AMATEUR RADIO ABOARD MIR: Summer 1999 Since many Amateur Radio Operators ask about Amateur Radio on board the Russian Space Station "Mir" (which means "peace" in Russian), the ARRL is offering the following detailed Mir information including QSL information; frequencies; packet radio; and "SAFEX II" (a project of the German Amateur Radio Club - DARC). Credits: Much of this information comes from the ARRL Web page at the URL: http://www.arrl.org/ And, from the ARRL Letter: There is an archive where editions of the ARRL Letter are kept: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/ Other information comes from SpaceNews: SpaceNews can be found on the Web at: http://www.njin.net/~magliaco/ And the Mir Web page URL is: http://www.osf.hq.nasa.gov/mir/ To provide information on SAFEX, the Space Amateur Funk Experiment aboard the Russian space station Mir, the DLR Amateur Radio Group DF0VR at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, has installed a Web site at: http://www.op.dlr.de/~df0vr/home.htm --Rudolf Appel, AMSAT-DL -**- From John Magliacane's Space News * FX0STB QSL OFFER * ==================== AMSAT France press release 09-99 AMSAT France became actively involved in getting french Spationaute Jean-Pierre Haignere licensed under the callsign FX0STB for ham radio operation in the Russian space station MIR. Using the callsign R0MIR, Jean-Pierre made a number of two way Phone contacts or SSTV re-transmissions during the 6 months time he spent aboard MIR, to the great pleasure of radioamateur stations all around the world and school children of many countries. In order to provide hams or listeners a confirmation QSL card, AMSAT-France is designing a special QSL card for Jean-Pierre Haignere, FX0STB / R0MIR. In order to receive this card you are invited to send a QSL card or a post card if you do not have any QSL, including the callsign used by Jean-Pierre Haignere, the date, hour, frequency and mode of transmission (FM, SSTV) to the following address : AMSAT France FX0STB QSL Manager 14 bis rue des Gourlis F-92500 RUEIL-MALMAISON France You should provide a self addressed envelope (half letter size or post card size), preferably a self-adhesive one, with an International Response Coupon (IRC) for return postage if you reside in the European Community or two IRCs if you live outside the EC. IRCs are available in any post office. The AMSAT secretary will enjoy very much if you care putting nice stamps on your envelope. [Info via Jean-Louis Rault] -.-.- SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-164.05 WEEKLY SATELLITE REPORT PART 1 AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 164.05 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, JUNE 13, 1999 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT BID: $ANS-164.05 MIR SAFEX II 70-cm Repeater Uplink: 435.750 MHz FM w/subaudible tone 141.3 Hz Downlink: 437.950 MHz FM Seldom-operational. No operation in 1999 has been observed. MIR SAFEX II 70-cm QSO Mode Uplink: 435.725 MHz FM w/subaudible tone 151.4 Hz Downlink: 437.925 MHz FM Seldom-operational. No operation in 1999 has been observed. MIR PERSONAL MESSAGE SYSTEM (PMS) Uplink/Downlink 145.985 MHz FM 1200 baud AFSK Semi-operational. The PBBS is running a Kantronics KPC-9612+ V 8.1 TNC. The commands are similar to most PBBS and BBS systems. SSTV from Mir has been reported as sporadic. AMSAT-France announced that Air Force General Jean-Pierre Haignere has been given a personal amateur radio callsign to use aboard the Mir space station - FX0STB. The QSL manager for FX0STB is: Radio Club F5KAM QSL manager MIR 22 rue Bansac 63000 Clermont Ferrand France Scott, WA6LIE, has a set of instructions on how to work the Mir space station. Copies are available from Scott by e-mail at: wa6lie@juno.com (or by packet) wa6lie@wa6lie.#wcca.ca.usa.noam [ANS thanks Scott Avery, WA6LIE, and the MIREX team for Mir status information] --------------------------- SpaceNews MONDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 1998 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 * =========== Scott, WA6LIE, reports that currently, 145.985 MHz is used for 1200 baud packet and voice contacts with the cosmonauts. The SAFEX module frequencies are: 437.950 rx/435.750 tx - PL 141.3 SAFEX repeater 437.925 rx/435.725 tx - PL 151.4 SAFEX crew QSO mode The packet radio mailbox uses a callsign of R0MIR-1. The SAFEX UHF repeater uses a callsign of RR0DL. Packet connections to R0MIR do not connect with the mailbox, and are basically a waste of time. QSL cards must be sent along with a business-sized self- addressed