Debrief: ARISS radio contact between NA1SS and South Africa's ZS9LSO on August 29, 2025, 11h35 SAST.

IMAGE: ORION ARISS 2025 - LIVE TALK TO THE ISS FROM JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA

 

Video Above:  OriesTV Video

ARISS Youtube Video available HERE

A successful direct contact with the International Space Station (ISS) via Amateur Radio took place at 11:35 CAT on Friday 29 August 2025, allowing youngsters to ask their questions to astronaut Mike Fincke, KE5AI and encouraging students to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in extracurricular activities.

Eight schools participated, with representatives from each school present at the ground station asking their individual questions. In total, 15 questions were answered by Mike from the ISS before contact was lost. The event was streamed to the participating schools and on social media.

Congratulations to Dr Gerhard Gericke, ZS6CRS and the team of dedicated radio amateurs from the Alberton Amateur Radio Interest Group, who supplied equipment and manned the ground station. The callsign ZS9LSO was operated within the school hall. In attendance at this remarkable event were all the learners of the school, teachers, and invited guests.

The SARL was represented by the President, Nico van Rensburg, ZS6QL, and Vice President, Guy Eales, ZS6GUY, who expressed their appreciation to the ground station team for making this event possible and for promoting amateur radio to the public.

Several local ZS Link Network Group radio amateurs participated in the event by recording the ARISS contact between NAISS and ZS9LSO using the allocated frequency of 145.800 Mhz.  Different radios and antennas were used.  Even portable radios were used.  

The following ZS Link Network Group radio amateurs participated:

• Rulhof ZS4RM
• Thys ZS1TBP
• Gerrit ZS1KLO
• Fred ZS5SAM/1
• Keverne ZS1ABU
• Christi ZS4CGR
• Johan ZS1I
• Deon ZS1DDM

Herewith a few videos and audio recordings:

All three videos provided by Gerrit ZS1KLO.  Thanks, Gerrit!!

Audio recordings:

• Christi ZS4CGR recording available HERE.
• Fred ZS5SAM/1 recording available HERE
• ARISS recording available HERE
• Keith ZS6TW recording available HERE 
  

Finally:  A big thank you to all who made this contact possible, to many to mention here.  Thank you also to all the radio amateurs that participated in this event and also those who directly recorded audio from the ISS on 145.800 Mhz.  Your participation is highly appreciated!

The AMSAT SA and SARL Meteor Scatter Communication webinar recording is now available on YouTube

Video: AMSAT SA  (Click on image to view video.)

Have you ever imagined bouncing your signal off a shooting star? As radio amateurs, we don’t have to rely on satellites or repeaters to reach distant stations—sometimes, the natural phenomenon of meteors blazing through our atmosphere gives us the perfect reflector. This fascinating technique is called meteor scatter communication. 

The AMSAT SA and SARL Meteor Scatter Communication webinar recording is now available on YouTube by clicking HERE. The webinar was presented by AMSAT SA and the SARL to promote interest and participation in Meteor Scatter Communication. The presenter was Derek Gravett ZS5Y with guest participation of Frank Schneider ZS6GE. In the presentation, Derek Gravett, ZS5Y, explains how meteor scatter works, why MSK144 has become the preferred mode for modern radio amateurs, and the practical setup you need to start making your own “cosmic” contacts. Just imagine bouncing your signal off a shooting star. As radio amateurs, we don’t have to rely on satellites or repeaters to reach distant stations, sometimes, the natural phenomenon of meteors blazing through our atmosphere provides perfect reflection. This fascinating technique is known as meteor scatter communication.

MSK144 is part of the WSJT-X suite, developed by Nobel laureate Joe Taylor, K1JT. It uses fast, efficient minimum-shift keying to capture those fleeting bursts of reflected signals from meteor trails bursts that may last only fractions of a second. With this mode, VHF and UHF operators can achieve contacts of 500 to 2 000 kilometres or more, even when the bands seem completely dead.

- AMSAT SA & SARL

Story Time will resume on the 1 September 2025, 06h00 SAST on the "Sonsopkoms Net

Storietyd sal hervat word op 1 September 2025, 06:00 SAST op die "Sonsopkoms Net".

