CAMSAT Offers More Details on New Satellites, One Carrying HF Transponders

CAMSAT, China’s Amateur Radio Satellite organization, has offered additional details about the three Amateur Radio satellites it plans to launch later this year. Two of the satellites, designated CAS-5A and CAS-6, will carry transponders, and one of them will offer HF capability. CAMSAT’s Alan Kung, BA1DU, told ARRL that the 6U CAS-5A will carry two HF transponders and two V/UHF transponders. The plentiful equipment package includes an H/T (21/29 MHz) mode linear transponder, an H/U (21/435 MHz) mode linear transponder, an HF CW telemetry beacon, a V/U linear transponder, a V/U FM transponder, a UHF CW telemetry beacon, and UHF AX.25 4.8k/9.6k baud GMSK telemetry.

The H/T mode linear transponder will have a 30 kHz wide uplink centered on 21.400 MHz, and a downlink centered on 29.490 MHz. RF output is 0.5 W.
An HF CW telemetry beacon will transmit on 29.465 MHz with 0.1 W.
The H/U mode linear transponder will have a 15 kHz wide uplink centered on 21.435 MHz, and a downlink centered on 435.505 MHz. The RF output is 0.5 W.
The V/U mode linear transponder will have a 30 kHz wide uplink at 145.820 MHz, and a downlink at 435.540 MHz. The RF output is 0.5 W.
The V/U mode FM transponder will uplink at 145.925 MHz, and downlink at 435.600 MHz. The transponder passband is 15 kHz, and the RF output is 0.5 W.
The UHF CW telemetry beacon will transmit on 435.570 MHz, with an RF output of 0.1 W.
UHF AX.25 4.8k/9.6k baud GMSK telemetry will transmit on 435.650 MHz at 0.5 W.

Kung told ARRL that the HF, VHF, and UHF antennas are quarter-wave monopoles.

A satellite within a satellite, the tiny CAS-5B, weighing 0.5 kilogram, will be deployed from CAS-5A in orbit. It will carry a UHF CW beacon on an Amateur Radio frequency. Both CAS-5A and CAS-5B will be placed into 539 × 533 kilometer, 97.5° orbits. They will launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in late September.

The 50-kilogram CAS-6 microsat will include a VHF CW telemetry beacon, a U/V mode 20 kHz linear Amateur Radio transponder, and AX.25 4.8k baud GMSK telemetry. It will also carry an atmospheric wind detector and other systems that will operate on non-amateur frequencies.

A launch at sea on an as-yet undetermined date is planned for CAS-6 from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The microsat will be placed into a 579 × 579 kilometer, 45° orbit

Source:ARRL