Amateur Radio News

Due to a severe winter storm, ARRL Headquarters and the Maxim Memorial Station, W1AW, will be closed on Monday, February 23, for the safety of our staff. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has declared a state of emergency ahead of a blizzard that is moving into the state Sunday and continuing into Monday.

There will be no W1AW bulletin or CW practice transmissions on Monday.

Members can access many...

February 22, 2026

In this edition:

• REMINDER: AMSAT New Memberships & Renewals Includes Getting Started Guide
• AMSAT Publishes “Satellites in Space” Coloring Book
• AMSAT-DL’s Peter Gülzow, DB2OS Honored
• “Satellites and Pollution Control” Added to BuzzSat Online Courses
• Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for February 20, 2026
• ARISS News
• AMSAT Ambassador Activities
• Satellite Shorts From All Over

The AMSAT(R) News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on http://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat [dot]org .

Sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List. Join this list at: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/

REMINDER: AMSAT Membership Now Includes Getting Started Guide

AMSAT is offering a limited-time promotion for new and renewing members that includes a free digital copy of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites. The promotion is being offered as AMSAT begins the 2026 membership year.

Anyone who joins or renews their AMSAT membership during the promotional period will receive a download link for the latest edition of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites in their membership confirmation email. The guide is designed to help radio amateurs understand the fundamentals of satellite operation and serves as a practical reference for both newcomers and operators returning to the hobby. Additional information about AMSAT membership is available at https://launch.amsat.org.

In addition to this limited-time promotion, AMSAT membership includes a subscription to The AMSAT Journal, access to archived issues, discounts on selected items in the AMSAT online store, and opportunities to participate in AMSAT elections, committees, awards programs, and other AMSAT activities and programs. Members may also access archived proceedings from past AMSAT Space Symposiums through the AMSAT member portal.

Beyond these tangible benefits, AMSAT membership supports the development, launch, and operation of amateur radio satellites, along with education and outreach efforts. Joining AMSAT is not just about individual benefits — it is about being part of the community that builds and operates amateur satellites for radio amateurs worldwide. As AMSAT looks ahead to 2026, the promotion helps launch another year of growth and opportunity for amateur radio in space.

[ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT President for the above information.]

The 2026 President’s Club Coin is Now Here!
Help Support GOLF and FoxPlus.

Annual memberships start at only $120
Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/

AMSAT Publishes “Satellites in Space” Coloring Book

As part of its Youth Initiative, AMSAT just published its “Satellites in Space” coloring book on www.BuzzSat.com. The free coloring book is available at no charge in both English and Spanish language versions.

The complete title of the coloring book is “Satellites in Space Help us Live a Better Life on Earth.” This theme shows how satellites play an important role in virtually every aspect of modern life. The book includes twelve two-page spreads that illustrate different roles that satellites play and the benefits they provide.

For example, one spread explains “Helping Farmers Grow bountiful Crops – For Healthy Meals on Every Table!” Another spread features teenagers using Amateur Radio “Sharing Messages and Pictures ‘ With Friends Around the World!”

The complete list of topics include:

• Agriculture
• Broadcasting
• Communications
• Climate Change
• Pollution Control
• Fighting Wildfires
• Preserving Wildlife
• Space Exploration
• Navigation
• Meteorology
• Research on the ISS
• Search and Rescue

Each topic also includes a one-page discussion guide for adult leaders to use when working with youth and the coloring books.

Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, AMSAT VP-Development explains, “We have produced the coloring book for several reasons. First, it is the ‘right thing’ to do. We must educate and encourage youth to become active contributors in satellite and communication technology. Second, It helps us satisfy part of our responsibilities spelled out in AMSAT’s Articles of Incorporation to encouragement of skills, even at the earliest stages of our youth’s development. Third, it begins to develop an awareness in young people of amateur satellites and amateur radio. We, of course, won’t convert every young person into and amateur radio operator and an AMSAT member, but we will get our fair share. The earlier we start, the better our chances.

“There are two very unique aspects of AMSAT’s Youth Initiative. First is it is a ‘community based’ program. The materials are designed so that any parent, scouting leader, amateur radio club or teacher can use the materials as they stand. It does not require buy-in by a school system for get started.

“The second unique feature is that, although its ultimate goal is to interest kids in amateur satellites ans amateur radio, the materials appeal to a broader spectrum of youth’s interests. If they have an interest in current events affecting our planet or in their future careers, we have at least begun a dialog with which we can nurture their possible interest in satellites and communications technologies. And, if we haven’t won them over along the way, at least we have educated them in some aspects of STEM and perhaps even inspired them.

“The Spanish language version of the coloring book is our first step in attempting to publish the coloring book in as many languages as there are AMSAT sister-organizations. I am interested in exchanging ideas with representatives of AMSAT organizations around the world to help make this happen.

“AMSAT thanks Amateur Radio Digital Corporation for a generous grant to make this project possible.”

Persons interested in viewing the coloring book and perhaps downloading copies for the kids can learn more at www.BuzzSat.com.

[ANS thanks Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, AMSAT VP-Development, for the above information.]

AMSAT Remove Before Flight Key Tags Now Available
Yes, These are the Real Thing!

Your $20 Donation Goes to Help Fly a FoxPlus Satellite
Includes First Class Postage (Sorry – U.S. Addresses Only)
Order Today athttps://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain

AMSAT-DL’s Peter Gülzow, DB2OS Honored

Peter Gülzow, DB2OS, was recently honored as one of the “Top 100 of the Table 2025/26”: The 100 key figures in the space scene, and among the ten most influential leaders in the associations category. This recognition was bestowed by by the editors of Space.Table. The Table.Briefings editorial team is a diverse group of talented editors who are experts in their field and bring a wide range of experience and knowledge.

Peter commented, “The space editors of Table.Media have honored me as one of the ten formative minds in the associations category. However, I see this recognition not only as a personal award, but above all as a tribute to an extraordinary community: AMSAT!

“For more than 50 years, the global AMSAT community has been developing, building and operating small satellites – driven by voluntary commitment, enthusiasm for space travel, passion, technical excellence and a clear vision. If AMSAT were a ‘space nation,’ we would rank about 10th in the world with over 130 amateur radio satellites launched. This is a remarkable result for a non-governmental organization run by volunteers.

“AMSAT was and is an incubator for technology, training and entrepreneurial thinking in the space sector. Generations of radio amateurs, students, engineers and founders have been shaped by this platform.

“However, against the backdrop of growing commercial mega-constellations and increasing regulatory consolidation, a central question arises: What role will non-commercial, experimental satellite radio play in the orbit system in the future?
Amateur radio via satellite is not a nostalgic relic. It is:

a low-threshold access to space travel for the next generation,
an experimental testing ground for new technologies,
an international cooperation model beyond geopolitical tensions, and a building block of technological sovereignty – also in Europe.

“This requires reliable frequency protection, regulatory planning security and a political framework that does not suppress voluntary innovation structures, but recognizes them as part of the space ecosystem.”

[ANS thanks AMSAT-DL for the above information.]

“Satellites and Pollution Control” Added to BuzzSat Online Courses

Retired school science teacher and AMSAT volunteer Eric Sonnenwald, N2XSE, has been hard at work finishing AMSAT’s third online course “Satellites and Pollution Control.”

The first two course published, “Introduction to Satellite Meteorology” and “Satellites and Climate Change” have gone through their initial test reviews and are now fully active. The pollution control course is online but not promoted until its review cycle is completed.

Two additional courses, “Satellites and Conservation” and “Satellites in Wildfire Fighting” are nearing completion and will be online shortly.

These courses are designed for teenage students and are available at no charge to any parent, group leader or teacher.

Future titles planned include:

• Amateur Satellites
• Building a Ground Station
• Satellite Telemetry
• Broadcasting
• Navigation
• Point-to-Point Communications
• Space Exploration
• Research in Space
• Search and Rescues
• And, many more.

Persons who are subject matter experts in any of the above fields or any other topics that you think are important to STEM education are invited to email volunteer [at] AMSAT [dot] org. The AMSAT Youth Initiative has a great working team and welcomes more volunteers to help stimulate youth interest in amateur satellites and amateur radio. Try the online courses at www.BuzzSat.com.

[ANS thanks Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, AMSAT VP-Development, for the above information.]

Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get your AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!

25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space
https://www.zazzle.com/amsat_gear

Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for February 20, 2026

Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated daily in the first hour of the UTC day. New bulletin files will be posted immediately after reliable elements become available for new amateur satellites. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/.

