SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS013
ARLS013 STS-59/SAREX update
 
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QST de W1AW  
Space Bulletin 013  ARLS013
>From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington, CT  March 18, 1994
To all radio amateurs
 
SB SPACE ARL ARLS013
ARLS013 STS-59/SAREX update
 
Astronaut-hams Jay Apt, N5QWL, and Linda Godwin, N5RAX, will operate
the Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment from on board the Space Shuttle
Endeavour in April.  The nine day mission is scheduled to launch on
April 7 at 1207 UTC.  Jay is the first astronaut-ham to fly with the
SAREX payload three times.  His two previous flights were STS-37 in
April, 1991 and STS-47 in September, 1992.  Linda also operated
SAREX during STS-37.
 
The mission will carry the Shuttle Radar Laboratory 1 (SRL-1)
payload.  Radar images generated by the Shuttle Imaging Radar will
be used by scientists to help understand some of the processes which
affect the earth's environment, such as deforestation in the Amazon,
desertification south of the Sahara, and soil-moisture retention in
the Midwest.
 
Jay is the commander of the Blue Shift and will operate the shuttle
systems during the ''night'' shift, while Linda is responsible for
overall operation of three large radars in the shuttle's cargo bay
during the ''day'' shift.
 
Jay has reported that he will be asleep over most US passes, and
that Linda will be busy with assigned duties for most daylit US
passes, so try to contact the crew on packet over the US if the sun
is up.  The packet call sign will be W5RRR-1.  They will try to
operate FM voice when they are not otherwise busy and at night, or
when the ground is cloudy.  The crew is generally busy taking
pictures of the Earth during clear daylight passes.
 
Jay also indicated that he will try to activate SAREX about 3 hours
into the mission.  Deactivation will occur at about 8 days, 17 hours
after launch, unless they get a one-day science mission extension,
in which case it will be deactivated at about 9 days, 17 hours after
launch.
 
The worldwide SAREX downlink frequency is 145.55 MHz.  The downlink
is the astronauts' transmit frequency.  Please do not transmit on
this frequency.

The worldwide FM packet uplink frequency is 144.49 MHz.  The FM
voice uplink frequencies are 144.91, 144.93, 144.95, 144.97 and
144.99 MHz.  Earth stations should use these as their transmit
frequencies.  In Europe, stations should use 144.70, 144.75 and
144.80 MHz.
 
Send reports and QSL cards to ARRL EAD, STS-59 QSL, 225 Main Street,
Newington, CT 06111, USA.  Include the following information in your
QSL or report: STS-59, date, time in UTC, frequency and mode (FM
voice or packet).  In addition, you must also include a SASE using a
large, business-sized envelope if you wish to receive a card.  The
Orange Park Amateur Radio Club in Florida has generously volunteered
to manage the cards for this mission.
 
Thanks to Astronaut Jay Apt, N5QWL, and the SAREX Working Group for
the preceding information.
NNNN
/EX