ANS-121 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for May 1

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-121

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 Hamvention Update
  • AMSAT Represented at the 2022 CubeSat Developers Workshop
  • FO-29 Now Eclipsing, Upcoming Operations Schedule Posted
  • ARISS News
  • Upcoming Satellite Operations
  • Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
  • Satellite Shorts From All Over

ANS-121 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 May 1

AMSAT Hamvention Update

The Dayton Hamvention is just three weeks away! It is time to be creating your shopping list and making your travel plans. AMSAT’s presence will be felt in with eight adjoining booths in Building 1. Highlighting the exhibit will be:

– CubeSat Simulator hardware and software demonstrations
– SatPC software demonstrations
– AMSAT Engineering staff question and answer table
– AMSAT Youth Initiative (KidzSat) introduction
– OSCAR ground station for live satellite operations
– Annual Membership sign-up and renewals
– AMSAT President’s Club recognition
– AMSAT Board of Directors and Senior Officers Meet and Greet
– AMSAT Store offering AMSAT trinkets, books and Arrow Antennas

In past years, we had 30 people assist with the AMSAT booth at Dayton. We’ve had a good response so far to our call for volunteers, but we could really use another 10-15 people. The 2022 Hamvention is May 20-22 in Xenia, Ohio. Would you consider helping AMSAT at the Hamvention this year?

The interaction with AMSAT members, satellite operators, designers, and builders makes the whole experience a lot of fun. Meet or renew acquaintances, exchange operating tips, and find out what antennas, software and equipment other AMSAT members use. We currently expect the AMSAT senior officers and board members to be there too.

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

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

Whether you’re available for only a couple of hours or if you can spend the entire weekend with us, your help would be greatly appreciated. Please send an e-mail to Phil, (w1eme[at]amsat[dot]org if you can help. Thank you!

AMSAT/TAPR Banquet will honor the life of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR

The 13th annual AMSAT/TAPR Banquet will be held at the Kohler Presidential Banquet Center on Friday, May 20th at 18:30 EDT. This dinner is always a highlight of the AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corp.) and TAPR (Tucson Amateur Packet Radio) activities during the Dayton Hamvention. This year’s banquet will honor the life and accomplishments of long time amateur satellite and amateur packet pioneer Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, who passed away in February.

The Kohler Presidential Banquet Center is located at 4548 Presidential Way, Kettering, Ohio. That is about 20 minutes away from the Greene County Fairgrounds.

Tickets ($57 each) may be purchased from the AMSAT store. The banquet ticket purchase deadline is Friday, May 13th. Banquet tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be sold at the AMSAT booth. There will be no tickets to pick up at the AMSAT booth. Tickets purchased on-line will be maintained on a list with check-in at the door at the banquet center. Seating is limited to the number of meals reserved with the Kohler caterers based on the number of tickets sold by the deadline.
Register today at https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-tapr-joint-hamvention-banquet-registration/

[ANS thanks Phil Smith, W1EME, AMSAT Hamvention Team Leader, AMSAT News & TAPR 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 Represented at the 2022 CubeSat Developers Workshop

The 2022 CubeSat Developers Workshop was held in person for the first time since 2019 on the campus of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California on April 26th-28th. AMSAT hosted an exhibitor booth at the event and was represented by Vice President – Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY, and Assistant Vice President – Engineering Jonathan Brandenburg, KF5IDY.

During the event, discussions were held with students and others developing CubeSats about educational partnership opportunities, AMSAT’s LTM-1 linear transponder communications system as an option for their RF, and volunteer opportunities with AMSAT.

AMSAT also met with officials from NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP) regarding options and possibilities for future GOLF missions above LEO.

Stay tuned for more updates in a future Engineering Update column in The AMSAT Journal.

