UKube-1 Falls Silent

UKube-1 Falls Silent

UKube-1 in flight configuration in the cleanroom at Clyde Space Ltd – Credit Steve Greenland 2M0SCG

UKube-1, the UK Space Agency’s first CubeSat, was launched into space in July 2014. It completed its successful nominal mission fourteen month later in September 2015.

Since that date, for the past three years, the FUNcube based payload has continued to provide a transponder for use by radio amateurs and, additionally, 30+ channels of real time telemetry for STEM outreach and for use by schools and colleges. These downlinks have operated continuously on the 145 MHz band and more than 450 stations have supported this ongoing activity. They have uplinked the telemetry data to the FUNcube Data Warehouse where it is stored and available for research.

Just before midnight (UTC) on Thursday 18th October, the Warehouse received a data frame from KB6LTY, Christy Hunter in California. This is the last record of signals being received from the spacecraft and since that date, careful observations have failed to detect any signals from either of the transmitters carried by the spacecraft.

An early analysis of the last telemetry received has not shown any obvious anomalies, but this work continues.

Although it is obviously sad for both the amateur and educational worlds to lose such a valuable resource, both AO73-FUNcube 1 and EO88-Nayif 1 continue to operate nominally and JY1SAT and ESEO are expected to launch before the end of 2018.

UKube-1 https://amsat-uk.org/satellites/communications/ukube-1/

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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ARISS Joins NASA On-The-Air for a Special SSTV Event

ARISS Joins NASA On-The-Air for a Special SSTV Event

International Space Station – Image Credit NASA

Amateur Radio On The International Space Station (ARISS) is planning a very special Slow Scan Television (SSTV) event from about 1000 UT Saturday, Oct. 27 until 1930 UT Monday, Oct. 29 on 145.800 MHz FM using PD-120.

Helping to support the event will be NASA’s Space, Communication and Navigation (SCaN) Department.

The Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program manages NASA’s three most important communications networks: The Space Network (SN), Near Earth Network (NEN), and the Deep Space Network (DSN).

Just as in past ARISS SSTV commemorations, twelve images will be downlinked, but this time with six featuring the SCaN educational activities while the other six images will commemorate major NASA anniversaries, ie., when NASA was established, astronauts first landing on the moon, etc.

In addition to the fun of receiving these images, participants can qualify for a special endorsement for the NASA On The Air (NOTA) celebration event. To learn more about NOTA visit https://nasaontheair.wordpress.com/

Once received, images can be posted and viewed at
http://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/index.php

The transmissions are expected to be broadcast at the usual frequency of 145.800 MHz using the PD-120 SSTV mode.

Please note that the event is dependent on other activities, schedules and crew responsibilities on the ISS and are subject to change at any time.

Source AMSAT News Service

Note the ISS transmissions use the 5 kHz deviation FM standard rather than the narrow 2.5 kHz used in Europe. If your transceiver has selectable FM filters try using the wider filter. Handheld transceivers generally have a single wide filter fitted as standard and you should get good results outdoors using just a 1/4 wave whip antenna.

ISS SSTV links for tracking and decoding Apps
https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/iss-sstv/

You can receive the SSTV transmissions by using an Online Radio (WebSDR) and the MMSSTV software:
• Listen to the ISS when it is in range of London with the SUWS WebSDR http://farnham-sdr.com/
• Listen to the ISS when it is over Russia with the R4UAB WebSDR

ISS Fan Club – Tracking / Predictions http://www.issfanclub.com/

If you receive a full or partial picture from the Space Station your Local Newspaper may like to know http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2016/july/now-is-a-great-time-to-get-ham-radio-publicity.htm

The RSGB produce a handy Media Guide and Template press release for anyone to download and adapt, see http://rsgb.org/main/clubs/media-guide-for-affiliated-societies/

An example of the publicity you can get for the hobby by telling your Local Newspaper
https://amsat-uk.org/2015/04/15/iss-sstv-in-the-press/

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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Scouts participate in FUNcube Challenge

Scouts participate in FUNcube Challenge

 

JOTA 2018 PV8DX - Scout Rebeka - 15RR Valentes de DaviThe JOTA-JOTI FUNcube Challenge involved the FUNcube-1 (AO-73) satellite which transmitted a special Enigma message during Jamboree On The Air (JOTA-JOTI) on October 19-21.

15RR Valentes de Davi scouts

15RR Valentes de Davi scouts

The message was coded using the Enigma cipher machine. After receiving the message, transmitted on a frequency of 145.935 MHz in 1200 bps BPSK, the scouts could determine the deciphering key and Enigma settings by correctly answering 10 space and satellite related questions.

Paulo PV8DX reports the 15RR Valentes de Davi scout group from the city of Boa Vista in the state of Roraima, Brazil were among those who decoded the message.

In the UK the Chertsey Radio Club reports they ran a special event station GB6SS for the Sixth Staines Scouts. In addition to using the digital ode FT-8, see report, the scouts also decoded the FUNcube-1 Enigma message.

