by Peter Goodhall | Mar 21, 2014 | Daily Updates
The second episode of the online TV show for amateurs, TX Factor, has been released and features the FUNcube-1 (AO-73) satellite and the FUNcube Dongle Pro+ (FCD) Software Defined Radio (SDR). Decoding satellites The TX Factor team were at Bletchley Park with the...
by Peter Goodhall | Mar 20, 2014 | Daily Updates
The QB50 project will be launching two precursor 2U CubeSats, QB50p1 and QB50p2, both carrying amateur radio transponder payloads. The launch is currently planned for June 19 from the Russian ICBM base at Dombarovsky near Yasny on a Dnepr rocket manufactured in...
by Peter Goodhall | Mar 20, 2014 | Daily Updates
Zac Manchester KD2BHC has released new launch information on the KickSat CubeSat which will carry 104 tiny Sprite satellites into a 325×315 km 51.5 degree inclination orbit. The launch will be broadcast live on NASA TV, which will also be streaming on Ustream.The...
by Peter Goodhall | Mar 19, 2014 | Daily Updates
The SUWS WebSDR, a VHF/UHF/Microwave online radio, now has improved antennas for reception of amateur radio satellites and High Altitude Balloons (HAB).Noel G8GTZ has posted an update on the Southampton University Wireless Society (SUWS) web based software defined...
by Peter Goodhall | Mar 19, 2014 | Daily Updates
Der Spiegel newspaper features an article about the hopes of radio amateurs to transmit commands to control the NASA ISEE-3 / ICE spacecraft. The newspaper interviewed radio amateurs Achim Vollhardt DH2VA and Thilo Elsner DJ5YM both members of AMSAT-DL. The article...
by Peter Goodhall | Mar 19, 2014 | Daily Updates
Planet Labs has announced that it has confirmed launches for more than 100 CubeSats over the next 12 months. The satellites are 3U (30x10x10 cm) in size and will launch on rockets from the USA and Russia. This constitutes the largest constellation of satellites...
by Peter Goodhall | Mar 18, 2014 | Daily Updates
The $50SAT team have applied for and been designated an OSCAR number for their PocketQube satellite – Morehead-OSCAR-76, or MO-76. $50SAT is one of the smallest amateur radio satellites ever launched at 5x5x7.5 cm and weighs only 210 grams. Transmitter power is...
by Peter Goodhall | Mar 18, 2014 | Daily Updates
The Cambridge company 3D Cube Sat was one of the winners of the Virgin Media ‘Three New Things’ Technology Award. The three winning businesses will each receive a package of mentoring and support, including the chance to meet with Virgin founder Richard Branson to...
by Peter Goodhall | Mar 18, 2014 | Daily Updates
On March 22, the FUNcube-1 (AO-73) CubeSat will be commanded into continuous transponder mode for one or two orbits so we can assess the effect of lower power being radiated by the sat on the battery temperature. We expect the satellite to be put into full time...
by Peter Goodhall | Mar 17, 2014 | Daily Updates
In the first of four videos, Mark Spencer, WA8SME, explains the operation of the amateur radio WRAPS antenna rotor system. The WRAPS system points a lightweight antenna towards a passing amateur radio satellite (or weather or other satellite), facilitating the capture...