Die Suid-Kaapse ZS-Link Netwerk bied verskeie dienste aan mede-radio amateurs wat daagliks by die netwerk inskakel. Die Sonsopkoms-netwerk sal komende Maandag, 1 September 2025 om 06h00 SAST hervat noudat die winter besig is om stadig maar seker plek te maak vir die Lente en later die Somer. Een so 'n diens sal vanaf Maandag tot Vrydag om 06:00 soggens op die "Sonsopkoms"-netwerk plaasvind. Ons het die voorreg om na Richard ZS5RMN se Wonderlike Wêreld van Stories - Die Storieverteller te luister. Waaroor gaan dit nou alles? Richard is 'n baie talentvolle persoon en skryf sy eie versameling gedigte of kortverhale vir gemeenskaps radio en nou ook vir die ZS Link Netwerk.

Richard ZS5RMN lees elke oggend 06h00 'n storie op die lug in die week tydens die "Sonsopkoms" Net. Richard was hard aan die werk die afgelope tyd om ‘n nuwe reeks episodes van “An African Story” te skryf.

Baie van Richard se stories en gedigte kan afgelaai word vanaf Spotify, IonoFM, Apple en ander Podcast-platforms. Soek net vir “An African Story” deur Richard Mark Nicholls.

Die ZS Link Netwerk is trots om ons eie Storieverteller in die groep te hê en wil graag vir Richard bedank dat hy ons meer gaan vertel van Crazymeer, Spot en al die ander Afrika-diere in “An African Story”

Baie dankie Richard vir jou tyd en moeite in hierdie verband. Dit word hoog op prys gestel deur baie wat vanaf Maandag tot Vrydag weer gaan inskakel om 06h00 op die Sonsopkoms Net.

Onthou Maandag, 1 September 2025 is dit weer Storietyd!!

Sluit aan by die "Dagbreek Span" Oggend Net: Daagliks om 06:00 SAST behalwe op Saterdag en Sondag op die 145.625 Mhz 88.5 hz toon Aasvoelkop Herhaler. Radioamateurs kan konnekteer via ZS1SB-L Echolink, ZS1I-R Echolink, 49355 AllStar of TG65511 op DMR en die 145.550 Mhz 88.5 hz toon ZS1I Simplex HUB Link.

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Story Time will resume on the 1 September 2025, 06h00 SAST on the "Sonsopkoms Net

The Southern Cape ZS-Link Network offers various services to fellow radio amateurs who log into the network daily. The “Sonsopkoms” Network will resume this coming Monday, 1 September 2025 at 06h00 SAST, now that winter is slowly but surely giving way to Spring and later Summer. One such service will take place from Monday to Friday at 06h00 on the "Sonsopkoms" network. We have the privilege of listening to Richard ZS5RMN's Wonderful World of Stories - The Storyteller. What is it all about? Richard is a very talented person and writes his own collection of poems or short stories for community radio and now also for the ZS Link Network.

Richard ZS5RMN reads a story on air every morning at 06h00 during the week on the "Sonsopkoms" Net. Richard has been hard at work lately writing a new series of episodes of “An African Story”.

Many of Richard’s stories and poems can be downloaded from Spotify, IonoFM, Apple and other Podcast platforms. Just search for “An African Story” by Richard Mark Nicholls.

The ZS Link Network is proud to have our own Storyteller in the group and would like to thank Richard for telling us more about Crazymeer, Spot and all the other African animals in “An African Story”

Thank you very much Richard for your time and effort in this regard. It is greatly appreciated by many who will tune in again from Monday to Friday at 06h00 on the “Sonsopkoms” Net.

Remember Monday, 1 September 2025 it is Story-time again!!

Join the "Dagbreek Span" Morning Net: Daily at 06h00 SAST except on Saturday and Sunday on the 145.625 Mhz 88.5 hz tone Aasvoelkop Repeater. Radio Amateurs can connect via ZS1SB-L Echolink, ZS1I-R Echolink, 49355 AllStar or TG65511 on DMR and the 145.550 Mhz 88.5 hz tone ZS1I Simplex HUB Link.

Announcement: ARISS radio contact between NA1SS and South Africa's ZS9LSO on August 29, 2025, 11h35 SAST.

Astronaut Mike Fincke, amateur radio call sign KE5AIT, will operate the amateur radio equipment aboard the International Space Station. Mike will answer questions from students in South Africa during this live amateur radio contact.

This amateur radio contact is scheduled for Friday, August 29, 2025 at 09:35:44 UTC.
Astronaut Mike Fincke will operate the amateur radio station call sign NA1SS aboard the ISS and will call the radio amateur ground station call sign ZS9LSO in South Africa. This is a live ARISS radio contact from the Laerskool Orion in Alberton, South Africa.
You can listen live to astronaut Mike Fincke aboard the ISS on 145.800 MHz (plus/minus 3kHz Doppler shift).

The event will be streamed live:
https://www.youtube.com/@ORION2025ARISS

English is the expected language of communication in this amateur radio contact.

Questions (as time allows):

1. What does it feel like to be without gravity, and what challenges are there in a weightless environment?

2. How long does it take to readjust to Earth after spending a long time in space without gravity, and how do you adapt?

3. Does the lack of gravity affect your sleep patterns in space? How do you sleep without floating around?

4. What inspired you to become an astronaut, and what advice would you give to others who want to follow the same path?

5. How long does it take to put on the spacesuit and helmet, and how comfortable is it to wear?

6. Where does the water you drink come from?

7. What type of food do astronauts eat in space, and how is the food kept fresh?

8. In the absence of an atmosphere as we know it on earth, where does the oxygen come from that you breathe?

9. I am a very active person and would like to know how do astronauts stay fit in a microgravity?

10. Do you have any free time and how do you spend it?

11. What happens when any of the crew gets sick?

12. I am absolutely stunned at the thought of spacewalking. Does your body feel any different during a space walk?

13. How do you navigate in space?

14. What technologies do you think will make humans living on Mars possible?

15. What type of experiments are being carried out on the ISS?

16. What's the funniest thing that has happened to you in zero gravity?

17. Have you witnessed any unexpected phenomena in space?

18. How do you tell night from day—does Earth's pattern help?

19. What's the most beautiful sight you've seen looking down on Earth?

20. Do any sounds from Earth reach your station—like storms or ocean waves?

The ARISS program is aimed at students and enthusiasts and aims to inspire them in the study of sciences with this amateur radio activity. The demonstration of amateur radio communication from space invites schools and universities to make use of these educational technical resources. We invite radio amateurs and space enthusiasts to tune in to this exciting moment.

Check out the ARISS website and follow ARISS on the official social media channels for more updates.
https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html 

Images:  (Click on images for larger view.)

 

Images: Alberton Amateur Radio Interest Group

New Dashboard options for the Southern Cape ZS Link Network!

With the rapid expansion of the Southern Cape ZS Link Network it has become necessary to be able to have better control over all the different systems/applications in use at a given time. The following nodes/VoIP applications are currently in use on a daily basis and if a problem occurs it is important to shut down the system or node causing the problem.  Time is of essence to solve the issue on hand quickly without causing interference to other nodes connected to the ZS Link Network.  I have therefor decided to use several dashboards to keep track of what is happening at any time on the link network.

These dashboards that I installed is also available to other users of the network or radio amateurs who would like to see which nodes are connected to each other.  This is very important as to prevent the dreaded "Ping Pong" effect between repeaters when a new node is connected to a repeater node while the link network is already connected to that specific node.

Each dashboard listed in the article displays valuable information about other nodes / stations.  For the administrator of the ZS Link Network system several functions are available once logged into the dashboard.  Unfortunately these functions are not available to other radio amateurs and for obvious reasons.  None the less these dashboards are of great use to everybody using the link network or that connect their nodes to the link network.

The following nodes/links/repeaters are currently available on the ZS Link Network system from the     QTH of ZS1I in Mossel Bay:

• Echolink (ZS1I-R)
  
• AllStar Hub (49355) (467653) (467652)
  
• DMR Bridge (TG 65511) 
• SVXLink (ZS1I-L) (Periodically in use from time to time)
• DMR Repeater (TG 65522)  (Currently on Test Bench)
• Direct RF Link from Mossel Bay to the Aasvoelkop Repeater (145.625 Mhz 88.5 hz CTCSS)

Please note that the above are only nodes/links/repeaters in operation from the QTH of ZS1I in Mossel Bay.  The complete ZS Link Network exist of many other nodes/links/repeaters not mentioned in this posting.

Now lets get back to listing the dashboards available with regards to the ZS Link Network running at the QTH of ZS1I in Mossel Bay:

• Supermon 6.2.2 AllStar Node 49355 => ZS1I HUB 145.550 Mhz Mossel Bay, ZA
• Supermon 7.4+ AllStar Node 467653 => ZS1I Southern Cape Node Mossel Bay, ZA 
• Supermon 7.4+ AllStar Node 467652 => ZS1I DMR Bridge TG 65511 Mossel Bay, ZA
• DVSwitch Dashboard ZS1I DMR Bridge => DVSwitch Mossel Bay, ZA
• Allmon3 Nodes 467652, 456753 & 49355 => Dashboard Mossel Bay, ZA
• AllScan/AllStar Node 467653 ZS Link Network => Dashboard Mossel Bay, ZA
• Echolink Node ZS1I-R & ZS1I-L  =>  Dashboard Mossel Bay, ZA 

To view the dashboards just click on the listed dashboards above and you will be able to see information regarding  the systems running in Mossel Bay.  To view the Echolink Dashboard use your Echolink program on the PC or the Echolink App via your phone.

There you have it.  You can now view all the ZS Link Network dashboards relating to the nodes/links/repeaters in operation from the QTH of ZS1I in Mossel Bay.

Images:   (Click on images for larger view.)

 

 

Working Satellites and Receiving SSTV Images from the ISS - Andre ZS3AG and Johnny ZS3JDL, Kimberley

An ARISS SSTV event took place from  14 July 2025 to 20 July 2025.  The subject was the 50th anniversary of the ASTP and the 40th anniversary of STS-51F.   STS-51F was the second SAREX flight and had the first use of SSTV in human spaceflight.

Down-link transmissions was at 145.800 MHz FM and the mode was  PD 120.

The transmissions consisted of 12 images featuring the Apollo Soyuz mission and STS 51F which pioneered SSTV operation on Shuttles. 

Herewith a recap of participating stations in this event.

The following ZS Link Network Group radio amateurs participated:

1.  Gerrit ZS1KLO

2.  Johan ZS1I

3.  Rulhof ZS4RM

4.  Jacobus ZS1JDJ

5.  Christi ZS4CGR

6.  Andre ZS3AG

7   Johnny ZS3JDL

Andre ZS3AG and Johnny ZS3JDL participated from Kimberley.  Andre  ZS3AG explained in the  audio file how he and Johnny ZS3JDL downloaded SSTV images from the ISS.  Andre provided the images relating to his station setup and equipment that he used to download images.

Audio File available HERE

 

 

Hoe saai ek 'n nuus bulletin uit op AllStar hier vanaf die Suid Kaap? (Deel 2)

Foto:  IAXRPT (Klik op foto om te vergroot)

Die eerste artikel rondom die uitsaai van 'n nuus bulletin is HIER beskikbaar.  Let asseblief daarop dat daar intussen verskeie veranderings en aanpassings was wat onder andere die automatisering van nuus bulletins behels.  Ek het 'n hele paar versoeke ontvang oor hoe om 'n vooraf opgeneemde bulletin (nie outomaties) uit te saai.  Die skakel hierbo verduidelik die stappe wat ek geneem het om 'n bulletin via Echolink uit te saai.  Maar hoe gemaak om 'n bulletin via AllStar lokaal uit te saai?

Foto:  Sagteware wat ek gebruik om 'n bulletin op AllStar uit te saai. (nie outomaties nie)  (Klik op foto om te vergroot.)

