The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program reports that ISS Expedition 13 Commander Pavel Vinogradov, RV3BS, has set up a camera to use for slow-scan television (SSTV) from the ISS. Vinogradov plans to soon test the system over Moscow on 144.49 MHz -- perhaps as early as this weekend -- and radio amateurs within range are encouraged to receive the SSTV images. For now, the SSTV system will only be used to transmit. Due to various issues with 144.49 MHz in Europe, the European and US ARISS teams will be recommending frequencies for use over other countries. Responding to a request from the European Space Agency (ESA), ARISS has scheduled school group contacts at three ESA-organized events for new Expedition 13 astronaut Thomas Reiter, DF4TR (photo). The Greek Minister of Education asked for a QSO with Reiter during the ESA Space Camp in Greece July 29. This is expected to be a major event, with the minister asking an interview question, and Greek national TV covering the occasion. A second QSO will be with visitors at the Museum of the Swiss Air Force. A third contact with visitors to Germany's Mannheim Museum is set for July 31. Reiter, the first German astronaut to be a part of an ISS crew, likely will use the space station's German call sign, DP0ISS.

I noticed this on the ARRL home page:

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=6627

Astronaut Vinogradov has set up a camera and may transmit SSTV over Moscow this weekend.

73 - Zach KM7I

Students from Robinson Elementary School, Anderson, Indiana, USA (www.acsc.net) will have the opportunity to speak with Expedition 13 Flight Engineer/NASA Science Officer Jeffery Williams, KD5TVQ via NA1SS onboard the International Space Station.

The contact is currently sceduled for Wednesday, August 2, 2006 at 1416 UTC. This will be a direct contact via W9VCF who will be operating directly from the school site. With the assistance of the ARISS Audio Distribution Project the ground station will be providing a "live" audio feed of this event to "Discovery" Reflector 9010. Streaming audio will also available through www.discoveryreflector.ca:8000/listen.pls (expect a 2 to 3 minute delay on this stream).