MO
------------------------------
Message: 9
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2017 09:39:36 -0400
From: Scott <scott23192@xxxxx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Falconsat Success
Message-ID:
<CAJCSnOZkrBbMug30SV083nQ1icN-xmLo_gLJjUm9HWkNKYWDig@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
Congrats, Tony!
The following relay has been working very well for me to handle PTT:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E0NTPP4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=
UTF8&psc=1
... I use 5 VDC from a USB cable for the coil voltage with the application
of that coil voltage being triggered by the serial RTS signal from
HS_Soundmodem. The above relay is great for that since the coil circuit is
controlled by an opto-isolator that can be operated by a low level signal
like the serial RTS.
The following item sure made it easy to attach a pair of wires to serial
RTS & ground:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WW6P636/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=
UTF8&psc=1
-Scott, K4KDR
===================================
On Sun, Oct 22, 2017 at 4:39 AM, Tony <dxdx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx> wrote:
> All:
>
> Managed to work Falconsat this morning using UZ7HO's Soundmodem, WISP and
> VSP. I don't have a PTT circuit so I had to use the rigs MOX function to
> send file requests. I wouldn't recommend doing that for obvious reasons --
> need to build a PTT circuit ASAP.
>
> If anyone is interested, this video guide shows the basics on how to setup
> Wisp and Soundmodem using HW-VSP. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
> v=1ahlA-bRb5A
>
> 73, Tony -K2MO
------------------------------
Message: 10
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2017 09:50:31 -0400
From: Lee McLamb <kt4tz@xxx.xx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] ANS-295 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
Message-ID: <ee68d8bb-729e-6ae6-8700-f4c5f1788e28@xxx.xx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-295
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor-
mation 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://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.
In this edition:
* AMSAT Describes RadFxSat/Fox-1B Commissioning Plans
* CAS-4A and CAS-4B Amateur Radio Linear Transponders Activated
* Caution Urged in Using High Duty Cycle Digital Modes via Satellite
* ARISS International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, Wins G3AAJ Trophy
* AMSAT-UK YouTube Channel Updated with 2017 Colloquium Recordings
* Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2017-10-19
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-295.01
ANS-295 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 295.01
?From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE October 22, 2017
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-295.01
AMSAT Describes RadFxSat/Fox-1B Commissioning Plans
AMSAT Vice-President Engineering, Jerry Buxton, N?JY wrote what to
initially expect when the AMSAT RadFxSat/Fox-1B cubesat is launched
as a passenger on NASA's ELaNa XIV mission on Friday, Nov. 10, from
Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
Liftoff will be aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket from
Space Launch Complex 2 and is targeted for 1:47 a.m. PT (4:47 a.m. ET,
9:47 am UTC) at the opening of a 65-second launch window. Launch cov-
erage will begin on NASA Television and the agency?s website at
1:15 a.m. PT.
RadFxSat/Fox-1B will automatically come up in Beacon Mode, transmitting
a beacon and voice ID (Veronica saying "RadFxSat Safe Mode") every two
minutes, starting about 50 minutes after deployment. The AMSAT command
stations will want to see voltage and current data to determine that
it's healthy and conduct various tests before opening it up for general
use.
Telemetry makes the engineering and operations teams very happy,
starting ASAP after startup (~55 minutes after deployment) and for
the next 72-96 hours at least as we look for successful startup, watch
the general health and function as the satellite begins to acclimate
to space, and perform the on orbit checkout. Ground stations are also
invited to continue uploading received telemetry for the life of the
satellite.
If you are capturing telemetry with FoxTelem please be sure that "Upload
to Server" is checked in your settings, and your Ground Station Params
are filled in as well. You can help AMSAT and everyone waiting to get
on the air with RadFxSat tremendously, by capturing RadFxSat telemetry.
In the initial Beacon Mode, the transmitter is limited to 10 seconds on
time then does the two minutes off cycle as Paul pointed out. For those
of you capturing telemetry, that means that you will only see Current
frames and no High or Low frames because the High and Low are truncated
as it takes just over 10 seconds to send two frames. Veronica may also
be cut off before she gets to say her whole ID string. If Veronica is
speaking, "RadFxSat Fox-1B Safe Mode" which is the full ID, if it's cut
off then we're still in Beacon Mode. If we are seeing good data from
user telemetry data, it is likely when it comes over the U.S. for the
first good pass we will command it from Beacon Mode to normal Safe Mode,
which then puts RadFxSat in full (still Safe Mode though) operation and
transmits a full two frames of telemetry which is one Current frame
followed by, and alternating each ID cycle, a High or a Low frame.
Veronica now has time to make the whole ID announcement, in Safe Mode.
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED!
