Satellite Operation From Canary Islands Special Event Station

EG8ISS in the Canary Islands will be active on both HF and the Amateur Radio satellites between between February 12 through March 11 from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.

Activity is to celebrate/publicize the first ARISS (International Space Station) contact with one of the "Institute for Technological Development and Innovation in Communications" (IDeTIC) facilities on campus.

The special event station will be on the HF bands, 40-10 meters, using CW, SSB, RTTY, PSK31 and SSTV. Also, activities are planned for VHF (2m FM local and R7 repeater) and the satellites (AO-27, SO-50, AO-51 and VO-52).

There is a special QSL card designed for this event that will be automatically mailed to your QRZ.com address.

More info is available on the QRZ.com under EG8ISS. A Twitter page is also available at:
http://twitter.com/eg8iss

[ANS thanks Ted, K7TRK and the SouthGateARC News site for the above information]

Hala tuju radio amatur di Malaysia

4. Fees RM 60 untuk AA harus dihapuskan. Yuran AA kelas A & B perlu dikaji semuala ini kerana di US dan UK Lesen Radio Amatus adalah PERCUMA tak dikenakan apa-apa bayaran.

        Nota: Perkara ini telah penulis utarakan kepada pihak
        berkuasa beberapa tahun   yang lalu namun tidak mendapat
        perhatian sehingga kesaat ini

 

Petikan diatas merupakan hasil nukilan dari 9M2AU daripada blog beliau yang bertajuk Ke mana hala tuju Radio Amatur di Malaysia? . Menarik sekali tajuk yang dituliskan itu, mengundang saya untuk memberi pendapat tentang artikel no 4. Mengenai yuran yang dikenakan untuk memperbaharui lesen. Pada pendapat saya yuran ini patut dihapuskan sama sekali. Ini sangat membebankan pemegang lesen yang memperbaharui setiap tahun. Saya sendiri berasa pelik mengapa harus membayarkannya sedangkan saya telah diberi hak untuk memiliki lesen seperti tahun sebelumnya. Ingatkan bayar sekali sahaja dikenakan ketika memperbaharui lesen.Rupanya setiap kali proses lesen baru  ia mesti dikenakan. Kalau setiap tahun perbaharui maksudnya setiap tahunlah dikenakan sebanyak RM60 ditambah lesen sebanyak RM24 setahun. Sehingga kini AA saya belum tiba di base baru ini. Harap pihak berwajib dapat mengambil tindakan untuk menghapuskan terus yuran tersebut atau mengurangkannya. Sebabnya ia sangat membebankan rakyat.

 

73, Jojet, 9W2DYA.

Operating AO-51

AO-51
Uplink : 145.920MHz 67 Hz PL tone
Downlink : 435.300MHz

AO-51 is a satellite include in Amateur Satellite Service, and its function very similar to a traditional terrestrial FM repeater. It’s available only for general amateur radio use. Let us see what is Amateur Satellites is about. Good luck & welcome to the world of amateur satellites!

Satellites communication sometimes the jargon is slightly different that what we used to use. Well let see the common one.
UPLINK, equivalant to repeater input or where we transmits.
DOWNLINK is the output from the repeater and where we receive.
Usually but not all the time amateur satellites operates in different band U/V(Mode J) or V/U(Mode B) for example.
Footprint or coverage area, is large compared to a terrestrial repeater, and is more than 4000 kms in diameter. Depending on the pass (how the satellite travels relative to the ground station), all places is usually available. This means that there are potentially hundreds of thousands of amateur stations who could simultaneously operate the satellite. With only one channel, this satellite will be very busy. QSOs are generally contest style, with an exchange of callsigns, QRA locator's, signal reports, and occasionally names are exchanged. Look at the below AO-51 footprint example.

Prediction. The satellite is continually orbiting the Earth. This means that it is not always visible to an observer. To know when it is visible to an observer. The answer is to use prediction software. There are a number of software packages available, including freeware out there. Predictions are also online, at http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/predict/ and http://www.heavens-above.com/.
Having a prediction listing together with a magnetic compass will allow you to plan the pass in advance by knowing where to point the antennas. If you’re not completely confident about the software you’re using yet, having a listing printed out in advance will save a lot of time trying to refer to the computer screen all the time during the satellite pass.

