Posted: Sun Sep 25, 1988 1:54 PM GMT Msg: IGII-3754-3525 From: VRIP To: IS Subj: ANS.268 SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-268.01 AMSAT Weekend News Part 1 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 268.01 FROM WA2LQQ WARWICK, NY September 24, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT SPACE OPERATIONS AO-13 operations continue normally after the first major schedule change. The new schedule was placed in effect September 21 and accommodates the new spacecraft attitude. The new attitude (Bahn Longitude 210, Bahn Latitude +5) is mandated by the position of the sun relative to AO-13's orbital plane. The attitude change began September 19 and was completed in a few orbits. AO-13's attitude (its orientation respect to its orbital plane) is adjusted using its on-board magnetorquers. These are large electromagnets in each arm of the spacecraft which, when pulsed, interact with the geo-magnetic field to produce a net torque on the spacecraft. Activation of the magnetorquers is accomplished under automatic control of the on-board Integrated Housekeeping Unit (IHU) around the time of perigee. The geo-magnetic field is strongest close to earth so for maximum efficiency, the magnetorquers are activated only around the time of perigee, the lowest point in the orbit. The new schedule essentially slides the Mode L operating period about 20% later in the orbit. This is because the satellite will be nadir pointing (looking directly at the earth's center) later in the orbit. Previously, AO-13 was nadir pointing at apogee. The attitude of AO-13 is determined primarily by two factors: Location of the sun and location of the earth. Spacecraft controllers must first align the spinning spacecraft's solar panels with sun to maximize power production. Next, they align the spacecraft so that its antennas point towards earth when possible. Finally, based on the attitude and antenna beam patterns, the controllers determine the operating schedule so optimum use is made of each operating mode (Mode B, J, L and S). The new operating schedule, subject to minor tweaking for Mode S, will likely remain in effect for a month or two. AO-10 is out of service for an indeterminate period due to poor sun angles. Its beacon has occasionally been heard recently sending garbled PSK telemetry. This indicates the spacecraft IHU is powering down during eclipses and when re-powered, logic circuits assume an indeterminate state. Occasionally the PSK beacon will be commanded by a chance logic state. ENGINEERING TESTS The first AO-13 Mode S transponder tests were successfully performed beginning at about 2025 UTC, September 17. Mode S transponder Project Manager Bill McCaa, K0RZ, says three stations were on during the first test run. Planners are now evaluating including regular Mode S activities in the operating schedule AO-13 Mode L radar QRM tests performed September 9 were inconclusive. The test will be repeated soon. No further word has been received on RUDAK testing. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-268.02 AMSAT Weekend News Part 2 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 268.02 FROM WA2LQQ WARWICK, NY September 24, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT INTERNATIONAL AMSAT NEWSFRONT Initial details of the upcoming Russian satellite RS-12/13 are emerging. RS-12 and RS-13 are brothers of RS-10/11. RS-12 and RS-13 were built at the Tsiolkovskiy Museum for the History of Cosmonautics in Kaluga city, an industrial center 180 km southwest of Moscow. The chief architects of the project were Aleksandr Papkov and Victor Samkov. RS-12/13, a single combined unit, is mounted along with the COSMOS primary payload. It's a maritime navigation system for ships as was the primary payload of the RS-10/11 launch. Launch is scheduled for 1989. The circular polar orbit will have a height of 1000 km (621 miles), inclination of 83 degrees and nodal period of 105 minutes. Details are in ASR-183. Thanks to RS3A and AMSAT-DL for this info. From Southern Africa AMSAT (SA AMSAT) we learn that at the annual dinner which followed the 8th SA AMSAT Amateur Radio Space Communications Symposium held in Johannesburg the weekend of September 17, three awards were made. The SA AMSAT Spirit of Achievement Award was bestowed on Ian Walsh, ZS6IT, for his dedication and contribution to the establishment and operation of the ZS6SAT UoSAT OSCAR 11 DCE Gateway. Michael Meerman, G0/PA3BHF, received the SA AMSAT Spirit of Achievement Award for his outstanding efforts and contribution to the Skitrek project. Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV, President of SA AMSAT was awarded Honorary Life Membership of SA AMSAT in recognition of his dedication to the Association and support of the Amateur Radio Satellite Programme. OPERATING ACTIVITIES AND USER INTERESTS * Shuttle Coverage * NASA has announced the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery will be Thursday, September 29. Extensive shuttle launch coverage is planned by various Amateur Radio clubs and groups. According to Goddard Amateur Radio Club president Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, the Goddard Club will air the launch and mission progress on numerous HF and VHF frequencies. In addition, the Goddard Club will employ AO-13 so those with Mode B receive capability anywhere in the footprint will have shuttle audio available. WA3NAN will operate on AO-13 Mode B with a downlink frequency of 145.945 MHz (primary) or 145.955 MHz (alternate). Other frequencies include: 3.860, 7.185, 21.395, 28.650, 147.45 MHz. They will operate 3 or 4 of the HF frequencies at a time. Band conditions will determine which frequencies are actually used. For those in the Washington area, there is good news about receiving shuttle video via ATV. Plans call for a TVRO system to link to a local ATV repeater or to transmit ATV directly. The NASA Select channel on a Spacenet 2, transponder 13, satellite would then be distributed locally. Further information may be obtained directly from KA3HDO at 301-577-0271 evenings. San Francisco Bay area residents will also have access to full-mission video courtesy of two ATV repeaters according to Mike Scott, N6GOZ. The Mount Diablo and Black Mountain ATV repeaters will carry the video from the NASA Select channel on 427.25 MHz. Amateurs with cable-ready commercial TVs can view the ATV repeaters by attaching an antenna to the cable TV connector and tuning to cable channel 58. The Bay Area ATV net meets Thursday at 8 PM on 147.06 MHz. Additional details may be obtained there. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-268.03 AMSAT Weekend News Part 3 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 268.03 FROM WA2LQQ WARWICK, NY September 24, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT OPERATING ACTIVITIES AND USER INTERESTS (Continued) * Chicken Little II * AMSAT has announced the Chicken Little II (CL-II) contest. The name Chicken Little comes from the children's story about a barnyard where one very nervous fowl runs about yelling "The sky's falling" when all that's really happened is he's been clunked on the head by the old fox. Now the sky isn't really falling but a huge Russian spacecraft known as COSMOS 1900 quite apparently is! Thus, it's time for Chicken Little II. Cosmos 1900 was launched on December 12, 1987. It's a RORSAT (Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellite) and employs a small nuclear reactor. The spacecraft was designed to allow the reactor to be separated from the spacecraft and propelled to a high orbit where it would remain essentially forever. But things went awry. When COSMOS 1900 began to de-orbit last spring but Soviet ground controllers were unable to eject the reactor as planned. The satellite is doomed to a fiery reentry sometime in October experts predict. CL-II is an invitation for AMSAT members to calculate the reentry time and for the CL-II winner obtain a new GaAsFET pre-amplifier in the process. Here are the CL-II rules: 1. The winner is the individual who most accurately predicts the date and time of reentry. 2. Enter as many times as you care to. Only one guess per entry letter or postcard. Entry must include name, address, callsign and AMSAT member number along with your guess to the nearest second. 3. Entries must be postmarked not later than seven calendar days prior to the official re-entry time. 4. Use of government resources is prohibited except that publicly available orbital data is OK. 5. Decision of the judges is final. No entries will be returned and are the property of AMSAT. 