AO-91 Commissioned - Declared Open for Amateur Use!

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-327.01
ANS-327 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletins - AO-91 Commissioned
Declared Open for Amateur Use

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 327.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
Month Day, 2017
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-327.01

AO-91 Commissioned - Declared Open for Amateur Use!

At 06:50 UTC November 23, 2017 @AMSAT Engineering officially
commissioned AO-91 (RadFxSat/Fox-1B) Satellite. AMSAT VP of
Engineering, Jery Buxton N0JY turned over operation to Mark Hammond
N8MH and AMSAT Operations in a QSO on the AO-91 repeater during the
pass over the Eastern U.S.

N8MH responded and declared AO-91 open for amateur use!

[ANS thanks AO-91 Ops Team for the above information]

The Milcom Files - MT Editions - Are Now Available on Amazon

Mention the words "Monitoring the Military," and most radio hobbyists will immediately think of military air shows, sporting event Military Aircraft Flybys or a whole host of other military activities they would like to hear on their radios. There is a big radio frequency spectrum out there to monitor, and if you know where to listen, you can eavesdrop on some of the coolest radio communications you will ever hear on a scanner or shortwave radio. Military communications monitoring is the one segment of the radio hobby that has exploded in growth in recent years and is getting more popular among the listening community every day.

Larry Van Horn N5FPW, spent 15 years documenting activity in the military radio spectrum in his monthly Milcom column in the pages of Monitoring Times magazine. And now for the first time ever, he is publishing and making available all those columns here at Amazon in the Kindle E-Book format.

Teak Publishing is pleased to announce the release of their latest Kindle e-books -- the first edition of the Milcom Files – Monitoring Times edition by Amazon Bestselling author Larry Van Horn, N5FPW.

The Milcom Files edition one covers the 15 years of Military Communications (Milcom) columns that Larry wrote for the now defunct-Monitoring Times magazine from 1998-2013.

Volume one (ASIN: B077NN7RQ5) of the Milcom Files covers columns published between 1998 to 2006. The column was bimonthly from September 1998 to November 2002, and monthly from January 2003 to December 2006. Volume two (ASIN: B077NQXH3C) covers columns published between 2007 to 2013. These columns were published monthly during this period. A complete index to all the columns is available on the Milcom MP blog at http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html.

The MT Milcom columns documented the U.S. military conversion to narrowband LMR systems, the move from conventional to trunk radio systems, the 225-400 MHz band plan shift, including the new 380-400 MHz sub-band, and HF military frequencies, both foreign and US. This two-volume set of e-books has over 327,000 plus words, and nearly 1,000 pages of frequencies, call signs, and how-to style articles.

Even though these columns were originally published from 1998-2013, you will find a lot of material that is still valid even today. All US military services, HF. VHF. UHF, military satellites, FAA Air Route Traffic Control Center frequencies, base profiles, foreign military frequencies, airshow frequencies, equipment, and a lot more are included. Each column will be presented as it was published in MT in this e-book except for photographs.

If you are interested in monitoring the military, own a scanner and/or shortwave radio, then the Milcom Files two volume set is a must reference on your radio shack shelf.

Teak Publishing’s The Milcom Files Monitoring Times edition is now available for purchase worldwide from Amazon.com.

Volume one is on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077NN7RQ5.

Volume two is on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077NQXH3C.

The price for each e-Book edition is US$7.99. This book is being released internationally. Amazon customers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France Spain, Italy, Japan, India, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Australia can order the e-Book from Amazon websites directly servicing these countries. All other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website.

You do not need to own a Kindle reader to read Amazon e-book publications. You can read any Kindle book with Amazon’s free reading apps. There are free Kindle reading apps for the Kindle Cloud Reader, Smartphones (iPhone, iTouch, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry); computer platforms (Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 and Mac); Tablets (iPad, Android and Windows 8), and, of course, all the Kindle family of readers including the Kindle Fire series. A Kindle e-book allows you to buy your book once and read it anywhere. You can find additional details on these apps at this link on the Amazon website at www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771.

For additional information on this and other Teak Publishing radio hobby books, monitor the company sponsored Internet blogs – The Military Monitoring Post (http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/), The Btown Monitor Post (http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/) and The Shortwave Central (http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/) for availability of additional e-books that are currently in production.

Information on other publications by the author is available on the author’s page at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00G1QMO4C.

RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launched, Designated AMSAT-OSCAR 91 (AO-91)

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 323.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE November 19, 2017
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-323.01

RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launched, Designated AMSAT-OSCAR 91 (AO-91)

The Delta II rocket carrying RadFxSat (Fox-1B) launched at 09:47:36 UTC on November 18, 2017 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

Following a picture-perfect launch, RadFxSat was deployed at 11:09 UTC. Then the wait began. At 12:12 UTC, the AMSAT Engineering team, watching ZR6AIC's WebSDR waterfall, saw the characteristic "Fox Tail" of the Fox-1 series FM transmitter, confirming that the satellite was
alive and transmitting over South Africa. Shortly after 12:34 UTC, the first telemetry was received and uploaded to AMSAT servers by Maurizio Balducci, IV3RYQ, in Cervignano del Friuli, Italy. Initial telemetry confirmed that the satellite was healthy.

After confirmation of signal reception, OSCAR Number Administrator Bill Tynan, W3XO, sent an email to the AMSAT Board of Directors designating the satellite AMSAT-OSCAR 91 (AO-91). Bill's email stated:

"RadFxSat (Fox-1B) was launched successfully at 09:47 UTC today November 18, 2017 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and has been received by several amateur stations.

RadFxSat (Fox-1B), a 1U CubeSat, is a joint mission of AMSAT and the Institute for Space and Defense Electronics at Vanderbilt University. The Vanderbilt package is intended to measure the  effects of radiation on electronic components, including demonstration of an on-orbit platform for space qualification of components as well as to validate and improve computer models for predicting radiation tolerance of semiconductors.

AMSAT constructed the remainder of the satellite including the spaceframe, on-board computer and power system. The amateur radio package is similar to that currently on orbit on AO-85 with an uplink on 435.250 MHz (67.0 Hz CTCSS) and a downlink on 145.960 MHz. Experiment telemetry will be downlinked via the DUV subaudible telemetry stream, which can be decoded using the FoxTelem software.

RadFxSat (Fox-1B) was sent aloft as a secondary payload on the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta II rocket that transported the JPSS-1 satellite to orbit. RadFxSat (Fox-1B) is one of five CubeSats making up this NASA Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) XIV mission, riding as secondary payloads aboard the JPSS-1 mission.

Since RadFxSat (Fox-1B) has met all of the qualifications necessary to receive an OSCAR number, I, by the authority vested in me by the AMSAT President, do hereby confer on this satellite the designation AMSAT-OSCAR 91 or AO-91. I join amateur radio operators in the U.S. and around the world in wishing AO-91 a long and successful life in both its amateur and scientific missions.

I, along with the rest of the amateur community, congratulate all of the volunteers who worked so diligently to construct, test and prepare for launch the newest amateur radio satellite.

William A. (Bill) Tynan, W3XO
AMSAT-NA OSCAR Number Administrator"

AMSAT Engineering reminds stations that the satellite will not be available for general use until the on-orbit checkouts are complete.Please continue to submit telemetry to assist the Engineering team in
completing the commissioning process.

