From ARRL: Two Astronauts Get Their Ham Ticket

From ARRL:  Two Astronauts Get Their Ham Ticket - 03/31/2011

 

Even though they aren’t scheduled to go to the International Space Station (ISS) until 2013, two astronauts -- Chris Cassidy and Luca Parmitano -- are now licensed amateurs. Cassidy, who received the call sign KF5KDR, is scheduled to head to the ISS in March 2013 as part of Expedition 35. Parmitano, who is KF5KDP, goes up three months later in May, as part of Expedition 36.

“Our aim is to have at least one crew member licensed and trained in on-air protocol, who is somewhat excited about ham radio and the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station program (ARISS), per expedition,” explained ARRL ARISS Program Manager Rosalie White, K1STO. NASA ISS Ham Radio Project Engineer Kenneth Ransom, N5VHO, told the ARRL that both Cassidy and Parmitano are “excited and interested in the educational aspects of Amateur Radio on board the ISS.”

Currently, there are three Russian cosmonauts, two US astronauts -- Ronald Garan, KF5GPO, and Catherine Coleman, KC5ZTH -- and one Italian astronaut on board the ISS as part of Expedition 28. Alexander Kaleri, U8MIR, and Oleg Skripochka, RN3FU are Russian; Paolo Nespoli, IZ0JPA, is from Italy. In June 2011, a new crew -- Expedition 29 -- reports to the ISS: Michael Fossum, KF5AQG; Sergei Volkov, RU3DIS, and Satoshi Furukawa, KE5DAW. This crew will join Coleman, Nespoli and Dimitri Kondratyev. According to the ISS schedule, at least three hams will be on board the ISS at the same time through the end of 2012.

Ransom told the ARRL that he is especially excited for Expedition 29 launch. “Mike Fossum is a Scoutmaster with a Boy Scout troop here in Houston,” he said. “We are hoping that he will be active making Amateur Radio contacts with Scouts all around the world while on the ISS. The World Scout Jamboree is in Sweden this year in July and August, and Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) is near the end of his mission. Hopefully, he will be available for both events, giving Scouts an exciting QSO from space.”

TAGS: amateur, amateur radio, ariss, ARRL ARISS Program, astronaut, boy scout troop, international space station, Manager Rosalie, Oleg Skripochka

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The University of Louisiana at Monroe Students Earn Amateur Radio Licenses

Article from the TheNewsStar.com

The University of Louisiana at Monroe Amateur Radio Club

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Ham Radios Find Place in High-Tech World

Interesting Article On Ham Radio by Jon Rabiroff (Stars & Stripes)
By Jon Rabiroff
rabiroffj@pstripes.osd.mil
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 27, 2011

 

SEOUL — Ham radios once played a key role in the operations of the U.S. military before fading into the background with the arrival of better and more accessible forms of communication like cell phones, the Internet and Skype.

But just when you start to think ham radios might go the way of rotary phones, 8-track tape players and phonographs, disaster strikes and the old war horses of communications fill a void in the response to emergencies.

Ham radio operators were widely credited with helping with emergency communications in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina. Sixteen days ago when an earthquake and tsunamis devastated Japan, ham radio hobbyists and their outdated technology once again got involved in reconnecting families and guiding emergency aid where it was most needed.

“In the fairly early stages after the earthquake, several radio amateurs were able to activate their stations with car batteries or small-engine generators,” Japan Amateur Radio League International Section Manager Ken Yamamoto said in an e-mail to Stars and Stripes. “They transmitted rescue requests and information on the disaster situation, including refugee centers and their needs and/or the availability of basic infrastructures, like electricity, water and gas supplies.”

Yamamoto said information gathered from ham radio operators in the hardest hit areas of the country was “reported to the rescue and disaster relief organizations for their appropriate deployment.”

Radio equipment manufacturers distributed hundreds of transceivers for use at relief and refugee centers, he said, which “should help ... to facilitate smooth and appropriate delivery of disaster-relief goods.”

