PD0RKC International Space Station ISS hamradio station.

ISS hamradio station.
Updated at: 08-06-2005

READ HERE: copyright © 2001 Cor pd0rkc.

Kenwood Goes Into Orbit! (history information 2004).

Kenwood Electronics UK have passed on a fascinating story
about a TM-D700E's 'Journey into Space'.
And of course we're pleased to assist its 'lift off' on the news pages!

On 31 August 2003 a Progress supply craft launched by a Soyuz rocket docked
with the international Space Station (ISS).
This was the 12th unmanned flight scheduled to deliver cargo to the ISS and
its 2.5-tonne load included a Kenwood TM-D700E transceiver.
A crew of three is working on the ISS and they will stay on board for three to
four months and several have Amateur Radio licences where they assist
the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program.
The ARISS program is aimed at developing and operating Amateur Radio in space.
Enthusiasts from the member countries - USA, Russia, Japan, Europe and
Canada are already 'on the air' during their free time.
Amateur Radio operations on the ISS are divided into three categories and
the callsigns used are NA1SS and RS0ISS.
School contacts: pre-scheduled communications are arranged so students
can discover the fun of Amateur Radio.
They'll also gain valuable expirience in space development and
communications technologies.
Applications to join in are received from schools around the world.
They're then sorted, taking into account equipment, operating hours
and the number of participants, the ISS orbital conditions, and the
crew's work schedules.
The ARISS Steering Commitee then decides wich schools can participate
and on what days and times.
These sessions are scheduled to take place during work shifts.
Incidentally, once on board, Astronauts are free to choose terrestrial
stations they'd like to work.
The ARISS steering Committee then arranges a schedule.
Additionally, in the same way as everyday Amateur communications,
crew members operating in free time communicate with stations
responding to their ''CQ'' calls.

Kenwood Materials

In 2001 Kenwood Electronics UK received an enquiry from ARISS -
regarding the materials used in the components of the TM-D700.
This is because Energia (the Russian space contractor) and NASA -
conduct strict checks for flight safety of all the materials, and safty
features on the equipment to be brought onto ISS.
For example...equipment relying on natural convection for cooling
can't be used in zero gravity.
The TM-D700 satisfied this basic condition, but its many other features
helped it to make the 'short list' prepared by ARISS.
Later, the TM-D700 was officially adopted for use on the ISS.
Kenwood donated a number of TM-D700 units to support the training
and orbital operations of the new ARISS radio system.
One was on board the ISS, but a total of 15 other units are needed
for training Astronauts and ARISS members deployed at various
spaceflight centres in the USA and Russia.

Modifications Requested

Early in 2003 Kenwood were asked to modify the TM-D700.
The idea was that its advanced features could then be easily controlled
by Astronauts with very little previous experience of Amateur Radio.
Japanese-based Kenwood staff then met NASA colleagues at a Hotel
close to the Kennedy Space Centre to discuss modifications.
Expected to take hours, the meeting lasted all day!
The kenwood staff then returned to Japan, drew up specifications
from the discussions and started to construct a prototype.
A final meeting between the American and Russian members in
Houston took place in june.
Japanese Kenwood staff attended with the prototype transceiver!
The meetings lasted a full three days.
It was attended by Russian representatives (who could not -
speak English) and their interpreters were kept very busy!
One visitor to the meetings was an astronaut (and of course an
ARISS member) Frank Culbertson.
During the 1990s Frank twice rode on the Space Shuttle and was
also on the ISS for a time during 2001.
On the photo:
Starting with the front row, Left to right: Sergei Samburov. Lou Mcfadin, unknown.
Back row: Unknown, Bob Bruninga, Carolynn Conley, Frank Bauer, Gil Carmen, Unknown.

Smiles all round as everyone works hard to get a Kenwood TM-D700 into space.

Transceiver Launch

The modified transceiver was ´booked´on the supply vessel - due to be
launched at the end of August and had to be submitted for cargo
inspection process in july.
So there was a rush to have it ready!
It was necessary to modify the nine transceivers for shipping to Russia,
and the six units destined for the USA with only a short time to
conduct final of tests.
Thanks to the smooth co-ordination between ARISS-Russia, ARISS-USA,
Bermos (kenwood´s Russian distributors) and Kenwood, the flight
certification was completed on time.
The TM-D700 used on the ISS is equipped with Velcro strips to secure -
it safely in zero gravity.
Additionally, as a fire safety measure, ARISS uses specially made cables
encased in protective fibreglass tubes and the TM-D700 external cables
were replaced with these.
When it arrives on board the station, the Kenwood TM-D700 will
be set up within the ISS´s Russian Service Module.
However, there´ll be more tests and the transceiver is expected
to start regular operation in late November.
So it won´t be long before transmissions from the TM-D700 will
enthrall students and Radio Amateurs - literally - around
the entire world.

This story was published in the Practical Wireless, January 2004.
PD0RKC received permission to publish it on his website!
Renember this story has copy-rights!!!!!!!!!!!

Download more ISS hamradio information (pdf file)

The ISS kenwood TM D-700 (the orange display unit and the base unit above!).

ISS GP antenna´s for different amateur bands.
The radials are made from flexible strips so it can not
damage space suits (with space-walks).