Iss on scanner

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jesiandabe

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So I was on my way to work last week, had my scanner on and it stopped on 145.800. Never have I picked up the space station on my scanner, but what suprised me the most was I got it with just my rubber duck antenna on my pro97. Sounded like he was doin an interview with a school, I could only hear the downlink of course but does anyone know what would be a good time to try to talk to em up there? Everytime I try noone is at home. Do they only have a certian time that they can talk on ham radio or what?
 

n4yek

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Hi Abe,
Well as far as the astronauts using the ham gear, it would have to be used on their 'free time' when they are not doing assigned work. But like the interview you heard, that was something scheduled so you would not be able to talk to them on a one to one basis unless you were part of the interviewing crew or classroom.
When they do get on there during their free time, it is madness for them. Just think of yourself being the one in space and everyone wanting a contact. You reception footprint on the earth is a few thousand square miles and all you get in intermod from hundreds of Hams transmitting FM carriers trying to talk to you. After a bit, you don't want to even do that anymore, so if a ham gets a contact he is lucky.
I am one of the lucky ones who have had a contact with an astronaut, but that was on the space shuttle. I have never had an ISS contact, but basically if you do get a contact, all he will do is acknowledge your callsign and go on. There will be no conversation take place between you and him or her because of that same intermod, even though you hear no one else, he/she is covered up with callsign after callsign being tossed at them.
I hope this answered your question, take care neighbor.
 
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jesiandabe

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Hmm i gues that would get old after awhile. Anyway, thanks for the help. You ever on 2 meter much?
 

N1BHH

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They do have some educational time set aside for school kid communications at least once per flight of the shuttle, more times are scheduled for the ISS. I have heard some of their packet beacons and even in the early days the voice communications from the old MIR. That was just with a basic OEM duck on the radio. If you get a chance, check out www.heavens-above.com and get yourself an account. You can look up passes for all kinds of space objects for your location.
 

n4yek

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jesiandabe said:
........ You ever on 2 meter much?
I monitor 99.9% of the time, rarely key the mike anymore. It just isn't the same as it used to be, most of the guys I used to talk with have passed away. The new generation just isn't the same breed as the older hams, no offense to anyone out there.
All I basically have now is my very first 2 meter HT, Kenwood 215A, and a mobile rig that isn't in the car.
Go to that site Clyde mentioned in his reply, it is a good webpage.
Take care Abe
 

chgomonitor

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Classroom Sessions

The classroom presentations from ISS use the standard 145.800 voice downlink. But these are reserved sessions and the astronauts do not engage in casual QSO contacts while these are going on. In fact, they use a special "unpublished" uplink frequency for them and they aren't even listening on the usual uplink when these sessions are in progress.

So if want to QSO a real spaceship, try it when they are just casually chatting with hams on the ground.
 

Bill_White

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chgomonitor said:
The classroom presentations from ISS use the standard 145.800 voice downlink. But these are reserved sessions and the astronauts do not engage in casual QSO contacts while these are going on. In fact, they use a special "unpublished" uplink frequency for them and they aren't even listening on the usual uplink when these sessions are in progress.

What??? "special unpublished uplink frequency"??
Care to cite this information?

After the offical contact I ALWAYS hear the control operator of the ISS station calling and making contacts with other amateur radio operators.
 

illini52

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Bill_White said:
What??? "special unpublished uplink frequency"??
Care to cite this information?

After the offical contact I ALWAYS hear the control operator of the ISS station calling and making contacts with other amateur radio operators.

It's true. If you think everyone on the normal uplink would stay quiet during the school contact, you are mistaken.
 

rdale

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Bill_White said:
After the offical contact I ALWAYS hear the control operator of the ISS station calling and making contacts with other amateur radio operators.

That's after the school session...
 

N1BHH

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Bill_White said:
What??? "special unpublished uplink frequency"??
Care to cite this information?

After the offical contact I ALWAYS hear the control operator of the ISS station calling and making contacts with other amateur radio operators.

The special uplink frequencies are on the TDRS satellites, Ka, Ku and primarily S Band. S Band is mainly for voice, while Ku and Ka are for telemetry data and high resolution video.
 

rdale

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N1BHH said:
The special uplink frequencies are on the TDRS satellites, Ka, Ku and primarily S Band. S Band is mainly for voice, while Ku and Ka are for telemetry data and high resolution video.

No, they don't use those for the school talks. They are regular VHF voice, just not published like the regular uplink freq's.
 

ind224

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SatSuit

When SatSuit was launched they used the normal ISS up for the weak signal to come down.

Of course I had to have a guy 4 blocks away trying to get ISS via Packet and killing any hope I had of hearing the Suit. Only took 3 emails to get him to stop.
 
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