ANS-093 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Apr. 3

by

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-093

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: ans-editor [at] amsat.org

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:

  • AMSAT at the Dayton Hamvention — Call for Volunteers
  • Kerry Banke to be honored with the 2022 Hamvention Special Achievement Award
  • NASA On The Air (NOTA) Special Event Stations
  • VUCC Satellite Awards/Endorsements For April 1, 2022
  • New GridMasters
  • ARISS News
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
  • Satellite Shorts From All Over

ANS-093 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

To: All RADIO AMATEURS
From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
712 H Street NE, Suite 1653
Washington, DC 20002

DATE 2022 Apr 3

AMSAT at the Dayton Hamvention — Call for Volunteers

The Dayton Hamvention is six weeks away!

It is time to be creating your shopping list and making your travel plans.

We’ve had a good response so far to our call for volunteers, but we could really use another 10-15 people.

The 2022 Hamvention is May 20-22 in Xenia, Ohio. Would you consider helping AMSAT at the Hamvention this year?

The interaction with AMSAT members, satellite operators, designers, and builders makes the whole experience a lot of fun. Meet or renew acquaintances, exchange operating tips, and find out what antennas, software and equipment other AMSAT members use.

If you’re an experienced operator, great! We can use you and your experience.

If you’ve never operated a satellite before, but want to learn more, that’s OK. We can use your help too.

Whether you’re available for only a couple of hours or if you can spend the entire weekend with us, your help would be greatly appreciated.

Please send an e-mail to Phil, w1eme at amsat.org if you can help. Thank you!

[ANS thanks Phil Smith, W1EME, AMSAT Dayton Hamvention Team Lead, for the above information]

Kerry Banke to be honored with the 2022 Hamvention Special Achievement Award

The Hamvention awards committee recently announced that Kerry Banke, N6IZW, has won the 2022 Hamvention Special Achievement Award for his efforts in the design, development, manufacturing, and human spaceflight certification of the ARISS Multi-Voltage Power Supply (MVPS). The MVPS is a foundational element of the ARISS next generation radio system, which is now on-orbit. The Hamvention Special Achievement Award is given each year to a deserving amateur that has made an outstanding contribution advancing the art and/or science.

Now retired, Banke spent most of his career in the research and development of electronics systems as a microwave RF (Radio Frequency) electrical engineer. This included 14 years as Qualcomm engineer, developing innovative microwave wireless technologies. Kerry’s electronic interests span DC (Direct Current) to light with particular interest and expertise in microwaves. His ham radio operations have included transmissions on 136 kHz through Laser. Since 1982 he has served as host of the San Diego Microwave Group’s monthly meeting, sharing his expertise with other hams of like interest.

Mr. Banke’s exceptional support to Human Spaceflight Amateur Radio began in 1994 where he served as a school technical mentor and certified ground station for the Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX) program. When NASA transitioned from the Shuttle to the International Space Station (ISS), Kerry became an exemplary member of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) hardware team. For seven years, working from his home and electronics lab garage in La Mesa, California, Mr. Banke led the circuit design, breadboarding, flight circuit board layout, assembly, and testing of the MVPS. The MVPS, which occupies a volume roughly the size of two stacked reams of paper, can connect into different ISS power sources (120 VDC and 28 VDC) and simultaneously power up to 18 devices with multiple voltage level input needs.

ARISS USA Executive Director, Frank Bauer, said “The ARISS team is proud of Kerry’s sustained exemplary support to ARISS. His contributions to our next generation radio system are transformative, enabling expanded ARISS operations for ham radio operators and enhanced STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education outcomes for youth.” Through this system 60 to 80 foreign and domestic ARISS school contacts are conducted each year with 150,000 to 200,000 students, teachers, and members of the public engaged. Amateur radio operators also enjoy over 100,000 digital and voice repeater connections from this radio system each year.

