The arrival of a new 2-meter handheld transceiver at the
International Space Station has allowed theresumption of packet radio
digipeater operation on 145.825 MHz. The ARRL
Letter reports that the packet station had moved to 70 centimeters after
the very old Ericsson VHF handheld failed. Amateur Radio on the International
Space Station (ARISS) voice contacts with schools were moved from the U.S.
Columbus module to a Kenwood transceiver in the Russian Service Module.
Installation of the new 2-meter HT has allowed digipeater operation to resume
on VHF. It is unclear whether ARISS voice contacts have also moved back to the Columbus module.
On the subject of the ISS, current expedition Commander
Peggy Whitson, ex-KC5ZTD, recently set a new record for time in space by any
American astronaut, breaking the 534-day cumulative record previously set by
Astronaut Jeff Williams, KD5TVQ. On a previous ISS mission, Whitson conducted
numerous ham radio contacts with school groups under the ARISS program, but
subsequently let her amateur license lapse.
