There is a “course” currently planned for Saturday, February 26th. It is for people who don’t feel that they need to do a course so it will consist simply of the practical assessment, some revision, followed by the exam. If anyone else is interested they should contact Tony, G4LDL soon.
Tony Bettley, G4LDL
01793 525523
tony.ldl@
A presentation on Amateur Radio given at the DEF CON Hackers Convention is now available on YouTube.
The YouTube description says:
Speaker: JonM, Security Consultant & Amateur Radio Operator
Think amateur radio is all about dorks with walkie talkies? Think again. Amateur radio presents one of the last bastions for open radio experimentation. This talk will provide a brief introduction to amateur radio, explain the advantages of licensed spectrum for experimentation, and describe how to get involved in the leading edge of radio hacking.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHGsi70c89M
British engineers are planning to put a mobile phone in space.
The team at Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) in Guildford want to see if the sophisticated capabilities in today’s phones will function in the most challenging environment known.
Read the full story here : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12253228
From NanoSail-D website…
STATUS: NanoSail-D ejected on 17/01/11 at approximately 1900 PST. Beacon data was routinely received by the public throughout the world from 19-21/01/11, and telemetry indicates that the sail deployed on schedule. The last documented beacon packet was received early morning PST on 21/01/11, and the satellite is now believed to be out of power (which is expected).
We will be monitoring the de-orbiting of NanoSail-D over the next few months, and we will post any available visual photographs of the satellite, which are being collected by the mission team at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW1Pf0uMSug
The US Space Agency NASA has asked for the help of Amateur Radio operators to help in receiving the signal from NanoSail-D on 437.270MHz.
The NASA Press release says:
Wednesday, Jan. 19 at 11:30 a.m. EST, engineers at Marshall SpacemFlight Center in Huntsville, Ala., confirmed that the NanoSail-D nanosatellite ejected from Fast Affordable Scientific and Technology Satellite, FASTSAT. The ejection event occurred spontaneously and was identified this morning when engineers at the centre analyzed onboard FASTSAT telemetry. The ejection of NanoSail-D also has been confirmed by ground-based satellite tracking assets.
Amateur radio operators are asked to listen for the signal to verify NanoSail-D is operating. This information should be sent to the NanoSail-D dashboard at:
http://nanosaild.engr.scu.edu/dashboard.htm <- Very interesting!
The NanoSail-D beacon signal can be found at 437.270 MHz.
The NanoSail-D science team is hopeful the nanosatellite is healthy and can complete its solar sail mission.
After ejection, a timer within NanoSail-D begins a three-day countdown as the satellite orbits the Earth. Once the timer reaches zero, four booms will quickly deploy and the NanoSail-D sail will start to unfold to a 100-square-foot polymer sail. Within five seconds the sail fully unfurls.
Read the full NASA Press Release at http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/news/releases/2011/11-009.html
You’ve all heard me banging on about Howard’s SDR dongle. Henk, PA3GUO used his dongle and an antenna to listen to NanoSail-D2.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1vZfm500hE
PS: NanaSail-D2 successfully deployed its sail this morning.
2M0YCG, Callum has released a video of his recent contact with the International Space Station (ISS).
The YouTube description of his latest ISS contact reads:
This my amateur radio contact with Col Doug Wheelock aboard the International Space Station on 12th September 2010. I was using the Yaesu FT-857 in split mode operation. 145.200 MHz Uplink, 145.800 MHz Downlink.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3NWjAVKXYo
To the DX Community at large – It’s with regret that as Team Leader, I have to announce the postponement of the DX0DX Spratly Islands DXpedition 2011, due to circumstances beyond the control of the DX0DX Team.
Our situation began when our original mode of transport by ship was terminally damaged back in late October 2010. We then went to our contingency plan which was to fly in, as there were no ships deemed to be safe and provided facilities for safe passage to Pag-Asa, available.
We hand landing permission and booked the correct sized aircraft and with the security cleared pilots. To simplify it, there was conflicting agreements and hence the aircraft could not get approval of its flight plan.
The bottom line is this. We have a licence, we have authority to land via ship, hence when the ship becomes available in the near future, it is my intention to activate this entity in 2011.