[ANS thanks AMSAT Vice President – Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY, 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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FO-29 Now Eclipsing, Upcoming Operations Schedule Posted

Regarding Fuji 3 (FO-29), we are currently in a situation where continuous operation is not possible as the satellite is eclipsing on every orbit and the condition of the batteries does not permit continuous operation. From now on, we will enter the eclipse period for about 3 months. It will be fully sunlit from August to next spring, so continuous operation will be possible.

This eclipse period is about 3 months, and the maximum eclipse percentage is about 20%.

The operation from the end of April to the end of May will from when the analog transponder is turned on until the transponder is turned off by UVC (undervoltage control).

[Scheduled time to turn on the analog transponder of Fuji 3 (UTC)]

May
1 09:55
7 09:45
8 08:45
14 10:18
21 09:10 22:00
22 09:55
27 23:28
28 09:35

[ANS thanks JARL for the above information]

ARISS News

No contacts currently scheduled

Axiom AX-1 back on earth

Congratulations on a job well done!

Michael López-Alegría
Larry Connor
Mark Pathy KO4WFH
Eytan Stibbe 4Z9SPC

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

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

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

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

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AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur
Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to
be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit.

Support AMSAT’s projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/

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Upcoming Satellite Operations

WL7T: EL84, June 24-27

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

ND9M/MM: I’m on my merchant marine ship anchored just off Saipan and expect to be here a few weeks. I’m on from the ship as ND9M/MM in QK25, but I’ll try to be QRV as ND9M/KHØ from the island itself over the next few weekends, probably Fridays in the afternoon and evening, possibly Saturday evenings as well. I’ll post my island activities on Twitter (@ND9M) as they firm up

N8MR: EN 57,67,56 8/6 through 8/13. More to come as date gets closer.

Hawaii!: K5ZM is heading to HI on May 16-26

[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.

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

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

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

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Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff
from our Zazzle store!
25% of the purchase price of each product goes
towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space
https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear

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Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ On April 28th, DO-64 (Delfi-C3) celebrated 14 years of operation in orbit. Although the linear transponder failed several years ago, the satellite continues to transmit telemetry. [ANS thanks DelfiSpace for the information]

+ The Netflix show Yakamoz S-245 features a mission control room. On one of the PC screens, both the FUNcube Dashboard and SatPC32 are visible. [ANS thanks 2M0SQL and PA3WEG for the information]

+ The SpaceX Crew-4 mission arrived at the International Space Station at 23:37 UTC on April 27, 2022 with Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS, Robert Hines, KI5RQT, Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF, and Jessica Watkins on board. [ANS thanks NASA for the 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,

Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
n8hm at amsat dot org

ANS-114 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins for Apr. 24

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-114

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: anseditor [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 Hamvention Update
* MIR-SAT 1 (MO112) Has De-orbited
* Ron Parsons, W5RKN SK April 19, 2022
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

ANS-114 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

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

DATE 2022 Apr 24

AMSAT Hamvention Update

The Dayton Hamvention is four weeks away! It is time to be creating your shopping list and making your travel plans. AMSAT’s presence will be felt in with eight adjoining booths in Building 1. Highlighting the exhibit will be:

– CubeSat Simulator hardware and software demonstrations
– SatPC software demonstrations
– AMSAT Engineering staff question and answer table
– AMSAT Youth Initiative (KidzSat) introduction
– OSCAR ground station for live satellite operations
– Annual Membership sign-up and renewals
– AMSAT President’s Club recognition
– AMSAT Board of Directors and Senior Officers Meet and Greet
– AMSAT Store offering AMSAT trinkets, books and Arrow Antennas

In past years, we had 30 people assist with the AMSAT booth at Dayton. We’ve had a good response so far to our call for volunteers, but we could really use another 10-15 people. The 2022 Hamvention is May 20-22 in Xenia, Ohio.  Would you consider helping AMSAT at the Hamvention this year?

The interaction with AMSAT members, satellite operators, designers, and builders makes the whole experience a lot of fun. Meet or renew acquaintances, exchange operating tips, and find out what antennas, software and equipment other AMSAT members use. We currently expect the AMSAT senior officers and board members to be there too.

