Ham Radio/Ham Radio CD-ROM (Emerald Software) (1995).ISO/news/amsat304/amsat304.txt

Text File | 1987-11-18 | 20KB | 366 lines

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*                      AMSAT NA News Service Bulletins                       *
*                             NEWS304  31Oct87                               *
*  [ 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)     Plans Call For AO-10 Return By Mid-November
2.(N)     Transpolar Skitrek May Reckon Its Position Using SARSAT/COSPAS/UoSAT
3.(N)     Annual Meeting and Space Symposium Next Weekend
4.(U)     Records Fall In Wake of Greenbank EME Activity
5.(R)     African Near-Disaster Underscores Packet Project Urgency
6.(R)     Net Schedule Revised With Transition to "Standard Time"
7.(R)     IAF Meets In UK; UoSAT Scored Hit In Exhibition
8.(R)     FO-12 Schedule
9.(U)     Short Bursts

News in brief:

1. Spacecraft controllers are confident AO-10 can be released for service in
the next few weeks.  Caution to avoid the anticipated long eclipses is urged
on all would-be satellite users.

2. The UoSAT OSCAR 11 Digitalker experiment may play a vital role in Project
Nordski Comm, a project to provide navigational information to a team skiing
across the North Pole late this winter.

3. The AMSAT Annual meeting and Space Symposium are on tap for next weekend.
Several hundred satellite aficionadoes from across the nation are expected.
Astronaut Tony England, W0ORE, will be the featured speaker and special guest.

4. Returning to Greenbank after 4 years, a group of Amateurs have apparently
shattered records in the ARRL-EME weekend contest.

5. A freak weather condition in southern Africa dramatically demonstrates an
urgent need for improved communications.  Using packet radio techniques
developed by Amateurs, a solution to averting calamity is at hand.

6. AMSAT nets have made their regular transition to the winter schedule.

7. Two members of the Surrey UoSAT team gave papers at an international
meeting held in England recently.  The UoSAT-2 engineering model was a star
attraction in the exhibition hall.

8.  Fuji OSCAR 12 appears to be back on schedule and performing well.  A new
operating schedule is anticipated soon.

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1.(N)     Plans Call For AO-10 Return By Mid-November

Chances are excellent AMSAT OSCAR 10 will be released for general use in a few
weeks according to the satellite command team.  Tests conducted by VK5AGR on
October 25 suggest the satellite is in relatively good condition. AO-10 has
been unavailable for use since early August.  It was pulled from service at
that time when sagging sun angles reduced available power to critical levels.
Now, however, sun angles are improving as predicted and it appears it will be
released for general use in mid-November, two weeks ahead of the earlier
estimates.  Observation reports by W6WNK and others say AO-10 has been heard
with strong signals in late October.  The satellite had been turned on for a
routine status check.

Evaluation of the satellite's condition has been accomplished in the last week
by VK5AGR, ZL1AOX and DB2OS.  Based on their analysis, AO-10's battery is in
good condition and the Mode B transponder is functioning normally.  However,
they caution that jumping the gun, that is, using the satellite prior to its
release in mid-November could seriously jeopardize the spacecraft.  All users
are strongly encouraged to await the official release date.  That date has now
tentatively been set at November 16.

A further caution has been issued by the command team.  Graham, VK5AGR,
speaking for the command team, asserts that during the next few months, when
solar illumination is greater than 75%, AO-10 will be experiencing solar
eclipses up to 99 minutes every orbit. For example, on November 16,  AO-10
will be in solar eclipse from 0657 to 0824 UTC.  This period corresponds to MA
74 to MA 106 or 87 minutes in length.  In order to avoid damage to the
battery, users must studiously avoid using the satellite while it's in
eclipse. This had been the case previously but the eclipses then tended to
occur around perigee.  In the next few months, however, very long eclipses
occur well after perigee.

