The AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium will be held on July 29-31, 2016 at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ, United Kingdom. The event is open to all, admittance on Saturday and Sunday is £10 per day payable on the door, on Friday the price is £5. These prices are for admission, and do not include any meals, but do include tea/coffee. Please pay at the AMSAT shop (NOT hotel reception!).Parking is free.

The Colloquium attracts an international audience from across Europe as well as North America and the Middle East. Attendees range from the builders of the CubeSats and Nanosats, those who communicate through them and beginners who wish to find out more about this fascinating branch of the hobby.

It provides a rare opportunity to chat with satellite designers and builders, discussions frequently continue until the early hours of the morning.

As always the AMSAT-UK Colloquium starts on Friday afternoon with a special session for newcomers to the amateur satellite world. You will be helped through the complexities by three amateurs, Dave, G4DPZ; Carlos, G3VHF; and, hopefully, Drew KO4MA, who, between them, have thousands of hours of experience.  They will explain the theories and talk about the practice of listening to and having satellite contacts through the ever increasing number of satellites in orbit. Again this year, we are hoping to have available copies of the updated AMSAT-NA publication “Getting started with Amateur Satellites 2016”, but this is still to be confirmed.

There will be a visit to the satellite construction facilities at the SSTL Kepler Building on the Friday. Update 17 Jul – Currently two tours planned for 5pm on Friday (collect pass at 4:30pm). This year the security rules have changed, and each visitor will require  an individual pass, bearing his/her photo, and name. These can only be issued by the SSTL security office (reception), which closes at 5pm on Friday. The plan for issuing these passes is now being worked on, meanwhile if you wish to visit, please email me (jim at milnet-dot-uk-dot-net) with the following details, full name, nationality, employer (if any) and whether you can offer a lift from the Hol Inn to SSTL in your vehicle. Details to reach me by 5pm Thur 28 Jul.

The Colloquium presentations start at 10am on Saturday and 9am on Sunday. The programme will include updates on the many new amateur satellite projects presently under development and also demonstrations with a live satellite ground station. A Gala dinner is held on the Saturday evening along with the fund raising auction, speeches, presentations, etc.

Download the PDF Schedule Here —- For PC’s Excel Spreadsheet Here

Travel information https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/colloquium-travel/

Day Passes and Gala Dinner Booking http://shop.amsat-uk.org/

BOOKINGS for overnight stays. (Same procedure as last year, but note new phone number)

Update 17 Jul. Seems that the Holiday Inn is now fully booked for overnight stays on Saturday, although you may wish to try on the waiting list. You can still come to the Sat Gala dinner, but you must book in advance on the AMSAT-UK shop http://shop.amsat-uk.org. Other hotels worth trying could be Premier Inn or Travel Lodge

If you wish to stay overnight at the hotel, you must book your room direct with the hotel: telephone 01483 784413 (or +441483 784402 outside UK).  Quote block code S1M or AMSAT (both seem to work!). We have negotiated special rates of £81.00 for bed and breakfast, and £99.00 for dinner, bed and breakfast. (If you book dinner, bed and breakfast for SAT, this includes the GALA dinner). These rates are good for Fri, Sat and Sun, other days might be a little extra, please check with the hotel when booking.

The 01483 number above is good from Mon to Fri 9am to 5:30pm UK local time. Outside these hours, people can email reservations@higuildford.co.uk. (Note new email address wef 4 Jul 2016!) If they quote their phone number, the hotel will call them back to take their credit card number. etc and confirm the booking.

A reminder that,if you book dinner bed and breakfast for Saturday night, this will cover the cost of the Gala Dinner, for any other night, it covers the standard dinner in the hotel.

If you are attending as a day visitor, there is no need to book in advance, just pay on arrival at the AMSAT-UK shop (£5 for Friday, and £10 for each of Saturday and Sunday). However, should you wish to register in advance this will help the organisers! Please go  http://shop.amsat-uk.org/Colloquium_29-31_Jul_2016/cat3815741_3203479.aspx Day visitors should certainly use this site if they wish to book the Saturday Gala Dinner as otherwise it may not be possible to accommodate you in the room!

Access to the Colloquium is via the hotel side entrance about 30 metres to the left of the main entrance.

The weekend event attracts an international audience that ranges from those involved in building and operating Amateur Radio satellites to beginners who wish to find out more about this fascinating branch of the hobby.

We will be including an exclusive roundup of a number of new live and potential spacecraft projects that are under investigation and/or development.

 

Plus all the usual networking opportunities, the gala dinner and auction/raffle.

Previous Events:

2015 Colloquium videos on YouTube Here

2014 Colloquium page Here

2014 CubeSat Workshop page Here

2013 Colloquium page Here

2013 CubeSat Workshop page Here

2012 Colloquium page Here

2011 Colloquium page Here

2010 Colloquium page Here

2009 Colloquium page Here