December 28, 2021
ARISS SSTV Award
June 26, 2021
ARISS SSTV Award
On the right: American Owen Garriott W5LFL who was the first astronaut and amateur radio operator to take with him on the space shuttle Columbia (STS-9 mission in 1983) amateur radio equipment and conducted radio communications with radio amateurs on Earth. Hereby the SAREX program (Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment later called Space Amateur Radio Experiment) was created.
June 23, 2021
Mir-Sat-1 Received Over Africa
May 7, 2021
JIDXM Friendship award 2020.
I'm so honored and grateful to be the recipient the beautiful plaque of JIDXM Friendship award 2020.
April 24, 2021
Radio amateur G3YJO on BBC Radio 4
Radio amateur Professor Sir Martin Sweeting G3YJO, was the guest on the Radio 4 show The Life Scientific that was broadcast on Tuesday, April 20.
Martin Sweeting G3YJO pioneered the original SmallSats revolutions with the UOSAT-1 and UOSAT-2 spacecraft that carried amateur radio payloads and launched in the early 1980’s. They led to the founding of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) of which he is Executive Chairman.
You can listen to, or download, an MP3 recording of the BBC show which mentions amateur radio and AMSAT from the BBC website at https://bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000v7pb
read more @ https://amsat-uk.org/
March 30, 2021
DIY-1 Satellite RTTY telemetry received over Africa !
March 27, 2021
March 19, 2021
JY1 The Late King Hussein of Jordan with old timer Arab Radio Amateur ...
JY1 The Late King Hussein of Jordan ( in T-shart) with DR. Sid Ahmed Ibrahim ST2SA (holding the mike) and other Radio operators 9K2AL- 9K2AM-7Z3AB-JY4IA
March 18, 2021
March 17, 2021
SpaceX decoding
Good summary on SpaceX decoding so far by Scott Manley: How Amateur Radio Fans Decoded SpaceX's Telemetry & Engineering Video
Over the weekend amateur radio tinkerers in Europe managed to decode some portions of the telemetry data broadcast by the second stage of the Falcon 9 when it's in orbit. This data was in a somewhat standard format, but decoding still required some custom tools to extract the bitstream from the signal and then some guesswork to figure out the exact format. There's still lots of unknown data, but most interestingly this gave access to the engineering cameras including one showing the interior of the liquid oxygen tank.
NOAA-2 returning from the dead
A few days ago, a long-time amateur radio satellite watcher Scott Tilley announced on Twitter that his automated L-Band receiver detected signal emissions from the old NOAA-2 satellite.
It is not too uncommon for old decommissioned satellites to start transmitting a signal again, you may be familiar with a similar phenomenon that’s happened to Transit 5B-5 or NOAA-9, and plenty other satellites. Happysat has a page on his blog documenting emissions like this, but note that it’s now out of date and the satellites shown there may no longer be active.
Read More https://sgcderek.github.io/posts/noaa2-revival/
March 16, 2021
FodTrack
Soon later a colleague asked me for a copy of that program. Since it was still very rustic, I added a basic user interface to it, and released it as version 1.0 into the public domain. The rest, as they say, is history... Many people started using FodTrack, made suggestions for improvement, reported bugs, and I kept releasing one version after another, over 30 versions so far! Most of this development happened in the first five years; after that, the system stabilized, and since then I only occasionally add some new features.
At this time, FodTrack controls both the antenna aiming, and the radio equipment, and can be run in manual or in automatic mode. It has a GPS interface for time and position setting, so that it can be used in mobile satellite stations. It is highly configurable to the requirements of each station. And what is its best liked feature, it's completely free for amateur and other non-commercial use! Only if someone uses it for profit, I would like a modest share of the money made that way!
FodTrack started as a DOS program, designed with a view towards optimal performance in DESQview, which was the best multitasking environment available when the program was first created. It also worked well in old Windows versions, as long as you configured a DOS window with direct hardware access, which is needed in order to write the special output required by the rotator interface. I used it under Windows 98 and even XP on an old main-board. Some people even used it on Linux (with DOSEMU).
