Nov 26 2013

FUNcube-1 (AO-73) Update November 26

FUNcube-1 flight model - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 flight model – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

The FUNcube Team have some new TLEs for object 2013-066B

2013-066B
1 39417U 13066B   13330.15401895  .00003238  00000-0  45063-3 0   205
2 39417  97.7994  42.6429 0062763 180.4144 179.7025 14.77120863   712

These still seem to be the best fit but the team would appreciate any comments.

There is some discrepancy between the original published frequencies for the spacecraft and those we all experiencing in flight.

It is possible that the transponder input bandpass frequencies may also be varying due with the colder than expected temperatures being experienced.

You can track the RF board temp on the telemetry.The RX board temp varies by some 30 degrees C over a full orbit and this will be affecting the oscillator frequencies.

The team do not yet have final confirmation of the object number so the Doppler shift is probably not yet being precisely counteracted by the various Tracking Apps which will be adding to the confusion.

So just at the moment we cannot give precise guidance on the uplink/downlink formula that users should employ but the team are working on it and would appreciate input and observations.

Analysis of the housekeeping data suggests that all is well on-board FUNcube-1, the team are considering switching to continuous transponder mode for a few hours over the weekend to determine the effect that this would have to the on-board temperatures. Presently we are looking at trying this during an early morning pass over the UK on Sunday, December 1 but this will confirmed nearer the time.

FUNcube-1 has had some good media coverage from the BBC in the past few days:

BBC Radio 5 Outriders Podcast, look for the “Outriders 26 Nov 13: Crypto, crosswords and tiny satellites” edition http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/pods
Direct link to podcast http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/fivelive/pods/pods_20131126-0530a.mp3

BBC One TV and BBC News http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25084547

Capturing FUNcube-1 Telemetry https://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/26/capturing-funcube-1-telemetry/

Nov 26 2013

Capturing FUNcube-1 Telemetry

John Besedic KK4EQF has released a video showing how easy it is to capture data from the FUNcube-1 (AO-73) amateur radio satellite using the Dashboard App, a computer, antenna and the FUNcube Dongle SDR.

Watch FUNcube Satellite Dashboard and FUNcube Dongle Amateur Radio

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

Data Warehouse http://warehouse.funcube.org.uk/

Satellite Tracking Apps https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/satellite-tracking/

Nov 26 2013

CAPE-2 Text-to-Speech heard in Japan

CAPE-2 CubeSat - University of Louisiana

CAPE-2 CubeSat – University of Louisiana

The Cajun Advanced Picosat Experiment satellite CAPE-2, built by students at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, launched on a Monotaur-1 on November 20, 2013 at 0115 UT.

On November 24 Tetsurou Satou JA0CAW in Japan made this recording of CAPE-2′s Text to Speech functionality in action. The signal is weak, but it is saying: ”Hello I am the Satellite Project from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette” twice in the recording.

The CAPE-2  frequencies are 145.825 MHz FM and 437.325 MHz FSK. On the VHF FM frequency the beacon will be in CW and AX.25.

Update December 2, 2013:

Here is a link to all information the CAPE Team currently has for tracking the Satellite. A program will be released in the next few days to decode data.

http://ulcape.org/cape-2-tracking-update-12022013/

On behalf of the CAPE-2 Team, we would really appreciate any data you can relay to us on the satellite.

Sincerely,
Rizwan Merchant
Call Sign: KF5BNL

Justin Foley KI6EPH produced this video of the Minotaur-1 launch from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The ORS-3 mission carried STPSat-3 and 28 CubeSats. Of the CubeSats, 11 were provided by NASA LSP’s ELaNa 4 mission: CAPE-2, ChargerSat-1, COPPER, DragonSat, Ho’oponopono-2, KySat-2, PhoneSat, SwampSat, TJ3Sat, Trailblazer-1, Vermont Lunar CubeSat. Video taken from U-80, approximately 3.5 km (2.2 miles) from the launch pad.

