AMSAT Fox-1E Engineering Team is going through their orbit checklist and with the Operations Team exercising the steps to analyze and resolve the low or no signal situation with the telemetry beacon. We will let you know as soon as soon as the status changes.
We ask that all continue to track and listen for RadFxSat-2.
Thanks for your patience and support.
73,
Robert Bankston, KE4AL
President
Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT)
AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-017
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:
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-017.01
ANS-017 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 017.01
From AMSAT HQ Washington, DC
January 17, 2021
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-017.01
Virgin Orbit announced a new launch date of No Earlier Than (NET) Sunday, January 17, 2021 with additional windows in January if needed. The specific window is 10:00 to 14:00 PST (1800 to 2200 UTC). Virgin Orbit seems to be using its Twitter account to make their public announcements, so that may be worth watching at https://twitter.com/Virgin_Orb
AMSAT does not have preliminary TLE for the upcoming launch. If you are hoping to snag the first contact, Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT VP – Engineering suggests checking the nasabare.text TLE just prior to launch, maybe thirty-minutes after launch or until they are posted.
[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]
AMSAT members can read the November/December 2020 edition of the AMSAT Journal online. This edition includes:
The AMSAT Journal is a bi-monthly magazine for amateur radio in space enthusiasts, published by the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT). Each issue is your source for hardware and software projects, technical tips, STEM initiatives, operational activities, and news from around the world. Join AMSAT today to start receiving your bi-monthly issue of The AMSAT Journal. Members can access the latest issue of The AMSAT Journal as well as archived editions at https://launch.amsat.org/The_A
[ANS thanks AMSAT 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!
The launch of UVSQsat is scheduled for January 21, 2021 by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral, Florida. UVSQ-SAT is a nanosatellite designed by LATMOS (Atmospheres Spatial Observation Laboratory) and developed at the Observatory of Versailles Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines. Its scientific and technological goals are observing essential climate variables, namely shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes at the top of the atmosphere and UV solar spectral irradiance.
In addition to experimental and educational missions, it will provide the Amateur Radio community with a new FM transponder. AMSAT-Francophone and the radio club F6KRK have been involved throughout the project. AMSAT-Francophone offers software to interpret the data and send it to the AMSAT-F & Satnogs database. The software is in beta mode and available for testing and giving feedback for improvement. The software runs on both Windows and Linux platforms. Information for downloading is available at:
https://code.electrolab.fr/xto
Two audio files are available for testing the software:
– 1200 bps (BPSK / G3RUH): SDRSharp_20201023_143925Z_4370
– 9600 bps (BPSK / G3RUH): SDRSharp_20201023_144839Z_4370
The satellite will transmit on the frequency: 437.020 MHz.
More information on the satellite frequencies: http://amsat-f.org/AMSATLIST/S
More information on the project: http://uvsq-sat.projet.latmos.
[ANS thanks AMSAT-F for the above information.]
January 7, 2021 – Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is pleased to announce the schools/host organizations selected for the July-December 2021 contact window. A total of seven of the submitted proposals during the recent proposal window have been accepted to move forward in the processes of planning to host a scheduled amateur radio contact with crew on the ISS. The primary goal of the ARISS program is to engage young people in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) activities and raise their awareness of space communications, radio communications, space exploration, and related areas of study and career possibilities.
The ARISS program anticipates that NASA will be able to provide scheduling opportunities for the seven US host organizations during the July through December 2021 time period. They are now at work completing an acceptable equipment plan that demonstrates their ability to execute the ham radio contact. Once their equipment plan is approved by the ARISS Technical Mentors, the final selected schools/organizations will be scheduled as their availability and flexibility match up with the scheduling opportunities offered by NASA.
The seven schools advancing in the selection process are:
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN
Tarwater Elementary, Chandler, AZ
Museum of Science & Technology, Syracuse, NY
SpaceKids Global and Girl Scouts of Citrus, Winter Park, FL
Civil Air Patrol – Illinois Wing, St Charles, IL
Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
Savannah River Academy, Grovetown, GA
[ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN for the above information.]
Although not an Amateur Radio satellite, a student-built CubeSat is of interest to the Amateur Radio Satellite Service. Built at the University of Michigan, it will investigate whether small satellites can be maintained in low Earth orbit without thrusters or propellant. Scheduled to launch from the Mojave Air and Space Port on Virgin Orbit’s Launch Demo 2 on January 10, 2020, the Miniature Tether Electrodynamics Experiment-1 (MiTEE-1) will test the concept of using the Earth’s magnetic field to generate thrust.
