AMSAT NEWS SERVICE ANS-307
ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North America, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS reports on the activities of a worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital Amateur Radio satellites.
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:
ans-editor@amsat.org
In this edition: * AMSAT Symposium notes * Note from Owen Garriot * ARISS Status - 27 October 2008 * ARISS contact video posted * AO-51 Mode requests due
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-307.01 AMSAT Symposium notes
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 307.01 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. October 26, 2008 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-307.01
Now that Atlanta is behind us, we learned that AMSAT is in the same boat financially as the rest of the country. Our goals are still the same, however, the dates for future projects were taken out of the Vision Statement to reflect the reality of the launch environment. The new BOD met and elected a new slate of officers. Their plates are quite full and they have a huge task in front of them . The Symposium had many interesting presentations including new ways to become satellite active. HEO and MEO were discussed. The Banquet was well attended and a great presentation on the Hubble Space Telescope by one of the actual "keepers," Dan Shultz, gave inside information on real time happenings. The next Symposium site has not been selected, however, 2009 is our 40th anniversary so hopefully many of you will attend! Thanks to the Atlanta gang for providing a wonderful adventure.
[ANS thanks Dee, NB2F for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-307.02 Note from Owen Garriot
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 307.02 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. October 26, 2008 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-307.02
All, I received the following e-mail today from Owen Garriott, W5LFL and wanted to share this with the Amateur Community. Please post this and pass it to others in the amateur radio community, as appropriate. 73, Frank H. Bauer, KA3HDO AMSAT-NA V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs ARISS International Chairman --------------------------------------------- Richard, W5KWQ, landed in Kazakhstan on Friday, 24 October 2008 at about 0936 local time and was met there by his father Owen, W5LFL. They became the first American "second generation" father/son combination to have both flown in space and the first cosmonaut/astronaut-trained pair in the world. They returned to Star City near Moscow that afternoon for medical evaluation and this is the first interview provided by Richard the very next day. It is transcribed and delivered by Owen to the ham community. "On my recent flight I had the great opportunity to speak directly with and trade call signs with hundreds of hams around the globe. For me it was a unexpected joy to find so many enthusiastic hams, who were so well informed and interested in my activities in orbit. When I began my transmissions with preplanned SSTV images including "pirate messages", test patterns and family images, I did not know how they would be received. But it seemed that fellow hams really enjoyed seeing this beginning to my time on the International Space Station (ISS). Throughout the bulk of my 10 days on the ISS I tried to be speaking by voice or transmitting SSTV images whenever possible. After my first 100 or so QSOs, I understood how well "networked" the global ham community really is. I received specific reports back through Mission Control-Moscow about technical aspects of my work and how the community was enjoying the transmissions. This redoubled my enthusiasm to do quality work for the amateur radio legions around the world as I realized how much it meant to those with whom I had the chance to talk. By late in my flight I had contacted many hundreds of hams by voice and I have good records of these contacts. Finally I sent some "Goodbye" images on my last day in space. I also contacted many hams that had listened to or contacted my father from space 25 years ago. Some hams I contacted 2 to 4 times on my flight. On those last days I was very moved when sent many "soft landing" messages from individuals and classrooms full of children as I passed by. The ham community has added greatly to my personal feelings of success on my flight. I can only hope that you enjoyed it as much as I did. Thanks so much and 73, Richard, W5KWQ"
[ANS thanks Frank, KA3HDO, for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-307.03 ARISS Status - 27 October 2008
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 307.03 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. November 02, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-307.03
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Status Report October 27, 2008
1. Upcoming School Contacts
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been scheduled with Scuola Media Statale Donato Forlani in Conversano, Italy on Tuesday, October 28 at 09:37 UTC. Students have been introduced to amateur radio and have covered the importance of space missions. Media coverage is expected to include newspapers, radio and television and will be broadcast live by streaming video on: http://www.telenorba.it/home/streaming_d.php
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been scheduled with Santa Teresa del Bambin Gesù in Rome, Italy on Thursday, October 30 at 08:51 UTC. Santa Teresa del Bambin Gesù is a Catholic primary school established to meet the needs for Catholic education of the local population. It has been preparing the children for the ARISS contact with educational projects on related scientific topics.
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been scheduled with IES Trassierra in Córdoba, Spain on Monday, November 3 at 08:58 UTC. Students have been learning about space and related ISS topics.
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been scheduled with St. Thomas Primary School in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on Tuesday, November 4 at 10:10 UTC. The school has its own radio club and has been using packet radio prior to the contact. Topics of space, science and technology have been taught and students, ages 4-12, have participated in related activities. These activities have included building models of space stations, using a telescope to explore the night sky, building crystal radios, producing a video and creating an ARISS Web site for the school.
2. Training Session Contact Scheduled
A simulated Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been scheduled for Monday, October 27 at approximately 17:00 UTC between ESA astronaut, Frank De Winne, ON1DWN, and youth attending the Technopolis in Mechelen, Belgium. This training session is a terrestrial-based amateur radio contact using ARISS-equivalent equipment.
