SSCOM.017 17 July 2001
Communications:
After the docking of the freighter Progress-M1-6 on 23.05.01 the passes of the ISS for Western Europe mainly took place during the night hours.
In the late evening hours of 1.06.01 things began to hum with voice communications between Usachov and TsUP-M in ISS orbit 14468, between 2055 and 2059UTC. Usachov reported the air pressure (760MM mercury) and the fact that they had been so busy that they had to refrain from physical exercises.
For these communications the VHF-1 (143.625 mc) was used. During the following days the passes almost always took place during the night and so the ISS could only be monitored via 628.125 mc (telemetry) and Packet Radio on 145.800 mc (downlink) with now and then a reaction by somebody in the neighbourhood of the Hague via the uplink 145.990 mc/s.
After 5.06.01 the communications via 143.625 mc gradually increased. This frequency also was in use (just like in the good old MIR-days) for service Packet Radio traffic. So still no P/R for that purpose via the S-band or Regul. Nothing could be monitored via VHF-2 (130.165 mc).
Though the passes for the Nehterlands more and more shifted to the early evening hours and the afternoon hours voice communications in Russian remained scanty and almost only contained technical subjects related to the Russian segments and the ships Soyuz-TM32 and Progress-M1-6. So I must confess that I sometimes feel a little bit nostalgia to the dense and interesting conversations during the life of MIR.
On 1.07.01 I went a away for a short vacation. So no monitoring until a few days before 12.07.01. Then there was not traffic via the VHF-1 and 2. Only 145.800 mc was active with Packet Radio rattles.
STS-104, Atlantis:
The launch of Atlantis for a flight to the ISS took place on 12.07.01 at 0904UTC sharp. Exactly 19 minutes later the shuttle came in range of the Netherlands and good voice signals could be monitored between 09.23.57 and 09.30.00UTC via the 259.700 mc AM-W during communications with Houston via Moron in Spain. Commander Steve Lindsey reported a number of technical and operational flight data before communications were taken over by one of the TDRS-es.
Communications ISS (continued):
After the docking of Atlantis at the ISS Usachov spoke with TsUP-M via 130.165 mc. This took place on 14.07.01 during ISS orbit 15131, between 0638 and 0641UTC. The VHF-1 (143.625 mc remained silent).
On 15.07.01 Usachov spoke with TsUP-M via VHF-2 during passes in ISS orbits 15145 (0354-0402UTC) and 15146 (0528-0538UTC).
On 16 and 17.07.01 no signals via the VHF-channels during passes within range of the Netherlands.
Chris van den Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.
