AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-273

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

You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: http://www amsat org/mailman/listinfo/ans

In this edition:

• Fox-1Cliff Cubesat Ready for Launch
• Register for the Symposium in the AMSAT Store - New Items Added
• AMSAT President Joe Spier, K6WAO on Ham Nation Episode 369
• International Space Station Astronauts are Calling CQ Students
• Help ARISS Raise Funds for Critical ISS Radio Upgrades
• Mini Space Elevator and Digitalker Deployment From ISS on October 6
• Reminder - Registration Deadlines for 2018 AMSAT Space Symposium
• Reminder - October 15 Deadline for Space Symposium Papers
• AMSAT Rover Awards Update
• Construction Competition Slated for 2018 AMSAT-UK Colloquium
• ESEO Satellite Completes Vibration Tests - Final Testing to Begin
• News From South Africa
• Satellite Shorts From All Over

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-273 01 ANS-273 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 273 01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD DATE September 30, 2018 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-273 01

Fox-1Cliff Cubesat Ready for Launch

Jerry Buxton, NØJY, AMSAT Vice-President Engineering, delivered and performed the integration of AMSAT's Fox-1Cliff CubeSat in preparation for launch

Unlike AO-85 and AO-91, AMSAT purchased a commercial launch for Fox-1Cliff Please consider a donation to help replenish the coffers for GOLF and other future AMSAT projects! https://www amsat org/product-category/amsat-general-donations/ https://www amsat org/product-category/amsat-membership/ https://www amsat org/product-category/amsat-presidents-club-donations/

Uplink: 435 300 MHz FM voice (67 0 Hz CTCSS tone) 1267 300 MHz FM voice (67 0 Hz CTCSS tone) Downlink: 145 920 MHz FM voice; AFSK digital data up to 9600 bps Transmit power: 600 mW nominal

Because only one uplink frequency can be active at a time, the use of the Mode-L uplink will be limited to experimental periods announ- ced in advance

Fox-1Cliff carries the flight spare of the AO-85 Vanderbilt University Low Energy Proton (LEP) radiation experiment, and the standard Fox-1 Penn State University–Erie gyroscope experiment Virginia Tech pro- vided a VGA camera which is the same as AO-92 but will provide images at a higher 640 x 480 resolution These non-SSTV images will be decoded in the FoxTelem software

Fox-1Cliff, unlike the other three Fox-1 FM spacecraft, does not have an active AFC on the uplinks

Fox-1Cliff's Subaudible Telemetry (low-speed telemetry) will be the same as for AO-85, AO-91, and AO-92 It will be supported by the same FoxTelem software already released

As with AO-92, a high-speed mode will be used to support the Virginia Tech VGA camera experiment This mode will be active for 40 minutes by ground command, reverting to standard U/v transponder voice operation

Fox-1Cliff is named in honor of long-time AMSAT member, contributor, and benefactor Cliff Buttschardt, K7RR (SK), who passed away in 2016 Cliff’s contributions to AMSAT and other amateur satellite programs, including serving as an adviser during the initial development of the CubeSat specification at California Polytechnic State University, earned him the Lifetime Achievement Award from Project OSCAR in 2006

[ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, NØJY, AMSAT Vice-President Engineering for the above information]

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Register for the Symposium in the AMSAT Store - New Items Added

The AMSAT 2018 Symposium store items have been updated Keep in mind that registration goes up on Monday, October 1

We now have the ability for Students to register at 50% off

You can now pre-order printed copies of the AMSAT Symposium Proceedings(those attending get digital copies only)

The Sunday tour is available to order It will be the Marshall Space Flight Center Please order early so that we get an accurate count of how many buses will be needed

Visit the AMSAT Online store and access the Symposium items at: https://www amsat org/product-category/amsat-symposium/

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

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AMSAT President Joe Spier, K6WAO on Ham Nation Episode 369

AMSAT President Joe Spier, K6WAO, appeared on Ham Nation’s September 26, 2018 episode (#369) with Gordon West, WB6NOA Joe discussed the latest news from AMSAT and ARISS The recorded episode can be viewed at: https://twit tv/shows/ham-nation/episodes/369

[ANS thanks Twit tv and Ham Nation for the above information]

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International Space Station Astronauts are Calling CQ Students

ARISS News Release No 18-10
Dave Jordan, AA4KN, ARISS PR

International Space Station Astronauts are Calling CQ Students ARISS-US program's education proposal window is open Oct 1 - Nov 30, 2018