The usual way to overcome this is to use thrusters to boost the satellite into a higher orbit, but for smaller spacecraft, and especially CubeSats, this isn’t currently an option – although efforts like the ThermaSat design are looking to bring lightweight propulsion systems to CubeSats. The result is that many perfectly good pieces of hardware are destroyed prematurely, deorbiting in a matter of months or even days.
The MiTEE project will test the feasibility of using electromagnetism to provide propulsion by stringing a wire tether 33 to 100 feet (10 to 30 m) long between two CubeSats. The idea is that solar panels would provide electricity, which would run through the wire. As the satellite orbits the Earth, the ionosphere completes the circuit and, because a force is exerted on a wire when it conducts a current in a magnetic field, the tether generates thrust that can be used to boost the spacecraft into a higher orbit. As the force isn’t very great, such an approach wouldn’t be feasible for larger satellites, but the hope is it will be enough to allow small satellites to compensate for the drag of the atmosphere.
The result of two and half years of work, MiTEE-1 won’t actually produce any thrust. Instead, it will consist of a satellite about the size of a loaf of breadbox and another about the size of a smartphone that deploys on a one-meter (33-in) rigid boom. This will measure how much current can be drawn from the ionosphere under various conditions.
The data from the mission will be used for planning and building the next MiTEE satellite, which will demonstrate the electric propulsion system concept in operation.
More information is available at: https://newatlas.com/space/cub
[ANS thanks Jeff Davis and newatlas.com 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-cat
In 2020, a project between AMSAT-UK, AMSAT-NL and Swiss universities started with the aim of equipping two Swiss satellites with a linear transponder for Amateur Radio.
With a linear transponder, several QSOs can take place simultaneously. The satellites can be operated in CW/SSB with the simplest equipment. The satellites also include features for classroom demonstrations and experiments. In numerous teleconference discussions, the technical possibilities could be sounded out and the realization prepared.
The CHESS [Constellation of High Energy Swiss Satellites] project includes two satellites, which will be built simultaneously and later launched as a constellation. Both will provide a linear transponder for amateur radio use. The first satellite will have a nearly circular orbit at an altitude of 400 km. The second will have an elliptical orbit with an altitude of 350×1000 km.
The satellites themselves are a project of the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) with support from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU – Institute of Electrical Engineering IET), the University of Bern, the Valais University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HES-SO), the Haute École Neuchâtel and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich. The amateur radio payload is a project of AMSAT-UK/-NL.
On 18 December 2020, the successful system requirements review took place. The project coordination between CHESS and AMSAT lies with the Amateur Radio Association of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts – Technology & Architecture, Horw.
The Swiss AMSAT Operators provide information about the CHESS project at https://www.amsat-hb.org/funcu
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information.]
Preparations are under way by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) to represent the interests of the amateur and amateur-satellite services at World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23). The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) sponsors WRCs, typically every 4 years, to consider revisions to the international Radio Regulations that define frequency allocations for various radio services.
The next WRC is expected to be held in 2023. Potentially affected bands are 50 – 54 MHz (a new service has been proposed in an adjacent band); 1240 – 1300 MHz; 3300 – 3400 MHz; 10.0 – 10.5 GHz, and 241 – 250 GHz. In addition, studies are being conducted to identify protection requirements for space weather sensors that operate in frequency bands from 13 kHz to at least 15 GHz.
Read the complete story at: http://www.arrl.org/news/inter
[ANS thanks the ARRL 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/
QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo; March 13,14 2021
The second QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo will be held on March 13-14, 2021. There is an Amateur Radio speaker track and AMSAT will have a virtual booth during the event. Advance tickets are now on sale.
More information at: https://www.qsotodayhamexpo.co
[ANS thanks Virtual QSO Virtual Ham Expo for the above information.]
EL86; January 17-18, 2021
@KK4YEL: is heading out to EL86 for two days starting this Sunday evening.
[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR for the above information.]
Purchase AMSAT Gear on our Zazzle storefront.
25% of the purchase price of each product goes
towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space
https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_g
Upcoming Contacts
Hisagi Junior High School, Zushi, Japan
Direct via 8N1ZH
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS.
The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz.
The scheduled astronaut is Shannon Walker KD5DXB.
Contact is go for Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at 08:17:59 UTC. (70 deg)
Maine Regional School Unit #21, Kennebunk, ME
Multi-point telebridge via IK1SLD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS.