Watch Minotaur I with STPSat-3 and 28 CubeSats 2013-11-19

Tetsurou Satou JA0CAW CAPE-2 recording http://ja0caw-je0mzi.mo-blog.jp/syumi/files/cape1124-13.mp3

CAPE website http://ulcape.org/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CajunAdvancedPicosatelliteExperiment

Minotaur-1 ELaNa-4 satellites https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/elana-4-cubesats/

Nov 26 2013

WREN 437.405 MHz – Help Needed !

WREN - Image credit Stadoko

WREN – Image credit Stadoko

The WREN team report that they have had no confirmed reception of the signal from their SSTV PocketQube satellite which was launched on November 21.

These are the TLEs the team are currently using for WREN:

WREN2
1 10000U 00000 13325.30958333 .00066391 00000-0 78737-2 0 00001
2 10000 097.8055 037.9628 0031909 207.6761 327.4099 14.84238859000010

WREN is transmitting nominally on 437.405 MHz (+/- 10 kHz Doppler shift). The length of the beacon is 1.6 seconds. The beacon is AFSK-modulated. At the following link you can download the Telemetry Decoder and an Audio File of the beacon in order to get an idea how it sounds:

http://we.tl/TkWEuhIlnF

The team say:

“We need help from every Amateur radio operator and Ground station operator we can get”

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/StaDoKo

WREN a Ham Radio Slow Scan TV PocketQube Satellite
https://amsat-uk.org/2013/10/24/wren-a-ham-radio-sstv-pocketqube/

Dnepr Yasny launch https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/dnepr-november-2013/

Nov 25 2013

FUNcube-1 on BBC TV

Ciaran Morgan M0XTD and BBC crew at Abbeys Primary School in Bletchley

Ciaran Morgan M0XTD and BBC crew at Abbeys Primary School in Bletchley

On Monday, November 25, both the BBC Breakfast show and BBC News broadcast a report on the amateur radio FUNcube-1 satellite.

The report was filmed in the RSGB National Radio Centre (NRC) at Bletchley Park and at Abbeys Primary School in Bletchley.

You can watch the BBC News report ‘Tiny satellite aims to inspire schoolchildren’ at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25084547

BBC TV visit FUNcube station at RSGB National Radio Centre
https://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/22/bbc-visit-funcube-station-at-rsgb-national-radio-centre/

FUNcube-1 Deployed !!! https://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/21/funcube-1-deployed/

Nov 25 2013

UniSat-5 Mission Update November 24

UniSat-5 with labelsThe Group of Astrodynamics for the Use of Space Systems (GAUSS) issued this update on November 24 at 22:33 UT.

Dear all,

After the successful DNEPR cluster launch we will like to give you a brief update about the UniSat-5 mission and the released satellites:

• Eagle-1 and Eagle-2 have been received and are working perfectly
• HUMSAT-D already finished the commissioning of the platform, but none of the current TLE’s fit to Doppler shift measurements. Information about Doppler shift is very welcome!
• WREN was heard today [Nov 24]. The TLE used are:

1 39422U 13066G 13326.48861818 -.00000055 00000-0 00000+0 0 75
2 39422 097.8066 039.1177 0023760 211.9046 148.0730 14.86334042 151

The beacon is 1.6 seconds. Wren is sending nominally on 437.405 MHz. The beacon is AFSK-modulated.
For more information contact Paul Kocyla from Stadoku at Paul.Kocyla<at>rwth-aachen.de

• I-Cube [CW] beacon has been received from UK and from Pakistan. They are currently working on commanding the satellite
• UniSat-5 doesn’t have a beacon and the ground station from Roma, Vigo, MSU and California are working on commanding it
• PUCPSAT team needs your help: Beacon every 20 sec. at 145.840 MHz, AX.25 at 1200 bps

Information about object identification in the TLE are very welcome.

Thank you,

Gruppo di Astrodinamica per l’Uso dei Sistemi Spaziali –
Group of Astrodynamics for the Use of Space Systems
Via Lariana, 5
00199 Roma
Website http://www.gaussteam.com/unisat-5/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GaussSrl

Frequency list for amateur radio satellite deployments in November
https://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/13/three-amateur-radio-satellite-deployments-in-november/

Dnepr Yasny launch https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/dnepr-november-2013/

Satellite TLE Challenge Begins https://amsat-uk.org/2013/11/23/tle-challenge-begins/