[ANS thanks Paul, N8HM, for the above information]

RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launch Delayed; AMSAT Asks for Patience

SB SPACE ARL ARLS012
ARLS012 RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launch Delayed; AMSAT Asks for Patience
During Commissioning

The launch of the Delta II vehicle carrying RadFxSat (Fox-1B) and other payloads has been delayed, due to a faulty battery on the booster, United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced on November 6. The launch now is scheduled for no earlier than Tuesday, November 14. RadFxSat is one of four CubeSats making up the NASA ELaNa XIV mission, riding as secondary payloads aboard the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS)-1 mission, which will launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

RadFxSat is a partnership with Vanderbilt University's Institute for Space and Defense Electronics (ISDE) and hosts four payloads for the study of radiation effects on commercial off-the-shelf components. It will carry a Fox-1 style FM U/V repeater with an uplink on 435.250 MHz (67.0 Hz CTCSS) and a downlink on 145.960 MHz. Satellite and experiment telemetry will be downlinked via the DUV subaudible telemetry stream, which can be decoded using FoxTelem software
available from, https://www.amsat.org/foxtelem-software-for-windows-mac-linux/ .

AMSAT Vice-President Engineering, Jerry Buxton, N0JY, said RadFxSat/Fox-1B will automatically come up in beacon mode, transmitting a beacon and voice ID ("RadFxSat Safe Mode") every 2
minutes, starting about 50 minutes after deployment. He said AMSATcommand stations will want to see voltage and current data to determine that the spacecraft is healthy and to conduct various tests before opening it up for general use.

Telemetry should begin about 55 minutes after deployment. "[F]or the next 72-96 hours at least, as we look for successful startup, watch the general health and function as the satellite begins to acclimate to space, and perform the on orbit checkout," Buxton said. Ground stations are invited to continue uploading received telemetry for the life of the satellite.

Those using FoxTelem to capture telemetry are asked to check "Upload to Server" in the software's settings and make sure that ground station parameters are provided. "You can help AMSAT and everyone waiting to get on the air with RadFxSat tremendously, by capturing RadFxSat telemetry," Buxton said.

In the initial beacon mode, the transmitter is limited to 10 seconds "on" time, followed by a 2-minute "off" cycle. "If we are seeing good data from user telemetry data, it is likely when it comes over
the US for the first good pass, we will command it from beacon mode to normal safe mode, which then puts RadFxSat in full, but still safe mode, operation and transmits a full two frames of  telemetry," Buxton said.

Buxton called on the satellite community to be "polite and patient" as RadFxSat is commissioned.

"The on-orbit check-out procedure is similar to Fox-1A/AO-85 and could be completed in as little as a few days, if we have the cooperation of the users," he said. "It is very important - not to mention just plain good amateur operating practice - to refrain from using the transponder uplink, so we can do the on-orbit tests, including when we turn on transponder mode for testing. I can't stress enough, the importance of this cooperation, not just for us but for all users, simply having a little patience so we can conduct the tests as quickly and accurately as possible."

Buxton said AMSAT would "make it broadly known" when the transponder is available for general use. "If you hear someone on the transponder, please don't assume that it is open for general use,"
he said. "Check the AMSAT website, Facebook, Twitter, to be sure you're not accidentally jumping in and unwittingly interfering with the commissioning process."
NNNN
/EX

Product Announcement - DXtreme Monitor Log 11™

DXtreme Software™ has released a new version of its popular logging program for radio monitoring enthusiasts: DXtreme Monitor Log 11.

Monitor Log 11 lets listeners and DXers log the stations they’ve heard using advanced features that can enhance their monitoring experience.

Finding Broadcast Stations to Monitor

The Schedule Checker™ lets users import schedules from Aoki, EiBi, and FCC AM web sites and display schedule data according to the filter criteria they specify. A list box lets users switch between schedule types, and depending on the schedule type selected, users can filter schedule information by band, frequency, station, country, city, state, time of day, language, antenna direction, and target area.

When the What’s On Now? function is activated, the schedule refreshes automatically at the top of each hour for Aoki and EiBi schedules.

For each schedule item, Schedule Checker queries the Monitor Log 11 database to let users know – through user-defined, foreground and background display colors – whether they need to monitor a station for a brand-new or verified country. Schedule Checker also displays bearing and distance, runs optional Afreet Ham CAP(1) propagation predictions, draws optional Afreet DX Atlas (2) azimuth plots, tunes supported radios to schedule frequencies when users double-click schedule items (3 4 5), and starts log entries for scheduled stations monitored.

Finding Amateur Radio Stations to Monitor

Monitor Log 11 integrates with optional Afreet Band Master (6) to let users see, on its graphical interface, where hams are operating. Monitor Log 11 supplies Band Master with an Entity Needed List based on the user’s Monitor Log database, making it possible for Band Master to indicate the stations whose entities (countries) users need to monitor. When invoking Band Master, users can select an Entity Needed List for all bands or individually for the 160- through 6-Meter bands.

Finding Utility Stations to Monitor
A Links menu provides convenient access to user-specified blogs and web sites that can inform users as to where utility and other stations may be operating.

Logging Stations
Monitor Log 11 lets users log all kinds of stations — radio stations, television stations, broadcast stations, Amateur Radio stations, utility stations, military stations, and more! And it lets them log stations across the radio spectrum — from long wave, to medium wave, to short wave, and beyond.

The Last Log Entries Grid on the Monitor Log window shows up to 5000 of the most recent log entries added. Its records can be sorted, and double-clicking records displays detailed data on the Monitor Log window. Users can resize the grid columns and scroll horizontally to columns that do not appear initially. And because the names of stations and NASWA countries can be quite long, users can also display a larger, resizable Last Log Entries window. A Properties window lets users change the order of columns, the number of log entries to display, and the font and color attributes of grids and other program components, such as the Content Editor for describing the content monitored, the Script Editor for creating and editing scripts, the Direct Tune interface for tuning radios, and the Comments tab for typing ad hoc comments.

Reporting Reception
Users can create customized paper and e-mail reception reports for sending to stations plus club report entries for reporting catches to clubs and magazines.

When users add or display a log entry, Monitor Log 11 prepares a post announcing their DX catch and displays it on the Social Media Post tab. From there, users can drag the post to their favorite social media web sites to share their catch with others.

Using the Script Editor window, users can create and edit scripts that format reception reports, eReports, and social media posts to their liking. The software prompts users to select the script they want to use. Dozens of scripts come with Monitor Log 11.

Users can also print SWL and Address labels on industry-standard label stock, and send eQSL requests to hams automatically through the popular www.eQSL.cc site.

Imaging
Improv Imaging™ lets users associate ad hoc images with log entries using Capture, Scan, and Clipboard functions. Captures of stations received on digital applications, waterfall displays, facsimile and Amateur TV pictures are popular. The Improv Imaging tab and Application let users view images anytime, and an Improv Image Explorer lets them peruse their entire collection and display associated log entries.

QSL Imaging™ functions the same as Improv Imaging, but specializes in associating QSL cards and eQSLs with log entries.

Other Features
Rig Control — Retrieves the frequency and mode from supported radios and permits tuning from the Schedule Checker and Direct Tune interface. Rig control is provided through integration with Afreet Omni-Rig and the SDR applications listed on our web site, currently HDSDR (4) (High Definition Software Defined Radio) and SDR Console (5).

Audio Archiving — An embedded Audio facility lets users maintain an audio archive of stations heard.

Reporting — Produces Performance, Stations, and Log Entry reports that track the performance and progress of the user’s monitoring station. The software lets users FTP those reports to user-provided Web space for remote access. Some reports integrate with Afreet DX Atlas to generate pin maps.

Documentation — Context-sensitive Procedural Help, Field Help, and Microhelp are accessible per window to provide instructions quickly. A web-based Information Center is accessible from the Help menu for late-breaking assistance, and Installation Instructions and a Getting Started Guide are delivered in PDF format with the software.

Operating Systems, Pricing, Contact Information
DXtreme Monitor Log 11 runs in 32- and 64-bit versions of Microsoft® Windows® 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista®, and XP. It retails for $89.99 USD worldwide for electronic distribution. Pricing for CD versions and upgrading users is available on our Web site. All prices include product support by Internet e-mail. For more information, visit www.dxtreme.com or contact Bob Raymond at bobraymond@dxtreme.com.

1 — Licenses for Afreet Ham CAP and Omni-Rig are required to use Ham CAP.
2 — A license for Afreet DX Atlas is required to perform plots and create pin reports.
3 — A license for Afreet Omni-Rig is required to use rig control with radios supported by Omni-Rig.
4 — Can be used for rig control. HDSDR is owned by Mario Taeubel. Refer to http://www.hdsdr.de/index.html for more information.
5 — Can be used for rig control. SDR Console is owned by Simon Brown, G4ELI. Refer to http://www.sdr-radio.com for more information.
6 — A license for Afreet Band Master is required to use Band Master.

FalconSAT-3 Now Open for Amateur Radio Use

The Air Force Academy satellite FalconSAT-3 is now open for Amateur Radio use as a digital store-and-forward system. Built in 2005 and 2006 by cadets and faculty in the Space Systems Research Center at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, FalconSAT-3 was launched in 2007.

The satellite has completed its scientific and training missions, and the Academy now is making it available for Amateur Radio use. The Packet Bulletin Board System operates at 9600 baud with a
145.840 MHz uplink/435.103 MHz downlink. Output power is 1 W, and the downlink is continuously on. Digipeating is enabled for live QSOs, but unattended digipeating operation is not authorized at this time.

Additional information is available on the AMSAT website at, https://www.amsat.org/falconsat-3/ .
NNNN
/EX

FEMA Announces Regions that Could Activate on 60-Meters for Hurricane Irma

The below listed Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Regions, including call signs, could be activating the 5 MHz/60-meter band frequencies in support of a possible response to Hurricane Irma on September 5.

• Region 1 — KF1EMA
• Region 2 — KF2EMA (includes Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands)
• Region 3 — KF3EMA
• Region 4 — KF4EMA
• Region 6 — KF6EMA
• Maynard MERS — NF1EMA
• Thomasville MERS — NF4EMA
• Denton MERS — NF6EMA

The following suppressed-carrier reference frequencies, also known as dial frequencies or window frequencies, 5330.5 kHz, 5346.5 kHz, 5357.0 kHz, 5371.5 kHz, and 5403.5 kHz, may be used as part of the event.

Amateur Radio HF Nets
Friendly Net 7188.0 kHz 1000-12:00 UTC
Caribbean Emergency Weather Net 3815.0 kHz 1030 UTC and 2200 UTC
Maritime Mobile Service Network 14300.0 kHz 1200-0200 UTC
Hurricane Watch Net 14325.0 kHz National Hurricane Center callsign WX4NHC

Amateur Radio US Virgin Islands Repeaters
St. Croix NP2VI - 147.250/147.850 PL 100.0 Hz
St. Thomas KP2O - 146.810/146.210 PL 100.0 Hz
St. Thomas NP2GO - 146.950/146.350 PL 67.0 Hz
St. Thomas KP2T - 146.970/146.370
St. John KP2SJ - 146.630/ 146.030 PL 100.0 Hz (West side of island coverage only)

VOIP Weather Net Active for Irma

If you are equipped for amateur radio Echolink operations, the VOIP weather net is now active on Echolink Node 7203 for Hurricane Irma.

More frequencies and information will be posted shortly on this blog.

Intro to D-STAR: Ham Nation 183

HRN 210: Intro to DMR on HamRadioNow

Ham Radio Digital Voice

For years now I have watched as a revolution has taken over the ham radio bands - digital communications in all forms across our entire spectrum. While I have embraced to the HF digital revolution big time here at the N5FPW Btown Monitoring Post, I haven't really dived into the digital voice revolution until now.

I recently purchased a DV4Mini from Wireless Holdings LLC (http://wirelesshold.com/) and since I already had an Icom ID-51A Plus D-Star handheld and a TYT MD-380G DMR handheld, I have now put those two rigs to use with my DV4Mini. This is pretty cool technology and a great place to meet new hams from around the world and participate in the many DV nets in the DV universe.

So as time permits I will be adding more coverage here on various DV topics. To get things started I have added a bunch of DV related website links. More is on the way including some articles and perm pages for reference at the top of this blog page.

73 and CU in the Ham DVsphere.

New Summer 2017 International Shortwave Broadcast Guide Now Available

Teak Publishing is pleased to announce the release of the Summer 2017 International Shortwave Broadcast Guide (ISWBG) electronic book by Amazon bestselling author Gayle Van Horn, W4GVH. This all important semi-annual information resource is your electronic guide to the world of shortwave radio listening.

The release of this book is very timely for international radio monitors given the recent outbreak of tensions in the world hotspots of Eastern Europe, Middle East, East Asia and the Korean Peninsula.

Shortwave radio listeners are routinely entertained with unique perspectives to events, music, culture, history, and news from other countries that you won’t see or hear on your local or national broadcast channels. Shortwave radio broadcast aren’t restricted by country borders or oceans, and can propagate thousands of miles, reaching millions of listeners worldwide, in over 300 different languages and dialects. These worldwide transmissions are monitored on internationally assigned radio frequencies between 1700 kHz and 30 MHz.

There are even broadcasts from the dark side, transmitted from broadcasters known as clandestine or clanny stations. Clandestine broadcasters are wrapped in mystery and intrigue, and they usually exist to bring about some sort of political change to the country they are targeting. Programming may largely be half-truths or sometimes even outright lies, but it is essentially propaganda for their cause.

Listeners who live in the United States can easily hear shortwave broadcast stations from Canada, China, Cuba, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Iran, Japan, New Zealand, North/South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam, and many other counties if you have an inexpensive shortwave radio receiver, and you know when and where to listen!

If you want to get in on the action, then this Amazon electronic book is your ticket the travel the world via radio. The ISWBG is our exclusive 24-hour station/frequency guide to “all” of the known longwave, selected mediumwave and shortwave radio stations currently broadcasting at time of publication. This unique radio hobby resource is the “only” radio hobby publication that has by-hour station schedules that include all language services, frequencies and world target areas.

