Also in GB2RS this week…

Asteroid mission Hayabusa 2, with a planned launch this December, will also carry the amateur radio satellite Shin’en 2. It will be among the first amateur radio satellite go into orbit outside the influence of the Earth’s gravity. The relatively small satellite will be put into an elliptic orbit around the Sun and travel to an orbit between Venus and Mars. It was built in Japan by students and carries a Mode J linear transponder for amateur radio communications along with CW and WSJT beacons. The satellite will operate on 437.505MHz for its CW beacon and 437.385MHz for the WSJT telemetry. The inverting CW and SSB transponder will uplink on 2m from 145.940 to 145.960MHz using lower sideband. The downlink will use 435.280 to 435.260MHz on upper sideband.

TX Factor, the television show for radio amateurs, is now available in a version especially for French speakers. Episode 1 is now available with French subtitles thanks to the work of F6FVY, F8BXI and F8GQH. That team plans to do the same with the rest of the show’s episodes. To view the TX Factor with or without the French subtitles go to www.txfactor.co.uk.

International Air Ambulance Week will be on the air from 27 September to 5 October. More details about the event can be found at www.radio-amateur-events.org including a list of the stations registered. An award certificate can be obtained for 5, 10 and 15 stations worked/heard.

The RSGB Convention takes place between the 10 and 12 October and will be held at the Kent’s Hill Conference Centre in Milton Keynes. It is, once again, sponsored by Martin Lynch and Sons, whom the RSGB thank for their continued support of the event. The provisional lecture schedule is available on the RSGB website. This year is a truly international event with Brian Justin, WA1ZMS, Bob Allphin, K4UEE and Carl, K9LA, travelling from the States; Paul O’Kane, EI5DI, Alex Artieda, HB9DRI, Verner Topse, OZ5TG from Europe, and Eric Swartz WA6HHQ of Elecraft fame and Harold Kramer, WJ1B from the ARRL via the internet. These speakers will provide a wide range of topics from transatlantic 2m beacon and weak signal communications to the moving story of amateur radio at the 2013 Boston marathon. Weekend packages are still on offer, see www.rsgbevents.org and day tickets will be available on the door.

Durham and District ARS has received reports of deteriorating signal strength and reduced coverage of GB7PB. In response they have re-sited and replaced the repeater’s antenna with a commercial aerial and replaced the coaxial cable with a superior grade of coax. Signal reports would be most gratefully received in order to establish if signals and coverage have been improved. Send your report, by e-mail, to GB7PB@outlook.com and please include your callsign, location or locator and signal report.

Category: GB2RS Headlines