Mark Johns

ANS-310 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Nov. 6

by

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:

  • The QO-100 AMSAT-UK/BATC North American Challenge
  • Falconsat-3 Status is altered due to battery issues
  • GreenCube Digipeater Successes Grow
  • VUCC Satellite Standing November 1, 2022
  • ARISS News
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for November 3, 2022
  • Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
  • Satellite Shorts From All Over

ANS-310 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 November 6

The QO-100 AMSAT-UK/BATC North American Challenge

AMSAT-UK and the British Amateur Television Club (BATC) announced a new amateur radio satellite service challenge, The QO-100 AMSAT-UK/BATC North American Challenge, during the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium in Milton Keynes, U.K. on October 8, 2022.

The QO-100 AMSAT-UK/BATC North American Challenge will recognize the first amateur radio station to successfully achieve a two-way QSO via QO-100 narrow band transponder while operating from North America, the first amateur radio station to achieve 100 QSOs via QO-100 narrow band transponder while operating from North America, and the first amateur radio station to achieve a successful two-way DATV QSO via QO-100 wide band transponder while operating from North America. In addition, subsequent operations from North America will also be eligible to apply for a special certificate.

The likely operating location from North America would be from St. Johns, Newfoundland, maidenhead grid square GN37qm (Lat/Long 47. 5204, -52.6262), which has a calculated viewing angle of -0.9 degrees elevation. Being below the horizon, it is expected that tropospheric ducting will be required for the first few miles, as demonstrated by Farid Farhan, YC1HVZ/P, during a recent QO-100 expedition in Indonesia, where he successfully operated through the QO-100 narrow band transponder from OI42de at -1.2 degrees elevation.

Detail of test being planned, general questions, and claims for trophies and certificates should be submitted to [email protected].
Es’hail-2 / AMSAT Phase 4-A / Qatar-OSCAR 100, a joint project by the Qatar Satellite Company (Es’hailSat), the Qatar Amateur Radio Society (QARS) and AMSAT Deutschland (AMSAT-DL), is the first geostationary amateur radio transponder and links radio amateurs from Brazil to Thailand.

Es’hail-2/QO-100 carries two “Phase 4” amateur radio transponders operating in the 2400 MHz and 10450 MHz bands. A 500 kHz bandwidth linear transponder intended for conventional analogue operations and an 8 MHz bandwidth transponder for experimental digital modulation schemes and DVB amateur television.

Graham has set up a webpage on the AMSAT-UK website: https://bit.ly/3DR4qTU

There is also a Youtube video on the AMSAT-UK channel: Direct link is https://bit.ly/3TUpXkv

[ANS thanks Graham Shirville, G3VZV and Robert Bankston, KE4AL AMSAT President for the above information]

Falconsat-3 Status is Altered Due to Battery Issues

Mark Hammond writes: “Telemetry suggests that one cell is very weak, therefore continuous 24/7/365 operations are no longer possible. In support of users around the world and the AMSAT PACSAT team (which is currently planning a PACSAT cubesat!), I will plan to try to run Falconsat-3 for about 24 hours each weekend, with specifics dependent upon the time of day it’s overhead, work, and recreation! The orbit precesses about 30 mins every day, so the time of day for usable passes cycles. But basically a 24 hour uptime every weekend. There’s a pass around 1222UTC today 29 Oct 202, and I’ll turn it ON with battery management OFF, hoping for about 24 hours of operations. This will continue as long as we reasonably can. Reentry is estimated to be in April 2022.

My best advice is to follow me on Twitter! It’s easy to post when I turn it ON/OFF, so lately that’s been my preferred method of sharing the information.

Also, please update your keps at least once per week, maybe more often. It appears to change enough to warrant this for people using tracking/high gain directional antennas. Here is the TLE source I’m using now: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ftp/keps/current/daily.all

Hope this schedule works for users and the PACSAT team! Scheduled operations seem lke the most beneficial plan for now.”

[ANS thanks Mark L. Hammond [N8MH], AMSAT Director and Assistant VP – Operations 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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GreenCube Digipeater Successes Grow

Doug Papay, K8DP, and Scott Chapman, K4KDR were the first to make a complete contact through the GreenCube digipeater. Doug has be journalling the growing list of stations that have sucessfully digipeated a packet through the Sapienza Space Systems and Space Surveillance Laboratory (S5Lab)/AMSAT-IT 3U research satellite.

Doug posts on Twitter that Steve Greene, KS1G, has also completed a contact. Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, Yoshihisa Hattori, JO1LVZ, Juan Antonio Fernandez Montana, EA4CYQ, Nader Omer, ST2NH, Jose Elias Diaz Rodriguez, EB1AO, Davis Romero, EA4SG, and Jean Marc Momple, 3B8DU (added by editor) all were successfully digipeated by the MEO satellite. Congratulations to all and all that follow! More completed contacts will no doubt be reported soon.

[ANS thanks AMSAT Doug Papay, K8DP 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 Satellite Standing November 01, 2022

VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for October 02, 2022 to November 01, 2022.

[table “84” not found /]

Congratulations to the new VUCC holders.
OZ9AAR is first VUCC Satellite holder from Denmark and 1st from JO45

[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ, AMSAT VUCC 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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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.

Ural State University, Yekaterinburg, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS. The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz. The scheduled crewmember is TBD. Contact is go for Sun 2022-11-20 TBD UTC

The crossband repeater continues to be active. If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.

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 and NASA News 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

Quick Hits:

KX9X Will be in EM47 with Ward N0AX the weekend of November 19 for the @arrl Phone Sweeptakes. I’ll take some satellite gear and do a few passes. Sats aren’t the priority this trip but will hand out the grid.

Major Roves:

Snow-bird rove from 11-02-2022 thru 11-22-2022-ish. Check Twitter for updates.

In travel order: OR grids: CN82 and DN02

NV grids: DN01, DN10, DN21, DN20, DM29 & 19, DM28 & 18, DM27, DM26.

AZ grids: DM36, DM46, DM45, DM35, DM44, DM34, DM33, DM32.

Email (QRZ) with desired grid in subj. line for updates. Wayne – W7WGC

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

Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for November 3, 2022

None announced this week.

