AMSAT at Dayton - report from the show

As this report is being written, AMSAT members are enjoying a fun filled weekend at the 2007 Dayton Hamvention.

AMSAT is having a successful weekend showing the amateur radio community our special aspect of communications while at the same time demonstrating how satellite techniques are within the reach of interested operators.

Taking up 5 Hamvention booth spaces, AMSAT was able to demonstrate a half scale model of the Eagle satellite, the Eagle 70cm receiver, a full scale model of the Echo satellite, prototype ARISS antennas for the ISS, prototype SuitSat-2 antennas and helmet control box, and live tracking software interfaced with a working LVB tracker connected between a computer using a serial or USB connector and the Yaesu 5400/5500 rotor controller box driving an az-el rotor system.

AMSAT's latest publications and this year's AMSAT Dayton fashions were also available. These can be ordered via the AMSAT store on our web page after the Hamvention. All of this was brought out through the efforts of a team of approximately 25 volunteers. Thanks a million guys and gals!

After the booth was setup on Thursday afternoon prior to the offical opening of the Hamvention on Friday, the team enjoyed the annual AMSAT Pizza 'n Suds party at Marion's Piazza. This was a well attended party with about 50 satellite afficionados in attendance.

Keigh Pugh, W5IU coordinated the AMSAT satellite demonstrations. His team was able to run 6 demonstations on Friday, 7 on Saturday, and at press time an additional 5 demonstrations were planned for Sunday morning. SO-50, AO-7, AO-51, AO-27, and VO-52 were used for QSOs.

Numerous comments were received at the booth about how well the demonstrations were presented, how remarkably well the signals were received, and how the individual now better understood satellite operating having seen it in person.

The AMSAT booth enjoyed a visit from Bill McArthur, KC5ACR, ISS Expediton 12 Commander who was at the Hamvention in support of planned ARRL activities.

The AMSAT Forum on Friday featured outstanding list of speakers and topics of interest to all AMSAT members. The forum drew over 100 interested radio amateurs. Barry Baines, WD4ASW, AMSAT-NA Corporate Secretary moderated the session.

The first speaker was Rick Hambly, W2GPS, President, AMSAT-NA who presented the "Summary of AMSAT-NA Activities in 2007". Rick reminded everyone in attendance of AMSAT's vision of HEO Satellites are our primary mission. AMSAT will assist LEO efforts undertaken by the educational community and other amateur radio groups.

Rick continued with a list of achievements for 2006 including the following:

• AO-51 has now passed 2 years of continous operation. Software upgrades and testing are now in progress to further improve this satellite and the operator's experience.

• SuitSat-1 captured the world's attention and helped promote amateur radio.

• SuitSat-2 development is currently underway and will feature an SDR transponder.

• AMSAT-NA support for AMSAT-DL's P3E provides funding, and staffing for design, testing, and integration.

• Eagle satellite development is on-going concurrently with P3E and the satellites will both share common modules and software.

• AMSAT's education outreach provides mentoring to student's who are designing, building, and launching satellites.

• The AMSAT Lab in Maryland was opened. The clean room equipment is currently being installed.

Bob McGwier, N4HY, AMSAT VP-Engineering, spoke on behalf of Peter Guelzow, DB2OS, to describe progress for AMSAT-DL's Phase 3-Express (P3E) satellite. P3E will provide a critical test bed for proof of concept of critical systems needed for the planned P5A mission to Mars. P3E is being built in an AO-13 spaceframe but will feature new electronics and software. It will also include the same Software Defined Transponder planned for AMSAT Eagle. Launch opportunities are currently being explored.

Bob then continued with an Eagle Status Update. His slides showed how the Software Defined Transponder will be integrated in Eagle. He discussed the exceptional increase in radio performance that the SDX technology will bring. Details were also discussed about the HELAPS power amplifier, phased array antennas, and the breakthough with getting the first 70 cm receiver debugged and working and currently starting performance testing. Bob described the features of the Advanced Communication Package. More details of Eagle will be provided in future issues of the AMSAT Journal.

Next was Gould Smith, WA4SXM, AO-51 Command Station, who spoke about "AMSAT-NA Satellite Operations and AO-51 Update." Gould descibed the work of the AO-51 Operations Group who are currently writing and testing new software to be uploaded into AO-51. He also gave everyone an overview of an AO-51 command station.

Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, AMSAT-NA Director-Human Space Flight, gave an impressive presentation of "ARISS and Future SuitSat Missions." Frank was able to include mission audio clips, SuitSat audio clips, and NASA video of SuitSat.

According to records, ARISS school contacts from the International Space Station have reached over 15,000 students. Also, every ISS crew between Expedition 14 now on orbit through Expedition 19 in 2009 will have a licensed amateur radio operator aboard.

SuitSat-2 is currently under development. Work continues as the team awaits official approval by the various space agencies for a planned deployment in February, 2008. The SuitSat-2 project includes these features:

• Expanded education outreach with prepared lesson plans.

• Software Defined Transponder capable of supporting SSB, CW, FM voice, SSTV, and CW IDer. An uplink passband at approxmately 145.9 MHz and downlink passband at approximately 437.6 MHz is being proposed.

• SSTV support for up to 4 cameras.

• Solar panels in addition to battery power to support the
radio payload plus additional sensors, and 4 experimental
packages.

Lou McFadin, W5DID demonstrated a prototype SuitSat-2 helmet mounted antenna for 2M and 70cm. He also showed the proven safety interlock control box used by the astronauts to activate SuitSat.

Howard Long, G6LVB continued the ARISS discussion by showing the new amateur radio equipment which will be included in ESA's Columbus Laboratory module to be attached to the ISS in early 2008. This will feature a linear transponder with L-band uplink and S-band downlink.

The "Under the Wings" Banquet held in the Air Force Museum was con- sidered a major success. In addition to the meal on Friday evening over 300 participants were able to also enjoy touring the museum displays. We received many enthusiastic compliments at the booth the next day for this joint AMSAT/TAPR event.

Watch for more details, including photos coming in the next AMSAT Journal!