RSGB LoRa Repeater Balloon Launch September 20

RSGB LoRa Repeater Balloon Launch September 20

Hi-Impact to launch a hot air balloon equipped with a LoRa digipeater.

The LoRa Repeater uses Spreading Factor (SF) 12, and Coding Rate (CR) 5 with a bandwidth of 125 kHz. The frequencies are:
Uplink 439.850 MHz use no more than 200 mW EIRP
Downlink 433.850 MHz

Further information at https://rsgb.org/main/coding-and-amateur-radio/lora-balloon-project/

Watch the launch on YouTube from 10am BST (09:00 GMT) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGIYx5oamkE

Real-time tracking of amateur high-altitude balloons https://amateur.sondehub.org/

Follow Mark Harper MW1MDH on X https://x.com/HiImpactMarkH

Follow Hi-Impact Tech on X https://x.com/hiimpacttech

Follow AMSAT-UK on X https://x.com/AmsatUK

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CubeSats to Deploy from ISS on September 19

CubeSats to Deploy from ISS on September 19

YouTube JAXA Channel. Four of the CubeSats, carrying scientific and educational payloads, will operate in the amateur bands, and radio amateurs around the world are invited to participate in the projects:

GHS-01 is a 2U size CubeSat equipped with a camera for photographing the earth, a sensor for checking the state of the satellite, and an attitude control device. In response to commands from the ground station, the satellite-mounted camera photographs the earth from space and transmits the image data to the ground. In order for amateur radio users around the world to voluntarily acquire image data taken by this satellite by radio, the date and time of image transmission will be published on the website https://gifuhs2022.wordpress.com/. Also, the satellite carries a digitalker mission. Audio data is transmitted from a ground station and stored in the satellite. The voice data is transmitted from the satellite as an analog FM voice signal, and a message is broadcast from space. The date and time the message will be sent will be published on the website. The satellite was built by Gifu University with technical cooperation for using satellite radio waves with sister schools of universities and high schools such as Lithuania, Australia, Kenya, South Korea, and Taiwan. A downlink on 437.090 MHz has been coordinated with 20 wpm CW, 1k2 AFSK, 9k6 GMSK and digitalker voice.

DRAGONFLY, coordinated by Kyushu Institute of Technology, is part of the Joint Global Multi-Nation Birds Satellite project, BIRDS-X, and funded by Amateur Radio Digital Communications in the U.S. The 2U CubeSat will carry APRS digipeaters on 145.825 MHz, as well as a Store and Forward messaging system. In addition to the VHF APRS frequency, a UHF downlink for CW beacon and telemetry using 4k8 GMSK will transmit at 437.375 MHz. A ground terminal competition will be held on DRAGONFLY. More information is available at https://birds-x.birds-project.com/

STARS-Me2, a 1U CubeSat built by Shizuoka University features an earth observation camera, but the real experimentation takes place on the AX.25 radio downlinks on which those photos are transmitted back to earth. Reception success rates at receiving ground stations will be measured at baud rates of 1.2kbps, 9.6kbps and 115.2kbps. The coding gain of the error correction scheme will be measured on the downlinks. And the reception performance with polarization diversity at multiple terrestrial receiver stations (developed by amateur radio operators) will be evaluated. The goal is to learn more about how large data sets, such as images, are best transmitted from space. UHF downlinks with CW, 1k2 AFSK, 9k6 FSK and 115.2 bps GMSK are coordinated for 437.350 MHz, 437.400 MHz and 437.200 MHz.

RSP-03 is also a 1U CubeSat carrying a camera, but in this case the camera will not be aimed at earth, but at the stars. The main mission is to capture the star data by camera, convert it to “audible data,” and deliver the audio to the ground as a “Stellar Symphony.” After acquiring data of stars and constellations captured by the onboard camera an on-board AI will compose sounds from the star data and transmit it to the ground via an FM Digi-talker. In addition, digital data will be sent using various baud rates and modulation modes, and a digital “QSL card,” stored on the satellite before launch will be transmitted via SSTV after amateurs have uploaded their callsigns from the ground. A downlink at 437.050 MHz will be shared by the FM Digi-talker, 1200 BPS (AFSK on FM), 9600 BPS (GMSK), and 24000 BPS (4FSK, OQPSK). Details are at https://rsp03.rymansat.com/en.

IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination https://iaru.amsat-uk.org/

JAXA Deployment News https://humans-in-space.jaxa.jp/en/biz-lab/news/detail/004949.html

Follow JAXA Kibo on X https://x.com/JAXA_Kiboriyo

Follow AMSAT-UK on X at https://x.com/AmsatUK

[Thanks to ANS, Masa Arai, JN1GKZ, IARU, and JAXA for the above information.]

