Author Archives: m0xtd

Mar 1 2012

HAMSAT VO-52 Falls Silent

HAMSAT VO-52

HAMSAT VO-52

The amateur radio satellite HAMSAT VO-52 ceased operating on February 28, neither it’s beacon or 435/145 MHz SSB/CW linear transponder have been heard since.

Ib Christoffersen OZ1MY reported that he heard and briefly used the transponder on the pass with Acquisition of Signal (AOS)  in Copenhagen at 0826 UT on February 28. On the next pass with AOS at 1003 UT it was not on.

Mani VU2WMY provides this update:

Dear HAMSAT VO-52 users,

With regrets, we confirm the non-availability of the transponder on HAMSAT VO-52 since 28th February 2012. This is the first ever interruption in the services of HAMSAT since 5th May 2005.

The timely feed back from John K8YSE, Domenico I8CVS, Eugenio IZ8JHD, Jan PE0SAT and Nitin VU3TYG were highly appreciated and acknowledged by the ISRO’s HAMSAT Mission Management Board.

I’m herewith enclosing the mail received from Mr. T.Parimalarangan, Operations Director-HAMSAT VO-52 regarding the ‘Temporary Non-availability’ of VO-52 transponder and beacon.
__________________
Mr. Subramani VU2WMY:

Thanks for obtaining the user feedback. You may please post the following message in the Users website. If possible, try to find out who has last operated HAMSAT payload transponder on 28th and at what time

“HAMSAT Transponder services not available temporarily due to operational reasons. Inconvenience regretted”

With Best Regards,
T PARIMALARANGAN
OD, HAMSAT (NP)

ISTRAC/ISRO
Ph:  080 – 2202 9011 (O)
080 – 2535 0132 (R)
0 – 9480333563 (M)
080 – 2202 9062

Feb 28 2012

COMPASS-1 Reset

Ken Eaton GW1FKY brings news that the reset attempt on COMPASS-1, late Tuesday, February 28, appeared to be successful.  Further information at http://www.dk3wn.info/p/?p=26334

At 20:27 Feb. 29 Mike DK3WN posted this update: Better news … Alan, ZL2BX could command COMPASS at 19:25 UTC – all thresholds commands were accepted.

COMPASS went into eclipse at 19:45 and into sunlight at 20:17 UTC. I sent the thresholds at 20:20 UTC and got an confirmation beep for all commands 🙂

So COMPASS is now in Emergency Mode and the beacon intervall is 8 minutes.

Fingers crossed….

Earlier Post Feb 28: COMPASS-1 needs your help

2012-02-27 23:16 UTC nothing heard JA0CAW
2012-02-27 23:38 UTC nothing heard VK5HI
2012-02-28 00:50 UTC nothing heard JA0CAW
2012-02-28 02:28 UTC nothing heard JA0CAW

2012-02-28 00:58 UTC FF032802180000210000900000 JA1GDE
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Solar Cell Voltage      5.00 V
Solar Panel 6 Cur (+Z)  18.82 mA
Solar Panel 2 Cur (+Y)  0.00 mA
Solar Panel 3 Cur (-X)  150.59 mA
Solar Panel 4 Cur (-Y)  12.55 mA
Solar Panel 5 Cur (-Z)  250.98 mA
EPS Reset Counter       0
Power Level Critical Battery Capacity Heater Active Battery Heater ON 
Power Safe Counter      0
Emergency Mode Counter  0
Battery Voltage         2.82 V
Battery Current         0.00 mA
Battery Temperature     0 °C
--------------------------------------------------------

That means COMPASS did a complete restart and the thresholds for heater and battery voltages should be new set.
Can anyone try to send the following DTMF sequences to COMPASS-1 (if in sunlight), please :

uplink:              145.980 MHz FM
confirmation beep on 437.275 MHz CW

** 13 # 200 #
** 14 # 200 #
** 15 # 178 #
** 16 # 170 #

If you have no possibilities to send DTMF tones with your transceiver, you can download here a very simple DTMF controller for COMPASS. Simply hold the microphone in front of your loudspeaker and press the buttons.

Download: http://www.dk3wn.info/files/compass_dtmf.zip

Feb 27 2012

1st Interplanetary CubeSat Workshop

The 1st Interplanetary CubeSat Workshop takes place in Cambridge, Massachusetts, 29-30 May, 2012

iCubeSat, the Interplanetary CubeSat Workshop, will address the technical challenges, opportunities, and practicalities of space exploration with CubeSats.

The workshop will provide a unique environment for open practical collaboration between academic researchers, industry professionals, policy makers, and students developing this new and rapidly growing field.

Talks and round tables will focus on three themes: technology, science, and open collaboration.

Keynote speakers

Technology: Mason Peck, NASA, Chief Technologist

Science: Sara Seager KB1WTW, MIT, Professor of Physics and Planetary Science

The program will also include unconference sessions to provide additional opportunities to engage with the interplanetary CubeSat community and potential collaborators. Talks and supporting material will be streamed and posted on the conference website. A lively social program in and around summertime Boston will be arranged for participants and their guests.

