ITU WRC-23: 1240-1300 MHz

IARU RNSS GraphicIARU have provided an update on the outcome of ITU WRC-23 Agenda Item 9.1B concerning the Amateur and Amateur Satellite Service allocations in 1240-1300 MHz:

“During the WRC-23 deliberations, strong positions were expressed by all the parties involved. The result is a well-supported compromise for a footnote in the Radio Regulations regarding amateur and amateur satellite service operation in the 1240–1300 MHz range. The footnote reminds administrations and amateurs of the need to protect the primary RNSS from interference and provides guidance to administrations to allow both services to continue to operate in this portion of the spectrum. The compromise was formally adopted by the Conference Plenary on December 8 and is not subject to further consideration during the final week of the WRC. The IARU team continues its work on other WRC issues including the development of agendas for future conferences.

IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, noted “This is a very good result for the amateur services. The decision reached at WRC-23 on this agenda item makes no change to the table of allocations nor incorporates by reference M.2164 into the Radio Regulations. The addition of a footnote that provides guidance to administrations in the event of interference to the RNSS is a good regulatory outcome for amateurs and the primary users of this band.”

The WRC also agreed to suppress the Resolution 774 which closes the issue and satisfies the agenda item.”

Read the full IARU statement at https://www.iaru.org/recommendation-on-ai-9-1b-approved-at-wrc-23/

Download ITU‑R Report M.2532 https://www.iaru-r1.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/R-REP-M.2532-2023-PDF-E.pdf

IARU Summary Meeting Report WRC-23: This report is focusses on the 23 cm Band RNSS Coexistence Aspects and WRC-23 AI 9.1b by Barry Lewis G4SJH https://www.iaru-r1.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Report-from-WRC_Dec-2023_23cm.pdf

Happy 10th Birthday FUNcube-1 (AO-73)

Signal received from FUNcube-1 at National Radio Centre Bletchley Park, Nov 21, 2013

Signal received from FUNcube-1 at National Radio Centre Bletchley Park, Nov 21, 2013

November 21, 2023, marks the tenth birthday of our very first CubeSat mission, FUNcube-1 (AO-73).

A very short time after the launch from Yasny in Russia and within a few minutes from deployment, the very first frame of data from the low power transmitter on board, was detected and decoded by ZS1LS in South Africa. He was able to relay the data over the internet from his Dashboard to the Data Warehouse and the numbers, appeared, as if by magic, at the launch party being held at the RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park.

FUNcube ISL03 Mission Patch

ISL03 Mission Patch

After a very brief check out, the FUNcube team were able to switch the transmitter to full power, again at the very first attempt, and were quite amazed at the strength of the signal from the 300mW transmitter on 145.935 MHz. The transponder was then switched on and successfully tested, the first contact was between G6LVB and M5AKA who were both operating from the Bletchley Park car park.

The team finished the day with a request to AMSAT-NA for an Oscar number and were delighted to receive the AO73 Oscar 73 designation!

Since then, FUNcube-1, with a launch mass of less than 1kg, has operated continuously with only a very few interruptions. In excess of 53,500 orbits, 1.3 billion miles travelled, 61 million telemetry data packets transmitted, and with more than 10.9 million unique data packets downloaded and stored in the Data Warehouse.

The FUNcube team still receive many requests for Fitter message uploads for school events…please contact us by email to operations@funcube.org.uk giving us at least two weeks notice.

The FUNcube team continue to be very grateful to all the many stations around the world that continue to upload the telemetry that they receive to our Data Warehouse. They really need this data to provide a continuous resource for educational outreach.

FUNcube Data Warehouse and the Dashboard software
https://funcube.org.uk/working-documents/funcube-telemetry-dashboard/

FUNcube email group https://groups.io/g/FUNcube

FUNcube Website http://www.funcube.org.uk/

EIRSAT-1 CubeSat

EIRSAT-1 and CubeSat Deployer

EIRSAT-1 and CubeSat Deployer

EIRSAT-1 launched on a Space X Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, USA, at 1819 GMT on Friday, December 1, 2023. It has a downlink on the IARU coordinated frequency of 437.100 MHz, see https://iaru.amsat-uk.org/finished_detail.php?serialnum=639

Watch the launch live https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l64-hEGeXZY

Information on the beacon can be found at https://github.com/ucd-eirsat-1/beacon

Preliminary TLE at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mNKpfPlnwJQYWjs2C9t3_D9tfSN7Mb8L/view

ESA: “The first confirmed recording of EIRSAT-1 from each continent (Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, South America, and Oceania) within a week of launch will be rewarded with a QSL card from ESA!” https://www.esa.int/Education/CubeSats_-_Fly_Your_Satellite/Calling_all_radio_amateurs_be_the_first_to_hear_satellite_EIRSAT-1_from_orbit

EIRSAT-1 Team MembersEIRSAT-1 was built by students from University College Dublin under the framework of ESA Academy’s Fly Your Satellite! programme (FYS) – a fully hands-on initiative supporting university student teams in the development of their own satellites.

