AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-006

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:
* AO-51 Entering Eclipse Free Period
* Best Fist Nominations Due
* South Africa AMSAT Space Symposium Call for Papers
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
* ARISS Status - 31 December 2007

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-006.01
AO-51 Entering Eclipse Free Period

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 006.01
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
January 6, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-006.01

AO-51 is about to enter a three month period of no eclipse. The
command team will be determining the best operating modes and
power levels during the first two weeks of January 2008.

There will be no published schedule. The current modes of V/U
FM repeater and L/U digital bulletin board may be common, but
unpublished mode changes can occur at anytime. Please check
the AMSAT BB or the Control Team News area of the web site for
the latest information:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/CTNews.php .

[ANS thanks Gould, WA4SXM and the AO-51 Command team for
the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-006.02
Best Fist Nominations Due

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 006.02
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
January 6, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-006.02

Many thanks to all who participated in Straight Key Night on OSCAR 2008. If
you have not already done so, please take a moment to nominate someone you
worked for Best Fist. Your nominee need not have the best fist of those you
heard, but only of those you worked.

Please send your nomination to . A list of those nominated
will be published in an ANS bulletin in early February, and in The AMSAT
Journal.

[ANS thanks Ray, W2RS, for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-006.03
South Africa AMSAT Space Symposium Call for Papers

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 006.03
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
January 6, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-006.03

The South Africa AMSAT Space Symposium will be held in Durban on April
19th. Papers for presentation are now being solicited with a closing date
for a synopsis on February 15th. Those selected will be advised that their
presentation is one that's been selected and that completed copy must be
submitted in Microsoft Word format before March 31st. Submit all
submissions electronically to .

[ANS Newsline for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-006.04
Satellite Shorts From All Over

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 006.04
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
January 6, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-006.04

+ A Powerpoint Presentation (in PDF format), "Satellites for
Beginners" can be downloaded from:
http://www.amsatsa.org.za/Satellites...0Beginners.pdf

+ Jay, AA4FL made an AO7 Mode B contact with PY4AJ in grid GH70un.
He is on the fringes of the footprint with a few other stations
in the south of Brasil/Northern Argentina and will be looking for
more contact opportunities. Jay invites e-mail at:
to set up schedules.

+ Jim G3WGM, Hon Sec AMSAT-UK announced the dates for the next
AMSAT-UK Colloquium are 25/26/27 July 2008. Location and general
arrangements will be similar to last year's event. More details
later. Please note the date in your diaries now.

+ Gould, WA4SXM says the parts list and other documentation for
the LVB Tracker are now available at http://www.LVBTracker.com.
This website will carry the latest information available for
this project.

[ANS thanks JoAnne, K9JKM, for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-006.05
ARISS Status - 31 December 2007

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 006.05
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
January 6, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-006.05

1. ARISS Contact to be Rescheduled

Due to technical difficulties, the December 27 Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS) contact scheduled with the 15 Korolev
City
School in Korolev, Russia was not successful. The contact will be
rescheduled
during January 2008.


2. ARISS Mentioned in QST

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) referred to Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS) in its January 2008 QST. Under "This
Just
In" there was a section that read, "Astronauts aboard the ISS completed 74
contacts with schools during 2007, an ARISS record."

[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,
Lee McLamb, KU4OS