Slow-Scan TV Transmissions from International Space Station: July 30-31
RAC/ARISS – ARISS Russia is planning another of their popular MAI Slow Scan Television (SSTV) experiment events. Transmissions are scheduled to begin at 16:00 UTC on July 30, then powered down at 19:30 UTC. The next day (July 31), the system will be active from 13:25-19:15 UTC. Downlink should be on the traditional 145.80 MHz frequency and the operating mode will likely be PD120.
When this event becomes active, SSTV images are downlinked from the International Space Station (ISS) at the frequency of 145.80 MHz and can be received using Amateur Radio equipment as simple as a 2 metre handheld radio or a common scanner receiver the covers the 2 metre Amateur band. After connecting the audio output of the radio receiver into the audio input of a computer running free software such as MMSSTV, the SSTV images can be displayed.
Please note that the event is dependent on other activities, schedules and crew responsibilities on the ISS and are subject to change at any time.
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States and other international space agencies and international Amateur Radio organizations around the world.
The primary purpose of ARISS is to organize scheduled contacts via Amateur Radio between crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and classrooms or informal education venues. With the help of experienced volunteers from Amateur Radio clubs and coordination from the ARISS team, the ISS crew members speak directly with large group audiences in a variety of public forums such as school assemblies, science centers and museums, Scout camporees, jamborees and space camps, where students, teachers, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies and Amateur Radio.
ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, the Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA and CSA, with the AMSAT and International Amateur Radio Union organizations from participating countries.
ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crew members onboard the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, firsthand, how Amateur Radio and crew members on the International Space Station can energize youth and instill an interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on their website.
ARRL – Registration is open worldwide for Scouting’s Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) and Jamboree on the Internet. JOTA-JOTI take place October 19 – 21 — always the third weekend of October. JOTA Coordinator Jim Wilson, K5ND, encourages JOTA groups to register as soon as possible.
“The sign-up system this year is much simpler,” Wilson told ARRL. “There is no need to first register an account at scout.org before signing in.” Wilson said JOTA-JOTI will generate “an explosion of communication across the Amateur Radio airwaves and the internet.”
He anticipates that more than 1 million Scouts and Guides will take part in more than 150 countries. A JOTA-JOTI Participant’s Guide is available. “JOTA began in 1957 following the World Jamboree that year, when the ham radio operators gathered over coffee and thought about doing the on-the-air part of Jamboree every year,” Wilson recounted.
This year will mark the 61st JOTA (and the 22nd year of JOTI). “Many JOTA Amateur Radio stations are also starting to use JOTI channels, like ScoutLink, to more readily connect with Scouts around the world,” Wilson told ARRL. “Other channels include Skype, YouTube, and social media.”
Wilson said once groups have registered, other locations around the world will know to look for them. “Likewise, you’ll be able to see at a glance all the rest of the locations from across town to the other side of the Earth,” he added.
Hurricane Watch Net on Alert for Developing Atlantic Basin Storms
Hurricane Watch New (HWN) Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, says the Atlantic Hurricane Basin seems to want people’s attention. Tropical Depression 3, off the southeastern coast of North Carolina could become a named storm, Chris. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has initiated advisories on TD 3. The system is expected to remain offshore. The HWN remains at alert level 2 — “monitoring mode.”
“A few computer models show this system growing and moving up along the US east coast into Nova Scotia, Canada,” Graves said today. “How strong it will be, if development occurs, is unknown.”
Meanwhile, Tropical Cyclone Beryl intensified overnight to become the first hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season, which began on June 1. A compact storm, Beryl is predicted to remain east of the Lesser Antilles through early Sunday. Satellite data indicate maximum sustained winds of around 80 MPH with higher gusts, and some strengthening is forecast.
While Beryl is forecast to quickly weaken or dissipate before reaching the Lesser Antilles, some rain and wind are expected to impact those islands early next week.
“Be advised, should the Hurricane Watch Net be called into action, 20-meter propagation has been very lousy of late and we may have to operate on both 20 and 40 meters (14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz, respectively),” Graves said.
