Updates

UNB Tracked Artemis II

April 04, 2026

On January 14, 2026, NASA selected three participants from Canada to track Artemis II, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Scott Tilley, Citizen Scientist, VE7TIL, and the University of New Brunswick (UNB). The UNB Artemis II Tracking Team consisted of Blake Dauvin, VE9BJD, Chris Carson, VE9CCX, Megan MacDonald, VY2MM, Morgan Kini, VE1MNK, Olivia Gerry Rice, VE9OGR, Troy Lavigne, PEng, Richard B. Langley, PhD, Chris D. Rouse, PhD, PEng, VE9CDR, and Brent R. Petersen, PhD, PEng, VE9EX, VE9UNB, W1IY. On April 4, 2026, at 08:04 UTC, UNB’s first detection of the Artemis II signal was made by Megan and Brent. The UNB Artemis II Tracking Team acknowledges the significant help from Scott Tilley, AMSAT-CA Vice President.

#CubeSatNB
#AMSAT-CA
#CSA
#NASA
#Artemis-II

Anytone AT-D890UV: a new full-duplex handheld radio?

February 10, 2026

Amateur radio operators are keen to try the new Anytone AT-D890UV, a handheld radio that claims to have full duplex - essential for satellite work.

#Anytone AT-D890UV
#Full-Duplex
#HT
#SO-50

The ISS Returns to S-Band: HamTV Now Transmitting Color Bars on 13 cm

January 15, 2026

Since just before Christmas 2025, the HamTV experiment aboard the International Space Station has resumed active video transmissions on the 13 cm amateur radio band. Where the downlink had previously been limited to a black screen, the signal at 2395 MHz is now carrying full-colour test pattern video.

#ISS
#HamTV
#S-Band
#SSTV

Building a Portable Satellite Station

December 20, 2025

What is a satellite?

December 16, 2025

Amateur Radio Satellites

Surrey Amateur Radio Communications Society (SARC) establishes satellite communications station

November 10, 2025

The Surrey Amateur Radio Communications Society (SARC) in British Columbia has established a fully operational satellite communications station, expanding our club’s capabilities into space-based amateur radio, which could be critical in emergencies. Led by Dino Gueorguiev VE7NX and John Brodie VA7XB, and supported by the SARC Projects Group, this station provides a robust platform for making reliable satellite contacts and mentoring members in advanced satellite radio operating techniques.

Ham Radio Satellites 101: Build an Amateur Station & Talk to the Birds

October 15, 2025

DX Engineering recently posted a how-to guide for new amateurs along with a brief history of Amateur Radio satellites. They explain some of the unique characteristics and challenges you’ll face when transmitting into space and discuss a handful of vital satellite terms and RF principles that you’ll need to know. If you’ve been wanting to get involved in this exciting facet of Ham radio—DX Engineering can show you how.

#DXEngineering
#YouTube
#Beginner
#Guide

AMSAT-CA in the 'Canadian Amateur'

September 29, 2025

Are you a member of Radio Amateur Canada (RAC)?

#AMSAT-CA
#RAC
#TCA

Starting Your Satellite Journey: Downloading Weather Images from Space

August 04, 2025

Ever looked up and wondered what Earth looks like from space, right now? With just a few accessible tools, you can receive live imagery from orbiting weather satellites. This isn’t just a cool trick. It’s one of the best ways to begin exploring satellite communications and radio science.

#Weather
#Satellite
#Education

UHF Spectrum Encroachment

July 19, 2025

The 435-438 MHz UHF Amateur satellite allocation is a global workhorse of the Amateur-satellite service. As shown in the figure below, it is second only to the commercial (non-Amateur) UHF spectrum in terms of utilization by nanosatellites (CubeSats) only.

#fcc
#ised
#rac
#regulatory
#70cm
#uhf

CUBICS Critical Design Review

July 03, 2025

CUBICS is a Canadian Space Agency (CSA) initiative that provides professors in post-secondary institutions with an opportunity to engage their students in an end-to-end space mission adapted to their needs and their level of comfort, expertise and readiness. Selected teams have the unique opportunity to design, build, test, launch and operate their own miniature satellite called a CubeSat. This program is a follow-up to the highly successful Canadian CubeSat Project (CCP), another CSA initiative between 2018 and 2023, which has seen the launch of 15 such satellites built by universities across Canada.

#CSA
#Cubics
#CCP
#STEM

Canada-Wide Science Fair 2025

June 06, 2025

The Canada-Wide Science Fair was held in Fredericton, New Brunswick, May 31 to June 7, 2025. Hundreds of high school students presented their science projects. On June 5 and 6 was the STEM expo where the Radio Amateurs of Canada had a booth, where AMSAT-CA was a participant.

#STEM

ESA North America/EU GEO Position Paper

February 25, 2025

Idea to develop QO-100 like Amateur payload for GEO orbit with North American coverage First proposed by Frank Zeppenfeldt PD0AP in 2023.

#qo-100
#north-america
#challenge

QO-100 North America Challenge

January 25, 2025

First QO-100 activation from Newfoundland by founding president Stefan VE4SW and board member John VE1CWJ. Featured in September-October edition of the Canadian Amateur.

#qo100
#north-america
#challenge