Tag Archives: ISS

Oct 31 2013

ISS HamTV Presentation by G3VZV

Front panel of the HamTV transmitter

Front panel of the HamTV transmitter

In this video radio amateur Graham Shirville G3VZV talks about the International Space Station (ISS) HamTV project. The presentation was given to the BATC Convention on October 26, 2013.

Watch ISS Ham TV

Noel Matthews G8GTZ, Chair of the BATC, has announced the first 11 presentation videos from the CAT13 convention on ATV/DATV, held October 26, 2013, have been put up on the BATC video archive area.

They can be found in the http://batc.tv/ Film Archive by selecting the BATC CAT13 category.

The direct links are as follows:

BATC review http://www.batc.tv/streams/cat1301

LNB developments http://www.batc.tv/streams/cat1302

HAB introduction http://www.batc.tv/streams/cat1303

Early colour cameras http://www.batc.tv/streams/cat1304

SMD techniques http://www.batc.tv/streams/cat1305

DTX1 DVB-S xmtr http://www.batc.tv/streams/cat1306

DATV in practice http://www.batc.tv/streams/cat1307

Spectrum matters http://www.batc.tv/streams/cat1308

10 GHz Tx multipliers http://www.batc.tv/streams/cat1309

10GHz PLL LNBs http://www.batc.tv/streams/cat1310

ISS HAMTV http://www.batc.tv/streams/cat1311

Oct 28 2013

ISS Slow Scan TV Active

RS0ISS SSTV 20131029-1121Z received by Dmitry Pashkov UB4UAD

RS0ISS SSTV 20131029-1121Z received by Dmitry Pashkov UB4UAD

Dmitry Pashkov UB4UAD reports that the Slow Scan Television (SSTV) experiment MAI-75 on the International Space Station (ISS) has been active on 145.800 MHz FM.

The experiment is expected to run for two days, October 28-29, 2013.

Dmitry also reports that on October 31, 2013 SSTV images will be transmitted from the  ISS on 145.800 MHz showing photographic images of the life and work of the first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.

ISS SSTV pictures received by Pete Sipple M0PSX can be seen at http://www.essexham.co.uk/news/iss-sstv-images-29-october-2013.html

All you need to do to receive the SSTV pictures from the space station is to  connected the audio output of a scanner or amateur rig via a simple interface to the soundcard on a Windows PC or an Apple iOS device, and tune in to 145.800 MHz FM. You can even receive pictures by holding an iPhone next to the radio’s loudspeaker.

Yuri Gagarin

Yuri Gagarin

The ISS puts out a strong signal on 145.800 MHz FM and a 2m handheld with a 1/4 wave antenna will be enough to receive it. The FM transmission uses 5 kHz deviation which is standard in much of the world.

Many FM rigs in the UK can be switched been wide and narrow deviation FM filters so select the wider deviation. Handhelds all seem to have a single wide filter fitted as standard.

On Windows PC’s the free application MMSSTV can be used to decode the signal, on Apple iOS devices you can use the SSTV app. The ISS Fan Club website will show you when the space station is in range.

For more on Slow Scan Television SSTV, see this article SSTV – The Basics
http://www.essexham.co.uk/sstv-the-basics

How to be successful with the ISS Slow Scan Television (SSTV) imaging system
http://www.marexmg.org/fileshtml/howtoisssstv.html

RS0ISS SSTV 20131029-1118Z received by Dmitry Pashkov UB4UAD

RS0ISS SSTV 20131029-1118Z received by Dmitry Pashkov UB4UAD

Information on the MAI-75 SSTV experiment
http://www.energia.ru/eng/iss/researches/education-26.html

MMSSTV software http://hamsoft.ca/pages/mmsstv.php

IZ8BLY Vox Recoder, enables you to record the signals from the ISS on 145.800 MHz while you’re away at work http://antoninoporcino.xoom.it/VoxRecorder/

ARISS Slow Scan TV (SSTV) Blog and Gallery http://ariss-sstv.blogspot.co.uk/

Dmitry Pashkov UB4UAD
http://tinyurl.com/ISS-SSTV-2013-10-28
http://tinyurl.com/ISS-SSTV-2013-10-31

Oct 28 2013

November Deployment for ISS CubeSats

Pico Dragon CubeSat - Image credit VNSC

Pico Dragon CubeSat – Image credit VNSC

Four CubeSats carrying amateur radio payloads will be deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) by the JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD).  Pico Dragon, ArduSat-1 and ArduSat-2 will be deployed on Tuesday, November 19, and the fourth Cubesat, TechEdSat-3p, will be deployed Wednesday, November 20.