[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements 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.

None presently scheduled.

[ANS thanks Paul Overn, KE0PBR, AMSAT Events Page Manager, for the above information]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ NASA’s MOXIE experiment on Perseverance has now generated ISRU oxygen successfully during many different times of the Martian day and year (paper), producing about 6g of oxygen per hour (similar to the production rate of a medium-sized tree). NASA life support design requirements specify 35 g of oxygen per hour for astronauts. [ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information.]

+ Under layers of dust, NASA’s Mars InSight lander is fading, but the first and only seismometer on Mars had one parting gift for humanity: on May 4th, a magnitude 4.7 marsquake, one of the largest detected on the red planet. Related: In Issue 189 we talked about InSight’s detection of meteor impacts on Mars—now we have another one, a magnitude 4 marsquake last December turns out to have been due to a significant impact, now spotted by MRO, which “excavated boulder-size chunks of ice buried closer to the Martian equator than ever found before.” [ANS thanks The Orbital Index 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 arrl dot org

ANS-303 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Oct. 30

by

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:

  • MESAT-1 to Carry AMSAT Linear Transponder Module
  • FoxTelem Version 1.12 Released
  • AMSAT President’s Club Announces 2022 Members
  • GreenCube in Digipeater Mode
  • Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution
  • ISS Partners Weigh Options for Using Commercial Space Stations
  • ARISS News
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
  • Satellite Shorts From All Over

ANS-303 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 Oct 30

MESAT-1 to Carry AMSAT Linear Transponder Module

An AMSAT-constructed linear transponder module is included in the MESAT 3U satellite to be deployed as part of NASA’s upcoming ELaNa 43 mission.

MESAT-1 is a stack of three tech-stuffed 4-inch cubes assembled at the University of Maine and destined for space in 2022. The first satellite of its kind ever built in Maine, MESAT-1 carries three imaging experiments proposed by Maine schools and a 2-way radio for use by ground control and amateur radio enthusiasts.

MESAT-1 was originally projected to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, in June 2022, but has been delayed. The satellite will be carried by a Firefly Aerospace “Alpha” rocket and released into a Sun-synchronous orbit about 555 kilometers (350 miles) above Earth. It will fly nearly over the poles traveling at about 7.8 kilometers per second (17,000 mph), making a full orbit in roughly 100 minutes. Any given location on Earth will experience 4 to 6 passes per day, with each pass lasting less than 15 minutes. MESAT-1 is expected to remain in space for well over a decade.

A statewide competition in 2019 drew payload proposals from schools across Maine. Three projects were selected for the MESAT-1 mission: ALBEDO, IMAGER, and HAB.

ALBEDO: Saco Middle School will study reflected light (albedo) and local temperature in urban and rural areas, with the idea that urban heat islands could be mitigated through architectural designs that reflect more light.

IMAGER: Fryeburg Academy will photograph shallow coastal waters as part of an effort to distinguish turbidity and phytoplankton concentration from space. The academy is collaborating with the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve.

HAB: Falmouth High School will work on early detection of harmful algal blooms by measuring atmospheric temperature and water vapor levels around bloom areas. They will watch blooms develop, move, and disperse.

The main radio aboard MESAT-1 is a linear transponder module (LTM-1) built by the nonprofit Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), a partner in the project. The ground station operator will command the satellite through LTM-1 and the module will transmit telemetry back to Earth. LTM-1 will also be made available to amateur radio operators for 2-way communication.

UMaine applied to the International Amateur Radio Union to coordinate its planned frequency use for MESAT-1. The IARU approved this plan on 22 November 2021:

Telemetry beacon downlink: 435.800 MHz 1200 baud BPSK
Transponder uplink: 145.910-145.940 MHz
Transponder downlink: 435.810-435.840 MHz

MESAT-1 carries a second radio, an EyeStar transmitter, originally intended to interface with the satellite’s built-in GPS and the GlobalStar network to provide the ground team with accurate, hourly position information. This aspect of the mission was altered during MESAT-1 construction. The EyeStar unit will serve only a minimal function on MESAT-1.
Background on Maine’s First CubeSat

MESAT-1 exists thanks to NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) and the Maine Space Grant Consortium. Through CSLI, NASA has selected more than 200 CubeSat missions for the Educational Launch of Nanosatellites program. More than 130 ELaNA satellites have been launched at NASA’s expense since 2011.

In 2018, Maine Space Grant kicked off a pilot Maine CubeSat Launch Initiative to involve students and teachers from across the state in designing CubeSat missions. Through a competitive process, the consortium selected three experiments to propose for NASA’s 2019 ELaNa opportunity.

The MESAT-1 proposal was accepted by NASA early in 2020. The satellite was paired with launch provider Firefly Aerospace for ELaNa mission 43.

Dr. Ali Abedi, director of the WiSe-Net Lab at UMaine Orono, assigned three UMaine graduate students the task of producing the satellite. With the support of the Maine Space Grant Consortium, they completed MESAT-1 in time for a 2022 launch.

[ANS thanks mainesat.org 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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FoxTelem Version 1.12 Released

A new version of FoxTelem has been released ahead of the launch of MESAT-1. The new version will be required in order to decode MESAT-1 telemetry. MESAT-1 has an AMSAT Linear Transponder Module (LTM) and will transmit health data and images at 1200bps using BPSK. FoxTelem will decode and display the images from the University of Maine multi-spectral camera, as well as other data about the spacecraft.

This version of FoxTelem will still support all previous spacecraft and the CubeSat Simulator.

You can download it from these locations:
https://www.g0kla.com/foxtelem
http://amsat.us/FoxTelem/

In addition to support for MESAT-1 this version also includes several bug fixes and enhancements. Questions or comments (other than “when is the launch”, because I don’t know) may be directed to chrisethompson [at] gmail.com or to g0kla [at] arrl.net. Issues or bugs can be logged on github at: https://github.com/ac2cz/FoxTelem/issues

[ANS thanks Chris Thompson, G0KLA/AC2CZ, for the above information]

AMSAT President’s Club Announces 2022 Members

The following members of the AMSAT 2022 President’s Club have been added as of October 31, 2022. We thank them for their generous support and helping to keep Amateur Radio in Space!