The team has worked tirelessly to remove the hurdles that were placed before the team in the last minute.
As time was running out for this window of opportunity, and before more operators become stuck here in Palawan, the decision was made to postpone the activation.
A call was placed to PARA advising them that a postponement of the activation would be sought to a date in in the near future, where the activation will look at again taking place.
All equipment will need to be exported out of Philippines to comply with current Philippine Customs Law in which it was brought into the country.
The plan is to be re-assessed so the current operators have the first opportunity to be on this future trip.
Once more information is at hand, I will advise the DX Community.
Regards
Chris de VK3FY
Team Leader DX0DX
Following our grant award, we have now taken delivery of a mix of new amateur radio equipment for the club. This is part of package of equipment that we plan to use to promote the amateur radio experience and stimulate interest in all aspects of the hobby. This is very much an enabling project that is intended to stimulate operating using all modes from top-band through to 23cm – all using modern equipment. Experienced and new operators alike will benefit as club vice chairman, James M1DST explains:
“Most new operators enter our hobby using newly purchased equipment. This is normally because it allows easy access and you know that what you buy should just work. There are many rigs on the market and choosing which to buy is a daunting task. We opted to buy the best we could within our budget. We believe we have picked equipment which would be accessible and usable for new operators. We also believe that having picked a brand new radio with outstanding reviews also gives the experienced operator something new to learn whilst having great performance.”
In 2011, we plan to stage a series of promotional events throughout the year at various venues in the area and we are about to start work on a permanent antenna installation to activate the club station on natter nights. There will be scope for all members to experience the new equipment – either on the club nights, or when we participate in contests.
SDARC is fortunate in that we have acquired two Kenwood TS590S HF transceivers for field work and for mobile operation. This rig will be demonstrated in forthcoming weeks to club members.
If you are a licensed amateur, SWL or just enjoy radio, why not join us at the club. We meet every Thursday at Savernake Street in Swindon. Contact Phil, M0PBZ at [email protected] for more information.
A new UK record for a lightwave contact has been set by Barry G8AGN/P and Gordon G0EWN/P over a distance of 87km.
On the UK Microwave Yahoo group Peter G3PHO writes:
This early evening [Saturday, Jan 8] I was privileged to be present at a momentous event…
Congratulations to Barry G8AGN/P and Gordon G0EWN/P for breaking the UK lightwave record with a two way contact over an 87km path between a hill site near Pocklington (East Yorkshire), IO93PW37 and Roper Hill Sheffield, IO93EI.
Barry was 600 ft asl at the Pocklington end of the path while I joined Gordon at the Sheffield end, some 1200 feet above sea level.
This is the result of many weeks of construction and reconstruction followed by local testing which then produced a 66km QSO before Christmas. The “Big One”, as tonight”s contact has been termed, was done, as usual, in bitterly cold weather at the Sheffield end :-,,). The new record is some 11km more than the previous record.
Full details will appear in the January Scatterpoint.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LlrU_UWGTc
To the DX Community,
We are still in Palawan, VK3FY has been working very hard to secure final approvals over in Manila the entire week.
We now have our gear out of customs and are ready to load the container with provisions etc.
The toughest obstacle remaining is the final approval to make the trip, and we still do not know how long this may take beforea decision is rendered.
Logistics for some is a minor issue as many of us must check out of the current hotel and go to another tomorrow.
Chris VK3FY our team leader is arrving late morning and we will call a team meeting to adjust our schedule keying off any approval date which may be received.
Since the boat will take 2 days to reach the island, and we can fly there in 1 hour by plane, we cannot leave Palawan until we know our food and water is safely on Pagasa.
So as it stands
1. Get Approval 2. Load Boat (1 day) 3. Boat Transit (2 days) 4. Fly to Pagasa. 5. Setup Camps (2 days).
Basically, we are looking at 5-6 days from receipt of approval until activation.
Wish I had more definitive (and better news) news but that”s where we are and Chris wanted us to keep “the deserving” in the loop as best as we can.
That is all at the moment, we will try our best to keep everybody updated on this situation.
DX0DX Team