Tag Archives: Amateur Radio

Mar 21 2014

FUNcube in TX Factor TV show

FUNcube Dongle Pro+ Software Defined Radio

FUNcube Dongle Pro+ Software Defined Radio

The second episode of the online TV show for amateurs, TX Factor, has been released and features the FUNcube-1 (AO-73) satellite and the FUNcube Dongle Pro+ (FCD) Software Defined Radio (SDR).

Decoding satellites

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

The TX Factor team were at Bletchley Park with the inventor of the FUNcube Dongle, Howard Long G6LVB – This is a Software Defined Radio (SDR) that’s designed to receive signals from the orbiting FUNCube satellite.

The video features a pass of the FUNcube satellite and how to decode the data.  The feature goes on to interview both Howard Long G6LVB and Graham Shirville G3VZV who discuss why and how the FUNCube Dongle was created, including a short piece with retailer Martin Lynch G4HKS.

More information can be found at http://www.funcube.org.uk/

Bath Buildathon

2013 Bath Buildathon

A look at this annual event that gets people to pick up an iron and get building. The project is the RSGB Centenary Receiver kit, together with a Raspberry Pi – The construction counts towards Intermediate, and also makes for a nice PSK31 data receiver.

Nice to see Steve Hartley G0FUW talking about the event – Steve is well known for driving the UK amateur radio training activities, including the online Full licence distance learning course.

This year’s Buildathon took place on January 4 http://southgatearc.org/news/november2013/2014_bath_buildathon.htm

National Radio Centre

FUNcube-1 Launch Monitoring Station at the NRC Bletchley Park

Next up, a tour of the National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park. If you’ve not visited the RSGB’s flagship venue, join TX Factor on a tour. Nice bit of production as the presenter calls CQ – it never goes to plan when a camera’s rolling!

You can also check out our considerably more amateur production filmed at the National Radio Centre here:
http://www.essexham.co.uk/news/national-radio-centre-a-first-look.html

Rig Review

The team also takes a look at the Yaesu FT-DX1200 at Martin Lynch and Sons.

Watch TX Factor – Episode 2 (TXF002)

TX Factor http://www.txfactor.co.uk/

National Radio Centre Bletchley Park http://www.nationalradiocentre.com/

FUNcube Dongle LF/MF/HF/VHF/UHF SDR http://www.funcubedongle.com/

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

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

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

Join AMSAT-UK https://amsat-uk.org/2014/02/13/join-amsat-uk-7/

Thanks to Essex Ham for this story http://www.essexham.co.uk/

Mar 20 2014

Frequencies announced for QB50 Precursor CubeSats

QB50 Precursor CubeSatThe QB50 project will be launching two precursor 2U CubeSats, QB50p1 and QB50p2, both carrying amateur radio transponder payloads.

The launch is currently planned for June 19 from the Russian ICBM base at Dombarovsky near Yasny on a Dnepr rocket manufactured in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. The satellites will be put into a 650 km Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

The IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel has announced coordinated frequencies for both CubeSats.

Dnepr Launch - Credit ISC Kosmotras

Dnepr Launch – Credit ISC Kosmotras

QB50p1 will have a VHF 9600 bps BPSK telemetry downlink plus a separate payload from AMSAT-NL. This will comprise of a linear U/V transponder similar to that already flying on FUNcube-1 with an output of 400 mW.
• 145.815 MHz 9600 bps BPSK telemetry beacon
• Inverting SSB/CW linear transponder 400 mW PEP
– 435.035 – 435.065 MHz Uplink LSB
– 145.935 – 145.965 MHz Downlink USB

QB50p2 will have a VHF 9600 bps BPSK telemetry downlink plus a separate RF payload from AMSAT-F which will comprise of a FM voice transponder with UHF uplink and VHF downlink. It will also transmit FX25 telemetry at 9600 bps.
• 145.880 MHz 9600 bps BPSK telemetry beacon
• 145.840 MHz 9600 bps FSK FX25

QB50 Precursor Flight https://www.qb50.eu/index.php/precursor-flight

AMSAT-UK Colloquium announcement
https://amsat-uk.org/2013/07/20/qb50-amateur-radio-transponder-payloads-to-launch-2014/

IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel Status Page http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru

IARU Amateur Radio Satellite Frequency Coordination http://www.iaru.org/satellite.html

It is believed the Dnepr launch from Dombarovsky near Yasny may carry 38 satellites:
Kazakhstan MRES, DEIMOS-2, SkySat-3
Hodoyoshi-3, Hodoyoshi-4 microsatellites http://vimeo.com/82167566
BugSat-1 a 25 kg microsatellite
UniSat-6 microsatellite which will deploy the satellites: Tigrisat, AeroCube6, ANTELSAT, Lemur-1, SaudiSat-4.  Serpens was also expected to be carried but Serpens is now manifested on the SpaceX 05 Dragon flight for deployment from the ISS.
CubeSats: TabletSat-Aurora, BRITE-Toronto, BRITE- Montreal, AprizeSat- 9, AprizeSat-10, Duchifat-1, Perseus-M 1, Perseus-M 2, PACE, ANTELSAT, AeroCube 6, DTUSat-2
QuadPack-1 and QuadPack-2 quadruple (4U) CubeSat Deployment Pods will deploy these 2U CubeSats: QB50p1, QB50p2, UNSA-SAT1 (3400 MHz) and ESTELLE
11 Planet Labs Cubesats Flock-1c-1 to Flock-1c-11

Mar 20 2014

New launch dates for KickSat and its 104 Sprite satellites

SpaceX Falcon-9 CRS-3 Mission Patch

SpaceX Falcon-9 CRS-3 Mission Patch
Note the CubeSats coming out of the upper stage of the rocket on the left

Zac Manchester KD2BHC has released new launch information on the KickSat CubeSat which will carry 104 tiny Sprite satellites into a 325×315 km 51.5 degree inclination orbit. The launch will be broadcast live on NASA TV, which will also be streaming on Ustream.

The primary launch date for the SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS 3 mission from the Kennedy Space Center will be March 31 at 0250 GMT. There is also a backup date of April 4 at 0140 GMT.

Here is a revised sequence of events for the mission assuming the March 31 primary launch date:
• Falcon 9 liftoff (0250 GMT)
• Falcon stage separation (0253 GMT)
• Falcon 2nd stage engine cutoff and Dragon Separation (0259 GMT)
• KickSat deployment (0353 GMT)
• KickSat radio beacon power-on (0443 GMT)
• Sprite deployment (0353 GMT on April 16)

If you’re a Radio Ham, the KickSat team would love to have you listening for KickSat’s beacon. Check out their wiki page and Google Group for more information. Once KickSat turns on its radio, you should be able to pick it up with very basic amateur radio gear. It will be transmitting telemetry packets in AX.25 format on 437.505 MHz with 1200 baud AFSK modulation. KickSat’s orbital elements will be posted on the project wiki, which will also have more information on setting up a receiving station.

KickSat 437 MHz Sprite Satellite

KickSat 437 MHz Sprite Satellite

All the Sprites satellites operate on a single frequency of 437.240 MHz and use Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Each transmitter runs 10 mW output of Minimum Shift Keying (MSK) modulated binary data with each data bit modulated as a 511 bit Pseudo-Random Number (PRN) sequence. The ITU emission designator is 50K0G1D. The KickSat CubeSat has two downlinks, 1200 bps FM AX.25 on 437.505 MHz and 1 watt on 2401-2436.2 MHz.

Wiki KickSat radio information https://github.com/zacinaction/kicksat/wiki/Radio-Info

KickSat Google Group https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/kicksat-gs

Mass Launch of 437 MHz Satellites https://amsat-uk.org/2014/03/03/mass-launch-of-437-mhz-satellites/

KickSat Sprite Ground Station by Andy Thomas G0SFJ
http://kicksat.wordpress.com/support/kicksat-ground-station/

British Interplanetary Society: Sprite Technical Summary
http://www.bis-space.com/2013/03/09/9301/kicksat-technical-summary

KickSat on KickStarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zacinaction/kicksat-your-personal-spacecraft-in-space/

Mar 19 2014

SUWS WebSDR for VHF/UHF/Microwave

23cm_WebSDR_Antenna_up_mastThe SUWS WebSDR, a VHF/UHF/Microwave online radio, now has improved antennas for reception of amateur radio satellites and High Altitude Balloons (HAB).

