SBARC-list December 2000

sbarc-list@lists.netlojix.com

4 participants
6 discussions

CPix version 1.5 now available.
by Paul Sheffield 31 Dec '00

31 Dec '00

For all you SSTV folks - SiliconPixels released CPix ver. 1.5 a couple of days ago. It is available at www.siliconpixels.com The GUI is pretty much the same with improved DSP processing. ------------------------------------------------------------ Paul Sheffield W6VLM NAR #72716 Level 2

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RESET RESTORES AO-40 TRANSMISSION
by Marvin 29 Dec '00

29 Dec '00

From: *************** The ARRL Letter Vol. 19, No. 50 December 29, 2000 *************** ==>RESET RESTORES AO-40 TRANSMISSION Merry Christmas, AMSAT--AO-40 is back! Following a 12-day silence, AO-40 once again is transmitting telemetry. In response to an L-band command sent Christmas Day by command station ZL1AOX, AO-40 resumed transmitting on 2.4 GHz. Software was reloaded to permit telemetry transmissions on 2401.305 MHz. Some problems remain on the satellite, however. "Recovery of AO-40 continues, and some housekeeping tasks were performed by the command stations to improve and stabilize the situation," said Peter Guelzow, DB2OS, of the AO-40 team. Guelzow says new software routines were loaded successfully to restore the battery-charge regulator system and other housekeeping functions. "We will now start a detailed analysis of the situation," he said. Telemetry transmissions from AO-40 ceased December 13 while ground controllers were testing the onboard 400-Newton propulsion system following an initial orbital shift. Some observers feared the satellite had been irreparably damaged. Guelzow says ground stations now have regained control of the satellite. Ground controllers hope the telemetry might yield some clues about what went wrong aboard the satellite to make it stop transmitting. After onboard software watchdog routines failed to restart beacon transmissions automatically, a full reset command and an initialization block to switch on the S2 S-band transmitter were sent via L-band. Guelzow said telemetry revealed that some temperature sensors have failed and some current sensors indicated incorrect values, but solar sensors seemed to be working fine. The good news was that AO-40's power situation--in particular the battery voltages--looks nominal. Guelzow said additional software would be loaded in the next few days and the various uplinks checked out before any attempts are made to turn the 2-meter transmitter back on. "Clearly, we need more time to analyze and understand what has happened here," Guelzow said. He said that while there are no indications that the 2-meter beacon transmitter has failed, ground controllers don't want to risk losing communication again. "So for the next days the spacecraft will continue to be transmitting on S-Band only," he said. Phase 3D Project Leader Karl Meinzer, DJ4ZC said AO-40 command stations "will continue to follow a conservative philosophy" with a primary goal of not causing additional damage while retaining as much evidence as possible to analyze what made the beacon transmissions stop. On December 22, AMSAT proposed holding an inquiry into the incident that led to the loss of communication with AO-40. A letter from AMSAT-NA President Robin Haighton, VE3FRH, said "AMSAT believes that it is in the best interests of our organization to determine all the facts surrounding this incident and to make sure that a similar situation cannot happen again either on AO-40 or on a future satellite."

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* reminder! second christmas pizza party today, dec. 17, 2000.
by Dennis Schwendtner 16 Dec '00

16 Dec '00

Subject: Second Annual Pizza Party... Let's get together for the Holidays. We need some Christmas cheer and some great company. Everyone is welcome to attend. It won't be Christmas without seeing our friends. Sooooooo let's take some time out for each other. **********************PIZZA PARTY************************** Non-Host Pizza (buy your own) They also have a salad bar and sandwiches. Place: Rusty's Address: 270 Storke Rd. Goleta, CA Time: 1 PM Date: 12/17/2000 Bring someone or come by yourself. Let's make the last party in 2000 a good one. HAPPY HOLIDAYS SEE YOU SOON WB6OBB and KA6RPN Call for more info 966-7060 Why not take a short trip over to the new Shopping Mall after the get together. We're sure that you will find that last minute gift for someone. Ho! Ho! Ho! Check out CompUSA, you'll love it!!!! _________________________________________________________________ ***** Remember, an out of tune piano makes noise, not music! ***** call, (805) 966-7060 . E-MAIL: dennis(a)rain.org . *** Bye from the Paradise Playground of the Pacific Beaches. *** Dennis Schwendtner *** WB6OBB *** *** http://www.rain.org/~dennis *** *** Schwendtner Piano and Service *** WB6OBB repeater web-site ***

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EMAIL TESTING
by AD6EZ＠aol.com 12 Dec '00

12 Dec '00

This is only a test 72 es God Bless de Denny AD6EZ <>< Goleta, CA

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Engineering Students don't tinker enough
by Marvin 07 Dec '00

07 Dec '00

For the story, take a look at: http://www.zdnet.com/intweek/stories/news/0,4164,2659964,00.html

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PBS Tesla Program
by Marvin 01 Dec '00

01 Dec '00

From: *************** The ARRL Letter Vol. 19, No. 46 December 1, 2000 *************** * PBS to air Tesla: Master of Lightning: PBS will air the documentary Tesla: Master of Lightning Tuesday, December 12 (check local listings for time and channel) about the life and accomplishments of inventor Nikola Tesla (1853-1943). Actor Stacy Keach will provide the voice of Tesla for the 90-minute presentation. A Web site, http://www.pbs.org/tesla/index.html, will serve as the on-line companion to the acclaimed documentary. A contemporary of Thomas Edison and Guglielmo Marconi, Tesla--a Serbian immigrant to the US--is credited with being the inventor of our system of ac power transmission and even of radio. The book, Tesla: Master of Lightning, by Margaret Cheney and Robert Uth, is reviewed in December QST, page 37.--PBS

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SBARC-list December 2000