[amsat-bb] Is ISS Digipeater not always on for use?

[John Brier]

For example, I'm pretty sure I had read that the ISS was as long a football
field before, but it was a general fact. Now I can see how it can be a
factor in accessibility while living and working there, and even in ham
radio access. Very cool.

John, KG4AKV
On Jul 22, 2015 12:13 PM, "John Brier" <johnbrier at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thank you JoAnne and Bob. I really like learning about the ISS through ham
> radio/ARISS as I can relate to it more since I actually interact with these
> systems and people on it.
>
> John, KG4AKV
> On Jul 22, 2015 12:03 PM, "JoAnne Maenpaa" <k9jkm at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> > Thanks, that helps. I've seen that page but didn't glean that reasoning.
>>
>> I dug up an older ARISS posting which hopefully adds a bit more to the
>> good explanation by Dan just a minute ago:
>>
>> ---
>>
>> The "new" radio is actually a Kenwood D710 which is located in the
>> Russian Service module. The Service Module is where the ARISS team
>> performed most of its contacts in the past as it was near the table where
>> all the crew had dinner.  Since the first contacts with ARISS in 2000, the
>> ISS has significantly expanded, both in size and in crew size.  ARISS has
>> expanded
>> too, with an additional station location in the Columbus module, which is
>> on the other end of ISS (about football field in length).  This is where
>> the US, Europe, Japan and Canada conducts most of its experiments and where
>> they spend most of their time.  Right now we are using a lower power radio,
>> an Ericsson handheld, in the Columbus module, as it was already on-board
>> ISS (launched in 2000).  Our near term plans is to upgrade the Columbus
>> station to a higher power radio (mobile radio class).  Keep an eye out for
>> these plans to mature.
>>
>> Note that we are unable to move radios from the Russian segment (Service
>> Module) to the US segment (where the Columbus module is located) as the
>> power systems are different (28V vs 120 V) and certification for the
>> Kenwood radios was only performed for the Russian segment. At the last
>> ARISS International meeting, the delegates agreed with a plan to make sure
>> all
>> future equipment is interoperable and certified across the ISS.  This
>> will cost more money and take more time, but should provide more equipment
>> flexibility for ARISS.
>>
>> For now, APRS is using the lower power radio in the Columbus module.
>>
>> I hope this helps explain things.
>>
>> 73,  Frank Bauer, KA3HDO
>> ARISS International Chair & AMSAT-NA V.P. for Human Spaceflight Programs
>>
>> --
>> 73 de JoAnne K9JKM
>> k9jkm at amsat.org
>> AMSAT VP User Services
>>
>>
>>
>>