my first visual ISS pass - awesome!

[KD6NFD]

just had to share this - I got out of bed early Sunday morning to catch a high elevation ISS pass. WOW! It was the brightest thing in the sky - directly over head passing NW to SE. I have read about others seeing it but I had no idea how bright it really is. I had my iPhone in hand running the free Satellite Tracker app, the ISS was right where the app said it was. I will watch for future dawn or dusk time passes now and will drag the family outside to see it next time.

73
Craig - KD6NFD

[K6LCS]

I still get excited at seeing the ISS ... knowing there are PEOPLE on board ... Great job!

Now that you know your sat tracking program is right on, try working the ISS this weekend - VOICE!

Astronaut Mike Fossum KF5AQG is planning to participate in JOTA from the International Space Station during using the call sign NA1SS.

His schedule is somewhat flexible on the weekends but he will not be available for every pass. The typical crew work periods are 0800-1930 UTC and they are sometimes available a bit later.

When available, Mike will be operating on the standard ISS frequencies:
ITU Region 1 (Europe, Russia and Africa) uplink: 145.200 MHz FM
ITU regions 2 & 3 (everywhere else) uplink: 144.49 MHz.
Worldwide downlink for NA1SS: 145.800 MHz FM.


Clint, K6LCS

[W5PFG]

It is very cool. I love working an ISS pass and seeing it at the same time. You can only really do that from a portable position.

[W4PG]

Craig:

If the ISS passes excite you, try looking at Iridium Flares!! These are low orbiting communication satellites that for a few seconds, can create truly brilliant "flares" in the sky that are many times brighter than the ISS, depending on the satellite and position. Check out Heavens Above to find times and estimated magnitudes. Pretty cool!

..............Bob

[KB1QYS]

Seeing the ISS never gets old. As Bob said, check out WWW.Heavens-Above.Com. The site is pretty cool, and he's absolutely right about the Iridium satellites. The ISS may get as bright as -3.7. Iridium satellites get as bright as -9. Another one to check out, is the NOSS. They fly in pairs or groups of 3. I've seen them twice, and was blown away.
73-
Paul

[W9GB]

I just had to share this.
I got out of bed early Sunday morning to catch a high elevation ISS pass. WOW!
It was the brightest thing in the sky - directly over head passing NW to SE.

I first saw Skylab fly overhead in mid-1970s (the converted S-IV stage was about as bright as ISS) ... the wonder near changes.

I do miss Oscar 6 and 7 ... I largely listened to those birds .. since I was finishing high school and starting college at that time.
I did hear Oscar 7 the other day -- still operating when in sunlight.

Iridium flashes are like being a deer in headlights :-)

[KJ4VYI]

saw the iss tonight my 4 year old even saw it -- called it a spaceship station was flying west to east north of us so i guess it was nw to ne flight was amazing and is amazing every time -- was flying by at around 7:15 local cst time

Chad
KJ4VYI

[KF7MYK]

Clint K6LCS actually got me to see it for the first time a while back. I didnt really know what I was looking for and my friends son actually pointed it out. I have watched many since then and it is pretty cool everytime!

[KD0PLS]

I always enjoy satellite watching out here in the country. It gets so dark here that you can actually see the milk in the milky way once your eyes adjust. The neatest thing to have seen was the space shuttle and ISS flying in tandem. I went out the second to last flight and layed out on the roof to watch it go by about 4:30am.

[KW9W]

Great experience, more people should give up a bit of sleep to glimpse ISS moving quickly across the sky.