We have confirmation from ARISS operations that a contact with astronaut Paulo Nespoli has been scheduled for the participants of YOTA 2017 on Tuesday, 8 August at 18:38UTC. This will be from the Columbus module of the ISS and will include live video from HamTV. Keep an eye on www.rsgb.org/yota for updates on this and all the other activities that will be happening during YOTA 2017.
With less than a week to go, our latest vlog features YOTA’s very own Lisa Leenders, PA2LS! As you know, Lisa is passionate about encouraging young people to enjoy amateur radio and she is looking forward to being part of another successful YOTA summer camp, this year in the UK… Take a look at this and all the other vlogs to remind you of the people you might meet at the event: www.rsgb.org/yota-vlogs
Our latest vlog introduces RSGB Youth Committee Deputy Chair Milo, 2E0ILO who is leading the UK team at YOTA 2017 next month. Milo went to Friedrichshafen to be part of the YOTA handover ceremony, taking the YOTA key and flag from last year’s host, Austria. He’s looking forward to YOTA 2017 and meeting teams from around the world. Take a look: www.rsgb.org/yota-vlogs
Father-and-daughter-team Kevin, G0PEK and Lauren, M6HLR will speak to YOTA teams during the week about their experiences on the UK hills and mountains. Following that, team members will build a portable antenna and take it up the nearest official summit, Wendover Woods, G/CE-005.
Before the event, 11-year-old Lauren plans to have just finished activating all 214 Wainwrights in the Lake District – a great achievement which will give her lots of experiences to share!
Take a look at this and all the other YOTA vlogs and info on the RSGB website – www.rsgb.org/yota-vlogs
The Gilwell Park site is very large so there will be lots of space to hide beacons to track with direction-finding equipment. There’ll be a prize for the fastest time to find all of the hidden transmitters.
There have been some changes to the teams attending YOTA 2017 – unfortunately the teams from Ethiopia, Bosnia and Slovenia are no longer able to attend, but Algeria has been added to the countries taking part and eight countries have been able to add team members.
The new UK team member is Martin Radulov, M0YRM, who has been licensed for two years and is interested both in the physics behind radio communications and construction.
He thinks his biggest achievement so far is making contacts via satellites using a yagi, pre-amplifier and duplexer he made for himself.
Who are your YOTA 2017 team members going to be?
Some members of the UK YOTA Team will be at the Friedrichshafen Ham Radio Exhibition, which takes place 14 to 17 July 2017. They will be there to receive the YOTA key and official YOTA flag from last year’s hosts from OeVSV. If you are attending Friedrichshafen this year, please make your way to the RSGB Stand on Saturday at 15:30 to say hello and see the handover.
As two countries are no longer able to attend YOTA 2017, the other countries who are involved are being invited to nominate additional team members – there are six places to fill. If you’re a young radio amateur aged 15-25 and are free from 5-12 August 2017, contact your national amateur radio society if you’d like to apply or find out more.
Our latest vlog introduces the second member of the UK YOTA 2017 team – Jonathan Sawyer, 2E0UAR is 23 and belongs to the Reading and District Amateur Radio Club.
With under six weeks to go until the event the countdown has begun!
What question would you ask an astronaut?
YOTA teams across the world have been invited to submit questions for the planned contact with the International Space Station during YOTA 2017.
Linking with the theme of the amateur radio event, questions should focus on communications – which can include amateur radio, cell phones, data links, satellites, etc. YOTA team members have been asked to try and think of questions no-one else has asked before!
We won’t know when the ISS contact will take place until one week before the event, but the plan is to have it streamed live over the internet so people everywhere will be able to watch the build up and the QSO.
