• Amsat News Service 077

    From Paul Williams@1:387/710 to All on Mon Mar 19 14:45:28 2001
    Hi All, hope you are having a nice day

    The next ones will be automated (i hope)

    and will be both ANS bulletins and SAREX. For some
    reason the keplerian elements stopped so...

    Yours sincerely, Paul Williams KB5IVG <=-

    From: Dan James <DanJ@marvin.com>
    To: "'ANS Release'" <ans@AMSAT.Org>
    Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 16:29:37 -0600
    Subject: [ans] ANS 077

    AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
    ANS 077

    ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North
    America, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS 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.

    ANS is first released via the AMSAT-NA 20-meter net held each Sunday
    on 14.282 MHz. Pre-net operations start at 18:00 UTC, with current ANS bulletins transmitted to the eastern U.S. at 19:00 UTC and to the western
    U.S. at 19:30 UTC. ANS is also released worldwide via the AMSAT ANS
    e-mail reflector.

    AMSAT-NA is pleased to announce that both recent (and future)
    developments in Amateur Radio satellite technology will be discussed
    in Atlanta, Georgia at the 19th Space Symposium and AMSAT-NA
    Annual Meeting, October 5-6, 2001. The Symposium Chairman is Steve
    Diggs, W4EPI.

    Contact W4EPI at: w4epi@amsat.org

    Information on AMSAT-NA is available at the following URL:

    http://www.amsat.org (or from)

    AMSAT-NA
    850 Sligo Avenue, Suite 600
    Silver Spring, Maryland
    20910-4703

    Voice: 301-589-6062
    FAX: 301-608-3410

    Currently, AMSAT-NA supports the following (free) mailing lists:

    * AMSAT News Service (ANS)
    * General satellite discussion (AMSAT-BB)
    * Orbit data (KEPS)
    * Manned space missions (SAREX)
    * District of Columbia area (AMSAT-DC)
    * New England area (AMSAT-NE)
    * AMSAT Educational Liaison mailing list (AMSAT-EDU)
    * AMSAT K-12 Educational Liaison mailing list (AMSAT-K12)

    A daily digest version is available for each list.

    To subscribe, or for more list information, visit the following URL:

    http://www.amsat.org/amsat/listserv/menu.html

    This edition of ANS is dedicated to the memory of Taroh Yagi, JH1WIX,
    (ex-J1DO, J2GX) a well-known JA DXer and Amateur Radio pioneer who
    died at age 93. First licensed in 1924, Yagi often was the first JA contact
    for many new hams. [ANS thanks the ARRL for this information]

    ANS is always dedicated to the memory of past ANS editor 'BJ' Arts,
    WT╪N, and to the memory of long-time AMSAT supporter Werner
    Haas, DJ5KQ.

    SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-077.01
    PHASE 3D / AMSAT OSCAR 40 UPDATE

    AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 070.01 FROM AMSAT HQ
    SILVER SPRING, MD, MARCH 18, 2001
    TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
    BID: $ANS-077.01

    To All Members of AMSAT-NA,

    The following statement is addressed to those members of AMSAT-NA
    who have requested an explanation of the December 2000 incident that
    took place on P3D. This statement has been prepared and developed by
    Robin Haighton, VE3FRH, President of AMSAT-NA, with input and
    review from other AMSAT-NA members.

    As you are aware, Phase 3D was launched on November 16, 2000 into
    an almost perfect geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) by an
    Arianespace launch vehicle (AR-507) from Kourou, French Guiana.
    Within a few hours of launch excellent telemetry was being received
    from the 2-meter beacon, and Amateur Radio stations worldwide started downloading data with great accuracy, due in-part to the strong signal strength. The original plan was to use the 70-cm beacon, however,
    for reasons not yet known, the 70-cm transmitter signal was not heard.

    Before the satellite could be regularly used for general Amateur Radio communications, it was necessary to carry out orbital changes, stabilize
    the satellite, open the solar panels, etc. The first changes to the
    orientation of the satellite were carried out using the onboard
    magnetorquing system - this worked well and after relatively few orbits
    the attitude of (now) AO-40 was 270/0, and ready for operation of the
    400 Newton motor. Among the many components which comprise this
    motor system, there are several valves which control pressurizing helium
    and fuel. During construction of the satellite it was noted that one of the helium valves had a tendency to "stick" when operated. Both of these
    valves were sent back to the manufacturer for inspection and repair.
    Both valves were inspected and one valve was repaired, followed by
    return and re-installation into the system.

