• Amsat News Service 084/2

    From Paul Williams@1:387/710 to All on Wednesday, March 28, 2001 14:39:36
    SO-41 SAUDISAT-1A
    Uplink to be released
    Downlink 437.075 MHz
    Broadcast Callsign SASAT1-11
    BBS SASAT1-12
    Launched: September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic
    missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Status: Unknown, this
    satellite has been in orbit for almost six months. ANS has
    received no additional information.

    SaudiSat-1A will operate as 9600 baud digital store-and-forward
    systems as well analog FM repeater mode capability. One of two
    new ham satellites from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia built by the
    Space Research Institute at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and
    Technology.

    SO-42 SAUDISAT-1B
    Uplink to be released
    Downlink 436.775 MHz
    Broadcast Callsign SASAT2-11
    BBS SASAT2-12
    Launched: September 26, 2000 aboard a converted Soviet ballistic
    missile from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Status: Unknown, this
    satellite has been in orbit for almost six months. ANS has
    received no additional information.

    SaudiSat-1B will operate as 9600 baud digital store-and-forward
    systems as well analog FM repeater mode capability. One of two
    new ham satellites from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia built by the
    Space Research Institute at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and
    Technology.

    SUNSAT SO-35
    Mode J Uplink: 145.825 MHz FM
    Mode J Downlink: 436.250 MHz FM

    Mode B Uplink: 436.291 MHz FM
    Mode B Downlink: 145.825 MHz FM
    Launched: February 23, 1999 by a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg
    Air Force Base in California. Status: Non-operational

    The SunSat team released the following statement, dated
    February 1, 2001:

    We regret to announce that the last communication with SunSat from
    our ground station at the Electronic Systems Laboratory at Stellenbosch University took place recently. We are certain, after having performed
    several tests since the last contact, that an irreversible, physical failure has occurred on the satellite. It is therefore unlikely that we will have
    any
    further contact with SunSat, apart from the occasional visual sighting by telescope!

    When it was operational the SunSat package included 1200 and 9600
    baud digital store-and-forward capability and a voice 'parrot' repeater
    system in addition to Mode B/J operation with two VHF and two UHF transmit-receive systems.

    For more information on SunSat visit the following URL:

    http://sunsat.ee.sun.ac.za

    [ANS thanks Garth Milne, ZR1AFH, for this information]

    RADIO SPORT RS-13
    Uplink 21.260 to 21.300 MHz CW/SSB
    Downlink 145.860 to 145.900 MHz CW/SSB
    Beacon 145.860 MHz
    Launched: February 5, 1991 aboard a Russian Cosmos C launcher
    Status: non-operational (last operational in mode-T)

    RS-12 was re-activated in January 2001. Prior to this switch RS-13
    was operational (mode T), but was apparently turned off following
    the recent RS-12 switch.

    The latest information on RS-12 and RS-13 can be found on the
    AC5DK RS-12/13 Satellite Operators page at:

    http://www.qsl.net/ac5dk/rs1213/rs1213.html

    [ANS thanks Kevin Manzer, AC5DK, for this information]

    KITSAT KO-23
    Uplink 145.900 MHz FM (9600 baud FSK)
    Downlink 435.170 MHz FM
    Broadcast Callsign HLO1-11
    BBS HLO1-12
    Launched: August 10, 1992 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
    French Guiana. Status: Intermittent operation with the downlink
    transmitter operating at unpredictable intervals.

    Jim, AA7KC, reports that KO-23's downlink transmitter continues
    in non-operational status. Jim says that KO-23 shows some signs
    of trying to recover, but no useful data has been downlinked. The
    duration of this status is unpredictable. No data has been received
    since October 28, 2000.

    KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ, reports (from the KO-23 control team) that part
    of the problem with non-operation has been the power budget aboard
    the satellite. "We are not sure when the bird might turn off again due to insufficient power. The capability of the onboard power system has been
    less and less," said Kim. HL0ENJ also noted that as of October 30, 2000
    the onboard computer was reset and a reboot of operational software is
    now underway.