The 2022 Year is rapidly coming to a close. If you have not yet joined, you can still earn your membership with distinctive five-color gold-finish coin, iron-on AMSAT logo patches and full-color certificate. Go to https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/ for more information.

Titanium ($4,800+)
Barry A. Baines WD4ASW
Alan P. Biddle WA4SCA
John D. Botti KC8OKB
William G. Brown K9LF

Platinum ($2,400+)
Ronald G. Parsons W5RKN

Gold ($1,200+)
Douglas Besemer K0VPL
Burns Fisher WB1FJ
Joseph Lynch N6CL
John R. Kludt K7SYS
Glenn Miller AA5PK
Douglas B. Tabor N6UA

Silver($600+)
John Boehme K4PRK
Warren Fugate W3WE
Mark Johns K0JM
Bruce Paige KK5DO
David A. Vine WA1EAW
Chuck Weaver W3VAR

Bronze($300+)
Allen Kenney KK4AK
Bruce Perens K6BP
Donald Pettigrew K9ECT
Scott Shaheen WB8OOJ
Thomas Talley K0CFI
Dave Taylor W8AAS
Ricky N. Walker K4TD

Core ($120+)
Oscar Alonso N6PAZ
Dwight Aussieker W9QJ
Steve Bachhuber K9SJB
Robert Brennan KC3CKV
Burlington Amateur Radio Club
George Carr WA5KBH
Michael Caughey N2BT
Jim Clary ND9M
Richard Dittmer KB7SAT
George Gallis AL7BX
David Grebe WA4LM
David Hartrum WA3YDZ
Stephen Howard AB0XE
Nels E. Knutzen W0PEC
Gailen Marshall N5GDM
Brendan McNeil ZL3BAM
Juan Munoz TG9AJR
Andrew Northam KE8FZT
Art Payne VE3GNF
Maxwell Rathbone W3POI
Jay Schwartz WB8SBI
Jason Schwarz N4JJS
Alton Simpson WA5TJB
Carl Starnes W4EAT
Paul Stoetzer N8HM
Christopher Wachs WA2KDL
Stefan Wagener VE4SW
Jeremy Wyatt KA2PFD

[ANS thanks Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, AMSAT VP-Development, 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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GreenCube in Digipeater Mode

The S5Lab research team of the University “La Sapienza,” Rome, Italy, the Italian Space Agency and AMSAT Italia are happy to inform the ham radio community that the GreenCube satellite will be switched in digipeater mode between 29-Oct-2022 00:01 UTC and 30-Oct-2022 23:59 UTC. Information on the setup required to access the satellite can be found on the team’s web site https://www.s5lab.space/index.php/digipeater/

The S5lab team of Sapienza provides the software needed to communicate with the satellite along with a technical guide of the setup and the GUI features. The archive contains:

The user manual
The Graphical User Interface (GUI)
The Terminal Node Controller (TNC) software
The GNURadio script to receive and transmit

The software kit can be downloaded from the same web page. The satellite digipeater implements a store-and-forward message service and works at 435.310 Mhz (U/L and D/L).

The 3U cubesat was launched on the Vega-C maiden flight on 13-Jul-2022 in a MEO orbit. The GreenCube project is being carried out through a collaboration agreement between the Italian Space Agency and Sapienza University of Rome, with the participation of ENEA and University Federico II of Naples. As for the radio frequency communications, a strong and effective cooperation with AMSAT Italia has been established, whereby AMSAT Italia endorsed the frequency coordination request.

The team can be reached via their website at the URL https://www.s5lab.space/index.php/contact-us/

[ANS thanks Fabrizio Carrai, IU5GEZ, of AMSAT Italia 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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Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution

Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/

No changes to the satellite list this week.

[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]

ISS Partners Weigh Options for Using Commercial Space Stations

Partner agencies on the International Space Station program say they are in discussions about how they will use, and pay for, commercial space stations that will replace it.

Representatives of several countries currently involved in the ISS said during a panel at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ ASCEND conference in Las Vegas, Nevada on Oct. 25 that they are looking at options for how to continue work they currently do on the ISS on the commercial space stations in low Earth orbit (LEO) NASA is helping develop to replace it at the end of the decade.

“With the commercialization of LEO, it is really necessary to revisit our principles of doing cooperation,” said Peter Gräf, director of applications and science at the German space agency DLR. Germany is the biggest contributor to ESA’s share of the ISS and actively uses the station for fundamental and applied research.

He said discussions among agencies and companies had started on how those arrangements would change with a commercial station. “We need to find ways to work together, certainly in other ways than we did before,” he said. “There are a lot of options available and the main players are in heavy discussions on that.”

The ISS today relies extensively on barter arrangements among participating agencies, providing services to cover their share of operations of the station. Such arrangements are unlikely to work for commercial stations, however.

“We need to find a new way of cooperating,” said Nicolas Maubert, space counselor at the French Embassy in the U.S. and representative of the French space agency CNES in the U.S., citing the challenges of extending current barter arrangements to commercial stations. “We need to put on the table every option.”

“The bottom line for all is that there is a strong demand for capabilities in low Earth orbit,” Gräf said. “It’s quite clear there will be a human outpost in LEO, no matter what the future will bring.”

[ANS thanks SpaceNews.com 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.

POSTPONED: Five Bridges Junior High School, Stillwater Lake, NS, Canada, telebridge via VK4KHZ
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crew member is Josh Cassada, KI5CRH
Contact is no longer go for: Wed 2022-10-26 13:42:09 UTC 66 deg due to crew timeline changes. It has been postponed to the week of Nov. 14, exact date and time TBD.
Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/c/ARISSlive and https://nslive.tv/five-bridges-ariss

Ufa, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled crew member is Anna Kikina
Contact is go for Sun 2022-10-30 18:45 UTC

Harel Educational Campus, Holon, Israel, telebridge via VK4ISS
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crew member is Josh Cassada, KI5CRH
Contact is go for: Fri 2022-11-04 09:43:51 UTC 50 deg

The crossband repeater continues to be active. If any crew member is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.

