August 2006 - Sarex (INACTIVE)

Re: TIM held in Houston
by Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 16 Aug '06

16 Aug '06

The Russian participant was unable to attend so no discussions regarding the future HF radio on ISS were made. Next opportunity will be at the AMSAT/ARISS conference in San Francisco, Calif. during early Oct. http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/symposium/ Kenneth - N5VHO -----Original Message----- From: sarex-bounces(a)AMSAT.Org [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Thomas Frey Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 8:53 AM To: SAREX(a)AMSAT.Org Subject: [sarex] TIM held in Houston Greetings Is there a report from the Technical Interchange Meeting which was held in Houston ? My special interest is the use of the FT-100 radio on HF which was also discusssed (?). Regards, 73 Thomas Frey, HB9SKA ______________________________________________________________________ Thomas Frey, Holzgasse 2, CH-5242 Birr, Tel. + Fax: 056 444 93 41 http://home.datacomm.ch/th.frey/ Packet Radio (AX.25): HB9SKA @ HB9PD.CHE.EU ---- Sent via sarex(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! To unsubscribe, visit http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/sarex

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NASA TV FOR AUGUST
by Arthur Rowe 16 Aug '06

16 Aug '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 ***ALL PROGRAMS MAY BE PRE-EMPTED OR RESCHEDULED WITHOUT ADVANCE NOTICE*** *2006 * *August* *August 16, Wednesday* *NET 2 p.m.* - STS 115 Post-Readiness Review Press Conference - KSC *(Media Channel)* *August 17, Thursday* *9:05 a.m. - 9:25 a.m.* - ISS Expedition 13 In-Flight Educational Event with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, Nashville, TN - JSC *(Media Channel)* *1 p.m.* - NASA TV Satellite Audio Test - HQ *(Education Channel)* *August 18, Friday* *7 a.m. - 9 a.m.* - STS-115 Live Interviews with Deputy Mission Operations Director Paul Hill - JSC *(Media Channel)* *4 p.m.* - Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Press Conference - HQ *(Public and Media Channels)* *August 22, Tuesday* *2 p.m.* - Expedition 14 Preflight Briefing - JSC *(Public and Media Channels)* *3 p.m.* - Expedition 13 Recap Briefing - JSC *(Public and Media Channels)* *August 24, Thursday* *7 a.m. - 9 a.m.* - STS-115 Live Interviews with STS-115 Lead Space Station Flight Director John McCullough *(Media Channel)* *10 a.m.* - STS -115 Countdown Status Briefing - KSC *(All Channels)* *11:30 a.m.* - STS -115 Crew Arrival - KSC *(All Channels)* *12 p.m.* - NASA Leadership Development Program Graduation - HQ *(Public Channel)* *August 25, Friday* *10 a.m.* - STS -115 Countdown Status Briefing - KSC *(All Channels)* *4 p.m.* - STS -115 Launch Readiness News Conference - KSC *(All Channels)* *August 26, Saturday* *10 a.m.* - STS -115 Countdown Status Briefing - KSC *(All Channels)* *1 p.m.* - Exploration Systems Update Briefing - KSC *(All Channels)* *August 27, Sunday* *10:30 a.m.* - STS -115 Launch Coverage Begins - KSC *(All Channels)*

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ARISS Operations
by Frank H. Bauer 16 Aug '06

16 Aug '06

All, The ARISS team has been quite engaged with Pavel Vinogradov as he continues the testing and verification of the SSTV system on ISS. We expect this to continue over the next few weeks. Those active on the bands have noticed that the Kenwood radio system has been up and down over the past week or so. This is expected to continue as Pavel checks out the SSTV software, configures and optimizes the radio, and performs the integration checks necessary to make the SSTV system as autonomous as possible. Since this is a "spare time" activity for Pavel, please bear with us as we go through this aspect of system setup. It is not possible right now for Pavel to switch between modes (e.g. voice, packet and SSTV) on the Kenwood and continue the methodical process of system setup and reconfiguration. As has been the norm for school contacts (due to the current ISS vehicle attitude), we will use the Ericsson radio in the FGB for 2 meter voice operation when the crew desires to do voice QSOs. We appreciate your patience in this matter as we reconfigure the Kenwood system to support additional modes and operations. 73, Frank H. Bauer ARISS International Chairman AMSAT-NA V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs

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Space Shuttle Mission STS-115
by Arthur Rowe 16 Aug '06

