HAM Radio 3/hamradioversion3.0examsandprograms1992.iso/news/amsat339/amsat339.txt

Text File | 1987-12-07 | 16KB | 290 lines

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*                      AMSAT NA News Service Bulletins                       *
*                             NEWS339 05Dec87                                *
*  [ Copyright 1987 by AMSAT NA, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.  ] *
*  [ Permission is granted for unlimited redistribution by electronic or   ] *
*  [ other means provided credit is given to AMSAT NA News Service (ANS).  ] *
*  [                    Edited for AMSAT NA by WA2LQQ.                     ] *
*  [        (N)=New story; (U)=Updated story; (R)=Reprieved story          ] *
*   [ This edition was forwarded by the W0RPK-AMSAT Bulletin Board System ]  *
*   [ operating on 515-961-3325  24-hours      Ralph Wallio, W0RPK  SYSOP ]  *
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Headlines:

1.(N)     PACSAT Design Converges At Washington Meeting
2.(N)     Polar Skitrek Team On Baffin Island For Advanced Training
3.(N)     No Threat To Satellite Operations IARU Asserts
4.(N)     Cross-Satellite Contacts Reported
5.(N)     Mir Photographed By Large Ground Telescope
6.(N)     Mechanical Glitch Threatens New European Broadcast Satellite
7.(N)     RS-10/11 Passband Controls Portend Alligator Demise

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1.(N)     PACSAT Design Converges At Washington Meeting

The AMSAT-NA PACSAT design team met at AMSAT headquarters the weekend of
December 5 to advance the design of AMSAT's new PACSAT concept.  Leaders from
AMSAT, TAPR and San Diego packet radio groups attended.  Spokesman expressed
satisfaction at the progress and felt substantial agreement had emerged on
major elements of the digital design.  Attendees included Tom Clark, Jan King,
Bob McGwier, Phil Karn and Lyle Johnson among a group of about 10.

Meanwhile in England, designers are pressing forward on an urgent basis with
the design of UoSAT-C.  It will contain the VITA/PACSAT experiment together
with several other experiments designed by engineers at the University of
Surrey's satellite engineering laboratory.  There has been discussion of using
the AMSAT/TAPR-designed PACSAT in UoSAT-C for the VITA experiment but several
variables remain undetermined.  Foremost among these is the need for VITA to
receive authorization for spectrum usage.  UoSAT-C is targeted for a 1988
launch.  VITA recently received a grant for a PACSAT.  VITA's planned mode of
use of its PACSAT render its utility use on Amateur Radio frequencies
unlikely.

"PACSAT" has evolved into a generic term recently.  VITA's PACSAT would be
part of UoSAT-C being built at Surrey.  AMSAT-NA's PACSAT is a multi-use
package which could be flown on UoSAT-C as well as a host of other options now
being explored.

AMSAT officials expressed cautious optimism its PACSAT project would soon be
launched too.  Unfortunately, one of the launch prospects AMSAT-NA believed
possible has fallen as a casualty of the recent stock market crash.  American
Rocket Company, AMROC, of California had promised AMSAT a ride on its 1989
debut launch.  The AMSAT PACSAT would have been integrated by Globesat Express
of Utah with a satellite of its own onto the AMROC rocket.

However, the October Wall Street disaster has undermined AMROC's financing.
According to Aviation Week magazine, AMROC has dismissed virtually all of its
employees.  Spokesman for AMROC were quoted as being optimistic about new
financing.  However, highly knowledgeable outside sources doubted AMROC could
be revived any time soon. Nevertheless, AMSAT officials said they were aware
of potential additional launch opportunities for its PACSAT and felt
continuation of its "crash" project was justified despite the temporary
setback represented by evaporation of the 1989 AMROC/Globesat launch.

AMSAT spokesman said the new PACSAT being designed by AMSAT and TAPR would
provide a degree of functionality and reliability long sought but not yet
attained in the packet experiments so far launched.

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2.(N)     Polar Skitrek Team On Baffin Island For Advanced Training

Russian participants in the joint Canadian-Russian Skitrek project travelled
to Frobisher Bay (69N, 64W) on Baffin Island, Canada, November 23 after having
arrived in Montreal on the 20th. A special event station has been established
at Frobisher.  The primary purpose of the Frobisher station is to support the
actual skiers beginning next February.  Then skiers will travel from the USSR
to Canada across the North Pole in a trek that will take up to 3 months.

