AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-058

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:
* Electronic Nominating Procedures Announced for AMSAT-NA Elections
* SA AMSAT Space Symposium on April 2, 2011
* SA-AMSAT Decides on UV Linear Transponder for Kletskous Payload
* NASA Assessing New Launch Dates For The Glory Mission
* Wide selection of Modes is scheduled for AO-51
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
* ARISS CONTACTS
* Spectrum Management Bill Threatens 70cm Amateur Satellite Frequencies

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-058.01
Electronic Nominating Procedures Announced for AMSAT-NA Elections

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 058.01
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 27, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-058.01

AMSAT has in the past required written submission of nominating
petitions for the Board of Directors, usually gathered at hamfests
or other meetings, to be received at the AMSAT office no later than
June 15th. This procedure will remain available, unchanged, and is
the preferred method.

However, in the decades since the founding of AMSAT, electronic com-
munications, once limited to the few at government or other technical
facilities, have become readily available. This has prompted a review
of the nominating procedures used at comparable organizations.

Beginning with 2011 AMSAT Board of Directors election, a supplemental
method, using electronic submissions, will be available.

This will be a two step process:

1. Preliminary nominating petitions may be made by FAX, PDF, or
similar electronic means. As with the written version, this
petition must be from one Member Society, or five AMSAT-NA
members in good standing, and received at the AMSAT office
by June 15th. This will allow nominations up to the last day
to cover a last minute withdrawal or declaration of candidacy.

2. However, in accordance with the AMSAT Bylaws, there remains a
requirement of a confirming written nominating petition. This
must be received at the AMSAT office no later than 7 days after
June 15th.

In effect, by submitting a petition electronically, you extend the
deadline for the written petition to be received by 7 days. Elec-
tronic submissions without this second, written petition are not
valid under the existing AMSAT Bylaws. More extensive changes, for
instance to a fully electronic method, will require an amendment of
the Bylaws.

The addresses, FAX number, and requirements for submission will be
provided in the formal call for nominations published in the AMSAT
Journal.

Alan Biddle
WA4SCA
AMSAT Corporate Secretary

[ANS thanks AMSAT Corporate Secretary Alan Biddle, WA4SCA for the
above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-058.02
SA AMSAT Space Symposium on April 2, 2011

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 058.02
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 27, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-058.02

The 2011 SA AMSAT Space Symposium will be held in Gauteng on Saturday,
April 2, 2011 at Vodaworld, Midrand in South Africa.

If you book before March 15 you receive a discount on the registration
fee. Download the registration form from http://www.amsatsa.org.za/
Registration fee includes refreshments and lunch.

Symposium Highlights:

+ Keynote Address: Sandile Malinga CEO of SANSA
+ RaDAR- Rapid Deployed Amateur Radio
+ SA AMSAT Satellite projects:
SAiSAT
KLETSkous
+ The African Space Institute: the first year of blood, sweat
and space.
+ Cryogenic receiver systems for the KAT-7 and MeerKAT projects
+ The CHEETAH-1 CSLV-Moving Toward Independent Access to Space
for South Africa
+ CPUT - Student Satellite projects

[ANS thanks SA AMSAT for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-058.03
SA-AMSAT Decides on UV Linear Transponder for Kletskous Payload

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 058.03
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 27, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-058.03

SA-AMSAT has started the development of a Cubesat project. It has
been named Project KLETSkous during its development phase. Once
the satellite nears completion it is plannedto run a competition
to decide on an applicable name for the satellite as was the case
for SumbandilaSat.

Project KLETSkous reflects nicely on the mission and functionality
of the satellite: "Klets" is an Afrikaans work for talking a lot.
We want the Southern African radio amateurs to talk and operate
much more via satellite. "Kous" is the Afrikaans word for a sock.
The transponder that is planned for the satellite can also be re-
ferred to as a "bent-pipe" transponder, aligning the idea to the
"sock".

SA-AMSAT this week announced that the main payload on the KLETSkous
CubeSat will be a linear UV transponder with a bandwidth of 20 kHz.
The UV mode which is 70 cm uplink and 2 meter downlink was chosen
in line with internationally recommended practice as it will mini-
mize interference.

