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AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-250
The AMSAT News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and infor-
mation service of AMSAT, 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 commun-
icating 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@amsat.org <mailto:
ans-editor@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:
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In this edition:
* ARISS First Element of the Interoperable Radio System is Operational
* FCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Proposal open for comment
* Successful Vega Mission Launches the Amicalsat Project Satellite
* TEVEL Mission Nears Projected Launch Date
* Changes to the AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution (September 3, 2020)
* VUCC Satellite Awards and Endorsements
* ARISS News
* Upcoming Satellite Operations
* Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
* Satellite Shorts From All Over
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-250.01
ANS-250 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 250.01
From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD.
DATE 2020 Sept 06
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-250.01
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First Element of ARISS Next Generation (Next-Gen) Radio System
Installed in ISS Columbus Module
September2, 2020-The ARISS team is pleased to announce that installa-
tion and set up of the first element of the InterOperable Radio System
(IORS) has been completed and amateur radio operations with it are now
underway. This first element, was installed in the International Space
Station Columbus module. The IORS replaces the Ericsson radio system
and packet module that were originally certified for spaceflight on
July 26, 2000.
Initial operation of the new radio system is in FM cross band repeater
mode using an uplink frequency of 145.99 MHz with an access tone of
67Hz and a downlink frequency of 437.800 MHz. System activation was
first observed at 01:02 UTC on September 2. Special operations will
continue to be announced.
The IORS was launched from Kennedy Space Center on March 6, 2020 on
board the SpaceX CRS-20 resupply mission. It consists of a special,
space-modified JVC Kenwood D710GA transceiver, an ARISS developed
multi-voltage power supply and interconnecting cables. The design,
development, fabrication, testing, and launch of the first IORS was an
incredible five-year engineering achievement accomplished by the ARISS
hardware volunteer team. It will enable new and exciting capabilities
for ham radio operators, students, and the general public. Capabilities
include a higher power radio, voice repeater, digital packet radio
(APRS) capabilities and a Kenwood VC-H1 slow scan television (SSTV)
system.
A second IORS undergoes flight certification and will be launched later
for installation in the Russian Service module. This second system en-
ables dual, simultaneous operations, (e.g. voice repeater and APRS
packet), providing diverse opportunities for radio amateurs. It also
provides on-orbit redundancy to ensure continuous operations in the
event of an IORS component failure.
Next-gen development efforts continue. For the IORS, parts are being
procured and a total of ten systems are being fabricated to support
flight, additional flight spares, ground testing and astronaut train-
ing. Follow-on next generation radio system elements include an L-band
repeater uplink capability, currently in development, and a flight
Raspberry-Pi, dubbed "ARISS-Pi, "that is just beginning the design
phase. The ARISS-Pi promises operations autonomy and enhanced SSTV
operations.
ARISS is run almost entirely by volunteers, and with the help of gener-
ous contributions from ARISS sponsors and individuals. Donations to the
ARISS program for next generation hardware developments, operations,
education, and administration are welcome -- please go to
https://www.ariss.org/donate.html to contribute to these efforts.
(ANS thanks Dave Jordan, AA4KN of ARISS PR for the above information)
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ARLB021 FCC Application Fee Proposal Proceeding is Open for Comments
Comments are being accepted on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)
in MD Docket 20-270, which proposes application fees for radio
amateurs. Formal deadlines for comments and reply comments will be
determined once the NPRM appears in the Federal Register. Comments may
be filed now by using the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS),
located at
https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings, and posting to MD Docket N
o. 20-270. The docket is already open for accepting comments, even
though deadlines have not yet been set.
The NPRM can be found online in PDF format at:
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-116A1.pdf.
A review current of information on this proposal follows:
Amateur radio licensees would pay a $50 fee for each amateur radio li-
cense application if the FCC adopts rules it proposed this week. In-
cluded in the FCC's fee proposal are applications for new licenses, re-
newal and upgrades to existing licenses, and vanity call sign requests.
Excluded are applications for administrative updates, such as changes
of address, and annual regulatory fees.
The FCC proposal is contained in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)
in MD Docket 20-270, which was adopted to implement portions of the
"Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services
Act" of 2018 - the so-called "Ray Baum's Act."
The Act requires that the FCC switch from a Congressionally-mandated
fee structure to a cost-based system of assessment. In its NPRM, the
FCC proposed application fees for a broad range of services that use
the FCC's Universal Licensing System (ULS), including the Amateur Radio
Service that had been excluded by an earlier statute. The 2018 statute
excludes the Amateur Service from annual regulatory fees, but not from
application fees.