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

Roving season is drawing to a close in many parts of North America, but a few brave souls are out there providing rare grids:

W8LR: EN90 EM99 10/28-30. Passes are holiday style. Will post passes to Twitter and http://hams.at Will be on Linear and FM. EU I will be trying some RS-44 and AO-07 (in mode b) if I can. Lots of hills will make it hard for lower passes but my fingers are crossed. LOG W8LR/R

[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.

None presently scheduled.

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

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ CORRECTION: Last week’s ANS 296 reported that AMSAT Engineering expressed appreciation to AMSAT-DL for capturing AO-109 telemetry. While AMSAT has great appreciation for AMSAT-DL for its ongoing partnership, the telemetry mentioned was provided by the PI9CAM team at the CAMRAS 25m diameter dish at Dwingeloo in the Netherlands. AMSAT Engineering expressed appreciation to the Dwingeloo team. (ANS regrets the error and thanks Nico Janssen, PA0DLO, for calling it to our attention.)

+ AmazonSmile has made a charitable donation to the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, in the amount of $342.72 as a result of qualifying purchases made by customers between April 1st – June 30th. Thanks to customers shopping at smile.amazon.com or using the Amazon app with AmazonSmile turned ON, everyday purchases make an impact. So far, AmazonSmile has donated:
$9,030.13 to Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
Over $377 million to US charities
Over $422 million to charities worldwide

+ Draft minutes of the 2022 AMSAT Board of Directors meeting are now available at https://www.amsat.org/minutes-of-the-board-of-directors/ (ANS thanks AMSAT for this information)

+ AMSAT’s 2021 Financial Review and 2021 IRS Form 990 are now available at https://www.amsat.org/audit-and-other-financial-reports/ (ANS thanks AMSAT for this information)

+ The Proceedings of the 2022 AMSAT Space Symposium are now available to AMSAT members on the AMSAT Member Portal at https://launch.amsat.org/Proceedings (ANS thanks AMSAT for this information)

+ Videos of the talks given at the 2022 AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium are now available on YouTube. Playlist is at https://bit.ly/3sAcYIx (ANS thanks Trevor Essex, M5AKA, 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, Mark Johns, K0JM
k0jm at amsat dot org

ANS-296 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Oct. 23

by

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 Symposium Takes Place in Minnesota
  • AMSAT Board Elects Officers
  • Financial Policy is Focus of AMSAT Board
  • AMSAT Board Adopts ITAR/EAR Policy
  • Volunteer For AMSAT
  • ARISS News
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
  • Satellite Shorts From All Over

ANS-296 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 Oct 23

AMSAT Symposium Takes Place in Minnesota

The 40th Anniversary AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting was held in Bloomington, Minnesota, Oct 21-23. Digital copies of the Proceedings of this Symposium can be purchased through the AMSAT Store online at www.amsat.org

  • The first session was held Friday afternoon, and began with a brief welcome from AMSAT President Robert Bankston, KE4AL.
  • The first presentation was “Building a Portable Sta;on for QO-100, the Geosta;onary Satellite Es’hail-2 Carrying Amateur Radio” by Stefan Wagener, VE4SW. While QO-100 is not accessible from North America, Stefan discussed his approach to a portable station that he has taken on European vacations.
  • Randy Berger, WA0D, ARISS Director of Engineering followed with “What’s New, ARISS on ISS and Mission to the Moon with Lunar Gateway?” His presentation focused on the Student on Orbit Sensor System (SoOSS) which will send telemetry from various sensors on the ISS in a format that can be easily received and decoded in schoolrooms on Earth.
    • Randy also reported on prospects for amateur radio aboard the Lunar Gateway, a space station in a complex orbit around the moon. Opportunities exist and conversations with NASA are ongoing a the Gateway design emerges.
  • “OTA Software Update for LEO Satellites,” a presentation by Heimir Thor Sverrisson, W1ANT, discussed advantages and challenges of being able to reprogram satellites after launch with over the air updates.
  • Nick Pugh, K5QXJ, presented with details on the CAPE IV 3U satellite currently in development with input from several universities. The primary mission will focus on educational projects aimed at high school and middle school classrooms.
  • The afternoon session concluded with “Export Control and Economic Sanctions Policy” by Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT President. The presentation centered on the newly adopted ITAR/EAR policy formally adopted by the AMSAT Board at their meeting earlier in the day. The goal is to return to international cooperation in the building and launching of satellites while complying with Federal law.
  • On Saturday morning, Nick Pugh, K5QXJ, updated the Symposium on “University of Louisiana at Lafaye[e Education Initiative” which encourages primary and middle school students to get involved in satellite technology through hands-on projects.
  • Paul Graveline, K1YUB, provided and update on the AMSAT CubeSat Simulator project. The presentation included a pre-recorded video by AMSAT VP, Educational Relations Alan Johnston, KU2Y, reviewing educational events that have taken place in the previous months.
  • A GOLF TEE update was presented by Kipton Moravec, AE5IB, who is an engineering volunteer coordinating the Electonic Power Subsystem (EPS) for the first satellite in the Greater Orbit, Larger Footprint (GOLF) series, known as the Technology Exploration Environment (TEE).
  • “The AMSAT Linear Transponder Module” was presented by Burns Fisher, WB1FJ. The LTM is a multi-use transponder board set designed for universities and other partners launching cubesats who have need for a communications component. Similar to the radio systems in Fox and GOLF, the partnership provides easy downlinks for universities and a transponder for amateurs.
  • In the afternoon on Saturday, Jonathan Brandenburg, KF5IDY, AMSAT Assistant VP, Engineering presented “Building a Helmholtz Cage for Dynamic Magnetic Field Generation and CubeSat Aitude Control Testing.” Magnetorquers built to stabilize cubesats require test beds. A Helmholtz Cage provides the testing environment simulating the Earth’s magnetic field, but is not trivial to build.
  • AMSAT Board member Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO, provided a report on the reaction wheel project that will be used for 3-axis orientation of the GOLF satellites. The entire reaction wheel assembly is being constructed specifically for the project by AMSAT volunteers.
  • As the final presentation, Jerry Buxton, AMSAT VP of Engineering, gave an AMSAT Engineering Update touching on Fox, Fox+, GOLF, and other projects.

