As previously announced, on November 1, 2015 we are shutting down the SAREX Reflector for future message postings. This posting represents the SAREX reflector’s last message.

It is not clear when the SAREX reflector was first started, but from a query to Paul Williamson, who started all the AMSAT reflectors, it has been in operation since at least 1992.

Over the years, many of you have used this forum to gather and share information on our “frequent flyer” SAREX missions on the Shuttle, our operations on the Space Station Mir and, since 2000, our operations on ISS. But times have changed since the early 1990s. For starters, we have moved from the SAREX activities on the Shuttle to ARISS on the International Space Station. AMSAT, ARRL and the ARISS international team of volunteers have also transitioned our ARISS communications to you and are providing you many ways to get information on ARISS. This includes the ARISS Web Site www.ariss.org http://www.ariss.org, the ISS Fan Club web site www.issfanclub.com http://www.issfanclub.com and the AMSAT web site, www.amsat.org http://www.amsat.org. The ARISS team noticed that many on the AMSAT BB reflector were not seeing late-breaking opportunities for ARISS connections (School, SSTV, QSOs) unless these messages were cross-posted between SAREX and BB. So the decision was made by me to move all the SAREX real-time traffic over to BB and to end the SAREX reflector postings on this date.

As we hit “send” and closeout this reflector, I encourage you to sign up and continue to get these messages on AMSAT-BB. If you feel there is too much traffic on BB, you can always sign up for the digest mode, which combines many messages and sends them out periodically (usually daily). And don’t forget that the SAREX archives will still be available on the AMSAT web site, so you can research past messages.

On behalf of AMSAT-NA and the ARISS International Team, I want to thank you for your sustained participation in this phenomenal amateur radio human spaceflight journey. Moreover, we look forward to your further participation and volunteer support in the future.

While there are many ARISS volunteers to thank for their outstanding support, I want to send a particular shout out to Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, who has provided all SAREX reflector participants frequent updates on ARISS status. Thanks Charlie!

As I close this final e-mail, I want to announce that over the next couple months, ARISS will be celebrating its 15th anniversary of continuous operations on the ISS, starting with November 13, 2000 when we conducted our first ham radio contacts on ISS and on December 21, 2000 when we conducted our first school contact with the Burbank School in Burbank, Illinois. Stay tuned on BB and our web site for ham radio activities that we will be conducting over the year to commemorate these historic events.

73,

Frank H. Bauer, KA3HDO

AMSAT V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs

ARISS International Chair