Also in GB2RS this week…
Ofcom is looking for an engineering specialist to develop and enhance their software and systems used in radio monitoring systems throughout the UK and Northern Ireland. These consist of radio receivers, RF sensors, direction finders and so forth, predominantly from 20MHz to 3GHz. These are hosted on a mixture of permanent, transportable and mobile sites. A full job description is on the Ofcom website.
This week has seen two developments in amateur space communications. On Thursday, the Brazilian CubeSat SERPENS, callsign PY0ESA, was deployed from the International Space Station. Details of the mission are at tinyurl.com/PY0ESA and reception reports are welcomed. We also understand that a Chinese Long March 6 will be launching four CubeSats with amateur radio payloads around 2300 on Friday, 18 September. The latest news on these and other satellites can be found on the AMSAT-UK website.
Morse code was allegedly used to cheat in an Italian chess tournament recently. A contestant was believed to be concealing a video camera and transmitter about his person, and batting his eyelids in an unusual manner to communicate via Morse with an unidentified accomplice. Suspicions were further aroused when he started beating players with abilities far above his own.
The RSGB Convention takes place over 9-11 October at Kent’s Hill Conference Centre in Milton Keynes. An updated programme for Saturday and Sunday is now on the RSGB website. One of the many highlights will be Howard Long, G6LVB, describing his experiences of taking a hobby project into full scale production. In 2010, what was originally to be a small project to support the FUNcube amateur satellite turned into a rather more substantial undertaking. Without any previous experience of large scale production, Howard talks through the trials, tribulations and learning experiences, from outsourcing manufacturing to organising global logistics. Convention packages are still available and Day tickets can be booked online saving you £5 on each ticket. Go to www.rsgb.org/convention for all the information.
Category: GB2RS Headlines