stamped envelope (the card will not fit in a regular- sized envelope) is a card in return is desired. A "green stamp" to cover postage would also be appreciated (USA ONLY). Please include two IRCs for international QSL requests. The IRC must be dated 1998 because the post office will NOT accept IRCs over one year old. QSLs World Wide (EXCEPT EUROPE) should be sent to: Dave Larsen, N6CO P.O. Box 311 Pine Grove, California 95665 U.S.A. European QSLs go to: Radio-Club "F5KAM - QSL Manager de "R0MIR" "Carrefour International de la Radio" 22, Rue BANSAC - 63000 - CLERMONT-FERRAND - FRANCE Additional information on the MIREX program can be found at the MIREX web site at: http://www.ik1sld.org/mirex.htm * or- http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/3431/mirex.htm [Info via Scott, WA6LIE] -.-.- SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-277.04 MIR SWL CARDS AVAILABLE HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 277.04 FROM AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD, OCTOBER 04, 1998 TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-277.04 Dave Larsen, N6CO, MIREX president, tells ANS that starting in October Mir shortwave listener reports will be accepted by MIREX, with successful reports earning a Mir QSL card. N6CO reports he has "set aside" 500 QSL cards for this event. All worldwide SWL stations are eligible to receive a Mir SWL QSL card following successful reception. The requirements for earning a Mir SWL card include: 1. a self addressed stamped business size envelope 2. receiving station location 3. time and date of Mir reception 4. radio and antenna used to receive Mir 5. four International Reply Coupons 6. e-mail address and/or phone number of receiving station N6CO reports that if all 500 cards are gone, any additional received IRC's will be returned to the sender. All Mir SWL QSL card requests (except Europe) should be sent to the following address: Dave Larsen N6CO PO Box 311 Pine Grove, California 95665 U.S.A. European Mir SWL QSL card requests should be sent to the following address: Radio Club F5KAM - QSL Manager de R0MIR Carrefour International de la Radio 22 Rue BANSAC 63000 CLERMONT, FERRAND FRANCE -.-.- From * SpaceNews 03-Mar-97 * WWW: http://www.njin.net/~magliaco/ * MIR PMS REMINDER * ==================== The 2-meter packet station on Mir is designed to be used as a Personal Mail System for the crews working on the Russian Space Station Mir. The "PMS" as it is called, is not to be used as a Bulletin Board Service (BBS). The Chief of the Cosmonaut Amateur Radio Department, Sergej Samburov RV3DR (MAREX), is requesting users to stop sending CQ Mail messages and Third Party Traffic messages (messages between to Amateur Radio Stations on the same planet) via the Mir PMS. Traffic should be limited to mail to and from the Mir crew members. The Mir crews are very busy and do not have a lot of time to spend clearing out old third party messages. Ground stations can still use the PMS to send short messages to the Mir crew, but please keep in mind the crews are busy and you are not guaranteed a reply. Info via: MirEX. -.-.- The Mir SAFEX 70-cm experiment: The Amateur Radio "SAFEX" equipment (built by German hams and now aboard Mir) has three modes of operation: Repeater mode, packet mode and "QSO" (FM voice) mode. Recently, the equipment has been in QSO (FM voice) mode. For the QSO (duplex) mode, the uplink frequency is 435.725 MHz, the downlink frequency is 437.925 MHz, and the CTCSS tone is 151.4 Hz. When in repeater mode, the uplink frequency for the Mir SAFEX 70-cm repeater is 435.750 MHz, and the downlink is 437.950 MHz. The required CTCSS tone is 141.3 Hz. When in packet mode, the uplink frequency for packet is 435.775 MHz; the downlink frequency is 437.975 MHz. No CTCSS tone is needed. A special QSL card will be issued for SAFEX QSOs and SWL reports. Those making SAFEX contacts are asked to accompany QSLs with a voice recording of the contact on a computer .wav file (3.5-inch disc) to DF0VR, Ham Radio Group at DLR Oberpfaffenhofen, Postfach 1116, D-82230 Wessling Germany." Web site: http://www.op.dlr.de/~df0vr/home.htm -.-.