I’ve never been a big satellite guy, but I’m beginning to think that I’m missing something by not trying it. Here are a couple of ham satellites that caught my eye recently:
First ever D-STAR satellite to be launched April 22
The ARRL reports that the first-ever satellite to carry a D-STAR (Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio) Amateur Radio payload into space is expected to launch on April 22 from Guiana. Built by students at the University of Liege in Belgium (ULg), the Orbital Utility For Telecommunication Innovations (OUFTI-1) will be the first satellite to carry a D-STAR transponder. OUFTI-1 CubeSat is one of three CubeSats developed by student teams under the European Space Agency (ESA) Education Office “Fly Your Satellite!” program, which is aimed at training the next generation of aerospace professionals. The satellites arrived in South America on March 25, followed by the student teams a few days later. The CubeSat’s frequencies are 145.950 MHz (FSK AX.25 and D-STAR down, with an uplink at 435.045 MHz. OUFTI-1 will carry a CW beacon transmitting on 145.980 MHz.
Slovakia to send up its first satellite
Being Slovak-American, this item was of interest to me….Dan
Physics.Org reports that Slovakia will launch its first satellite—SkCube—into orbit in June atop the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Slovakia is one of the last countries on the continent to have its own satellite.
SkCUBE will focus on ham radio experiments that will allow amateur radio operators to communicate via the satellite. It will also transmit telemetry data via Morse code and high speed data and image transmission via the 2.4 GHz band. Radio amateurs from all over the world will be able to receive a picture, which will be stamped with the skCUBE name, the call sign OM9SAT and a timestamp. Details on how to use the satellite will be published in advance on the project’s website.
The satellite will also include a VLF receiver with a frame magnetic loop antenna that allows recording of radio signals in the 3 to 30 kHz range. The data will be publicly accessible for those who are interested.
Leave a Reply