This week there are no additions or deletions to the AMSAT TLE distribution.

[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager for the above information.]

ARISS NEWS

Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.

Upcoming Contacts

+ CityKidz Pre and Primary School, Johannesburg, South Africa, telebridge via AB1OC.
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS.
The scheduled crewmember is Chris Williams, KJ5GEW.
The ARISS mentor is Peter Kofler, IN3GHZ.
Contact is go for Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 12:42 UTC.

Completed Contacts

+ The Center for Creativity, Innovation, and Discovery (CCID), Providence, UT direct via W7IVM.
The ISS callsign was NA1SS.
The crewmember was Chris Williams, KJ5GEW.
The ARISS mentor was Charlie Sufana, AJ9N.
Contact was successful at Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 17:13 UTC.

+ FIRST x XRP Governors Cup, Washington, DC, telebridge via K6DUE.
The ISS callsign was NA1SS
The crewmember was Chris Williams, KJ5GEW.
The ARISS mentor was Charlie Sufana, AJ9N.
Contact was successful: Friday, February 20, 2026 at 14:56 UTC.

The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.

The packet system is also active (145.825 MHz up & down).

As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol.

Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time.

The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html

The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html

[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information.]

AMSAT Ambassador Activities

AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.

March 21, 2026
Midwinter Madness Hamfest 2026
Maple Grove Radio Club
Buffalo Civic Center
1306 County Rd 134
Buffalo, Minnesota 55313
https://k0ltc.org/midwinter-madness/
KØJM, ADØHJ, KEØPBR

[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program, for the above information.]

Satellite Shorts From All Over

• Flatsat 1 is a hardware based training platform designed to be vulnerable — on purpose. It’s built for hackers, engineers, and space enthusiasts who want to dive deep into space-grade systems, learn cybersecurity concepts, and prototype their own payloads. The board contains an RP2040 MCU for comms and simulation, 2 x SX1262 LoRa radios for realistic space-ground communication scenarios, LIS2DH 3-axis accelerometer for sensor data emulation and tampering challenges, and a BME280 environmental sensor for telemetry testing. All firmware and documentation is open source. Boards are scheduled for availability on April 30, 2026, but pricing information is not yet announced. [ANS thanks Electronic Cats for the above information. See the full description at https://electroniccats.com/flat-sat/.]
  
• The Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas (CAA-B) has approved the resumption of Falcon 9 first-stage touchdowns in the nation’s waters. The decision ended a lengthy review spurred by a test flight mishap with SpaceX’s Starship megarocket, which rained debris down on parts of the island nation nearly a year ago. SpaceX can land its rockets in The Bahamas again — and will do so very soon, if all goes according to plan. [ANS thanks Space.com for the above information. See the full article at https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-resume-rocket-landings-bahamas-after-starship-mishap-debris.]
  
• A new SpaceX tool for tracking satellites and other objects in low Earth orbit (LEO) could help prevent future satellite collisions, and it’s attracting significant industry interest by requiring users to provide data on their own satellites. The system, known as Stargaze, uses the star tracker cameras on SpaceX’s near-10,000 Starlink satellites to image objects in LEO, creating a detailed map of where everything is at any one time. That information could make a huge difference in avoiding satellite collisions. [ANS thanks Yahoo!Tech for the above information. See the full article at https://tech.yahoo.com/science/articles/spacex-pushes-stargaze-space-management-191417399.html.]

Join AMSAT Today at https://launch.amsat.org/

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

• Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
• Students are eligible for FREE membership up to age 25.
• Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.

Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information.

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor, Frank Karnauskas, N1UW.
f.karnauskas [at] amsat [dot] org

ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002.
AMSAT is a registered trademark of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is looking for qualified applicants for Field Agents in seven Enforcement Bureau (EB) offices across the United States: Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; New Orleans, LA; New York, NY, and Portland, OR. Incumbents will resolve Radio Frequency (RF) interference, educate users, and enforce regulations. The GS levels for this position hav...

Solar activity returned to low levels this past week. The strongest
event of the period was a C1.8 flare on February 17 from region
4374. This region was also responsible for a C1.4 flare on February
18. The only other flare of note was a C1.1 flare on February 17
from an unnumbered plage region near S05E85. (A plage region is a
bright, intensely hot region in the Sun's chromosphere, typically
found ...

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®’s new book, Digital Networking for Ham Radio, a practical, hands-on guide to designing and implementing high-speed data networks for amateur radio stations, is now shipping.

Written by Glen Popiel, KW5GP, the book brings together in one comprehensive resource the knowledge needed to build, configure, and expand digital networks for ham radio. From...

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® announced the winner of the 2025 ARRL Sweepstakes Icom® Dream Station on Saturday, February 14, at 2026 Orlando HamCation. The announcement was made by ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, with Icom America Senior Sales Manager Ray Novak, N9JA.

The ARRL Sweepstakes ran from January 3 to December 31, 2025, as the centerpiece of a year-long membershi...

AMSAT News Service ANS-046
February 15, 2026

In this edition:

• AMSAT at Hamcation
• REMINDER: AMSAT Membership Now Includes Getting Started Guide
• New Full-Duplex Satellite Capable HT – The Anytone AT-D890UV
• AMSAT-EA Submits IARU Coordination Request for UNNE-1B (aka HADES-E2)
• Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for February 13, 2026
• ARISS News
• AMSAT Ambassador Activities
• Satellite Shorts From All Over

The AMSAT® News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org

You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/

AMSAT at Hamcation

The second largest amateur radio event in the United States takes place this weekend – the Orlando Hamcation. AMSAT had a robust presence with a booth, amateur satellite demos, and a forum that took place on Saturday morning.

At the AMSAT booth, attendees were able to purchase AMSAT items, join or renew their membership, and see the AMSAT CubeSat Simulator in action.

AMSAT President Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, along with his son, Carsten, KQ4SJM, conducted amateur satellite demonstrations throughout the weekend.

At the AMSAT forum on Saturday morning, Glasbrenner began with an overview of the amateur satellites that are currently workable, including FM repeaters, linear transponder, digipeaters, and satellites providing SSTV/SSDV image downlinks.

Glasbrenner then described AMSAT’s educational projects, including the AMSAT CubeSat Simulator and the AMSAT Youth Initiative’s free online courses at buzzsat.com. He also discussed AMSAT’s new free satellite coloring book, available for download at buzzsat.com.

After discussing AMSAT’s educational projects, Glasbrenner moved to detailing the current status of AMSAT’s satellite projects. First, AMSAT’s GOLF-TEE satellite is expected to be completed this year. This is an advanced 3U CubeSat with deployable solar panels, attitude control, a V/u transponder, X band high speed downlink, and a radiation tolerant internal housekeeping unit (IHU) While there is still a possiblity of a launch through NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative, AMSAT is also investigating possible commercial launch opportunities.

The first AMSAT FoxPlus satellite is also expected to be completed this year. FoxPlus is an updated 1U CubeSat series. The first two are based on ISISpacew hardware with AMSAT radios – the AMSAT LTM-1 and PACSAT. AMSAT is exploring commercial launch opportunities for these spacecraft.

AMSAT’s LTM-1 is a 30 kHz wide V/u linear transponder providing a 1200 bps BPSK telemetry downlink and a command receiver. Previous versions have flown on HO-107, AO-109, and MO-122. These modules are expected to be provided to universities for use in their CubeSat projectsin return for open transponder access and production is currently expanding.

AMSAT’s PACSAT is a V/u digital payload designed for multiuser access with 4 uplink receivers and 1 downlink transmitter. This is a hosted payload expected to be provided to universities for use in their CubeSat projects in return for open access. The first batch of these payloads is in production now.

AMSAT’s SDR Gen2 is a versatile GNU Radio based SDR transceiver providing continuous coverage from 144 MHz – 6 GHz along with upconversion to provide a 10 GHz downlink. This transceiver is capable of providing any type of transponder within those frequency ranges and a minimum downlink data rate of 1 Mbps. This transceiver is being built to flew on future FoxPlus and GOLF missions.

Glasbrenner also discussed the European Space Agency (ESA’s) futureGEO project. This is a proposal for a geostationary satellite to serve ESA members and associate members (Canada). The planned location of this satellite in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean would cover most of North America. Initial proposals were submitted last year and AMSAT participated in a planning meeting led by AMSAT-DL last fall. This project has not yet been funded, but AMSAT will continue to participate in this effort.

Carsten Glasbrenner, KQ4SJM, operating a pass of an amateur satellite at Hamcation.

