************************************************************************** * * * 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-084.01 AMASAT-ITALY TO BUILD MICROSAT HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 084.01 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD MARCH 25, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT AMSAT-IT & AMSAT-NA Sign "Memorandum-of-Understanding" On MICROSAT AMSAT-ITALY and AMSAT-NA signed a "Memorandum-of-Understanding" (MOU) agreement allowing for the co-construction of a MICROSAT/PACSAT satellite. This agreement allows for the joint construction of a MICROSAT satellite with AMSAT-NA sharing fully its technology and assisting AMSAT-IT in this endeavor. This represents the first time that AMSAT-IT has ever attempted to build an OSCAR satellite. By teaming with AMSAT-NA, AMSAT-IT will get to study, observe, and learn about on all aspects of building a OSCAR satellite from "bending metal" to integrating it upon a launch vehicle. Signing this "historic" agreement for AMSAT-IT was Dr. Alberto Zagni, I2KBD, who was also representing the ARI (Italian National Radio Institude); signing for AMSAT-NA was Jan King, W3GEY, Chairman of the Board. This MOU was signed in Boulder, CO on March 19, 1989. The new AMSAT-IT MICROSAT will be known as ITAMSAT-1 and is expected to be finished and launched within two years. The center for this effort in Italy will be in Milan with Dr. Zagni being designated as the the Program Manager for ITAMSAT-1. AMSAT-NA welcomes this "teaming agreement" with AMSAT-IT and looks forward to the successful launch of another OSCAR satellite. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-084.02 AMSAT-NA TO OFFER TAPR BOARDS HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 084.02 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD MARCH 25, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT AMSAT-NA To Offer TAPR PSK Demodulator Boards OSCAR satellite enthusiasts will now be able to obtain TAPR PSK Demodulator kits from AMSAT-NA Headquarters thanks to a recent agreement reached with TAPR. This agreement was reached inorder to encourage amateurs to start building these kits now so that they will be ready for the PACSATs to be launched later this year. By becoming a "second-source" for these kits, TAPR is hopping to avoid a "last minute rush" by amateurs to become "operational" once the PACSATs are released for general use. For those who would like to learn more about this particular kit, see ASR #135 or the ARRL's QEX magazine, Sept. 1987. To order your PSK Demodulator board, call AMSAT Headquarters, at (301) 589-6062. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-084.03 AMSAT-NA JOURNAL HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 084.03 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD MARCH 25, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT Articles Needed For Future Issues Of AMSAT-NA Journal AMSAT-NA Journal, the "flagship" publication of AMSAT-NA will make its debut in early April. Editor, Joe Kasser, G3ZCZ, requests that amateurs who have a particular area of interest in OSCAR satellite operations should consider submitting an article for publication. Joe is particularly interested in the following "kinds" of articles: 1) Construction Projects 2) Technical Discussions 3) Operating Techniques & Procedures 4) DX News 5) Introductory articles about building & assembling an OSCAR station 6) Useful software programs you have developed If you have an entertaining story you would like to share about about a particular satellite operating experience, please submit it; if you have a photograph pertinent to your OSCAR station or some activity involving the OSCAR satellites, please send it in with a short description of what it is about. The AMSAT-NA Journal is designed to be a source of information about the current "going-ons" in the OSCAR satellite world. If you know about a special activity which is happening, AMSAT-NA Journal is where it needs to announced. All first time authors will be given special attention to help you get your article published. This new magazine is intened to be for all OSCAR satellite users so submit your articles today to AMSAT-NA Headquarters, P.O. Box 27, Washington, D.C., 20044, atten: Joe Kasser, G3ZCZ. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-084.04 AMSAT-UK CATALOGUE AVAILABLE HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 084.04 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD MARCH 25, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT AMSAT-UK Catalogue Of Publications, Software, & Kits Is Available AMSAT-UK has many fine publications, satellite tracking programs, and kits available for OSCAR enthusiasts. If you would like to obtain your copy of their catalogue in order to see what is available, please send a s.a.s.e to: AMSAT-UK Ron Broadbent, G3AAJ 94 Herongate Road Wanstead Park London E12 5EQ England If you would like to call Ron, he can be reached at 01-989-6741 in the U.K. between the hours of 13:00 UTC and 18:00 UTC. Just recently released is the SATSCAN-II computer program which displays satellite positions through graphical maps. Also, you can decode the telemetry of AO-13/UO-11/UO-9 by obtaining one of the G3RUH telemetry demodulators being offered by AMSAT-UK. And certainly if you want to be ready for the future PACSATs, there is the G3RUH PSK Demodu- lator boards. So send away for your copy of this catalogue and find out what the "folks across the pond" have to offer all OSCAR satellite users. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-084.05 MICROSAT PROGRESS REPORT #2 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 084.05 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD MARCH 25, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT MICROSAT Progress Report #2 By Jeff Zerr Jeff Zerr, AMSAT-NA's Engineer-in-Charge of MICROSAT Mechanical Assembly presents the following summary of progress to date on the MICROSATs: 1) MICROSAT assembly and construction site has been sucessfully moved to a new facility last week in order to allow for more room. The phone number at the new facility is (303) 530-7233. The new facility is located at 5305 Spine Road in Boulder, CO. Volunteers meet every Wednesday night at 7:00 P.M. and Sunday mornings at 9:00 A.M. Jeff reports that a "make-shift" clean room has been built and is in operation. 2) The MICROSAT Critical Design Review (CDR) was held the weekend of March 18-19th in Boulder, CO. The CDR is a process where by the complete satellite design is gone over in "excruciatingly painful" detail in order to uncover any hidden "gottcha's" which might pop-up later. Jeff reports that the CDR went very well and except for a few minor problems, they can be readily solved. [In a future AMSAT News Service Bulletin, a detailed summary will be given of this very important CDR activity.] 3) Prototype receivers designed by W3IWI and built by W4PUJ were demonstrated and "fit checked." The Battery Charge Regulator (BCR), designed by Jon Bloom, KE3D, was displayed and it too also was "fit checked." 4) YT3MV continues making excellent progress on his S Band transmitter which will now fly on one of the MICROSATs as an additional experiment. The reported efficiency of this transmitter is approximently 50 per cent. 5) Tom McIntire, KB0BGZ, continues to supply battery "cradle" modules. These specially designed "battery holders" are designed for the nicad batteries which will power the MICROSATs. 6) Hugh Pett, has finished writing the software for the "boot-loader" for the on-board V-40 CPUs on each of the MICROSATs. 7) Larry Kayser and Stan Kasmeric have now delievered all the 6.7 Amp-hr, 1.5 volt, nicad batteries for all the MICROSATs. All have been tested and "conditioned" for space flight operation. 8) Bob Strickland has finished all the final revisions to his Addressable Asynchronus Receiver Transmitter (AART) boards and he will deliver them at the end of this month. 9) Don Struthers has a working model of the DOVE (Digital Orbiting Voice Encoder) voice synthesizer. He is now working putting his efforts in the software programming aspects of it now. Don is using the commercially available chip, called VORTRAX SC-02, as the center of this design. Jeff wants to remind everyone that the final integration and check out of the MICROSATs is planned for May 15, 1989! Volunteers are very much needed to help make this happen. You don't have to live in Boulder to become a MICROSAT volunteer. Jeff points out that many volunteers who are making major contributions to the construction effort live out-of- state. If you would like to volunteer to build something, Jeff will be happy to send you copies of the necessary drawings. Please volunteer today -- call Jeff Zerr at (303) 530-7233. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-084.06 SHORT BURSTS HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 084.06 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD MARCH 25, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT Short Bursts All AMSAT-NA members should have received a letter recently from AMSAT President Doug Loughmiller, KO5I, seeking each members support during this crucial time. At no other time in AMSAT-NA's history has there been a period where AMSAT-NA has had four satellites under construction at one time! All members are urged to consider this important message which Doug has felt it is necessary for him to communicate to each and everyone of you at this time. The following is the operating schedule for FO-12 for April: DATE MODE OPERATING PERIOD 04/05/89 JA 14:12 UTC until 22:24 UTC 04/08/89 JA 21:45 UTC until 12:38 on 04/09/89 UTC 04/11/89 JA 12:51 UTC until 21:04 UTC 04/13/89 JD 13:05 UTC until 21:17 UTC 04/15/89 JD 19:30 UTC until 12:24 on 04/16/89 UTC Effective March 15, 1989 the Operating Schedule for AO-13 was changed as follows: Mode B From MA 100 to MA 160 Mode JL From MA 160 to MA 200 Mode B From MA 200 to MA 255 OFF From MA 0 to MA 100 The final Bahn Coordinates for AO-13 after the attitude change will be as follows: Bahn Longitude=210 degrees, Bahn Latitude=+5 degrees. Listen to the CW/PSK/RTTY telemetry beacons on AO-13 on a downlink frequency of 145.812 MHz/435.651 MHz and to AMSAT Nets for the latest information on any operating schedule changes. The above operating schedule will remain in effect until May 3, 1989. AMSAT members are reminded that there will be a switch to Daylight Savings Time on the first weekend of April. This time change only impacts the 75M Meter and local VHF Nets! It DOES NOT affect the Inter- national Nets on 20M and 15M -- they stay on UTC time. Please keep this in mind so you don't miss any of the many regularly scheduled AMSAT Nets. /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! OPS NET NEWS: The AMSAT Operations Net of March 18,1989, was held as scheduled at 1600 UTC on a downlink frequency of 435.970 MHz. With only 21 minutes of "JL" time available till Mode "B", the net was continued on 145.950 MHz after the switch. Conditions for the net were very good on both "B" and "JL". While most stations used the two-meter uplink of "JL", Keith, W5IU, checked in via the 23-cm uplink of the "L" transponder. Andy, WA5ZIB, was NCS. Check-ins included: VE7DOX, W6HDO, W7ID, W5IU, WB6LLO, K6TSK, WA4UPD, VK4ZQ and K4ZQX. The following topics came up during the net: 1. ZRO Test - The next ZRO runs will begin in May after the satellite is back to NADIR pointing. Results from the March 4th run have some European stations providing Z7 reports. The March 5th test has produced level 8 reports from W7ID, and others "down-under" in Australia and New Zealand. "JL" tests will start in May or June. 2. 73 Magazine - The special satellite issue was mentioned. It will have 17 articles written by AMSAT supporters and Satellite enthusiasts from West Germany, England, New Zealand, South Africa and the U.S. "73" was overwhelmed with submissions and will have plenty of material to keep satellite articles of some type in every issue of the magazine through the end of the year. 3. Satfoxhunt - Although no discussion ensued, WA5ZIB mentioned the efforts of N5BF, WB5CCJ and W5SXD to prove the possibility of a satellite-based fox hunt. 4. A-O-10 - VK4ZQ, Roy in Brisbane, mentioned the FM'ing on the A-O-10 transponder. Users have been asked to QRT when heard in the downlink. Keith, W5IU, said that he had not heard anything from the satellite in the past few days. Although the bird is not yet in eclipse season, we must assume that the solar illumination has reached a critical level. A-O-10 is once again in hibernation. 5. Mystery beacons on "JL" - W6HDO asked if anyone had information on the Russian beacons heard on 435.947 MHz. They send CW and use the callsigns UZ9XXZ and UZ9VXZ. Are they on two-meter uplinks being transponded via 23 cm? What are they for? 6. March 11th Net - Keith, W5IU and N8IWJ were active for nearly 45 minutes for the period of the March 11th net. Although spin modulation was very difficult due to bad squint angle, they persisted. 7. Next Net - The next AMSAT Operations Net is scheduled for March 26, 1989 at 0530 UTC. That's Saturday evening, local time. Come by and join us! If Courtney is available, he (N5BF) will act as NCS, otherwise WA5ZIB will do the honors. 73 de Andy MacAllister, WA5ZIB AMSAT NA VP User Operations AO-13 PSK MESSAGE BLOCKS: The following blocks were received at WB6GFJ while watching telemetry. One of them will explain the current activities concerning spacecraft attitude. L de VK5AGR 04Mar89 1330utc Peter DB2OS - I hq6 looked at the squint angles resulting from the proposed attitude change of AO-13 to 210/+5 on 13Mar89 for stations located in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Squint `ngles of less than 20 degrees occur in the Northern Hemisphere between MA 160 and 230 and be- tween MA 135 and 200 in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, your choice of MA 160 to 200 means that stations in both Hemispheres will have at least 40 MA units of good Mode JL. 73s Graham M de DB2OS, 03Mar89: *** AO-13 TRANSPONDER SCHEDULE *** until March 15 until May 03 Mode-B : from MA 3 to MA 110 ! from MA 100 to MA 160 Mode-JL : from MA 110 to MA 145 ! from MA 160 to MA 200 (*) Mode-B : from MA 145 to MA 240 ! from MA 200 to MA 255 OFF : from MA 240 to MA 3 ! from MA 0 to MA 100 Attitude: Mar 06 179.5 / -5.1 ! New attitude: 210 / +5 (ALON/ALAT) Mar 13 179.6 / -5.8 ! (*): May change! N de VK5AGE/G3RUH 89 Mar 26 1150utc. A third magnetorque for 2 perigees (Orbits #596/597 & #597/598) refined the attitude to LON/LAT = 206/4 Another session will occur during the peri- gees of Orbits #598/599 & Orbits #599/600. This will result in an attitude close to the desired 210/+5 - We'll upload the final attitude to the CW/RTTY/PSK bulletins on 89 Mar 27. 73 from Oz de James (VK5AGE/G3RUH) and Graham (VK5AGR) There were collected into ASCII using a new utility program created for the P3C.EXE program. Look for details to follow on this utility in a few weeks. The program appears to work, but we need to look for the typical hidden bugs. 73, Ross (WB6GFJ)