Tag Archives: satellite

Mar 10 2023

AMSAT-India at National Science Day event

Engineering Students were among the visitors to the stand

Engineering Students were among the visitors to the stand

To celebrate National Science Day of India on February 28 one of the biggest Science Carnival 2023 was organised by Gujarat state – India at prestigious Science City Ahmedabad during 28th February to 4th March 2023.

AMSAT-INDIA was specially invited to participate in this biggest scientific exhibition for mass awareness on Amateur Radio & Satellite Communication!

AMSAT-INDIA Regional Coordinator Rajesh Vagadia VU2EXP & team member Sakshi Vagadia VU3EXP did huge efforts to mass promote AMSAT activities amongst all sort of visitors which includes young kids, school-college students, budding engineers, IT Programmers, general public, professionals from various industries, scientists from renowned organization like ISRO, PRL, IPR, VSSE, ISR, officers from BSF, Police, Fire dept and citizens from every walk of life! More than 100,000 visitors were reported and grabbed the opportunity to visit science carnival 2023 and our Science exhibition during 5 days.

AMSAT-INDIA stall was spacious & decent sized at 3m x 3m, it was a big attraction at the center of the Science Exhibition. With well prepared different informative Banners on AMSAT-INDIA, Various Satellite Activities, Amateur Radio Satellite chronology, ARISS Student outreach program, ARISS SSTV event, Question submission for our upcoming ARISS student outreach program etc was absolutely eye catching from a distance.

Kiran on the AMSAT-India stand

Kiran on the AMSAT-India stand

For the curious visitors we tried to highlight every aspect of our hobby and exhibited all sorts of Radio stuff, Documents, QSL Cards, Books, Ham Licence, Awards, Project articles, Tracking software, SSTV software, SDR Software, Cube Satellite models etc to give bit idea of our hobby.

Experiencing various amateur radio gears, satellite antenna & test instruments were highly appreciated by visiting budding engineers from a number of colleges at AMSAT-INDIA stall. Some of the stuff we displayed include; Dual band Arrow-II antenna, dual band Yagi, tape measure antenna, GP, Telescopic antenna for SDR, Radios includes Icom IC-705 with LiFePO4 battery pack, Kenwood VHF base, half dozen of VHF/UHF HTs, RTL-SDR setup, LDG ATU, NanoVNA, Morse Key, cw oscillator, Paddle, electronic keyer, SWR/Power meter, Cable, Connectors etc. It made our task easy to explain the use of each stuff according to the visitors’ query.

We came across various types of queries like how to be a Ham, Procedure to get license, Types of Amateur Radio satellites, operating modes, setting up ground station, how to receive ISS SSTV images, how to establish satellite contact etc. We made a humble attempt to answer & satisfy all of those queries. We enjoyed a very detailed discussion with students/groups who already know about Amateur Radio and always need to learn more on Satellite Communication.

We also highlighted contributions of worldwide AMSAT organizations, IARU, ARISS, RSGB, ARRL and our ARSI & GIAR. I also mark a note on an author and my teacher Mr. Nagendra Vijay of popular Gujarati Science magazine named ‘Scope’ who did tremendous efforts to introduce Ham Radio in Gujarat (India) 40 years back and still continue to create awareness via it’s leading Science magazine ‘Safari’, his stall was just after a row.

Our AMSAT-INDIA stall were visited by many well-wisher GIAR Ham friends including VU2CPV Pravinbhai, VU2JGI Jagdishbhai, VU2MJP Manojbhai, VU2SPF Bhatnagarji, VU3APY Asheshbhai, VU3VDC Vitthhalbhai, VU3GLY Priyesh, VU3WHO Snehal etc.

It was a great experience for us to spend the whole 5 days enjoying talking & explaining our favorite hobby Amateur Radio & Satellite Communication!

We were happy to present amateur radio as a scientific hobby & experimenting platform for diversified fields and not just emergency communication tools!

Lots of positive & appreciating feedback we received in the visitor feedback book.

We are thankful to Science Carnival 2023 Organiser Dr. Vrajesh Parikh, Pulkesh Prajapati, Dr. Narotam Sahoo & team for inviting us for this prestigious Science Carnival Exhibition. I also thank our AMSAT-INDIA Secretary Mr Nitin Muttin VU3TYG, Director Educational B. A. Subramani VU2WMY, President Ramesh Ramsubbu VU2RMS & committee for complete guidance and support extended to us.

I specially thank team member Sakshi Vagadia VU3EXP & my XYL Kiran Vagadia for supporting and assisting me all the time during the 5 day exhibition.

I am optimistic to see the next generation taking keen interest in Amateur Radio & Satellites from VU Land.

Thank you
73 Rajesh Vagadia VU2EXP
Rajkot – Gujarat
Regional Coordinator West India Zone, AMSAT-INDIA

Many youngsters visited the stand

Many youngsters visited the stand

Dec 16 2022

User manual released for Fengtai OSCAR-118

Some of the students and teachers who participated in the CAS-5A project

Some of the students and teachers who participated in the CAS-5A project

CAMSAT’s transponder satellite CAS-5A (Fengtai OSCAR-118) launched on December 9, 2022, carrying three amateur radio transponders.

The satellite user manual can be downloaded here: CAMSAT CAS-5A Amateur Radio Satellite User’s Manual V2.0

Students participated in CAS-5A projectCAS-5A Frequencies:

CW Beacon: 435.570MHz CW 22wpm

U/V Linear Transponder: Uplink 145.820MHz, Downlink 435.540MHz, Bandwidth 30kHz

U/V FM Transponder： Uplink 145.925MHz，Downlink 435.600MHz Bandwidth 15kHz

H/U linear Transponder: Uplink 21.435MHz，Downlink 435.505MHz Bandwidth 15kHz

Telemetry： 435.650MHz GMSK 4800bps

Nov 1 2022

Making QO-100 contacts from North America – A new challenge

QO-100 North America CertfificateIt is understandable that amateur radio operators in North America are disappointed that they cannot experience the fun of using QO100. However, although the footprint charts that have been published show that it is not possible, there have been good reports recently about the successful QO-100 expedition in Indonesia. In particular YC1HVZ/P successfully operated through the QO100 narrow band transponder from OI42DE at -1.2 degrees elevation!

QO-100 Indonesia Contact

This success suggests that it should be possible to make contacts through QO-100 from at least one North American location.

Examination of the footprint maps and the BATC / AMSAT QO100 dish pointing tool https://eshail.batc.org.uk/point/ shows that the historic site at Signal Hill at St Johns on Newfoundland may be just the location from which to make the attempt.

QO-100 Newfoundland Contact

There would be a lot of challenges to be overcome!

Would the usual QO100 groundstation be sufficient or would a large dish and high power on the 2.4GHz be required? Could activity include operation of DATV through the wideband transponder? As signals from the ground station will probably be relying on tropospheric ducting for the first few miles, an alternative site, lower down, near the beach, might actually be better. What time of year, and what weather conditions might be most favourable? And perhaps the biggest unknown is whether the footprint maps for QO100 reflect the actual coverage or it is squinted towards the east by a couple of degrees?

Having been involved with supporting the QARS and AMSAT-DL since the inception of QO100, AMSAT-UK and BATC would like to establish this challenge and will award trophies as follows.

The station that succeeds in having the first 2-way QSO via the QO-100 narrow band transponder when operating from Newfoundland.

The station that succeeds in having more than 100 2-way QSOs via the QO-100 narrow band transponder when operating from Newfoundland.

The station that succeeds in having the first 2-way DATV QSOs via the via the QO-100 wide band transponder when operating from Newfoundland.

Subsequent operations from Newfoundland will also be eligible to apply for a special Certificate

Watch QO-100 North America Challenge talk at 2022 AMSAT-UK Colloquium

Details of tests being planned, and general questions should be submitted by email to
awards@amsat-uk.org
Claims for trophies and certificates should also be submitted to the same address.

QO-100 Award for contact from North America Word Document Here

Aug 2 2022

QSL cards and award for receiving SWSU satellites

CubeSat released from the ISS

CubeSat released from the ISS

On July 21 ten amateur radio CubeSats built by students at the Southwestern State University were deployed from the ISS. QSL cards and a diploma are available for receiving the SSTV, APRS and Voice messages

On his website Dmitry Pashkov R4UAB reports:

Small spacecraft (ICA), created on the YUZGU-55 platform, have been operating in real space flight for more than ten days. The cyclogram of work includes the transmission of voice messages, telemetry, call sign and SSTV images.

In view of the great interest in the space experiment “Radioskaf”, which is aimed at popularizing space research, Southwestern State University will be happy to send a QSL card to all radio amateurs who have successfully conducted a communication session with satellites.

To receive a QSL card, you need to send information: call sign, location, session date and time, carrier frequency, modulation type (APRS, FM-Voice, Robot36) and the result of a successful session (audio sample, telemetry text and image). The data is sent in the form of Applications for QSL. In the return letter you will receive the address where you need to send the card.

To obtain a diploma, you need to take 10 different SSTV images and voice messages, as well as decode 10 APRS telemetry messages (AFSK 1142 baud format) from any of the satellites, and apply for a Diploma

Satellite frequencies:

437.0000 MHz — SWSU-55 #8 — RS6S
437.0125 MHz — KETs#2 — RS12S
437.0250 MHz — KETs#1 — RS9S
437.0500 MHz — SWSU-55 #1 & R-390 #1 — RS10S
437.0750 MHz — SWSU-55 #2 — RS11S
437.0750 MHz — SWSU-55 #3 — RS1S
437.0870 MHz — SWSU-55 #4 — RS2S
437.0870 MHz — SWSU-55 #6 — RS4S
437.1000 MHz — SWSU-55 #5 — RS3S
437.1125 MHz — SWSU-55 #7 & R-390 #2 — RS5S

Source R4UAB
https://r4uab.ru/2022/08/02/diplomnaya-programma-mka-yuzgu-55/
https://twitter.com/R4UAB

Nader Omer ST2NH describes how to receive the satellites at
https://twitter.com/st2nh/status/1554223850329718785

Ten amateur radio CubeSats deployed from ISS
https://amsat-uk.org/2022/07/21/ten-amateur-radio-cubesats-deployed-from-iss/

Jul 7 2022

Summer 2022 OSCAR News now available to download

2022-06 Oscar News Front CoverE-members of AMSAT-UK can now download the Summer 2022 edition of OSCAR News, issue 238, here.

The paper edition edition will be sent to postal members and should arrive in the next 2-3 weeks.

In this issue:
• From the Secretary’s Keyboard
• CelesTrak Changing Domain Used
• Our thanks to – Frank Heritage M0AEU
• Retirement Letter
• FUNcubes update June 2022
• FUNcube-Next
• STAR-XL: Student Transponder for Satellite Ranging on X & L-band
• First flight of Vega-C
• New HO-113 AMSAT Distance Record Set
• Satlist a valuable resource!
• Satellite Operations from the Gambia
• Electromagnetic Field
• G3OUA Works CN88
• Increase in Satellite activity from Jersey
• GB70U Guernsey
• IARU Region 1 Satellite Coordinator’s report
• ARISS Women in Space SSTV Activity

AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch

AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch

Membership of AMSAT-UK is open to anyone who has an interest in amateur radio satellites or space activities, including the International Space Station (ISS).

E-members of AMSAT-UK are able to download the quarterly publication OSCAR News as a convenient PDF that can be read on laptops, tablets or smartphones anytime, anyplace, anywhere. Join as an E-member at Electronic (PDF) E-membership

PDF sample copy of “Oscar News” here.

Join AMSAT-UK using PayPal, Debit or Credit card at
http://shop.amsat-uk.org/

E-members can download their copies of OSCAR News here.