The aim is to have it operating over Africa without the need of an
access tone to open the transponder to give Amateurs with modest
equipment easy access to the satellite. For the rest of the world
where the Amateur population is denser, tone access will be required
to reduce unwanted interference even on 70 cm uplinks.

For educational purposes a beacon and parrot functionality may be
highly desirable. Proposals for additional payloads will be consid-
ered. It should however be remembered that the amount of available
power is a limiting factor.

Fundraising for the project has started in all earnest and radio
amateurs are invited to make contributions to the fund.

Visit http://www.amsatsa.org.za/KLETSkous.htm for bank details and
more about the KLETSkous project.

[ANS thanks SA AMSAT for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-058.04
NASA Assessing New Launch Dates For The Glory Mission

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 058.04
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 27, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-058.04

[Editor Note: This is the launch from Vandenberg AFB that includes
the University of Kentucky, University of Montana, and University
of Colorado cubesats announced in ANS-051.]

WASHINGTON -- Preparations for the launch of NASA's Glory mission
from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California have been suspended
temporarily. Engineers continue to troubleshoot a malfunction in
ground support equipment associated with the Taurus XL rocket.

On Feb. 23, a false indication was received about the rocket's
status after commands were sent approximately 15 minutes before
launch to activate the Taurus.

"We had an indication that a 'hold-fire' command was sent when
indeed it had not," said Omar Baez, NASA launch director.

The commands originated from the Vehicle Interface Control Console
in the mobile launch support van stationed a few miles from the
launch pad. The problem has not yet been isolated, and trouble-
shooting continues. Managers are evaluating possible Glory launch
opportunities in early to mid-March.

"The Glory spacecraft is doing fine," reported Bryan Fafaul, Glory
project manager from NASA's Goddard Space Flight in Greenbelt, Md.
"We are continuing to slow charge the battery until we have a new
launch date."

The Glory satellite will be launched aboard a Taurus on a mission
to improve our understanding of how the sun and tiny atmospheric
particles called aerosols affect Earth's climate. Glory launch
management is provided by NASA's Launch Service Program at the
agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Orbital Sciences Corp.
is providing the Taurus XL launch vehicle and is responsible for
spacecraft operations.

For status updates on the Glory launch, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/glory

[ANS thanks NASA for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-058.05
Wide selection of modes is scheduled for AO-51

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 058.05
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 27, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-058.05

Here is the AO-51 schedule for the next few weeks. There is
a little bit of something for everyone in here!

Keep in mind that the schedule is subject to change due to
power budget and/or telemetry downloading.

AO-51 Mode Change Schedule(updated 2/27/11)

February 21 (~2145 UTC) [Eclipses should end around Feb. 24/25]

Dual Voice Repeaters :
Mode V/U FM Voice Repeater (no PL tone needed)
Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM
Downlink 435.300 MHz FM

Mode L/U FM Voice Repeater (no PL tone needed)
Uplink: 1268.703 MHz FM
Downlink 435.150 MHz FM

March 1 (~1005 UTC)

Mode V/S Voice Repeater (no PL tone needed)
Uplink: 145.880 MHz FM
Downlink 2401.200 MHz FM

March 4 (~0945 UTC)

Mode V/U FM Voice Repeater (no PL tone needed)
Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM
Downlink 435.300 MHz FM

Mode L/U PacSat BBS
Uplink: 1268.703 MHz FSK 9k6 baud
Downlink 435.150 MHz FSK 9k6 baud

March 6 (~2115 UTC)

Mode L/SU FM Voice Repeater (no PL tone needed)
Uplink: 1268.703 MHz FM
Downlink1 2401.200 MHz FM
Downlink2 435.300 MHz FM (low power)

March 11 (~1000 UTC) [Eclipses return around March 12/13]

Mode V/U FM Voice Repeater (no PL tone needed)
Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM
Downlink 435.300 MHz FM

Mode L/U PacSat BBS
Uplink: 1268.703 MHz 9k6 baud
Downlink 435.150 MHz 9k6 baud

As always, command stations may need to reconfigure modes in
order to collect telemetry as needed.

