Ham-TV on the International Space Station (ISS)

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) organization is continuing to explore the possibility of establishing a network of ground stations to enable the use of the Ham TV video system during ARISS school contacts

Kerry Banke, N6IZW, who works on ARISS hardware issues, reported that a document under development will describe just what is required to build a ground station. He and ARISS International Project Selection & Use Committee representative Lou McFadin, W5DID, have successfully received Ham TV transmissions.

The officers elected for new 2-year terms starting on 1st January 2015 were ARISS Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO; ARISS Vice-Chair Oliver Amend, DG6BCE, and ARISS Secretary-Treasurer Rosalie White, K1STO.

More information - http://www.arrl.org/news/ariss-discusses-ham-tv-elects-new-international-officers

Minutes from the ARISS International 18 November 2014 meeting - http://www.ariss.org/meeting-minutes/november-2014

Youngsters On The Air

This December 2014, the UK will be active with a station for YOTA Month for the very first time

The special event callsign G14YOTA and its regional variations will be active for 18 days in December. It is hoped hundreds of youngsters will be speaking on the stations and this will, hopefully, encourage more people to join local radio clubs and sign up on the Foundation course to get their own radio licence.

If you hear a YOTA callsign on the air then please make contact and have a chat with the young people that are on the air.

YOTA continues to grow in popularity, with an additional 35 special callsigns active for 2014, covering Europe, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.

RSGB schedule for G14YOTA activation - http://rsgb.org/main/about-us/committees/youth-committee/youngsters-on-the-air/

Twitter - @YOTA_UK

Teenager wins prize with Morse code

The Google Science Fair 2014 Voter's Choice Award has been won by 16-year old Arsh Dilbagi from India

His winning device called 'Talk' converts short and long breaths of air into electrical signals, that enables people to communicate in Morse code.

Arsh, who trialled the low cost device on a hospital patient in New Delhi, was rewarded with a $10,000 prize from Google to further develop the product.

Find out more about Arsh Dilbagi Talk Project - https://www.googlesciencefair.com/projects/en/2014/dde56de014edae3e9516ac84d426641f372ba076d6f6b60a4809306f43b58bc6