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:
- Virtual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting – October 30, 2021
- AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium to be held on Zoom 24 Oct 2021
- New APRS Satellites are now functioning
- PSAT2 (NO-104) enabled for APRS-2-Voice
- Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution as of October 14, 2021
- ARISS News
- Upcoming Satellite Operations
- Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
- Satellite Shorts From All Over
ANS-290 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
To: All RADIO AMATEURS
From: Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
712 H Street NE, Suite 1653
Washington, DC 20002
DATE 2021 Oct 17
Virtual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting – October 30, 2021
Due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, AMSAT has changed plans for its 39th Annual Symposium and General Meeting from an in-person event to a virtual event.
This is a chance for “Amateur Radio in Space” enthusiasts from all corners of the globe to learn more about AMSAT’s Strategic Plan, GOLF program, CubeSat Simulator and other exciting developments taking place in the amateur satellite world.
AMSAT will host its 2021 AMSAT Virtual Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting on Zoom for its members on Saturday, October 30th from 9:00am CDT – 5:00pm CDT (UTC-5). The event will be a combination of pre-recorded video segments along with live question and answer sessions.
Registration for members is required and is available on AMSAT’s Member Portal, launch.amsat.org. Registration is free and registered attendees will receive a digital copy of the AMSAT Symposium Proceedings, entered into the Symposium prize drawings, and be able to participate in discussions during each question and answer session.
The 2021 AMSAT Virtual Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will be available to the general public on AMSAT’s YouTube channel, https://youtu.be/RTvcceM7Tz0 at no cost.
Final papers for the Symposium Proceedings must be submitted by October 18, 2021 to Dan Schultz, N8FGV, n8fgv at usa dot net. Symposium presentations should be limited to 15 minutes of pre- recorded video. Video presentations must be submitted by October 18, 2021 to Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, n8hm at arrl dot net. We ask that presenters be available to take questions via Zoom following the airing of their pre-recorded video.
Tentative Schedule
9:00am CDT – Opening Remarks
9:15am CDT – 2:00 pm CDT – General Presentations
2:00pm CDT – 3:00 pm CDT – AMSAT Education / CubeSat Simulator
3:00pm CDT – 4:00 pm CDT – AMSAT Engineering
4:00pm CDT – 5:00 pm CDT – 2020 AMSAT Annual General Meeting
Questions regarding the Symposium can be directed to info at amsat dot org.
[ANS thanks the Symposium organizers for the above information]
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Join the 2021 President’s Club!
Score your 2″ 4-Color Accent Commemorative Coin.
This gold finished coin comes with
Full Color Certificate and Embroidered “Remove Before Flight” Key Tag
Donate today at
https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/
You won’t want to miss it!
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
The AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium will be held as an online Zoom Webinar on the 24th October 2021
The Colloquium will run from 09.45 UTC to approximately 15.00 UTC. A full programme of the event is available at www.amsat-uk.org/colloquium You don’t have to be a member of AMSAT-UK to attend, and the event is free of charge.
This year’s colloquium will be in the form of a Zoom Webinar. It’s easy to use, simply register at the address below, and follow the instructions which will arrive by email.
Please register before the 24th , or join live at https://tinyurl.com/AMSATUK2021Colloquium
The 2021 colloquium will also be streamed via YouTube.
Our channel is at https://www.youtube.com/user/AMSATUK
The event will be hosted by members of AMSAT-UK and formally opened by our Chairman, Martin Sweeting, G3YJO.
Each presentation will be followed by a 5 minute Q+A session, which will allow those viewing via Zoom, to pose questions to the speakers.
The 2021 colloquium will be followed by the AMSAT-UK AGM and after a short break there will be an informal evening discussion session on ‘All things satellite.’
[ANS thanks David Bowman G0MRF – AMSAT-UK 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/
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
New APRS Satellites are now functioning:
KE4AZZ McKinley Henson reports a new APRS satellite was heard on 145.825. BEACON: DX4MYA To APTT4 Via WIDE1-1:Mabuhay! This is the APRS-DP of Maya-4. But it appears to use DX3MYA callsign substitution when digipeating because on the next pass he sent a few beacons with wide1-1. He was digi’d several times but the following made it into the network.
