Live coverage of SumbandilaSat launch

South Africa's second Amateur Radio satellite SumbandilaSat is scheduled to launch today, Tuesday September 15, and video of the launch will be carried live on the Internet.

The launch is planned to take place at 15:55:07.4 UT (16:55:07.4 BST) and live coverage should be provided from 14:00-17:00 UT (15:00-18:00 BST)

To watch the video feed go to
http://www.tv-tsenki.com/livechoose.php

The Amateur Radio payload on SumbandilaSat comprises a V/U FM voice transponder with an uplink in the 2 metre band on 145.880 MHz and a downlink in the 70cm band at 435.350 MHz. It has a parrot repeater (voice digipeater) and a voice beacon.

The Amateur Radio Payload will be operating in conjunction with the University of Stellenbosch Software Defined Receiver project as it will share the VHF receiver and UHF transmitter used by the SDR project.

The satellite also carries a Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio experiment from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Pieter ZS1PK/M0PAK says that the Amateur payload will probably not be switched on straight after launch. Commissioning is most likely to be performed from Stellenbosch South Africa only. So telemetry will only be heard whilst in contact with the groundstation and NOT on the amateur frequencies. There are a number of hams involved in the project so rest assured the amateur payload will be supported as soon as practical and safe.

University of Stellenbosch
http://www.sun.ac.za/

University of KwaZulu-Natal
http://www.ukzn.ac.za/

SunSpace
http://www.sunspace.co.za/

Southern African Amateur Radio Satellite Association
(SA AMSAT)
http://www.amsatsa.org.za/

IARU Satellite Co-ordination page for SumbandilaSat
http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru/finished_detail.asp?serial=88

AMSAT-NA Online Satellite Tracking and Pass Predictions
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/

N2YO Google Earth Satellite Tracking website
http://www.n2yo.com/