    On the first attempt to fire the 400-N propulsion system, it failed to
    operate, possibly due to a sticking helium valve. Before the second
    attempt, it was determined that the fuel tanks could be pressurized (by
    helium) to their correct pressure over a five minute period, and although
    this was about one-tenth of the normal helium flow rate, it was still
    adequate for the planned three minute motor burn.

    On the second attempt to fire the 400-N motor, all systems appeared to
    respond correctly at first. At the three minute mark the internal timer transmitted a signal for the main solenoid valve to close, which should
    have shut off the fuel to the motor. Telemetry shows that the signal was
    sent and received, but the motor did not shut off for two or three more minutes, placing AO-40 into a higher apogee orbit than was planned at
    that time.

    To understand how this may have happened, it is necessary to be aware
    that the fuel for the 400-N motor is made up of two components,
    hydrazine (MMH) and nitrogen tetraoxide (N2O4), with each component
    contained in two separate tanks, both of which could be pressurized by
    helium. Helium could also be applied to the solenoid motor valve, the
    output of which operates the two fuel valves which start (and stop) the
    fuel flow. These valves are actually part of the 400-N motor and are
    located inside the motor itself.

    On the solenoid motor valve there is an evacuation port that allows
    excess helium at the output port of the valve to escape when closing the
    valve. It is believed that this evacuation port was blocked and that the
    output port remained pressurized beyond the three minute mark of the
    motor operation - thus the motor continued to burn for an extended
    period of time.

    Between the fuel tanks and the 400 Newton motor there are fuel isolation
    valves which are pressure operated by the helium system. When the
    pressure in the helium manifold had been reduced to approximately
    6-Bar (100 PSI) the fuel isolation valves closed and prevented any
    additional fuel from entering the motor, stopping the burn. At this time
    it is possible that the main motor valves were still open, due to the
    trapped pressurized helium that had not vented at the solenoid motor
    valve.

    Approximately twelve minutes after the motor shut down, a second
    anomaly occurred. This was detected when the motor solenoid valve
    changed from closed to open, possibly caused by fuel migrating in the
    lines between the isolation valve and the 400-N motor. The motor
    could have also "burped" or "popped" as the fuel mixed and then ignited.

    High pressure helium (180 Bar) is fed to the motor system via a high
    pressure on/off valve and a regulator valve - reducing the pressure to
    a nominal 15 Bar level. It is then fed to the low pressure helium manifold. Because of the longer 400-N burn, a program for testing the high
    pressure helium valve was written to "cycle" the valve (to insure proper functioning) and uploaded to AO-40.

    On December 11, 2000, while cycling the helium valve, a sudden loss
    of signal from AO-40 occurred. It is believed that during this exercise the system became pressurized and that a leakage of fuel was the end result. Initial thoughts were that the spacecraft was completely dead and that
    chances of recovery were remote, with the possibility that AO-40 was in multiple pieces. However, with help from NORAD, it was determined
    that the satellite was in one piece, with a possibility of some recovery.
    At least two automatic resets passed without hearing from the spacecraft.
    It was decided to try and hear the general beacon on the S-band
    (2.4 GHz) transmitter. On Christmas Day 2000 the second attempt to
    activate the S-band transmitter was successful, and since that day
    downlink telemetry has been recovered on a regular basis.

    The following items have been found to be working; the 2-meter, 70-cm
    and 1.2 GHz receivers, the S-2 (2.4 GHz) transmitter, the magnetorquing
    system, the YACE camera, IHU-2 and the high-gain antennas. The
    following items are believed not to be working; the 2-meter and 70-cm transmitters and the omni-directional antennas.

    At the time of this bulletin (March 16, 2001) we still do not know the
    status of the Arc-jet motor - which is an important item, needed to
    position the satellite for future use. We do know that the satellite has
    lost mass, and we attribute this to the loss of bi-propellant fuel from the 400-N motor. The satellite spin rate had increased as the overall weight decreased, but by using the magnetorquing system the spin rate is
    now nearly down to a usable 5 RPM. In addition, the heat pipe system
    (which became unusable at the higher spin rates) has now become
    effective again.

    Soon AO-40 will be able to be re-orientated so that the high-gain
    antennas will face the Earth, and the Arc-jet motor will be tested.
    Following the re-orientation it will be possible to test the remaining
    systems on board the spacecraft and to determine which systems and
    bands will be available for future operations and under what conditions.

