The Ops Team is made up of ARISS Technical Mentors, scheduling/technical representatives, and an orbital prediction specialist. An ARISS Operations Lead is selected from within the ranks on a periodic basis. This group meets weekly by telephone conference and much more frequently via e-mail and telephone. ARISS Technical Mentors are the experienced radio amateur volunteers who work with the schools, teachers, and local Amateur Radio groups that actually make the contacts with the ISS. Scheduling/technical representatives work within the space agencies, primarily NASA in the USA and Roscosmos in Russia, to secure the final schedules for the contacts. These scheduling representatives also coordinate training of the Astronauts in the use of the equipment on board the ISS and procedures for its use. The orbital prediction specialist does the long and short term predictions necessary to support the scheduling of all of the contacts. Scheduled ARISS Amateur Radio contacts with the ISS are conducted either by direct contact, or by telebridge contact. The method used will depend on the radio station equipment and experienced radio amateur volunteers available to support the contact as well as technical issues related to the orbit of the ISS over the contact location. Because the ARISS program supports the testing and installation of amateur radio stations aboard the ISS, astronauts have the equipment available to also make unscheduled ham radio contacts with radio amateurs all around the world on a one-to-one basis during their personal time. With a very limited investment in amateur radio equipment, licensed hams, including students who have access to amateur radio stations in a classroom, can make individual contact with astronauts aboard the ISS by learning to follow the published orbital schedule and practice some basic amateur radio contact techniques.