Tag Archives: Amateur Satellite

Jan 8 2020

Beijing’s draft ham radio regulations raise concerns

Ministry of Industry and Information Technology

Ministry of Industry and Information Technology

ARRL reports on Beijing’s draft Measures for the Administration of Amateur Radio Stations which appear to threaten 136 kHz and most amateur bands above 146 MHz.

ARRL say:

Lide Zhang, BI8CKU, told ARRL that the proposal would prohibit amateur operation on the 2200-meter band as well as on 146 – 148 MHz, 1260 – 1300 MHz, 3400 – 3500 MHz, 5650 – 5725 MHz, and all bands above 10 GHz.

Radio communications engineer and Chinese Amateur Satellite Group (CAMSAT) CEO Alan Kung, BA1DU, told ARRL that government efforts to eliminate some amateur bands are nothing new, but proposals that have been aired for a while now are on the regulatory agency’s schedule. Kung said he does not anticipate that all of the bands proposed will be taken away, but he conceded that the climate will “undoubtedly” become increasingly more dangerous for China’s amateur radio community.

Read the full ARRL story at
http://www.arrl.org/news/china-telecoms-regulator-proposing-to-delete-some-current-amateur-allocations

A translation of the draft proposal says:

“Note 1: Unless otherwise specified, 135.7-137.8kHz, 146-148MHz, 1240-1260MHz, 1260-1300MHz, 3400-3500MHz, 5650-5725MHz, 10-10.4 GHz, 79-81GHz, 122.25-123GHz, 136-141GHz, 241-248GHz frequency The band frequency shall not be used for amateur services in the territory of the People’s Republic of China.”

A translated version of the draft proposal is at https://tinyurl.com/Beijing-Amateur-2019-Draft

Original text https://www.kechuang.org/r/305282

Jan 30 2014

WRC-2015 draft recommendations may impact 10 GHz

Logo WRC RA 2015The ARRL report the FCC has invited comments by February 18 on the latest batch of draft recommendations of its Advisory Committee for World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-2015).

At its January 27 meeting, the Advisory Committee (WAC) approved draft recommendations on a number of issues that will be considered by WRC-2015. Some items, including one which could possibly lead to changes to 60 meters in the long term, could affect the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite services. ARRL Chief Technology Officer Brennan Price, N4QX, is a member of the WAC, which is chartered to allow non-federal government entities to “provide to the [FCC] advice, technical support, and recommended proposals for the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference.”

WRC-2015 will consider a number of issues that could impact amateur allocations above 420 MHz, including a possible extension of the current worldwide allocation to the Earth Exploration-Satellite service in the band 9300 to 9900 MHz by up to 600 MHz “within the frequency bands 8700 to 9300 MHz and/or 9900 to 10500 MHz” Incumbent services in the 9900 to 10500 MHz range include the Radiolocation, Fixed, Mobile, Amateur, and Amateur-Satellite services.

The Amateur Service is secondary at 10000 to 10500 MHz worldwide, and the Amateur-Satellite Service is secondary at 10450 to 10500 MHz worldwide.

Comments should reference IB Docket 04-286 and specific recommendations by WAC document number. Interested parties may file comments via the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS).

Read the full ARRL story at
http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-opens-brief-window-for-comments-on-wrc-2015-draft-recommendations

Draft WRC-2015 recommendations
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2014/db0128/DA-14-88A2.pdf

IB Docket 04-286 http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/proceeding/view?name=04-286

FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/

May 6 2012

CubeBug-1 Updated: 02 May 2012

Supporting Organisation Ministry of Science, Technology & Productive Innovation
Contact Person norberto.wente.dk.nospam

 
Headline Details: CubeBug-1 is the first technology demonstration mission for a new cubesat platform design (mechanics, hardware and software) intended to be released as Open Source and Open Hardware for its use in Amateur projects, University projects and research labs. This projectis sponsored by the Argentinian Ministry of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation. As payload on this first mission, some custom designed components will be tested: an ARM based on-board computer, a nano-reaction wheel with its driver circuit and a low resolution camera, all based on COTS components. Planning to use half duplex communications on UHF with 9k6 GMSK data. CubeBug-1 is a 2U cubesat and isexpected to be launched as part of a group of cubesats in a DNEPR rocket launch planned for September 2012 from Yasny into a 607km 98 degree polar orbit. After the technology demonstration part of the mission is over, the satellite will enter a mode that will include services to the Amateur radio community, including a Digipeater, science data downloads from the payload (including images if possible), etc.
Application Date: 01 May 2012 Freq coordination completed on

 

The IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Status pages are hosted by AMSAT-UK as a service to the world wide Amateur Satellite Community

 

Apr 22 2012

Student Nanosat VELOX-I

VELOX-I 640Over 150 students at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have worked on the innovative nanosat project VELOX-I.

Velox-I - N-Sat and P-SatVELOX-I consists of two satellites: a 3U nano-satellite N-Sat and a 1U pico-satellite P-Sat. N-Sat is developed to be a robust satellite bus for future missions, and P-Sat is an experimental design to carry a scientific payload. During the mission P-Sat will be released by N-Sat.