6. Entries must be mailed to AMSAT, CL-II, P.O. Box 27, Washington DC, 20044. To assist in tracking COSMOS 1900, orbital elements will be included in the normal AMSAT Orbital Prediction Bulletin releases until de-orbit. The following is a recent set: 1 18665U 87101 A 88261.74694731 .00236308 2 18665 64.9563 247.7843 0014791 281.5972 78.3718 16.26826640 45129 * SEN Schedule * The next session of the Space Education Net (SEN) has been scheduled for Saturday October 1, 1988. The Mode B session will run from 1630 to 1730 UTC on 145.960 MHz. The Mode L session will follow from 1800 to 1900 UTC on 435.900 MHz. Test transmissions of Slow Scan TV will continue on this session of the SEN. The standard 8 second format and will be used for this test. The SSTV downlink frequency will be 10 kHz above the voice net frequency. Later tests will include high resolution color SSTV. The SEN encourages all stations not equipped for SSTV to invite another amateur to bring his scan converter to an AO-13 station. The addition of video will add a new dimension to the Space Education Nets. Additional Net Control Stations are needed for the SEN. If you would like to assist the SEN in this important position please volunteer today. Contact K.O. Learner, K9PVW at P.O. Box 5006, Kokomo, IN 46904 or via packet @KD9BT with your SEN questions or comments or to volunteer to assist the SEN. Check-ins and participants are invited for both sessions. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-268.04 AMSAT Weekend News Part 4 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 268.04 FROM WA2LQQ WARWICK, NY September 24, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT OPERATING ACTIVITIES AND USER INTERESTS (Continued) * LAN News * In news of Local Area Nets, John Champa, K8OCL of Dearborn says several Detroit-area repeaters have been linked on a recent Thursday evening to afford excellent AMSAT net coverage in southern Michigan. He and Rich Ensign, N8IWJ, act as Net Control Stations. The net meets at 8 PM Eastern time Thursdays on the following frequencies: W8ICN/R 145.33 MHz WA8CTY/R 147.22 WD8CIK/R 224.46 (Originating Repeater) N8DXG/R 443.325 K8OCL 1294.50 This wide spread/bandwidth coverage produced nearly 40 check-ins during its first night of operation with N8IWJ as NCS. It's hoped this level of participation can be replicated in other major population centers. With the capabilities of AO-10, AO-13, and the up-coming microsats, this grass roots support-building should go a long way towards building the satellite user base and AMSAT membership, John says. * Balloon Launch Slipped One Week * Another in a series of balloon-borne radio experiments is on tap from the mid-west. Bill, WB8ELK, says the next flight of a helium filled balloon carrying Amateur Radio equipment has been re-scheduled for launch from Greensburg, Illinois, at 7:00 AM Eastern time, October 8. A 2 meter CW beacon will transmit on 144.340 MHz using vertical polarization. A fast-scan TV signal will be transmitted on 439.250 MHz using horizontal polarization. Last spring, a similar balloon attained an altitude in excess of 100,000 feet. Its radio beacons were heard from Canada to Iowa. Support nets will operate on 3871 kHz and perhaps 7155 kHz. The beacons will operate under the callsign W9PRD. * ZRO Test Dry Run * The first trial run of the ZRO Test took place Saturday evening, September 24. The Mode B run took place under difficult listening conditions since heavy spin modulation reduced readability. Many stations which had previously scored Z-6 levels on AO-10 ZRO Tests reported Z-4 to Z-5 was about all they could manage on Saturday's test due to the spin modulation. The Mode B test will be scheduled after the Mode L episode in the future so pointing angles and the resulting spin modulation will be less a problem ZRO Test officials say. The Mode L session was not held Saturday because of a schedule conflict with the Space Education Net but will be included in the next dry run expected in a few weeks. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-268.05 AMSAT Weekend News Part 5 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 268.05 FROM WA2LQQ WARWICK, NY September 24, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT CONFERENCES OF INTEREST TO AMSAT MEMBERS * AMSAT Symposium * Preparations are accelerating for the AMSAT Sixth Space Symposium says organizer Byron Lindsey, W4BIW. The Symposium will be held at the Atlanta Airport Marriott Hotel November 11, 12 and 13 and is being organized by AMSAT in cooperation with the Atlanta Radio Club. Registration may be accomplished by mail. The address is: Space Symposium Box 29221 Atlanta, GA, 30359 The meeting will be held at the Airport Marriott Hotel, 4711 Best Road, College Park, GA. Rooms may be reserved by calling the hotel at 404-766-7900. Discounts may be obtained by mentioning the Space Symposium when reserving. The discounted price is $65 per night. Air fare discounts have been arranged with Delta Airlines. Reservations are being handled by GIT Travel Agency. Call 800-228-1777 for airline reservations. A Symposium package deal including registration, Saturday lunch and the banquet is available. Tours have been arranged to the Cable New Network (CNN) facility in Atlanta. Register