************************************************************************** * * * 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-352.01 OSCAR 13 HANDBOOK AVAILABLE HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 352.01 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD DECEMBER 17, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT OSCAR 13 Handbook Available From AMSAT-UK AMSAT-UK, in collaboration with AMSAT-DL, have completed the first OSCAR 13 Operator's Handbook. This sixty page book provides the user with all the critical data needed to use OSCAR 13 and to understand how it works. The arrival of the Handbook so long after the launch is due to the effort required to make this a complete source of information about OSCAR 13. The main topics discussed in the Handbook are: (1) History of OSCAR 13; (2) Launch and "orbital mechanics" aspects; (3) Bandplan, User Station Requirements, Communicating; (4) Transponders: Modes & Scheduling Considerations; (5) Antenna Systems, Beacons, Doppler Shift; (6) Telemetry Formats and Decoding; (7) S/C Subsystems; This Handbook is available now from AMSAT-UK. For information about how to obtain your copy of the OSCAR 13 Handbook write to: AMSAT-UK London E12 5EQ, England /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-352.02 ZRO TEST SCHEDULE & INFORMATION HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 352.02 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD DECEMBER 17, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT ZRO Test Schedule for '89 Has Been Set The ZRO Memorial Technical Achievement Award Program (ZRO Test) will start again in January after AO-13 has been reorientated. The ZRO Test is a contest to measure the operating skill of the AO-13 user and to allow the user to assess his station's equipment performance. After he attitude adjustment of AO-13 to be accomplished by January 6, 1989, the AO-13's antenna pointing will not provide any areas in AO-13's footprint any special advantage. Since it has been awhile since last ZRO Test, lets review what happens during the ZRO Test. A ZRO Test Control Station will send and repeat numeric code groups at gradually reduced power levels (3 dB each time). The participating operator can then "gauge" his satellite station's sensitivity as he monitors and records the content of the transmiss- ions. Those who can copy the the satellite's beacon will hear "level zero" and thus can qualify for the basic ZRO TEST certificate. The real challenge comes when one then tries to qualify for even lower power levels, eg., level two, three, four, and so on. With each succeding code group copied by the user as the power level is reduced, the contester is eligible to receive another "endorsement sticker" which can then be affixed to the basic ZRO Test Certificate. The object of ZRO Test is to see how many "endorsement stickers" one can earn. All satellite enthusiasts are invited to participate in these ZRO Tests. The downlink frequency will be 145.840 MHz. To date, however, no Mode L Tests have been scheduled -- they will come later. All transmissions will use CW at 10 WPM. No voice operation will occur with ZRO Test Control Station. The following dates have been choosen for participant convenience and fairness: Saturday January 14, 1989 at 16:00 UTC Saturday Febuary 4, 1989 at 15:30 UTC Saturday Febuary 25, 1989 at 15:00 UTC Saturday March 4, 1989 at 07:00 UTC If there are any changes to the above list of ZRO Test times, those changes will be announced as soon as possible. If you would like to receive your copy of the ZRO Test brochure, write to: Andy MacAllister, WA5ZIB 14714 Knightsway Dr. Houston, TX 77083 Please include a s.a.s.e with two units of postage. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-352.03 MIR OPERATIONS CONTINUE HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 352.03 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD DECEMBER 17, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT U2MIR Operations Still Continue After a "lull" in operations from U2MIR, reports are starting to come in confirming that Musa, U2MIR, is still operating from the Soviet Space Station Mir. W2RS reports that he worked Musa at 18:21 UTC on December 16th during Orbit 16258. Musa was using 145.550 MHz simplex working stations in his usual "rapid fire" mode. Some of the stations Musa worked during that pass which W2RS recorded were N0LL, N0IQS, KD9ZH, WA4SBC, WB90TH, WC9I, KC8QT, W2MTA, and WA1JVV all within a pass which lasted 8 minutes at W2RS's QTH. On the following pass, Orbit 16259, W2RS heard activity again on 145.550 MHz simplex for a pass which occured at his QTH at 19:56 UTC and lasted until 20:03 UTC. On the following pass W2RS