NASA Astronaut Ronald J Garan KF5GPO
Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club congratulates South West Regional College on its very successful Amateur Radio link up with the International Space Station.
Particular credits to Mamraz Nagi whose initiative secured this ARISS event, the College technicians, and the students who spoke with the Radio Amateur in the ISS, Ronald J Garan, KF5GPO. Among his replies to the Enniskillen students’ questions, he shared very happy memories of a recent visit to Northern Ireland.
David Taylor operated the ground station K6DUE in Maryland USA linking up to the ISS, and Gaston Bertels ON4WF in Belgium, guided the College ARISS team through checks, rehearsals student questions and wrapped up with remarks that brought massive applause from over a hundred present for the radio amateurs in space and on the ground, and all involved in Northern Ireland’s first ever ARISS event.
Unusual but very appropriate, Mamraz Nagi set this ARISS event into a careers guidance context with astronauts as role models, their careers built on college and courses building skills and understanding for the challenges of work and lifestyle. As well as further and higher education students, there were others from local secondary schools and past-students of the College. Among these was a local radio amateur Herbie Graham Gi6JPO, who had done his Radio Amateur Examination Course and Examination at the then Fermanagh Technical College back thirty years ago.
Thanking and congratulating the College, staff and students, Michael Clarke Mi5MTC, Chair of the local Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club, supported the career guidance theme adding the importance also of a challenging hobby. Amateur radio was an example. Two thirds of about fifty active radio amateurs around Lough Erne are in the Club: students include Jamie Nelson 2I0MFB, a Portora sixth former, and youngest member, his sister Gemma Mi6GDN at Lisnaskea High.
For ten minutes of an orbit by the International Space Station, Northern Ireland’s first ever ARISS link wove SWC Enniskillen Campus students into a web of amateur radio communication across space, the USA and Belgium. Congratulations to all involved.
Michael Clarke Mi5MTC
Chair, Lough Erne ARC
BBC – Enniskillen students link-up with astronauts in space
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13682073
Watch BBC NI TV Newsline report available from Thursday June 9
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b011rzkc/BBC_Newsline_09_06_2011/
ARISS Europe http://www. ariss-eu.org/
South West Regional College http://www.swc.ac.uk/
Lough Erne ARC won the Northern Ireland Club of the Year Award twice. Then competing with top clubs from the other 12 UK amateur radio regions, the Club collected the UK final runner-up Award and £500 at May’s RSGB AGM in Derby.
http://www.lougherneradioclub.co.uk/