--------------------
Jerry, N?JY commented further ...
Help your friends and all of our satellite ham friends get on the air
and have fun sooner by being polite and patient!
The on orbit checkout procedure is similar to Fox-1A/AO-85 and could
be completed in as little as a few days if we have the cooperation of
the users. It is very important, not to mention just plain good Amateur
Operating Practice, to refrain from using the transponder uplink so we
can do the on orbit tests, including when we turn on transponder mode
for testing. I can't stress enough, the importance of this cooperation
not just for us but for all users, simply having a little patience so
we can conduct the tests as quickly and accurately as possible.
AMSAT will make it broadly known when the tests are complete and the
transponder is available for all to use. If you hear someone on the
transponder, please don't assume that it is open for general use -
check the AMSAT website, Facebook, Twitter, to be sure you're not
accidentally jumping in with and unwittingly interfering with the
commissioning process.
Lots of hams put thousands of volunteer hours of their time into making
RadFxSat happen. Just like any ham radio project you might undertake,
we build satellites. We do it because we like to, and when we're done
we freely share our project with hams everywhere as is the spirit of
amateur radio.
I am asking all satellite hams to contribute just a little bit of your
time to the fun now, by being patient and just gathering telemetry,
not using the transponder uplink, and helping us complete the last few
days of getting RadFxSat in orbit and operating for all of you.
Thank you very much, see you on the bird!
[ANS thanks AMSAT Vice-President Engineering, Jerry Buxton, N?JY, for the
? above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
CAS-4A and CAS-4B Amateur Radio Linear Transponders Activated
On Wednesday, October 18, 2017 the amateur radio linear (SSB/CW)
transponders on
the CAS-4A and CAS-4B satellites were activated.
CAMSAT?s amateur radio payloads piggybacked on the optical remote
sensing micro-
satellites ZHUHAI-1 01 (OVS-1A / CAS-4A) and ZHUHAI-1 02 (OVS-1B /
CAS-4B) that
were launched at 0300 GMT on Thursday, June 15, 2017 from the Jiuquan
Satellite
Launch Center, on the CZ-4B launch vehicle. The primary payload of the
launch
was a hard X-ray modulation telescope satellite (HXMT).
CAS-4A Amateur Radio Payload:
?Call sign: BJ1SK
?VHF Antenna: one 1/4? monopole antenna with max. 0 dBi gain located at
+Z side
?UHF Antenna: one 1/4? monopole antenna with max. 0 dBi gain located at
-Z side
?CW Telemetry Beacon: 145.855 MHz 17 dBm
?AX.25 4.8k Baud GMSK Telemetry: 145.835 MHz 20 dBm
?U/V Linear Transponder Downlink: 145.870 MHz 20 dBm, 20 kHz bandwidth,
Inverted
?U/V Linear Transponder Uplink: 435.220 MHz
CAS-4B Amateur Radio Payload:
?Call sign: BJ1SL
?VHF Antenna: one 1/4? monopole antenna with max. 0 dBi gain located at
+Z side
?UHF Antenna: one 1/4? monopole antenna with max. 0 dBi gain located at
-Z side
?CW Telemetry Beacon: 145.910 MHz 17 dBm
?AX.25 4.8k Baud GMSK Telemetry: 145.890 MHz 20 dBm
?U/V Linear Transponder Downlink: 145.925 MHz 20 dBm, 20 kHz bandwidth,
Inverted
?U/V Linear Transponder Uplink: 435.280 MHz
[ANS thanks Alan, BD1DU, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Caution Urged in Using High Duty Cycle Digital Modes via Satellite
A report in ANS-288 discussed an experiment operating with the
WSJT-X FT8 via satellite. Satellite operators have gained more
experience with this mode over this past week.
As a result of on-the-air observation other satellite users
planning to try FT8 or MSK144 modes via satellite are encouraged
use caution using these modes and possibly avoid their use
completely in light of problems.
Dave, KG5CCI wrote, "He noticed a very hard time getting into the
transponder. The pass was nearly overhead, and the 3w-4w that is
normally sufficient was barely cutting it. I also noticed it was
'up and down' alot, whereas some moments it was easy to get in,
then it would be nearly impossible. There were also pockets of
'noise' all over the transponder, that sounded somewhat digital,
but I just couldn't place them." Further investigation revealed
that an MSK144 signal in the transponder passband was causing the
problems.
Matthew, NJ4Y noted, "Experimentation isn?t the problem, too much
power is. It?s bad enough on SSB, worse with CW, and killer on
constant duty cycle modes like FT8."