 

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ISS Contact with IARU Region 1 YOTA Camp

ISS Contact with IARU Region 1 YOTA Camp

https://rsgb.org/main/about-us/yota/yota-summer-camps/yota-paris-2025/

You can listen live to astronaut Mike Fincke aboard the ISS on 145.800 MHz (plus/minus 3 kHz Doppler shift).

Many FM rigs can be switched been wide and narrow deviation FM filters. For best results you should select the filter for wider deviation FM. Handhelds generally have a single wide filter fitted as standard.

The event will be streamed live:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MARkTcR6Njo

English is the expected language of communication in this amateur radio contact.

Follow @ARISS_intl on X for official updates, since changes can occur.

Questions (as time allows):
1. What types of emergencies do you train for on ISS?
2. What’s the biggest question/curiosity you had about life before becoming an astronaut?
3. What was the most unexpected thing that happened to you in space?
4. What is the funniest thing to do in space?
5. How are crew and equipment on the ISS protected from solar radiation?
6. What were your first thoughts after seeing the Earth from above?
7. Can you describe how the ISS sounds like inside?
8. How does your body feel when you come back to Earth after being in space?
9. Was there an experiment where you had to improvise something?
10. How often do you get on the radio to make QSOs with HAMs?
11. Is amateur radio important for the ISS?
12. Back on Earth, how often are you active on the air and what’s your favorite band/mode?
13. How do you cope with being away from family for a long period of time?
14. What’s the first thing you would do back on Earth?
15. Can you describe your first ham radio contact from the ISS?
16. Will humanity be able to live on another planet/moon in the upcoming decades?
17. In your opinion, what skills are essential in becoming an astronaut?
18. Have you operated in Morse code as part of your amateur radio or other communication activities?
19. Does the time passed in space feel any longer or shorter than on Earth?
20. Is oxygen depletion highly affected by the growth of plants/micro-organisms on board?

The ARISS program is aimed at students and enthusiasts and aims to inspire them in the study of sciences with this amateur radio activity. The demonstration of amateur radio communication from space invites schools and universities to make use of these educational technical resources. We invite radio amateurs and space enthusiasts to tune in to this exciting moment.

Check out the ARISS website and follow ARISS on the official social media channels for more updates.
https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html
ARISS-Europe News Bulletins are distributed by AMSAT Belgium.

We can only maintain this service with your donation.
https://www.amsat-on.be/donation-ariss-europe-news-bulletin/

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Jovian-1 U/V FM Transponder Test

Jovian-1 U/V FM Transponder Test

 

David Bowman G0MRF reports the successful on-air test of the AMSAT-UK U/V FM transponder has been carried out.

Mike Willis G0MJW and Graham Shirville G3VZV

AMSAT-UK Jovian-1 Announcement September 2024
https://amsat-uk.org/2024/09/29/amsat-uk-new-project-announcement-2/

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23cm Restrictions in Europe

23cm Restrictions in Europe

ECC Decision (25)01 imposing restrictions on both Amateur and Amateur-Satellite operation in the 23cm Band (1258-1300 MHz) with effect from December 27, 2025.

In order to account for amateur service installations that are authorized and operational in the frequency range 1258-1296 MHz in many CEPT countries, administrations may, on national level, define a transitional period to comply, with the expectation this could take up to three years according to national circumstances.

The meeting minutes record:

6.2 APPROVAL FOR PUBLICATION OF DRAFT ECC DECISION (25)01 ON GALILEO AND ITS PROTECTION IN 1258-1300 MHZ FROM RADIO AMATEUR

The WG FM Chairman introduced the draft ECC Decision (25)01 on Galileo and protection measures in 1258-1300 MHz in Annex 06 to 026, which was endorsed by WG FM for publication by the ECC.

24 administrations indicated their intention to implement this Decision, while 1 administration indicated their intention to implement it partially.

Germany stated that they have to determine how to implement this Decision at national level.

The United Kingdom informed the meeting that it will implement decides 1 (designation of the frequency bands for Galileo) but will not apply the technical conditions on amateur and amateur-satellite in decides 2.

Meeting minutes https://cept.org/documents/ecc/89968/ecc-25-042_minutes-67th-ecc-meeting

Amateur-Satellite Service restrictions (bandwidth must be ≤ 150 kHz):

i) 1260-1262 MHz Maximum permitted EIRP:

  •   −3 dBW (500 milliwatts) for 0° ≤ θ < 15°
  • 17 dBW (50 watts) for 15° ≤ θ < 55°
  • 26.8 dBW (478 watts) for 55° ≤ θ < 90°

where θ = elevation angle of amateur station antenna

ii) 1262-1270 MHz: Maximum permitted EIRP = −17 dBW (20 milliwatts)

Read the full CEPT ECC Decision (25)01 to see the restrictions on the rest of the 23cm band https://docdb.cept.org/download/4782

The 24 administrations currently studying the implementation of ECC/DEC/(25)01 appear on the Status page at https://docdb.cept.org/implementation/28651

WRC-23 ITU-R Recommendation M.2164-0

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