Tag Archives: Amateur Radio

Jul 11 2014

Chelmsford landing planned for SSDV Balloons

Image from the SUPER balloon launched by Dave Akerman M0RPI on July 12, 2014

434 MHz SSDV image from the SUPER balloon launched by Dave Akerman M0RPI on July 12, 2014

Radio amateur Philip Crump M0DNY plans a number of High Altitude Balloon (HAB) flights this weekend transmitting Slow Scan Digital Video (SSDV).

SSDV picture from a PIE balloon - Image credit Dave Akerman M6RPI/2E0LTX/M0RPI

SSDV picture from a PIE balloon – Image credit Dave Akerman M6RPI/2E0LTX/M0RPI

The launches will take place from Gilwell Park near Epping Forest and the balloons are expected to land around Chelmsford in Essex.

They are planned as part of the Gilwell 24 Scouts Activity event, taking place from 9am Saturday, July 12 through the night to 9am Sunday, July 13 in Gilwell Park. The plan is to monitor predictions/weather, prepare the payload, launch when convenient, then Philip M0DNY will chase, recover and repeat, up to 2 additional times.

The balloons are 100g hwoyees, and so are only expected to reach around 14 km altitude due to the weight, and increasing chances of wet landing for a longer flight. A Raspberry Pi is being used for the SSDV, and will store images as well as short but frequent video clips.

Due to tracker issues Philip may be flying a borrowed SUSF tracker on 434.613 MHz, replacing his one on 424.125 MHz.

The USB frequencies used will be
• 434.200 MHz – G24HAB – 600 baud SSDV
And either:
• 434.125 MHz – GILWELL24 – 50 baud RTTY
Or:
• 434.613 MHz – GILWELL24 – 50 baud RTTY + 300 baud TurboHAB FSK (SSB)

The 434.613 MHz tracker will alternate between 50 baud RTTY and 300 baud binary TurboHAB. To decode the binary error corrected format you need this decoder: http://users.ecs.soton.ac.uk/mfb2g09/decoder/decoder.jar , which has been updated since last time. To decode the binary protocol you first need to change ‘Encoding’ to BIN and ‘Baud’ to 300. Upon changing the callsign and position you need to press ‘Update’ for the new data to be used. It will be interesting to see the relative performance, the error correction should make most difference where there is noise or fading.

First launch is tentatively scheduled for 2pm BST Saturday. Philip will post updates on Twitter and #highaltitude. There will most likely be a live stream of the launches check http://batc.tv/ch_live.php?ch=3

David Akerman M0RPI and Heston Blumenthal with balloon - Image credit M0RPI

David Akerman M0RPI with balloon – Image credit M0RPI

Dave Akerman M0RPI is also launching on Saturday between 10-11am from Ross On Wye. His balloon will be transmitting on three frequencies one of which will be Slow Scan Digital Video (SSDV).

$$SUPER: 434.450 MHz, 300 baud RTTY, 880 Hz shift, USB, 8, N, 2, SSDV
$$UAD: 434.480 MHz, Domino EX22
$$UAR: 434.475 MHz, 50 baud RTTY, 400 Hz shift, USB, 7, N, 1

There should be live video streaming on BATC.TV The chase car is M0RPI_chase:
http://www.batc.tv/streams/m0rpi
http://www.batc.tv/streams/m0rpi_chase

The balloons should have a radio range of up to 700 km providing coverage over a large part of the British Isles and into Europe.

Listen to the Balloons via the Web

Radio amateurs Noel G8GTZ, Martin G8JNJ and Phil M0DNY from the Southampton University Wireless Society, have established an Internet accessible WebSDR receiver near Basingstoke in the UK. It has special helix antennas optimised for balloon and satellite reception in the 144 and 434 MHz bands and can be listened to from anywhere in the world. Listen using the WebSDR at http://websdr.suws.org.uk/

Online real-time tracking of balloons http://spacenear.us/tracker/

See the received SSDV images on the web at http://ssdv.habhub.org/

Beginners Guide to Tracking using dl-fldigi software http://ukhas.org.uk/guides:tracking_guide

Slow Scan Digital Video (SSDV) Guide http://ukhas.org.uk/guides:ssdv

To get up-to-date information on balloon flights subscribe to the UKHAS Mailing List by sending a blank email to this address:
ukhas+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Follow the launch day chat on the #highaltitude IRC channel at
http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=highaltitude

The Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society have a new short training course for those wishing to become radio amateurs starting on September 4. To find out more speak to Clive G1EUC on
Tel: 01245-224577
Mob: 07860-418835
E-mail: training2014 at g0mwt.org.uk
Web: http://www.g0mwt.org.uk/training/

What is Amateur Radio ? http://www.essexham.co.uk/what-is-amateur-radio

Jul 9 2014

ISEE-3/ICE spacecraft fires thrusters for a return to Earth

ISEE-3 - ICE Spacecraft - Image credit NASA

ISEE-3 – ICE Spacecraft – Image credit NASA

AMSAT-DL report a team of engineers, space enthusiasts and radio amateurs have succeeded in firing the thrusters of the NASA-abandoned ISEE-3/ICE spacecraft.