Om 'n nuus bulletin via AllStar uit te saai gebruik ek die sagteware genaamd IAXRPT ipv Echolink en natuurlik ook Audacity, Supermon 6.2.2, en VoiceMeter Banana.  Ek gaan nie in diepte verduidelik hoe om IAXRPT op te stel nie aansien daar talle voorbeelde op die Internet beskikbaar is wat voornemende bulletin uitsaaiers instaat sal stel om bulletins via AllStar uit te saai.

Hier is die PDF file wat verduidelik hoe om IAXRPT met Allstar op die HamVoip-vrystellings te gebruik.  Ja ek gebruik nogsteeds HamVoip vir die ZS Link Hub Netwerk Node.  Die node is sedert 2017 in gebruik en ondervind ek nie probleme met HamVoip nie.  So as 'n ding werk los hom net so.  Moenie gaan krap waar dit nie jeuk nie!

IAXRPT werk goed saam met HamVoip en ondervind ek geen probleme nie.

Maar hoe nou gemaak met AllStarLink?.   (ASL3)

Kyk gerus na die wiki -  KLIK HIER.

Daar is ook 'n AI Oorsig in engels hoe om IAXRPT op te stel.  

AI Overview

To set up iaxRpt for AllStarLink, download and install the iaxtRpt application, then open it to the "Accounts" section and click "Add". Fill in the required details, including the "Account name" (node number), "Description," the node's IP address for "Host," the username "iaxrpt," and the node's password. Finally, save the account and configure your "Caller ID" in the "Preferences" menu to display your callsign.
 

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Download and Install iaxRpt:

   • If using Windows, search for iaxtRpt in the taskbar and select "Run iaxtRpt". 

• If using an Android device, download the DVSwitch Mobile app (also known as iaxtRpt) from the Google Play Store. 

• Open the Accounts Menu:

• On Windows, double-click the iaxtRpt shortcut on your desktop to open the main window. 

• Click Options and then select Accounts. 

• Alternatively, press Alt+O to open the Options menu, then select Accounts. 

• Add a New Account:

• Click the Add... button in the "Manage Accounts" window. 

• Enter Account Details:

• Account Name: Enter your AllStar node number. 

• Description: Provide a brief description, such as "My Node" or your callsign. 

• Host: Enter the IP address of your AllStar node. 

• User name: Type iaxrpt (in lowercase). 

• Password: Enter the password for your AllStar node. 

• Type: Select Duplex for full-duplex operation. 

• Save the Account:

• Click the Save button to save the account configuration. 

• Configure Caller ID (Optional but Recommended):

• Go back to the main menu and select Options > Preferences. 

• Navigate to the Caller ID tab. 

• In the "Name" field, enter your callsign (e.g., "VE3OSH"). 

• In the "Number" field, ensure it is set to 0. 

• Click Save. 

You can now connect to your AllStar node using iaxtRpt for voice communication. You may also be able to send DTMF commands to control linked nodes

Ek is seker dat enige voornemende bulletin uitsaaier bostaande inligting met sukses sal kan gebuik om bulletins via AllStar uit te saai.

The Radio Shack and Antennas of Nico ZS4N, Bloemfontein

Image: Antennas build and used by Nico  ZS4N  (Click on image for larger view.)

I had the privilege of visiting my brother in law,  Nico ZS4N in Bloemfontein in the Free State at the beginning of July 2025.  Unfortunately we did not spend a lot of time in his shack due to other commitments at the time.  I did however took some images of his towers, antennas, masts, radios and equipment in his Shack.  Nico has a variety of antennas and radios and can work most bands if not all of them.  He loves his Yaesu FT101ZD radios and has participated in several Antique Wireless Association contests with his vintage Yaesu radios.  On the list of some newer HF radios he owns:

Icom IC7610

Icom IC9100 

Yaesu FT840

Yaesu FT891

Yaesu FT897

Kenwood TS480

Kenwood TS2000

I am not going into detail here about all the other equipment and antennas as the photos beneath is a clear indication on his well equipped radio shack and 98% of all his homebrew antennas and towers.

Images (Click on images for larger view.)