Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) Bulletin

January/February 1995

For More Information Contact:

American Radio Relay League (ARRL)
Educational Activities Department (EAD)
225 Main Street
Newington CT 06111-1494 USA
Telephone (203) 666-1541

Frequently Asked Questions about SAREX

What is SAREX?

With the help of Amateur Radio clubs and ham radio operators, astronauts have been speaking over the ham airwaves while in orbit. They are talking directly with large groups of the general public, showing teachers, students, parents and communities how Amateur Radio energizes youngsters about science, technology, and learning. The program is called SAREX, the Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment.

NASA's intent in making astronauts available for SAREX operations is to involve the largest possible numbers of people, particularly youngsters, in technology and the US space program with the help of Amateur Radio.

During a SAREX mission, the astronauts will typically make the following types of Amateur Radio contacts:

A handful of schools are selected from around the world to make contact with the shuttle during most SAREX missions. These contacts are prearranged, giving the schools a greater chance at making a successful contact. Two or more students at each of the selected schools ask questions of the astronauts during the contact. The nature of these contacts embodies the primary goal of SAREX -- to excite students' interest in learning.

Who sponsors SAREX?

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL), The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) and NASA sponsor these exciting experiments. AMSAT volunteers support all technical operations for SAREX, and mentor participating school groups. The ARRL provides the Amateur Radio community with SAREX information and educational support. The ARRL Educational Activities Department (EAD) and NASA Headquarters create and distribute SAREX lesson materials and resources for teachers. SAREX is supported by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Hundreds of Amateur Radio operators work behind the scenes, including those from NASA's Amateur Radio clubs at the Johnson Space Center, Marshall Space Flight Center and Goddard Space Flight Center.

A SAREX Working Group was created to administer the program. The working group is comprised of

I am a school teacher. How can I get started?

Schools wanting to make a scheduled SAREX contact with the astronauts are required to submit proposals and a SAREX school application to ARRL.

While only a handful of schools get chosen for scheduled contacts, all schools can participate by eavesdropping, or by trying to make a random contact with the shuttle astronauts. SAREX lesson materials are available from ARRL for all schools who participate. Imagine listening in on the astronauts from your classroom! If you are a school teacher, but you are unfamiliar with ham radio, you can still become a part of SAREX in your school. Contact the ARRL EAD to get a list of your local Amateur Radio clubs to assist you.

If you are a parent, grandparent and/or a ham radio operator, contact ARRL EAD and a local school. EAD will send you materials, including ways to convince teachers and school administrators that Amateur Radio is an important discipline the school should take advantage of on a full-time basis. This is a tremendous opportunity for you to showcase SAREX and Amateur Radio to kids of all ages in a big way.

How do I submit a SAREX school application for a scheduled contact?

If your school is interested in a radio contact for a future SAREX mission, you must complete a SAREX school application and write an educational proposal. ARRL collects applications and proposals, and then forward them to the SAREX Working Group who makes the final selection in collaboration with the astronauts. All grade levels and type of schools (rural, suburban and particularly urban) are encouraged to apply.

SAREX school applications are available by sending a business-sized self- addressed stamped envelope to ARRL, or email your request for an electronic version of the application to ead@arrl.org. Applications may be returned to ARRL by mail or email.

A proposal must accompany all completed applications. The SAREX Working Group and NASA want to know-

  1. How will you:
  2. What are your capabilities for setting up all necessary Amateur Radio equipment and antennas? Do you have the resources of an experienced group of hams to assist you?
  3. How will you get as much media coverage as possible?

How will I know if my school has been selected to participate?

Schools that have been selected for scheduled SAREX contacts are contacted by a SAREX coordinator. NASA requires school selections to be made approximately seven months prior to launch. If a school is not chosen for the next SAREX mission, its application is recycled for future opportunities. Schools typically wait one year or longer to be selected.

I am a ham. How can I introduce SAREX to my son or daughter's school?

Establish a SAREX station at the school. Bring in a shortwave receiver and let students eavesdrop on amateur retransmissions of the NASA shuttle-to-mission control audio--from launch to landing. Then, set up a 2-meter satellite ground station and attempt a random SAREX contact from the classroom. The teacher may even apply for a school contact, almost guaranteeing that the students will have an opportunity to communicate with the shuttle crew during a future SAREX mission.

Are there videos available on SAREX?

The ARRL Educational Activities Department has videos available for school teachers to borrow. Use of the Audiovisual Library is free, the only cost being return shipping.

"Ham Radio In Space" is a 30-minute color video chronicling the participation of schools and hams in SAREX. You and your class will enjoy watching students talk to the astronauts via ham radio as they participate in this unique educational program. To borrow a copy of this video, mail a postcard with your request to ARRL EAD. Borrowers, please indicate the date you will need the video. Requests should be made at least one month in advance.

Can a ham make an unscheduled SAREX contact?

Yes. The astronauts have not lost sight of why SAREX has been so successful. It is the Amateur Radio community that has brought the astronaut's voices into classrooms all around the world. During most SAREX missions, many of the crewmembers will make random contacts with earth-bound hams. They make these contacts during their breaks, before and after meal time, and during their pre- sleep time. In fact, over the past years the astronauts have contacted thousands of amateurs around the world. On many missions, they have even carried a 2-meter packet radio station. Innovative computer software allows the crew to operate the packet gear in an "unattended" mode, allowing amateurs to make contacts with the ROBOT station when the astronauts are working or sleeping.

What type of equipment do I need?

A typical SAREX ground station includes a 2-meter FM transceiver and 25-100 watts of output power. A circularly polarized crossed-Yagi antenna capable of being pointed in both azimuth (N-S-E-W) and elevation (degrees above the horizon) is desirable, but successful contacts have even been made with verticals and groundplane antennas. Commercial and public domain computer tracking software is available to assist you in determining when the shuttle will be within range of your station and where to point your antenna. For more information on assembling your own satellite/SAREX station, obtain a copy of the "Satellite Experimenter's Handbook" from ARRL.

How do I "talk" to the astronauts?

You may communicate with the shuttle astronauts using a variety of modes: voice, packet (computer) radio or television. It all depends on which equipment configuration the astronauts take into space. For example, astronauts Jay Apt and Mamoru Mohri made hundreds of random voice contacts with Amateur Radio operators during STS-47 in September 1992. When the astronauts were sleeping, however, a robot computer ham station aboard the orbiting Shuttle automatically made contact with hundreds more amateurs around the world. The robot computer transmitted an acknowledgment to each ham whose computer successfully made contact with it.

On other missions, the SAREX configuration has even included Amateur Radio Slow Scan Television (SSTV) and Fast Scan Television (FSTV) allowing amateurs a firsthand glimpse at life in space.

What are the SAREX radio frequencies?

The following VHF frequencies are used for SAREX missions. These frequencies were chosen after much deliberation to minimize contention between SAREX operations and other 2-meter users. If you have any comments, please direct them to AMSAT via Frank Bauer, KA3HDO (at his address in the "Radio Amateur Callbook") or the ARRL EAD. We appreciate the cooperat>

Transfer interrupted!