[ANS thanks Mark Johns, K0JM, 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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AMSAT Board Elects Officers

During their meeting prior to the AMSAT Symposium, on Thursday, Oct. 20, the AMSAT Board of Directors elected officers for the coming year. Those elected are:

  • Robert Bankston, KE4AL, President
  • Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, Executive Vice President
  • Jerry Buxton, N0JY, Vice President – Engineering
  • Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, Vice President – Operations
  • Alan Johnston, KU2Y, Vice President – Educational Relations
  • Vacant Position, Vice President – Member Services
  • Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, Vice President – Development
  • Steve Belter, N9IP, Treasurer
  • Jeff Davis, KE9V, Secretary

In other business, reports on current status of various functions were received from the officers. President Robert Bankston reported that AMSAT’s financial status is strong. Reduced overhead from the closing of the Washington, DC office has resulted in more funds to build & launch satellites. Also, AMSAT membership remains steady at more than 4000 members representing 75 countries.

  • Acting Secretary Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, reported that the online election of Board members ran smoothly and resulted in considerable cost savings from the mailed paper ballot system previously used.
  • Steve Belter, N9IP, AMSAT Treasurer, reported that funds on hand are sufficient to meet the needs of day-to-day operations and satellite design and building projects currently underway. He also reported that Form 990 has been filed with IRS and will be posted publicly. Outside review of the books was conducted and found complete & correct. The Board voted unanimously to accept the review from McDaniel & Associates.
  • Mark Hammond, N8MH, reported on behalf of the Operations team. He gave a rundown on the current status of various satellites now in orbit. Of particular note, FalconSat-3 is predicted to re-enter the atmosphere in the next few months, but may be made available on a limited basis until that time. Also, AO-16 is in a period of continuous sunlight, but has not yet responded to commands to switch on. The operations team will continue to try to reactivate the satellite. The operations team wishes to thank AMSAT-DL for providing telemetry from AO-109 via their 20-meter diameter dish antenna.
  • Vice President – Development, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, reported that membership in the President’s Club remains steady. Grant requests have been made and are pending. Kidzsat and BuzzSat programs are starting up. For these programs, it is important to focus on being an educational and scientific organization. “Amateur radio isn’t our purpose, it’s our reward,” he noted.
  • Mark Johns, K0JM, Senior Editor of the AMSAT News Service bulletins, reported that there is an ongoing need for volunteer editors to assist with creating and distributing the weekly bulletins. A long-term goal is to transition from plain text to html format for the email editions, but the Board expressed concerns that the bulletins remain accessible across various radio platforms, as well as via the internet. Concerns were raised about reporting of information embargoed by launch providers. AMSAT is bound by launch agreements to honor these restrictions.
  • The AMSAT Journal has been successful in digital format, however content is needed. AMSAT members are encouraged to work with the Journal editors to develop ideas and projects into articles.
  • The IT team has worked diligently on maintaining various email lists and systems. The Discord channel has several hundred members currently. AMSAT is seeking a webmaster to revamp the website for easier navigation.
  • Contests & Awards Manager, Bruce Paige, KK5DO, reported that the Gridmaster Award has been the most sought after in the past year, but other awards are holding steady. Store receipts are similar to last year.
  • At the close of the morning session, the Board adjourned for lunch.

[ANS thanks Mark Johns, K0JM, for the above information]

Financial Policy is Focus of AMSAT Board

Policy decisions surrounding finances were the focus of the afternoon session of the AMSAT Board of Directors meeting in Bloomington, Minnesota on Thursday, Oct. 20. A A Policy Proposal for the handling of financial reserves was discussed, and a revised Financial Procedures Manual was discussed at length. Final copy will be approved at an upcoming meeting.

Technical discussion was focused on development of a flight platform that could speed up testing of critical components. The platform would allow rapid testing of individual systems that can keep volunteer engineers engaged and speed deployment of new satellites. The test platform could be launched into short duration, low orbit flights that would be sufficient to verify system operation for insertion into longer duration projects, such as GOLF. Basic components could be sourced at low cost from Consumer Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components, and the AMSAT-built experimental segments can be added as needed.

[ANS thanks Mark Johns, K0JM, 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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AMSAT Board Adopts ITAR/EAR Policy

At an AMSAT Board of Directors held on Friday morning, Oct. 21, a detailed policy statement on compliance with U.S. technology export regulations. The purpose of the policy is to enable and encourage resumption of international cooperation in the building and launching of satellites while remaining within the bounds of Federal law.

International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) is “a United States regulatory regime to restrict and control the export of defense and military related technologies to safeguard U.S. national security and further U.S. foreign policy objectives,” according to the U.S. State Department.

The Export Administration Regulations (EAR) are a set of regulations administered by the U..S Commerce Department. The EAR regulates whether a person or organization may export something from the U.S. to another in a foreign country. The EAR apply to physical objects, as well as intellectual property such as technology and software.

“It’s beem more than a decade since AMSAT has collaborated with a non-U.S. organization to build and launch a satellite,” said AMSAT President Robert Bankston, KE4AL. “We need to learn how to get back to that while operating in this new legal environment.”

The new policy will give AMSAT engineering volunteers guidance on how to do their work in collaboration with international partner while remaining within the law. By clarifying the steps necessary for compliance, volunteers can be more confident about their activities.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information]

Volunteer For AMSAT

AMSAT needs qualified volunteers for a number of positions!

If you want to be a part of the solution in making AMSAT operational and work toward designing, building and finding a launch, WE NEED YOU! No pay for 5+ hours per week, but a great deal of satisfaction in knowing you are helping make something happen. We need people with wide range of technical and non-technical skills.

