Merritt Island high school students build CubeSat

Merritt Island high school students have been working on building a CubeSat. Affectionately referred to as the “StangSat” — after Merritt Island High’s nickname, the Mustangs — a handful of Merritt Island High students and their NASA mentors are adding finishing touches to a prototype that will soon be tested on a Prospector 18 rocket.

“It means so much, it’s going to be so amazing, I’m looking forward to seeing the satellite she helped design and build launch in the Mojave Desert. I can’t wait.”

— Briana Luthman, 17

“It means so much, it’s going to be so amazing,” said Briana Luthman, 17, looking forward to seeing the satellite she helped design and build launch in the Mojave Desert. “I can’t wait.”

The high school is partnering with students at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. The Cal-Poly CubeSat, dubbed CP9, is actually two cubes that contain accelerometers, plus a radio to transmit data back to Earth for the high school students to analyze. The Merritt Island High School cubesat, named StangSat, will stream data to the CP9 in real time during the launch using Wi-Fi.

“We’re going to be demonstrating that wireless transmissions inside the P-POD aren’t going to harm the launch,” said Adam Darley, a senior at Cal-Poly who is serving as the CP9 project manager. “If we can demonstrate that, then it will act as a platform to being able to stream information without a radio link.”

Watch the video and read the full story - http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20130410/SPACE/304100015/Merritt-Island-students-work-NASA-mentors-build-tiny-satellite

MIHS CubeSat on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/MIHS-CubeSat/110920062311996

Boston Marathon All Hams Reported Safe

All hams involved in communications for the Boston Marathon are reported safe.

CQ Newsroom reports “Jeremy Breef-Pilz, KB1REQ, a ham radio operator working in the finish area, reported on Twitter that all hams at the Marathon are safe”

Boston Marathon Amateur Radio Communications were coordinated by the Minuteman Repeater Association, with assistance from the Framingham Amateur Radio Association.

These clubs work together to provide radio communications in support of the Marathon from Hopkinton to Boston.

Watch 2013 Boston Marathon Actual video of the Explosion

Marathon Amateur Radio Communications - http://www.mmra.org/marc/

Minuteman Repeater Association - http://mmra.org/

Framingham Amateur Radio Association - http://fara.org/

First Cuba to EI contact on FO-29

Hector Martinez CO6CBF in Cuba has worked Joe Murphy EI5EV in County Kilkenny, Ireland on the amateur radio satellite FO-29 over a distance of 6955.1 km.

“I am pleased to report that today I had my first contact on satellites with Ireland.

Joe, EI5EV and I completed it successfully on FO-29. We had just a 66 seconds window but there was enough time to exchange reports and greetings. I believe that it is the first contact between Ireland and Cuba on FO-29! It is a 4321.7 mi (6955.1 km) contact!” reported Hector CO6CBF

The first attempt failed as Joe couldn’t find Hector on the passband. Rescheduled for the following day. success was made with more accurate frequencies calculation. Doppler is always in play!

The pair did the calculations based on the great feature implemented on SatPC32 V12.8b. There is an option of seeing the frequency you are at the satellite receiver. This was our common reference point. I was very satisfied when I heard Joe exactly on the frequency I was expecting!

“I was operating portable from a tall building's roof which allows me a great horizon visibility forwarding Europe. I was running my new FT-817nd, a 30W power amplifier and a homebrew ARROW antenna with a homebrew mast mounted preamplifier. Everything was supplied by two 12V 7A Gel batteries.” said Hector CO6CBF