[ANS thanks ARISS-USA for the above information]

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The 2022 AMSAT President’s Club coins have arrived!
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its launch on
October 15, 1972, this year’s coin features
an image of AMSAT-OSCAR 6.
Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/
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NASA On The Air (NOTA) Special Event Stations

There is an Amateur Radio club established at many NASA field centers across the USA. Their members gather together to highlight NASA milestones the way such events are done best. That is, through radio. These club members are made up of civil servants, contractor personnel, retirees and recognized community members. Some clubs are large and well supported, some are small and struggle. But they have a common goal to show their support to NASA and space fans everywhere by highlighting the history of some amazing accomplishments.

The first NASA On The Air (NOTA) special event of the year will be held on Saturday, April 23, through Wednesday, April 27, to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 16 mission to the moon. Different NASA radio clubs will go on the air at different times to make two-way contacts with fellow space enthusiastic ham radio operators.

For the list of suggested frequencies, modes, points scoring, rules, certificates, procedures and news, please visit NasaOnTheAir.wordpress.com each day.

Be sure to watch for posts on Twitter.com/NASARadioClubs (a Twitter account is NOT required to view) for late breaking news updates — and don’t forget your favorite spotting network — for NOTA activity live and in real time.

For QSL card information, please check the QRZ.com page for each individual NASA club callsign.

[ANS thanks Pat Kilroy, N8PK, NASA Engineer and AMSAT Ambassador for the above information]

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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/

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VUCC Upgrades/Endorsements for April 1, 2022

CallsignMarch 1, 2022April 1, 2022
PS8ET600726
K9UO695700
WD9EWK (DM43)675679
AC9O549675
N5BO635650
K0JM500601
KE8FZT550576
KS1G525551
WB7VUF455510
KN2K450505
DF2ET400500
EA2AA425483
N6UTC450475
AE5B450459
HP2VX425453
XE1MYO200349
K4RGK278313
VE3KY278304
XE1GK265300
DG7RO172285
N3CAL224235
N5EKO207234
AC9DX141228
WD9EWK (DM41)187207
A65BR157181
WB9YIGNew175
DL8GAMNew152
PS7JNNew152
OE7BJT107150
N2ZN135147
TG9AMDNew141
XE2YWH (DL82) 110113
PP2RON106108
XE2YWH (DL82)105108
VE7PTNNew104
US6IKNNew102
AG7NRNew101
DH0GSUNew100
K4NHWNew100
PU5DDCNew100
XE1YDKNew100

Congratulations to the new VUCC holders.

TG9AMD is first Guatemala and grid EK44
PU5DDC is first grid GG53
PS7JN is first grid HI24
DL8GAM is first grid JO42
US6IKN is first Ukraine and grid KN59

[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ, for the above information]

New GridMasters

AMSAT’s most prestigious award is the GridMaster Award. This award was first introduced by Star Comm Group in 2014. AMSAT thanks Damon Runion, WA4HFN, and Rick Tillman, WA4NVM, for not only sponsoring this award since its inception, but, also, entrusting AMSAT with the honor of carrying on this important award for the benefit of the entire AMSAT community.

The GridMaster award is available to all amateurs worldwide who submit proof with written confirmation of contacts with each of the 488 maidenhead grids located within the contiguous United States of America via amateur satellite.

Thanks to a couple of March roves, four new amateur satellite operators have joined the GridMaster club, bringing the total number of hams who have worked and confirmed all 488 maidenhead grids within the contiguous United States to 38.

Congratulations to the newest GridMasters!

35 Patrick Stoddard WD9EWK March 15, 2022
36 Dennis Love N7EGY March 26, 2022
37 Chris Wilford VE7CEW March 26, 2022
38 Merle Olmsted AA4QE March 28, 2022

See the full list at https://www.amsat.org/gridmaster/

[ANS thanks Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director of Contests and Awards for the above information]

ARISS News

Leonardo-Da-Vinci Campus Nauen, Nauen, Germany, direct via DC1RSN

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be DPØISS
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 crewmember is Matthias Maurer KI5KFH

Contact is go for: Wed 2022-04-06 11:48:08 UTC 26 deg
Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk3nn3CYKoM

Space Hardware Club, Huntsville, Alabama, direct via K4UAH

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 crewmember is Thomas Marshburn KE5HOC

