Tag Archives: FUNcube

Nov 16 2011

FUNcube-1 Satellite Forums

AMSAT-UK are pleased to announce a set of forums for the FUNcube-1 satellite, including operations and modes. Please do not post questions regarding the FUNube Dongle as the Yahoo! group will continue to cover this area of support for the time being.

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

FUNcube EM in air oven at RAL July 2011

FUNcube EM in air oven at RAL July 2011

FUNcube-1 is a complete educational single 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 GB4FUN Mobile Communications Centre.

The target audience consists of primary and secondary school pupils and the FUNcubes will feature a 145 MHz telemetry beacon that will provide a strong signal for the pupils to receive. Continue reading →

Oct 31 2011

Android App to Fly on STRaND-1 Smartphone Satellite

When a competion was run to find Apps  to fly on the Smartphone CubeSat STRaND-1 one of the wining entries was an App which was a spin-off of the work done by the AMSAT-UK FUNcube team. See the story at:

http://www.blackpepper.co.uk/posts/android-app-to-fly-on-strand-1-nanosat-mission/

A detailed article on STRaND-1 appeared in a recent edition of the newsletter OSCAR News published by AMSAT-UK. It can be downloaded from http://www.uk.amsat.org/on_193_final.pdf

The video of a presentation on STRaND-1 is at http://www.batc.tv/vod/Strand.flv

Join AMSAT-UK online at http://tinyurl.com/JoinAMSAT-UK/

 

 

Oct 5 2011

Winners of Space App Competition announced

The AMSAT-UK FUNcube team are among the winners in a competition to fly an Android App on the amateur radio Smartphone satellite STRaND-1 due for launch next year.

Space technology experts from Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) and the Surrey Space Centre (SSC) at the University of Surrey announced on Wednesday the four lucky winners of the ‘Space App Competition’ who will see their Android Applications run on smartphone-powered satellite STRaND-1, due for launch into space next year.

‘The STRaND Data’ app will show satellite telemetry on the smartphone’s display which can be imaged by an additional camera on-board. This app is developed by the team behind the AMSAT-UK FUNcube satellite and will not only enable new graphical telemetry to interpret trends but also provide a last way of communicating with the smartphone.

Read the SSTL Press Release at http://www.sstl.co.uk/news-and-events?story=1898

Read about the UK Smartphone STRaND-1 satellite in the Spring 2011 edition of OSCAR News at http://www.uk.amsat.org/on_193_final.pdf

New Scientist – Space apps: smartphone at heart of satellite mission
http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2011/10/britains-smartphone-spaceshot.html

OSCAR News is published quarterly by AMSAT-UK and posted to members. To get your copy join AMSAT-UK online at http://tinyurl.com/JoinAMSAT-UK/

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

Sep 15 2011

AMSAT-UK@RSGB Convention 2011

AMSAT and satellite communications

For those who enjoy AMSAT and satellite communications, Graham Shirville, G3VZV will be looking at space communications in general and then will concentrate on the FUNcube spacecraft being developed by AMSAT-UK. The FUNcube will be a small cubesat weighing less than 1.5kg. It will have both a transponder for amateur use and telemetry intended for educational outreach to primary and secondary schools. This will be followed by a talk on the FUNcube Dongle by Howard Long, G6LVB. He recently received the RSGB Fraser Shepperd Award for his research into microwave applications in radio and his work on the FUNcube satellite and Dongle.

More details of the RSGB Convention 2011 can be found here

Sep 13 2011

FUNcube Group Membership Exceeds 2000

In under a year the AMSAT-UK FUNcube Yahoo Group has achieved over 2000 members.

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 (FCD) Software Defined Radio (SDR).

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 are 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 FCD 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 and weather satellite images.

Join the FUNcube Yahoo Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FUNcube/

SDR-RADIO software http://www.sdr-radio.com/

The FUNcube Dongle SDR can be ordered via http://www.FUNcubeDongle.com/?page_id=286

Information on the FUNcube satellite project is at http://FUNcube.org.uk/overview/

A sample edition of the AMSAT-UK newsletter OSCAR News can be seen at http://www.uk.amsat.org/on_193_final.pdf

Aug 30 2011

SDR-RADIO supports AMSAT-UK FUNcube Dongle

SDR-RADIO supports AMSAT-UK FUNcube Dongle

Simon Brown GD4ELI/HB9DRV has enhanced his popular 
SDR-RADIO software to provide support for the AMSAT-UK FUNcube dongle software defined radio.

SDR-RADIO.com is a Windows console for SDR receivers and transceivers.

Designed specifically for the Amateur Radio and short-wave listener community, the console provides a powerful interface for the rapidly growing SDR enthusiasts.

The SDR-RADIO.com software has been upgraded to provide full support for the FUNcube dongle including satellite tracking, Doppler compensation and data for external rotator software via DDE.

This free software can be downloaded from
http://www.sdr-radio.com/

Join the FUNcube Yahoo Group at
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/FUNcube/