 

The AMSAT booth at Hamcation staffed by AMSAT Treasurer Steve Belter, N9IP.

 

SatPC32 tracking satellites along with the AMSAT CubeSat Simulator.

 

The forum room was filled for the AMSAT forum.

 

AMSAT President Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, presenting at the AMSAT forum.

[ANS thanks the AMSAT Hamcation Team for the above information]

AMSAT Remove Before Flight Key Tags Now Available
Yes, These are the Real Thing! Your $20 Donation Goes to Help Fly a FoxPlus Satellite
Includes First Class Postage (Sorry – U.S. Addresses Only)
Order Today at https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain REMINDER: AMSAT Membership Now Includes Getting Started Guide

AMSAT is offering a limited-time promotion for new and renewing members that includes a free digital copy of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites. The promotion is being offered as AMSAT begins the 2026 membership year.

Anyone who joins or renews their AMSAT membership during the promotional period will receive a download link for the latest edition of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites in their membership confirmation email. The guide is designed to help radio amateurs understand the fundamentals of satellite operation and serves as a practical reference for both newcomers and operators returning to the hobby. Additional information about AMSAT membership is available at https://launch.amsat.org.

In addition to this limited-time promotion, AMSAT membership includes a subscription to The AMSAT Journal, access to archived issues, discounts on selected items in the AMSAT online store, and opportunities to participate in AMSAT elections, committees, awards programs, and other AMSAT activities and programs. Members may also access archived proceedings from past AMSAT Space Symposiums through the AMSAT member portal.

Beyond these tangible benefits, AMSAT membership supports the development, launch, and operation of amateur radio satellites, along with education and outreach efforts. Joining AMSAT is not just about individual benefits — it is about being part of the community that builds and operates amateur satellites for radio amateurs worldwide. As AMSAT looks ahead to 2026, the promotion helps launch another year of growth and opportunity for amateur radio in space.

[ANS thanks Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, AMSAT President for the above information]

The 2026 President’s Club Coin is Now Here!
Help Support GOLF and FoxPlus.

Annual memberships start at only $120
Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/

New Full-Duplex Satellite Capable HT – The Anytone AT-D890UV

A recently released HT may be the best full-duplex HT available for FM satellite operations since the discontinuation of the Kenwood TH-D72 – the Anytone AT-D890UV (which is also available as the Bridgecom Maverick and the BTECH DA-7X2).

The Anytone AT-D890UV is a dual-band VHF/UHF DMR digital/analog handheld radio with built-in Bluetooth, GPS, and APRS capability. Features include Air Band AM receive, cross-band repeater mode, and an analog scrambler/compander. It has a 1.77″ color TFT display allows easy access to 4,000 channels and up to 500,000 digital contacts. The radio is powered by a 3100 mAh battery with convenient USB-C charging and upgraded 2G memory capacity. Next Generation Digital Narrowband (NXDN) functionality has also been promised as a future firmware update. A version of the firmware with NXDN support is currently available through unofficial sources.

The AT-D890UV also has the satellite Doppler tracking capability that has been present in previous Anytone radios, but unfortunately this feature does not currently work in full-duplex mode.

The below YouTube video from W8CPT demonstrates it’s full-duplex capability on SO-50, showing no apparent desense while operating in V/u mode.

The Anytone AT-D890UV is available from most amateur radio retailers for $299.99. As of this writing, DX Engineering expects to ship orders on February 23rd while Ham Radio Outlet has limited stock at their Anaheim location.

[ANS thanks AnyTone and W8CPT for the above information]

Need new satellite antennas?
Purchase M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store.

When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.
https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/

AMSAT-EA Submits IARU Coordination Request for UNNE-1B (aka HADES-E2)

UNNE-1B is a 1.5p PocketQube which uses the same satellite hardware and software as the original UNNE-1, but will be launched with SpaceX instead of RFA due to delays in the latter launch. As with UNNE-1, it will offer licensed radio amateurs worldwide the opportunity to relay FM voice and FSK-derived digital modes.

The satellite will also transmit telemetry data reporting its status, a CW beacon, and a CODEC2 digital voice message. All of this will be achieved through the implementation of an SDR-based FM and FSK repeater. The FM/FSK repeater will always be available and will be activated by squelch level, without the need for a subtone.

As an educational payload, a small guessing game is being implemented by students from Universidad de Nebrija (Spain). The satellite will send one clue per week within its telemetry, and radio amateurs will need to solve the mystery by collecting all the clues. Details of the game will be published on the AMSAT-EA and Universidad de Nebrija websites, with all data being public and open.

With this mission, we will replace the SO-124 and SO-125 FM repeaters, as both satellites are expected to decay at the beginning of 2026, and HADES-SA, also scheduled for 2026, supports only digital transmissions. FM voice repeating is a highly demanded service within the community, as it enables long-range communications using simple setups.

The CW beacon and the recorded CODEC2 transmission also represent a small challenge for those wishing to receive them, specially the CODEC2 signal, which requires the use of a computer and dedicated software. This may be particularly appealing to radio amateurs who enjoy exploring the digital side of radio communications.

With this mission, we are also activating the VHF and UHF amateur satellite service bands for use by the amateur space community. Proposing a V/U FM transponder and FSK 50-1200 bps with Telemetry up to 1600 bps customizable by command. There will also be a CW beacon

Launch is expected in June 2026 on the SpaceX Transporter-17 mission. The launch broker is UARX. More info at https://www.amsat-ea.org/proyectos

[ANS thanks AMSAT-EA and the IARU Satellite Coordination Panel for the above information]

Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for February 13, 2026

Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated daily in the first hour of the UTC day. New bulletin files will be posted immediately after reliable elements become available for new amateur satellites. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/.

The following satellite has been removed from this week’s AMSAT TLE distribution:

Dragonfly NORAD Cat ID 65729, Decayed from orbit on or aboyu 31 Jan 2026
HYDRA-T NORAD Cat ID 62692, Decayed from orbit on or about 30 Jan 2026
HADES-R (SO-124) NORAD Cat ID62690, Decayed from orbit on or about 30 Jan 2026

[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information.]

ARISS News

Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.

Scheduled Contacts

The Center for Creativity, Innovation, and Discovery (CCID), Providence, UT direct via W7IVM

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Chris Williams KJ5GEW and Jack Hathaway KJ5NIV
The ARISS mentor is AJ9N

Contact is go for: Thu 2026-02-19 17:17:29 UTC 77 deg

FIRST x XRP Governors Cup, Washington, DC, telebridge via K6DUE

The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be TBD
The scheduled crewmember is Chris Williams KJ5GEW and Sophie Adenot KJ5LTN
The ARISS mentor is AJ9N

Contact is go for: Fri 2026-02-20 15:00:05 UTC 68 deg

Many times a school may make a last minute decision to do a Livestream or run into a last minute glitch requiring a change of the URL but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication.  You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming.

As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol.

The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down),  If any crew member is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.

​​Service Module radio: Not in APRS configuration; only being used for voice contacts at this time. Default mode is for​​​ packet operations (145.825 MHz up & down) but occasionally used for SSTV (145.800 MHz down)​​.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Ham TV – Configured. ​​ Default mode is for​​​ scheduled digital amateur television operations (2395.00 MHz).

Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time.

The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html

The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html

[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information.]

Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get an AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!

25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space AMSAT Ambassador Activities

AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.

March 21, 2026
Midwinter Madness Hamfest
Buffalo Civic Center
1306 County Rd 134
Buffalo Minnesota 55313
KØJM, ADØHJ

Interested in becoming an AMSAT Ambassador? AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.

For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/

[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program, for the above information.]

