AMSAT-DC Spring Workshop open for registration

Greetings from the AMSAT-DC planning committee!

The 2009 AMSAT-DC meeting this year will be held on Saturday, April 25, at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD.

This year we have a series of workshops organized around the building, testing, and operating of a small simulated satellite kit. The completed kit, soon to be widely known as a PICetSat II module, is a simple remote sensing unit that serves as an expendable high-altitude small balloon payload. It transmits downlink telemetry on the 70cm Amateur Radio band.

Once group will construct the PICetSat II module kit. Another group will assemble a ground station which involves providing and configuring radios, computers, and software needed to receive, decode, and analyze the PICetSat II telemetry.

If you plan on attending, chose one of the following options:

(1) PICetSat II module builder (room for only 10 participants)
* current AMSAT membership
* admission $90.00 (pre-paid)
* bring a 25-watt pencil iron, holder, sponge, and your eye glasses if needed
* you take your completed "flight ready" module home with you!

(2) Ground Station Component Provider (transceiver or Computer) to "share" during the workshop
* current AMSAT membership
* admission $20.00 (pre-paid)
* Transceiver (room for only 3 participants)
   + Covers down to 433 MHz FM & SSB
   + Tunes in 1 kHz resolution or better
   + Audio cable (xcvr audio out) with 1/8 inch stereo end for  computer
   + "simple" 70cm antenna, for example a random wire, dummy load, or "Arrow" antenna on a camera tripod
* computer (room for only 3 participants)
   + XP operating system
   + MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) or OPEN Office
   + Willingness to install the PICetSat II software suite (to be provided on CD-R on April 25)
   + DB-9 Serial port connection, or proven USB to DB-9 converter
   + Soundcard with 1/8" stereo input that accepts audio line-level signal
   + WiFi "G", optional but recommended

(3) General Admission (10 slots available)
* current AMSAT membership
* admission $40.00 (pre-paid)

(4) AMSAT VIPs
* AMSAT Lifetime Membership
* Admission - FREE

To sign up - contact Martha at the AMSAT-NA office (301-589-6062) with your preference (Satellite Builder, Ground Station Component Provider indicating computer or transceiver, General Admission, or AMSAT VIP), fee payment, and your contact information.

Direct any technical questions to the event coordinators.

Event Coordinators:
Pat Kilroy, N8PK (Patrick.L.Kilroy@nasa.gov)
Bruce Semple, WA3SWJ (bruce.semple@verizon.net)

Slots are limited. First come, first served.
YOUR RESPONSES AND ADMISSION REQUIRED TO MARTHA BEFORE: 5:00pm EDT Wednesday, April 16.

Patrick Kilroy, N8PK and Bruce Semple, WA3SW