[sarex] Re: [ARISS-press] Upcoming ARISS contact with Chanute Air Museum, ...
AJ9N at aol.com
AJ9N at aol.com
Wed Aug 19 22:31:03 PDT 2009
Dan,
I am little confused by your question. If you are talking about a
schedule ARISS contact, like the scouts did at Chanute, then my comments just
below apply. If you are talking about general contacts, like JOTA, then look
further down.
For scheduled ARISS contacts:
For any school, scout group, museum, etc., the kids ask the questions. If
there is time and if all of the questions have been asked, then sometimes
one of the teachers may ask a question. Keep in mind that the ARISS
contacts are for the students and not for the adults or hams involved.
Since the contact time is very limited (about 10 minutes max; usually
around 9 minutes), we suggest somewhere between 12 and 16 students be lined up;
each with 2 questions. Some schools want to have maybe 20 or more lined
up; but the danger is that not all kids will be able to ask their question.
We hate to have a disappointed student; especially if it is younger
student. So if the number is kept to maybe 12 to 16, there is a high probability
that each kid will get to ask at least one question. If they get to the
second round of questions, then that is a bonus.
The questions are reviewed ahead of time to see if they are appropriate.
We do not really like to see questions related to politics, religion or
sex. We also don't really want to see questions that will get only a Yes/No
or True/False type answer.
We often get asked by the schools on how to pick the students. That is
the school's decision; not an ARISS one. I always suggest to the schools
that I mentor that the student and the questions are a pair. Some schools
want to pick the best speakers and separately pick the best questions. I
really don't like that approach. How would you feel if your question gets
picked but you didn't get allowed to ask it?
For general contacts (i.e. JOTA):
If you are talking about a possible ISS contact during JOTA, then it is
like a general contact. You take your chances at making a contact. ARISS
will not know if any crew member will be on during JOTA until it actually
happens; it is strictly their decision. If one of the crew members gets on
during JOTA, then the contacts will probably be very short to allow as many
ground stations as possible to talk. That probably means maybe 1 or 2 will
get to ask a question. During these type contacts, the questions are
obviously not reviewed ahead of time (but you would want to keep the same
recommendations as presented above). Keep in mind that the ISS ham will really
be the one in control (like when working rare DX).
Hope this helps.
73,
Charlie Sufana AJ9N
One of the ARISS mentors
In a message dated 8/19/2009 11:49:05 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
howardd at yahoo-inc.com writes:
Are the kids able to ask questions? That's a good list for sure. I was
under the impression that there will be a pool of questions from Scouts
in advance and only a select number was to be taken resulting in only a
few being chosen to contact and ask their question. This would provide
for an orderly list of contacts so that we don't have a traffic jam
trying to get to talk to the ISS crew. I was under the impression that
if we do not have an approved scout with an approved question we will
just monitor the radio traffic as the ISS passes. Could someone clarify
the intent and procedures here? We don't want to try and transmit if we
are not supposed to. Any guidelines from the JOTA Masters? "May the
Force Be With You!"
Dan Howard
LAARK
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