AMSAT SA 2 m / 70 cm dual-band Yagi antenna is now available

AMSAT SA 2 m / 70 cm dual-band Yagi antenna is now available

AMSAT-SA Dual-band 145/435 MHz Yagi

AMSAT-SA Dual-band 145/435 MHz Yagi

AMSAT SA have made available a new dual-band 145/435 MHz Yagi antenna for amateur satellite operation.

The Yagi has a unique element called an ‘Open Sleeve’ which is a director very close to the driven element. The driven element is sized for 2 metres. When operating on 70 cm the ‘Open Sleeve’ acts as part of the driven element on 70 cm (Third harmonic of 2 m).

The AMSAT SA version is based on a design by Martin Steyer, DK7ZB with modifications by the late Larry Brown, WB5CXC. The first South African version was a collaboration between Guy Eales, ZS6GUY and Gary Immelman, ZS6YI. It was developed for YOTA 2018 where young people successfully used the antenna operating satellites using hand-held transceivers.

The mechanical structure of the AMSAT SA version was redesigned by Gary, ZS6YI. A choke around the boom was added to isolate the antenna from the coax and reduce the effect human contact has on the antenna. A handle was added on the boom end which makes it more comfortable to hold and further isolates the antenna from the handler.

The antenna is plug and play. No tools are needed except for soldering on a connector to suit the application. It comes complete in a carry bag with full instructions. This antenna can be assembled and dissembled in minutes. For more details and how to order, visit http://www.amsatsa.org.za/

SARL and AMSAT SA members get a discount.

Source SARL News

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

International Crew to Ring in Christmas 50 Years After First Moon Trip

International Crew to Ring in Christmas 50 Years After First Moon Trip

Expedition 58 Crew Portrait
The official Expedition crew portrait with (from left) NASA astronaut Anne McClain, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko and astronaut David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency.

Three people from the U.S., Canada and Russia are orbiting Earth today getting ready to observe Christmas and experience New Year’s Eve from space aboard the International Space Station. Back on Earth, another three station crew members have returned to their home bases just 24 hours after completing a 197-day mission aboard the orbital lab.

The first time three humans spent Christmas in space was 50 years ago in 1968 during Apollo 8 and was also the first time a crew orbited the Moon. This Christmas astronauts Anne McClain of NASA and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency with cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos will be soaring about 250 miles above the Earth’s surface in a much larger spacecraft. The Expedition 58 trio will share a traditional meal aboard the orbital lab, share gifts and call down to family during their off-duty day.

Kononenko is beginning his fourth mission on the station and will spend his second Christmas in space. McClain and Saint-Jacques are getting used to life in space for the first time and will return to Earth in June with Kononenko.

NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor returned to Houston late Thursday just one day after landing in Kazakhstan wrapping up her six-and-a-half month stay aboard the orbital lab. She parachuted to Earth inside the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft with her Expedition 57 crewmates Alexander Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency) and Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos.

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Mark Garcia

Dramatic power reduction on 23cm for Belgium radio hams

Dramatic power reduction on 23cm for Belgium radio hams

A Galileo satellite - image credit ESA

A Galileo satellite – image credit ESA

The Belgium regulator BIPT has proposed cutting to just 20 watts the permitted power level for the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite allocations in 1260-1300 MHz which is to be used by the Galileo GNSS / GPS constellation.

A Google translation of the UBA post reads:

On December 18, the BIPT website provides BIPT consultation on the Frequencies, Power and Transmission modes that may be used by radio amateurs.

This consultation was already announced at the BIPT meeting with the recognized associations of September 28 and should provide a framework for the introduction of the CEPT Novice license in Belgium.

The most important part is the Appendix 1 which establishes the Frequency bands and technical characteristics allowed for the different categories of radio amateur licenses.

For holders of a HAREC license (class A operating certificate), there are only changes to the transmission power (usually in our favor):

• On most bands between 1.81 MHz and 440 MHz, the permitted power is 1500 W. Exceptions are 1.85-2.00 MHz (10 W), 5.3515-5.3665 MHz (15 W EIRP), 50-52 MHz (200 W), 69.95 MHz (10 W). EIRP), 70.1125-70.4125 MHz (50W) and 433.05-434.79 MHz (200W EIRP for (D-) ATV, 200W transmit power for other modes). On the bands above 1 GHz the permissible power is increased to 200 W, with the exception of 1260-1300 MHz (20 W). The special license for higher capital expires, but to perform exceptional experiments one can still submit a motivated request to temporarily use a larger capital. It is allowed to own devices that are capable of supplying a power up to twice the permitted maximum power.

The holders of the newly introduced CEPT Novice license (class B operating license) have access to almost all bands between 1.81 MHz and 440 MHz (except 5.3515-5.3665 MHz, 69.95 MHz and 70.1125-70.4125 MHz). The permitted transmission power is 100W at HF ​​and 6 meters and 50 W at 2 m and 70 cm. All classes of broadcast (modes) are allowed with the exception of D-ATV.
For the holders of a basic license (class C operating license) the changes are greater:

• The permissible transmission power is limited to 10 W, but the use of devices up to 100 W transmission power remains permitted (provided that the power is limited to 10 W). The use of external power amplifiers is not permitted.
• The use of the 17 m band (now 18.080-18.168 MHz), 12 m band (now 24.900-24.990 MHz) and 6 m band (now 50.125-52.000 MHz) is no longer allowed.
• The 20 m band is expanded (14,000-14,150 and 14,250-14,350 MHz), this is 65 kHz extra (14,080-140150 MHz).
• The 15 m band is expanded (21,000-21,150 and 21,320-21,450 MHz), this is 90 kHz extra (21,000-21,040 and 21,100-21,150 MHz).
• The 10 m band is expanded (28,000-29,700 MHz), this is 40 kHz extra (28,000-28,040 MHz).
• The permitted classes of broadcast (modes) do not change, everything modes except (D-) ATV remain allowed.

The full text of this consultation can be found on
https://www.ibpt.be/public/files/nl/22691/Raadpleging_RAM_2018-12-18.pdf

Everyone has the right to respond to the content of this consultation until January 18 and to propose changes.

The UBA will certainly do this and invites all members to send their comments and proposals for January 5 to ON7YD ( ( on7yd [at] uba [dot] be ) ). Anyone who wants to respond in their own name can find the procedure for this at
https://www.ibpt.be/nl/consumenten/radio/radioamateurs/raadpleging-op-verzoek-van-de-raad-van-het-bipt-met-betrekking-tot-het-ontwerp-van-besluit-van-de-raad-van-het-bipt-betreffende-de-frequenties-vermogens-en-transmissiemodi-die-mogen-worden-gebruikt-door-de-radioamateurs

UBA in Google English https://tinyurl.com/BelgiumUBA

2006 article Potential Interference To Galileo From 23cm Band Operations by Peter Blair G3LTF.
The Galileo constellation is expected to be fully operational by 2020.
http://www.southgatearc.org/articles/galileo.htm

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK