SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS011
ARLS011 JAS-2 In Orbit

ZCZC AS19
QST de W1AW
Space Bulletin 011  ARLS011
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington, CT  August 17, 1996
To all radio amateurs

SB SPACE ARL ARLS011
ARLS011 JAS-2 In Orbit

JAS-2, the first Amateur Radio satellite launched in 1996, is in
orbit. Early Saturday morning, August 17 (UTC), an H-2 rocket
blasted off from Japan's Tanegashima Island space center carrying
the JAS-2 Amateur Radio satellite. The satellite was successfully
deployed in orbit 38 minutes later.

JAS-2 is similar to OSCAR 20, although it offers some interesting
twists. As soon as testing is completed and the satellite is open
for general use (approximately three days), hams will have access to
an easy-to-use packet BBS. Unlike most digital satellites which
function as file servers and require specialized ground station
software, JAS-2 provides a BBS that operates much like a terrestrial
system. The only software required is a terminal program to ''talk''
to your TNC. Connecting to the BBS is as simple as sending a connect
request to 8J1JCS.

Hams who own PSK TNCs can connect to JAS-2 at 1200 baud. But unlike
OSCAR 20, JAS-2 can handle 9600-baud FM FSK as well.

A digital voice-storage unit (called the ''Digitalker'') will be used
to transmit announcements, bulletins on the condition of the
satellite and so on. It's similar to the unit presently being heard
from the Mir space station.

JAS-2 also features a linear transponder for SSB and CW
communication. At this time there has been no word from the Japan
Amateur Radio League concerning an operating schedule for the
transponder vs the BBS. The satellite has also not yet received its
OSCAR designation.

Congratulations to JARL and JAMSAT on the successful launch of
JAS-2. And many thanks to Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, and Fujio
Yamashita, JS1UKR, for keeping  ARRL HQ informed throughout the
project.

JAS-2 Frequencies

Uplink (MHz)           Downlink (MHz)     Mode

145.85                       435.910                     1200-baud PSK
145.89
145.91

145.87                       435.910                      9600-baud FM FSK

 ---                               435.795                      CW telemetry 
(12 WPM)

 ---                               435.910                      Digitalker

145.90--146.00       435.80--435.90         Analog linear transponder
                                                                       (SSB 
and CW)
NNNN
/EX