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ZL2VAL > SAREX 12.09.00 04:12l 146 Lines 7488 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 4259-ZL2VAL
Read: DG7MAQ GUEST OE7FMI
Subj: Hams in Space.
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From: ZL2VAL@ZL2AB.#46.NZL.OC
To : SAREX@WW
[¯¯¯ TST HOST 1.43c, UTC diff:-12, Local time: Mon Sep 11 12:10:40 2000 ®®®]
I realise that some of this article is "old hat", but to some new operators
it may be "New hat"...
______________________________________________________________________________
Ham Radios in Space Arachne 1.66
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast21aug_1...Mon, 11 Sep 2000 12:07:59
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ham Radios in Space
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NASA's Space Amateur Radio Experiment is connecting students and ham radio
operators on Earth with astronauts in Earth orbit.
August 21, 2000 -- For most amateur radio operators, it is the thrill of a
lifetime to receive a "CQ", or general call, from an astronaut in space.
But for some, like former astronaut Dr. Owen K. Garriott, call sign W5LFL,
the thrill comes from receiving a response from "hams" down on Earth.
Garriott, who has been an amateur radio operator for over 40 years, was
the first astronaut to take a ham radio into space, pioneering the way for
an increasingly well developed amateur radio space program.
"It was my good fortune to take the first amateur radio into space on
STS-9 in November 1983," Garriott said. "In my spare time only, I managed
to hold up an antenna to the window and to talk to amateurs on Earth."
This contact was the first communication between astronauts and people on
the ground outside of "official" channels, which are usually reserved for
presidents and heads of state.
Above: Owen Garriott pioneered the use of ham radio from Earth orbit
during his "spare time" on shuttle flight STS-9. Now, the Space Shuttle
frequently carries amateur radio equipment into space where astronauts
communicate with students on Earth below.
Hams, as amateur radio operators are often called, use radio transmitters
and receivers to talk to other hams all over the globe, as well as to
those in space. There are more than 1.5 million licensed hams worldwide,
including more than 400,000 Americans.
Every radio amateur (USA) must be licensed by the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC). In order to obtain a license, a ham must pass an
examination, which includes questions about radio theory, rules and
regulations, and International Morse Code. There are three grades of
licenses, each at progressively higher levels of proficiency: Technician,
General and Amateur Extra. Any licensed ham can chat with the Shuttle.
Once the examination is passed, the FCC issues the amateur operator's call
letters. The first letter indicates nationality. In the United States, the
first letters are A, K, N, or W.
Garriott had originally proposed the idea of taking a ham radio into space
on his first space mission, Skylab 3, but was unable to due to timing and
other complications. Ultimately, though, he persisted and was able to
obtain permission to fly a small hand-held transmitter/receiver aboard the
Space Shuttle Columbia.
"When in orbit over land, I could make a CQ, which is a general call, and
see who responded," Garriott said. "I used a well-designed, hand-held
antenna, known as a 'cavity antenna', which could be velcroed to the
window. It was about 24 inches in diameter and looked somewhat like a
large aluminum cake pan. The transceiver then connected to the antenna."
In addition to the general calls, Garriott had made a few plans to send
out a call to specific Earth-bound hams at prearranged times and dates.
"I had specified particular times and frequencies beforehand," Garriott
said. "Among others, I was able to speak with the Amateur Radio Club in my
hometown of Enid, Oklahoma, with my mom, with Senator Goldwater, and with
King Hussein, who was an avid ham."
Since that first voyage into space, NASA has continued to see the
usefulness of bringing ham radios into space, and astronauts have been
able to speak to hams on earth on dozens of shuttle flights, as well as on
the space station MIR.
"There has been substantial amateur radio activity in space since I first
brought one up," Garriott said. "There is now a program called SAREX that
is allowing for more and more activity."
The Space Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX) is a long-running program to
use amateur radio equipment on board the Space Shuttle to involve students
in exchanging questions and answers with astronauts in orbit. Students in
hundreds of different classrooms across the country are able to ask the
astronauts questions about space flight and the experiments being
conducted on the mission. It also allows for communication with amateur
radio operators on the ground.
SAREX is sponsored jointly by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the
Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) and NASA. Students and amateur
radio operators can attempt to contact astronauts flying on a SAREX
mission through voice, packet (computer) radio, or television, depending
on what equipment is flying on the shuttle and on what equipment is
available on the ground. According to the ARRL web site, SAREX missions
are planned to begin again during the fall of 2000, and schools can apply
to be contacted during the space flight.
In addition, in 1997, NASA approved plans to include amateur radio
equipment as part of the payload of the International Space Station
(Amateur Radio on the International Space Station or ARISS).
Since astronauts will have more time in space while on the ISS, more
opportunities for ham radio contacts will exist.
"Shannon Lucid used a ham radio while on MIR," said Garriott. "NASA saw
how using an amateur radio would be a good thing for astronauts to do in
their spare time on the space station."
And certainly hams on the ground are eager for contact with the
astronauts. Specially designed shuttle "QSL" cards, which are postcards
used by hams to confirm two-way contact or reception of a signal, are
among the most prized in a ham's collection -- even to a king.
"(King) Hussein regarded his 1983 contact with Owen Garriott, W5LFL, on
board Space Shuttle Columbia, as a high point in his amateur radio
career," reported ARRL Executive Vice President David Sumner in a special
bulletin following the death of Jordan's King Hussein, JY1. ("JY1" was
King Hussein's call sign.)
Schools interested in learning more about SAREX and how it can work with
their academic programs should visit the ARRL web page:
http://www.arrl.org/sarex/sarexnew.html.
http://sarex.gsfc.nasa.gov
Space Amateur Radio EXperiment - SAREX is a long-running program to use
amateur radio equipment on board the Space Shuttle to involve students in
exchanging questions and answers with astronauts in orbit.
http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov/
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station - ARISS will extend the
SAREX program to the International Space Station
============================================================================
Cheers for now,
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