The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.
The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: [email protected]
You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
In this edition:
- ARISS First Element of the Interoperable Radio System is Operational
- FCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Proposal open for comment
- Successful Vega Mission Launches the Amicalsat Project Satellite
- TEVEL Mission Nears Projected Launch Date
- Changes to the AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for September 3, 2020
- VUCC Satellite Awards and Endorsements
- ARISS News
- Upcoming Satellite Operations
- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
- Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-250.01
ANS-250 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 250.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE 2020 Sept 06
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-250.01
First Element of ARISSNext Generation (Next-Gen) Radio System Installed in ISS Columbus Module
September2, 2020—The ARISS team is pleased to announce that installation and set up of the first element of the InterOperable Radio System (IORS) has been completed and amateur radio operations with it are now underway. This first element, was installed in the International Space Station Columbus module. The IORS replaces the Ericsson radio system and packet module that were originally certified for spaceflight on July 26, 2000.
Initial operation of the new radio system is in FM cross band repeater mode using an uplink frequency of 145.99 MHz with an access tone of 67Hz and a downlink frequency of 437.800 MHz. System activation was first observed at 01:02 UTC on September 2. Special operations will continue to be announced.
The IORS was launched from Kennedy Space Center on March 6, 2020 on board the SpaceX CRS-20 resupply mission. It consists of a special, space-modified JVC Kenwood D710GA transceiver, an ARISS developed multi-voltage power supply and interconnecting cables. The design, development, fabrication, testing, and launch of the first IORS was an incredible five-year engineering achievement accomplished by the ARISS hardware volunteer team. It will enable new and exciting capabilities for ham radio operators, students, and the general public. Capabilities include a higher power radio, voice repeater, digital packet radio (APRS) capabilities and a Kenwood VC-H1 slow scan television (SSTV) system.
A second IORS undergoes flight certification and will be launched later for installation in the Russian Service module. This second system enables dual, simultaneous operations, (e.g. voice repeater and APRS packet), providing diverse opportunities for radio amateurs. It also provides on-orbit redundancy to ensure continuous operations in the event of an IORS component failure.
Next-gen development efforts continue. For the IORS, parts are being procured and a total of ten systems are being fabricated to support flight, additional flight spares, ground testing and astronaut training. Follow-on next generation radio system elements include an L-band repeater uplink capability, currently in development, and a flight Raspberry-Pi, dubbed “ARISS-Pi, ”that is just beginning the design phase. The ARISS-Pi promises operations autonomy and enhanced SSTV operations.
ARISS is run almost entirely by volunteers, and with the help of generous contributions from ARISS sponsors and individuals. Donations to the ARISS program for next generation hardware developments, operations, education, and administration are welcome — please go to https://www.ariss.org/donate.html to contribute to these efforts.
(ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN of ARISS PR for the above information)
ARLB021 FCC Application Fee Proposal Proceeding is Open for Comments
Comments are being accepted on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in MD Docket 20-270, which proposes application fees for radio amateurs. Formal deadlines for comments and reply comments will be determined once the NPRM appears in the Federal Register. Comments may be filed now by using the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), located at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings, and posting to MD Docket No. 20-270. The docket is already open for accepting comments, even though deadlines have not yet been set.
The NPRM can be found online in PDF format at: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-116A1.pdf.
A review current of information on this proposal follows: Amateur radio licensees would pay a $50 fee for each amateur radio license application if the FCC adopts rules it proposed this week. Included in the FCC’s fee proposal are applications for new licenses, renewal and upgrades to existing licenses, and vanity call sign requests. Excluded are applications for administrative updates, such as changes of address, and annual regulatory fees.
The FCC proposal is contained in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in MD Docket 20-270, which was adopted to implement portions of the “Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services Act” of 2018 — the so-called “Ray Baum’s Act.”
The Act requires that the FCC switch from a Congressionally-mandated fee structure to a cost-based system of assessment. In its NPRM, the FCC proposed application fees for a broad range of services that use the FCC’s Universal Licensing System (ULS), including the Amateur Radio Service that had been excluded by an earlier statute. The 2018 statute excludes the Amateur Service from annual regulatory fees, but not from application fees.
“Applications for personal licenses are mostly automated and do not have individualized staff costs for data input or review,” the FCC said in its NPRM. “For these automated processes — new/major modifications, renewal, and minor modifications — we propose a nominal application fee of $50 due to automating the processes, routine ULS maintenance, and limited instances where staff input is required.”
