Author: SM0TGU

Webmaster and member of the AMSAT-SM steering group.

Categories
Ham Satellite news Members news

AMSAT-SM comment on AST & Science Application to Use 430-440 MHz

The FCC is currently considering an application by AST & Science, LLC for authorization to operate a total of 248 satellites in low-earth orbit. As part of this application, AST seeks to utilize the 430-440 MHz band for telemetry, tracking, and telecommand (TT&C) operations.

As part of the consideration process, the FCC is accepting public comment through July 21st. Over 600 individuals, many of them amateur radio operators, have already filed comments opposing AST’s request, as has AMSAT-DL. AMSAT is also preparing comments to be filed in this proceeding. Anyone may file or review comments through the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/results?q=(proceedings.name:(%2225-201%22)). The proceeding number is 25-201.

AMSAT-SM via Lars Thunberg SM0TGU has comment this application on 21 July:

Dear Sirs,
The AMSAT-SM amateur radio satellite group in Sweden is reaching out to share our concerns about the AST proposal to utilize the 430–440 MHz frequency band for Telemetry, Tracking, and Command (TT&C) operations. This portion of the spectrum is already designated as a primary allocation in Region 1 and is actively utilized by a range of users, including amateur radio operators and amateur satellite services.

Amateur radio plays a key role in emergency communications and technical experimentation, while amateur satellites contribute significantly to educational and scientific pursuits. Approving AST’s application could interfere with these established uses and jeopardize their valuable contributions.

We respectfully urge the Commission to carefully evaluate the potential consequences of this proposal and to prioritize the protection of existing services. We also recommend considering alternative frequency bands better suited to AST’s operational needs.

Thank you for your time and consideration
Lars Thunberg – AMSAT-SM Sweden

Direct link to FCC:

https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/filing/10721288814550

Categories
Ham Satellite news

Hams.at and SatMatch – great tools for sat schedules

If you would like to publish your satellite activations and calculate satellite overlap passes I can highly recommend Hams.At and SatMatch.

There is also a type of integration between Hams.At and SatMatch. If you track a activation in Hams.At you can get a direct link to SatMatch amd see the overlapping pass between your station and the activating station.

SatMatch is made by K5EM and Hams.At by WW1X.
Thank you for your great contribution to our hobby!

Categories
Antennas Ham Satellite news

New satellite antenna from FWCube Labs

FWCube Labs by @ea1fwg and @ThePCBDesigner has released a new portable lightweight VHF/UHF cube-style antenna. It comes standard with Messi&Paoloni BNC connectors and it is made with or without a diplexer for greater flexibility

More information about how to order can be done at:
https://fwcubelabs.radiogalena.es/

Note that I have no business relation with FWCube Labs and I have not tested the antenna.

Categories
Members news

AMSAT-SM på SSAs 100-årsjubileum 2025

AMSAT-SM med Lars Thunberg SM0TGU hade förmånen att få hålla ett föredrag om amatörradio och satelliter under SSAs årsmöte och 100-årsjubileum. Det pågick under helgen 26-27 april 2025 i Västerås.

SM0TGU Lars håller föredrag

Innehållet ser ni på bilden nedan. SSA spelade även in hela föredraget. Den videon är just nu (juni 2025) endast tillgänglig för SSAs medlemmar men om den släpps fri senare kommer den att läggas ut på AMSAT-SMs Youtube-kanal.

Categories
Ham Satellite news

AMSAT-EA’s HADES-ICM now SO-125

Re-post from ANS-152

AMSAT-EA’s HADES-ICM satellite, a 1.5U PocketQube carrying an SDR-based FM and digital repeater payload for amateur radio use, was launched on March 14, 2025, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket during SpaceX’s Transporter-13 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Following deployment from the ION-SCV-017 Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) on March 31, the satellite has been undergoing commissioning. The FM repeater is expected to be activated in June—initially on weekends, with plans to eventually transition to full-time (24/7) operation, as is currently the case with AMSAT-EA’s earlier HADES-R mission.

HADES-ICM also hosts an experimental payload from the University of Manchester’s Smart IR/Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), designed to test a very low-power active radiator under space conditions. Data from this experiment will be publicly transmitted via telemetry packets.

