[amsat-bb] SpaceCam Status, Marex Jan 9

[MM]

ISS Amateur Radio Status: January 9	, 2007

SpaceCam Status
Future Marex Packet Mail Project on ISS

By Miles Mann WF1F,

MAREX-MG News	www.marexmg.org

Manned Amateur Radio Experiment

Hi everyone:

SpaceCam Status:

The SpaceCam1 Imaging project on the International
Space Station was activated last summer between July
30th and August 26, 2006.  The ISS Commander Pavel
Vinogradov had a few seconds of spare time last summer
to activate and test the SpaceCam1 Slow Scan TV
software (SSTV).  He was able to prove the whole
Amateur Radio system on ISS with antennas, radio and
SSTV software would work together as planned.  All of
the cables, Antenna, radio, pc connections and
software were tested.  After the testing was complete,
the Borrowed Laptop computer had to be returned to a
higher priority project.  At the present time the
Amateur Radio station does not have a dedicated flight
qualified laptop assigned to the program.  In order to
work, the dedicated laptop must be one of the few
flight certified versions that NASA uses.

One of the setbacks this year regarding the Amateur
Radio projects on ISS, as with any electronic
equipment, on earth or in space, the radio equipment
does wear out over time. Please see the comments from
ARISS Project manager Ken Ransom N5VHO

December 11, 2006
The Phase I amateur radio gear in the FGB appears to
have developed an intermittent audio issue that will
require some crew time to be scheduled in order to try
and determine the cause of the problem. This system
has been used primarily for school contacts since the
packet system associated with that radio began
exhibiting problems during
Expedition 6.

The Phase II system in the ISS service module has not
been operating properly since August 2006 when the
default settings for the radio changed. The radio
transmits and receives fine and continues to be used
for school contacts but until the radio is
reprogrammed, only intermittent operations will be
possible. A computer designated for
Amateur radio operations that will allow reprogramming
of the radio is planned to arrive on the next Progress
vehicle in 2007. Until the radio is reprogrammed, it
is unlikely that any of the automatic modes (Packet
and APRS, SSTV or the Crossband Repeater) will be
operating or will only operate for brief periods of
time.

Kenneth - N5VHO
***

The Phase I hardware that Ken is referring to is the
Ericcson 2-meter HT.  See attached link. The Ericcson
2-Meter HT was delivered to ISS via the STS-106
Shuttle September 2000 and was activated a few months
later and is still being used in 2007.
http://www.marexmg.org/hardware/ericcson.html

The Phase II system is the Kenwood D700, with special
software and hardware modifications.  The D700 has
been in operation since December 8, 2003.  How many
years has your mobile radio been in continuous
operation?
http://www.marexmg.org/hardware/kenwood.html

Received SSTV Images (July – August)
To date, we have received 9 different SpaceCam SSTV
images from the International Space Station.  Well
over 300 images were sent to Earth from ISS during the
short test cycle.

Our thanks to the many stations that received and
decode the test images. SpaceCam Images from ISS were
received in many countries, including Russia, United
Kingdom, Brazil, Australia and many more. Below is a
link to the SpaceCam home page and list of some of the
images we have received.

www.marexmg.org

For information on how to receive these messages,
check out the MAREX link:
http://www.marexmg.org/fileshtml/howtouseiss.html

If you have any more that are different or have better
quality, please forward those images to Marex. 
Mail your images to Marex at:
marexmg at comcast.net
We would like to collect all images received. However
in order to properly catalog the images we request you
use the following image naming format.
After you receive you images, please rename the images
using the following format, All Lower case letters. I
have updated the file naming format to shorten the
file names.

Year 06, Month 07, Day 31,  (UTC time), Call sign,
Short text description, .JPG

Example:

New format:
0607311905wf1f.jpg

If we break this down 
Year =06
Month = 07
Day = 31
Time = 1905 UTC
Call sign = wf1f
Description (optional) = Windows shot
Image format = jpg

Image Quality
Please do not put any text over lays on the images,
Example, do not put web page or advertisements in the
image. Your own call sign and date are acceptable.  

We would also like to know the following information
in your email.

Name or Call sign
Country / State
Receiver
Software decoding tool
Elevation or range of ISS when you decoded the image.

SSTV Decoding Software
http://www.barberdsp.com/ 

There are many choices in SSTV software, some Free,
others with more features cost a few bucks. 
http://www.marexmg.org/fileshtml/sstvlinkpage.html

So have fun, find your best setup and start practicing
how to decode SSTV on 2-meters.


Future Marex Packet Mail Project on ISS

The Marex team as been experimenting with Space packet
mail for many years.  On the Russian Space Station
Mir, we supported the DLR Packet mail project for
several years and eventually upgraded the Mir Mail
system with the Kantronics KPC-9612 TNC in 1997.  The
KPC was a big step forward and provided the System
operators with the ability to fully remote control the
flying Mail box on Mir.  The Mir crew used the Packet
system extensively.  Now Marex is working on a new
project to install a new packet mail system on ISS. 
We will use the same reliable KPC-9612 packet system,
with expanded capabilities, including the ability for
multiple users to access the Mail box at the same
time.  The KPC-9612 also supports all of the standard
features we have become accustomed to using.

This project is still in the very early stages of
development and scheduling.  There is no time line of
flight or activation at this time.
Your support is welcome.


ARISS Web page and other great Space projects
http://www.rac.ca/ariss/

73 Miles WF1F MAREX-MG

Until we meet again

DOSVIDANIYA Miles WF1F





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