SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-359.01
STRANGE ARCTIC HAPPENINGS

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 359.01 FROM SORT OF AMSAT HQ
NORTH POLE, AK, DECEMBER 25, 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-359.01

Collectively, AMSAT's constellation of satellites have recently observed
strange happenings while making passes over the North Pole.  Since 01
December 1996, WO-18's CCD camera has registered increasingly
significant amounts of materials being assembled and prepared for what
appears to be movement from the secluded and sparce Polar regions to
more populous regions of the south. In addition, after making early
morning passes on 24 December 1996, the once thought dead AO-21 has
become reactiviative and is being used for Juletide greetings by these
jovial arctic dewellers.  Also, DO-17 has come alive on 145.825 MHz with
a simple digital greeting of "Ho, ho, ho" while KO-23, IO-27, and other
digital satellites have reported the following mysterous Christmas
greeting that was uploaded while passing over this area:

"Best wishes to all in AMSAT for a Happy Holiday Season and Productive
1997!  Tonight on my annual journey, I will make special stops in
Orlando, Marburg, Kourou, and elsewhere that the Phase 3D International
Satellite is being assembled or will pass before it makes its special
voyage in 1997. Hopefully you have been very good this year as the gifts
that I leave at these special stops will be of much benefit to you too!
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! (PS: Keplerian elements
for use in tracking my annual journey are always available via
http://www.amsat.org and most AMSAT Nets.)"

Meanwhile, R0MIR and KC5TZQ on board the Mir spacestation have reported
many QSOs with the same jolly fellow that assures them that he will also
visit their QTH this evening.

[ANS thanks Kris Kringle, H04HO for this useful information.]

/EX