AMSAT Argentina to launch transponder balloon

AMSAT Argentina to launch transponder balloon

AMSAT-LU Launching a High Altitude BalloonOn May 26, at 1300 GMT AMSAT-LU plans (weather permitting) to launch a balloon carrying a linear multimode transponder V➤U, CW, SSB, FM, APRS LU7AA-11 and VIDEO.

It could last 9 hours if it reaches 82,000 feet height landing in Uruguay, or 6 hours landing at Gualeguaychú. The flight has been approved by ANAC/EANA.

Flight forecast: http://lu7aa.org/pronostico.asp?callsign=LU7AA-12

An attempt will also be made to launch LU8YY PicoBalloon emitting WSPR at 20m, if the winds help it could go around the world.

In Merlo, from May 24 to 26, presentations will be made to schools and universities. Depending on the weather it could be launched on May 25.

This experience will provide 4 FM channels + 3 CW + 3 SSB + 1 digital channel and 1 SSTV, all simultaneous. It will allow field testing on a balloon the future satellite platforms planned by AMSAT Argentina.

For latest updates check http://amsat.org.ar/?f=merlo

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Newfoundland QO-100 contact Successful – More Planned

Newfoundland QO-100 contact Successful – More Planned

On Saturday, May 11, 2024, Gopan VO1/M0XUU (VU3HPF) succeeded in making the first contact from North America through the amateur radio QO-100 geostationary satellite transponder located at 26° East.

Gopan was in Newfoundland which is just outside the coverage area of QO-100, the elevation at Signal Hill at St. Johns is below the horizon at -0.9°. He used FT-8 to have a trans-atlantic contact with David G0MRF in south-west London.

In a post on X Gopan reported his signal into QO-100 was not strong enough to permit SSB operation.

David G0MRF will be joining Graham G3VZV on a Dxpedition to Newfoundland from May 15-19 and plans to be active on QO-100 using SSB / CW / FT8 / FT4 / DATV.

A video of the presentation ‘Making QO-100 contacts from North America – A new challenge’, given by Graham G3VZV at the 2022 AMSAT-UK Colloquium can be seen at
https://amsat-uk.org/2022/11/01/making-qo-100-contacts-from-north-america-a-new-challenge/

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You can follow posts on X at:

Gopan M0XUU – https://X.com/vu3hpf
David G0MRF – https://X.com/g0mrf
Graham G3VZV – https://X.com/G3VZV

Stefan VE4SW reports he will be traveling to Newfoundland and will be using the callsign VO100QO on QO-100 from May 13-17, he writes:

“VO100QO a special callsign for the activation of QO-100 from St John’s in Newfoundland will be used by the “Amateur Radio Satellites and Systems – Canada” Association starting Monday, May 13, at Signal Hill or another suitable location (weather permitting). Canadian amateur radio operators Stefan Wagener VE4SW and John Langille VE1CWJ will use a 1.8m dish and up to 100W on SSB to reach QO-100 at -1 degree elevation.

We invite all stations and operators in or near St John’s to join us in person and be part of the story. We will operate from Monday, May 13th to Friday, May 17th (weather permitting). Contact VE4SW (email on my QRZ page) for local information and timing.

The “Amateur Radio Satellites and Systems—Canada” Association will issue special certificates for successful contacts, and all QSOs will be logged into LoTW. Please see our “VO100QO” QRZ page for updates starting Sunday, May 12.

We would very much like to acknowledge the support of “DX Patrol” in Portugal (https://dxpatrol.pt) and António Matias for his support. We will use the DX Patrol QO-100 Groundstation V2 and other equipment for our attempt!”

Follow Stefan VE4SW on X – https://X.com/StefanWagener3

Information on QO-100 is at https://forum.amsat-dl.org/index.php?board/3-qo-100-es-hail-2-p4-a/

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Newfoundland on QO-100 ?

Newfoundland on QO-100 ?

QO-100 geostationary satellite amateur transponders.

Newfoundland is just outside the coverage area of QO-100, the elevation at Signal Hill at St. Johns is -0.9°, however, contacts have been made from Indonesia at an elevation as low as -1.3° so there is a chance of success.

Gopan VO1/M0XUU (VU3HPF) will be in Newfoundland from May 8-15 and will attempt to make QO-100 contacts.

David VO1/G0MRF and Graham VO1/G3VZV will be in Newfoundland May 15-19 and plan to be active on QO-100 using SSB / CW / FT8 / FT4 / DATV.

