SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-093.01 Launch Team Arrives In Kourou HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 093.01 FROM AMSAT HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON, DC April 02, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT Teams from AMSAT NA and AMSAT DL arrived in Kourou, French Guiana March 29 to begin final preparations for the launch of Phase 3C now expected in less than two months. The AMSAT NA team under Jan King, W3GEY, and the DL team under Karl Meinzer, DJ4ZC, began work upon arrival at the European Space Agency facility in Kourou which is located on the north east coast of South America. Initial tasks the team is to perform include uncrating the spacecraft and support equipment. They will then apply thermal coatings and other materials needed for flight. The first team's tasks will require about two weeks to accomplish. A second team will deploy for Kourou around mid-April for the critical spacecraft fueling operation. The AZ50 and nitrogen tetroxide fluids are hazardous and must be handled very carefully. Beginning in early May, a third team will deploy to Kourou for final preparations and spacecraft monitoring. The launch is currently slated for early June. The exact launch date depends on the results of the V-22 launch scheduled for May 11. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-093.02 Revised Phase 3C Freqs Issued HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 093.02 FROM AMSAT HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON, DC April 02, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT As anticipated, a revised table of Phase 3C operating frequencies has been issued. These update the preliminary values issued in February and represent a close approximation of the expected on-orbit operating frequencies. The complete list will be published in ASR together with conversion tables. However, here is a summary of the new values: Mode B: Uplink: 435.420 - 435.570 MHz Downlink: 145.975 - 145.825 MHz GB: 145.812 MHz EB: 145.985 MHz Mode JL: Uplink 1: 1269.620 - 1269.330 MHz Uplink 2: 144.425 - 144.475 MHz RUDAK up: 1269.710 MHz Downlink 1: 435.715 - 436.005 MHz Downlink 2: 435.990 - 435.940 MHz RUDAK down: 435.677 MHz GB: 435.651 MHz Mode S: Uplink: 435.601 - 435.637 MHz Downlink: 2400.711 - 2400.747 MHz Beacon: 2400.325 MHz Individuals writing articles on Phase 3C will want to request the new Phase 3C launch information specifications which include the revised frequencies and updated launcher specifications. Send an SASE to WA2LQQ, P.O. Box 177, Warwick, NY, 10990. Others not writing articles but interested in obtaining the launch information kit may obtain it from AMSAT HQ for a small donation. Press kit photos are also available for a modest donation. Contact AMSAT HQ for details. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-093.03 AMSAT To Team With Tech Center HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 093.03 FROM AMSAT HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON, DC April 02, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT AMSAT has agreed in principle to join with Weber State College in Ogden, Utah in the design and construction of a broad range of satellite and space related projects. Weber officials met with their AMSAT counterparts at AMSAT's new Boulder, Colorado facility to be briefed on possible areas of joint effort. The meeting March 25 and 26 followed preliminary meetings at Weber State earlier in the month. The Center for AeroSpace Technology (CAST) at Weber State is headed by Robert J. Twigg. Weber State has previously built and launched a small satellite under Mr. Twigg. The shuttle launched Getaway Special (GAS can) was called NUSAT for Northern Utah Satellite. NUSAT-1 was a radar calibration satellite operated by students at Weber State and launched in 1985. To date, NUSAT-1 has been the only payload to be ejected from a GAS can to obtain an orbit apart from the shuttle's. NUSAT-II is now under construction. The cooperative effort between AMSAT and CAST will likely bridge many areas of technology and span several classes of spacecraft although specific agreements remain to be specified. CAST has resources including CAD/CAM, mechanical testing, fabrication, simulation and more. AMSAT programs now under way include small packet radio satellites, Phase 3 class satellites and Phase 4 geosynchronous satellites. In addition, intense effort is now under way in the Digital Signal Processing area for both space and earth segment applications. The relationship between AMSAT and CAST could be a favorable one for both groups. With a unique position in small satellites, AMSAT can help develop expertise at CAST. Meanwhile, CAST has a notable student and faculty resource to commit to projects of mutual interest as well as a fine plant facility and equipment to implement these projects. AMSAT welcomes the new relation with CAST and Weber State College in general and looks forward to defining specific programs and then cooperating in these programs in the years to come. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-093.04 SKITREK Progress Report #10 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 093.04 FROM AMSAT HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON, DC April 02, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT The Amateur Radio supported Transpolar Skitrek Expedition is now half-way to the North Pole. The thirteen skiers have completed more than a quarter of their 1730 km trek from Russia to Canada. After a three day break for supply air drop #2, they began moving again on Friday, April 1st. All skiers are in good health and good spirits. Leads of open water have often frustrated them but "time heals all wounds in both people and ice" and the leads close allowing further progress. Those plotting the skiers' progress may have noticed their drift westward in the last week. This is due to the Transpolar Drift Stream Current, a major force moving Arctic water and ice. Canadian Communications Support Team members at Resolute Bay are enjoying their two week stints in the north country. They have become regular fixtures in this outpost community. Gary Hammond, VE3XN, will be taking his turn at Resolute this week. Gary is Head of the Geography Department at Listowel Secondary School in Listowel, Ontario. Rick Burke, VO1SA, Portable UA0, is returning to Canada shortly after representing the Canadian Communications Team at Sredniy Island in the Soviet Arctic. Now that the skiers are closing in on the Pole, the Russian Ice Island North Pole 28 will become the focus of support communications operations. Barry Garratt, VE3CDX, Portable 4K0, is journeying to the ice island to join his Russian counterparts Peter and Pavel. General call for the ice island is 4K0D. Rich Ensign, N8IWJ, AMSAT Science Education Advisor, would like to remind those working with schools to advise him of their activities concerning the trek. Good photos of student involvement are especially welcome and may be used in future Amateur Satellite Report issues. Contact Rich at: 421 N. Military, Dearborn, Michigan 48124. Ralph Wallio, W0RPK, AMSAT VP for Operations, reports that high interest has been generated at the Des Moines Iowa Science Museum by a display featuring Amateur Radio's involvement in the Skitrek. The display, located at the museum's entrance, includes a map showing the trek's progress, a radio monitoring UO-11, and a real-time tracking map display of UO-11's ground track. Bob Goodman, K8VHM, reports that the Alliance Ohio Amateur Radio Club recently featured the Skitrek in a display at a local mall. Visitors to the display monitored UO-11's Digitalker Reports and heard explanations of the trek and Amateur Radio's role in it from local hams. Rich advises there is a labeling error on page 11 of the Skitrek Teachers Guide. Under the Eastern Time Zone conversion chart the first column should be labeled EDT the second column EST and the third UTC. With this change, all numbers in the columns are correct. In our next report, we'll look more closely at Canadian Support Communications Operations and visit the elaborate display featuring the Transpolar Skitrek Expedition at the Ontario Science Center. This report is prepared by Rich Ensign, N8IWJ, AMSAT Science Education Advisor for use with The AMSAT Teachers Guide "Exploring The High Arctic From Your Classroom" A continuing series of Progress Reports like this one may be accessed via packet BBS, AMSAT Nets and the main educator source, the W0RPK AMSAT Bulletin Board. Progress Report #11 will be issued on April 9, 1988. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-093.05 Short Bursts HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 093.05 FROM AMSAT HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON, DC April 02, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT Mack Jordan, W4DAQ, of Demopolis, Alabama, is recovering after surgery. Mack, who is an AMSAT Regional Coordinator, was operated on for an arterial embolism recently and is now convalescing at home. Greetings to this AMSAT stalwart are certainly in order. *** Conflicting reports surround the launch of the Soviet space shuttle. Last week official Soviet sources hinted the launch was imminent. Later reports, however, suggest the launch will not be attempted before 1989. Meanwhile, the U.S. space shuttle launch re-commencement is slipping further into 1988 because of new concerns surrounding its engines. The latest guess suggests September for resumption of launches. *** The U.S. goes to Daylight Time early Sunday, April 3. Following precedents, all AMSAT regional nets such as the 75 meter Tuesday nets will remain at the same local time. However, international service nets will maintain the same UTC time. This means that the 20 meter international net will be heard one hour later in the U.S., local time. *** The AMSAT Launch Information Network Service (ALINS) will carry pre-launch, launch day and post-launch activities surrounding the Phase 3C launch beginning in late May. Stations around the world including W1AW and club stations at various NASA facilities are expected to be part of the radio network. The ALINS is being organized by Operations VP Ralph Wallio, W0RPK. Watch for announcements regarding time and frequencies. Individuals interested in obtaining a network feed should contact W0RPK ASAP. *** /EX