It 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!
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.
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.
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
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
E-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
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
IARU report on the recent meeting of ITU-R WP5A, the lead group responsible for developing the Conference Preparatory Meeting report about the WRC23 agenda item on the 23cm band.
The latest meeting of ITU-R WP5A concluded on June 2, 2022. The IARU was represented by Ole Garpstad (LA2RR – ITU Lead) and Barry Lewis (G4SJH – WRC23 AI9.1b Lead).
ITU-R WP5A is the study group at ITU which deals in part with topics related to the amateur and amateur satellite services. It is the lead group responsible for developing the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) report on agenda item 9.1(b).
This Agenda Item provides for a “Review of the amateur service and the amateur-satellite service allocations in the frequency band 1240‑1300 MHz to determine if additional measures are required to ensure protection of the radionavigation-satellite (space-to-Earth) service operating in the same band in accordance with Resolution 774 (WRC‑19);” The CPM Report will form the basis for consideration of this issue at WRC-23 next year.
At the conclusion of the recent WP5A meeting a draft recommendation was prepared which will provide guidelines to administrations to ensure the protection of the RNSS primary allocation from the secondary amateur and amateur satellite services.
The draft recommendation will be the most important element of the WP5A work going forward for the amateur and amateur satellite services in the 23cm band. The working document contains a number of proposals for severe limitations on amateur usage of the band including transmitter power constraints. Very low power levels are proposed for large portions of the band (100% in one case). Proposals also identify possible frequency band usage limitations for broadband applications (e.g. ATV), narrowband applications and amateur satellite services in 1260-1270 MHz.
None of these proposals are adopted at this time and work will continue at the next meeting of WP5A to rationalise the variations proposed by national telecom-administrations.
The IARU will work to minimise the constraints on amateur radio activities and continue to seek amendments to the draft recommendations through the ITU process, but as a secondary user, radio amateurs should understand the need to protect the Radionavigation Satellite Service (RNSS) in many consumer and industry applications (like autonomous vehicles) that will lead to some restrictions on our use of the 23 cm band.
CAS-5A Frequencies:
AMSAT-UK 
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