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

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

Whether you’re available for only a couple of hours or if you can spend the entire weekend with us, your help would be greatly appreciated. Please send an e-mail to Phil, (w1eme[at]amsat[dot]org if you can help.  Thank you!

AMSAT/TAPR Banquet will honor the life of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR

The 13th annual AMSAT/TAPR Banquet will be held at the Kohler Presidential Banquet Center on Friday, May 20th at 18:30 EDT. This dinner is always a highlight of the AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corp.) and TAPR (Tucson Amateur Packet Radio) activities during the Dayton Hamvention. This year’s banquet will honor the life and accomplishments of long time amateur satellite and amateur packet pioneer Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, who passed away in February.

The Kohler Presidential Banquet Center is located at 4548 Presidential Way, Kettering, Ohio. That is about 20 minutes away from the Greene County Fairgrounds.

Tickets ($57 each) may be purchased from the AMSAT store. The banquet ticket purchase deadline is Friday, May 13th. Banquet tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be sold at the AMSAT booth. There will be no tickets to pick up at the AMSAT booth. Tickets purchased on-line will be maintained on a list with check-in at the door at the banquet center. Seating is limited to the number of meals reserved with the Kohler caterers based on the number of tickets sold by the deadline.
Register today at https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-tapr-joint-hamvention-banquet-registration/

[ANS thanks Phil Smith, W1EME, AMSAT Hamvention Exhibit organizer, AMSAT News & TAPR 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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MIR-SAT 1 (MO112) Has De-orbited

Jean Marc Momple, 3B8DU reports: “It seems to be confirmed that MIR-SAT 1 re-entered.

The last valid telemetry signals of MIR-SAT 1 (worldwide) was received in Mauritius with the UoM  ground station by YOG-3B8 (Dr Yogesh Beeharry, Lecturer of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Mauritius). Yogesh, member of this forum led a team of UoM students who build their own ground station. This was at 01:36 Hrs local time this morning and JA0CAW (Tetsu, an experience Satellite HAM) confirmed to me by mail that no signals was received from MIR-SAT 1 at 05:03 (MRU time). More many other regular reporting HAMs confirmed to me that no signals received from our bird today.

This confirms that MIR-SAT 1 re-entered between 01:36 and 05:03 Hrs and probably burned up around 110Km in a blast of flame, unfortunately the location is not known as mainly over oceans during the time window.
I also confirm that a few minutes before last observation from Yogesh that I received the TLM of MIR-SAT 1 and also made successful Digipeats through it (see attached screenshot), the bird was at about 160km altitude at that time, this was my farewell to MO-112.

Congratulations to Yogesh to be the last recorded person on this planet to have successfully decoded our 3B8 bird.
RIP MIR-SAT 1, you have been a great tool for educational and HAM experiments.

One page turned and the next (better) opens, MIR-SAT 2 ??? why not?, just a question of vision, willingness, motivation and hard work  73, Jean Marc, 3B8DU”

[ANS thanks Jean Marc Momple, 3B8DU 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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Ron Parsons, W5RKN SK April 19, 2022

From Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT President:

“Ron has been an important part of amateur radio in space and his passion for implementing Flex Radio Systems.  If you are not familiar with his work, please take time to visit his website, http://www.w5rkn.com/.

A memorial service will be held at 3pm on Saturday, April 23rd at the Remembrance Gardens at Riverbend (4214 Capital of TX Hwy, N, Austin, TX 78746).

For those unable to attend in person, you may attend via Zoom (https://austinisd-org.zoom.us/j/83862240962?pwd=NS80SWJTaUFCNGpVdWRteU1MUmlTdz09).