- TRACK MIR WITH A COMPUTER Tracking the Russian Mir Space Station--and other satellites. To track the Mir spacecraft via the World Wide Web, check out http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/temp/Mir_loc.html. The page presents a graphical representation of Mir's location and updates every minute. A number of software packages are available for tracking the shuttle on a personal computer. Here are just a few options (ARRL in no way warrants these products or services): AMSAT Tracking Programs: The North American branch of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT-NA) makes available a variety of computer programs of interest to the amateur satellite user. These easy to use programs are perfect for the serious Amateur Radio space enthusiast or beginner. Programs are available for IBM, Macintosh, Apple, Commodore, and other computers. Contact AMSAT for current prices and details: AMSAT-NA P.O. Box 27 Silver Spring, MD 20044 Phone: 301-589-6062 Fax: 301-608-3410 e-mail: martha@amsat.org AMSAT also has a collection of free software for download: World Wide Web: http://www.amsat.org Anonymous FTP: ftp.amsat.org STSPLUS (Shareware for IBM). This software was designed by David Ransom Jr. The program allows the user to track an orbiting space shuttle or satellite. Excellent graphics and maps help to create a mock Mission Control Center. On the ARRL (land-line) BBS, 860-594- 0306, look for the program named: "STSPLUS.ZIP" Look for STSPLUS and other tracking software posted on Spacelink, NASA's electronic information system: Spacelink Modem line: 205-895-0028 Terminal emulation VT-100, Data format 8-N-1 World Wide Web http://spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov Satellite tracking software may be found in the following Spacelink directory: Instructional.Materials/Software OrbiTrack (MacIntosh): BEK Developers PO Box 47114 St. Petersburg, FL 33743-7114 email (Bill Bard) 75366.2557@compuserve.com SatTrack (MacIntosh): Mike Pflueger, WD8KPZ 6207 W. Beverly Lane Glendale, AZ 85306 FTP sumex.stanford.edu SatTrack can be found in the following directory: /info- mac/application -.-.- WHAT ARE KEPLERIAN ELEMENTS? Satellite-tracking computer software uses Keplerian elements (also known as "orbital" or "tracking" elements or "Keps") to pinpoint the location of a satellite (or Mir) at any given time. The Keplerian elements provide the software with a snapshot of a satellite's orbital track, which the computer uses to calculate the future whereabouts of the satellite. Using such a computer tracking program allows an observer to determine when a satellite is to appear above his or her local horizon. -.-.- WHERE CAN I FIND KEPLERIAN ELEMENTS FOR TRACKING MIR? Keplerian elements for tracking MIR are available from numerous sources, including ARRL W1AW on-the-air Bulletins. Here are some other sources for obtaining "Keps:" AMSAT: The AMSAT News Service publishes weekly bulletins containing information of interest to amateur satellite operators, including Keplerian element postings for the shuttle and popular amateur satellites. These bulletins are distributed electronically through amateur satellites, the terrestrial amateur packet radio network, and through various landline networks: World Wide Web: http://www.amsat.org AMSAT also maintains numerous public mailing lists (email) to deliver Keplerian elements and other information. To subscribe to one or more mailing lists from AMSAT, send a message with your request to listserv@amsat.org Be sure to include your call sign (if any), your correct email address, and the proper names (shown below) of the mailing lists you wish to receive: SAREX - Space Amateur Radio Experiment mailing list ANS - AMSAT News Service AMSAT-BB - AMSAT Bulletin Board KEPS - Keplerian Elements mailing list Goddard ARC. The Goddard Amateur Radio Club, WA3NAN, maintains a BBS which carries Keplerian orbital elements updated daily (and daily SAREX bulletins and space shuttle mission information). Modem lines: 301-805-3251 and 301-805-3154 Internet: wa3nan.gsfc.nasa.gov TCP/IP address 128.183.105.17 Packet radio: WA3NAN, on 145.090 MHz, in the Maryland/DC area. NASA Spacelink. One of NASA's electronic resources specifically developed for use by the educational .community. Spacelink is a comprehensive electronic library that hosts NASA's educational publications, the NASA Television education schedule, and provides hundreds of subject-related links. World Wide Web: http://spacelink.nasa.gov Keplerian elements may be found in the following Spacelink directory: Spacelink.Hot.Topics/Current.Shuttle.Mission/Keplerian.Elements Johnson Space Center ARC. The Johnson Space Center Amateur Radio Club maintains a service with the latest element sets available during a shuttle flight. Modem line: 713-244-5625 World Wide Web: http://www.phoenix.net/~mbordel/index.html The NASA/GSFC ORBITAL DATA BULLETIN BOARD at: http://oigsysop.atsc.allied.com/index.htm is another Web site where you can get keps for MIR. mir.txt DPM 10/98