Satellite Shorts from All Over

+ As of this writing, 3 complete AMSAT CubeSatSim Kits are still available for purchase from the AMSAT store. This kit allows you to build a CubeSat Simulator with no soldering, just assembly. CubeSatSim is a low-cost satellite emulator that runs on solar panels and batteries, transmits UHF radio telemetry, has a 3D printed frame, and can be extended by additional sensors and modules. It is perfect for the classroom or for public demonstrations. The kit can be purchased from the AMSAT store. Sorry, shipping is only available to U.S. addresses. (ANS thanks AMSAT Education for the above information)

+ The AMSAT-X Meetup Net is held weekly on Thursdays at 0300Z (or 0200Z DST – Wednesday evening in North America) on the AMSAT Digital Mode Reflectors. This net is open to anyone that wishes to join with the focus being centered mostly on AMSAT Twitter users involved in grid square roving/chasing activities in North America. Participants are also encouraged to check-in with updates on other satellite activities and projects of interest to the group such as upcoming AMSAT presentations/demonstrations, collection of satellite telemetry, and balloon launches with amateur radio payloads. Currently available linked reflectors are DMR BrandMeister Talkgroup #98006 (AMSAT) and YSF Reflector #11689 (US-AMSAT). An audio feed is normally provided to the *AMSAT* EchoLink Conference Node #101377 but sometimes the bridge is unavailable. AMSAT D-STAR reflectors XLXSAT, XRFSAT, DCSSAT, and REFSAT are not utilized for the AMSAT-Twitter Meetup Net at this time. (ANS thanks AD0HJ and KC3UEP for the above information)

+ For fans of the open source M17 digital voice mode, AMSAT operates M17 reflector M17-SAT that is available for amateur satellite related discussion. If you do not have an M17 capable radio and/or hotspot, the DroidStar app can be used to access M17 reflectors from an Android, iOS, or Windows device.

+ With the Anytone AT-D890UV expected to become popular among amateur satellite operators, perhaps we should spin up an NXDN reflector for AMSAT discussions?

Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

• Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
• Students are eligible for FREE membership up to age 25.
• Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.

Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information.

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor,

Paul Stoetzer, N8HM
n8hm [at] amsat.org

ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002
AMSAT is a registered trademark of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.

Solar activity reached moderate levels early this week. The
strongest event was an M1.4 flare observed on February 11 in Region
4366. This region also produced nine C-class flares.
 
Region 4373 produced a C1.8/Sf flare on February 11. This region
displayed some minor area growth. Regions 4369 and 4371 exhibited
some minor decay. The other spotted regions remained unchanged. New
Region 4375 was number...

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® is inviting radio clubs to participate in the second annual Ham Radio Open House in April. Hosting an Open House gives clubs and schools the opportunity to promote amateur radio science and technology by opening their stations to the public and showcasing their hi-tech gear and operating skills.

In addition, clubs are encouraged to set up in publi...

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® is saddened to share the news that Sharon Taratula, who served the League with dedication and distinction for 32 years, passed away on February 4, 2026.

Sharon joined ARRL on January 31, 1994, as DXCC Awards Technician. She later served as Administrative Assistant (1996), MVP Administrative Manager (2011), and from 2016 until her passing, as Award...

AMSAT News Service ANS-039
February 8, 2026

In this edition:

* FO-29 Approaches Full Sunlight
* Gridmaster Top 100 Rovers for February 2026
* VUCC Satellite Standing February 2026
* DXCC Satellite Standing for February 2026
* SpaceX Grounds its Falcon 9 Rocket
* Declassifying JUMPSEAT: An American Pioneer in Space
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution
* Kenya to Represent Africa in ARISS Program 2026
* ARISS News
* AMSAT Ambassador Activities
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

The AMSAT® News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org

You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/

FO-29 Approaches Full Sunlight

Fuji-OSCAR 29 (JAS 2) will soon enter a season of orbits in full sunlight, making it once again available for worldwide use.

JAS-2 was successfully launched on August 17, 1996. It orbits the Earth in a polar orbit at 1300 km altitude in a time of 112 minutes. The inclination is 98°. The transmission power of the beacon is 100 mW, the transponder 1 watt. The linear transponder downlink is from 435.800 MHz – 435.900 MHz (USB, CW), with uplink from 145.900 MHz – 146.00 MHz (LSB, CW). CW beacon frequency is 435.795 MHz.

Fuji-OSCAR 29 (JAS 2) Credit: JAMSAT

Designated as Fuji-OSCAR 29 after achieving orbit, JAS 2 has long been one of the most popular and most useful linear satellites available to amateurs. However, as the satellite approaches 30 years of age, its batteries have long-since failed. It only continues to operate while the sun is illuminating its solar panels.

On March 9, FO-29 will begin orbiting in full sunlight, without periodic eclipses.

In mid-February, the duration of the shadow decreases from about 20 minutes to about 1 minute per day. Therefore, FO-29’s transmitter may suddenly come to life unexpectedly. Amateurs are encouraged to monitor the satellite and to update its activity on the AMSAT OSCAR Satellite Status page, https://www.amsat.org/status/.

Please enjoy using FO-29 while it remains available!

[ANS thanks Akira Kaneko, JA1OGZ, of JAMSAT for the above information.]

AMSAT Remove Before Flight Key Tags Now Available
Yes, These are the Real Thing! Your $20 Donation Goes to Help Fly a Fox-Plus Satellite
Includes First Class Postage (Sorry – U.S. Addresses Only)
Order Today at https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain Gridmaster Top 100 Rovers for February 2026

The February 2026 rankings for the Top 100 Rovers (Mixed LEO/MEO/GEO) in satellite operations, as determined by @GridMasterMap on Twitter, has been released. The ranking is determined by the number of grids and DXCC entities activated, taking into account only those grids where a minimum number of QSOs logged on the gridmaster.fr website have been validated by a third party. Grid numbers do not directly reflect the exact number of activations. Satellite operators are encouraged to upload their LoTW satellite contacts to https://gridmaster.fr in order to provide more accurate data.

1 ND9M 26 BA1PK 51 KE0WPA 76 HB9GWJ 2 NJ7H 27 KX9X 52 WD5GRW 77 VA7LM 3 UT1FG 28 KG5CCI 53 KE0PBR 78 DL4EA 4 JA9KRO 29 DJ8MS 54 XE3DX 79 N8RO 5 N5UC 30 N5BO 55 BA8AFK 80 SP5XSD 6 F5VMJ 31 ON4AUC 56 LU4JVE 81 N6UTC 7 DL6AP 32 K8BL 57 W7WGC 82 N4UFO 8 DP0POL 33 KE4AL 58 PR8KW 83 VE7PTN 9 WI7P 34 KB5FHK 59 JK2XXK 84 PT2AP 10 K5ZM 35 AC0RA 60 EA4NF 85 VE1VOX 11 OE3SEU 36 PA3GAN 61 EB1AO 86 AA8CH 12 WY7AA 37 F4BKV 62 XE1ET 87 KB2YSI 13 LU5ILA 38 KI0KB 63 N6DNM 88 KI7UXT 14 N6UA 39 JO2ASQ 64 W8LR 89 AF5CC 15 HA3FOK 40 KI7UNJ 65 W1AW 90 KJ7NDY 16 OH2UDS 41 VA3VGR 66 KI7QEK 91 BI1MHK 17 W5PFG 42 VE3HLS 67 SM3NRY 92 PT9BM 18 AK8CW 43 BG7QIW 68 KE9AJ 93 FG8OJ 19 N9IP 44 LA9XGA 69 F4DXV 94 BG5CZD 20 AD0DX 45 HJ5LVR 70 VE1CWJ 95 YU0W 21 AD0HJ 46 VK5DG 71 AA5PK 96 PU4CEB 22 DL2GRC 47 N7AGF 72 AD7DB 97 W8MTB 23 N4AKV 48 DF2ET 73 KM4LAO 98 N4DCW 24 ND0C 49 K7TAB 74 PU6JBN 99 WA9JBQ 25 WD9EWK 50 JL3RNZ 75 M1DDD 100 PS8BR

[ANS thanks Gridmaster.fr  for the above information.]

The 2026 President’s Club Coin is Now Available!
Help Support GOLF and FoxPlus.

Annual memberships start at only $120
Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help
Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/

VUCC Satellite Standing February 2026

VUCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for January 01, 2026 to February 01, 2026.

Call Jan Feb DF2ET 1700 1801 DG7RO 1504 1600 PS8ET 1000 1216 EA2AA 1135 1170 JL1SAM 905 1008 JS1LQI 808 825 PA7RA 534 604 XE2YWH 595 600 HB9BIN 356 460 WO3T 437 450 OH3DP 352 401 IK8YTA 300 332 PU5DDC 254 258 EA4DEI 200 250 XE1R 105 237 G4BWP 200 220 I2OIM 155 206 WB5TX 160 165 W1AW 103 134 PU4FAR New 100 YB0OSU New 100

Congratulations to the new VUCC Satellite holders.

PU4FAR
YB0OSU

PU4FAR is first VUCC Satellite holder from GH83

[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ, for the above information.]

Need new satellite antennas?
Purchase M2 LEO-Packs from the AMSAT Store.

