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. The OUFTI-1 (Orbital Utility For Telecommunication Innovations)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.
On March 30 the students pulled the so-called “Remove Before Flight” pins and successfully verified that their CubeSats were ready for launch before replacing the access ports on the P-POD, which will secure the CubeSats prior to and during launch and then will release them into orbit. The next time the students will have contact with their respective CubeSats will be through their spacecraft’s communication link, once the CubeSats have been deployed into orbit. Once thermal-optical tape has been applied to the P-POD to shield the CubeSats from extreme thermal radiation during the launch phase, the P-POD will be integrated with the Soyuz launch vehicle.
Constructed by students at the University of Liege in Belgium (ULg), OUFTI-1 will be the first satellite to carry an Amateur Radio D-STAR transponder. Developed by the Japan Amateur Radio League, D-STAR enables the simultaneous transmission of voice and digital data as well as call sign-based roaming via the Internet. “The OUFTI-1 D-STAR repeater will be available either as a direct communication repeater between two users, and as an extension of the ULg D-STAR repeater,” explains the article “D-STAR digital amateur communications in space with OUFTI-1 CubeSat” by Jonathan Pisane, ON7JPD; Amandine Denis, ON4EYA, and Jacques Verly, ON9CWD, all of ULg. 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.
The other two CubeSats are from Italy and Denmark. The CubeSat e-st@r-II from the Polytechnic of Turin, Italy, will demonstrate an attitude control system using measurements of Earth’s magnetic field. It will transmit CW and 1.2 k AFSK on 437.485 MHz. AAUSAT4 from the University of Aalborg, Denmark, will operate an automated ocean vessel identification system. It will transmit on 437.425 MHz.
Source:ARRL
More
Frequency: (3,500 MHz – 3,830 MHz) Number of elements per band: 2 Gain [dBd]: 3.9 Front-back ratio [dB]: 18 A switching system that enables operation from 3.500 MHz to 3.830 MHz Boom length: 11m The longest element: 21m Turning radius... Read more
![SDR Transceiver MB1 [ Videos ]](https://qrznow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/MB1_1-1024-90x60.jpg)
![Kenwood TH-D74 – How to do a quick setup [ Video ]](https://qrznow.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/th-d74_vhf-90x60.jpg)
More
Antenna Gain Explained by KB9VBR
Check great article from KB9VBR – Antenna Gain Explained Also Visit J-Pole Antenna Shop Read more
ARRL Board Considers Plan to Cover New $35 FCC Fee for Some Young Members
At its Annual Meeting in January, the ARRL Board of Directors considered a motion to offer a new plan that would pay the new but not-yet-implemented $... Read more
FlexRadio Update from the 2015 DCC on HamRadioNow 220
FlexRadio’s Stephen Hicks N5AC hits EIGHT important topics related to the Flex radios in this talk from the 2015 ARRL and TAPR Digital Communica... Read more
Caution Urged in Using High Duty Cycle Digital Modes via Satellite
A report in ANS-288 discussed an experiment operating with the WSJT-X FT8 digital mode via satellite. Satellite operators have gained more experience... Read more
Langstone Project – SDR Transceiver using an Adalm PlutoSDR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgAkcmd7ixA Read more
Juno Spacecraft that Heard Hams Say “HI” Now Orbiting Jupiter
NASA’s Juno spacecraft, which in 2013 listened for earthbound radio amateurs sending “HI” in coordinated, very slow-speed CW, now is circling Jupiter.... Read more
Pearl Harbor Day ceremony at USS Edson to be broadcast to the world
BANGOR TOWNSHIP, MI — Commemoration of those who gave their lives during the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor is to be conducted at noon Monday al... Read more
2017 Hamvention® Awards Announcement
Photo:Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO Frank J. Beafore / WS8B – Chairperson I am pleased to announce the following winners of the Hamvention A... Read more
SSO-A mission with Amateur Radio satellites launches Nov. 19
SSO-A mission – credit Spaceflight Spaceflight’s SSO-A SmallSat Express mission, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, is currently sch... Read more
World’s Best Hobby
Producer and amateur radio operator Dave Bell (W6AQ) has written a memoir with a twist that hams will enjoy. In its 302 pages, “World’s Best Hobby” ch... Read more
![WWII Hand powered portable field HF radio BC1306 [ Video ]](https://qrznow.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/DSC02973-190x122.jpg)
Icom D-STAR GPS Tracking with Offline Maps
Demonstration of Icom’s RS-MS1A Android app and GPS tracking with maps created offline Read more
Icom Firmware Updates for the IC-7700 and IC-7800
com have announced firmware updates for the IC-7700 and IC-7800 Amateur Radio HF Transceivers. Each firmware provides the same improvement incl... Read more
“Automatic Gain Control” is the topic of the latest episode of the “ARRL The Doctor is In” podcast
“Automatic Gain Control” is the topic of the latest (February 1) episode of the “ARRL The Doctor is In” podcast. Listen…and learn! More than a... Read more
Warning: file_get_contents(https://plusone.google.com/_/+1/fastbutton?url=https%3A%2F%2Fqrznow.com%2Ffirst-ever-d-star-satellite-to-launch-in-april%2F): failed to open stream: HTTP request failed! HTTP/1.0 404 Not Found in /home/qrznow/public_html/wp-content/themes/goodnews5/framework/functions/posts_share.php on line 151
