AMSAT News – Page 54

AMSAT VP Engineering/Director Tony Monteiro, AA2TX, SK

June 28, 2017March 28, 2014 by amsat admin

Anthony “Tony” J. Monteiro, AA2TX (SK)

Tony, AA2TX with Fox-1 model — Tony, AA2TX and Fox-1 model

AMSAT VP-Engineering and Board Member Anthony J. Monteiro, AA2TX of North Andover, MA died on Wednesday morning, March 26, 2014 while
hospitalized in Boston, MA from cancer. He was 55. He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou and daughter, Veronica, a college freshman.

Tony was first licensed in 1973 as a Novice and subsequently held an Extra Class Amateur Radio License. An avid operator, he described his
first contact in an AMSAT BoD Candidate’s Statement in 2011: “I earned my novice ticket in 1973 and made my first ham radio contact with a
transmitter made from parts out of an old TV set. A Heathkit HR-10B receiver and a 65-foot piece of wire strung out of a window for an antenna made up the rest of my station, which was pretty modest even by 1973 standards! Even so, I will never forget the thrill of my very first contact.”

Support AMSAT When You Shop at Amazon.com

June 28, 2017March 22, 2014 by amsat admin

AMSAT-NA is participating in the AmazonSmile program. AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop at Amazon.com, at no cost to you.

Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. If you do business with Amazon you can apply your donation by logging into your Amazon account using http://smile.amazon.com/ch/52-0888529 to designate AMSAT-NA as the organization of your choice. When shopping on-line you must use the URL smile.amazon.com for AMSAT to receive the donation from your purchases.

G. Gould Smith, WA4SXM Steps Down from AMSAT Board of Directors, VP-User Services Positions

June 28, 2017February 23, 2014 by amsat admin

Gould, WA4SXM at the AMSAT Booth at Dayton 2012.

G. Gould Smith, WA4SXM of Knoxville, TN has resigned as an AMSAT Board of Directors member as well as his position as VP-User Services on the AMSAT Senior Leadership Team. Gould notified AMSAT President Barry Baines, WD4ASW of his decision via an e-mail that states in part, “It is with deep regret that I must resign my AMSAT positions of BoD member and VP of User Services. AMSAT has played a major part in my life over the last 25 years; the incredible people have made it such a great pleasure.”

Gould has persevered despite chronic health issues, but recent severe medical issues have precluded him from active participation in AMSAT for some time. Gould noted, “I had hoped that I would be able to contribute this year, but that hasn’t worked out. The organization needs to have contributing people in these positions.”

In his reply to Gould’s notification, Barry responded in part, “I’m sorry to receive your resignation; you have done so much for AMSAT over the years.”

AMSAT Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Amateur Radio Involvement in Human Spaceflight, Owen Garriott, W5LFL to Speak

June 28, 2017October 13, 2013 by amsat admin

The 31st Annual AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting takes place 1-3 NOV 2013 at the Houston Marriott South at Hobby Airport. Deadline for reserving rooms under the AMSAT Block is Wednesday, 16 OCT 2013. Time is running out; reserve your room directly with the hotel and register for the Symposium, the banquet, and special tours on the AMSAT Store! Note: the special tour of Johnson Space Center scheduled for Monday, 4 NOV 2013 is booked and reservations are closed. All Symposium activities online reservations will close 25 OCT 2013.

A special highlight of this year’s Symposium is the celebration of the 30th anniversary of amateur radio involvement in human space flight and the evolution of amateur radio into a successful program on board the International Space Station. ARISS (Amateur Radio on the ISS) is an international program that supports educational outreach as well as provides an opportunity for informal contacts between astronauts/cosmonauts and amateur radio operators around the world. The recent delivery of “Ham TV” equipment to the Columbus module by the European Space Agency is a reflection of the continued support that amateur radio holds for communicating with students.

Astronaut Owen Garriott, W5LFL on STS-9 in November 1983 was the first astronaut to utilize amateur radio to communicate with personnel on the ground, allowing the general public to speak with US astronauts from space, outside the communication channels of NASA’s Mission Control. In recognition of the 30th anniversary of this historic event, a multi-media panel featuring Owen and other key individuals who initiated this amazing program will take place on Saturday evening as part of the banquet, moderated by AMSAT VP-Human Space Flight Frank Bauer, KA3HDO. The presentation includes not only remarks by Owen and others in response to Frank’s questions, but video highlights of amateur radio participation in STS-9 and other Shuttle flights will be shown. Having such a celebration take place in Houston makes it more special as it allows us to have non-AMSAT personnel involved with placing amateur radio on the Shuttle and ISS participate in our special program.