Patrick, Your proposal is in line with the ARISS project plan already in works. This older paper (http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/Papers/Phase%202%20AGM03Final.pdf) refers to the utilization and specifications of the hardware on board and planned enhancements at the time.
Discussions and coordination with the Russian representative are planned to have several components (like the Ericsson UHF radio) installed. Once this is accomplished, the balancing of experiments and operations can begin.
Kenneth - N5VHO
-----Original Message----- From: McGrane [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2006 1:29 PM To: Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] Cc: Manned space BBS Subject: Possible ISS simplex operation
Greetings to kenneth and the group
After digesting all the exchanges about ISS simplex, I think kenneth has the right solution. Thanks for your civil exchanges and flexibility.
Can NASA coordinate with the ISS astronauts to monitor and use the Ericsson Ultra-HF radio equipment for simplex operation? It would be greatly appreciated.
Many amateurs have tracking programs and would know when to call.
The astronauts and cosmonauts could monitor the radio lightly squelched while they are awake.
I'm confident, if they heard people calling them, they would answer as they are available aside from normal resonsibilities.
As kenneth indicated, the frequency is 437.550 Mhz plus or minus about 10 Khz doppler. I've already set up 5 memories on my FT8800 with ascending and descending frequency splits and I have a good idea what memories to use at what time during the satellite pass.
If you guys could let the crew know we want to call them it would be appreciated!
Thanks kenneth!
Patrick, N2OEQ