heard no activity which leads him to believe that the crew of Mir "turns the lights out" after 21:00 UTC. So W2RS concludes that the best time to look for U2MIR is between 18:00 UTC to 21:00 UTC, or thereabouts. Musa is scheduled to leave Mir on December 27th. According to the best information provided to AMSAT-NA by UA3CR, the 2 meter FM station on Mir will be upgraded with a new 2M tranceiver which will have an increased power output of 10 watts. Musa was over heard telling WA4SBC that his power output presently was 2.5 watts. At the present time AMSAT does not have any information as to how active Mir Space Station operations will be after Musa departs for earth on December 27th. /EX SB ALL @ AMSAT $ANS-352.04 Short Burst Items HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 352.04 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD DECEMBER 17, 1988 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT Short Burst Items Since Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, The 20 Meter International Satellite Net which are held on Sundays at 19:00 UTC will be "optional" on Christmas Day. WD0HHU request that if there are any AMSAT Net "regulars" who might be operating their station's during that time to please inform the waiting stations that there will be no formal Net operations. There will be normal Net operations on New Year's Day and there will be AMSAT News Bulletins available for packet BBS for those weekends. Again to remind AO-13 users of a temporary schedule change until January 6th, the following is the OSCAR-13 operating schedule: OSCAR-13 Operating Schedule: V4.3 Effective 09Dec88 |------|-----------|----------|----------------------| | Mode | From | Thru | Remarks | | | (Inclus) | (Inclus) | | |======|===========|==========|======================| | Off | MA 241 | MA 003 | Solar Eclipse Window | | B | MA 003 | MA 175 | | | L | MA 175 | MA 200 | Mode JL Optional | | B | MA 200 | MA 241 | | |======|===========|==========|======================| /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! ADDITIONAL MIR INFO: Hello Ray. Musa along with Vladimir Titov and Jean-Loup Chretien will be leaving MIR on Dec 21 and will land the same day in Kazahkstan. Their departure from MIR should occur in the early hours of wednesday morning and I expect they will land in Soviet central Asiain in the late morning, their time. 73 Ed KC2ZF From AO-13 PSK Beacon: An interesting note from James Miller: L de G3RUH 1988 Dec. 15 386/190. I have been running my program to estimate spin rate from the spin counter (channel #4A). Taking continuous data over 2 hours or so allows spin rate to be deduced with an RMS precision of 0.00001 RPM. Fit over 2 weeks gives SPIN = 28.4250 - 0.0202*(DAY-349) R.P.M. So decay time constant is about 4 years. Loses 14.5 Revs every day. Effect noticeable over 2 hours telemetry (0.1 rev). Dissipation of energy approx 0.7 microwatts. QST: Question; WHY the decay??? An interesting phenomena, any ideas? The sun sensor #2 count has decreased to 35 within half a day of predicted so that the sun angles and BCR (thus available power) will be improving. Mode S will not return until until this improves some more according to the M block which contains the schedule. This will be later in December. 73 and enjoy the bird! Bob N4HY AO-13 HANDBOOK: The AMSAT-OSCAR-13 Handbook is ready for release. Written by Richard Limebear, G3RWL, and published by AMSAT-UK, the AO-13 Handbook is the most authoritative book to date on the new spacecraft. Section headers include the following: Brief History, History of AO-13 and the Ariane Rocket, Lauch/Positioning Typical Session, Bandplan, Operating Events, General information,m Operations (Scheduling, Communications, Time Delay, Doppler, Station requirements, TX System, RX System, Typical Stations), Orbital Predictions, Tracking, Satellite Hardware (Trandponders, Attitude control, Beacons, Mode B L JL and S), Telemetry and Data formats (RTTY, BPSK, decoding equations), InformationSources, Reference Books, The Future, AMSAT Organizations, and Acknowledgements. The booklet runs over 50 pages, and will be released in the next two weeks. Through special arrangements, AMSAT-UK has made arrangements with Project OSCAR to release the initial booklets in North America. Stations Outside of North American should contact AMSAT-UK directly. For publications and OFF AIR.....The AO-13 Handbook will be available at the initial cost for a donation of $12.00 to Project OSCAR. This includes shipping from the UK to you location. For more details, please send an SASE to Project OSCAR, P.O. Box 1136, Los Altos, CA 94023-1136 73, Ross (WB6GFJ) President, Project OSCAR 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