[amsat-bb] hams on ISS

[Ted]

Charlie, thanks for all your efforts on this...

And of course, the priority should be the School program

73, Ted
K7TRK

-----Original Message-----
From: amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org] On
Behalf Of AJ9N at aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 10:07 PM
To: ve3nxk at gmail.com; amsat-bb at amsat.org
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: hams on ISS

Hi all
 
As part of my volunteer duties with ARISS, I post the schedule of upcoming
ARISS contacts on practically a daily basis.  I post to the SAREX BB
(_sarex at AMSAT.ORG_ (mailto:sarex at AMSAT.ORG) ).  You can also check the
schedule at _http://www.issfanclub.com/_ (http://www.issfanclub.com/)  and
at 
_http://ariss.rac.ca/_ (http://ariss.rac.ca/)   (actually 
_http://ariss.rac.ca/upcoming.htm#NextContact_
(http://ariss.rac.ca/upcoming.htm#NextContact)  and  
look for the link saying Tentative List of Upcoming School Contacts .   You 
can also go directly to
_http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf_
(http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.rtf) .
 
In spite of what some may think as to how up to date the schedule is,  as
soon as I get updates on the schedule and success of a contact, I usually
have updates posted in less than a day.  There are times when we get the
locked down time from the ISS planners for a contact almost at the last
minute so my heads up might be very short.  Unfortunately we sometimes find
out about the Russian contacts after the fact and thus I am unable to give
everyone  a heads up.  Usually we at ARISS get the scheduled date and time
about 10  to 14 days in advance but we warn all schools that we may get told
with less  than 36 hours.  We have also been aborted with less than 10
minutes to go  before a contact.
 
We are often asked about when the crew is going to make a general  contact. 
 We simply do not know.  The crew is super busy and when they  do get free
time, they have many things they can do.  We can suggest that  they get on
the radios; we can never demand.  So ham radio may or may not  be in their
game plan for that day.  By the way, all of the ARISS school  contacts
actually take place during a scheduled off time for the  crewmember.  That
means they either gave up some free time or their day  gets extended.
 
73,
Charlie AJ9N
One of the ARISS mentors
 
 
In a message dated 1/30/2013 7:30:56 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
ve3nxk at gmail.com writes:

On 30/01/2013 9:30  PM, Personal wrote:
> Remember they don't get paid to sit up there on  the radio. Remember 
> too
that
> ham radio in manned space flight has  changed since SAREX and Mir.
> It's no longer the back up system it once  was. They have iPods and 
> such
aboard 
> now. There is Internet access  and a telephone to speak with family.

I don't generally get into these  types of verbal banter, but this time I
make an exception.  Right now  a Canadian, Chris Hadfield, is onboard and
doing a great job with pictures  and Twitter.  I see today that he did a
live feed to a school here in  Ontario.  The part that bugs me is there were
a few ARISS Ham contact before 
Christmas that did not show up till the day of the contact.   The Canadian 
RAC site
had no mention of it on their site and still is  stuck in November.....

I read a lot of AMSAT/ARRL news letters and I  have suddenly realized that
the ham community is out of it  altogether.  It would appear that starting
this year NASA themselves  is looking after the contacts.  I would have
thought that the ham community would have been in an uproar over this, guess
not.

I know  that the chances of hearing or contacting the ISS is like winning
the lottery, but I think now it is long gone.  I am disappointed that  when
an USA or Russian is onboad you may hear them once or twice.  I  doubt that
you will ever hear Chris at the mic......... he seems to be  caught up in
social media.

> I'm not sure what the definition of a  real ham is but too many times 
> it
seems 
>to be a person stuck in the  past, bemoaning the things that used to be

No I do not feel that way, I  try all kinds of stuff when I have the time.  
Mind
you I see the day  when the radio will have an iPhone built in, and we will
no longer need  the the communication devices we have now.

Long live the smell of the  big tube Collins and Heathkit rigs

Sent from my personal  computer.

--
Bill Booth VE3NXK
Sundridge ON, Canada
79.23.37  W x 45.46.18 N
FN05ns

Visit my weather WebCam at  http://www.almaguin.com/wxcurrent/weather.html

Organ and Tissue  Donation - The Gift of Life Talk to your family.  Your
decision can  make a difference.
_______________________________________________
Sent  via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Not an  AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite  program!
Subscription settings:  http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

_______________________________________________
Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb