Southgate ARC ex-pat joins in record Hawaii - ISS contact sessions

"As a 60's schoolboy SWL member of the Southgate Amateur Radio Club, the very thought of having a QSO with a Space Station would have seemed absurd, BUT on March 25th 2006 it happened ".

The QSO went like this :

NA1SS CQ....

G3SEA/KH6 QSL....

G3SEA!.. That's an unusual call sign....

Aloha Bill... This is Commander Bond addressing Commander McArthur ..
I don't want to hold it as others might like a QSO...Take care up there... Have a safe landing next week... God speed ISS....73 & Aloha....

73 & Aloha......

Ron AH6RH made a recording of the downlinks.

The bamboo and wire 3 element Yagi gave my 5 Watt Yaesu VX5RS the extra 7db necessary to be readable up there. This set up would not have been possible on the Mainland or Europe against the high powered multi element Yagis's.

73 Paul

Quadruple ISS Contact Session's set record for Hawaii's Hams

Enthusiasm generated by Ron Hashiro AH6RH at a local club meeting lecture on Space Communication's produced a State record for ISS contacts.

Expedition 12 Commander Bill McArthur exchanged warm greetings of Aloha with both veteran and new Hams across the Islands of Kauai, Oahu, Maui and Hawaii during all four sessions.

Sunday, March 5, 2006 saw the following active stations on a 19 deg pass:
AH6RH, AH7E, KH6W, KH7GN, KH6CQ, NH6RZ, NH7L, AH6NM, KH6DT, AH6NF, KH7FR, NH6XQ, WH6GS, WH7O, AH6J, WH6FC.

Saturday, March 25, 2006 found the following Hams active on a 81 deg pass :
W0CXX/MM, KH6DT, AH6RH, AH6SH, G3SEA/KH6, NH7NM, AH6RH, NH6RZ

Sunday, March 26, 2006 produced three more active Hams on a 17 deg pass:
AH6RH, NH7PU, KH6DT.

Thursday, March 30, one Ham made was active in the wee hours on an 18 deg pass:
KH6DT

Power level's and antenna's (the author used a 5 watt VX5RS into a bamboo and wire 3 element Yagi) varied but all participants were very happy to have had a short natter with the ISS.

All wish Bill a big Mahalo. No doubt there will be some gifts of Macadamia Nuts and other Hawaiian goodies on the way to Houston soon.

Paul Perretta G3SEA/KH6

1511 Punahou St, G3SEA@Hotmail.com
Apt 208,
Honolulu,
Hawaii,
96822

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