"Applications for personal licenses are mostly automated and do not
have individualized staff costs for data input or review," the FCC said
in its NPRM. "For these automated processes - new/major modifications,
renewal, and minor modifications - we propose a nominal application fee
of $50 due to automating the processes, routine ULS maintenance, and
limited instances where staff input is required."
The same $50 fee would apply to all Amateur Service applications, in-
cluding those for vanity call signs. "Although there is currently no
fee for vanity call signs in the Amateur Radio Service, we find that
such applications impose similar costs in aggregate on Commission re-
sources as new applications and therefore propose a $50 fee," the FCC
said.
The FCC is not proposing to charge for administrative updates, such as
mailing address changes for amateur applications, and amateur radio
will remain exempt from annual regulatory fees. "For administrative up-
dates [and] modifications, which also are highly automated, we find
that it is in the public interest to encourage licensees to update
their [own] information without a charge," the FCC said.
The FCC also proposes to assess a $50 fee for individuals who want a
printed copy of their license. "The Commission has proposed to elimi-
nate these services - but to the extent the Commission does not do so,
we propose a fee of $50 to cover the costs of these services," the FCC
said.
The Ray Baum's Act does not exempt filing fees in the Amateur Radio
Service. The FCC dropped assessment of fees for vanity call signs sev-
eral years ago.
Deadlines for comments and reply comments will be determined once the
NPRM appears in the Federal Register. Interested parties may file com-
ments by using the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), post-
ing to MD Docket No. 20-270. This docket is already open to accept com-
ments, even though deadlines have not yet been set.
[ANS thanks ARRL News for the above information]
++++++++++
+++++++
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AMSAT office
is closed until further notice. For details, please visit
https://www.amsat.org/amsat-office-closed-until-further-notice/
++++++++++
+++++++
AmicalSat satellite launched as part of Vega proof of concept launch:
Vega rocket (VV16) was successfully launched September 3, 2020 The
rocket left Kourou on 3 September, 2020 at 01h51 UTC with 53 satellites
on board.
One of the satellites launched is the Amicalsat satellite
built by the CSUG (Centre Spatial Universitaire Grenoblois). Measure-
ments made by the satellite will be available to all and will assist
radio amateurs in making propagation predictions.
The project's website (in English) has just been put online:
https://bit.ly/2YWfs5B
AMSAT-F supported this project. Additional information may be found at:
https://bit.ly/3lHxiCY
Linux & Windows Software is provided for decoding the Amicalsat tele-
metry and for sending it to the SatNogs database. An English version of
the user manual is available at:
https://bit.ly/2QILo8S
Beacon Frequency Modes Callsign
UHF 436.1 MHz AFSK 1200 RS17S
S band 2,415.3 MHz GFSK 1000 kb/s
https://bit.ly/31LGgaq
Reports are welcome. Thank you for your help.
The first 5 people who receive a frame from AmicalSat will receive a
gift. To submit your frame uses the satnogs SIDS or email
satellite@adri38.fr <mailto:
satellite@adri38.fr> .
2 other satellites are on this mission:
Satellites beacon frequency Modes Identifier
UPMSat-2 UHF 437.405 MHz AFSK 1200 UPMST2
TTU100 Primary UHF 435.450 MHz 1k2, 9k6, CW TTU100
TTU100 Secondary SHF 10465.000 MHz OPSK 62.5 Kbs and 20 Mbs
Links:
UPMSat-2:
https://bit.ly/2EL4VTO
TTU100:
https://bit.ly/2QXRmmN
Projected TLE (Updated 03 September, 2020 after launch announcement):
1 74002U 14900A 20247.14839410 .00000000 00000-0 50000-4 0 04
2 74002 97.4424 320.0103 0002779 53.5911 328.5572 15.10021350 03
[ANS thanks Christophe Mercier, Amsat-F chairman for the above informa-
tion]
++++++++++
+++++++
Need new satellite antennas? Purchase Arrows, Alaskan Arrows,
and M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store. When you purchase through
AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.
https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/
++++++++++
+++++++
TEVEL Mission Nears Projected Launch DATE
TEVEL, a mission with eight identical CubeSats, has been coordinated
and approved by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), and is
scheduled for launch from India sometime this fall. The project, lead
by the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, a private research college
in Herzliya, Israel, consists of high-school students' educational sat-
ellite experiments that involve telemetry beacons for educational re-
search activities. But also on board are FM amateur radio transponders.
Telemetry will 9k6 BPSK AX25 telemetry downlinks. But each satellite
can be commanded to operate as U/V FM transponders. Planning a launch
into a 580 km 98 degree orbit in September 2020. The eight spacecraft
in the TEVEL mission, identified as T1OFK, T2YRC, T3TYB, T4ATA, T5SNG,
T6NZR, T7ADM, T8GBS will all downlink for beacon, telemetry and trans-
ponder on 436.400 MHz and the transponder input on 145.970 MHz.
