date:20140722

Off the top of my head:

AO-51 - Battery failure (Problem fixed in Fox series - shorted
batteries will be cut loose from the circuit and the satellite will
operate when in the sun)
AO-27 - Likely radiation damaged memory (Problem fixed in Fox series -
IHU failure will cause it to become a dumb FM repeater)
HO-68 - Failed relay (Problem fixed in Fox series I think - no relays)

73,

Paul, N8HM


On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 10:09 AM, John Becker w0...@big-river.net wrote:
 I dont keep up with these things at all but what happen to the others?
 failed, dropped out of orbit, what?

 One day someone is going to be saying   sorry, ghost rider the pattern is
 full

 JAB

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[amsat-bb] CAPE-2 over Brazil #3754

2014-07-22 Thread Roland Zurmely

Successful commands:

22/07/2014 10:24:26 *forcebeac#

Recieved Beacon: 
+W5UL,CAPE-2,f,GR,201301281930CST,5324mV,01003,f,19C,18C,ulcape.org#

22/07/2014 10:24:54 *dump#

Recieved Health Beacon: 
W5UL,5318,825,5303,3,5298,53,5298,GR,001,19,18,ulcape.org#




Satélite CAPE

  
             
Satélite CAPE
Satélite CAPE-2
= LO-75   por PY4ZBZ  em 28-11-2013   
rev. 22-07-2014   Recepção do primeiro
beacon em AX25. Primeira execução de
comandos co...  
View on www.qsl.net Preview by Yahoo  
  

73 de Roland.
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Re: [amsat-bb] going digital

2014-07-22 Thread JoAnne Maenpaa

Circumstances in the launch business have driven many groups,
including AMSAT, to select the cubesat path to space. Arguing about an
on-going project isn't productive but I find discussions about future
possibilities interesting. These discussions don't have come at the
expense of the current project plan (such as why use FM when this
project is already 2 years in progress). We do have future satellites
still on the drawing board however!

On the digital radio front Phil makes a very good point ...

 So many hams seem to automatically assume, for no good reason, 
 that getting on any new digital mode must necessarily require 
 exotic, expensive and hard to find components and a PhD to use. 
 But the required hardware is now very common, and nearly all
 of the complexity that defines any particular digital communi-
 cation system these days is implemented almost entirely in soft-
 ware that costs nothing to copy and distribute once written.

I used free software, my FT-857, small yagis at fixed elevation on a
TV rotor to decode Delfi, ARISSat, FUNcube, and 2-way with ISS packet.
The computer that does this is a bargain e-machine box with the only
modification being additional memory.

The software tools for digital modes on these satellites were a free
download. The key to getting the software and your computer to do this
requires one additional piece of hardware if you use an external
radio. If you use one of the various flavors of Dongles on your
computer you only need to add a software audio path (another
download).

When thinking of projects to enter into the digital communication
world plan on building or buying that digital interface to connect
your radio to the soundcard. A few days or weeks spent on the
soundcard interface is the key link to enter this exciting other half
of satellite operating. 

There are many paths to soundcard digital interfaces. Google is your
friend. I bet a local dealer would love to sell you a RigBlaster
(which many have had good luck with).

I used a less expensive off-the-shelf digital interface from a place
called Donner Digital Interfaces. He sells it on the web:

http://www.donnerstore.org/ ... the page is quite an entrepreneur
operation, select digital interfaces from the menu on the left side.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34dy21z2I8Y ... shows how to set up a
Donner interface to your rig. More good news ... the setup for the
digital interface is the same for HF, VHF, or UHF. Once installed you
have digital modes on all bands. (On HF I use the JT-65 software which
often decodes DX signals so weak I cannot hear them by ear - it was
just another software download.) PSK and SSTV were more downloads. But
ya gotta install that Soundcard interface to get to this good stuff!

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/2073 ... some reviews and
discussion to help your research.

--
73 de JoAnne K9JKM
k9...@amsat.org 
Editor, AMSAT Journal



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Re: [amsat-bb] Amazon Smile

2014-07-22 Thread Martha

To date, we have received $66.62 from Amazon Smile

73- Martha


On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 8:35 AM, Burns Fisher bu...@fisher.cc wrote:

 I've also signed up, and have probably bought a few hundred dollars worth
 of stuff since then.  .5% is not huge, and is probably more helpful to
 Amazon (via publicity) than to AMSAT, but it can't hurt.

 I would add that usually I go directly to the Smile page with my link, but
 on the rare occasion when I might follow another link or even type in
 amazon.com, Amazon reminds me that I am signed up for Smile.  Not bad.

 Burns


 On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 2:12 AM, Bryan Herbert ke6...@gmail.com wrote:

  I also signed up and have bought a few things but it is my understanding
  only 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products goes to AMSAT. So if
  you buy a DVD worth $19.99 and it's eligible for AmazonSmile, roughly
 $0.10
  of that $19.99 will go to AMSAT but I think Amazon waits until something
  like $100 is collected before sending any money to AMSAT.
 
  --
  Bryan Herbert - KE6ZGP
  Newhall, CA. DM04RJ USA
  http://bryanherbert.com
  http://twitter.com/ke6zgp
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-- 
73- Martha
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[amsat-bb] FM birds

2014-07-22 Thread wa4hfn

I hope someone can launch a 100 of them, single channel ,pileup ,total chaos 
,someone keying down on the entire pass what more would you want.
All we need to bust a crazy pile up is a 300 watt mfj amp right? Lets all work 
to the good of the satellite part of the hobby. SSB/CW birds are the only way 
to go and if you build it they will come  . Now if someone can build a multi 
channel FM bird then do it. Lets face it guys ,everyone got mad trying to work 
AO51 and AO27. Was it fun making a call to a grid you wanted only to have 
someone key down on him coming back to you, Is this what you want  , Then go to 
20 meters DX.  Single channel FM birds are obsolete, 
Damon 
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Re: [amsat-bb] FM birds

Damon,

They can certainly be frustrating when you have all these lids calling
CQ and keying up who obviously cannot hear the satellite, but there is
a ton of popular demand for FM satellites. I had a lot of people ask
me what FM satellites were working at Dayton and at the hamfest I did
a demo at in February. There are also a ton of callsigns that haven't
been heard from on any satellite since the demise of AO--51.

I've worked several new grids and states on FM. I have two states only
on FM - AR and DE. I've never heard anyone on SSB/CW from either
state. I also wouldn't have worked Dominica without an FM satellite.
They are a very useful tool!

Now, as far as the bad behavior on SO-50. At least 75% of that is due
to people who can't hear the thing, but the Fox satellites are going
to be 13 dB stronger than SO-50 (9 dB advantage due to the 2m
downlink, about 4 dB due to the 750 mW power output compared to SO-50s
250 mW), so hopefully things will a bit more civilized when everyone
can hear the satellite.

Of course, we should be encouraging those interested in satellite
communications to add linear transponder capability to their stations.
There are quite a few stations that never miss an SO-50 pass. Why not
get on the linear birds? It's not that difficult or expensive at all
and it's a lot of fun!

73,

Paul, N8HM

On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 10:49 AM,  wa4...@comcast.net wrote:
 I hope someone can launch a 100 of them, single channel ,pileup ,total chaos 
 ,someone keying down on the entire pass what more would you want.
 All we need to bust a crazy pile up is a 300 watt mfj amp right? Lets all 
 work to the good of the satellite part of the hobby. SSB/CW birds are the 
 only way to go and if you build it they will come  . Now if someone can build 
 a multi channel FM bird then do it. Lets face it guys ,everyone got mad 
 trying to work AO51 and AO27. Was it fun making a call to a grid you wanted 
 only to have someone key down on him coming back to you, Is this what you 
 want  , Then go to 20 meters DX.  Single channel FM birds are obsolete,
 Damon
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[amsat-bb] Digital Satellites Question

2014-07-22 Thread Dave Marthouse

I have been following the digital satellite discussion with great 
interest.  Both sides have valid points.


I would like to pose a strictly engineering question.  Keep in mind that 
I'm not an engineer but consider myself reasonably well read on the 
amateur satellite

world.

A digital satellite would imply loads of processing power on the 
satellite.  I would assume that with this additional activity that there 
will be more
hardware on the bird with more complexity as this won't be a bent pipe 
system.


With more physical hardware of much more complexity in orbit what about 
the radiation hazards to this more complex and physical hardware heavier 
system?  Wouldn't a software based system be prone to radiation induced 
hardware and software glitches?

What about shielding etc?



Dave Marthouse N2AAM
dmartho...@gmail.com


--
Dave Marthouse
dmartho...@gmail.com

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Re: [amsat-bb] Amazon Smile

2014-07-22 Thread Brenton Salmi

Wait, if my math is right that means a total of $13,324 has gone through
Amazon smile in the name of AMSAT!



- Brent


On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 7:45 AM, Martha mar...@amsat.org wrote:

 To date, we have received $66.62 from Amazon Smile

 73- Martha


 On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 8:35 AM, Burns Fisher bu...@fisher.cc wrote:

  I've also signed up, and have probably bought a few hundred dollars worth
  of stuff since then.  .5% is not huge, and is probably more helpful to
  Amazon (via publicity) than to AMSAT, but it can't hurt.
 