    Jeff, KB2WQM, reported to ANS that he noticed KO-23 transmitting a
    solid carrier recently (no data), Mineo, JE9PEL, also reported receiving
    KO-23 carrier signals.

    [ANS thanks Jim Weisenberger, AA7KC, and KyungHee Kim, HL0ENJ,
    for KO-23 status information]

    TECHSAT-1B GO-32
    Downlink 435.225 MHz using HDLC telemetry
    Launched: July 10, 1998 by a Russian Zenit rocket from the Baikonur
    Cosmodrome. Status: Semi-operational.

    Efforts were reported to be underway to bring GO-32 on line,
    however, no information has been received by ANS (the last
    report was dated November 1999).

    Last reported, the satellite does transmit a 9600-baud burst every
    30 seconds (the GO-32 beacon sends one short telemetry status
    transmission of 44 bytes) and upon request the complete
    telemetry buffer.

    [ANS has no further information]

    PANSAT PO-34
    Uplink/downlink frequency (listed on the PanSat web site) 436.50 MHz
    Launched: October 30, 1998 by the Shuttle Discovery
    Status: Unknown

    The satellite is not available for general uplink transmissions.

    PanSat was developed by the Naval Postgraduate School. At the time of
    launch, PanSat spread-spectrum digital transponders were promised to
    be available to Amateur Radio operators along with software to utilize
    this technology. To date, this has not happened.

    For more information, visit the official PanSat web site at:

    http://www.sp.nps.navy.mil/pansat/

    PanSat was the featured cover article on the July/August 1999 issue
    of the AMSAT-NA Journal (the story written by KD6DRA and N7HPR).

    [ANS has no further information]

    DOVE DO-17
    Downlink 145.825 MHz FM (1200 baud AFSK)
    2401.220 MHz
    Launched: January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
    French Guiana. Status: Non-operational.

    DOVE has been in orbit for 11 years.

    DOVE stopped transmitting in March 1998. The 145.825 MHz and
    2401.220 MHz downlinks are off the air and the satellite has not
    responded to ground station control.

    [ANS has no further information]

    WEBERSAT WO-18
    Downlink 437.104 MHz SSB (1200 baud PSK AX.25)
    Launched: January 22, 1990 by an Ariane launcher from Kourou,
    French Guiana. Status: Non-operational.

    WO-18 was last reported to be in MBL mode after a software crash.

    [ANS has no further information]

    SEDSAT-1 SO-33
    Downlink 437.910 MHz FM (9600 baud FSK)
    Launched: October 24, 1998 by a Delta 2 rocket from Cape
    Canaveral, Florida. Status: Semi-operational.

    The satellite is not currently available for uplink transmissions and
    the image and transponder recovery efforts have been unsuccessful.

    SedSat-1 signifies Students for the Exploration and Development of
    Space (satellite number one).

    SedSat-1 has downlinked months worth of telemetry data on the
    performance of its electrical power system parameters. The Nickel
    Metal Hydride batteries on the spacecraft were experimental and
    experienced some abuse due to a power negative situation. This
    information has provided NASA with useful information. With the
    exception of the imaging system and the use of the transponders,
    SedSat-1 has been judged a success.

    For more information on SedSat-1 visit the satellite web site at the
    following URL:

    http://seds.uah.edu/projects/sedsat/sedsat.htm

    [ANS has no further information]

    /EX

    --ANS END---

    ANS would like to thank Mike Seguin, N1JEZ, ANS principal satellite investigator, for helping provide current satellite information.

    Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:

    ans-editor@amsat.org

    Daniel (Dan) James
    AMSAT News Service Bulletin Editor
    AMSAT-NA Vice President/Public Affairs
    Amateur callsign: NN╪DJ
    Grid Square EN28iv
    Warroad, Minnesota U.S.A.
    E-mail: nn0dj@amsat.org

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