Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (B
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Aug 23 2019 11:15 am
CHINESE MICROSATELLITE ENDS ITS LUNAR MISSION
PAUL/ANCHOR: With a planned crash onto the surface of the moon, China's
microsatellite has ended its lunar mission. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, tells us
more.
GRAHAM: The 14-month journey of China's microsatellite Longjiang-2 ended
on July 31, with its intended crash onto the lunar surface. Weighing only
48 kilograms, or 104 pounds, it spent 437 days in lunar orbit, studying
solar radiation, and conducting radio astronomical observations. While
it was in orbit, amateur radio operators had partnered with scientists
at China's Harbin Institute of Technology to uplink commands to the tiny
craft and receive data the satellite was transmitting. One of the images
it captured was of the moon and Earth during the total solar eclipse on
July 2nd of this year.
The final commands given to the satellite came from Reinhard Kuhn, DK5LA,
whose ongoing work with Longjiang-2, since its launch in May 2018, made
him the first radio amateur to communicate with a satellite in lunar
orbit. His greatest challenge may well have come on the day the tiny
craft was set to end its journey: A nearby lightning strike prompted him
to unplug all his cables but he needed to reconnect a bit later - and he
did - just before the tiny satellite passed behind the moon.
Scientists believe 12 minutes after it went silent, it hit the lunar
surface.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.
(SOUTHGATE)
**
TICKET SALES BEGIN FOR AMSAT SPACE SYMPOSIUM AND MEETING
PAUL/ANCHOR: If you've got your eye on the sky, AMSAT has just the event
for you. Jim Damron, N8TMW, explains.
JIM: October may seem a long way off, but if you're planning to attend
the 50th Anniversary AMSAT Space Symposium and General Meeting, it's
closer than you realize. Tickets have gone on sale for the sympsoium,
the banquet, and a Sunday bus tour. AMSAT recently announced its panel
of speakers for the banquet to be held on Saturday, October 19th. The
panel will take on the topic of "The Foundations of AMSAT." They include
AMSAT's founding president Perry Klein, W3PK; Project OSCAR's Lance
Ginner, K6GSJ, author and diplomat George Jacobs, W3ASK, along with
several others.
The symposium weekend will be held in Arlington, Virginia, from the 18th
to the 20th of October, and will include a side trip to the Steven F.
Udvar-Hazy Center, at the National Air and Space Museum.
For details and registration information, visit amsat dot org (amsat.org).
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW.
(AMSAT.ORG)
**
GOING THE DISTANCE VIA MICROWAVE IN AUSTRALIA
PAUL/ANCHOR: In Australia, two hams have gone the distance via microwave,
and set what they're calling a new record. With that story, we have John
Williams, VK4JJW.
JOHN: There is an array of awards posted on the QR Zed page for Roland
Lang, VK4FB, and many of them are for DX contacts. His latest
accomplishment, however, took his radio signals only 92.08 kilometres,
or about 57 miles. Roland and Stefan Durtschi, VK4CSD, report that on
the 11th of August they completed what they are calling the first FT8
contact to be made on 122 GHz by any ham anywhere. This is not the first
time the Queensland microwave enthusiasts have pushed the bounds of
the band. They also reported earlier this summer that they believe they
had set a new record in Australia for SSB on the same frequency: that
contact was made over a distance of 69.6 kilometres, or an estimated 43
miles.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm John Williams, VK4JJW.
(WIA)
**
BREAK HERE:
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