  I would add that usually I go directly to the Smile page with my link,
 but
  on the rare occasion when I might follow another link or even type in
  amazon.com, Amazon reminds me that I am signed up for Smile.  Not bad.
 
  Burns
 
 
  On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 2:12 AM, Bryan Herbert ke6...@gmail.com wrote:
 
   I also signed up and have bought a few things but it is my
 understanding
   only 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products goes to AMSAT. So
 if
   you buy a DVD worth $19.99 and it's eligible for AmazonSmile, roughly
  $0.10
   of that $19.99 will go to AMSAT but I think Amazon waits until
 something
   like $100 is collected before sending any money to AMSAT.
  
   --
   Bryan Herbert - KE6ZGP
   Newhall, CA. DM04RJ USA
   http://bryanherbert.com
   http://twitter.com/ke6zgp
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 --
 73- Martha
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[amsat-bb] Inclusion

2014-07-22 Thread Kevin M

Good day all,

Let me attempt to add a few cogent thoughts to the ongoing 'future of AMSAT' 
discussion...

I don't know if I am the typical ham or not, but I've been licensed for 35+ 
years... started in my teens. Have built some of my own gear, joined clubs, 
worked HF, chased DX, dabbled in lots of areas of ham radio... I've volunteered 
a lot of my time to different ham projects, emergency communications, repeaters 
(owned 3), digital networks, been a VE and so on. I'm at a point in my life and 
hobby that as the result of an agreement with 'she who must be pleased' I am 
more or less relegating myself to the simple 'sport' and enjoyment of the 
hobby. I build antennas, chase DX, chase grids, etc. One of the things I 
decided to do was get back on satellites just over a year ago. I tried an FM 
sat for the first time. I loved it and pursued more depth in the 'satellite' 
sub-hobby of ham radio.

That said... my original introduction to satellites was RS-12/13 in the mid 
90s. I was living in a condo with little to no antenna and was actively chasing 
the CQ 50 awards (CQ magazines 50th anniversary). One of the tasks was to make 
a satellite QSO. Now how was I going to do that with an HF rig and a Hustler 
vertical on my deck. I researched, found out about RS-12 and gave it a try. My 
first contact on the bird was so exciting, I whooped and hollered so loud I 
scared the heck out of my wife. It was as exciting if not more so than my first 
Novice CW contact in 1977. I was really hooked and spent the next 5-6 years 
really enjoying that bird. Dinner times revolved around sat passes. I wrote up 
a webpage dedicated to helping hams make their first satellite contact on 
RS-12/13, maintained a forum to help people with getting on the bird and making 
scheduled contacts, etc. (google RS-12/13 and references to my old call and 
webpage STILL come up) - I
 volunteered my time and enjoyed it a lot... now ask me why I never joined or 
supported AMSAT.

It was because I had a number of run ins with AMSAT members that basically did 
not have the time of day for me. (Jerry K5OE was the one glaring exception) 
Their attitude was that RS-12/13 uses HF bands... it was not a 'REAL' 
satellite. I was introduced to this early on in my research to get on a bird 
when I called the AMSAT office asking for help and was referred to a field 
rep(?) about a hundred miles for me. When I called him, he told me he worked 
only digital birds, knew nothing about what I wanted to know and in general 
BLEW ME OFF. He did not refer me on to anyone, never got back to me or gave a 
rats. So why did I need AMSAT? Why should I give money to a bunch of arrogant 
so  so's that are interested in things way over my head. Now skip ahead to 
this last year.

I got on ham forums, I asked questions... I bought an HT to dip my toe in the 
water. I built a little homebrew antenna and made a contact on an FM bird. Far 
OUT!!! It was cool and this was fun... just like before. But, what more was 
there to do?!! I traded for a UHF all mode to go with my VHF... I built home 
brew beam antennas and put them up. I later upgraded my rig. I started chasing 
grids again and enjoying running across some of the same hams. I was fortunate 
to got to know them... they were INCLUSIVE and encouraged me to join AMSAT... 
so I did. Now I am exposed to more of what AMSAT does and I see the benefit. I 
see now that I ran into some NON-inclusive hams years ago. Shouldn't judge the 
whole group by a few, etc. BUT, the problem is... first impressions are often 
very lasting. They lasted with me for 15+ years.

Here is my point. Without introductory birds (FM) and an inclusive attitude, 
AMSAT is never going to grow and acquire the volunteer and monetary support to 
ever achieve some of the very things being complained about. You want to 
recruit new hams and get them to financially support AMSAT and it's endeavors? 
Then you need to develop an inclusive attitude. On this reflector I've heard 
comments that basically imply anyone who wants to go outside with an HT and 
wave a yagi around is stupid. ZAP! There went a whole bunch of future support 
dollars out of the coffers. I don't think I need to touch the HEO/LEO debate, 
but now I am hearing that FM birds are old hat... no good... we need better. 
ZAP! There goes another huge chunk. You know what I and many 'new sat ops' 
hear? What you like is DUMB! - I LIKE FM birds... I LIKE waving my yagi 
around... and I joined AMSAT! I just sent in my BOD ballot and I'm trying to 
figure out how much I can donate to the Fox
 launch.

Guess what... I MIGHT like digital birds. I've joined AMSAT now and you've got 
my attention... INTEREST ME! Tell me what I am missing... give me a 
presentation, a paper, a video, an article... hell, come buy me a cuppa joe and 
explain it to me. But for gosh sakes, do you really think that telling me that 
what I like to do is DUMB and then whine that I, as an AMSAT member, won't pay 
for whatever

Re: [amsat-bb] I want this. I want that. Here comes another FM LEO sat.

2014-07-22 Thread Phil Karn

On 07/22/2014 06:49 AM, Clayton Coleman wrote:
 Hi Phil,
 
 The new era I speak of is AMSAT-NA's foray into CubeSats.

Well, I guess I could read that as when all you have is lemons, make
lemonade. AMSAT used to make spacecraft that, while small by
commercial/military/scientific standards, dwarfed a cubesat. So I don't
see cubesats as an advance.

Although miniaturization of electronics and improvements in solar cell
efficiency do help us cram everything into the tiny form factor, the
fact remains that we are now forced to pay far more to launch far less
than we used to.

I guess that's a new era in the same way that the Arab Oil Embargoes
of 1973 and 1979 launched a glorious new era in automobile transportation...

Sure, this is a fact of life that we can't do anything about, despite
the supreme irony of AMSAT pioneering small satellites so well that we
created a whole new industry with which we must now fiercely compete for
launches. Economics says that when demand outstrips supply, prices go
up. So they have. A lot.

Like it or not, we have to adapt to changing realities. We used to get
launches for free or at nominal rates, so our main investment in each
satellite was just the volunteer engineers' time and the cost of those
components we could not beg, borrow or steal.

But now that the launch cost dominates the budget of everything we fly,
it's time to take a very serious look at what we get from each one. Said
another way, it's time to look at how much MORE we could get from our
very substantial investment in each launch. Every launch of a FM cubesat
depletes a very large chunk of AMSAT funds that cannot be spent on
launching something else.

In other words, I'm encouraging people to look at the *opportunity cost*
of every additional analog FM satellite we launch. People don't yet
realize just how huge it is because they only know 1960s analog
technology. They simply don't realize how much more could be done with
21st century technology. That's what I'm trying to change, so far
without much success.

--Phil
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Re: [amsat-bb] Amazon Smile

Thats actually an impressive total, the percentage for AMSAT Is small but
wow! Every bit counts.

On Tuesday, July 22, 2014, Brenton Salmi kb1...@gmail.com wrote:

 Wait, if my math is right that means a total of $13,324 has gone through
 Amazon smile in the name of AMSAT!



 - Brent


 On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 7:45 AM, Martha mar...@amsat.org javascript:;
 wrote:

  To date, we have received $66.62 from Amazon Smile
 
  73- Martha
 
 
  On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 8:35 AM, Burns Fisher bu...@fisher.cc wrote:
 
   I've also signed up, and have probably bought a few hundred dollars
 worth
   of stuff since then.  .5% is not huge, and is probably more helpful to
   Amazon (via publicity) than to AMSAT, but it can't hurt.
  
   I would add that usually I go directly to the Smile page with my link,
  but
   on the rare occasion when I might follow another link or even type in
   amazon.com, Amazon reminds me that I am signed up for Smile.  Not bad.
  
   Burns
  
  
   On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 2:12 AM, Bryan Herbert ke6...@gmail.com
 javascript:; wrote:
  
I also signed up and have bought a few things but it is my
  understanding
only 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products goes to AMSAT.
 So
  if
you buy a DVD worth $19.99 and it's eligible for AmazonSmile, roughly
   $0.10
of that $19.99 will go to AMSAT but I think Amazon waits until
  something
like $100 is collected before sending any money to AMSAT.
   
--
Bryan Herbert - KE6ZGP
Newhall, CA. DM04RJ USA
http://bryanherbert.com
http://twitter.com/ke6zgp
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  author.
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  program!
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  --
  73- Martha
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Re: [amsat-bb] Digital Satellites Question

2014-07-22 Thread Douglas Phelps

And, in a related question, wouldn't more proccessing demand more power from 
the batteries/solar panels?  I know my PC cetainly draws a lot more power when 
the CPO is working hard.  Just curiosity questions, I support digital, FM, and 
Linear satellites.  If it were not for FM sats, I would never have gotten 
interested in satelites at all.  The congestion on the FM sateliltes drove me 
to start using linear satellites.

