[amsat-bb] CAMSAT Frequency chaos

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

David,

I noticed the frequency selections for all of those satellites. It is nice
that we may have 6 transponders that don't have overlapping frequencies,
which could make for some interesting times ("Which of the 6 will you be
on?" - for example). Seeing how some of those downlinks are at and below
145.800 MHz could cause many new issues with terrestrial and (for
145.800 MHz) other space operations. Also seeing APRS at 144.390 MHz
(North American APRS frequency) and an FM uplink at 144.350 MHz on
LilacSat-2 (CAS-3H) won't make some any happier.

CAMSAT filed for IARU frequency coordination in 2012:

http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/formal_detail.php?serialnum=264

but it doesn't appear to have gone anywhere past the filing step. I did not
see frequencies listed on that web page, nor did I see the CAMSAT satellites
anywhere else on that site. I can only guess the Chinese licensing
authorities are making full use of the 144-146 MHz range that is permitted
under the international (ITU) radio regulations for amateur satellite
operation, regardless of the voluntary bandplans observed around the
world.

73!




Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
http://www.wd9ewk.net/
Twitter: @WD9EWK



On Wed, Aug 5, 2015 at 10:00 AM, David G0MRF via AMSAT-BB
<amsat-bb at amsat.org> wrote:
>
>
>
> Interesting.
>
> Only a few days ago there was a comment that a satellite launched 15 years ago was transmitting on 144.390 which was being used for weak signal meteor scatter in Europe. That was unintentional and in any case only sent a couple of very short beacons per minute.
>
> Now we see another satellite 'licensed' very recently using exactly the same frequency and a lot of other satellites transmitting on frequencies allocated to repeaters and other services.
>
> I presume the IARU were 'informed' of these frequencies rather than coordinating them.
>
> I wonder if the head of licensing in Bejing is the same chap who thought the Anti satellite missile test, that produced thousands of pieces of space debris, was a good idea.
>
> (rant over)
>
> David