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I0OJJ > AMSAT 12.04.26 05:04l 507 Lines 21745 Bytes #60 (0) @ WW
BID : 16421_IR0AAB
Subj: ANS-102 AMSAT News Service
Path: ED1ZAC<ED1ZAC<GB7CIP<GB7BED<GB7OSW<VE3CGR<IR0AAB
Sent: 260412/0229Z 16421@IR0AAB.ITA.EU LinBPQ6.0.25
From: Paul Stoetzer via ANS <ans@amsat.org
Subject: [ANS] ANS-102 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2026 20:11:57 EDT
Reply-To: Paul Stoetzer <prstoetzer@gmail.com>
To: space@ww
*AMSAT *News Service *ANS-102*
*April 12, 2026*
In this edition:
- Reminder: AMSAT at Hamvention
- AMSAT to Attend CubeSat Developers Workshop 2026
- AMSAT Satellite Status Page: The Story Behind the New Colors and
Satellite Naming Convention IARU Coordination Requested for
VemanaReddySat
- FO-29 Update
- Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for April 10, 2026
- ARISS News
- AMSAT Ambassador Activities
- Satellite Shorts From All Over
The AMSAT® News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information
service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.
ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on
the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an
active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through
analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.
The news feed on https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in
Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at]
amsat.org
You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service
Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see:
https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/
------------------------------
Reminder: AMSAT at Hamvention
The 2026 Dayton Hamvention will be held Friday through Sunday, May 15–17,
2026, at the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia, Ohio. AMSAT will once
again have a strong presence throughout the event, including booth
activities, social gatherings, and the annual AMSAT Forum.
The 17th annual TAPR/AMSAT Banquet will be held Friday, May 15 at 6:30 PM
EDT (18:30 EDT) at the Kohler Presidential Banquet Center, 4548
Presidential Way, Kettering, Ohio 45429, located approximately 20 minutes
from the Greene County Fairgrounds. This dinner is a highlight of the TAPR
(Tucson Amateur Packet Radio) and AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite
Corporation) activities during Hamvention. The banquet speaker will be
announced at a later date.
Tickets are $75 each and may be purchased through the AMSAT store
<https://www.amsat.org/product-category/amsat-at-hamvention/>. The deadline
to purchase banquet tickets is Monday, May 11 at 17:00 EDT (21:00 UTC).
Tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be sold at the AMSAT
booth or at the door. There will be no tickets available for pickup at the
AMSAT booth. Tickets purchased online will be maintained on a list, with
check-in at the door at the banquet center. Seating is limited to the
number of meals reserved with the Kohler caterers based on ticket sales by
the deadline.
The annual AMSAT “Dinner at Tickets” gathering will take place Thursday,
May 14 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM EDT at Tickets Pub & Eatery, 7 W. Main
Street, Fairborn, Ohio 45324. Telephone (937) 878-9022. This informal event
features no program or speaker, offering an opportunity for conversation
and camaraderie. All are welcome, regardless of participation in booth
setup or operations. Food may be ordered from the menu, and drinks,
including beer, wine, sodas, and iced tea, are available at the bar. No
reservations are required.
AMSAT is seeking volunteers to assist at the AMSAT booth, located in
Building 1, booths 1007–1010 and 1107–1110. Volunteers are encouraged to
contribute as much time as they are able, whether for a few hours or the
entire weekend. In 2025, approximately 20 volunteers supported AMSATs
activities and engagement with attendees.
Those interested in volunteering or requesting additional information may
contact Phil Smith, W1EME, AMSAT Hamvention Team Leader, via email at w1eme
[at] astrocom.net. Volunteer participation plays an important role in
supporting AMSATs presence and outreach within the amateur radio community.
The AMSAT Forum will be held Saturday, May 16 from 1:50 PM to 3:10 PM EDT
in Forum Room 2.
Additional details, including the banquet speaker announcement, will be
provided as they become available.
*[ANS thanks* *the AMSAT Hamvention **team** for the above information]*
------------------------------
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------------------------------
AMSAT to Attend CubeSat Developers Workshop 2026
AMSAT will participate in the CubeSat Developers Workshop 2026
<https://www.cubesatdw.org/> (CDW26), scheduled for April 14–16, 2026, at
the Performing Arts Center on the campus of California Polytechnic State
University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, California.
The CubeSat Developers Workshop is the premier annual gathering for the
small satellite community. Hosted by the Cal Poly CubeSat Laboratory, the
event typically draws more than 500 industry professionals, researchers,
educators, and students. Attendees engage in three days of technical
presentations, Q&A panels, exhibit booths, and extensive networking
opportunities focused on CubeSat and small satellite design, development,
testing, launch, and operations. The workshop is especially valuable for
newcomers, offering direct access to experienced developers and lessons
learned from real missions.
AMSATs presence at CDW26 underscores its long-standing commitment to
advancing amateur radio in space through CubeSat platforms. AMSAT members
and representatives plan to engage with the broader CubeSat community,
share expertise on amateur satellite communications (including
transponders, telemetry, and ground station operations), and explore
collaboration opportunities with universities, educational groups, and
commercial developers. This participation helps strengthen ties between the
amateur radio satellite service and the wider smallsat ecosystem, where
many university and student projects seek reliable, low-cost communication
solutions that align with IARU-coordinated amateur frequencies.
*[ANS thanks AMSAT for the above information]*
------------------------------
AMSAT Satellite Status Page: The Story Behind the New Colors and Satellite
Naming Convention
If you've visited the AMSAT Satellite Status page recently, you may have
noticed the color scheme and satellite naming convention look a bit
different. These changes have prompted some questions from the community,
and we wanted to take a moment to explain the reasoning behind the updates.
Accessibility First
We received a request to change "Transponder/Repeater Operational" from
blue to green, since green often means "good." That made sense, so we made
the change along with a few other minor color adjustments. When we rolled
it out, however, we quickly heard from users who couldn't distinguish
"Transponder/Repeater Operational" from "No Signal Heard." After some
research, we learned that red-green color blindness affects roughly 10% of
the population, and that's just one of three prominent types of color
vision deficiency, each affecting a different part of the spectrum.
After further research, we adopted the IBM Colorblind Palette, which allows
99.998% of people to reliably distinguish between five colors. While some
users have suggested alternative color schemes, many of those proposals
would reintroduce the same accessibility conflicts we set out to solve.
Handling Multiple Modes
As satellites grow more capable, many now carry multiple operating modes.
Rather than assigning a separate color to each mode, which quickly becomes
impractical when a single satellite may support five or six, we've given
each mode its own line on the Status page. To accommodate this, we updated
the naming convention from just the satellite name to the satellite name
plus mode. For example, SSTV operations on the International Space Station
now appear as ISS_[SSTV]. This approach scales cleanly as new multi-mode
satellites come online.
We also renamed "Transponder/Repeater Operational" to "Satellite Active,"
which simply means the mode you selected to report on is active. We made
this change because "Transponder" and "Repeater" are two-way modes, and an
increasing number of satellites are now being launched with interesting
one-way modes other than just telemetry and beacons.
We're always open to suggestions, but please remember, we are all
volunteers at AMSAT!
*[ANS thanks David Spoelstra, N9KT, AMSAT Web Manager, for the above
information]*
------------------------------
*The 2026 President's Club Coin is Now Here!* *Help Support GOLF and
FoxPlus.*
*Annual memberships start at only $120*
*Join the AMSAT Presidents Club today and help* *Keep Amateur Radi
o in
Space!*
*https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/*
<https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/>
------------------------------
IARU Coordination Requested for VemanaReddySat
A new 1U CubeSat project from *Vemana Institute of Technology* in
Bengaluru, India, has submitted a frequency coordination request to the
IARU.
*VemanaReddySat* represents a student-led effort focused on educational
and technology demonstration objectives. The project involves collaboration
with the institutes engineering departments, building on Vemana In
stitute
of Technologys growing interest in satellite image processing, Cub
eSat
development, and space-data analytics.
According to the coordination application dated *April 9, 2026*, the
satellite is planned as a *1U CubeSat* carrying:
- A *UHF downlink* for telemetry and occasional *Robot 36 SSTV* image
transmissions.
- *LoRa* capability intended for inter-satellite or experimental links.
