************************************************************************** * * * THIS IS THE WD0GML-AMSAT-ST.LOUIS BBS 24HR 7DAY AT (314)447-3003 * * 300/1200/2400 BAUD * * Mike Parisey WD0GML SYSOP * * Norm Newman NZ0Z Co-SYSOP * * SEASONS GREETINGS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS * * * ************************************************************************** SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-001.01 PROJECT DOVE INFOMATION PACKET HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 001.01 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD JANUARY 01, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT Project Dove Educator's Information Packet Available The Brazilian MicroSat now under construction known as DOVE is dedicated to educational purposes. Its main operating mode is a synthesized speech beacon that will be used to transmit telemetry and voice messages. The initial messages to be spoken by the voice synthesizer will be messages of peace and goodwill written and spoken by school children. AMSAT-NA Science Education Advisor Rich Ensign, N8IWJ, announces the continuing availability of the Project DOVE Educator Letter explaining PROJECT DOVE and the criteria by which messages are created for DOVE to speak as it orbits the Earth. Amateur radio operators world-wide who wish to involve local school children in creating messages for DOVE and aid them in DOVE reception once launched should contact Rich: Write to: Rich Ensign, N8IWJ AMSAT Science Education Advisor 421 N. Military Dearborn, MI 48124 U.S.A. N8IWJ indicates that he has received many requests for the DOVE material and looks forward to receiving and cataloging the DOVE messages in preparation for the activation of DOVE once launched. There is no deadline for requesting materials and submitting messages. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-001.02 Mir Activity Reports Sought HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 001.02 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD January 1, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT MIR Activity Reports Sought There are three cosmonauts who are currently aboard the MIR space station, and if earlier information was correct, the 2.5-watt two-meter radio may now have been replaced with a 10-watt unit. However, no reports have reached AMSAT-NA of any two-meter activity by U3MIR since 23 December, and none of any amateur contacts with the spacecraft since Orbit 16306 on 19 December. If you heard or worked MIR on two meters after those dates, please report the details to any AMSAT-NA Net Control Station or leave a message on the AMSAT-NA BBS at (314) 447-3003. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-001.03 AO-13 SCHEDULE CHANGE THIS WEEK! HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 001.03 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD JANUARY 01, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT OSCAR-13 Operating Schedule Change Starts January 6, 1989 AMSAT-DL Ground Command Station, DB2OS, wants to remind users that there will be a spacecraft attitude change performed on OSCAR-13 around January 6, 1989. This reorientation of AO-13 is necessary inorder to efficiently manage battery charging. Because the attitude change will result in a change in "squint" angles around apogee, Mode L operating times will be adjusted so that the antennas will point directly toward the earth's center at that point in the orbit. The following is the schedule which will be become effective on January 6, 1989: OSCAR-13 Operating Schedule: V5.0 Effective 06Jan89 |------|-----------|----------|----------------------| | Mode | From | Thru | Remarks | | | (Inclus) | (Inclus) | | |======|===========|==========|======================| | Off | MA 240 | MA 003 | Solar Eclipse Window | | B | MA 003 | MA 100 | | | L | MA 100 | MA 150 | Mode JL Optional | | B | MA 150 | MA 240 | | |======|===========|==========|======================| The Bahn Coordinates after the attitude change on January 6th will be: Bahn Latitude=0.0 degrees, Bahn Longitude=180.0 degrees. Mode S operat- ional times will be announced later on the AO-13 beacon. This schedule will remain in effect until March 15, 1989. At that time the schedule again be adjusted to account for solar eclipse periods. EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-001.04 QUIKTRAK 3.2 LEAP YEAR BUG FIXES HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 001.04 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD JANUARY 01, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT Software Leap Year Bug "Work Arounds" In QUIKTRAK Version 3.2 Due to the way N4HY performs "internal" time-keeping functions in his Quiktrak 3.2 versions, there is a "pesky software bug" which keeps popp- ing up from time to time. Users will note that Quiktrak 3.2 losses a day starting December 31, 1988. However, this is NOT a fatal problem! Users can work around this problem by performing the following: 1) Wait until you have a complete set of Keplerian elements for 1989 for the satellites in your Quiktrak database, i.e., all the satellite epoch years are 89. 2) Go to the "QTH" data storage function and replace the current year (dennoted by "CY") with 89. 3) Then enter all the 1989 epoch year Keplerian orbital data sets into your Quiktrak database at one time. The following Keplerian element sets were "extrapolated" from the latest NASA data to produce a "pseudo" 1989 element set. These element sets and the procedure above will help you "work around" this leap year software bug. 1989 EXTRAPOLATED KEPLERIAN ELEMENTS The following Keplerian Elements were extrapolated from the W0RPK elements dated December 31, 1988. These elements should be used in all versions of QUIKTRAK to get around the Leap Year bug. When installing these elements in QUIKTRAK, change the year to 89 in the QTH File first; then enter the new elements. We would like to thank Keith Pugh, W5IU, for generating these element sets . Satellite: oscar-9 Catalog number: 12888 Epoch time: 89001.24097222 Element set: 386A Inclination: 97.5906 deg RA of node: 46.5983 deg Eccentricity: 0.0003219 Arg of perigee: 26.2885 deg Mean anomaly: 210.6197 deg Mean motion: 15.40145445 rev/day Decay rate: 3.5082e-04 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 40314 Satellite: oscar-10 Catalog number: 14129 Epoch time: 89001.24236111 Element set: 371A Inclination: 26.8622 deg RA of node: 287.3145 deg Eccentricity: 0.6046459 Arg of perigee: 5.5790 deg Mean anomaly: 143.5276 deg Mean motion: 2.05881205 rev/day Decay rate: -3.6e-07 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 4178 Satellite: oscar-11 Catalog number: 14781 Epoch time: 89001.24375000 Element set: 377A Inclination: 98.0282 deg RA of node: 64.7876 deg Eccentricity: 0.0013479 Arg of perigee: 122.8943 deg Mean anomaly: 171.3873 deg Mean motion: 14.62716293 rev/day Decay rate: 2.158e-05 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 25813 Satellite: oscar-12 Catalog number: 16909 Epoch time: 89001.24444445 Element set: 123A Inclination: 50.0134 deg RA of node: 91.5876 deg Eccentricity: 0.0011202 Arg of perigee: 278.5489 deg Mean anomaly: 219.1590 deg Mean motion: 12.44396973 rev/day Decay rate: -2.5e-07 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 10861 Satellite: oscar-13 Catalog number: 19216 Epoch time: 89001.24513889 Element set: 23A Inclination: 57.4058 deg RA of node: 225.6350 deg Eccentricity: 0.6620691 Arg of perigee: 196.3832 deg Mean anomaly: 173.2287 deg Mean motion: 2.09698504 rev/day Decay rate: 7e-08 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 422 Satellite: rs-10/11 Catalog number: 18129 Epoch time: 89001.24583333 Element set: 618A Inclination: 82.9258 deg RA of node: 1.4668 deg Eccentricity: 0.0012233 Arg of perigee: 148.4990 deg Mean anomaly: 233.0885 deg Mean motion: 13.71925425 rev/day Decay rate: 2.92e-06 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 7650 Satellite: mir Catalog number: 16609 Epoch time: 89001.24652778 Element set: 617A Inclination: 51.6215 deg RA of node: 129.7009 deg Eccentricity: 0.0019625 Arg of perigee: 232.9512 deg Mean anomaly: 243.9005 deg Mean motion: 15.76458728 rev/day Decay rate: 3.8179e-04 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 16502 Satellite: salyut-7 Catalog number: 13138 Epoch time: 89001.25486111 Element set: 375A Inclination: 51.6109 deg RA of node: 51.3585 deg Eccentricity: 0.0000742 Arg of perigee: 112.6942 deg Mean anomaly: 359.7436 deg Mean motion: 15.35802984 rev/day Decay rate: 2.9658e-04 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 38203 /EX NOTE: THE COMPLETE ELEMENT SET IS POSTED TO THIS BBS ITEM <4> ON THE BULLETIN MENU FOR THOSE WHO HAVE OTHER OBJECTS THAN