AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-301

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:

* The Weekend That Changed Amateur Radio
* Congratulations and Applause for the Symposium Committee
* 2008 AMSAT Space Symposium to be Held in Atlanta
* OSCAR-11 Report
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
* ARISS Status Report For the Week of October 22, 2007

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-301.01
The Weekend That Changed Amateur Radio

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 301.01
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 28, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-301.01

This past weekend, October 26-28 AMSAT-NA held a very successful Space
Symposium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Rick Hambly, W2GPS, AMSAT President along with Bob McGwier, N4HY, AMSAT
Vice-President of Engineering were able to make public the results of
their recent work which will change the face of amateur radio going
forward. AMSAT has been in consultation with Intelsat regarding an
application of an Intelsat platform carrying our amateur radio satelites

into geosynchronous orbit.

Engineering studies, funding studies, among other negotiations are
continuing at this point. However Bob, N4HY made the following obser-
vation of the project AMSAT has termed Phase IV Lite, "There is enough
in place at this time that AMSAT needs to begin planning engineering
work and possible construction of a geosychronous payload so we are
ready if Intelsat says they have a ride for us."

The Phase IV Lite Geosynchronous Payload is planned to consist of
similar transponders already under development for the Phase 3 satel-
lites. Accelerated development on the digital Advanced Communica-
tion Package is anticipated. In addition to the communication pay-
load flown to space, AMSAT plans to develop an earth station attain-
able by the average ham so that users can immediately take advantage
of the audio, digital messaging, and video services.

The Advanced Communication Package would be a self-contained earth
station which could be sent with amateur radio communication teams
or delivered to disaster areas for 24/7/365 emergency communications.
These teams would be able to point a small dish at a predictable
spot in the sky and immediately begin delivering disaster commun-
ication support without depending on HF propagation.

A Phase IV payload could also be used to provide TDRSS-like relay
of ARISS communications. The 10 minute school contact could now
be expanded to hours-long contact with the International Space
Station. This opens possibilities for student involvement with
experiments aboard the space station.

The Intelsat geosynchronous platform would be able to provide the
AMSAT Phase IV Lite payload with approximately 400 watts of DC
power for 15 years. The primary payload would also perform the
GTO boost phase as well as perform station keeping and antenna
pointing once it has arrived on station. Bob, N4HY summarized,
"The Intelsat team would be doing all the things nearly impossible
for amateurs and that enables AMSAT to do what we do best ... build
a communication system that changes amateur radio for the better!"

More details will be published in upcoming editions of the AMSAT
Journal.

[ANS thanks Rick, W2GPS and Bob, N4HY for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-301.02
Congratulations and Applause for the Symposium Committee

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 301.02
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 28, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-301.02

This weekend's AMSAT Space Symposium featured:
+ The AMSAT Annual Membership Meeting
+ Board of Directors meeting
+ Over 30 technical presentations
+ Discussion of the future of AMSAT and Amateur Radio in Space
+ Technical Demonstrations
+ Mentoring of students to build their own antenna and make their
first satellite contact.

The Symposium was hosted by the Wireless Association of South Hills
Amateur Radio Club and area AMSAT members. The huge success of the
Symposium was driven by co-chairs: Kevin Smith, N3HKQ and Pat Sanford,
KC4WTT. A wonderfully capable team who ensured their success included:

Jim Sanford, WB4GCS
Dave DeMotte, N3IDH
Richard Crow, N2SPI (student mentoring a succesful satellite contact)
Bill Hill, W3WH (Master of Ceremonies)
Randy George, N3ZK
Robert Timmins, AB3ED
Paul Lusardi, N0VLR
Hank Marzina, KB3FNM
Mary Lou Marzina
Ed Oelschlager, N3ZNI
Jacqueline Gossedin, N3ZEL
Larry Conden, K3VX
Frank Bodro, N3FB
Dan Schultz, N8FGV
Dan McAnn, KB3HVN
Georgeianne Sarco, KB3LIV
Dave Kitzinger, N3DFK

Details and photos of the Symposium will be published in upcoming
editions of The AMSAT Journal. Thank you for all your help!

