Tag Archives: Amateur Radio

Feb 21 2014

$50SAT PocketQube Amateur Radio Challenge

Yaesu handheld and $50SAT 1.5U PocketQube

Yaesu handheld and $50SAT 1.5U PocketQube

The $50sat PocketQube satellite team, AB2S, KD8QBA and GW7HPW, are celebrating 90 days in orbit by proposing a technical challenge to all interested radio amateurs.

$50sat is capable of responding to uplink command packets. There are three open packets:

• Test packet – $50SAT responds by sending the RSSI of the received packet in slow FM Morse.

• Request data packet – the normal data packet is sent.

• Request RTTY – The RTTY is sent.

In addition all received packets result in two copies of the ack packet being sent, that contains the RSSI of the received packet.

All the required information to accomplish this is available on the Dropbox location available through the $50sat web page. See the document $50SAT – Eagle2 – Communications – Release Version V1_1.pdf

Anyone that can demonstrate a successful command uplink by submitting a recording of the response packet along with the date, time and location of of the contact will receive a Certificate of Technical Accomplishment signed by all three builders of $50sat.  Submissions can be made to the $50sat email address; 50dollarsat at yahoo.com

This is a significant challenge because there is no magic black box that you can buy to do this.

$50SAT Boards

$50SAT Boards

After 90 days of operation, the Kodak KLIC-7002 camera battery that powers the satellite has fallen off about 100mV, but operations still seem normal.

We have also programmed a special 5th Morse beacon to thank our launch sponsor and mentor Prof. Bob Twiggs. Please give a listen for  the message TNX KE6QMD on the FM Morse beacon.

QSL cards are still available to anyone that posts telemetry, either hand copied CW or RTTY captures, to the 50dollarsat yahoo group.

73 and good luck to all from the $50sat team

$50SAT is one of the smallest amateur radio satellites ever launched at 5x5x7.5 cm and weighs only 210 grams. Transmitter power is just 100 mW on 437.505 MHz (+/-9 kHz Doppler shift) FM CW/RTTY. It uses the low cost Hope RFM22B single chip radio and PICaxe 40X2 processor.

$50SAT has been a collaborative education project between Professor Bob Twiggs, KE6QMD, Morehead State University and three other radio amateurs, Howie DeFelice, AB2S, Michael Kirkhart, KD8QBA, and Stuart Robinson, GW7HPW.

Further information in the $50SAT Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l3919wtfiywk2gf/-HxyXNsIr8

$50SAT – Eagle2 – Communications – Release Version V1_1.pdf
http://tinyurl.com/50DollarSatCommunicationsV1-1

Hope RFM22B single chip radio http://www.hoperf.com/rf/fsk_module/RFM22B.htm

There is a discussion group for $50SAT http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/50dollarsat/

50DollarSat http://www.50dollarsat.info/

Feb 20 2014

Results of first Delfi-n3Xt transponder test

Delfi-n3Xt Satellite

Delfi-n3Xt Satellite

Delfi Nanosatellite Program Manager, Jasper Bouwmeester PC4JB, has announced results of the first test of the Delfi-n3Xt CubeSat 435/145 MHz linear transponder that were carried out on February 20.

Dear all,

Today we did a first transponder test. We could hear the beacon, but unfortunately did not hear anything back from our calls. Also we were missing the noise floor of the transponder band. Our hypothesis is that our adjustable LO (Si570) which is mixed with the IF band could not be programmed correctly and hence the pass-band goes outside our filtered band (which is a good thing, because we do not want to transmit on illegal frequencies). This LO is adjustable by I2C communication and should be programmed each time at power up (so each time the transponder mode is activated. We will do two attempts more on Friday, February 20 at the morning ground passes and even if that doesn’t help we will keep on trying with different settings. If the situation changes I will update you again.