THE ABOVE! Short Burst Items HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 001.05 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD JANUARY 01, 1989 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT Short Burst Items Users of the W3IWI program will need a new "sideral angle" value for the year '89 to insert into their tracking program inorder for it calculate properly the AOS and LOS times. For the year 1989 the sideral time angle is: 0.27676777. /EX FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! THE FOLLOWING ADDED BY WD0GML-AMSAT-ST.LOUIS (314) 447-3003 24hr 7day 300/1200/2400 baud. This section may have additions through the week! THIS BBS: This BBS will be shut down SUNDAYS from about 1730UTC untill 1900UTC due to RFI troubles. I presently help WD0HHU Dave with the 20mtr AMSAT NET during this time period. When I XMIT on HF the board is very eradict and in an effort to prevent disconnections to the users I thought it best to just turn the BBS off. I am sorry for any inconvience to you the users. The 20mtr AMSAT NET conviens at 1730 UTC @ 14.282+/- QRM the first 1 1/2 hrs is informal and you are most welcome to check in to say Hi or field questions. The bulletins will be transmitted at 1900 the first 30min EAST the second WEST. Both Dave and myself look very much forward to meeting you on 20. Thank you 73 Mike WD0GML FO-12 OPERATING SCHEDULE: JAN-FEB: cmd:*** CONNECTED to 8J1JAS CONNECT 8J1JAS 8J1JAS>BEACON:JAS-1 RA 88/12/06 22:22:58 016 666 620 621 673 868 882 853 001 274 641 001 425 455 467 457 461 471 683 000 755 767 737 709 707 670 918 698 01B 000 010 101 100 000 100 000 001 110 111 000 8J1JAS>BEACON:JAS-1 M0 88/12/06 22:23:00 Mailbox available. Software loaded at 88/12/06 05:12:00 Mode JD Transmitter will be toggled ON/OFF every two hours using this epoch. Software loaded at 88/12/06 05:12:00 Mode JD Transmitter will be toggled ON/OFF every two hours using this epoch. NO. DATE UTC FROM TO SUBJECT 005 12/06 22:29 WB6LLO ALL WHATEVER AGAIN 004 12/06 22:21 WB6LLO ALL WHATEVER 003 12/06 07:09 JJ1ZUT ALL XMAS CARD 002 12/06 07:06 JJ1ZUT ALL Operating schedule for the FO-12 001 12/06 06:56 JH3EXG ALL HELLO JAS> F* B : List file headers addressed to ALL F : List latest 15 file headers F* : List latest 50 file headers F : List file headers posted on day H : Show this message K : Kill a file numbered M : List file headers addressed to current user R : Read a file numbered U : List current user(s) W : Write a file JAS>R 002 NO. DATE UTC FROM TO SUBJECT 002 12/06 07:06 JJ1ZUT ALL Operating schedule for the FO-12 ********************************************** Operating schedule for the FUJI/FO-12 ********************************************** Mode From (UTC) Mode From (UTC) -------------------- -------------------- JA 1/ 3 23:22 JA 2/11 06:24 D 4 22:28 D 12 07:33 JA 7 13:35 JA 15 04:49 D 8 14:43 D 16 05:58 JD* 14 13:22 JA 18 04:09 JD 14 19:32 D 19 05:58 D 15 12:28 JD 25 01:54 JD 17 12:41 D 26 05:06 D 18 11:47 JD 28 07:24 JD 20 12:01 D 3/ 1 06:30 D 21 13:10 JD 25 09:32 D 26 10:40 JA 29 10:00 D 30 09:05 There are three modes of operation as follows: JA : analog transponder on, The transponders will be off at other time. The schedule may change due to unexpected power situations! JD : digital transponder on, every two hours using this epoch D : transponder off. Note: *On January 14 from 13:22 through 15:22 UTC, a special telemetry software package will be loaded to permit telemetry transmission every 2 seconds instead of every minute. No mailbox functions will be available during this period but the digipeater will be operational. Reports of received telemetry will be appreciated. Please send them to JARL(JJ1ZUT) via the FO-12 mailbox. *Periods of very low power generation often occurrs recently, so mode DI is replaced by mode D. *Operation is subject to change out of the schedule, due to power condition. When power condition recover, operation will go back to the Fearest schedule. *Please do not use when the bus voltage of the satellite is less than 13 Volts, which is obtained from telemetry data of JA. Battery voltage is shown by 1A of JA telemetry frame, and by #2 of JD telemetry frame. *Also please read telemetry item of 5A, 500 means operation being on schedule and 520 means operating out of schedule, though JA is on. Please use in case of 500 only. Japan Amateur Radio League P.O. BOX 377 Tokyo