AMSAT News

Free Digital Copy of “Getting Started With Amateur Satellites” Available with New or Renewed Membership

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As part of the preparations for the launch of RadFxSat on November 10th, AMSAT is making our “Getting Started With Amateur Satellites” book available for a limited time as a download with any paid new or renewal membership purchased via the AMSAT Store. This offer is only available with purchases completed online, and for only a limited time. A perennial favorite, Getting Started is updated every year with the latest amateur satellite information, and is the premier primer of satellite operation. The 182 page book is presented in PDF format, in full color, and covers all aspects of making your first contacts on a ham radio satellite.

Please take advantage of this offer today by visiting the AMSAT store at https://www.amsat.org/shop/ and selecting any membership option. While there, check out our other items, including the M2 LEOpack antenna system, Arrow antennas, AMSAT shirts, and other swag. Be sure to view your cart before going to checkout. If you add a membership and then go directly to checkout, you’ll never see an option to add your free gift.

Thank you, and see you soon on RadFxSat!

Countdown to Launch: RadFxSat (Fox-1B)

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Only three weeks remain until the next AMSAT Fox-1 satellite launches!

RadFxSat (Fox-1B) is scheduled for launch at 01:47 PST (09:47 UTC) on November 10, 2017. RadFxSat is one of four CubeSats making up the NASA ELaNa XIV mission, riding as secondary payloads aboard the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS)-1 mission. JPSS-1 will launch on a Delta II from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

RadFxSat Flight Model

RadFxSat is a partnership with Vanderbilt University ISDE and hosts four payloads for the study of radiation effects on commercial off the shelf components. RadFxSat features the Fox-1 style FM U/v repeater with an uplink on 435.250 MHz (67.0 Hz CTCSS) and a downlink on 145.960 MHz. Satellite and experiment telemetry will be downlinked via the “DUV” subaudible telemetry stream and can be decoded with the FoxTelem software.

 

Uplink FM
(67 Hz CTCSS)		 Downlink FM Comments
RadFxSat (Fox-1B) 435.250 MHz 145.960 MHz Launch 11/10/2017

FalconSAT-3 is Now Open for Amateur Radio Use

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The Air Force Academy satellite FalconSAT-3 is now open for amateur radio use as a digital store-and-forward system. FalconSAT-3 was built in 2005 and 2006 by cadets and faculty in the Space Systems Research Center at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO, and launched in 2007 on an Atlas V.

After serving in scientific and training roles, the Academy has now made the satellite available for Amateur radio use.

The satellite is in a 35.4 degree inclination orbit, with an approximate altitude of 465 to 476 km. The Packet Bulletin Board System is operating at 9600 baud with a 145.840 uplink, and 435.103 downlink. Output power is 1 watt, and the downlink is continuously on. Digipeating is enabled for live QSOs, but unattended digipeating operations is not authorized at this time. Current Keplerian elements can be found in the AMSAT distributed Keplerian elements.

More information can be found at https://www.amsat.org/falconsat-3/ and further operational inquiries should be directed to AMSAT Vice President Operations, Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA ([email protected]).

[ANS thanks AMSAT Vice President Operations, Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA for the above information]

AMSAT-NA Elects Executive Vice President

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AMSAT-NA Vice President, Educational Relations, Joe Spier, K6WAO of Reno, NV, has been elected by the AMSAT-NA Board of Directors as Executive Vice President during a Board Meeting via a conference call that took place on August 8, 2017. Joe’s new duties will include implementation of AMSAT-NA’s Strategic Planning. He will continue in his other duties as 2017 Space Symposium Chairman, AMSAT News Service Co-Editor, ARISS-NA Education, and Educational Relations until new personnel can be appointed or the task assigned is completed.

Joe Spier, K6WAO (left) conducting the ARISS contact during Pacificon 2012

Under the AMSAT ByLaws, the position of Executive Vice President is one of seven senior officer positions that are approved by the AMSAT Board of Directors.

Included in the ByLaw stated duties, “the Executive Vice President shall act in the place of the President in the President’s absence, and shall have such other duties as the Board may determine.” [Bylaws, Article II, Section 5B].

In addition, the Executive VP is assigned the responsibility of AMSAT External Relations team leader and as acting director of any team leader position that is not filled.

Joe is a Life Member of AMSAT-NA and has served in Educational Relations during the past six years. 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 Commercial licenses.

AMSAT-NA President, Barry Baines, WD4ASW said, “I extend my congratulations to Joe on his new position of leadership in AMSAT-NA. As EVP, he will be working closely with me on a variety of matters involving various AMSAT departments as we move forward on our strategic planning process as well as day-to-day management of the organization. Joe’s dedication to the strategic planning process will enhance the future of AMSAT-NA.”

[ANS thanks the AMSAT-NA BOD for the above information]