When you purchase through AMSAT, a portion of the proceeds goes towards
Keeping Amateur Radio in Space.
https://amsat.org/product-category/hardware/

DXCC Satellite Standing for February 2026

DXCC Satellite Award/Endorsement Change Summary for January 01, 2026 to February 01, 2026.

Call Jan Feb HB9BZA 196 204 PY2RN 166 192 YO2CMI 185 186 VU2LBW 166 174 ON4AOI 156 167 HB9GWJ 150 154 EA3GP 103 153 LA7XK 118 119 IK8YTA 107 118 K6FW 102 104

[ANS thanks Jon Goering, N7AZ, for the above information.]

SpaceX Grounds its Falcon 9 Rocket

SpaceX has temporarily grounded its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket, which is slated to launch four astronauts next week.

A Falcon 9 delivered 25 of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) as planned on Monday (Feb. 2). But, after deploying the payloads, the rocket’s upper stage failed to perform its deorbit burn, which was designed to bring it down for controlled destruction in Earth’s atmosphere.

Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo craft lifts off atop SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
to the International Space Station in September, 2025. Credit: NASA+

The Falcon 9 is the world’s busiest rocket by far. It launched a record-breaking 165 times in 2025 and already has 14 liftoffs until its belt this year.

The rocket is incredibly reliable, too. All of last year’s missions were successful, and just a single one — a Starlink launch on March 3 — experienced a significant anomaly.

It’s unclear how long this new launch hiatus will last. But both SpaceX and NASA doubtless hope the issue is resolved soon, for a very high-profile Falcon 9 launch is coming up — that of the Crew-12 astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Crew-12 is scheduled to include NASA astronauts Jack Hathaway, KJ5NIV, and Jessica Meir, as well as French astronaut Sophie Adenot, KJ5LTN, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev. Their SpaceX Dragon capsule has been scheduled for launch atop a Falcon 9 rocket on February 11.

[ANS thanks Space.com for the above information. See the full article at https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-grounds-its-falcon-9-rocket-after-a-problem-with-its-upper-stage-will-the-crew-12-astronaut-mission-be-affected]

Declassifying JUMPSEAT: An American Pioneer in Space

The director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) recently declassified the existence of JUMPSEAT: the United States’ first-generation, highly elliptical orbit (HEO) signals-collection satellite.

Launched from 1971 to 1987 under mission numbers 7701 to 7708, JUMPSEAT was the product of the United States Air Force’s (USAF) program at the NRO. Developed under a program called “Project EARPOP,” JUMPSEAT offered the U.S. a way of collecting intelligence during unprecedented geopolitical change and Cold War tensions that lasted until the early 1990s.

JUMPSEAT Model_2_1 Credit: NRO

The NRO and USAF, collaborating as a part of NRO’s “Program A,” were tasked with developing a foundational HEO signals collection satellite to bolster the U.S. government’s space intelligence portfolio. Named JUMPSEAT, the new satellite would be capable of operating in a highly ellipical, or Molniya, orbit. [Editor’s Note: These orbits are very similar to those that were used by amateur radio satellites AO-10, AO-13, and AO-40 in the 1980s and -90s.]

Together, the NRO and the USAF launched the first JUMPSEAT mission in 1971 from Vandenberg Air Force Base (now Vandenberg Space Force Base) in California. Once in orbit, JUMPSEAT successfully collected electronic emissions and signals, communication intelligence, and foreign instrumentation intelligence: invaluable information that was downlinked to ground processing facilities within the U.S. From there, the data was provided to the Department of Defense, the National Security Agency, and other national security elements.

Over the decades, JUMPSEAT satellites continued to prove their worth to signals intelligence, finally operating in transponder mode until they were taken out of service in 2006.

[ANS thanks the National Reconnaissance Office for the above information. Read the full article at https://www.nro.gov/news-media-featured-stories/news-media-archive/News-Article/Article/4392223/declassifying-jumpseat-an-american-pioneer-in-space/]

Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for February 6

Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated daily in the first hour of the UTC day. New bulletin files will be posted immediately after reliable elements become available for new amateur satellites. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/.

This week there are no additions or deletions to the AMSAT TLE distribution.

[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information.]

Kenya to Represent Africa in ARISS Program 2026

Kenya is set to make history in 2026 after being selected to host the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program, a global initiative that enables the public to communicate live with astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

The Kenya Space Agency announced the selection, positioning the country at the heart of an international effort to advance space education and public engagement in science. Kenya is the only African nation chosen for the 2026 ARISS cycle, a milestone expected to spark interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and inspire innovation across the country.

According to the agency, the hosting window will run between July and December 2026. During this period, Kenyan students, professionals and members of the public will take part in live radio sessions with astronauts on the ISS. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive real-time answers about daily life in orbit, scientific research conducted on board and the realities of living and working in space.

The Kenya Space Agency will oversee preparations for the event in collaboration with Pan-African Citizen Science e-Laboratory mentor and agency liaison Harold Safary. Planning efforts will include technical coordination, public outreach and the selection of participants, with an open call to be issued for interested individuals and institutions wishing to take part in the live ISS contacts.

The 2026 ARISS program will offer Kenyans a rare opportunity to speak directly with astronauts aboard the ISS, marking a significant step in the country’s engagement with global space initiatives and space education.

[ANS thanks Satellite Pro Middle East for the above information. Read the full article at https://satelliteprome.com/news/kenya-to-represent-africa-in-iss-ariss-programme-2026/]

ARISS News

Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.

RECENTLY COMPLETED
School No. 4, Semenov, Nizhny Novgorod Region, Russia, direct via UB3TBX
The ISS callsign was scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember was Sergey Kud-Sverchkov
The ARISS mentor was RV3DR
Contact was successful for Thu 2026-02-05 09:14 UTC
Congratulations to the School No. 4 students, Sergey, mentor RV3DR, and ground station UB3TBX!

FBU Im. I. Kant, Kaliningrad, Russia, direct via R2FDB
The ISS callsign was scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember was Sergey Mikaev
The ARISS mentor was RV3DR
Contact was successful for Thu 2026-02-05 10:49 UTC
Congratulations to the FBU Im. I. Kant students, Sergey, mentor RV3DR, and ground station R2FDB!

Klimop Tongeren, Tongeren-Borgloon, Belgium, telebridge via ON4ISS
The ISS callsign was scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember was Chris Williams, KJ5GEW
The ARISS mentor was ON6TI
Contact was successful for: Thu 2026-02-05 12:21:51 UTC 82 degrees maximum elevation
Congratulations to the Klimop Tongeren students, Chris, mentor ON6TI, and telebridge station ON4ISS!

UPCOMING
Hilltop Elementary, Canfield, OH, telebridge via K6DUE
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember is Chris Williams, KJ5GEW
The ARISS mentor is KD8COJ
Contact is go for Mon 2026-02-09 18:44:58 UTC 57 deg
Watch for Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/@ARISSlive/videos and https://live.ariss.org/

Many times a school may make a last minute decision to do a Livestream or run into a last minute glitch requiring a change of the URL but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication.  You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming.

As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol.

The crossband repeater continues to be active (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down),  If any crewmember is so inclined, all they have to do is pick up the microphone, raise the volume up, and talk on the crossband repeater. So give a listen, you just never know.

The packet system (145.825 MHz up & down) was scheduled for repair on February 5.

Ham TV (2395.00 MHz) is configured for scheduled digital amateur television operations.

Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time.

The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html

The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html

[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information.]

Want to fly the colors on your own grid expedition?
Get an AMSAT car flag and other neat stuff from our Zazzle store!

25% of the purchase price of each product goes towards Keeping Amateur Radio in Space AMSAT Ambassador Activities

AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.

February 13-15, 2026
Hamcation 2026
Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park
Colonial Drive
Orlando, Florida
AMSAT will have a table and many items available for purchase
Contact Dave Jordan, AA4KN to volunteer n4csitwo [at] bellsouth.net

March 21, 2026
Midwinter Madness Hamfest 2026
Maple Grove Radio Club
Buffalo Civic Center
1306 County Rd 134
Buffalo, Minnesota 55313
https://k0ltc.org/midwinter-madness/
KØJM, ADØHJ, KEØPBR

Interested in becoming an AMSAT Ambassador? AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.

For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/

[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program, for the above information.]