    As we all learn more about the status of the satellite, additional bulletins will be posted on AMSAT-BB, and placed on the AMSAT-NA, AMSAT-DL
    and AMSAT-UK web sites. Meanwhile, all those involved in the recovery
    of AO-40 are to be congratulated for their skills and perseverance, and
    may their hard work continue to bring us an operational satellite.

    73,

    Robin Haighton VE3FRH
    President AMSAT-NA

    AO-40 is currently transmitting the following message in the A-Block
    MOTD:

    Magnetorquing!! At Orbit # 172: ALON=212 / ALAT=45 / SPIN=5.8
    <<...OLE_Obj...>>
    [ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for this information]

    /EX

    SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-077.02
    SYMPOSIUM CALL FOR PAPERS

    AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 077.02 FROM AMSAT HQ
    SILVER SPRING, MD, MARCH 18, 2001
    TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
    BID: $ANS-077.02

    The 2001 AMSAT-NA Annual Symposium is scheduled for October
    5-6, 2001 in Atlanta, Georgia. This is the first "Call For Papers" to be presented during the 2001 Symposium.

    Papers may be presented by the author during the Symposium, or
    simply offered for inclusion in the Symposium Proceedings publication.

    The subject matter should be of general interest to Amateur Radio
    operators involved in satellite communications. Suggested topics
    include; operating techniques, antenna design and construction,
    spacecraft design and construction, current mission status, proposed
    satellite missions, telemetry acquisition and relay, satellite microwave projects, etc.

    A brief abstract of the proposed paper (in outline format) should be
    submitted as soon as possible. The final date for abstracts is June
    30, 2001. Copy-ready papers must be received no later than August
    15, 2001.

    Electronic submittal is preferred. The format must be either MS Word
    compatible or in plain text. For security purposes, Symposium chairman
    Steve Diggs, W4EPI, is asking authors to condense the document file
    and send it as an e-mail attachment. W4EPI's e-mail address is:

    w4epi@amsat.org

    [ANS thanks Symposium Chairman, Steve Diggs, W4EPI, for this
    information]

    /EX

    SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-077.03
    SPACE STATION ALPHA UPDATE

    AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 077.03 FROM AMSAT HQ
    SILVER SPRING, MD, MARCH 18, 2001
    TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
    BID: $ANS-077.03

    As this edition of ANS was being broadcast, the crews of Discovery
    and the International Space Station were spending a full day packing
    the Leonardo cargo module on the station before they detach Leonardo
    from the complex and secure it in the shuttle payload bay for the trip
    home.

    Two more full days of joint work remain before Discovery is scheduled
    to undock from ISS. A third and final re-boost of ISS will also take place using the shuttle's small steering jets to raise Alpha by a little over two statute miles. Altogether, Discovery will leave Alpha a little more than
    seven miles higher than when it arrived.

    The ISS Expedition-2 crew is getting right to its school contacts! The
    John B. Reible School, in Santa Rosa, California is scheduled for the
    week of March 26th, with the Vicksburg, Mississippi High School group
    scheduled for early April.

    Late breaking news: Randy, KG3N, reported "this morning I heard
    astronaut Susan Helms calling CQ onboard the International Space
    Station. I gave here a call (and using the NA1SS callsign) she came
    back to me. I was able to talk to her for 45 seconds." It appears
    Susan will be very active (as promised).

    [ANS thanks NASA and ARISS for this information]

    /EX

    SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-077.04
    MIR END IS NEAR

    AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 077.04 FROM AMSAT HQ
    SILVER SPRING, MD, MARCH 18, 2001
    TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
    BID: $ANS-077.04

    When the space station Mir returns to Earth over the remote South
    Pacific in a few days, it will be big news. Several organizations
    (such as CNN) are planning live coverage of the de-orbit as it
    happens. The Russian outpost is the heaviest thing orbiting our planet
    other than the Moon itself!

    During its 15-year stint in space, Mir has set endurance and space
    adventure records, along with providing hundreds of Amateur Radio
    contacts between ham radio satellite operators and onboard
    cosmonauts and astronauts.

    Scientists expect the space station to put on a good show when it
    returns. Mir is put together much like an erector set. It's an
    assortment of solar arrays, laboratories and living quarters that was
    not designed for aerodynamic flight through the atmosphere. Mir has
    a core module and five other components weighing about 143 tons in
    all. With a cargo ship and an escape capsule attached, it weighs up
    to 154 tons. The modules are arranged in a T-shaped structure, 86 by
    96 by 99 feet.