The same $50 fee would apply to all Amateur Service applications, including those for vanity call signs. “Although there is currently no fee for vanity call signs in the Amateur Radio Service, we find that such applications impose similar costs in aggregate on Commission re- sources as new applications and therefore propose a $50 fee,” the FCC said.
The FCC is not proposing to charge for administrative updates, such as mailing address changes for amateur applications, and amateur radio will remain exempt from annual regulatory fees. “For administrative up-dates [and] modifications, which also are highly automated, we find that it is in the public interest to encourage licensees to update their [own] information without a charge,” the FCC said.
The FCC also proposes to assess a $50 fee for individuals who want a printed copy of their license. “The Commission has proposed to eliminate these services — but to the extent the Commission does not do so, we propose a fee of $50 to cover the costs of these services,” the FCC said.
The Ray Baum’s Act does not exempt filing fees in the Amateur Radio Service. The FCC dropped assessment of fees for vanity call signs several years ago.
Deadlines for comments and reply comments will be determined once the NPRM appears in the Federal Register. Interested parties may file comments by using the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), posting to MD Docket No. 20-270. This docket is already open to accept comments, even though deadlines have not yet been set.
[ANS thanks ARRL News for the above information]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMSAT office is closed
until further notice. For details, please visit
https://www.amsat.org/amsat-office-closed-until-further-notice/
Successful Vega Mission Launches the Amicalsat Project Satellite
Vega rocket (VV16) was successfully launched September 3, 2020. The rocket left Kourou on 3 September, 2020 at 01h51 UTC with 53 satellites on board.
One of the satellites launched is the Amicalsat satellite built by the CSUG (Centre Spatial Universitaire Grenoblois). Measurements made by the satellite will be available to all and will assist radio amateurs in making propagation predictions.
The project’s website (in English) has just been put online: https://bit.ly/2YWfs5B
AMSAT-F supported this project. Additional information may be found at: https://bit.ly/3lHxiCY
Linux & Windows Software is provided for decoding the Amicalsat telemetry and for sending it to the SatNogs database. An English version of the user manual is available at: https://bit.ly/2QILo8S
Beacon Frequency Modes Callsign
UHF 436.1 MHz AFSK 1200 RS17S
S band 2,415.3 MHz GFSK 1000 kb/s https://bit.ly/31LGgaq
Reports are welcome. Thank you for your help.
The first 5 people who receive a frame from AmicalSat will receive a gift. To submit your frame uses the satnogs SIDS or email [email protected].
2 other satellites are on this mission:
Satellites beacon frequency Modes Identifier
UPMSat-2 UHF 437.405 MHz AFSK 1200 UPMST2
TTU100 Primary UHF 435.450 MHz 1k2, 9k6, CW TTU100
TTU100 Secondary SHF 10465.000 MHz OPSK 62.5 Kbs and 20 Mbs
Links: UPMSat-2: https://bit.ly/2EL4VTO
TTU100: https://bit.ly/2QXRmmN
Projected TLE (Updated 03 September, 2020 after launch announcement):
1 74002U 14900A 20247.14839410 .00000000 00000-0 50000-4 0 04
2 74002 97.4424 320.0103 0002779 53.5911 328.5572 15.10021350 03
[ANS thanks Christophe Mercier, Amsat-F chairman for the above information]
Need new satellite antennas?
Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows, and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store.
When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.
https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/
TEVEL Mission Nears Projected Launch Date
TEVEL, a mission with eight identical CubeSats, has been coordinated and approved by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), and is scheduled for launch from India sometime this fall. The project, lead by the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, a private research college in Herzliya, Israel, consists of high-school students’ educational satellite experiments that involve telemetry beacons for educational research activities. But also on board are FM amateur radio transponders. Telemetry will 9k6 BPSK AX25 telemetry downlinks. But each satellite can be commanded to operate as U/V FM transponders. Planning a launch into a 580 km 98 degree orbit in September 2020. The eight spacecraft in the TEVEL mission, identified as T1OFK, T2YRC, T3TYB, T4ATA, T5SNG, T6NZR, T7ADM, T8GBS will all downlink for beacon, telemetry and transponder on 436.400 MHz and the transponder input on 145.970 MHz.