Remember that power management may be running, and the
transmitter(s) will shut OFF during periods of eclipse
and/or low battery voltage.

73,

Mark N8MH
AO-51 Command Team

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

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-058.06
Satellite Shorts From All Over

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 058.06
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 27, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-058.06

+ David Jordan AA4KN's excellent article on working ARISSat-1 that
was published in the February, 2011 issue of QST magazine is
available for download: http://tinyurl.com/work-arissat1 It is a
1.1MB .pdf document. (Thanks Clint, K6LCS)

+ Roscosmos has announced that ARISSat-1, still inside the ISS will
be turned on using an external antenna on Yuri's Night, April 12,
2011 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's first manned
space flight. AMSAT will support this event and issue certificates
to those stations reporting reception of the ARISSat-1 signals.
Yuri's Night is a global event with more information available
on-line at: http://yurisnight.net/

+ Listen for possible satellite operation from the Camb-Hams DXpedition
from the Isle of Arran (Grid IO75HO) between May 1-8, 2011. Their
latest information can be found on-line at: http://dx.camb-hams.com/

+ The next Hudson Valley Satcom Net date is Thursday, March 3 at 8PM
EST (UTC-5) on the 146.970MHz Repeater (-600;Pl 100) and on the
echolink node of N2EYH-L. More info: http://www.hvsatcom.org
(Stu,WA2BSS)

+ The Florida AMSAT net is held every Thursday evening at 7:30pm Eastern

Time (UTC-5). Many Florida repeaters are connected together for this
net but others are welcome to join by using the AMSAT Echolink Confer-
ence Node. Mike N4HHA is usually the moderator. Bring your questions
and news items to share. (John K8YSE/4)

+ Several videos of the innovative KySat-1 CubeSat are available:
http://tinyurl.com/4zodwy8 (SouthGateARC)

+ Movies of Comet Tempel 1 encounter by Stardust-NExT can be viewed at:
http://tinyurl.com/4tnbwan (UniverseToday.com)

[ANS thanks everyone for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-058.07
ARISS Contacts

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 058.07
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 21, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-058.07

1. School Contacts

Preston North East Primary School in Preston, Victoria, Australia
had an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
contact on Tuesday, February 22 at 08:04 UTC via telebridge station
W5RRR in Houston. The contact was successful. Students in Grades 5
and 6 have been engaged in an integrated unit of work that focuses
on Earth and the Solar System. The students have been learning why
we are able to live on Earth and why other planets are not suitable
to sustain human life.

Nishibori Eizaburo Memorial Explorer Museum Radio Club, located in
Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan had a successful Amateur Radio on the Inter-
national Space Station (ARISS) contact on Tuesday, February 22. The
radio club is an independent club that used the museum facilities
for this event. Children are learning about the ISS mission and space
science and it is hoped that the contact will pique student interest
in science and space technology.

Students from Matsubara High School, located in Matsubara, Osaka,
Japan, experienced an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
(ARISS) contact with U.S. astronaut Cady Coleman, KC5ZTH on Monday,
February 14. The contact, which highlighted lessons on radios and the
ISS, was attended by approximately 200 people. Media representatives
from 3 newspapers, one radio station and 3 television stations,
including NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) covered the event.

On Thursday, February 17, students attending "Claudio Varalli," and
"Salvador Allende" High Schools in Milano, Italy participated in an
ARISS contact with ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli, IZØJPA on the ISS.
Telebridge station W5RRR in Houston handled the connection. Varalli,
which has both a technical school and a secondary school that focuses
on foreign languages, has a radio club station, IZ2SHS that is used to
practice languages. "Salvador Allende" emphasizes three courses of
study in science, humanities and accounting. More than 100 students,
teachers and visitors attended the event and listened as Nespoli
fielded 16 questions posed to him by the students. Regional and local
media covered the contact, which was available on EchoLink and streamed
on the Web.

An ARISS contact was held between youth visiting Experiencing Learning,
"Imparare Sperimentando," in San Quirino, Italy and on-orbit astronaut
Paolo Nespoli, IZ0JPA on Saturday, February 19 via station LU8YY in
Argentina. A crowd of approximately 400 people gathered at Imparare
Sperimentando, an interactive exhibition that covers a wide variety of
physics experiments and science, and watched as the students asked 16
questions of the astronaut. Regional and local media covered the event.
The audio was fed into EchoLink and streaming video was provided by
AMSAT-Italia.

3. Kentucky Standard Says ARISS Inspires Students to Study Science

The Kentucky Standard Editorial Board printed an article about the
recent ARISS - Foster Heights Elementary School contact, made poss-
ible with the help of Nelson County Area Technology Center students,
and how this activity inspires children to learn more about science
and technology. The story talks about how the radio contact fits in
with President Barack Obama's recent State of the Union address on
how the nation needs to encourage students to learn and excel, espec-
ially in math and science. See:
http://www.kystandard.com/content/sp...rease-science-
and-math-interest

4. ARISS International Team Meeting Held

The ARISS International Team met for its monthly teleconference on
Tuesday, February 15. Discussions included the upcoming ARISS-I face
to face meeting, as well as status reports on Columbus Module projects
and ARISSat-1 plans. Minutes have been posted to the ARISS Web site.
https://www.rac.ca/ariss/arisstel2011-02-15.htm

5. AMSAT - ARISSat-1 Updates

On February 20, the AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) News
Service bulletin (ANS-051) provided a status on ARISSat-1. Roscosmos
has delayed the deployment of ARISSat-1 until the next Russian EVA
scheduled in July. On April 12, the crew will connect the satellite,
while still inside the ISS, to anexternal antenna and turn it on in
celebration of the 50th anniversary of Gagarin's first manned space-
flight. For more information, see:
http://amsat.org/pipermail/ans/2011/000488.html

6. ARRL - Doug Wheelock will be Guest at Dayton Hamvention

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) posted a story in its Febr-
uary 17 ARRL Letter about astronaut Doug Wheelock's plans to attend
the Dayton Hamvention which will be held May 20-22, 2011. Wheelock
will talk about his stay on the ISS, his contacts with school children
and his many general contacts with hams. For the full story, "Astronaut
Doug Wheelock, KF5BOC, to Be Guest of ARRL and AMSAT at Hamvention,®"
go to:
http://www.arrl.org/news/astronaut-d...c-to-be-guest-
of-arrl-and-amsat-at-hamvention

7. Astronaut Training Status

Three astronauts were given the ARISS Basic Operations class this past
week. Kevin Ford, KF5GPP (Expedition 33), Chris Cassidy (Expedition 35)
and Akihiko Hoshide, KE5DNI (Expedition 32) all participated in the
training sessions.

8. Amateur Radio Newsline Covers ARISSat

On February 18, the Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1749 posted the
story, "Ham Radio in Space: ARISSat-1 Deployment Delayed until July."
The story covers the recent events affecting the satellite.
See: ftp://ftp.arnewsline.org/quincy/News/news.txt

[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI, for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-058.08
Spectrum Management Bill Threatens 70cm Amateur Satellite Frequencies

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 058.08
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
February 27, 2011
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-058.08

The ARRL and AMSAT are closely monitoring progress on a new bill
HR-607, the Broadband for First Responders Act of 2011, introduced
by Representative Peter King (R-NY-3), Chairman of the House Home-
land Security Committee. At present the bill has been referred to
the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which handles telecommun-
ications legislation.

Several blocks of spectrum are proposed for auction. There are sev-
eral bills in Congress providing for the allocation of the D-Block
(758-763 and 788-793 MHz) for Public Safety use, and HR-607 is one
of those.

But HR-607 uniquely provides for the reallocation of other spectrum
for auction to commercial users, in order to offset the loss of
revenue that would occur as the result of the allocation of the
D-Block to Public Safety instead of commercial auction. The band of
420-440 MHz is listed among the bands to be reallocated for commercial
auction within 10 years of passage of HR-607.

A full article on this topic is posted on the ARRL web at:
http://tinyurl.com/4prgouq (arrl.org)

[ANS thanks the ARRL 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,
Dee Interdonato, NB2F