SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0901 * SpaceNews 01-Sep-97 * BID: $SPC0901 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 1997 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for non-commercial use. * MIR NEWS * ============ Miles Mann, WF1F, reports that the Mir crew has been quite active lately on 2-meters. Ray, W2RS, reports having a two-way voice contact with Mike Foale on 24-Aug-97 at 1626 UTC. Mike was on 145.985 MHz simplex over North America and Ray contacted him using only a 2-watt handheld transceiver (Yaesu FT-50R) and a quarter-wave whip antenna. Despite a heavy work load and power limitions, the amateur radio station has been on almost continously. Michael Foale mentioned that due to his heavy work load, he may not be able to reply to everyone's packet mail, but will do his best. The Mir Persoanl Message System (PMS) currently consists of a Paccom Handi packet terminal node controller (TNC) connected to a Kenwood TM-733 2m/70cm transceiver. The antenna is an externally mounted dual band antenna, similar to a mobile antenna. Mike is using the equipment to augment his messages to his family and friends. Every day Mike has a radio schedule with his collegues in Houston using the Kenwood TM-733. MIREX members (N6CO and WF1F) are handling daily family traffic for the crew members. They also run free phone patches for the crews to their family members regularly. Some stations have noticed that the 2-meteter station on Mir is turned off for a pass or two during the day. This is usually the result of desense by the commercial VHF transmitter on-board Mir operating on 143.625 MHz. The MIREX team is working on a external filter to solve this problem, but an installation date have not yet been finalized. Michael Foale provided the following Mir status reports via the Mir packet radio station onboard Mir. Mike's messages were relayed to SpaceNews by Dr. Dave Larsen, N6CO: Stat : PR Posted : 08/19/97 23:04 To : ALL From : R0MIR @ BBS : BID : Subject: Mir status Tnc reset again. After Anatoli successfully docked the progress yesterday, manually, we replaced the bad computer that controls the GNC of the station, and reestablished attitude control and solar pointing today. Anatoli and Pavel have completed their EVA training run in the suits, and we are now working to have everything ready for the Power Connect EVA to take place in the node, on Friday. Mike. Rodnika. === Stat : PR Posted : 08/23/97 13:54 To : ALL From : R0MIR @ BBS : BID : Subject: Mir Status Well, looks like Anatoli and Pavel really set the big hatch plug, with 80 cables coming out of it, just fine in the hatch way of Spekter. We are now getting the station back into shape, trying to reconnect cables disconnected before the eva. First attempts to check the new cables to spekter will be Monday. Thanks for all your good wishes. Mike. === Stat : PR Posted : 08/29/97 09:27 To : ALL From : R0MIR @ BBS : BID : Subject: Mir status We have been steadily working to get the Elektron in Kvant working - and now it is, producing O2. Now Anatoli is working in Kvant 2 to see if we can get another Elektron to work as a hot backup. More work will be done connecting up cables to enable power to Priroda, after the EVA. Krictal has been powered for 2 days now, and is much warmer. The Greenhouse plants are producing 5cm. long siliques, and the airlock is ready for our suit preparations, for Anatoli and I to do EVA on 5th September, roughly. We will inspect damage site on Spektr, and install handrails and a truss, to enable future access and repair. In addition, we will install a valve on the base block, to enable the installation of a backup CO2 scrubbing system, known as Vozduk. Mike. Recent messages carried on the Mir PMS include the following: Msg # Stat Date Time To From @ BBS Subject 282 P 08/29/97 13:08 LU7VBT EB7GJA Hola Omar... 281 P 08/29/97 12:43 R0MIR LU4HE Expect answer 280 PR 08/29/97 09:27 ALL R0MIR Mir status 265 P 08/28/97 22:29 KF4OYP R0MIR thanks. 208 P 08/27/97 10:07 KD2BD R0MIR hello 171 P 08/26/97 09:29 KC7NTW R0MIR peggy 169 P 08/26/97 09:24 EB3GFG R0MIR peace 74 P 08/23/97 14:03 OA4DNW R0MIR jungle 68 P 08/23/97 13:39 WB8HRO R0MIR dreams 6000 Bytes free Next message Number 303 [Thanks to Miles Mann, WF1F, and Dr. Dave Larsen, N6CO for this information] * RS-12 NEWS * ============== Bob, W2GG, reports that Arnie, CO2KK in Cuba is active on RS-12. Arnie reported that he would be active on morning orbits (local time in the Americas). His QSL manager is W5WP (ex-WQ5Y). * G3IOR IN HOSPITAL * ===================== Pat Gowen, G3IOR, is in the hospital undergoing surgery to remove a kidney stone. He does not have Internet facilities but "get well" wishes may be sent to his home, 17 Heath Crescent, Hellesdon, Norwich, Norfolk NR6 6XD, England. [Info via Ray, W2RS] * FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED * =========================== Comments and input for SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the paths listed below: WWW : http://www.njin.net/~magliaco/ PACKET : KD2BD @ KS4HR.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org, magliaco@email.njin.net SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, LUSAT-OSCAR-19 <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>> /EX