More recently FodTrack was changed into a genuine Windows program, by using a Windows-based compiler and making changes necessary for this brave new USB world that has no parallel ports and often not even real COM ports. Unfortunately this meant dropping support for the original parallel-port-based FodTrack rotator interface. The look and operation of the software has been kept unchanged.
On this link you will find both the last DOS-based version of FodTrack that supports the original interface, and the current Windows version. homo ludens homepage.de Manfred- XQ2FOD ..
March 15, 2021
Status of active Birds4 Satellites .
read more @dk3wn-blog
New Sats Status
TSURU 4k8 FSK active JG6YMX GuaraniSat-1 active JG6YMZ Maya-2 unknown Tausat-1 9k6 BPSK active RSP-001 CW active 8N1RSP STARS-EC(A) CW active JJ2YVA STARS-EC(B) CW active JJ2YVB STARS-EC(C) CW unknown OPUSAT-II unknown WARP-01 not heard Hirogari not heard
Read more at wakky.asablo.jp/blog/
March 14, 2021
Microsatellite Satellites released from "Kibo" on ISS March 14th-2021
Birds-4
BIRDS4 Project, Japan
The project is led by Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan .
437.375MHz, Tsuru/GuaraniSat-1/Maya-2
BIRDS4 Project website
Dear BIRDS-4 followers and amateur radio operators.
We published the decoder software which is to receive CW and decode it. In the pdf file, you can access the detailed specification of our satellites CW. And you can also access the pptx file which is to explain how to use the software.
https://birds4.birds-project.com/
The BIRDS Satellite Project
The Joint Global Multi-Nation Birds Satellite (BIRDS) Project was initiated in 2015 by the Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan with the help of over ten partner institutions. It was envisioned by Dr. Mengu Cho, Professor at Kyutech, who became Principal Investigator for the Project. The BIRDS Project trains graduate students from many developing countries in using innovative and cost-effective systems engineering during the course of a two-year satellite project. The BIRDS project was selected by the Global Engineering Deans Council (GEDC) as the winner of the 2017 GEDC Airbus Diversity Award for diversity in engineering. The Project has provided training for students from many countries including: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Egypt, Ghana, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Paraguay, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand, and Turkey.
One BIRDS project is begun each year, with 2019 marking the fourth generation (BIRDS-4) since the Project’s inception. The yearly projects are carried out by graduate students enrolled at Kyutech for a masters or doctoral degree, and such projects are supervised by four Kyutech faculty members. During these two-year satellite projects, the students design, develop, and operate CubeSats belonging to participating countries. Since 2015, the BIRDS Project has trained fifty-two graduate students, thirty-two of whom hail from under-represented countries, and launch eleven 1U CubeSats.
The long-term goal of the BIRDS Project is to train students in
developing countries to help launch and steer their nations’ space
programs. As part of the project, Kyutech has built a global human and
ground station network of more than fifteen countries that are
continually operating satellites and sharing research ideas. The Project
hosts an annual BIRDS workshop to foster communication and cooperation,
allowing its participants and graduates to meet in person and discuss
their progress and new programs. It has supported Bangladesh, Bhutan,
Ghana, Mongolia, Nepal and Sri Lanka in launching their first national
satellites with the help of project graduates. The BIRDS Project has
also supported ten institutions in developing countries through the
difficult process of creating their own sustainable space research and
education programs. Red More @ SSPI
OTHER SATELLITES ARE
Hirogari
Osaka Prefecture University, Japan
Muroran Institute of Technology
145.900MHz, 1k2AFSK/9k6GMSK/19k2_4FSK,CW
RSP-01
Rymansat Project, Japan
145.810MHz, 1k2AFSK/9k6GMSK/19k2FSK,CW
Tausat-1
TelAviv University, Israel
436.400MHz, 9k6BPSK
March 13, 2021
Some of my old messages with ISS BBS,date back to 2004.
Some of my old messages with International Space Station message board,date back to 2004.
Welcome to RS0ISS's message board
System Ver 1.50 87824 Bytes free
You have following mails waiting.
CMD(F/K/M/R/W/B/H/?)>
m
Msg# Size TS Date Time From To @ BBS Subject
102 457 /0800 KC8FRW>ST2NH Greetings
76 30 /1852 ST2NH >ST2YL HELLO REEM
74 46 /1849 ST2NH >ALL HELLO DE ST2NH
52 30 /2039 ST2NH >ALL hi all
87824 Bytes free
Next message Number 126
CMD(F/K/M/R/W/B/H/?)>
r 102
Posted : 08:00:38
From : KC8FRW
To : ST2NH
@ BBS :
Subject:Greetings
Hello from Michigan (the "Great Lakes State")
73
John B. Kobberstad (kc8frw)
6054 Wildrose Lane
Burtchville Township, Michigan U.S.A. 48059-4310
IRLP Node 2524
My hours of operation are 1200 UTC - 0400 UTC
Message sent on Nov. 11, 2004
at 05:15 UTC using WinPack V6.80
CMD(F/K/M/R/W/B/H/?)>
w kc8frw
Subject:
tnx replying
Message:
hello glad to mailing u
qsl manger ea7ftr
keep in touch
de st2nh 73
/ex
Thank you for your message.
CMD(F/K/M/R/W/B/H/?)>
k 77
Welcome to RS0ISS's message board
System Ver 1.50 87704 Bytes free
CMD(F/K/M/R/W/B/H/?)>
March 12, 2021
We are pushing the boundaries yet again!
reed more at https://twitter.com/r2x0t/status/1370030702633312259
March 6, 2021
LCD display satellite name,azimuth and elevation. part-2
Many asking for the Arduino code.so here is the code with some hints for the setup.
I added a label texts to the 2nd low row of the LCD. see below photos .
Download and unzip the DdeOrbitronToSerial to temp folder.
Copy the ( DDEOrbitronToSerial.exe) folder and place it inside Orbitron Config folder..
See photo.
Clear any old text below the [Drivers] at Orbitron\Config\Setup.cfg .
When you Click DRIVER button at Orbitron,a window will popup ask you where the the DDEOrbitronToSerial.exe application .
Browse to Orbitron Config file and select it , now the DDEOrbitronToSerial application should launch and you will be able to select your com port and output the satellite data to the serial port. .
I found the DDEOrbitronToSerial sent data to 1st row only. !! so I added in my code a label text to the 2nd row. see photos above...
...
More about DdeOrbitronToSerial see http://tripsintech.com/
//======================Arduino LCD display code==========================
//LCD DISPLAY SAT NAME ,AZ AND EL...DE ST2NH 1-3-2021
// include library ..
#include <LiquidCrystal.h>
//LCD pin to Arduino
const int pin_RS = 8;
const int pin_EN = 9;
const int pin_d4 = 4;
const int pin_d5 = 5;
const int pin_d6 = 6;
const int pin_d7 = 7;
const int pin_BL = 10;
LiquidCrystal lcd( pin_RS, pin_EN, pin_d4, pin_d5, pin_d6, pin_d7);
void setup() {
lcd.begin(16, 2); // this for lower row
Serial.begin(9600); // speed
lcd.print("WAITING FOR DATA ");
// delay(1000);
}
void loop() {
// seting LCD for the lower row (0, 2) to print satellite name/AZ/EL ..
//The firest row writing by the DDE and Orbitron software??? see the blog for more info....
//At Orbitron to Serial their are many chooses for the data to be print on the 1st row..
lcd.setCursor(0, 2); // low raw
lcd.print(" NAME AZ EL"); // adjust space between words
//to fit on the lcd display
if (Serial.available()) //data from PC available
{
//wait and clear the display !!
delay(100);
lcd.clear();
while (Serial.available() > 0) //if data is here from the PC write the 1st raw..