    The station will quickly fall apart as it descends toward Earth. "We
    expect Mir to break into six or more main pieces when it hits the
    atmosphere," said Nicholas Johnson at NASA's Johnson Space
    Center. Each piece will resemble a blazing meteor that spits smaller
    fireballs as the pieces crumble and burn.

    [ANS thanks NASA for this information]

    /EX

    SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-077.05
    ANS IN BRIEF

    AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 077.05 FROM AMSAT HQ
    SILVER SPRING, MD, MARCH 18, 2001
    TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
    BID: $ANS-077.05

    ANS news in brief this week includes the following:

    ** Following objections from the ARRL, AMSAT and others, the FCC
    has turned down an application from Los Angeles County, California,
    for an experimental license permitting airborne microwave TV
    downlinks in the 2402-2448 MHz range. The FCC also canceled an
    experimental license grant to the City of Los Angeles to operate an
    identical TV downlink system in same band. Amateurs have a primary
    domestic allocation at 2402-2417 MHz and a secondary allocation in
    the rest of the affected band. -ARRL, AMSAT-NA

    ** The ARRL has suggested that the FCC expand the secondary
    amateur allocation at 219-220 MHz to provide access to the entire
    216-220 MHz band. The League commented this month in response
    to a Notice of Proposed Rule Making, ET Docket 00-221, that proposes
    to reallocate 27 MHz of spectrum in various bands, including
    216-220 MHz, from government to non-government use. In general,
    the FCC seeks to allocate the entire 216-220 MHz band to the Fixed
    and Mobile services on a primary basis. -ARRL

    ** The ARRL is urging the FCC to deny or dismiss a petition that
    seeks to boost the field strength and duty cycle of RF identification
    systems deployed as unlicensed Part 15 devices in the 420-450 MHz
    band. The League filed comments March 1 in a petition filed by SAVI
    Technology Inc. The petition, designated RM-10051, asks the FCC to
    change certain Part 15 rules affecting unlicensed, periodic, intentional radiators. SAVI, which markets radiolocation and wireless inventory
    control products, says it needs the rules changes to satisfy customer
    demand for increased RFID system capabilities. -ARRL

    ** A newly released pair of images taken by NASA's Galileo spacecraft
    has captured a dynamic eruption on Jupiter's moon Io. They images
    show a change in the location of hot lava over a period of a few months
    in 1999 and early 2000. -SpaceDaily

    ** The Administrative Council of the International Amateur Radio
    Union has selected the theme "Providing Disaster Communications:
    Amateur Radio in the 21st Century" for World Amateur Radio Day,
    April 18, 2001. IARU has been the watchdog and spokesman for the
    world Amateur Radio community since its founding in Paris, France,
    in 1925. Hiram Percy Maxim, 1AW, was its first president. -ARRL

    ** An international team of researchers has discovered compelling
    evidence that the magnetite crystals in the martian meteorite
    ALH84001 are of biological origin. The researchers found that the
    magnetite crystals embedded in the meteorite are arranged in long
    chains, which they say could have been formed only by once-living
    organisms. -SpaceDaily

    ** When last reported, Randy, N7SFI, was only one grid square
    away from completing his quest to work all the grid squares in the
    48 contiguous states! Congratulations Randy! -AMSAT BB

    ** An Ariane 5 was launched recently from the Kourou spaceport in
    French Guiana. Flight 140 transported a dual satellite payload: the
    Eutelsat EUROBIRD satellite BSAT-2a from Orbital Sciences.
    -SpaceDaily

    ** The Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2001 is now
    officially HR 817. Rep Michael Bilirakis of Florida introduced the bill
    on March 1st in the U.S. House of Representatives. ARRL President
    Jim Haynie, W5JBP, and ARRL First Vice President Joel Harrison,
    W5ZN, visited the Congressman's office to thank him personally for
    his continuing interest in protecting Amateur Radio frequency
    allocations. -ARRL

    ** Scientists from Bell Labs have created the world's first plastic
    material in which resistance to the flow of electricity vanishes below
    a certain temperature, making it a superconductor. The plastic,
    is an inexpensive material that could be widely used in the future for applications, such as quantum computing and superconducting
    electronics. -SpaceDaily

    --ANS BULLETIN END---

    /EX

    SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-077.06
    WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 1

    AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 077.06 FROM AMSAT HQ
    SILVER SPRING, MD, MARCH 18, 2001
    TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
    BID: $ANS-077.06

    Phase 3D / AMSAT OSCAR 40 / AO-40
    Launched: November 16, 2000 aboard an Ariane 5 launcher
    from Kourou, French Guiana. Status: S-Band transmitter is
    active, recovery efforts continue.

