************************************************************************** * * * THIS IS THE WD0GML-AMSAT-ST.LOUIS BBS 24HR 7DAY AT (314)447-3003 * * 300/1200/2400 BAUD * * Mike Parisey WD0GML SYSOP * * Norm Newman NZ0Z Co-SYSOP * * * ************************************************************************** SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-021.01 HAMFEST ANNOUNCEMENTS ON AMSAT BBS HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 021.01 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD JANUARY 21, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT AMSAT-NA BBS Available For Announcing Hamfest Activities Mike, WD0GML, the Manager of the AMSAT-NA "land-line" Bulletin Board System (BBS), requests that those who wish to have an announcement posted about an upcoming hamfest which will have AMSAT representatives present or any other event which might be of interest to OSCAR satellite users, to please upload an "ASCII text" file which will contain all the pertinent information. Mike has said that he will make sure that the event will be announced in the BBS "preamble" so that all those checking in to the BBS will be aware of the event and also where they can find more information about that event. If you know of an event or hamfest which might be of interest to AMSAT members, please let WD0GML know about it at lest TWO weeks in advance so that he will have time to place the announcement in the "preamble." The phone number for the AMSAT-NA BBS is (314) 447-3003. Mike wants all AMSAT members and satellite enthusiasts to know that this is "your" BBS and all are welcome to use it. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-021.02 PROJECT OSCAR ANNUAL MEETING HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 021.02 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD JANUARY 21, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT PROJECT OSCAR Group To Hold Their Annual Meeting Next Weekend The Project OSCAR group will hold their annual meeting on Saturday, January 28th at 10:00 P.M. PST. The meeting will take place at the Foothills Community College in Los Altos, CA. There will be "call-in" frequency of 147.15 MHz using the W6YCZ/R repeater. If you would like to have more information, please contact Ross Forbes, WB6GFJ, at (415) 948-5000. Ross requests that those calling about the Project OSCAR meeting please call him from between the hours of 3:00 to 5:00 P.M. PST and 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. PST. All are invited to attend. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-021.03 SEN 017 SCHEDULE HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 021.03 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD JANUARY 21, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT Space Education Net Schedule (SEN017) The next session of the Space Education Net (SEN) has been scheduled for Saturday, January 28, 1989. The Mode B session will run from 13:30 to 14:30 UTC. The downlink frequency will be 145.960 MHz. No Mode L session has been scheduled because of the lack of a Mode L Net Control Station. Slow Scan TV will be transmitted for approximately the first 10 minutes of the bulletins on 145.965 MHz. After the SEN bulletins, an informal SSTV net will convene on the SSTV downlink frequency of 145.965 MHz. Additional Net Control Stations are needed, particularly those which have Mode L capability. Also, stations who can act as NCS for the SEN and who are located on the west coast of the US are especially needed. If you would like to assist the SEN in this important position please volunteer today. Contact K.O. Learner, K9PVW, at P.O. Box 5006, Kokomo, IN 46904 or via packet @KD9QB with your SEN questions or comments or to volunteer to assist the SEN. Check-ins and participants are invited for both net sessions. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-021.04 FIRST ZRO TEST A SUCCESS HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 021.04 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD JANUARY 21, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT ZRO Test On January 14th Was A Major Success! The first session of the ZRO Memorial Technical Achievement Award Program, or just "ZRO Test" was active via AMSAT OSCAR-13 on January 14th at 16:00 UTC on a Mode "B" down-link frequency of 145.840 MHz. It was very much a success! If you copied the CW transmissions from WA5ZIB, please send a copy of it to: Andy MacAllister, WA5ZIB, 14714 Knightsway, Houston, TX 77083. For those who would like a "Technical Achievement Award Certificate" for their participation, contact Martha at AMSAT-NA Headquarters at (301) 589-6062 for additional information on how to receive your ZRO Certificate. The ZRO Test measures your operating skill and equipment performance. The tests are run when the satellite pointing angle does not favor some areas within the satellite's footprint over