[QCWA] Special News Bulletin From Chapter 151

[ve6afo at rac.ca]

This Is A Special News Bulletin From QCWA Wild Rose Chapter 151 

This is one of those moments where I can say I am proud to be president of QCWA 
Wild Rose Chapter 151. Why? As the sponsoring organization we agreed to assist 
with an ARISS application in order for school kids to talk with the licensed 
amateur radio astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS). We are 
pleased to announce that after approximately 17 months this will come to 
fruition on December 02, 2005 beginning at 17:59 UTC. For almost 2 months we 
have known that our scheduled contact with the ISS was getting closer. At 
first, the week of November 28th was selected but, we still had not known the 
exact date until now. 

This is all taking place at the Ralph McCall School in Airdrie, AB, a first for 
Alberta to talk with the astronauts on the ISS. This is where Brian Jackson, 
VE6JBJ teaches a grade five class. This contact will be one of Brian Jackson's 
dream come true. Licensed for less than 2 years, he has enthusiastically 
instilled amateur radio into his classroom. Along with this he has worked with 
QCWA Chapter 151 to bring two schools on board with the Radio Amateurs of 
Canada Youth Education Program. All of this has been beneficial both for Brian, 
the 2 schools and Chapter 151!   

A team of ~12 volunteers have been working furiously on weekends setting up 
antennas on the school roof as well install other related radio equipment. ISS 
Operations require a backup system for most everything - like antennas, radios, 
computers, etc. Alfa Radio in Edmonton have been most generous in loaning us a 
brand new AlfaSpid Az/El rotor with cable, as well coax cable. The AlfaSpid 
rotor will be driven by a satellite tracking program via a computer for 
automatic tracking of the Space Station. 

Now that we have an exact date - our contact with the ISS will attract 
considerable media attention. To date we have learned that the CBC will be on 
site and plan to do a "live feed" as well provide a clip for the local news. If 
we are lucky we might even make the National. Watch the evening news and local 
news papers for all this. 

For all amateur radio operators and short wave listening enthusiasts - we plan 
to have a live simulcast audio feed to the IRLP Discovery Reflector (9010). 
There is also a Livestream Audio link on their web page at 

http://www.discoveryreflector.ca for those who are unable to listen in via 
IRLP. 

Please note that there may be a delay of 5 to 10 minutes for this audio stream 
after the start of the actual contact. 

Locally the Calgary Amateur Radio Association is helping with a plan to 
possibly put a temporary IRLP link to repeater VE6RYC on 146.850 - 600 or make 
some changes to repeater VE6REC on 147.210 + 600 for a more robust connection. 
If you have the time tune in! 

73, 

Ken Oelke, VE6AFO 
President 
QCWA Wild Rose Chapter 151 
http://www.qsl.net/ve6afo
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