The plan on Tuesday, July 8, was to fire the thrusters for a total of 7 sequences with breaks for telemetry analysis. While this would have resulted in a velocity change of 7 m/s, the course correction is required for the lunar swing-by on Aug 10, 2014 then to enter a stable orbit around Earth. However after the first firing sequence the remaining sequences were cancelled due to the returned telemetry data, which is being analyzed. A second attempt was planned for July 9.

The ISEE-3 Reboot Project (IRP) team attempted this main trajectory correction maneuver following a first short thruster firing on July 2, which increased the rotation rate of the spacecraft to the required value. This was possible due to international collaboration between the IRP, and a team of AMSAT-DL and Bochum observatory with its 20 m diameter radio telescope which received and processed critical real-time data of the maneuvers.

Amateur Radio Facility at Bochum

Amateur Radio Facility at Bochum

While the IRP has access to the Arecibo observatory which, at 305 m diameter, is the largest single-dish radio telescope in the world, downlink support from Bochum is required as Arecibo cannot transmit and receive simultaneously.

Two members of the AMSAT-DL Bochum team will be giving presentations on their reception of ISEE-3 at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium on Saturday, July 26, 2014 at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ, United Kingdom. The event is open to all, further details at https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/colloquium-2014/

Real-time telemetry from ISEE-3 is displayed at http://amsat-dl.org/

ISEE-3 http://spacecollege.org/isee3

Read the Daily Mail story at
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2684345/Zombie-spacecraft-rescued-abyss-fires-thrusters-time-20-years.html

Jul 8 2014

UKube-1 Signals Received

UKube-1 Launch Cake

UKube-1 Launch Cake

The UKube-1 satellite was successfully launched on Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at 1558 UT from Pad 31/6 at Baikonur in Kazakhstan. The 145.840 MHz beacon signal was received by the UKube team in Chilbolton at 19:16 UT.

It had been expected the first signal would be received over South Africa at about 18:52 UT but no signals were heard. The UKube team at Chilbolton and radio amateurs across the British Isles and Europe anxiously awaited the satellite coming within range, when it did a strong signal was heard from the satellite. The FUNcube-2 beacon on 145.915 MHz was also activated and received well.

Practical Wireless magazine VHF columnist Tim Kirby @G4VXE was one of the radio amateurs listening, he tweeted “Pleased to receive CW from UKube-1 on the first pass over the UK”.

Signals have also been received from DX-1 and the SSTL research satellite TechEdSat which were on the same launch as UKube-1.

UKube-1 carries a set of AMSAT-UK FUNcube boards which provide an educational beacon for use by schools and a linear transponder for amateur radio communications. Presently, commissioning of the spacecraft is continuing, and there may be future occasions when the 145.915 MHz FUNcube  telemetry transmitter will be activated during this period. The transponder is not expected to be available until later in the mission.

UKube-1 in flight configuration in the cleanroom at Clyde Space Ltd - Credit Steve Greenland

UKube-1 in flight configuration in the cleanroom at Clyde Space Ltd – Credit Steve Greenland

The first submitters of UKube-1 telemetry data to the FUNcube Data Warehouse were:
– DK3WN
– OO1A
– F-60429
– G0PGL
– G4GUO
– PD3T
– M0LTC
The current UKube-1/FUNcube-2 Rankings can be seen at http://warehouse.funcube.org.uk/ranking.html?satelliteId=1

The UKube team has asked that all stations continue to monitor the downlinks and where possible to forward their reports as follows:
– CW beacon on 145.840 MHz to operations@funcube.org.uk and steve.greenland@clyde-space.com
– FUNcube telemetry (when activated) on 145.915 MHz – your existing dashboard will not display properly (except for the Fitter Messages!) but it WILL be forwarding it to the Warehouse correctly and the data will be very useful for the team.

UKube-1 CubeSat at Clyde Space

UKube-1 CubeSat at Clyde Space

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

Data Warehouse – Telemetry Archive http://warehouse.funcube.org.uk/

Nico Janssen PA0DLO has posted on the AMSAT Bulletin Board that Doppler measurements suggest that UKube-1 is either object 40074, 2014-037F, or object 40075, 2014-037G. The separation between these objects is now only 1 s, so no more than 7.5 km.