3. Oregon Students Question Garriott on Space
On Monday, October 20, Pinehurst School students in Ashland, Oregon participated in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact via the telebridge stations WH6PN in Hawaii, and W6SRJ in California. Seventeen students had 24 questions answered by Richard Garriott, W5KWQ, as approximately 30 students, teachers and parents gathered for the contact. Audio was available via IRLP (Internet Radio Linking Project) Reflector 9010. The EchoLink AMSAT (101 377) server received six connections. The educational event received newspaper and television coverage. The Daily Tidings posted an article: http://www.dailytidings.com/2008/1020/stories/1020_astronaut.php
The Channel 12 News coverage may be viewed here: http://kdrv.com/page/56321
The Pinehurst students also built a turnstile antenna for satellite contacts which they used to download some of Garriott’s SSTV images!
4. National Planetarium, Malaysia - Contact Successful
The National Planetarium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia experienced a successful Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with spaceflight participant Richard Garriott, W5KWQ, on Tuesday, October 21. The contact was requested for “The National Space Challenge, Prime Minister’s Trophy 2008,” which was held October 21-25, 2008. Students had twenty questions prepared. Richard answered the twenty and a few extra.
5. Armada Area School Students Speak with Space Traveler
Youth attending Armada Area Schools in Armada, Michigan took part in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Friday, October 24. Approximately six hundred students, parents, teachers and members from the community gathered for the event as twelve children asked 20 questions of Mike Fincke, KE5AIT. Special guests in attendance were Armada Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Arnold Kummerow, Armada Area Schools Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Michael Musary, district principals and school board members. A local newspaper and the local television channel 6 reported the news. There were 24 known connections on the 2 EchoLink servers and there were also uncounted listeners on 5 link nodes and 4 repeaters.
6. Update on Austin High School – ARISS Contact
The Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA) High School in Austin, Texas had a direct Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Sunday, October 19 with Richard Garriott, W5KWQ. My Fox Austin posted a video of the contact on its Web site: http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail? contentId=7678113&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1
News 8 Austin also covered the news: http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=222425
7. Article on CLC Contact
Four Challenger Learning Centers (CLC) experienced a joint Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on October 16. The Howard B. Owens Science Center’s Challenger Center in Lanham, Maryland was one of those which participated. The local paper reported on the event: http://www.gazette.net/stories/10232008/largnew170337_32474.shtml
8. Garriott SSTV, Voice Contacts
Richard Garriott, W5KWQ, transmitted Slow Scan Television (SSTV) images during his flight. Amateur radio operators from around the world receiving these pictures have uploaded them to an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) SSTV Web site. Over 2200 images have been received from SpaceCam, MMSSTV and the VC-H1! See: http://ariss-sstv.ssl.berkeley.edu/SSTV/
Garriott also made hundreds of general voice contacts with the amateur radio community during his flight. A recording of Richard talking to his father, Owen, W5LFL, has been posted to the richardinspace Web site: http://www.richardinspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Multimedia_ Gallery.welcome&typeid=060A2E79-19B9-BA51-EE1A0CCF3 7084B95&albumid=060AA196-19B9-BA51-EEC1C439A223F0C3&media=1
Pictures taken of the Budbrooke School contact have also been uploaded to the richardinspace Web site. See October 20 entry: http://www.richardinspace.com/
More information has been posted to the ARISS SSTV blog: http://www.ariss-sstv.blogspot.com/
9. ARISS International Team Meeting Held
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Team teleconference was held on Tuesday, October 21. Discussions included Richard Garriott’s mission and the newly installed ISS Ham radio system. Minutes have been posted. See: http://www.rac.ca/ariss/arisstel2008-10-21.htm
10. Outcomes from Garriott’s ARISS Participation
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) team has received feedback from Richard Garriott’s amateur radio activities while onboard the ISS. A sample of these follow:
[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI, for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-307.04 ARISS contact video posted
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 307.04 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. November 02, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-307.04
UK ARISS School Contact Video Posted On-Line
This week Howard, G6LVB thanked the British Amateur TV club for their coverage of the ARISS School Contact, "I'm sure you'll agree that BATC, the British Amateur TV club have done a great job with a video of our recent ARISS school contact over here in the UK."
The original telecast is at: http://www.batc.tv/channel.php?ch=1, then select "Richard Garriott HD" or "Richard Garriott SD".
Additional converted video formats can be found at: http://www.g6lvb.com/images/RichardGarriotHD.mp4 (59.4Mb) for iPhone, Quicktime and VLC.
http://www.g6lvb.com/images/RichardGarriotHD.wmv (56.6Mb) for Windows Media Player and VLC.
[ANS thanks Howard, G6LVB for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-307.05 AO-51 Mode requests due
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 307.05 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. November 02, 2008
To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-307.05
Requests for AO-51 Operating Modes Due Soon
AMSAT-NA VP Operations Drew, KO4MA said, "If you have any requests for a particular mode on AO-51 in November, please e-mail them to ao51-modes@amsat.org as soon as you can."
Drew reminded the AO-51 community, "Please be aware that many emails that are sent to that address will be held for moderator review (me!) and as long as it's related to AO-51 it will be approved and posted to the list."
Until the graphics tools on the amsat web page are updated the best source of AO-51 operating mode information continues to be at: http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/echo/CTNews.php
[ANS thanks Drew, KO4MA for the above information]
/EX
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.
73,
This week's ANS Editor, Dee Interdonato, NB2F nb2f at amsat dot org
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