Lead by students from the UCD School of Physics and the UCD College of Engineering, the project began in 2017 when the team’s proposal to build a CubeSat to perform gamma ray astronomy was accepted as part of the 2nd cycle of FYS.

The 2-unit CubeSat carries three experiments – or ‘payloads’. The primary science payload GMOD is a gamma ray detector that will study the most luminous explosions in the universe, gamma ray bursts. Secondary payloads include a thermal coating study that will assess the performance of surface treatments for satellites as well as an alternative system for controlling spacecraft orientation.

Source ESA article https://www.esa.int/Education/CubeSats_-_Fly_Your_Satellite/Ireland_s_first_satellite_on_its_way_to_launch

Follow the EIRSAT-1 team on X at https://twitter.com/EIRSAT1

EIRSAT-1 website https://www.eirsat1.ie/

23cm band report ITU‑R M.2532 published

ITU LogoIARU Region 1 reports as a part of the preparatory process for WRC-23 agenda item 9.1 topic b) involving the 23cm band (1240-1300 MHz), ITU‑R Report M.2532 has been published.

This report encapsulates the outcome of resolves 1 of ITU‑R Resolution 774 that requires a detailed review of the different systems and applications used by the amateur and amateur satellite services in the 23cm band. The review forms a part of the basis for the studies required by resolves 2 to address the amateur and amateur satellite services coexistence with the radio navigation satellite service (RNSS).

The publication represents a positive outcome from a great deal of work and committment by the IARU volunteer team that has been central to its development since 2019 in ITU‑R Study Group 5.

Download ITU‑R Report M.2532 https://www.iaru-r1.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/R-REP-M.2532-2023-PDF-E.pdf

The information paper ZL23_C5_19 1.3 GHz Band – Additional Information was submitted by the RSGB to the IARU Region 1 Conference held Novemebr 1-4, 2023. It provides information on the situation in the 1240-1300 MHz and 13001350 MHz spectrum. It can be downloaded from ZL23_C5_19 1300MHz INFO

Extract from CPM report 2023-10-11-Extract CPM-Report-to-WRC-23 _2_

Delfi-C3 – DO64 Deorbiting Soon

Delfi-C3 Team at AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2008

Delfi-C3 Team at AMSAT-UK Colloquium 2008

After more than 15 years in orbit, Delfi-C3’s mission is about to come to an end. The team predict that re-entry will take place around November 16th 2023.

The re-entry date might vary depending on the solar activity, which is very hard to predict accurately. See also @Marco_Langbroek on Twitter for a similar prediction.

https://twitter.com/Marco_Langbroek/status/1720110996499349663

Delfi-C3 Re-entry Prediction

Delfi-C3 Re-entry Prediction

We would like to request all amateur radio operators / SWL’s / satellite enthusiasts worldwide to listen for Delfi-C3’s telemetry downlink on 145.867 MHz, 1200 baud AX.25 BPSK. We will hand out an award certificate to the person submitting the last Delfi-C3 telemetry frame.

This can be done either through the RASCAL software (updated version coming…), through the SATNOGS network or by sending us decoded telemetry frames with reception time and location via email to Delfi_at_tudelft.nl.

On behalf of the entire Delfi-C3 team, we would like to sincerely thank the worldwide amateur radio / SWL / satellite community for assisting the team by forwarding received telemetry and reception reports.

Back in 2008 we could not imagine the great support received so far and the many first we had, including a successful ground network and flying the first linear transponder in a CubeSat.

We strongly believe that Delfi-C3 has paved the way for many follow-on missions (both amateur and commercial), and has been a great step towards maturing CubeSat technology as well as training the next generation of space engineers. Stay tuned for updates!

On behalf of the team best 73s,

Wouter PA3WEG

ISS SSTV Verification Test – Oct 27-Nov 1

ISS SSTV image 5/12 received by Murray Hely ZL3MH January 31, 2015

The SSTV system in the Service Module will be activated to attempt to verify a replacement piece of hardware during the period of Oct 27 until Nov 01.

The system will be off around the required period of no transmissions during the planned EVA on Oct 31. Images will be transmitted on 145.800 MHz and in the typical PD120 format.

There are 2 windows for testing, separated by an EVA:
Fri Oct 27 at 12:15 GMT – Sun Oct 29 at 18:50 GMT
Tue Oct 31 at 10:05 GMT – Wed Nov 01 at 18:10 GMT

Your images can be posted to the Gallery at https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/index.php

Since this is a test of replacement components of the system, there still may be unexpected outages or issues.

The signal should be receivable on a handheld with a 1/4 wave whip. If your rig has selectable FM filters try the wider filter for 25 kHz channel spacing.

You can get predictions for the ISS pass times at https://www.amsat.org/track/

ARISS SSTV Blog https://ariss-sstv.blogspot.com/

Useful SSTV info and links https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/iss-sstv/