AMSAT NEWS SERVICE<br /> <br /> ANS-354<br /> <br /> ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North<br /> America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS reports on the<br /> activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share<br /> an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating<br /> through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.<br /> <br /> Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:<br /> <br /> ans-editor@amsat.org<br /> <br /> In this edition:<br /> * Straight Key Night<br /> * ARISS Status<br /> * Another Near Future Hamsat<br /> * AO-51 Update<br /> <br /> <br /> SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-354.01<br /> Straight Key Night<br /> <br /> AMSAT News Service Bulletin 354.01 From<br /> AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.<br /> December 19, 2004<br /> To All RADIO AMATEURS<br /> BID: $ANS-354.01<br /> <br /> STRAIGHT KEY NIGHT ON OSCAR 2005<br /> <br /> Once again AMSAT North America is pleased to sponsor Straight Key Night<br /> on OSCAR for enjoyment by all radio amateurs.<br /> <br /> OSCAR SKN 2005 will run for 24 hours, 0000-2400 UTC, on 1 January 2005.<br /> It's very simple: no rules, no scoring, and no need to send in a log.<br /> Just operate CW through any OSCAR satellite using a straight hand key,<br /> working as many other SKN participants as you can. Contacts via the moon<br /> (OSCAR Zero) count too.<br /> <br /> Unfortunately, however, this year there again appears to be a distinct<br /> shortage of satellites that will relay CW. As of this writing, only<br /> FO-29 and AO-7 are available. So, please make the best possible use of<br /> those.<br /> <br /> As in past years, all participants are requested to nominate one of the<br /> operators they worked for "Best Fist" recognition. Your nominee need not<br /> have the best fist of those you heard, just of those you worked. Please<br /> send all nominations to me at w2rs@amsat.org. A list of those nominated<br /> will be published via the AMSAT News Service in early February, and in<br /> The AMSAT Journal.<br /> <br /> <br /> [ANS thanks Ray Soifer, W2RS for the above information]<br /> <br /> /EX<br /> <br /> SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-354.02<br /> ARISS Status<br /> <br /> AMSAT News Service Bulletin 354.02 From<br /> AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.<br /> December 19, 2004<br /> To All RADIO AMATEURS<br /> BID: $ANS-354.02<br /> <br /> Submitted by Arthur N1ORC - Amsat A/C #31468<br /><br /><br />*International Space Station Status Report #04-67*<br /><br />*3 p.m. CST, Friday, Dec. 17, 2004*<br /><br />*Expedition 10 Crew*<br /><br /><br />The Expedition 10 crew made ready for the Christmas arrival of an <br />unpiloted resupply spacecraft this week while continuing research and <br />maintenance activities aboard the International Space Station.<br /><br /><br />Commander Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov, a third of <br />the way through their planned six-month mission, put the Station’s <br />58-foot robotic arm through its paces. They also installed cables and a <br />switching unit for the docking system that will guide the European Space <br />Agency-provided Automated Transfer Vehicle to docking when it makes its <br />maiden voyage next year.<br /><br /><br />Research activities focused on bone and abdominal scans for the Advanced <br />Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity experiment, which is evaluating <br />the ability of crewmembers with minimal medical training to work with <br />doctors on the ground and diagnose medical problems.<br /><br /><br />Chiao and Sharipov inventoried gear and loaded the ISS Progress 15 cargo <br />vehicle with trash and unneeded equipment for disposal when that craft <br />is jettisoned. At 1:34 p.m. CST Wednesday, a day before the launch of <br />the next cargo ship, Progress 15 will be released from the rear of the <br />Zvezda Service Module to clear that docking port. It will be commanded <br />to deorbit and burn up in Earth's atmosphere.<br /><br /><br />Preparations for the launch of the ISS Progress 16 resupply ship are on <br />schedule at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Progress 16 is <br />scheduled for liftoff at 4:19 p.m. CST Dec. 23, carrying 2.5 tons of <br />food, fuel, clothing and Christmas gifts. The cargo ship is scheduled to <br />dock with the Station at about 6:04 p.m. CST Christmas Day.