Satgen150      The Eastern Challenge            by GM4IHJ      9th Feb 92

While RS12 continues to provide a great many opportunities for long range
low earth orbit satellite DX, it is getting very few actual users. Several
European stations can be heard accessing RS12  Mode K when the satellite
is over Alaska , China, Japan , Singapore and India, but so far only the
odd JA station appears to be replying. Apart from the Ws, very few non
Europeans appear to be aware that they can use some of these opportunities
when the satellite is over them at night , to talk to Europe, and, none at
all except the Ws are aware that when the satellite is over Europe at
night, they , in daylight, can use it to get European QSOs. The
ionospheric conditions providing these sub horizon contacts are unlikely
to last much longer. They may reappear briefly in the Winter 92/Spring 93
but thereafter the Sun must start declining to minimum. So get your DX now

There is also a much bigger problem developing in the satellite world,
which will probably affect all amateur radio. The first pointer is that we
may not have even the operational RS birds for much longer. The problem is
economic. There is no money to continue running the RS Control Station at
Kaluga in Russia , after March this year. In addition we have apparently
lost RM1 already, to a different controller problem, and, all work on the
next RS sat due for launch in April/May 92 has stopped.

Several UK radio amateurs have been asking our Eastern European
counterparts " Can we help in any way". As yet nothing has emerged which
promises to keep their overall satellite contribution intact , but some
opportunities have appeared whereby the relaxation of postal regulations
is permitting the distribution of hard to get publications and equipment
to some individual radio amateurs and clubs. In particular, technical
books papers and magazines are getting through to Russia, and, both
publications and individual pieces of equipment are getting through to
Bulgaria by post. ( If anyone has details of the situation in other
countries, GM4IHJ would like to know ).

Clearly Amateur Radio in all Eastern Europe and the former USSR is going
through a very difficult period. If we in Western Europe can find legal
ways to help, we may measurably enhance the rate at which these countries
catch up the deprivations of recent years. There is no shortage of ability
or enterprise in these countries. They do not want charity. We need them
and we need their expertise in Amateur Radio. We must help in any way we
can.  73 de John GM4IHJ @ GB7SAN