[net.general] ham radio on Challenger?

johnbu (04/05/83)

     I've heard various reports (rumors) that one of the Challenger
shuttle crew is an amateur radio operator and that he will have a
radio (2 meter) with him to make contacts as time permits.

     Can anyone confirm or dispute this?  More specifically, if it
is true, can anyone suggest a frequency he might be on?

     Any info would be helpful.

                         Thanks, John Burgess, N7DCQ

larson (04/09/83)

#R:tektronix:-104700:sri-unix:1200015:000:512
sri-unix!larson    Apr  6 09:31:00 1983

  Dr. Owen Garriott, W5LFL, may be operating from a future shuttle
flight.  Initially, he had proposed using a handheld radio, and
holding the antenna near a window.  This was apparently turned
down, with an antenna mounted inside the cargo bay being approved
instead.  This would limit operation to the times that the bay
doors were open (and facing the earth).
  I believe that two meters was the proposed band.
  This information is mostly from my memory of an announcement
on Westlink a few weeks ago.
	Alan