Tag Archives: ISS

Education and Training, Featured, General, Newsletter, Space, Youth Activities

A Day Of Firsts For ARISS

Last Thursday, April 30th, 2020  was a day of firsts for the ARISS program and for us here. The COVID-19 situation has forced changes to be made in the way that schools and other groups contact astronauts onboard the ISS. The pandemic has also made it impossible to access many of the ARISS telebridge stations worldwide.

We hosted the first ARISS arranged Multi-Point Telebridge contact with students in the Northern VA School Group and Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR aboard the ISS. The contact was a success and we learned a great deal as we provided in a new format for ARISS contacts.

ARISS First #1 – We’re A New Telebridge Station

Firsts for ARISS - Ready for Our ISS Contact
Ready for Our ISS Contact

We added Telebridge capability to our space communications ground station here in New Hampshire. This involved adding a telephone patch capability to our station and a UPS to the power supply for our station. With all of the tests complete and the station preparation checked one last time before our schedule contact, we were ready!

ARISS First #2 – New Multi-Point Telebridge Format for ARISS

The COVID-19 situation is preventing most schools from assembling in a group for their contacts with the ISS. ARISS created a new, Multi-Point Telebridge format which allows students and their teacher to participate in a contact with an astronaut aboard the ISS from their homes. The new format created additional audio and coordination challenges among the students who participated in our contact.

We practiced the new format with the students multiple times before our actual contact. As a result, the students did a great job during their contact.

ARISS First #3 – Inaugural ARISS YouTube Livestream

With the help of Steve Rys, KB1VYD, ARISS created a live, multi-sourced video feed of the pre-contact program and the actual contact with the ISS.

Firsts for ARISS - Pre-Contact Program
Pre-Contact Program (Playing on the laptop in the foreground)

The live stream included audio from our station, the Moderator for the contact (John Kludt, K4SQC), Chris on-board the ISS, the students, and Kathy Lamont, KM4TAY, their teacher.

ISS Contact Livesream to YouTube

The video portion of the program included videos that explained how the contact was arranged and works, a live video of our antennas as they tracked the ISS, the student’s questions, and a view of the ISS track as it passed overhead.

The live YouTube video stream went extremely well and was well received by over 300 viewers during our contact making it the most widely enjoyed firsts for ARISS on this day.

First #4 – Chris Cassidy’s First Contact From The ISS

First for ARISS - Our Astronaut, Chris Cassady
Our Astronaut, Chris Cassady, KF5KDR

The Northern VA School Group contact was Chris’ first from aboard the ISS. Chris had trained for the contact on the ground before his flight to the ISS.

Unbeknownst to Chris and the rest of us, there had been a reconfiguration of the radio equipment we would be using for our contact on the ISS. As a result of this, Chris had trouble getting the Amateur Radio for our contact going on the ISS. We did not make contact with him until some time after the ISS was over our location.

Calling the ISS
Calling the ISS for our contact

Once we got the problem sorted out, Chris came through loud and clear. He was able to answer several of the student’s questions before the ISS disappeared over the horizon.

What Comes Next

Our contact proved the effectiveness of the new ARISS Multi-point Telebridge format. It also proved-in the operation of our Telebridge Station here in New Hampshire. This was a great outcome given all of the Firsts for ARISS that were involved.

Additional Telebridge stations around the world will be hosting school contacts using the new format in the near future. We are looking forward to continuing to support the ARISS program via additional Teleridge contacts from our station.

Fred, AB1OC

 

 

Featured, General, On The Air, Space, Youth Activities

Listen to the ISS Contact Scheduled for April 30th, 2020

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 We have successfully tested the ISS Telebridge capabilities here at our station. ARISS has scheduled a Multipoint Telebridge a school contact using our Ground Station for Thursday, April 30th beginning at 13:35 UTC (9:35 am Eastern Time). The Multipoint Telebridge format enables the students to contact the ISS from their homes via telephone connections…

Source: Listen to the ISS Contact Scheduled for April 30th, 2020

After two successful tests of the Telebridge/Phone Patch capabilities here at our station, we are ready to support a school contact! ARISS has scheduled a Multipoint Telebridge contact using our station for next Thursday.

We’ve added some upgrades to our Space Communications Ground station to accommodate ARISS contacts with the ISS. The additions include:

  • A Phone Patch
  • A UPS Backup the Station’s Equipment and Computer

You can learn more about the contact and how to listen in via the link above.

Fred, AB1OC

Featured, General, Newsletter, Space, Station Equipment

Out Of This World Phone Patch

 I have joined the ARISS Program as a Mentor to help schools make contacts with astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS). School contacts as part of the ARISS program can take two forms – Direct Contacts and Telebridge Contacts. We have recently added Phone Patch capability to the Satellite Ground Station here….

Source: Satellite Station 4.0 Part 11 – Phone Patch/Telebridge Capability

Did you ever wonder how a Telephone Patch device is used? Back in the day, it was common for Amateur Radio operators to help families talk to their relatives and service members overseas over the air. This was done by first establishing a radio link to a foreign Amateur Radio station. Next, the Hams involved connected third party family members to each other via local telephone connections so they could speak.

A device called a Phone Patch was used to make the connections between the Amateur Radio Transceivers and the local telephone lines.

Out Of This World Phone Patch

International Space Station - ISS Slow Scan TV
International Space Station

We still use Telephone Patch devices to enable Schools to make contact with the International Space Station. This type of contact is called a Telebridge. A school can make a  Telebridge Contact with an astronaut on board the ISS using a telephone connection to an Amateur Radio Ground Station in a different location. A Phone Patch is used to make the connection between the school and the remote Ground Station.

We’ve added a Phone Patch to our Satellite Station here to support our work with ARISS. We will use it to test school audio systems as they prepare to make contact with the ISS via Telebridge. Click on the link above to learn more about how a Phone Patch is used to make a Telebridge Contact.

Fred, AB1OC

Radio Amateurs Developing Skills Worldwide