Central 73 de WB6LLO Dave MORE ON MIR: We do not know whether or to what extent Mir's orbit was altered by the maneuvers surrounding the TM-6 departure on Tuesday night. However, the following empirically-derived element set yielded results accurate to within 30 seconds on 24 and 25 December: 88355.05292826 7.5E-04 51.6210 192.5286 0.001964 177.7993 182.3426 15.7564 16310 However, no sign was heard here of U3MIR on either day. In Atlanta in mid-November, UA3CR mentioned to us that Valeri was not yet licensed, but was using the call unofficially. That could account for his relative absence to date; as far as we are aware, he has made no QSO's since Musa left. The single transmission from U3MIR monitored here on Friday (signing his call in Russian and coming back to no callers), plus the probably-unauthorized use of the call U2MIR by Mir's flight engineer heard on Wednesday by N6OUX, seem to be the sum total of Mir amateur operation since Musa's departure. Would anyone having more recent information please advise W2RS@WA2SNA? The best to all for the holiday season. 73, Ray /ex ELEMENT SETS SUN AND MOON: Concerning WA3WBU's question on Keplerian elements for the Sun and the Moon -- The W3IWI/N4HY/W0SL/etc software is not set up to handle the sun and moon. You will have disappointing results if you try. MOON: For the moon, the problem is that the various AMSAT software was designed to predict the location of a zero-mass satellite. The mass of the moon is 1/81.3 of the mass of the earth. The earth and moon co-orbit about the center of mass of the earth-moon system whereas the AMSAT software handles a satellite orbiting about the center of the earth. The moon's motion is quite complicated and really doesn't fit the simple Keplerian element mold. To properly express the position of the moon, a complicated trigonometric series is required. The simplest of these is called Brown's lunar theory and is discussed in the "Explantory Supplement to the Astronomical Ephemeris" written jointly by the British Nautical Almanac Office and the US Naval Observatory (Her Magesty's Stationery Office, London 1961). Included in Brown's theory are the nodal precession terms due to the interaction of the earth-moon-sun, the bizzare tidal effects due to the fact the the moon keeps one face pointed at the earth all the time, etc. Several public domain programs for predicting the moon's position (which have the important parts of Brown's theory) have been circulated -- including ones by Lance Collister (WA1JXN), Al Katz (K2UYH) and me. You may be able to find some Keplerian elements that sorta work for a while, but you will find that the give errors if used for very long. For instance, the elements W2RS circulated show the moon's inclination as 23.44 degrees. But the moon's apparent inclination (as would be plugged into the AMSAT software) actually varies between 18 and 28 degrees since the moon's orbit is inclined by 5 degrees with respect to the ecliptic. SUN: For the sun you are a bit luckier. I haven't tried the elements that W2RS posted, but they essentially put the sun in orbit around the earth with a period of one year in a 23.44 degree inclination orbit. However the earth really orbits around the sun, and the sun's mass is 333,432 times the mass of the earth. A satellite with a mean motion of one orbit/year has a range around 2.1 million km, whereas the the sun's distance is about 150 million km. The result of doing the problem backwards is that you will compute all the distances wrong. If you care about knowing how far the sun is away, doppler shifts for a transmitter on the sun, etc, then multiply the gravitational constant given in my BASIC software by 333432. This enters into the computations like: PERIOD = SQR [ ( GRAV.CONST ) / ( SEMIMAJOR AXIS )^3 ] 73, Tom OSCAR 10 SCHEDULE. 1/1/1989: AS there appear to be no eclipses affecting OSCAR 10 for the next 2 months the operating times for OSCAR 10 are unlimited until 15th February, 1989 when the illumination will not sustain constant use. Users are requested to use minimum power required for communication, and from the 1st February to watch for possible "FMing" of the transponder which will indicate that the Sun angles are insufficient to maintain the loading on the transponder. If this occurs, please QRT. Watch for updates on OSCAR 13 beacons. 73 Ian, ZL1AOX, AMSAT GROUND COMMAND STATION.