AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-359

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: * Help AMSAT to Fly Fox-1: Solar Panel Campaign Begins * SKN On OSCAR 2012 In Memory Of W1JSM * FO-29 Satellite Recovery in Progress * AMSAT-India Announces Linear Transponder * UK Space Agency Ukube-2 CubeSat Mission Concept Studies * Satellite Shorts From All Over * ARISS Status - 19 December 2011

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-359 01 Help AMSAT to Fly Fox-1: Solar Panel Campaign Begins

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 359 01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD December 25, 2011 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-359 01

As AMSAT embarks on the Fox-1 Project, here is an opportunity to literally put your callsign on the Fox hardware AMSAT is looking for major donations to help underwrite the cost of solar cells/ panels, one of the more significant expenses of the project These solar cells are needed for the flight unit as well as for the a flight spare As Fox-1 will have solar cells on all six sides of the spacecraft and given the relatively small surface area avail- able on each side (at most 4" by 4" per side), AMSAT will invest in high efficiency solar cells to gain as much power as possible to operate the spacecraft

To protect the installed solar panels prior to launch, a lexan cover for each side will be fabricated and mounted to protect the cells Prior to placement of the flight spacecraft into the 'P-Pod' that will house the cubesats on the launch vehicle, the lexan covers will be removed

"Friends of Fox" are encouraged to consider several levels of fund- ing support:

1. Donate $1,000 to support purchase of one panel that will cover one side of the spacecraft

2. Donate $6,500 to support the purchase of six sets of solar panels to cover the entire spacecraft

Donors who contribute at these levels will have their callsign etched on the lexan cover protecting solar panels of the flight unit and the flight spare Following the launch of Fox-1, donors will receive the lexan solar panel cover with their callsign for 'their' solar panel mounted on a plaque commemorating their contribution to the Fox-1 project and highlighting the purpose of the lexan cover A letter of authenticity will be provided attesting to the use of the lexan cover to help protect the solar panels

Other potential donor levels are also available:

1. Donate $500 for one solar cell (two cells make up a 'panel' on one side of the spacecraft)

2. Donate $250 for one-half of a solar cell (one-quarter of the solar panel for one side of the spacecraft

Donors contributing at these levels will receive a letter affirming their contribution, including specifying which side of the spacecraft 'their' cells are located

If you're interested in supporting AMSAT's need to purchase solar cells, please return the Fox-1 fundraisingform sent to members We expect significant interest so make your donation NOW to take full advantage of this donation opportunity

Additional donation opportunities may be found at:

• Call Martha at the AMSAT Office +1-888-FB AMSAT (1-888-322-6728)
• Paypal donation widget on the main page at: http://www amsat org
• Paypal donation widget for Project Fox at: http://www amsat org/amsat-new/fox/
• You can also go to the Paypal site and send your donation to martha@amsat org
• The AMSAT Store: http://www amsat-na com/store/categories php

All donations over $40 will receive a Fox pin Donations of $120 or more qualify you for AMSAT President's Club

[ANS thanks AMSAT President Barry Baines, WD4ASW for the above information]

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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-359 02 SKN On OSCAR 2012 In Memory Of W1JSM

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 359 02 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD December 25, 2011 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-359 02

You are cordially invited to participate in Straight Key Night on OSCAR 2012, conducted by AMSAT for all radio amateurs through- out the world This year's event is dedicated to the memory of Don Brown, W1JSM, who passed away in 2011, aged 90 Don was a longtime, enthusiastic VHF/UHF and satellite operator, and one of our most frequent Best Fist winners

As always, SKN on OSCAR is simple and informal Just operate CW through one or more satellites on 1 January 2012 (0000 to 2400 UTC), using a straight hand key

There is no need to send in a log, but all participants are encour- aged to nominate someone they worked for Best Fist Your nominee need not have the best fist of anyone you heard, only of those you worked Send your nomination to w2rs@amsat org A list of those nominated will appear in ANS in early February

[ANS thanks Ray Soifer, W2RS for the above information]

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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-359 03 FO-29 Satellite Recovery in Progress