New in this eighth edition of the ISWBG is an Surfing the Shortwave Radio Bands without a Radio by senior radio monitor Larry Van Horn Summertime Listening on Shortwave, by shortwave program specialist Fred Waterer, and a feature very timely feature - When News Breaks: Getting Your News from the Front Lines through streaming media by Loyd Van Horn.

There is also an expanded special feature on Who’s Who in the shortwave radio spectrum by former Monitoring Times editor and feature writer Larry Van Horn N5FPW. This story covers services and frequencies outside the regular broadcast and amateur radio bands, and includes our new, exclusive Hot HF 1000+ non-broadcast frequency list. The final feature article in this edition is Getting Started in Shortwave Radio, a primer, by Spectrum Monitor managing editor Ken Reitz KS4ZR.

Also included in this edition is increased frequency and station coverage of longwave broadcasters, selected medium wave broadcast frequencies used by international broadcasters, all known international standard time and frequency stations transmitting worldwide, and some selected spy numbers broadcasts.

The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide (Summer 2017 edition) is now available for purchase worldwide from Amazon.com at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071VMYYMH/.

The price for this latest edition is still US$7.99. Since this book is being released internationally, Amazon customers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France Spain, Italy, Japan, India, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Australia can order this electronic book (e-Book) from Amazon websites directly servicing these countries. All other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website.

This new e-publication edition is a much expanded version of the English shortwave broadcast guide that was formerly published in the pages of the former Monitoring Times magazine for well over 20 years. This one of a kind e-book is published twice a year to correspond with shortwave station’s seasonal time and frequency changes.

Don’t own a Kindle reader from Amazon? Not a problem. You do not need to own a Kindle to read Amazon e-book publications. You can read any Kindle book with Amazon’s free reading apps on literally any electronic media platform.

The Kindle app is available for most major smartphones, tablets and computers. There is a Kindle app available for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch; Android Phone; Android Tablet; PC; Windows 8; Mac Kindle Cloud Reader; Windows Phone; Samsung; BlackBerry 10; BlackBerry; amd WebOS. This means with a free Kindle reading apps, you can buy a Kindle book once, and read it on any device with the Kindle app installed*. You can also read that same Kindle book on a Kindle device if you own one.

You can find additional details on these apps by checking out this link to the Amazon website at www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771.

For additional information on this and other Teak Publishing radio hobby books, monitor the company sponsored Internet blogs – The Military Monitoring Post (http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/), The Btown Monitor Post (http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/) and The Shortwave Central (http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/) for availability of additional e-books that are currently in production. You can learn more about the author by going to her author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Gayle-Van-Horn/e/B0084MVQCM/.

The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide will have wide appeal to shortwave radio hobbyists, amateur radio operators, educators, foreign language students, news agencies, news buffs, or anyone interested in listening to a global view of news and major events as they happen.

Whether you are an amateur radio operator or shortwave radio enthusiasts, and want to get in on the action outside of the ham bands, then this new electronic book from Teak Publishing is a must in your radio reference library.

CAS-4A and CAS-4B Linear Transponder Frequencies Announced

XW-2A satellite was launched September 19, 2015 (Graphic courtesy of UK AMSAT)

Frequencies for the CAS-4A and CAS-4B Linear Transponder satellites have been announced by IARU - launch was planned for March 31, 2017. Story at https://amsat-uk.org/2017/03/13/cas-4a-cas-4b-transponder-sats-2/

CAS-4A
• Linear transponder downlink 145.870 MHz, emission designator 20K0V8WWF, output power 20 dBm
• Linear transponder uplink 435.220 MHz
• CW telemetry beacon 145.855 MHz, emission designator 100HA1AAN, output power 17 dBm
• GMSK telemetry 145.835 MHz, emission designator 16K0F1DCN, output power 20 dBm

CAS-4B
• Linear transponder downlink 145.925 MHz, emission designator 20K0V8WWF, output power 20 dBm
• Linear transponder uplink 435.280 MHz
• CW telemetry beacon 145.910 MHz, emission designator 100HA1AAN, output power 17 dBm
• GMSK telemetry 145.890 MHz, emission designator 16K0F1DCN, output power 20 dBm
IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination pages http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru/

AMSAT News Service AMS-071

The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org.

In this edition:

* US ARISS Proposal Window Remains Open Through April 15, 2017
* First Moon Bounce using Opera
* NEON - NASA Educators Online Network - ANNOUNCEMENTS
* Cubesat Developers Workshop 2017
* ARISS News


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-071.01
ANS-071 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 071.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
March 12, 2017
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-071.01

US ARISS Proposal Window Remains Open Through April 15, 2017

Message to US Educators Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact Opportunity

Call for Proposals
Proposal Window February 15 – April 15, 2017

The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with a crew member on board the ISS.  ARISS anticipates that the contact would be held between January 1, 2018 and June 30, 2018. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is
looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan.

The deadline to submit a proposal is April 15, 2017.  Proposal information and documents can be found at www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact.

The Opportunity
Crew members aboard the International Space Station will participate in scheduled Amateur Radio contacts. These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students to interact
with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session.

An ARISS contact is a voice-only communication opportunity via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station and classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts afford
education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space and to learn about space research conducted on the ISS. Students also will have an
opportunity to learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science. Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the
ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in dates and times of the radio contact.

Amateur Radio organizations around the world, NASA, and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe sponsor this educational opportunity by providing the equipment and operational support to enable direct communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world via Amateur Radio. In the US, the program is managed by AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) and ARRL (American Radio Relay League) in partnership with NASA and CASIS (Center for the Advancement of Science in Space).

More Information
Interested parties can find more information about the program at www.ariss.org and www.arrl.org/ARISS.

For proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal form, and dates and times of Information Sessions go to http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact.

Please direct any questions to ariss at arrl.org.

[ANS thanks ARISS for the above information]

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ARISS News

+ A Successful contact was made between Blair Pointe Upper   Elementary School, Peru, IN, USA and Astronaut Shane Kimbrough   KE5HOD using Callsign NA1SS. The contact began Thu 2017-03-09   15:21:33 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was   Direct via WD9GIU.
ARISS Mentor was Charlie AJ9N.

+ A Successful contact was made between 3rd Junior High School, Komotini, Greece and Astronaut Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD using   Callsign OR4ISS. The contact began  Fri 2017-03-10 08:20:46 UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was Direct via  SV7APQ. ARISS Mentor was Bertus PE1KEH.

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule

McBride  High School, Long Beach, CA, direct via K6MHS
The ISS callsign is presently  scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled astronaut is Thomas Pesquet KG5FYG
Contact is a go for: Wed 2017-03-15 16:28:44 UTC

[ANS thanks ARISS, Charlie AJ9N and David AA4KN for the above information]

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/EX

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi-
tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.

Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu-
dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information.

73,
This week's ANS Editor, EMike McCardel, AA8EM aa8em at amsat dot org
_______________________________________________

Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

AMSAT News Service ANS-064

The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org.

