RadCom April 2024, Vol. 100, No. 4

Report April 2024 37 STEM/STEAM subjects by offering a unique opportunity for pupils to talk to astronauts in orbit on the International Space Station through the medium of amateur radio. Outside of these school contacts, ARISS offers amateur radio facilities to the worldwide amateur community as well as competitions such as the successful SSTV events that are run throughout the year. Educational Contacts: 2023 saw an active year for ARISS in the UK. Following the 2022 ‘random’ contacts that were made by astronaut Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS, who activated the voice repeater during his mission onboard the ISS, a very successful ARISS school contact was held at the school of St Peter-In-Thanet CE Junior School, Broadstairs, Kent. This is the school that young Isabella Payne attends. Isabella is the young girl who, with her father Matthew, M0LMK, achieved notable media coverage of her ‘random’ contact with Kjell Lindgren during the summer of 2022. The contact at Broadstairs featured in the January 2024 issue of RadCom . This highlighted the extensive work that Hilderstone Radio Society; Matthew, M0LMK; and John, G7OHO carried out in preparation for the contact and is a model for other schools wishing to apply for an ARISS contact. New developments: the Interoperable Radio System, or IORS, is now firmly established in both the Columbus and Russian Service Module. The Columbus Module radio uses the callsign NA1SS and the new Service Module radio uses RS0ISS. Aside from the callsigns, the radios are identical and packet operations are the same as before. You can use RS0ISS, ARISS, or APRSAT as the packet path. Also, both radios are expected to be on full time, except during educational contacts, extravehicular activities, and dockings or undockings. Details of the current mode, plus any upcoming changes to it are regularly posted online at https://www.ariss.org/current- status-of-iss-stations.html The new IORS, pictured here installed in the Columbus Module and operated by astronaut Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR, has seen a significant uptake in use when in the cross-band repeater and packet modes with many reports of users making QSOs. As ever, competition to use the cross-band repeater is high on most passes so not all attempts have been successful. ARISS recommends a maximum uplink power of no more than 25W ERP ( 5W to a 7dBi gain antenna) to access the repeater or the packet system. The installation and commissioning of the IORS is the result of several years of effort to build a new power supply suitable for use on either the US or Russian segments as well as a common radio solution that will give much flexibility in terms of crew training and operational capabilities. The HamTV unit still remains on earth at the moment undergoing testing after its failure in orbit in 2018. After extensive testing and the fitting of additional filters to satisfy new NASA/ISS emissions requirements, the HamTV unit now looks set to be flown and installed again in 2024. Looking to the future: 2024 will hopefully see the planning and carrying out of several ARISS contacts in the UK. More details on the contacts will be released closer to time as they are confirmed by NASA and the participating space agencies. 2024 also sees the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the first use of amateur radio in human space flight. This will be in the form of a special gathering at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, in February, and will feature many of the notable names and faces of those who worked to get Owen Garriott, W5LFL operational from the Columbia Shuttle STS-9 mission. It will also cover the SAREX, SAFEX, MIREX and ARISS programmes spanning the Shuttle, MIR and ISS years and hear from astronauts and other notable figures who have worked to make amateur radio in human space flight a reality. Ciaran Morgan, M0XTD ciaran.morgan@rsgb.org.uk Awards Manager The Operating Awards Manager receives and validates applications for the various awards available from the RSGB, encompassing HF and V/UHF operating. While validating applications, it is sometimes necessary to explain to applicants the details of award requirements and the application process, especially in respect of the requirements for QSLs or card-checking. It should be noted that the Awards Manager does not need to be sent QSL cards in the post to support applications. He is quite happy to received scanned images of the cards, or set up a short Microsoft Teams or Zoom call to check them visually. The Awards Manager is also required to promote the awards schemes and look for opportunities to develop the Society’s offering in this area, liaising with other teams, where activities cross boundaries. In 2023, we significantly revised the Foundation Awards, to make them more achievable by people who were HF- or VHF-only operators, and to be more progressive. We have also changed the rules for Short Wave Listener Award applications, recognising that Logbook of the World does not cater for listener reports. Now we will accept confirmations via eQSL for listener reports to support awards for heard stations, eg the IARU Region 1 award for stations heard (rather than worked) and confirmed. Last year (2023) saw the total number of awards issued improve on the previous year’s total, but not quite reach that of 2020. We are probably at a fairly normal level, given that 2020 and 2021 saw a significant jump in awards issued on the back of evidently increased operating activity during pandemic lockdowns and working from home. We did have a reduced number of VHF award applications compared to previous years. On the other hand, there was a big jump in Foundation awards since these were revised mid-year, and an increase in Radio Surfer awards related to a project that was run. The Coronation Awards were very popular, especially with non-UK stations. Out of 187 certificates issued in total, 67 went to UK stations and 37 to German stations, amongst a total of 23 countries that were represented in the award applications. By any consideration, this was a successful activity and very enjoyable to both participate in and The Interoperable Radio System, or IORS operated by astronaut Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR.