Just a reminder of the launch Fund that has been created for the FUNcube-1 Cubesat Satellite, all donations are very much appreciated, and will help towards the cost of launching the FUNcube-1 satellite in 2012.
AMSAT-UK FUNcube-1 Launch Fund: http://tinyurl.com/7t24yol
For more information on the FUNcube-1 Cubesat project visit: http://funcube.org.uk/
For more information on the FUNcube Dongle (the SDR receiver for FUNcube) visit here:http://www.funcubedongle.com/
AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch
In just 16 months the AMSAT-UK FUNcube Yahoo Group has exceeded a membership of 3000.
The group was created by Rob Styles M0TFO at the end of October 2010 to provide support for the AMSAT-UK FUNcube satellite and the FUNcube Dongle VHF/UHF Software Defined Radio.
The FUNcube satellite project is an educational CubeSat project with the goal of enthusing and educating young people about radio, space, physics and electronics. It will support the educational Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) initiatives and provide an additional resource for the RSGB GB4FUN Radio Communications Demonstration Module. The target audience is school pupils in the 8-18 age range.
As well as providing a strong 145 MHz telemetry beacon for the pupils to receive FUNcube will also have a 435/145 MHz linear transponder for Amateur Radio SSB/CW use.
The FUNcube Dongle VHF/UHF SDR was originally developed for educational outreach as part of the ground segment for the FUNcube satellite. However, it was realised it can be used for many other applications as well, so AMSAT-UK developed a Pro version which has a frequency range of 64-1700 MHz.
Similar to a USB TV Dongle, the FCD simply fits into a computer USB port and can be used with freely available Software Defined Radio software. The FCD is all-mode which this means that as well as data, it will also receive many other signals including AM, FM, SSB and CW. It can even receive weather satellite pictures.
You can join the FUNcube Yahoo Group at http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/FUNcube/
More information on the FUNcube satellite project is at http://FUNcube.org.uk/overview/
For information on the FUNcube Dongle SDR see http://www.FUNcubeDongle.com/
FUNcube information for schools Teach Space with a real satellite
Radiouser Magazine February 2012
The February issue of the UK magazine Radiouser features a 5 page article on the AMSAT-UK FUNcube Dongle (FCD) VHF/UHF Software Defined Radio written by Mike Richards G4WNC.
For the review amateur radio dealer Martin Lynch & Sons loaned a FCD to Mike who ended up buying one for himself!
Other articles in the February issue include Pat Carty’s ‘Military Matters’ column, DXTV and NDB DXing. In the ‘Sky High’ column Godfrey Manning G4GLM highlights the problems that wind farms cause to Radar and questions the need for the extensive restrictions on UK airspace to be imposed during July and August.
Postal copies of Radiouser can be purchased direct from the publisher using a Debit or Credit card by ringing +44 (0)1202 659910 (Monday – Thursday, 8.30am – 4.00pm) – the cost is the same because there is no postage to pay.
RadioUser magazine will be available from UK High Street newsagents such as WH Smith from January 26.
Radiouser magazine http://www.radiouser.co.uk/
Mike G4WNC also writes the Decode column and runs the DataModes Yahoo Group
The AMSAT-UK FUNcube Dongle SDR is available from http://www.funcubedongle.com/?page_id=286
or Martin Lynch & Sons (ML&S) http://tinyurl.com/MartinLynchFCD
FUNcube Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FUNcube
There was a presentation on building a distributed satellite ground station network at the Chaos Communication Congress held December 27-30 and the video is now available.
The AMSAT-UK FUNcube Dongle VHF/UHF Software Defined Radio gets a brief mention at 39:26 into the video.
The video kicks off with an appearance by Nick Farr then the presentation by Gregor Jehle (Hadez), Armin Bauer and Andreas Hornig gets underway.
Watch 28C3: Building a Distributed Satellite Ground Station Network – A Call To Arms (en)
Hackers Plan Space Satellites http://www.uk.amsat.org/3172
Hackerspace Global Grid http://shackspace.de/wiki/doku.php?id=project:hgg
London Hackspace Project: Hoxton Space Centre http://wiki.london.hackspace.org.uk/view/Project:Hoxton_Space_Centre
London Hackspace work on HackSat1 http://www.uk.amsat.org/2482
The DIY Magic of Amateur Radio video http://www.uk.amsat.org/3158
The AMSAT-UK FUNcube Dongle is a VHF/UHF (64-1700 MHz) Software Defined Radio (SDR) on a USB Dongle. Howard Long G6VLB traveled from London to the 2011 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC) in Baltimore to address the group on this project. He details the trials and tribulations behind designing and manufacturing what turned out to be an extremely popular product.
The primary aim of the FUNcube Dongle is to interest young students in science, satellites and radio. The FUNcube iteslf is a satellite that will be launched specifically to be monitored by all those dongles that have been sold.
Watch 2011 DCC – FUNcube Dongle
FUNcube Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FUNcube
Amateur Radio Video News (ARVN) http://www.arvn.tv/
AMSAT-UK publishes a colour A4 newsletter, OSCAR News, which is full of Amateur Satellite information. Free sample issue at http://www.uk.amsat.org/on_193_final.pdf Join online at http://tinyurl.com/JoinAMSAT-UK
Prospero
Roger J A Duthie M0RJA and the team are carrying out further attempts to reactivate Prospero, the United Kingdom’s first satellite launched on a UK-built rocket, Black Arrow, on October 28, 1971.
The team now have an AMSAT-UK FUNcube Dongle (FCD) VHF/UHF Software Defined Radio to receive Prospero on 137.560 MHz and use an Icom IC-746 tranceiver on transmit commands to the satellite.
Because the frequency is now used by a number of Orbcomm satellites it can be difficult to identify the Prospero X-3 signal. The intention is to switch the satellite on and off by making commanding attempts and listening for a response in the RF carrier to indicate that Prospero is indeed still in some sort of working condition.
It is hoped Amateur Radio operators will be able to provide recordings of the signals on 137.560 MHz.
For further information check the Prospero X-3 blog and the AMSAT bulletin board.
Prospero 40th Anniversary has links to the real time tracking page and the history of the satellite
OSCAR News is published quarterly by AMSAT-UK and posted to members. Download a free sample issue here join here
AMSAT-UK 
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