ISS radio finally dies

[ka3jjz]

after 16 years in space, can't say I'm surprised...the news is here

ARISS Radio Failure Prompts Shift to ISS Russian Service Module Ham Gear:

Mike

 

[Jay911]

Can you imagine trying to arrange warranty repair (if the model was still in production)?

"Sir, I am needing you to be giving me your full address so we can ship you a return label. Please do the needful."

 

[radioman2001]

I have about 200 MPA radios, you can have them as replacements.

 

[Jay911]

I have about 200 MPA radios, you can have them as replacements.

According to the article you could charge them $999.99 per unit and come in under their budget.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Hope the replacement radio has good RF selectivity and is not some BangoFango model with the unfiltered RF preamplifier and mixer. That would just be one big Inter Modulation generator in the sky with all those volts of VHF energy radiating from Earth. Oh what the heck, they are "sensitive"!

 

[N4GIX]

Hope the replacement radio has good RF selectivity and is not some BangoFango model with the unfiltered RF preamplifier and mixer. That would just be one big Inter Modulation generator in the sky with all those volts of VHF energy radiating from Earth. Oh what the heck, they are "sensitive"!

Not to worry, "The primary components are a modified JVC Kenwood D710GA radio and a custom ARISS-designed power supply,"

 

[PrimeNumber]

According to the article you could charge them $999.99 per unit and come in under their budget.

Yeah, but the shipping charges are going to be sky high... no even more, out of this world.

 

[spacellamaman]

everyone is a comedian

Yeah, but the shipping charges are going to be sky high... no even more, out of this world.

i should have expected that no one in this forum would take this unfortunate event seriously. as I have every scanner set up to prioritize ISS contacts above all other interests, i for one, am greatly saddened by this loss.

the thrill i have gotten from receiving the rare "out of this world" transmission cannot be underestimated.

the last transmission i rx'd from ISS was an answer to a question posed by a contact with a school group. sadly right as the details were beginning to be explained, i lost the signal...

now i fear i may never find out how they poo in space....

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I wonder if the russians still have their 143 MHz duplex phone link active. That channel has very good power and coverage . You can hear them gabbing during many passes . I think they have base sites in the US to enable global communications,

 

[N4GIX]

now i fear i may never find out how they poo in space....

I made a serious reply to point out that replacement will likely be received "up there" within a year. In fact, according to the article the replacement is being vetted by NASA now.

As for how they "poo" that is something I learned about from watching a video that addresses this very question. Assuming for the moment your question is serious, here is that video:

The Scoop on Space Poop: How Astronauts Go Potty

 

[ElroyJetson]

Most likely the M-PA's memory battery has failed. Replace battery, reprogram, maybe put in new firmware if needed, on the ground it's an hour's job start to finish costing 50 bucks.

For the ISS...the next radio to be selected for replacement of it will be obsolete before it leaves the launchpad.

I understand the need to make sure the radio is compatible with the ISS environment but really their qualification process is something beyond being merely a little bit silly.

Ship them an XTS5000 with FPP and a battery power adaptor plus an antenna connector adapter and call it a day. Better yet, a dual band APX7000, VHF and UHF R1, and then they can work 2m and 70cm with a single modern and reliable radio.

 

[wcu02mpa]

ISS contact a few years ago

Several years ago I made a VHF contact with the ISS. I was mobile and the channel broke squelch. It was an Italian astronaut and we spoke a for a few minutes (110W Motorola spectra). Other than when I had a QSO into Antarctica (again was mobile HF) it was my best contact ever.

 

[spacellamaman]

sorry i forgot to mention

sorry i forgot to mention this guys, but whatever problems they are/were having has at least been fixed for at least one school contact. i have to check but it was either the 4th or 5th i recorded a brief school contact on 145.800 midday. funny cause i think that will be my third i have recorded and 5th time ever i have heard ISS ever, right after their equipment goes down no poo talk sadly. based on the answer it appears the unimaginative lil fellers only asked about how ya got along with foreigners in such situations. apparently very well, the rooskie told him to say.

 

[ka3jjz]

If memory serves, they are using the Kenwood radio in the Russian module...Mike