Contact is go for: Thu 2022-04-07 17:07:39 UTC 36 deg

Exp. 64 back on earth

Pyotr Dubrov
Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP

Exp. 65 back on earth

Anton Shkaplerov

Congratulations to all for a job well done

The USOS ARISS station is currently operating in voice cross-band repeater mode

The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html

The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html

[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors, for the above information]

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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/

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Upcoming Satellite Operations

KX9X and N9NCY:

April 8-10: EM57 + EM66 (IL/TN): EM57 will only be on April 8 and April 10 while en route to EM66; EM66 will be April 9. Linear and FM, holiday style. Passes to be determined based on travel schedule. Log/Upload as KX9X/R and N9NCY/R.

Follow them at @SeanKutzko and @Nancy_N9NCY on Twitter for real-time info on what passes they will be on.

WL7T: 4/3, DN57/58 and DN67/68

WL7T: 4/30, DM02 Check twitter for passes.

K4DCA: EM96 4/6 – 4/9. Will be in EM96 on April 6-9 with FM and Linear gear. Vacation style. Also the possibility of hitting FM08 and FM09 on the way to/from.

W3IPA: DM42 vacation planned for Jul 30- Aug 6th will be on FM passes vacation style. I will be close to DM41 so might be able to work a gridline. Will post more updates closer to that week!

[ANS thanks Paul Overn, 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.

N4HF will be at the following event:

Raleigh NC Hamfest (info table and demos; possible forum, but not likely at this point)
April 16
Jim Graham Building – NC State Fairgrounds
4285 Trinity Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607
https://www.rarsfest.org/

Other events with a scheduled AMSAT presence:

+ CubeSat Developers Workshop
April 26–28, 2022
San Luis Obispo, CA

+ Hamvention 2022
May 20, 2022 to May 22, 2022
Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center
210 Fairground Road
Xenia, Ohio 45385
https://www.hamvention.org

+ 2022 Rocky Mountain ARRL Division Convention
October 7, 2022 – October 9, 2022
Event Center at Archer
3921 Archer Pkwy
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007
https://wyhamcon.org/site

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

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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

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Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ JAMSAT has posted the April FO-99 Operating Schedule at https://www.jamsat.or.jp/?p=1806

+ An initial distance record has been claimed via the MO-112 digipeater: EA4SG in IN80cp worked DG9MA in JN58di, a distance of 1,406 km on 22-Mar-2022 at 21:01 UTC. Who can do better? https://www.amsat.org/satellite-distance-records/

+ A new modern distance record has been claimed via AO-7 Mode A. VE6WQ in DO33 worked F4DXV in JN04 on 23-Mar-2022 – a distance of 7,454 km. Note that AO-7 Mode A supported some very long distance QSOs during it’s early life in the 1970s. If anyone has any information about extreme distance QSOs on AO-7 Mode A, please contact n8hm at amsat.org.

+ The AMSAT CubeSatSim PCB sets are finally back in stock at the AMSAT Store. Get yours today at https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-cubesatsim-pcb/

+ New v1.2 software release for the AMSAT CubeSatSim project! This release fixes an issue with the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W that can cause an auto shutdown if battery isn’t fully charged. No change for other hardware. https://github.com/alanbjohnston/CubeSatSim/releases/tag/v1.2

+ Remember to get your tickets for the AMSAT/TAPR Banquet at the Dayton Hamvention! The 13th annual AMSAT/TAPR Banquet will be held at the Kohler Presidential Banquet Center on Friday, May 20th at 18:30 EDT. This dinner is always a highlight of the AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corp.) and TAPR (Tucson Amateur Packet Radio) activities during the Dayton Hamvention. This year’s banquet will honor the life and accomplishments of long time amateur satellite and amateur packet pioneer Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, who passed away in February. https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-tapr-joint-hamvention-banquet-registration/

+ A MAI-75 SSTV Event is scheduled for April 7th and 8th. Details at https://issfanclub.eu/2022/04/01/mai-75-sstv-event-7-and-8-april-2022/

Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

* Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
* 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.
* Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.

Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information.

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor,

Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
n8hm at amsat dot org