Tag Archives: Amateur Radio

Oct 6 2021

The UoSAT-1 story: ingenuity, teamwork and lots of favours!

UoSAT-1 OSCAR 9 Team

UoSAT-1 – OSCAR 9 and Team

UoSAT-OSCAR-9 (UoSAT-1), developed at the University of Surrey by Martin Sweeting G3YJO and his team, was launched into orbit 40 years ago on October 6, 1981.

UoSAT-1 was the first modern microsatellite with in-orbit re-programmable computers and its signals were decoded and analysed by thousands of radio amateurs, schools & universities around the world.

Find out about the audacious favours Sir Martin Sweeting G3YJO called in to get UoSAT-1 off the ground in 1981, and the ingenious hack he used to vibration test it using a car and Guildford High Street!

Read the UoSAT-1 story at
https://www.sstl.co.uk/media-hub/latest-news/2021/the-story-of-uosat-1-ingenuity-teamwork-and-lots-o

Oct 4 2021

UK school to contact the ISS using amateur radio

International Space Station - Image Credit NASA

International Space Station – Image Credit NASA

At 11:12:33 GMT on Tuesday, October 12, students at Newbury’s Mary Hare School for deaf children will be using amateur radio to talk to astronaut Mark Vande Hei KG5GNP aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Mark will be using the ISS callsign NA1SS and Mary Hare School GB4MHN. The contact should be receiveable across the UK and Europe on a frequency of 145.800 MHz FM.

Watch the That’s TV Solent interview with Alex Ayling from Mary Hare School
https://twitter.com/TTVSolent/status/1440952287883632641

Deaf pupils to talk to astronaut on the International Space Station in a world first
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2021/september/deaf-pupils-to-talk-to-astronauts.htm

Reading Chronicle newspaper report on the planned contact
https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/19582950.deaf-newbury-pupils-talk-astronauts-iss-space-station/

The latest information on the ARISS operation mode can be found at
https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html

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

Free UK amateur radio Online Training course https://essexham.co.uk/train/foundation-online/

Oct 2 2021

Ham radio CubeSats to deploy from ISS

Kibo Robot Arm CubeSat Deployment

Kibo Robot Arm CubeSat Deployment

It is expected four CubeSats carrying amateur radio payloads will be deployed on the morning of Wednesday, October 6.

You can watch live at these URL’s:
#1 0855-0945 GMT Binar-1, Maya-3, Maya-4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDnhIniV1FU
#2 1035-1105 GMT CUAVA-1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHbRKOzzvp0

On the AMSAT Bulletin Board Masa JN1GKZ writes:

JAXA announced four CubeSats deploy from ISS at Oct 6 with J-SSOD. The satellites are Binar-1, Maya-3, Maya-4 and CUAVA-1. All the satellites operate on amateur band.

The deployment sked is followings.
#1 0850-0940z Binar-1, Maya-3, Maya-4
#2 1030-1100z CUAVA-1

The deployment will be live on the JAXA YouTube channel.

Binar-1 – 1U CubeSat Australia
Downlink 437.292 MHz, 435.810 MHz 19k2 GMSK
Uplink 435.810 MHz
http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=730
https://www.binarspace.com/

Maya-3/4 – part of the BIRDS Project 1U CubeSat Philippines
Downink 145.825 MHz APRS, 437.375 MHz CW, 4k8 GMSK
http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=711
http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=712
https://stamina4space.upd.edu.ph/upcoming-satellites/maya-3and4/

CUAVA-1 3U CubeSat Australia
Downlink 437.075 MHz 9k6 GMSK
Uplink 145.875 MHz
http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=671
https://www.cuava.com.au/projects/cuava-1/

Happy chasing!
Masa JN1GKZ
Tokyo Japan

AMSAT Bulletin Board https://www.amsat.org/amsat-email-lists/

Sep 28 2021

Japanese radio amateurs ask for reports of Z-Sat

Z-Sat - image credit JAXA

Z-Sat – image credit JAXA

Yasutaka Narusawa JR2XEA of the Komaki Amateur SATCOM Club reports the satellite Z-Sat is now planned to launch on an Epsilon rocket at 00:51:21-00:55:16 GMT on Thursday, October 7. It will be sending CW on 145.875 MHz.

On the AMSAT Bulletin Board Yasutaka JR2XEA writes:

Komaki Amateur SATCOM Club has an amateur radio station in Komaki City, Japan.

The 50 kg class infrared observation microsatellite “Z-Sat” developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will be launched by the Epsilon rocket.

After satellite separation, Z-Sat will start transmitting CW beacon of VHF band.

The beacon signal is in Morse code and contains information such as satellite battery voltage.

This information is very important as survival information immediately after the satellite is put into orbit.

Therefore, if you can receive the beacon signal from the satellite immediately after the satellite launch,

We would appreciate it if you could report it.
jr2xea <at> nagoya.so-net.jp

Komaki Amateur SATCOM Club’s Twitter is open at the following address. Information on Z-Sat transmission frequency, data format, orbit TLE, etc. will be released in the future.
https://twitter.com/KOMAKI_AMSATCOM

We look forward to your attention to Z-Sat.

Z-SAT on IARU Frequency Coordination page
http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=580

AMSAT Bulletin Board https://www.amsat.org/amsat-email-lists/

Sep 23 2021

New EMF Regulation and QO-100 satellite / Microwave operation

Es'hail-2 Qatar-OSCAR-100Ian GM3SEK is giving an online talk on the application of the RSGB-Ofcom Calculator to Microwaves and QO-100 satellite operation on Saturday, October 16, at 1230 GMT (1:30pm BST)

John G3XDY, Secretary UK Microwave Group, writes:

As I expect you are aware, UK stations must have Electromagnetic Field (EMF) assessments in place for operation above 110 MHz from 18th November 2021. Some RSGB guidance on EMF is here:
https://rsgb.org/main/technical/emc/emf-exposure/

The RSGB has been developing a tool that incorporates the Ofcom EMF Calculator but extends the models to include single and multiple Yagis plus various sizes of dish antennas, and takes account of the directivity of the antenna.

Ian GM3SEK, a key member of the team that developed the spreadsheet tool, will be talking about its application to Microwaves and QO-100 operation on 16th October at 13:30pm, in a joint BATC/UK Microwave Group presentation during the BATC Convention.

Registration is not required, to view the talk just go to https://batc.org.uk/live/cat21

Full details of the BATC CAT21 program are available here
https://forum.batc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=135&t=7609

This is an important topic for all that operate on VHF and above, and Ian will dispense invaluable practical advice on how to assess your dishes and Yagis in the microwave bands. Not to be missed!

Sep 15 2021

FUNcube-1 (AO73) returns to full sunlight and continuous telemetry mode

AO-73 (FUNcube-1) - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

AO-73 (FUNcube-1) – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

After a few months of normal eclipse periods, FUNcube-1 (AO73) will, next week, re-enter full sunlight from next week for a period of approximately two months.

As we have been in continuous transponder mode for some time now, we have decided that, during this sunlight period, FUNcube-1 should operate in continuous high power telemetry mode. The change will be made within the next few days.

FUNcube-1 has now been in orbit for almost eight years and the telemetry indicates that all systems, including the battery and solar panels appear to operating as well now as they did immediately after launch!