16 Aug '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR Z. ROWE N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Space Shuttle Mission STS-115 Orbiter: Atlantis Mission: Space Station Assembly Mission 12A Payload: P3/P4 Integrated Truss Segment Launch Window: Aug. 27 - Sept. 13 Launch Pad: 39B Mission Duration: 11 days Launch Date Decision Nears The two-day flight readiness review for mission STS-115 begins today at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Following the conclusion of the review on Wednesday, officials will host a news conference to announce the targeted launch date for STS-115. What is the flight readiness review? Approximately two weeks prior to the opening of the launch window for each space shuttle, the Shuttle Mission Management Team meets at Kennedy Space Center for a thorough review of the next mission. Also in attendance are other top-level NASA officials, Space Shuttle Program managers, engineers and contractors. The group conducts a comprehensive evaluation of all activities and elements necessary for the safe and successful performance of shuttle mission operations -- from the prelaunch phase through post-landing. They also examine the readiness of the space shuttle, flight crew and payloads to determine if everything is set to proceed with launch. At the conclusion of the review, the chairman of the Mission Management Team conducts a poll of the team members. If there are no unresolved issues, the members then sign a "Certification of Flight Readiness" to verify that all flight preparation processes to that date have been successfully completed. The official launch date is then set and announced, and shuttle processing continues toward the projected liftoff date. The STS-115 astronauts spent last week at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where they conducted the terminal countdown demonstration test in preparation for their launch aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. + Read More + View Video (Real) + View Video (Windows) The Launch Team Meet the NASA team that is responsible for launching mission STS-115. + Launch Team What does it take to carry out a space shuttle mission? Shuttle experts answer questions submitte

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NASHVILLE STUDENTS TO TALK TO ISS CREW
by Arthur Rowe 15 Aug '06

15 Aug '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 August 15, 2006 Angela Storey Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256-544-0034 LONG-DISTANCE CALL: NASHVILLE, TENN., STUDENTS TO TALK TO THE CREW OF INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, VETERAN NASA ASTRONAUT What: Nearly 1,000 students from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee Summer Programs in Nashville, Tenn., will attend a question and answer session via satellite with the three-member crew of the International Space Station and then get to talk to NASA astronaut Rhea Seddon, veteran of three space shuttle launches, on Thursday, August 17. Approximately 15-20 students from that group will actually talk to and ask questions of the space station crew during the event. The crew, comprised of a NASA astronaut, European Space Agency astronaut and Russian cosmonaut, are spending six months living and working on board the station – an orbiting research laboratory that NASA and agencies from 15 other nations are building in space. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee is partnering with the Nashville Public Schools and Vanderbilt University's Dyer Observatory in Nashville to deliver education opportunities focusing on preparing students for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Who: Students from the Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee and U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper of Nashville and veteran NASA astronaut Rhea Seddon will be available for media interviews. When: Thursday, Aug. 17 8:05 – 8:25 a.m. – Q&A with the International Space Station 8:30 – 8:45 a.m. – Guest speakers including U.S. Rep. Cooper 8:45 – 9:15 a.m. – Q&A with veteran astronaut Rhea Seddon 9:15 – 10:15 a.m. – Media tour of Wright Middle School Where: Wright Middle School 180 McCall St. Nashville School. -end- Marshall Space Flight Center Public and Employee Communications Office (256) 544-0034 (256) 544-2552 www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news

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TIM held in Houston
by Thomas Frey 15 Aug '06

15 Aug '06

Greetings Is there a report from the Technical Interchange Meeting which was held in Houston ? My special interest is the use of the FT-100 radio on HF which was also discusssed (?). Regards, 73 Thomas Frey, HB9SKA ______________________________________________________________________ Thomas Frey, Holzgasse 2, CH-5242 Birr, Tel. + Fax: 056 444 93 41 http://home.datacomm.ch/th.frey/ Packet Radio (AX.25): HB9SKA @ HB9PD.CHE.EU

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NASA ANNOUNCES CREW AND CARGO TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS
by Arthur Rowe 14 Aug '06

14 Aug '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Aug. 14, 2006 Michael Braukus/Beth Dickey Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1979/2087 Kelly Humphries Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 NASA ANNOUNCES CREW AND CARGO TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS NASA Exploration Systems' managers will host a press conference at 4 p.m. EDT Friday, Aug. 18, to announce the organizations selected to develop and demonstrate commercial orbital transportation services. The services could pave the way for contracts to launch and deliver crew and cargo to the International Space Station. The press conference will be in the NASA Headquarters auditorium, 300 E Street S.W., Washington, and it will air live on the Web and NASA TV. Reporters may ask questions from participating NASA locations. Reporters should coordinate with local agency centers by 4 p.m. EDT Thursday, Aug. 19 for access information. Associate Administrator for the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate Scott Horowitz and Commercial Crew/Cargo Project Manager Alan Lindenmoyer will announce the selections and discuss the program. For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For information about NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate visit: http://exploration.nasa.gov/ For information about NASA and agency programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/home

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Re: further late reply regarding ISS simplex
by Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 14 Aug '06