The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz.
The scheduled astronaut is Mike Hopkins KF5LJG.
Contact is go for Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 18:27:40 UTC. (52 deg)
Completed Contacts
Shigagakuen Junior & Senior High School, Higashioumi, Japan,
Direct via 8N3SG
The ISS callsign was NA1SS.
The downlink frequency was 145.800 MHz.
The astronaut was Shannon Walker KD5DXB.
Contact was successful on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 10:38:29 UTC.
A multi-point telebridge contact means that each student will be on the telebridge from their own home.
The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-
[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N for the above information.]
New Keplerian Element Set orb21007.2l.amsat Available
Updated Keplerian elements were released on January 7, 2021 and are available at:
https://mailman.amsat.org/hype
[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD for the above information.]
31st Anniversary of LO-19
Members of AMSAT Argentina will celebrate the 31st anniversary of the LUSAT (LO-19) satellite with the callsign LU7AA January 16-24, 2021. Stations will be QRV on HF on SSB, FT8, and CW. An award is also available. QSL via LU7AA direct or by eQSL.
More information is available at http://lu4aao.org/lu7aa/cert_3
[ANS thanks JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM 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 info at amsat dot org for additional student membership information.
73,
This week’s ANS Editor,
Frank Karnauskas, N1UW
n1uw at amsat dot org
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: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/
In this edition:
* Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne Launch Demo 2 is Go for Launch
* Cargo Dragon to Return to Earth from ISS
* Portable QO-100 station activated on Antarctic cruise
* AMSAT-SM releases a satellite memory set for the ICOM IC-705
* AMSAT Ambassador Activities
* AMSAT – Changes in Orbital Elements
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-010.01
ANS-010 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 010.01
From AMSAT HQ WASHINGTON, DC
DATE 2021 January 10
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-010.01
LauncherOne is scheduled for launch on Sunday, January 10 at 13:00 EST. The LauncherOne vehicle will carry 11 satellites including the AMSAT/Vanderbilt RadFXSat-2 cubesat.
RadFxSat-2 / Fox-1E Frequencies:
Telemetry Downlink – 435.750 MHz
Inverting Linear Transponder Uplink – 145.860 MHz – 145.890 MHz
Inverting Linear Transponder Downlink – 435.760 MHz – 435.790 MHz
See https://bit.ly/2XboF8H and https://bit.ly/3hLlDl3 for more information
[ANS thanks Mark Johns, K0JM AMSAT News Editor, the AMSAT-UK editorial team, and SpaceLaunchNow for the above information]
The SpaceX Dragon that arrived at the International Space Station on the company’s 21st resupply services mission for NASA is scheduled to depart on Monday, Jan. 11, loaded with 5,200 pounds of scientific experiments and other cargo. NASA Television and the agency’s website will broadcast its departure live beginning at 9 a.m. EST (1400z).
The upgraded Dragon spacecraft will execute the first undocking of a U.S. commercial cargo craft from the International Docking Adapter at 9:25 a.m. (1425z), with NASA astronaut Victor Glover, KI5BKC, monitoring aboard the station.
Dragon will fire its thrusters to move a safe distance from the station’s space-facing port of the Harmony module, then initiate a deorbit burn to begin its re-entry sequence into Earth’s atmosphere. Dragon is expected to make its parachute-assisted splashdown around 9 p.m. (0200z on Jan. 12) the first return of a cargo resupply spacecraft in the Atlantic Ocean. The deorbit burn and splashdown will not air on NASA TV.
Splashing down off the coast of Florida enables quick transportation of the science aboard the capsule to the agency’s Kennedy Space Center Space Station Processing Facility, and back into the hands of the researchers. This shorter transportation time frame allows researchers to collect data with minimal loss of microgravity effects. For splashdowns in the Pacific Ocean, quick-return science cargo is processed at SpaceX’s facility in McGregor, Texas, and delivered to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Dragon launched Dec. 6 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, arriving at the station just over 24 hours later and achieving the first autonomous docking of a U.S. commercial cargo resupply spacecraft. Previous arriving cargo Dragon spacecraft were captured and attached to the space station by astronauts operating the station’s robotic Canadarm2. The spacecraft delivered more than 6,400 pounds of hardware, research investigations and crew supplies.
The upgraded cargo Dragon capsule used for this mission contains double the powered locker availability of previous capsules, allowing for a significant increase in the research that can be carried back to Earth.
[ANS thanks NASA 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/
A portable satellite station for the QO-100 geostationary satellite (Es’hail-2) was commissioned on the icebreaker FS “Polarstern” at 14:23 UTC on December 27, 2020, with an initial QSO between DP0POL/mm and DK3ZL. A very special experiment, originated from an idea of Felix DL5XL and Charly DK3ZL. AMSAT-DL spontaneously supported this project by providing a complete 6 Watt transverter radio station, as well as a 75 cm dish on a tripod.
Charly DK3ZL first tested this system extensively via QO-100 at his home for a few days before he personally brought it to Felix DL5XL in Bremerhaven for handover on December 6, 2020. On the same day, all the equipment was loaded onto the research vessel Polarstern, while the entire crew remained in quarantine for almost 2 weeks. On 20 December 2020, the Polarstern then set sail from Bremerhaven and embarked on the long voyage to Antarctica, non-stop.
In agreement with the responsible board engineer of Polarstern, Jörg DJ0HO, who is responsible for the callsign DP0POL on Polarstern, the station could be set up in front of a container on the upper deck, depending on the weather situation (see cover picture). Theresa DC1TH and Felix DL5XL are thus able to make radio calls in their spare time during the several-week trip to Antarctica. After the premiere there was an impressive “pile-up” of up to 40 kHz on the NB transponder on the following days.
Additional information may be found at: https://bit.ly/3bjx1Um
[ANS thanks Peter Gülzow, DB2OS, President AMSAT-DL for the above information]
Lars Thunberg, Webmaster for AMSAT-SM has posted a satellite memory set for the new IC-705 QRP radio from ICOM. Lars has provided two .CSV files which may be merged into your existing memory groups as a dedicated group. You will need to use the CS-705 software from ICOM to perform the merge. Please carefully read the instructions that Lars gives at:
https://bit.ly/3obNm0R
The .CSV files in the EU/Swedish format and the North American/US format are posted at the above URL.
PLEASE NOTE: Jack Spitznagel, KD4IZ found this format was difficult to import into the RT Systems IC-705 Programmer, so it would be most efficient to use CS-705 to merge the memories into a new group, then to save the settings back into the RT Systems Programmer software. He will provide a import template for the RT SYstems software once it has been tested by others. Lars indicated that he will post this file as well when it is ready.
Lars also has provided a nice tutorial for users of the PstRotator Satellites Tracking Sofware at:
https://bit.ly/2LewbNt
Lars plans to update his memory settings file to add additional satellites in the future.
[ANS thanks Lars Thunberg, SM0TGU, Webmaster AMSAT-SM and Jack Spitznagel, Editor AMSAT News 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/
AMSAT Ambassador and registered ARRL instructor Clint Bradford K6LCS has a couple Zoom presentations lined up to begin 2021.In the first week of February, an “abbreviated” presentation will be given to a Southern CA ARES group, but later in the month, a “normal” show will be presented. Clint adds: “There are up-to-five spots available for you to attend! Just send me an email message (email address below) for details.
Would a 90-minute informative, personalized-to-your-club, FUN presentation on working the “easy” satellites would be appropriate for your club? Send me an email message, and let’s book a date!”
[ANS thanks Clint Bradford, K6LCS ([email protected]) 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
The following satellite has decayed from orbit and has been removed from this week’s AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution:
UBAKUSAT – NORAD Cat ID 43467 (Decayed on December 27, 2020 per Space-Track).
[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]
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.
Shigagakuen Junior & Senior High School, Higashioumi, Japan, direct via 8N3SG The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The scheduled astronaut is Shannon Walker, KD5DXB. Contact is go for: Wed 2021-01-13 10:38:29 UTC, 26 degrees maximum elevation
[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/
Quick Hits:
+Thursday 1/14/21 KF6JOQ “Planning to rove DM16 and maybe 16/15 line,Thursday 1/14/21. Will be FM and linear.”
+Watch for additional rove tweets from WL7T: @WL7T Is headed to Colorado for 3 weeks in January. “Will be in DM69 most of the time but might be able to be persuaded to go as far south as DM66. I am heading to Denver on Thursday (1/7) morning. I’ll be in DM79 for a few hours starting at 20z and will try working whatever I can as time permits. Will get to DM69 by Thursday evening and will get on the later passes as soon as I arrive.”
