23cm band in the spotlight with regulators

RNSS - Credit IARU Region 1

RNSS – Credit IARU Region 1

The Chair of IARU Region 1 Spectrum Affairs, Barry Lewis G4SJH, reports on the meeting of the ITU‑R Working Party 4C (WP4C) on February 15-19 which discussed the amateur radio allocation at 1240-1300 MHz.

On the IARU Region 1 site he writes:

During the week February 15–19, the preparatory work for WRC-23 agenda item 9.1b continued in ITU‑R Working Party 4C (WP4C). The WRC agenda item has initiated technical studies on coexistence between the radio navigation satellite service (RNSS) and the amateur services in the 23cm band. As usual, the IARU participated in the meeting and delivered key information on amateur activities in this important microwave band. This information is vital to ensure the amateur services are realistically represented in the studies as they move forward.

It remains vital that national amateur communities present their views on the importance of this band to their national regulators in a consolidated and consistent manner.

To assist with this the IARU-R1 is developing supporting material that member societies can refer to when addressing the topic with their national regulator.

The work on this topic will continue throughout the year and beyond both in ITU‑R and in the regional telecommunications organisations and the IARU is committed to ensure every organisation understands the amateur position on this important microwave band.

Source IARU-R1 https://www.iaru-r1.org/2021/23cm-band-in-the-spotlight-with-regulators/

The ITU‑R WP4C Summary Meeting Report notes “The only administration that can be considered supportive towards proper treatment of the Amateur Services in this work is Germany”, read the report at https://www.iaru-r1.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Report-from-WP4C_Feb-2021.docx

First QO-100 satellite contact from Indonesia

Team from the Telkom University Telecommunication Engineering Student Association

Team from the Telkom University Telecommunication Engineering Student Association

Indonesia’s national amateur radio society, ORARI, reports on the first contacts from Indonesia via the Qatar-Oscar-100 geostationary satellite transponder that took place on Thursday, January 27, 2021. Those involved were Farid Farhan YC1HVZ, Remco den Besten PA3FYM and Rene Stevens PE1CMO.

ORARI’s report says a team from the Telkom University Telecommunication Engineering Student Association (HMTT) led by Farid Farhan YC1HVZ, succeeded in conducting the first contact from Bukit Moko (Grid square OI33UD), Bandung, West Java with a satellite elevation of 0.8 degrees at an altitude of 1200m+.

Over several months Remco den Besten PA3FYM, and Rene Stevens PE1CMO had helped Farid Farham YC1HVZ get equipment operational for use on the QO-100 satellite which has an uplink in the 2.4 GHz band and a downlink in 10.45 GHz.

Farid’s location in Bandung is on the edge of the satellite’s footprint and he didn’t have a clear view to the horizon so Farid had to travel to a location in the hills of Java to get an unobstructed path to the satellite which had an elevation of just 0.8 degrees.

An attempt on Monday, January 24, was unfortunately unsuccessful and Farid YC1HVZ returned to the hill on Thursday, January 27, for a test with Remco PA3FYM and Rene PE1CMO. At about 07:40 GMT they heard the first signals from YC1HVZ but Farid couldn’t receive the QO-100 signal. It’s rainy season in Indonesia, which makes it much harder – the 10 GHz downlink has to get through the heavy rain showers which attenuate the signal.

After a few tests conditions improved and Farid heard his signal coming back from the satellite and by 07:50 GMT it was possible to make a two-way contact. Rene PE1CMO was the first to receive Farid and the first who Farid received but it was Remco PA3FYM who made the first complete contact exchanging signal report, call and locator, after which Rene has a QSO with Farid. Unfortunately the signal in Indonesia then dropped due to clouds and rain but later it came back and YC1HVZ made six more contacts. Farid hopes to try that location again or go to a location on the beach on the west coast of Java for a DXpedition.

Congratulations to Farid, Remco and Rene.

See a translation of the ORARI report at https://tinyurl.com/IndonesiaORARI

QO-100 information https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/geo/eshail-2/

Video of Dual-band Eggbeater Antenna talk

EI6EG 144-435 MHz Dual-band Eggbeater AntennaThe South Dublin Radio Club have shared the talk Joe EI6EG gave them on the construction of a 2m – 70cm Dual Band “Eggbeater” Antenna.

Also read this article – Build Your Own Satellite Antenna – by John Hemming G0UYT which appeared in the April 2019 edition of Practical Wireless magazine https://www.radioenthusiast.co.uk/news/feature-build-your-own-satellite-antenna

Watch Building a 2m – 70cm Dual Band “Eggbeater” Antenna

Follow the South Dublin Radio Club at https://twitter.com/SDRadioClub

Winter issue of OSCAR News now available

Oscar News issue 232 December 2020 Front CoverE-members of AMSAT-UK can now download the December 2020 edition of OSCAR News, issue 232, 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
• The Colloquium 2020
• AMSAT-UK OSCAR QSO Party Wrapup
• AMSAT-UK Wiki Launched
• Dedicated AMSAT-UK Newsgroup
• International QO-100 Emergency Frequency
• Meetings & Events
• My experience of operating on QO 100
• ARISS SSTV Diploma
• Mars on Earth Project KG-STV Activity on QO-100
• EIRSAT-1
• 5 watt 2.4 GHz Amplifier Kit for QO-100 is Back in Stock
• Filtered 2400 MHz Driver Amplifier Kits Now Available

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.

New IARU VHF Handbook (v9.00) now available as free PDF

A new edition (v9.00) of the free IARU VHF Handbook covering the bands at VHF and Above is now available for download.

It contains all the decisions regarding the bands at VHF and Above that were made at the 2020 IARU Region 1 virtual General Conference.

The band plan on page 46 (PDF 47) covers the 145 satellite allocation and page 50 (PDF 51) shows the changes to 436-438 MHz.

Download the free PDF at
https://www.iaru-r1.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/VHF_Handbook_V9.00.pdf

Thailand grid NK99 on QO-100 geostationary satellite

Es'hail-2 Qatar-OSCAR-100During November 26-28 HS0AJ/P will be active on QO-100 and the other amateur radio satellites from Grid Square NK99 in Thailand

A post on the AMSAT Bulletin Board says:

The Thailand’s Amateur Radio Satellite group (AMSAT-HS) has requested permission to establish a temporary station (DX portable) with the northern office of the NBTC, Thailand’s regulator, in Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son (grid NK99) provinces in the north of Thailand during the period from November 26-28, 2020 to communicate via All LEO and MEO amateur radio satellites (including QO-100 NB) that pass over Thailand using the callsign HS0AJ/P of the Radio Amateur Society of Thailand under the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King.

Hence we would like to notify all radio amateurs who would [be] interested in contacting stations in Thailand on its northern border of this activity. Even if the angle is as low as 0 degrees please try to contact us. We hope to meet you on all satellites frequency then.

Operator by:
E21EJC KoB
HS1JAN NaN

73 All de Kob E21EJC and Tanan HS1JAN

Source AMSAT-BB https://www.amsat.org/pipermail/amsat-bb/2020-November/080313.html

QO-100 information https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/geo/eshail-2/