Further information on the event website – http://icubesat.wordpress.com/

Feb 26 2012

ISS Astronaut Active on 145.800 MHz

André Kuipers PI9ISS on ISS

André Kuipers PI9ISS on the ISS

Astronaut André Kuipers PI9ISS was calling CQ from the International Space Station on 145.800 MHz FM on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon, Feb. 25-26.

Paul Waddington M6WAD

Paul Waddington M6WAD and son Ethan

André worked mainly Dutch stations although one UK Foundation holder Paul Waddington M6WAD was lucky enough to have a contact with him on Sunday.

Paul says “I am absolutely thrilled to have had a QSO with the ISS. I just thought I would put out a random call, as I have done so many times in the past, and he answered me. I must say, when he did reply, I became a little tongue tied in disbelief!!! I use a Yaesu FT7900 to a Comet GP-15N Triband antenna.”

When the astronauts work other radio amateurs back on Earth they transmit on 145.800 MHz FM but operate “split” listening for replies 600 kHz lower on 145.200 MHz. If you are lucky and hear them calling CQ just remember to activate your rigs repeater shift to ensure you reply on the correct frequency. You should never transmit on 145.800 MHz.

The amateur rado station on the ISS runs QRP, just 5 watts of FM to an omni-directional antenna. Despite the low power it is a strong signal and can easily be received on a handheld radio with quarter wave whip.

Get the latest status of the space station at the ISS Fan Club http://www.issfanclub.com/

Read ‘Listening to the International Space Station’ http://www.uk.amsat.org/3491

M6WAD http://www.qrz.com/db/M6WAD

M6WAD Station

M6WAD Station

Feb 26 2012

AMSAT-UK Net Recorded via 20 km WiFi Link

Simon Brown HB9DRV in Switzerland has made available a recording of Sunday’s AMSAT-UK 80m net that he made using a remote receiver in Poole, Dorset. What is remarkable about this recording is that a 20 km long experimental 2.4 GHz WiFi link was used at the Dorset end.

The AMSAT-UK net is held every Sunday morning at 10am local time on a nominal frequency of 3.780 MHz. Due to interference the net may move either side of that frequency so tune around. Newcomers are most welcome to call-in.

Listen to the AMSAT-UK Net recorded Sunday, February 26, 2012. Due to the experimental nature of the 20 km WiFi link there are a few breaks in the recording.
http://www.ham-radio.ch/kits/sdr-radio.com/mp3/26-Feb-2012-1105%203.750MHz.mp3

Previous Net Recordings http://www.ham-radio.ch/kits/sdr-radio.com/mp3/

You can listen to the remote radio of Paul M0EYT in Poole, Dorset as well as other remote receivers in the United Kingdom and around the world via the Web Servers (Free)  page at http://www.sdr-radio.com/

Another web based radio site is http://www.websdr.org/

Nine band web SDR http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/

Online Receivers http://www.dxzone.com/catalog/Internet_and_Radio/Online_Receivers/

Feb 25 2012

AMSAT's Dick Daniels, W4PUJ – Silent Key

One of AMSAT’s most important, admired and well loved members, Dick Daniels, W4PUJ, died on February 14, 2012. He lost his battle with lung cancer, diagnosed only at Christmas time 2011. Dick achieved so much working for AMSAT that it is virtually impossible to enumerate his individual accomplishments. Read more …

Dick W4PUJ is ready for the installation of the 400N engine into the Phase 3D spacecraft. Photo Credit: AMSAT-DL

A memorial service will be held for Dick Daniels, W4PUJ on Saturday, February 25 at 1:00PM at Little Falls Presbyterian Church, 6025 Little Falls Rd, Arlington VA 22207. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a contribution to: Capital Caring, 950 N Glebe Rd #500, Arlington VA 22203. This is the organization that provided hospice care for Dick.Donations in memory of Dick can also be made to Capital Caring on-line.

E-mail messages of condolence sent to martha@amsat.org will be given to Dick’s family.

Feb 26, Bob McGwier N4HY writes:

Yesterday at Little Falls Church in Arlington, VA family, friends, and colleagues had a memorial for Dick Daniels W4PUJ (SK) who died recently after a very brief fight against lung cancer.  Barry, WD4ASW,  President of AMSAT read a tribute written by Jan King W3GEY/VK4GEY.

Watch Memorial for Dick Daniels, W4PUJ February 25, 2012

I apologize for the audio transients at the beginning, typical problems from hand holding a smart phone.

Feb 28, Bob McGwier N4HY writes:

I only took a small set of usable pictures.  I really wish I’d brought the camera.  Dick’s children took a few hundred photos!  Those apples fell close to the tree.
http://n4hy.smugmug.com/AMSAT/Dick-Daniels-W4PUJ-Memorial