Keplerian Two Line Elements (TLEs) ‘Keps’ of new satellites launched in past 30 days http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/tle-new.txt

UKube-1 frequencies:
• 145.840 MHz Telemetry downlink
• 145.915 MHz FUNcube subsystem beacon
• 400 mW inverting linear transponder for SSB and CW
– 435.080-435.060 MHz Uplink
– 145.930-145.950 MHz Downlink
• 2401.0 MHz S Band Downlink
• 437.425-437.525 MHz UKSEDS myPocketQub Downlink

Watch UKube-1 CubeSat payload animation

Watch the launch vehicle integration of UKube-1 and the other satellites

Watch the Soyuz roll out

Watch the launch

There will be a presentation on the UKube-1 FUNcube-2 amateur radio payload at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium being held at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ on July 26-27, the event is open to all, further details at https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/colloquium-2014/

Peter Goodhall @2E0SQL made this recording of UKube-1 CW and Data
https://soundcloud.com/peter-goodhall/ukube-1-satellite-first-pass-over-the-uk

UK Space Agency announcement https://www.gov.uk/government/news/successful-launch-for-uk-space-agencys-first-cubesat-mission

UKube-1 (United Kingdom Universal Bus Experiment 1)
https://eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/u/ukube-1

UKube-1 Launch Information https://amsat-uk.org/2014/07/03/ukube-1-launch-information/

DX-1 Satellite https://amsat-uk.org/2014/07/04/dx-1-appeal-to-radio-hams-from-dauria-aerospace/

Jul 7 2014

PhD Student Receives FUNcube Dongle SDR

FUNcube Dongle Pro+ Software Defined Radio

FUNcube Dongle Pro+ Software Defined Radio

The University of Birmingham reports that Graham Kirkby, a PhD student in the Space Environment and Radio Engineering group, School of Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering, has won the prize for the best student presentation at the 2014 UK CubeSat Forum Workshop

The workshop was hosted by the Satellite Applications Catapult Centre and brought together 150 representatives from over 100 organisations in the UK and international CubeSat community.

Graham’s research focuses on the development of antennas for the Wideband Ionospheric CubeSat Sounder Experiment (WISCER). CubeSats are small satellites that conform to the CubeSat standard developed by CalPoly and Stanford University. WISCER is a 3U cubesat (10×10×30 cm) that aims to provide measurements of the wideband ionospheric radio channel as a precursor to future space radars.

The prize included a FUNcube Dongle Pro, kindly donated by AMSAT-UK. This is a small USB software defined radio that has been developed to allow communications with the FUNcube CubeSat.

Source: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/eece/news/UK-cubesat-forum-workshop.aspx

FUNcube Dongle SDR http://FUNcubeDongle.com/

Jul 4 2014

DX-1 Appeal to radio hams from Dauria Aerospace

DX-1 in space - Image credit Dauria Aerospace

DX-1 in space – Image credit Dauria Aerospace

The DX-1 satellite, built by Dauria Aerospace, launches from Pad 31/6 at Baikonur in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at 15:58:28 UT. It weighs 27 kg and is 40x40x30 cm. Dauria Aerospace have posted the following information:

Dauria Aerospace microsatellite DX-1

Dauria Aerospace microsatellite DX-1

Finally, close to the accomplishment of our long-awaited event – the launch of the spacecraft DX1 Tuesday, July 8. We would like to ask for help to all radio amateurs who are interested in receiving signals spacecraft. Invite you to participate in the “catching” our satellite immediately after the start.

Start will be at 19:58 Moscow time from the Baikonur cosmodrome. Based on the parameters of the orbit, its separation from the upper stage and the inclusion happen over Eastern Europe, and it will return to Russia after only a few turns of a few hours from the Far East. Therefore, our MCC in Moscow will hold the first session the next day. Beacon satellite broadcasts in amateur radio frequency, so everyone will be able to hear it before us. Moreover, such aid, we need to clarify and confirm its orbit performance. Therefore, our gratitude will be backed up souvenirs for the lucky hunters from around the world.