The VELOX-I mission includes demonstrating high-resolution vision subsystem, testing a MEMS-based attitude determination and control system, verifying intersatellite RF link, and performing a quantum physics experiment.

It is hoped it will launch in 2013, a downlink of 145.980 MHz has been coordinated.

This article ‘Over 150 students helped to build it’ by Tong Su Yee appeared in The New Paper
http://www.edvantage.com.sg/edvantage/news/schoolnews/699350/Over_150_students_helped_to_build_it.html

Students reach for stars with own satellite
http://www.eee.ntu.edu.sg/Documents/Students%20reach%20for%20stars%20with%20own%20satellite.pdf

Entangled Photon Systems for Small Satellites http://quantum.nasa.gov/materials/2012-01-21-A3-Ling.pdf

Nanyang Technological University VELOX-I http://www.sarc.eee.ntu.edu.sg/Project/Pages/VELOX.aspx 

The IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Status http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru/

Mar 14 2012

How to work the SSB amateur radio satellites such as VO-52

The SSB/CW linear transponder amateur radio satellites such as VO-52 are great fun to work but the technique required is different to that used for the FM satellites.

Simon 2E0HTS has produced a video showing how to make contacts through VO-52.

Using a home-made 10 element 435 and IO Loop for 145MHz, with a Yaesu FT-847. Simon – 2E0HTS, adjusts his (uplink) transmitted signal to correct the Doppler of the received (downlink) frequency whilst talking to fellow Ham operators around Europe. Thanks to the stations worked via the VO-52 satellite which were SP9FPP, PD0HF & SP6DCO.

Watch How To Make A VO-52 SAT QSO

Most linear satellites use what are known as ‘Inverting Transponders’ to reduce the Doppler shift. You transmit lower sideband (LSB) on the uplink and it appears as upper sideband (USB) on the downlink.

When working through linear transponders use as little power as possible, this will help extend the lifetime of the transponder and satellite batteries. As a guide ensure your downlink signal is no stronger than the satellite beacon. Low duty cycle modes such as SSB and CW are recommended.

The band plan for linear satellite downlinks is similar to what you’d expect on the HF bands with CW operation in the lower part of the downlink and SSB in the rest. Current satellite status can be seen at http://oscar.dcarr.org/

Since this video was made VO-52 has changed over to its Dutch SSB/CW transponder and now uses these frequencies:
Uplink:         435.2250 – 435.2750 MHz SSB/CW
Downlink:     145.9250 – 145.8750 MHz SSB/CW
Beacon:       145.8600 MHz CW

John Heath G7HIA wrote about operating through VO-52 in his article ‘Getting started on amateur radio satellites’ that was published by the Radio Society of Great Britain in the March 2007 edition of RadCom. Download the article at https://ukamsat.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/satellites_radcom_mar07.pdf
Copyright 2007 Radio Society of Great Britain. For personal use only – no copying, reprinting or distribution without written permission from the RSGB.

David A Palmer, KB5WIA, has written an article “Twins!  A Backpack-Portable Full Duplex Satellite Station with Dual FT-817ND’s” that can be seen at http://kb5wia.blogspot.com/2010/10/satellite-portable-station.html

SimpleSatLookDown satellite tracking software http://www.uk.amsat.org/?p=8217

Mar 1 2012

HAMSAT VO-52 Falls Silent

HAMSAT VO-52

HAMSAT VO-52

The amateur radio satellite HAMSAT VO-52 ceased operating on February 28, neither it’s beacon or 435/145 MHz SSB/CW linear transponder have been heard since.

Ib Christoffersen OZ1MY reported that he heard and briefly used the transponder on the pass with Acquisition of Signal (AOS)  in Copenhagen at 0826 UT on February 28. On the next pass with AOS at 1003 UT it was not on.

Mani VU2WMY provides this update:

Dear HAMSAT VO-52 users,

With regrets, we confirm the non-availability of the transponder on HAMSAT VO-52 since 28th February 2012. This is the first ever interruption in the services of HAMSAT since 5th May 2005.

The timely feed back from John K8YSE, Domenico I8CVS, Eugenio IZ8JHD, Jan PE0SAT and Nitin VU3TYG were highly appreciated and acknowledged by the ISRO’s HAMSAT Mission Management Board.

I’m herewith enclosing the mail received from Mr. T.Parimalarangan, Operations Director-HAMSAT VO-52 regarding the ‘Temporary Non-availability’ of VO-52 transponder and beacon.
__________________
Mr. Subramani VU2WMY:

Thanks for obtaining the user feedback. You may please post the following message in the Users website. If possible, try to find out who has last operated HAMSAT payload transponder on 28th and at what time

“HAMSAT Transponder services not available temporarily due to operational reasons. Inconvenience regretted”

With Best Regards,
T PARIMALARANGAN
OD, HAMSAT (NP)

ISTRAC/ISRO
Ph:  080 – 2202 9011 (O)
080 – 2535 0132 (R)
0 – 9480333563 (M)
080 – 2202 9062