Re: [sarex] marex news, iss voice 9/29/2002

["Scott Avery WA6LIE" <wa6lie@xxxxxxx>]

Congratulations, Miles!!!!

What a thrill hunh?

I had the same type of experience with MIR.
We had a good evening pass which was visible!!
To boot, I had several neighbors outside watching MIR pass overhead.
I had my laptop computer out with me showing them MIR's track with STSPLUS. 
I also had a HT with me, and did make a voice QSO as well!!
I don't remember who I talked with at the time, as I had talked to most 
everyone that Visited MIR. >exception: Dennis Tito.

It was an experience I will never forget either!!

I am glad to hear someone else got that THRILL too!!

73, Scott



>From: Miles <wf1f@attbi.com>
>To: azrowe@juno.com
>CC: SAREX@AMSAT.Org
>Subject: [sarex] marex news, iss voice 9/29/2002
>Date: Sun, 29 Sep 2002 10:45:06 -0400
>
>
>ISS Amateur Radio Status: September 29, 2002
>
>Great ISS evening voice pass.
>
>By Miles Mann WF1F,
>
>MAREX-NA News
>
>Manned Amateur Radio Experiment, North American Division
>
>Great ISS evening voice pass.
>
>On the evening of September 29 2002 at 23:50 UTC the amateur radio
>community in the eastern half of the USA were treated to a very rare
>space station event.  The ISS was on an orbit which passed over the
>states MS, FL, AL, GA,  NC, VA, NH, MD, NJ, NY, RI and Massachusetts.
>Sun set had taken place 90 minutes earlier, which caused ISS to light
>up, brighter than any other objet in the sky.  Hundreds of people
>watched as ISS flew across the eastern half of the USA.  However what
>made this event even more exciting was that commander Valery Korzun was
>making random voice contacts on 2-meters while he few across the USA
>(145.800 down link, 144.490 uplink).
>
>Being able to see and hear ISS on voice at the same time is rare for
>North America.  This is because the ISS crew sleep cycle is normally
>aligned with UTC time.  When ISS passes over the USA at night, the ISS
>crew is usually in bed sleeping.  Even though it is coming to see ISS in
>the sky a week or two every 2 months, it is very rare to hear and see
>the ISS at the same time.
>
>On this occasion the ISS crew had adjusted their sleep schedule to match
>a sleep schedule for the Shuttle Atlantics STS 112, which was going to
>launch on October 2, 2002.  It is normal of the crews of both missions
>to find a compromise sleep cycle so that everyone will be on the same
>cycle.
>
>In my 13 years of supporting amateur radio space station operations,
>this was the fist time I was every able to see and talk to the space
>station crew at the same time.
>
>Personal Observations:
>I has home having dinner guests over the house that evening.  I knew
>there was going to be an ISS pass around 7:50 PM local time.  I
>explained to my guests that ISS would be visible and asked if they
>wanted to come out to my front yard and look at ISS  fly over the
>house.  They were skeptical that it wold be possible to see ISS from out
>side.  I had taken a few notes with compass and elevation headings and a
>small red flash light out with us so would know where to look and when.
>I also brought my HT with me so we could hear some packet bursts coming
>from ISS (Yeasu VX-5R, stock rubber duck antenna).  My friends were
>mildly familiar with my space work, however they have never expired the
>action first hand.  Shortly after I turned on the HT, I heard a voice.
>I had assumed it was a local simplex station at first.  Then I heard the
>familiar voice of Commander Valery Korzon on board the ISS.  I explained
>to my guests that this was a very rare treat to be able to see and hear
>ISS at the same time and that the voice they were  hearing was that of
>the space stations commander.
>Right on schedule the ISS star became visible coming over the trees and
>climbing higher into the dark sky.  By now, all 6 guests were standing
>in the street starring up into the sky and listening to the commander
>make several contacts, mostly in 4 land.  I wish I had my tape recorder
>running, darn.  I could tell by the conversations that others were
>seeing ISS and talking to the stations at the same time.  I looked at my
>HT and wondered if I could make a contact when it was directly over
>head.  In theory HT contacts are possible, but only under PERFECT
>conditions.  After hearing the commander sign off with another stations,
>I rotated the HT antenna horizontal to the ground and said my call sign
>WF1F.
>The commander responded "Stand by Miles".
>
>My little HT had broken through the pile up.
>I knew that I would not be able to carry on a conversation with the
>commander with a HT, so I ran into the house and turned on the big radio
>and waited for the commander to call me back.  A few minutes later the
>commander had finished  small list of contacts and then called me back.
>In the mean time, my guests had found their way to the radio room and
>were there to hear the rest of the conversation with commander Korzun on
>board the ISS.
>
>During next pass, the commander was in bed, so I send him a nice thank
>you note for making my day.
>
>sp rs0iss
>
>Subject:   thank you
>Message:
>
>Dear: Valery and crew.
>
>September 28, 2002
>
>Thank you very much for a very exciting conversation.
>At  23:57 UTC [7:57 PM], your space station came in view from my house.
>I was out side with several friends and I was showing them ISS as it
>flew over my house.
>We were listening to my HT/walki-talki Radio with a 10 centimeter
>antenna.
>I told my friends that we may see ISS and hear some packet at the same
>time.
>Instead we heard your voice talking to many stations.
>The ISS star was very bright, everyone could see ISS very clearly in the
>dark sky.
>The radio signal from ISS was so strong, I could not resist calling you
>from  my HT.
>I was very amazed that you heard my weak signal from the HT and 5 watts.
>
>We could see ISS for over 5 minutes high in the sky.
>After you went into the shadow, I went into my house and waited until
>you called me and I answered back on my big radio and big antenna.
>
>This is the first time that I have SEEN and Talked to Space at the same
>time.
>My first contact to space was with Sergej Krikleav in 1990 on Mir.
>Today's contact with ISS while seeing you fly over head, was just as
>exciting.
>
>73 my friend  Miles
>/ex
>
>
>HT contacts:
>HT contacts are possible, however I strongly do not recommend attempting
>to contact ISS with a HT and a rubber duck. Its just a waist of time.  I
>was successful because of many unique conditions that rarely happen.
>Don't get frustrated using a HT, please use a real radio and real
>antenna for ISS connections.  This was my first voice link with a HT
>after 13 years.
>
>
>Shuttle Launch planed:
>
>MISSION STS-112 -- 15TH ISS FLIGHT (9A) - S1 Truss
>VEHICLE: Atlantis/OV-104
>TARGET LAUNCH DATE: Oct. 2, 2002 NET
>TARGET LAUNCH PERIOD: 2 - 6 p.m. EDT
>TARGET LANDING DATE: Oct. 13, 2002
>MISSION DURATION: 11 days
>CREW: Ashby, Melroy, Wolf, Sellers, Magnus, Yurchikhin
>ORBITAL ALTITUDE AND INCLINATION: 122 nautical miles, 51.6 degrees
>
>Take care all and good luck and please be courteous.
>
>73 Miles WF1F MAREX-NA
>
>
>www.marex-na.org
>
>Until we meet again
>
>DOSVIDANIYA Miles WF1F
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