The University of Birmingham reports that Graham Kirkby, a PhD student in the Space Environment and Radio Engineering group, School of Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering, has won the prize for the best student presentation at the 2014 UK CubeSat Forum Workshop
The workshop was hosted by the Satellite Applications Catapult Centre and brought together 150 representatives from over 100 organisations in the UK and international CubeSat community.
Graham’s research focuses on the development of antennas for the Wideband Ionospheric CubeSat Sounder Experiment (WISCER). CubeSats are small satellites that conform to the CubeSat standard developed by CalPoly and Stanford University. WISCER is a 3U cubesat (10×10×30 cm) that aims to provide measurements of the wideband ionospheric radio channel as a precursor to future space radars.
The prize included a FUNcube Dongle Pro, kindly donated by AMSAT-UK. This is a small USB software defined radio that has been developed to allow communications with the FUNcube CubeSat.
The DX-1 satellite, built by Dauria Aerospace, launches from Pad 31/6 at Baikonur in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at 15:58:28 UT. It weighs 27 kg and is 40x40x30 cm. Dauria Aerospace have posted the following information:
Dauria Aerospace microsatellite DX-1
Finally, close to the accomplishment of our long-awaited event – the launch of the spacecraft DX1 Tuesday, July 8. We would like to ask for help to all radio amateurs who are interested in receiving signals spacecraft. Invite you to participate in the “catching” our satellite immediately after the start.
Start will be at 19:58 Moscow time from the Baikonur cosmodrome. Based on the parameters of the orbit, its separation from the upper stage and the inclusion happen over Eastern Europe, and it will return to Russia after only a few turns of a few hours from the Far East. Therefore, our MCC in Moscow will hold the first session the next day. Beacon satellite broadcasts in amateur radio frequency, so everyone will be able to hear it before us. Moreover, such aid, we need to clarify and confirm its orbit performance. Therefore, our gratitude will be backed up souvenirs for the lucky hunters from around the world.
Parameters of the radio beacon mode:
Carrier frequency: 438.225 MHz[it is understood there is a 145 MHz command uplink]
The protocol used: AX.25
Call Sign source: DSC001
Call Sign Receiver: Dauria
Size TMI frame within AX.25 packet: 55 bytes
Speed: 9600 bit / s
Modulation GFSK
It is understood the satellite will also be using the following frequencies:
• 162.0125-162.0375 MHz Uplink – AIS ship tracking receiver
• 2269.5-2270.5 MHz Downlink – Data
UKube-1 in flight configuration in the cleanroom at Clyde Space Ltd – Credit Steve Greenland
UKube-1, the UK Space Agency’s first CubeSat, carries a set of AMSAT-UK FUNcube boards with an amateur radio linear transponder and educational beacon for use in schools. The launch is scheduled from Pad 31/6 at Baikonur in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at 15:58:28 UT (4:58 BST) and to be deployed from the final stage of the Soyuz-2-1B/Fregat-M launch vehicle at 18:32:42 UT.
The UKube-1 Operations Team have issued a Launch Briefing. This is accompanied by a spreadsheet showing the anticipated UK passes for the first orbits together with a worksheet showing the telemetry equations.
UKube-1 carries a number of experiments and payloads and also the FUNcube-2 transponder and telemetry sub-system. This is intended to support the current, very successful, operations of FUNcube-1 and to provide an even better operational capability for schools and colleges to use for hands on educational outreach around the world. Further details of the educational outreach opportunities are available here http://funcube.org.uk/education-outreach/
When the FUNcube-2 sub-system is activated, the 1k2 BPSK telemetry will be downlinked on 145.915 MHz in the same way as already happens with FUNcube-1.
A new FUNcube-2 Dashboard UI will be released shortly. This will integrate directly with the existing FUNcube Central Data Warehouse and existing usernames and authorisation codes can be re-used.
UKube-1 ready for launch
When the transponder is activated, the downlink passband will be 145.930 to 145.950 MHz and the uplink passband will be 435.080 to 435.060 MHz.
It is anticipated that the FUNcube sub-system may be tested for short periods during the next few weeks depending upon how the LEOP plan progresses.
AMSAT-UK personnel will be supporting the UKube-1 operations team at Chilbolton during the immediate post launch period and will be ensuring that regular status reports are made available via the #cubesat IRC channel.
AMSAT-UK and their colleagues at AMSAT-NL, are delighted that UKube-1 is carrying this FUNcube sub-system and wishes every success to the UKube Operations Team and to all the many contributors to the project.
