Out of This World Auction Sponsored by ARISS

The ARISS-US team (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) will auction two very unusual items in its first-ever auction!  Picture yourself as the winning bidder and proud owner of a unique JVC Kenwood TS-890S signed by astronauts!  Or, you could be top bidder on a special astronaut-signed 6-volume boxed set 2019 ARRL Handbook!

Bidding starts April 8th at 12:00 UTC and ends April 14th at 22:00 UTC.

You could own this one-of-a-kind beautiful Kenwood TS-890S; your ham station would boast the only Kenwood in the world showcasing astronaut signatures.  Your top bid on the limited edition boxed-set 2019 ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications would mean your bookshelf includes astronaut signatures among your book collection.

JVC Kenwood, a proud supporter of ARISS, generously gave a brand new TS-890S for ARISS to auction.  They first offered the radio for sale in the US in the last half of 2018.  Kenwood has been a super supporter of ARISS for years, and it was the company’s idea for this radio, with astronaut signatures, to be an exclusive that just one ham operator could own! The company hopes you’ll be a bidder who wants to support ARISS.

The limited edition 2019 ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications sold out fast once ARRL posted their ad.  It was the first time that ARRL divided the Handbook into volumes, which nestle in a hard slipcase.  ARRL, an ARISS sponsor along with AMSAT and NASA, saved back one boxed set to give ARISS for the fund-raiser auction.

When you bid in this auction you could be the crucial person who helps ARISS launch its new custom-built higher-power radio system in 2019 with its voice repeater and improved packet APRS and SSTV capability that thousands of hams enjoy. The new system will replace the aging, problematic units currently on the ISS.  You may be the winning bidder who helps ARISS continue introducing ham radio to thousands of students, teachers, parents, and whole communities—and inspiring students about science, technology, engineering, math, and radio!

Don’t forget; set yourself a reminder: bidding starts April 8th at 12:00 UTC and ends April 14th at 22:00 UTC.

Be the winning bidder for one or both of these two exclusive offerings and you’ll own a rare article that makes your ham station a classic!  More auction details will soon be posted at www.ariss.orgincluding that winning bidders will be responsible for shipping costs and for handling any required customs paperwork.  ARISS thanked JVC Kenwood and ARRL for their generous support.

And if you don’t do auctions, please contribute a donation to help ARISS launch its new radio system into space—look for the Donate button near the top right corner of the www.ariss.org page. Thank you!                                                                                                                      

About ARISS

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS).  In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the Center for the Advancement of Science in space (CASIS) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or public forms. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org.

Also join us on Facebook: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)

Follow us on Twitter: ARISS_status

Media Contact:

Dave Jordan, AA4KN
ARISS PR

[email protected]

AMSAT Announces 50th Anniversary Space Symposium in Washington, DC

The 2019 AMSAT 50th Anniversary Symposium will be held at The Hilton Arlington in Arlington, VA, in the Washington, DC Metro Area on October 18, 19, and 20, 2019.

The Hilton Arlington is located in the heart of the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington, VA. Connected to the Ballston Metro Station, the hotel offers easy and effortless access to Washington, DC’s top tourist destinations like the National Mall, Smithsonian museums and historic monuments. The hotel is six miles from Reagan National Airport and the National Mall.

The AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting will be held at the hotel on  October 16th and 17th. Tours of the Washington DC / Baltimore area will be held Sunday and Monday, October 20th and 21st. The banquet speakers will celebrate AMSAT’s long history, so please plan on attending the 50th Anniversary Symposium. You will be glad you did!

Keep checking ANS and the AMSAT Website for further updates and information, including hotel reservation details.

Es’hail-2/P4A Designated Qatar-OSCAR 100 (QO-100)

On November 15, 2018, Es’hail-2/P4A was launched on a Falcon 9 launch vehicle from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida. Es’hail-2/P4A was developed jointly by QARS (Qatar Amateur Radio Society) and Es’hailSat (the Qatar Satellite Company), with AMSAT-DL as the technical lead, and is the first geostationary amateur radio payload. The satellite has reached its final position at 25.9 °E, and the narrow and wideband transponders were successfully tested on December 23rd. The transponders are expected to be opened for general use in February 2019.

At the request of AMSAT Deutschland e.V., QARS, and Es’hailSat, AMSAT hereby designates Es’hail-2/P4A as Qatar-OSCAR 100 (QO-100). May the
100th OSCAR satellite be the guide star to future amateur radio satellites and payloads to geostationary orbit and beyond.

73,

Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA
AMSAT VP Operations / OSCAR Number Administrator

 

AO-85 Status Update

All,

As you probably know, AO-85 has had issues recently with the batteries dropping precariously low during eclipse. We think it’s likely the batteries suffered degradation due to heat during previous periods of no eclipses. This has made it difficult to keep the satellite available for use without endangering the batteries. Today the nominally 3.6v pack was down to 2.8v at the end of the eclipse. That is dangerously low.

In an effort to extend the usable life of the satellite, this evening we turned both the IHU and the transmitter off. This ceases all transmissions, including the beacons every two minutes in both sunlit and eclipsed parts of the orbit. We will periodically turn the satellite back on for an orbit or two, in order to gather telemetry. If all goes as planned, we will turn the repeater back on during the next period of no eclipses beginning around January 24th. In the meantime, it is important to leave AO-85 tracked in your FoxTelem setups, in order for us to gather telemetry and keep tabs on the situation. If you do happen to hear a Veronica beacon, or either the normal repeater or the COR/no telemetry repeater, please let the AMSAT-BB know, or send me an email or message directly.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we try to make the most of the situation. Please consider supporting the AMSAT GOLF project with your membership, and one-time or recurring donations at
https://www.amsat.org/product-category/amsat-membership/ or https://www.amsat.org/donate/.

73, Drew KO4MA
AMSAT VP Operations