Outernet - Shortwave radio from space

/

Outernet is described as the modern version of shortwave radio broadcast from space

It is planned that the Outernet will consist of a constellation of hundreds of low-cost, CubeSats in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Each satellite receives data streams from a network of ground stations and transmits that data in a continuous loop until new content is received.

In order to serve the widest possible global audience, the entire constellation utilizes UDP-based multicasting over WiFi. Although still not common, WiFi multicasting is a proven technology, especially when the data requires only one hop to reach the recipient.

Outernet claims to be able to bypass censorship, ensure privacy, and offer a universally-accessible information service at no cost to global citizens. They say lack of an Internet connection should not prevent anyone from learning about current events, trending topics, and innovative ideas.

Although Outernet's near-term goal is to provide the entire world with broadcast data, the long-term vision includes the addition of two-way Internet access for everyone - for free.

The team hope to have the first test CubeSats launched in 2015.

Outernet - https://www.outernet.is/

Amateur Radio Antennas and Masts in NSW

/

From 22 February 2014, amateurs across NSW will have the freedom to put up masts, antennas and dishes unfettered by development restrictions previously imposed by local councils, which varied widely across the state.

On 19 December 2013, the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, the Hon Brad Hazzard MP, announced a range of changes to the State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) on exempt and complying development, which enables minor developments that meet set standards to proceed without having to get development approvals passed through local councils.

The changes of interest to amateurs concerns aerials, antennas and communication dishes that can be put up as ‘exempt development’.

  • If your property is not subject to certain environmental or heritage restrictions, you can erect up to three aerials, antennae and communication dishes on a lot.

  • A ground mounted aerial or antenna can be attached to a mast that is no more than 10m in height and located at least 5m from a side or rear boundary.

  • Any mast must be no more than 100mm in diameter, or an open lattice frame 500mm in diameter.

Any ground mounted aerial or antenna, including masts, must be located at the rear of the lot, except if in a rural zone or R5 residential zone.

Certain requirements of the Building Code of Australia may apply. Antennas, dishes and masts “. . . must be structurally adequate and installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications, if applicable.”

Amateurs wanting to erect masts and antennas outside the parameters of exempt development will be able to proceed through a streamlined, low-cost ‘complying development’ process, which we understand will become available later.

More details on the announcement are on the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure website - http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/exemptandcomplying

The Department has published a series of Information Sheets on exempt development, which are online-  http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/exemptdevelopment

The Information Sheet of interest is “2.1 Aerials, antennae and communications dishes”, which you can download from http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Portals/0/BuildingInNSW/EC/EC_POLICY_2_1_AERIALS.pdf

Unfortunately, the Information Sheet appears in places to be open to ambiguous interpretation (and that includes the diagram reproduced here). However, we expect to sort this out in time.

Once again, I must congratulate and thank everyone – individual amateurs and radio clubs alike – who went to the effort of making a submission during all the phases of the NSW Planning System Review over the past few years and also writing to your local members last year. All the effort has paid off.

Many thanks to Ed Durrant - VK2JI for forwarding this story to the ICQ Amateur / Ham Radio Podcast

School to launch 434 MHz balloon

/

Wirral Grammar School for Girls hope to launch a 434 MHz balloon on Wednesday 2 October 2013 from Middleton Hill near Welshpool

The payload will consist of a camera and the following trackers, lifted by a 1200g Hwoyee:

  • WGGS1 : 50 baud 7n2 ASCII RTTY on 434.3 MHz, 10 mW, 470 Hz shift
  • WGGS1-B : 50 baud 7n2 ASCII RTTY on 869.8 MHz, 5 mW, 320 Hz shift

The 869.8 MHz tracker is intended as a spare/experiment, it's antenna is a dipole attached to the side of the payload, so may not give a very uniform radiation pattern from it. Polarisation is vertical.

Wirral Grammar School for Girls - http://www.wirralgirls.co.uk/

Real-time balloon tracker - http://www.spacenear.us/tracker

Beginners Guide to Tracking using dl-fldigi - http://ukhas.org.uk/guides:tracking_guide