Tag Archives: AMSAT-UK

Jul 20 2015

DeorbitSail – Update after 1st week in space

First Week Update by Project Manager, Chiara Massimiani:

  • Friday, Successful launch at PSLV from FLP, SDSC SHAR, India. Click for PSLV-C28 Mission page & Youtube Launch Video. Antennas successfully deployed and beacon switched on.
  • First packets received by AMSAT’er Ken Swaggart W7KKE in Lincoln, OR, USA at 20:29.
  • First packets received by Surrey Space Centre’s Satellite Operations Centre at 22:21:51 which confirmed satellite state. The DOS Team declare the satellite healthy from downlinked telemetry.
  • Saturday, first telemetry uplink requests set and successfully received back in the operations centre.
  • Communication tests activated to confirm satellite mode operations.
  • Monday, communications tests complete. The team declare the uplink and downlink as sufficient to facilitate the full mission operations.
  • Thursday, Transition from Launch & Early Operations (LEOP) Communication Mode to Nominal Communication Mode after further uplink tests.
  • Friday, Begin early ADCS commissioning.

    DeorbitSail CubeSat with Sail deployed

    DeorbitSail CubeSat with Sail deployed

Expected operations in the coming month:

  • Week commencing 20th July: Attitude Determination & Control System (ADCS) Commissioning phase to obtain attitude data.
  • After three or four weeks: End ADCS Commissioning phase with a stable attitude.
  • In one month: Payload commissioning phase – solar panel and sail deployment which completes all major operations before deorbiting.

AMSAT and supporters are, again, so very welcome to help out by receiving the beacons so we can accelerate our commissioning. Further plans are available here: http://www.surrey.ac.uk/ssc/research/space_vehicle_control/deorbitsail/

Please continue to send in your data to deorbitsail.message@gmail.com

DeorbitSail 145.975 MHz BPSK telemetry format https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/telemetry/deorbitsail/

Oct 16 2013

FUNcube-1 has left the cleanroom

FUNcube-1 flight model - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 flight model – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

The exciting news is that FUNcube-1 CubeSat is now en-route to the Yasny launch site.

It was flown on a special flight from Rotterdam yesterday and it cleared through Russian customs this morning.

Well before the launch date, Dashboard software, to decode and display the telemetry, will be made available for download, this will function on any windows pc or laptop using either a Dongle or a 2 metre SSB capable receiver. Additionally a set of pre-launch keps will also be distributed.

This launch is expected to carry more than ten spacecraft using the amateur satellite service and one of them will, itself, later deploy up to nine CubeSats and PocketQubes so there should be plenty of new signals to listen for after this launch.

More info about FUNcube and some pictures can be seen here www.funcube.org.uk

Jun 12 2013

Summer Issue of OSCAR News

OSCAR News 202 June 2013E-members of AMSAT-UK can now download the PDF of the Summer edition of the OSCAR News magazine here (as well as previous 2012 issues).

The paper edition should be posted to members soon.

In this issue
• GAMANET: Networking QB50
• Spectrum pressures continue
• Tim Peake to be first UK astronaut in space for over 20 years
• CubeSat launches 2013
• OFCOM Consultation
• IARU News
• AMSAT- FOX- launch date announced
• We love the amateur radio enthusiasts!
• D-STAR digital amateur communications in space with OUFTI-1 CubeSat
• FUNcube Report
• The ESEO Project – Spring Update
• Ham Video—a DATV transmitter on Columbus by Gaston Bertels ON4WF
• Raspberry Eye in The Sky
• Shorts and Notices

The AMSAT-UK Membership year lasts for 12 months starting on January 1 each year.

AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch

AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch

Membership of AMSAT-UK is open to anyone who has an interest in amateur radio satellites or space activities, including the International Space Station (ISS).

E-members of AMSAT-UK are able to download OSCAR News as a convenient PDF that can be read on laptops, tablets or smartphones anytime, anyplace, anywhere. Join as an E-member at Electronic (PDF) E-membership

There are two rates for the paper edition to cover the extra postage costs:
UK
Rest of the World (Overseas)

PDF sample copy of “Oscar News” here.

