AMSAT-UK

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Press coverage of 4M ham radio lunar payload

Posted: 30 Oct 2014 03:35 PM PDT
http://amsat-uk.org/2014/10/30/press...lunar-payload/

LX0OHB-4M amateur radio lunar payload Credit LuxSpace

The successful amateur radio lunar payload 4M launched on October 23 has
generated a number of articles, the latest is in The Daily Beast.

Read The Daily Beast articleÂ*about the first privately-funded spacecraft to
travel the Moon at
http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...-the-moon.html

Since its launch 4M has been transmitting the digital mode JT65B on 145.980
MHz. The signal was first picked up 79 minutes after launch by Roland
Zurmely PY4ZBZ in Brazil. The signal was very weak as 4M flew around the
Moon but radio amateurs still managed to copy it. 4M is now heading back
toward Earth.
4M reception by Berend PA3ARK

Ghislain Ruy LX2RG has provided some additional information on the 4M
project:

This project is entirely funded by our company [Luxspace], with strictly no
commercial purpose. It means also that it had to be cheap, fast, efficient.
In the partner page, you will find all those partner companies that have
provided their services for free or at reduced cost.
http://moon.luxspace.lu/partners/

I had only 6 months to set it all up, starting from blank page or quite so.
I mean all really. And on top of that a mission from my boss: take the
youngest by the hand and lead them to success. Done. I have repaid what I
have been given by the elders when I was a beginner.

Here are at Luxspace, we are quite a lot of skilled high level engineers,
and to say the truth, we do not object having fun on top of that.

LSE space offered for free to deal with all the data handling and setup all
the website, data base, and so on. They did it in a very few months, and
choose the most practical way for them in order to be in time and
operational. And we are. As simple as it is.

We have learned a lot during these 6 months, and the last 6 days have been
quite an education also.

The next mission will integrate all what was discovered and learned. My
homework this week is to write it all down. Now, it is Java, and thats it.
Could have been better, but it works as expected or so, and thats what
counts. Fine tuning will come later.

Believe or not, I knew nothing of JT65B 7 months ago. We have put it all in
a small microprocessor, including SDR !

Read the 4M blog at http://moon.luxspace.lu/blog/

For tracking information just enter your latitude and longitude at
http://moon.luxspace.lu/tracking/

Lunar Ham Radio Payload Launched
http://amsat-uk.org/2014/10/23/lunar...load-launched/

ARRL Radio Amateurs Report Hearing 4M Moon Orbiter JT65B Signal

http://www.arrl.org/news/radio-amate...r-jt65b-signal

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Bandplan released for 146 MHz

Posted: 30 Oct 2014 10:48 AM PDT
http://amsat-uk.org/2014/10/30/bandp...d-for-146-mhz/


Friday, October 31 is the formal start of the 146-147 MHz experiment for
Full licence holders with NoVs and the RSGB has released a bandplan.

The bandplan has an allocation for digital modes with up to 500 kHz
bandwidth and 12.5 kHz channels for narrowband digital modes including
digital voice.

Users of wideband modes may need to use bandwidth tailoring to ensure no RF
extends into the weak signal satellite segment at 145.8-146.0 MHz (the
Lunar 4M JT65B beacon uses 145.980 MHz) or goes above 147.0 (or 146.93750
where applicable).

Download the bandplan from
http://rsgb.org/main/files/2014/10/1...l-Bandplan.pdf

Some amateurs will be active in the early hours of Friday with the digital
voice mode FreeDV which uses Codec2, download FreeDV from
http://freedv.org/tiki-index.php

Apply now for your NoV at
http://rsgb.org/main/operating/licen...hz-147mhz-nov/

146-147 MHz Usage and Band Planning FAQ

http://amsat-uk.org/2014/10/28/146-1...planning-faqs/

RSGB 146 MHz Information

http://rsgb.org/main/operating/band-...ctrum-release/

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Join AMSAT-UK

Posted: 30 Oct 2014 08:04 AM PDT
http://amsat-uk.org/2014/10/30/join-amsat-uk-9/

AMSAT-UK Logo

Founded in 1975 AMSAT-UK is a voluntary organisation that supports the
design and building of equipment for amateur radio satellites.

AMSAT-UK initially produced a short bulletin called OSCAR News to give
members advice on amateur satellite communications. Since those early days
OSCAR News has grown in size and the print quality has improved beyond
recognition. Today, OSCAR News is produced as a high-quality quarterly
colour A4 magazine consisting of up to 40 pages of news, information and
comment about amateur radio space communications.

The new lower-cost E-membership provides OSCAR News as a downloadable PDF
file giving members the freedom to read it on their Tablets or Smartphones
anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

An additional advantage is that the PDF should be available for download up
to 2 weeks before the paper copy is posted.
AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch

The Membership year lasts for 12 months starting on January 1 each year.

If you join after July 31 of any particular year, then you will receive
complimentary membership for the whole of the following year, i.e. join on
August 10, 2014, and you have nothing more to pay until Dec 31, 2015.

Take out an Electronic membership here
http://shop.amsat.org.uk/shop/catego...-Amsat-UK.html

E-members can download their copies of OSCAR News from
http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/on

A sample issue of OSCAR News can be downloaded here.