Best regards,

Jasper, PC4JB

IARU coordinated Delfi-n3Xt frequencies
• 145.870 MHz Telemetry
• 145.930 MHz Telemetry
• 2405.00 MHz High speed data
• Inverting SSB/CW transponder
– 435.530-435.570 MHz uplink LSB
– 145.880-145.920 MHz downlink USB

Telemetry reception http://www.delfispace.nl/operations/delfi-n3xt-telemetry-reception

Delfi-n3Xt http://www.delfispace.nl/operations/radio-amateurs

Dnepr Yasny launch https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/dnepr-november-2013/

Feb 20 2014

ISS CubeSat deployments to resume February 25

The first of the Planet Lab Dove CubeSats were deployed from the ISS on February 11, 2014 about 0831 UT

The first of the Planet Lab Dove CubeSats were deployed from the ISS on February 11, 2014 about 0831 UT

According to NanoRacks the deployment of the second batch of CubeSats from the International Space Station (ISS) will commence at 1700 UT on Tuesday, February 25, 2014. The CubeSats deployments were streamed live at http://m.ustream.tv/channel/live-iss-stream

ISS Kibo Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)

ISS Kibo Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)

Earlier this month astronaut Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA successfully deployed the first part of the Flock-1 constellation comprising 16 Dove 3U CubeSats developed by Planet Labs. The remaining 12 Dove CubeSats along with the amateur radio CubeSats LituanicaSat-1, LitSat-1, ArduSat-2, UAPSat-1 and the 915 MHz SkyCube should be deployed in the second batch.

The amateur radio CubeSats may be deployed on Friday, February 28 at 0730 UT. Another amateur radio CubeSat the Peruvian Chasqui 1 was sent to the ISS on February 5, 2014. It is not yet clear if this will also be deployed on Feb. 28.

Eight NanoRacks deployers are installed on the Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP). Each deployer has a capacity of 6U and so can hold up to six 1U CubeSats or two 3U CubeSats. They are carried by Japanese Experiment Module-Remote Manipulator System (JEM-RMS).

Two 3U CubeSats (6U total) can be deployed every one to two orbits to prevent collisions. For the first batch of Flock-1 CubeSats about two deployments took place each day.

Planet Labs CubeSat Constellation

Planet Labs CubeSat Constellation

LituanicaSat-1 carries a 145/435 MHz FM transponder while LitSat-1 has a 435/145 MHz linear transponder for SSB/CW communications.

Kibo Robot Arm CubeSat Deployment

Kibo Robot Arm CubeSat Deployment

The IARU coordinated frequencies are listed as:

LituanicaSAT-1
• FM Transponder Uplink 145.950 MHz Downlink 435.180 MHz
• AX25 Uplink 145.850 MHz AX25 Downlink 437.550 MHz
• CW Beacon 437.275 MHz
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Lituanicasat1

LitSat-1
• SSB Transponder Uplink 435.180 MHz Downlink 145.950 MHz
• AX25 Uplink 437.550 MHz Downlink 145.850 MHz
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/palydovas

ArduSat-2
• 9k6 MSK CCSDS data format downlink 437.? MHz
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/575960623/ardusat-your-arduino-experiment-in-space

UAPSAT
• AX.25 Packet Radio uplink 145.980 MHz downlink 437.385 MHz
http://www.uapsat.info/ Twitter https://twitter.com/uapsat Facebook https://www.facebook.com/uapsat

Chasqui-1 (Peru) was launched to the space station on February 5, 2014. It is understood that it is scheduled to be hand-deployed during a future Russian Extravehicular Activity (EVA).
• AX.25 Packet Radio downlink on 437.250 MHz http://www.chasqui.uni.edu.pe/eng.html

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

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

Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA https://twitter.com/Astro_Wakata

NanoRacks https://twitter.com/nanoracks/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nanoracks

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

Planet Labs https://twitter.com/planetlabs

A Dove in Space https://twitter.com/adoveinspace

Southern Stars https://twitter.com/south_stars

Video of NanoRacks interview: Deploying CubeSats from the Space Station
https://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/31/video-deploying-cubesats-from-the-space-station/

February 11, 2014 ISS CubeSats deployed
https://amsat-uk.org/2014/02/11/cubesats-deployed-from-international-space-station/

Jonathan’s Space Report (JSR) has been covering robotic and human spaceflight activity for 25 years
https://amsat-uk.org/2014/02/09/a-quarter-century-of-jonathans-space-report/
Twitter http://twitter.com/planet4589

Astronaut Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA prepares NanoRacks CubeSat Deployers

Astronaut Koichi Wakata KC5ZTA prepares NanoRacks CubeSat Deployers

Feb 20 2014

Distributed Ground Station Network For CubeSat Communications

FUNcube Dongle Pro+ Software Defined Radio

FUNcube Dongle Pro+ Software Defined Radio

Zachary J. Leffke KJ4QLP has written a Masters Thesis which explores the concept of deploying a network of distributed ground station receiver nodes for the purposes of increasing access time to the spacecraft, and thereby increasing the potential amount of data that can be transferred from orbit to the ground. The current trends in CubeSat communications are analyzed and an argument made in favor of transitioning to more modern digital communications approaches for on orbit missions. Finally, a candidate ground station receiver node design is presented a possible design that could be used to deploy such a network.

