AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-046
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor-
mation service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite
Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space
including 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.
The news feed on
http://www.aus-city.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/r/RADIOCOMM_LIST/913684905157/list.admin/aus-city.com/ publishes news of Amateur
Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:
ans-editor at amsat.org.
In this edition:
* Help Wanted: AMSAT Engineering Kicking Off Ground Station Development
* More ISS Slow Scan TV Activity
* Fox-1 Continues Preparation for Launch
* Navassa K1N Dxpedition Active on FO-29
* AMSAT Orlando Hamcation Report
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-046.01
ANS-046 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 046.01
From AMSAT HQ Kensington, MD.
February 15, 2015
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-046.01
Help Wanted: AMSAT Engineering Kicking Off Ground Station Development
AMSAT Engineering is looking for hams interested in developing ground
station equipment for future satellites. An inexpensive L-Band uplink
converter is something that is of interest right now for LEO satellites as
part of the recently approved technology funding.
If you are interested in helping, please contact AMSAT Engineering by
completing the form on the website to tell Jerry Buxton, N0JY, the Vice
President of Engineering, how you can volunteer your time and skills to help
AMSAT engineering build satellites and other required hardware/software.
To volunteer please visit:
http://www.aus-city.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/r/RADIOCOMM_LIST/288050985964/list.admin/aus-city.com/[ANS thanks AMSAT Vice President Engineering, Jerry Buxton, N0JY for the
above information]
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More ISS Slow Scan TV Activity
The Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) has announced another round of
amateur radio Slow Scan Television (SSTV) activity from the
International Space Station (ISS) will take place later this month.
Continuous operation, using the call sign RS0ISS, is expected from 1000
UT on Saturday, February 21 until 2130 UT on Monday, February 23.
Twelve different images depicting space pioneer Yuri Gagarin — the first
human to orbit Earth — will be sent on 145.800 MHz FM using the SSTV
mode PD180, with a 3-minute off time between transmissions.
The equipment used will be the Kenwood D710 transceiver located in the
Russian Service Module. It is thought the equipment may be producing
about 25 watts output which should provide a very strong signal.
Plans are being discussed for transmitting new images from space enthusiasts
around the world in the coming months. Additional details will be released.
The images received by amateurs world-wide during previous transmissions
can be seen at
http://www.aus-city.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/r/RADIOCOMM_LIST/398013063546/list.admin/aus-city.com/ and you
are invited to upload any pictures you receive during the upcoming
transmissions.
All you need to do to receive SSTV pictures direct from the space
station is to connect the audio output of a scanner or amateur radio
transceiver via a simple interface to the soundcard on a Windows PC or
an Apple iOS device, and tune in to 145.800 MHz FM. You can even receive
pictures by holding an iPhone next to the radio loudspeaker.
On Windows PC’s the free application MMSSTV can be used to decode the
signal, on Apple iOS devices you can use the SSTV app for compatible modes.
The ISS puts out a strong signal on 145.800 MHz FM and a 2m handheld
with a 1/4 wave antenna will be enough to receive it. The FM
transmission uses the 5 kHz deviation which is standard in much of the
world.
Paul Turner G4IJE, co-developer of the SSTV PD modes, says regarding the
MMSSTV PD180 mode: “Don’t forget to either enable “Always show RX
viewer†or use the “Picture viewer†(magnifying glass icon) to show the
picture at its real resolution of 640 x 496. If you just view as normal
you will only see 320 x 248 resolution, which kind of defeats the object
of using a high resolution mode.â€
Many more tips and links for various receiving options are available at
http://www.aus-city.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/r/RADIOCOMM_LIST/465349153373/list.admin/aus-city.com/[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]
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Fox-1 Continues Preparation for Launch
Following the successful conclusion of vibration and thermal/vacuum
testing Fox-1 now is stored in a clean environment waiting for launch.
However, there is still work going on behind the scenes.
AMSAT Vice-President Engineering, Jerry Buxton, N0JY says several
required reports are being reviewed by the launch provider. We continue
to make necessary updates if they request further information in order
to be sure that all of the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed. The
paperwork is an ongoing full workload in itself, both during the design
and construction and even after Fox-1 was finished.
For the remaining schedule, Fox-1 will have its Mission Readiness Review
(MRR) at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo CA on February 24 by a review board
of Cal Poly and NASA representatives. Next, Fox-1 will be delivered and
integrated into the P-POD at Cal Poly during the week of March 16. Then
the countdown begins.
[ANS thanks AMSAT Vice-President Engineering, Jerry Buxton, N0JY for the
above information]
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Navassa K1N Dxpedition Active on FO-29
Thanks to AMSAT, the Navassa Island K1N DXpedition was equipped to work
stations via the FO-29 Amateur Radio satellite. Vice
President-Operations Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, said that AMSAT had
provided the DXpedition with a Yaesu FT-817 transceiver and associated
equipment to support operation on FO-29’s linear passband. AMSAT also
gave the group pass predictions, an operational plan, and training.
Several reports of successful contacts have been reported via messages
on amsat-bb.
In a message relayed by Mark, K0MDJ, from Glenn, W0GJ, the primary voice
on FO-29 from Navassa reported, ""We have it down now ... takes four
people: one antenna guy, one radio guy, one microphone guy, one logger
... plus a couple photographers. Glen also says they hope to be on every
pass from now until they leave, so at least through Saturday."
The Navassa team logs their contacts using Clublog:
http://www.aus-city.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/r/RADIOCOMM_LIST/635092995600/list.admin/aus-city.com/If you can make a donation you can find the link on the DXpedition's web
page:
http://www.aus-city.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/r/RADIOCOMM_LIST/966073572710/list.admin/aus-city.com/Mike, W4UOO, observed, "A tip of the Hat to Drew ... for delivering the
gear and the How-To to some of the K1N team back in January and whatever
else he did. There's a big thanks in here! What Great Marketing for
Satellite operations. What great fun is being had ... all when it seems
nearly impossible, suddenly you're talking to someone. It's great to see
K1N/Satellite spots going by also! Love it."
[ANS thanks the dozens of posts via amsat-bb for the above information]
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AMSAT Orlando Hamcation Report
The 2015 Orlando Hamcation - Orlando, FL took place over the weekend of
13-15 Feb at the Central Florida Fairgrounds.
AMSAT was represented all three days with a two booth are in the main
commercial building. At the booth the ARISSat-1 working demo satellite
and Fox-1 Engineering model were on display. The booth also provided a
great location for people stop by and get information from VP of
Operations Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, and Dave Jordan, AA4KN.
John Papay, K8YSE, was operating the sats via his remote and rover
stations along with other satellite demos.
An AMSAT forum was held on Saturday with Board of Directors member Lou
McFadin, K5DID, providing an update on all the on-going AMSAT activities
including upcoming ARISS activities and the Fox-1 series of cubesats. A
special treat for those attending the forum was a special prize drawing.
M2 donated one of their new 2m/70cm "Leo-Pack" antenna systems which
made its debut at Hamcation.
[ANS thanks Dave, AA4KN and the AMSAT Hamcation Team for the above
information]
/EX