Satellite Shorts from All Over

+ In September 2025, AMSAT-DL and the Bochum Observatory jointly organized the “Bochum Space Days 2025” conference in the radome under the 20-metre antenna. The Radom was all about satellite and space research. A varied and informative program was offered, aimed at AMSAT members as well as all space enthusiasts and makers. The presentations are now available on the AMSAT-DL YouTube channel. The language of the presentation is mixed German/English and subtitles can also be optionally activated in the respective translation. Begin at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW384KY6lBo&list=PLbIhjH2wj12GfMJGRwbYPFEjU7ECtjzzO (ANS thanks AMSAT-DL for the above information.)

+ The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Follow On – Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) satellite has reached its final destination—nearly one million miles away from Earth toward the sun and has been renamed SOLAR-1. The observatory is expected to begin space weather operations in Spring 2026. Read more at http://bit.ly/4bUIY1K. (ANS thanks NOAA for the above information.)

+ Edge of Space Sciences, a ham radio club in Englewood, Colorado, has been monitoring three amateur radio pico balloons as they continue to circumnavigate the globe. Two balloons were released at HamCon Colorado on October 25, 2025. EOSSP-3 has completed 5 circumnavigations and is currently lost somewhere “up north.” No signal has been heard for 4 days. EOSSP-4 has completed 7 circumnavigations and is currently approaching India. Meanwhile, EOSSP-2, launched September 18, completed its 10th circumnavigation at 19:05 UTC on February 4. The balloons can be tracked on aprs.fi at https://aprs.fi/#!call=a%2FEOSSP-2%2Ca%2FEOSSP-4%2Ca%2FEOSSP-3&timerange=259200&tail=86400. More information can be found on the club’s website, www.eoss.org. (ANS thanks ARRL for the above information.)

+ NASA is no longer planning a February launch of the Artemis 2 mission after encountering hydrogen leaks during a fueling test of the Space Launch System. In a statement early Feb. 3, NASA said it completed a wet dress rehearsal for Artemis 2 but determined the vehicle will not be ready to launch during the February window, which closes Feb. 11. Several other issues occurred during the test. A valve in Orion’s hatch pressurization system was accidentally vented during closeout work, requiring additional time to repressurize the system. Unseasonably cold temperatures, which had already delayed the rehearsal by two days, caused further issues, including delays in tanking operations and problems with cameras and other pad equipment. NASA also reported intermittent audio dropouts in communications among ground teams. The next launch period for Artemis 2 runs from March 6 to 11, with five two-hour windows available. Another launch opportunity extends from April 1 to 6. (ANS thanks SpaceNews for the above information. Read the full article at https://spacenews.com/artemis-2-slips-to-march/)

Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

• Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
• Students are eligible for FREE membership up to age 25.
• Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.

Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information.

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor,

Mark Johns, KØJM
mjohns [at] amsat.org

ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002
AMSAT is a registered trademark of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.

Solar activity was at high levels for most of the week, dominated by
Region 4366. The most notable event was an impulsive X4.2 flare from
that region on February 4. Throughout the period, Region 4366
continued to exhibit a slight reduction in area and a modest
simplification of its magnetic complexity. The remaining numbered
regions on the visible disk remained stable or in a state of slight
decay.
 
T...

AMSAT News Service ANS-032
February 1, 2026

In this edition:

* NASA Selects Global Tracking Volunteers for Artemis II Lunar Mission
* Thailand’s KNACKSAT-2 CubeSat Preparing for Deployment from the ISS
* CubeSatSim Satellite Emulator Kits Now Available in the AMSAT Store
* Open.Space Phased Array Project Targets Low-Cost EME for Hams
* Changes to AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for January 30, 2026
* ARISS News
* AMSAT Ambassador Activities
* Satellite Shorts From All Over

The AMSAT® News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space including reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.

The news feed on https://www.amsat.org publishes news of Amateur Radio in Space as soon as our volunteers can post it.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to: ans-editor [at] amsat.org

You can sign up for free e-mail delivery of the AMSAT News Service Bulletins via the ANS List; to join this list see: https://mailman.amsat.org/postorius/lists/ans.amsat.org/

NASA Selects Global Tracking Volunteers for Artemis II Lunar Mission

NASA has selected 34 volunteer organizations and individuals from around the world to help track the Orion spacecraft during the upcoming crewed Artemis II mission, which will carry four astronauts on a journey around the Moon. The selected participants include commercial service providers, universities, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and individual amateur radio operators, reflecting a broad international collaboration supporting humanity’s return to deep space.

While NASA’s Near Space Network and Deep Space Network will provide primary communications and navigation support, the volunteers will passively track radio signals transmitted by Orion during its approximately 10-day mission. Participants were chosen from proposals submitted in August 2025. They will submit tracking data to NASA for analysis, helping the agency evaluate broader aerospace and amateur radio tracking capabilities. No funding is exchanged as part of this collaborative effort.

“This is a real step toward SCaN’s commercial-first vision,” said Kevin Coggins, NASA’s deputy associate administrator for Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN). “By inviting external organizations to demonstrate their capabilities during a human spaceflight mission, we’re strengthening the marketplace we’ll rely on as we explore farther into the solar system. This isn’t about tracking one mission, but about building a resilient, public-private ecosystem that will support the Golden Age of innovation and exploration.”

NASA’s Orion spacecraft will also use infrared optical communications to return high-rate data during Artemis II. [Credit: NASA]The initiative builds on a similar effort during Artemis I in 2022, when 10 volunteers successfully tracked Orion and provided valuable lessons on data formatting, quality, and standards compliance. For Artemis II, SCaN now requires all submitted tracking data to meet its system standards. Public interest has increased significantly, with about 47 ground assets across 14 countries expected to support the mission.

Amateur radio organizations and enthusiasts are well represented in the selected group. Participants include AMSAT Argentina, AMSAT Deutschland, the Amateur Radio Exploration Ground Station Consortium, CAMRAS in the Netherlands, the Deep Space Exploration Society in Colorado, and several individual operators, including Scott Tilley of Canada. Their involvement highlights the growing technical capability of the global amateur radio community to contribute meaningfully to deep-space missions.

Although NASA has formally selected a limited group to submit official tracking data, anyone with appropriate equipment can attempt to track Artemis II independently, either by monitoring Orion’s radio emissions or by observing the spacecraft optically with a telescope during its trans-lunar coast. NASA has emphasized that it is simply accepting data from a designated group and is not restricting independent observation. For amateur astronomers and radio operators alike, Artemis II offers a rare opportunity to witness — and participate in — humanity’s return to deep-space exploration.

Read the full article at: https://www.nasa.gov/technology/space-comms/nasa-selects-participants-to-track-artemis-ii-mission/

[ANS thanks Katrina Lee, NASA, and Scott Tilley, VE7TIL, for the above information]

Thailand’s KNACKSAT-2 CubeSat Preparing for Deployment from the ISS

Thailand’s KNACKSAT-2 satellite is preparing for deployment from the International Space Station, with release currently scheduled for February 3, 2026 at 08:55 UTC (03:55 AM EST). The mission continues Thailand’s university-led CubeSat development program following the earlier KNACKSAT-1 mission. The project is led by King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok in Thailand, working with domestic and international partners to advance satellite engineering, payload integration, and on-orbit operations. The deployment is expected to be viewable live online via the project livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB4PIOS-hSs.

KNACKSAT-2 was transported to the International Space Station in late 2025 and is a 3U CubeSat designed to host multiple payloads. The satellite expands on KNACKSAT-1, which demonstrated Thailand’s ability to design and build a satellite domestically. Development and testing were conducted in cooperation with NBSPACE and other academic and research partners. The mission is intended to help Thailand develop multi-payload CubeSat platforms and prepare for future ride-share launch opportunities.

The satellite carries both educational and research payloads. Non-amateur missions include an Earth imaging camera, a store-and-forward IoT data collection system for remote sensors, ultraviolet radiation measurement instrumentation, and in-orbit evaluation of space-qualified components. These payloads are part of broader national workforce development programs coordinated through the Thai Space Consortium and academic partner networks. The satellite will be operated in orbit using ground stations located in Thailand.

KNACKSAT-2 is a Thai-developed 3U CubeSat designed as a multi-payload platform for in-orbit technology demonstration. [Credit: PMUC]

KNACKSAT-2 also supports amateur radio operations through an APRS digipeater payload developed in cooperation with the Radio Amateur Society of Thailand. The amateur payload operates using coordinated frequencies through the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) satellite frequency coordination process. The APRS digipeater system uses 145.825 MHz for uplink and downlink using FSK modulation at 9600 bps with AX.25 framing. The amateur satellite callsign assigned to the mission is HSØK.