KE4AZZ>APRS,DX3MYA*,WIDE1*,qAR,KD8THX-6:
>121508z[224] KE4AZZ EL87
KE4AZZ>APRS,DX3MYA*,WIDE1*,qAR,KD8THX6:
=2702.06N/08209.93W`KE4AZZ EL87
Robert MacHale, KE6BLR comments on the two new APRS satellites added to the APRS constellation: “They are in an approximate ISS orbit from which they were deployed a week or so ago. They also use the alias of ARISS making operations easy.”
Christy Hunter KB8LTY reports:
“I got 6 beacons digi’d thru MAYA-3 today (10/13/21). (never heard MAYA-4 beacons although heard it yesterday) I used 2 separate paths, ARISS, and DX3MYA, both were successful.I used TLEs (named from SatNOgs using Celestrak):”
maya-3
1 49273U 98067SS 21285.96953269 .00027554 00000-0 48953-3 0 9997
2 49273 51.6413 120.2941 0005565 120.1632 239.9909 15.49963282 1115
maya-4
1 49274U 98067ST 21286.09863284 .00026959 00000-0 47967-3 0 9992
2 49274 51.6413 119.6562 0005462 119.5971 240.5562 15.49933665 1138
See all APRS sats on http://aprs.org/sats.html
(ANS thanks Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, Robert MacHale, KE6BLR, and Christy Hunter, KB6LTY 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, now manifested for launch on
NASA’s ELaNa 46 mission. Come along for the ride. The journey will be
worth it!
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
PSAT2 (NO-104) enabled for APRS-2-Voice
Bob Bruninga reports: “We are enabling PSAT2 for users (including APRS2Voice)”
“Here is how to use it (The status bits should show 01001110)
1) Use 145.825 for digipeater (along with other APRS satellites)
2) For digipeating use one of these paths: APRSAT, ARISS, etc
3) For APRS2voice send an APRS message to PSAT-SAY
4) Begin the first 10 chars of the message with “CCCCCC sez …”
5) Followed by the text to be spoken.(no quotes)
6) CCCCCC is your callsign right-padded to 6 with spaces.”
“The satellite should ACK the packet uplink and then speak the text.APRS-to-Voice is enabled if the status bit is enabled: 01001110. showing that:
Reserved bit always on (01xxxxxx)
PDK31 is disabled (xxxx1xxx)
Digipeater is enabled (xxxxx1xx
APRS2voice is enabled (xxxxxx1x)
PSAT2 Voltage telemetry has failed so we will turn the PSAT2 user modes on as long as they work. Live telemetry on http://aprs.org/psat2.html”
[ANS thanks Bob Bruninga, WB4APR for the above information]
Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution as of October 14, 2021
The following two cubesats (added last week) have been identified and the names have changed as follows:
Maya-3 – NORAD Cat ID 49273 (was listed as OBJECT SS).
Maya-4 – NORAD Cat ID 49274 (was listed as OBJECT ST).
Thanks to Christy, KB6LTY for the identifications.
The following satellite has been added to this week’s AMSAT TLE Distribution:
IT-SPINS – NORAD Cat ID 49017
Thanks to David Klumpar,KD7MFJ for requesting this addition
[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager 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
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
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.
Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2021-09-15 15:30 UTC
Quick list of scheduled contacts and events:
Jean Alloitteau School, Vinça, France, direct via F1MOJ. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be FXØISS. 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 Thomas Pesquet KG5FYG. Contact is go for: Mon 2021-10-18 08:06:12 UTC 38 deg
Next mode changes as of 12 October:
Columbus Module radios:
+IORS (Kenwood D710GA) – STATUS – Configured. Supporting packet operation (145.825 MHz up & down). Next planned mode change is to cross band repeater (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down) around first part of November.
+Power down for upcoming Soyuz undocking on Oct. 17. Turning OFF Oct. 16 about 15:20 UTC. Back ON Oct. 18 about 07:55 UTC
+Power down for upcoming Progress relocate on Oct. 21-22. Turning OFF Oct. 20 about 18:00 UTC. Back ON Oct. 22 about 17:55 UTC.
+Power down for upcoming Progress docking on Oct. 30.
+Supporting USOS scheduled voice contacts, packet and voice repeater ops.
Service Module radios:
Kenwood D710E – STATUS – Radio usually off.
+Power down for upcoming Soyuz undocking on Oct. 17. Turning OFF Oct. 17 about 15:20 UTC.
