CROSSBAND REPEATER OPERATIONAL FROM THE ISS

Still with ham radio space related news, Roy Stokes, AG5D, says that astronaut 
Mike Fincke, KE5AIT has turned on the crossband repeater on board the 
International Space Station and early reports indicate that its coverage is 
quite good to those within its ever shifting radio range.

The world-wide frequencies are 437.80 MHz as your uplink while you listen on 
145.80 MHz as the downlink or output channel. Operation is similar to working 
the Amsat Oscar 51 satellite or any ground-based crossband system. The big 
difference is that in this case you literally talk through the repeater on board 
the I-S-S to other hams within range of the I-S-S radio footprint on the ground.

How long the crossband repeater will remain in operation is not known. 145.8 MHz 
is also used for normal QSO's and school contacts, you can expect it to be off 
during those times. Also, the crossband repeater uses the crossband repeat 
function of the on-board Kenwood D 700 radio. This unit is also used for other 
on-orbit ham radio operations and during those periods the repeater will likely 
be off line. 
(AR-Newsline)