In this edition:

* Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, 2017 Dayton Hamvention Amateur of the Year
* VUCC Awards for February 2017
* On-line Information Sessions for ARISS-US School Contact Proposals
* Ham radio satellite activation of Berry Islands, Bahamas
* NASA Explores Opportunity for Smaller Experiments to 'Hitch a   Ride' to Mars
* Belize on Satellite
* October Amateur Radio Satellites Activation of Sint Maarten Announced
* Nayif-1 Status Report and New Dashboard
* ARISS News
* Satellite Shorts From All Over


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-064.01
ANS-064 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 064.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
March 5, 2017
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-064.01

Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, 2017 Dayton Hamvention Amateur of the Year

The Dayton Hamvention has announced the winners of the 2017 Hamvention Awards. Each year, the Dayton Hamvention honors radio amateurs who have made major contributions to the art and science of amateur radio. AMSAT Vice President for Human Spaceflight Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, was named 2017 Amateur of the Year.

The award citation reads:

“Frank serves as the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) international chairman. In the mid-1990s, Bauer proposed a GPS reception experiment on the AMSAT Phase 3D satellite (AO-40). The experiment was to measure the signal strength of the GPS satellite constellation while Phase 3D was in high-Earth orbit (HEO). The AO-40 experiment subsequently has been cited often in aerospace literature, as it remained the most comprehensive above-the-
constellation data source for nearly a decade and led to changes in the system’s specifications and applications. The results of the AO-40 experiment jump started a game-changing transformation in
navigation at HEO/GEO altitudes, enabling new and exciting missions in these orbits.

Bauer holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aeronautics and astronautics from Purdue University. His career in aerospace spans 4 decades within NASA and in private industry

Bauer has been licensed since 1974. In 1983, in preparation for the space mission of Owen Garriott, W5LFL, he was responsible for setting up and operating the worldwide retransmission of Space Shuttle air-to-ground communications from Goddard Amateur Radio Club station WA3NAN.
This initiative provided a critical conduit of information to hams attempting to contact astronaut-hams in the pre-Internet era.”

The 2017 Dayton Hamvention Award winners are listed at http://hamvention.org/event-details/awards/

[ANS thanks Dayton Hamvention via the ARRL for the above information]

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VUCC Awards for February 2017

Congratulations to the following satellite operators who were awarded endorsements for Satellite VUCC by the ARRL during the period 1Feb2017 thru 1Mar2017:

WA4NVM-1413
KD8CAO-1200
W5PFG-982
N8RO-918
N7SFI-829
K4FEG-711
N8HM-608
N4UFO-601
KG5CCI-452
N9IP-417
K5ND-200
W7QL-180
W4DTA-151
AI6GS-136
N6RFM-107

There were 2 new VUCC awards:
WI7P - 829
AK4WQ (EN34) - 106

The ARRL VUCC Award is the most prestigious and sought after award for satellite operators.  The award is what inspires all of the roving activity here in the United States and around the world.  A special thanks to all rovers who make the effort to operate away from home.  The Central States VHF Society sponsors the reverse VUCC award for rovers who operate in 100 or more grids away from home.  Some of our current rovers are already eligible or close to being eligible for this award.  Recipients so far include N7SFI, N5AFV, ND9M and KD4ZGW. (as of 5July2016 www.csvhfs.org)

[ANS thanks John K8YSE for the above information]

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On-line Information Sessions for ARISS-US School Contact Proposals

ARISS-US is accepting proposals from U.S. schools, museums, science centers and community youth organizations (working individually or together) to host an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, or ARISS, radio contact with an orbiting space station crew member between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2018. Proposals are due April 15, 2017.

Informational Sessions
To help organizations learn about ARISS radio contacts and the proposal process, ARISS offers one-hour online information sessions and welcomes all questions. Attending an online session is not
required but strongly encouraged.

Informational sessions will be offered March 6, 2017, at 7 p.m. EST and March 16, 2017, at 4 p.m. EDT.

Advance registration is necessary. Email ARISS (ariss@arrl.org) to sign up for an information session.

For proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal forms, visit http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact.

Please email questions about this opportunity to ariss@arrl.org.

ARISS-US is offered through a partnership between NASA, the American Radio Relay League, and the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ARISS was created and is managed by an international working group.

[ANS thanks ARISS and NASA Education Express Message -- March 2, 2017 for the above information]

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Ham radio satellite activation of Berry Islands, Bahamas

Steve M1ACB, Rob M0VFC and John M0IDA will be active on the FM and SSB amateur radio satellites from Berry Islands in the Bahamas.

The trio plan to operate from March 4-10 and will be using hand-held antennas. Since the FM satellites will only cover part of the USA they’ll also be using SSB on FO-29 to reach the British Isles and Europe.

They will be operating from Little Harbour Cay in the Berry Islands, IOTA NA-054, Grid Square FL15do.

For further information see https://m1acb.wordpress.com/2017/02/18/1527/

[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]

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NASA Explores Opportunity for Smaller Experiments to 'Hitch a Ride' to Mars

NASA's goals for human deep space exploration are complex and ambitious. To maximize resources as it pushes the boundaries of exploration, the agency is exploring opportunities to take advantage of emerging private sector space capabilities.

NASA released a request for information Monday regarding possible commercial sources to fly limited payloads on planned, non-NASA missions to Mars. The agency will use the responses to gather market data on the complete spectrum of commercial plans, and identify any excess capacity that may exist for NASA payloads.

Furthering NASA's human deep space exploration goals will require a significant amount of scientific research, and opportunities to collect data on Mars have been rare. Only seven successful missions to the surface of Mars have taken place in the history of space flight.

Evolving capabilities in the private sector have opened the possibility for NASA to take advantage of commercial opportunities to land scientific payloads on the surface of the Red Planet. Such capability would provide an additional method of acquiring science and engineering data concerning Mars, and would complement NASA's current deep space exploration efforts.

[ANS thanks www.marsdaily.com for the above information]

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Belize on Satellite

Good evening to my fellow people of the birds,

The time has come. I will be venturing to the land of Belize March 11-19 and will be on the satellites with the call V31NJ. I will operate from various grids and possibly some islands (a side trip to
Roatan, Honduras is possible with operations from there, not positive yet). This is gonna be a vacation style op (going with my little brother for his spring break), so don't expect me on every pass.

If I can get a permit for Guatemala TG/NJ7H may also be on a few passes, though I'm not sure if from any grids different than in Belize.

QSLing will be via LoTW. If there is a demand, I can get some cards printed when I'm back.

[ANS thanks Gabe V31NJ/NJ7H for the above information]

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October Amateur Radio Satellites Activation of Sint Maarten Announced

PJ7, ST. MAARTEN. Members of Argentinian DXers Group will be active as PJ7T from Sint Maarten (NA-105) between October 24th and November 4th. Operators mentioned are Dan/LU9FHF, Bob/LU4FBU, Andy/LU2JCW, Wally/LU3FMD and Jose/LU1FM. They plan to have three station on the HF bands and one on the Amateur Radio Satellites. QSL via LU1FM direct, LoTW or eQSL.
Look for their Web page to be active soon at: http://www.tarjetasqsl.com.ar/pj7t

[ANS thanks Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 1307 for the above information]

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Nayif-1 Status Report and New Dashboard

The Nayif-1 (EO-88) CubeSat has now been in orbit for more than two weeks and all systems continue to operate nominally.