others. During the recent ZRO test, WA5ZIB sent numeric code groups at gradually reduced power levels (3 dB each time). The participating operators measured the sensitivity of their satellite stations by monitoring and recording the content of the transmissions. Those who copied the satellite's beacon heard the level "zero" code groups during the test and qualified for the basic award. CW transmissions were then sent at lower power levels. Several stations copied the transmissions from WA5ZIB down to a level 24 dB below the general beacon! This was "Level 8" of the ZRO Test. Nothing was sent below this. A five-Watt HT with a quarter-wave whip would have had a higher uplink EIRP than WA5ZIB's "Level 8" signal! Conditions for the test were excellent: no fading, no spin modulation, just good copy. Future ZRO Tests have been scheduled at times when similar results are expected. All satellite enthusiasts are invited to listen for the AO-13 ZRO Tests. The downlink frequency will continue to be 145.840 MHz. Mode L runs have not yet been scheduled but they will come soon. All transmissions use CW at 10 WPM. No voice operation occurs with the control station on the test frequency. The following dates and times have been carefully chosen for participant convenience and fairness: Saturday February 4, 1989 at 15:30 UTC Saturday February 25, 1989 at 15:00 UTC Saturday March 4, 1989 at 07:00 UTC Any changes will be announced as soon as possible. ZRO brochures are still available from WA5ZIB for an S.A.S.E. with two units of postage. Good luck! /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-021.05 W1AW TO DROP AMSAT BULLETINS HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 021.05 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD JANUARY 21, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT ARRL Will Temporarily Cease ARRL Satellite & ARRL Keplerian Bulletins At the request of AMSAT-NA, the ARRL will, for the next two weeks, stop sending their ARRL Satellite and ARRL Keplerian Bulletins. These ARRL Bulletin items were "edited" versions of the AMSAT News Service (ANS) Bulletins and the AMSAT Keplerian elements issued weekly. It was found by many that this information was largely "redundant" and was "clogging" the HF frequencies because it was being sent every day. If the lack of these ARRL Satellite and Keplerian Bulletins creates difficulty for those who can not pick up the ANS Bulletins through the usual channels, i.e., packet BBS's, the AMSAT-NA land-line BBS, or AMSAT HF or VHF Nets, please let John Champa, K8OCL, know. Write to: John Champa, K8OCL AMSAT Executive Vice-President 7800 Hartwell St. Dearborn, MI 48126 If this request by AMSAT-NA causes those who are not able to utilize any other means to miss the ANS Bulletins, AMSAT-NA will review this action and reconsider changing it. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-021.06 Short Burst Items HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 021.06 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD JANUARY 21, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT Short Burst Items AMSAT-NA is looking for additional stations to act as primary and backup Net Control Stations (NCS) for AMSAT HF, VHF, and OSCAR-13 Nets. If you would be interested in being an NCS, please contact AMSAT-NA Headquarters at (301) 589-6062. /EX FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! THE FOLLOWING ADDED BY WD0GML-AMSAT-ST.LOUIS (314) 447-3003 24hr 7day 300/1200/2400 baud. This section may have additions through the week! THIS BBS: This BBS will be shut down SUNDAYS from about 1730UTC untill 1900UTC due to RFI troubles. I presently help WD0HHU Dave with the 20mtr AMSAT NET during this time period. When I XMIT on HF the board is very eradict and in an effort to prevent disconnections to the users I thought it best to just turn the BBS off. I am sorry for any inconvience to you the users. The 20mtr AMSAT NET conviens at 1730 UTC @ 14.282+/- QRM the first 1 1/2 hrs is informal and you are most welcome to check in to say Hi or field questions. The bulletins will be transmitted at 1900 the first 30min EAST the second WEST. Both Dave and myself look very much forward to meeting you on 20. Thank you 73 Mike WD0GML HF PACKET PROS TO THE SUDAN! VITA has received expressions of interest from a UN agency in the Sudan for two people to spend 3-4 weeks there setting up HF packet stations in various locations around the country. We are informed that radios, TNCs, and computers have already been acquired. More detailed specs are coming. Assignment would begin end of February. Anybody interested should contact Gary Garriott at VITA (1815 N. Lynn St., Arlington, VA 22209; 703-276-1800, fax 703-243-1865). Preference will be given to people who have HF packet experience, can do this for expenses only (or low fee), and have lived/traveled in developing countries previously. Interested parties should