[GCARC] Maybe YOU can work the ISS!

[Jon Pearce]

Recently three club stations have worked NA1SS, the International Space Station operated by Dr. Kjell Lindgren<https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/kjell-n-lindgren/biography> KO5MOS. Chris KC2IEB and Bob KD2GFL each worked him over the past few weeks and I worked him on Field Day at the W2MMD station, so he’s apparently frequently operating the rig. All three club members  were working from dedicated satellite stations, but you might be able to make a contact – or at least hear a QSO – using a regular FM rig or two. So if you’d like to give it a try here’s some info on trying to talk to the space station. DISCLAIMER – I haven’t done this and don’t know anyone who has done it, but we know that SSTV signals from the ISS can easily be received on HTs so the repeater signals should be equally as accessible.

The ISS rig is a cross-band FM repeater with the uplink on 145.990 (PL 67 hz) and the downlink on 437.800. It’s full-duplex so you can hear your transmitted signal if you have two separate radios, each set to one of the frequencies, but it will also work with one radio like a normal repeater. Using your mobile rig for the 2 meter uplink and an HT to monitor the 70 cm downlink might work. An HT may not have enough power to reach the ISS over other stations so use a mobile or home rig for the uplink if possible.

Ideally you want a circular polarized yagi aimed at the ISS, and one of the Arrow handheld antennas would be useful if you have one. If not, a vertical antenna may be the next best bet. Verticals spread the signal horizontally and limit the signal vertically but the ISS is frequently at relatively low elevations (i.e., not directly overhead) so a vertical antenna may work well.

Finally you need to know when to listen for the ISS. The heavens-above website<https://heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=25544> shows upcoming ISS passes. Two things to note – first you need to enter your latitude and longitude into the upper-right user box to get the passes over your location. Also, the ISS page defaults to show only visible passes, but you want all passes so check that button.

Finally, if you ARE successful and you’ve heard those wonderful words “Welcome to the International Space Station” from Kjell  you’ll certainly want that ISS QSL card so send your card to the ARISS<https://www.ariss.org/qsl-cards.html> QSL Manager.

Good luck hunting the ISS.

73 de Jon WB2MNF