ISS Ham Station Upgrade

The International Space Station (NASA photo)

Long-awaited upgrades to the amateur radio equipment on the International Space Station have been completed, giving hams additional opportunities to use the station as an orbiting repeater. The ISS cross-band repeater (2 meters up, 70 centimeters down) is now active 24/7, except during spacewalks, ARISS school contacts or docking. Plus, the APRS/packet digipeater (2-meter simplex) is active full-time as well. 

In a related story, the “NASA on the Air” program continues its series of special event operations from various NASA facilities around the county. Details on both will be in the October issue of CQ.