AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-293

The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor- mation 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:

• Cutoff Dates for AMSAT Space Symposium Quickly Approaching
• AMSAT Symposium - VUCC/WAS Card Checking
• CAMSAT (AMSAT China) DX Party
• Hams in Space Team Appearing at the ARRL Midwest Division Convention
• New Satellite Operator on an Oil Platform in the Gulf of Mexico
• The ARRL Centennial QSO Party Includes Satellite Operation
• ARRL Reinvents Newsletter for Teachers and Instructors

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-293 01 ANS-293 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 293 01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD October 20, 2013 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-293 01

Cutoff Dates for AMSAT Space Symposium Quickly Approaching

With the resumption of US Government activities, the upcoming tour of Johnson Space Center as part of 31st AMSAT Space Symposium is back on schedule JSC was closed to visitors during the recently concluded partial federal government shutdown and if the US Congress had not acted to pass a Continuing Resolution, the JSC Tour was threatened The tour is scheduled for Monday morning, 4 NOV 13 and we are once again accepting reservations for individuals to participate in the JSC tour However, given the maximum number of participants that JSC can handle, there are only four slots that are currently open Anyone signing up for the tour once those slots are filled will be placed on a waiting list in the event an existing participant cancels

AMSAT Space Symposium Committee member Nick Lance, KC5KBO of the Johnson Space Center Amateur Radio Club (W5RRR) is coordinating the tour He will be submitting the list tour participants to the JSC Public Affairs Office (PAO) by close of business on Tuesday, 22 OCT in order to allow time for the Center to perform a security check of those participating as well as prepare for the tour Consequently, the cutoff for joining the tour and paying the $30 00 fee for the bus to be used to take participants on the tour is Tuesday, 22 OCT by 1400 EDT Individuals must call Martha Saragovitz at the AMSAT office (301-589-6062) and provide a credit card for payment as well as provide information that will be given to JSC, such as date of birth Foreign Nationals will be required to provide US Visa and their passport information along with date of birth and country of birth Consequently, given the limited number of spaces available and the need to provide the JSC PAO with the list of participants, contact Martha at the AMSAT Office ASAP starting Monday, 21 OCT after 1000 EDT when the office opens

Nick notes that participants are being offered a unique tour of JSC, observing "The bus will depart the hotel at 0800 and tour locations include: Neutral Buoyancy Lab, Building 30 Mission Control, and Building 9 ISS mockup plus stopping at JSC Amateur Radio Club hamshack (W5RRR) and Space Center Houston which will also provide time for lunch The bus will return to the hotel around 1430 "

There is also a tour scheduled for Sunday to visit the USS Texas (BB-35) Details may be found on the AMSAT website: http://ww2 amsat org/?page_id=1638 The cost of the tour is $20 00

Meanwhile, online registration through the AMSAT Store (http://store amsat org/catalog/index php?cPath=37&osCsid= 76bqegd12o3jk6oahhpst76085) for the AMSAT Space Symposium, the Saturday Evening Banquet, the Sunday Morning AMSAT Area Coordinators Breakfast, and the USS Texas tour ends on 25 OCT (Friday) As noted in last weekend's ANS Bulletin, in recognition of the 30th anniversary of the flight of Owen Garriott, W5LFL on STS-9 when amateur radio became first part of human space flight, a multi-media panel featuring Owen and other key individuals who initiated this amazing program will take place on Saturday evening as part of the banquet, moderated by AMSAT VP-Human Space Flight Frank Bauer, KA3HDO The presentation includes not only remarks by Owen and others in response to Frank's questions, but video highlights of amateur radio participation in STS-9 and other Shuttle flights will be shown

Walk-in registration at the Symposium takes place on Thursday evening, 31 OCT as well as during the Symposium itself Walk-in registration will be $10 00 higher than the online registration Banquet reservations, Sunday morning AC Breakfast, and USS Texas Tour registration MUST be done online which ends on 25 OCT 13 The AMSAT block of rooms at the Marriott Hobby Airport, Houston (site of the Symposium) expired on 16 OCT and are no longer available

The "Proceedings of the 31st AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting" is at the printer A total of 21 papers plus an appendix of Fox-1 technical information being placed in the public domain has resulted in a 417 page document The schedule of 23 speakers for the Symposium has been posted on the AMSAT website See: http://ww2 amsat org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/2013-AMSAT-Symposium- Presentation-Sked-Rev-B pdf

The AMSAT Board of Directors meeting takes place on Thursday, 31 OCT and Friday morning, 1 NOV with the agenda also posted: http://ww2 amsat org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/BoD-2013-Agenda-Rev-A pdf

The AMSAT Annual Meeting takes place at 1545 CDT on Saturday afternoon following the conclusion of the presentation of papers Arrangements are being made to use the AMSAT Echolink connection to provide an opportunity for AMSAT members not attending the Space Symposium to participate in the Annual Meeting Details on connecting to the AMSAT Echolink service will be provided prior to Symposium via ANS once arrangements are finalized '

[ANS thanks the AMSAT Space Symposium Committee for the above information]

AMSAT Symposium - VUCC/WAS Card Checking

Bruce Paige, KK5DO, AMSAT Director Contests and Awards, will be at the symposium Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Sunday is the trip to the USS Texas so not much time) and available to check cards for VUCC satellite or WAS satellite

