Packet Mail problem
Shuttle Launch expected
MAREX-NA News
Manned Amateur Radio Experiment, North American Division
By Miles Mann WF1F,
ISS Amateur Radio Status: October 7, 2002

ISS Packet Mail system problem:
There is a minor yet reoccurring problem with the Amateur Radio Personal Message System (PMS) on board ISS. Intermittently the PMS will fail to display the list of messages stored in the memory of the PMS. The messages have not been lost, they are still in RAM memory. I have
encountered this problem several times and each time the problem seems to clear up bye its self on the next orbit. ISS crew time has not been required to clear the problem. When the problem does clear, all of the old mail still appears to be saved in memory with out any lose of old mail.

L(ist) L [CR] lists the 10 latest messages.
M(ine) M [CR] lists the 10 latest messages to/from your callsign.

PMS mail list example from September 9, 2002

On September 9, I received a listing from ik1sld in Italy, showing that Valery had sent me a packet message. A few hours later I logged into ISS a few hours later from Boston. To my surprise I could not see any messages in the PMS by using the List or the M list commands.

L(ist) L [CR] lists the 10 latest messages.
M(ine) M [CR] lists the 10 latest messages to/from your callsign.

List taken at September 9 at 03:20 UTC by IK1SLD

Msg # Stat Date Time To From @ BBS Subject
1918 P 02/09/09 03:18 RS0ISS IK1SLD Veronica
1917 P 02/09/09 03:12 VK4AKM ON4CKT TNX for mail
1916 P 02/09/09 03:12 RS0ISS ON4CKT TNX For answer
1915 P 02/09/09 02:55 PY4KS PY4GWT RE: Negativo
1914 P 02/09/09 02:49 LU9EE LU9ED HOLA MEN
1913 P 02/09/09 01:44 RS0ISS RX6HF Beacon ARISS
1912 B 02/09/09 01:41 ALL IW0QPV saluti
1911 P 02/09/09 01:38 RS0ISS IW0QPV qso/qsl
1910 P 02/09/08 22:41 F5ASD RS0ISS HELLO

[note message 1909]
1909 P 02/09/08 22:34 WF1F RS0ISS QUESTION

1908 P 02/09/08 22:27 JO2OXL RS0ISS HELLO
1905 P 02/09/08 22:03 PE2JMR RS0ISS THANKS
1904 P 02/09/08 21:46 VK4AKM RS0ISS HELLO KEN
1903 PR 02/09/08 18:40 RS0ISS LU7EW QSL
1901 P 02/09/08 15:33 PY4GWT PY4KS Negativo
1900 BR 02/09/08 11:48 ALL N6CO 2 Line ISS Keps 9-8
1893 P 02/09/08 00:02 XE2ARF RS0ISS HELLO
55744 Bytes free
Next message Number 1919
Mailbox selected: 3
CMD(B/H/J/K/KM/L/M/R/S/SB/SP/ST/SR/V/?)>

I then connected to the PMS from my house. I was not able to view the message 1909 or any other valid messages. I tried both the L and the M commands to view my messages stored in the PMS.

CONNECTION FROM WF1F AT 11:00 UTC SEPT 9, 2002

c rs0iss
WF1F>RS0ISS [09/09/02 07:01:21]: >:

*** CONNECTED to RS0ISS
Logged on to RS0ISS's Personal Message System on board the International Space Station

[ I should have see the beacon message "You have mail waiting.". I should also have see the listing for message number 1909 P 02/09/08 22:34 WF1F RS0ISS QUESTION ]

CMD(B/H/J/K/KM/L/M/R/S/SB/SP/ST/SR/V/?)>
M [this is the list my mail command]
Msg # Stat Date Time To From @ BBS Subject
Message not found
CMD(B/H/J/K/KM/L/M/R/S/SB/SP/ST/SR/V/?)>

L [this is the list last 10 messages command ]

Msg # Stat Date Time To From @ BBS Subject
33 P 30/20/79 61:4D 7, 200 1m99i> m99MR í9?>@í9>>

[ Only message number 33 was listed. This message appears to be an old
corrupted messages. You should also note, that over 70% of the memory has been used up. ]

15368 Bytes free
Next message Number 1926
Mailbox selected: 3
[The mailbox refers to which mailbox is being used. We only use mailbox #3, which is correctly being displayed]

The problem with the PMS cleared up by its self by the next orbit 90 minutes later. I was able to read the message and perform all normal PMS functions. And the Bytes Free counter returned to a normal setting.

c rs0iss
WF1F>RS0ISS [09/09/02 08:37:39]: >:

*** CONNECTED to RS0ISS
Logged on to RS0ISS's Personal Message System on board the International Space Station

You have mail waiting.
Msg # Stat Date Time To From @ BBS Subject
1909 P 02/09/08 22:34 WF1F RS0ISS QUESTION

55129 Bytes free

If you do encounter this problem please try to avoid uploading any messages to the PMS while it is having the Listing bug. Just simply log out and try again on the next orbit.

ISS Visible:
The ISS will be visible this week over North America in the evening.
There is also a shuttle launched planed for October 7 (heater repairs permitting). The day after the shuttle launches; it may be possible to see the shuttle chasing the ISS for a day or so until it docks. Please check the NASA links below for schedule changes and visual sighting opportunities.

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/

MISSION: STS-112 -- 15th ISS Flight (9A) - S1 Truss Segment

Vehicle : Atlantis/OV-104
Target Launch Date : October 7, 2002 at 3:46 p.m. EDT
Target Landing Date: October 18, 2002 at 11:46 a.m. EDT
Mission Duration : 11 days
Crew Ashby, Melroy, Wolf, Sellers, Magnus, Yurchikhin

Orbital Insertion Altitude/Inclination 122 nautical miles/51.6 degrees

If you do not have a tracking program, please check the NASA web pages for tracking and Visibility data. There have been several good reports of very bright reflections from ISS.
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/index.html

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/SSapplications/Post/Sight...

Take care all and good luck and please be courteous.

73 Miles WF1F MAREX-NA
www.marex-na.org
Until we meet again

DOSVIDANIYA Miles WF1F

Copyright 2001 Miles Mann, All Rights Reserved. This document may be freely
distributed via the following means - Email (including listservers), Usenet, and World-Wide-Web. It may not be reproduced for profit including, but not limited to, CD ROMs, books, and/or other commercial outlets without prior written consent from the author.