In addition to amateur payloads, the spacecraft transmits engineering telemetry on 400.630 MHz using FSK at 9600 bps with AX.25 framing and a one-minute beacon interval. Following deployment, project coordinators have requested assistance from the monitoring community to receive, decode, and submit telemetry reports from the 400.630 MHz downlink, which is outside the amateur radio allocation. Many satellite observers actively search for newly deployed spacecraft and contribute reception reports, helping mission teams verify spacecraft health and early on-orbit performance. The satellite is expected to rotate in orbit, and ground stations are recommended to use circular polarization, with RHCP preferred, to improve reception reliability.

KNACKSAT-2 continues the growing trend of university-driven satellite programs contributing technical capability, education, and operational experience to the global amateur satellite community. University-built satellites are playing an increasing role in expanding access to space while supporting educational outreach and new opportunities for amateur radio experimentation.

For more information:

Deployment Live Stream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB4PIOS-hSs KNACKSAT-2 Packet Forwarder Software Download https://drive.google.com/drive/u/2/folders/18fa1jQJff-JiHCe3aBd1pGhCkZLYsv98 KNACKSAT-2 Packet Forwarder Software Manual https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iHfO3wFxgxnFv4PHQVXjML2r8pdHhOGU/view API Registration for KNACKSAT-2 Packet Forwarder https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe3XvkZU3XPdodgZIm94c7DczWjIqJlDF-46hGutW0aE_sLFA/viewform KNACKSAT-2 Telemetry Dashboard https://dashboard.knacksat.com/telemetry/d/knacksat-telemetry/knacksat-satellite-telemetry-monitor

[ANS thanks Tanan Rangseeprom, HS1JAN, and the IARU for the above information]

CubeSatSim Satellite Emulator Kits Now Available in the AMSAT Store

CubeSatSim is an educational satellite emulator designed to provide a hands-on introduction to space communications, telemetry, and satellite systems. Kits are now available for purchase through the AMSAT Store (https://www.amsat.org/product/cubesatsim-kit). Priced at $550 with shipping included for U.S. addresses, the CubeSatSim Kit requires no soldering and only minimal assembly, making it ideal for educational use and public demonstrations.

The CubeSatSim Kit includes:

• Fully assembled and tested PCBs (Main, Solar, and Battery Boards)
• Raspberry Pi Zero 2 with a Pi Camera and fully programmed micro-SD card, along with a fully programmed Raspberry Pi Pico WH
• AMSAT logo “Remove Before Flight” tag switch
• 3D printed frame, nylon screws, and nuts, with a mini screwdriver included for assembly
• Metal standoffs, stacking headers, and JST jumpers for stacking the PCBs and Pi Zero 2
• 10 solar panels with pre-soldered JST connectors and mounting tape
• BME280 sensor (pressure, temperature, altitude, humidity) and MPU6050 IMU/gyro pre-soldered
• Two 6″ SMA coax cables and two SMA antennas

The kit also comes with an instruction sheet, parts inventory, and links to online instructions. Assembly time is estimated to be under two hours, with scissors and the provided mini screwdriver.

CubeSatSim kit hardware and components are now available for purchase through the AMSAT Store.

The v2.0 CubeSatSim features improvements over v1.2, such as an FM transceiver, Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller, and RF command and control using DTMF or APRS packets. It can also be modified to function as a 500 mW high altitude balloon payload.

For those interested in creating their own CubeSatSim, v2.0 blank PCB sets are available at the AMSAT Store for $35. These require additional components, which can be purchased for approximately $400 using the provided Bill of Materials.

Additional resources include:

Kit Instructions https://cubesatsim.org/kit Kit Videos https://cubesatsim.org/kit-videos Discussion Forum https://github.com/alanbjohnston/CubeSatSim/discussions
Quick Start Guide https://cubesatsim.org/qsg

How to Order
Kits are sold exclusively through the AMSAT Store.
Only U.S. shipping addresses are eligible; orders with non-U.S. addresses will be refunded and closed.

About CubeSatSim
CubeSatSim is a low-cost satellite emulator powered by solar panels and batteries. It transmits UHF radio telemetry and can be expanded with additional sensors and modules, making it ideal for educational and public demonstrations.

[ANS thanks Alan Johnston, KU2Y, AMSAT Vice President Educational Relations for the above information]

Open.Space Phased Array Project Targets Low-Cost EME for Hams

An upcoming open-source hardware project called Open.Space aims to lower the barrier to Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) communications for amateur radio operators by using a modular, software-defined phased-array system instead of traditional large dish antennas. EME, or moonbounce, involves transmitting a signal toward the Moon, reflecting it off the lunar surface, and receiving it back on Earth. Historically, this has required large high-gain antennas, high-power transmitters, and precise mechanical tracking, putting it out of reach for many amateurs.

Open.Space proposes using electronically steerable phased arrays built from small, low-cost software-defined radio (SDR) tiles. A phased array combines the signals from many small antennas using precise timing delays, allowing radio beams to be steered electronically without motors or moving parts. This enables rapid tracking, improved interference rejection, and compact, low-profile installations. A familiar consumer example of phased-array technology is the flat-panel antenna used by Starlink satellite internet terminals.

At the core of the system is the Open.Space Quad tile, a 4-antenna SDR module covering 4.9 to 6.0 GHz in the C-band. Each tile supports 40 MHz of bandwidth using an 8-bit ADC and delivers about 1 watt of transmit power per antenna. The tiles can operate as standalone 4×4 MIMO SDRs for RF experimentation, direction finding, or digital communications, or they can be combined into larger phased-array structures.

The Open.Space Mini phased array uses 18 Quad tiles to form a compact, electronically steerable antenna system. [Credit: Open.Space]

Multiple tiles can be assembled into phased arrays using a modular lattice frame. The “Mini” starter array consists of 18 tiles, totaling 72 antennas. It is expected to provide roughly 34 dBi of gain, about 52.6 dBW of EIRP, and up to 60 degrees of electronic beam steering. While the Mini configuration is not large enough for moonbounce, it is intended for learning, experimentation, satellite downlinks, and long-range directional links.

For full EME capability, Open.Space proposes the “Moon” array, built from 60 tiles and 240 antennas in a one-meter-wide aperture. This configuration is expected to deliver around 39.3 dBi of gain and 63.1 dBW of EIRP, making moonbounce experiments feasible. Additional planned applications include radio astronomy, RF imaging, and advanced phased-array research.

One of the most notable aspects of the project is its proposed cost in U.S. dollars. Individual tiles are expected to sell for approximately $49 to $99 USD. The Mini array is projected at $899 to $1,499 USD, and the Moon array at $2,499 to $4,999 USD—significantly less than traditional EME hardware setups. The Open.Space hardware has not yet been released, but the project website lists March 2026 as the expected shipping date. The developers note that the system is not intended for radar applications due to export-control restrictions. Those interested can sign up on the Open.Space website to receive email updates when the hardware becomes available.

[ANS thanks Open.Space and RTL-SDR.com for the above information]

The 2026 Coins Are Here! Help Support GOLF-TEE and FoxPlus.
Annual memberships start at only $120.

Join the AMSAT President’s Club today and help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!
https://www.amsat.org/join-the-amsat-presidents-club/
Changes to AMSAT TLE Distribution for January 30, 2026

Two Line Elements or TLEs, often referred to as Keplerian elements or keps in the amateur community, are the inputs to the SGP4 standard mathematical model of spacecraft orbits used by most amateur tracking programs. Weekly updates are completely adequate for most amateur satellites. TLE bulletin files are updated daily in the first hour of the UTC day. New bulletin files will be posted immediately after reliable elements become available for new amateur satellites. More information may be found at https://www.amsat.org/keplerian-elements-resources/.

An alternate source for TLE for IO-86 has been identified, and it has been re-added to the AMSAT TLE distribution.

The following satellite has been removed from this week’s AMSAT TLE distribution:

GHS-01 NORAD Cat ID 65733, Decayed from orbit on or about 20 Jan 2025

[ANS thanks Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, AMSAT Orbital Elements Manager, for the above information]

ARISS News

Amateurs and others around the world may listen in on contacts between amateurs operating in schools and allowing students to interact with astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station. The downlink frequency on which to listen is 145.800 MHz worldwide.

