[amsat-bb] ANS-318 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin - Fox-1Cliff Launch – Your Help is Needed!

[Jean Marc Momple]

Paul,

Thanks for the info, awaiting with a lot of passion for Fox-1Cliff to be on my head.

Fully ready and will upload the telemetry from the Indian Ocean as much as possible. In any case I am lucky enough not to interfere with the project team tests and be able to do my own (same as for AO-92) at leisure and will feedback to you guys.

Thanks to AMSAT for making such great (and difficult) project a reality, and congratulations to the project team for the great efforts, hard work and dedication. Working on a similar project these days I can imagine the amount of work required (just huge) and hope that all using these birds realize this.

73



Jean Marc (3B8DU)





> On Nov 14, 2018, at 7:28 AM, Paul Stoetzer <n8hm at arrl.net> wrote:
> 
> AMSAT NEWS SERVICE SPECIAL BULLETIN
> ANS-318.01
> 
> In this Special Bulletin:
> 
> * Fox-1Cliff Launch – Your Help is Needed!
> 
> SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-318.01
> ANS-318 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin
> 
> AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin 318.01
> From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD
> DATE November 14, 2018
> To All RADIO AMATEURS
> BID: $ANS-318.01
> 
> Fox-1Cliff Launch – Your Help is Needed!
> 
> *** Please share this information through all of your club and group
> news outlets! ***
> 
> Following the successful launch and deployment of Fox-1Cliff, all
> amateur radio satellite enthusiasts can play an important part in the
> commissioning of the new satellite. Telemetry helps us tremendously,
> starting ASAP after startup (~59 minutes after deployment*) and for
> the next 72-96 hours at least (for the life of the satellite is
> preferred!) as we look for successful startup, watch the general
> health and function as the satellite begins to acclimate to space,
> and start to perform the on orbit checkout. The first station to
> successfully receive and submit telemetry to the AMSAT server will
> receive a special 3D printed QSL card acknowledging their
> contribution.
> 
> If you are capturing telemetry with FoxTelem, please be sure that
> “Upload to Server” is checked in your settings and your Ground
> Station Params are filled in as well. You can help AMSAT and everyone
> waiting to get on the air with Fox-1Cliff tremendously, by capturing
> Fox-1Cliff telemetry.
> 
> In the initial Safe Mode after startup, which we actually call Beacon
> Mode, the transmitter is limited to 10 seconds on time then does the
> two minutes off cycle. For those of you capturing telemetry, that
> means that you will only see Current frames and no High or Low frames
> because the High and Low are truncated as it takes just over 10
> seconds to send two frames. You will hear Veronica announcing
> “Fox-1Cliff Safe Mode” while in Beacon Mode.
> 
> We will likely leave the satellite in Beacon Mode for 24 hours to
> observe power telemetry. If we are seeing good readings from what you
> gather, when it comes over the U.S. for the first good pass after
> that holding period we will command it from Beacon Mode to normal
> Safe Mode. That puts Fox-1Cliff in full (still Safe Mode though)
> operation and transmits a full two frames of telemetry which is one
> Current frame followed by, and alternating each ID cycle, a High or a
> Low frame.
> 
> We will begin the rest of the in orbit checklist activities at that
> time, and it is expected to take 7 to 10 days given the Thanksgiving
> holiday.
> 
> Help your friends and all of our satellite ham friends get on the air
> and have fun sooner by being polite and patient!
> 
> The in orbit checkout procedure is similar to Fox-1D and could be
> completed in as little as 7 days if we have the cooperation of the
> users. It is very important, not to mention just plain good Amateur
> Operating Practice, to refrain from using the transponder uplink so
> we can do the on orbit tests, including when we turn on transponder
> mode for testing. I cannot stress enough, the importance of this
> cooperation not just for us but also for all users, simply having a
> little patience so we can conduct the tests as quickly and accurately
> as possible.
> 
> AMSAT will make it broadly known when the tests are complete and the
> transponder is available for all to use. If you hear someone on the
> transponder, please do not assume that it is open for general use –
> check our website, Facebook, Twitter, to be sure you are not
> accidentally jumping in with and unwittingly causing interference as
> well.
> 
> Many hams put thousands of volunteer hours of their time into making
> Fox-1Cliff happen. Just like any ham radio project you might
> undertake, we build satellites. We do it because we like to, and when
> we are done, we freely share our project with hams everywhere as is
> the spirit of amateur radio. I have to say though, that the incidents
> we have experienced in the past with stations intentionally
> disregarding the command stations requests to keep the frequency
> clear during testing not only delays the commissioning, but also
> negatively impacts the enthusiasm that our volunteers feel toward
> handing over a new bird to the members and users as soon as possible.
> 
> I am asking all satellite hams to contribute just a little bit of
> your time to the fun now, by being patient and just gathering
> telemetry, not using the transponder uplink, and helping us complete
> the last few days of getting Fox-1Cliff in orbit and operating for
> all of you.
> 
> Thank you very much, see you on the bird!
> 
> Jerry Buxton,  N0JY
> (AMSAT VP Engineering)
> 
> *Time of deployment will be made generally available through AMSAT as
> soon as Spaceflight provides the information to us.
> 
> [ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT Vice President-Engineering for
> the above information]
> 
> /EX
> 
> In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers life memberships,
> and sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to
> receive additional 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
> student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
> Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership
> information.
> 
> 73 and Remember to help keep Amateur Radio in space,
> 
> This week's ANS Contributing Editor,
> 
> Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
> n8hm at amsat dot org
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