early to insure placement. Featured speakers include Leonid Labutin, UA3CR, and Geoffrey Perry of England's Kettering Group. Papers for the symposium may be submitted to ARRL's Mary Weinberg until October 4. More details in subsequent bulletins. Meanwhile, you may contact W4BIW at 404-636-7452 in Decatur for further information. * Other Meeting News * The Second Annual Small Satellite conference was held at Utah State University, Logan Utah, September 18 thru 21. AMSAT, Weber State College and the University of Surrey were represented. A strong showing by presenters from Surrey captivated the attention of the 200-plus attendees. The 7th ARRL Amateur Radio Computer Networking conference will be held October 1 at the Applied Physics Lab of Johns Hopkins near Laurel, Maryland. Contact Mary Weinberg at ARRL HQ, 203-666-1541, for details. The 4th Annual Midwest Space Development Conference will be held in Dayton Ohio, September 30 through October 2. The conference will be held at the Holiday Inn on I-675 across from Wright State University. For further information, call 513-873-3232. WORLD SPACE NEWS SUMMARY In world space news, the state of Israel joined the ranks of the space faring nations Monday, September 19, when it launched a small satellite called Ofek-1 into a low, elliptical orbit. The satellite was carried to orbit by a medium range missile known as the Jericho-2. It will study solar effects and the geo-magnetic field from its 620 by 155 mile high orbit. NASA announced the shuttle launch of the Hubble Space Telescope will be pushed back eight months from June 1989 to February 1990. Additionally, the ASTRO-1, mission on which Ron Parise, WA4SIR, will fly, has been delayed four months. ASTRO-1 is now scheduled for March 1990. Two key planetary probes will be launched on schedule since they have a narrow window of opportunity. Magellan, intended to map Venus, will be launched next April. Galileo, a Jupiter survey, is scheduled for launch in October 1989. The delays were attributed to the shortage of rocket fuel caused by the massive explosion last May of a factory in Nevada NASA said. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-268.06 AMSAT Weekend News Part 6 HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 268.06 FROM WA2LQQ WARWICK, NY September 24, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT SHORT BURST ITEMS Looking for a way to support AMSAT? This may be your ticket. AMSAT has re-instituted its traditional orbit sponsor program for support of operations by satellite users. AMSAT HQ has the details: 301-589-6062. First Day Club certificate requests continue to arrive. Due to numerous late submissions, certificate mailing will be delayed slightly. Mike Parisey, WD0GML, says his BBS system is now operational on 2400 as well as 1200 and 300 baud. He also now has a tracking program up and running on the board. The BBS system is located near St.Louis and is assuming the traffic load from the W0RPK BBS which has been phased out. Reach the WD0GML BBS at 314-447-3003. The correct area code is 314. We had it wrong in last week's bulletin and we apologize for the error. SATELLITE OPERATING SCHEDULES Here is the AO-13 operating schedule currently in use. Deviations from this schedule may occur to facilitate important engineering tests. Operating Schedule: V4.0 Effective 21Sep88 +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | Mode | From | Thru | Remarks | Duration | | |(Inclus)| (Inclus)| | MA Minutes| |========|========|=========|==================================== | Off | MA 241 | MA 002 | Solar eclipse window | 18 48.3 | | Mode B | MA 003 | MA 150 | | 148 397.0 | | Mode L | MA 151 | MA 200 | Mode JL optional | 50 134.1 | | Mode B | MA 201 | MA 240 | | 40 107.3 | | Mode S | | | Test window TBA* | | | RUDAK | | | Status unknown | | +--------------------------------------------------+------------| *The new Mode S test window is To Be Announced. RS-11 will be operating Tuesday thru Friday on Mode KA and weekends on Mode A. There is no RS-10 operation currently. * FO-12 * Here is the FO-12 operating schedule for September as provided by JARL. Mode Beginning Date Time DI 25 0220 JA 27 0234 D 28 Sep 0140 JA 01 Oct 0100 D 03 0113 JA 04 2325 D 06 0032 JA 08 1339 D 09 2258 JD 12 1406 DI 13 1312 JD 15 1325 DI 16 1231 JD 18 Oct 1245 JD = Digital mode JA = Analog mode D = All systems off DI = Systems off except CPU and memory The transponders will be off at other times. The actual operating schedule may change due to unexpected situations such as variations in available power. Mode JA Beacon: 435.795 MHz. Mode JD Beacon: 435.910 MHz. /EX