ARLS007 Fox-1C and 1D Satellites to Include L-Band Uplink; Fox-1E to
Have Linear Transponder
AMSAT Vice President-Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY, has announced
plans to incorporate an L-band receiver in the Fox-1C and Fox-1D
satellites. This will allow ground controllers to select the normal
U/V configuration or the new L/V 1.2 GHz (23 cm) mode. Both bands
will operate as FM single channel.
"Rather than adding a complete new receiver, the L band 'Project
Downshifter' will convert the received L-band signal down to the
Fox-1 uplink frequency and feed it to the UHF receiver on the Fox-1
satellite," Buxton explained. "The design will not require an
additional antenna on the satellite, because the existing UHF
antenna will work for L band receive as well."
A new group of volunteers is working on a companion uplink station
to convert UHF to the L-band uplink frequencies. Team members
include Bruce Herrick, WW1M; Dan Hubert, VE9DAN; Elizabeth Schenk,
KC1AXX; Dave Smith, W6TE, and Alfred Watts, AF5VH.
The team plans to have an affordable L-band uplink ground station
available to amateurs by the time Fox-1C is on orbit.
Buxton also has announced plans to construct a Fox-1E "Evolution"
variation of the Fox-1 series, which will carry a Mode J linear
transponder. The transponder is planned to be 30 kHz wide and will
also include a 1200 bps BPSK telemetry beacon. The purpose of the
project is to test a design for a linear transponder that could be
made available to CubeSat builders as a secondary, or even primary,
Amateur Radio payload.
AMSAT reports that it has been approached regarding a Fox 1E launch
opportunity in 2016 but said it cannot share details at this time.
Buxton said the Fox-1 Team continues to seek new volunteers with
solid RF building and testing experience to work on both the
downshifter and the transponder prototyping and construction.
Contact Buxton using the AMSAT Engineering online volunteer form at, http://ww2.amsat.org/?page_id=1121 .
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