MIRNEWS.339 3 JANUARY 1997 Solar-orbit: As of 1.01.1997 the MIR-complex will remain in a so called solar-orbit for 1 week. This means that the MIR remains in the sunlight and has no shadowperiods. While large areas on the Northern Hemisphere experience very low temperatures these are high on board the space-station. The cosmonauts and the astronaut have to wear airy clothing. Periods like this are very good for the execution of space-walks (EVA-s), but regretfully there are no more EVA-s planned for this expedition. Communications: Now and then the (almost) geostationary satellite Cosmos-2054 (Altair-1) is used for the TsUP-MIR communications. This satellite is standing over 16 dgs West. Sometimes the satellite is used for phone only, but more often to exchange TV-transmissions. On 27.12.1996 during orbit 62024 Korzun explained the experiment Volna and the behaviour of liquids in this instrument could be seen. They use the Altair-1 satellite also for interviews, press-conferences and Packetradio for reception and transmission of radiograms. In the near future the DLR-groundfacility in Oberpfaffenhofen will use this satellite for direct contacts with European astronauts. Radio-amateurism: On 1.01.1997 the crew changed the frequencies for radio-amateurtraffic in the 145 Mc band. They now also use duplex (split) for Packet radio traffic. They changed the frequencies as follows: Uplink (transmissions to MIR) for Phone and P/R 145.200 Mc; downlink (from MIR to Earth, for Phone as well as for P/R 145.800 Mc. Changes like this can always be expected: the change which is suitable for 1 region might be unfavourable for other regions. This change is very good for the amateur- satellite band between 145.800-146 Mc as strong groundstations no longer hamper weak Oscar downlink signals around 145.800 Mc. Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202.