[ANS thanks IARU for the above information]
Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!
25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space
https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear
Changes to the AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for September 3, 2020
The names of the following satellites have been changed as follows:
S-Net G (Cat ID 43186) is now S-Net D
S-Net H (Cat ID 43186) is now S-Net B
S-Net J (Cat ID 43186) is now S-Net A
S-Net K (Cat ID 43186) is now S-Net C
Thanks to Sebastian Lange (DL7BST) for the above update.
Arianespace launched 53 new satellites on Thursday, September 3, 2020 at 01:51 UTC on a Vega POC (Proof of Concept) mission to test their new SSMS (Small Spacecraft Mission Service) satellite dispenser. At least two new satellites, TTU-100 and UPMSAT 2, carry amateur radio transmitters have been placed in orbit. So far only UPMSAT 2 has been identified as Cat ID 46277. More later.
The following satellite has been and added to this week’s AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution:
UPMSat 2 – Cat ID 46277.
Thanks to Nico Janssen, PA0DLO, for determining which object is UPMSat 2.
[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]
VUCC Awards-Endorsements for September 2020
Here are the endorsements and new VUCC Satellite Awards issued by the ARRL for the period August 1, 2020 through September 1, 2020. Congratulations to all those who made the list this month!
| Call | August | September |
|---|---|---|
| K8YSE | 1926 | 1935 |
| WA5KBH | 759 | 766 |
| W5RKN | 708 | 721 |
| AA8CH | 641 | 702 |
| N6UK | 675 | 687 |
| N0JE | 652 | 655 |
| NS3L | 575 | 600 |
| KI7UNJ | 527 | 551 |
| AD0HJ | 450 | 478 |
| AF5CC | 425 | 461 |
| KE8FZT | 428 | 450 |
| N9FN | 403 | 450 |
| PS8ET | 434 | 450 |
| W7JSD | 355 | 375 |
| WA9JBQ | 326 | 355 |
| KC9UQR | 326 | 351 |
| KC9VGG | 310 | 336 |
| N3CRT | 200 | 303 |
| K0JM | New | 300 |
| KS1G | 233 | 285 |
| WW8W | 228 | 260 |
| K5CIS | 150 | 250 |
| KX9X | 100 | 219 |
| WB7QXU | 140 | 204 |
| KF6JOQ | 101 | 201 |
| WD9EWK (DM41) | 164 | 176 |
| KX9X (EN50) | New | 175 |
| LW2DAF | 130 | 166 |
| W8LR | 100 | 149 |
| KB9STR | 104 | 138 |
| K1PAD | New | 130 |
| DF2ET | New | 129 |
| WA8ZID | New | 126 |
| PP2RON | New | 106 |
| KI4ASK | New | 105 |
| KO4AQF | New | 104 |
| K5TA | New | 101 |
| LU3FCA | 100 | 101 |
| NA1ME | New | 100 |
If you find errors or omissions, please contact Ron Parsons W5RKN at <mycall>@<mycall>.com and he will revise the announcement. This list was developed by comparing the ARRL .pdf listings for two months. It’s a visual comparison so omissions are possible. Apologies if your call was not mentioned. Thanks to all those who are roving to grids that are rarely on the birds. They are doing most of the work!
[ANS thanks Ron Parsons, W5RKN for the above information]
ARISS NEWS
Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.
The KMO Kolska Wyspa, Koło, Poland, telebridge via VK6MJ The ISS callsign was scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut was Chris Cassidy KF5KDR Contact was go for: Wed 2020-09-02 12:58:11 UTC 75 deg. There has been no report about the success of this contact.
College Raymond Sirot, Gueux, France, telebridge via VK5ZAI The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Chris Cassidy KF5KDR Contact is go for: Thu 2020-09-10 08:17:01 UTC 57 deg There is a new radio on board the ISS. The Kenwood D710GA is now in use. The crossband repeater is now avail- able when the radio is not being used for ARISS school contacts. The frequencies are 145.99 MHz up (67 tone) and 437.800 MHz down. Watch the Doppler on the downlink.
ARISS is very aware of the impact that COVID-19 is having on schools and the public in general. As such, we may have last minute cancella- tions or postponements of school contacts. As always, I will try to provide everyone with near-real-time updates.
