****************************************************************************** * AMSAT NA News Service Bulletins * * NEWS030 30Jan88 * * [ Copyright 1988 by AMSAT NA, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ] * * [ Permission is granted for unlimited redistribution by electronic or ] * * [ other means provided credit is given to AMSAT NA News Service (ANS). ] * * [ Edited for AMSAT NA by WA2LQQ. ] * * [ (N)=New story; (U)=Updated story; (R)=Reprieved story ] * * [ This edition was forwarded by the W0RPK-AMSAT Bulletin Board System ] * * [ operating on 515-961-3325 24-hours Ralph Wallio, W0RPK SYSOP ] * ****************************************************************************** Headlines: 1.(N) AMSAT Presses On Several Fronts Towards Spring Launch 2.(N) Project OSCAR Meets, Elects New Officers 3.(N) Challenger Disaster Recalled While Recovery Plans Plod Along 4.(N) Short Bursts ****************************************************************************** 1.(N) AMSAT Presses On Several Fronts Towards Spring Launch Momentum is increasing on several fronts leading to a launch of AMSAT's Phase 3C spacecraft in late spring. While the actual launch date has apparently slipped a month into late May or early June, preparations to support the launch activities are proceeding well. These support activities include planning for the launch support team from AMSAT NA and AMSAT DL in Kourou, launch activity coverage by the AMSAT Launch Information Network Service (ALINS) and disseminating information about Phase 3C through numerous articles and magazine advertisements. AMSAT NA's launch support team met recently in Boulder Colorado to map out plans for their activity in Kourou. Together with the AMSAT DL team, they will accomplish the final preparations on the Phase 3C satellite after it has arrived at the Kourou launch site of the European Space Agency. They will apply thermal blankets, install the antennas, fuel the spacecraft and integrate it with the SPELDA, the large container which sits atop the Ariane 4 launcher and which supports and contains the payload. After integration, a minimum support team will remain on site to monitor the spacecraft telemetry sent through the umbilical to the monitoring facility. A 24 hour watch team will assure all telemetry values remain within tolerance. This watch will continue through to launch. Major launch-related activities will be broadcast on a world-wide ALINS prior to, during and after the launch. Local repeater groups are encouraged to re-broadcast Phase 3C ALINS traffic. Special landline ports will be available for repeater operators to patch into for live launch coverage. Additional details regarding frequencies and schedules of the various nets will be announced as soon as the schedules are firmed. Interested parties should contact Ralph Wallio, W0RPK, at 1250 Highway G24, Indianola, Iowa 50125. Please include an SASE. Deadline for coordination is now May 1 but there are only a limited number of ports available so they will be assigned to repeaters on a first-come, first-served basis. A team of writers is being assembled to report on various aspects of Phase 3C to the general Amateur Radio community. Among those writing articles on various topics are N5BF, WA2FTK, KC2PH, W5IU, W0RPK and WA2LQQ. More authors are sought to write on interesting topics concerning Phase 3C such as how to use the new satellite, suitable equipment and operating techniques. To help the authors, AMSAT has compiled a press kit which provides a core body of information about the spacecraft, the launcher and the recommended user equipment suites. Together with publishable photographs, the press kit will be supplied to volunteer authors to help them in publishing their work. Prospective authors are sought immediately since early deadlines for article placement in the May and June magazines are approaching. Editors of QST, Ham Radio, 73 and CQ have said they will welcome Phase 3C articles. To participate in this important aspect of getting Phase 3C information out, please contact AMSAT HQ immediately. Call Monday through Friday, during business hours at 301-589-6062. To help promote interest in Phase 3C among those who are not currently familiar with OSCARs, AMSAT is preparing a multi-pronged advertising and promotional program. A fine artistic rendering of Phase 3C has just been completed by Mr. William Hans of Denver, Colorado with the assistance of Regional Coordinator Jack Crabtree, AA0P. Mr. Hans's air brush color painting faithfully reproduces Phase 3C including the new antenna configuration. This painting will appear in various magazine advertisements to help communicate not only the image and technology of Phase 3C but its spirit as well. A special limited edition Phase 3C Launch commemorative QSL card featuring the Hans painting is now being prepared and advance reservations are now being accepted at AMSAT HQ. AMSAT is grateful to Mr. Hans for his donation of this beautiful space-art work. With activity levels increasing on many fronts, AMSAT HQ is encouraging all its Area Coordinators and members to take an active part in helping make Phase 3C a success in terms of membership as well. It is especially important to promote new membership now since launch preparations and related expenses tax AMSAT's budget. New and renewing members are urgently needed to help offset rising expenses. AMSAT's financial managers advise it is certain a cutback in services will be necessary if membership and donation trends remain below necessary levels. Donations are always welcomed and may be tax-deductible. In sum, AMSAT is looking forward to the Spring launch of Phase 3C and is working on several fronts to make it a success. Members and donors need to do their part NOW to sustain the organization. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 2.(N) Project OSCAR Meets, Elects New Officers Project OSCAR held its Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 23rd in Los Altos Hills, CA. Over 40 of the most active OSCAR users in Northern California attended the meeting. Elections were held for officers of the Corporation for 1988, with the following results: Chairman of the Board: Paul Shuch, N6TX President: Ross Forbes, WB6GFJ Secretary: Nick Marshall, W6OLO Treasurer: Gil Morris, WB6KCJ N6TX has announced appointments for the 1988 Term: Director of User Services: Gary Nakayama, KH6JRB Technical Director: Jeffrey Pawlin, WA6KBL The two main priorities expressed by the Project OSCAR Board were for increased technical output from the Bay Area and positive support for AMSAT-NA so the Amateur Radio satellite program will continue to move forward. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 3.(N) Challenger Disaster Recalled While Recovery Plans Plod Along Many across the nation bowed their heads in solemn remembrance Thursday upon the second anniversary of the shuttle Challenger disaster. At some NASA facilities activities were suspended for a silent 73 seconds to recall and honor the seven astronauts who perished on January 28, 1986. But while part of the nation was honoring its fallen heroes, others were trying to patch the shuttle program together. Their task has been made no less difficult lately by a string of revelations concerning the technical integrity of the propulsion system design and the actual fabrication of important components of the rockets engines. Late last year, for example, a Morton-Thiokol Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) failed an important ground test when a nozzle boot ring separated. A backup design part will now be used to replace the failed boot ring design. The replacement part already has successfully passed one full scale test, with at least two more to go before the Shuttle can be launched. However, within the last week, minute cracks in the SRB skirt welds and welding of a critical seal on the main engine fuel turbo pumps have caused renewed concern. After analysis these problems seemed minor and probably would not further delay the return to flight status of the shuttle fleet. Nevertheless, these faults represent a pattern of deficiencies which trouble space experts. Meanwhile, interested citizens are left to wonder what has happened to the once-vaunted Shuttle program. Editorial writers wonder aloud if the program has really changed in fact or only in perception. Have these types of problems always existed? How were they handled? Was inadequate handling of them the fundamental cause of the Challenger disaster? Is it the intense scrutiny given shuttle in the two years since Challenger that makes it seem a cascade of problems or has the program really fallen apart? In any case, NASA has set a date for the first post-Challenger space shuttle flight. August 4th, some two months later than the original target date, has been selected as the day the shuttle Discovery will make it's first flight. Along with announcing the new date, Rear Admiral Richard M. Truly, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Flight, said he was pleased with the progress of the Shuttle program toward resumption of flights. The Discovery will carry a crew of five veteran shuttle astronauts who will deploy a Tracking and Data Relay satellite (TDRS) and conduct experiments during a four day mission. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 4.(N) Short Bursts On Saturday, March 12, Radio RSA, the voice of South Africa, will present a special program for Radio Amateurs world-wide. Produced and presented by SA AMSAT President Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV, the program will feature Amateur Radio News from around the world including Satellite activity, DXpeditions and more. The program will air as follows: March 12 at 1845 UTC (Service for UK, Europe and Africa): 17880 kHz March 13 at 0250 UTC (Service for USA and Canada): 9580, 9615 and 6010 kHz. *** A small team from UK will attempt a North Pole expedition from March 10 through mid-May according to Chris Partridge, G8AUU. Under the banner, "Great Polar Quest", the expedition will use a combination of radio techniques including the RS satellites. Additional details as they become available. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * RECENT NEWS IN REVIEW ===================== Headlines: 5.(U) AMSAT Issues New PC Software QUIKTRAK 3.2 6.(R) Badge Craftsman K6MFJ On Road To Recovery 7.(U) Short Bursts 8.(R) AMSAT Dues Increase Effective March 1 9.(R) Field Operations Begins Convention Support 10.(U) AO-10 Ops Schedule * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 5.