[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information]
1/10/2021, from 1300Z-1700Z, N4DCW will be working satellite passes from West Virginia in EM88. Passes are listed at: https://t.co/YbgeMyu3Vv?amp=1
Michael asks: “Please, no blind calling (calling me before I have AOS). I will have *at least* 5-10 degree horizons in all directions. (It’s West Virginia!) Rest assured, when I can hear the satellite, I will let you know. :)”
Rove updates can be found on his Twitter account: https://twitter.com/MWimages
[ANS thanks Michael Whitman, N4DCW posting to AMSAT-BB for the above information]
Major Roves:
There are no major roves scheduled as of 1/6/2021
None on the immediate schedule.
[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information]
+ Reminders from Drew Glasbrenner about AO-92 and AO-91 – AMSAT-BB 1/6/2021: “Today I turned AO-92’s transmitter off after resetting the min-max readings. We’ve been watching the battery minimum voltage decline steadily over the last few days, and needed to give it a rest for a bit. Immediately afterwards, there was an AO-91 pass. I turned on the transmitter, and a few moments later reset the min-max readings. The command team will monitor telemetry and determine if we can leave it on for a while. Please remember to not transmit to either satellite while it is in eclipse. If you do not use software that indicates eclipse state, just avoid the evening passes. We are in the endgame for both satellites, and your cooperation will give us more operational time over the coming months.” (ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations for the above information)
+ Alba Orbital, the space broker that manages the launch of AMSAT-EA (AMSAT Spain) EASAT-2 and Hades satellites, has informed us of a delay in the scheduled one for January 14, 2021 with SpaceX. “This delay has nothing to do with our satellites, or with Alba Orbital itself. It is attributable to Momentus, which acts as an integrator with SpaceX.”
“The delay means the next try would probably go to March, coinciding with the Starlink mission and being located in an estimated orbit between 450 and 550 km with an inclination of 53 degrees.” “As for the satellites themselves, this should not be a major setback. AMSAT-EA does does not expect a significant drain on the batteries.” (ANS thanks Felix Paez, EA4GQS of AMSAT EA for the above information)
+ Roy Dean, K3RLD commented on LilacSat-2 operations: “Just a reminder for those who may not know, LilacSat-2 frequently turns on with a downlink about 12 kHz higher than it’s published value. It seems to “jump around” sometimes between the two frequencies. Here is a good illustration of the the recently completed 21:55z pass:”
https://network.satnogs.org/observations/3416149/
Roy continues: “It was just me and KC1OCA on this pass, but I don’t think Michael could hear me. The downlink was very strong, so I suspect he was using a radio with no waterfall – which would make it difficult to know that you are getting in. If anybody knows KC1OCA – please let him know that I have a recording of the pass if he would like (no email on qrz.com). Thanks!” (ANS thanks Roy Dean, K3RLD for the above information)
+ Rocket Lab announces “Another One Leaves The Crust” launch window: The mission will launch a single communication microsatellite for OHB Group that will enable specific frequencies to support future services from orbit. The launch will be Rocket Lab’s 18th Electron mission and was procured for OHB Group through OHB Cosmos International Launch Service GmbH, the launch service division of OHB Group. OHB Cosmos is responsible for launching the spacecraft built by the Group’s satellite manufacturers based in Germany, Sweden, and Czech Republic. The mission will launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Māhia Peninsula (ANS thanks Terry Osborne, ZL2BAC of RocketLab for the above information)
+ Want to add a bit of space to your Google Calendar? CNET has launched the SPACE CALENDAR (all caps for dramatic cosmic effect), covering all the big rocket launches, mesmerizing meteor showers, epic eclipses and even an assortment of scientific milestones. The Google Calendar is constantly updating, and can be added to your existing Google app at https://bit.ly/38lfWHC For other calendars, such as Outlook, a static computer file of dates as they are presently scheduled can be downloaded at https://bit.ly/3hQm6T2 (ANS thanks CNET.com for the above information)
/EX
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President’s Club. Members of the President’s Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Store.
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 [email protected] 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
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: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/
In this edition:
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-003.01
ANS-003 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 003.01
From AMSAT HQ, WASHINGTON, DC
DATE 2021 January 3
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-003.01
2021 is looking to be at least as big a space year as 2020. To name just a few highlights:
* Three missions (and a helicopter!) arrive at Mars (Tianwen-1, Hope Probe, Perseverance),
* The James Webb Space Telescope launches in October (it just completed final sunshield testing),
* NASA’s DART, Lucy, and CLPS landers start launching, the Vera Rubin Observatory should see first light, Starliner OPT-2 will hopefully go smoothly, and China’s space station starts assembly.
