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 084.01 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD MARCH 25, 1989 AMSAT-IT & AMSAT-NA Sign "Memorandum-of-Understanding" On MICROSAT AMSAT-ITALY and AMSAT-NA signed a "Memorandum-of-Understanding" (MOU) agreement allowing for the co-construction of a MICROSAT/PACSAT satellite. This agreement allows for the joint construction of a MICROSAT satellite with AMSAT-NA sharing fully its technology and assisting AMSAT-IT in this endeavor. This represents the first time that AMSAT-IT has ever attempted to build an OSCAR satellite. By teaming with AMSAT-NA, AMSAT-IT will get to study, observe, and learn about all aspects of building an OSCAR satellite from "bending metal" to integrating it upon a launch vehicle. Signing this "historic" agreement for AMSAT-IT was Dr. Alberto Zagni, I2KBD, who was also representing the ARI (Italian National Radio Institude); signing for AMSAT-NA was Jan King, W3GEY, Chairman of the Board. This MOU was signed in Boulder, CO on March 19, 1989. The new AMSAT-IT MICROSAT will be known as ITAMSAT-1 and is expected to be finished and launched within two years. The center for this effort in Italy will be in Milan with Dr. Zagni being designated as the the Program Manager for ITAMSAT-1. AMSAT-NA welcomes this "teaming agreement" with AMSAT-IT and looks forward to the successful launch of another OSCAR satellite. AMSAT-NA To Offer TAPR PSK Demodulator Boards OSCAR satellite enthusiasts will now be able to obtain TAPR PSK demodulator kits from AMSAT-NA Headquarters thanks to a recent agreement reached with TAPR. This agreement was reached inorder to encourage amateurs to start building these kits now so that they will be ready for the PACSATs to be launched later this year. By becoming a "second-source" for these kits, TAPR is hopping to avoid a "last minute rush" by amateurs to become "operational" once the PACSATs are released for general use. For those who would like to learn more about this particular kit, see ASR #135 or the ARRL's QEX magazine, Sept. 1987. To order your PSK Demodulator board, call AMSAT Headquarters, at (301) 589-6062. Articles Needed For Future Issues Of AMSAT-NA Journal AMSAT-NA Journal, the "flagship" publication of AMSAT-NA will make its debut in early April. Editor, Joe Kasser, G3ZCZ, requests that amateurs who have a particular area of interest in OSCAR satellite operations should consider submitting an article for publication. Joe is particularly interested in the following "kinds" of articles: 1) Construction Projects 2) Technical Discussions 3) Operating Techniques & Procedures 4) DX News 5) Introductory articles about building & assembling an OSCAR station 6) Useful software programs you have developed If you have an entertaining story you would like to share about about a particular satellite operating experience, please submit it; if you have a photograph pertinent to your OSCAR station or some activity involving the OSCAR satellites, please send it in with a short description of what it is about. The AMSAT-NA Journal is designed to be a source of information about the current "going-ons" in the OSCAR satellite world. If you know about a special activity which is happening, AMSAT-NA Journal is where it needs to announced. All first time authors will be given special attention to help you get your article published. This new magazine is intened to be for all OSCAR satellite users so submit your articles today to AMSAT-NA Headquarters, P.O. Box 27, Washington, D.C., 20044, atten: Joe Kasser, G3ZCZ. AMSAT-UK Catalogue Of Publications, Software, & Kits Is Available AMSAT-UK has many fine publications, satellite tracking programs, and kits available for OSCAR enthusiasts. If you would like to obtain your copy of their catalogue in order to see what is available, please send a s.a.s.e to: AMSAT-UK Ron Broadbent, G3AAJ 94 Herongate Road Wanstead Park London E12 5EQ England If you would like to call Ron, he can be reached at 01-989-6741 in the U.K. between the hours of 13:00 UTC and 18:00 UTC. Just recently released is the SATSCAN-II computer program which displays satellite positions through graphical maps. Also, you can decode the telemetry of AO-13/UO-11/UO-9 by obtaining one of the G3RUH telemetry demodulators being offered by AMSAT-UK. And certainly if you want to be ready for the future PACSATs, there is the G3RUH PSK Demodu- lator boards. So send away for your copy of this catalogue and find out what the "folks across the pond" have to offer all OSCAR satellite users. MICROSAT Progress Report #2 By Jeff Zerr Jeff Zerr, AMSAT-NA's Engineer-in-Charge of MICROSAT Mechanical Assembly presents the following summary of progress to date on the MICROSATs: 1) MICROSAT assembly and construction site has been sucessfully moved to a new facility last week in order to allow for more room. The phone number at the new facility is (303) 530-7233. The new facility is located at 5305 Spine Road in Boulder, CO. Volunteers meet every Wednesday night at 7:00 P.M. and Sunday mornings at 9:00 A.M. Jeff reports that a "make-shift" clean room has been built and is in operation. 