In some cases, ham radio operators also helped anxious people around the world find out about the welfare of loved ones in Japan.

Trevor Jones of British Columbia, Canada, called embassies and checked social media websites immediately after the earthquake, checking on the welfare of his son, Jonathon, but it was the ham radio of Jonathon’s grandfather that played a key role in reconnecting him with the 32-year-old English teacher in Sendai, according to the Montreal Gazette.
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“I think they’ve forgotten about ham radios,” Trevor Jones is quoted in the Gazette. “If you went back to the time when I was 32 years old, that was the only system that wouldn’t break down.”

Military connection...

Ham radio may be a dying form of communication, but amateur-radio hobbyists don’t want any static about their passion — one that appears to have a significant following among members of the U.S. military.

“I will be the first to admit that using ham radio to communicate is far from being the most efficient means of communication,” said U.S. Army Maj. Scott Hedberg, a ham-radio operator based at Camp Red Cloud in South Korea. “I think you can best look at it like, ‘Why do people go horseback riding or ride bikes? Isn’t there a more efficient way to get from A to Z?’

“Sure, but it is the enjoyment of the journey that is the key.”

There are still references in military regulations to ham radio use. For example, U.S. Forces Korea regulations state that, “When directed, amateur radio operators will assist in providing communications for all types of disaster and will work with various relief agencies as necessary.”

However, Hedberg said, “Just based on the robust communications we have here today ... I would think it would have to be fairly extreme circumstances, from a military standpoint, that they would be coming to me for any sort of assistance.”

That has not stopped hobbyists — they number “in the hundreds” among active troops, Hedberg said — from spending their off hours spinning dials and connecting worldwide with others with a passion for the technology and quaintness of ham radio conversations.

Richard A. Bartlett, the 90-year-old author of “The World of Ham Radio, 1901-1950: A Social History,” said, “Morse code may be disappearing and hams declining in numbers, but what of the innovators?

“I think the curious, highly intelligent radio gadgeteer deserves a viable place in our society, including the military. Ham radio, in its social aspects, provides these bright, inquisitive people with contacts, rivalries, challenges and, yes, friends with similar interests.

“It would be tragic for their wonderful hobby to disappear.”

Still needed...

For now, the hobby does not appear to be on its last legs: Today, there are an estimated 2 million ham radio enthusiasts around the world.

Hedberg explained there are a number of reasons people are still attracted to the ham radio hobby, despite the arrival of easier and more advanced forms of communication.

“Just the challenge involved,” he said. “It takes a little bit to get everything set up right. There’s a little bit of magic involved. Just being able to talk from here back to the United States is pretty cool.

“Can I pick up a phone and do that? Sure I can,” he continued. “It’s a tougher journey getting there, but I get a lot more satisfaction doing that.”

Bartlett said, “Computers and the World Wide Web are wonderful, but dedicated hams are still necessary in times of disaster. They are the initial contacts in cases of natural disasters. Ham members of clubs contact ham members of other clubs. Club members spell their ham brothers during disasters when they are on the air 24 hours or more at a time. Their contributions are vital.”

Hall said when disaster strikes, things like cell phones and Skype are not necessarily going to work.

For a ham radio operator to connect to the world, he said, “All you need is a car battery and a coat hanger, and you can ‘MacGyver’ it.”

Yamamoto said one of the lessons learned through the disaster in Japan is that, “Radio amateurs should have periodic training for well-controlled and reliable disaster communications, even in chaotic situations.

“Amateur radio clubs should coordinate their roles in disaster situations with local rescue and disaster relief organizations, and emergency medical centers,” he said.

Bartlett closed his book with a plea to readers to introduce their children to the world of ham radios.

“You will be doing not only your son or daughter a favor but, indirectly, the world at large,” he wrote.
__________

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Tools for Repairing Marine - Naval Sextants

We stock Bristol Spline Keys for the repair of Link A-12 Bubble Sextant.  Most of our 'sextant' customers purchase the Bristol SS-508 - 9-Piece Spline L-Key Wrench Set.