The following schools have now been postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19:
Postponed: Green Bank Elementary Middle School, Green Bank, WV
Cancelled: No new schools
[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team men- tors for the above information]
AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing
an amateur radio package, including two-way communication
capability, to be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit.
Support AMSAT’s projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/
Upcoming Satellite Operations
DM07, DM08: N6REK will be on vacation next week in the Eastern Sierra and plans to work AO-91, AO-92 and PO-101 from the DM07/08 gridline on a holiday schedule from Wednesday, Sept. 2 to Saturday, Sept. 5. Watch the AMSAT BB for details.
@WA9JBQ has been working through Idaho hitting DN24,DN25,DN26 DN34, DN16, DN15, and DN14. He started August 15th, then moved into Montana for DN35,DN36, DN37, DN38 DN49 DN47. He will be out a total of 5-6 weeks working mostly FM but also some linear birds. Details will be posted on twitter.com.
@AD7DB is heading out to hit a few grids: #Roving announcement! He hopes to activate on Fri 9/11/20 and Sun 9/13 include DM06, DM07, DM08, DM16, DM17 and DM18. He will operate all day Saturday 9/12 from DM19. He is taking just FM gear. More info as date gets closer at: https://twitter.com/ad7db/status/1300217001726500865
[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information]
Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
Clint Bradford K6LCS has booked his “Work the FM Voice Satellites With Minimal Equipment” presentation for the following clubs:
09/02/2020 – Garden State ARA, New Jersey
09/14/2020 – North Agusta Belevedere Radio Club
10/27/2020 – Cherryland ARC / Traverse Bay ARC
TBD – Antelope Valley (CA) ARC
TBD – A private presentation fo a Boy Scout troop in Danville, PA
These will be Zoom presentations. Everyone is asked to update their copies of the Zoom application – by directly visiting Zoom.us.
[ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT VP-User Services for the above information]
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ 4A50, MEXICO (Special Event). Look for special event station 4A50CRH to be active between September 1st and December 31st. Activity is to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Club de Radioaficionados Hidro- calidos (XE2CRH). Operations will be on 160-6 meter, satellites, CW, SSB, FM, and the Digital modes. QSL via XE2AU, LoTW, eQSL or ClubLog. Every QSO will be confirmed. (ANS thanks the Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin for the above information)
+ Flying for the first time since a failure in early July, Rocket Lab’s Electron launcher delivered Capella Space’s first commercial radar remote sensing satellite to orbit after lifting off from New Zealand on Sunday, August 30. The successful mission signaled a return to launch operations for Rocket Lab after suffering a failure on the last Electron flight July 4. Investigators traced the cause of the failure to a single faulty electrical connector on the second stage, which detached in flight and led to a premature engine shutdown. (ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information)
+ A Falcon 9 rocket dodged stormy weather and successfully placed an Argentine radar observation satellite into an orbit over Earth’s poles Sunday on SpaceX’s 100th launch. Instead of launching toward the northeast or east, the Falcon 9 darted through a cloudy sky and arced to the south-southeast from Florida’s Space Coast, then made a right turn to fly along the east coast of Florida over Fort Lauder- dale and Miami on the way to a polar orbit. The launch Sunday was the first from Cape Canaveral to fly on a southerly track since 1969. (ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information)
+ A long-retired NASA satellite burned up in Earth’s atmosphere last weekend, the agency has confirmed. NASA launched the satellite, c alled Orbiting Geophysics Observatory 1, or OGO-1, in September 1964, the first in a series of five missions to help scientists understand the magnetic environment around Earth. OGO-1 was the first to launch but the last to fall out of orbit; the satellite had circled Earth aimlessly since its retirement in 1971. (ANS thanks space.com for the above information)
+ Dave, AA4KN relays that Patrice, 3B8FA, and Jean Marc, 3B8DU, held a successful QSO using the new IORS, repeater function: Jean Marc wrote: “Just to let you know that Patrice (3B8FA) and myself did superb QSO via the ISS FM repeater just a few minutes ago (reported 2 September, 2020 @ 02:22:30). Working fine 59+ both ways on V/U (145.990/437.800 MHz), really nice to have the ISS repeater back on air.” (ANS thanks Dave AA4KN of ARISS PR for the report)
/EX
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President’s Club. Members of the President’s Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.
Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information.
73 and Remember to help keep amateur radio in space,
This week’s ANS Editor,
Jack Spitznagel, KD4IZ
kd4iz at frawg dot org