5 GHz to 10 GHz Lunar Transponder Mission

View of Earth from the Moon AdobeStock_77398324AMSAT-NA plans 5 GHz to 10 GHz transponders on a spacecraft expected to launch in September 2018 into a Lunar orbit.

Heimdallr is a 3 axis stabilized 6U CubeSat with a mass of approximately 8 kg. It will have a Cold Gas Thruster for inertia dump and a star tracker for navigation. Deployable, gimbled solar panels will produce up to 100 watts of DC power, electric propulsion will be used to achieve lunar orbit.

There will be a combination of omni and directional patch antennas on one side of spacecraft.

The first part of mission is to provide Telemetry, Tracking, and Command (TT&C) to obtain lunar orbit. The second part is to perform the data downlink experiment while the final part is to provide a two way regenerative repeater and analog repeater in lunar orbit for lifetime of satellite.

Proposing these downlinks:
• Omni transponder: 10.451 GHz +/- 0.5 MHz
• Directional transponder: 10.4575 GHz. +/- 3.5 MHz
• Analog transponder: 10.4665 GHz. +/- 2.0 MHz

For the first part of the mission (TT&C) using 300 bps BPSK 1/2 rate viterbi Ranging 1.5 Mbps BPSK DSSS. For the  second part of mission 4.5 Mbps QPSK ½ rate DVB-S2. For the final part of mission 25 kbps BPSK 1/5 rate DVB-S2.

Proposing these Uplinks
• Omni transponder: 5.651 GHz +/- 0.5 MHz
• Directional transponder: 5.6575 GHz. +/- 3.5 MHz
• Analog transponder: 5.665 GHz. +/- 2.0 MHz

A link budget is available at
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B3u-mSOWBMISYnZyZGJpeThKeU0&usp=sharing

It is anticipated that a 1 or 2 metre dish will be required using the AMSAT designed ground station equipment.

Source IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Status pages http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru/

Heimdallr satellite – 5 Teams Share First Round of NASA CubeSat Prizes
http://spacenews.com/5-teams-share-first-round-of-nasa-cubesat-prizes/

 

Amateur Satellites at BATC Convention Sept 24-25

BATC Logo SmallCAT 16, the British Amateur Television Club (BATC) Convention at Cosford in Shropshire Sat/Sun Sept 24/25 will be streamed live.

The talks program and agenda for the weekend has now been published and amateur space communications feature in the schedule, highlights include:

• Es’hailSat-2: Geostationary transponder for DATV – Graham G3VZV
• Receiving and Presenting HamTV from the ISS – Noel G8GTZ
• New BATC Streamer and Internet Presence – Phil M0DNY
• DATV Express and Future Developments – Charles G4GUO
• 146 MHz Reduced Bandwidth TV: A Practical Operators Guide – Shaun G8VPG
• MinitiounePro and Developments – Jean-Pierre F6DZP

The full program is at http://www.batc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=4569

BATC CAT16 live streaming starts 1300 BST Saturday https://beta.batc.tv/live/cat16

Please also remember that the BATC Biennial General Meeting is at 1:30 pm on the Sunday.  The Agenda is at http://www.batc.org.uk/GM2016agenda.pdf

All this in a venue with many other interesting exhibits.
See more at http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/
A guided tour will be available for those who have pre-booked.

Please register your intention to attend (and request a guided tour) using the BATC Shop (no charge at this stage, but £10/day on arrival).  Click here https://batc.org.uk/shop/cat16 and select cash payment of £0.00.

Lastly, we are  pleased to announce that Graham Shirville, G3VZV, has been chosen as the next President of the British Amateur Television Club (BATC).  He succeeds Peter Blakeborough, G3PYB, who died last December.  The appointment is for two years.

Looking forward to seeing you all at CAT16.

73 The BATC Team http://www.batc.tv/

The book – Getting Started with Amateur Satellites – is now available from the AMSAT-UK shop at http://shop.amsat-uk.org/

Satellite operation during ILLW

Getting Started with Amateur Satellites 2016 Front CoverKen Eaton GW1FKY reports the Barry Amateur Radio Society will be active on the amateur radio satellites during International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend August 20-21.

The Barry Amateur Radio Society will be operating from a twin pair of lighthouses located at Nash Point situated on the coast of the Bristol Channel – South Wales.

We will be active from approx. 0700-1600 GMT.

In addition to operating on the HF and VHF bands I also plan to set up my portable satellite equipment for operation and contacts during suitable passes.

Callsign/Lighthouse as follows:

GC6BRC – Lighthouse (High) Ref: UK0071
GC4BRS – Lighthouse (Low)  Ref: UK0072

Locator Ref: IO81FJ
QSL Manager: MW0DHF (Philip King)

International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend – ILLW http://illw.net/

The book – Getting Started with Amateur Satellites – is now available from the AMSAT-UK shop at http://shop.amsat-uk.org/

A popular antenna for satellite working is the Elk 2m/70cms Log Periodic available in the AMSAT-UK shop at http://shop.amsat-uk.org/ELK_2m70cms_Log_Periodic_Antenna/p3815740_15628555.aspx

Satellite Operating in TX Factor Show

Amateur radio satellite operating featured in episode 12 of the popular TX Factor Show.

In this episode Bob McCreadie G0FGX teaches Mike Marsh G1IAR a thing or two about amateur satellite operating.

The show highlights the book – Getting Started with Amateur Satellites – which is available from the AMSAT-UK shop at http://shop.amsat-uk.org/

Watch TX Factor – Episode 12 (TXF012) Amateur Radio Satellite Operating

A popular antenna for satellite working is the Elk 2m/70cms Log Periodic available in the AMSAT-UK shop at http://shop.amsat-uk.org/ELK_2m70cms_Log_Periodic_Antenna/p3815740_15628555.aspx

Satellite tracking:
• AMSAT-LU http://amsat.org.ar/pass.htm
• Orbitron http://www.stoff.pl/
• Gpredict http://gpredict.oz9aec.net/

How to work FM satellites https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/how-to-work-fm-satellites/

Video of EMF ham radio satellite talk

David Rowntree 2E0DVR communicating via Amateur Radio Satellite

David Rowntree 2E0DVR communicating via Amateur Radio Satellite

Dave Rowntree 2E0DVR, drummer in the rock-band Blur, gave a presentation on amateur radio satellites at the Electromagnetic Field event EMF 2016 in Guildford.

Talk description: There are about a dozen communications satellites orbiting the earth that were designed and built by teams of amateur enthusiasts. Dave talks about what they are, how they got there, and how you can build simple equipment to listen to their transmissions.

Due to the massive interest in amateur satellite operating generated by both Dave’s talk and the recent TX Factor Show video the book Getting Started with Amateur Satellites 2016 has completely sold old. A new print run is underway and the book should be back in stock in the AMSAT-UK online shop on August 14.
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/06/27/getting-started-with-amateur-satellites-2016/

Elk 2m/70cms Log Periodic Antennas are available now at
http://shop.amsat-uk.org/ELK_2m70cms_Log_Periodic_Antenna/p3815740_15628555.aspx

Watch Dave Rowntree 2E0DVR: A hacker’s guide to satellites

Electromagnetic Field EMF 2016
https://twitter.com/emfcamp
https://www.emfcamp.org/schedule
https://www.emfcamp.org/line-up/2016

EMF HABville https://wiki.emfcamp.org/wiki/Village:HABville

EMF Amateur Radio Village https://wiki.emfcamp.org/wiki/Village:Amateur_Radio

What is Amateur Radio? http://www.essexham.co.uk/what-is-amateur-radio

Find a short Amateur Radio training course near you at https://thersgb.org/services/coursefinder/

Presentation of Louis Varney cup

Steve Hartley G0FUW presents the Louis Varney Cup to Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG - Credit Mike Rupprecht DK3WN

Steve Hartley G0FUW presents the Louis Varney Cup to Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG – Credit Mike Rupprecht DK3WN

On July 31 at the AMSAT-UK International Space colloquium in Guildford the RSGB Board Chair Steve Hartley G0FUW presented the RSGB Louis Varney Cup for Advances in Space Communications to Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG.

The award was in recognition of Wouter’s outstanding technical contributions to several amateur satellites and associated outreach.

Watch the presentation