The power budget is positive, the spin/tumble rate is acceptably low, on board temperatures are perfectly okay and, importantly, the educational/amateur transponder switching is taking place
autonomously as  planned.

More than 250 stations around the world have provided telemetry to the Nayif Data Warehouse and the FUNcube Team are extremely grateful to them for their invaluable support.

The experts have now formally allocated Catalog Number 42017 to Nayif-1 (EO88) and the TLEs can now be downloaded from Celestrak – TLEs

New Dashboards

The FUNcube Team have now updated the Dashboards for both Nayif-1 and FUNcube-1 so that they display only the telemetry received from the individual spacecraft that they are designed for. This will help users to display only the correct information and graphs and reduce confusion. Whilst they only display the data from ONE spacecraft, they will, as now, receive and decode the data from all FUNcube payloads currently in orbit and automatically submit it to the relevant Data Warehouse.

The new Dashboard for FUNcube-1 (ver 1044) can be downloaded from here: FUNcube Dashboard Installer 1044

The new Dashboard for Nayif-1 (ver 1040) can be downloaded from here: Nayif-1 Dashboard Installer 1040

Additionally some command line parameters have been added to enable the programmes to auto-start with the desired parameters.  These are:

/minimized
/autostart
/source=dongle
or
/source=soundcard

Some notes on how to implement these parameters can be found here: funcube-dashboard-autostart

Nayif-1 Data Warehouse http://data.amsat-uk.org/nayif1/

Ham radio satellite transmits Vice President’s message
https://amsat-uk.org/2017/02/25/nayif-1-uae-vice-president-message/

Nayif-1 Launched https://amsat-uk.org/2017/02/15/nayif-1-launched/

[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]

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ARISS News

+ A Successful contact was made between ABOUT GAGARIN FROM SPACE.
  Raduga Space Communication Center of St. Petersburg, Russia and
  Cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov using Callsign RSØISS. The contact began
  UTC and lasted about nine and a half minutes. Contact was Direc via
  RA1AJN. ARISS Mentor was Sergey RV3DR.

+ A Successful contact was made between Ecole “Robespierre B.”,
  Rueil-Malmaison, France and Astronaut Thomas Pesquet KG5FYG using
  Callsign FX0ISS. The contact began 2017-03-01 08:04 UTC  and lasted
  about nine and a half minutes. Contact was Direct via F6KFA.
  ARISS Mentor was Joseph F6ICS.

+ A Successful contact was made between College Marcel Pagnol, Rueil-
  Malmaison, France and Astronaut Thomas Pesquet KG5FYG using Callsign
  FX0ISS. The contact began 2017-03-01 08:04 UTC  and lasted about
  nine and a half minutes. Contact was Direct via F6KFA.
  ARISS Mentor was Joseph F6ICS.

+ A Successful contact was made between Ecole Albert Camus, Rueil-
  Malmaison, France and Astronaut Thomas Pesquet KG5FYG using Callsign
  FX0ISS. The contact began 2017-03-01 08:04 UTC  and lasted about
  nine and a half minutes. Contact was Direct via F6KFA.
  ARISS Mentor was Joseph F6ICS.

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule

+ Blair Pointe Upper Elementary  School, Peru, IN, direct via WD9GIU
  The ISS callsign is presently scheduled  to be NA1SS
  The scheduled astronaut is Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD
  Contact is  a go for: Thu 2017-03-09 15:21:33 UTC

+ 3rd Junior High  School, Komotini, Greece, direct via SV7APQ
  The ISS callsign is presently  scheduled to be OR4ISS
  The scheduled astronaut is Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD
  Contact is a go for: Fri 2017-03-10 08:20:46 UTC

[ANS thanks ARISS, Charlie AJ9N and David AA4KN for the above  information]

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Satellite Shorts From All Over

+ The AMSAT-NA office was closed Friday March 3 and will remain closed through Monday March 6. Martha will return to office Tuesday March 7.

  [ANS thanks Martha for the above information

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/EX

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi-
tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.

Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu-
dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information.

73,
This week's ANS Editor, EMike McCardel, AA8EM aa8em at amsat dot org
_______________________________________________

Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

AMSAT News Service ANS-057

The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor at amsat.org.

In this edition:

* OSCAR Number EO-88 for Nayif-1
* Two projects with AMSAT ties selected for NASA launches
* ARISS Equipment on SpaceX Launch
* VEGA Flight Opportunity for Multiple Small Satellites
* Satellite Changes in AMSAT Keplerian Element Distribution
* LUSAT LO-19 Calls Home
* Expect More from Amateur BY70-1 Youth Space Program
* AMSAT Events
* ARISS News
* Satellite Shorts from All Over

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-057.01
ANS-057 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 057.01
 >From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE Febuary 26, 2017
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-057.01

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OSCAR Number EO-88 for Nayif-1

In accordance with the request sent to the AMSAT-NA Board of Directors for an OSCAR number for the UAE CubeSat, Nayif-1, and the statement that all of the conditions for an OSCAR number have been met, I hereby by the authority vested in me by the AMSAT-NA president, do convey on Nayif-1 the designation  Emirates Oscar 88 or EO-88.

Along with the rest of the Amateur Radio satellite community, I hope that EO-88 will meet all of its objectives.

I wish you and your group the best of luck in this and future endeavors to keep Amateur Radio in space.

[ANS thanks William A. (Bill) Tynan, W3XO, OSCAR Number Administrator for the above information]

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Two projects with AMSAT ties selected for NASA launches

Two cubesat missions with ties to AMSAT have been selected as part of the eighth round of the NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative. These spacecraft are eligible for placement on a launch manifest after final negotiations, depending on the availability of a flight opportunity.

TJREVERB is a CubeSat from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, in Alexandria, Virginia. This satellite will include an AMSAT Fox mode U/v FM radio system, and will be capable of serving as an analog FM repeater.

HuskySat-1 from the University of Washington in Seattle will carry a mode V/u linear transponder and 1200 baud BPSK beacon similar to RadFXsat-2. The satellite will demonstrate plasma propulsion and high gain telemetry in advance of a larger CubeSat lunar mission.

The complete list of satellites selected may be found at on the NASA web  page.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-announces-eighth-class-of-candidates-for-launch-of-cubesat-space-missions

http://www.amsat.org/?p=5795

[ANS thanks Drew, KO4MA, AMSAT Vice-President for Operations for the above information]

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ARISS Equipment on SpaceX Launch

Included as part of the successful launch of the SpaceX Dragon vehicle to ISS is an ARISS Ericsson 2 meter VHF radio.  This radio will replace the Ericsson radio that failed a few months ago.  The VHF radio is used for school group contacts and amateur packet radio in the Columbus module.  Once the Dragon vehicle is berthed to ISS, the Ericsson will be unstowed and, at some point, installed in Columbus, replacing the UHF radio that is now supporting APRS packet and some school contacts.

The unmanned cargo ship packed with food and supplies for astronauts arrived safely at the International Space Station Thursday, 2/23/2017. The Dragon cargo ship was grabbed by the station's robotic arm at 5:44 am (1044 GMT).

