Blog (Page 39)

Ham radio QFH satellite antennas built at workshop

Participants built QFH antennas at the ORARI workshop

Radio amateurs built Quadrifilar Helicoidal (QFH) satellite antennas at a workshop in Indonesia organised by a local branch of the national amateur radio society ORARI.

A translation of the ORARI website report reads:

On Saturday, February 22, 2020, South Jakarta Local ORARI Jakarta held a Homebase Antenna Workshop for LAPAN-A2 / LAPAN-ORARI (IO-86) Satellite Communications. The workshop was held at the Local ORARI Club Station in South Jakarta, with guest speaker Suryono Adisoemarta (Yono / YD0NXX).

The agenda of this workshop consists of theory and practice. Theoretical material includes the introduction of amateur radio satellites in general, the introduction of LAPAN-A2 / LAPAN-ORARI (IO-86) satellites and satellite tracking techniques. Whereas practical material includes making a Quadrifilar Helicoidal (QFH) antenna and communication with the LAPAN-A2 / LAPAN-ORARI (IO-86) satellite.

The workshop was opened at 9:20 by Irsan YC0OST as Deputy Chair of South Jakarta Local ORARI. After opening, the program continued with the giving of theories about amateur radio satellites. In addition to the IO-86 satellite, there are also other amateur radio satellites that can be used such as AO-7 as the longest-running amateur radio satellite, AO-91, AO-95 and QO-100 which is a geostationary amateur radio satellite.

After the theoretical material was finished around 11:30, the program continued with the practice material for making QFH antennas. The materials for making the antenna provided by the committee included copper capillary pipes, 1 1/4 PVC PVC pipe, RG-58 cable, BNC connector and paper clips. Meanwhile, the equipment for making antennas was carried by each participant, such as solder, scissors, pliers, drill, and others. The atmosphere became even more exciting, because in making this QFH antenna there were separate challenges, especially in the RG-58 cable connection to the antenna element.

At 14:00, LAPAN provided a dedicated Voice Repeater slot on the IO-86 satellite for workshop participants to try out the antenna they made. But because the antenna is quite complicated, there is no antenna that can be tried on the Voice Repeater schedule. Mahesa Rani YD0OVE’s antenna was first tried on the regular Voice Repeater schedule. The results are quite satisfying. With her capital Handy Transceiver (HT) and a hand-held QFH antenna, YD0OVE successfully received 14 amateur radio stations.

In this workshop, several guests were present including the President of AMSAT-ID Hakim YB0AN, Chair of the Central Jakarta Local ORARI Edy YCØEDY, and the South Jakarta Local ORARI DPP Beben YB0HJW and Fahlifi YF0BRR.

Source ORARI https://tinyurl.com/IndonesiaORARI

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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Ofcom consultation on EMF compliance

Ofcom is holding a public consultation on proposed measures to require all those with transmitting equipment capable of generating more than 10 watts EIRP to demonstrate compliance with international guidelines for limiting exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF).

An assessment would have to be carried out every time a change was made to an antenna or equipment. It appears the assessment would have to be based on the total EMF level that could theoretically be generated if all the transmitting equipment at a location is running maximum permitted power simultaneously.

In their document – Proposed measures to require compliance with international guidelines for limiting exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) – Ofcom say:

We are proposing to include a specific condition in Wireless Telegraphy Act licences requiring licensees to comply with the relevant levels from the ICNIRP Guidelines. This condition would apply to all equipment which can transmit at powers above 10 Watts [EIRP].

Ofcom may, from time to time, conduct EMF compliance checks and audits. Licensees, installers and users should therefore be in a position to explain the steps they took to ensure compliance with the basic restrictions for general public exposure and provide records demonstrating their compliance. To this end, they should have appropriate processes in place that will enable them to:
a) Identify the measurements, tests, calculations or other procedures they have carried out.
b) Explain why they considered those procedures were appropriate.
c) Provide evidence that a site is compliant with the basic restrictions, including by providing, where appropriate, test measurements, calculation results and/or certificates of compliance.
d) Explain how they ensure they continue to comply with the basic restrictions, including (i) when they modify radio equipment or a site; (ii) where for any other reason the power anticipated to be transmitted from the site has increased above that originally assumed; and (iii) when they become aware that a site may not be complying with the basic restrictions.
e) Explain what measures are in place to ensure members of the public cannot unknowingly enter areas close to antennas where exposure may exceed the basic restrictions.

Responses to this consultation must be made by May 15, 2020.

Download the Consultation document PDF and the response form at
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-1/limiting-exposure-to-emf

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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AMSAT Files Comments Opposing Deletion of 3.4 GHz Band

AMSAT has filed comments on the Federal Communications Commission’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking which proposes to delete the 3.3 – 3.5 GHz (9 cm) amateur band, including the 3.40 – 3.41 GHz amateur satellite service allocation.

