MIRNEWS.338 10 DECEMBER 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.