September 26, 2018: The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program is seeking proposals beginning October 1, 2018, from US schools, museums, science centers and community youth organizations (working individually or together) to host radio contacts with an orbiting crew member aboard the International Space Station (ISS) between July 1 and December 31, 2019

Each year, ARISS provides tens of thousands of students with learning opportunities about space technologies, communications, and much more through the exploration of Amateur Radio and space ARISS has been pleased of late, to be one of many possibilities of interest to educators during NASA's A Year of Education on Station, which celebrates an almost 12-month presence of a teacher aboard the ISS The ARISS program connects students to astronauts on the ISS through a partnership between NASA, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, the American Radio Relay League, other Amateur Radio global organizations and the worldwide space agencies The program's goal is to inspire students to pursue interests and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and in Amateur Radio

Educators report regularly that student participation in the ARISS program stimulates interest in STEM subjects and STEM careers One educator wrote, "Many of the middle school students who took part in and attended the ARISS contact have selected science courses in high school as a result of that contact " Educators are set- ting up ham radio clubs in schools and learning centers because of students' interest

ARISS is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed, exciting education plan Students can learn about satellite com- munications, wireless technology, science research conducted on the ISS, radio science, and other STEM subjects Students learn to use Amateur Radio to talk directly to an astronaut and ask their STEM-related questions ARISS will help educational organi- zations locate Amateur Radio groups who can assist with equipment for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students

The proposal window opens October 1, 2018 and the proposal dead- line is November 30, 2018 For proposal guidelines and forms and more details, go to: http://www ariss org/hosting-an-ariss-contact-in-the-us html

Proposal webinars for guidance and getting questions answered will be offered October 11 and October 23, 2018, both at 8 pm Eastern Time Advance registration is necessary To sign up, go to http://tinyurl com/ANS-273-ARISSWebinar

About ARISS Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS) In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satel- lite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the Center for the Advancement of Science in space (CASIS) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students in classrooms or public forms Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio For more information, see www ariss org

Also join us on Facebook:
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)

Follow us on Twitter: ARISS_status

Media Contact: Dave Jordan, AA4KN ARISS PR aa4kn at amsat org

[ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN for the above information]

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Help ARISS Raise Funds for Critical ISS Radio Upgrades

AMSAT and ARISS are currently supporting a FundRazr campaign to raise $150,000 for critical radio infrastructure upgrades on ISS The upgrades are necessary to enable students to continue to talk to astronauts in space via Amateur Radio

Please help by donating today https://fundrazr com/arissnextgen?ref=ab_e7Htwa_ab_47IcJ9

ARISS is in critical need of infrastructure upgrades to ensure that programs such as talking to astronauts in space using Amateur Radio can continue Through your donations ARISS seeks the following upgrades:

• Next Generation radio systems that will support easier transition to enable new, exciting radio modes and capabilities for hams, students and the general public including:

• New Amateur Radio communication and experiment capabilities including an enhanced voice repeater and updated digital Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS), and Slow Scan TV (picture up and downlinks) in both US and Russian segments of the ISS

• A new multi voltage power supply that will support present and future radio capabilities and allow wireless experiments to be conducted

ARISS needs to build ten Next Generation radio systems to support the development of on-orbit operations, training and long term maintenance This includes two units for on-orbit use (one unit each for the US and Russian segments), two units for flight spares, three units for training, one unit for testing, and two units for ground-based maintenance and troubleshooting

AMSAT is a 501(c)(3) organization Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law

[ANS thanks Frank Bauer, KA3HDO for the above information ]

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Mini Space Elevator and Digitalker Deployment From ISS on October 6

Japan’s seventh HTV mission, Kounotori 7, arrived at the ISS this week and delivered cubesats planned for deployment on October 6:

• STARS-Me
• Rymansat Project RSP-00
• SPATIUM-I

STARS-Me

This mission consists of two 1U CubeSats connected by a tether which includes a mini space elevator experiment, the climber, by Shizuoka University The climber has a Bluetooth connection that will transmit its data to a ground station via a STARS-Me downlink Radio amateurs can monitor the behavior of the climber in the telemetry data

Additional experiments include radio wave propagation studies, and flight dynamics including tethered spacecraft position and rotation

UHF downlinks will transmit CW, 1k2 AFSK and 9k6 GMSK telemetry Mother satellite - 437 245 MHz CW Beacon; 437 405 MHz telemetry Daughter satellite - 437 255 MHz CW Beacon; 437 425 MHz telemetry

