AMATEUR RADIO SATELLITE INFORMATION ELMERS - These AMSAT Area Coordinators will be glad to help out. Keith Pugh, W5IU Fort Worth, TX 817-292-5633 Rusty Reeve, KT5U Lucas, TX 214-442-1217 Keith Berglund, WB5ZDP Fort Worth, TX 817-244-5176 Richard Ruhl, WD5GLD Kingfisher, OK 405-375-4843 Roger Ley, WA9PZL/5 Bossier City, LA 318-746-0356 Jack Douglas, KA5DNP Kingwood, TX 713-358-5172 R. G. Maniago, KA5RMT Vernon, TX 817-553-1447 Harold Bulmahn, W5DSG Waco, TX 817-754-2732 Ken Blanton, W5CBT Amarillo, TX 806-355-3234 Bob Douglas, W5GEL Corpus Christi, TX 512-883-5103 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ON THE AIR HELP - News plus technical guidance. Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex Wed., 8:00 PM CST 146.02/62 Mid American AMSAT Net Tue., 9:00 PM CST 3840 khz International AMSAT Net Sun., 1900 UTC 14.282 mhz Novice/Technician Net Sun., 1900 UTC 28.460 mhz ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ AMSAT BBS - Satellite Info St. Charles, MO 314-447-3003 * * * * HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 098.01 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD APRIL 8, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT 73 Magazine May Issue Is Dedicated To OSCAR Satellite Enthusiasts Andy MacAllister, WA5ZIB, AMSAT-NA Vice-President of User Operations, has dubbed the May issue of 73 Magazine the "Hamsat" issue for good reason: this whole issue is devoted to the amateur radio satellite program. Andy points out that many of the usual columns were dropped this month inorder to make room for the numerous articles submitted about OSCAR satellites. There are a total of 18 OSCAR related satellite articles. These articles cover such important topics as software, preamps, radio equipment, and tracking devices. Also covered are simple turnstile antennas, Mode L uplink parabolic dishes, and Mode S systems. Included are discussions about future amateur radio statellites, that is, the MICROSATs and the Phase 3D programs. Andy points out that the response to his call for articles last November for OSCAR submissions was so overwhelming that it was not possible to publish all the fine articles which were submitted. Therefore, for the remaining issues of 73 Magazine this year, there will be at least two articles published each month which will deal with some aspect of amateur radio satellites. So pick up a copy of this excellent issue of 73 Magazine today. [PLEASE NOTE: AMSAT-NA will have additional copies available at the AMSAT Booth at the Dayton Hamvention and will also keep copies at Headquarters for some time.] Descriptions Of Software For OSCAR Users Available On AMSAT-NA BBS Because of the proliferation of useful software programs being offered by AMSAT-NA, AMSAT-UK, and Project OSCAR, Mike Parisey, WD0GML (System Manager for the AMSAT-NA BBS) has set up a special "menu" which users of the BBS can bring up which will provide an in-depth description of the various software packages availble today for OSCAR satellite users. These descriptions will provide information about all the features of that particular program, eg., what machine it will run on, graphics capability you will need, memory requirements, etc. By keeping this information available on the BBS, one can "browse" around and find the program that best fits your needs. Many OSCAR satellite users will be suprised at the large selection of programs that exist for IBM PCs, Commodore C-64/128s, Apples/MacIntoshes, Atari's, and the British BBC computer. Also, there are programs which offer many unusual options, such as decoding telemetry from AO-13/UO-9/UO-10, mutual satellite visability window "predictors," computing "squint angles" and satellite telemetry processing. So the next time you "check into" the AMSAT-NA BBS, follow the instructions in the "preamble" on how to bring up this new "menu." The AMSAT-NA BBS available at (314) 447-3003 at either 300, 1200, or 2400 baud. N5ITU To Begin Weather Satellite Column For AMSAT-NA Journal Jeff Wallach, N5ITU, who has been a long time weather satellite picture processing enthusiast, has agreed to start writing a column devoted to all aspects of processing pictures from weather satellites