Our thanks to SpaceX on an outstanding and historic flight from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, where many Space Shuttle missions and nearly all the Apollo moon missions were launched.  We also would like to thank our ARISS benefactors-NASA and CASIS, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space.  And, of course, our amateur radio long-time sponsors-our national amateur radio organizations around the world, including the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) in the US, and our international AMSAT organizations, including AMSAT-NA.

ARISS is also making great progress on the development of the new interoperable radio system that we hope to use to replace our aging radio infrastructure in the Columbus module and the Service module.  The hard (and expensive) part of this effort is just beginning, with testing and human certification on the horizon.  We thank all that have donated to the cause thus far.  We hope you continue to help ARISS move forward through your support, including your volunteer time and talent and, of course, financial contributions through the AMSAT web site donate button.

[ANS thanks Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, ARISS International Chair, AMSAT-NA V.P. for Human Spaceflight for the above information]

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VEGA Flight Opportunity for Multiple Small Satellites

Europe’s Vega small launcher is set to demonstrate its extended capability to deploy multiple light satellites using its new versatile Small Satellites Mission Service (SSMS) dispenser, in the second half of 2018.

This demonstration provides the first of the launch opportunities under the new Light satellite, Low-cost Launch opportunity (LLLor L3) Initiative initiated at the ESA Council Meeting at Ministerial Level in December 2016 with the aim to provide low-cost and regular launch services for European
Institutional light satellites through full exploitation of the Ariane 6 and Vega C launch systems’ capabilities.

This first proof-of-concept flight using the current Vega launch system will demonstrate and validate standard innovative services for light satellites.

The SSMS dispenser with its modular design enables Vega to provide launch opportunities for light satellites with an overall mass ranging from 1 kg CubeSats up to 400 kg minisats with different alternative configurations and relevant combinations under a ‘rideshare’ concept.

Potential customers, be they European public-sector organizations or other entities, are invited to respond to the joint ESA and European Commission Announcement of Opportunity, which can be downloaded together with its questionnaire, by 31 March.
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Launchers/Vega_flight_opportunity_for_multiple_small_satellites (including links for the application process due by March 31)

[ANS thanks the European Space Agency for the above information]

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Satellite Changes in AMSAT Keplerian Element Distribution

The following five satellites/object numbers have been deleted:

SATELLITE     NORAD CAT ID    REASON
BY70-1         41909           Deorbit 2-18-2017
OBJECT 41930  41930           Not Amateur Sat-ISS Launch
EGG           41933           Not Amateur Sat-ISS Launch
OBJECT 41934  41934           Not Amateur Sat-ISS Launch
TuPOD  41936  41936           Batteries Dead-ISS Launch
Thanks to Nico Janssen for his work in predicting BY70-1's deorbit.

As noted last week, Nayif-1 was launched with 103 other satellites on 2-15-2017.  The cloud of satellites is beginning to spread and Nico Janssen, PA0DLO, has developed a TLE set that many on AMSAT-BB say is very accurate. I have included it in this week's distribution. Thanks again to a very busy Nico for his excellent work.

Detailed doppler measurements show that Nayif 1 is object 42017, 2017-008BX.

Keith Pugh, W5IU, suggested that I include Nayif-1 in the regular distribution so those using apps like PocketSat would be able to track it. Good idea Keith. (I have PocketSat myself!)

[ANS thanks AMSAT's Keeper of the Keps Ray Hoad, WA5QGD for the above information]

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LUSAT LO-19 Calls Home

On Feb-20 15:45z LUSAT LO-19 on Orbit 141493 had been heard with strong carrier on 437.125 ± Doppler.

LUSAT had been in space last 27 years and still emits it's CW carrier un-modulated with 900 mW.

Now and then the satellite comes alive, it is useful to test reception and demonstrate Doppler, check antennas, etc.

Please try to listen, on http://amsat.innova-red.net/pass you will find an easy way to locate, receive, and thank you if reported.

[ANS thanks Pedro, LU7ABF for the above information]

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Expect More from Amateur BY70-1 Youth Space Program

In announcing the end of a successful mission the students who built the amateur radio FM transponder satellite BY70-1 say “We hope more Amateur youth space program will be brought to you in the near future!”

The 2U CubeSat BY70-1 was built by students from the Beijing Bayi High School and carried into a 524 x 212 km orbit on a CZ-2D rocket launched from the Taiyuan Space Launch Center on December 28, 2016.

On February 17, 2017, as the satellite was about to burn up on its re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, this end of mission statement was posted on the school’s website.

Dear friends of BY70-1:

Satellite BY70-1 has completed all designed missions. For the amateurs who completed 2-way QSO using the repeater onboard, received effective satellite telemetry, or obtained satellite camera photos, we would like to invite you sending connection data package (audio or video evidence), satellite
telemetry data or photos received to Email: 6015@bayims.cn.

So that we can keep statistics records and deliver our appreciation toward you in public. We would be pleased to exchange QSL card for QSO users, and some souvenirs for the telemetry or camera photos users.

We hope more Amateur youth space program will be brought to you in the near future!

E-mail Address: 6015 @bayims.cn
Post Address: Mr Xiangming TAOBeijing Bayi School, 29# Suzhou Street, Haidian Dist, Beijing, China P.O. 100080

http://www.bayims.cn/article-16881.html

BY70-1 FM transponder satellite
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/12/27/by70-1-fm-transponder-satellite/

BY70-1 FM contact video
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/12/30/by70-1-fm-transponder-contact/

See BY70-1 page on Roland PY4ZBZ website
http://www.qsl.net/py4zbz/by70.htm

[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]

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AMSAT Events

Information about AMSAT activities at other important events around the country.  Examples of these events are radio club meetings where AMSAT Area Coordinators give presentations, demonstrations of working amateur satellites, and hamfests with an AMSAT presence (a table with AMSAT literature and merchandise, sometimes also with presentations, forums, and/or demonstrations).

*Saturday and Sunday, 11-12 March 2017 – ScienceCity in Tucson AZ

*Saturday, 18 March 2017 – Scottsdale SpringFest in Scottsdale AZ

*Friday through Sunday, 31 March–2 April 2017, NVCON in Las Vegas NV

*Wednesday, 5 April 2007 – presentation for Scottsdale Amateur Radio Club in Scottsdale AZ

*Friday and Saturday, 7-8 April 2017, Green Country Hamfest in Claremore OK

*Saturday, 6 May 2017 – Cochise Amateur Radio Association hamfest in Sierra Vista AZ

*19-21 May 2017, HamVention in the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center, Dayton, Ohio

*Friday and Saturday, 9-10 June 2017, HAM-COM in Irving TX

*Saturday, 10 June 2017 – Prescott Hamfest in Prescott AZ

[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA for the above information]

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ARISS News

Successful Contacts

*  Collège André Malraux, Chatelaillon-Plage, France, telebridge via ON4ISS The ISS callsign was scheduled to be FXØISS The scheduled  astronaut was Thomas Pesquet KG5FYG Contact was successful  Mon 2017-02-13 14:00:35 UTC 67 deg. Astronaut Thomas Pesquet, KG5FYG answered 19 questions prepared by students for an audience 190 students and guests.  HamTV downlinked
Pesquet live throughout the entire contact thanks to British Amateur TV Club merging 2 HamTV ground stations’ received signals. The live-stream was seen by 230 of the general public via BATC connections. Watch a recording of  the live-streamed HamTV downlink:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Byp8JadKjPOmOUFCeDdZMFhSMm8/view?usp=sharing
Watch France's national television's report at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb7amhLMgA8&feature=em-upload_owner

*  John Glenn Middle School, Maplewood MN, direct via  KØJDD The ISS callsign was scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled  astronaut was Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD Contact was successful: Wed 2017-02-22  18:47:59 UTC 25 deg All 16 questions answered with a 73 round.  Students, teachers and parents came to 900 individuals.  One television station and four print media outlets were also in attendance. They reported full quieting for the entire pass.

