SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0425 * SpaceNews 25-Apr-94 * BID: $SPC0425 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY APRIL 25, 1994 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for unlimited distribution. * AMSAT-UK COLLOQUIUM NEWS * ============================ AMSAT-UK Colloquium Call for Papers The ninth AMSAT-UK Colloquium will be held July 28, 29, 30 & 31 at the University of Surrey in Guildford, Surrey (England). This year's colloquium will be divided into four primary topic areas: Spacecraft Engineering, Future Space Missions, Groundstation and Spacecraft Operations and Associated Amateur Space Activities. Papers falling into these categories are sought for the event. Authors should submit abstracts to arrive no later than May 10, 1994 for consideration for this year's event. Papers accepted for this year's proceedings will be required in final form (camera ready or on disk) no later than June 10, 1994. Authors will be notified of paper acceptance by June 1. Abstracts should be sent to: Doug Loughmiller, G0SYX AMSAT-UK Colloquium Programme Chairman University of Surrey Centre for Satellite Engineering Research Guildford, Surrey GU2 5XH England Submissions can also be made to the programme chairman via fax on +44 0483 259503 or via the Internet to: D.Loughmiller@ee.surrey.ac.uk. Abstracts and papers should only be sent to the addresses listed above. The annual AMSAT-UK Colloquium is the largest international gathering of amateur satellite enthusiasts and experts in the world and has established a high standard of quality presentations on topics relevant to the amateur satellite community. Organizers of this year's event would welcome all contributions of program material covering the vast scope of the amateur satellite program as it exists in 1994. The ninth AMSAT-UK colloquium promises to be the most informative and entertaining event yet. We look forward to your participation in this year's Colloquium. [Info via F6CDD] * SAREX NEWS * ============== The following message from the STS-59 crew was received via SAREX by Dave, N6JLH in California: We used the SAREX rig today to talk with 2 of our astronauts now stationed in Star CIty, near Moscow, and 2 cosmonauts. One of the astronauts was my friend and former STS-37 crewmate, Ken Cameron, R3/KB5AWP. Ken also got me into ham radio. It was terrific to hear his voice after several months corresponding by e-mail only! Linda, N5RAX and I and crewmate Kevin Chilton spoke to Ken and the cosmonauts including U6MIR, Anatoli Artsibartski, on two succesive orbits. What a great way to use ham radio! They were standing near the Yuri Gagarin statue, using an HT with a 5/8 whip, standing on a car to increase their elevation! 73, Jay N5QWL 01:10 UTC 17 April 1994 * VE7BQH MAKES DXCC ON 144 MHZ * ================================ Heartiest congratulations to Lionel Edwards, VE7BQH, on becoming the fourth radio amateur to receive a DXCC award for 144 MHz, reported in May QST. What's more, Lionel did it with an antenna having forward gain of approximately 23.7 dBd, about 5 dB smaller than that of anyone else to have reached this exalted level of VHF DXing (so far, W5UN, KB8RQ and SM7BAE). The 336-element collinear array at VE7BQH is rotatable in the Z axis (polarization) as well as the normal X and Y axes (azimuth and elevation), which accounts for some of Lionel's outstanding results; his own operating ability, dedication and persistence over many years obviously contributed as well. VE7BQH is perhaps best known as the ever-patient, ever-helpful net control station, premier technical advisor and chief schedule-arranger of the 2-meter EME Net, which meets each Saturday and Sunday on 14.345 MHz, a role he has filled without peer for many years. It's fair to say that without Lionel, 144 MHz EME would not have become anything like what it is today, and none of those using the mode could possibly have accomplished even a fraction of what they have done so far. Congratulations, Lionel, thanks for everything and please keep up the great work you're doing for all of us! [Info via Ray Soifer, W2RS] * GARC WORLD WIDE WEB SERVER NEWS * =================================== The NASA Goddard Amateur Radio Club, Inc. in Greenbelt, Maryland has been working behind the scenes on projects that may benefit all amateur radio operators in general and perhaps AMSAT members in particular. Astronaut Ron Parise, WA4SIR, has been beta testing a BBS which is accessible via the Internet through telnet and ftp, telephone modem, and packet radio (locally on 145.090 MHz and nonlocally through "packet wormholes"). With Ron's heavy STS-67 crew training as of late, Jim Blackwell N3KWU is picking up much of the work to complete the beta phase. The BBS contains Keplerian orbital elements updated daily, AMSAT bulletins, SAREX bulletins, club member mail service, club announcements, space shuttle mission info and lots more. Access via Internet: wa3nan.gsfc.nasa.gov or 128.183.105.17 via landline: 301-286-4137 via packet: see above parenthetical Additionally, the Goddard Amateur Radio Club has a home page for public viewing on the GARC World Wide Web server. It contains the latest GARC Newsletter in electronic form, latest space shuttle keps, GARC calendar of events, details of upcoming club activities, current WA3NAN QSL card, club facility-repeater-BBS info, a morse code experiment and more. WWW access URL: http://macgwy-mac2.gsfc.nasa.gov/garc/wa3nan-home-page.html The GARC Web server was developed and is maintained by club president Jim Blackwell N3KWU (n3kwu@amsat.org). You are invited to check out its potential. This medium is the hottest item on the Internet today. 73, Pat WD8LAQ Internet: wd8laq@amsat.org Work URL: http://epims1.gsfc.nasa.gov/nppo/nppo.html * THANKS! * =========== Thanks to all those who sent messages of appreciation to SpaceNews, especially: AJ1R KS2D KE4CIL KD6RGW G7MZY ...and Terry Stader, KA8SCP, the America Online Ham Radio Club Host, who makes SpaceNews bulletins available in the Ham Radio Club's Space Radio News Library on America Online. According to Terry, SpaceNews is downloaded quite frequently. * FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED * =========================== Mail to SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the following paths: FAX : 1-908-747-7107 PACKET : KD2BD @ N2KZH.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org MAIL : John A. Magliacane, KD2BD Department of Engineering and Technology Advanced Technology Center Brookdale Community College Lincroft, New Jersey 07738 U.S.A. <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>> /EX