“Should either storm become a threat, the Hurricane Watch Net will be ready for action. The tropics are getting very interesting!”
RAC – ARISS Russia is planning a special Slow Scan Television (SSTV) event from the International Space Station Station around 09:00 GMT on Friday, June 29 and continuing until 18:30 GMT Sunday, July 1.
Supporting this event is a computer on the ISS Russian Segment, which stores images that are then transmitted to Earth using Amateur Radio, specifically the onboard Kenwood TM-D710E transceiver.
These images will commemorate the various satellites that were hand-deployed from the ISS. These will include the first satellite deployment from ISS: Suitsat-1/Radioskaf-1 which was developed by ARISS and deployed in February 2006.
The transmissions will be made on 145.800 MHz FM using the PD-120 SSTV mode.
Note the ISS transmissions use the 5 kHz deviation FM standard rather than the narrow 2.5 kHz used in Europe. If your transceiver has selectable FM filters try using the wider filter. Handheld transceivers generally have a single wide filter fitted as standard and you should get good results outdoors using just a 1/4-wave whip antenna.
ARRL – ARRL Field Day is the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada.
On the fourth weekend of June of each year, more than 40,000 Radio Amateurs gather with their clubs, groups or simply with friends to operate from remote locations.
Field Day is a picnic, a campout, practice for emergencies, an informal contest and, most of all, FUN! It is a time where many aspects of Amateur Radio come together to highlight our many roles.
While some will treat it as a contest, other groups use the opportunity to practice their emergency response capabilities. It is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate Amateur Radio to the organizations that Amateur Radio might serve in an emergency, as well as the general public. For many clubs, ARRL Field Day is one of the highlights of their annual calendar.
The contest part is simply to contact as many other stations as possible and to learn to operate our radio gear in abnormal situations and less than optimal conditions. We use these same skills when we help with events such as marathons and bike-a-thons; fundraisers such as walk-a-thons; celebrations such as parades; and exhibits at fairs, malls and museums – these are all large, preplanned, non-emergency activities.
The following are the different digital modes being used the the Durham Region area. Some of the repeaters are in multi-mode, where different modes are available in addition to regular FM voice.
DMR – Digital Mobile Radio
DMR, or Digital Mobile Radio, is explained in more detail, via my scanner DMR page, but a more simplistic explanation follows:
Tier I
DMR Tier I products are for license-free use in the 446 MHz band in the European Union.
This part of the standard provides for consumer applications and low-power commercial applications, using a maximum of 0.5 watt RF power. With a limited number of channels and no use of repeaters, no use of telephone interconnects, fixed/integrated antennas, and a talk timer of 180 seconds, Tier I DMR devices are best suited for personal use, recreation, small retail and other settings that do not require wide area coverage or advanced features.
Tier II
DMR Tier II covers licensed conventional radio systems, mobiles and hand portables operating in PMR frequency bands from 66-960MHz. The ETSI DMR Tier II standard is targeted at those users who need spectral efficiency, advanced voice features and integrated IP data services in licensed bands for high-power communications. ETSI DMR Tier II specifies two slot TDMA in 12.5 kHz channels.
DMR Tier II is based on the following ETSI standards.
ETSI TS 102 361-1 Air interface
ETSI TS 102 361-2 Voice and generic services and facilities
ETSI TS 102 361-3 Data protocol
Tier III
DMR Tier III covers trunking operation in frequency bands 66-960MHz. The Tier III standard specifies two slot TDMA in 12.5kHz channels. Tier III supports voice and short messaging handling similar to MPT 1327 with built-in 128 character status messaging and short messaging with up to 288 bits of data in a variety of formats. It also supports packet data service in a variety of formats, including support for IPv4 and IPv6.
Talk Groups
Talk Groups (TG) are a way for groups of users to share a time slot, without distracting and disrupting other users of the time slot. It should be noted that only one Talk Group can be using a time slot at a time. If your radio is not programmed to listen to a Talk Group, you will not hear that Talk Group’s traffic.