In the comments, AMSAT opposes the deletion of this allocation and emphasizes the necessity of adequate microwave spectrum for future amateur satellite projects, including AMSAT’s GOLF program and the Lunar Gateway.

AMSAT further notes that the most desirable allocations for use as uplinks are the allocations between 2.4 and 5.67 GHz. These allocations total 80 MHz. The most desirable allocation for downlink use is the 10.45 – 10.50 GHz allocation, totaling 50 MHz.

As many of the proposed uses include amateur television and high-speed data transmission with satellites in high earth orbit or lunar orbit, these allocations may quickly become inadequate. AMSAT also notes that the 2.4 and 5.67 GHz allocations are widely used for ISM and consumer devices, such as WiFi and Bluetooth-enabled devices. The 3.4 GHz allocation is shared between amateur use and other non-federal and federal licensees, but is free from the unpredictable interference of consumer devices.

While acknowledging that the 3.4 GHz amateur satellite service allocation is not currently used by any amateur satellites and that it is unsuitable for worldwide communication since it is not available in ITU Region 1, AMSAT identifies a number of potential future uses for the band as worldwide usage of the other available allocations increases. These potential uses include a future amateur satellite in geostationary orbit above the Americas.

In the comments, AMSAT also noted several non-amateur satellite uses of the broader 3.3 – 3.5 GHz amateur service allocation, including its wide use in mesh networking, EME communications, and contesting.

The full text of the comments as filed can be downloaded at https://tinyurl.com/ANS-054-FCC

Interested parties may file reply comments on or before March 22, 2020 at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/
The proceeding is WT Docket No. 19-348.

Source AMSAT News Service (ANS)

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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QARMAN and Phoenix CubeSat Deployment from ISS

Sarah Rogers KI7OOY reports that following the successful launch of NG-13 on Feb 15, the upcoming CubeSat deployment from the ISS is now scheduled for Wednesday, February 19.

This deployment times and frequencies for the CubeSats being deployed on this date are listed in the table below.

As a member of the Phoenix CubeSat team, it would help us greatly to have as much help as possible with tracking our spacecraft following deployment!

For more information on Phoenix’s transceiver characteristics and how you can decode packets from our spacecraft, please see our operations page:
http://phxcubesat.asu.edu/content/amateur-operations

If you have any questions regarding deployment or tracking Phoenix, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

CubeSat Downlink (MHz) Uplink (MHz) Deployment Time (UTC)
RadSat-u 437.425 437.425 7:10
*Phoenix* *437.35* *437.35* *9:35*
QARMAN 437.35 437.35 11:20
CryoCube 2261 2082.004 12:55
AztechSat-1 437.3 437.3 12:55
SOCRATES 914.7 914.7 14:30
Argus-02 437.29 437.29 16:00
HARP 468 450 16:00
SORTIE 468 450 17:40

Cheers,
Sarah Rogers KI7OOY
Project Manager, Phoenix CubeSat

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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Indian radio hams interviewed by UK radio station

Shyama Vagadia VU3WHG

Rajesh Vagadia VU2EXP is well-known as the West India Zone Regional Coordinator for AMSAT-INDIA. Over the years he has done a great of educational outreach explaining and demonstrating amateur satellite communications to school and college students.

In December 2019 he was involved in a workshop at RK University, see the report at https://amsat-uk.org/2019/12/06/satellite-demo-for-students/

Arcacia Radio in Nottinghamshire, UK, will be broadcasting an interview with two Indian radio amateurs Rajesh Vagadia VU2EXP and Shyama Vagadia VU3WHG. In this interview rather than satellites Rajesh and Shyama will be sharing their valuable experience of Amateur Radio Emergency Communication service during Cyclone Vayu that hit the coast of Porbandar (Gujarat) India in June 2019.

Rajesh has supplied AMSAT-UK with some information about the interview:

The interview will cover Cyclone info, Emergency Communication Preparedness, Teamwork, Radio Operations, Reporting, Supporters credit, Coordination with Radio clubs/organisations and Government Departments, etc.

Rajesh VU2EXP is an active radio amateur from Rajkot who is engaged in ham radio promotional activities, whereas Shyama VU3WHG is a 10th grade student at Saint Paul’s School, Rajkot and remains the youngest female Ham in the State of Gujarat!

The interview, part of Backtracks show presented by Brian Ford, is scheduled to be broadcast on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 at 1400 GMT (2pm) and repeated on Thursday, February 20 at 1400 GMT.

Kindly spare time and listen to our Interview on Acacia Radio on 1287 AM or listen worldwide via the live internet radio stream at
http://radio.canstream.co.uk:8033/live.mp3

You may visit Acacia Radio website at:
http://www.AcaciaRadio.com/
https://twitter.com/AcaciaRadio1287

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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