ANS-069 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
 

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-069

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 March Schedule
* College Night Successful on AO-51
* AO-16 Status Update
* AMSAT Events for 14/15 March 2008
* AMSAT Store Down for Upgrade
* AMSAT Block of Rooms at Dayton
* ARISS Status - 03 March 2008

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-069.01
AO-51 March Schedule

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 069.01
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 9, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-069.01

Last month we concentrated on L uplinks and S downlinks. This month we'd
like to concentrate on U band downlinks. In response to recent
discussions
on AMSAT-BB, we are going to try two separate weeks of dual repeaters.
Unlike the QRP restrictions we have had in the past, this time the only
special restrictions are that regular users yield for university
stations
that will be active on 27th. Please limit
contacts those dates to QSOs involving
at least one university station. If the second repeater is
not utilized, we may revert to digital operations.

The 435.150 repeater and 2401.200 downlinks may be temporarily suspended
for
WOD telemetry download without notice. Generally this will only be for
one
pass per day.

Regarding the graphic schedule, the software that does the schedule will
not allow for the proper display of some of the current modes or any
detailed information on special purposes. Please refer to the text page
for
mode
change information.
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/CTNews.php

March 2008 AO-51 (AMSAT Echo) Schedule

March 1 until March 31, subject to modification

March 1 - March 2

FM Repeater, V/US
Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM, NO PL Tone
Downlinks: 435.300 and 2401.200 MHz FM

March 3 - March 9

FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM, NO PL Tone
Downlink: 435.300 MHz FM

FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.880 MHz FM, NO PL Tone
Downlink: 435.150 MHz FM

March 10 - March 16

FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM, NO PL Tone
Downlink: 435.300 MHz FM

9k6 Digital L/U BBS and Telemetry
Uplink: 1268.700 MHz FM
Downlink: 435.150 MHz FM

March 17 - March 23

FM Repeater, V/US
Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM, NO PL Tone
Downlinks: 435.300 and 2401.200 MHz FM

March 24 - March 31

FM Repeater, V/U
Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM, NO PL Tone
Downlink: 435.300 MHz FM

FM Repeater, V/U (March 27th please yield to university stations)
Uplink: 145.880 MHz FM, NO PL Tone
Downlink: 435.150 MHz FM

[ANS thanks Drew, KO4MA, for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-069.02
College Night Successful on AO-51

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 069.02
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 9, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-069.02

Jay, AA4FL reports that College Night was a success on AO-51. College
stations
heard at the University Of Floriday (UF) during
the two evening passes (March 5 UTC)
were the University of Arkansas and a student
from the University of Kentucky. The
SEC was well represented! Contacts were made at UF by two students,
KI4LDJ (Dante) and N6WPV (Seth), and AA4FL (Jay), and included contacts
with:
N0YK, N3UNM (Frostburg, MD, home of Frostburg state U), KI4VNV (UK
student),
KB2HSH, KU4OS (mobile in Cocoa,FL), WD9EWK (portable in city park
Phoenix),
W5YM (U ARK), N5AFV.

Thanks to all that participated. Look for us again on the next college
night
on AO51, March 27th. Make sure to spread the word to college hams/club
stations you may know.

[ANS thanks Jay, AA4FL, for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-069.03
AO-16 Status Update

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 069.03
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 9, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-069.03

AO-16 is doing quite well in its current mode.

AO-16 is currently operational as a Voice Repeater (Downlink is double
sideband.):
Uplink: 145.9200 MHz FM
Downlink 437.0260 MHz DSB (LSB and USB)

The plan is to continue this mode of voice operations "until further
notice.
"

AO-16 has been in full sunlight (no eclipse
periods at all) for several months.
That is about to change later this month! Short eclipse periods will
begin
at
the end of March and will increase steadily until
early July--at which point the
eclipse periods will increase to about 26 minutes each orbit. We'll
have to
watch this old bird and its batteries as the eclipse periods increase.

It is possible that the long eclipse periods may necessitate the
reduction
of
the 70 cm transmitter output; this is a manual process for AO-16, since
the
spacecraft isn't running any housekeeping
software to do it "automagically."
AO-16 is pretty loud at its current power
setting, so some reduction should have
little if any user impact. Observations and user reports will be
especially
helpful during April/May/June/July this year. In order to collect
telemetry,
we'll need to change the satellite into its
digital mode from time to time. But
this doesn't take long and therefore shouldn't interfere much with its
operations as a voice satellite.

The S-band beacon is not operational at this time. The exact status of
the
S-band transmitter remains unknown; however, its last known status might
be
described as "suspect" or "semi-operational" at best. Given the age of
the
satellite (over 18 years!), For now, this falls into the "maybe we
should leave well enough alone" category.

[ANS thanks Mark, N8MH, for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-069.04
AMSAT Events for 14/15 March 2008

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 069.04
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 9, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-069.04

Keith Pugh, W5IU, will be manning the AMSAT booth at the Green Country
Hamfest
in Claremore, OK on the 14th and 15th of March. In addition to the booth
there
will be satellite demos and a forum.