Obituary will be posted here: https://www.centraltexascremation.com/obituaries/

Biography: https://web2.ph.utexas.edu/utphysicshistory/RonGParsons.html

From Rick Lawn K2JAZ:

“I regret to inform the satellite community that our good friend, who many of us relied on for advice, or a new grid square, passed away on Tuesday, April 19th at the age of 84. Not long ago I recall he earned the distinction of Grid Master and had been an active member of AMSAT for decades. He was instrumental in arranging for at least two ARISS contacts with Austin, TX schools and wrote an important paper on Doppler shift that has been referenced on countless occasions. Ron also was a strong advocate for the use of SDR equipment for satellite communications and had recently contributed, along with co-authors, a number of articles on related subjects to the AMSAT Journal. I am sure that he will be greatly missed by many of us. Donations in his name and memory can be made to any charity.”

[ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT President and Rick Lawn, W2JAZ 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.

No school contacts are on the immediate schedule.

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

Quick Hits:

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

+ Hawaii!: K5ZM is heading to HI on May 16-26.

+ WL7T: EL84, June 24-27.

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

+ N8MR: EN 57,67,56 8/6 through 8/13. More to come as date gets closer.

Major Roves:

+ Eastern Nevada: AD7DB to visit Eastern Nevada, DM25, DM26, DM27, DM28, DM29, DM36, and maybe DM37 and DM38. April 25 through April 30th 2022. List of passes at https://bit.ly/3OG3jdt

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

Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for April 21, 2022

The following satellites have decayed from orbit and has been removed from this week’s AMSAT-NA TLE distribution.

STARS-EC NORAD Cat ID 47928 (decayed form orbit on 4/15/2022 per Space-Track).
OPUSAT-II NORAD Cat ID 47930 (decayed form orbit on 4/15/2022 per Space-Track).
MO-112 (MIR-SAT 1) NORAD Cat ID 48868 (decayed form orbit on 4/18/2022 per Space-Track).

[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.

AMSAT Ambassador Schedules

Scheduled Events with AMSAT involvement:

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

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

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

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

Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ Ax-1. Commanded by Spanish-American Michael Lopez-Alegria on his fifth trip to the ISS, and accompanied by pilot Larry Connor (US) and mission specialists Eytan Stibbe (Israel) and Mark Pathy (Canada), Ax-1 has conducted the first all-commercial crewed mission to the station. Delayed by weather, the team will soon depart the ISS and will splash down off the coast of Florida after spending about 10 days in space and a bit more than a week on the ISS. More at https://bit.ly/3v37PdT [ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information]

+ SLS Wet Dress Rehearsal update. After three attempts, each ending in an abort, unexpectedly high lox temperatures, a helium check valve failure on the SLS’s second stage, and a hydrogen leak on the mobile platform’s service mast umbilical. NASA is now rolling the fully stacked SLS back to the VAB to fix some of these issues and upgrade the mobile launcher’s gaseous nitrogen (GN2) supply. What was optimistically supposed to be a two-day test took three weeks, and Artemis I is probably not launching before the end of the summer (although NASA said Monday that they are currently hoping to make a beginning of July launch window). We definitely want to see Artemis I go well (especially for those 10 plucky little rideshare science missions), and these growing pains are better worked out now than on a future crewed mission, but the whole thing just feels kind of arduous. More at https://bit.ly/3v37PdT [ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information]

+ The Great Solar Eclipse of 2024. Perhaps we’re getting ahead of ourselves, but it pays to start planning early. Where will you be in approximately two years? Andrew had the chance to watch 2017’s total solar eclipse from Idaho and was blown away by how visceral the experience was, complete with a storm of moths that materialized out of nowhere as if through transient solar abiogenesis. For those of us in North America, the next (and last until 2044) opportunity for a total solar eclipse is on April 8th, 2024. You don’t want to miss this! More at https://bit.ly/3v37PdT [ANS thanks The Orbital Index for the above information]

+ ULA begins stacking Atlas 5 rocket for Boeing’s Starliner test flight. Final assembly of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket began Wednesday with the hoisting of a first stage booster onto a mobile launch platform at Cape Canaveral, kicking off a campaign to prepare for liftoff May 19 on a delayed unpiloted test flight of Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule. ULA’s ground team raised the Atlas first stage off its trailer transporter, and a crane lifted the rocket into the Vertical Integration Facility Wednesday morning. The 107-foot-tall (33-meter) rocket stage was then lowered onto the Atlas 5’s mobile launch platform inside the integration building just south of ULA’s launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41. The milestone event Wednesday, known as Launch Vehicle On Stand, will be followed in the coming days by the addition of two strap-on AJ-60A solid rocket boosters made by Aerojet Rocketdyne. Then a dual-engine Centaur upper stage will be raised on top of the Atlas first stage to complete the initial build-up of the launcher. In early May, Boeing and ULA will move the Starliner spacecraft from its hangar at the Kennedy Space Center to the VIF for stacking atop the Atlas 5. The launch preparations will culminate in rollout of the Atlas 5 rocket and Starliner spacecraft to pad 41 on May 18. Liftoff to begin Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test 2 mission to the International Space Station is scheduled for 6:54 p.m. EDT (2254 GMT). More at https://bit.ly/3vCZkpe [ANS thanks Stephen Clark, 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 arrl dot org

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

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-093

The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org

You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/

In this edition:

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

ANS-093 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

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

DATE 2022 Apr 3

AMSAT at the Dayton Hamvention — Call for Volunteers

The Dayton Hamvention is six weeks away!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[ANS thanks ARISS-USA for the above information]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows,
and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through
AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.
https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/

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VUCC Upgrades/Endorsements for April 1, 2022

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

Congratulations to the new VUCC holders.

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

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

New GridMasters

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

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

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

Congratulations to the newest GridMasters!

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

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

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

ARISS News

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

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be DPØISS
The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz
The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html
The scheduled crewmember is Matthias Maurer KI5KFH

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

Space Hardware Club, Huntsville, Alabama, direct via K4UAH

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The downlink frequency is presently scheduled to be 145.800 MHz
The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html
The scheduled crewmember is Thomas Marshburn KE5HOC

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

Exp. 64 back on earth

Pyotr Dubrov
Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP

Exp. 65 back on earth

Anton Shkaplerov

Congratulations to all for a job well done

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

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

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

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

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AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an Amateur
Radio package, including two-way communication capability, to
be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit.

Support AMSAT’s projects today at https://www.amsat.org/donate/

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Upcoming Satellite Operations

KX9X and N9NCY:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events

AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.

N4HF will be at the following event:

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

Other events with a scheduled AMSAT presence:

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

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

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

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

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Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff
from our Zazzle store!
25% of the purchase price of each product goes
towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space
https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear

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Satellite Shorts From All Over

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

* Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
* Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate.
* Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
* Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.

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

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor,

Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
n8hm at amsat dot org

AMSAT/TAPR Banquet To Be Held in Honor of Bob Bruninga, WB4APR

The 13th annual AMSAT/TAPR Banquet will be held at the Kohler Presidential Banquet Center on Friday, May 20th at 18:30 EDT. This dinner is always a highlight of the AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corp.) and TAPR (Tucson Amateur Packet Radio) activities during the Dayton Hamvention. This year’s banquet will honor the life and accomplishments of long time amateur satellite and amateur packet pioneer Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, who passed away in February.

The Kohler Presidential Banquet Center is located at 4548 Presidential Way, Kettering, Ohio – about 20 minutes away from the Greene County Fairgrounds.

Tickets ($57 each) may be purchased from the AMSAT store. The banquet ticket purchase deadline is Friday, May 13th. Banquet tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be sold at the AMSAT booth. There will be no tickets to pick up at the AMSAT booth. Tickets purchased on-line will be maintained on a list with check-in at the door at the banquet center. Seating is limited to the number of meals reserved with the Kohler caterers based on the number of tickets sold by the deadline.

Click here to register now

[ANS thanks AMSAT & TAPR for the above information]