Join AMSAT-UK using PayPal, Debit or Credit card at
http://shop.amsat.org.uk/shop/category_9/Join-Amsat-UK.html

E-members can download their copies of OSCAR News here.

Jun 10 2013

Video – Amateur Radio FUNcube Satellites by Howard G6LVB

Flight and Engineering Models of FUNcube-1 with FUNcube-2 boards

Flight and Engineering Models of FUNcube-1 with FUNcube-2 boards

AMSAT-UK representative Howard Long, G6LVB, in his presentation at the AMSAT Forum at the 2013 Dayton Hamvention describes recent activities at AMSAT-UK.

FUNcube-1 flight model - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 flight model – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 and UKube-1 (which carries the FUNcube-2 boards) both have dual STEM education and ham radio missions, including SSB/CW linear transponders. Howard also touches on the FUNcube ground station for schools using the FUNcube Dongle Software Defined Radio (SDR) and preliminary plans for other satellites.

It is expected that FUNcube-1 wil be launched around November 2013 on a Dnepr rocket from from Dombarovsky near Yasny. UKube-1 with the FUNcube-2 boards currently plans to launch in the 3rd quarter of 2013 from Baikonur in Kazakhstan on a Soyuz-2.

Watch FUNcube Satellites, by Howard G6LVB – 2013 Dayton Hamvention

FUNcube Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FUNcube

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

Jun 7 2013

AMSAT-UK Introduce Electronic (PDF) Membership

AMSAT-UK_Bevelled_LogoAMSAT-UK is pleased to announce that we can now offer Electronic E-membership at a reduced rate.

Founded in 1975 AMSAT-UK is a voluntary organisation that supports the design and building of equipment for Amateur Radio Satellites.

AMSAT-UK initially produced a short bulletin called OSCAR News to give members advice on amateur satellite communications. Since those early days OSCAR News has grown in size and the print quality has improved beyond recognition. Today, OSCAR News is produced as a high-quality quarterly colour A4 magazine consisting of up to 40 pages of news, information and comment about amateur radio space communications.

The new E-membership will provide OSCAR News as a downloadable PDF file and members will have the freedom to read it on their Tablets or Smartphones anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

An additional advantage is that the PDF should be available for download up to 2 weeks before the paper copy is posted.

E-membership should be especially beneficial to Overseas members who have suffered from high postal charges and long delivery times.

The AMSAT-UK membership year runs from January 1 to December 31. Why not take the opportunity to renew your 2013 membership as an E-member.

Renew your AMSAT-UK membership as an E-member here http://shop.amsat.org.uk/shop/category_8/Existing-Members-Renewal.html

Join as a new E-member here http://shop.amsat.org.uk/shop/category_9/Join-Amsat-UK.html

E-members can download their copies of OSCAR News from http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/on

Feb 15 2013

AMSAT-UK at National Student Space Conference Bristol Feb 23-24

FUNcube-1 flight model - Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

FUNcube-1 flight model – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

Jim Heck G3WGM, Honorary Secretary of AMSAT-UK and project lead on the FUNcube amateur radio satellite project, will be giving a presentation on FUNcube-1 to the UKSEDS National Student Space Conference (NSSC) that takes place in Bristol on February 23-24.

The NSSC is an annual event that brings together students, academics, and professionals from across the country to share knowledge of space, discuss the challenges facing the sector, and to create new links between groups. It features talks by leading space science and industry figures, and opportunities to take part in discussions and networking events.

UKSEDS National Student Space Conference Bristol 2013This year’s NSSC is hosted by Bristol SEDS, part of the Bristol CHAOS Physics society, at the University of Bristol School of Physics.

The impressive line up of speakers includes Alan Bond of Reaction Engines Ltd on the SKYLON Development Programme and John Thatcher of Astrium Satellites Ltd who’ll be talking about MIRI & the James Webb Space Telescope.

Further information on the conference is at http://ukseds.org/conference2013/