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 Previous: Would-be King of the World Contester Foiled by Murphy |  Next: Senate Bill's Provision Not Viewed as Threat to Surplus Radio Fans |
NEWINGTON, CT, Oct 25, 2001--Although he's been licensed a relatively short time, International Space Station crew commander Frank Culbertson, KD5OPQ, sounded like a contesting pro last weekend during Scouting's Jamboree On The Air. A former Boy Scout himself, Culbertson took up the NA1SS microphone October 20-21 and worked a string of JOTA participants in the US and abroad.
 ISS crew chief Frank Culbertson, KD5OPQ, wore his Boy Scout T-shirt during his run of JOTA contacts. Culbertson was active in the Boy Scouts as a youth in Laurens, South Carolina. |
"Frank Culbertson left a global trail of excited Scouts this weekend as he made rapid-fire QSOs during Jamboree On The Air," said Gene Chapline, K5YFL, a mentor in the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program. ARISS announced late last week that Culbertson was going to try to make time available to put some JOTA contacts in the NA1SS log and had even brought along his Scout T-shirt in anticipation.
Among the happy customers was Al Lark, KD4SFF ("Scouting for Fun"), who reports that Jonathan, a member of Troop 555, spoke to Culbertson from JOTA operation during a Saturday pass. "We were set up in my backyard, here in Greenville, South Carolina," Lark said. "Frank was also excited to speak to a Scout from his home state of South Carolina."
Click here for audio of QSOs from KD4SFF (Jonathan, Patrick and Sam respectively): [2:13] |
The group also used the Experimenters Group Amateur Radio Club's N4ISS call sign. Jonathan--a pending Eagle Scout--"had the time of his life," Lark said. Another Troop 555 member, Patrick, and a Troop 259 member, Sam, also worked NA1SS on separate Sunday passes.
Lark added that after the "fantastic ARISS QSO, five Scouts at his station also chatted with the W5LEX club station aboard the USS Lexington in Texas. "The Scouts now want me to help them with their communications badges and are very interested in obtaining an Amateur Radio license!" he said.
 Scouts from two troops in Oklahoma gathered for JOTA and used the WA5BSA call sign. Mark Arnold, W5PDH, is at the operator position. Just behind him and partially hidden from view is Clay Mayrose, WA6LBU, whose son Chris (third from left in back row) just got his Technician license, KD5QBS. Back row, L-R: Justin Hurst, Jeramy Christensen, Chris Mayrose, KD5QBS, Matt Caver; middle row: Brendon Williams, Trygve Anderson, Chris Short, Anthony Buckley, Daniel Brooks, Paul Carberry, Jesse Christensen; front row (seated) Aaron Mayrose, James Brooks. |
On a Sunday pass over the US, Culbertson also logged contacts with K2BSA--the official Boy Scouts of America station near Dallas, as well as with other stations in Texas, New Mexico, the Midwest and the Northeast.
In Louisiana, Cedric Walker, K5CFW, said his Scout group talked to Culbertson during the same Sunday pass. "Because of the advance notice, we were able to put together a rig to work the space station on its direct pass over New Orleans," he said. "We had 16 boys from Troop 48 in New Orleans earning their Boy Scout Radio merit badge and participating in JOTA, and the crystal-clear QSO with Commander Culbertson worked perfectly and was an unforgettable thrill for every one of them."
Click here for audio of NA1SS QSOs over Europe: [3:28] |
In Oklahoma, Boy Scouts from Troop 850 in Guthrie and Troop 116 in Oklahoma City managed a quick contact with Culbertson on a Saturday pass. "At 17,000 miles per hour, he didn't have much time to chat," explained Assistant Scoutmaster John Dronberger, N5YZA. Troop 116's WA5BSA call sign turned out to be a good draw during JOTA. "We made over 50 contacts with dozens of individuals and Scouts from countries including Australia, Canada, Russia, Ecuador and South Africa," said Troop 850 Scoutmaster Doug Cook, KD5PDN.
From Australia, Tony Hutchison, VK5ZAI, in Paringa said his Scouting group also snagged a contact with Culbertson. "Frank did a fine job over Australia on the scheduled pass," Hutchison said. "I took a portable station down to the Riverland Scout Hall, and we had one of the senior girls ask a question, which he answered." Hutchison said some 60 boys and girls were on hand for the event.
While over Europe, Culbertson whipped through a series of contacts--some with JOTA operations and others with non-participating stations. Recently, Culbertson has been more active in making casual FM voice contacts, and he's also been averaging two ARISS school contacts a week.
| Previous: Would-be King of the World Contester Foiled by Murphy | Next: Senate Bill's Provision Not Viewed as Threat to Surplus Radio Fans |
