Vissable ISS Pass and HF Bands Open Up for DX

The past couple of days have been a bit on the damp side here on Baildon Moor so I have been keeping my self amused with radio and the latest NASA activities regarding the docking of Endeavor to the ISS which Ive been keeping a close eye on since lift off last Wednesday the 8th. I have done this via the NASA web site Live TV Feed From ISS, you can get to via the link on the right of this page. I recommend view in media player.

ISS SIGHTINGS

As well as watching the live feed Ive been in and out looking into the Sky's at night, this was to be successful with three consecutive evenings of clear sky I was able to see the ISS and Endeavor Space Shuttle as an extremely bright Star travelling across the Horizon and night Sky.

I am not so clever with the camera so practice makes perfect but I did get some shots of one of the pass byes, taken on long exposure.

The top image is the best, if you click on it to enlarge and look closely you can see some resemblance of the ISS and Shuttle.



This Image gives you an idea as to how bright it looks in our Sky's, when looking for the ISS I use the Heavens above web site on the right of this page to give me an accurate schedule of when a visible pass with the naked eye is possible.It is surprising how bright the ISS is and how easy it is to see with a bit of planning and dark Sky as possible away from street lamps for the easiest results.


GOOD OPENINGS ON HF

Ive been making some good QSOs on the bands with openings on 6M, 10M, and 20M allowing some nice QSOs and rag chews with a few interesting stations such as Rit N4BNM, who came through with a 5/9 +20 signal on 20m late Tuesday evening. Rit N4BNM can be seen in his shack here in the picture, I am looking forward to making more QSOs with Rit in the not so distant future.

Here is another Station from the U.S.A that I managed a lengthy conversation rather than a 5/9 and 73. It is AD4EB Jim, who shared similar interests with Satellites and space. Jim AD4EB pictured below was also coming through very well on 20m.

This was the furthest DX contact I made during the evening, it was to be the second time I have had the pleasure of working Amado ZP8VAO from Paraguay. Amado was 5/5 and he said I was 5/7 in Paraguay which was a good report for the 50 watts I was running from the FT 847 through the Hustler 6BTV Vertical antenna, once again I was on 20m.


I managed some good QSO on 10m and 6m earlier in the day working Spain, Italy and other English Stations. It is nice to get some good openings on the HF bands.
73 good DX and hope you get the chance to see the ISS pass by.



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