Rymansat Project RSP-00

The mission of RSP-00, a 1U cubesat, includes: + Send messages collected from the public back to Earth via a digitalker and CW for reception by radio amateurs and school children

• Image capture with on-board camera and transmit image data with high-speed telemetry on 38k4 π/4QPSK downlink on UHF

The downlink frequency for the digitalker, CW beacon and AFSK 1k2 packet is 145 890 MHz The UHF downlink frequency has not been published

SPATIUM-I

SPATIUM 1 is scientific (non-amateur radio) cubesat to demonstrate a new technique for ionosphere mapping using a constellation of CubeSats equipped with Chip Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) to provide real-time three-dimensional mapping of ionosphere plasma density at the altitudes of electron density peak (200 to 400 km above the Earth)

[ANS thanks the satellite teams for the above information]

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Reminder - Registration Deadlines for 2018 AMSAT Space Symposium

Make Your Hotel Reservations by October 10!

Hotel accommodations will be next door at the Marriott at the Space & Rocket Center, 5 Tranquility Base, Huntsville, Alabama USA Hotel reservations for the Symposium may be made by individual attendees directly with Marriott reservations at: + 1-(800) 228-9290 or + (256) 830-2222 or + On-line at http://tinyurl com/Marriott-2018-Symposium-Hotel

Please mention the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) reference number M-BIHHXTA for the group rate of $104 per night + The AMSAT group rate is available 10/31/18 to 11/04/18 + Book by 10/10/18 + Marriott perks include free parking for attendees and complimentary Wi-Fi

Symposium Early Registration Rate Expires September 30!

Registration for the Symposium can be ordered on-line at: https://www amsat org/product-category/amsat-symposium/ + $60 Early Registration is through September 30, 2018 + $65 Registration is October 01, 2018 - October 26, 2018 + $70 Registration at the Door

AMSAT Annual Saturday Night Banquet Reservations Are Due October 20!

• Dinner reservations are $50 per person and should be made by October 20th to ensure accommodation
• Register online at: https://www amsat org/product-category/amsat-symposium/

[ANS thanks the 2018 Symposium Committee for the above information ]

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Reminder - October 15 Deadline for Space Symposium Papers

AMSAT has issued the second call for papers for the 2018 AMSAT-NA Annual Meeting and Space Symposium The symposium will be held at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL on the weekend of November 2-4 Proposals for papers, symposium presentations, and poster presentations are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite community Prospects should send a tentative title of their presentation as soon as possible The final copy must be submitted by October 15th for inclusion in the printed proceedings Abstracts and papers should be sent to Dan Schultz at n8fgv at amsat dot org

[ANS thanks Dan Schultz, N8FGV for the above information ]

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AMSAT Rover Awards Update

The AMSAT Rover award is granted to stations who achieve a combined 25 points using any combination of the defined criteria posted at: https://www amsat org/amsat-rover-award

Bruce says congratulations are in order to Dave, AD7DB for earning AMSAT Rover Award 35

Number Callsign Award Date ------ -------- ---------- 035 AD7DB 26 Sep 2018

[ANS thanks AMSAT Director Contests and Awards, Bruce Paige, KK5DO, for the above information ]

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Construction Competition Slated for 2018 AMSAT-UK Colloquium

AMSAT-UK will be hosting a Construction Competition at our 2108 Colloquium on October 13-14

The rules are simple: 1 Entries must be built from Kits or Home Constructed 2 The judging will take place during in the presentation room during the Lunch breaks on Saturday and Sunday The entries need only be present for one of these sessions 3 Three judges, nominated by the AMSAT-UK Chairman, will judge each entry on: + External Appearance and Ergonomics + Mechanical Construction + Standard of Internal Wiring + Standard of PCBs or internal circuitry + Originality 4 The winners will be announced at the end of the Colloquium on Sunday afternoon Prizes will be forwarded if the winner is not present 5 A £50 Amazon Voucher will be awarded to the winner with a £25 Amazon Voucher for the runner-up 6 The decisions of the Judges are final, and their marking will remain confidential! 7 Multiple entries for individuals are allowed and encouraged

[ANS thanks Graham Shirville, G3VZV, and AMSAT-UK for the above information]

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ESEO Satellite Completes Vibration Tests - Final Testing to Begin