Doug
K9DLP



 From: Dave Marthouse dmartho...@gmail.com
To: amsat-bb@amsat.org 
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2014 10:41 AM
Subject: [amsat-bb] Digital Satellites Question
 

I have been following the digital satellite discussion with great 
interest.  Both sides have valid points.

I would like to pose a strictly engineering question.  Keep in mind that 
I'm not an engineer but consider myself reasonably well read on the 
amateur satellite
world.

A digital satellite would imply loads of processing power on the 
satellite.  I would assume that with this additional activity that there 
will be more
hardware on the bird with more complexity as this won't be a bent pipe 
system.

With more physical hardware of much more complexity in orbit what about 
the radiation hazards to this more complex and physical hardware heavier 
system?  Wouldn't a software based system be prone to radiation induced 
hardware and software glitches?
What about shielding etc?



Dave Marthouse N2AAM
dmartho...@gmail.com


-- 
Dave Marthouse
dmartho...@gmail.com

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Re: [amsat-bb] [amsatindia] Good Bye HAMSAT-VO52 - Rest In Peace

2014-07-22 Thread Ved Prakash Sandlas

Dear Mani and Suresh,

This is the culmination of an important phase of 'Ham-History' of India.
'HAMSAT VO-52' was a dream fulfilled; an emotional outcome of many
contributors and well-wishers. I would like to join you all in thanking and
expressing heartfelt gratefulness to all those who made it possible to
realize HAMSAT VO-52. May we all hope and pray for the next phase of
'Ham-India in Space' sooner than later; with higher power and in higher
orbit.

73,
Ved
VU2VP


On Mon, Jul 21, 2014 at 8:33 PM, 'Mani [VU2WMY/KJ6LRS]' w...@isac.gov.in
[amsatindia] amsatin...@yahoogroups.com wrote:



  Dear Friends,

 With heavy heart, I sadly convey, that our little angel ‘HAMSAT VO-52’
 would no more be able to offer her services to the ‘Amateur Radio
 Fraternity. HAMSAT VO-52 succumbed in Space on 11th July 2014, while she
 was on her 49,675th orbit, due to the failure of on-board lithium ion
 batteries that have met their end of life.

 Although her desires were to be at work with other systems and sub-systems
 working normal as per the latest telemetry received, the on-board computer
 recurring to ‘Reset’ mode due to the failure of batteries is preventing her
 to do so.  Hence, it is decided not to expect any more meaningful and
 reliable services from HAMSAT VO-52.

 Since 11th July, every best possible effort has been put in by the
 spacecraft controllers here in ISTRAC Bangalore to revive her back to life
 and to help her with work load, so she won’t be swamped when she returns,
 but with no luck.  Though it is hard, the HAMSAT VO-52 designers and
 controllers insist that the time has come to let the little angel free in
 space to go drifting on her own from their care and custody.

 Thus, today 21st July 2014, ISRO have decommissioned 'HAMSAT-VO52'
 officially.

 We all here in ISRO do definitely hope that ‘HAMSAT VO-52’ worked
 tirelessly and was a good friend to the ‘Amateur Radio Fraternity’ around
 the World. We are sure that HAMSAT was loved by all who worked through her.
 Though, we are deeply saddened by the loss of HAMSAT VO-52, but she will
 never be forgotten and far from our hearts, minds and memories.

 HAMSAT VO-52 will always be remembered by all of us here in ISRO as one of
 the greatest satellites of ours.

 Dear ‘HAMSAT’, looking at the sky, we all say ‘Good Bye’ to you. You’ll be
 greatly missed. Rest in Peace.

 Nevertheless, at this point of time, on behalf of the World Amateur Radio
 Fraternity, we thank each and everyone who contributed to the great success
 of ‘HAMSAT’.

 Particularly, our sincere thanks to the Chairman ISRO, Dr. K.
 Radhakrishnan, past chairmen Dr. Kasthurirangan, Dr. G. Madhavan Nair,
 Director-ISAC Dr. S.K.Shiva Kumar, past ISAC Directors Dr. P.S. Goel, Dr.
 Shankara, Dr. T.K. Alex, Director-ISTRAC Shri. B.S. Chandrasekhar,
 scientific secretary Dr. Koteshwar Rao, Project Director-Shri. J.P. Gupta,
 Deputy project Directors, Mission Director-Shri. R.Suresh, Operations
 Director-Shri. Parimalarangan and each and every person directly or
 in-directly contributed.

 At this point of time, we also thank AMSAT-India and in particular, late
 Shri. Nagesh Upadhyaya-VU2NUD,  Shri. B.S. Gajendra Kumar-VU2BGS, Shri.
 Prathap Kumar-VU2POP, Air Commodore. Subramanian-VU2UV, Shri.  V.P.
 Sandlas-VU2VP, Dr.R. Ramesh-VU2RMS, Shri. Nitin-VU3TYG, Mr. Williams
 Leijenaar PE1RAH and each and every member.


 
 Pasted below is the message from Mr. R. Suresh, Mission Director:


 HAMSAT, the first small satellite by ISRO has been Decommissioned after
 nearly a decade of service to the World Ham community.


 A true masterpiece among small satellites, designed for one year mission
 life, but exceeded all expectations by serving for almost 10 years. A truly
 autonomous satellite, with “Zero maintenance“ in terms of Mission
 operations, it provided a springboard to test many new concepts such as
 BMU. LI-ion based power system, automatic Spin rate control and Auto SAOC
 for maintaining the Satellite attitude without any ground commanding.

   HAMSAT known as “OSCAR-52” among the Amateur HAM operators has been very
 popular because of its high sensitivity receiver and strong transmitter.
 Indian Radio Amateurs on many occasions conveyed to us that they have been
 greatly honored to share the adulations showered on ISRO and INDIA by the
 International Radio Amateur for gifting this wonderful satellite HAMSAT.


 I take this opportunity to applaud the HAMSAT teams at ISAC, ISTRAC and
 other centre for their efforts and  support, which has made ISRO proud
 among the HAM users across the globe.


 R,SURESH
 MISSION DIRECTOR
 HAMSAT


 ---

Re: [amsat-bb] I want this. I want that. Here comes another FM LEO sat.

Phil,
You're missing the point. Do I personally think Fox-1 is pushing the
bleeding edge of technology? No. Buts it's a great step to building a good
foundation. I think your frustration with the lack of digital birds is
overcoming an understanding of where AMSAT currently is and where it's
going. No one disagrees with you on wanting more advanced and possibly
digital modes. I for one am yearning for digital birds.

I got my ticket in high school in 2004. I didn't really use satellites
until a few years later so I missed out on ao40 and others. My
understanding now of amsats history may be skewed but it's the best I can
summarize.

After ao40 it appears to me many of the original players were getting too
old to keep volunteering and possibly got let down by the events of ao40.
Understandably, some chose to stop. From what I can tell reading through
email archives, eagle caused some problems and some left then too. Past is
past, I'll highlight it. Throw ITAR into the mix and now we are here at
Fox, AMSATS first series of satellites in decades.

AO51 seemed to be a collaboration of AMSAT and space quest, and suitsat and
arissat were fun and neat projects. fox is amsats chance to get a base of
solid engineering to build upon. The main payload is analog. There are
experimental PCB slots. fox-2 will have even more space. I think digital
modes will find their way on there eventually when AMSAT is ready.

Very launch of a fox-1 satellite is building flight heritage on the
designs. I work in the spacecraft and launch industry, every rocket that
flies and spacecraft that safely returns to earth is heritage on our
designs. It's worth it's weight in gold so to speak.

AMSAT has enough volunteers with the right skills to build fox 1
satellites. I personally think all of us, including me, have some to learn
before we attempt crazy ideas. Heck, fox-1 is brilliant in that it allows
AMSAT to fulfill a baseline analog fm and transponder need in the cubesat
form factor while allowing extra space for experiments whether they are
gyros or digital modes. These experiments can succeed or fail and not harm
the base satellite of done right. The only crappy part about a 1U cubesat
is it's super tiny power budget. fox-2 will be the first really power
capable satellite and I'm excited as hell for it.

I wrote this on my iPhone while riding into work. Sorry for any misspelling
:)

Bryce

On Tuesday, July 22, 2014, Phil Karn k...@ka9q.net wrote:

 On 07/22/2014 06:49 AM, Clayton Coleman wrote:
  Hi Phil,
 
  The new era I speak of is AMSAT-NA's foray into CubeSats.

 Well, I guess I could read that as when all you have is lemons, make
 lemonade. AMSAT used to make spacecraft that, while small by
 commercial/military/scientific standards, dwarfed a cubesat. So I don't
 see cubesats as an advance.

 Although miniaturization of electronics and improvements in solar cell
 efficiency do help us cram everything into the tiny form factor, the
 fact remains that we are now forced to pay far more to launch far less
 than we used to.

 I guess that's a new era in the same way that the Arab Oil Embargoes
 of 1973 and 1979 launched a glorious new era in automobile
 transportation...

 Sure, this is a fact of life that we can't do anything about, despite
 the supreme irony of AMSAT pioneering small satellites so well that we
 created a whole new industry with which we must now fiercely compete for
 launches. Economics says that when demand outstrips supply, prices go
 up. So they have. A lot.

 Like it or not, we have to adapt to changing realities. We used to get
 launches for free or at nominal rates, so our main investment in each
 satellite was just the volunteer engineers' time and the cost of those
 components we could not beg, borrow or steal.

 But now that the launch cost dominates the budget of everything we fly,
 it's time to take a very serious look at what we get from each one. Said
 another way, it's time to look at how much MORE we could get from our
 very substantial investment in each launch. Every launch of a FM cubesat
 depletes a very large chunk of AMSAT funds that cannot be spent on
 launching something else.

 In other words, I'm encouraging people to look at the *opportunity cost*
 of every additional analog FM satellite we launch. People don't yet
 realize just how huge it is because they only know 1960s analog
 technology. They simply don't realize how much more could be done with
 21st century technology. That's what I'm trying to change, so far
 without much success.

 --Phil
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[amsat-bb] ISEE-3 + Final bookings for Colloquium Gala Meal

2014-07-22 Thread M5AKA

Day visitors to this weekends International Space Colloquium in Guildford 
should note that if they wish to attend the Gala Meal on the Saturday evening 
they must book it at 

http://shop.amsat.org.uk/shop/category_10/Colloquium-2014-Fri-25-July-to-Sun-27-July.html
 

(Please note that we need to give the hotel 48 hours notice for the dinner, so 
booking will close on Wed)

The schedule is at http://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/colloquium-2014/ it is hoped 
it may be possible to provide a live demonstration of telemetry from the ISEE-3 
(ICE) spacecraft during the ISEE-3 presentation by Achim Vollhardt DH2VA and 
Mario Lorenz DL5MLO from AMSAT-DL.


The BYOB ‪CubeSat‬ Workshop takes place at the Surrey Space Centre, 
University of Surrey, Guildford (1 km from the Holiday Inn) on Friday, 
July 25. The day will include ad-hoc tours to SSC’s cleanroom, 
ground–station, and new CubeSat experimentation facilities.
You must register in advance to attend the BYOB CubeSat Workshop. Information 
on Free registration is at 
http://amsat-uk.org/2014/07/15/byob-cubesat-day-july-25-free-registration/



Trevor M5AKA
AMSAT-UK
Website http://amsat-uk.org/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/amsatuk
Twitter https://twitter.com/AMSAT_UK

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[amsat-bb] Round-world balloon approaching Noth America M0XER-3

2014-07-22 Thread Robert Bruninga

Regarding real LOW Earth “orbits”, G6UIM reports a Balloon launched in the
UK is approaching Washington state from across Asia and the Pacific right
now.

See: http://spacenear.us/tracker/ look for Balloon B-63



It is being well received by the APRS network in Canada, Washington and
Oregon as it approaches Vancoover Island as shown here:

http://aprs.org/balloons/M0XER-3.jpg



That image from Lynn, author of APRSIS32.

Bob, Wb4APR
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[amsat-bb] I don't care

2014-07-22 Thread Bob- W7LRD

Not withstanding all the brouhaha over various satellite types.  I don't care 
if it's FM, I don't care if it's digital, I don't care if it's linear, I don't 
care if it's LEO, I don't care if it's MEO, I don't care if it's HEO.  To quote 
Frank-K4FEG, work 'em till the antennas vaporize.  I would prefer a AO-40 
(sobsob), until then I'll do what Frank suggests! 
73 Bob W7LRD 
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[amsat-bb] AMSAT where are we going for what it is worth.

2014-07-22 Thread Rich/wa4bue


Been a member of AMSAT since the early 80s.  Like most of you joined to
support the SAT Program.  Most of us probably joined for the same reason.

How does AMSAT survive?  Survival is through volunteers and financial
resources.  Where does that come from

Like any other amateur radio club only a few help do!!

A while back I asked what is AMSAT's STRATEGIC PLAN?

Technology has changed drastically since I joined.  Has the plan changed.

I agree FM satellites are the easiest point of entrance for a new SAT
communicator.  I disagree with I one frequency SAT.  That is an expensive
way to fill in the GAP.

FOX seems to be a great answer to entry levels operators, possibly the
majority of the operators.

With that said, Linear Transponders like AO 7 and FO 29 at higher altitudes
are needed.  We have lost VO 52.

It is hard to use the birds in our K4AMG mentoring program since their
orbits are mostly incompatible with classroom times.  NO SOLUTION IN SITE.

So there is a need to plan ahead for more accessible birds with more Linear
transponders and other features.  How do we get there?

A strategic plan accesses the current mission and goals to achieve a future
vision.

Your volunteer time and money can make this happen.

One step would be enhanced Field Organization.

When we started the K4AMG MARC, Inc. there was no field organization in our
area.  Plenty of help from A FAR but no one with hands on experience
locally.

Just a member

Rich
W4BUE
PRES K4AMG.org

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Re: [amsat-bb] I want this. I want that. Here comes another FM LEO sat.

2014-07-22 Thread Jerry Buxton


On 7/22/2014 9:21 AM, Paul Stoetzer wrote:

Off the top of my head:

AO-51 - Battery failure (Problem fixed in Fox series - shorted
batteries will be cut loose from the circuit and the satellite will
operate when in the sun)
This is an original conops for Fox-1 that did not make it to reality.  
In fact this requirement was removed over a year ago because it could 
not be suitably implemented to fit in the space available on the PCB.  
You see, at that time new inhibit requirements that were received from 
the launch providers caused us to have to re-engineer the battery 
board.  Moving the battery fail feature to another board was not 
possible because we could not afford to be redesigning the whole 
satellite, moving things around from each board to another to find room, 
in the time left to delivery (at that point the launch had not yet 
slipped to 2015 and we were due to deliver in March 2014).  The choice 
had to be made to cut the battery fail protection from the battery board 
in order to incorporate the inhibits, to make the launch.
The removal of this feature was brought forth at the Symposium last 
year, but the tale lives on.  Yes, it was an outstanding feature but as 
has been pointed out in some of the other emails going on right now, 
there is a real limit to what we can fit in a 1U CubeSat and in the time 
and under the provisions allowed by our rideshare.

Don't think it didn't get cut without a fight! :-)

The Fox-1A Engineering Unit is sitting on the official AMSAT test table 
in my shack right now, having arrived FedEx this morning after some time 
in the shop for fixes to hardware that we found in the first round of 
EU testing and having a new IHU all installed.  I'm getting ready to 
load new software with the latest DSP and flight features.  Stay tuned...


Jerry Buxton, NØJY

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Re: [amsat-bb] AMSAT where are we going for what it is worth.

Rich,

From your email:

It is hard to use the birds in our K4AMG mentoring program since their
orbits are mostly incompatible with classroom times.  NO SOLUTION IN SITE.

I would disagree that no solution is in site. Check the pass times for
EO-79, EO-80, and UKube-1. You'll find they are very convenient for
classroom demonstrations. We just need to be patient and wait until
they are activated for us to use. AO-73 also passes over at good times
for classroom telemetry demonstrations.

73,

Paul, N8HM

On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 1:18 PM, Rich/wa4bue richard.s...@verizon.net wrote:
 Been a member of AMSAT since the early 80s.  Like most of you joined to
 support the SAT Program.  Most of us probably joined for the same reason.

 How does AMSAT survive?  Survival is through volunteers and financial
 resources.  Where does that come from

 Like any other amateur radio club only a few help do!!

 A while back I asked what is AMSAT's STRATEGIC PLAN?

 Technology has changed drastically since I joined.  Has the plan changed.

 I agree FM satellites are the easiest point of entrance for a new SAT
 communicator.  I disagree with I one frequency SAT.  That is an expensive
 way to fill in the GAP.

 FOX seems to be a great answer to entry levels operators, possibly the
 majority of the operators.

 With that said, Linear Transponders like AO 7 and FO 29 at higher altitudes
 are needed.  We have lost VO 52.

 It is hard to use the birds in our K4AMG mentoring program since their
 orbits are mostly incompatible with classroom times.  NO SOLUTION IN SITE.

 So there is a need to plan ahead for more accessible birds with more Linear
 transponders and other features.  How do we get there?

 A strategic plan accesses the current mission and goals to achieve a future
 vision.

 Your volunteer time and money can make this happen.

 One step would be enhanced Field Organization.

 When we started the K4AMG MARC, Inc. there was no field organization in our
 area.  Plenty of help from A FAR but no one with hands on experience
 locally.

 Just a member

 Rich
 W4BUE
 PRES K4AMG.org

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Re: [amsat-bb] I want this. I want that. Here comes another FM LEO sat.

Jerry,

Thanks for the clarification. It is unfortunate that it got removed,
but understandable. Hopefully the batteries will last the entire 11
year lifetime of the orbit and, if not, that newer and better
satellites will continually be launched!

Is the feature that allows the FM transponder to function in the event
of IHU failure still on board?

