TRANSPOLAR SKITREK/PROJECT NORDSKI COMM FACT SHEET WHAT: A skiing expedition from northernmost Russia to northernmost Canada via the North Pole. WHO: Eleven to fourteen skiers. Four Canadians and seven to ten Russians. WHEN: On or about March 1, 1988. FROM WHERE TO WHERE: From Cape Arktichesky on the Severnaya Zemlya Islands to Cape Columbia on Ellesmere Island. WHY: A scientific expedition to make geomagnetic, glacial, and meteorological observations and conduct experiments in physiology and biochemistry to determine the limits to human endurance and social isolation. In the words of Dr. Dimitri Shparo, team leader, "We are going to join two continents with a ski track. It is a walking trip... to show that we are very close neighbors." HOW LONG: Ninety to one hundred days. HOW FAR: 980 km to the Pole from Russia and 750 km from the Pole to Canada. 1730 km total distance. MANAGEMENT: Privately organized by "Komsomolskaya Pravda" (the Soviet Youth Newspaper). Canadian Project Manager is the Polar Bridge Company, a group organized by the Canadian skiers. EQUIPMENT: All contained in backpacks weighing from 80 to 90 pounds includes tents, inflatable rubber rafts, sleeping bags, heaters/cookers, food, scientific equipment, navigation and communications gear. SUPPLIES: Delivered in six air drops, three Russian and three Canadian. Planes will only land in emergencies. COMMUNICATIONS: Via amateur radio gear as a part of PROJECT NORDSKI COMM. Support bases in Russia, Canada and on an ice island will be linked by an Amateur Radio digital form of communications known as packet radio. NAVIGATION: PROJECT NORDSKI COMM teams emergency locator transmitters (ELT's), search and rescue satellites (SARSAT and their Russian equivalents, COSPAS), and the talking computer on board the satellite UoSAT OSCAR 11. The skiers will be able to hear their location read to them over hand held amateur radio equipment as UoSAT passes over about every 100 minutes. Celestial navigation will be used when possible. SUPPORT GROUPS: Southern bases at Severnaya Zemlya and at K-Pravda in Moscow and at Resolute Bay in Canada. Also from at least one ice island base, the Russian North Pole 28 where a Russian and Canadian Amateur radio operator will be stationed. TRAINING: In the Tien Shan mountains of Soviet Central Asia and at Frobisher Bay, Baffin Island. OBSTACLES: Open water, thin ice, pressure ridges, low temperatures (-50 degrees C.) and storms. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * FOLLOWING THE TRANSPOLAR SKITREK IN YOUR CLASSROOM The organizers of the Polar SKITREK have had educators and students in mind from the beginning. The communications/navigation element of SKITREK is called NORDSKI COMM (for North Ski Communications) is a way you can participate in the SKITREK and monitor the skiers' position on a daily basis. The same satellite the trekkers will hear to get their position will pass over your school every morning no matter where in the world your school is located. You can monitor these transmissions in a variety of ways and get updated latitudes and longitudes to plot on classroom bulletin board maps. The key to this whole operation is AMATEUR RADIO. It's very likely there's at least one parent of children attending your school who is a HAM (Amateur Radio Operator). Perhaps even a teacher, administrator, cook, custodian, or student in your school has a license. HAMS love to share their hobby...why not look for a retired senior citizen HAM to help you out. HAMS generally have receiving equipment on the two meter band. They usually own hand held called handi-talkies (HT'S) which are nearly identical to the ones the skiers are using. Tell them you need to receive a 2 Meter FM signal on the frequency of 145.825 Megahertz. They can clearly receive the talking computer (DIGITALKER) on UoSAT OSCAR 11 with a whip antenna on their HT's (while standing outside), with a car 2 meter antenna, or with a vertical antenna at their house. Work out a way with them that you and your students can hear the Digitalker first hand on a weekly basis or more often if you wish. Your HAM contact can also tape the signal for your later use. Get some good local PR out of this at the same time. Involved taxpayers are friendly ones! Since you don't need transmit capability to receive the UoSAT Digitalker, you might think of using a multi-use police receiver/scanner. Many police-type scanners can receive the frequency given above. Check the instruction manual or a salesperson can tell you whether a particular scanner is suitable. A HAM can give you good advice on a scanner that would do the job and a suitable inexpensive or home-made antenna you can place outside your classroom window. How will you and your HAM contact know when to listen for the Digitalker? A prediction sheet for your location that covers the entire three month plus Skitrek period beginning March 1, 1988 is included in an information packet available to you on request. All suitable passes of UoSAT OSCAR 11 will take place between 8 AM and Noon local time. Involve your students in making a bulletin board map of the polar area complete with latitude and longitude lines. Then plot the trek's progress with markers of your own design as you receive positions from the Digitalker. A basic map is included in the information packet which you can convert to an overhead transparency or use an opaque projector to enlarge. A special postcard commemorating your reception of the Digitalker will be available to you from the Canadian Amateur Radio Relay League. Information on this and how you can access weekly TRANSPOLAR SKITREK progress reports is also included in the information packet. We will also be happy to answer any questions you have about the TRANSPOLAR SKITREK. For your information packet to be mailed out Feb 1, 1988 write: Richard C. Ensign AMSAT Science Education Advisor 421 N. Military Dearborn, MI 48124 Phone: 1-313-278-0900 (during the school day) 1-313-274-1718 (evenings & weekends)