Noel G8GTZ has posted an update on the Southampton University Wireless Society (SUWS) web based software defined radio covering the 144, 432, 1290 and 10368 MHz amateur radio bands. On the UK Microwave Yahoo Group he writes:

A quick update on the status of the SUWS microwave SDR http://websdr.suws.org.uk/

10 GHz – the Octagon PLL LNB based system is working well and now has the correct frequency labels on the scale (rather than the RTL dongle tuning range).  The Octagon does drift up to 30 KHz high with temperature which is not bad considering it is unmodified and mounted on the mast,  and you can get an accurate frequency calibration from GB3SEE which is visible at all times on 10368.850.  We have seen some very interesting propagation effects (both RS and tropo) with GB3CCX and GB3LEX was audible last week during the lift.

1.3 GHz – the SPF pre-amp is now mounted at masthead.  There is some small frequency drift from the RTL dongle but GB3FN is very loud at all times and GB3MHL / GB3DUN are now audible with the any improvement in condx or aircraft scatter (Heathrow lies directly on the path to MHL).

144  MHz and 432 MHz – We are trying a new type of mixed mode helix antennae on both bands to improve satellite and HAB reception and it seems to be working very well – see
http://g8jnj.webs.com/currentprojects.htm

Listen to the SUWS WebSDR at http://websdr.suws.org.uk/

WebSDR for 434 and 1296 MHz https://amsat-uk.org/2013/12/28/websdr-for-434-and-1296-mhz/

UK Microwave Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ukmicrowaves

Mar 19 2014

Can radio amateurs command the ISEE-3 / ICE spacecraft ?

ISEE-3 - ICE Spacecraft - Image credit NASA

ISEE-3 – ICE Spacecraft – Image credit NASA

Der Spiegel newspaper features an article about the hopes of radio amateurs to transmit commands to control the NASA ISEE-3 / ICE spacecraft.

The newspaper interviewed radio amateurs Achim Vollhardt DH2VA and Thilo Elsner DJ5YM both members of AMSAT-DL.

The article quotes David Dunham as saying “Radio operators have only one attempt. It might take 200 years before ICE is close enough to Earth again”.

Read the Der Spiegel newspaper article in Google English at
http://tinyurl.com/AMSAT-DL-ISEE-3-ICE

Radio amateurs receive NASA ISEE-3 / ICE Spacecraft
https://amsat-uk.org/2014/03/09/radio-amateurs-receive-nasa-isee-3ice-spacecraft/

ISEE-3 Returns https://www.facebook.com/ISEE3returns

Mar 19 2014

100 CubeSat Constellation to Image the Entire Earth’s Surface Every 24 Hours

Two Planet Labs Dove CubeSats deployed from the ISS February 11, 2014

Two Planet Labs Dove CubeSats deployed from the ISS February 11, 2014

Planet Labs has announced that it has confirmed launches for more than 100 CubeSats over the next 12 months. The satellites are 3U (30x10x10 cm) in size and will launch on rockets from the USA and Russia. This constitutes the largest constellation of satellites manifested in history. These new launches will build on Planet Labs first 28 satellites, Flock 1, which were launched in January.

Close-up of Planet Labs Dove CubeSats leaving NanoRacks deployer February 11, 2014

Close-up of Planet Labs Dove CubeSats leaving NanoRacks deployer February 11, 2014

This constellation will allow Planet Labs to image the whole earth every 24 hours. “We are imaging the planet to save the planet,” said Will Marshall, cofounder of Planet Labs. “Imaging the Earth at this frequency will help us to measure things from deforestation, to improving agricultural yield, to detecting overfishing. Our mission is to create information people need to help life on the planet.”

“Getting 100 satellites on the launch manifest is a major milestone in the new space industry,” said Steve Jurvetson, Managing Director at Draper Fisher Jurvetson and board member of Planet Labs and SpaceX. “The small form factor requires less space on the rocket, allowing for more flexibility for launch configurations. And a constellation of 100 satellites is unprecedented.”

This announcement comes on the heels of a $52 million Series B round of financing for Planet Labs in December led by Yuri Milner. Previous investors in the company include Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ), O’Reilly Alpha Tech Ventures (OATV), Capricorn Investment Group, Founders Fund Angel, Data Collective, First Round Capital, and Innovation Endeavors.

NASA has shared the following images of Planet Labs’ record-setting 28 satellites being deployed from the International Space station:
http://www.dropbox.com/s/cf9hd98fd881hut/Flock1Release4.jpg
http://www.dropbox.com/s/q3boh7ltvuwszs1/FloatingDoves%20SolarPanel%20NASA.jpg

Planet Labs http://www.planet.com/