The primary downlink will use *9k6 GFSK* modulation. The mission aims to
provide hands-on experience for students in spacecraft systems,
communications, and payload operations while demonstrating low-cost amateur
radio techniques in space.
*Launch and Orbit Plans*
The team targets a mid-2026 rideshare launch opportunity aboard an *ISRO
PSLV or SSLV* vehicle. The planned orbit is approximately *450–500 km
altitude* with an inclination in the range of *35–60 degrees.*
*[ANS thanks the IARU for the above information]*
------------------------------
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------------------------------
FO-29 Update
Fuji-OSCAR 29 (FO-29 / JAS-2), the long-lived Japanese amateur radio
satellite launched in 1996, continues to operate its *V/U inverting analog
linear transponder* under the control of the Japan Amateur Radio League
(JARL). Because the onboard batteries have failed years ago, the satellite
depends entirely on solar power and can only function when its solar panels
are illuminated.
Current Status (April 2026)
- FO-29 entered a *full-sunlight orbit* around *March 9, 2026*. During
full-sunlight periods, the satellite experiences no or negligible
eclipses, allowing the analog transponder to operate *continuously*
on illuminated passes without scheduled command activations.
- The first full-sunlight window began in early March 2026 and lasted
approximately 40 days.
- According to the JARL schedule, this continuous operation ends
around *April 21, 2026*, after which the satellite will enter an
eclipse period for about one month.
- A second, longer full-sunlight period is expected from approximately *
May 20 to mid-November 2026*, during which continuous operation should
resume.
Transponder Details
- *Mode*: V/U inverting linear transponder (SSB and CW only)
- Uplink: 145.900 – 146.000 MHz (LSB)
- Downlink: 435.800 – 435.900 MHz (USB)
- *CW Beacon*: 435.795 MHz (typically 100 mW)
- *Digitalker*: 435.910 MHz FM (rarely activated)
- The digital BBS (1k2/9k6) remains non-operational.
- *Important Restriction*: Digital modes are generally not permitted on
the linear transponder due to licensing and operational constraints.
Operating Procedure
- During *eclipse periods* (or the transition out of full sunlight), the
JARL control team sends specific commands to activate the transponder at
designated UTC times. If the transponder does not turn on within about 2
minutes of the command start, the team terminates the attempt.
- During confirmed *full-sunlight periods*, no regular command schedule
is needed the transponder stays active whenever the satellite is in
sunlight.
- Operators should always check real-time status via AMSAT Live
Satellite Status, OSCAR Status pages, or recent community reports, as
voltage instability in the aging satellite can occasionally cause
unexpected behavior.
April 2026 Specifics
In early-to-mid April 2026 (while still in the March full-sunlight window),
expect the transponder to be available on most or all illuminated passes
with no fixed on/off times. After approximately April 21, operation will
shift back to scheduled command activations until the next full-sunlight
season begins in late May.
The scheduled activations for the eclipse period are:
*April*
24th 22:22~
25th 21:27~
28th 22:11~
*May *
1st 22:56~
2nd 22:00~
3rd 22:51~
4th 21:55~
5th 22:45~
6th 21:50~
7th 22:40~
8th 21:44~
9th 22:35~
15th 22:19~
16th 23:10~
Amateurs are reminded to:
- Use proper Doppler correction.
- Follow linear transponder etiquette (listen before transmitting, keep
signals clean).
- Limit uplink power to avoid overloading the transponder (typically no
more than a few watts with a modest antenna).
The JARL page provides the detailed historical and upcoming command
schedules for eclipse periods across 2025–2026. For the absolute latest
status and any updates from the Japanese control team, monitor the official
JARL FO-29 page, AMSAT.org, and AMSAT bulletins.
FO-29s continued operation nearly 30 years after launch remains a
testament to robust engineering and the dedication of the JARL team.
*[ANS thanks JARL for the above information]*
------------------------------
[image: SDR Gen 2 Ad - 2026]
------------------------------
Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for April 10, 2026
Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps
in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical
model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly
updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin
files are updated daily in the first hour of the UTC day. New bulletin
files will be posted immediately after reliable elements become available
for new amateur satellites. More information may be found at
https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/
<https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/>.
