From: dave@eram.esi.COM.AU (Dave Horsfall)
Newsgroups: aus.radio.amsat
Subject: * SpaceNews 16-Nov-92 *
Date: 17 Nov 92 02:36:15 GMT
Distribution: aus
Organization: Pacific ESI, Sydney, AUSTRALIA

Bulletin ID: $SPC1116


                              =========
                              SpaceNews
                              =========


                       MONDAY NOVEMBER 16, 1992


SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA.  It
is published every week and is made available for unlimited distribution.


* EARTHWINDS LAUNCH *
=====================
On the morning of Friday November 20, 1992, the most
ambitious manned balloon flight ever attempted will begin.
The project, titled EARTHWINDS, is the creation of
Larry Newman, KB7JGM.  Larry has crossed both the Atlantic and
Pacific ocean in previous, record-breaking flights.  This time,
with crew members Vladimir Dzanibekov and Don Moses, he will attempt
a circumnavigation of the planet.  Nominal altitude for the "orbit"
is 35,000 feet, or about 7 miles.  Through the efforts of Bill Brown,
WB8ELK, Bob Rau, N8IYD, and Judd Nichols (a new technician licensee)
an amateur radio beacon will be carried onboard EARTHWINDS.  The ten
meter beacon will be digitized voice (not unlike DOVE's
planned transmissions).  Bill has his own digitized voice on a
chip which has a vocabulary of 19 words.  This will be enough for the
GPS (global positioning system) to transmit "KB7JGM EARTHWINDS" and
then read out the balloon's latitude, longitude and speed in knots.

The beacon will transmit on 28.303 MHz at 30 and 55 minutes past the
hour.  The transmitter output power will range between 10 and 100
watts depending on power availablility.  The 10-meter band was chosen
for the beacon since Larry currently holds a Novice class license.
28.303 MHz is also used on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1200 EST for
school net.  Many students from a large number of schools will
follow the flight using materials provided by the ESPN cable TV
network.  Hams are encouraged to share this flight with schools
in their area by aiding schools in beacon reception.  ESPN will
cover the launch live with nightly reports during the flight.

KB7JGM will not attempt QSOs from the balloon due his full-time job
of keeping EARTHWINDS aloft.  DO NOT attempt to contact the balloon
on its beacon frequency!

EARTHWINDS in its entirety consists of a 140 ft tall zero-pressure helium
balloon from which a 25 ft x 10 ft enclosed pressurized gondola hangs.
Below the gondola, a 100 ft diameter variable pressure compressed
air balloon acts as ballast.  Several tanks of liquid helium will
replace helium lost during the flight.  The journey is expected to
take 11 to 22 days depending on windspeed.

Launch is currently set for Friday November 20, 1992 at sunrise,
Reno, Nevada time.  Please forward EARTHWINDS beacon reception
reports to Rich Ensign, N8IWJ:

CompuServe: 70304,326
Internet  : n8iwj@amsat.org
Packet    : KD2BD @ NN2Z.NJ.USA.NA (I'll relay to N8IWJ)

[Info via Rich, N8IWJ with thanks to WB8ELK and N8IYD]


* FO-20 SKED *
==============
The latest Mode JA analog transponder schedule is as follows:

18-Nov-92 01:05 UTC -to- 19-Nov-92 01:25 UTC
25-Nov-92 01:30 UTC -to- 26-Nov-92 00:00 UTC

[Info via Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK]


* JPL GIF IMAGES AVAILABLE *
============================
Ron Baalke has placed seven JPL-related GIF images at Ames.
These images are courtesy of the Public Information Office at JPL,
and are available using anonymous ftp:

ftp:   ames.arc.nasa.gov (128.102.18.3)
user:  anonymous
cd:    pub/SPACE/GIF
files:
       earthmoo.gif - Parting view of the Earth and Moon taken by
                      Voyager 1 shortly after launch in 1977.
       gllhga.gif   - Galileo's backup High Gain Antenna (HGA) at JPL.
       hrms.gif     - Opening ceremony for HRMS (High Resolution
                      Microwave Survey), formerly SETI, at
                      Goldstone, California.  70 meter antenna
                      shown in background.  October 12, 1992.
       hrms.txt     - Caption file for hrms.gif.
       jpl.gif      - Aerial photo of the Jet Propulsion Lab (1988).
       mo.gif       - Mars Observer spacecraft in clean room in
                      Florida being prepared for launch (1992).
       molaunch.gif - Mars Observer launch from Cape Canaveral,
                      Florida - Sept 25, 1992.
       topex.gif    - Topex/Poseidon launch from French Guiana -
                      August 10, 1992.


[Info via Ron Baalke @ JPL]


* SPACE DATA BASE *
===================
Stu, G7LHL, is looking for people to send him space related information so
he can compile a space data base to be used by hams in Great Britan.
Stu can be reached on packet at: G7LHL @ GB7MAX.#28.GBR.EU.


* PACKET MAIL CONFUSION *
=========================
Those who receive SpaceNews via electronic mail for distribution via packet
should notice my callsign has been eliminated fom the origin field of the
SB header line.  A recent "White Pages" look-up of my "Home BBS" yielded
the following list:

On 920614 KD2BD @ KA9LCF.IN.USA.NA
On 921101 KD2BD @ N2KZH.NJ.USA
On 920712 KD2BD @ W3IWI.MD.USA.NOAM
On 920704 KD2BD @ WB9UUS.IL.USA.NOAM
On 921002 KD2BD @ NN2Z.NJ.USA.NA
On 920802 KD2BD @ K5ARH.#LFTLA.LA.USA.NA
On 921010 KD2BD @ WB7TPY.AZ.USA.NA
On 920912 KD2BD @ WB6CYT.#SOCA.CA.USA
On 921013 KD2BD @ DU9EW.#DVO.PHL.OC

The correct BBS is NN2Z, although N2KZH recently acted as my home BBS during
NN2Z's move.  Eliminating the origin callsign should avoid future White Pages
confusion.

[Info via KT7H]


* FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED *
===========================
Mail to SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any
of the following paths:

FAX      : 1-908-747-7107
UUCP     : ...catfish.ocpt.ccur.com!ka2qhd!kd2bd
PACKET   : KD2BD @ NN2Z.NJ.USA.NA
INTERNET : kd2bd@ka2qhd.de.com  -or- kd2bd@amsat.org

MAIL     : John A. Magliacane, KD2BD
           Department of Engineering and Technology
           Advanced Technology Center
           Brookdale Community College
           Lincroft, New Jersey  07738
           U.S.A.


       <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>>

-- 
Dave Horsfall (VK2KFU)         VK2KFU @ VK2RWI.NSW.AUS.OC
dave@esi.COM.AU                ...munnari!esi.COM.AU!dave
           Disclaimer: "Me, speak for us?"