I built my first transistor radio when I was 12 years old. The Gemini space program and later the Apollo program were my youthful introduction to astronomy. Through the school I had on my 17th (1970) already facilities for receiving weather satellite (Nimbus 3) signals (NOAA). I am an licensed radio amateur since 1978.
Jan Poppeliers
Author's posts
Feb 13
FX0ISS-F4KJT ARISS-Europe HamTV demo successful
The ARISS contact between Collège Andre Malraux, Chatelaillon-Plage F4KJT and Thomas Pesquet KG5FYG/FX0ISS Mon 2017 feb 13 14:00:35 UTC 67 deg, was successful with 19 questions answered, the HamTV downlink was streamed on the new BATC merger facility, so the students, professors, public and media were totally impressed by the event. Live HamTV on 2395Mhz. …
Feb 02
ARISS contact with schools in Danbury, CT via ON4ISS
A telebridge connection with OR4ISS via ON4ISS (Aartselaar, Belgium) with students at the South Street School and Westside Middle School in Danbury CT, USA, was successful Thu 2017-02-02 18:49:14 UTC 80 deg. Astronaut Shane Kimbrough, KE5HOD answered all 20 questions. There were 200 students in the gym and the audio was streamed to the other schools in the system …
Jan 12
Combined ARISS contact in Gembloux & Transinne
The ARISS contact Thursday January 12, 2017 at 13:47 UTC of Thomas Pesquet with 3 schools in Belgium was a success. The amateur radio contact was a telebridge connection with NA1SS via K6DUE (Maryland, USA). The participants schools to this ARISS contact are: – Saint-Guibert College (students at their college in Gembloux) – Kindergarten and primary …
Oct 22
Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, about “ARISS milestones”
22 October 2016, Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, talked in Ostrów Wielkopolski, Poland at the 6th Polish-wide Conference of Contributors and Sympathizes of ARISS about “ARISS milestones”. It was a excellent time for many people (there was above 100 persons), especially teachers and pupils, who never heard about the HAM radio! More information about the event can be found …
May 18
general assembly 2016
annual general meeting 2016 The members of AMSAT Belgium, non-profit association, are invited to attend the annual general meeting. The general assembly will take place on Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at 20:00 in the clubhouse of the Radio Club Leuven – Diestsevest 39 at Leuven. (The meeting room is located in the basement) Agenda: 1. …
Apr 26
OUFTI-1 is in LEO Sun-Synchronous orbit
Following the successful launch OUFTI-1 is now in a Low-Earth Sun-Synchronous orbit. During its first orbit has OUFTI-1 broadcast decodable telemetry. Unfortunately, the satellite’s beacon broadcasts a few orbits subsequent just “HI HI DE E”. The team from University of Liège is looking for a solution. The TLE for the cubesat OUFTI-1 is available updated …
Apr 23
OUFTI-1 launch postponed for at least 24 hours
A technical failure caused a stop of the countdown. Hopefully we can expect the launch on April 25, 2016, at 21:02:13 UTC. (updated: April 25, 16:00 UTC) On April 24 around 45 minutes before the scheduled liftoff Arianespace reported a problem with the SYZ Inertial Measurement Unit on the launch vehicle. Arianespace has placed both …
Apr 23
OUFTI-1 new TLE after its launch
Due to the delayed launch again this information is no longer applicable! latest update The liftoff had to be postponed for at least 24 hours due to weather conditions. Arianespace decided to interrupt the final countdown and not initiate launcher fueling operations. Around the same time, the favorable weather forecast for the next day enabled …
Apr 19
OUFTI-1 will be launched on April 22, 2016
Due to the delayed launch again part of this information is no longer applicable! latest update OUFTI-1 will now be launched Friday, April 22. The launch is scheduled for 21:02:13 UTC in Kourou using a Russian Soyuz rocket. The satellite will be placed in its orbit on T + 10091,13s (23:50:24 UTC). About half an …
Nov 04
ARISS contact between OR4ISS and 4U1WRC
During the ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15) to be held from 2nd to November 27th 2015, an ARISS contact was realized on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2015. Students from Institut Florimont were able to use the ITU station to talk to astronauts Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS (in front) and Kimiya Yui KG5BPH (in QSO with 4U1WRC), who …