Parameters of the radio beacon mode:

Carrier frequency: 438.225 MHz [it is understood there is a 145 MHz command uplink]
The protocol used: AX.25
Call Sign source: DSC001
Call Sign Receiver: Dauria
Size TMI frame within AX.25 packet: 55 bytes
Speed: 9600 bit / s
Modulation GFSK

Source: http://habrahabr.ru/company/dauria/blog/228669/

Google English Version http://tinyurl.com/pdueyt2

It is understood the satellite will also be using the following frequencies:
• 162.0125-162.0375 MHz Uplink – AIS ship tracking receiver
• 2269.5-2270.5 MHz Downlink – Data

Watch DX-1 on Russian TV

Dauria Aerospace http://dauriaspace.com/ Blog http://tinyurl.com/Dauria-Aerospace-Blog

DX-1 Microsatellite to launch from Baikonur https://amsat-uk.org/2014/04/27/dx-1-microsatellite-baikonur/

Jul 3 2014

UKube-1 Launch Information

UKube-1 in flight configuration in the cleanroom at Clyde Space Ltd - Credit Steve Greenland

UKube-1 in flight configuration in the cleanroom at Clyde Space Ltd – Credit Steve Greenland

UKube-1, the UK Space Agency’s first CubeSat, carries a set of AMSAT-UK FUNcube boards with an amateur radio linear transponder and educational beacon for use in schools. The launch is scheduled from Pad 31/6 at Baikonur in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at 15:58:28 UT (4:58 BST) and to be deployed from the final stage of the Soyuz-2-1B/Fregat-M launch vehicle at 18:32:42 UT.

It had been hoped the launch would be live at http://www.roscosmos.ru/317/ or at http://tv-tsenki.com/live.php but this did not occur.

UKube-1 CubeSat installed in Deployment Pod

UKube-1 CubeSat installed in Deployment Pod

The UKube-1 Operations Team have issued a Launch Briefing. This is accompanied by a spreadsheet showing the anticipated UK passes for the first orbits together with a worksheet showing the telemetry equations.

These documents can be downloaded at http://funcube.org.uk/news/

UKube-1 carries a number of experiments and payloads and also the FUNcube-2 transponder and  telemetry sub-system. This is intended to support the current, very successful, operations of FUNcube-1 and to provide an even better operational capability for schools and colleges to use for hands on educational outreach around the world. Further details of the educational outreach opportunities are available here http://funcube.org.uk/education-outreach/

When the FUNcube-2 sub-system is activated, the 1k2 BPSK telemetry will be downlinked on 145.915 MHz in the same way as already happens with FUNcube-1.

A new FUNcube-2 Dashboard UI will be released shortly. This will integrate directly with the existing FUNcube Central Data Warehouse and existing usernames and authorisation codes can be re-used.

UKube-1 ready for launch

UKube-1 ready for launch

When the transponder is activated, the downlink passband will be 145.930 to 145.950 MHz and the uplink passband  will be 435.080 to 435.060 MHz.

It is anticipated that the FUNcube sub-system may be tested for short periods during the next few weeks depending upon how the LEOP plan progresses.

AMSAT-UK personnel will be supporting the UKube-1 operations team at Chilbolton during the immediate post launch period and will be ensuring that regular status reports are made available via the #cubesat IRC channel.

A web client is available at http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=#cubesat

AMSAT-UK and their colleagues at AMSAT-NL, are delighted that UKube-1 is carrying this FUNcube sub-system and wishes every success to the UKube Operations Team and to all the many contributors to the project.

Steve Greenland of Clyde Space receives the AMSAT-UK FUNcube-2 boards that will be incorporated into UKube-1

Steve Greenland of Clyde Space receives the AMSAT-UK FUNcube-2 boards to be incorporated into UKube-1

There will be a presentation on the satellite’s amateur radio payload at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium being held at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ on July 26-27, the event is open to all, further details at https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/colloquium-2014/

UKube-1 frequencies:
• 145.840 MHz Telemetry downlink
• 145.915 MHz FUNcube subsystem beacon
• 400 mW inverting linear transponder for SSB and CW
– 435.080 -435.060 MHz Uplink
– 145.930 -145.950 MHz Downlink
• 2401.0 MHz S Band Downlink
• 437.425-437.525 MHz UKSEDS myPocketQub Downlink

Video of the Soyuz-2 rocket being prepared for the launch

Soyuz 2-1B – Meteor-M #2 Launch Updates
http://www.spaceflight101.com/soyuz-2-1b—meteor-m-2-launch-updates.html

Check Twitter accounts of Helen Walker ‏@SheAstronomer and Steve Greenland @strickengremlin for tweets on UKube-1 launch.

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

FUNcube Yahoo Group https://amsat-uk.org/funcube/yahoo-group/

FUNcube Forum http://forum.funcube.org.uk/

Like AMSAT-UK on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AMSATUK

Data Warehouse – Telemetry Archive http://warehouse.funcube.org.uk/

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

There will be a presentation on the FUNcube boards on UKube-1 at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium which will be held on July 26-27, 2014 at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ, United Kingdom. The event is open to all, further details at https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/colloquium-2014/