SA Amsat to build amateur radio payload
for South Africa's new satellite
SA AMSAT will be building the amateur
payload to be incorporated in South Africa's new satellite recently
announced by the Department of Science and Technology.
The SA AMSAT committee met this week via teleconference and decided
to file a proposal to the Department for an amateur payload comprising
a FM mode J Transponder and a digitalker. Mode J has an uplink on
2 metres and a downlink on 70 cm.
The Digitalker will announce the satellite ID and offer opportunities
to upload 30 seconds of audio and repeating it back to earth. The
digitalker operating on 2 metres will be an ideal promotion tool
for taking amateur radio into schools.
The time frame for designing and building the amateur payload is
6 months with the launch scheduled for December 2006. The Department
of Science and Technology will make the final selection of which
payload will fly in early December.
In anticipation of a positive decision by the Department of Science
and Technology, SA AMSAT is calling for volunteers to work on the
project and to build the amateur payload. If you are interesting
in taking part please send full details of your experience and the
time you can make available.
A project team of this nature needs engineers, persons with construction
experience including the application of micro-technology, software
and drafting expertise.
Mail the details to saamsat@intekom.co.za.
Visit the www.amsatsa.org.za
for more information.
In addition to the satellite payload, SA AMSAT is also looking
for persons to design and build 70 cm converters to give as many
as possible amateurs access to the satellite.
Courtesy of
The South African Radio League
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