* We also expect to see a number of firsts throughout the industry:
+ first orbital flights for Astra, Virgin Orbit (carrying 11 CubeSats scheduled to be deployed on this launch, including RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E), Firefly, and maaaaybe Starship, New Glenn, and Artemis I;
+ first orbital booster reuse from a non-SpaceX commercial space company (Rocket Lab);
+ the first fully private crewed mission to the ISS, launched by SpaceX and Axiom;
* And, the first two movies filmed in space, both to begin shooting on the ISS in the fall.
[ANS thanks The Orbital Index 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/
Due in part to the e-mail system upgrades and ongoing changes in technology more generally, distribution of the AMSAT New Service (ANS) bulletins (the bulletins you are reading right now) have changed slightly in the new year.
Beginning with this release, ANS bulletins will no longer be sent with hard returns (CR/LF) inserted at 72 characters or fewer. Line length has traditionally been delineated for transmission on packet networks. However, few such networks remain operational, and most users receive the bulletins via a computer or mobile device.
For the time being, ANS bulletins will continue to be sent in plain text, and most users will notice no change. A few may have to turn on or adjust the “word wrap” feature in their email client, but for the vast majority, bulletins will display on their devices as they always have. The only difference most might notice is fewer hyphens breaking words in the various news stories.
This is a first step toward moving to an HTML format that will eventually allow bulletins to be sent with color and photo illustrations, much as bulletins from ARRL and other sources have been for some time. AMSAT News Service is moving slowly toward this change, so users may expect the plain text distribution to continue for some months yet.
[ANS thanks Mark Johns, K0JM, ANS Senior Editor, for the above information]
AMSAT’s long-serving office manager, Martha Saragovitz, has retired! Martha’s last official day was December 31st. Because Martha is literally irreplaceable, AMSAT will be transitioning to a virtual office.
The best way to communicate AMSAT will be via email. If you have a question about AMSAT membership, please use the Contact Form on our Member Portal, launch.amsat.org, or email us directly at [email protected]. If you have a general question for AMSAT, please use the contact form on our main website, amsat.org, or email us directly at [email protected]. It is important that you include your name and call sign. You would be surprised how many inquiries we receive with just an email addressed that cannot be easily traced back to a member.
If you need to mail something to AMSAT during the month of January, please send it to AMSAT, PO Box 27, Washington DC 20044-0027. This is our permanent mailing address, and it requires a volunteer to travel. As such, we will only retrieve this mail once a week.
We will open a virtual office at some point in January. Our virtual office will include a telephone answering service and the ability to receive and electronically process mail. We will post our new, virtual telephone number and mailing address on the Member Portal and main website contact pages, as soon as this service is available.
We are excited about the opportunities these new communication challenges bring and understand there will be some hiccups along the way, but, ultimately, we are committed to providing you with an open and effective communications system. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
[ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT President, 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/
Time in UTC
Jan. 2021
1st 01:40- 03:25-
3rd 01:35- 03:20-
9th 01:20- 03:05-
10th 02:10- 03:55-
11th 01:15- 03:00-
30th 01:20- 03:05-
31st 02:10- 03:55-
Feb. 2021
7th 02:45-
11th 02:35-
21st 02:10-
23rd 02:05-
27th 01:55- 03:40-
28th 02:45-
For more information, see https://www.jarl.org/Japanese/3_Fuji/fuji3-201907.htm
[ANS thanks Hideo Kambayashi, JH3XCU, for the above information]
Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) has just finished processing the last awards for 2020. Here are those that have earned awards recently.
