Monthly Archives: October 2014

Oct 15 2014

AMSAT-UK upload JOTA greetings message to satellite

Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG talking about FUNcube-1 to students at Abbeys Primary School in Bletchley

Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG talking about FUNcube-1 to students at Abbeys Primary School in Bletchley

AMSAT-UK have uploaded a special Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) Greetings Fitter Message to the amateur satellite AO-73 (FUNcube-1).

Scouts and others can receive the message by downloading the Dashboard App software and listening to the beacon on 145.935 MHz (+/- Doppler) SSB.

What is a Fitter Message ?

‘Fitter’ is derived from ‘Twitter’. So it’s like a tweet, but via FUNcube.

It is a short (200 characters maximum) text-like message which can be uploaded to the satellite (by authorised ground stations), and transmitted several times every five minutes or so. It will continue to be retransmitted until such time as it is replaced by a new Fitter Message.
Links for tracking, downloads and other information can be found in the FUNcube-1 / AO-73 panel on the right-hand side of the AMSAT-UK homepage at https://amsat-uk.org/

Data Warehouse – Telemetry Archive http://warehouse.funcube.org.uk/
Dashboard App – Telemetry Decoder http://funcube.org.uk/working-documents/funcube-telemetry-dashboard/

AMSAT-UK on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/amsatuk
AMSAT-UK on Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK

Oct 14 2014

FUNcube Whole Orbit Data available for download

AO-73 (FUNcube-1) - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

AO-73 (FUNcube-1) – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

From the early planning stage of the project we decided that we would make telemetry information from the AO-73 (FUNcube-1) CubeSat available to end users.

Since deployment the FUNcube Data Warehouse has displayed the latest data:
• Reatime
• Whole Orbit
• High Precision
• Fitter Messages
and of course the upload rankings. Additionally we have made available small csv files for WOD and HiRes.

Starting October 14, we will be making all captured WOD available as weekly csv files.

Please see: http://warehouse.funcube.org.uk/wod.html?satelliteId=2 for the link to the downloads page. It currently up to 26/6/2014 (32 files)

The files are on average:
• 9706 lines (expected 10080) ~ 96.3% capture
• 905 KB

We will play catch up over the next few days and then automate the process.

It it really intended for consumption by an analytical suite such as MatLab, or a DIY one, in a language of your choosing. However, it can be simply graphed in Excel or Open Office Calc.

Feedback would be appreciated.

Enjoy!

73 Dave, G4DPZ

Data Warehouse – Telemetry Archive http://warehouse.funcube.org.uk/

Dashboard App – Telemetry Decoder http://funcube.org.uk/working-documents/funcube-telemetry-dashboard/

Oct 13 2014

New UK Amateur Radio 146 MHz Allocation

New Ways of Amateur CommunicationsThe RSGB VHF Manager John Regnault G4SWX gave a key presentation to the RSGB Convention on October 12 about the new amateur radio allocation at 146 MHz.

John said the future use of this band is very much in our hands. If we merely use it for more-of-the-same (conventional modulation and uses) then future use will not be viewed very favourably.

He suggested we should use the band imaginatively, with digital modes and/or new services that would not sit easily within the existing band. Digital ATV with 500 kHz bandwidth, Digital Voice, Spread Spectrum, Data Services along with things not yet widely thought of are the type of activity that is desired.

Developers of wideband modes may face challenges in ensuring their emissions are contained within the new band. Some wideband modes currently used on 1240 MHz have sidebands just 30 dB down that extend over a wide range, this would not be acceptable on 146 MHz.

Bandwidth tailoring will be imperative to ensure no RF extends into the weak signal satellite segment at 145.8-146.0 MHz (the Lunar 4M JT65B beacon uses 145.980 MHz). Narrow band users on 147 MHz must also be protected from any increase in the noise floor.

John asked that those trying new things on the band should report the work they do even if the experiment is a failure. His contact email address is vhf.manager<at>rsgb.org.uk

It may even be that successful exploitation of the new band could lead to further release to amateurs of much needed VHF spectrum!

Download the 146 MHz PowerPoint Slides here

Download the 146 MHz PDF Slides here

The new allocation has both Geographical and ERP restrictions. The Ofcom statement on the allocation can be seen at http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/vhf-143-169mhz/statement/VHF_Release_statement.pdf

At the end of October Full licence holders will be able to obtain an NoV for 146  MHz operation from the RSGB online NoV page at http://rsgb.org/main/operating/licensing-novs-visitors/online-nov-application/

 

Oct 13 2014

Amateur Radio Licence Review

The Radio Society of Great Britain General Manager, Graham Coomber G0NBI, has issued this statement on the Ofcom amateur radio licence review.

We held our regular meeting with Ofcom last Thursday and, as you will know, Ofcom attended the Convention at the weekend. Feedback from those events is that

• Only 300 or so people have responded to the consultation document so far.
• Ofcom will be relying heavily on the volume and content of the responses as evidence of what the amateur radio community feels about the proposals.

Whilst we published some explanatory notes on the website soon after the document was released, it is apparent that many amateurs have not yet read the document which is far from straightforward in several places.

We are thus today publishing further guidance together with suggested responses to the key questions www.rsgb.org/ocguidance

There is now just one week before Ofcom’s consultation period ends (20th October) and thus time is of the essence. This note is to ask for your personal support as follows.

Please make sure that you respond to Ofcom.

Please make contact with your club chair (if you belong to a club) or any other amateurs that you are in contact with and urge them to do the same.

Many thanks,

Graham Coomber, G0NBI
General Manager
Radio Society of Great Britain

Oct 13 2014

4M Lunar Payload in Practical Wireless Magazine

Cover November 2014.inddThe November issue of Practical Wireless (PW) magazine, in the shops now, devotes three pages to the 4M amateur radio lunar payload which will transmit JT65B on 145.980 MHz. Beijing plan to launch the payload on October 23. The article, written by Colin Redwood G6MXL, is well worth reading.

PW magazine also carries the popular columns World of VHF by Tim Kirby G4VXE, Data Modes by Mike Richards G4WNC and Emerging Technology by Chris Lorek G4HCL.

It is understood that postal copies of Practical Wireless can be purchased using a Debit or Credit card by ringing +44 (0)1202 751611 Monday – Thursday 8.30am – 4.00pm.

Practical Wireless magazine http://www.pwpublishing.ltd.uk/practical-wireless-latest-issue/

PW World of VHF on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/worldofvhf

Oct 12 2014

Unforgettable day schoolchildren spoke to an astronaut in space

Reid Wiseman KF5LKT - Image credit NASA

Reid Wiseman KF5LKT – Image credit NASA

The Southend Echo reports on the contact between pupils at Winter Gardens Primary School in Canvey, Essex and the International Space Station.

The contact took place on October 8 having taken two years of preparation. It was organised by the South Essex Amateur Radio Society and involved a link-up with an amateur radio station in California, W6SRJ, who relayed the signal to and from the ISS while it was traveling over the USA at 27,600 km/h. The children were able to speak to astronaut Reid Wiseman KF5LKT who was using the ISS callsign NA1SS.

The newspaper article includes a picture of the school pupils with Pete sipple M0PSX, read it at
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/11526478.The_unforgettable_day_schoolchildren_spoke_to_an_astronaut_in_space/

Read a report on the contact at
http://www.essexham.co.uk/news/iss-winter-gardens-2014.html

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
http://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html

South Essex Amateur Radio Society
http://www.southessex-ars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/South-Essex-Amateur-Radio-Society/348979385223793