[amsat-bb] ANS-046 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

[Lee McLamb]

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.amsat.org 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://ww2.amsat.org/?page_id=1121

[ANS thanks AMSAT Vice President Engineering, Jerry Buxton, N0JY for the
above information]


---------------------------------------------------------------------


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.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/ 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.”

Many more tips and links for various receiving options are available at
http://amsat-uk.org/2015/02/11/more-iss-slow-scan-tv/

[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]


---------------------------------------------------------------------


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]


---------------------------------------------------------------------


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.clublog.org/charts/?c=K1N

If you can make a donation you can find the link on the DXpedition's web 
page:
http://www.navassadx.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]


---------------------------------------------------------------------


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


In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the
President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining
donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi-
tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT
Office.

Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership
at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students
enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu-
dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership
information.

73,
This week's ANS Editor,
Lee McLamb, KU4OS
ku4os at amsat dot org