[sarex] Fwd: Happy Holidays!

["Frank H. Bauer" <ka3hdo@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

All,

I sent this to the ARISS International Team.  I thought I would share it 
with you, since many of you on this reflector have provided volunteer 
support to the ARISS program this past year.  I want to thank each of you 
for your support and wish you all the best this holiday season.

73,  Frank Bauer, KA3HDO


>Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 11:35:34 -0500
>From: "Frank H. Bauer" <ka3hdo@comcast.net>
>Subject: Happy Holidays!
>
>All,
>
>With 2003 coming to a close, I want to take this opportunity to thank each 
>and every one of you for your outstanding support to the ARISS Program.
>
>In three short years we, as an international team, have accomplished a 
>great deal.  I am quite proud of this team and you should be proud of your 
>accomplishments too.
>
> From a development perspective, we now have both the Phase 1 and Phase 2 
> hardware operational.  This past Saturday, the ISS Program gave the ISS 
> Crew the green light to use the Kenwood radio with our new antenna 
> systems.  A short time later, Mike Foale was on the air on voice.  As 
> many have witnessed, the packet system has also been activated.  This 
> equipment, including antennas, radios, hardware and software were 
> developed and provided by a diverse set of team members located around 
> the world.  This was quite a challenge to make happen.  The team rose to 
> these challenges and produced a cadre of Phase 1 and Phase 2 equipment 
> that is operating superbly.   Sergej Samburov, RV3DR, Phase 2 Hardware 
> Team lead and Head of the Russian ISS Ham Program, extends his 
> congratulations to all that made this tremendous new capability a reality.
>
> From an operations perspective, the ARISS team has completed 123 
> international school contacts since we started three years ago (December 
> 21, 2000).  39 of these school contacts were accomplished this past 
> year.  The ARISS team commends the international volunteers that prepare 
> the schools, as well as the telebridge ground station operators and the 
> administrative team that help communicate the information to the space 
> agencies and to the general public.  Together, we have developed one of 
> the best educational outreach programs out there.  Many on the team have 
> heard this directly from the many international space agencies that make 
> up the ISS Program. While packet has been down for much of the year, we 
> have been blessed with the Field Day operations of Ed Lu and the general 
> voice QSOs conducted by Ed and Mike Foale.  While we cannot predict the 
> future, but it is our intent to keep the packet system operational as 
> much as possible now that it is back on the air.
>
>To accomplish what we do in an international setting, the ARISS team 
>depends upon hundreds of volunteers from around the globe.  To each of 
>you, a sincere thanks for a job well done.  We also have a vitally 
>important team at the space agencies that have enabled ISS Ham to develop 
>and thrive.  We want to thank these individuals for their support and 
>their encouragement over the years.  We look forward to working with you 
>again in 2004.
>
>Before I close, I want to tell you all that one of the substantial reasons 
>I continue my support as a volunteer on ARISS is the tremendous 
>international teamwork and camaraderie that each of you bring to the 
>program.  I feel privileged to know and work with each of you.
>
>I want to wish each of you a very happy holiday season and a very 
>prosperous New Year.
>
>Merry Christmas!!
>Happy Hanukkah!!
>Happy New Year!!
>
>73,
>
>Frank Bauer, KA3HDO
>Chairman, ARISS International

----
Via the sarex mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA.
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe sarex" to Majordomo@amsat.org