  • Immediate Openings
    • RF Engineer
    • Mechanical Engineers
  • Satellite Development Technical Experience
    • Thermal design
    • Power systems design
    • RF systems design
    • Internal Housekeeping Unit (IHU) systems, command, and control hardware
    • IHU software design and development
    • Especially SDR and DSP
    • PC board layout and construction
    • Systems Engineering
    • Test planning and system testing
    • Mechanical design and construction
    • Ground station software development
  • If you have hardware or software technical skills, and proven experience directly applicable to satellite design, please contact the AMSAT Vice President of Engineering (N0JY).
  • Due to the American International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be either a US Citizen or a permanent resident (ITAR Qualifications). This is not our reflection on foreign citizens, but is required by existing US law. Recent changes suggest that this restriction may soon be lifted or at least modified. If and when this happens, we will be delighted to be able to again work freely with our foreign colleagues.
  • AMSAT News and Communications — Communications through ANS and the AMSAT Journal are essential in keeping both with our members and the wider public informed. If your have good communications skills and are interested, please contact AMSAT Communications Volunteer Coordinator.
    • Join the AMSAT News Service (ANS) team as a weekly editor on a rotating schedule reporting on amateur radio in space and related activities.
    • Assistant Editor for the AMSAT Journal magazine working with authors, columnists and members developing and publishing print articles on amateur radio in space and related activities.
  • General AMSAT support
    • Web design and maintenance
    • Web site information maintenance
    • Video recording, digital conversion and editing
    • Write technical or instructional material
  • Educational activities
    • Promoting AMSAT as an Ambassador
    • Any other area you think you think you can make a difference.

AMSAT is an organization of self starters.  While we sometimes have tasks which we can assign, our most important contributions come from someone who sees a need, has the skills to solve the problem, and then goes ahead and does so.  So pick an area that you think needs improvement and explain what you will do to make it better.

AMSAT has developed a survey which gives us a good general idea of someone’s interests and experience. You can download it at https://bit.ly/3shvGV6 and fill in the information on screen. Please follow the instructions, and send it, along with any additional information you feel relevant, to volunteer [at] amsat.org.

[ANS thanks AMSAT 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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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.

Chief Whitecap Elementary School, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, telebridge via VK6MJ
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Josh Cassada KI5CRH
Contact was successful: Wed 2022-10-19 17:35:07 UTC 86 deg
Congratulations to the Chief Whitecap Elementary School students and Josh!

Canterbury School of Fort Myers, Fort Myers, FL, direct via W4LX
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Josh Cassada KI5CRH
Contact is go for: Mon 2022-10-24 17:36:16 UTC 46 deg
Watch for Livestream at https://vimeo.com/762320321

Five Bridges Junior High School, Stillwater Lake, NS, Canada, telebridge via VK4KHZ
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Josh Cassada KI5CRH
Contact is go for: Wed 2022-10-26 13:44:18 UTC 62 deg
Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/c/ARISSlive and https://nslive.tv/five-bridges-ariss

Ufa, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember is Anna Kikina
Contact is go for Sun 2022-10-30 18:45 UTC

The crossband repeater continues to be active.  If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater.  So give a listen, you just never know.

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

ND0C: We will be operating on some passes from EN41 later this week (Week of 10/17) while on our last camping trip of the season. This will again be a holiday-style rove on FM and linear sats

KC1MMC: Holiday style or message for pass between laps at Poconos raceway. FN21. Oct 22,23. Hopefully a pass or two in FN33 on the way back on. Oct 24th.

KD8CAO: ke8rju   kd8cao  and  K8DP are headed to @AMSAT  Space Symposium. Plan is to stop in Wisconsin tomorrow (10/20), EN43 or EN44, See twitter for details.

[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.

No events are scheduled at this time.

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

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Three NASA astronauts and a European flier boarded their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, undocked from the International Space Station and plunged back to Earth Friday, splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean east of Jacksonville to close out a 170-day mission. With Crew 4 commander Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS, and co-pilot Bob Hines monitoring cockpit displays, flanked by Jessica Watkins and European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF, the Crew Dragon “Freedom” undocked from the Harmony module’s upper port at 17:05z. Descending under four large parachutes, the capsule gently splashed down off Florida’s east coast at 21:55z, within sight of a SpaceX recovery ship stationed nearby. (ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information)

+ China is preparing to launch the final missions to complete its three-module Tiangong space station which it plans to keep constantly occupied for at least a decade. A Long March 5B is being assembled and tested at Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on the southern island of Hainan. The 849-metric-ton rocket is expected to launch the third and final module for the Tiangong space station at the end of October. After insertion into orbit by the Long March 5B first stage, Mengtian will rendezvous and dock with Tiangong, joining two earlier modules—the Tianhe core module and Wentian experiment module—in orbit to complete the Tiangong space station. (ANS thanks Space News for the above information)

+ NASA is ready to resume spacewalks outside the International Space Station after completing an investigation of water found in a spacesuit during a spacewalk earlier this year. The agency said Oct. 18 it expected to resume spacewalks at the station in mid-November after tracking down the source of a thin layer of water that pooled on the visor of European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer at the end of a March 23 spacewalk. The investigation, which included returning the spacesuit Maurer wore to Earth for analysis on a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft in August, concluded there was no specific hardware flaw with the suit itself. Instead, NASA blamed “integrated system performance where several variables such as crew exertion and crew cooling settings led to the generation of comparatively larger than normal amounts of condensation within the system.” NASA says that, in response, it has updated procedures and developed “new mitigation hardware” to minimize water accumulation and to absorb any water that does accumulate in the helmet. With those measures, NASA says spacewalks can resume on the station. (ANS thanks Space News for the above information)

+ Richard Branson’s small satellite service provider Virgin Orbit Holdings Inc (VORB.O) will be doing its first launch from European soil within the next six weeks, its founder said on Oct. 18. “Virgin Orbit can launch satellites into space from anywhere in the world into any orbit at a days notice,” Branson said during a press conference in Milan, Italy. “We are doing the first launch from European soil into space within the next six weeks … from Cornwall,” he added. (ANS thanks Reuters 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, Mark Johns, K0JM
k0jm at amsat dot org

ANS-261 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Sept. 18

by

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:

  • FCC Proposes ‘Five-Year Rule’ For Dead Satellite Disposal
  • 40th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting, Oct. 21 – 22
  • Final Call for Papers for 2022 AMSAT Space Symposium
  • 2022 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Results
  • Everything Ready for the Launch of the New GENESIS – Updated
  • Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for Sept. 15
  • ARISS News
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
  • Satellite Shorts From All Over

ANS-261 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 Sept. 18

FCC Proposes ‘Five-Year Rule’ For Dead Satellite Disposal

The Federal Communications Commission wants to do something about space junk in low Earth orbit. On Sept. 8, the agency published a proposal that, if adopted, would put a deadline on how long non-geostationary satellites can stay in space.