The DMR-MARC Mototrbo™ network supports a number of Talk Groups on TS1 including World Wide (TG1, PTT), North America (TG3), and World Wide English (TG13). TS2 is for local, state, and regional Talk Groups. The DCI/TRBO network uses TG3163 for North America and TG3161 for World Wide, and TG3 for World Wide English on TS2.
The DMR standard also supports private calls (one-to-one), encryption, and data. Private calls are not allowed by most of the amateur networks and many consider private calls not amateur friendly; private calls tie up a large number of repeater time slots across the network. Encryption is not legal on amateur radio in the USA but is allowed in Canada! Data and text messaging is supported on some networks.
For simplex traffic, the accepted standard in the amateur community is to use TG99 on TS1 with CC1.
DMR Repeaters
The following DMR repeaters are available in the Durham Region area:
VA3XPR – Toronto – 442.3375 – CC1 (Disabled due to jamming)
The following are the different digital modes being used the the Durham Region area. Some of the repeaters are in multi-mode, where different modes are available in addition to regular FM voice.
DMR – Digital Mobile Radio
DMR, or Digital Mobile Radio, is explained in more detail, via my scanner DMR page, but a more simplistic explanation follows:
Tier I
DMR Tier I products are for license-free use in the 446 MHz band in the European Union.
This part of the standard provides for consumer applications and low-power commercial applications, using a maximum of 0.5 watt RF power. With a limited number of channels and no use of repeaters, no use of telephone interconnects, fixed/integrated antennas, and a talk timer of 180 seconds, Tier I DMR devices are best suited for personal use, recreation, small retail and other settings that do not require wide area coverage or advanced features.
Tier II
DMR Tier II covers licensed conventional radio systems, mobiles and hand portables operating in PMR frequency bands from 66-960MHz. The ETSI DMR Tier II standard is targeted at those users who need spectral efficiency, advanced voice features and integrated IP data services in licensed bands for high-power communications. ETSI DMR Tier II specifies two slot TDMA in 12.5 kHz channels.
DMR Tier II is based on the following ETSI standards.
ETSI TS 102 361-1 Air interface
ETSI TS 102 361-2 Voice and generic services and facilities
ETSI TS 102 361-3 Data protocol
Tier III
DMR Tier III covers trunking operation in frequency bands 66-960MHz. The Tier III standard specifies two slot TDMA in 12.5kHz channels. Tier III supports voice and short messaging handling similar to MPT 1327 with built-in 128 character status messaging and short messaging with up to 288 bits of data in a variety of formats. It also supports packet data service in a variety of formats, including support for IPv4 and IPv6.
Talk Groups
Talk Groups (TG) are a way for groups of users to share a time slot, without distracting and disrupting other users of the time slot. It should be noted that only one Talk Group can be using a time slot at a time. If your radio is not programmed to listen to a Talk Group, you will not hear that Talk Group’s traffic.
The DMR-MARC Mototrbo™ network supports a number of Talk Groups on TS1 including World Wide (TG1, PTT), North America (TG3), and World Wide English (TG13). TS2 is for local, state, and regional Talk Groups. The DCI/TRBO network uses TG3163 for North America and TG3161 for World Wide, and TG3 for World Wide English on TS2.
The DMR standard also supports private calls (one-to-one), encryption, and data. Private calls are not allowed by most of the amateur networks and many consider private calls not amateur friendly; private calls tie up a large number of repeater time slots across the network. Encryption is not legal on amateur radio in the USA but is allowed in Canada! Data and text messaging is supported on some networks.
For simplex traffic, the accepted standard in the amateur community is to use TG99 on TS1 with CC1.
DMR Repeaters
The following DMR repeaters are available in the Durham Region area:
VA3XPR – Toronto – 442.3375 – CC1 (Disabled due to jamming)
TalkGroups
1 = World Wide
2 = Local 1
3 = North America
8 = Golden Horseshoe Area
9 = Local 2
13 = WW English
113 = UAE 1
123 = UAE 2
302 = Canada
310 = TAC310
3023 = Ontario
3022 = Quebec
3024 = Manitoba
3026 = Alberta
3029 = New Brunswick
3027 = British Columbia
9998 = Parrot
9999 = Audio Test
Presently, all Toronto area DMR-MARC repeaters have been disabled due to jamming/interference.
NXDN – Next Generation Digital Narrowband
The NXDN (Next Generation Digital Narrowband) common air interface protocol, which was developed jointly by ICOM and Kenwood, uses Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), employing a 4-level FSK modulation scheme. These companies and others together form the NXDN Forum.
Kenwood’s brand for NXDN equipment is “NEXEDGE”, while Icom’s brand for NXDN equipment is “IDAS”, or Icom Digital Advanced System. For a more detailed information via my scanner NXDN page.
NXDN Repeaters
The following NXDN repeaters are available in the Durham Region area:
TalkGroups
1 = World Wide
2 = Local 1
3 = North America
8 = Golden Horseshoe Area
9 = Local 2
13 = WW English
113 = UAE 1
123 = UAE 2
302 = Canada
310 = TAC310
3023 = Ontario
3022 = Quebec
3024 = Manitoba
3026 = Alberta
3029 = New Brunswick
3027 = British Columbia
9998 = Parrot
9999 = Audio Test
Presently, all Toronto area DMR-MARC repeaters have been disabled due to jamming/interference.
NXDN – Next Generation Digital Narrowband
The NXDN (Next Generation Digital Narrowband) common air interface protocol, which was developed jointly by ICOM and Kenwood, uses Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), employing a 4-level FSK modulation scheme. These companies and others together form the NXDN Forum.
Kenwood’s brand for NXDN equipment is “NEXEDGE”, while Icom’s brand for NXDN equipment is “IDAS”, or Icom Digital Advanced System. For a more detailed information via my scanner NXDN page.
NXDN Repeaters
The following NXDN repeaters are available in the Durham Region area:
Revised Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations now includes additional 15 kHz for 60 Metre Band with the same power limits as earlier allocated spot frequencies.
RAC – In August 2017, the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) issued “Proposed Revisions to the Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations”. These proposed changes followed decisions made at the World Radiocommunications Conference in 2015 (WRC-15) that included a 15 kHz-wide allocation for the Amateur Service in the 60 metre band. The proposed revisions to the Table would retain the original five 5 MHz spot frequencies with 100 watts of effective radiated power, but restrict the new 15 kHz allocation to only 15 watts (eirp), the agreement at WRC-15 that accommodated concerns of a few countries over possible interference to their domestic communications. Decisions these days at World Radio Conferences require unanimous consent of all member nations.
Radio Amateurs of Canada noted in its response to the proposed changes that there had been no reports of interference from Amateur Radio operations on the existing five 60m spot frequencies following their use in Canada since 2014 and in the USA for even longer. Further, the rationale for allocating the spot frequencies had been based on the value of 60m for emergency communications and the low power limit adopted at the WRC would seriously limit this use. Other responses from the Radio Advisory Board of Canada (of which RAC is a member organization), the Ottawa Valley Mobile Radio Club, the Marconi Radio Club of Newfoundland and several individual Radio Amateurs also recommended 100 watts. The new allocation will be more effective and manageable for domestic SSB communications and consistent with the existing use of the band on the five spot frequencies now enjoyed by Canadian Amateurs. The responses can be read at: https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf11346.html
We are happy to report that in their release of the Revised Table of Frequency Allocations (http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf10759.html) issued on April 13, 2018, ISED has addressed the concerns of the Canadian Amateur Radio community. The Revised Table now allocates the band 5351. kHz5 – 5366.5 kHz (which overlaps one of the previous 60m spot frequencies) and the four previously allocated spot frequencies (5332, 5348, 5373 and 5405 kHz). The conditions for the use of the band and spot frequencies remain the same as those governing the spot frequencies previously: maximum effective radiated power of 100 watts PEP, 2.8 kHz emission bandwidth and permitted modes telephony, data, RTTY and CW. The Table notes that the Amateur 60m allocations are not in accordance with international frequency allocations and that Canadian Amateur operations shall not cause interference to fixed or mobile operations in Canada or other countries. As in the previous allocation of the spot frequencies, the Table notes that if interference occurs the Amateur Service may be required to cease operations. This is a standard condition of domestic allocations and as noted previously by RAC has not occurred during operation on the previously allocated and authorized spot frequencies.
Even though the Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations now identifies this new 60 metre allocation for the Amateur Service, Canadian Amateurs must await authorization by ISED before using the new 15 kHz segment. Such authorization is normally effected via a revised issue of document RBR-4 – Standards for the Operation of Radio Stations in the Amateur Radio Service(https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf10650.html). Radio Amateurs of Canada will be urging ISED to authorize the new 15 kHz segment as soon as possible.
ANNE FARRIES – The people who keep communication lines open when disaster strikes are looking for new talent.
That’s amateur radio clubs, and they’re increasingly filled by people above the age of 50, who would like to prepare the following generation to help in a crisis, says Mike Johnson, emergency management co-ordinator for Cumberland County.
“We have so much technology that we rely on, and when it’s taken away, it creates a problem,” Johnson said Thursday. “There’s no question we need new blood.”
Once licensed, amateur radio operators — or HAM operators — can “set up a radio with a 12-volt battery and transmit to the world, to let them know how things are,” Johnson said.
In a crisis, if the servers that look after cellphone and landline transmission are down, “getting hold of emergency responders gets to be difficult, because people who live in, say, a 661 prefix can’t call a 667 prefix, so they can’t get through to the emergency service,” Johnson said.
So in Cumberland County, for example, “ (HAM) radio members go to the various fire departments where we’ve already arranged equipment,” Johnson said.
“We broadcast to the public: If you have an emergency, please call the local fire department. From the local fire department that information is passed on to the amateur radio member, who relays it through to a central location where the appropriate organization — ambulance, fire, police — is able to respond to the incident.”
That system was formalized in 2008, after a backhoe on the side of the Trans-Canada Highway in Amherst cut the fibre-optic cable, Johnson said.
“All digital communication east of that point to Newfoundland went down. ATMs, all 1-800 numbers, 911 — even TMR (trunk mobile radio, used by police and fire services) linking is done by Internet, so the communication between TMR towers went down.
“It was a major communication loss.”
During that incident, fire departments radioed emergency calls to a central location, where the appropriate agency was notified.
That led to amateur radio clubs agreeing to provide service to several fire stations in Cumberland County and now, “they’re deeply entrenched with us,” Johnson said.
“They have offices in here . . . with high-frequency radios for worldwide communication, as well as VHF for local communication.
“We purchase equipment, they maintain the process. So we get a lot of free work out them and they get some equipment out of us. It works out very well.”
There are about 35 people in the Westcumb Amateur Radio Club, one of 29 clubs in the Maritimes. Members share technical tips and run field days, including fox hunts, where a low-power transmitter is hidden and the person who finds it first wins a free radio.
They also help in fundraisers, such as athletic races through areas where cellphone service is not available.
“We have a very active organization here, a forward-looking group of people, and we have a great relationship with the municipality,” Johnson said.
ARRL – Registration is open worldwide for Scouting’s Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) and Jamboree on the Internet. JOTA-JOTI take place October 19 – 21 — always the third weekend of October. JOTA Coordinator Jim Wilson, K5ND, encourages JOTA groups to register as soon as possible.
Hurricane Watch New (
RAC – ARISS Russia is planning a special Slow Scan Television (SSTV) event from the International Space Station Station around 09:00 GMT on Friday, June 29 and continuing until 18:30 GMT Sunday, July 1.
