Date: October 29th 2007

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-301

ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation ANS 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

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

In this edition:

The Weekend That Changed Amateur Radio
Congratulations and Applause for the Symposium Committee
2008 AMSAT Space Symposium to be Held in Atlanta
OSCAR-11 Report
Satellite Shorts From All Over
ARISS Status Report For the Week of October 22, 2007

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-301 01 The Weekend That Changed Amateur Radio

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 301 01

From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD October 28, 2007 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-301 01

This past weekend, October 26-28 AMSAT-NA held a very successful Space Symposium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Rick Hambly, W2GPS, AMSAT President along with Bob McGwier, N4HY, AMSAT Vice-President of Engineering were able to make public the results of their recent work which will change the face of amateur radio going forward AMSAT has been in consultation with Intelsat regarding an application of an Intelsat platform carrying our amateur radio satelites into geosynchronous orbit

Engineering studies, funding studies, among other negotiations are continuing at this point However Bob, N4HY made the following obser- vation of the project AMSAT has termed Phase IV Lite, "There is enough in place at this time that AMSAT needs to begin planning engineering work and possible construction of a geosychronous payload so we are ready if Intelsat says they have a ride for us "

The Phase IV Lite Geosynchronous Payload is planned to consist of similar transponders already under development for the Phase 3 satel- lites Accelerated development on the digital Advanced Communica- tion Package is anticipated In addition to the communication pay- load flown to space, AMSAT plans to develop an earth station attain- able by the average ham so that users can immediately take advantage of the audio, digital messaging, and video services

The Advanced Communication Package would be a self-contained earth station which could be sent with amateur radio communication teams or delivered to disaster areas for 24/7/365 emergency communications These teams would be able to point a small dish at a predictable spot in the sky and immediately begin delivering disaster commun- ication support without depending on HF propagation

A Phase IV payload could also be used to provide TDRSS-like relay of ARISS communications The 10 minute school contact could now be expanded to hours-long contact with the International Space Station This opens possibilities for student involvement with experiments aboard the space station

The Intelsat geosynchronous platform would be able to provide the AMSAT Phase IV Lite payload with approximately 400 watts of DC power for 15 years The primary payload would also perform the GTO boost phase as well as perform station keeping and antenna pointing once it has arrived on station Bob, N4HY summarized, "The Intelsat team would be doing all the things nearly impossible for amateurs and that enables AMSAT to do what we do best build a communication system that changes amateur radio for the better!"

More details will be published in upcoming editions of the AMSAT Journal

[ANS thanks Rick, W2GPS and Bob, N4HY for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-301 02 Congratulations and Applause for the Symposium Committee

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 301 02

From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD October 28, 2007 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-301 02

This weekend's AMSAT Space Symposium featured: + The AMSAT Annual Membership Meeting + Board of Directors meeting + Over 30 technical presentations + Discussion of the future of AMSAT and Amateur Radio in Space + Technical Demonstrations + Mentoring of students to build their own antenna and make their first satellite contact

The Symposium was hosted by the Wireless Association of South Hills Amateur Radio Club and area AMSAT members The huge success of the Symposium was driven by co-chairs: Kevin Smith, N3HKQ and Pat Sanford, KC4WTT A wonderfully capable team who ensured their success included:

Jim Sanford, WB4GCS Dave DeMotte, N3IDH Richard Crow, N2SPI (student mentoring a succesful satellite contact) Bill Hill, W3WH (Master of Ceremonies) Randy George, N3ZK Robert Timmins, AB3ED Paul Lusardi, N0VLR Hank Marzina, KB3FNM Mary Lou Marzina Ed Oelschlager, N3ZNI Jacqueline Gossedin, N3ZEL Larry Conden, K3VX Frank Bodro, N3FB Dan Schultz, N8FGV Dan McAnn, KB3HVN Georgeianne Sarco, KB3LIV Dave Kitzinger, N3DFK

Details and photos of the Symposium will be published in upcoming editions of The AMSAT Journal Thank you for all your help!