73,

Paul, N8HM

On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 1:19 PM, Jerry Buxton am...@n0jy.org wrote:
 On 7/22/2014 9:21 AM, Paul Stoetzer wrote:

 Off the top of my head:

 AO-51 - Battery failure (Problem fixed in Fox series - shorted
 batteries will be cut loose from the circuit and the satellite will
 operate when in the sun)

 This is an original conops for Fox-1 that did not make it to reality.  In
 fact this requirement was removed over a year ago because it could not be
 suitably implemented to fit in the space available on the PCB.  You see, at
 that time new inhibit requirements that were received from the launch
 providers caused us to have to re-engineer the battery board.  Moving the
 battery fail feature to another board was not possible because we could not
 afford to be redesigning the whole satellite, moving things around from each
 board to another to find room, in the time left to delivery (at that point
 the launch had not yet slipped to 2015 and we were due to deliver in March
 2014).  The choice had to be made to cut the battery fail protection from
 the battery board in order to incorporate the inhibits, to make the launch.
 The removal of this feature was brought forth at the Symposium last year,
 but the tale lives on.  Yes, it was an outstanding feature but as has been
 pointed out in some of the other emails going on right now, there is a real
 limit to what we can fit in a 1U CubeSat and in the time and under the
 provisions allowed by our rideshare.
 Don't think it didn't get cut without a fight! :-)

 The Fox-1A Engineering Unit is sitting on the official AMSAT test table in
 my shack right now, having arrived FedEx this morning after some time in
 the shop for fixes to hardware that we found in the first round of EU
 testing and having a new IHU all installed.  I'm getting ready to load new
 software with the latest DSP and flight features.  Stay tuned...

 Jerry Buxton, NØJY


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Re: [amsat-bb] AMSAT where are we going for what it is worth.

Having three Fox1 cubesats in orbit will significantly increase the
opportunities too :D Power in numbers!


On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 10:28 AM, Paul Stoetzer n...@arrl.net wrote:

 Rich,

 From your email:

 It is hard to use the birds in our K4AMG mentoring program since their
 orbits are mostly incompatible with classroom times.  NO SOLUTION IN SITE.

 I would disagree that no solution is in site. Check the pass times for
 EO-79, EO-80, and UKube-1. You'll find they are very convenient for
 classroom demonstrations. We just need to be patient and wait until
 they are activated for us to use. AO-73 also passes over at good times
 for classroom telemetry demonstrations.

 73,

 Paul, N8HM

 On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 1:18 PM, Rich/wa4bue richard.s...@verizon.net
 wrote:
  Been a member of AMSAT since the early 80s.  Like most of you joined to
  support the SAT Program.  Most of us probably joined for the same reason.
 
  How does AMSAT survive?  Survival is through volunteers and financial
  resources.  Where does that come from
 
  Like any other amateur radio club only a few help do!!
 
  A while back I asked what is AMSAT's STRATEGIC PLAN?
 
  Technology has changed drastically since I joined.  Has the plan changed.
 
  I agree FM satellites are the easiest point of entrance for a new SAT
  communicator.  I disagree with I one frequency SAT.  That is an expensive
  way to fill in the GAP.
 
  FOX seems to be a great answer to entry levels operators, possibly the
  majority of the operators.
 
  With that said, Linear Transponders like AO 7 and FO 29 at higher
 altitudes
  are needed.  We have lost VO 52.
 
  It is hard to use the birds in our K4AMG mentoring program since their
  orbits are mostly incompatible with classroom times.  NO SOLUTION IN
 SITE.
 
  So there is a need to plan ahead for more accessible birds with more
 Linear
  transponders and other features.  How do we get there?
 
  A strategic plan accesses the current mission and goals to achieve a
 future
  vision.
 
  Your volunteer time and money can make this happen.
 
  One step would be enhanced Field Organization.
 
  When we started the K4AMG MARC, Inc. there was no field organization in
 our
  area.  Plenty of help from A FAR but no one with hands on experience
  locally.
 
  Just a member
 
  Rich
  W4BUE
  PRES K4AMG.org
 
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Re: [amsat-bb] Inclusion


On 07/22/2014 11:54 AM, Kevin M wrote:

I've heard comments that basically imply anyone who wants to go outside with an 
HT and wave a yagi around is stupid.


I will respond to this because of comments I've made in the past, which 
may have been misunderstood.


Standing outside with a yagi in hand and the monsoon trickling down my 
neck isn't for me.  It is demonstrably a valid way to make contacts and 
an excellent way to demonstrate how satellite operation can occur with 
minimalist equipment.  But as far as I'm concerned, it IS NOT the 
ultimate objective of a satellite operator.  It is the BARE MINIMUM of 
satellite operation, and there is no way I'm going to be satisfied with 
that for more than one or two passes.


To imply to the uneducated observer and potential future satellite 
operator, that standing in the rain is the pinnacle of hamsat ground 
station technology is (in my opinion) counter productive and, yes, 
stupid.  As would be implying that a single-band, rock-bound QRP CW rig 
is the ultimate in ham HF technology.  There is nothing wrong with QRP 
or broomstick-waving, far from it.  And to those who enjoy it, more 
power to you!  But if broomstick-waving is all I can hope to achieve in 
satellite operation, then I'll be very disappointed.


--
Gus 8P6SM
G-QRP 6941
The Easternmost Isle

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Re: [amsat-bb] I want this. I want that. Here comes another FM LEO sat.

Being involved in the power system, I personally am hoping to get this
included in the near future on some of the next Fox's. We will see!


On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 10:19 AM, Jerry Buxton am...@n0jy.org wrote:

 On 7/22/2014 9:21 AM, Paul Stoetzer wrote:

 Off the top of my head:

 AO-51 - Battery failure (Problem fixed in Fox series - shorted
 batteries will be cut loose from the circuit and the satellite will
 operate when in the sun)

 This is an original conops for Fox-1 that did not make it to reality.  In
 fact this requirement was removed over a year ago because it could not be
 suitably implemented to fit in the space available on the PCB.  You see, at
 that time new inhibit requirements that were received from the launch
 providers caused us to have to re-engineer the battery board.  Moving the
 battery fail feature to another board was not possible because we could not
 afford to be redesigning the whole satellite, moving things around from
 each board to another to find room, in the time left to delivery (at that
 point the launch had not yet slipped to 2015 and we were due to deliver in
 March 2014).  The choice had to be made to cut the battery fail protection
 from the battery board in order to incorporate the inhibits, to make the
 launch.
 The removal of this feature was brought forth at the Symposium last year,
 but the tale lives on.  Yes, it was an outstanding feature but as has been
 pointed out in some of the other emails going on right now, there is a real
 limit to what we can fit in a 1U CubeSat and in the time and under the
 provisions allowed by our rideshare.
 Don't think it didn't get cut without a fight! :-)

 The Fox-1A Engineering Unit is sitting on the official AMSAT test table in
 my shack right now, having arrived FedEx this morning after some time in
 the shop for fixes to hardware that we found in the first round of EU
 testing and having a new IHU all installed.  I'm getting ready to load new
 software with the latest DSP and flight features.  Stay tuned...

 Jerry Buxton, NØJY


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Re: [amsat-bb] Amazon Smile

It isn't a lot of revenue earned but it's one more capacitor on a 
cubesat board, I guess.   The thing is to persuade more people to sign up.


On 07/22/2014 12:03 PM, Bryce Salmi wrote:

Thats actually an impressive total, the percentage for AMSAT Is small but
wow! Every bit counts.

On Tuesday, July 22, 2014, Brenton Salmi kb1...@gmail.com wrote:


Wait, if my math is right that means a total of $13,324 has gone through
Amazon smile in the name of AMSAT!



- Brent


On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 7:45 AM, Martha mar...@amsat.org javascript:;
wrote:


To date, we have received $66.62 from Amazon Smile

73- Martha


On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 8:35 AM, Burns Fisher bu...@fisher.cc wrote:


I've also signed up, and have probably bought a few hundred dollars

worth

of stuff since then.  .5% is not huge, and is probably more helpful to
Amazon (via publicity) than to AMSAT, but it can't hurt.

I would add that usually I go directly to the Smile page with my link,

but

on the rare occasion when I might follow another link or even type in
amazon.com, Amazon reminds me that I am signed up for Smile.  Not bad.

Burns


On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 2:12 AM, Bryan Herbert ke6...@gmail.com

javascript:; wrote:

I also signed up and have bought a few things but it is my

understanding

only 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products goes to AMSAT.

So

if

you buy a DVD worth $19.99 and it's eligible for AmazonSmile, roughly

$0.10

of that $19.99 will go to AMSAT but I think Amazon waits until

something

like $100 is collected before sending any money to AMSAT.

--
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Newhall, CA. DM04RJ USA
http://bryanherbert.com
http://twitter.com/ke6zgp
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--
Gus 8P6SM
The Easternmost Isle

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Re: [amsat-bb] Amazon Smile

2014-07-22 Thread kb2m

It just got me to sign up. I spend at least 10% of the total AMSAT smile amount 
every year on Amazon. If everyone signs up the total would be significantly 
larger...

73 Jeff KB2M

- Original Message -
From: Gus g...@8p6sm.net
To: amsat-bb@amsat.org
Sent: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 17:43:00 - (UTC)
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Amazon Smile

It isn't a lot of revenue earned but it's one more capacitor on a 
cubesat board, I guess.   The thing is to persuade more people to sign up.