for the AMSAT-NA Journal. Jeff is eminently qualified for this job and he is currently serving as the Chairman of the Dallas Remote Imaging Group (DRIG) which is a group dedicated to this interesting aspect of "signal processing." Besides being dedicated to processing weather satellite imagery, the DRIG is also helping secondary school districts set up weather satellite ground stations. For many AMSAT members N5ITU should be well known: he has delivered papers at the AMSAT-NA Space Symposium on weather satellites for the past two years. Doug Loughmiller, KO5I, President of AMSAT-NA, has invited Jeff to start writing this column because OSCAR satellite users share a great deal of the "commonality" with weather satellite enthusiasts; KO5I points out that they too track and receive signals from satellites and utilize PCs in their ground stations. For many OSCAR enthusiasts, adding this additional capability to process weather pictures would not require much more equipment than a receiver which will work around 137.500 MHz, a simple AM demodulator, and some easily obtainable software. Jeff's column in each issue of the "Journal" will discuss both the hardware and software requirements to make your OSCAR station weather satellite capable. He will discuss antennas, receivers, preamps, software and all aspects of processing "automatic picture transmissions." So look for N5ITU's column starting with the second issue of the AMSAT-NA Journal. Incidently, Jeff invites all AMSAT members and OSCAR enthusiasts to check into the DRIG BBS at (214) 394-7438. Short Bursts AMSAT-UK, who is sponsoring the "UOSAT-OSCAR-9 Reentry Competition," wants to remind those individuals wishing to participate that according to the rules only 5 entries or "guesses" are allowed. Send your predictions for the reentry of UO-9 into the earth's atmosphere to: "UO-9 Reentry Competition," AMSAT-UK, 94 Herongate Rd., Wanstead Park, London, E12 5EQ, England. All entries must be postmarked no earlier than 30 days before UO-9's "firery death." AMSAT-NA is now taking orders for the TAPR PSK Demodulator kits. If you haven't ordered your kit already, be sure to do so soon inorder to avoid the last minute rush to be ready when the MICROSAT/PACSATS are released for operation later this year. To order your kit today, contact AMSAT-NA Headquarters at (301) 589-6062. AMSAT-NA is looking for members in the New York and New Jersey area who willing to serve in the capacity of a AMSAT Area Coordinator. There appears to be acute "shortage" of Area Coordinators in these populous states. If you are an active OSCAR satellite user and are interested in becoming an AMSAT Area Coordinator, contact AMSAT-NA Headquarters at (301) 589-6062. The "OSCAR-13 Beginners Guide" is now available from AMSAT-NA Head- quarters. If you are a newcomer to the world of OSCAR Satellites or would like to have an excellent "reference guide" for AO-13, you can obtain of copy of the publication by contacting AMSAT-NA Headquarters at (301) 589-6062. AMSAT ORBITAL ELEMENTS FOR OSCAR SATELLITES FROM W0RPK INDIANOLA, IOWA APRIL 8, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT Satellite: UO-9 Catalog number: 12888 Epoch time: 89087.62758864 Element set: 500 Inclination: 97.5654 deg RA of node: 136.6665 deg Eccentricity: 0.0003089 Arg of perigee: 67.4405 deg Mean anomaly: 292.7136 deg Mean motion: 15.49386215 rev/day Decay rate: 6.1702e-04 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 41647 Satellite: AO-10 Catalog number: 14129 Epoch time: 89088.94857491 Element set: 391 Inclination: 26.4661 deg RA of node: 272.9031 deg Eccentricity: 0.6054805 Arg of perigee: 29.5004 deg Mean anomaly: 354.0930 deg Mean motion: 2.05883157 rev/day Decay rate: -4.0e-07 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 4358 Satellite: UO-11 Catalog number: 14781 Epoch time: 89087.56947974 Element set: 425 Inclination: 98.0054 deg RA of node: 148.6937 deg Eccentricity: 0.0012203 Arg of perigee: 210.7283 deg Mean anomaly: 149.3168 deg Mean motion: 14.63261902 rev/day Decay rate: 3.367e-05 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 27075 Satellite: FO-12 Catalog number: 16909 Epoch time: 89083.69611252 Element set: 137 Inclination: 50.0189 deg RA of node: 198.0467 deg Eccentricity: 0.0011097 Arg of perigee: 130.5680 deg Mean anomaly: 229.6122 deg Mean motion: 12.44398749 rev/day Decay rate: -2.5e-07 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 11888 Satellite: AO-13 Catalog number: 19216 Epoch time: 89089.37166448 Element set: 34 Inclination: 57.2895 deg RA of node: 213.9669 deg Eccentricity: 0.6688587 Arg of perigee: 201.4192 deg Mean anomaly: 106.6281 deg Mean motion: 2.09699506 rev/day Decay rate: -2.8e-07 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 608 Bahn Long: 222.1 deg Bahn Lat: +1.7 deg Satellite: RS-10/11 Catalog number: 18129 Epoch time: 89092.84121067 Element set: 715 Inclination: 82.9247 deg RA of node: 293.8180 deg Eccentricity: 0.0010319 Arg of perigee: 260.7680 deg Mean anomaly: 99.2270 deg Mean motion: 13.71960401 rev/day Decay rate: 1.29e-06 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 8906 Satellite: MET-2/16 Catalog number: 18312 Epoch time: 89091.53274366 Element set: 255 Inclination: 82.5514 deg RA of node: 280.2583 deg Eccentricity: 0.0014349 Arg of perigee: 52.4094 deg Mean anomaly: 307.8372 deg Mean motion: 13.83449912 rev/day Decay rate: 2.19e-06 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 8191 Satellite: MET-2/17 Catalog number: 18820 Epoch time: 89091.91159914 Element set: 98 Inclination: 82.5481 deg RA of node: 341.1785 deg Eccentricity: 0.0017844 Arg of perigee: 120.0043 deg Mean anomaly: 240.2873 deg Mean motion: 13.84137464 rev/day Decay rate: 3.35e-06 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 5913 Satellite: MET-2/18 Catalog number: 19851 Epoch time: 89090.75610708 Element set: 19 Inclination: 82.5221 deg RA of node: 220.8847 deg Eccentricity: 0.0015046 Arg of perigee: 160.1383 deg Mean anomaly: 200.0366 deg Mean motion: 13.83770013 rev/day Decay rate: 1.17e-06 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 437 Satellite: MET-3/2 Catalog number: 19336 Epoch time: 89093.15604056 Element set: 163 Inclination: 82.5417 deg RA of node: 228.7741 deg Eccentricity: 0.0020594 Arg of perigee: 10.6475 deg Mean anomaly: 349.5078 deg Mean motion: 13.16855025 rev/day Decay rate: 3.91e-06 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 3303 Satellite: NOAA-9 Catalog number: 15427 Epoch time: 89089.33722228 Element set: 354 Inclination: 99.1390 deg RA of node: 74.7621 deg Eccentricity: 0.0015550 Arg of perigee: 170.8065 deg Mean anomaly: 189.3398 deg Mean motion: 14.11927176 rev/day Decay rate: 6.05e-06 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 22132 Satellite: NOAA-10 Catalog number: 16969 Epoch time: 89089.40092669 Element set: 212 Inclination: 98.6444 deg RA of node: 121.3733 deg Eccentricity: 0.0014808 Arg of perigee: 117.5622 deg Mean anomaly: 242.7063 deg Mean motion: 14.22913885 rev/day Decay rate: 1.042e-05 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 13273 Satellite: NOAA-11 Catalog number: 19531 Epoch time: 89089.27742398 Element set: 64 Inclination: 98.9319 deg RA of node: 33.6982 deg Eccentricity: 0.0013387 Arg of perigee: 94.2072 deg Mean anomaly: 266.0630 deg Mean motion: 14.10910964 rev/day Decay rate: 6.33e-06 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 2634 Satellite: MIR Catalog number: 16609 Epoch time: 89093.67036765 Element set: 770 Inclination: 51.6247 deg RA of node: 16.4689 deg Eccentricity: 0.0019102 Arg of perigee: 75.1336 deg Mean anomaly: 285.1395 deg Mean motion: 15.66127384 rev/day Decay rate: 2.5745e-04 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 17956 Satellite: SALYUT-7 Catalog number: 13138 Epoch time: 89093.66049883 Element set: 503 Inclination: 51.6086 deg RA of node: 321.8075 deg Eccentricity: 0.0001942 Arg of perigee: 136.8534 deg Mean anomaly: 223.2222 deg Mean motion: 15.39322686 rev/day Decay rate: -3.863e-05 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 39670 Satellite: AJISAI Catalog number: 16908 Epoch time: 89066.68751816 Element set: 119 Inclination: 50.0132 deg RA of node: 250.1037 deg Eccentricity: 0.0011436 Arg of perigee: 89.1702 deg Mean anomaly: 271.0451 deg Mean motion: 12.44376385 rev/day Decay rate: -1.8e-07 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 11677