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 359 03 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD December 25, 2011 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-359 03

The FO-29 Command Team reports from Japan that they have recovered the satellite after it had experienced a shutdown due to longer eclipse periods causing an undervoltage condition

Ground station operators have placed FO-29 in a temporary, but stable configuration for further testing and recovery operations They will test FO-29 while it is over Japan between December 23-25

If no problems occur the Command Team will announce an operating schedule for the satellite for the remainder of 2011 and into the early part of 2012 Please standby for further news and announce- ments

[ANS thanks Mineo Wakita, JE9PEL for the above information]

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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-359 04 AMSAT-India Announces Linear Transponder

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 359 04 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD December 25, 2011 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-359 04

AMSAT INDIA had a booth at Hamfest India held on December 10-11 An estimated 900 amateur radio operators and SWLs attended the event A copy of their satellite presentation can be downloaded from: http://amsatindia org/presentations/HFI-2011/AI-HFI2011 pdf

AMSAT-India gave several presentations at the event, among them was one by Ganesan Namachivayam KJ6LRR in which he described a satellite 435/145 MHz linear transponder with a bandwidth of 50 kHz and capable of 1-3 watts PEP output AMSAT-India plan to develop a smaller linear transponder for Cubesats

Ganesan also described a CubeSat communications system comprising a 435 MHz half-duplex narrow-band FM transceiver supporting a data rate of 1200-9600 bps The transmitter produces 1 watt output and can also operate as a Morse Code beacon

Other presentations included: - Real Time Tracking by Mani VU2WMY - Working with LEO Sats by Dr Raveendranath VU2RVJ - Telemetry Decoding by Nitin VU3TYG

[ANS thanks Secretary - AMSAT INDIA Nitin, VU3TYG for the above information]

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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-359 05 UK Space Agency Ukube-2 CubeSat Mission Concept Studies

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 359 05 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD December 25, 2011 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-359 05

With the UK Space Agency Ukube-1 program currently in development with a planned launch in the second half of 2012 an invitation for participation in studies for future cubesat missions has been ann- ounced

The concept can address a scientific theme or be of an in-orbit tech- nology demonstration nature (e g formation flying), providing a real impact to the UK All UK based communities (academic, industrial and other) are invited to submit proposals Applications can be made in- dividually or in partnership with other organisations, however indus- try and academia will be funded under the rules stipulated in the scope of funding presented below

Funding is available up to £35K per proposal; the size of award will depend on the requirements of the proposed project and the applicants’ case for support Proposals should not exceed a grant value of £35K Funding will be awarded in 2012 and the project cannot exceed 3 months duration Due to the short nature of these studies and the amount of funding available, we intend funding successful applicants at the on- set of the project It is anticipated the scheme will fund a minimum of 7 proposals; the facility to fund more will depend on the size of awards and will be assessed on a competitive basis as detailed below

The deadline for submission of proposals is 1st February 2012, 12pm Further information can be found by following the links posted on the AMSAT-UK web: http://tinyurl com/7glkm3f (www uk amsat org)

[ANS thanks AMSAT-UK for the above information]

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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-359 06 Satellite Shorts From All Over

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 359 06 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD December 25, 2011 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-359 06

• The 2012 SA AMSAT Space Symposium will be held at the University of KwaZulu-Natal on 12 May 2012 This is the second call for papers Authors are invited to submit a brief synopsis of their proposed paper The deadline is 31 January 2012 Send a synopsis as a word file attachment to saamsat@intekom co za The theme of the confer- ence is "50 Years of Amateur Radio Satellites" celebrating the launch of OSCAR 1 on 12 December 1961 SA AMSAT: http://www amsatsa org za/

• YX6, VENEZUELA Members of the Radio Club of Venezuela plan to be active as YX6AJ from Angel Falls waterfall (the world's tallest - 979m) between January 3-6th, 2012 Operators mentioned are Lino/ YY5FRD, Jesus/YY5CHJ, Marcel/YY5CAR, Wilmer/YY5CWM, Alfredo/YV5SSF, Edwin/YV5HUJ, Jose/YV5JF, William/YV5VE, Angel/YV5NEA and possibly one more Activity will be on CW, SSB, Digital modes and the Satel- lites QSL via YV5AJ, by the Bureau or direct They have posted a promotional video at: http://www youtube com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=57lufNJtftk (Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No 1041 for December 19, 2011)