    The V-band, U-band and the L-band (L1) receivers are working on the
    the high-gain antennas. The omni-directional antennas appear to be non-functional. The attitude control system is functional.

    [ANS thanks AMSAT-NA and AMSAT-DL for this information]

    INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION/ARISS
    Worldwide packet uplink: 145.990 MHz
    Region 1 voice uplink: 145.200 MHz
    Region 2/3 voice uplink: 144.490 MHz
    Worldwide downlink: 145.800 MHz
    TNC callsign RZ3DZR-1
    ARISS initial station launched September 2000 aboard shuttle Atlantis
    Status: Operational (although current ISS workload is limiting operation)

    ARISS is made up of delegates from major national Amateur Radio
    organizations, including AMSAT.

    U.S. callsign: NA1SS
    Russian callsign: R0ISS, RZ3DZR
    German call sign: DL0ISS

    More information about the project can be found on the ARISS web site
    at http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov.

    [ANS thanks ARISS team member Will Marchant, KC6ROL, for this
    information]

    RADIO SPORT RS-12
    Uplink 145.910 to 145.950 MHz CW/SSB
    Downlink 29.410 to 29.450 MHz CW/SSB
    Beacon 29.408 MHz
    Launched: February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian Cosmos C launcher
    Status: RS-12 was re-activated in mode A on January 1, 2001

    Peter, OZ4LP, has been hearing W1 stations via RS-12 and is
    looking to set up transatlantic schedules with stations in the north
    east U.S. and eastern Canada. Interested stations can contact him
    via the RS-12/13 operators forum at:

    http://www.hotboards.com/plus/plus.mirage?who=rs1213

    The latest information on RS-12 and RS-13 can be found on the
    AC5DK RS-12/13 Satellite Operators page at:

    http://www.qsl.net/ac5dk/rs1213/rs1213.html

    [ANS thanks Kevin Manzer, AC5DK, for this information]

    RADIO SPORT RS-15
    Uplink 145.858 to 145.898 MHz CW/SSB
    Downlink 29.354 to 29.394 MHz CW/SSB
    Beacon 29.352 MHz (intermittent)
    SSB meeting frequency 29.380 MHz (unofficial)
    Launched: December 26, 1994 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome
    Status: Semi-operational, mode-A, using a 2-meter uplink and a
    10-meter downlink

    Dave, WB6LLO, has operating information for both RS-15 on his
    web site. In addition to satellite data, antenna information for
    mode-A operation is also featured. The WB6LLO web site URL is:

    http://home.san.rr.com/doguimont/uploads

    [ANS thanks Dave Guimont, WB6LLO, for this information]

    OSCAR 10 AO-10
    Uplink 435.030 to 435.180 MHz CW/LSB
    Downlink 145.975 to 145.825 MHz CW/USB
    Beacon 145.810 MHz (unmodulated carrier)
    Launched: June 16, 1983 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
    French Guiana. Status: Semi-operational, mode-B. AO-10 has
    been locked into a 70-cm uplink and a 2-meter downlink for
    several years.

    DX continues to be heard and worked on AO-10. Jerry, K5OE, reports
    contacts with FY1DW, DH5FS, IT9GSV and OE8TPK. Tim, N8DEU,
    reports QSO's with PP8KWA, IT9GSV, G7MJX, EB4AFK, DG3SAA,
    SP7JSG and many others! "Big signals on AO-10 this afternoon," reports
    Ron, W6ZQ, hearing 7M4DUI, VE7STY, NX7U, N8DEU, K5VAS and
    others.

    W4SM has more information about the satellite at the following URL:

    http://www.cstone.net/~w4sm/AO-10.html

    [ANS thanks Stacey Mills, W4SM, for his AO-10 status information
    and web site]

    AMRAD AO-27
    Uplink 145.850 MHz FM
    Downlink 436.795 MHz FM
    Launched: September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
    French Guiana. Status: Operational, mode J.