[ANS thanks Martha at AMSAT HQ for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-301.03
2008 AMSAT Space Symposium to be Held in Atlanta

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 301.03
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 28, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-301.03

The AMSAT Board of Directors announced that the 2008 AMSAT Space
Symposium will be held in the October timeframe in Atlanta, Georgia.
This Symposium will be named the "2008 Harry Yoneda JA1ANG AMSAT
Space Symposium" in memory and honor of JA1ANG - Silent Key.

Harry was a former AMSAT Board Member and close friend of many
in the group. Harry also was a founding member of JAMSAT.

[ANS thanks Rick, W2GPS for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-301.04
OSCAR-11 Report

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 301.04
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 28, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-301.04

Clive, G3CWV says,"OSCAR-11 has been heard from 06 October to 08
October. The beacon switched on as expected, on 06 October, but
prematurely switched OFF sometime between 08 and 09 October. Signals
were weaker than usual. The premature shutdown has probably caused
the watchdog timer to reset, and start a new 20 day cycle. If that
has occurred then the beacon should resume transmissions around
29 October 2007."

Clive continued, "I am indebted to John N7ZL, John N3NKC, Thomas
HB9SKA, and Peter ZL3TC, for their reports. Many thanks."

The satellite is now in continuous sunlight and this will continue
until the start of November, when there will be a short eclipse season,
lasting until around 07 January. However the maximum duration of the
eclipses will only be about 12 minutes. At this level the satelite
might just survive.

The active beacon frequency is VHF 145.826 MHz with AFSK FM
ASCII Telemetry.

Listeners to OSCAR-11 may be interested in visiting Clive's website:
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew/

[ANS thanks Clive, G3CWV for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-301.05
Title/Subject

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 301.05
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 28, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-301.05

+ Kevin, WA6FWF who processed the Sputnik Anniversary reception
reports said, "I am pleased to report that the pile waiting to
be processed is gone!!! If you requested a certificate and
you do not receive it in a week or so then look my call up on
QRZ.com and send me an email directly and I can check your
call on my list to see if it was received and when it was sent."

+ Gould, WA4SXM, AO-51 Control Station reported on October 28, "We
are continuing to work with AO-51 in reloading the files. The
command stations are learning and documenting the process. We hope
to have AO-51 operational before too long."

+ The Delfi-C3 team has received an official launch window from the
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) regarding the launch of
PSLV-C9 which will carry Delfi-C3 into space. The window runs from
the 7th of January to the 10th of January.

[ANS thanks everyone for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-301.06
ARISS Status Report For the Week of October 22, 2007

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 301.06
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 28, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-301.06

1. Five Malaysian School Contacts Successful

Malaysian space visitor Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, 9W2MUS,
participated in the ARISS program while on board the ISS. Five
different groups of Malaysian school children gathered at the
National Planetarium in Kuala Lumpur and spoke with Shukor,
direct via ground station 9M2RPN. All five of the successful
contacts took place over the week of October 14. Former Shuttle
astronaut, Robert "Hoot" Gibson attended the final ARISS event
and also spoke to Shukor. Shukor returned to Earth on Sunday,
October 21 with the Expedition 15 crew. The Star Online ran an
article on the first contact with the Malaysian students. See:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp...ion/19172923&s
ec=na
tion

2. School Contacts

The first ARISS contact of Expedition 16 was held on Tuesday,
October 23 with students, ages 13 – 14, from Giosuè Carducci in
Santa Marinella, Italy. Princess Elettra Marconi visits the school
annually as it runs a program, “Guglielmo Marconi.” The program
covers the research and experiments which were conducted by
Marconi at the National Radioelectric Centre located in Santa
Marinella.

3. ARISS International Team Teleconference Held

The monthly ARISS teleconference was held on Wednesday, October 17.
Topics of discussion included the 2008 ARISS International Face to
Face meeting, the Columbus antennas and SuitSat-2. A new Canadian
delegate was also announced. Meeting minutes have been posted.
See: http://www.rac.ca/ariss/arisstel2007-10-17.htm

4. ARISS Antennas on Columbus

A write up on the Columbus Module ARISS antennas has been posted
to the ARISS-Europe Web site. Photos of the antennas and movie clips
of their installation and inspection are also available. See:
http://www.ariss-eu.org/columbus.htm

[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