ISS Shadow-Beacon Experiment Postponed

ISS Shadow-Beacon Experiment Postponed...............

This weekends Plasma Thrust Space experiment using Amateur Radio has been postponed until after the delivery of a new rig due next April.

On the AMSAT bulletin board Andy G0SFJ passes on the following information:

It was earlier announced that the timetable of SpEx “Shadow-beacon” sessions on November 26-27, 2011 was reduced because the crew are newcomers and need more time to gain experience. For the same reason previously announced sessions on December 2-5, 2011 are cancelled.

Sergey Samburov RV3DR, the employee of space-rocket corporation “Energia” who is responsible for amateur radio on ISS, explains that the onboard radio was accidentally switched on standard simplex 145.825 MHz not the required duplex 144.360 / 145.825 MHz digipeater mode because of the old age of the onboard gear. It has been in use for more than 10 years and Sergey has previously observed malfunction like this.

A new radio is planned to be delivered to the ISS by cargo vehicle in April and Mission Control Center (TsUP) plans to hold new SpEx “Shadow-beacon” sessions in May-June 2012.

Again many thanks for those submitted reports and made other assistance! The results of data processing will be presented on our site. We wait for further cooperation!
http://knts.tsniimash.ru/Shadow/en/

Amateur Radio assistance requested: ISS Plasma Thrust Shadow Experiment
http://www.uk.amsat.org/2011/11/20/amateur-radio-assistance-requested-iss-plasma-thrust-shadow-experim