Watch Sixth Staines Scouts with Chertsey Radio Club completing JOTA FUNcube Challenge

Boa Vista Brazil 2018-10-21_16-30-21

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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SSTV from Space for JOTA and Space Station Active

SSTV from Space for JOTA and Space Station Active

Serena Auñón-Chancellor KG5TMT

Serena Auñón-Chancellor KG5TMT

NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor KG5TMT, who is currently on the International Space Station, was active on 145.800 MHz FM making contacts on Saturday, October 20 using the callsign NA1SS. Watch a video at https://twitter.com/supercazzola/status/1053659932292247552

The ISS packet radio digipeater on 145.825 MHz was active during Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) and Lauren 2E0HLR took advantage of this to demonstrate reception of APRS packets from the Space Station to Scouts, see https://twitter.com/G0PEKand2E0HLR/status/1053708000127578113

Adil Namakoe YD3HNL has released a video of the Slow Scan TV pictures he received during Jamboree On The Air from the amateur radio satellite IO-86

Watch IO-86 SSTV MODE #JOTA PASS 20102018

Adil Namakoe YD3HNL
https://twitter.com/adilnamakoe/
https://www.facebook.com/adil.namakoe

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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The JOTA-JOTI FUNcube Challenge

The JOTA-JOTI FUNcube Challenge

AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch Rev4 20100609

AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch

In space, satellites can be found. A recent development in this area are the “CubeSat” satellites.

Normal satellites typically have a size ranging from that of a washing machine to a small truck.

CubeSats have the size of a milk-carton!

The JOTA-JOTI FUNcube Challenge focuses on the FUNcube-1 (AO-73) CubeSat satellite. During the Jamboree On The Air (JOTA-JOTI) on October 19-21, a special, coded, message will be transmitted. This message can be received with a simple 2m handheld antenna, e.g. HB9CV, a small yagi or even a vertical, and a SDR-dongle or any SSB radio for 2m. The data is sent by the satellite on its telemetry channel of 145.935 MHz (1200bd BPSK modulated). You will need to set your receiver to Upper Side Band (USB). If you use a FUNcube dongle, you can directly receive the satellite.

The message is coded using the Enigma cipher machine. The deciphering key and Enigma settings can be obtained by answering the questions below.

The message sent by the satellite follows the following format: JOTA JOTI START coded message STOP

Your deciphered message can be mailed to: JJ.Satellite.Challenge (at) kitbuilding.org ( (at)=@)

The mail should contain your name, age, country and Scout group name and the correct answer!

AO-73 (FUNcube-1) – Image credit Wouter Weggelaar PA3WEG

If you have any pictures of the reception of the satellite with your group, this would also be highly appreciated, we would love to see how you did it!

If your answer is right and mailed before the 1st of November 2018, you will participate in a raffle.

The winner will get some products from www.kitbuilding.org
Have a lot of fun and good luck! Best 73s, Wouter PA3WEG and Jeroen PE1RGE

Information about the FUNcube1 can be found at:
https://funcube.org.uk/
https://www.amsat.org/two-way-satellites/ao-73-funcube-1/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FUNcube-1

Possible online Enigma coding machines:
http://users.telenet.be/d.rijmenants/en/enigmasim.htm
https://people.physik.hu-berlin.de/~palloks/js/enigma/enigma-i+m3_v16.html

Background information on the Enigma can be found here:
http://www.cryptomuseum.com/crypto/enigma/

The message is coded with an Enigma M3, Navy version. Plugboard (Steckerbrett) is not used!!

FUNcube-1 Launch Day Mug

The questions for obtaining the deciphering key:

1.) A geostationary satellite has an altitude above the earths surface of (approximately):
A. 20200 km or 12600 miles – First rotor is rotor III
B. 35786 km or 22236 miles – First rotor is rotor V
C. 42164 km or 26199 miles – First rotor is rotor VII

2.) NASA has selected over 300 astronauts since 1959,
A. None of them was ever active in Scouting – First rotor alphabet setting (ringstellung) A
B. Not more than 37 of them were active in Scouting – First rotor alphabet setting
(ringstellung) F
C. More than 200 were/are active in Scouting – First rotor alphabet setting (ringstellung) S

3.) The average distance between the moon and the earth is:
A. 1738 km or 1080 miles – First rotor initial setting (grundstellung) D
B. 12742 km or 7918 miles – First rotor initial setting (grundstellung) G
C. 385001 km or 239228 miles – First rotor initial setting (grundstellung) H

4.) AMSAT, an organisation involved in launching a number of radio amateur satellites was founded in:
A. 1969 – Second rotor is rotor II
B. 1978 – Second rotor is rotor VI
C. 1991 – Second rotor is rotor VIII

5.) As satellites are flying extremely high in the sky, at least 100 Watts of transmit power is needed to establish communication with or through a satellite. Is this true or false?
A. True – Second rotor alphabet setting (ringstellung) D
B. False – Second rotor alphabet setting (ringstellung) C

6.) The Russian Sputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite orbiting around the earth. When was this satellite launched?
A. October 4th, 1957 – Second rotor initial setting (grundstellung) A
B. January 31st, 1958 – Second rotor initial setting (grundstellung) G
C. July 20th, 1969 – Second rotor initial setting (grundstellung) F

7.) The abbreviation OSCAR means:
A. Open Source Communication for Amateur Radio – Third rotor is rotor III
B. Outer Space Charge – free Amateur Radio – Third rotor is rotor IV
C. Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio – Third rotor is rotor I

8.) Signals from a satellite are characterized by Doppler-shift, this means:
A. The frequency of the transmitted signal appears to be higher when the satellite is moving towards you. – Third rotor alphabet setting (ringstellung) T
B. The frequency of the transmitted signal appears to be lower when the satellite is moving towards you. – Third rotor alphabet setting (ringstellung) U

9.) If a radio amateur wants to communicate through satellites he/she needs to do an additional exam in order to obtain a special license, the Amateur Radio Operator License (AROL). True or false?
A. True – Third rotor initial setting (grundstellung) R
B. False – Third rotor initial setting (grundstellung) M

10.) Radio amateurs can make radio contact with the ISS (International Space Station)?
A. Yes – Reflector B
B. No – Reflector C

Download PDF of the JOTA-JOTI 2018_FUNcube_Challenge

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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