March, 2007

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AO-27 rejuvenated, back on the air
AMSAT News Service reports that AO-27 (EyeSat-1) has again been recovered and returned to operation. Launched in September 1993, AO-27 had been non-operational for some time. Michael Wyrick, N3UC, of the AO-27 command team told ANS that after addressing problems with the microsat's AFSK modem, ground controllers were able to upload operational software. The satellite has been sending telemetry, and the analog transponder has been turned on again. Under the current schedule, AO-27 is on during ascending (south-to-north) passes at approximately 30 degrees north latitude, although it's impossible to say when the satellite will be operational for a given location. An initial 20 seconds of telemetry are followed by 5 minutes of analog repeater operation. AO-27 then transmits another 60 seconds of telemetry before shutting down. The satellite carries a Mode V/U FM repeater with the uplink at 145.850 MHz and the downlink at 436.795 MHz. "Please keep in mind that AO-27 is 13 years old and takes some work to keep going," Wyrick advised users. Ground controllers are seeking help in logging telemetry from AO-27. Visit the Logging AO-27 Telemetry page for information.

New Argentine Amateur Radio Satellite Now in Orbit:
AMSAT-LU (Argentina) has announced that Pehuensat-1, the second Argentine Amateur Radio satellite, now is in a 635 to 640 km sun-synchronous polar orbit (97.92 degree inclination). It was launched January 10 from India. Once activated Pehuensat-1 will transmit voice messages in three languages --English, Hindi and Spanish -- on 145.825 MHz followed by AX.25 1200 bps packet. Named after the native Patagonian Pehuen tree, Pehuensat-1 was developed by the Argentina School of Engineering at the National University of Comahue, the Argentina Association for Technology and Space and AMSAT-LU. More information is on the AMSAT-LU Web site http://www.amsat.org.ar/. To determine the next pass at your location, click on the small revolving globe off of the coast of Argentina, select your location from the map, and then select PEHUENSAT-1. Reception reports are welcome http://www.amsat.org.ar/?f=z. -- AMSAT-NA; AMSAT-LU

FCal Satellite Gets OSCAR Number:
AMSAT-NA OSCAR Coordinator Bill Tynan, W3XO, has announced that the recently deployed FCal Amateur Radio satellite now has an OSCAR number. Built at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). FCal (Fence Calibration Satellite) contains an Amateur Radio CubeSat for communications and telemetry. The spacecraft has been designated NRL-OSCAR-62 or NO-62. "I wish to congratulate you and your entire NRL Amateur Radio Club team for the successful construction, testing and orbiting of this spacecraft," Tynan said. FCal's downlink frequency is 437.385MHz (AX.25 AFSK 1200 bps packet). It identifies as KD4HBO.

Students charged in online snow-day hoax
Two teenage girls posted a fake announcement on their school district's website that said school was closed for the day due to winter weather, police said. The notice, posted Monday, confused many parents -- snow was not in the forecast -- and persuaded some students to stay home. Edgewood City Schools Superintendent Tom York said he discovered the posting when he logged on to write his own announcement that school would be delayed for an hour because of an extreme cold snap. "I didn't make that call, and I'm the guy who does, so I knew something was up," York said. The two Edgewood High School students, whose names were not released, were charged in juvenile court on Friday and face expulsion. One of the girls,16, was charged with delinquency by unauthorized use of a computer and by reason of records tampering. The other, 17, was charged with delinquency by reason of complicity, Sheriff's Sgt. Monte Mayer said. The company that runs the website, RCH Networks Inc., said the system was not hacked into because no security breach was detected. Administrators say the girls must have somehow gotten the password. RCH helped the district track down the girls by supplying the identification numbers from computers that accessed the system, which authorities could then track to the girls' homes. Trenton is about 25 miles north of Cincinnati.

March, 2007

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