[ANS thanks IARU for the above information]
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[ANS thanks _____ for the above information]
++++++++++
+++++++
Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff
from our Zazzle store!
25% of the purchase price of each product goes
towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space
https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear
++++++++++
+++++++
Changes to the AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for September 3, 2020
The names of the following satellites have been changed as follows:
S-Net G (Cat ID 43186) is now S-Net D
S-Net H (Cat ID 43186) is now S-Net B
S-Net J (Cat ID 43186) is now S-Net A
S-Net K (Cat ID 43186) is now S-Net C
Thanks: Sebastian Lange (DL7BST) for the above update.
Arianespace launched 53 new satellites on Thursday, September 3, 2020
at 01:51 UTC on a Vega POC (Proof of Concept) mission to test their new
SSMS (Small Spacecraft Mission Service) satellite dispenser. At least
two new satellites, TTU-100 and UPMSat 2, carry amateur radio trans-
mitters have been placed in orbit. So far only UPMSat 2 has been ident-
ified as Cat ID 46277. More later.
The following satellite has been and added to this week's AMSAT-NA TLE
Distribution:
UPMSat 2 - Cat ID 46277.
Thanks: Nico Janssen, PA0DLO, for determining which object is UPMSat 2.
[ANS thanks Ray Hoad, WA5QGD, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the
above information]
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VUCC Awards-Endorsements for September 2020
Here are the endorsements and new VUCC Satellite Awards issued by the
ARRL for the period August 1, 2020 through September 1, 2020.
Congratulations to all those who made the list this month!
CALL August September
K8YSE 1926 1935 This was missed last month
WA5KBH 759 766
W5RKN 708 721
AA8CH 641 702
N6UK 675 687
N0JE 652 655
NS3L 575 600
KI7UNJ 527 551
AD0HJ 450 478
AF5CC 425 461
KE8FZT 428 450
N9FN 403 450
PS8ET 434 450
W7JSD 355 375
WA9JBQ 326 355
KC9UQR 326 351
KC9VGG 310 336
N3CRT 200 303
K0JM New 300
KS1G 233 285
WW8W 228 260
K5CIS 150 250
KX9X 100 219
WB7QXU 140 204
KF6JOQ 101 201
WD9EWK 164 176 (from DM41)
KX9X New 175 (from EN50)
LW2DAF 130 166
W8LR 100 149
KB9STR 104 138
K1PAD New 130
DF2ET New 129
WA8ZID New 126
PP2RON New 106
KI4ASK New 105
KO4AQF New 104
K5TA New 101
LU3FCA 100 101
NA1ME New 100
If you find errors or omissions, please contact Ron Parsons W5RKN
at <mycall>@<mycall>.com and he will revise the announcement.
This list was developed by comparing the ARRL .pdf listings for two
months. It's a visual comparison so omissions are possible. Apologies
if your call was not mentioned.
Thanks to all those who are roving to grids that are rarely on the
birds. They are doing most of the work!
[ANS thanks Ron Parsons, W5RKN for the above information]
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ARISS NEWS
Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between
amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with
astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The
downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.
Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2020-09-01 01:30 UTC
Quick list of scheduled contacts and events:
The KMO Kolska Wyspa, Koo, Poland, telebridge via VK6MJ
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled astronaut is Chris Cassidy KF5KDR
Contact is go for: Wed 2020-09-02 12:58:11 UTC 75 deg
Watch for live stream at
https://ariss.pzk.org.pl/live/
College Raymond Sirot, Gueux, France, telebridge via VK5ZAI
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled astronaut is Chris Cassidy KF5KDR
Contact is go for: Thu 2020-09-10 08:17:01 UTC 57 deg
There is a new radio on board the ISS.
The Kenwood D710GA is now in use. The crossband repeater is now avail-
able when the radio is not being used for ARISS school contacts. The
frequencies are 145.99 MHz up (67 tone) and 437.800 MHz down. Watch
the Doppler on the downlink.
*************************************************
ARISS is very aware of the impact that COVID-19 is having on schools
and the public in general. As such, we may have last minute cancella-
tions or postponements of school contacts. As always, I will try to
provide everyone with near-real-time updates.
The following schools have now been postponed or cancelled due to
COVID-19:
Postponed:
Green Bank Elementary Middle School, Green Bank, WV
Cancelled:
No new schools
[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team men-
tors for the above information]
++++++++++
+++++++
AMSAT, along with our ARISS partners, is developing an amateur
radio package, including two-way communication capability, to
be carried on-board Gateway in lunar orbit.
