Tag Archives: Ham Radio

Nov 5 2018

Es’hail-2 geostationary satellite launch

AMSAT-DL/BATC team at the Kennedy Space Center Nov. 14, 2018

AMSAT-DL/BATC team at the Kennedy Space Center Nov. 14, 2018

The geostationary satellite Es’hail-2 carrying amateur radio transponders launched from Kennedy Space Center at 2046 GMT on Thursday, November 15 and was successfully deployed 32 minutes later.

Es'hail-2 coverage area

Es’hail-2 coverage area

A pre-launch static fire test had been carried out November 12.

AMSAT-DL say the launcher does not go directly into geostationary orbit, several orbital maneuvers are necessary, the satellite will then enter the commissioning phase which may take several months.

AMSAT-DL would be pleased to receive as many reception reports as possible, but they would like to ask urgently that transmission attempts are only made after the official release. Transmission attempts before a release only hinder the commissioning and could lead to delays.

See AMSAT-DL https://amsat-dl.org/p4-a-eshail-2-launches-in-a-few-days

SpaceX Mission Timeline https://spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/eshail-2_mission_press_kit_11_14_2018.pdf

Download the Es’hail-2 Transponder Information PDF

Es’hail-2 information https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/geosynchronous/eshail-2/

Es’hail-2 and its Amateur Radio payload by Graham Shirville G3VZV and Dave Crump G8GKQ

More videos from the AMSAT-UK Colloquium, part of the RSGB Convention, held at Milton Keynes Oct 13-14, are now available on the AMSAT-UK YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/AMSATUK/videos

Es'hail-2 Mission Patch

Nov 2 2018

Videos of AMSAT Symposium talks

Videos of the presentations given at the 2018 William A. Tynan W3XO Memorial Space Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama, on Friday/Saturday November 2/3 are now available

Schedule of symposium presentations https://www.amsat.org/call-for-papers/

Watch Friday, November 2

Watch Saturday, November 3

Oct 31 2018

FCC Satellite Related Filings

FCC SealFor easier navigation of US FCC Satellite related filings Luke Rehmann has built an RSS feed of the FCC’s ELS and IBFS systems.

The FCC Experimental Licensing System provides companies with temporary authorization to conduct temporary experimental wireless communication lab-testing, space launch/recovery communication, and other short-duration wireless communication needs
https://fcc.report/ELS/

The International Bureau administers international telecommunications and satellite programs and policies, including licensing and regulatory functions. The bureau also promotes pro-competitive policies abroad, coordinates global spectrum activities and advocates U.S. interests in international communications and competition
https://fcc.report/IBFS/

Oct 29 2018

Ham radio satellites on 5 Euro coin

Lithuania 5 Euro Gold Coin 2018

Lithuania 5 Euro Gold Coin 2018

The Bank of Lithuania (Lietuvos bankas) has released a commemorative gold 5 Euro coin featuring the amateur radio satellites LituanicaSAT-1 (LO-78) and LitSAT-1.

The two CubeSats were launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on January 9, 2014 and deployed from the ISS on February 28. LituanicaSAT-1 carried a FM transponder and a camera while LitSat-1 had a linear (SSB/CW) transponder developed by William Leijenaar PE1RAH.

The face of the gold coin features the Lithuanian coat of arms (Vytis) as a star constellation with LituanicaSAT-1 and LitSAT-1 on the reverse

Watch A gold coin of 5 euros for technology education

Numista catalogue entry https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces151686.html

Oct 25 2018

Galileo GNSS/GPS – FCC to vote on use of signals in USA

FCC SealThe Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has said it will vote in November on whether to allow U.S. GPS receivers to access the Galileo global navigation satellite system (GNSS).

From an Amateur Radio perspective the key part is that the FCC will only be voting to waive its licensing requirements for non-federal operations with Galileo channels E1 and E5, subject to certain technical constraints.

This means they will not be voting on the E6 channel 1260-1300 MHz, these frequencies are also Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Service allocations. This suggests for 1260-1300 MHz the situation in the USA will be unchanged, the unlicensed use of the Galileo signal on channel E6 will not be permitted for non-Federal operations in the USA.

Read the Reuters story which also says Ajit Pai is proposing the first comprehensive review of the FCC’s orbital debris rules since their adoption in 2004
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-fcc-gps-europe/fcc-to-vote-to-allow-u-s-devices-to-use-european-navigation-system-idUSKCN1MY2X6

2006 article – Galileo and amateur radio operations in 1260-1300 MHz
http://www.southgatearc.org/articles/galileo.htm

Oct 25 2018

ARISS and Amateur Radio in Raspberry Pi magazine article

Students programming the Astro Pi computers Credit: UK Space Agency (Max Alexander)

Radio amateur Dave Honess M6DNT is interviewed in the popular Raspberry Pi magazine MagPi about “Taking Education to the Stars”.

The article, on pages 84/85 of issue 75 November 2018 MagPi, covers the educational role of the two Astro Pi units on the International Space Station.

Dave mentions Tim Peake KG5BVI / GB1SS and the work of ARISS – Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, saying:

“Radio remains the only way to communicate with all our spacecraft throughout the solar system, and organisations like ARISS and local HAM radio clubs are, in my opinion, becoming more and more necessary to attract new talent.”

Download the Free PDF of MagPi magazine from
https://www.raspberrypi.org/magpi-issues/MagPi75.pdf

David Honess M6DNT with both ISS Astro Pi computers

David Honess M6DNT with both ISS Astro Pi computers

In 2017 Dave Honess M6DNT and Tim Peake KG5BVI / GB1SS were inducted into the prestigious CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame for their educational work in the ISS Astro Pi program and ARISS, Dave said:
“I was really surprised when I heard I’d been inducted into the Hall of Fame, especially alongside Tim! Thank you to CQ magazine for the honour.”
https://amsat-uk.org/2017/05/19/cq-mag-honors-astro-pi-britons/

Since March 2018 Dave Honess M6DNT has been working at ESA ESTEC (European Space Research and Technology Centre) in the Netherlands where he is ISS and International Education Operations Coordinator
https://twitter.com/dave_spice

ARISS http://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html