January 07, 2020

ARISS Next-Generation Radio System Ready for Launch

January 07, 2020/ Colin Butler

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) reports that its first Interoperable Radio System (IORS) flight unit — serial number 1001 — has been delivered to NASA’s Johnson Space Center for launch in early March. The IORS represents the first major upgrade in ARISS equipment on the International Space Station since Amateur Radio gained a permanent presence onboard the ISS in 2000. In December, ARISS received approval from NASA Safety to launch the IORS on SpaceX CRS-20 and stow the radio system on the ISS for future installation.

January 06, 2020

Special Event Operating Tip: ID Once an Hour When Using a 1×1 Call→

January 06, 2020/ Dan Romanchik

On the CWops mailing list, we’ve been talking about the use of special event callsigns. One fellow noted:

Operators using US 1×1 calls are required to identify with their own call periodically … every hour I think.

I honestly didn’t know this, so just to be sure, I looked it up. Here’s the rule:

Section 97.119 (d). When transmitting in conjunction with an event of special significance, a station may substitute for its assigned call sign a special event call sign as shown for that station for that period of time on the common data base coordinated, maintained and disseminated by the special event call sign data base coordinators. Additionally, the station must transmit its assigned call sign at least once per hour during such transmissions.