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Author Topic: ISS with Crossband repeater!  (Read 1789 times)

Offline ThaDood

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ISS with Crossband repeater!
« on: September 03, 2020, 1910 UTC »
I wasn't too sure to either put this under Satellite, or here, in Amateur Radio. So, I tossed a coin, and here it is:

ARISS News Release No. 20-13


September 2, 2020—The ARISS team is pleased to announce that set up and installation of the first element of our next generation radio system was completed and amateur radio operations with it are now underway. This first element, dubbed the InterOperable Radio System (IORS), was installed in the International Space Station Columbus module. The IORS replaces the Ericsson radio system and packet module that were originally certified for spaceflight on July 26, 2000.

Initial operation of the new radio system is in FM cross band repeater mode using an uplink frequency of 145.99 MHz with an access tone of 67 Hz and a downlink frequency of 437.800 MHz. System activation was first observed at 01:02 UTC on September 2. Special operations will continue to be announced.

The IORS was launched from Kennedy Space Center on March 6, 2020 on board the SpaceX CRS-20 resupply mission. It consists of a special, space-modified JVC Kenwood D710GA transceiver, an ARISS developed multi-voltage power supply and interconnecting cables. The design, development, fabrication, testing, and launch of the first IORS was an incredible five-year engineering achievement accomplished by the ARISS hardware volunteer team. It will enable new, exciting capabilities for ham radio operators, students, and the general public. Capabilities include a higher power radio, voice repeater, digital packet radio (APRS) capabilities and a Kenwood VC-H1 slow scan television (SSTV) system.

A second IORS undergoes flight certification and will be launched later for installation in the Russian Service module. This second system enables dual, simultaneous operations, (e.g. voice repeater and APRS packet), providing diverse opportunities for radio amateurs. It also provides on-orbit redundancy to ensure continuous operations in the event of an IORS component failure.

Next-gen development efforts continue. For the IORS, parts are being procured and a total of ten systems are being fabricated to support flight, additional flight spares, ground testing and astronaut training. Follow-on next generation radio system elements include an L-band repeater uplink capability, currently in development, and a flight Raspberry-Pi, dubbed “ARISS-Pi,” that is just beginning the design phase. The ARISS-Pi promises operations autonomy and enhanced SSTV operations.

ARISS is run almost entirely by volunteers, and with the help of generous contributions from ARISS sponsors and individuals. Donations to the ARISS program for next generation hardware developments, operations, education, and administration are welcome -- please go to  www.ariss.org  to contribute to these efforts.
(Cool!!!! I have the same dual band rig. Happy ISS DX'ing!!!!)
I was asked, yet another weird question, of how I would like to be buried, when I finally bite the big one. The answer was actually pretty easy. Face-down, like a certain historical figure in the late 1980's, (I will not mention who, but some of you will get it, and that's enough.) Why??? It would be a burial that will satisfy everyone: (1) My enemies will say that it will show me where to go. (2) On the same point, I can have my enemies kiss my butt. (3) It will temporarily give someone a place to park a bicycle. See??? A WIN / WIN for everyone.

Offline chanito

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Re: ISS with Crossband repeater!
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2020, 2111 UTC »
This is awesome, but it will be abused by the bigger satellite stations who will commandeer the passes from horizon to horizon every pass like every other FM bird. Miss the days when I could hit the shuttle or ISS with a handheld.
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Offline MDK2

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Re: ISS with Crossband repeater!
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2020, 1824 UTC »
So far I've had trouble receiving the downlink. Someone suggested that a 5 W signal (the repeater's output power) on 70cm will be weaker than a 5 W signal on 2m, which I really have no idea if that's true or not. But I do notice a big difference compared to when they're transmitting SSTV on 145.800 which always rings in clear, even if the pass is low. Is the SSTV also sent at 5 W?
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Offline ThaDood

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Re: ISS with Crossband repeater!
« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2020, 1852 UTC »
If you need more gain on 437MHz, as long as you are using a separate antennas for VHF / UHF, cheap TV receiver preamps work well there. Just make sure that they are spec'ed for UHF, as there are a lot of 'VHF Only' preamps as well. And, as long as you are not near a noisy-ass 450MHz pager, (Yes, they still exist where I am.), that should work well. 
I was asked, yet another weird question, of how I would like to be buried, when I finally bite the big one. The answer was actually pretty easy. Face-down, like a certain historical figure in the late 1980's, (I will not mention who, but some of you will get it, and that's enough.) Why??? It would be a burial that will satisfy everyone: (1) My enemies will say that it will show me where to go. (2) On the same point, I can have my enemies kiss my butt. (3) It will temporarily give someone a place to park a bicycle. See??? A WIN / WIN for everyone.

Offline MDK2

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Re: ISS with Crossband repeater!
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2020, 2235 UTC »
If you need more gain on 437MHz, as long as you are using a separate antennas for VHF / UHF, cheap TV receiver preamps work well there. Just make sure that they are spec'ed for UHF, as there are a lot of 'VHF Only' preamps as well. And, as long as you are not near a noisy-ass 450MHz pager, (Yes, they still exist where I am.), that should work well.

Good tip, thanks for that.
Denver, CO.
SDRPlay RSPdx & RSP2pro, Airspy Discovery HF+, Icom IC-7100, Grundig Satellit 750, Realistic DX-300, Tecsun PL-600.
MLA-30 active loop, G5RV dipole.
eQSLs appreciated wickerjennie at gmail

Offline ThaDood

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Re: ISS with Crossband repeater! Is it down?
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2020, 1820 UTC »
From KE8ODG:     "I can’t remember who spoke about not being able to hear the ISS. So, I’ll post here.
If you click the link below it will show all the available satellites. The ISS has been reported offline for the past few days. You can also click on the numbers in each column and see the reports. Below that, you can also report on them.

https://www.amsat.org/status/

Hope this helps, KE8ODG"
Yeah... Come to think of it, I haven't heard ISS for a while on 437.800MHz FM, either.
I was asked, yet another weird question, of how I would like to be buried, when I finally bite the big one. The answer was actually pretty easy. Face-down, like a certain historical figure in the late 1980's, (I will not mention who, but some of you will get it, and that's enough.) Why??? It would be a burial that will satisfy everyone: (1) My enemies will say that it will show me where to go. (2) On the same point, I can have my enemies kiss my butt. (3) It will temporarily give someone a place to park a bicycle. See??? A WIN / WIN for everyone.

 

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