[sarex] 2012-11-19 ARISS Status

[Carol Jackson]

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Status Report

November 19, 2012

 

 

 

1.            Upcoming School Contact

 

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been
scheduled for Liceo scientifico Giacinto De Sivo - Fondazione Villaggio dei
Ragazzi in Maddaloni, Italy on Tuesday, November 20 at 08:31 UTC using radio
station IK1SLD in Italy. The contact will be incorporated into lessons
focused on the developments in astronomy from a scientific, philosophical
and literary point of view.

 

2.            Successful ARISS Contacts Held

 

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact was held
between Sunita Williams, KD5PLB on the ISS and students visiting the Gujarat
Science City (GSC) in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India on Wednesday, November 14
via telebridge station IK1SLD in Italy. The children got in 15 questions
about daily life on the ISS before losing the radio connection.  GSC has
high-tech exhibitions covering space exploration and communications; the
contact was part of a special outreach program of the GSC, organized to
provide students with hands-on activities related to the ISS. The displays
and activities provide children with the motivation and inspiration for a
career and future in space science and research. The Times of India covered
the event. See:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Excited-kids-go-on-space-t
alk-with-Sunita/articleshow/17250710.cms

 

On November 16, Florida's Flagler Palm Coast Amateur Radio Club (FPCARC)
connected with Astronaut Sunita Williams, KD5PLB via an Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS) contact. Indian Trails Middle School
hosted the event, but students from other area schools also participated.
Former NASA astronaut Winston Scott gave a presentation to the students. All
schools in the district were able to participate in the event through live
internet streaming. Media representatives were present and articles have
been posted.

FlaglerLive.com has a story: http://flaglerlive.com/46845/ham-radio-iss/

 

For the Palm Coast Observer article, see:

http://www.palmcoastobserver.com/news/palm-coast/Neighborhood/111720125718/S
tudents-get-visit-from-astronaut-talk-to-space-st

 

3.            ARISS Contact with Cumberland Elementary School - Video

 

Cumberland Elementary School participated in an ARISS contact on October 30.
Students had the opportunity to question Indiana native Kevin Ford, KF5GPP
about ISS life.  The contact video is now available. See:
http://cumberland-iss.weebly.com

 

4.            Video of ARISS Contact at JOTA Event

 

Scouts visiting the National Scouting Museum in Irving, Texas on October 20
took part in the Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) event and spoke with Sunita
Williams, KD5PLB on the ISS. Video of the contact may be viewed at:

http://vimeo.com/53281390

 

5.            ARRL QST on ARISS

 

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) published some ARISS-related news in
its December QST. The "In Brief" column included a short item about
Astronaut Lee Morin, KF5DDB, being ARRL's guest at the 2012 ARRL National
Convention, which merged with the annual Pacificon (ARRL Pacific Division
Convention) in Santa Clara, CA.  Convention attendees met Lee in the ARRL
exhibit area; he was a forum presenter, and also the Saturday night banquet
speaker.

 

A second two-page article called "Pacificon Wrap-Up" was about the 2012 ARRL
National Convention, which merged with the annual Pacificon in Santa Clara.
The article covered convention activities such as the ARISS contact and
Astronaut Lee Morin's well-received banquet presentation.  The writer
stated, "The ARRL National Convention was also honored to have NASA's Dr.
Lee Morin, KF5DDB, attend and spend so much time with the kids and hams, who
greatly enjoyed meeting a real astronaut. Lee also gave a couple of terrific
presentations. I think if they had weighed just a little bit less, several
of these kids would have achieved orbit all by themselves!  Thank you, Lee."
The article included a photograph of Dr. Morin with a youngster who had on a
white jumpsuit with a NASA patch. The photo caption said, "Capt. Lee Morin,
KF5DDB, gave kids like Ben a thrill as they met their first real astronaut.
At Pacificon Lee helped with a successful ARISS contact between youth at
Pacificon and the International Space Station."

 

6.            AMSAT News Service on ARISS 

 

The November 18 AMSAT (Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) News Service
bulletin (ANS-323) included two write-ups on the ARISS contacts held in
Italy earlier this month. It also contained an item about recent SSTV images
transmitted from the ISS. See:
http://amsat.org/pipermail/ans/2012/000667.html