AMSAT General News

Fox-1D Integrated, Ready for Launch

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While RadFxSat (Fox-1B) is just days from launch, preparations for the launch of the next Fox-1 satellite are already underway. On Monday, November 6th, AMSAT Vice-President Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY, delivered Fox-1D to Spaceflight, Inc. in Seattle, WA where it was integrated into its Innovative Solutions in Space QuadPack for delivery to India. Fox-1D will launch on the next ISRO Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) flight, scheduled to take place by the end of December.

AMSAT Vice-President Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY, after removing Fox-1D from its Pelican case
Jerry prepares to insert Fox-1D into the QuadPack
Jerry carefully inserts Fox-1D into the QuadPack
Fox-1D in its ISIS QuadPack.

In addition to the Fox-1 U/v FM transponder, Fox-1D carries several university experiments, including a MEMS gyro from Pennsylvania State University – Erie, a camera from Virginia Tech, and the University of Iowa’s HERCI (High Energy Radiation CubeSat Instrument) radiation mapping experiment. Fox-1D also carries the AMSAT “L-Band Downshifter” giving the option of utilizing a 1.2 GHz uplink for the FM transponder.

Uplink FM (67 Hz CTCSS) Downlink FM
Fox-1D 435.350 MHz / 1267.350 MHz* 145.880 MHz
* Switchable by command station. Not operational simultaneously.

RadFxSat Launch Delayed, Now No Earlier Than November 14th

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United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced this afternoon that the launch of the Delta II rocket carrying RadFxSat has been delayed due to a faulty battery on the booster. The launch is now scheduled for no earlier than Tuesday, November 14th. Stay tuned to the AMSAT-BB, AMSAT News Service, and the AMSAT web site for further details.

AMSAT General Meeting Audio Stream Available

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The AMSAT General Meeting in Reno, NV will be available to all members and interested amateur radio operators via local VHF repeater, IRLP, and EchoLink. The meeting will start at 3:30pm PDT (22:30 UTC) today.

The meeting will be available locally in the Reno area on the SNARS 147.300 MHz repeater as well as globally via IRLP Node 7873 and the W7TA-R EchoLink (854520). The IRLP access code is #88 + the node number you wish the dial. The IRLP hang up code is #8873.

A live stream of the meeting audio may also be found at http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/13048

Questions will be taken via EchoLink and Twitter (use hashtag #AMSATGM).

AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Elects Joe Spier, K6WAO, President

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At it’s annual meeting, held at the Silver Legacy Resort Hotel in Reno, NV, the AMSAT-NA Board of Directors elected Joe Spier, K6WAO, of Reno, NV, President, succeeding Barry Baines, WD4ASW, who has retired after nine years of service as AMSAT’s President. Joe is a Life Member of AMSAT-NA and has previously served as Executive Vice President and Vice-President Educational Relations. He also has Life Memberships in the ARRL, SARA (Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers) and the AFA (Air Force Association). He holds an Extra Class license as well as commercial licenses.

AMSAT Directors, Officers, and Past Presidents at the 2017 AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting
Back (L to R) – Tom Clark, K3IO, Keith Baker, KB1SF/VA3KSF, Jerry Buxton, N0JY, Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, Barry Baines, WD4ASW, Clayton Coleman, W5PFG, Bruce Paige, KK5DO, and Bill Tynan, W3XO
Front (L to R) – Martha Saragovitz and Joe Spier, K6WAO

Immediate Past President Barry Baines, WD4ASW, said “It has been an honor to serve as President for the past nine years and as a board member since 1999. I’m confident that the successes of the past nine years while serving as President will lead to new opportunities in AMSAT’s future as Joe assumes the helm working with the new Senior Leadership Team. I’m also thrilled that Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, and Clayton Coleman, W5PFG, are new voting members on the Board, including the assumption of my former slot. I’m excited that the new Board combined with the new Senior Leadership Team will bring insight, enthusiasm, energy and commitment to move AMSAT forward.”

Other officers elected by the Board were:

Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, of Washington, DC, as Executive Vice President
Jerry Buxton, N0JY, of Granbury, TX, as Vice-President Engineering
Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, of New Port Richey, FL, as Vice-President Operations
Clayton Coleman, W5PFG, of Granbury, TX, as Secretary
Keith Baker, KB1SF/VA3KSF, of Corunna, ON, as Treasurer
Martha Saragovitz of Silver Spring, MD, as Manager