Tag Archives: Ham Radio

Mar 3 2016

School SSTV CubeSat to deploy from ISS

STM students designing antenna to receive data from STMSat-1 - Credit STM

STM students designing antenna to receive data from STMSat-1 – Credit STM

A Slow Scan TV (SSTV) CubeSat developed by students at Saint Thomas More Cathedral School (STM) in Arlington, VA, is set to be deployed from the International Space Station between 1400 and 1500 UT on May 16. For latest date/time check here.

STM student using amateur radio station

STM student using amateur radio station

STM is thought to be the first Elementary school to build their own satellite, even Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and First Grade students were involved in the project.

The satellite, a 1U CubeSat called STMSat-1, will transmit a SSTV Robot36 mode signal on 437.800 MHz.

Middle School Students took the initiative to begin exploring how to receive data from the CubeSat and formed a Ham Radio Club. There, they learned the basics of operating a ham radio station and explored Slow Scan Television as an option for receiving images once the satellite is deployed.

How Did 400 Grade School Students Built A Nano-Satellite?
http://jewelbots.tumblr.com/post/134465599599/how-did-400-grade-school-students-built-a

Watch the CBS This Morning show report on the satellite
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/satellite-built-by-elementary-students-to-be-deployed-in-space/

STMSat-1
https://twitter.com/STMSAT11
https://www.facebook.com/stmsat1/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/491135804399695/
http://www.stmsat-1.org/

Feb 27 2016

HamTV at Goonhilly in TX Factor Show

Noel Matthews G8GTZ explaining Goonhilly's role in receiving HamTV from the ISS

Noel Matthews G8GTZ explaining Goonhilly’s role in receiving HamTV from the ISS

In Episode 10 of the TX Factor Show radio amateur Noel Matthews G8GTZ from the British Amateur Television Club (BATC) talks about reception of the ISS HamTV Digital Amateur Television (DATV) signal at Goonhilly.

Mike Marsh G1IAR returns to his old school in Ottery Saint Mary, Devon to learn how science lessons have changed since he was a lad.

Bob McCreadie G0FGX keeps his feet firmly on the ground at his native Cornwall to see why the letter ‘K’ has been making its presence felt. While he’s there, he visits Goonhilly Earth Station to meet Arthur, the satellite dish that made history in the early 1960s and its modern-day equivalent.

Steve Venner G0TAN shows us the ins and outs of the Yeasu FT-991 all-band transceiver.

And the folks at TX Factor make a plea for help.

Watch TX Factor – Episode 10 (TXF010)

TX Factor http://www.txfactor.co.uk/

History of HamTV on the ISS https://amsat-uk.org/2016/02/12/history-hamtv-on-iss/

Goonhilly report Nov 2015 https://amsat-uk.org/2015/11/12/hamtv-on-the-iss-update/

How to hear the ISS https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/how-to-hear-the-iss/

What is Amateur Radio? http://www.essexham.co.uk/what-is-amateur-radio

Find an amateur radio training course near you https://thersgb.org/services/coursefinder/

A free booklet is available aimed at introducing newcomers to the hobby that can also be used as a handy reference while getting started, see
http://rsgb.org/main/get-started-in-amateur-radio/alex-discovers-amateur-radio-2/

 

Feb 26 2016

News reports of Norwich school amateur radio contact with Tim Peake

Students used amateur radio to speak to Tim Peake - Credit City of Norwich School

Students used amateur radio to speak to Tim Peake – Credit City of Norwich School

The media were in attendance at the amateur radio contact between City of Norwich School GB2CNS and UK astronaut Tim Peake GB1SS which took place February 26, 2016.

Radio amateur Tim Hare M6HTJ, a Year 10 pupil at CNS, led the space linkup.

City of Norwich School ISS Link 2016-02-26ITV News said: The pupils asked a range of questions from ‘what happens to the blood if you cut yourself in space’ to ‘what’s your favourite place to fly over’ to ‘what sort of experiments are you doing in space’? The 10 minute live link up was made possible by the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) team.

Watch the ITV News report at
http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2016-02-26/science-lesson-for-norfolk-pupils-that-is-out-of-this-world/

“I wanted to cry..it was great” tweeted BBC Look East reporter Mike Liggins Fast Forward 13:49 into this video http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0717yvz/look-east-east-26022016

Watch the Mustard TV News report at http://www.mustardtv.co.uk/browse/major-tim-to-cns-watch-a-norwich-schools-live-link-up-with-space/

Eastern Daily Press – Pupils asks questions to British astronaut Tim Peake
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/pupils_asks_questions_to_british_astronaut_tim_peake_1_4435501

ARISS Principia site https://principia.ariss.org/

What is Amateur Radio? http://www.essexham.co.uk/what-is-amateur-radio

Find an amateur radio training course near you https://thersgb.org/services/coursefinder/

A free booklet is available aimed at introducing newcomers to the hobby that can also be used as a handy reference while getting started, see
http://rsgb.org/main/get-started-in-amateur-radio/alex-discovers-amateur-radio-2/

Feb 26 2016

Frank Bell G7CND on BBC The One Show

Helen Sharman GB1MIR

Helen Sharman GB1MIR

On Friday, February 26, BBC’s The One Show featured radio amateur Frank Bell G7CND, UK astronauts Helen Sharman GB1MIR and Tim Peake GB1SS along with the Oasis Academy Brightstowe ARISS contact

Frank is a retired Science teacher who was instrumental in the amateur radio linkup in 1991 between students at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford and the UK’s first astronaut Helen Sharman GB1MIR who was on the Mir Space Station. With Frank were two of his former pupils, Les and Pete, who took part in the contact nearly 25 years ago.

