AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-070

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.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:


In this edition:

* Falconsat-3 Launch Successful
* AMSAT-UK Key Contributor to OfCom Microwave Spectrum Comments
* P3E Project Articles Available On-line
* Its Time to Submit Your Articles For the Next AMSAT Journal
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
* ARISS Status Report for the Week of March 5, 2007

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-070.01
Falconsat-3 Launch Successful

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 070.01
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 11, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-070.01

Reports have been received that the Atlas launch carrying Falconsat-3
into orbit was successful on March 8, 2007. Drew, KO4MA wrote, "We
had a great view of the launch tonight. The Atlas is dimmer than the
Shuttle or Delta launches, but a nice crimson color. We talked about the
launch on the Florida AMSAT net at 730PM, and had several guys outside for
both the 88 degree pass of AO-51 at 830 and watching the launch at 1010
while discussing it on the local repeater system."

CelesTrak now has KEPS available at:
http://www.celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/tle-new.txt

Likely candidates this early into the mission include 2007-006D,
2007-006E and 2007-006F.

When Falconsat-3 completes its primary mission an amateur radio payload
is planned to be activated. More details on this feature will become
available at that time.

[ANS thanks Drew, KO4MA for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-070.02
AMSAT-UK Key Contributor to OfCom Microwave Spectrum Comments

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 070.02
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 11, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-070.02

AMSAT-UK, participating in a joint response with the Radio Society of
Great Britain, UK Microwave Group, and the British Amateur Television
Club, commented on the British OfCom's Spectrum Packaging and Auction
of the 10GHz, 28GHz, 32GHz and 40GHz Bands.

Presenting their credentials, the RSGB noted they are recognised as
one of the leading organisations in the world in the field of amateur
radio. Also acknowledged were contributions on Amateur Satellite data
from international AMSAT Societies as part of a broad team effort.

In respect of the 10GHz band the Amateur Radio comments noted, "We remain
profoundly disappointed that this band is on offer. Whilst the document
is a useful insight into Ofcom's latest thinking, it in no way answers
our fundamental concerns which in particular threaten leading edge
international 10GHz Amateur Satellite developments. We look forward to
a fuller response in respect of our original consultation input."

The full versions of the documents, including the Amateur Radio comments
can be seen at:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/cond...GHz/responses/

The original OfCom Consultation document can be seen at:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/cond...z/10-40ghz.pdf

[ANS thanks Trevor, M5AKA for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-070.03
P3E Project Articles Available On-line

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 070.03
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 11, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-070.03

AMSAT-DL reminded radio amateurs that they post the latest information
about the P3E satellite at:
http://www.amsat-dl.org//index.php?o...d=35&Itemid=99

For those who cannot read the German page Google provides a web page
translation tool at http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en. Enter the
URL above in the http:// block and select German to English to give you
a good translation. It provides a completely readable translation which
anyone can follow.

[ANS thanks Peter, DB2OS and Bob, N4HY for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-070.04
Its Time to Submit Your Articles For the Next AMSAT Journal

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 070.04
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 11, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-070.04

Ed, WA4SWJ, Editor of The AMSAT Journal reminds everyone, "It's actually
past time to submit articles for the next issue of the Journal. I have a
few articles already but, as always, I need more. I'm just back from a
fairly long business trip out of the country so I haven't had any time to
issue calls for papers. So, if you have anything please forward it right
away. I'll be working on the next issue next week."

[ANS thanks Ed, WA4SWJ for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-070.05
Satellite Shorts From All Over

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 070.05
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 11, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-070.05

+ ISS Status Report SS07-12 reported that US and Russian officials
plan to reboost the station on March 15, using the Progress 23
engines to place the station at the correct altitude for the Soyuz
TMA-10 capsule, scheduled to launch April 7 and dock to Zarya on
April 9. You will need to update your ISS keps after this manuever.

+ The ARISS School QSO that can be copied in North America direct on
the ISS 145.800 MHz downlink is with the University School, Shaker
Heights, OH, on Fri 2007-03-16 16:14 UTC.

+ Reports indicate that GO-32 is once again operational. Its frequencies
include 145.890 uplink, and downlink on 435.225, 9600bps, FSK, KISS.

[ANS thanks everyone for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-070.06
ARISS Status Report for the Week of March 5, 2007

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 070.06
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 11, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-070.06

1. Portuguese School Contact Successful

On Monday, February 26, students from Escola Camilo Castelo Branco in
Carnaxide, Portugal participated in an Amateur Radio on the International
Space Station (ARISS) contact via the telebridge station, VK5ZAI, in
Australia. Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, answered 15 questions posed to her by
15 students, as two other schools from the Oeiras regional council also
listened in. The event reached 95 students at Manuel Vaz in Barcarena and
420 students at Jorge Mineiro in Queluz de Baixo, as well as the 750 stu-
dents at Camilo Castelo Branco. The media covering the contact included
4 national magazines, 4 local newspapers, and three television networks,
with a total audience of approximately 11 million. The audio was fed into
the EchoLink AMSAT (101 377), JK1ZRW (277 208) and CHANG servers, receiving
30 connections from 11 countries including one repeater. Audio was also
fed into the IRLP Discovery Reflector 9010. IRLP received 5 connections
from 3 countries and the Discovery Reflector's companion website had 8
connections. The event was also webcast by Verizon Conferencing.

2. Virginia Run Elementary School Contact Successful

On Friday, March 2, the 800 students enrolled at Virginia Run Elementary
School in Centreville, Virginia experienced an Amateur Radio on the Inter-
national Space Station (ARISS) contact. Thirteen children each asked one
question of Sunita Williams, KD5PLB. Two local newspapers and the NBC
Channel 4 affiliate in Washington, DC covered the event. Senior Meteor-
ologist Bob Ryan featured the contact on Monday, March 5 during the evening
news. The Fairfax County Public Schools cable channel - Red Apple Channel
21- recorded the event and will replay it everyday from April 9 - 29 at
1:00 and 6:00 pm ET.

Astronaut Carl Walz, KC5TIE, who was active in the ARISS program during
Expedition 4, provided a 25 minute presentation to the students. He was
accompanied by astronaut and Expedition 3 Commander Frank Culbertson,
KD5OPQ, who also took part in many ARISS school contacts and special
events.

A DVD of the contact is being produced. The video may be viewed on:
http://www.wherry.com/photos/2007-03...ideo-small.mov
(Requires Quicktime player)
An audio-only file is available at the following URL:
http://www.wherry.com/photos/2007-03...vres-audio.mp3

3. Other School Contacts

Boulder Hill Elementary School in Montgomery, Illinois had an Amateur Radio
on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Tuesday, March 6. The
school integrated the contact into its curriculum through nonfiction reading
of topics including space and space exploration, radio and radio waves, and
technology and communications. They will also write expositions on these
related topics. Students will track and calculate the ISS distance from
Earth. Older classes will partner with younger students to teach science
and social studies and hands on activities are planned, such as the use of
walkie talkies. The community has been invited to attend and participate
in the event and local newspapers are expected to cover the activities.

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact was
completed with Mission Viejo High School in Mission Viejo, California on
Friday, March 9.

4. Vasant Valley School Contact Update

Vasant Valley School in New Delhi, India, experienced an Amateur Radio on
the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Saturday, February 24.
Three hundred students, parents and teachers attended the event and 14
other schools also tied in. Among the media outlets that covered the event
were four television stations and 3 newspapers. Vasant Valley School has
posted video of the event on its website. See:
http://www.vasantvalley.org/vasantva...williams.shtml

[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI 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 additional benefits.
Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.


73,
This week's ANS Editor,
JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM