Category: Ham Satellite news

Portable PREDICT Plus r en portabel variant av programmet Predict. Portable PREDICT Plus innehller alla program man behver fr att spra satelliter och kra digital trafik, ryms p tv disketter, bootar upp p disketterna och kr en minimal variant av Linux.

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Announcing the release of Portable PREDICT Plus, a miniature distribution of Linux that includes several ham radio and OSCAR satellite communication applications.

Portable PREDICT Plus boots from a pair of floppy disks and runs entirely in RAM. There s no need to download huge CDROM images, install Linux, compile code, configure a kernel, or re-partition your hard disk to run this software. A third data disk is used to save configuration and home directory files, and can be used to import Keplerian orbital data into the system during setup.

Portable PREDICT Plus includes PREDICT, PB/PG, FODtrack, PacsatTools, MoonTracker, minicom, setserial, and a small collection of AX.25 applications and utilities including kisson, kissoff, kissattach, kissparms, listen, mheard, call, and beacon. There s even a program included to play audio CDs. 🙂

Portable PREDICT Plus is based on a Linux kernel version 2.6.7, and supports a total of eight virtual consoles , providing multiple login sessions that take full advantage of the multitasking and co-operative nature of the operating system and many of the included applications.

Portable PREDICT Plus is capable of supporting moonbounce, analog and digital (Pacsat) satellite operations (including the new ECHO satellite), satellite and terrestrial packet radio communications (including ISS operations), as well as the generation of APRS-style beacons. Portable PREDICT Plus supports KISS and 6pack mode terminal node controllers, and runs on 32-bit PCs from 386s on up.

Portable PREDICT Plus is available in two forms: One that builds the disk sets under Linux, and another that builds the disks under a DOS/Windows environment. The DOS/Windows version contains some extra tutorial information to assist those new to a Linux computing environment.

Downloads are about 3 megabytes, and are available as follows:

Linux version: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ftp/software/Linux/ppplus-0.90.tar.gz

DOS/Windows version: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ftp/software/PC/tracking/pplus090.zip

Portable PREDICT Plus was created by John A. Magliacane, KD2BD, and is released under the GNU General Public License. Additional information is available at: http://www.qsl.net/kd2bd/predict.html

[ANS thanks John, KD2BD for the above information]

Predict hemsida

Klla:

Som ni kan lsa nedan ppnas AO-51 fr trafik idag den 30:e juli. Det som kommer att testas r FM-repeatern.

AO-51 (AMSAT-Echo) will be turned on for general use in FM repeat mode on 30 July 2004 at about 0215 UTC. This will be for a trial period of about three weeks during which the command stations will be watching the power budget and adjusting the UHF transmitter B power as needed for good management of the battery. Initially, the transmitter will be running at about 1W. If power allows, it will be slowly increased during the trial period. We will also be adjusting settings on the satellite, so if the signal changes slightly from time to time, do not be alarmed. The TXB transmitter will be on 435.300 MHz, which is also a trial frequency. The original frequency of 435.225 MHz is now in regular use by GO-32, so the alternate is being tested to see if it can be used long term.

To work Echo in this mode you need the following information: Uplink: 145.920 MHz FM voice with 67 Hz PL. Downlink: 435.300 MHz FM voice. The downlink transmitter will come on when it hears an uplink signal with a 67 Hz PL tone for about 1 second. It stays on for 10 seconds after that signal goes away.

This operation is just like a terrestrial FM repeater with a 1 second kerchunk filter and a 10 second hang time.

The command stations will be watching the AMSAT-BB email reflector for report of how Echo is working. Please post your results there. We are most interested in hearing about how well Echo hears you and how well you hear it.

Note that Echo is still wobbling a great deal and the polarization sense of the downlink will vary. The B UHF TX is nominally RHCP in the northern hemisphere but this will change over the duration of a pass due to wobble and orientation relative to the ground station.

Transmitter A will generally continue to operate on 435.150 but may be at reduced power at times, or may be at about 1W only when the command stations are gathering Whole Orbit Data (WOD) telemetry. We will be analyzing the WOD for information about how much TX B is on and how the power system is behaving. Please note that the digital transponder and the store and forward BBS, are NOT yet open for general use. TX A may also switch to 38k4 from time to time to facilitate downloading large files.

We expect Echo will be heavily used in these first few days. Many stations will be trying to make a contact through Echo. It is good amateur practice and common courtesy to let everyone have a chance. Echo will hear you as well as or better than any previous amateur FM repeater satellite. With the downlink transmitter at 1W you will need a small directional antenna to hear it. Especially in these first few days, always listen first. Even though the downlink will only come on when it hears an uplink signal, with hundreds of stations trying it out we expect the transmitter to be on continuously when over populated areas. So again, listen first, and be courteous to let everyone have a chance at making a contact via AO-51.