{
lcd.write(Serial.read());
}
}
}
//======================Arduino LCD display code==========================
March 5, 2021
LCD display satellite name,azimuth and elevation.
Here is s simple project to display the satellite name,azimuth and elevation
on LCD attached to Arduino Micro-controller.
The software used are :
1- Orbitron v-3.71 .
2-Orbitron DDE Azimuth Elevation To Serial.from Trips in Tech
(http://tripsintech.com/orbitron-dde-azimuth-elevation-to-serial/)
3-My Arduino code to read and display the serial output data from
Orbitron and the serial DDE .
Hardware
1-LCD keypad shield.
2-Arduino UNO.
3-PC.
February 21, 2021
CQ JA Magazine
At the last issue (March-2021) of the CQ Ham Radio magazine ( CQ JA Magazine). I have an article about working Radio Amateur from Africa with friends from all over the globe via HF and Satellites. With especially QSO story which took more than 2 months to complete with my friend OM Zorro San-JH1AJT and with his support, encouragement and persistence to the friendship contacts.
February 19, 2021
February 13, 2021
QSO phraseology as Text & Audio in eight languages.
How to learn the QSO PHRASEOLOGY in 8 languages online? My Finnish Friends, Radio Amateurs, brothers Heikinheimo Jukka OH1BR/OH2BR and Miika OH2BAD are authors of the manual for Ham Radio Operators: The “Radio Amateur's Conversation Guide”. They compiled it with help of DXer friends some 40 years ago! Later, the brothers published an additional audio companion to the Conversation Guide. They organized recording of audio files for all the languages and published them on C-cassettes and later, cooperating with DARC, on a CD-ROM. But young hams seldom read paper books or listen to CD-ROM discs. Therefore, our team had the idea to REMAKE the great work of brothers Heikinheimo in an Online Page on which it would be possible to click on the text and hear corresponding audio read by a native speaker, what was not possible earlier. So, we wanted to combine previously existing separate texts and audio materials into one place. Imagine - hundreds of phrases belonging to Amateur Radio jargon in 8 languages! Jukka and Miika eagerly supported the idea of creating such an online international ham tool.
You can easily get to the right page -
just follow the link: https://raisa.blog/how-to/the-radio-a...
73 and 88! YL Raisa #R1BIG
January 18, 2021
ELaNa 20 CubeSats Deployed
Today at approximately 3:35 p.m. ET (12:35 p.m. PT), 10 CubeSats began deploying from Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne Rocket into low-Earth Orbit as part of the Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) 20 mission. Virgin Orbit’s 747-00 carrier, Cosmic Girl, took off from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California at 1:38 p.m. ET (10:38 a.m. PT) today carrying the LauncherOne Rocket and the 10 small research satellites.
CubeSats are a cornerstone in the development of cutting-edge technologies like laser communications, satellite-to-satellite communications, and autonomous movement. The nine CubeSat missions in this launch were developed by the following universities and one NASA center:
- CACTUS-1 – Capitol Technology University, Laurel, Md.
- CAPE-3 – University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- EXOCUBE – California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
- MiTEE – University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.
- PICS (two CubeSats) – Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
- PolarCube – University of Colorado at Boulder
- Q-PACE – University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fla.
- RadFXSat-2 – Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
- TechEdSat-7 – NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
CSLI is an initiative created by NASA to attract and retain students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines. Missions are selected through the CubeSat Launch Initiative and managed by NASA’s Launch Services Program at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Visit our website to learn more and follow us on Twitter at NASA_LSP and Facebook at NASA LSP.
read more Kennedy Space Center
January 1, 2021
Got the rank # 12 and about 400.000 visitors
I'm very happy to see the visitors counter around 400,000 visits. Also I'm glad to got the rank # 12 at (Top 15 Satellite Blogs & Websites To Follow in 2020). https://blog.feedspot.com/satellite_blogs/
Thanks for any visitors.Not bad for 14 years old Blog.