(U) AMSAT Issues New PC Software QUIKTRAK 3.2 A minor glitch has shown up in early versions of AMSAT's QUIKTRAK program. The glitch affects ONLY QUIKTRAK versions 3.0 and 3.1. Versions of QUIKTRAK and SUPERTRAK for the Commodore and Apple computers are NOT affected at all. Version 3.2 is now in distribution. In addition to correcting the glitch, it incorporates several new features such as EQX and apogee determination. To obtain a replacement diskette for your defective QUIKTRAK version 3.0 or 3.1, return the original program diskette ONLY in a standard diskette mailer to AMSAT HQ and a replacement, Version 3.2, will be promptly returned to you. Return mailing labels will speed the response even more. Mail to AMSAT, 850 Sligo Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 6.(R) Badge Craftsman K6MFJ On Road To Recovery At least two thousand AMSAT callsign badges are proudly displayed on the chest or caps of members around the world. Virtually all of these badges were crafted by Wendell Rice, K6MFJ, of Rosamond, California. Wendell had been AMSAT's badge supplier for many years. His dedication to AMSAT provided AMSAT with a low unit cost allowing AMSAT to garner a modest profit to pay routine expenses. Now AMSAT HQ has been saddened to learn fate has dealt Wendell successive tragedies. He lost his wife late last year and suffered a partially paralyzing stroke both within a short period. Now on the road to recovery, but unable to use his left arm, Wendell lives at a new QTH and is unable to get on the air for lack of antennas. AMSAT encourages all members to send words of encouragement to K6MFJ and, if a small team local to him can manage it, to help Wendell get back on the air at the new Rosamond QTH. To send your well-wishes to him, simply send a note on a QSL to: Wendell Rice, K6MFJ, P.O. Drawer U, Rosamond, CA, 93560. He'll appreciate it! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 7.(U) Short Bursts Preliminary data suggests the Phase 3C Mode L uplink power requirements could be as much as 5 dB better than the best that was hoped for from AO-10. In practice that would mean a minimum uplink power in vicinity of 350 watts EIRP (25 dBW). As little as 10 watts from an exciter to a single loop yagi should be sufficient if the estimates are correct. If Mode JL lives up to its pre-launch estimates, it could set off a tidal wave of interest in low power including portable Mode JL satellite operation. *** Preparations for the Skitrek and Nordski Projects continue as the kickoff date draws near. NASA Headquarters has told AMSAT the NASA Education office has taken an interest in the NORDSKI COMM project and is helping to encourage educators' participation. Nordski will provide navigation information to the North Pole Skitrekkers using an unprecedented hybrid link from the SARSAT/COSPAS satellites to Surrey's UoSAT OSCAR 11. UO-11's Digitalker will announce the trekker's position using its voice synthesizer on the 145.825 MHz FM downlink. The actual 90 day mission begins about March 1. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 8.(R) AMSAT Dues Increase Effective March 1 AMSAT Headquarters has announced that a member dues increase will go into effect March 1. Effective March 1st, the new rates are: U.S. Domestic members: $29 Canada and Mexico: $36 Other foreign: $42. Beginning March 1, all overseas annual members will receive ASR directly from AMSAT via Air Mail. Overseas Life Members may opt to have their ASR sent by Air Mail by remitting the additional postage costs. Annual members should renew early to beat the dues increase. You may renew for several years in advance. The dues increase is necessary to offset increased costs. The last dues increase was in 1983. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 9.(R) Field Operations Begins Convention Support When planning for 1988 conventions, remember 2 rules: First, at least 30 days lead time will be required for adequate support of major conventions. Second, Field Operations is establishing an AMSAT Speakers' Bureau to respond to and coordinate requests for AMSAT speakers and representatives at conventions and meetings. Please report all speaking invitations to: AMSAT Speakers' Bureau, c/o Doug Loughmiller, KO5I, 620 Fairway Dr., Paris, Texas, 75460. Similarly, if you are an event sponsor and desire an AMSAT speaker for the event, contact KO5I to coordinate your event. All AMSAT Regional and Area Coordinators are urged to help make the 1988 convention year, focusing on the successful launch of Phase 3C, the best in AMSAT history. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 10.(U) AO-10 Ops Schedule Here is the AO-10 operating schedule for the next period. According to AO-10 command station ZL1AOX, the sun angle will diminish to unusable levels two weeks sooner than expected. Consequently, the schedule has been revised to curtail AO-10 use after February 14. AMSAT OSCAR 10 Transponder Operating Schedule ============================================= Revised 16Jan88 +--------------------+------------------------------+ | Time Frame | Mode B Operating Times in MA | +--------------------+------------------------------+ | Jan 18 thru Jan 31 | 0 thru 169 and 231 thru 255 | | Feb 01 thru Feb 14 | 0 thru 179 and 241 thru 255 | +--------------------+------------------------------+ As always, please insure you use the lowest uplink power levels so as to insure satellite health as well as good communications. ******************************************************************************