AubieSat-1 launch information

Jean-Marie KI4YAU asks Amateur Radio operators to listen out for AubieSat-1, on 437.475 MHz CW, after its launch on October 25 at 0952 UTC:

We fervently request your assistance in receiving transmissions from an upcoming satellite, AubieSat-1, immediately after its launch from Vandenberg AFB, California, USA, 25 October 2011 at 9:52 UTC.

AubieSat-1 (AS-1) is an undergraduate – built CubeSat satellite developed by Auburn University.

AS-1 is designed to transmit with a power of about 800 milliwatts on a frequency of 437.475 MHz, plus or minus Doppler correction [+/- 9 kHz]. The beacon signal, along with telemetry, will be sent using A1A continuous wave Morse code at 20 words per minute. Additional telemetry from the onboard science experiment will use CW transmissions up to 60 WPM.

Based on the pre-launch orbital data provided by NASA, AS-1 will activate after deployment at 12:21 UTC, 25 October 2011. At that time, the sub-satellite point will be at 34.52 S latitude and 1.52 W longitude over the South Atlantic Ocean.

Our predictions are that the first flights over the contiguous United States will begin as shown in the following table:

Orbit AOS Apogee LOS General Locale
3 15:54 UTC >50 deg 16:01 UTC New York
4 17:28 UTC >26 deg 17:35 UTC Texas
5 19:07 UTC >48 deg 19:14 UTC California

This information will be updated should there be launch scrubs or performance changes in the launch, and additional information will be available upon request for specific locations.

Reception reports with data contents are welcomed to the following email addresses:
wersijp at auburn dot edu and tam0013 at auburn dot edu

An internet Echolink conference group is also planned to begin one-half hour prior to launch and continue until about 30 minutes after confirmation of the first receipt of signals from the satellite.

Information on the conference groups title will be distributed nearer to the launch for interested stations.

Please email wersijp at auburn dot edu if you require additional information and can assist in the reception and tracking of AS-1.

Thank you.

J-M Wersinger, PhD KI4YAU
Professor Emeritus
Director, AU Student Space Program
334-844-4223
Physics Department
Auburn University, AL 36849

AubieSat-1 on the IARU Frequency Coordination Panel pages hosted by AMSAT-UK here

AubieSat website

N2YO Real-Time Satellite Tracking

Online Amateur Radio Satellite Pass Predictions

AMSAT Bulletin Board (AMSAT-BB)

A sample of the AMSAT-UK quarterly publication OSCAR News can be downloaded here. Join AMSAT-UK online here.

Autumn OSCAR News

The autumn edition of the colour A4 newsletter OSCAR News is being posted to AMSAT-UK members this week

As usual it’s packed with Amateur Satellite articles:

– Haven’t Got A Callsign – regular column by Clive Wallis G3CWV
– Memories of working Astronaut Helen Sharman GB1MIR by Chris Lorek G4HCL
– Louis Varney Cup Presentation to Paul Robinson 2E1EUB
– ARISSat-1 Reception
– USA NTIA WRC proposal for an ITU “Educational” Satellite Service
– ARISSat Update
– FUNcube Testing at RAL
– Syncart geostationary transponder
– Report on First UK National Space Conference 2011
– FUNcube Project Report
– KiwiSAT Current Status
– IARU Region 1 Sun City Report
– 2011 AMSAT-UK Colloquium Report
– QB50 Latest News

To receive this copy of OSCAR News join AMSAT-UK online at
http://tinyurl.com/JoinAMSAT-UK/

If you’ve never seen OSCAR News before you can get an idea of what it’s like by downloading a sample issue from http://www.uk.amsat.org/on_193_final.pdf

Isle of Skye on Amateur Radio Satellites Sep 24

Paul Robinson 2E1EUB, current holder of the Louis Varney G5RV cup, will be active on the Amateur Radio satellites from the Isle of Skye and Eastern Scotland starting Saturday, September 24.

2E1EUB Portable Satellite Station

2E1EUB Portable Satellite Station

He will be using the call sign 2M1EUB/P and weather permitting Paul will be active from the Isle of Skye for a week and then active for a further week from Cairngorms National Park about 80km west of Aberdeen in grid square IO67VJ.

He says he welcomes skeds, contact details via:
http://www.qrz.com/db/2E1EUB
http://www.qrz.com/db/2M1EUB

Louis Varney G5RV Cup

Getting started on Amateur Radio Satellites PDF

ARISSat-1 on Ham Nation Show

TAPR President, Steve Bible N7HPR, discusses the new amateur radio satellite ARISSat-1 on this weeks edition of the popular video show Ham Nation. He appears after the item on the Elecraft KX3 portable SDR transceiver.

Watch Ham Nation episode 16 at
http://twit.cachefly.net/video/hn/hn0016/hn0016_h264b_864x480_500.mp4

Other Ham Nation episodes can be seen at http://twit.tv/show/ham-nation/

Ham Nation airs live each Tuesday at 6:00 PT/ 9:00ET at http://live.twit.tv/

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

UK Amateur Radio Smartphone CubeSat STRaND-1

The International Amateur Radio Union satellite frequency coordination panel has agreed a frequency of 437.575 MHz for the UK satellite STRaND-1.

Some of the SSTL STRaND-1 Project Team, from Left to Right: Bob Dyer, Nick Holt, Dale Mellor, Mark Brenchley, Shaun Kenyon, Jonathan Gebbie, Rupert Taylor, Rosie Linehan, James Parsons, Andy Schofield

STRaND-1 will carry an Android Smartphone and plans to use data rates of 9k6 or 19k2 bps for the AX.25 packet radio downlink. A software-based speech synthesiser will be included to pay homage to the UOSAT family of satellites.

The 3U CubeSat measures 30 by 10 by 10 cm and weighs 4 kg. Unlike previous CubeSats it will feature full 3-axis control with the attitude an orbit control system comprising a nano-magnetorquer, nano-reaction wheels, GPS receiver, 8 pulse plasma thrusters and a butane thruster.

STRaND stands for Surrey Training, Research and Nanosatellite Demonstration and the programme is intended to be a long-term arrangement between the space company SSTL and academic researchers at the Surrey Space Centre (SSC), with STRaND-1 the first of a long line of STRaND nanosatellites.

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