On 07/22/2014 12:03 PM, Bryce Salmi wrote:
 Thats actually an impressive total, the percentage for AMSAT Is small but
 wow! Every bit counts.

 On Tuesday, July 22, 2014, Brenton Salmi kb1...@gmail.com wrote:

 Wait, if my math is right that means a total of $13,324 has gone through
 Amazon smile in the name of AMSAT!

 - Brent

 On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 7:45 AM, Martha mar...@amsat.org javascript:;
 wrote:

 To date, we have received $66.62 from Amazon Smile

 73- Martha

 On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 8:35 AM, Burns Fisher bu...@fisher.cc wrote:

 I've also signed up, and have probably bought a few hundred dollars
 worth
 of stuff since then.  .5% is not huge, and is probably more helpful to
 Amazon (via publicity) than to AMSAT, but it can't hurt.

 I would add that usually I go directly to the Smile page with my link,
 but
 on the rare occasion when I might follow another link or even type in
 amazon.com, Amazon reminds me that I am signed up for Smile.  Not bad.

 Burns

 On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 2:12 AM, Bryan Herbert ke6...@gmail.com
 javascript:; wrote:
 I also signed up and have bought a few things but it is my
 understanding
 only 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products goes to AMSAT.
 So
 if
 you buy a DVD worth $19.99 and it's eligible for AmazonSmile, roughly
 $0.10
 of that $19.99 will go to AMSAT but I think Amazon waits until
 something
 like $100 is collected before sending any money to AMSAT.

 --
 Bryan Herbert - KE6ZGP
 Newhall, CA. DM04RJ USA
 http://bryanherbert.com
 http://twitter.com/ke6zgp
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 73- Martha
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-- 
Gus 8P6SM
The Easternmost Isle

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Re: [amsat-bb] AMSAT where are we going for what it is worth.


On 07/22/2014 01:18 PM, Rich/wa4bue wrote:
So there is a need to plan ahead for more accessible birds with more 
Linear

transponders and other features.  How do we get there?
We need wideband software receivers that can look at the entire 
passband, detect individual signals and determine type, and translate 
them into the downlink passband based upon an operational ruleset that 
is policy driven and easily changed. Allow SSB, FM and Phil's DV at the 
same time if that is what we want.  Or have FM only on Friday nights to 
encourage newcomers. Or pass SSB but simultaneously convert to FM on 
another part of the passband so the FM only guys can hear the action.  
Or whatever big imaginations and good drugs can dream up.


And since HEO is apparently out of the question, we need meshed 
satellite groups so that what you uplink on one bird can be heard on the 
downlink of all of the birds in the mesh.  So we can extend operating 
times beyond a handful of minutes.


--
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The Easternmost Isle

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Re: [amsat-bb] Inclusion (satcoms?)

2014-07-22 Thread Robert Bruninga

But if the goal of satellite operation is from the shack-potato position,
why not just use the internet and not bother.

Don't forget the TOTAL FAILURE of the original SAT-PHONE industry when
they ignored cellphones and fiber.  No one would bother with a sat-phone
when their $9/mo cell phone could do the job almost 99% of the time and
call anywhere on the planet.  The only thing SAT-PHONEs turned out to be
good for are wilderness communications, and there are plenty of places on
earth that fit that category.  Probably 90% of the earths surface is a
wireless desert.  But the 99% of the worlds population lives in that
wired-10%.

I have also heard that these days,  all of the satellite communications
carried by all the comm satellites worldwide could fit on a SINGLE fiber.

The value of ham radio is providing communications where other systems
cannot.  And of course, playing with toys just for fun.

Bob, Wb4APR

-Original Message-
 I've heard comments that basically imply anyone
 who wants to go outside with an HT and wave a yagi around is stupid.

 Standing outside with a yagi in hand and the monsoon
 trickling down my neck isn't for me.  It is demonstrably
 a valid way to make contacts and an excellent way to
 demonstrate how satellite operation can occur with minimalist equipment.


 But as far as I'm concerned, it IS NOT the ultimate objective
 of a satellite operator
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Re: [amsat-bb] Amazon Smile


On 07/22/2014 01:52 PM, Bryce Salmi wrote:

Capacitors are like $0.01 each nowadays.


We call it HUMOR.  :-)

--
Gus 8P6SM
The Easternmost Isle

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Re: [amsat-bb] Amazon Smile

2014-07-22 Thread kb2m

Easy Art

I just went to smile.amazon.com to sign up. It also explains the whole thing...

73 Jeff KB2M

- Original Message -
From: Arthur Feller afel...@ieee.org
To: k...@comcast.net
Sent: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 17:52:48 - (UTC)
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Amazon Smile

Suggest explaining:

[1] the nature of Amazon Smile,

[2] how to sign up.

Hope this helps.

73, art…..
W4ART  Arlington VA

On 22-Jul-2014, at 01:50 PM, k...@comcast.net wrote:

 It just got me to sign up. I spend at least 10% of the total AMSAT smile 
 amount every year on Amazon. If everyone signs up the total would be 
 significantly larger...

 73 Jeff KB2M

 - Original Message -
 From: Gus g...@8p6sm.net
 To: amsat-bb@amsat.org
 Sent: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 17:43:00 - (UTC)
 Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Amazon Smile

 It isn't a lot of revenue earned but it's one more capacitor on a 
 cubesat board, I guess.   The thing is to persuade more people to sign up.

 On 07/22/2014 12:03 PM, Bryce Salmi wrote:
 Thats actually an impressive total, the percentage for AMSAT Is small but
 wow! Every bit counts.

 On Tuesday, July 22, 2014, Brenton Salmi kb1...@gmail.com wrote:

 Wait, if my math is right that means a total of $13,324 has gone through
 Amazon smile in the name of AMSAT!

 - Brent

 On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 7:45 AM, Martha mar...@amsat.org javascript:;
 wrote:

 To date, we have received $66.62 from Amazon Smile

 73- Martha

 On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 8:35 AM, Burns Fisher bu...@fisher.cc wrote:

 I've also signed up, and have probably bought a few hundred dollars
 worth
 of stuff since then.  .5% is not huge, and is probably more helpful to
 Amazon (via publicity) than to AMSAT, but it can't hurt.

 I would add that usually I go directly to the Smile page with my link,
 but
 on the rare occasion when I might follow another link or even type in
 amazon.com, Amazon reminds me that I am signed up for Smile.  Not bad.

 Burns

 On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 2:12 AM, Bryan Herbert ke6...@gmail.com
 javascript:; wrote:
 I also signed up and have bought a few things but it is my
 understanding
 only 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products goes to AMSAT.
 So
 if
 you buy a DVD worth $19.99 and it's eligible for AmazonSmile, roughly
 $0.10
 of that $19.99 will go to AMSAT but I think Amazon waits until
 something
 like $100 is collected before sending any money to AMSAT.

 --
 Bryan Herbert - KE6ZGP
 Newhall, CA. DM04RJ USA
 http://bryanherbert.com
 http://twitter.com/ke6zgp
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 --
 73- Martha
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 -- 
 Gus 8P6SM
 The Easternmost Isle

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Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential 
to your own.” 
- Robert Heinlein, “Stranger in a Strange Land”

   http://afeller.us 

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Re: [amsat-bb] Amazon Smile

I know :D


On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 11:05 AM, Gus g...@8p6sm.net wrote:

 On 07/22/2014 01:52 PM, Bryce Salmi wrote:

 Capacitors are like $0.01 each nowadays.


 We call it HUMOR.  :-)


 --
 Gus 8P6SM
 The Easternmost Isle


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Re: [amsat-bb] AMSAT where are we going for what it is worth.

All this requires much much much more power than a 1U satellite is
currently capable of producing. At least for always on type operating.
We'll get there eventually.

Also, there's definitely the critical mass effect of having a constellation
of smaller satellites in orbit. Look at ORBCOMM. No GEO sats but a
constellation of LEO sats serves their purpose well. Fox-1 series becoming
rapid and reliable satellite platform that can easily find its way into
orbit would help with this.Things are looking up!

Bryce


On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 11:03 AM, Gus g...@8p6sm.net wrote:

 On 07/22/2014 01:18 PM, Rich/wa4bue wrote:

 So there is a need to plan ahead for more accessible birds with more
 Linear
 transponders and other features.  How do we get there?

 We need wideband software receivers that can look at the entire passband,
 detect individual signals and determine type, and translate them into the
 downlink passband based upon an operational ruleset that is policy driven
 and easily changed. Allow SSB, FM and Phil's DV at the same time if that is
 what we want.  Or have FM only on Friday nights to encourage newcomers. Or
 pass SSB but simultaneously convert to FM on another part of the passband
 so the FM only guys can hear the action.  Or whatever big imaginations and
 good drugs can dream up.

 And since HEO is apparently out of the question, we need meshed satellite
 groups so that what you uplink on one bird can be heard on the downlink of
 all of the birds in the mesh.  So we can extend operating times beyond a
 handful of minutes.

 --
 Gus 8P6SM
 The Easternmost Isle


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[amsat-bb] NASA TV Broadcast Progress 56 Cargo Craft on Wednesday

2014-07-22 Thread JoAnne Maenpaa

For those of us who enjoy the roar of a big rocket on a Wednesday
afternoon ...

NASA TV will broadcast the ISS Progress 56 cargo craft launch from
Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Wednesday at 5:44 p.m. EDT on a
4-orbit, 6-hour fast track rendezvous to dock with the station's Pirs
docking compartment at 11:30 p.m. EDT.

Live NASA Television coverage of the Progress launch begins at 5:30
p.m. EDT and returns at 11 p.m. EDT for docking coverage.

Press release:
http://www.nasa.gov/content/next-station-cargo-spacecraft-rolls-out-to
-pad/

NASA TV:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv (or, I watch it on my Roku streaming box)

--
73 de JoAnne K9JKM
k9...@amsat.org
Editor, AMSAT Journal



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[amsat-bb] Re; Inclusion

2014-07-22 Thread Kevin M

 But as far as I'm concerned, it IS NOT the ultimate objective of a
 satellite operator.  It is the BARE MINIMUM of satellite operation, and
 there is no way I'm going to be satisfied with that for more than one or
 two passes.
Fair opinion to have, you are entitled to it. However, stating it the way you 
do gives the impression (to me at least) that you can't see how anyone else 
would think any differently. When you say it is NOT the ultimate objective of 
a satellite operator I ask myself, 'How does he come to that conclusion? It 
may not be YOUR ultimate objective, but I know several satellite operators who 
relish the idea of operating satellites while portable with minimum equipment. 
One took his annual work holiday to do nothing BUT that! It is analogous to 
saying that all HF operators dream of a high powered station with a tall tower 
and large antennas. However there are quite a number of people who prefer to 
pursue minimalist operations with tiny flea powered rigs and jury rigged 
antennas. Myself, I am somewhere in between. =^)

In other words, Gus... maybe it's not that you were previously misunderstood; 
rather, I would suggest that you didn't realize what you were actually saying. 
Your statement imposed 'your goals' on the rest of the sat community. Your 
statement is EXCLUSIVE... I am simply suggesting to widen your view and be 
INCLUSIVE.


 To imply to the uneducated observer and potential future satellite
 operator, that standing in the rain is the pinnacle of hamsat ground
 station technology is (in my opinion) counter productive and, yes,
 stupid.On the contrary, I happen to think that the opposite is the ingrained 
 preconception that uneducated observers might have. I would argue that the 
 heretofore concept of a sat station is long boom yagi antennas, AZ-EL rotors 
 and sophisticated, high powered equipment. Don't underestimate the power of a 
 preconceived notion! It can linger. Because I think a lot of general hams 
 probably still think that way. Moreover the general public and new hams 
 likely have such a conception. I would further posit that the demonstration 
 of simplicity actually implies that more complex equipment will beget more 
 complex and interesting operations with the 'pinnacle' is implied to be 
 elsewhere. In other words, If I can do THIS with an HT, what can I do with 
 more? I mean, I got an HT to dip my toe in the water and now I have an 
 FT-847 with a closet full of preamps, rotors, cable and boxed antennas 
 waiting for good weather to dig and lay conduit.

Standing in the rain is the pinnacle of the technology? I don't think anyone 
implies that. (That would be... dare I say, stupid.) I'm saying that one 
cannot define the pinnacle of what another finds fun and interesting. Yours 
might be to build the latest and greatest station... others might simply see 
the technology as a means to an end; the actual pursuit of the communication 
itself as the goal. - As for the rain... I know when to get out of it. I have a 
rather high ceiling in my living room and a tolerant wife.

But again, I reiterate, some people actually enjoy the FM birds and it IS a 
good place for new sat ops to get their feet wet. I'm simply asking for folks 
to consider that those that operate FM birds might be put off by having it 
implied that what they chose to do is something to be looked down upon. And for 
those that do not like the FM birds, I am suggesting that they are the best way 
to garner new members to AMSAT and therefore the financial and volunteer 
support needed for future, more technologically advanced sat projects. Not to 
mentioning the engineering expertise!!!

73,

Kevin N4UFO

 
--
Control is the need of the fearful mind. Trust is the need of the courageous 
heart.
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Re: [amsat-bb] Re; Inclusion

On 07/22/2014 04:09 PM, Kevin M wrote:

But as far as I'm concerned, it IS NOT the ultimate objective of a
satellite operator. It is the BARE MINIMUM of satellite operation, and
there is no way I'm going to be satisfied with that for more than one or
two passes.

Fair opinion to have, you are entitled to it. However, stating it the way you do gives the
impression (to me at least) that you can't see how anyone else would think any differently.
When you say it is NOT the ultimate objective of a satellite operator I ask
myself, 'How does he come to that conclusion?
I think it goes without saying -- or should -- that any opinion I
express on this forum is my own, and not fact by decree. Despite this, I
explicitly stated at least twice, that I was expressing my own personal
opinion. I do indeed recognize that others disagree with me and take
pleasure in minimalist operations, both on satellite and for that
matter, on HF. I specifically said:

... to those who enjoy it, more power to you!

But personally, I prefer the shack-potato (I love that term) approach,
probably because of how fondly I recall 6-8 hour passes, and the
lengthy, antipodal ragchewing that could occur as a result.

As far as doing demos for the uneducated, broomstick waving is an
excellent introduction, highlighting the equipment simplicity and low
cost. I do personally think that the shack-potato option might also
appeal to /some/ of the audience, so I hope the other end of the
operations spectrum is mentioned at least briefly.

--
Gus 8P6SM
The Easternmost Isle
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Re: [amsat-bb] Inclusion

2014-07-22 Thread R.T.Liddy

Gus,

I have a modest Satellite Station at home and I've worked
many Countries and many Grids with it. It's very enjoyable.

But, I also have equipment and antennas that I take on Grid
Expeditions to hand out rare Grids to the folks that need them
and would otherwise probably not get them. I drive hundreds
of miles to accomplish this on trips where I'm seeing things
on my Bucket List - a twofold endeavor.

And yes, I've been out in the rain and snow with a handheld
antenna which I now have on a tripod. I've done this in almost
80 Grids in both the US and Canada. I've been to some very
remote locations and seen things many folks will never have
the opportunity to see. It has been some of the most fun I've
ever had in 53 years as a Ham. I love helping other Hams reach
long held objectives. I happily do this all on my own, as do others.

You can see a photo of me and my Grid Expedition setup in
Nova Scotia  in action on my QRZ(dot)com page.

You may think it's stupid, but you are in the vast minority. Maybe
there some different words that would be better to describe an
activity that you yourself would prefer not doing. I hope next time
you'll do a better job finding some.

73,     Bob K8BL

(AMSAT Member since 1979)




 From: Gus g...@8p6sm.net
To: amsat-bb@amsat.org 
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2014 1:39 PM
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Inclusion
 

On 07/22/2014 11:54 AM, Kevin M wrote:
 I've heard comments that basically imply anyone who wants to go outside with 
 an HT and wave a yagi around is stupid.

I will respond to this because of comments I've made in the past, which 
may have been misunderstood.

Standing outside with a yagi in hand and the monsoon trickling down my 
neck isn't for me.  It is demonstrably a valid way to make contacts and 
an excellent way to demonstrate how satellite operation can occur with 
minimalist equipment.  But as far as I'm concerned, it IS NOT the 
ultimate objective of a satellite operator.  It is the BARE MINIMUM of 
satellite operation, and there is no way I'm going to be satisfied with 
that for more than one or two passes.

To imply to the uneducated observer and potential future satellite 
operator, that standing in the rain is the pinnacle of hamsat ground 
station technology is (in my opinion) counter productive and, yes, 
stupid.  As would be implying that a single-band, rock-bound QRP CW rig 
is the ultimate in ham HF technology.  There is nothing wrong with QRP 
or broomstick-waving, far from it.  And to those who enjoy it, more 
power to you!  But if broomstick-waving is all I can hope to achieve in 
satellite operation, then I'll be very disappointed.

-- 
Gus 8P6SM
G-QRP 6941
The Easternmost Isle

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Re: [amsat-bb] Inclusion


On 07/22/2014 06:25 PM, R.T.Liddy wrote:

You may think it's stupid...


Oh, for heavens sake.  I DIDN'T SAY IT WAS STUPID!!!  I said:

 To imply to the uneducated observer and potential future satellite 
operator, that
 standing in the rain is the pinnacle of hamsat ground station 
technology is (in my

 opinion) counter productive and, yes, stupid.

To tell people who you are trying to entice into satellite operation 
that the ONLY way to operate satellite is with a broomstick, may push 
shack-potatoes away rather than draw them in.  THAT is stupid. Because 
there is broomstick waving, shack-potatoing, mobileing, field-day, 
unattended telemetry logging and who knows what else? Any one of which 
might appeal to someone in the audience, and draw them in.  All of these 
can't be demoed, but hopefully they won't be ignored of dismissed, 
because any one of these might be the hook that lands another satellite op.


--
Gus 8P6SM
The Easternmost Isle

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Re: [amsat-bb] FM birds

2014-07-22 Thread M5AKA

 Now, as far as the bad behavior on SO-50. At least 75% of that is due
 to people who can't hear the thing, but the Fox satellites are going
 to be 13 dB stronger than SO-50 (9 dB advantage due to the 2m
 downlink, about 4 dB due to the 750 mW power output compared to SO-50s
 250 mW), so hopefully things will a bit more civilized when everyone
 can hear the satellite.