As things stand, voluntary NASA guidelines published in the 1990s recommend that dead satellites should be deorbited within 25 years. The FCC wants to adopt a five-year rule that would require domestic satellite operators and companies that want access to the U.S. market to dispose of their non-functioning satellites as soon as they can. “We believe it is no longer sustainable to leave satellites in LEO [low Earth orbit] to deorbit over decades,” the FCC states in its proposal.

Satellites already in space would be exempt from the FCC’s guidelines. The Commission is also proposing there be a two-year grandfathering period that start on September 29th, the day it plans to vote on the regulation. That carveout would give organizations that previously obtained approval for a future satellite launch time to develop a disposal plan for their spacecraft. The FCC said it would also grant waivers case-by-case after NASA expressed concern that the five-year limit would impact its CubeSat missions.

The proposal comes as the number of satellites in low Earth orbit is expected to increase over the next few years dramatically. With contributions from companies like SpaceX, Amazon and OneWeb, as many as 18,000 new satellites could be floating above the planet by 2025. Those satellites will not only make it more challenging to observe the night sky, but the probability of a potential crash will increase too.

[ANS thanks Engadget 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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40th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting, Oct. 21 – 22

The 40th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will take place in Bloomington, Minnesota on Oct. 21-22, 2022. Highlights of all scheduled events include:

– AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting, October 20-21
– 40th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting, October 21-22
– Friday Night Social and Auction, October 21
– AMSAT Banquet and Reception, October 22
– AMSAT Ambassador Breakfast, October 23

A preliminary schedule is available on the AMSAT Member Portal, https://launch.amsat.org/, under the Events tab.

Crowne Plaza is located adjacent to the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport and provides complimentary, scheduled shuttle to and from the airport. Nearby attractions include Mall of America with Nickelodeon Universe Theme park, Target Field, and the Minnesota Zoo.

You can make hotel reservations by calling the hotel directly at (952) 854-9000. The group code is ASG (Amateur Satellite Group). Hotel reservations can also be made online at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/ANS-219-Symposium-Rooms
But don’t wait to reserve your room! The offer for specially reduced room rates for Symposium attendees ends on September 28. Make your reservation today to make sure you have a room and at the best possible price.

Symposium tickets and banquet reservations may be purchased on the AMSAT Member Portal. Log into https://launch.amsat.org/ and clock on the Events tab.

We at AMSAT, are excited to be able to host an in-person Symposium this year. We hope that you can join us in celebrating Amateur Radio in Space.

[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information.]

Final Call for Papers for 2022 AMSAT Space Symposium

This is the final call for papers for the 40th annual AMSAT Space Symposium to be held on the weekend of October 21-22, 2022 at the Crowne Plaza Suites hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Proposals for symposium papers and presentations are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite community. We request a tentative title of your presentation as soon as possible, with final copy submitted by October 14 for inclusion in the symposium proceedings. Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan Schultz, N8FGV at [email protected]

[ANS thanks Dan Schultz, N8FGV, Symposium Program Manager, 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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2022 AMSAT Board of Directors Election Results

The 2022 AMSAT Board of Directors Election period ended on September 15, 2022.

As a result of the election, Mark Hammond, N8MH, Bruce Paige, KK5DO, and Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, have been duly elected to a two year term on the Board of Directors.
The results of the voting with 407 ballots cast are as follows:

Mark Hammond, N8MH 381
Bruce Paige, KK5DO 378
Paul Stoetzer, N8HM 378

The membership of the AMSAT Board of Directors for 2022-2023 is:

Joseph Armbruster, KJ4JIO
Robert Bankston, KE4AL
Jerry Buxton, N0JY
Mark Hammond, N8MH
Zach Metzinger, N0ZGO
Bruce Paige, KK5DO
Paul Stoetzer, N8HM

Thank you all for participating in this year’s election process.

[ANS thanks Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, AMSAT Executive VP, for the above information]

Everything Ready for the Launch of the New GENESIS – Updated

Everything is ready at the Vanderberg air base in California (USA), for the takeoff of the second flight of the Firefly Alpha launcher that will put, among others, the GENESIS-G/ASTROLAND-1 and GENESIS-J/ASTROLAND-2 satellites into orbit of AMSAT-EA.

The scheduled time for takeoff is 07:00 UTC on Monday, September 19 (delayed from Sept. 11). The planned orbit is 300 km with an inclination of 137 degrees.

The frequencies coordinated with IARU are the following:

GENESIS-G/ASTROLAND-1

145.875 MHz uplink, Modes: FM voice (no subtone) and FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200 / 2400 bps
436.888 MHz downlink, Modes: FM voice, CW, FSK 50 bps, FM voice beacon with AM2SAT callsign

GENESIS-J/ASTROLAND-2

145.925 MHz uplink, Modes: FM voice (no subtone) and FSK 50 bps, AFSK, AX.25, APRS 1200 / 2400 bps
436.666 MHz downlink, Modes: FM voice, CW FSK 50 bps, SSTV Robot 36, FM voice beacon with AM3SAT callsign

Update – Launch scheduled for the 19th at 7:00 UTC.

More information on the Every Day Astronaut website: https://everydayastronaut.com/flta002-to-the-black-alpha/

The launch can be followed live at the following YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pics_iuBv9s

[ANS thanks AMSAT-EA 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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Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for Sept. 15

Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated Thursday evenings around 2300 UTC, or more frequently if new high interest satellites are launched. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/

The NORAD Catalog ID for following satellite has been changed in this week’s AMSAT-NA TLE distribution:

GREENCUBE is now identified as object NORAD Cat ID 53106 (Thanks to Nico Janssen, PA0DLO for this identification).

The NORAD Cat ID for MTCube 2 is not clear at this time.

[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, 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.

Amur State University, Blagoveshchensk, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS, and the scheduled crewmember is Sergey Prokopyev. Contact is go for Monday 2022-09-26 08:20 UTC.