To gain a full understanding of the situation readers are encouraged
to follow the amsat-bb message thread which can be accessed at:
http://www.amsat.org/pipermail/amsat-bb/2017-October/064896.html
[ANS acknowledges the comments submitted via amsat-bb from W5RKN,
?KG5CCI, KB1PVH, W5PFG, and others]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
ARISS International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, Wins G3AAJ Trophy
ARISS International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, has been honored with the Ron
Broadbent, G3AAJ, Trophy. The presentation came during the AMSAT-UK
International Space Colloquium this past weekend.
?AMSAT-UK totally shocked me yesterday at the colloquium with the Ron
Broadbent
Trophy,? Bauer reacted. ?I was nearly speechless when asked to come up and
receive the trophy for ARISS work. I mentioned that, early on, Ron was a
phenomenal supporter and contributor to ARISS, with his sage advice and
guidance.?
The G3AAJ trophy is awarded annually by AMSAT-UK to an individual or
group for
outstanding service to the Amateur Satellite service. The trophy was
donated to
AMSAT-UK by the late Ron Broadbent, G3AAJ.
ARISS received the G3AAJ trophy last year in recognition of the ARISS UK
team?s
dedication in working with the UK Space Agency to facilitate the Principia
Mission of astronaut Tim Peake, KG5BVI, aimed at engaging students in 10 UK
schools in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
subjects.
[ANS thanks ARRL for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AMSAT-UK YouTube Channel Updated with 2017 Colloquium Recordings
AMSAT-UK has begun uploading recordings of all talks from the 2017
Colloquium,
October 14-15 to the AMSAT-UK YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/AMSATUK
Some of the videos have already been uploaded; refresh your screen
occasionally to to catch additional 2017 Colloquium uploads.
2017: An introduction to Amateur satellites - David Johnson, G4DPZ and
Carlos
Eavis G3VHF
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tj2rUsNpPs&t=1039s
2017: Es'hail-2 Geostationary Amateur Satellite - Peter Guelzow DB2OS
(AMSAT-DL)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L67pza0hCZw
2017: The Goonhilly project (aka playing with big boys toys) - Noel Matthews
G8GTZ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzrcLFFEq74
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2017-10-19
Chiddix Junior High School,? Normal, IL, direct via W9AM
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be? NA1SS
The scheduled astronaut is Joe Acaba KE5DAR (***)
Contact is a go? for: Mon 2017-10-23 15:31:15 UTC 27 deg (***)
Beaconsfield State? School, Mackay, Queensland, Australia, telebridge via
IK1SLD (***)
The ISS? callsign is presently scheduled to be IR?ISS (***)
The scheduled astronaut? is Paolo Nespoli IZ?JPA (***)
Contact is a go for: Thu 2017-10-26 08:23:02? UTC 40 deg (***)
Glanmire Community College, Cork, Ireland, direct? via EI5CRC and Colegiul
National Calistrat Hogas Piatra Neamt, Piatra Neamt, Romania, telebridge
via EI5CRC
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be? OR4ISS
The scheduled astronaut is Joe Acaba KE5DAR (***)
Contact is a go? for: Thu 2017-10-26 09:55:45 UTC 68 deg (***)
Istituto Tecnico? Tecnologico ?Enzo Ferrari?, Borgo A Mozzano, Italy and
Liceo Statale ?G. D.? Cassini?, Sanremo, Italy direct via IQ5LU and IQ1SM
The ISS callsign is? presently scheduled to be IR?ISS
The scheduled astronaut is Paolo Nespoli? IZ?JPA
Contact is a go for: Sat 2017-10-28 08:13:31 UTC 24 deg (***)
Watch for Ham TV? (***)
[ANS thanks Charlie, AJ9N, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ Valdir Lima, PY5/PW8PM and Dave Swanson, KG5CCI completed a 7763km
? contact via AO-7. During his activation of the GG35 and GG36 grids
? Valdir also made contact with PT9BM PU2NGB PT2AP LW2DAF NJ4Y KO4MA
? K4FEG KG5CCI. Video of the contacts can be found on YouTube:
? https://youtu.be/L2m0byYTxug (via Valdir Lima, PY5/PW8PM)
+ Sean Kutzko KX9X was interviewed on Ham Talk Live Episode 86.
? The topic was Getting Started with Satellites with KX9X
? Listen to the podcast at:
https://www.spreaker.com/user/hamtalklive/episode-86-getting-started-with-
? satellit_1
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 addi-
tional 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 stu-
dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership
information.
73,
This week's ANS Editor,
Lee McLamb, KT4TZ
kt4tz at amsat dot org
------------------------------
Subject: Digest Footer
_______________________________________________
Sent via amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx.
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!
http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
------------------------------
End of AMSAT-BB Digest, Vol 12, Issue 265
*****************************************
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