*  Ecole primaire Elie Desplan, Boissières,  France and Marie Castang, Saint Dionisy, France, direct via F4HHV The ISS  callsign was scheduled to be FXØISS The scheduled astronaut was Thomas Pesquet KG5FYG Contact was successful: Sat 2017-02-25 13:14:15 UTC 58 deg Successful contact between the 2 schools of Boissieres and Saint Dionisy with Thomas Pesquet. All 20 questions answered, clear audio all the way long (Normal and acceptable UHF noise at the beginning and at the end) Reported 350 people present in the gymnasium. Also success for the Ham video transmission through BATC, but also through the local Ham-Video Ground Station. Press and media presence:
1 national TV (BFM) -> scheduled broadcasted 2/25
2 Regional TVs (France 3), TV TV-Sud
1 Regional radio (France Bleu)
Several Regional newspapers including Le Midi Libre

Upcoming Contacts

*  3rd Junior High School, Komotini, Greece,  direct via SV7APQ The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS The scheduled astronaut is Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD The contact will be rescheduled for a later date.

*  ABOUT GAGARIN FROM SPACE, Space Odyssey Project, Krasnoyarsk, Russia, direct via RVØADW The ISS callsign is presently  scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled astronaut is Andrei Borisenko Contact is a go for Sat 2017-02-25 08:36 UTC

*  ABOUT GAGARIN FROM  SPACE, Raduga Space Communication Center of St. Petersburg, Russia, direct via  RA1AJN The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS The scheduled astronaut is Sergey Ryzhikov Contact is a go for Sun 2017-02-26 09:15 UTC

*  Student Space  Technology Association, Knoxville, TN, direct via AA4UT The ISS callsign is  presently scheduled to be NA1SS The scheduled astronaut is Shane Kimbrough  KE5HOD
Contact is a go for: Wed 2017-03-01 19:08:03 UTC 49 deg

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ARISS  is always glad to receive listener reports for the above contacts.ARISS  thanks everyone in advance for their assistance.  Feel free to send your  reports to aj9n@amsat.org or  aj9n@aol.com.
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Message  to US Educators Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Contact  Opportunity

Call for Proposals
Proposal Window February 15 –  April 15, 2017

The Amateur Radio on the International Space  Station (ARISS) Program is seeking formal and informal education institutions  and organizations, individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with  a crew member on board the ISS.  ARISS anticipates that the  contact would be held between January 1, 2018 and June 30, 2018. Crew scheduling  and ISS  orbits will
determine the exact contact dates. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan.

The deadline to submit a proposal is April 15,  2017.  Proposal information and documents can be found at www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact.

The Opportunity Crew  members aboard the International Space Station will participate in scheduled  Amateur Radio contacts. These radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes in  length and allow students to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer session.

An ARISS contact is a voice-only  communication opportunity via Amateur Radio between astronauts and cosmonauts  aboard the space station and classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts afford  education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it  is like to live and work in space and to learn about space research conducted on  the ISS. Students  also
will have an opportunity to learn about satellite  communication, wireless technology, and radio science. Because of the nature of  human spaceflight and the complexity of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in dates and  times of the radio contact.

Amateur Radio organizations around the  world, NASA, and space agencies in Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe sponsor this  educational opportunity by providing the equipment and operational support to  enable direct communication between crew on the ISS and students around the world via
Amateur Radio. In the US, the program is managed by AMSAT (Radio  Amateur Satellite
Corporation) and ARRL (American Radio Relay League) in partnership with NASA and CASIS (Center for the Advancement of Science in  Space).

More Information
Interested parties can find  more information about the program at www.ariss.org and  www.arrl.org/ARISS.

For proposal information and more  details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal form, and dates  and times of Information Sessions go to  http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact. Please direct any  questions to  ariss@arrl.org.

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ARISS  is always glad to receive listener reports for the above contacts. ARISS  thanks everyone in advance for their assistance.  Feel free to send your  reports to aj9n@amsat.org or aj9n@aol.com.

Listen for the ISS on  the downlink of 145.8Ø  MHz.

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All  ARISS contacts are made via the Kenwood radio unless otherwise  noted.

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Several  of you have sent me emails asking about the RAC ARISS website and not being  able to get in.  That has now been changed to http://www.ariss.org/

Note that there are links to other ARISS  websites from this site.

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Looking  for something new to do?  How about receiving DATV from the  ISS?

If interested, then please go to the ARISS-EU website for complete details.  Look for the buttons indicating Ham Video.

http://www.ariss-eu.org/

If you need some  assistance, ARISS mentor Kerry N6IZW, might be able to provide some  insight.  Contact Kerry at  kbanke@sbcglobal.net

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ARISS  congratulations the following mentors who have now mentored over 100 schools:

Satoshi 7M3TJZ with 123
Gaston ON4WF with  123
Francesco IKØWGF with  119

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The  webpages listed below were all reviewed for accuracy.  Out of date webpages were removed and new ones have been added.  If there are additional ARISS websites I need to know about, please let me know.

Note, all times are approximate.  It is recommended that you  do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before  the listed time. All dates and times listed follow International  Standard ISO 8601 date and time format  YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS

The complete schedule page has been updated as of 2017-02-23 05:00 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live.

http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt

Total  number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 1116. Each school counts  as 1 event. Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 1080. Each contact may have multiple schools sharing the same time slot. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 47.

A  complete year by year breakdown of the contacts may be found in the file.
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf

Please  feel free to contact me if more detailed statistics are needed.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact: Arkansas,  Delaware, South Dakota, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas  Islands, and the Virgin  Islands.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

QSL  information may be found at: http://www.ariss.org/qsl-cards.html
ISS callsigns:  DPØISS, IRØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS,  RSØISS

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The  successful school list has been updated as of 2017-02-23 05:00 UTC.
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf

Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00  UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correction.rtf

Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC.
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf

Check  out the Zoho reports of the ARISS  contacts
https://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?DBID=412218000000020415

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Exp.  49 on orbit
Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD
Andrei Borisenko
Sergey  Ryzhikov

Exp. 50 on orbit
Peggy Whitson
Thomas Pesquet  KG5FYG
Oleg  Novitskiy

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Watch http://www.ariss.org/upcoming-contacts.html for information about upcoming contacts as they are scheduled.

[ANS thanks ARISS and Charlie, AJ9N for the above information]

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/EX

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi-
tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.

Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information.

73,
This week's ANS Editor, Joe Spier, K6WAO k6wao at amsat dot org