Scheduled Contacts

+ Recently Completed

Conn Magnet Elementary School, Raleigh, NC., direct via K4EB
The ISS callsign was NA1SS
The scheduled crewmember was Chris Williams KJ5GEW
The ARISS mentor was AA6TB
Contact was successful: Fri 2026-01-30 15:10:30 UTC
Watch for Livestream at https://youtube.com/live/tOj-SpbmA30?feature=share and https://live.ariss.org/

+ Upcoming Contacts

Aznakaevsky District of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember is Sergey Mikaev
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact is go for: Mon 2026-02-02 09:55 UTC

School No. 4, Semenov, Nizhny Novgorod Region, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember is Sergey Mikaev
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact is go for: Tue 2026-02-03 10:45 UTC

Lyceum No. 23, Kaliningrad, Russia, direct via TBD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be RSØISS
The scheduled crewmember is Sergey Mikaev
The ARISS mentor is RV3DR
Contact is go for: Thu 2026-02-05 10:45 UTC

Klimop Tongeren, Tongeren-Borgloon, Belgium, telebridge via ON4ISS
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be OR4ISS
The scheduled crewmember is Chris Williams KJ5GEW
The ARISS mentor is ON6TI
Contact is go for: Thu 2026-02-05 12:21:51 UTC

Many times, a school makes a last-minute decision to do a Livestream or runs into a last-minute glitch requiring a change of the URL, but we at ARISS may not get the URL in time for publication. You can always check https://live.ariss.org/ to see if a school is Livestreaming.

As always, if there is an EVA, a docking, or an undocking; the ARISS radios are turned off as part of the safety protocol.

The crossband repeater remains configured in the Columbus Module (145.990 MHz up {PL 67} & 437.800 MHz down). If a crewmember decides to pick up the microphone and turn up the volume, you may hear them on the air—so keep listening, as you never know when activity might occur.

The service module IORS is not currently in APRS configuration and is being used only for voice contacts at this time. HamTV in the Columbus Module is configured for scheduled digital amateur television operations on 2395.00 MHz.

Note, all times are approximate. It is recommended that you do your own orbital prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time.

The latest information on the operation mode can be found at https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html

The latest list of frequencies in use can be found at https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html

[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, one of the ARISS operation team mentors for the above information]

AMSAT Ambassador Activities

AMSAT Ambassadors provide presentations, demonstrate communicating through amateur satellites, and host information tables at club meetings, hamfests, conventions, maker faires, and other events.

AMSAT Ambassador Clint Bradford, K6LCS, says,

“Think a 75-minute presentation on “working the easy satellites” would be appropriate for your club or event? Let me know by emailing me at k6lcsclint (at) gmail (dot) com or calling me at 909-999-SATS (7287)!”

Clint has NEVER given the exact same show twice: EACH of the 150+ presentations so far has been customized/tailored to their audiences.

Scheduled Events

Hamcation 2026 – February 13 thru 15, 2026
Central Florida Fairgrounds and Expo Park
4603 West Colonial Drive
Orlando, FL 32808
https://www.hamcation.com/
AMSAT will have a table and many items available for purchase
Contact Dave Jordan, AA4KN to volunteer n4csitwo [at] bellsouth.net

Midwinter Madness Hamfest 2026 – March 21, 2026
Maple Grove Radio Club
Buffalo Civic Center
1306 County Road 134
Buffalo, Minnesota 55313
https://k0ltc.org/midwinter-madness/
KØJM, ADØHJ, KEØPBR

For more information go to: https://www.amsat.org/ambassador/

[ANS thanks Bo Lowrey, W4FCL, Director – AMSAT Ambassador Program, for the above information]

AMSAT Remove Before Flight Key Tags Now Available
Yes, These are the Real Thing! Your $20 Donation Goes to Help Fly a Fox-Plus Satellite
Includes First Class Postage (Sorry – U.S. Addresses Only)
Order Today at https://www.amsat.org/product/amsat-remove-before-flight-keychain Satellite Shorts from All Over

+ AMSAT-HB has announced the dates for the next edition of the HB9RG Trophy, which will take place from March 2 through March 15, 2026. The competition commemorates the first amateur radio satellite contact achieved on March 10, 1965, by Hans Rudolf Lauber, HB9RG, and Alfons Häring, DL6EZA, a milestone in amateur satellite communications. Organizers report that the event will return following strong international participation and enthusiastic feedback from previous editions of the Trophy. Based on participant input, AMSAT-HB is currently revising the competition rules to improve fairness, accessibility, and the overall operating experience. These adjustments are intended to better reflect the needs and operating practices of the global satellite amateur radio community. Complete rules, participation procedures, and event updates are available on the AMSAT-HB website at https://www.amsat-hb.org/hb9rg_trophy. (ANS thanks AMSAT-HB for the above information)

+ AMSAT-Francophone has opened ticketing for the 9th Amateur Radio Space Meeting, scheduled for March 7–8, 2026, in Nanterre, France. The annual gathering brings together amateur satellite operators, spacecraft designers, students, researchers, and space enthusiasts to share projects, ideas, and technical advances. The event will be hosted at the ElectroLab Fab Lab, with free admission to all conference sessions. Attendees are asked to reserve tickets in advance to assist with organization, with meals available on site. A call for contributions remains open to everyone, offering formats that include 15–25 minute conferences, five-minute “T-minus 5” presentations, and short videos of up to three minutes. Ticket reservations and event details are available at https://www.billetweb.fr/9-eme-rencontre-spatial-radioamateur, with presentation and video submissions due by February 10, 2026. (ANS thanks AMSAT-Francophone for the above information)

+ Blue Origin successfully completed the 38th flight of its New Shepard suborbital vehicle on January 22, marking the program’s first mission of 2026. The mission, designated NS-38, launched from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in West Texas during a morning launch window. The flight carried six people on a brief suborbital journey above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. The crew included Tim Drexler, Dr. Linda Edwards, Alain Fernandez, Alberto Gutiérrez, Jim Hendren, and Dr. Laura Stiles. Stiles joined the mission shortly before launch after another crew member was unable to fly due to illness. With this flight, New Shepard has now flown 98 people to space. New Shepard is Blue Origin’s operational human spaceflight system and serves as a testbed for reusable launch technologies and crewed operations. The program continues to support Blue Origin’s long-term goals for expanding human access to space. (ANS thanks Blue Origin for the above information)

+ For 21 years, from 1999 to 2020, millions of volunteers worldwide used their home computers to support SETI@home, one of the largest citizen-science efforts ever conducted. Operated by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, the project analyzed radio data from the Arecibo Observatory and identified roughly 12 billion signals of interest. After a decade of follow-up analysis, researchers narrowed those detections to about one million candidates and then to 100 signals worthy of further investigation. Since July 2025, those targets have been reobserved using China’s Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope, or FAST radio telescope, which has eight times the collecting area of Arecibo. While researchers do not expect these signals to be extraterrestrial in origin, the results helped establish new sensitivity limits for large-scale SETI searches. Scientists say the project’s biggest legacy may be the lessons learned about filtering radio-frequency interference and designing future all-sky technosignature surveys. (ANS thanks UC Berkeley News for the above information)

Join AMSAT today at https://launch.amsat.org/

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership to:

• Societies (a recognized group, clubs or organization).
• Students enrolled in at least half-time status are eligible for free membership to age 25.
• Memberships are available for annual and lifetime terms.

Contact info [at] amsat.org for additional membership information.

73 and remember to help Keep Amateur Radio in Space!

This week’s ANS Editor,

Mitch Ahrenstorff, ADØHJ
mahrenstorff [at] amsat.org

ANS is a service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 712 H Street NE, Suite 1653, Washington, DC 20002
AMSAT is a registered trademark of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.

John B. Johnston, W3BE (SK), of Derwood, Maryland, passed away on January 7, 2026. He was 98 years old. Born in Zanesville, Ohio, Johnson was a World War II veteran and served in the Pacific Theater.

He was first licensed on March 15, 1954, as KN2HHR. Following military service and college, he worked for the General Electric Company, and then as an engineer for the Federal Communications Commis...

Solar activity continued at low levels this week. Low level C-class
flares were observed from Regions 4342 and 4353. The majority of the
regions were either stable or in decay. New Regions 4359, 4360, and
4361 emerged on the disk and were numbered. No Earth-directed
Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) were observed. The forecast calls for
solar activity to remain at low levels with a chance for M-class
fla...

580 students at Conn Magnet Elementary School in Raleigh, North Carolina, will participate in a conversation with an astronaut on board the International Space Station (ISS). Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has confirmed the contact, scheduled for Friday, January 30, 2026, just after 10:00 AM EST.  

Radio communications will be provided by the Raleigh Amateur Radio Socie...