[amsat-bb] Re: APRS through ISS and FD

[George Henry]

I'm pretty sure that the ARRL defines an "amateur radio satellite" as any satellite carrying an amateur radio payload (RS-10/11 and RS-12/13 are probably the Russian satellites you are thinking of).  So, yes, the ISS should count as a satellite QSO, and/or for the 100 point bonus, as long as it was either operating in the crossband (voice) repeater mode, or digipeating, and you actually made a two-way contact with another station on the ground.  At least, they allowed all of my contacts thru the crossband repeater a couple of years ago....
   
  A quick e-mail to contests at arrl dot org should get you a definitive answer, though.
   
  73,
   
  George, KA3HSW
   
  

"Alan P. Biddle" <APBIDDLE at UNITED.NET> wrote:
  George,

Thanks for the pointer. I already had both the HTML and PDF version.
Section 7.3.7 says that the 100 point bonus requires contact through "an
amateur radio satellite," while later it uses the text you quoted which does
not use the work "amateur.". The ISS is definitely not an amateur
satellite, even though it has a ham station on it. In fact, there was a
nice Russian FM repeater several years ago which was bolted to a
communications or scientific satellite, somewhat similar to what is
currently being proposed for a geosynchronous bird which, would appear to be
the same thing.

So, can you legally get the 100 point bonus going through the ISS? It is
nitpicking question, but then lawyers and contest judges just love those.

73s, 

Alan
WA4SCA