Say "HI" to Juno!

QSP from  http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/hijuno/

What is this?

 

NASA's Juno spacecraft will fly past Earth on October 9, 2013 to receive a gravity assist from our planet, putting it on course for Jupiter. To celebrate this event, the Juno mission is inviting amateur radio operators around the world to say "HI" to Juno in a coordinated Morse Code message. Juno's radio & plasma wave experiment, called Waves, should be able to detect the message if enough people participate. So please join in, and help spread the word to fellow amateur radio enthusiasts!

This page will be updated with additional information as the event approaches.

How do I participate?

1. Find your broadcast frequency in the table at right. The frequency to use is assigned based on the last letter of your call sign.
2. If you have a directional antenna (Yagi), determine the headings to use during the event. The map below and a list of major cities (to be posted here soon) are provided to assist in determining your headings.
3. Visit this web page on October 9, 2013. The activity will begin at about 18:01 UTC and continue until about 20:41 UTC. This page will clearly indicate when you should key up or key down to broadcast "HI" to Juno in Morse Code.

If you participate and would like to receive a QSL card for contacting Juno, please send an email with your call sign and mailing address. Cards will be sent to participants who email this information in the months following the event.

Important:

• Please make sure your computer clock is synchronized to network time prior to this event.
• All transmissions must follow local and national regulations (FCC or the appropriate governing authority), regular ID, etc.
• Please insure adequate cooling and operate your equipment within safe operating limits. While the event's success depends on the maximum possible radiated power, NASA, Caltech/Jet Propulsion Laboratory and institutions affiliated with the Juno mission cannot be responsible for the safe operation of your equipment. Settings for modes such as RTTY or FM which use a constant power output would be appropriate.

• Operators with directional antennas should use this map and a list of reference cities (coming soon) to help determine their broadcast heading.
• Juno is directly above the indicated tick marks at the times they represent.
• Within ± 30 minutes around closest approach (c/a), tick marks are spaced 1 minute apart.
• For times >± 30 minutes around c/a, tick marks are spaced 5 minutes apart.
• Red section of Juno’s path is the 20-minute period when the spacecraft is in Earth’s shadow.
• Cities named are NASA & ESA Deep Space Network ground stations.