The correct Bristol wrench size to fill the bubble assembly is the third largest one available in the SS-508 SPLINE KEY KIT. It is the 4 flutes key number S-076-4. The largest key of this kit, the S-111-6, is also the best suited wrench to slacken the index mirror fastening screw on its axis in order to perform the index error coarse adjustment.

Link to Handbook for Link A-12 Bubble Sextant (Octant) - 1942

Tags: Sextant, Naval, Marine, Boating, Spline, Wrench, Flute, Bristol, L-Key, Screwdriver, WWII, Bubble, Link, A-12, A12, 1942, World War II, Octant, Handbook, Manual

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We have a customer looking to buy several IL-4/GRA-4 Military Radio Long Wire HF Dipole Antenna Center Insulators.  If you have this item please contact us at sales@testparts.com. NSN: 4970-00-405-8223.

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Thomson, GA - 29-March-2011 – TestParts.com has added several new items to it's already extensive offering of RF microwave parts.  Below you will find links to the newest items.

• SKU #97814 - SMA Female Panel Flange Mount 4-Hole Square Connector
• SKU #97247 - BNC-Male to F-Male Coaxial Adapter / Connector
• SKU #97245 - N-Female to F-Female Coaxial Adapter / Connector
• SKU #97270 - RCA-Plug to F-Female Coaxial Adapter / Connector
• SKU #98509 - N-Female to RP-SMA-Male Coaxial Adapter / Connector
• SKU #98506 - BNC-Female to RP-SMA-Female Coaxial Adapter / Connector
• SKU #98902 - SMA-Male to RP-TNC-Female Coaxial Adapter / Connector
• Microphone Plugs for Amateur Radio (Ham Radio)

Established in 2002, TestParts.com sells quality RF-Microwave parts to the telecom industry, the military, intuitions of higher learning, amateur radio operators and many others. The company routinely stocks more than 35,000 RF parts including coaxial adapters, connectors, and cables.

  
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TestParts.com - Fixed Coaxial Attenuators

Online PR News – 25-March-2011 –TestParts.com has added several new fixed coaxial attenuators to its already extensive offering of RF microwave parts. The attenuators are available with attenuation of 1 to 30 dB with a frequency range of DC-6 GHz, DC-12.4 GHz and DC-18 GHz. Power ratings of 1-Watt, 2-Watts, and 5-Watts. Available with BNC, SMA, and Type N coaxial connectors.


These coaxial attenuators display very tight tolerances in the broad DC to 18 GHz band, and each family contains 15 models with nominal attenuation from 1 to 10dB in 1dB steps, plus 12, 15, 20, 30, and 40dB values. At 25°C ambient, the 5-watt models have the ability to handle 5 watts average power (derate linearly to 2W at 100°C), while the 2-watt models are made for 2 watt circuits (derate linearly to 0.5W at 100°C). Peak power for both 5 and 2 watt units is 125 watts maximum. The 5 and 2 watt ratings are very helpful in handling the needs of today’s communication requirements. At 25°C, accuracy is ±0.40dB for the 1 through 6dB models, ±0.60dB for 7 to 20dB units, and ±0.85dB for the 30 and 40dB attenuators. Accuracy specifications include power and frequency variations up to 12.4 GHz. Above 12.4 GHz, add 0.5dB (typ) to accuracy. By maintaining low variation of attenuation with power and frequency, time consuming recalibrations in precision measurement set-ups are very minimal or nil. VSWR is excellent at 1.15:1 typical, which means these precision attenuators can be calibrated out very easily so as not to affect the device under test (VSWR and attenuation vs. frequency curves for 3, 6, 10, 20, and 30dB attenuation shown in Figure 2). Operating temperature range is -55°C to +100°C, as is storage temperature.


Established in 2002, TestParts.com sells quality RF-Microwave parts to the telecom industry, the military, intuitions of higher learning, amateur radio operators and many others. The company routinely stocks more than 35,000 RF parts including coaxial adapters, connectors, and cables.


Source: Online PR Media

  
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