On Friday, March 02, 2012 at 17:04 UTC, i.e. 19:04 local time, students from 5th Geniko Lykeio Katerinis, Katerinis, Greece established an ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) contact with NASA astronaut Donald R. Pettit KD5MDT onboard the International Space Station.
Astronaut Donald R. Pettit operated with the ISS callsign OR4ISS. This was a direct contact performed by amateur radio station SX2ISS, located in the school.
5th Geniko Lykeio Katerinis is an upper high school with approximately 440 students, aged 14 to 19. It is a new school (established in 2007). There are two schools in two buildings forming a letter “U”. The other school is the 2nd Lyceum of Katerini with another 450 students. The new school has many interesting features for its students, parents and the local community. The school has won prizes and honours in various fields (cultural, athletic, scientific) and its graduates have been accepted in major universities in Greece.
The contact took place at 5th Geniko Lykeio Katerinis, where an audience of about 1000 students and visitors participated to the ARISS event. Before the contact, Mr. George Chrysostomou SV2DOF presented ARISS and the operation of a contact with the ISS via Ham Radio.
At 14:01 UTC, contact with OR4ISS was established by station SX2ISS. Mr. Adamos Sarailidis SV2KGA-DM1SV, radio contact coordinator, exchanged welcome greetings with astronaut Donald R. Pettit KD5MDT. Using the Kenwood radio in the Service Module, Donald R. Pettit answered 15 questions from the students, exchanged final greetings and closed the contact. During the pass, the signal from the ISS was loud and clear all time.
The event was covered by two TV stations.
Live Streaming video was available on:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/lyceum5thkaterini-ariis-project
Congratulations to SX2ISS Team!
73
Francesco De Paolis, IK0WGF
ARISS mentor
Article source: http://www.southgatearc.org/news/march2012/ariss_event_success_0203.htm
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