+Power down for upcoming Progress relocate on Oct. 21-22. Turning OFF Oct. 20 about 18:00 UTC.
+Power down for upcoming Progress docking on Oct. 30.
+Supporting ROS scheduled voice contacts and SSTV.
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]
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur
Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to
be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit.
Support AMSAT’s projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Upcoming Satellite Operations
Quick Hits:
WA8ZID: I hope to get some passes in OCT 14-18 on FM birds for the 60th Anniversary of the West Valley ARC in DM33. Not a rare grid but it is a rare call. We will be on HF as well but I do want to get some satellite stations for the 5 days we are authorized with W7V callsign. A certificate is available for those who are interested.
Major Roves:
Galapagos Islands: HD8, GALAPAGOS ISLANDS. Members of the Tifariti Gang/DX Friends will be active as HD8R from Galapagos Islands (SA-004) between October 26th and November 7th. Operators mentioned are Toni/EA5RM (Team Leader), Alberto/EA1SA, Gen/EA5EL, Raul/EA5KA, Javier/EA5KM, Manuel/EA7R, Jose Ramón/EA7X, Flo/F5CWU, Jean Jacques/F5NKX, Tony/F8ATS, Fausto/HC5VF, Faber/HK6F, Simone/IK5RUN and Fabrizio/IN3ZNR. The pilot station will be Tony, EC7ZK. Activity will be on 160-6 meters, including 60m, using CW, SSB, the Digital modes and low orbit satellites, with at least 4 stations that include Spiderbeams, verticals, Inverted “Ls” and beverages. Check with K9JKM for details.
NA-008. (Zone 2) After being silent for 18 months, operators Alex/VE1RUS and Pierre/VE3TKB will once again be active as VY0ERC from the Eureka Weather station this October. This station is operated by the Eureka Amateur Radio Club [probably the most northerly located amateur radio club in the world] from Eureka, Nunavut. The VY0ERC team (VE1RUS and VE3KTB) is now in preparation to be active from the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory between October 12th and November 22nd, (time and weather conditions permitting). They plan to participate in CQWW DX SSB and the ARRL Sweepstakes Contests. Outside of the contests, the suggested bands are 40 and 20 meters (possibly 80m), as well as FM satellites (from ER60, EQ79) using SSB, the Digital modes (FT8 and RTTY) and very slow CW. Activity will be limited to their spare time. QSL via M0OXO, OQRS or direct. For updates, see: https://twitter.com/vy0erc
[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the above information]
Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
AMSAT will host its 2021 AMSAT Dr. Tom Clark, K3IO, Memorial Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting on Zoom for its members on Saturday, October 30th from 9:00am CDT – 5:00pm CDT (UTC-5). The event will be a combination of pre-recorded video segments along with live question and answer sessions. Registration for members is required and is available on AMSAT’s Member Portal for the 39th AMSAT Virtual Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting. Go to: https://launch.amsat.org/Events. You will need to log in to access the registration page.
Updates may be found at: https://www.amsat.org/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.
From Clint Bradford,K6CLS, AMSAT Ambassador:
“Pulled off a doubleheader last Monday: I performed two satellite shows back-to-back – one in Ohio and one in Portland.
Found out ARRL Director Dale WA8EFK was going to be in attendance in Ohio. Oh my gosh – should I take off my crazy Buzz Aldrin Collection shirt and get something more conservative on?
Naw … (grin)
We each had prepared a “salute” to the club for winning a prestigious award for their outstanding club newsletter. And I received this the next day in my In Box –
——————
Hi Clint,
Your presentation was a real hoot! It was fun being your “target” and I think we all enjoyed it. I really like your presentation style, it is so relaxed, personal and really moves along.
Oh, and one thing more, I learned a lot!
Thanks 73,
Dale R. Williams WA8EFK
Director
Great Lakes Division
AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, makes online presentations to Amateur Radio clubs and other interested organizations. Contact Clint at http://www.work-sat.com or by phone at 909-999-SATS (7287) to arrange a presentation.
[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events page manager, and Clint Bradford, K6CLS for the above information]
Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ The latest AMSAT Rover Award goes to Richard Nolet, VA3VGR. Richard is awardee #61. The AMSAT Rover award is earned by those who acheive a score of 25 points by meeting the crieteria that is described on the AMSAT Rover Award page: https://www.amsat.org/amsat-rover-award/ (ANS thanks Bruce KK5DO, AMSAT Director of Contests & Awards for the above information.)
