AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-274
ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North America, The
Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS reports on the activities of a
worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in
designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital
Amateur Radio satellites.
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:
ans-editor@amsat.org
In this edition:
* Satellite Operation from the USS IOWA for Scouting JOTA
* AMSAT 2012 Space Symposium Papers Due October 1
* AMSAT 2012 Field Day Results
* Silent Key: Michael Owen, VK3KI
* UKube-1 Amateur Radio CubeSat Books a Ride on Soyuz-2
* ARISS Status - 24 September 2012
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-274.01
ANS-274 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 274.01
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
September 30, 2012
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-274.01
Satellite Operation from the USS IOWA for Scouting JOTA
Jim Jerzycke, KQ6EA says he will be operating for the BSA JOTA event
from the USS IOWA in San Pedro, California on 20 October from 1600
UTC to 2300 UTC. The callsign will be NI6BB on FO-29, AO-27, and AO-7.
Jim will concentrate mostly on the linear birds but conditions per-
mitting he will also try to make FM contacts. Pass predictions also
show a couple of good ISS passes so operation will depend on its
operating mode at that time.
The Jamboree-on-the-Air, or JOTA, is an annual Scouting event that
uses amateur radio to link Scouts around the world, around the na-
tion, and in your own community. For more information about JOTA
see:
http://www.scouting.org/jota.aspx[ANS thanks Jim Jerzycke, KQ6EA for the above information]
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AMSAT 2012 Space Symposium Papers Due October 1
Symposium Proceedings Editor, Dan Schultz, N8FGV reminds authors
the final copy of your paper for the 2012 Space Symposium is due
by October 1, 2012. Dan requests a tentative title of your present-
ation as soon as possible, with final copy to be by October 1 for
inclusion in the printed proceedings. Abstracts and papers should
be sent to Dan Schultz, N8FGV, at n8fgv at amsat.org
Proposals for papers, symposium presentations and poster presenta-
tions are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite
community:
+ Papers for publication in the Proceedings
+ Symposium Presentations
+ Poster Presentations
+ Equipment and Operating Demonstrations
The Symposium Committee still has prime slots available on the speak-
er's schedule. The AMSAT Symposium depends on YOU to make it happen,
without speakers there is no Symposium.
Please consider doing a presentation, even if you have never done
so in the past. We are especially interested in papers and present-
ations involving our educational partnerships with K-12 and univer-
sity level classrooms. Education is quickly becoming critical for
our future rides to space.
Additionally registration for the 2012 AMSAT Space Symposium, to be held on
Friday, October 26th through Sunday, October 28th
is now open on-line. A mail-in
option is also available those preferring this approach.
See the AMSAT Web Store to complete your on-line registration:
http://store.amsat.org/catalog/index.php?cPath=27Downloadable paper registration forms in MS-Word format and
PDF format are available on the 2012 Symposium page:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/symposium/2012/index.php[ANS thanks 2012 Symposium Proceedings Editor Dan Schultz, N8FGV for
the above information]
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AMSAT 2012 Field Day Results
AMSAT Director Contests and Awards, Bruce Paige, KK5DO has released
the results of the 2012 AMSAT Field Day. Bruce wrote, "Field day this
year had some unexpected results. The full story with photos will be
in an issue of the AMSAT Journal. This was one of the closest field
day ever for the top 4 spots."
2012 Field Day Standings - in the event of a tie, the calls are
alphabetical.
Rank Call Class Score
---- ------ ----- -----
1 K6MMM 3A 58 First
2 W5MSQ 2A 53 Second
3 W6YX 3F 52 Third
4 K4BFT 4A 50 Fourth
5 K6AA 3A 29
6 K4JJ 4A 16
7 WC9C 4E 15
8 W5IU 4A 13
9 WI9MRC 4A 8
10 CO6CBF 1E 7
11 K8UNS 4A 7
12 WD9EWK 1B 6
13 K2IRT 3A 4
14 K5DX 1A 4
15 KK5W 5A 2
16 K9MOT 1A 2
17 VE3RAM 2A 1
18 VE9EMM 2A 1
19 W4EM 3A 1
[ANS thanks AMSAT Director Contests and Awards, Bruce Paige, KK5DO
for the above information]
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Silent Key: Michael Owen, VK3KI
AMSAT has received the sad news of the passing of IARU Region 3
Chairman Michael Owen, VK3KI, on September 22. He was also Presi-
dent of the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA).
Owen's first notable contributions to amateur radio started at the
1979 World Administrative Radio Conference. WARC-79 is memorable
primarily because it's where the Amateur Radio Service gained the
bands at 10, 18 and 24 MHz. He also drafted the resolution to exempt
the Amateur-Satellite Service from coordination procedures that
otherwise would have bogged us down in endless paperwork and great
expense. He was a member of the IARU team who handled the rewrite of
Article 25, the rules that apply specifically to the Amateur and Ama-
teur-Satellite Services.
Owen is survived by his wife Nan, and two daughters. Funeral services
were held on September 28 at St Andrews Anglican Church in Brighton,
Victoria, Australia.
[ANS thanks the Wireless Institute of Australia, the IARU, and the
ARRL for the above information]
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UKube-1 Amateur Radio CubeSat Books a Ride on Soyuz-2
AMSAT-UK published this news on their web:
http://www.uk.amsat.org/10497UKube-1 - the UK Space Agency's first CubeSat mission - has 'booked'
its journey into space on a Russian Soyuz-2 rocket. The launch from
the Baikonur Cosmodrone in Kazakhstan is expected to take place in
March 2013.
