Yearly Archives: 2013

Oct 15 2013

High Altitude Balloon launch at BATC Convention

BATC Logo SmallThe British Amateur Television Club (BATC) convention takes place on the weekend of October 26-27 at the Finningley Amateur Radio Club facilities near Robin Hood airport in Yorkshire.

On the Saturday at 16:00 BST if the weather is suitable Philip Crump M0DNY will be giving a live demonstration of a High Altitude Balloon launch. There should be 3G Streaming Video at up to 1000 metres and possibly Slow Scan Digital Video (SSDV) images on 434 MHz above that altitude if the hardware is available in time.

Other highlights of the program include:

• 10 GHz ATV equipment and operation.
• Ku band LNB developments and the use of PLL LNBs on 10 GHz.
• How to get going on 437 MHz and 3.4 GHz DATV and experiences to date.
• HAMTV on ISS – introduction and how to receive it.
• Digital update – including the latest from the Digilite and DATV express teams.
• Narrow band modes below 432 MHz – presentation and discussion.
• Talk and demo of DTX1 transmitter system.

As well as the talks program, there will be plenty of time for meeting other ATVers from across the country and visit the other activities on site including:

• SMD soldering workshop where you can buy, build and test equipment – we will be selling kits for the G4DDK PGA103 amplifier (see CQ-TV 241).
• Demonstration area – featuring member’s demo including M0DTS showing his integrated MK808 Digilite system.
• Comprehensive RF test and measurement equipment up to 10 GHz.
• Selected RF and video suppliers.
• Members bring and buy area.
• Antenna test range (Sunday only & weather permitting).
• BATC shop with stock of all items currently on sale

The talks program and  agenda for the weekend has now been published see http://www.batc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=3178

If you are coming to CAT13, please register on the Finningley Radio Club site see http://www.batc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=3292

There will be a group dinner on Saturday night but you do need to book ahead with the hotel – so far no-one has emailed a menu request so the hotel are asking if they should cancel the booking!

See http://www.batc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=3293 for details and also details on nearby hotels.

We look forward to seeing you all in 2 weeks time

Regards

Noel G8GTZ
On behalf of the BATC committee

Oct 15 2013

Ofcom Amateur Radio Licence Review

Ash Gohil and Paul Jarvis G8RMM at 2013 RSGB Convention

Ash Gohil and Paul Jarvis G8RMM at 2013 RSGB Convention

One of the highlights of the RSGB Convention, October 12-13, was a talk by Ofcom’s Paul Jarvis G8RMM and Ash Gohil about the upcoming Amateur Radio Licence Review.

Read the Essex Ham report at
http://www.essexham.co.uk/news/ofcom-amateur-radio-licence-review.html

The RSGB are planning to offer three further Litmus Tests shortly on:
– Licence Progression
– /AM usage for unattended airborne usage (balloons, etc)
– Remote Operation.

The new Discussion Forums will be available at http://rsgbdata.net/litmus/viewforum.php?f=9

Other issues that people may want to discuss that came from Ofcom’s presentation on Sunday, or at the National Hamfest, should be posted to the “Suggestions for New Topics” Litmus Test, see
http://rsgbdata.net/litmus/viewforum.php?f=14

Oct 13 2013

QB50 satellites apply for frequency coordination

Typical QB50 CubeSatThe first CubeSats of the planned QB50 satellite constellation have applied to the IARU for frequency coordination.

QB50 has the scientific objective to study in situ the temporal and spatial variations of a number of key constituents and parameters in the lower thermosphere (90-320 km) with a network of about 40 double and 10 triple CubeSats. These, university built, CubeSats will be launched into a 320 km circular orbit, will be separated by a few hundred kilometres and carry identical science sensors.

The sensors will monitor parameters that will greatly increase our knowledge and understanding of this little explored region of the E and F layers of the Ionosphere. QB50 will also study the re-entry process by measuring a number of key parameters during re-entry and by comparing predicted and actual CubeSat trajectories and orbital lifetimes.

Some of the first CubeSats to apply for frequency coordination are SUSat, Hoopoe/IL01, SAT-IP2, ExAlta-1, OGMS-SA, InflateSail, XCubesat, SpaceCube, UNSA-SAT1, EntrySat, PHOENIX and Dragsat-CubeSat, see http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/formal.php

QB50: Amateur Radio transponder payloads to launch 2014
https://amsat-uk.org/2013/07/20/qb50-amateur-radio-transponder-payloads-to-launch-2014/

More information about the QB50 project can be found at http://www.qb50.eu/

Oct 12 2013

Daily Mail Newspaper: PocketQube Satellites

Wren - Image credit Stadoko

Wren – Image credit Stadoko

The UK newspaper the Daily Mail reports on a Glasgow-based start-up Alba Orbital which has recently begun creating and selling the building blocks for tiny satellites named ‘PocketQubes’

Read the story at
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2454251/Rise-DIY-satellite-Company-launches-initiative-allowing-ANYONE-send-probe-space—itll-cost-12-000.html

PocketQube Shop on Kickstarter
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pocketqube/want-to-build-a-satellite-but-dont-have-a-nasa-siz

Twitter @pocketqubeshop

UK PocketQube Shop on Kickstarter https://amsat-uk.org/2013/10/01/uk-pocketqube-shop-on-kickstarter/

The Guardian newspaper: Glasgow start-up enters the space race with tiny, cheap satellite
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/scotland-blog/2013/oct/15/scotland-space-satellites

Oct 12 2013

437.700 and 437.5966 MHz ham radio balloons heading for UK

SP3OSJ Pico Balloon

SP3OSJ Pico Balloon

Artur SP3OSJ has launched an amateur radio solar powered pico balloon on 437.700 MHz USB from Poland which should be over the UK on Sunday, October 13. Also on its way is another pico balloon SP3UOB on 437.5966 MHz USB.

The SP3OSJ balloon, launched at about 06:01 UT on Saturday morning, is on its way west from Poland with the predicted path going over Denmark then on to the United Kingdom.

Artur asks for other amateurs to assist by tracking the telemetry signal on approximately 437.700 MHz USB. It is running UKHAS RTTY 100 baud 7n2, 470 Hz shift – SP3OSJ (SP3OSJ/08 in dl-fldigi).

Tomasz also request amateurs to listen for his balloon on 437.5966 MHz USB.

The payload on the balloons weigh only a few tens of grams. They comprise a tiny 437 MHz transmitter running about 10 milliwatts and a GPS receiver. The SP3OSJ balloon is powered by a rechargeable battery and solar panel with should give an extended lifetime of several days.

SP3OSJ Pico Balloon Payload

SP3OSJ Pico Balloon Payload

SP3OSJ is flying at an altitude of between 3000 and 3500 metres and should have a radio range of around 150 km.

Real-time tracking of this and other balloons is available at http://spacenear.us/tracker/

Beginners Guide to Tracking using dl-fldigi http://ukhas.org.uk/guides:tracking_guide

To get details of upcoming UK balloon launches subscribe to the UKHAS Mailing List by sending a blank email to this address:
ukhas+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Oct 10 2013

AMSAT-UK FUNcube-1 Presentation on Saturday

FUNcube-1 flight model - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 flight model – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

Dave Johnson G4DPZ will be giving a presentation on the amateur radio AMSAT-UK FUNcube-1 and UK Space Agency (UKSA) UKube-1 satellites to the RSGB Convention on Saturday.

The presentation will take place from 16:45-17:30 in the Cook 2 room at Horwood House, MK17 0PH on Saturday, October 12.

FUNcube-1 carries a 435/145 linear transponder for SSB and CW communications and an educational telemetry beacon using 1k2 BPSK for school outreach purposes.

Ukube-1 carries a set of AMSAT-UK FUNcube boards that will provide an additional 435/145 MHz linear transponder and educational telemetry beacon.

UKube-1 on display at UK Space Conference in Glasgow

UKube-1 on display at UK Space Conference in Glasgow

The current launch information has lift off for FUNcube-1 scheduled for late November and UKube-1 on February 20.

FUNcube-1 communication subsystem:
• 300 mW Inverting linear transponder for SSB and CW
– Uplink      435.150 – 435.130 MHz
– Downlink  145.950 – 145.970 MHz
• 300 mW BPSK Telemetry  145.935 MHz (30 mW when transponder active)

UKube-1 communications subsystem:
• Telemetry downlink 145.840 MHz,
• FUNcube subsystem beacon 145.915 MHz
• 400 mW Inverting linear transponder for SSB and CW
– Uplink     435.080 -435.060 MHz
– Downlink 145.930 -145.950 MHz
• S Band downlink 2401.0 MHz
• myPocketQub 437.425-437.525 MHz

The RSGB’s Centenary Convention, sponsored by Martin Lynch & Sons, takes place this weekend (Fri eve-Sun) October 11-13 at Horwood House, MK17 0PH just a few miles outside Milton Keynes. Tickets are available on the door.

RSGB Convention Schedule
http://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/rsgb-notices/2013/09/10/centenary-convention-2013-programme/

RSGB Centenary Convention
http://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/rsgb-notices/2013/07/10/rsgb-centenary-convention/

FUNcube Yahoo Group
https://amsat-uk.org/funcube/yahoo-group/