There are no changes to this week's TLE distribution.
*[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the
above information]*
------------------------------
*Join AMSAT or Renew Now. . . **Download a Free 'Getting Started with
Amateur Satellites' Book!*
[image: Getting Started w Shadow]
*Get the latest edition just for doing the right thing! Visit
https://www.amsat.org/membership-specials/
<https://www.amsat.org/membership-specials/> for more details.*
------------------------------
ARISS News
Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between
amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with
astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The
downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.
*Scheduled Contacts*
*Elementary School “Slava Raskaj”, Ozalj, Croatia, direct via 9A1CUA*
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember is Chris Williams KJ5GEW
The ARISS mentor is IZ2GOJ
Contact is go for: Mon 2026-04-13 08:55:30 UTC 28 deg
Watch for Livestream at
https://youtube.com/@radioclubozalj?siQyAdcsaCTieJa
*Scouts Australia Western Australia Branch, Mount Hawthorn, Western
Australia, Australia, telebridge via AB1OC*
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Jack Hathaway KJ5NIV
The ARISS mentor is VK4KHZ
Contact is go for: Fri 2026-04-17 10:20:48 UTC 71 deg
Many times a school may make a last minute decision to do a Livestream or
run into a last minute glitch requiring a change of the URL but we at ARISS
may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always check
https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming.
As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios
are turned off as part of the safety protocol.
The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} &
437.800 MHz down), If any crew member is so inclined, all they have to do
is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband
repeater. So give a listen, you just never know. Service Module radio: Not
in APRS configuration; only being used for voice contacts at this time.
Default mode is for packet operations (145.825 MHz up & down) but
occasionally used for SSTV (145.800 MHz down).
Ham TV – Configured. Default mode is for scheduled digital amateur
television operations (2395.00 MHz). Note, all times are approximate. It is
recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening
about 10 minutes before the listed time. The latest information on the
operation mode can be found at
https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html The latest list
of frequencies in use can be found at
https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html
*[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors
for the above information]*
------------------------------
*Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?* Get an AMSAT car flag
and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store
<https://www.zazzle.com/store/amsat_gear>!
25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur
Radio in Space
------------------------------
AMSAT Ambassador Activities
[image: AMSAT Ambassador News Logo]
AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through
amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests,
conventions, maker faires, and other events.
*May 15-17, 2026*
*Dayton Hamvention*
Greene County Fair and Expo Center
210 Fairground Road
Xenia 45385
https://hamvention.org/
*October 8-11, 2026*
*44th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Membership Meeting*
Crowne Plaza JAX Airport
14670 Duval Road
Jacksonville, FL 32218
Details to follow
Interested in becoming an AMSAT Ambassador? AMSAT Ambassadors provide
presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and
host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker
faires, and other events. For more information go to:
https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/ <https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/>
*[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program,
for the above information]*
------------------------------
Satellite Shorts from All Over
+ ARISS SSTV Series 31 “World Space Commemoration” kicked o
ff on April 10,
2026, on 437.550 MHz FM using Robot 36 mode. Transmissions run through
April 14 and feature images honoring Cosmonautics Day, the 100th
anniversary of liquid-fueled rockets, the first Space Shuttle launch, and
SuitSat. Operators worldwide are actively tracking passes and sharing
receptions.
+ Amateur radio operators continued supporting NASAs Artemis II lunar
flyby mission. A network of 34 ARISS- and AMSAT-affiliated stations is
providing supplementary tracking of the Orion spacecrafts S-band s
ignals,
with notable contributions from experienced satellite tracker Scott Tilley,
VE7TIL. The mission splashed down on April 10th in the Pacific Ocean.
+ A new version of the UZ7HO SoundModem software for HADES-SA/SpinnyONE is
now available, with bug fixes and supporting tools for SSDV image decoding
and CODEC2. Downloads are posted on the AMSAT-EA website.
------------------------------
Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:
- Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
- Students are eligible for *FREE* membership up to age 25.
- Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.
Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information.
*73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!*
*This week's ANS Editor,*
*Paul Stoetzer, N8HM*
*n8hm [at] amsat.org <http://amsat.org>*
*ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H
Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002. AMSAT is a registered
trademark of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. *
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