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Satgate System to QRT, FO-29 analog transponder quits
AMSAT-NA reports that after many years of forwarding packet
messages via UO-22, GO-32 and AO-51 the Satgate System. The total of 35
worldwide stations in the system a few years ago has dwindled due to a
lack of traffic, maintenance problems, change of location and operator
attrition. The system originated with David Medley, KI6QE, and the
driving force over the past several years has been Andrew Sellers,
G8TZJ, who’s credited with developing software to permit Satgate
stations to be fully automated. Meanwhile, an analog transponder of the
FO-29
satellite reportedly has shut down, although Earth stations are looking
into resurrecting the satellite and invite telemetry reports via e-mail.
Ground controllers want to develop a plan to restore the
more-than-decade-old satellite to operation. Mineo Wakita, JE9PEL, has
created a simple decoder program for FO29’s CW telemetry downlink, should signals be heard. – AMSAT News Service
AMSAT 2007 Space Symposium and General Meeting set
The 2007 AMSAT-NA Space Symposium and General Meeting will take
place Friday through Sunday, October 26-28, in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. [http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/symposium/2007/index.php]
The Wireless Association of South Hills Amateur Radio Club will serve
as the host for this year’s event. The 2007 Space Symposium will
attempt to attract local middle and high schoolers to the Saturday
sessions and is offering programs by local educators. In connection
with this initiative, a fully operational satellite station will be
available on site. -- AMSAT News Service
European MF experiments
Since the beginning of 2005 the German telecommunication authorities have licensed a
propagation study experiment on medium wave MF. The first license for an experimental
station on 440 kHz plus/minus 100 Hz was issued to Walter, DJ2LF under the callsign DI2AG.
In May 2006, Geri, DK8KW got the second license to operate under the callsign DI2BO at his
home location in Peine near Hannover, locator JO52BH. Early in 2007 the experimental radio
licenses were extended to a second frequency. Besides 440 kHz also 505.1 kHz plus/minus 100 Hz
may now be used. This frequency falls into the frequency range of the Experimental radio group
with the callsign WD2XSH in the U.S. Also, the Swedish authorities have issued one license for this
frequency range. This frequency is also very close to the new amateur radio band 501 to 504 kHz which was
issued recently on an experimental basis. DI2BO currently transmits in QRSS3 interrupted by CW identification.
For the time being the beacon will remain permanently on 24/7 on 505.015 kHz. Reception reports are welcome,
either via DK8KW or direct. Correct reception reports will be confirmed by a special QSL card.
ITU okays Montenegro, Serbia call sign prefix agreement
Although it became a country — and a DXCC entity — in its own right last June, Montenegro has not had an Amateur Radio call sign block to call its own until this month. According to The Daily DX, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) did not want to give Montenegro an entirely new prefix, so it required the states of Montenegro and Serbia to agree upon one or two prefixes from the five (4N, 4O, YT, YU and YZ) assigned to the former Serbia-Montenegro. An agreement was reached May 11, and the ITU now lists 4O (that’s “four Oscar”) as Montenegro’s. This means Montenegro stations may use 4O0 through 4O9, while Serbia stations will continue to use YT and YU prefixes for all call districts, 0 through 9. The ITU has taken back the former 4N and YZ prefixes for future reassignment. The ITU reportedly wants the two nations to complete the transition to new call sign blocks as soon as possible. The Daily DX Editor Bernie McClenny, W3UR, recommends that DXers update their logging software carefully to reflect the changes.
| June, 2007 | |
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