Gee, it is a FCC apprived transmitter for the ham band. The folks that operate it are all hams as far as I know. It operates in the ham satellite band. Sure it is riding on a governement owned station but then AO-27 is riding with a commerical satellite is it not? It has a ham callsign. RS0ISS is in the call book. Someone must clear this up. What else is required to be a ham satellite?
On Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 1:07 PM, Alan P. Biddle APBIDDLE@united.net wrote:
George,
Thanks for the pointer. I already had both the HTML and PDF version. Section 7.3.7 says that the 100 point bonus requires contact through "an amateur radio satellite," while later it uses the text you quoted which does not use the work "amateur.". The ISS is definitely not an amateur satellite, even though it has a ham station on it. In fact, there was a nice Russian FM repeater several years ago which was bolted to a communications or scientific satellite, somewhat similar to what is currently being proposed for a geosynchronous bird which, would appear to be the same thing.
So, can you legally get the 100 point bonus going through the ISS? It is nitpicking question, but then lawyers and contest judges just love those.
73s,
Alan WA4SCA
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