[sarex] Packet Operations

["Frank H. Bauer" <frank.bauer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

All,

There have been several reports and questions about packet.  Yes, the radio 
was left on a 143.625.  That is why you hear the packet downlink on this 
frequency.   It is puzzling to us as to why this is the case, but we had 
some reports of Roberto Vitorri using a 143.625 downlink for voice ops and 
this is where one of the crew members left the system.

Amateur radio operators---do NOT communicate with the radio system while it 
is on 143.625.  It is outside the ham bands.

 From an ISS perspective,  the frequency is a Government channel....so it 
is perfectly legal for use on ISS.  The primary intent of this frequency 
was to communicate with Mir (no longer valid) and if there was an issue 
with the radio system on-board ISS.

Given that we are doing a school on Thursday, we have sent instructions to 
the crew to QSY after the contact.  With all that is happening on ISS in 
preparation for the new Expedition crew (2 weeks away) it was felt that 
this was the least burdensome and least intrusive way to fix the issue.

I hope this explains what is happening.

73,
Frank Bauer, KA3HDO

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