[DARC] Amateur volunteer opportunities

[newberry at juno.com]

Here is information on two different opportunities for amateur radio
operators to volunteer.
Carol N3NKK
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1)? AMSAT-NA SIGNS AGREEMENTS TO BUILD "EAGLE" AT MARYLAND FACILITY*
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AMSAT-NA will co-locate its Satellite Integration Lab with the Hawk
Institute for Space Sciences (HISS) in Pocomoke City on Maryland's Eastern
Shore and construct its Eagle satellite <http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/eagle/> there.
?A division of the Maryland Hawk Corporation, HISS is a non-profit educational 
organization affiliated with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES).
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With the unanimous approval of its board of directors, AMSAT-NA has executed
memoranda of understanding with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and
with Maryland Hawk Corporation to formalize the relationship. Per the
agreements, AMSAT-NA will gain essentially no-cost access to the HISS
facility in return for sharing its equipment and ideas with HISS as well as
limited access to the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, which includes
environmental testing, machine shop, rocket manufacturing and launch
facilities.
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In addition, AMSAT-NA will work with UMES to identify opportunities to work
together on satellite and related technology projects as well as to work
with students and faculty to enhance hands-on studies and research.
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HISS is currently constructing the interior walls for the new
8000-square-foot facility. It's being designed around AMSAT's dual clean
room, used for AO-40 and now in storage at Florida Space Institute.
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AMSAT's lead mechanical engineer, Bob Davis, KF4KSS, an employee of HISS,
was AMSAT's mechanical design expert in the Orlando lab during the AO-40
(Phase 3D) campaign. AMSAT expects to move its "clean room" plus parts and
equipment currently in storage in the Orlando area to the new lab in the
next few months.
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*The ARRL Letter
?Vol. 26, No. 01
?January 5, 2007
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Anyway, the fledgling AMSAT lab in Pocomoke is coming along. Most Saturdays are volunteer days.
Our major summer projects are:
1) Cleanroom assembly in preparation for integration of the Eagle satellite in 2008.
2) Ground station centered around Icom 910H and U&V Yagis on 50' tower.
3) Move into the finished lab area (in about 2-3 weeks).
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Interested volunteers can contact me at KF4KSS at amsat.org or on my cell 443-783-7794.
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Thank you!
73
bob
Robert Davis
KF4KSS
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2) SimSat3
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?A SimSat mission is a complete, hands-on, NASA space mission in microcosm. 

These high-altitude balloon experiments are being offered during a two-week long 
science camp called "Reach for the Stars!". This is a unique program for middle 
school students as conducted by NASA high school and college student interns. 
The camp is designed to excite students to pursue a career in science, technology, 
engineering or mathematics. 

Students and adults not at the camp are invited to participate in many of the benefits 
of our flight activities from locations far and wide. You need not even be in the state 
to receive signals from our balloon in flight! See Figure 1 below and compare the 
SimSat range coverage circle area or "footprint" to your location. 

The practice flight on Tuesday morning, July 24, is designated SimSat-3A. The 
payloads will be "LLL" expendable ("launch 'em, lose 'em, learn from 'em"). At a 
minimum, SimSat-3A will carry a navigation (APRS) payload. Students will staff 
our communications and coordination frequencies. 

The main flight on Wednesday morning, July 25, is designated SimSat-3B. It will 
carry as many payloads that are ready -- and within our mass budget. Please let 
these mission designations NOT confuse anyone. 
Amateur Radio Volunteers Sought
For the sake of education, outreach, and good community relations and public service, 
we offer a partnership with individuals, near and far, to help make these balloon 
experiments successful and a rewarding experience for students. 

TASK LIST. ?Sign up for a task via N8PK by e-mail. ?We need: 

??1. Check-ins for our balloon payload tracking and telemetry nets on HF and VHF. 
??2. Amateur Radio ops who show on-air patience and guidance to the students who 
??????are "running" or otherwise participating on our nets. 
??3. Time-stamped telemetry logging and submission to N8PK. 
??4. A known local mentor to visit on-site for HF net training and operations. 
??5. Someone to record HF on-air Voice audio activity in MP3 stereo. 
??6. Someone to record VHF on-air Voice audio activitiy in MP3 stereo. 
??7. Someone to record UHF on-air Tone audio activity in MP3 stereo. 
??8. Note: the on-air recordings are to include the given live activity on the RIGHT 
??????channel and a live time source such as WWV on the LEFT channel. The time 
??????stamping is important. 
??9. A team of local mobile APRS operators to recover payloads in case of an inland landing. 
10. Someone to involve a student or students and a parent at their ham station or club station, 
??????at least one such volunteer in each adjoining state. 
11. Photos. E-mail us photos of your participation and students in action, near and far! 
12. QSL direct to the N8PK on www.qrz.com address given, not ARRL. A self-addressed 
??????stamped envelope (SASE) is required for a card in reply. 
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SimSat link: http://www.patkilroy.com/simsat/