    Periodically, AO-27's analog repeater will be turned off for a few days
    at a time to enable ground controllers to gather Whole Orbital Data
    (WOD), to verify the health of the satellite.

    An AO-27 question-and-answer page is available on the AMSAT-NA
    web site. The URL is: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/intro/ao27faq.html.

    AO-27 uses a method called Timed Eclipse Power Regulation (TEPR)
    to regulate the on-board batteries. In simple terms, TEPR times how
    long the satellite has been in an eclipse (or in the sun) and decides
    what subsystems to turn on or off.

    The AO-27 pages on the AMSAT-NA web site include an
    explanation of TEPR AO-27 operations (at):

    http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/ao27.html

    [ANS thanks AMRAD for AO-27 information]

    UO-14
    Uplink 145.975 MHz FM
    Downlink 435.070 MHz FM
    Launched: January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
    French Guiana. Status: Operational, mode J

    Tim, KG8OC, features UO-14 information on the Michigan AMSAT
    web site -- point your web browser to the following URL: http://www.qsl.net/kg8oc

    [ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for UO-14 information]

    JAS-1b FO-20
    Uplink 145.90 to 146.00 MHz CW/LSB
    Downlink 435.80 to 435.90 MHz CW/USB
    Launched: February 07, 1990 by an H1 launcher from the
    Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. Status: Operational.
    FO-20 is in mode JA continuously

    Tak, JA2PKI, reported the FO-20 control station operators believe
    that the UVC (Under Voltage Controller) now is regulating the
    transponder. The UVC monitors battery voltage and tries to protect the batteries from over discharge.

    [ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-20 status reports]

    JAS-2 FO-29
    Launched: August 17, 1996, by an H-2 launcher from the
    Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. Status: Operational

    Voice/CW Mode JA
    Uplink 145.90 to 146.00 MHz CW/LSB
    Downlink 435.80 to 435.90 MHz CW/USB

    Digital Mode JD
    Uplink 145.850 145.870 145.910 MHz FM
    Downlink 435.910 MHz 1200 baud BPSK or 9600 baud FSK
    Callsign 8J1JCS
    Digitalker 435.910 MHz

    The JARL FO-29 command station has announced the following
    operation schedule of FO-29:

    through April 2, 2001 - mode JA

    Mike, KF4FDJ, has put together a very informative document on FO-29,
    addressing the analog, digital and digi-talker modes. To obtain a copy
    e-mail Mike at: kf4fdj@amsat.org.

    Mineo, JE9PEL, has a FO-29 satellite telemetry analysis program that
    will automatically analyze all digital telemetry from the satellite (such as current, voltage and temperature). The JE9PEL FO-29/shareware is
    available at the following URL:

    http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/

    [ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for the FO-29 status reports]

    /EX

    SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-077.07
    WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 2

    AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 077.07 FROM AMSAT HQ
    SILVER SPRING, MD, MARCH 18, 2001
    TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
    BID: $ANS-077.07

    TIUNGSAT-1
    Uplink 145.850 or 145.925 MHz 9600 baud FSK
    Downlink 437.325 MHz
    Broadcast callsign MYSAT3-11
    BBS MYSAT3-12
    Launched: September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic
    missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Status: Operational at
    38k4 baud FSK

    Chris, G7UPN, tells ANS that recently TiungSat-1 has been operating
    at a data rate of 38k4. Data recovery at 38k4 is reported to be extremely
    good with efficiencies near 100%. The output power is at 8-watts "which
    should provide a very good downlink," said Chris, adding "the downside
    is that with the high power transmitter operating, the power budget is
    negative so we can't support continuous operation."

    According to G7UPN, TiungSat-1 now requires the Amateur Radio station
    to switch the downlink 'on' when the satellite comes into range. The way
    this works is for the ground station software to send a request to the spacecraft to switch the downlink on. The spacecraft receives this request
    and checks the battery voltage to see if it can support the operation, and
    if
    it can it will activate the downlink.

    TiungSat-1 is Malaysia's first micro-satellite and in addition to
    commercial land and weather imaging payloads offers FM and FSK
    Amateur Radio communication.

    TiungSat-1, named after the mynah bird of Malaysia, was developed as
    a collaborative effort between the Malaysian government and Surrey
    Satellite Technology Ltd.