Download, the application from the ARRL

For VUCC have a computer generated list in grid square order of your cards with grid in column 1 and callsign in column 2 (cards sorted in grid square order to match list, put multiple grid cards at the very end of the stack)

For WAS have a computer generated list in alphabetical order by state in column 1 and callsign in column 2 (cards sorted in state order to match list, put multiple state cards at end of stack)

Payment can be made to the ARRL either by entering your credit card info on the application or with a check made out to the ARRL for the appropriate fee

Bruce will be located near the table where Martha will be

[ANS thanks Bruce, KK5DO, for the above information]

CAMSAT (AMSAT China) DX Party

BY, China: Operators BA1EO, BA1DU, BA4TA, BA4TB, BA4RN, BA4WI, BA4ALC, BH4RQU, BH4REQ, BD5RV, BA7CK, BA9GA, BA9TX, BD9GQ, and BG0GE will operate in the contest of the CAMSAT (AMSAT China) DX Party from the 19th to the 28th as BJ9TA (VHF, including the ARRL EME Contest (Oct 26/27)) and as BY9GA/9 (HF, CQ WW DX SSB Contest) QTH is Dunhuang, in China's north-west (CQ zone 23) QRV on 160m-70cm with 4 stations QSLs via BA1DU

[ANS thanks DARC Committee "DX and HF contesting" DX Newsletter DXNL for the above information]

Hams in Space Team Appearing at the ARRL Midwest Division Convention

The Hams in Space Team of KYØF-Eddy Paul, ACØDX-Jeremy Widner, and KDØHKD-Randy Schulze will be appearing at the ARRL Midwest Division Convention at Lebanon, Missouri Friday and Saturday, November 8th and 9th The Hams in Space presentation provides hams with information how to successfully get on the air with FM Amateur Radio satellites, in most cases with equipment they already possess, or by obtaining a few specialized, inexpensive items While explaining techniques and procedures, an emphasis of “Keep it Simple” and “Have Fun” is stressed throughout

This event is a very special event indeed, as this is the ARRL Midwest Division Convention, being presented by the Lebanon Amateur Radio Club at the Cowan Convention Center at 500 East Elm in Lebanon, Missouri This event is already being proclaimed by many as one of the biggest ham radio events in North America since the Hamvention® at Dayton! http://www arrlmidwestconvention com/index html

The Hams in Space Classroom presentation is scheduled to occur on Saturday at 12:00 Noon, in Room A Special guest at our presentation will be Astronaut, Chuck Nagel, N5RAW, and Colonel USAF Retired! http://www arrlmidwestconvention com/astro/default html

We plan on scheduling one or two “hands on” demonstrations during the Convention, weather permitting, and a good pass of SO-50 fitting into the schedule Satellite enthusiasts not attending the Convention are encouraged to be on the air to work the new guys trying out satellite work for the first time

For more information on Hams in Space, go to: http://hamsinspace com For more information on the ARRL Midwest Division Convention, go to: http://www arrlmidwestconvention com/index html

73! We Hope to See You There!

[ANS thanks Randy Schulze, KDØHKD for the above information]

New Satellite Operator on an Oil Platform in the Gulf of Mexico

Kyp, KD5TTZ, is operating on SO50 from an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico, in all-water grid square EL48

[ANS thanks Frank Griffin, K4FEG for the above information]

The ARRL Centennial QSO Party Includes Satellite Operation

In conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the ARRL, the ARRL Centennial QSO Party is set to kick off January 1 for a year-long operating event in which participants can accumulate points and win awards, as well as working new stations and making new friends

During 2014 W1AW will be on the air from every state (at least twice) and most US territories, and it will be easy to work all states solely by contacting W1AW portable operations This marks the first ARRL-sponsored operating event where every member is worth at least one point

The event is open to all, although only ARRL members and appointees, elected officials, HQ staff and W1AW are worth points Working ARRL's president, for example, earns 300 points!

To qualify for points all contacts must be two-way using CW, phone (FM, SSB, AM, digital voice), digital (any digital mode, such as PSK31, RTTY) on 160, 80, 40, 30, 17, 15, 12, 10, 6, 2 and 1 25 meters, plus 70 centimeters and satellite

One QSO on any satellite per eligible station, regardless of mode, is allowed

For more details see: http://www arrl org/centennial-qso-party

[ANS thanks the ARRL for the above information]

ARRL Reinvents Newsletter for Teachers and Instructors

The newly reinvented newsletter, Radio Waves! is now available You’ll find it posted at: http://www arrl org/files/file/Radio%20Waves%20Newsletter/Oct-2013_Radio_Waves pdf

What you’ll find in this issue includes:

• Ham Radio: From Generation to Generation
• Radio Clubs, Licensing Classes and Learning Activities, Oh My!
• Update on Recent ARISS Activities
• 2013 Teachers Institutes Deliver Immediate Impact
• A Meeting Place for Classroom Teachers
• A Marriage of Robots and Ham Radio
• Exam Prep Jepperdee is Born
• 2014 Tech Question Pool
• 2013 License Statistics
• Upcoming Events, Opportunities and Deadlines

[ANS thanks Debra Johnson K1DMJ and ARRL Educational Services 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 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, Lee McLamb, KU4OS ku4os at amsat dot org

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