[amsat-bb] Any current 2 meter usage by ISS?

[Daniel Cussen]

>But is the 2 meter voice frequency of 145.800 being used, either for
>random contacts by the astronauts, or for school contacts?

145.800 is being used for most/all USA direct or USA ARISS telebridge contacts.
Very strong voice signal as it is using a powerful radio.

E.g.:
John Glenn Middle School, Maplewood MN, direct  via KØJDD
The ISS callsign is presently scheduled to be NA1SS
The  scheduled astronaut is Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD
Contact is a go for: Wed  2017-02-22 18:47:59 UTC 25 deg (***)

145.800 is the default unless a UHF frequency is specified

On 15/02/2017, Philip Jenkins <n4hf.philip at gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm one of the instructors for a Technician class course; I'll be teaching
> the specialized communication section (e.g. satellites, EME, APRS,
> fox-hunting) among other topics.
>
> I'd like to give those students who are already interested sat comms enough
> info so that they can start listening to ISS and the FM sats NOW; the
> specialized comms topic doesn't come up until a little more than midway
> through the course.
>
> As a teaser, I plan to give them the downlink frequencies from ISS and FM
> sats, explain tuning for doppler a little, and show them how to use the
> Pass Predictions page on AMSAT.ORG.
>
> I know that ISS packet is  currently only on UHF (not VHF), but is the 2
> meter voice frequency of 145.800 being used, either for random contacts by
> the astronauts, or for school contacts?
>
> None of them currently have packet/APRS gear,  so I'm focusing only on
> voice contacts at least until the class ends (but I'll mention both of
> those when I do my more lengthy presentation in about a month).
>
> So, in short, my question is - is 2 meters being used at all right now for
> voice from ISS? If not, are random contacts being made on a UHF frequency?
> (I don't see a UHF voice downlink frequency listed in the 2016 "Getting
> Started with Amateur Satellites" book.)
>
> Thanks
>
> Philip N4HF