AMSAT Executive Vice President Lee McLamb, KU4OS, will be at the Stuart
Hamfest
in Martin County, FL. Activities at the Stuart Hamfest include an AMSAT
Booth
and FM satellite demonstrations.

A full day of activities are planned for the 2008 AMSAT-DC Meeting and
Space
Seminar. Talks, demos, tutorials and socializing about amateur
satellites
and
high-altitude balloon experiments will get underway starting at 1100
A.M.
local
on 15 March. The event will be held at the Historical Electronics
Museum
(HEM)
at 1745 West Nursery Road, Linthicum, Maryland 21090 (near BWI airport).
In
Pioneer Hall. For more information, contact Pat Kilroy,

[ANS thanks Lee, KU4OS, for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-069.05
AMSAT Store Down for Upgrade

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 069.05
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 9, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-069.05

he AMSAT web store is currently off-line while being upgraded. It is
anticipated that the upgraded store should be online within a few weeks.

Orders can still be placed and memberships renewed by contacting Martha
in
the AMSAT office. You can send her an e-mail at and she
will call you on the phone. From the US the AMSAT office can be called
toll
free at (888) 322-6728, from all other locations call (301) 589-6062.
Martha will be out of the office from Wednesday, March 12 - Monday,
March
24th.

Alternatively you can send a fax to (301) 608-3410 or send a letter to
AMSAT, 850 Sligo Ave. Suite 600, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

[ANS thanks Gould, WA4SXM, for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-069.06
AMSAT Block of Rooms at Dayton

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 069.06
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 9, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-069.06

AMSAT will once again have a block of rooms available for members at
The Dayton Hamvention. The AMSAT rate will be available from May 14
Through May 18. To reserve a room you can e-mail Martha at the AMSAT
Office ) or call her at (301) 589-6062; fax at
(301) 608-3410. She will need to know your name, yourdaytime phone
number, dates room needed, credit card number and expiration date.
Remember, "if you snooze, you lose"!

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

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-069.07
ARISS Status - 03 March 2008

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 069.07
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
March 9, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-069.07

1. College Reydellet Contact Successful

On Monday, February 25, youth attending College
Reydellet in Saint-Denis, Ile de
La Réunion experienced an Amateur Radio on the International Space
Station
(ARISS) contact with ESA astronaut Léopold
Eyharts, FX0STD/KE5FNO. Ten students
were able to ask one question each of the astronaut as approximately 75
students, teachers and parents looked on. Also in attendance were the
Regional
Director of Research and Technology (DRRT), the Colleges and Schools
Supervisor
and the Heads of educational institutions. At least part of the audio
from
this
event was fed into the EchoLink AMSAT (101 377) and JK1ZRW (277 208)
servers
successfully. Fifteen connections were made from 10 countries. Media
coverage
included RFO Radio, TV Antenne-Reunion (correspondent of TF1, France's
national
TV), private broadcaster Festival and the local newspapers Le Quotidien
and
Le
Journal de l'ile. Photos have been posted on the ARISS-Europe Web site.
See:
http://www.ariss-eu.org/2008_02_26.htm
Le Journal de l'ile article, in French, can be found he
http://archives.clicanoo.com/index.p...d_article5971
&recher
cheReydellet+ARISS


2. France Soir Article on Robespierre Contact

Robespierre Elementary School in Rueil Malmaison, France participated in
an
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
(ARISS) contact on February 21.
France Soir covered news (in French) of the educational activity. Go to:
http://www.francesoir.fr/societe/200...-en-direct-des
-
etoiles.html#Séquence_1


3. Crew Debrief Sessions to be Rescheduled

The February debrief sessions planned with
astronaut Dan Tani, KD5DXE, and space
visitor Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, 9W2MUS, were cancelled. They will
be
rescheduled in the near future.


4. ARISS Presentation at NARCON 2008

The National Association of Rocketry’s National
Convention, NARCON 2008, will be
held March 14 – 16 in Rochester, Minnesota. Will Marchant, KC6ROL,
will give
a
presentation on the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
(ARISS)
educational outreach program during the seminar session. For more
information,
see:
http://www.narcon2008.org/event_info/seminars.htm


5. SuitSat-1 Article

On February 25, The Daily Galaxy ran an article on the amateur radio
satellite
SuitSat-1 which was deployed on February 3, 2006. To view the article,
see:
http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog...t-one--th.html


6. Astronaut Training Status

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) training
sessions
are
being planned for astronauts Nicole Stott,
KE5GJN, Sandy Magnus, KE5FYE, and Bob
Thirsk, VA3CSA. Magnus is expected to be a crewmember of Expedition
17/18,
flying to the ISS on STS-126 in September 2008. Stott, a member of the
Expedition 19 crew, will fly on STS-128 in May
2009 and Thirsk, a CSA astronaut,
will follow the same month on a Soyuz flight.

[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