FelixBeing sick at home means I can at least grab my antenna and ham radio and listen to the strange noises from the ISS on my terrasse again.
As far as I know this is the first time they are sending SSTV images on the 70cm band?
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK@fesix SSTV on 70cm has been done off and on in the past year or so. It may happen more often in the near future, after the VHF side of the Kenwood TM-D710G transceiver in the Russian service module (the same radio also normally ran the 145.825 MHz packet/APRS digipeater) recently failed.
@wd9ewk Thank you, I haven't been following news about the status of the equipment for a while at least for me this was the first time on 70cm.
@fesix There was a recent test of packet/APRS on 437.825 MHz, and another 70cm packet/APRS test is coming up after the SSTV event.
The Russian side of the ISS has an older TM-D710 (not a G version with GPS) that may still be fully functional. That radio doesn't have the customized firmware to make it easier for ISS crews to use, so changes to that radio need to be laid out in procedures sent up to the ISS, until a replacement TM-D710G is sent up there.
Comrade Weez