Doppler. Because the satellite is moving relative to the ground station, it’s necessary to be aware of a phenomenon known as Doppler shift. This is similar to the apparent drop in frequency you hear when a police car screams past with its siren on. When the satellite is moving towards you, the frequency appears higher than when it is going away from you.
- At the beginning of each satellite pass (known as AOS, or acquisition of signal) on the 435.300MHz downlink, the frequency on the downlink will appear at the observer to be about 10kHz above the published frequency. At the end of each satellite pass (known as LOS, or loss of signal) the downlink will appear to be about 10kHz below the published frequency. The frequency on the satellite in fact remains constant.
-On the uplink on 145.920MHz, in order for this frequency to be correct at the satellite, you can uplink at about 3kHz below the published frequency at AOS, and 3kHz above at LOS. In practice, it’s generally not necessary to adjust the uplink on a 2m FM uplink, but you will benefit from being able to tune the downlink. On some radios it’s possible to set the uplink frequency together with the 67Hz PL tone into a memory, which really help.
- It’s possible to automatically correct for Doppler using a suitable computer program and transceiver.

Equipment. A common misconception is that you need large Yagi arrays and expensive rotators to operate satellites, not to mention expensive radios. This is not true! To operate AO-51, you need a radio that can receive FM on 70cm and transmit 5W FM on 2m with a 67Hz PL tone, i.e., a typical handheld radio these days. You can also use two separate radios, one on each band, equally well. If you use a single dual band radio it is worthwhile while you transmit in one band and simultaneously received on the downlink band in the same time.
Because the signals on the downlink are not always very strong, and because the downlink will have fading due to polarisation changes during the pass, it’s recommended that the receiver’s squelch is opened permanently during the pass.
It can be tricky to receive AO-51 using just the rubber duck antenna supplied with most hand held radios. Using a small hand-held directional antenna will help greatly. Alternatively a three element yagi will make quite a difference on the downlink. For AO-51, you shouldn't need more than about 10W ERP to make contacts.

Click here to look at the status of amateur satellites that orbiting the earth.

Good luck hunting. From V17 Lahad Datu editor. Info provided by 9M6WST.

Blood Donation

A blood donation occurs when a person voluntarily has blood drawn and used for transfusions or made into medications by a process calledfractionation.
In the developed world, most blood donors are unpaid volunteers who give blood for a community supply. In poorer countries, established supplies are limited and donors usually give blood when family or friends need a transfusion. Many donors donate as an act of charity, but some are paid and in some cases there are incentives other than money such as paid time off from work. A donor can also have blood drawn for their own future use. Donating is relatively safe, but some donors have bruising where the needle is inserted or may feel faint.
Potential donors are evaluated for anything that might make their blood unsafe to use. The screening includes testing for diseases that can be transmitted by a blood transfusion, including HIV and viral hepatitis. The donor is also asked about medical history and given a short physical examination to make sure that the donation is not hazardous to his or her health. How often a donor can give varies from days to months based on what he or she donates and the laws of the country where the donation takes place. For example, in the United States donors must wait 8 weeks (56 days) between whole blood donations but only three days between plateletpheresis donations.[1]
The amount of blood drawn and the methods vary. The collection can be done manually or with automated equipment that only takes specific portions of the blood. Most of the components of blood used for transfusions have a short shelf life, and maintaining a constant supply is a persistent problem.

Blood Donation

Blood Donation

MARTS Worked All Malaysia Award

Tahniah kepada 9W2ESM atas anugerah ini. Baru saya tahu di Malaysia juga mempunyai Award tersendiri. Merujuk kepada blog 9W2ESM kita perlulah bekerja sebanyak 10 stesen 9M2, 1 stesen 9M8 dan 1 stesen 9M6 sahaja. Maklumat lanjut boleh lawat di   9w2esm.blogspot.com. Selain ini, banyak lagi award yang dianugerahkan kepada rakan kita ini. Sekalung tahniah sekali lagi diucapkan moga ia menjadi pembakar semangat kepada rakan lain untuk memburu Award.