The satellite carries an FM and digital repeater payload, built on an improved SDR-based platform capable of transmitting up to 0.25W when battery conditions allow. This makes it accessible to stations using handheld antennas like the Arrow antenna. The coordinated uplink frequency is 145.875 MHz, and the downlink is 436.666 MHz. The repeater operates with an open squelch and does not require a subtone. The satellite has been cataloged with NORAD ID 63492.

At the request of AMSAT-EA, AMSAT hereby designates HADES-ICM as SO-125 (Spain-OSCAR 125). We congratulate AMSAT-EA, thank them for their continued contributions to the amateur satellite community, and wish them success with this and future missions!

[ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT VP Operations / OSCAR Number Administrator for the above information]

Categories
Operations

Guide to use IC-9700 – Omnirig – PstRotator – Soundmodem – UISS

This is a short setup guide for using IC-9700 with PstRotator, Omnirig, Soundmodem and UISS. With this setup you can use AX.25 satellites like ISS and HADES-R.

I got many questions how to use all these software together with IC-9700 and I hope this guide can help. But… please read the PstRotator user guide for setting up Omnirig and IC-9700 and the UISS user guide. As you may notice I only explain the parts for setting up the connections so all the software can work together.

This setup guide is using USB connection between IC-9700 and PC. If you use LAN you need to change all settings for IC-9700 (DATA MOD, COM-ports, Virtual Audio channel).

The Omni-Rig version that is working OK for me is v1.18. I know there are other versions but I recommend v1.18 and the IC-9700PST config file that are delivered with PstRotator.

The Soundmodem settings explained here can of course be used for any other versions of the Soundmodem, not only for UISS.

Note again: this guide will not cover configuration of the UISS and PstRotator software, only the connections between these.

IC-9700 Setup

Set the DATA MOD to use USB:

Be sure to use DATA MOD as mode, for example FM-D, USB-D:

See what the number of the IC-9700 COM ports are, this is my setup, COM4 is the correct number for my connected IC-9700. But you can have a different number. One COM port is used by PstRotator for doppler adjustment, the other one is used for PTT keying (see below).

PstRotator – Omni-Rig Setup

The Omni-Rig setup I’m using is like this. Note the COM 4 port:

PstRotator – Satellite Setup

There are several ways to edit satellite information in PstRotator. You can select “Satellites”, enter frequency info and the add to Favorites. Or you can edit Favorites text file manually. Please see the PstRotator manual for more information.

As an example, here are the config I’m using in Favorites text file (Satellites{x}.txt) for HADES-R (SO-124) satellite that is using FM-D (data mode):

[SONATE-2; AX.25]
DownLink=145825000
UpLink=145825000
RxMode=FMD
TxMode=FMD
Linkage=Not linked

When all is configured correct you should now have doppler correction of the IC-9700, the frequency and DATA mode set automatic:

UISS and Soundmodem installation

Download and install UISS. During installation, install the Soundmodem software TNC. Note again: this guide will not cover configuration and functions of the UISS software.

Download the file ptt-dll.zip from Soundmodem webpage. Unzip and copy the files (CAT and PTT dll files) to your UISS installation folder. The PTT dll file is needed for the keying of IC-9700.

Soundmodem Setup

Start UISS and Soundmodem (can be auto started by UISS).
The setup for “Auto Run” in UISS should be like this (replace the folder path to your installation location of UISS/Soundmodem):

Now go to Settings in Soundmodem.

  • Sound card: should be the USB audio soundcard (In and OUT) for your IC-9700, could be named as something else. It is possible to edit the soundcard names in Windows so I renamed mine to “IC-9700”.
  • Server setup: this is the connection ports for UISS.
  • PTT Port: This is the other COM-port for your IC-9700 (remember that we used COM 4 in Omnirig). Soundmodem is using the PTT-dll file that you downloaded before to be able to key the IC-9700.

Test UISS PTT keying – End-2-End test

Now it is time to test PTT keying, what we call End-2-End test 🙂 In my example UISS is configured for HADES-R (SO-124) so the “Via” callsign is DP0SNX.
Press F7 (or click “Message”) and the IC-9700 should key and transmit the text in “TX APRS Message” box and at the same time as PstRotator is adjusting the IC-9700 frequency for doppler:

End of setup guide – good luck!