CAMSAT, China’s Amateur Radio Satellite organization, has offered additional details about the three Amateur Radio satellites it plans to launch later this year. Two of the satellites, designated CAS-5A and CAS-6, will carry transponders, and one of them will offer HF capability. CAMSAT’s Alan Kung, BA1DU, told ARRL that the 6U CAS-5A will carry two HF transponders and two V/UHF transponders. The plentiful equipment package includes an H/T (21/29 MHz) mode linear transponder, an H/U (21/435 MHz) mode linear transponder, an HF CW telemetry beacon, a V/U linear transponder, a V/U FM transponder, a UHF CW telemetry beacon, and UHF AX.25 4.8k/9.6k baud GMSK telemetry.

• The H/T mode linear transponder will have a 30 kHz wide uplink centered on 21.400 MHz, and a downlink centered on 29.490 MHz. RF output is 0.5 W.

• An HF CW telemetry beacon will transmit on 29.465 MHz with 0.1 W.

• The H/U mode linear transponder will have a 15 kHz wide uplink centered on 21.435 MHz, and a downlink centered on 435.505 MHz. The RF output is 0.5 W.

• The V/U mode linear transponder will have a 30 kHz wide uplink at 145.820 MHz, and a downlink at 435.540 MHz. The RF output is 0.5 W.

• The V/U mode FM transponder will uplink at 145.925 MHz, and downlink at 435.600 MHz. The transponder passband is 15 kHz, and the RF output is 0.5 W.

• The UHF CW telemetry beacon will transmit on 435.570 MHz, with an RF output of 0.1 W.
• UHF AX.25 4.8k/9.6k baud GMSK telemetry will transmit on 435.650 MHz at 0.5 W.

Kung told ARRL that the HF, VHF, and UHF antennas are quarter-wave monopoles.

A satellite within a satellite, the tiny CAS-5B, weighing 0.5 kilogram, will be deployed from CAS-5A in orbit. It will carry a UHF CW beacon on an Amateur Radio frequency. Both CAS-5A and CAS-5B will be placed into 539 × 533 kilometer, 97.5° orbits. They will launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in late September.

The 50-kilogram CAS-6 microsat will include a VHF CW telemetry beacon, a U/V mode 20 kHz linear Amateur Radio transponder, and AX.25 4.8k baud GMSK telemetry. It will also carry an atmospheric wind detector and other systems that will operate on non-amateur frequencies.

A launch at sea on an as-yet undetermined date is planned for CAS-6 from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The microsat will be placed into a 579 × 579 kilometer, 45° orbit.