send or fax cover letter and resume to Gary at address above. TAPR Meeting Announcement: SB ALL @ AMSAT < W3IWI $15126_W3IWI TAPR ANNUAL MEETING Please circulate to your local BBSs The annual meeting of Tucson Amateur Packet Radio will be held in Tucson Arizona on Saturday and Sunday, February 25th and 26th 1989. Members and non-members alike are invited. The meeting location is the same as last year, The Inn at The Airport. The Inn is located a short distance from the airport terminal at 7060 South Tucson Boulevard. The Inn offers us special rates -- call 1-800 772-3847 and identify yourself as being with TAPR. In Arizona call (602) 746-0271. On Friday night there will be the traditional Pizza bash. On Saturday night the usual gettogther, details to be announced during the meeting. There will be plenty of exciting presentations on new packet radio, Microsat, networking, BBS, DSP and other developments now in progress. AND YOU WILL SEE NEW TAPR DEVELOPMENTS NOT PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED. Developers desiring a time slot on the agenda should advise the TAPR office, (602) 323-1710. Meeting hours will be 9-5 on Saturday and 9-1 on Sunday. /EX MIR NEWSLETTER 064: NEWSMIR.064 15 JANUARY 1989. MIR: After the docking of Progress-39 to MIR/Kvant on 27 Dec.'88 there was less to report than in the period before in which a lot of important operations were executed. This docking was the last one in this sequence. Gradually passes shifted to the nighthours and now we have only 1 pass with possible traffic early in the morning. Soon the first passes in the evening hours will be there. Nevertheless the traffic after 27 Dec. has been interesting enough. The new crew adapted themselves well enough to be worthy successors of the Okeany. Krikalyov, mechanic, was very active, for instance around 1 Jan. when there were problems with the watersupply (smelling water a.s.o.). Certainly they solved those problems and also the problems they had with their ASU (toilet system). COMMUNICATIONS: A lot of traffic with and/or via tracking ships could be heard (Kosm. V. Komarov, Akademik S. Korolyov, a.s.o.) but they also tried to communicate via the system "Strela". On Jan. 3d MIR relayed a message from the A.S.K. that A.S.K. was in a heavy gale and unable to maintain a good link with TsUP. Working via Strela is still not satisfactory: Jan. 7th Krikalyov told TsUP that he had 200K-byte of information, but he did not trust the link via Strela as he was afraid to loose info. So he asked for permission to use one of the Telemetry channels. Krikalyov asked for the progress in the work to make the Strela system more usable, but TsUP stated this "to be a hanging fire". On 30th Dec. Krikalyov and Polyakov spoke with TsUP about the use of channel VHF-2 for relaying TLM data while someone was on the velo-ergo. The sounds could be heard in background via VHF-1 (143.625) -just like in 1987 with Laveykin- but scanning of all possible frequencies did not reveal the frequ. of VHF-2. During a TV-interview on Dec. 24th your nice Yorkshire, the town Barnsley was one of the subjects: Volkov showed the doll (or: puppet) Sam, who accompanies them on board MIR. Sam is a gift from the newspaper Barnsley Chronicle. So my congratulations AMSAT-UK friends: the first British cosmonaut is really there! FATE OF HOUSEHOLD COMPARTMENT SOYUZ-TM6: Thusfar this compartment -Bytovoy Otsek, or as in English "Orbital Module", separated from Soyuz-TM-s appr.50 mins after undocking from MIR. The experience of Sept. 6 and 7 made the Russians change their modus operandi: this time (S-TM6 on 21st Dec.) they separated this module a few seconds before the Engine block and before entering Earth's atmosphere. So there is no 1988-75C any more! (This module has the possibility for dockings with other s/c in cases of emergency and gives more comfort when landings are delayed). MANUALLY CONTROLED LANDING S-TM6 OR NOT?: There have been messages that due the computer failure the descend of S-TM6 3 hours later was executed MANUALLY- so not computer controled. In fact it has been a computer controled landing. They had to reprogram the computer as the memory, in which 2 programs loaded, had to be cleaned. The memory was full and one program corrupted the other one. There has indeed been a conversation in which they were told when they had to switch over to manual control, but ultimately this was not necessary. In the last sentences before entering atmosphere Titov stated that the "guided descend was there", he did not use the word RUCHNO - MANUALLY. Chris van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202 QUIKTRAK V4.0 DELAY: I know that a few of you are awaiting the next QT. With my recent recovery from a long bout with pneumonia and flu followed by a death in the family (my father), I am going to be delayed in getting it out. I apologize. As they say, the best laid plans of mice and men . . . Bob N4HY