****************************************************************************** * AMSAT NA News Service Bulletins * * NEWS044 13Feb88 * * [ 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) SKITREK/NORDSKI Plans On Track As Preparations Move To High Gear 2.(N) AMSAT and ARRL File Amateur Space Station Proposal With NASA 3.(N) UoSAT Testing Scheduled 4.(N) FO-12 Operations Suspended While Technicians Study Power Trends 5.(N) Delta Launch Carries SDI Research Payload 6.(N) Footnote To Proposed Dues Increase 7.(N) Short Bursts ****************************************************************************** 1.(N) SKITREK/NORDSKI Plans On Track As Preparations Move To High Gear Preparations continue for the Transpolar Skitrek Expedition as the UoSAT OSCAR 11 Spacecraft is undergoing memory tests. Data is being read into and then read out of memory to check the integrity of each memory cell. The tests will run from February 11th through February 18th. During this time it is unlikely Digitalker tests will be run. Four Canadian Amateur Radio operators will be running the support base communications from Resolute Bay on Cornwallis Island in the Northwest Territory of Canada. They are: Bill Hardie, VE3EFX........from February 23rd through March 12th Andy McLellan, VE1ASJ......from March 4th through March 19th Don Whitty, VO1QF..........from March 15th through March 26th Glen Wyant, VE3ICR.........from March 22nd through April 2nd These hams will be operating on the 20, 40 and 80 meter bands under their own calls or the Resolute Support Base call CI8C. All are active DX'ers and will appreciate a QSO with you. Remember their critical role in the expedition as you attempt contacts with them. If you make contact, QSL via Box 313, Don Mills, Ontario, M3C 2S7. Barry Garratt, VE3CDX/VE8CDX and Rick Burke, VO1SA, will be representing the Canadian communications team in Russia. Rick will be working from the Sredny Island Base (Call is EK0QCG) and Barry will be working from the North Pole 28 Ice Island Base (Call is 4K0DCG). Moscow calls associated with the expedition are UA3HR, UK3KP and RK3KP. Canadian calls associated with the expedition are VE3AUM in Ottawa and VE3CDM in Toronto. It is unlikely that you will hear the actual expedition on the ice but, in case you get lucky, their call in Russian jurisdiction is UK0CI and in Canadian jurisdiction is CI8UA. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THEM. Their radio is the skiers lifeline and they must have clear communications with the support bases in order to preserve their communications capability with limited battery life. The four Canadian skiers have now left for Russia. Much of the information in this report comes from Tom Atkins, VE3CDM, who has just returned from very productive planning meetings in Moscow. Please note that the Sredny Island call is in error in the SKITREK Educator's guide and is correct as listed here. A continuing series of Progress Reports may be accessed via packet BBS, AMSAT Nets and the main educator source, the W0RPK AMSAT Bulletin Board (1-515-961-3325). Comments and questions about the reports should be addressed to Rich Ensign, 421 N. Military, Dearborn, MI 48124, U.S.A. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 2.(N) AMSAT and ARRL File Amateur Space Station Proposal With NASA On January 19th, a proposal, jointly prepared by AMSAT and ARRL, was filed with NASA for Amateur Radio's participation on the Space Station to be built in the 1990s. The proposal is intended to provide NASA with an early expression of interest on the part of radio amateurs in taking part in the Space Station program and outline the contributions that Amateurs Radio can make to the U.S. space effort in general and the Space Station in particular. Dubbed SSAR, for Station Amateur Radio, the joint proposal cites a number of contributions that Amateur Radio can make. Full details in ASR 169. In related news, the ARRL Board of Directors recently resolved to upgrade its level of effort on the SSAR project and has assigned a staff person to work with AMSAT's VP for Manned Space, Bill Tynan, W3XO. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 3.(N) UoSAT Testing Scheduled As stated in last week's UO-9 bulletin, UO-9 was to be transmitting a continuous carrier on Wednesday 10 Feb 1988. This was done in order to test a Doppler curve-to-Keplerian elements conversion procedure being developed by engineers Fu and Patel at the University of Surrey. Memory tests were due to commence on UO-11 on Thursday, February 11. The OBC DIARY will be unloaded and a special memory test program will be loaded. The test program writes a pattern to memory and then reads that pattern back every 10 seconds and reports any errors in the pattern. DIARY operations should be restored on Thursday evening, February 18. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 4.(N) FO-12 Operations Suspended While Technicians Study Power Trends On January 31 at 1223UTC, power regulators again shut the Mode JA transponder off. JARL operations personnel have decided to suspend operation of the transponders until February 9 except to gather telemetry data. Thereafter, Mode JD will be available according to following schedule. However operations may be curtailed to prevent excessive power discharge. Mode From (UTC) ----------------- JD Feb 13 6:37 D 13 10:42 JD 15 6:50 D 15 10:56 JD 16 5:56 D 16 10:02 Mode JA is the analog (linear) transponder. Mode JD is the digital transponder and mailbox operation while Mode D is the recharge mode. After analyzing power status during tests, JARL will announce a new FO-12 schedule which will be effective February 20 or later. JARL will reconsider the basic schedule of FO-12 Mode JD (ON and OFF every other 2 hours). * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 5.(N) Delta Launch Carries SDI Research Payload On Tuesday, February 9, a research spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral the previous day successfully tracked simulated ICBMs in a test designed to assist scientists in designing sensors for the proposed Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) anti-missile shield. The Delta launcher performed flawlessly sources indicate. After studying preliminary data from the 12 hour flight, officials believe they had a "very successful mission." The satellite released 14 payloads, four of which were powered. The 15th "missile" was lifted atop a rocket fired from Hawaii. So much data was collected officials indicate it will take some ten days to relay it from the satellite to ground stations. The amount of data was equivalent to that collected by the Internal Revenue System on all of its taxpayers in an entire year SDI officials allowed. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 6.(N) Footnote To Proposed Dues Increase In accord with AMSAT's Bylaws, a member dues change comprises a Bylaws change. A close review of the recently announced dues change suggests the possibility a technical (procedural) error may have occurred. Consequently, the prior announcement in ASR regarding a dues change may be invalid. In any case, members are advised that in accord with the Bylaws, after a Bylaws change is approved by the Board and notice of such change is given in ASR, the change becomes effective in thirty days unless 10% of the members object in writing in which case a mail vote of all members will be accomplished. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 7.(N) Short Bursts AMSAT OSCAR 10 was withdrawn from service on February 6 due to poor performance attributed to sagging sun angles. Severe FMing of the passband had been noticed for several days prior to the decision to shut it down. AO-10 will return to service in approximately three months. *** 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. Other programs will follow on weekly schedules as above. *** AMSAT Technical Journal Editor Bob Diersing, N5AHD, says Volume 2 of the Journal is about to go to press. Advance order reservations may be placed with AMSAT HQ now. ***************************************************************************** RECENT NEWS IN REVIEW ===================== Headlines: 8.(U) Chairman John Browning, W6SP, Resigns 9.(U) Writers To Feature Phase 3C Articles In Media Blitz ****************************************************************************** 8.(U) Chairman John Browning, W6SP, Resigns Citing increasing personal business requirements, AMSAT's Chairman of the Board of Directors, John Browning, W6SP, submitted his resignation on February 6. He had been Chairman since 1980. In accord with the Bylaws, the resignation becomes effective thirty days from the date of submission whereupon the First Alternate Director John Henry, VE2VQ, will be seated as a voting Director. Andy MacAllister then becomes First Alternate. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 9.(U) Writers To Feature Phase 3C Articles In Media Blitz 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, N9CUE, N2GJ, KC0LI, K0KE, KO5I 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. *****************************************************************************