And a reminder, this is a trial period of the FM voice repeat function. The digital portion of Echo is NOT yet open for use.

Echo Command Team Jim White, WD0E Mike Kingery, KE4AZN

Klla: ANS

Hej! nu nrmar vi oss dom fina Augusti kvllarna d det r ltt att se satelliter som passerar med solbelysning p sig.

Passa p att ta med barn och barnbarn ut i trdgrden.Det r ltt att gra en passage frutsgelse med hjlp av heavens above och deras stora databas med alla platser p jorden.(vem vet man kan vcka ett intresse fr livet)

Jag var ute igr kvll och sg Envisat som r en jtte satellit p 26×10 meter, lycka till!!

kolla ven http://envisat.esa.int/ .

Heavens above

Klla: SM7WSJ

The command team continues to work and test Echo. At the present time they are testing the satellite s software on the ground in preparation for general amateur use. The team continues reloading and testing software on the satellite. Telemetry data is also being collected when Echo is in the sun, to work on attitude determination.

The satellite has been in a low power mode while software is loaded. The 435.150 MHz downlink is being used for this task. There are a few more tests to complete before the satellite is opened up for use by the general amateur community. This step will not signify the completion of
commissioning by any means, but it has always been the goal of the command team to insure that the satellite s hardware is working properly first, and then open the satellite for everyone to use.

Much more work and testing is yet to be done. The command team, at various times, following general use, will disable the current operating mode to compete the necessary tests. This will occur without prior warning. When we begin this phase, please consider the satellite in experimental operation mode.

At the present time it is anticipated that Echo will be opened initially in 9k6 digital mode, via the BBS system. After running a few days in that mode the FM repeater may be enabled. All modes will start at low power and gather data while looking at the overall health of the satellite, – specifically the power consumption in each configuration. As the command team gains knowledge they will gradually increase the power, and again watch the data.

The command team asks at the present time, that you continue to NOT transmit to Echo. Your patience in that regard up to this point has been appreciated. When Echo is ready, a BBS message will be posted on the Satellite, as they have tried to do from time to time to inform the 9k6 digital group what is happening with commissioning. Also a bulletin through ANS and on the AMSAT website will be issued. So, please continue to show restraint and you will
be making your first contacts through Echo soon.

[ANS thanks Mike, KE4AZN for the above information]

Klla: ANS

Senaste nytt frn ANS om Echo. Nu brjar ven S-sndaren at testas:

Some stations have noted the S testing and reported results, which is appreciated by the command team. The command team has been watching the temperature closely when the S Tx is on. Since it is only about 30 percent
efficient a lot of power must be dissipated in the transmitter and its enclosure. So far the temperature rise, while quite noticeable, has not been a problem.

AO-51 continues to spin and tumble at a relatively rapid rate. In one axis it s about 15 seconds per rev. While these rates are high they are not a problem for the satellite. They do create some fades on the downlink that
will go away once the tumble is damped out. Because of the high rates it is likely to take a while for that stable mode to be achieved. The torq rod has also not yet oriented the satellite to the earth s magnetic field.

A new section of the telemetry archive will be open soon with whole orbit data that has been collected by the command stations. Some of it is at a rate of 3 seconds between samples. That high sample rate data is what has
been being used to determine the spin and attitude. Once on-line that section of the site will be available for anyone to download archived telemetry.
http://coloradosatellite.com/echo

Approximately 2500 launch campaign pictures are now available for browsing on the web thanks to Chuck Green, N0ADI. The pictures can be viewed at
http://bach.as.arizona.edu/gallery/echo

There has been some speculation about modes for future experimenter Wednesday. While AO-51 is a very flexible and capable spacecraft, it is still too early to determine exactly what the final operational parameters will be on Wednesdays or during normal operations.

Klla: ANS 199

Dear OM,

The ON1CAU Satellite page is after almost 7 years history! The re-design of our new website has reached the stage for testing.It s a complete new design with a new name ( ON6SAT Amateur satellite Links ) and a new address http://on6sat.com/links/ .

Don t forget to update your bookmarks !!

The site contains more then 1200 amateur & weather
satellite related links and the database is always growing.

General Amateur Radio links are not indexed here, just links
having some special connection to amateur radio in space.

I hope you will drop by and let me know what you think!

Best 73, Berto ON6SAT (ex ON1CAU)
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Klla: amsat