By Miles Mann WF1F, MAREX-NA (Manned Amateur Radio Experiment, North American Division)

MIR Status: Soyuz TM-30 is launched.
The manned Soyuz TM-30 was launched today  en rout to the Space Station Mir. The new  crew consists of Cosmonauts Sergei Zaletin and Alexander Kaleri.   The Mir crew is expected to dock with Mir in proximally 48 hours.  This mission is scheduled to last 70 days.  However there is the option of extending the mission a few extra months.

Mir Amateur Radio Status:
If all goes as planned the Mir Amateur Radio station may be reactivated between April 7 - 12 on 145.985 FM Simplex (Voice, Packet and SSTV). We are looking into the possibility of changing the frequency from 145.985 to 145.990 later this summer. The IARU has asked us to review the new frequency information. The ARISS meeting in the Netherlands was too short to get into any frequency discussions for Mir. I would like to get some real-time data from the Mir crew on the interference levels they are currently experiencing with 145.985 FM simplex. This will help us better evaluate the IARU 145.990 proposed move.

Mir School Schedules:
MAREX-NA is planning on running a Mir school schedule, possibly as early as April this year. The MAREX-NA team received a FAX from RSC Energia authorizing the Schools schedules planned. Of course all school schedules are biased on the availability of the Mir crew. If the crew work load is too high, then the school schedules are pushed back until the crew's have more free time.
The exact date of the April school like will be chosen after the Mir crew moves into Mir and evaluates their work load. We are also looking into to the possibility of running the Audio Live over the WEB so that many schools around the world can listen to the Mir / school Amateur Radio link. I will publish more information on the Web audio later. 
The audio web link format we will try to use will be similar to the web audio at the MSNBC audio web link below. You may want to test your current browser to see if it is compatible with the msnbc system. We still have many more details to work out with the web audio link.
Please stay tuned for more updates.
http://www.msnbc.com/m/lv/default.asp

SSTV:
In a few weeks the Mir Space Station may be activating the amateur radio projects, including the MAREX-NA SSTV project. The International Space Station (Alpha) may also be installing a new MAREX-NA SSTV called SpaceCam1 system as early as Q4 2000. Now is the time to start getting your satellite station ready to transmit and receive Slow Scan Television signals. I have provided a few web links, which can help you, get your satellite station ready to receive SSTV images.
The tentative SSTV/Packet Mir broadcast school is:

Saturday, Sunday and Monday SSTV. 145.985 FM Simplex
Tuesday - Friday 1200 baud AX.25 Packet 145.985 FM Simplex
Suggested Receiving Station for Satellite SSTV Images.

http://www.siliconpixels.com/marex/MirSSTVStation.htm

MAREX-NA home page
http://www.siliconpixels.com/marex/index.htm

SSTV Repeaters:
The MAREX-NA team has posted some information regarding testing of the new SpaceCam1 SSTV software. At the present time there is only one MAREX-NA SpaceCam1 SSTV repeater on the air, it is the one in Boston on 28.710 USB simplex. 
http://www.siliconpixels.com/marex/RepeaterOperations.htm

Mir QSL Update:
The card proofs have been sent to Energia/MAREX-RU for final approval.
We and of course we found an error in the zip code. So it is back again for another round of approvals. We hope to send the final card to the printers in April 2000. Note: We are currently out of QSL cards for the Mir Amateur Radio program.
I would like to thank you all for being patient on getting your QSL cards. We hope to begin shipping the new cards in Q2 2000. The cards we are making are just for the Mir crew QSL cards, we are not associated with any of the special event QSL cards such as Sputnik.

QSL and Diplomas:
The Engineers at MAREX-RU have asked me to query the general public on a few QSL related topics.

1. QSL Cut off date. Some day in the future, the Russian Space Station Mir will be retired. The exact date of retirement is not known. As long as the Mir station can be safely operated and afforded, the Mir program will continue. The best guess on Mir's retirement date is some where between 6 - 24 months from now.
After the last crew moves out of Mir, we will need to pick a cut-off-date for processing QSL cards for the Mir Space Station. After the cut-off-date, no more QSL cards will be officially issued for Mir. I have suggested a cut-off-date of 12 months after the official retirement date for Mir. Does this seem reasonable to the Amateur Radio community.
Your comments on this topic are welcome.

2. Mir QSL Diploma: The engineers at MAREX-RU are also interested in knowing if the Amateur Radio community is interested in getting an official Mir QSL Diploma. The rules for getting a diploma have not been chosen, but here is a rough guess. To get a diploma you would have to have made approximately 5-10 logged contacts with Mir, in any combination of modes, Packet (Mail MSG or Digi, 2-way), Voice(2-way), SSTV RX. You would need to provide photo copies of log information or SSTV images. There would be most likely be a small fee associated with the Mir QSL Diploma to cover the cost of manufacturing, handling and postal fees. I was also informed that there is a good possibility the diplomas would be hand signed by one of the Mir crew members (signature of your actual voice contact is not guaranteed ). 
This proposal is just in the theory stage to see if there is interest. And we will also need a club to spearhead this whole project and work closely with MAREX-RU, AMSAT-RU, and Energia to design and manufacture the diplomas. So, if your club has the energy to run such a project from beginning to end, please contact me.

Emal band width: To reduce the amount of bandwidth on the AMSAT reflectors, please just forward your comments directly to my address and please avoid the broad cast if possible. Thanks Miles wf1f@amsat.org
 

The MAREX-NA web page has moved to a new location. We will try to keep the page updated with the latest Mir and ISS amateur radio experiments. http://www.siliconpixels.com/marex

Copyright 2000 Miles Mann, All Rights Reserved. This document may be freely distributed via the following means - Email (including listservers), Usenet, and World-Wide-Web. It may not be reproduced for profit including, but not limited to, CD ROMs, books, and/or other commercial outlets without prior written consent from the author.
Images received from the MAREX-NA SSTV system on the Russian Space Station Mir are considered public domain and may be freely distributed, without prior permission.

DOSVIDANIYA Miles WF1F