AMSAT NEWS SERVICE SPECIAL BULLETIN ANS-256

In this Special Bulletin:

* Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) Awards Generous Grant to ARISS

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-256.01 ANS-256 AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin

AMSAT News Service Special Bulletin 256.01 From AMSAT HQ KENSINGTON, MD DATE September 13, 2019 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-256.01

Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) Awards Generous Grant to ARISS

Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) has awarded a very generous grant to ARISS for the Next Generation radio system. ARDC is the owner and manager of the Internet network known as the AMPRNet. In June of 2019, ARDC initiated a philanthropic endeavor to provide monetary grants to organizations, groups, projects, and scholarships which have significant potential to advance the state of the art of Amateur Radio, and digital communications in general.

The ARISS Next Generation radio system (or Inter Operable Radio System - IORS) will support easier radio mode transition, to enable new, exciting capabilities for hams, students and the general public including:

+New amateur radio communication and experimentation capabilities, including an enhanced voice repeater and updated digital packet radio (APRS) capabilities.

+Slow Scan TV (picture up and downlinks) in both the US and Russian segments of ISS.

+New multi-voltage power supply will support present and future radio capabilities and allow wireless experiments to be conducted.

In July, the Inter Operable Radio System successfully completed a battery of stressful tests required as part of the final certification of the hardware for launch to and operation on the International Space Station. Final assembly of the flight safety certification in preparation for launch is now underway and ARISS is working towards launch ready status by the end of the year.

For more information on the award please see: https://www.ampr.org/g2019-09-01a/

To contribute to ARISS and the IORS please see: https://www.ariss.org/donate.html

ARISS and AMSAT thank ARDC for their generosity in supporting this important project.

[ANS thanks ARISS, the AMSAT office, and ARDC for the above information.]

/EX

In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers life memberships, and sustaining donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT Office.

Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the student rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status. Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership information.

73 and Remember to help keep Amateur Radio in space,

This week's ANS Contributing Editor,

Paul Stoetzer, N8HM n8hm at amsat dot org