AMSAT Satellite Communicators Award for making their first satellite QSO
Stephen Small, KC1NBI
Michael Pelaez, K4KMP
Kevin Addison, KM4RYN
Edward Campagnuolo, KN4ZAA
Timothy Stinson, AI5BE
Lowell Davis, WA2ZQX
——
AMSAT Communications Achievement Award
Michael Pelaez, K4KMP, #630
Robert Sours, K9UO, #631
Edward Campagnuolo, KN4ZAA, #632
——
AMSAT Sexagesimal Satellite Communications Achievement Award
Robert Sours, K9UO, #189
——
AMSAT Century Award
Adrian Liggins, VA3NNA, #56
——
AMSAT South Africa Satellite Communications Achievement Award
Michael Pelaez, K4KMP, #US233
Robert Sours, K9UO, #US234
Edward Campagnuolo, KN4ZAA, #US235
——
AMSAT Robert W. Barbee Jr., W4AMI Award (1,000-4,000)
Greg Phillips, WI4T, #115
Bernd Scholer, DL6IAN, #116
Michael Mark, VE4MM, #117
Gerry Krebs, N0JE upgraded to 4000
——
AMSAT Robert W. Barbee Jr., W4AMI Award
Ronald Parsons, W5RKN, #36
Christy Hunter, KB6LTY, #37
Robert Sours, K9UO, #38
——
AMSAT Rover Award
Rover Call
===== ========
None this time
——
GridMaster Award
GridMaster Call
========== ========
#14 N0JE
#15 N8HM
#16 AA8CH
#17 KE4AL
#18 N3GS
#19 WC7V
#20 N9EAT
#21 KK4YEL
#22 K9UO
#23 K7TAB
#24 KE0PBR
#25 KI7UNJ
#26 WI4T
To see all the awards visit http://www.amsat.org and click on Services then Awards.
[ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director Contests and Awards, for the above information]
Here are the endorsements and new VUCC Satellite Awards issued by the ARRL for the period December 1, 2020 through January 1, 2021. Congratulations to all those who made the list this month!
There is a huge list this month. Perhaps due to the end of a Covid year.
| CALL | Dec | Jan |
|---|---|---|
| WA4NVM | 1544 | 1557 |
| WC7V | 1229 | 1232 |
| N8RO | 1075 | 1080 |
| N9EAT | 706 | 784 |
| WA5KBH | 766 | 775 |
| AA8CH | 718 | 750 |
| W5RKN | 732 | 739 |
| K9UO | 600 | 631 |
| WD9EWK(DM43) | 625 | 630 |
| KI7UNJ | 576 | 602 |
| KK4YEL | 504 | 589 |
| AA4QE | 408 | 508 |
| N7EGY | 457 | 502 |
| KE8FZT | 475 | 500 |
| N5BO | 401 | 500 |
| KJ4EU | *404 | 471 |
| WA6DNR | New | 457 |
| AC9E | 401 | 451 |
| N4DCW | 425 | 450 |
| HP2VX | 377 | 406 |
| VE6WK | 355 | 404 |
| WB7VUF | 370 | 404 |
| WA9JBQ | 375 | 400 |
| AK7DD | 326 | 376 |
| KS1G | 325 | 360 |
| KB9STR | 229 | 353 |
| KF6JOQ | 303 | 353 |
| N3CRT | 303 | 351 |
| K5TA | 202 | 302 |
| KX9X | 219 | 302 |
| W8LR | 225 | 300 |
| EA3CAZ | New | 293 |
| AB1OC | 261 | 264 |
| KX9X(EN50) | 175 | 250 |
| VU2LBW | 200 | 246 |
| VE4MM | New | 227 |
| N8URE(FM19) | New | 186 |
| WD9EWK(DM22) | 150 | 177 |
| NA1ME | 150 | 175 |
| VE1VOX | 157 | 170 |
| WD9EWK(DM31) | 127 | 156 |
| EA2AA | 148 | 153 |
| N4QX | 149 | 152 |
| WD9EWK(DM54) | 101 | 125 |
| N2ZN | 103 | 120 |
| AA0MZ | 112 | 116 |
| N8URE(EL95) | New | 113 |
| DL6KBG | 101 | 111 |
| K7RQN | New | 109 |
| DL7NX | New | 103 |
| K4KMP | New | 102 |
| W4ALF | New | 102 |
| KP4MV | New | 100 |
For some reason KJ4EU *404 was not on the 01 Dec ARRL list
If you find errors or omissions. please contact W5RKN off-list at <mycall>@<mycall>.com and I’ll revise the announcement. This list was developed by comparing the ARRL .pdf listings for the 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]
AMSAT’s new mail system was introduced several weeks ago, but a number of users remain confused about its operation. If you are not receiving email from AMSAT-BB or other lists from which you have received posts in the past, you probably need to register your email address at https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ Please contact postmaster [at] amsat.org with any questions or concerns regarding this upgrade.
Likewise, if you are searching for archives of recent posts to AMSAT-BB, ANS (AMSAT News Service), the Keplerian Elements Mailing List (KEPS), you will now find those archives at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/
Archives of message posts that date from prior to the first week of December 2020 are still maintained at https://www.amsat.org/pipermail/ for your continued reference. However, no new mail posts are archived at that location.
Any messages from December 7, 2020 and onward are on the new “HyperKitty” archive. Messages prior to that date remain in the old “PiperMail” archive.
