AMSAT (Page 33)

Soyuz‑2.1a launch – Amateur radio satellites deployed

Soyuz 2.1a Launch March 22, 2021 – Credit GK Launch Services

The Soyuz‑2.1a LV was launched from Baikonur in Kazakhstan on March 22, 2021. The following satellites, operating in frequency bands allocated to the amateur satellite service have been coordinated by the IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel:

• Beesat‑5
• Beesat‑6
• Beesat‑7
• Beesat‑8
• FEES
• SMOG
• GRBAlpha
• KSU_Cubesat
• DIY‑1
• STECCO
• CubeSX-HSE
• CubeSX-Sirius-HSE
• Orbicraft-Zorkiy
• NanoSatC-BR2

Operating in frequency bands allocated to the amateur satellite service without IARU frequency coordination is KMSL. Additional satellites may follow.

Operating in frequency bands allocated to the amateur satellite service while the IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel has declined coordination are UNISAT‑7 and WildTrackCube-Simba.

Further information including the IARU coordinated frequencies at http://amsat.org.uk/iaru/

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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Amateur radio satellites deploy March 14

Eight satellites, all coordinated by the IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel, are planned to be deployed from the International Space Station on Sunday, March 14.

The deployment should be streamed live on YouTube, watch from 09:15 GMT at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLltILh8SLw

The CubeSats being deployed are:
• OPUSAT-II
• GuaraniSat‑1 (BIRDS‑4)
• Maya‑2 (BIRDS‑4)
• Tsuru (BIRDS‑4)
• RSP-01
• WARP-01
• TAUSAT‑1
• STARS-EC

It is understood the BIRDS-4 satellites are carrying digipeaters and TAUSAT‑1 has an FM transponder. Further information including the IARU coordinated frequencies are at http://amsat.org.uk/iaru/

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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First contact via UVSQ-Sat FM transponder

Michel Mahé F4DEY at the LATMOS Ground Station – Credit UVSQ-Sat

On Friday, March 5, 2021, the first contact was made via the FM transponder on the UVSQ-Sat CubeSat.

Michel Mahé F4DEY of the F6KRK Radio Club carried out the transponder test from the LATMOS ground station. The first contact was with Peter Goodhall 2M0SQL in Elgin.

After the contact Michel tweeted “Very happy to have been able to operate the Latmos station and do #F6KRKR/P validate the transponder #UVSQSat “on #space” after validation of the satellite at the Lab of #Latmos in October 2020!”

Peter tweeted “Fantastic to be QSO #1 on UVSQ-SATs FM transponder wish the @uvsqsat good luck in their commissioning and it being available more often :)”

UVSQ-Sat
http://uvsq-sat.projet.latmos.ipsl.fr/?ong=Ham-Radio
https://twitter.com/uvsqsat

Michel Mahé F4DEY https://twitter.com/F4DEY_78

Peter Goodhall 2M0SQL
https://www.2m0sql.com/
https://twitter.com/2m0sql

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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23cm band in the spotlight with regulators

RNSS – Credit IARU Region 1

The Chair of IARU Region 1 Spectrum Affairs, Barry Lewis G4SJH, reports on the meeting of the ITU‑R Working Party 4C (WP4C) on February 15-19 which discussed the amateur radio allocation at 1240-1300 MHz.

On the IARU Region 1 site he writes:

During the week February 15–19, the preparatory work for WRC-23 agenda item 9.1b continued in ITU‑R Working Party 4C (WP4C). The WRC agenda item has initiated technical studies on coexistence between the radio navigation satellite service (RNSS) and the amateur services in the 23cm band. As usual, the IARU participated in the meeting and delivered key information on amateur activities in this important microwave band. This information is vital to ensure the amateur services are realistically represented in the studies as they move forward.

It remains vital that national amateur communities present their views on the importance of this band to their national regulators in a consolidated and consistent manner.

To assist with this the IARU-R1 is developing supporting material that member societies can refer to when addressing the topic with their national regulator.

The work on this topic will continue throughout the year and beyond both in ITU‑R and in the regional telecommunications organisations and the IARU is committed to ensure every organisation understands the amateur position on this important microwave band.

Source IARU-R1 https://www.iaru-r1.org/2021/23cm-band-in-the-spotlight-with-regulators/

The ITU‑R WP4C Summary Meeting Report notes “The only administration that can be considered supportive towards proper treatment of the Amateur Services in this work is Germany”, read the report at https://www.iaru-r1.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Report-from-WP4C_Feb-2021.docx

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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RSGB consulting on their new Direct-To-Full exam

The RSGB’s Examination Standards Committee has launched a consultation to ask for the views of the amateur radio community on a new, Direct to Full licence exam which would run in parallel with the existing three-tier system.

Key points:

• A single 75-question multiple-choice exam (2.5 hours)
• You can take the exam online from your own home
• No need to take lower level exams (Foundation or Intermediate)
• Theory-only, no practicals required
• Pass mark 50/75 (67%)
• As per existing online exams, instant results at the end of the exam, and if passed, UK Full callsign typically within a week
• An exam pass will give you the internationally recognised HAREC qualification

The background to this consultation and a link to the proposed syllabus can be found on the RSGB website:

https://www.rsgb.org/direct-to-full

There is also a link to a short survey which asks specific questions but also gives you an opportunity to add additional comments or questions.

The consultation will run until Sunday, March 14, after which the Society will gather the results and announce them in due course.

We would encourage everyone to take part in this consultation.

An overview can be seen on the Essex Ham site at https://www.essexham.co.uk/direct-to-full.html

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m5aka

AMSAT-UK

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