Aznakaevo School TBD, Aznakaevo, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD. The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS and the scheduled crewmember is Dmitry Petlin. Contact is go for Saturday 2022-10-01 13:50 UTC.

Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS, continues to be making general contacts on the cross-band repeater. He is using NA1SS. If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.

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

KJ7DZ: CN74 roving trip booked. Sept 22 – 24. More info will be posted as time gets closer

N4DCW: Four of the next six weekends (starting week of 9/7) look to be full of SOTA summits! Alerts are posted, and depending on timing should include some @Sats_and_SOTA when possible. Look for me this weekend in EM85. Details at https://twitter.com/MWimages/status/1567502526781575169

San Andrés Island (EK92) on FM satellites front 9/15 to 9/26. Details at https://twitter.com/RadioOSG/status/1567193764405411842

W8LR: EM68 and EM69, will try gridline, but if not accessible, then EM68. Watch Twitter for details. 9/18/22 11:00z

LA7XK / JW7XK: Starting in the evening on Oct. 5 ending in the morning on Oct. 10. I will be QRV on RS-44 from Longyearbyen on Svalbard. Locator is JQ78tf.

[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.

AMSAT Ambassador Schedules:

Tom Zimmerman, W9TTY, will be exhibiting for AMSAT at the Chicago FM Club Radio Expo in Belvidere, Illinois on Saturday, September 25, 2022.

Clint Bradford, K6CLS: “How to Work the “Easy” Satellites” talks:

Part of the “job description” for volunteer AMSAT Ambassadors is to “spread the gospel” of working satellites to clubs and conventions.

In the next few weeks I have such Zoom presentations lined up for:
SOARA – South Orange County, CA
Boston ARC
Tristate Amateur Radio Society – Evansville,Indiana
Northern CA DX Club
San Gorgonio Pass ARC

Think a 90-minute lively, informative, and fun “How to Work the Easy Satellites” Zoom presentation would be appropriate for your convention or club? Always included are overviews of the ARRL, AMSAT, and ARISS. And pre-presentation questions are always welcome.

Send an email or call!

Clint Bradford K6LCS
AMSAT Ambassador
909-999-SATS
http://www.work-sat.com

Scheduled Events with AMSAT involvement:

Hamfests and Conventions

+ 41st ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC)
September 16–18, 2022
Hilton Charlotte Airport Hotel
Charlotte, North Carolina
https://tapr.org

+ CFMC’S Radio Expo: Northern Illinois’ Largest Hamfest
Sunday, September 25th
Boone County Fairgrounds
8791 IL-76
Belvidere, IL
Flyer at: https://bit.ly/3RFtr8O

+ 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

+ 2022 AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium
October 8–9, 2022
Kents Hill Park Conference Centre
Milton Keynes
https://rsgb.org/main/about-us/rsgb-convention/

+ 40th Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting
October 21–22, 2022
The Crowne Plaza Suites
3 Appletree Square, Bloomington, MN
https://launch.amsat.org/event-4922878

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

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ A very nice interface application connecting SatPC32 to N3FJP’s ACLog logging software has been created by Carsten Groen, OZ9AAR. This program acts as a “gateway” between SatPC32 and ACLog and sends the relevant live data (ie. SAT_NAME and PROP_MODE) from SatPC32 to ACLog. Thus, you do not need to fill any data about the satellite and mode manually into ACLog, and everything is entered correctly for using ACLog’s automatic LoTW upload feature. Full details and download at https://bit.ly/3BdrM3L (ANS thanks Carsten Groen, OZ9AAR, for the above information)

+ A small spacecraft designed to test out key components of NASA’s Artemis program to the Moon has run into trouble in space. The CAPSTONE probe is expected to act as a pathfinder for NASA’s Gateway — a small space station designed to orbit the Moon and act as a jumping-off point for crewed missions to the surface. CAPSTONE’s mission centered around testing a never-before-used orbit to learn more about its stability before sending the Gateway to it. Advanced Space, which operates CAPSTONE, said in a statement Monday that the spacecraft is in “safe mode” after an engine burn last week and appears to be in a “stable orbit.” Mission managers are hoping to perform a “detumble” that will allow the spacecraft to orient itself in space again, pointing its solar panels to the Sun and charging its batteries. [The AMSAT Board of Directors has made a commitment to support amateur radio’s inclusion on NASA’s Gateway, a small spaceship in orbit around the Moon with living quarters for astronauts, a lab for science and research, ports for visiting spacecraft, and more.] (ANS thanks Axios Space for the above information)

+ As anticipated, last Wednesday, Sept. 7, Apple announced that the new iPhone 14 will be able to send SOS messages and current location coordinates to Apple, Emergency Services, and Emergency Contacts via Globalstar satellites. Apple is dedicating $450M toward satellite infrastructure, covering 95% of the system’s cost, and will use up to 85%(!) of Globalstar’s network capacity. Due to limited bandwidth and the characteristics of cell phone antennas, users will need to point their phone at a satellite using a new UI and will select from a set of pre-written messages instead of sending free-form texts. (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information)

+ Also related to satellites and cell phones, AST SpaceMobile’s Bluewalker-3 satellite launched on Saturday, Sept. 10. Bluewalker-3 is a test for an eventual 110-satellite constellation that would provide global cell phone coverage, “using 3GPP low-band cellular frequencies and Q/V-band frequencies” (it has an FCC experimental license). Concerns have been raised, however, about the satellite’s potentially- unprecedented brightness (> Venus), with a reflective and record-setting 64 m2 antenna. Even larger satellites are intended for the company’s final constellation! (ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information)

+ The AMSAT-UK Colloquium Committee has issued its final call for speakers for the AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2022 AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium will be held as part of the RSGB Convention on October 8-9 at the Kents Hill Park Conference Centre, Timbold Drive, Milton Keynes, MK7 6BZ  https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/  AMSAT-UK invite speakers, about amateur radio, space and associated activities, for this event. Submissions should be sent via e-mail: to dave at g4dpz.me.uk (ANS thanks David Johnson, G4DPZ, 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, Mark Johns, K0JM
k0jm at amsat dot org