The paper’s acknowledgements read:

I would like to thank Dr. Robert W. McGwier [N4HY] for his steady guidance in this work. His depth of experience in Amateur Radio satellite communications and Software Defi ned Radio has been an invaluable resource.

I would also like to thank the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, commonly known as AMSAT. This collection of eclectic geniuses, that build and launch satellites as part of a hobby, have been a steady source of encouragement and technical savvy and are an excellent group of role models that I am proud to be associated with.

Speci cally, I would like to thank Douglas Quagliana [KA2UPW] and Joe Fitzgerald [KM1P] from AMSAT for their speci c words of encouragement and genuine enthusiasm for this project. I hope the work presented here can help further the mission of AMSAT.

I would also like to thank Howard Long [G6LVB], the inventor of the FUNcube Dongle Pro Plus. Without this economic and brilliantly designed device, the creation of the prototype presented in this work would not have been possible.

Read the paper at http://t.co/yQx2O0PPUF

Feb 20 2014

Fox-1 CubeSat Publicity Handout

AMSAT is Amateur Radio in SpaceAMSAT-NA have released a single page Fox-1 CubeSat publicity handout for club meetings or hamfests.

Fox-1 carries an FM transponder with a 435.180 MHz uplink and 145.980 MHz downlink that you should be able to work using your FM dual-band HT.

It is planned to launch into a 470 by 780 km orbit with a 64° inclination on the Atlas-V ELaNa XII NROL-55 mission from the Vandenberg Air Force Base slated for December 6, 2014. Note all launch dates can slip, for the latest launch schedule see http://spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html

Download the Fox-1 Publicity Handout

Feb 19 2014

Ofcom: Coexistance issues for 2300 and 3400 MHz bands

AMSAT-UK Logo

AMSAT-UK Logo

The proposal to sell-off spectrum at 2.3 and 3.4 GHz will impact both the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services.

The UK communications regulator Ofcom has published a consultation setting out proposals for addressing technical issues related to the forthcoming award of 190 MHz of spectrum at 2350-2390 MHz, 3410-3480 MHz and 3500-3580 MHz. It is expected that these frequencies will be used for 4G mobile services using Long-Term Evolution (LTE). Ofcom say In certain circumstances, LTE has the potential to cause interference to applications/devices using spectrum in adjacent frequency bands.

Ofcom has assessed the impact for both licensed and licence-exempt uses of the release and adjacent spectrum.

The Amateur Service is covered in section 9 page 73 and the Amateur-Satellite Service in section 12 page 87 (12.25-12.30) of the consultation document.

With regard to the Amateur-Satellite Service Ofcom refer to the ITU-R frequency filing database as a source of information. National administrations rather than individuals are responsible for submitting this information and it is suspected that not all administrations have been doing so which may lead to usage being understated.

Regarding the impact on 2400 MHz Ofcom say:

12.29 In our consultation on amateur usage we acknowledged that the 2400-2450 MHz band could experience an increase in background noise as a result of the release and set out advice for amateurs planning continued use of these bands.

12.30 We consider that there is no need for further detailed analysis of the impact of the release on the amateur satellite service as there is a 10 MHz separation between this use and release band and there should be no issue greater than the in-band ISM interference.

It is presumed that in 12.30 Ofcom are saying they expect the interference to 2400 MHz from the LTE release band will not exceed that of a WiFi router operating on the desired frequency. The weak signal segment 2400-2402 MHz is not used WiFi but will clearly suffer interference from the new LTE band.

Consultation document
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/pssr-2014/summary/pssr.pdf

The consultation closes on May 15 2014, you can respond online via the consultation page at
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/pssr-2014/

Read the joint response to the Aug 9, 2013 Ofcom: Spectrum Sharing Consultation
https://amsat-uk.org/2014/01/12/ofcom-spectrum-sharing-consultation/