On September 28, 2018 the European Space Agency reported that the European Student Earth Orbiter (ESEO), a student-built project is about to enter its exciting final test phase, after having just concluded the vibration tests, that demonstrated that the satellite is able to withstand the harsh vibrations of launch

ESEO is a 45kg micro-satellite mission to Low Earth Orbit developed, integrated, and tested by European university students The student experiments on board ESEO include:

• FUNcube-4 1260 MHz to 145 MHz amateur FM transponder together with FUNcube compatible telemetry for educational outreach
• Taking pictures of the Earth
• Measuring radiation levels
• Test technologies that can be used for future education satellite missions

ESEO reports several key milestones were attained by the student teams to reach the final phase of testing:

• August 28 - the assembly integration of the ESEO spacecraft was declared complete In this phase all the satellite’s physical parts were assembled together, and all functional interconnections were checked to confirm they work as required

• September 27 - ESEO reached another key milestone, when it successfully completed the vibrations test campaign to demon- strate that the design is solid enough to safely withstand the launch

In the next couple of weeks ESEO will undergo the thermal vacuum and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) tests to confirm that ESEO is capable of coping with the thermal environment that it will experience in orbit, and the electromagnetic conditions generated during launch preparation, during the launch itself and in orbit

FUNcube-4 is the amateur radio payload on the ESEO mission This payload will provide similar FUNcube telemetry to its predecessors but will have a more powerful transmitter and thus be even easier to hear For amateurs, this payload will also provide a single channel L/V transponder for FM

Uplink: 1263 500 MHz FM voice with 67Hz CTCSS tone Downlink: 145 895 MHz FM voice and telemetry

https://funcube org uk/ http://tinyurl com/ANS-273-ESEO-Final-Test-Phase http://tinyurl com/ANS-273-About-ESEO

[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]

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News From South Africa

AMSAT SA Co-sponsors VHF/UHF Workshop

The first in the series of VHF/UHF workshops will be held at the SARL National Amateur Radio Centre on Saturday, October 20 The programme and booking form are now available for download Follow the link from the SARL homepage or go to www amsatsa org za The workshop includes topics such as beacon coordination, build a simple 3 cm transmitter, Aircraft scatter on 23 cm, Linear ampli- fiers for VHF and UHF, and the RSGB Video on meteor and tropo scatter

First Call for Papers to the 2019 Space Symposium

AMSAT SA has issued the first call for papers to be presented at the 2019 AMSAT SA Space Symposium to be held on 16 March 2019 in Gauteng Prospective authors are invited to submit a short synopsis of what they intend to present to admin@amsatsa org za For more details visit www amsatsa org za

[ANS thanks SARL weekly news in English 2018-9-29 for the above information]

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Satellite Shorts From All Over

• Congratulations to 11 year old Marissa, W4AQT for earning her VUCC Satellite #393 Her dad, Jeff, WE4B, wrote, "AO-92 is an amazing FM satellite I remember when I thought AO-27 was incredible Thanks to AO-92 (and AO-85, AO-91 and SO-50), W4AQT was able to get her VUCC award and almost has enough additional grids for an endorsement (via Jeff, WE4B)

• NASA STEM Engagement, @NASAedu, tweeted: "For the past year, we’ve had a #TeacherOnBoard the @Space_Station! Join us on Tuesday, October 2 at 11am ET, for a special Facebook Live Education Downlink Event with @astro_ricky and help us cele- brate the “Year of Education on Station”! https://www facebook com/nasa #STEMonStation

• Ireland's first satellite EIRSAT1 was presented at the Frontiers of Physics 2018 Conference in Deblin EIRSAT has a website for students and teachers to find more and a forum for asking questions https://www eirsat1 ie

• Meet the Amateur Rocketeer Building Self-Landing Replicas of SpaceX Rockets Joe Barnard has spent the last three years pioneering DIY landing technologies for amateur rockets and now the aerospace industry is paying attention: http://tinyurl com/ANS-273-DIY-Rocket-Landing

• Photos and a blog entry describe the experience at the Open Source Cubesat Workshop held this week at the European Space Agency campus at the European Space Astronomy Centre just outside Madrid, Spain: http://tinyurl com/ANS-273-2018-OSCW

• Visit the cool website dashboard of Hayabusa2 real-time data display at: http://haya2now jp/en html (via Zach, N0ZGO)

[ANS thanks everyone 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 and Remember to help keep amateur radio in space, and behave This week's ANS Editor, JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM k9jkm at amsat dot org

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