2) The MICROSAT Critical Design Review (CDR) was held the weekend of March 18-19th in Boulder, CO. The CDR is a process where by the complete satellite design is gone over in "excruciatingly painful" detail in order to uncover any hidden "gottcha's" which might pop-up later. Jeff reports that the CDR went very well and except for a few minor problems, they can be readily solved. [In a future AMSAT News Service Bulletin, a detailed summary will be given of this very important CDR activity.] 3) Prototype receivers designed by W3IWI and built by W4PUJ were demonstrated and "fit checked." The Battery Charge Regulator (BCR), designed by Jon Bloom, KE3D, was displayed and it too also was "fit checked." 4) YT3MV continues making excellent progress on his S Band transmitter which will now fly on one of the MICROSATs as an additional experiment. The reported efficiency of this transmitter is approximently 50 per cent. 5) Tom McIntire, KB0BGZ, continues to supply battery "cradle" modules. These specially designed "battery holders" are designed for the nicad batteries which will power the MICROSATs. 6) Hugh Pett, has finished writing the software for the "boot-loader" for the on-board V-40 CPUs on each of the MICROSATs. 7) Larry Kayser and Stan Kasmeric have now delivered all the 6.7 Amp-hr, 1.5 volt, nicad batteries for all the MICROSATs. All have been tested and "conditioned" for space flight operation. 8) Bob Stricklin has finished all the final revisions to his Addressable Asynchronus Receiver Transmitter (AART) boards and he will deliver them at the end of this month. 9) Don Struthers has a working model of the DOVE (Digital Orbiting Voice Encoder) voice synthesizer. He is now working putting his efforts in the software programming aspects of it now. Don is using the commercially available chip, called VORTRAX SC-02, as the center of this design. Jeff wants to remind everyone that the final integration and check out of the MICROSATs is planned for May 15, 1989! Volunteers are very much needed to help make this happen. You don't have to live in Boulder to become a MICROSAT volunteer. Jeff points out that many volunteers who are making major contributions to the construction effort live out-of- state. If you would like to volunteer to build something, Jeff will be happy to send you copies of the necessary drawings. Please volunteer today -- call Jeff Zerr at (303) 530-7233. Short Bursts All AMSAT-NA members should have received a letter recently from AMSAT President Doug Loughmiller, KO5I, seeking each members support during this crucial time. At no other time in AMSAT-NA's history has there been a period where AMSAT-NA has had four satellites under construction at one time! All members are urged to consider this important message which Doug has felt is necessary for him to communicate to each and everyone of you at this time. The following is the operating schedule for FO-12 for April: DATE MODE OPERATING PERIOD 04/05/89 JA 14:12 UTC until 22:24 UTC 04/08/89 JA 21:45 UTC until 12:38 on 04/09/89 UTC 04/11/89 JA 12:51 UTC until 21:04 UTC 04/13/89 JD 13:05 UTC until 21:17 UTC 04/15/89 JD 19:30 UTC until 12:24 on 04/16/89 UTC Effective March 15, 1989 the Operating Schedule for AO-13 was changed as follows: Mode B From MA 100 to MA 160 Mode JL From MA 160 to MA 200 Mode B From MA 200 to MA 255 OFF From MA 0 to MA 100 The final Bahn Coordinates for AO-13 after the attitude change will be as follows: Bahn Longitude=210 degrees, Bahn Latitude=+5 degrees. Listen to the CW/PSK/RTTY telemetry beacons on AO-13 on a downlink frequency of 145.812 MHz/435.651 MHz and to AMSAT Nets for the latest information on any operating schedule changes. The above operating schedule will remain in effect until May 3, 1989. AMSAT members are reminded that there will be a switch to Daylight Savings Time on the first weekend of April. This time change only impacts the 75M Meter and local VHF Nets! It DOES NOT affect the Inter- national Nets on 20M, 15M, and 10M -- they stay on UTC time. Please keep this in mind so you don't miss any of the many regularly scheduled AMSAT Nets. HR AMSAT ORBITAL ELEMENTS FOR OSCAR SATELLITES FROM W0RPK INDIANOLA, IOWA MARCH 28, 1989 Satellite: UO-9 Catalog number: 12888 Epoch time: 89077.80682747 Element set: 490 Inclination: 97.5720 deg RA of node: 126.3722 deg Eccentricity: 