Here is the tentative AO-10 operating schedule for the balance of 1987.  This
schedule is subject to change if the satellite is subject to excessively high
loading or by its use during eclipses.

          (Tentative) AMSAT OSCAR 10 Transponder Operating Schedule
          =========================================================
           +---------------------+--------------------------------+
           | Time Frame (1987)   |   Mode B Operating Times in MA |
           +---------------------+--------------------------------+
           | Nov 16 thru Nov 23  |    0 thru 59  and 131 thru 255 |
           | Nov 24 thru Nov 30  |    0 thru 69  and 141 thru 255 |
           | 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 |
           +---------------------+--------------------------------+

If sum, then, unless plans change at the last minute, AO-10 will be available
for use beginning November 16, UTC, on the schedule just announced.  Please do
not use the satellite prior to that time.  Unauthorized use prior to November
16 may jeopardize the schedule and postpone the satellite's availability if
additional recovery time is required.  When released for general use, please
insure your operations are in close accord with the official operating
schedule. Stay in close contact with official news sources so you are aware of
the latest operating conditions and schedule changes if any.  And, as always,
please insure you use the lowest uplink power levels so as to insure satellite
health as well as good communications.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

                [Following table not suitable for voice nets]

AO-10's eclipse schedule for the next two months is as follows (computed by
DB2OS)
                                AO-10 Eclipses
                 +-------------+----------+----------------+
                 |  1987       | Sunangle | Eclipse-Data   |
                 |  Date       | Illumin. |  MA   MA  Dura.|
                 | Mondays     | SA  ILL% |  in   out  Min.|
                 +-------------+----------+----------------+
                 |1987 Nov  9  |-51   64  |  61    93   86 |
                 |1987 Nov 16  |-44   73  |  74   106   88 |
                 |1987 Nov 23  |-36   80  |  86   119   90 |
                 |1987 Nov 30  |-29   87  | 100   134   93 |
                 |1987 Dec  7  |-22   93  | 114   149   96 |
                 |1987 Dec 14  |-15   96  | 127   164   99 |
                 |1987 Dec 21  | -8   99  | 141   178  101 |
                 |1987 Dec 28  | -1  100  | 153   190   99 |
                 +-------------+----------+----------------+

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2.(N)     Transpolar Skitrek May Reckon Its Position Using SARSAT/COSPAS/UoSAT

A combination of space resources may be put to use in support of a joint
Canadian-Soviet polar expedition early next year.  Currently under discussion
is Project Nordski Comm, a plan whereby the polar expedition team will be
tracked by a fleet of international satellites and their position reported
back to them by UoSAT OSCAR 11's Digitalker experiment.

Departing in February from Cape Arktichesky in the USSR, the Transpolar
Skitrek expeditionary team will ski across the North Pole arriving at the Cape
of Columbia near Ellesmere Island, Canada 90 to 100 days later. Leonid
Labutin, UA3CR, is the chief radio operator of the project.  Leo will work
from one of the support camps to provide radio communications.

The team will carry two Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT).  These emit
specially coded beacon signals in the 406 MHz range.  The signals are picked
up by satellites in the international SARSAT/COSPAS program.  By analyzing the
Doppler shift of the transponded signals, ground personnel can determine the
ELT location to within a few miles or better. There are about 6
SARSAT/COSPAS-equipped satellites in operation today.  It is believed COSMOS
1861, which carries RS-10/11, also has a SARSAT/COSPAS transponder aboard.
SARSAT stands for Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking System.  COSPAS
is a Russian abbreviation for Space System for Search of Vehicles in Distress.

The addition of direct position feedback to the expeditionary team is the
novel part of the plans for the project.  If arrangements can be completed and
approved by the appropriate authorities, the expeditionary team's position, as
determined by the SARSAT/COSPAS Mission Control Center, will be automatically
relayed by Telex to the University of Surrey in England.  From there the
position will be encoded in software which programs the UO-11 Digitalker.
Several times per orbit, Digitalker would announce the team's position in
plain English.  The team would listen for UO-11 on 145.825 MHz on miniature
VHF transceivers they carry and thus obtain vital information on their current
position.

