Re: [sarex] This is what ARISS is all about!

["Alan W Leech" <alanwl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This reminds me of JOTA weekend 1996. I was asked a few days before the
event to help out at the local Girl Guide camp, for JOTA. So, taking a
punt, I sent the MIR crew a packet message, explaining what was going on
and asked them if it was possible to setup a QSO with the kids.

Sure enough, the guys called me at about 07:00, local time, and we had a
great time. The girls were unrehearsed, and asked some pretty interesting
questions. I think some still don't believe that they got to talk to to
men in space. I can't remember who the crew members were now, but one
was an American, John Blaha, maybe?

To top it all off, they called me again on the next pass, when there
were a heap of visitors on hand. All were suitably impressed..

Even now, some six years later, when I run into one of these girls, they
still remember that weekend.

And, last night at about 20:30 utc 1 Sept, I was talking to my Daughter
in Australia, by phone when STS Plus' AOS alarms went off to tell me ISS
was due. I checked where it was and told her to grab her 15yo Daughter and
race outside  to watch it go accross their southern sky. This was a
first for them, too.

>     ...I have two excited children, and I would encourage others to do
> the same.  This is the sort of stuff that promotes Ham radio and the
> space program.  My kids are doing hand stands because they actually
> talked to the commander of the ISS. .....

> 73, Paul VE1DX

 Cheers, Alan (ZL2VAL)

                    Wacky Signs
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~
        In a Bucharest hotel lobby:
         The lift is being fixed for the next day.
         During that time we regret that you will be unbearable.

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