MIRNEWS.338                      10.12.1996
  
  2d Spacewalk (EVA) 22d Mainexpedition (ME) MIR:
  
  This EVA took place on 9.12.1996 between 1352UTC (opening
  hatch) and 2028UTC (closing hatch).  So a duration of 6
  hrs 36 mins.  The EVA lasted longer for Korzun wished to
  accomplish all what had to be done and there also was a
  problem with something which bungled loose.  Before
  return they restored the connection of the radio-
  amateurantenne for the 145 mc. Probably this antenne had
  been disconnected  by accident during the 1st EVA.  They
  connected the antenna again and while they were flying
  over Chile and Brasil  they asked John Blaha to listen
  out on the 145.800 mc to check whether the antenne was
  working or not.  There was no traffic on that frequency 
  in that area and so they had to wait until they came in
  range of European amateurs.  I asked the English radio-
  amateur Pat Gowen (G3IOR) to give calls on 145.800 mc as
  soon as MIR would come in range (at abt. 1934UTC).  So he
  did and these signals could be heard by John Blaha while
  MIR was flying over France.  He reported this to the
  still being on EVA Korzun and Kaleri and congratulated
  them with their success.  Korzun urged John not to
  transmit, but to listen only.  The cosmonauts fully
  accomplished their tasks: installing the truss
  construction Rapana at the truss Ferma-3 and the
  replacement of the Kurs-antenna on the outersurface of
  the P.Kh.O. (transitionsection).  John Blaha who stayed
  inside the complex  took care of the communications and
  executed commands given to him by TsUP.  He gave  the
  cosmonauts  all possible moral and technical help.  The
  cosmonauts and Blaha did an excellent job during this
  EVA, they gave an example of fruitful  international
  cooperation and so they  all deserve  a loud: 'MOLODTSY' 
  (very well done).    
  Of course the cosmonauts were very tired after the EVA
  and back in the airlock they  had to do hard labour to
  put off their spacesuits. 
  Just before midnight Korzun could be heard in a contact
  with a Portugese radio-amateur via the repaired antenne
  for the 145 mc. 
  
  Thusfar there are no more EVA's on schedule for this
  crew.  
  
  Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202
--- Maximus 2.01
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