Jun 26 2013

Joint Submission to Ofcom 2.4 GHz Consultation

AMSAT-UK_Bevelled_LogoAMSAT-UK, the UK Microwave Group (UKuG), the British Amateur Television Club (BATC) and the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) have responded to the Ofcom 2400 MHz consultation.

The 2400-24500 MHz band is allocated to the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services. Ofcom’s consultation ‘Licence Exempt spectrum use in the 2400 MHz band’ calls for input to understanding spectrum use by licence exempt (LE) devices in the 2400 MHz band.

This band is close to radio spectrum in the 2300 MHz band which the Ministry of Defence (MoD) plans to release for new civil uses. These plans are part of a Government commitment to release 500 MHz of spectrum for new civil uses by 2020. This aims to address the increasing demand for spectrum fueled by devices such as smartphones and tablets.

The joint response highlights that careful consideration is required to avoid a significant loss of capacity for both amateurs and the general public.

As well as the Amateur Services the band supports a host of valuable consumer applications such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and ZigBee.

Read the joint response at http://rsgb.org/main/files/2013/06/RSGB_2400LE-reply.pdf

Ofcom consultation page http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/2400-mhz/

Jun 24 2013

AMSAT-LU Ham Radio High-Altitude Balloon to fly FM Repeater and SSTV

AMSAT-LU RF Module

The system board containing RF transmitter module, receiver module, level adjustments, duplexer and antenna connector. Image credit LU7AA

AMSAT Argentina is pleased to announce that on Saturday, June 29, 2013 from 1400 GMT, weather permitting, it is planned to launch an amateur radio high altitude balloon FM repeater ‘Betty II’ from Victorica, La Pampa, 665 km. west of Buenos Aires, it is expected to travel east.

The 435.950/145.950 MHz FM repeater will be activated by a 123 Hz CTCSS subtone. The balloon can also transmit Slow Scan Television (SSTV) ROBOT-36 images from the onboard camera on 145.950 MHz. There is an APRS transmitter on 144.930 MHz.

It should be possible to access the balloon using a 2 watt FM handheld rig from 750 km away giving a theoretical maximum distance for two-way contacts of 1500 km.

AMSAT-LU May 2012Details and photos of the announcement and prior experiences in http://www.amsat.org.ar/globo29.htm

Approval of ANAC (Argentina FAA)) had been granted by NOTAM (notice to air crew) http://amsat.org.ar/images/faxanac.jpg .

For these experiments members of AMSAT-LU, LUSEX, project development group http://lusex.org.ar , are working together with Pampeano and QRM Belgrano Radio Clubs, APRS Group, etc.

Electronics is comprised of a voice UHF to VHF FM repeater with CW TLM, APRS, DTMF and SSTV. According to estimates balloon could reach 30,000 meters high, traveling for 3 hours, 150 km east of the launch site.

This would allow contacts between stations located in the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Entre Rios, Cordoba, Catamarca, Santiago del Estero, La Pampa, San Luis, Mendoza, San Juan, Rio Negro, Neuquen, Uruguay and Chile. (It is launched from the center of the country to facilitate greater participation). Coverage at http://www.amsat.org.ar/picocubr.jpg

To receive the payload, if less than 750 km from launch site, only need is a handy or base FM receiver on 145.950 MHz for voice/sstv and 144.930 for APRS.

The repeater which is enabled via 123 Hz CTCSS subtone, receives 435.950 MHz FM voice (-112dBm, 0.56 uV) emitting 2W output simultaneously on 145.950 MHz.

AMSAT-LU picocubrPayload will also carry an emergency long duration APRS transmitter sourced by solar cells and supercapacitors as batteries.

To enable better utilization, it is suggested short QSOs (license, own locality, grid locator, received signal and short comments).

Simultaneous emits APRS 1200 baud at 144.930, and also in 145.950. The DTI symbol on APRS will change from a balloon ( /O ) during ascent to a slider ( /g ) during the parachute descent.

Will operate for 90 seconds voice, then a beep alerting the end of that time will make way for the issuance of APRS at different frequencies. Every five minutes CW TLM via telegraphy audio tones sends callsign LU7AA and height in meters, then repeat the cycle.

On 145.950 MHz SSTV images ROBOT-36 mode (36 seconds) will be emitted on demand showing what the balloon sees (Can be received, with either MIXW or RX-SSTV (recommended)).

