Qatar ARS and AMSAT-DL announce Phase 4 satellite payload

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A collaboration between the Qatar Amateur Radio Society, the Qatar Satellite Company, and AMSAT-DL has resulted in the announcement of a geostationary amateur radio payload aboard the proposed Es’HailSat-2 commercial satellite.

Due to be launched in 2016, the satellite will provide communications services to the Middle East and North Africa region from a position at 26 degrees East. Additionally, the satellite will include two 2.4 GHz to 10.45 GHz transponders dedicated for amateur use. One transponder will be approximately 250 kHz wide, and will be for traditional narrowband modes such as SSB and CW. The second will be 8MHz wide and designed for experimental DVB and data modes. Coverage is expected over the entire footprint.

Es'Hailsat-2 coverage
Es’Hailsat-2 coverage

While this payload will not service North America, the project is an important step into high orbit, and may open the door for additional opportunities in other orbital positions.

AMSAT-DL webpage via Google Translate

 

Support AMSAT When You Shop at Amazon.com

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amazon-logo._V192256676_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.

$50SAT now designated Morehead OSCAR-76

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Congratulations to the $50SAT team as their satellite has received an OSCAR number, Morehead OSCAR-76, or MO-76.

$50SAT is a joint effort involving Professor Bob Twiggs, Morehead State University, Howie DeFelice, AB2S, Michael Kirkhart, KD8QBA, and Stuart Robinson, GW7HPW.

More information on the satellite can be found at http://www.50dollarsat.info/ and on the AMSAT website.

$50SATMore information on obtaining an OSCAR number for your satellite can be found here.

Cubesats Deployed from ISS

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Friday February 28 at 0730Z, several cubesats were deployed from the International Space station.litsat deploy

Perhaps of most interest to radio amateurs are Lithuania’s first satellites, LituanicaSAT-1 and LitSat-1.

LituanicaSAT-1 carries an FM repeater with a 145.950 MHz uplink and 435.180 MHz downlink, a 9600 baud AX25 packet system with a 145.850 MHz uplink and 437.550 MHz downlink, and a CW beacon on 437.275 MHz. Detailed information may be found at http://www.kosmonautai.lt/en/satellite/  and https://www.facebook.com/Lituanicasat1

LitSat-1 carries a linear transponder of unknown bandwidth and with a reported uplink of 435.180 MHz and downlink of 145.950 MHz, a AX25 packet system with a 437.550 MHz uplink and 145.850 MHz downlink. Limited additional information can be found at https://www.facebook.com/palydovas and http://www.space-lt.eu/journeyof-thefirstlithuanian-satellites74326-1-541.html#apacia .

UAPSAT is Peru’s third satellite, and will transmit AX25 packet telemetry and an audio message on 145.980 MHz. It is unclear whether there will be a two-way capability. Additional information via Google Translate at http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.uapsat.info/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Duapsat%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DGt9%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official

ArduSat-2 and SkyCube are also included in this deployment.