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AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-333

ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North
America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS reports on the
activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an
active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating
through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:
ans-editor@amsat.org

In this edition:

* AMSAT Settles Clean Room Lawsuits with Defendants
* UO-11 Calls Again
* BT3WX Special Event Station Celebrates Launch of XW-1 Amateur Satellite
* AMSAT Awards
* SKN on OSCAR 2010
* How’s Satellite DX?
* ARISS Meets With Astronaut Hams
* SO-67 SumbandilaSat Control Team Invites Coordination Suggestions

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-333.01
AMSAT Settles Clean Room Lawsuits with Defendants

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 333.01
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
November 29, 2009
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-333.01

On October 20, 2009, AMSAT President Barry Baines, WD4ASW, Rick Hambly,
W2GPS, and Bob Davis, KF4KSS met with AMSAT attorney Bruce Bright and
participated in a mediation process to see if an agreement could be
reached with MDHawk Corporation, MIST, Hawk Institute for Space Sciences
(HISS) and University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) regarding the
AMSAT clean room litigation (See previous ‘Apogee View’ articles in the
AMSAT JOURNAL for background). After a full day of negotiations at the
Henson Center of UMES, an agreement was reached with the defendants that
averts further court litigation proceedings. The agreement calls for the
defendants to pay AMSAT $19,000.00 and AMSAT will leave the existing
cleanroom in place “as-is, where-is.” In addition, AMSAT will remove the
portable storage unit (‘POD’) that currently sits on HISS property by
November 20, 2009 with payment by the defendants due by that date.

Per the agreement, by November 6 AMSAT removed the POD that was at the
HISS facility being used for outside storage and the $19,000.00 payment
was received last week from the defendants. Once the check clears,
AMSAT attorney Bruce Bright will file the appropriate paperwork to
dismiss both the case before the Circuit Court and the case before
the District Court that are pending.

The outcome of the negotiation leaves AMSAT in the following condition:

- We have $19,000.00 (minus legal fees owed to our attorney) to invest
in a new clean room at a new location in a manner that best serves
AMSAT.

- We avoided the cost of dismantling the existing clean room (including
electricians to disconnect power and plumbers to remove the fire sup-
pression system), placing it in storage (paying storage fees) and then
shipping to our new lab location (incurring relocation fees with a
moving company) once such a facility is finalized.

- We end all interaction with HISS, eliminating the need for volunteers
to travel to Pocomoke City, MD to be on scene to oversee/manage the
removal process of the existing clean room as well as enlist the local
amateurs who assisted us in the construction of the clean room in
2007-2008.

- We avoid the cost of future litigation, including the costs of taking
depositions, submission of legal briefs, and court costs. The cost of
going to court would likely wipe out a significant portion of any cash
that we might be able to secure from the legal process and there is no
guarantee that court action would result in a desirable outcome.

- Settling at this time allows AMSAT to focus on future opportunities
and not continue to allocate resources on resolving past actions.

AMSAT President Barry Baines noted, “This legal process over the
past year has been both frustrating and a ‘learning experience’. The
‘lessons learned’ will be applied to future relationships. I look
forward to getting this legal process behind us and moving forward
on new opportunities.”

[ANS thanks AMSAT President Barry Baines, WD4ASW for the above
information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-333.02
UO-11 Calls Again

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 333.02
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
November 29, 2009
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-333.02

Silent for 18 months, it seems as if 25 year old OSCAR-11 has
reactivated itself on 145.826 MHz. After its batteries failed,
UO-11 remained operational with good signals when its solar cells
were exposed to sufficient sunlight.

The UO-11 Control Station at G3CWV came out of retirement last week-
end with Clive noting, “I have received two reports from Keith N4ZQ
that he has heard UO-11 on 19 November at 13:33 – 13:43, and on 22
November at 13:02 UTC. The frequency is 145.826 MHz. Mode is FM.”

Clive says, “I’ve been receiving good signals from the satellite
during the morning passes, when it was not in eclipse. However, on
November 27 nothing was heard this morning, so the watchdog timer
may have caused the bird to switch off. I would be interested in
any reports of reception AFTER 09:30 UTC 26 November.”

Since last week, reception reports have been rolling in from around
the world:

KB2M reported he has been collecting telemetry from UO-11 for the
last week or so. His files are available for anyone decoding the
telemetry.

KU7Z heard strong signals from UO-11 on November 26 in Utah.

VK5DG heard UO-11 buzzing away over the west half of VK on November 26
at 0003 UTC.

NH6VB reported from Hawaii his 706MKIIG and Arrow antenna on a
photo tripod, copied a weak, barely above noise level, but it was
there.

ZL2BX says he heard very strong signals from UO-11 during the entire
pass on November 22. Up to 60db over S9 almost all pass. (TS-2000,
10 el yagis, preamp at ant). Also same report from VK2AYE.

W5IU heard the old familiar “buzz” loud and clear on a Yaesu FT-530
HT and a hand held three element Yagi on a November 23 pass over Fort
Worth, TX, this morning. It reached full scale on the FT-530 during
a good part of the pass.

K9MSG in Indianapolis reported that on November 24 he heard UO-11
on two passes using a ground plane vertical on a tower. Signals on
the first pass were S-2 to S-7 signal level and reception was very
noisy. The second pass of that day yielded reception at S-1 to S-3
with 1 to 3 second noise bursts.

Clive wraps up with, “Very many thanks to everyone who sent reception
reports of this satellite or posted them to the amsat-bb board. I’ve
been overwhelmed by the number received! I’ve replied to most, but my
apologies if I’ve missed anyone.”

Further details, including an audio clip to help identify the satellite
are on Clive’s OLD website at: http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/clivew

[ANS thanks Clive, G3CWV for the above information]

/EX

Here is a “homebrew” 55′ telescoping mast that is made from inexpensive drainage pipe. This looks like a great project for a portable mast that you have always wanted to do. Courtesey of WB4APR.