14 Aug '06

It sounds like your issue is not that split frequencies are bad but that multiple uplinks makes it difficult for the crew to listen to one uplink. ITU region regulations for ground station operations are the culprit. Space has no borders but Earth does so have of the problem is getting everyone to agree on a single uplink. Not everyone in the world has the same frequency allocations nor do they use the available spectrum in their region the same way. The issue is not the 20-30 miles but the number of callers in the 2000 km wide footprint. The station has to listen to all of them. Since you can't hear all of them, it becomes difficult to know when someone is talking or not without guidance from the station operator. In the MIR days, the crew did not have the luxury of near full time satellite communication that provides voice, email communication and an IP phone that lets them make phone calls. If the MIR crew wanted to talk to someone, they needed to use the ham radio or the Russian VHF space to ground system. The ISS crew has plenty of options to choose from when they want to communicate and it depends on the personality of the crew as to which ones get utilized. Kenneth - N5VHO -----Original Message----- From: sarex-bounces(a)AMSAT.Org [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of McGrane Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 6:43 PM To: Manned space BBS Subject: [sarex] further late reply regarding ISS simplex Greetings from patrick N2OEQ Despite support of the present frequency scheme for the ISS I still wish to disagree with the policy of split operation with different phone uplinks. Back when the MIR was up, the russians operated simplex and left the radio on to listen for callers. On several occasions, I called the MIR according to my tracking program and was rewarded several times with a response. With two different uplink frequencies, the astronauts are less inclined to leave the radio on to listen for callers. When there were several callers here on simplex responding to a CQ call from the MIR, we acted civilized and took turns and everyone made contacts so I dont buy the absolute need for split operation. Besides, how many callers could there be within 20 or 30 miles up to the horizon. We've had years of robot like amateur radio on the ISS. How about loosening the ties! Thanks for the soapbox..... pat ---- Via the sarex mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA. To unsubscribe, visit http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/sarex

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SSTV over Australia.
by Tony, VK5ZAI 13 Aug '06

13 Aug '06

Hello All, SSTV was active on the ISS during the 23:00 utc pass over Australia. I received a good quality picture. Well done to Miles and his team. -- Regards Tony. VK5ZAI J.A.(Tony)Hutchison P.O.Box 470 Kingston SE South Australia 5275 Australian ARISS Co-ordinator and Satellite ground Station. Web Site :- http://www.electric-web.org

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ARISS Frequencies
by Frank H. Bauer 13 Aug '06

13 Aug '06

All, I have seen the back and forth chatter on frequencies. Let me say that the ENTIRE ARISS international team have discussed this subject and debated it for over 10 years now. And the Mir and Shuttle teams have worked on this for about 13 years before the ARISS team. Collectively, we have spent many hours in international meetings discussing this issue. And the ARISS team has developed and implemented an INTERNATIONAL human spaceflight plan for 2 meters. This plan represents the best compromise that can be developed, given the substantial differences that exist in band planning from one area to the next. Several things to think about: 1) We have many astronauts/cosmonauts using the equipment. 2) Those on-board that use the ARISS equipment do not like to hear the uplink chatter of Packet, APRS or SSTV. 3) 1 & 2 above result in the need to separate the uplinks of these non-voice modes from voice. 4) One of the big joys (and learning experiences) of ARISS is to hear the downlink of the on-board crew member. One cannot do this well when some local ham is transmitting on the same freq. This is especially true in big cities where there are a lot of hams. I personally experienced the frustration of hams transmitting on the downlink many times while Mir used simplex. And the reason that DXers use split mode is to prevent this issue, so that all can hear the DX station. 5) ARISS is the ultimate DX, so split operation emulates the DX operations done on the ground. 6) Remember---unless the repeater is in use, you cannot hear who is transmitting from the ground and when they will stop. So it is generally hard to know when to start. For simplex operations, this results in frequency collisions with people on the ground uplinking at the same time that the on-board crew is downlinking. 7) I am really surprised at all the chatter about wanting to get crew members to talk more on the radio. We just had Bill McArthur on board. And Pavel is working hard to get SSTV on the air. Kenneth Ransom and Sergey Samburov have done an outstanding job in getting the on-board crews motivated to use the ham radio systems. I think this community has been around long enough to realize that it is the crew member's prerogative to pick up the mic. Simplex or split. 8) Constant complaints or slams at the space agencies and our crew members will ultimately limit or eliminate our future operations on ISS and other, future vehicles. Remember, there are many that subscribe to these systems that are members of the various space agencies. And we have also have several crew members that subscribe to these systems. 9) Because of the significant frequency contention on 2 meters, we have developed a dedicated, international human spaceflight frequency segment on 70 cm. 10) If we continue to foster a great relationship with the international space agencies, Human spaceflight opportunities beyond low Earth orbit could potentially be in our future. Many of us in the ARISS program are working this very aggressively. These opportunities will dictate the use of much higher bands with smaller antennas and less doppler. We need to prepare for these opportunities by using some of our higher bands on ISS. Something to think about for the future. Personally, I really appreciate the feedback from the amateur community. This is how we learn and grow. But we need to do this in a very constructive way. And while we reminisce about Shuttle or Mir, we need to realize that THESE are the good old days. Let's use them to the best of our abilities. WRT the simplex issue and additional 2 meter frequencies, it is my opinion that we have all beat it to death. We have squeezed just about all we can get from 2 meters. And for those in the US---please remember that our 2 meter band is 2 times larger than that in many other countries. Thanks for all the interest in ARISS. And don't forget that our next international meeting will be in the US this year in conjunction with the AMSAT-NA meeting in San Francisco. This is your opportunity to interact and participate more fully in the ARISS program. I hope to see you there! 73, Frank Bauer ARISS International Chairman AMSAT V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs

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