That is the great advantage of Mode B UHF to VHF satellites, the downlinks 
are much easier for newcomers to receive.

The great thing about CubeSats is that even small groups of people can launch a 
CubeSat that caters for their particular interest. The technology is not even 
limited to small groups of 4 or 5 people, we've even had an individual develop 
and launch their own CubeSat. 


I hope in the future we will see many more groups develop their own Amateur 
Radio CubeSat.


73 Trevor M5AKA



On Tuesday, 22 July 2014, 16:21, Paul Stoetzer n...@arrl.net wrote:
 


Damon,

They can certainly be frustrating when you have all these lids calling
CQ and keying up who obviously cannot hear the satellite, but there is
a ton of popular demand for FM satellites. I had a lot of people ask
me what FM satellites were working at Dayton and at the hamfest I did
a demo at in February. There are also a ton of callsigns that haven't
been heard from on any satellite since the demise of AO--51.

I've worked several new grids and states on FM. I have two states only
on FM - AR and DE. I've never heard anyone on SSB/CW from either
state. I also wouldn't have worked Dominica without an FM satellite.
They are a very useful tool!

Now, as far as the bad behavior on SO-50. At least 75% of that is due
to people who can't hear the thing, but the Fox satellites are going
to be 13 dB stronger than SO-50 (9 dB advantage due to the 2m
downlink, about 4 dB due to the 750 mW power output compared to SO-50s
250 mW), so hopefully things will a bit more civilized when everyone
can hear the satellite.

Of course, we should be encouraging those interested in satellite
communications to add linear transponder capability to their stations.
There are quite a few stations that never miss an SO-50 pass. Why not
get on the linear birds? It's not that difficult or expensive at all
and it's a lot of fun!

73,

Paul, N8HM

On Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 10:49 AM,  wa4...@comcast.net wrote:
 I hope someone can launch a 100 of them, single channel ,pileup ,total chaos 
 ,someone keying down on the entire pass what more would you want.
 All we need to bust a crazy pile up is a 300 watt mfj amp right? Lets all 
 work to the good of the satellite part of the hobby. SSB/CW birds are the 
 only way to go and if you build it they will come  . Now if someone can build 
 a multi channel FM bird then do it. Lets face it guys ,everyone got mad 
 trying to work AO51 and AO27. Was it fun making a call to a grid you wanted 
 only to have someone key down on him coming back to you, Is this what you 
 want  , Then go to 20 meters DX.  Single channel FM birds are obsolete,
 Damon
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Re: [amsat-bb] I want this. I want that. Here comes another FM LEO sat.

2014-07-22 Thread M5AKA

 They simply don't realize how much more could be done with
 21st century technology. That's what I'm trying to change, so far
 without much success.

Phil, the technology you describe could equally well be used in cross-band 
terrestrial transponders. Has anyone yet developed it for terrestrial use ?

73 Trevor M5AKA




On Tuesday, 22 July 2014, 17:16, Phil Karn k...@ka9q.net wrote:
 


On 07/22/2014 06:49 AM, Clayton Coleman wrote:
 Hi Phil,
 
 The new era I speak of is AMSAT-NA's foray into CubeSats.

Well, I guess I could read that as when all you have is lemons, make
lemonade. AMSAT used to make spacecraft that, while small by
commercial/military/scientific standards, dwarfed a cubesat. So I don't
see cubesats as an advance.

Although miniaturization of electronics and improvements in solar cell
efficiency do help us cram everything into the tiny form factor, the
fact remains that we are now forced to pay far more to launch far less
than we used to.

I guess that's a new era in the same way that the Arab Oil Embargoes
of 1973 and 1979 launched a glorious new era in automobile transportation...

Sure, this is a fact of life that we can't do anything about, despite
the supreme irony of AMSAT pioneering small satellites so well that we
created a whole new industry with which we must now fiercely compete for
launches. Economics says that when demand outstrips supply, prices go
up. So they have. A lot.

Like it or not, we have to adapt to changing realities. We used to get
launches for free or at nominal rates, so our main investment in each
satellite was just the volunteer engineers' time and the cost of those
components we could not beg, borrow or steal.

But now that the launch cost dominates the budget of everything we fly,
it's time to take a very serious look at what we get from each one. Said
another way, it's time to look at how much MORE we could get from our
very substantial investment in each launch. Every launch of a FM cubesat
depletes a very large chunk of AMSAT funds that cannot be spent on
launching something else.

In other words, I'm encouraging people to look at the *opportunity cost*
of every additional analog FM satellite we launch. People don't yet
realize just how huge it is because they only know 1960s analog
technology. They simply don't realize how much more could be done with
21st century technology. That's what I'm trying to change, so far
without much success.


--Phil
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Re: [amsat-bb] Re; Inclusion

2014-07-22 Thread Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)

Hi Gus!

You would have been happy with how AMSAT presented satellite
operating at the ARRL Centennial Convention that just concluded
in Hartford over the weekend.  We had a day-long training seminar
last Thursday (17 July), and we touched on the extremes for stations
capable of satellite operating.  We actually talked about the home
station first, complete with an IC-820 sitting in front of the
presenters' podium along with a laptop running SatPC32.  We also had
a TS-790 in the room, copying the signals from the OSCAR I model that
ARRL allowed us to use for the weekend.  Later on, we talked about
the minimimalist extreme for satellite operating, for both FM and SSB.
Unfortunately, we do not have audio or video recordings of the seminar,
as ARRL advised at the start of each presentation that Connecticut state
law forbade the audio or video recording of the presentations.

Outside the convention center, I had demonstrations of both FM and SSB
operating.  The SSB demonstrations, using AO-7, went off very well.  The
first demonstration came at the end of the day-long training seminar on
Thursday afternoon, and we were able to work stations from coast to
(almost) coast.  The second SSB demonstration, on Saturday also using AO-7,
was working out to just as successful, until the satellite switched off at
mid-pass.  The FM demonstration we attempted on Saturday with SO-50 was not
as successful.  We could hear the satellite, but with only 5 watts we were
not successful in hearing ourselves or making any QSOs. I have audio
recordings
from the two AO-7 passes, and plan on making slideshow videos with photos
and
other information from the convention weekend to go along with the
satellite
audio.  These demonstrations illustrated the minimalist approach to working
satellites, which also made the point that even working the (almost)
40-year-
old AO-7 didn't require a huge expenditure for equipment (I used two FT-817s
with my Elk log periodic antenna).  Many hams still envision a station that
could work the previous HEO satellites as the minimum required today, even
with lots of presentations given by satellite operators and the YouTube and
other videos showing that it doesn't take a lot to do this.

An unexpected treat happened on Saturday morning.  I had planned on being
outside the convention center for ISS passes, prepared to show off the ISS
digipeater, and - if a voice was heard on 145.800 MHz -
talk to an ISS
crewmember.  The first of the three workable passes from Hartford came a
little while before the convention officially opened for the day at 0835
local/1235 UTC.  The ISS was passing across the northern sky, with maximum
elevation of 25 degrees. I heard only packet on 145.825 MHz, and was able
to bounce a few packets through the ISS digipeater using a TH-D72A and Elk
dual-band log periodic antenna.

The next pass, around 
1010 local/1410 UTC, was the best of the passes for
the morning - going across the southwestern sky with maximum elevation of

59 degrees.  I had a radio listening to both 145.800 and
145.825 MHz.  I
heard nothing on 145.825 MHz, but thought I heard something on
145.800 MHz. 

I started calling for NA1SS using my TH-D72A/Elk combination, and Reid
Wiseman
(the same astronaut who was on for Field Day last month) answered my call.
My
audience went crazy, and I was happy to make contact and have a nice 3- to
4-
minute chat.
  I asked Reid if he might be on the microphone for the next pass
over the eastern USA around 1200 local/1600 UTC.  He said he would try, and
we were outside for that as well. 


Once we told people in the hall of the successful contact, the ARRL
made sure
there was a larger crowd outside for this pass.  Several
minutes before AOS,
I was out there again, this time answering lots of questions from different
people.  After AOS, I started calling for NA1SS, but never heard anything
on
145.800 MHz during the shallow (maximum elevation 6 degrees) pass.


I'm sure more will be written about the convention, especially the AMSAT
effort
there.  Based on feedback from those attending the day-long seminar, and
other
feedback throughout the convention, AMSAT did a great job showing off this
part
of amateur radio.  The Thursday seminar and Friday afternoon forums (one
led
by AMSAT President Barry Baines WD4ASW discussing the current state of
AMSAT,
followed by a how-to session for working the FM satellites led by Peter
Portanova W2JV) were full, and all 3 sessions had audiences that were
engaged
and asking questions. 


Now back to the different discussions about the extremes for stations to
work
satellites, and FM vs. digital (and anything else) via satellite, already
in
progress... :-)

73!





Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
http://www.wd9ewk.net/






 As far as doing demos for the uneducated, broomstick waving is an
 excellent introduction, highlighting the equipment simplicity and low cost.
  I do personally think that the shack-potato option might also appeal to
 /some/ of the audience,

Re: [amsat-bb] Re; Inclusion