+ Using IC-705 with SDR-Console v3 for satellite QSOs: Lars Thunberg, SM0TGU has posted some additional “how to” information for IC-705 users: “I have made a small update for my guide about using the IC-705 for satellite QSO with the SDR-Console as control software and receiver. https://www.amsat.se/2021/01/01/working-satellites-with-ic-705-pstrotator-sdr-console/ 73, Lars SM0TGU” Lars has posted a number of good “how-to” blogs on the AMSAT-SM website. (ANS thanks Lars Thunberg, SM0TGU, Webmaster, AMSAT-SM for the above information.)
+ UVSQ-SAT: Transponder active on October 17, 2021 from 12 p.m. UTC to 11 p.m. UTC. The LATMOS team has programmed the UVSQ-SAT satellite to go into transponder mode on Sunday, October 17, 2021 from 12 p.m. UTC. The transponder will be active for 11 consecutive hours. From October 16 at 12:00 UTC, an ASCII message will be broadcast to announce that transponder mode will be activated. More information on the satellite: UVSQsat (amsat-f.org)(ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, for the above information.)
+ Adapter structure with 10 CubeSats installed on top of Artemis moon rocket. Workers at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center have lifted the Orion Stage Adapter on top of the Space Launch System moon rocket, adding the structure housing 10 CubeSat rideshare payloads heading into deep space on the Artemis 1 mission. But three of the CubeSat missions missed their opportunity to fly on the first SLS mission.
NASA has not announced a target launch date for the mission, known as Artemis 1, but it is expected to fly some time in early 2022. The test flight will pave the way for the next SLS/Orion mission, Artemis 2, to carry four astronauts to lunar orbit as soon as 2023. More information available at : https://bit.ly/3FETY0P (ANS thanks Stephen Clark of Spaceflight Now for the above information.)
+ Orbiting between Mars and Jupiter lies a large asteroid, averaging 225 km in diameter (and shaped like a potato! 🥔) and made largely (30-60%) of metal—its size and composition make it unique in our solar system. This is Psyche, a mysterious world full of questions. How was it created? What is the connection between it and the other planets? What does a metal-rich surface look like? Dr. Lindy Elkins-Tanton at Arizona State University, principal investigator of the Psyche mission, leads a team that’s aiming to solve the mystery of how Psyche was created. Scientists suspect that Psyche is a stripped core of a planetesimal: a metal core left floating in space after collisions stripped at least some of the rocky mantle surrounding it. The Psyche mission was selected along with its sister mission Lucy as the 14th mission in NASA’s Discovery program. The Psyche spacecraft is jointly built; its body, the Solar Electric Propulsion chassis, comes from Maxar Technologies, but its brains, the main computer and software, come from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. More at https://bit.ly/3aA7V1G (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.)
+ AMSAT-EA is already working on the mission of what will be the first satellite of URE (Spain’s national amateur radio society), URESAT-1. The URESAT satellite are based on the experience of the previous GENESIS missions, with the GENESIS-N and GENESIS-L satellites (which were lost due to rocket failure in September), and EASAT-2 and Hades, which are scheduled to launch with SpaceX on January 10 from Cape Canaveral. It is expected that said satellite will incorporate an FM voice repeater, FSK transmissions and some type of on-board experiment, which could be a camera with SSDV transmissions or some type of propellant. (ANS thanks Southgate ARC and Union Radioaficionados Espanoles for the above information)
+ The astronauts who will ride SpaceX’s newest Dragon spaceship into orbit later this month have named their spacecraft “Endurance” as a tribute to the human spirit and a historic sailing vessel used by Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. The new spacecraft, previously known by serial number “Capsule 210,” is scheduled to launch to the ISS on Oct. 30 carrying Raja Chari, KI5LIU, Tom Marshburn, KE5HOC, Matthias Maurer, KI5KFH, and Kayla Barron, KI5LAL. SpaceX’s first two crew-rated Dragon spaceships were named “Endeavour” and “Resilience” by the astronauts who first flew on them. (ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information)
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, Jack Spitznagel, KD4IZ
kd4iz at frawg dot org