Re: [sarex] History of MIR

[Francisco Costa <nop06152@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dr Dave Larsen [ PhD ] wrote:

> MY DISCOVERY OF MIR

Many thanks for this nice email. It also made me remember "my discovery
of MIR". It was during 1st AMSAT-PO meeting (December 1992). 
I so thrilled just to know there were hams in space!!! On that ocasion I 
ordered InstanTrak. And still use it too. Funny :)

Since that weekend I kept QRV on 145.550 MHz, but only after I received
the tracking software I start my "cruzade" for a MIR QSO.

The first MIR connect was acomplished 9th April 1993, and MIR PMS used 
R2MIR-1 callsign, due the personal call of one of the cosmonauts on
board,
Alexander Poleschuk (R2MIR).


> The SAFEX team also sent up a DVM, (Digital Voice Mike), worked well while
> it lasted. 

May I ad, before the SAFEX DVM, there was another experiment (AREMIR, 
from OE) who used digital recording. And it was thanks to that device
I listened space hams voice for first time. It was on 22nd September
1993,
and after they said their names (Manakov and Poleschuk) and call's
(U9MIR and R2MIR), they announced their qso with Discovery crew.
They also said they were ready for QSO with Columbia American-German
crew. They ended requesting QSL's to their manager (RV3DR).
Even it wasn't a live msg, the excitment of that clear voices lasted
for days... 

Belive it or not, it took me several more years to finally do a full
voice qso. It was on the 14th Deceber 1996 with Valery Kozrum, probably
the most enthusiastic "russian space ham". Since then I've done many
more, 
with several cosmonauts. But the first one is always special :)

73 F.Costa, CT1EAT
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