0.0002614 Arg of perigee: 107.3943 deg Mean anomaly: 252.4805 deg Mean motion: 15.48064947 rev/day Decay rate: 6.9475e-04 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 41495 Satellite: AO-10 Catalog number: 14129 Epoch time: 89070.49271510 Element set: 389 Inclination: 26.5524 deg RA of node: 275.5927 deg Eccentricity: 0.6074543 Arg of perigee: 24.7104 deg Mean anomaly: 355.1329 deg Mean motion: 2.05881509 rev/day Decay rate: -3.6e-07 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 4320 Satellite: UO-11 Catalog number: 14781 Epoch time: 89073.14050688 Element set: 417 Inclination: 98.0197 deg RA of node: 134.6837 deg Eccentricity: 0.0012496 Arg of perigee: 261.4704 deg Mean anomaly: 98.5268 deg Mean motion: 14.63126659 rev/day Decay rate: 2.569e-05 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 26864 Satellite: FO-12 Catalog number: 16909 Epoch time: 89067.55289774 Element set: 133 Inclination: 50.0189 deg RA of node: 247.6702 deg Eccentricity: 0.0011159 Arg of perigee: 89.9444 deg Mean anomaly: 270.2664 deg Mean motion: 12.44398451 rev/day Decay rate: -2.5e-07 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 11687 Satellite: AO-13 Catalog number: 19216 Epoch time: 89066.48753782 Element set: 31 Inclination: 57.2987 deg RA of node: 217.0442 deg Eccentricity: 0.6676889 Arg of perigee: 200.1058 deg Mean anomaly: 111.0424 deg Mean motion: 2.09707010 rev/day Decay rate: -8.1e-07 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 560 Satellite: RS-10/11 Catalog number: 18129 Epoch time: 89079.05754797 Element set: 702 Inclination: 82.9259 deg RA of node: 304.0023 deg Eccentricity: 0.0010606 Arg of perigee: 303.6905 deg Mean anomaly: 56.3207 deg Mean motion: 13.71957111 rev/day Decay rate: 6.08e-06 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 8717 Satellite: MET-2/16 Catalog number: 18312 Epoch time: 89080.53951016 Element set: 251 Inclination: 82.5541 deg RA of node: 288.9898 deg Eccentricity: 0.0013806 Arg of perigee: 81.8702 deg Mean anomaly: 278.4034 deg Mean motion: 13.83446049 rev/day Decay rate: 3.62e-06 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 8039 Satellite: MET-2/17 Catalog number: 18820 Epoch time: 89080.99609503 Element set: 95 Inclination: 82.5412 deg RA of node: 349.8408 deg Eccentricity: 0.0016659 Arg of perigee: 151.4112 deg Mean anomaly: 208.8157 deg Mean motion: 13.84127593 rev/day Decay rate: 6.26e-06 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 5762 Satellite: MET-3/2 Catalog number: 19336 Epoch time: 89080.99942882 Element set: 154 Inclination: 82.5412 deg RA of node: 237.3532 deg Eccentricity: 0.0018434 Arg of perigee: 37.9830 deg Mean anomaly: 322.2461 deg Mean motion: 13.16854787 rev/day Decay rate: 3.91e-06 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 3143 Satellite: NOAA-9 Catalog number: 15427 Epoch time: 89076.93585771 Element set: 345 Inclination: 99.1373 deg RA of node: 62.1303 deg Eccentricity: 0.0014880 Arg of perigee: 206.6706 deg Mean anomaly: 153.3703 deg Mean motion: 14.11902595 rev/day Decay rate: 1.711e-05 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 21957 Satellite: NOAA-10 Catalog number: 16969 Epoch time: 89078.22025078 Element set: 205 Inclination: 98.6498 deg RA of node: 110.3998 deg Eccentricity: 0.0014082 Arg of perigee: 147.6243 deg Mean anomaly: 212.5813 deg Mean motion: 14.22885227 rev/day Decay rate: 1.355e-05 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 13114 Satellite: NOAA-11 Catalog number: 19531 Epoch time: 89078.21452833 Element set: 58 Inclination: 98.9305 deg RA of node: 22.7023 deg Eccentricity: 0.0013344 Arg of perigee: 123.6682 deg Mean anomaly: 236.5795 deg Mean motion: 14.10885239 rev/day Decay rate: 1.279e-05 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 2478 Satellite: MIR Catalog number: 16609 Epoch time: 89080.39453676 Element set: 749 Inclination: 51.6237 deg RA of node: 83.8266 deg Eccentricity: 0.0010939 Arg of perigee: 140.2602 deg Mean anomaly: 219.7953 deg Mean motion: 15.71240974 rev/day Decay rate: 5.7652e-04 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 17748 Satellite: SALYUT-7 Catalog number: 13138 Epoch time: 89079.63530820 Element set: 483 Inclination: 51.6116 deg RA of node: 30.1945 deg Eccentricity: 0.0002304 Arg of perigee: 91.0016 deg Mean anomaly: 269.1765 deg Mean motion: 15.38753796 rev/day Decay rate: -5.607e-05 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 39454 Satellite: AJISAI Catalog number: 16908 Epoch time: 89038.17532047 Element set: 117 Inclination: 50.0133 deg RA of node: 337.7587 deg Eccentricity: 0.0011308 Arg of perigee: 16.5812 deg Mean anomaly: 343.5388 deg Mean motion: 12.44375026 rev/day Decay rate: -3.3e-07 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 11322