Daily Archives: October 2, 2017

Amateur Radio Hams get Satellite from the US to run BBS on

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FalconSAT-3 was built in 2005 and 2006 by cadets and faculty in the Space Systems Research Center at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO.

In amateur service the downlink is at 435.103 MHz transmitting 1W into a ¼ whip that extends from a corner of the satellite near the Lightband separation ring. The uplink is at 145.840 MHz and the receive antenna is a ¼ whip on the opposite side of the satellite near the S-band antennas. All UHF and S-band equipment on NTIA licensed frequencies has been disabled. The ARS VHF receiver is very sensitive. Modulation is 9600 bps GMSK for the uplink and downlink. The broadcast callsign is PFS3-11, and the BBS callsign is PFS3-12, Unproto APRS via PFS3-1.

The core avionics were designed and built Mark, N4TPY, and Dino, KC4YMG at SpaceQuest and have performed remarkably well for 10 years on orbit. Jim, WD0E, was the lead engineer for FalconSAT-3 at the AFA and managed the design, construction, testing and early operations of the satellite. Inquiries about current operations should be directed to AMSAT VP Operations Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA (ko4ma@amsat.org)

Amsat Falconsat 3 page

Kalashnikov Unveils Flying ‘Hovercycle’

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A Russian defense manufacturer named after the inventor of the AK-47 showed off its “flying car” to company officials and the Internet. The “car,” which has sixteen sets of rotors, could have military applications down the road including scouting, communications, and other tasks.

The unnamed vehicle was demonstrated Monday by officials at Kalashnikov Concern, part of the Russian defense giant Rostec and named after AK-47 designer M.T. Kalashnikov. The company develops and manufactures a wide variety of military small arms, from modernized versions of the AK-47 in service with the Russian military today to sniper rifles and guided artillery rounds.
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The new vehicle, dubbed a “flying car” by the Russian media, has eights pairs of rotors that provide lift. The vehicle has a skeletal metal frame and is controlled by a pair of joysticks.

A video released by Kalashnikov shows there is surprisingly little to the “car”—there is no gasoline or diesel engine. Two banks of what appear to be batteries are located under the rider and likely provide electricity to the eight pairs of rotors. A shell or chassis is shown superimposed over the vehicle at the end.

Source: Kalashnikov Unveils Flying ‘Hovercycle’