Support AMSAT's projects today at
https://www.amsat.org/donate/
++++++++++
+++++++
Upcoming Satellite Operations
DM07, DM08: N6REK will be on vacation next week in the Eastern Sierra
and plans to work AO-91, AO-92 and PO-101 from the DM07/08 gridline
on a holiday schedule from Wednesday, Sept. 2 to Saturday, Sept. 5.
Watch the AMSAT BB for details.
@WA9JBQ has been working through Idaho hitting DN24,DN25,DN26 DN34,
DN16, DN15, and DN14. He started August 15th, then moved into Montana
for DN35,DN36, DN37, DN38 DN49 DN47. He will be out a total of 5-6
weeks working mostly FM but also some linear birds. Details will be
posted on twitter.com.
@AD7DB is heading out to hit a few grids: #Roving announcement! He
hopes to activate on Fri 9/11/20 and Sun 9/13 include DM06, DM07,
DM08, DM16, DM17 and DM18. He will operate all day Saturday 9/12
from DM19. He is taking just FM gear. More info as date gets closer at:
https://twitter.com/ad7db/status/1300217001726500865
[ANS thanks Paul Overnfor, KE0PBR, AMSAT rover page manager, for the
above information]
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Hamfests, Conventions, Maker Faires, and Other Events
Clint Bradford K6LCS has booked his "Work the FM Voice Satellites With
Minimal Equipment" presentation for the following clubs:
09/02/2020 - Garden State ARA, New Jersey
09/14/2020 - North Augusta Belvedere Radio Club
10/27/2020 - Cherryland ARC / Traverse Bay ARC
TBD - Antelope Valley (CA) ARC
TBD - A private presentation for a Boy Scout troop in Danville, PA
These will be Zoom presentations. Everyone is asked to update their
copies of the Zoom application - by directly visiting Zoom.us.
[ANS thanks Robert Bankston, KE4AL, AMSAT VP-User Services for the
above information]
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Satellite Shorts From All Over
+ 4A50, MEXICO (Special Event). Look for special event station 4A50CRH
to be active between September 1st and December 31st. Activity is to
celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Club de Radioaficionados Hidro-
calidos (XE2CRH). Operations will be on 160-6 meter, satellites, CW,
SSB, FM, and the Digital modes. QSL via XE2AU, LoTW, eQSL or ClubLog.
Every QSO will be confirmed. (ANS thanks the Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin
for the above information)
+ Flying for the first time since a failure in early July, Rocket Lab's
Electron launcher delivered Capella Space's first commercial radar
remote sensing satellite to orbit after lifting off from New Zealand
on Sunday, August 30. The successful mission signaled a return to
launch operations for Rocket Lab after suffering a failure on the
last Electron flight July 4. Investigators traced the cause of the
failure to a single faulty electrical connector on the second stage,
which detached in flight and led to a premature engine shutdown.
(ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information)
+ A Falcon 9 rocket dodged stormy weather and successfully placed an
Argentine radar observation satellite into an orbit over Earth's
poles Sunday on SpaceX's 100th launch. Instead of launching toward
the northeast or east, the Falcon 9 darted through a cloudy sky and
arced to the south-southeast from Florida's Space Coast, then made a
right turn to fly along the east coast of Florida over Fort Lauder-
dale and Miami on the way to a polar orbit. The launch Sunday was the
first from Cape Canaveral to fly on a southerly track since 1969.
(ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information)
+ A long-retired NASA satellite burned up in Earth's atmosphere last
weekend, the agency has confirmed. NASA launched the satellite,
called Orbiting Geophysics Observatory 1, or OGO-1, in September 1964,
the first in a series of five missions to help scientists understand
the magnetic environment around Earth. OGO-1 was the first to launch
but the last to fall out of orbit; the satellite had circled Earth
aimlessly since its retirement in 1971. (ANS thanks space.com for the
above information)
+ Dave, AA4KN relays that Patrice, 3B8FA, and Jean Marc, 3B8DU, held a
successful QSO using the new IORS, repeater function: Jean Marc wrote:
"Just to let you know that Patrice (3B8FA) and myself did superb QSO
via the ISS FM repeater just a few minutes ago (reported 2 September,
2020 @ 02:22:30). Working fine 59+ both ways on V/U (145.990/437.800
MHz), really nice to have the ISS repeater back on air." (ANS thanks
Dave AA4KN of ARISS PR for the report)
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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,
This week's ANS Editor, Jack Spitznagel, KD4IZ
kd4iz at arrl dot net
_______________________________________________
Via the ANS mailing list courtesy of AMSAT-NA
https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/ans
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