Balloon will carry two GoPro TV cameras (one to ground and another to the horizon) that will record images and sound during flight and can be retrieved with the payload.

It will be live in APRS on http://aprs.fi/?call=lu7aa-11 every minute, including speed, height, internal and external temperatures and battery voltage.

Local georeferenced maps are available for UI-View in http://www.amsat.org.ar/pico2.jpg , http://www.amsat.org.ar/pico2.txt to be renamed to pico2.inf .

The experiment on 435.950 MHz voice also receives and accepts DTMF user issued commands i.e. B * (DTMF keypad UHF handy) will return S5 … ….. on VHF CW 145.950, your signal strength received at balloon, if P10 that states S9 +10.

There are more commands that enable issuance of TLM in CW or APRS beacon and remote commands to drop payload, mode changes, control of timers, energy, power, enable SSTV, etc..

Additionally a VAISALA RS92SGP radiosonde emitting FM wide on 402.740/403 MHz has been added, which provides GPS location, pressure, winds, height, course, dwt point, temperatures, etc. Same data as daily collected by the National Meteorological Service.

Data can be received using an SDR dongle and sondemonitor program available as test for 21 days from internet.

On launch day/time AMSAT-LU will have one of his members on the Ezeiza Airport Traffic Control, acting as a contact between ANAC and AMSAT-LU, using VOR locations application, adapted from EOSS and available on http://amsat.org.ar/vor.asp .

Local frequencies coordination and announcements before and during flights will be 7095 kHz LSB + / -10 kHz and VHF frequencies of local repeaters in the area.

During flight 430.930 AMSAT-LU APRS will operate wide coverage Igate LU7AA-10, installed at the Investigation Center, besides a portable Igate close to launch site. Any area stations that can receive and provide bridge to the APRS network are welcome.

Being an experiment aimed at a next satellite, contacts made between stations thru this UV repeater will be considered valid and awarded upon request by AMSAT-LU Permanent Satellite Certificate, free and also applicable for license upgrades, see http://www.amsat.org.ar/certsat.html, http://www.lu4ao.org.ar, http://www.amsat.org.ar/lu4aao.

Top 10 participants with the highest two-way contacts/distances sum thru repeater will be awarded with a special certificate. Send email with data filled on form http://www.amsat.org.ar/lu4aao/Globo_29jun2013.xls QSOs with stations via the balloon including QRA Locators, QTR to RC QRM Belgrano before July 23.

All reports welcome. If you want or can organize or be part of launch teams, control, monitoring and recovery, operating as an independent station and capturing data, and / or want to join us in this adventure from the launch site can do it through an email to parapente arroba amsat.org.ar.

We appreciate having read this information and forward if possible.

73, LU7AA, AMSAT-LU. aiming to the future by making present fun.
Email: info at amsat.org.ar

AMSAT Argentina http://www.amsat.org.ar/
Facebook http://facebook.com/AMSAT.LU

Jun 22 2013

Book Now for AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium

Holiday Inn Guildford GU2 7XZ

Holiday Inn Guildford GU2 7XZ

The 2013 AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium is open to all and takes place from late Friday afternoon on July 19 until Sunday afternoon on July 21 at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ, UK.

It will be preceded by an exciting “Hands-on” CubeSat Workshop. This free workshop will take place at the nearby University of Surrey on the Friday and this will be followed, at the hotel, by the usual Colloquium “Beginners Session” in the late afternoon.

A number of keynote presentations have already been arranged for the Colloquium. These include Alistair Scott, the President of the British Interplanetary Society. The BIS has, over many decades, developed ideas and concepts about the future of space travel and both Patrick Moore and Arthur C Clarke were members. Alistair has had many years experience working in the space industry and will be reviewing the future possibilities for ventures into space both small and large. The BIS is presently developing one of the Sprites for the Kicksat mission and Andrew Vaudin will be presenting a paper about this and also providing a demonstration.

STRaND-1 Engineering Model and Cleanroom SSC

STRaND-1 Engineering Model and Cleanroom SSC

It is anticipated that both the FUNcube-1 and FUNcube-2 missions will be launched later this year and the FUNcube team will be on hand to talk about the missions and the planned educational outreach. A full demonstration of the Engineering Model, which has been performing flawlessly for almost a year, will also be provided.

On the Sunday, the General Manager of the RSGB, Graham Coomber, G0NBI will be talking about the Society’s vision of the future of amateur radio and how amateur satellites can play a major part in helping to secure that future.

We will also have updates on a number of the other current amateur satellite projects including HAMtv from the ISS, spectrum matters, operating methods, new products etc.

FUNcube-1 flight model - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 flight model – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

There are still a few slots available for additional speakers, so if you would like to make a presentation, please contact Dave Johnson G4DPZ e-mail: dave at g4dpz dot me dot uk as soon as possible.

The AMSAT-UK organising committee looks forward to welcoming both regular attendees and newcomers – you can be assured of a warm welcome and an exciting weekend.

The event is open to all, full details of the accommodation, travel and booking arrangements are at
https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/colloquium-2013/

Details of the free “Hands On” CubeSat Workshop are at
https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/cubesat-workshop-2013/

Jun 20 2013

Live Video Streaming from UKHAS Conference

SSDV picture from a PIE balloon - Image credit Dave Akerman M6RPI

SSDV picture from a PIE balloon – Image credit Dave Akerman M6RPI

The 3rd UK High Altitude Society (UKHAS) conference which takes place in London at Greenwich University on Saturday, September 7, 2013 is planned to be streamed live to the Internet.

The conference is open to anyone, you don’t have to have flown a High-Altitude Balloon, you’ll probably get more out of it as a total beginner as there will be a huge wealth of experience in the room you can speak to.

Further information is available at https://amsat-uk.org/2013/06/19/ukhas-conference-sept-7/

Videos of the presentations given at previous conferences are at http://ukhas.org.uk/general:ukhasconference

You can subscribe to the UKHAS Mailing List by sending a blank email to this address:
ukhas+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Jun 19 2013

CubeSat Demo Flight Tests Technologies

CubeSats prior to sub-orbital launch 2013-06-15

A quartet of small satellites, better known as CubeSats, flew high above California’s Mojave Desert on June 15, 2013 on a demonstration mission to study the launch environment all the way from liftoff to landing.

The spacecraft are being developed to help simplify and lower the cost of small-satellite missions that could fly on smaller, dedicated rockets. Although the rocket’s parachute deployed prematurely and the vehicle tumbled to a hard landing, the flight is considered a success and a valuable learning opportunity. Teams now are retrieving their data and gearing up for another flight in the coming months.

Watch CubeSat Demo Flight Tests Technologies

Among the CubeSats was StangSat built by students from Merritt Island High School (MIHS). This pre-launch video briefly describes the CubeSats to be launched as well as the new light-weight CubeSat Deployer.  There is also an interview with Roland Coelho WH7BE.

Watch CubeSats and Launcher to Test Satellite Innovations

Small Satellites Soar in High-Altitude Demonstration http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130618172614.htm

Merritt Island High School Students Build CubeSat https://amsat-uk.org/2013/04/11/merritt-island-high-students-cubesat/

MIHS CubeSat on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/MIHS-CubeSat/110920062311996

Jun 19 2013

Open access to latest research output from Surrey Space Centre

Surrey Space Centre University of Surrey, Guildford

Surrey Space Centre
University of Surrey, Guildford

The Surrey Space Centre (SSC) Research blog is dedicated to improving access to the cutting edge research output of the Surrey Space Centre. The standard process for disseminating research output through conference and journal publication is a lengthy and cumbersome process.

The blog aims to provide open access to SSC research output by sharing pre-print copies of  publications. Each article is presented in its own, individual post, and SSC encourage visitors to comment and provide feedback on their work. This two-way process of sharing will provide their research staff with robust feedback on the work, complimenting reviewer feedback. In return, visitors are able to access our latest research accomplishments,  many months before becoming accessible through journals or conference proceedings.

Situated in Guildford, UK, the Surrey Space Centre is a forms part of the Department of Electronics Engineering at the University of Surrey. Research is focused on many areas of space technology, including antenna and RF systems, astrodynamics, autonomy and AI, control systems, on-board data handling, environments and instrumentation, propulsion and robotics. Their website can be found here for further details.

Surrey Space Centre Research blog http://surreyspacecentre.wordpress.com/