    For more information on TiungSat-1, visit the following URL:

    http://www.yellowpages.com.my/tiungsat/tiung_main.htm

    [ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for this information]

    KITSAT KO-25
    Uplink 145.980 MHz FM (9600 baud FSK)
    Downlink 436.500 MHz FM
    Broadcast Callsign HL02-11
    BBS HL02-12
    Launched: September 26, 1993 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
    French Guiana. Status: Operational

    Jim, AA7KC, reports KO-25 is operational with light traffic.

    [ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, for KO-25 status information]

    UOSAT UO-22
    Uplink 145.900 or 145.975 MHz FM 9600 baud FSK
    Downlink 435.120 MHz FM
    Broadcast Callsign UOSAT5-11
    BBS UOSAT5-12
    Launched: July 17, 1991 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
    French Guiana. Status: Operational

    Jim, AA7KC, reports UO-22 is operational with heavy individual and
    Sat-gate traffic.

    More information on the satellite is available at the following URL:

    http://www.sstl.co.uk/

    [ANS thanks Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO, for UO-22 status
    information]

    OSCAR-11
    Downlink 145.825 MHz FM (1200 baud AFSK)
    Mode-S Beacon 2401.500 MHz
    Launched: March 1, 1984 by a Delta-Thor rocket from Vandenberg
    Air Force Base in California. Status: Operational

    Happy birthday OSCAR-11 - now 17 years in space!

    During the period 14-February through 14-March 2001 good signals
    have been received from the 145 MHz beacon. The battery voltage
    observed during daylight passes is slightly lower. The average value
    observed was 13.8 volts, with a range of 13.4 to 14.1 volts. The
    internal temperatures have decreased by about one degree C. They
    are now 3.2C and 1.6C for battery and telemetry electronics
    respectively.

    A WOD survey (dated 06-January), has been transmitted. The
    array voltage shows the effect of the solar eclipses. The array
    voltage also shows the decrease of battery voltage during dark
    periods, the constant voltage during charge, and the over-voltage
    condition when the battery is fully charged.

    The spin period has varied between 280 and 329 seconds. In
    mid-January the Z-axis magnetorquer counter reached 1,024.

    The operating schedule is as follows:

    ASCII status (210 seconds)
    ASCII bulletin (60 seconds)
    BINARY SEU (30 seconds)
    ASCII TLM (90 seconds)
    ASCII WOD (120 seconds)
    ASCII bulletin (60 seconds)
    BINARY ENG (30 seconds)

    The ASCII bulletin is currently a static message, detailing modes and frequencies of all active amateur radio satellites.

    More information on OSCAR-11 is available at the following URL:

    http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/

    [ANS thanks Clive Wallis, G3CWV, for OSCAR-11 status information]

    PACSAT AO-16
    Uplink 145.90 145.92 145.94 145.96 MHz FM
    (using 1200 baud Manchester FSK)
    Downlink 437.025 MHz SSB (RC-BPSK 1200 baud PSK)
    Mode-S Beacon 2401.1428 MHz
    Broadcast Callsign: PACSAT-11
    BBS PACSAT-12
    Launched: January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
    French Guiana. Status: Semi-operational, the digipeater command is
    on.

    Russ, WJ9F, reported that at 15:00 UTC on March 17, 2001 AO-16's
    S-band transmitter (2401.1428 MHz) was turned on. Operation is
    expected for about 36 hours. Lawrence, DL1FLW, reported "very strong
    signals from AO-16 on S-band." The next scheduled S-band operation
    is march 23, 2001.

    Telemetry is as follows:

    uptime is 398/08:01:42. Time is Sat Mar 17 11:38:34 2001
    +X (RX) Temp 6.654 D RX Temp -0.002 D
    Bat 1 Temp 7.260 D Bat 2 Temp 6.049 D
    Baseplt Temp 5.444 D PSK TX RF Out 1.705 W
    RC PSK BP Temp 1.814 D RC PSK HPA Tmp 1.814 D
    +Y Array Temp 1.814 D PSK TX HPA Tmp 4.234 D
    +Z Array Temp 16.941 D
    Total Array C= 0.365 Bat Ch Cur=-0.064 Ifb= 0.048 I+10V= 0.364
    TX:1009 BCR:7F PWRC:36D BT:1E WC:25 EDAC:8D

    Beacon text: Happy 11th birthday to AO-16, LO-19, UO-14.
    AO-16 owned and operated by AMSAT-NA
    AO-16 Command Team <WJ9F>


    --- Terminate 4.00/Pro
    * Origin: Keep honking...I'm reloading!! (1:387/710)