Tag Archives: satellites

Mar 26 2018

Spring issue of OSCAR News now available

OSCAR News 221 Spring 2018 Front CoverE-members of AMSAT-UK can now download the Spring 2018 edition of OSCAR News here.

This edition describes how to make contacts through amateur radio satellites using your 144/430 MHz FM handheld transceiver and has an update on the satellites carrying FUNcube SSB/CW linear transponders.

The paper edition should be sent to postal members in 2-3 weeks.

In this issue:
• From the Secretary’s Keyboard
• 2018 Meetings & Events calendar
• News Roundup
• Work FM Satellites with your HT!
• Parasitic Quadrifilar Helical Antenna
• AMSATS AND HAMSATS – Amateur Radio and other small satellites
• Orbital Dynamics – Seen in the Times Newspaper
• Columbus – 10 years in Space
• Stemettes
• A cold day for a nice array
• FM Satellites: Good operating practices for beginning and experienced operators
• Travelling and activating satellites
• EO88/Nayif-1 birthday
• Getting rid of some of the rubbish!
• Rotator problems
• AMSAT-UK 2016-2017 – Statement of Accounts
• Connectors for Az/El rotators
• Thinking Day On The Air with GB5WDG
• Information from the Orbital Debris Quarterly News
• Stop Press: Space Industry Bill – Royal Assent

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 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.

Feb 9 2018

HamRadioNow interviews AMSAT President Joe Spier K6WAO

AMSAT President Joe Spier K6WAO talks about AMSAT and Satellites with Gary Pearce KN4AQ of HamRadioNow at the Orlando HamCation.

Watch HRN 384 AMSAT Update, Live from Orlando

HamRadioNow videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HamRadioNow/videos

Orlando HamCation https://www.hamcation.com/

AMSAT-UK: https://amsat-uk.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmsatUK
Facebook: https://facebook.com/AmsatUK
YouTube: https://youtube.com/AmsatUK

Oct 18 2017

CAS-4A and CAS-4B amateur radio linear transponders activated

CAS-4A and CAS-4B launch on CZ-4B

CAS-4A and CAS-4B launch on CZ-4B

On Wednesday, October 18, 2017 the amateur radio linear (SSB/CW) transponders on the CAS-4A and CAS-4B satellites were activated.

CAMSAT’s amateur radio payloads piggybacked on the optical remote sensing micro-satellites ZHUHAI-1 01 (OVS-1A / CAS-4A) and ZHUHAI-1 02 (OVS-1B / CAS-4B) that were launched at 0300 GMT on Thursday, June 15, 2017 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, on the CZ-4B launch vehicle. The primary payload of the launch was a hard X-ray modulation telescope satellite (HXMT).

Satellite CAS-4A/OVS-1A/ZHUHAI-1 01:
● Architecture: Micro-satellite
● Dimensions: 494Lx499Wx630H mm
● Mass: 55 kg
● Stabilization: three-axis stabilization system with its +Y surface facing the earth
● Primary Payload: optical Camera with 1.98m resolution

CAS-4A Orbit:
● Orbit type : Sun synchronization orbit
● Apogee: 524 km
● Inclination: 43°
● Period: 95.1 minutes

CAS-4A Amateur Radio Payload:
● Call sign: BJ1SK
● VHF Antenna: one 1/4λ monopole antenna with max. 0 dBi gain located at +Z side
● UHF Antenna: one 1/4λ monopole antenna with max. 0 dBi gain located at -Z side
● CW Telemetry Beacon: 145.855 MHz 17 dBm
● AX.25 4.8k Baud GMSK Telemetry: 145.835 MHz 20 dBm
● U/V Linear Transponder Downlink: 145.870 MHz 20 dBm, 20 kHz bandwidth, Inverted
● U/V Linear Transponder Uplink: 435.220 MHz

CAS-4 Satellite

CAS-4 Satellite

Satellite Name: CAS-4B/OVS-1B/ZHUHAI-1 02:
● Architecture: Micro-satellite
● Dimensions: 494Lx499Wx630H mm
● Mass: 55 kg
● Stabilization: three-axis stabilization system with its +Y surface facing the earth
● Primary Payload: optical Camera with 1.98m resolution

CAS-4B Orbit:
● Orbit type : Sun synchronization orbit
● Apogee: 524 km
● Inclination: 43°
● Period: 95.1 minutes

CAS-4B Amateur Radio Payload:
● Call sign: BJ1SL
● VHF Antenna: one 1/4λ monopole antenna with max. 0 dBi gain located at +Z side
● UHF Antenna: one 1/4λ monopole antenna with max. 0 dBi gain located at -Z side
● CW Telemetry Beacon: 145.910 MHz 17 dBm
● AX.25 4.8k Baud GMSK Telemetry: 145.890 MHz 20 dBm
● U/V Linear Transponder Downlink: 145.925 MHz 20 dBm, 20 kHz bandwidth, Inverted
● U/V Linear Transponder Uplink: 435.280 MHz

73!
Alan Kung, BA1DU

CAMSAT Press Release PDF

N2YO online real-time tracking:
CAS-4A http://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=42761
CAS-4B http://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=42759

CAS-4A and CAS-4B

Oct 16 2017

AMSAT-UK Colloquium Talks – Videos being added to YouTube

Working satellites with Arrow AntennasVideos of the presentations given at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium, which was held as part of the RSGB Convention in Milton Keynes, October 14-15, are being made available on YouTube.

The first of the videos is ‘An introduction to Amateur satellites’ by David Johnson G4DPZ and Carlos Eavis G3VHF.

The PDF of the slides is here.

Other presentations are expected to be uploaded in the coming days.

Watch An introduction to Amateur satellites

PDF Slides of ‘An introduction to Amateur satellites’
https://amsat-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/beginners-guide-to-amateur-satellites-by-dave-johnson-g4dpz.pdf

AMSAT-UK videos on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/AMSATUK/videos

Our thanks to the British Amateur Television Club and Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG for their work in recording, editing and uploading these videos.

May 19 2017

Join AMSAT-UK

AMSAT-UK_Bevelled_Logo

AMSAT-UK Logo

Founded in 1975 AMSAT-UK is a voluntary organisation that supports the design and building of equipment for amateur radio satellites.

AMSAT-UK initially produced a short bulletin called OSCAR News to give members advice on amateur satellite communications. Since those early days OSCAR News has grown in size and the print quality has improved beyond recognition. Today, OSCAR News is produced as a high-quality quarterly colour A4 magazine consisting of up to 40 pages of news, information and comment about amateur radio space communications.

The new lower-cost E-membership provides OSCAR News as a downloadable PDF file giving members the freedom to read it on their Tablets or Smartphones anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch Rev4 20100609

AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch

An additional advantage is that the PDF should be available for download up to 2 weeks before the paper copy is posted.

Take out Electronic Membership or Postal Membership at the AMSAT-UK shop

E-members can download their copies of OSCAR News from http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/on

A sample issue of OSCAR News can be downloaded here.

Feb 22 2015

Amateur Satellite Tutorial Videos

David Casler KE0OG has released a series of tutorial videos for the US Extra class license two of which cover amateur radio satellites.

The first deals with Orbital Mechanics and the second covers the radio aspects of amateur satellites.

Watch Extra Lesson 2.3, Amateur Satellites (Part 1)

Watch Extra Class Section 2.3 Satellite Operations (Part 2)

See the other tutorial videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/davecasler/videos