Page 15 January February 2018 TCA

AMATEUR RADIO SATELLITES

AMSAT Life Member, Joe succeeds Barry Baines,
WD4ASW, who has served as AMSAT President
for the past nine years. Joe is a well‑known figure
in AMSAT and Amateur Radio satellite circles.
Keith Baker, VA3KSF/KB1SF He served previously as AMSAT‑NA Executive
Corunna, ON N0N 1G0 Vice‑President and as Vice‑President for
E: va3ksf@rac.ca Educational Relations
Since our last installment, Other officers elected by the Board were Paul
there have been a number Stoetzer, N8HM, Executive Vice‑President; Jerry
of very positive Buxton, N0JY, Vice‑President Engineering; Drew
developments in the Glasbrenner, KO4MA, Vice‑President Operations;
Amateur Radio Satellite Clayton Coleman, W5PFG, Secretary; (yours
world. truly) Keith Baker, VA3KSF/KB1SF, Treasurer;
and Martha Saragovitz, Manager.
1) AMSAT‑North America
(AMSAT‑NA) now has a CAS-4A and CAS-4B Transponders Activated
new President and On Wednesday, October 18, Alan Kung BA1DU, The FalconSat-3 satellite shown here undergoing final
Vice‑President. the Chinese AMSAT group (CAMSAT) President, checkout before launch. (Courtesy: USAFA)
2) Two new Chinese reported that the Amateur Radio linear (SSB/CW) Output power is 1 watt, and the downlink is
continuously on. Digipeating is enabled for live
satellites plus an older transponders on the CAS‑4A and CAS‑4B QSOs, but unattended digipeating operations
(digital) satellite already on satellites were activated. have not been authorized at this time. Users have
orbit (FalconSat 3) have As I reported in my last installment, two CAMSAT noted that the VHF receiver is very sensitive.
now been opened up to Amateur Radio payloads are riding “piggyback” Modulation is 9600 bps GMSK for the uplink and
Amateur use. on the optical remote sensing micro‑satellites downlink. The broadcast call sign is PFS3‑11,
3) Another new satellite ZHUHAI‑1 01 (OVS‑1A/CAS‑4A) and ZHUHAI‑1 and the BBS call sign is PFS3‑12, Unproto APRS
via PFS3‑1.
project consisting of a 02 (OVS‑1B/CAS‑4B). The satellites were
series of (higher orbital launched at 0300 GMT on Thursday, June 15, Nearly 700 cadets at the Academy obtained their
altitude) satellites (called 2017 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Amateur Radio certifications as part of training to
“GOLF”) has also been China, on a CZ‑4B launch vehicle. The primary operate FalconSAT‑3 and other USAFA satellites.
announced by AMSAT‑NA. payload of the launch was a hard X‑ray They have taken that knowledge and
modulation telescope satellite (HXMT). understanding of the value of Amateur Radio into
4) And, finally, AMSAT’s FalconSat-3 Now Open for Amateur Use their Air Force service and/or on into industry.
Fox‑1D has been integrated Clearly, the success of the FalconSAT‑3 project
into its Quad Pack The Air Force Academy satellite FalconSAT‑3 has is an excellent example of how Amateur Radio
Launcher and AMSAT’s now been opened for Amateur Radio use as a can be integrated into the curriculum of an
newly launched RadFxSat digital store‑and‑forward system. Cadets and educational institution for the benefit of the
(Fox‑1B now renamed faculty in the Space Systems Research Center at students as well as the Amateur Radio Service.
AO‑91 on orbit) will the US Air Force
(hopefully!) be fully Academy in Colorado
operational by the time Springs, Colorado built
you read these words. FalconSat‑3 in 2005
and 2006. It is the
Needless to say, it’s a great fourth in a series of
time to be an Amateur small satellites
Radio satellite enthusiast! designed, built and
operated at the
AMSAT’s New Officers Academy as part of a
At its Annual Meeting and capstone course. It
Space Symposium held in brings together about
late October 2017 in Reno, 30 cadets each year
Nevada, the AMSAT‑NA from several different
Board of Directors elected academic departments.
Joe Spier, K6WAO, of The satellite is in a
Weimar, California, as the 35.4‑degree inclination
organization’s new orbit, with an
President. An ARRL and
approximate altitude of
(Portions of this article 465 to 476 kilometres.
appeared as a “A Wealth of The Amateur Radio
New Amateur Radio Satellites” Packet Bulletin Board
in the December 2017 edition System is operating at An artist’s concept of the FalconSat-3 satellite showing its various external
of The Spectrum Monitor. components. (Courtesy: USAFA)
Thank you TSM!) 9600 baud GMSK.
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