ARLA/CLUSTER: Desligado repetidor italiano em 145,800 MHz em nome do espírito radioamadoristico.

[João Gonçalves Costa]

It would appear that the amateur radio D-Star repeater IR3UEF, which was operating in the Amateur Satellite segment of 2m, has shut down.

A report on the ISS Fan Club website says:

"There is update about the IR3UEF repeater operated by the Italian Amateur Radio Association (ARI, Chioggia Section) and interfering with the main ISS Downloank (145.800MHz). 

"The Veneto Regional President of ARI Gianluca Gavagnin (IZ3CLG) wrote me to inform that he disposed the shutdown of the VHF port of the IR3UEF repeater. The President would also like to clarify that the repeater was only used for local D-Star tests, that was regularly authorized by all the authorities and that the decision of shutting it down was taken solely in the name of HAM spirit."

This is a very welcome move and the Amateurs involved are to appluaded for their decision.

145.800MHz is used by the Amateur Radio station on the International Space Station (ISS). 

Today, Wednesday, Jan 12 at 10:55 UT, listeners in the British Isles and Europe will be able to hear ISS astronaut Paolo Nespoli, IZØJPA, using the ISS call sign NA1SS, having a contact with students at the Marco Polo-Viani school. The contact will be in Italian, see
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/january2011/ariss_event_1201.htm

ISS Fan Club
http://www.issfanclub.com/