UKube-1 carries an amateur radio 435/145 MHz linear transponder built
by members of AMSAT-UK.
The UK Space Agency have issued the following press release:
The UKube-1 nanosatellite is a collaboration between the UK Space
Agency, industry and academia. It will allow the UK to fly educa-
tional packages, test new technologies and carry out new space re-
search quickly and efficiently. It is envisaged as the pilot for a
full national CubeSat programme.
Dr David Williams, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said,
"UKube-1 is almost ready to fly; the platform is nearly complete,
4 of the missions 5 payloads are mission-ready and we have now
secured a launch with Roscosmos. We are eagerly awaiting the start
of the innovative experiments that this small but mighty satellite
will perform once in orbit around our planet."
The winning UKube-1 payloads from the UK Space Agency's payload com-
petition include the first GPS device aimed at measuring plasmaspheric
space weather; a camera that will take images of the Earth and test
the effect of radiation on space hardware, using a new generation of
imaging sensor; an experiment to demonstrate the feasibility of using
cosmic radiation to improve the security of communications satellites
and to flight test lower cost electronic systems; and a payload made
up of 5 experiments that UK students and the public can interact with.
As well as providing a fantastic opportunity for innovative UK com-
panies and UK academics to collaborate on a national space project,
UKube-1 is also useful for training the next generation of space
engineers and will include a tiny radio transmitter for science edu-
cation, and a materials science experiment from which school students
can receive data. The system, funded by volunteer members and friends
of AMSAT-UK, is called FUNcube and will be integrated with UKube-1
as part of the programme.
[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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ARISS Status - 24 September 2012
1. Successful Contacts Held
Students from Zespól Szkól Technicznych w Kole in Kolo, Poland participated in
an Amateur Radio on the International Space
Station (ARISS) contact with Akihiko
Hoshide, KE5DNI, aboard the ISS on Wednesday, September 19. Hoshide answered
all 18 questions posed by the students during the overhead pass, which included
topics on astronaut training, education, and skills and abilities needed on the
ISS.
Video of the event may be viewed here:
http://www.livestream.com/arisspolska/video?clipId=pla_4a1f475f-d1a4-4e4c-baf5-a91a80d0c243&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact was held
between Sunset Hills Elementary School in San Diego, California and Akihiko
Hoshide, KE5DNI on the ISS on Thursday, September 20. Students were able to
have 13 questions answered about living on the ISS. Three television stations
and other media covered the event. Video may be viewed at:
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/25558153CBS has an article on its website:
http://www.cbs8.com/story/19605202/local-students-aim-high-and-connect-with-space-station
and the North County Times ran a story:
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/poway/rancho-penasquitos-international-space-station-chat-gives-students-higher-education/article_d02abc57-5246-50d0-9f17-
4cbc11532c9a.html
On Friday, September 21, Lafayette Middle School, La Fayette, Georgia took part
in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with
Sunita Williams, KD5PLB. The gymnasium was filled
with students, guests and VIPs
who listened as the school’s Rambler Radio Club members spoke with the
astronaut. The school hopes the ARISS contact will help get the students
interested in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
WRCB TV covered the event. See:
http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/19610751/iss-and-lafayette-middle-students-make-contact
2. ARISS International Team Meeting Held
The ARISS International Team monthly teleconference was held on Tuesday,
September 18. Topics of discussion included a status on HamTV, as well as an
update on the new VHF Ericsson which is expected
to launch to the ISS later this
year.
Minutes have been posted. See:
http://ariss.rac.ca/arisstel2012-09-18.htm3. ARISS Status on Social Media
ARISS currently has 1480 followers on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/ARISS_statusAnd as a reminder, ARISS news may also be found on Facebook. See:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amateur-Radio-on-the-International-Space-Station-ARISS/153679794647788
4. ARRL Articles on ARISS
On September 20, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) carried a story written
by ARISS member Dave Jordan about “Teach-In Day,” an annual event in Seminole
County, Florida which provides opportunities for interested parties to visit
schools and teach the children about their area of expertise. The Lake Monroe
Amateur Radio Society visited English Estates School and talked about amateur
radio, amateur satellites, the ISS and ARISS and the role of amateur radios
during emergencies. English Estates participated in its own ARISS contact in
May 2011. To view, “The 2011 English Estates Teach-In,” see:
http://www.arrl.org/the-2011-english-estates-teach-in5. Stonepark Intermediate Announces Upcoming Contact
Stonepark Intermediate School in Charlottetown, PEI, Canada is preparing for an
ARISS contact with Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, KC5RNJ/VA3OOG, who is
scheduled to join the ISS Expedition 34 crew in December of this year. Sue
Geddes, a teacher-librarian at Stonepark, was interviewed about the upcoming
event:
http://www.cbc.ca/islandmorning/episodes/2012/09/20/stonepark-space---canadian-astronaut-chris-hadfield/
The school has also posted information about the contact on its Web site. See:
http://stonepark.wordpress.com/ariss-international-space-station-communication/6. South Florida Science Museum Holds Essay Contest for ARISS Contact
The South Florida Science Museum held an essay contest for students in the Palm
Beach County School District to select fifteen K-12 students to participate in
an ARISS contact in October. Deadline for
submissions was September 24. For more
information, see:
http://www.sfsm.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=news.details&ArticleId=64&returnTo=main[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI, for the above information]
/EX
