23-year old Maryam 9K2MD from Kuwait achieved her dream of speaking to her idol, Sergei Krikalev U5MIR

How I talked to Sergei, U5MIR
by Maryam 9K2MD

Cor PD0RKC had sent me text messages informing me that Krikalev has gone active on voice and thanking amateur radio operators worldwide.

Fortunately, I got my new 5-element antenna, since my current vertical antenna will not do well on low elevation (24 degrees maximum elevation). I set my radio station up on the top of the house.

Oh, I figured I must know the azimuth and elevation of ISS at least for every minute. I usually I set, press the button and talk without rotating my vertical antenna. However, this time it was different, I have to rotate antenna by hand and talk to Krikalev in same time… sounds impossible, my sister agreed to give me a hand in that. She holds the antenna and pointed into the sky, follows the Space Station when it is above the horizon.

One hour before the ISS pass over Kuwait, I was on the top of the house with my sister, drawing big circle on the floor with specified degrees and angle, many colors. So she be in the center of the circle, and rotate the antenna. She was practicing the moves for about one hour. Of course, it was hot so we had melted ice-cream.

Oh 15 minutes, 7 minutes, 2 minutes left before the pass, 1 minute… The closer ISS gets near Kuwait, I get more nervous. “15 seconds!...” I said.

As soon Kuwait got in footprint of the ISS, I started calling the ISS “Romeo Sierra Zero ISS, This is 9 Kilo Two Mike Delta. Do you copy my call?..” I think I called 3 times, I hear no reply on the other side.

Right then! Which way is the ISS? Maryam points her Diamond antenna skywards

I was worried that my new antenna is not working probably, and not pointing at right directions, I never tested my antenna.
I called again, surprisingly, I hear a voice said “Who is calling the ISS?”. I was shocked, looked at my sister. She was looking at me with opened mouth.

I replied to him pretty quick, “This is 9 Kilo Two Mike Delta…”. Again silence, damn, told my sister to rotate now to specific degree (you can hear me in audio file giving her directions).

Later, Sergei came on voice and he seems he got my callsign correctly. Wow, I was so happy. Somehow, I managed to be calm. I sent birthday greetings to my favorite spaceman via radio and congratulated him for achieving most accumulated time spent in space.

After he ended the contact, I was screaming like a crazy, not believing that I had talked to Sergei, had little tears in my eyes. I am happy, finally all this hard work has paid off the night of my favourite cosmonaut’s Birthday!!

Listen to my QSO with Sergei http://www.alain.it/U5MIR-9K2MD_27-08-2005-short.mp3

Note: During this recording, you will also hear Maryam shouting beam headings instructions in Arabic to her sister, who was holding the antenna.
Maryam used an Icom-IC2200 and a Diamond Antenna for this contact.

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