AMSAT has played an interesting historical role in the evolution of
SARSAT/COSPAS. AMSAT OSCAR 7 was employed as a proof of concept for SARSAT in
December 1975. Using AO-7's Mode A transponder, signals from AO-7 received at
the Goddard Space Flight center proved a low power uplink could provide
sufficiently accurate tracking information with an estimated 3 to 6 km
potential.  The SARSAT/COSPAS program now consists of spacecraft provided by
the United States and the Soviet Union.  They, together with Canada and France
founded the system.  Today more than a dozen nations participate in the
program.  Officials credit SARSAT/COSPAS with having saved more than 1,000
lives to date.

AMSAT has plans to initiate a radio sport competition using the SARSAT/COSPAS
system as a model.  The objective will be to illustrate the technique and
provide a valuable educational tool in a sport context.  The competition would
challenge participants to locate a hidden transmitter via satellite using
Doppler shift analysis techniques similar to those employed by the
SARSAT/COSPAS Mission Control Centers. A 1988 kickoff is planned for this
project.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

3.(N)     Annual Meeting and Space Symposium Next Weekend

The 1987 AMSAT Annual Meeting and 5th Annual Space Symposium are on tap for
the weekend of November 6-8 in the Detroit suburb of Southfield.  A full
program of technical papers featuring experts from around the world is
planned.  Papers covering many aspects of current and future programs will be
presented.  Featured speaker is Astronaut Dr. Tony England, W0ORE.

The Annual Meeting and banquet will be held Saturday evening.  The newly
elected members of the Board of Directors will be introduced.  Banquet prizes
include antennas, preamps, computer interfaces and much more. The meeting will
be held at the Southfield Hilton Hotel north of Detroit.

The main event is on Saturday with additional activities planned for Sunday.
A hospitality gathering will be held at the Hilton Friday night.  Two meter
talk-in will be on WB8VTW: 147.16 +600.

Last minute registration may be obtainable by calling AMSAT HQ: 301-589-6062.
See ASR #160 for additional details.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

4.(U)     Records Fall In Wake of Greenbank EME Activity

Preliminary reports suggest a number of significant records were established
during the EME weekend of 17-18 October.  In one of the highlights of the
ARRL-sponsored event, a group of Amateurs including AMSAT's Tom Clark, W3IWI,
operated the 140 foot polar mount dish at the National Radio Astronomy
Observatory at Greenbank, West Virginia.

One record which seems to have been established is a new mark for the
best-ever 13 cm DX.  According to ZL1AOX, a Wellington station, ZL2AQE, worked
the Greenbank station via the moon using 5 to 6 watts and a 4 meter dish.  If
sustained, this would be a new world's record for 2.4 GHz.

A one way 10 GHz link between Greenbank and I4BER in Italy was achieved.
Signals received at I4BER from Greenbank were about 40 dB out of the noise
according to W3IWI.  The return link was not successful due to the TWT at
Greenbank swamping their receiver.

A preliminary QSO count has about ninety 70 cm EME QSOs, eighteen 23 cm QSOs
and eleven 13 cm QSOs.  Many stations garnered their first EME contact on this
occasion. Several comment the Greenbank signal off the moon was the strongest
ever heard on EME.  A more detailed report will be made available as soon as
possible.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

5.(R)     African Near-Disaster Underscores Packet Project Urgency

The potential value of Amateur Radio-derived communications technology in a
desperate emergency situation has again been vividly demonstrated.  This time
the scene unfolded in the rural mountainous southern African Kingdom of
Lesotho.

Recently, Lesotho was struck by the worst snow and rain storms in living
memory. Villages and farms in the rugged mountain areas were cut off from
supplies and lost virtually all communication with the outside world.  But
packet radio techniques may provide a long term solution for the beleaguered
population.

A pilot packet project calls for the establishment of a number of packet
stations in a network. The network will be linked to the ZS6SAT PBBS in
Johannesburg. From there a gateway to the UoSAT OSCAR 11 DCE and FO12 will be
provided.  A potential linkup with the future VITA-PACSAT is contemplated as
well in a later version when the network is transitioned to non-Amateur
frequencies for regular operational use.

The first steps in implementing the network are already being taken.  The
first digipeater in the link between Lesotho and Johannesburg will go into
operation within the next few weeks. The second digipeater will most likely be
installed before the end of the year. The UO-11 DCE gateway is under
development and should be in operation by year's end.

The South African part of the project is being financed by SA AMSAT. A fund
raising campaign is under way to obtain various system components. The
Canadian International Development Research Council is considering financing
the Lesotho portion of the network.  Canadian George Hunt, operating in
Lesotho as 7P8DL, is the catalyst for the project.  He is receiving
engineering and other support from the SA AMSAT organization under the
leadership of ZS6AKV.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

6.(R)     Net Schedule Revised With Transition to "Standard Time"

AMSAT nets returned to their winter schedule beginning the weekend of 24-25
October concurrent with the change from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time
in the U.S.  In accord with prior practice, all local and regional nets
maintain local time.  That is, a net beginning at 20:00 Daylight Time now
begins at 20:00 Standard Time.

However, nets serving an international community maintain the same UTC time.
For example, the AMSAT 20 meter International Net continues to be heard at
1900 UTC Sundays on 14.282 MHz.  This means it is heard one hour earlier,
local time, in the U.S. where Daylight Time had been in place. Similarly, the
AMSAT South Pacific Net continues to be heard at 22:00 UTC on 14.282 MHz on
Saturdays.

The AMSAT 75 meter East Coast Net reverts to its former one hour format
beginning Tuesday evening, 27 October.  The adverse propagation conditions
which caused its expansion to two hours last year have now largely mitigated.
Henceforth, this net begins at 21:00 EST on 3840 kHz.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

7.(R)     IAF Meets In UK; UoSAT Scored Hit In Exhibition

The 38th Meeting of the International Astronautics Federation was held in
Brighton (UK) the week of October 12.  Several hundred delegates from
virtually all countries attended.  Associated with the meeting was an
impressive exhibition with exhibitors from aerospace organizations large and
small worldwide. One of the most interesting exhibits was a model of the MIR
space station at the Soviet stand.

The University of Surrey exhibited the engineering model of the UoSAT-2
spacecraft accompanied by a replica of the UoS groundstation and a display
showing the range of spacecraft engineering activities undertaken at UoS. Much
interest was shown throughout the week in UoSAT and its capabilities.

Martin Sweeting, G3YJO, presented a paper on cost-effective spacecraft
engineering and Craig Underwood presented a paper on the role of satellites in
education.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

8.(R)     FO-12 Schedule

                   FO-12 will operate:

                  From         To
               Date Time    Date Time  Mode
               ============================

      November  02  11:23   03  10:30  JD
                04  11:37   05  10:43  JD
                07  08:55   08  10:02  JD

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

A new operating schedule for FO-12 is pending release by JARL.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

9.(U)     Short Bursts The main UoSAT command station at the University of
Surrey, England, was taken off the air in early October when a devastating
storm raked the United Kingdom.  Hundred mile an hour winds, the most severe
in three centuries, did their worst as UoSAT's famous antenna arrays were
launched into an indeterminate trajectory.  UoSAT operations were carried
forth from the home QTH of G3YJO whilst repairs were undertaken at the
University.  All was back in order by late October and normal UoSAT commanding
has resumed at the main station.

                                     ***

Arianespace intends to launch its next mission, V-20, in the second half of
November.  If this is accomplished and the V-21 launch is accomplished in
January as scheduled, AMSAT's Phase 3C, manifested aboard V-22, could be
launched as early as February of next year.
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