****************************************************************************** * AMSAT NA News Service Bulletins * * NEWS346 12Dec87 * * [ 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 ] * ****************************************************************************** Headlines: 1.(N) Phase 3C Tests Called Unqualified Success 2.(N) Launch Insurance Fund Reaches Milestone 3.(N) Meeting In Ottawa To Advance Nordski Plans 4.(N) ARRL Seeks Lab Supervisor 5.(N) Short Bursts ****************************************************************************** 1.(N) Phase 3C Tests Called Unqualified Success Dick Daniels, W4PUJ, who recently returned from Germany, reports the propulsion system tests and the shake and vibration tests on Phase 3C went perfectly. The spacecraft passed all the test with flying colors. The tests were performed in Germany by AMSAT DL and various contractors the week of November 30. AMSAT NA is responsible for the major sub-assemblies of the liquid propulsion system. Phase 3C's bi-propellant system is similar to the one employed by AMSAT OSCAR 10 in that it uses the same MBB motor. Both use combinations of hypergolic fluids, UDMH (unsymmetrical di-methyl hydrazine) and nitrogen tetroxide. The fluids explode spontaneously on contact to produce thrust. A slightly improved version of these fluids will provide more thrust on Phase 3C compared to AO-10. Of especial interest and a major achievement scored was the successful test of the new propulsion system plumbing and valves. This had represented a major risk area since Phase 3C employs a new design. The AO-10 valve system was abandoned since analysis of the performance of the AO-10 system indicated improvements were called for. The new system worked perfectly on its first try according to W4PUJ. In related news, the rough time line for the AMSAT Phase 3C launch campaign was recently laid out. Based on an estimated launch date of March 24, the launch teams from AMSAT DL and AMSAT NA will be arriving in Kourou, French Guiana about mid-February. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 2.(N) Launch Insurance Fund Reaches Milestone Thanks to the leadership of affiliated AMSAT organizations and the generosity of a growing number of individuals, AMSAT NA's Phase 3C Launch Insurance Campaign recently passed the 50% mark with over $5,000 committed to the fund. The fund aims to insure the new spacecraft against any loss due to launch or deployment problems. Recent major donations of $1,000 each have been received from Brazil AMSAT under the leadership of Junior DeCastro, PY2BJO, and from AMSAT UK under the leadership of Ron Broadbent, G3AAJ. In addition, Hans Van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV, has announced that SA AMSAT's Board has committed to a similar donation of $1,000. AMSAT NA gratefully acknowledges the support of the members of these fine organizations and the leadership of the Secretary of AMSAT UK and the Presidents of BRAMSAT and SA AMSAT. Individual donations to the insurance fund are now needed to complete the final 50% of the goal. See ASR #160 to see how to make your donation count. AMSAT DL, partners with AMSAT NA on the Phase 3C Project, is funding launch insurance as well from independent sources. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 3.(N) Meeting In Ottawa To Advance Nordski Plans Leo Labutin, UA3CR and a colleague in the joint Canadian-Russian Skitrek project returned to Ottawa on December 11 after several weeks of training at Frobisher Bay on Baffin Island, Canada. 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. Digitalker tests with UoSat OSCAR 9 were successful with UA3CR reporting he heard the voice synthesizer quite well on an HT at Frobisher. The Digitalker demonstrations and tests for the Polar Expedition were arranged by Surrey at UA3CR's request between December 5 through 10. During the actual Skitrek next February, UO-9 or UO-11 will relay navigational information to the Skitrek team. The position of the team will be determined using the COSPAS/SARSAT satellites. The results of the analysis will be uplinked to UoSAT and thence to the skiers in digitized voice. Digitalker is heard on the normal UoSAT downlink of 145.825 MHz, FM. AMSAT and Surrey are supporting the program under their Project Nordski Comm. Educators around the world have expressed interest in receiving the UoSAT Digitalker downlink and in plotting the progress of the Skitrek team on maps. On December 12 a contingent of AMSAT leaders from the U.S. traveled 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 was 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. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 4.(N) ARRL Seeks Lab Supervisor An immediate opening exists in the Technical Department at ARRL HQ for a Laboratory Supervisor. They are looking for a licensed and experienced amateur with a BSEE degree, or equivalent experience. A candidate must have sufficient experience in industry to know laboratory procedures and test standards, and must have the ability to train and counsel laboratory personnel. The ideal candidate would have a (analog/digital and hardware/software) design background, and an ability to work with experimenters in the field. Contact Chuck Hutchinson, K8CH at 203-666-1541 for further details. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 5.(N) Short Bursts Progress has been made with UO-11 and the spacecraft is now back transmitting telemetry after lengthy diagnosis at Surrey. They still need to carry out some further activities before normal service can resume but it is hoped that will occur very soon * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * RECENT NEWS IN REVIEW ===================== Headlines: 6.(R) PACSAT Design Converges At Washington Meeting 7.(R) No Threat To Satellite Operations IARU Asserts 8.(R) Cross-Satellite Contacts Reported 9.(R) New Field Ops VP Calls For Area Coordinator Handbook Ideas 10.(U) AO-10 Ops Schedule 11.(U) FO-12 Ops Schedule * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 6.(R) 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. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 7.(R) 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. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 8.(R) Cross-Satellite Contacts Reported According to G3IOR, G4CUO scored a satellite 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. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 9.(R) 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 that an "Area Coordinator's Handbook" is to be developed. The purpose of the handbook is to provide all Area Coordinators with a good foundation of information. Please send your ideas to Ross Forbes, WB6GFJ, P.O. Box 1, Los Altos, California 94023-0001. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 10.(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 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. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 11.(U) FO-12 Ops Schedule Here is the operating schedule for FO-12 for the next few days: Operating schedule for FO-12 Mode From (UTC) To (UTC) -------------------------------- 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 JD 20 04:44 -- 21 05:52 JD 22 04:58 -- 23 04:04 JD 24 01:06 -- 25 06:19 JD 26 03:24 -- 27 04:32 JD 28 03:38 -- 29 02:43 The transponders will be off at other time. The schedule may be changed at any time due to unexpected power situations. ** Note: On December 19 from 22:34 through 0:34 UTC, a special telemetry software package will be loaded to permit telemetry transmission every 2 seconds instead of every minute. No mailbox functions will be available during this period but the digipeater will be operational. Reports of received telemetry will be appreciated. Please send them to JARL via the FO-12 mailbox. any time due to unexpected power situations. ******************************************************************************