The Oasis Academy Brightstowe amateur radio contact with Tim Peake took place on February 19.

The ISS and amateur radio segment of the show starts at 4:50 into the recording at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0717t76

ARISS UK video of the Oasis Academy Brightstowe contact
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/02/23/video-tim-peake-oasis-brightstowe/

First UK astronaut Helen Sharman GB1MIR
https://amsat-uk.org/about/history/first-uk-astronaut-helen-sharman-gb1mir/

ARISS Principia site https://principia.ariss.org/

What is Amateur Radio? http://www.essexham.co.uk/what-is-amateur-radio

Find an amateur radio training course near you https://thersgb.org/services/coursefinder/

A free booklet is available aimed at introducing newcomers to the hobby that can also be used as a handy reference while getting started, see
http://rsgb.org/main/get-started-in-amateur-radio/alex-discovers-amateur-radio-2/

Feb 23 2016

Video of Tim Peake and Oasis Academy contact

Tim Peake GB1SS contact - Oasis Academy Brightstowe student with Ciaran Morgan M0XTD - Credit UK Space Agency

Tim Peake GB1SS contact – Oasis Academy Brightstowe student with Ciaran Morgan M0XTD – Credit UK Space Agency

ARISS UK have released an edited 73 minute video of the ARISS contact between Tim Peake GB1SS and the Oasis Academy Brightstowe, Bristol GB1OAB which took place on February 19, 2016.

Oasis Brightstowe students learning about radio communications in preparation for ARISS contact - Credit UK Space Agency

Oasis Brightstowe students learning about radio communications in preparation for the ARISS contact – Credit UK Space Agency

The video starts with a summary produced by the students at the school of their involvement in, and activities carried out, during their study of Space and STEM. This portion of the video concludes with the school band performing a cover of a number of songs related to space!

Dr David Parker, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency welcomes everyone present before handing over to Ciaran Morgan M0XTD (at approx 20 minutes) from ARISS who begins the ARISS programme with an introduction of the team, their roles and all the equipment that has been brought to the school to help facilitate the contact.

The actual ARISS contact starts at approx. 37 minutes.

After the contact has finished, the school head students concludes the afternoon with a thank you speech.

Watch Oasis Academy Brightstowe ARISS contact

BBC TV reports on Oasis Academy Brightstowe ISS contact
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/02/19/oasis-brightstowe-students-talk-to-tim-peake/

A list of the questions asked by the students is at
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/02/14/tim-peake-oasis-academy-brightstowe/

ARISS Principia site https://principia.ariss.org/

What is Amateur Radio? http://www.essexham.co.uk/what-is-amateur-radio

Find an amateur radio training course near you https://thersgb.org/services/coursefinder/

A free booklet is available aimed at introducing newcomers to the hobby that can also be used as a handy reference while getting started, see
http://rsgb.org/main/get-started-in-amateur-radio/alex-discovers-amateur-radio-2/

Feb 23 2016

UK and Malta University Satellite Collaboration

Mock-up showing typical size of a PocketQube satellite

Mock-up showing typical size of a PocketQube satellite

The UK’s University of Birmingham, the University of Malta, the Malta Amateur Radio League (MARL) and the Italian Astrodynamics company, GAUSS Srl are collaborating on a project to send a PocketQube satellite with an amateur radio payload into space.

The Times of Malta newspaper reports:

The 5x5x5 cm device, referred to as a PocketQube pico-satellite, will be launched in 2018 into a sun-synchronous low earth orbit (LEO) and will be used to validate on-board equipment that will study the properties the Earth’s ionosphere.

This project will pave the way for a swarm of eight such satellites that will spread over a large geographical area and hence gain better coverage of changeable ionospheric conditions which affect radio communications.

The collaboration has brought together two Maltese post graduate engineering students – Darren Cachia in Malta and Jonathan Osairiis Camilleri (Ozzy), a Ph.D. student at the University of Birmingham – who have joined efforts and are developing the satellite platform and the scientific payload respectively.

The mission is expected to last about 18 months and will relay information back to Earth that will be accessible to anyone owning a simple ham radio set. Information will be made available in due course to allow schools and interested individuals to participate using inexpensive equipment.

Read the Time of Malta story at
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20160221/local/university-project-to-launch-device-in-space.602663

Read the Independent newspaper story at
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2016-02-21/local-news/Watch-University-of-Malta-unveils-the-nation-s-first-space-mission-6736153637

Martin Sweeting G3YJO gave a presentation to the University of Birmingham titled: Keeping Satellites in Space – Where Science and Engineering Meet
http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/university/colleges/eps/events/distinguished-lecture/lectures-archive/Prof-Martin-Sweeting.aspx

Malta Amateur Radio League (MARL) http://www.9h1mrl.org/