You can follow posts on X at:

Gopan M0XUU – https://X.com/vu3hpf
David G0MRF – https://X.com/g0mrf
Graham G3VZV – https://X.com/G3VZV

Video of the presentation ‘Making QO-100 contacts from North America – A new challenge’, given by David G0MRF at the 2022 AMSAT-UK Colloquium
https://amsat-uk.org/2022/11/01/making-qo-100-contacts-from-north-america-a-new-challenge/

Information on QO-100 is at https://forum.amsat-dl.org/index.php?board/3-qo-100-es-hail-2-p4-a/

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GreenCube IO-117 Announcement by AMSAT Italia

GreenCube IO-117 Announcement by AMSAT Italia

Rome, April 30, 2024 – AMSAT Italia is proud to announce the acquisition of the quote of property of the IO-117 “GreenCube” satellite. The other part of the property remains on behalf of “Sapienza University”, Rome, Italy.

A collaborative work of the parts will let the satellite continue the amateur radio operations after the completion of the primary scientific mission. This will definitively avert the satellite decommissioning process by transferring the legal responsibility of the satellite from the Italian Space Agency to AMSAT Italia. Even formally and legally, the satellite, already known with its original name of GreenCube, becomes for the exclusive use of amateur radio. The scientific community continue the study of the behavior of this type of satellite placed in MEO orbit.

GreenCube was designed and developed by Sapienza University, ENEA and University of Naples Federico II for the Italian Space Agency. AMSAT Italia contributed to design the digipeater and supported amateur radio operations. IARU coordinated the use of the operations in the amateur radio frequency bands.

The satellite was carried on the qualification flight of Vega-C launcher on July 13, 2022 from the French Guiana Space Center in Kourou. On October 29, 2022, the on-board digipeater was activated, allowing GreenCube to become the first ham radio satellite to operate in a MEO orbit. Being a radio amateur worldwide success, AMSAT officially designated the satellite as Italy-OSCAR 117 (IO-117).

AMSAT Italia and Sapienza Space Systems and Space Surveillance Laboratory – S5LAB- are now committed to operate the satellite and to continue to offer the service to the amateur radio community.

For further information please contact AMSAT Italia at segreteria@amsat.it

Source AMSAT Italia http://www.amsat.it/AMSAT_Italia_acquires_the_IO-117_Greencube_satellite.pdf

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UK School to Contact Space Station

UK School to Contact Space Station

An ARISS contact is scheduled with students at Mrs Ethelston’s CE Primary Academy at Axminster Community Academy Trust, Lyme Regis, U.K. at 11:44 BST (10:44 GMT) on Wednesday April 17 on 145.800 MHz FM.

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact between an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and students at the Mrs. Ethelston’s CE Primary Academy located in Lyme Regis, UK. ARISS conducts 60-100 of these special amateur radio contacts each year between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses aboard the ISS.

Acorn Multi Academy Trust is a small trust of seven schools (Mrs Ethelstons, Axminster, Chardstock, Marshwood, Loders, Thorncombe and Membury) that are situated on the coast of the English Dorset /Devon /Somerset border. Mrs Ethelston’s CE Primary Academy is hosting this ARISS contact and is directly involved in this project, however children involved are from the 7 primary schools within this Multi-Academy Trust and range in ages from 4-11 years.

This will be a direct contact via Amateur Radio allowing students to ask their questions of astronaut Matthew Dominick, amateur radio call sign KCØTOR. The downlink frequency for this contact is 145.800 MHz and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the relay ground station.

The amateur radio ground station for this contact is in Lyme Regis, UK. Amateur radio operators using call sign GB4ACA, will operate the ground station to establish and maintain the ISS connection.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for April 17, 2024 at 11:44:48 am BST (UK) (10:44:48 UTC, 6:44 am EDT, 5:44 am CDT, 4:44 am MDT, 3:44 am PDT).

The public is invited to watch the live stream at: https://live.ariss.org

As time allows, students will ask these questions:
1. What was the hardest part of getting ready to go to space?
2. If you can make the water from a bottle float, then how can you swallow it without it coming up again?
3. Why do humans want to go to Mars?
4. How will we get loads of water in space without running out?
5. How long does it take to transmit data from Earth to ISS?
6. How do you not get lost in space?
7. Why doesn’t the ISS fall and hit the ground?
8. How much exercise do you need and how do you get it?
9. What temperature is it in the ISS and is that the same outside?
10. What is it like in zero gravity?
11. What is your favorite part of the ISS and why?
12. How fast can you move around in zero gravity?
13. How do you wash your hands?
14. Have you ever seen any astronomical phenomenon?
15. What is your favorite site every time you circle the Earth?
16. How big is the ISS?
17. How do you cook food in space?
18. How do you vote in space?
19. Are the space suits really heavy or light?
20. Which other planets can you see?

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