<br /><br /><br />Due to the length of the crew's day on Dec. 25, the hatch to the <br />Progress will not be opened until the next morning, when they will begin <br />to unload their Christmas cargo.<br /><br /><br />Maintenance activities this week included turning off the Russian oxygen <br />generation system so that remaining oxygen in the Progress 15 tanks <br />could be used, preventive work on the Zvezda Service Module’s <br />ventilation system and charging the batteries of the heart defibrillator <br />that would be used in the event of a medical emergency.<br /><br /><br />To prepare for the Space Shuttle’s return-to-flight mission, STS-114, <br />Chiao and Sharipov conducted the first full inventory of the Quest <br />airlock module since Expedition 4. The top-to-bottom inspection was <br />designed to account for all spacesuit components, tools and support <br />equipment that will be needed for the three spacewalks planned during <br />STS-114/LF-1. The full review will allow the Shuttle and Station <br />programs to update cargo manifests with additional items if needed.<br /><br /><br />Information on the crew's activities aboard the Space Station, future <br />launch dates, as well as Station sighting opportunities from anywhere on <br />the Earth, is available on the Internet at:<br /><br /><br />http://spaceflight.nasa.gov<br /><br /><br />The next ISS status report will be issued Thursday, Dec. 23 after the <br />launch of the ISS Progress 16 cargo ship, or sooner if events warrant.<br /><br /><br /> <br /> /EX<br /> <br /> SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-354.03<br /> Another Near Future Hamsat<br /> <br /> AMSAT News Service Bulletin 354.03 From<br /> AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.<br /> December 19, 2004<br /> To All RADIO AMATEURS<br /> BID: $ANS-354.03<br /> <br /> Amsat India has indicated that in early 2005, Feb-March, there will be<br /> a new Leo Hamsat. It will have an onboard linear UHF/VHF transponder.<br /> There are several AMSAT organizations contributing various components.<br /> More details from AMSAT India's website (amsatindia.org)according to<br /> Nagesh, VU2NUD. Santa "is" listening.<br /> <br /> [ANS thanks Jim Wellinghoff, K0SBH for the above information]<br /> <br /> /EX<br /><br /> SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-354.04<br /> AO-51 Update<br /> <br /> AMSAT News Service Bulletin 354.04 From<br /> AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.<br /> December 19, 2004<br /> To All RADIO AMATEURS<br /> BID: $ANS-354.04<br /> <br /> Amsat Kids Day on AO-51<br /><br />To coincide with the ARRL’s Kid’s Day on January 2, 2004, AMSAT-NA will<br />sponsor Kid’s Day on AO-51. The event will run from approximately 1600<br />UTC 02 Jan to 0345 UTC 03 Jan. We ask all amateur radio stations to give<br />this short time window to promote satellite operations with kids. If not<br />actually showing a kid how to make contacts via AO-51, then providing a<br />station to contact, or stepping aside to allow others to make contacts<br />with the kids. During the event please limit contacts to stations that<br />are operating with kids at the microphone. This should allow the kids to<br />have a nice QSO and pass some information. Kids can tell their name,<br />age, who is helping them operate on AO-51, where they live, and other<br />information about themselves.<br /><br />AO-51 will be configured in the following mode during the event. Please<br />note the change in the uplink frequency for the event.<br /><br />Uplink: 145.880 mhz FM voice, 67hz tone<br />Downlink: 435.300 mhz FM voice<br /><br />This will be a good opportunity for Amsat to show off our educational<br />side. Who knows, maybe one or more of the kids will be helping Amsat in<br />the future.<br /><br />[ANS thanks Mike, KE4AZN, for the above information]<br /> <br /> <br /> /EX<br /> <br /> <br /> In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the<br /> President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining<br /> donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional<br /> benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.<br /> <br /> Material from AMSAT Weekly Bulletins may be republished or reproduced<br /> in whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit<br /> must be given to the AMSAT Weekly Bulletins and The Radio Amateur<br /> Satellite Corporation (AMSAT).<br /> <br /> --<br /> 73, This weeks ANS Editor,<br /> Dee Interdonato, NB2F<br /> NB2F at amsat dot org