‰  NOW 18 WPM transition file follows‰

The Air Force Academy satellite FalconSAT 3 is now open for Amateur
Radio use as a digital store and forward system. Built in 2005 and
2006 by cadets and faculty in the Space Systems Research Center at
the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, FalconSAT 3 was
launched in 2007.  The satellite has completed its scientific and
training missions, and the Academy now is making it available for
Amateur Radio use.  The Packet Bulletin Board System operates at
9600 baud with a 145.840 MHz uplink/435.103 MHz downlink. Output
power is 1 W, and the downlink is continuously on. Digipeating is
enabled for live QSOs, but unattended digipeating operation is not
authorized at this time.  Additional information is available on the
AMSAT website.  First licensed in 1956 as KN6SXX, LaPorta joined the
US Army after high school and then went to work for the Army as a
civilian in 1968 in Texas. While in Texas, he served a president of
the Dallas Amateur Radio Club, from 1970 to 1972, and was a member
of the Richardson Wireless Klub. He also presented ham radio
classes, and one of his students was Jim Haynie, W5JBP, now a SK,
who later served as ARRL President.  Attending college full time in
the evenings, LaPorta formed the Amateur Radio Society at the
University of Texas at Dallas. He graduated in 1977, while working
for the US Veterans Administration as its campus representative.  In
1978 and 1979, LaPorta served on the ARRL Headquarters staff.  Later
he was the Training Supervisor for Product Information at General
DataComm for 3 years, before starting a 17 year long career with
Motorola. After retirement, he was an independent insurance
representative.  LaPortas first love was DX contesting, and during
his active contest years as K6SXX, WA0ISO, DL4LA, W5QGZ, and W5LA
his stations often performed admirably, even at the QRP level. He
was the Single Operator, Unlimited mixed mode QRP winner of the 2016
IARU HF Championship, and was in the Top 10 Single Operator list,
QRP, list for the 2016 ARRL November Phone Sweepstakes.  LaPorta
also was very active during the ARRL Centennial QSO Party event in
2014, with one of the higher scores submitted.

‰  END OF 18 WPM transition file ƒ