Steve Greenland of Clyde Space receives the AMSAT-UK FUNcube-2 boards to be incorporated into UKube-1
There will be a presentation on the satellite’s amateur radio payload at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium being held at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ on July 26-27, the event is open to all, further details at https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/colloquium-2014/
UKube-1 frequencies:
• 145.840 MHz Telemetry downlink
• 145.915 MHz FUNcube subsystem beacon
• 400 mW inverting linear transponder for SSB and CW
– 435.080 -435.060 MHz Uplink
– 145.930 -145.950 MHz Downlink
• 2401.0 MHz S Band Downlink
• 437.425-437.525 MHz UKSEDS myPocketQub Downlink
Video of the Soyuz-2 rocket being prepared for the launch
There will be a presentation on the FUNcube boards on UKube-1 at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium which will be held on July 26-27, 2014 at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ, United Kingdom. The event is open to all, further details at https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/colloquium-2014/
Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG reports on the two QB50 precursor satellites QB50p1 and QB50p2, launched on June 19, 2014 carrying amateur radio transponders.
The QB50 precursor satellites are in good health and still being commissioned. These satellites are part of a risk-reduction program for the QB50 main mission.
These satellites are also carrying amateur radio transponders:
– QB50p1 carries the FUNcube-3 transponder system by AMSAT-UK and AMSAT-NL
– QB50p2 carries an FM transponder by AMSAT-Francophone
I am grateful to be able to announce that these two CubeSat Satellites have been awarded OSCAR numbers by AMSAT-NA: QB50p1 shall be known as European OSCAR 79 or EO-79, and QB50p2 shall be known as European OSCAR 80 or EO-80. Thank you AMSAT-NA!
The transponders are expected to be switched on after the main mission, which lasts about 6 months depending on progress made.
Details about sending in reports and decoding the beacons can be found on the ISIS Ham Radio page at http://isispace.nl/HAM/qb50p.html
Mike Rupprecht DK3WN has kindly made and published a software decoder based on the published formats at his website: http://tinyurl.com/SatSoftwareDK3WN/
Thanks all for your support and reports, they are much appreciated!
Patrick Stoddard WD9EWK has released a video showing the participation of the International Space Station (ISS) in the ARRL Field Day (June 28-29).
His description reads:
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman KF5LKT, operating as NA1SS from the International Space Station during the 2014 ARRL Field Day on Saturday, June 28, 2014, at 1815-1822 UT.
After announcements of possible participation of the ISS amateur radio station in the 2014 ARRL Field Day, it was nice to hear Reid on the radio. Among the stations making contact with NA1SS on this pass, I was able to make a brief contact as the ISS was about to go over Arizona.
The WD9EWK station used for this contact, and to record the NA1SS audio, was an Icom IC-2820H 2m/70cm FM mobile transceiver, transmitting at 5W into an Elk Antennas handheld 2m/70cm log periodic antenna. The radio was powered by a 12V/26Ah jumpstart battery.
Watch NA1SS in ARRL Field Day – 28 June 2014, 1815-1822 UT
Many stations have been receiving the telemetry transmitted by FUNcube-1, which has now been in orbit for 221 days. The spacecraft, which has been operating nominally since launch, is providing on-board health and science data for the many schools and colleges who are already participating in the project around the world.
Since launch, data has been received by more than 650 stations around the world and today our online Data Warehouse received its one millionth packet of information. The Warehouse is now storing more than 256 MB of telemetry which is available for educational and research use.
The FUNcube team have been successful in capturing almost 25% of all the telemetry transmitted including almost all of the Whole Orbit Data. This success is a great tribute to our designers of the Flight software, the Dashboard programme and the matching Data Warehouse.
Count of FUNcube-1 data uploads since launch
The FUNcube team are also immensely grateful to all the schools, colleges, radio amateurs and other listeners who are providing this data and want to encourage everyone to continue to listen to FUNcube-1 and to upload the data to the Warehouse. This will help enable the project to continue to provide a complete and current data set for analysis.
The team would, of course, also love to have additional receiving stations in the FUNcube Ground Station Network. This applies especially to anyone near the poles or who is located on an island in the middle of ocean. Their involvement would help improve the rate of data capture still further.
The FUNcube records show that there were three stations who actually managed to upload the same one millionth packet to the Warehouse today. They are G0EID, OM3BC and DL3SER. If they could contact “operations at funcube.org.uk” we will arrange them to send them a small prize to honour their contribution to the project.
There will be a presentation on FUNcube-1 at 11:15 am BST on Saturday, July 26 at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium which takes place at the Holiday Inn, Guildford, GU2 7XZ. The event is open to all, admittance £10 per day, further details at https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/colloquium-2014/
AMSAT-UK 
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