The CubeSats are:
•    Pico Dragon developed by the Việt Nam National Satellite Center (VNSC), University of Tokyo and IHI aerospace. 437.250 MHz CW beacon and 437.365 MHz 1200 bps AFSK AX.25 telemetry.
•    ArduSat-1 developed by NanoSatisfi. 437.700 MHz 9k6 MSK CCSDS downlink.
•    ArduSat-X developed by NanoSatisfi. 437.700 MHz 9k6 MSK CCSDS downlink .
•    TechEdSat-3 developed by interns at the NASA Ames Research Center. 437.465 MHz 1200 bps packet radio beacon transmitting 1 watt to 1/4 wave monopole. It plans to test an Iridium Satphone modem and has a deployment mechanism to de-orbit in 10 days.

They are 1U in size (10*10*10 cm) except for TechEdSat-3 which is 3U (30*10*10 cm).

IEEE – DIY Space Programs http://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/satellites/diy-space-programs

Oct 27 2013

Astronaut Rick Mastracchio KC5ZTE to Geocache the ISS

Rick Mastracchio KC5ZTE - Image credit NASA

Rick Mastracchio KC5ZTE – Image credit NASA

It’s the Travel Bug® that’s taking the global Geocaching community on a rocket ride to space.

Geocaching in Space LogoWhether you’re in Mexico, the UK, Australia, or Korea you’re primed to join the Geocaching community in celebrating the spirit of exploration. There are more than 800 Geocaching in Space events scheduled around the world. Those who attend Event Caches on either November 6 or November 7, 2013 earn the Geocaching in Space souvenir.

Join the adventure and watch the launch live as Astronaut and Radio Amateur Rick Mastracchio KC5ZTE packs the Travel Bug along on his 6 month mission aboard the International Space Station. He’ll use the Travel Bug as a tool to teach students back on earth about geography and science.

Geocaching HQ is offering a limited edition Geocaching in Space Mission Patch. Geocaching will donate proceeds from the patch to http://Donorschoose.org/ for use in funding projects that use Geocaching as an educational tool.

Astronaut Richard Garriott W5KWQ with FUNcube Dongle SDR

Astronaut Richard Garriott W5KWQ with FUNcube Dongle SDR

Geocaching in Space Event Owners: Be on the lookout for an email from Geocaching HQ later this week. We’ll serve up details on how to watch the launch live, how to connect with the 800+ events around the world and how to celebrate afterwards (hint: geocaching).

For more information on this event visit
http://blog.geocaching.com/2013/10/geocaching-in-space-faq/

Interactive event map http://blog.geocaching.com/2013/10/geocaching-in-space-the-interactive-event-map/

While aboard the ISS Mastracchio is expected to recover a travel bug hidden by another ham radio Astronaut Richard Garriott W5KWQ on October 14, 2008.

For information on the 2008 Geocache see
http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC1BE91_international-space-station

Thanks to ANS News for this item.

Oct 9 2013

World Space Week – UKSA Tim Peake Video

Tim Peake and Union Flag

For World Space Week the UK Space Agency (UKSA) have released a video featuring Tim Peake who hopes to become the second UK astronaut.

Sue Nelson from Space Boffins talk to Tim about training and the business of being an astronaut.

Watch Tim Peake talks training

If you’d like to hear more Space Boffins interviews, check out the Space Boffins podcasts on the Naked Scientists website.

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

World Space Week http://www.worldspaceweek.org/

UK astronaut Major Tim Peake

UK astronaut Major Tim Peake

Sep 25 2013

ISS Astronaut Luca Parmitano KF5KDP discusses life in space on BBC World News

Luca Parmitano KF5KDP / IR0ISS on Expedition 36 EVA July 9, 2013 - Image credit ESA

Luca Parmitano KF5KDP / IR0ISS
on Expedition 36 EVA July 9, 2013 – Image credit ESA

Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 37 Flight Engineer Luca Parmitano KF5KDP / IR0ISS of the European Space Agency provided an update on life and research aboard the orbital laboratory during an interview Sept. 24 with the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) “World News” program.

Parmitano, who arrived at the station in late May, is in the final two months of his mission, heading for a return to Earth in mid-November.

In the interview he discusses the water leak in his space suit that occurred during an EVA on July 9, 2013.

Watch ISS Astronaut Luca Parmitano discusses life in space on BBC’s World News

BBC World News Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/bbcworldnews

Radio Ham’s Leaky Spacesuit https://amsat-uk.org/2013/07/31/radio-hams-leaky-spacesuit/

Astronaut Luca Parmitano KF5KDP talks about his ham radio contacts
https://amsat-uk.org/2013/08/14/astronaut-luca-parmitano-kf5kdp-talks-about-his-ham-radio-contacts/

Teenager Hosts Earth-To-Space Q&As With An Orbiting Astronaut
http://www.universetoday.com/104973/this-teenager-hosts-earth-to-space-qas-with-an-orbiting-astronaut/