73, Jojet, 9W2DYA.

Audio Check

Pada hari jumaat malam sekitar jam 9 lebih sebelum bermulanya acara 2Meter Net Setia bersama Astra yang dikendalikan oleh 9W2FLL radio operator Nashruwan. Berlaku suatu peristiwa menarik untuk tatapan rakan sekalian. Sebelum itu qso antara 9W2EDK bersama 9W2BDM ke udara di jalur Transnasional dan putus begitu sahaja. Selepas itu, terdengarlah seperti PTT sedang ditiup-tiup.Jika hendak memastikan samada ptt itu masih berfungsi eloklah buat uji pancar memanggil mana-mana rakan untuk mengetahui sejauh mana audio dapat diterima oleh rakan lain. Bukannya dengan menekan ptt sambil menghembus-hembus kerana audio itu dapat diterima oleh rakan lain yang sedang memantau. Mungkin rakan itu tidak sedari bahawa pttnya sebenar tidak rosak ataupun memang sengaja dilakukan tidaklah kita fahami. Perkara seperti ini seharusnya tidak berlaku kerana tidak mengikut etika ataupun rakan itu masih baru lagi mendalami dan mempelajari dalam dunia radio dua hala ini. Perlulah diingatkan bahawa jalur ini senantiasa dipantau oleh rakan-rakan lain kerana liputannya sangat meluas.Lebih-lebih lagi jika waktu itu akan diadakan 2meter Net, pasti rakan tertunggu-tunggu untuk check-in. Ramai juga yang monitor daripada QSO di jalur kerana lebih suka mendengar perbualan rakan lain. Harap rakan itu tidak melakukan perkara yang sama lagi, kerana mengganggu dan juga kemungkinan ada sebarang trafik yang penting mungkin hendak disampaikan oleh rakan lain.
73, Jojet, 9W2DYA

Pindah Base Baru

Cuti Tahun Baru Cina yang lalu dapatlah aku berpindah ke base baru dari Bandar Seri Putra ke Taman Impian Putra di Bangi. Base baru ini dekat sahaja dari base lama cuma kedudukannya lebih rendah di lembah Sungai Semenyih. Base lama memang tinggilah kedudukan atas bukit dan tingkat emapat. Tetapi kini hanya dua tingkat sahaja, jadi tak dapat copy rakan dengan lebih baik lagi. Setakat ini audio yang dapat di copy dengan baik ialah 9W2CEH dan 9W2BJS sahaja. 


73, Jojet, 9W2DYA.

QSO antara 9W2VIS dan 9W2BUB

Ketika monitor di 9M4RBC pada 23 Januari 2011 ketika jam 1.15 pagi jika tak silap saya kedengaran rakan sedang QSO. Apa yang menarik perhatian saya adalah disebabkan 9W2BUB radio operator Mohd Syahril QTH Kemaman bersama 9W2VIS radio operator Mohamad Iskandar QTH Kuala Selangor jika silap harap diperbetulkan. 9W2BUB berjaya memancar ke 9M4RBC di Genting Highlands. Tahniah dan syabas diucapkan dengan keupayaan beliau memancar dari Kemaman Terengganu.
Harap selepas ini bolehlah kita QSO di jalur suatu hari nanti.
73, Jojet, 9W2DYA.

ARISSat-1 Blasts-Off

01/28/2011

At 0132 UTC January 28, a Soyuz-U rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan carrying the Russian Progress M-09M cargo vehicle to orbit for a rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS).
In addition to delivering fuel, oxygen, food and other supplies, the Progress contains the new AMSAT ARISSat-1 Amateur Radio satellite. Progress is scheduled to dock with the space station on January 30 at 0240 UTC.
ARISSat-1 will be manually jettisoned from the ISS during a spacewalk on February 16. The satellites features a new software defined transponder that will provide simultaneous 2-meter FM, CW, BPSK transmissions, as well as a Mode U/V (70 cm uplink, 2 meter downlink) transponder.
More information is available at the AMSAT-NA website and in the February issue of QST magazine.

For More Info visit http://www.arrl.org/