[ANS thanks Mark Johns, K0JM, ANS Senior Editor, 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
The following satellite has decayed from orbit and has been removed from
this week’s AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution:
EQUISat – NORAD Cat ID 43552 (Decayed on December 26, 2020 per Space-Track).
[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]
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.
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact with astronauts. ARISS is the group that puts together special amateur radio contacts between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses on the International Space Station (ISS).
This will be a telebridge contact via amateur radio and students will take turns asking their questions of Victor Glover, amateur radio call sign KI5BKC. John Sygo in Paardekraal, South Africa will use call sign ZS6JON to serve as the ARISS relay amateur radio ground station. English is the language that will be used for this contact. The Radio Club Argentino will assist the students with the contact. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHZ.
The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for January 6, 2021 at 11:19 a.m. GALT (Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island), which is 17:19 UTC. The contact will be live streamed and can be viewed at https://youtu.be/3XmNxHTtR6Q.
[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/
****Watch Twitter, there are lots pop-up roves happening lately, and I can’t keep this page updated with all of them.****
@WL7T: Is headed to Colorado for 3 weeks in January. Will be in DM69 most of the time but might be able to be persuaded to go as far south as DM66.
[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information]
AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, no events are currently scheduled.
[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, for the above information]
+ A great article about ARISS and ISS was recently published on the website, PHYS.ORG
https://phys.org/news/2020-12-earthlings-astronauts-chat-ham-radio.html
(ANS thanks Chris Thompson, G0KLA/AC2CZ, for the above information)
+ ON THIS DATE in 2004, the Mars rover Spirit made its landing on the Red Planet. In 1962, NASA publicly announced the Gemini program. And in 1920, biochemist and science fiction author Isaac Asimov was born.
(ANS thanks The Year in Space for the above information)
+ Of all the estimated 2700 CubeSats and other “nanosatellites” that have been created to date, less than 10% have had their own means of propulsion. This leaves them at the mercy of gravity and atmospheric drag, which can cause them to deorbit while they are still functional. In addition, they are unable to maneuver and adjust their orbit and get out of the way of other satellites and space debris. Thanks to Howe Industries and a breakthrough engine design (known as the ThermaSat) that utilizes steam to generate propulsion, all of that could change very soon. ThermaSat differs from conventional steam engines by relying on plain water and solar-electric power, and avoiding toxic, highly pressurized or even explosive liquids, such as hydrazine.
(ANS thanks Universe Today for the above information)
+ The UK and EU announced a broad agreement Dec. 24 governing the UK’s relationship with the EU once the country formally withdraws from the European Union, a process known as Brexit. The agreement will allow the UK to remain in the Copernicus Earth observation program after it formally exits the EU. The situation is different with Galileo, the EU satellite navigation program, which is not covered by the Brexit deal. Those programs are “100% financed” by the EU. A third EU space program, is the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking program for space situational awareness. The UK government and private satellite operators based there will continue to have access to those services under the deal.
(ANS thanks SpaceNews for the above information)
+ The uncrewed Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to depart the International Space Station on Wednesday, Jan. 6, more than three months after delivering nearly 8,000 pounds of supplies, scientific investigations, commercial products, hardware, and other cargo to the orbiting outpost. Live coverage of the cargo spacecraft’s departure will begin at 1445z on NASA Television and the agency’s website, with release of Cygnus scheduled for 1510z.
(ANS thanks NASA and Southgate ARC for the above information)
+ Effective on June 29, 2021, amateur radio licensees and candidates must provide the FCC with an email address on all applications. If no email address is included, the FCC may dismiss the application as “defective.” The FCC has already begun strongly encouraging applicants to provide an email address. Once an email address is provided, the FCC will email a link to an official electronic copy of the license grant. Licensees can log into the ULS License Manager System with their FRN and password at any time and update anything in their FCC license record, including adding an email address. Revocation of the station license or suspension of the operator license may result when correspondence from the FCC is returned as undeliverable because the grantee failed to provide the correct email address.
(ANS thanks ARRL for the above information)
+ Today’s moment of Zen: your motions on this planet during your lifetime have shifted the center of masses of both our planet and our solar system by minuscule amounts, and this, in turn, has gravitationally altered the motions of every star within the distance that light traveled during your life. While undetectable, your life and choices shape the motion of the stars.
(ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information)
/EX
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President’s Club. Members of the President’s Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Store.
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 AMSAT 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