• The Polish amateur radio satellite PW-SAT built by students at the Warsaw University of Technology was featured on the Internet TV channel, BRITE TV PW-SAT carries a single channel transponder that will operate in a similar way to the amateur satellite AO-16 The uplink on 435 020 MHz will be FM and the downlink on 145 900 MHz will use the BPSK telemetry beacon transmitter to produce Double Sideband (DSB) that can be received on an SSB radio Watch at: http://www youtube com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=74u7Nqxpkk0

• The Internet Archive and Textfiles has posted every issue of Wayne Green's 73 Magazine ever published, for free Read 73 online, or download PDF files here: http://www archive org/details/73-magazine

• A video of the presentation about Amateur Radio Space Communications given by Mario Lorenz DL5MLO to hackers at the Chaos Communication Camp 2011 is now available: http://www youtube com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Lh_RvzceJo4

• AMSAT area coordinator Clint Bradford, K6LCS, will be presenting his 'Working Amateur Satellites With Your HT' session at the Gwinnett Amateur Radio Society's TechFest 2012 in Lawrenceville, Georgia on January 14, 2012 ALL are welcome to attend! Event Web site: http://tinyurl com/GARS-2012 Clint's four-page tutorial and radio programming data can be found at: http://www work-sat com

• Bobby, KF4GTA posted photos of his trip to KSC with access to both Atlantis and Endeavour The links to his photo pages are: http://flic kr/p/aVsWfM and http://flic kr/s/aHsjxni8cR

[ANS thanks everyone for the above information]

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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-359 07 ARISS Status - 19 December 2011

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 359 07 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD December 25, 2011 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-359 07

1. Kobe, Japan Contact Successful

On Monday, December 12, an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact was held between the Hirano Branch of Kobe Youth Nurturing Council in Kobe-city, Hyogo-pref, Japan and Astronaut Dan Burbank, KC5ZSX on the ISS The contact highlighted lessons covering the ISS and the environment An audience of approximately 50 people attended the event Media coverage included two newspapers

1. New Proposal Cycle for ARISS-US Contacts

NASA Teaching From Space (TFS) office recently announced a new proposal cycle for ARISS-US contacts The deadline for submitting proposals is January 30, 2012 for contacts to be held in the July 15, 2012 – January 15, 2013 time frame The next informational session will be held on Wednesday, January 11 at 2100 UTC to answer any questions concerning the proposal process To attend the session or to have questions answered, contact TFS at JSC-TFS-ARISS@mail nasa gov or call 281-244-1919

For more information, visit the TFS Web site: http://www nasa gov/audience/foreducators/teachingfromspace/students/ariss html

1. ARISS-U S Proposal Process Makes the News

A NASA Express message which included an item on ARISS contact opportunities for U S schools using the proposal process was sent on December 8 The message may be viewed on the NASA blog: http://blogs nasa gov/cm/newui/blog/viewpostlist jsp?blogname=educationexpress

The NASA Educators Online Network (NEON) posted a link to its ARISS article, “Holiday Ham for NASA ” See: http://nasatalk com/blog/article/bylines/67-dynae-fullwood/1629-holiday-ham-for- nasa html

The Hartford Hobby Radio Examiner published the story, “Schools can apply for space station radio chats ” http://www examiner com/hobby-radio-in-hartford/school-applications-welcome-for- space-station-contacts

1. ARISS Status on Social Media

This is a reminder that ARISS news is available on Twitter and Facebook ARISS has over 200 active users on Facebook and over 800 followers on Twitter See: http://www facebook com/pages/Amateur-Radio-on-the-International-Space-Station- ARISS/153679794647788 and http://twitter com/#!/ARISS_status

[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, Lee McLamb, KU4OS ku4os at amsat dot org

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