AMSAT and the University of Surrey have made plans to support the Skitrek with
Project Nordski Comm.  Skiers will use a combination of COSPAS/SARSAT and
UoSAT OSCAR 11 resources to reckon their position.  The UoSAT-2 Digitalker
will be programmed to articulate the skier's position based on data received
via Telex from the COSPAS/SARSAT Mission Control Center. (See ASR #162)

Tests of the UoSAT-2 Digitalker planned for this coming week have, however,
been postponed because of some difficulties with the new DIARY system recently
loaded. Consequently, Digitalker tests have been moved to UoSAT-1 (UO-9).
Plans called for Digitalker demonstrations and tests for the Polar Expedition
team in the period December 5 through 10.

Accompanying the Russian team arriving in Canada was Leonid Labutin, UA3CR.
Leo is the Russian team's chief radio operator and a veteran of polar
expeditions himself although on this project he will operate from the support
base. UA3CR will return to Ottawa on December 10.  On December 12 a contingent
of AMSAT leaders from the U.S. will travel to Ottawa to meet with UA3CR to
discuss plans for the polar expedition as well as potential future joint
satellite projects between AMSAT-NA and AMSAT-UA.  The meeting in Ottawa is
being arranged by AMSAT's John Henry, VE2VQ, who has acted as AMSAT's liaison
to the expedition and to CRRL which is coordinating the overall expedition
radio activity.

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3.(N)     No Threat To Satellite Operations IARU Asserts

The potential threat to 70 cm satellite operation in IARU Region 3 does not
exist according to IARU authorities.  In a recent communication, IARU Region 3
officials deny there was ever any serious plan to use 435 to 438 MHz for
terrestrial FM.  JARL was said to have never agreed to such a flagrant
abrogation of coordinated bandplans.

The implication seems to be that offending portions of early drafts of a JARL
70 cm bandplan of which AMSAT became aware and which did propose FM use of the
satellite sub-band would never have seen the light of day.  They would simply
have been deleted by senior JARL managers conversant with Region 3
stipulations it has been suggested.

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4.(N)     Cross-Satellite Contacts Reported

While many Amateurs consider working satellites one of the hobby's most
interesting and satisfying challenges, others are content only when stretching
the limits of performance of OSCARs.  Thus, while many are pleased to work
OSCAR, some try to extend their interest by communication through two OSCARs
for a QSO.

According to G3IOR, G4CUO scored a crosslink with WA3ETD on November 27 when
the pair hooked up via a AO-10 to FO-12 link.  The uplink to AO-10 was at 70
cm yielding a downlink at 2 meters.  That downlink was picked up by FO-12's
Mode JA receiver and resulted in an FO-12 downlink at 70 cm.

In a similar vein and on the same day, November 27, Dave, G4CUO, heard Andy,
OK3AU through RS-11 and FO-12.  Here, the 2 meter downlink of RS-11 running
Mode KT (15m up; 10m and 2m down) was picked up by FO-12's Mode JA receiver.
So G3CUO could listen to OK3AU on the FO-12 Mode JA's 70 cm downlink.

Other participants in the crosslink experiments were G3IOR, I8CVS and I0LYL.

Prior crosslinks have been scored in 1975 from AO-6 to AO-7 and in 1986
between AO-10 and FO-12.  Additional details are in ASR #164.

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4.(N)     New Field Ops VP Calls For Area Coordinator Handbook Ideas

Newly elected Vice President of Field Operations, Doug Loughmiller, KO5I,
announced at the AMSAT-NA Symposium in Detroit thaA "Area Coordinator's
Handbook" is to be developed. This project is now under way according to Ross
Forbes, WB6GFJ, who is helping coordinate the project.

The purpose of the handbook is to provide all Area Coordinators with a good
foundation of information that will help them manage AMSAT activities within
their geographical areas. All Area Coordinators are  encouraged to submit
their ideas for items to be included in the new handbook. Please send your
ideas to Ross Forbes, WB6GFJ, P.O. Box 1, Los Altos, California 94023-0001.

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5.(N)     Mir Photographed By Large Ground Telescope

According to John Biro, K1KSY, the December issue of Sky and Telescope
magazine contains a detailed photograph of the Russian space station Mir taken
from the ground.  University of Arizona engineers and astronomers at the Kitt
Peak observatory in Arizona used the 90 inch telescope to catch Mir last July
22 the magazine said.

In a related article, says K1KSY, it is explained that the astrophysical
module Kvant (Quantum) on Mir has an unusual feature.  The 4 telescopes on
Kvant are hard-fixed to the structure.  To track stars, the article says, the
entire 50 ton Mir ensemble must be slewed.