[ANS thanks Martha at AMSAT HQ for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-301 03 2008 AMSAT Space Symposium to be Held in Atlanta

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 301 03

From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD October 28, 2007 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-301 03

The AMSAT Board of Directors announced that the 2008 AMSAT Space Symposium will be held in the October timeframe in Atlanta, Georgia This Symposium will be named the "2008 Harry Yoneda JA1ANG AMSAT Space Symposium" in memory and honor of JA1ANG - Silent Key

Harry was a former AMSAT Board Member and close friend of many in the group Harry also was a founding member of JAMSAT

[ANS thanks Rick, W2GPS for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-301 04 OSCAR-11 Report

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 301 04

From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD October 28, 2007 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-301 04

Clive, G3CWV says,"OSCAR-11 has been heard from 06 October to 08 October The beacon switched on as expected, on 06 October, but prematurely switched OFF sometime between 08 and 09 October Signals were weaker than usual The premature shutdown has probably caused the watchdog timer to reset, and start a new 20 day cycle If that has occurred then the beacon should resume transmissions around 29 October 2007 "

Clive continued, "I am indebted to John N7ZL, John N3NKC, Thomas HB9SKA, and Peter ZL3TC, for their reports Many thanks "

The satellite is now in continuous sunlight and this will continue until the start of November, when there will be a short eclipse season, lasting until around 07 January However the maximum duration of the eclipses will only be about 12 minutes At this level the satelite might just survive

The active beacon frequency is VHF 145 826 MHz with AFSK FM
ASCII Telemetry

Listeners to OSCAR-11 may be interested in visiting Clive's website: http://www users zetnet co uk/clivew/

[ANS thanks Clive, G3CWV for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-301 05 Title/Subject

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 301 05

From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD October 28, 2007 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-301 05

Kevin, WA6FWF who processed the Sputnik Anniversary reception reports said, "I am pleased to report that the pile waiting to be processed is gone!!! If you requested a certificate and you do not receive it in a week or so then look my call up on QRZ com and send me an email directly and I can check your call on my list to see if it was received and when it was sent "
- Gould, WA4SXM, AO-51 Control Station reported on October 28, "We are continuing to work with AO-51 in reloading the files The command stations are learning and documenting the process We hope to have AO-51 operational before too long "
- The Delfi-C3 team has received an official launch window from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) regarding the launch of PSLV-C9 which will carry Delfi-C3 into space The window runs from the 7th of January to the 10th of January

[ANS thanks everyone for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-301 06 ARISS Status Report For the Week of October 22, 2007

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 301 06

From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD October 28, 2007 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-301 06

Five Malaysian School Contacts Successful

Malaysian space visitor Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, 9W2MUS, participated in the ARISS program while on board the ISS Five different groups of Malaysian school children gathered at the National Planetarium in Kuala Lumpur and spoke with Shukor, direct via ground station 9M2RPN All five of the successful contacts took place over the week of October 14 Former Shuttle astronaut, Robert "Hoot" Gibson attended the final ARISS event and also spoke to Shukor Shukor returned to Earth on Sunday, October 21 with the Expedition 15 crew The Star Online ran an article on the first contact with the Malaysian students See: http://thestar com my/news/story asp?file=/2007/10/15/nation/19172923&sec=na tion

School Contacts

The first ARISS contact of Expedition 16 was held on Tuesday, October 23 with students, ages 13 Ã‚Â– 14, from GiosuÃƒÂ¨ Carducci in Santa Marinella, Italy Princess Elettra Marconi visits the school annually as it runs a program, Ã‚Â“Guglielmo Marconi Ã‚Â” The program covers the research and experiments which were conducted by Marconi at the National Radioelectric Centre located in Santa Marinella

ARISS International Team Teleconference Held

The monthly ARISS teleconference was held on Wednesday, October 17 Topics of discussion included the 2008 ARISS International Face to Face meeting, the Columbus antennas and SuitSat-2 A new Canadian delegate was also announced Meeting minutes have been posted
See: http://www rac ca/ariss/arisstel2007-10-17 htm

ARISS Antennas on Columbus

A write up on the Columbus Module ARISS antennas has been posted to the ARISS-Europe Web site Photos of the antennas and movie clips of their installation and inspection are also available See: http://www ariss-eu org/columbus htm

[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI for the above information]

/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 additional benefits Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office

73, This week's ANS Editor, JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM K9JKM at amsat dot org

Via the ANS mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA http://amsat org/mailman/listinfo/ans

The following information is a reminder of your current mailing list subscription:

You are subscribed to the following list: [list_name]

using the following email: example@example.com

You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL:

http://www aus-city com/cgi-bin/dada/mail cgi/u/[list]/

If the above URL is inoperable, make sure that you have copied the entire address Some mail readers will wrap a long URL and thus break this automatic unsubscribe mechanism

You may also change your subscription by visiting this list's main screen:

http://www aus-city com/cgi-bin/dada/mail cgi/list/[list]

If you're still having trouble, please contact the list owner at: