[BARC-List] SpaceCam

[Blake T. Haskell]

>From Eric, K1NUN, in preparation for the BARC General Meeting on the 18th.
Should be an interesting meeting,

Subject: SpaceCam status, fyi

ISS Amateur Radio Status: January 9 , 2007

SpaceCam Status
Future Marex Packet Mail Project on ISS

By Miles Mann WF1F,

MAREX-MG News   www.marexmg.org

Manned Amateur Radio Experiment

Hi everyone:

SpaceCam Status:

The SpaceCam1 Imaging project on the International Space Station was
activated last summer between July 30th and August 26, 2006.  The ISS
Commander Pavel Vinogradov had a few seconds of spare time last summer
to activate and test the SpaceCam1 Slow Scan TV software (SSTV).  He was
able to prove the whole Amateur Radio system on ISS with antennas, radio
and SSTV software would work together as planned.  All of the cables,
Antenna, radio, pc connections and software were tested.  After the
testing was complete, the Borrowed Laptop computer had to be returned to
a higher priority project.  At the present time the Amateur Radio
station does not have a dedicated flight qualified laptop assigned to
the program.  In order to work, the dedicated laptop must be one of the
few flight certified versions that NASA uses.

One of the setbacks this year regarding the Amateur Radio projects on
ISS, as with any electronic equipment, on earth or in space, the radio
equipment does wear out over time. Please see the comments from ARISS
Project manager Ken Ransom N5VHO

December 11, 2006
The Phase I amateur radio gear in the FGB appears to have developed an
intermittent audio issue that will require some crew time to be
scheduled in order to try and determine the cause of the problem. This
system has been used primarily for school contacts since the packet
system associated with that radio began exhibiting problems during
Expedition 6.

The Phase II system in the ISS service module has not been operating
properly since August 2006 when the default settings for the radio
changed. The radio transmits and receives fine and continues to be used
for school contacts but until the radio is reprogrammed, only
intermittent operations will be possible. A computer designated for
Amateur radio operations that will allow reprogramming of the radio is
planned to arrive on the next Progress vehicle in 2007. Until the radio
is reprogrammed, it is unlikely that any of the automatic modes (Packet
and APRS, SSTV or the Crossband Repeater) will be operating or will only
operate for brief periods of time.

Kenneth - N5VHO
***

The Phase I hardware that Ken is referring to is the Ericcson 2-meter
HT.  See attached link. The Ericcson 2-Meter HT was delivered to ISS via
the STS-106 Shuttle September 2000 and was activated a few months later
and is still being used in 2007.
http://www.marexmg.org/hardware/ericcson.html

The Phase II system is the Kenwood D700, with special software and
hardware modifications.  The D700 has been in operation since December
8, 2003.  How many years has your mobile radio been in continuous
operation?
http://www.marexmg.org/hardware/kenwood.html

Received SSTV Images (July - August)
To date, we have received 9 different SpaceCam SSTV images from the
International Space Station.  Well over 300 images were sent to Earth
from ISS during the short test cycle.

Our thanks to the many stations that received and decode the test
images. SpaceCam Images from ISS were received in many countries,
including Russia, United Kingdom, Brazil, Australia and many more. Below
is a link to the SpaceCam home page and list of some of the images we
have received.

www.marexmg.org

For information on how to receive these messages, check out the MAREX
link:
http://www.marexmg.org/fileshtml/howtouseiss.html

If you have any more that are different or have better quality, please
forward those images to Marex. 
Mail your images to Marex at:
marexmg at comcast.net
We would like to collect all images received. However in order to
properly catalog the images we request you use the following image
naming format.
After you receive you images, please rename the images using the
following format, All Lower case letters. I have updated the file naming
format to shorten the file names.

Year 06, Month 07, Day 31,  (UTC time), Call sign, Short text
description, .JPG

Example:

New format:
0607311905wf1f.jpg

If we break this down
Year =06
Month = 07
Day = 31
Time = 1905 UTC
Call sign = wf1f
Description (optional) = Windows shot
Image format = jpg

Image Quality
Please do not put any text over lays on the images, Example, do not put
web page or advertisements in the image. Your own call sign and date are
acceptable.  

We would also like to know the following information in your email.

Name or Call sign
Country / State
Receiver
Software decoding tool
Elevation or range of ISS when you decoded the image.

SSTV Decoding Software
http://www.barberdsp.com/ 

There are many choices in SSTV software, some Free, others with more
features cost a few bucks. 
http://www.marexmg.org/fileshtml/sstvlinkpage.html

So have fun, find your best setup and start practicing how to decode
SSTV on 2-meters.


Future Marex Packet Mail Project on ISS

The Marex team as been experimenting with Space packet mail for many
years.  On the Russian Space Station Mir, we supported the DLR Packet
mail project for several years and eventually upgraded the Mir Mail
system with the Kantronics KPC-9612 TNC in 1997.  The KPC was a big step
forward and provided the System operators with the ability to fully
remote control the flying Mail box on Mir.  The Mir crew used the Packet
system extensively.  Now Marex is working on a new project to install a
new packet mail system on ISS.  We will use the same reliable KPC-9612
packet system, with expanded capabilities, including the ability for
multiple users to access the Mail box at the same time.  The KPC-9612
also supports all of the standard features we have become accustomed to
using.

This project is still in the very early stages of development and
scheduling.  There is no time line of flight or activation at this time.
Your support is welcome.


ARISS Web page and other great Space projects http://www.rac.ca/ariss/

73 Miles WF1F MAREX-MG

Until we meet again

DOSVIDANIYA Miles WF1F