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6.(N)     Mechanical Glitch Threatens New European Broadcast Satellite

Potentially serious problems loomed in TVSAT-1's future according to reliable
space industry sources.  The newest commercial satellite was launched November
21 on Arianespace's V-20 mission.  The launcher worked perfectly but a glitch
has developed with the TVSAT-1 payload. According to European sources, one of
the solar panels has failed to deploy properly.  If uncorrected, this could
reduce power availability by at least 50%.  Plans were being formulated to
attempt to jar the panel loose while the satellite was in its geosynchronous
orbit by using all of the satellite's station-keeping thrusters ignited at
once.

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7.(N)     RS-10/11 Passband Controls Portend Alligator Demise

According to an article in the October issue of the Russian magazine "RADIO",
the transponders on RS-10/11 use a unique system for assuring alligators don't
disrupt the entire 40 kHz passband.  Each passband is divided into ten 4 kHz
sections each with its own ALC.  In this way an alligator in one section wont
consume an inordinate amount of power from users of other sections.  A
translation of the "RADIO" article is being prepared by Dex Anderson, W4KM,
and will appear in ASR when complete.

A similar system has been discussed for AMSAT's future satellites using
Digital Signal Processing.  The problem remaining to be solved with DSP
application is one of processor speed needed to handle processing of the broad
bandwidths, typically several hundred kilohertz wide, planned for AMSAT's
future projects.  When implemented, a fully "DSP'd" passband could offer the
unusually effective deterrent to overpowered uplinks of actually providing a
negative transfer function for offending stations.

In practice this would mean that once an uplink crossed a pre-determined
threshold, if it got any stronger, the downlink would get weaker in proportion
to further increases in uplink power; the opposite of what normally happens
with a linear transponder such as currently used.  The new RS-10/11 solution
is to isolate the alligator in a small pool so he can't do too much damage.
The DSP solution is to dynamically shape the transponder transfer function.

The future seems bleak indeed for would-be alligators!

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                            RECENT NEWS IN REVIEW
                            =====================
Headlines:

8.(U)     AO-10 Ops Schedule
9.(U)     FO-12 Ops Schedule
10.(R)    Phase 3C Launch Preparations Accelerate

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8.(U)     AO-10 Ops Schedule

Here is the AO-10 operating schedule for the next few weeks:

                AMSAT OSCAR 10 Transponder Operating Schedule
                =============================================
           +---------------------+--------------------------------+
           | Time Frame (1987)   |   Mode B Operating Times in MA |
           +---------------------+--------------------------------+
           | Dec 01 thru Dec 07  |    0 thru 89  and 161 thru 255 |
           | Dec 08 thru Dec 14  |    0 thru 99  and 171 thru 255 |
           | Dec 15 thru Dec 21  |    0 thru 109 and 191 thru 255 |
           | Dec 22 thru Dec 28  |    0 thru 119 and 201 thru 255 |
           | Dec 29 thru Jan 04  |    0 thru 139 and 221 thru 255 |
           +---------------------+--------------------------------+

As always, please insure you use the lowest uplink power levels so as to
insure satellite health as well as good communications.

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9.(U)     FO-12 Ops Schedule

Here is the operating schedule for FO-12 for the next few days:

                    Operating schedule for the FUJI/FO-12

                       Mode  From (UTC)      To   (UTC)
                       --------------------------------
                       JD Dec 5  03:58  --     6  05:07
                       JA     8  01:16  --     9  02:24
                       JA    10  01:30  --    11  02:38
                       JA    12  05:51  --    14  01:57
                       JA    15  03:06  --    16  06:19
                       JA    17  05:25  --    18  06:33
                       JD**  19  22:34  --    20  00:37

** Special telemetry format

The transponders will be off at other time.  The schedule may be changed at
any time due to unexpected power situations.

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10.(R)    Phase 3C Launch Preparations Accelerate

The Phase 3C spacecraft was due to begin an intensive series of tests last
week.  According to Dick Daniels, W4PUJ, who travelled to West Germany for the
tests which were scheduled to being November 30, the critical test of the new
propulsion system was high on the test agenda.  The tests were to use
isopropyl alcohol and nitrogen to simulate the actual explosive propellants.
Later, the important shake and vibration tests were to be performed on the
fully assembled spacecraft.  A further thermal vacuum test of selected modules
was also said to be under consideration.

The tests are being performed at the facilities of AMSAT DL in Marburg and
other facilities including those of MBB, the maker of the bi-propellant kick
motor.

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