Amskaya - No 085 - 2011 01

Magazine Overview

AMSKAYA is the newsletter of the STAR Fellowship, with issue number 85 dated January 2011. The cover features a striking illustration of a desert scene with a UFO, and the main headline announces a "CONTACT REPORT FROM WEST VIRGINIA, USA, JULY 1966".

Contact Report from West Virginia, USA, July 1966

This article details an encounter reported by a "silent contactee" from West Virginia. The contactee described an initial meeting with a dome-shaped object and its "quite-human" occupants. Over subsequent weeks, the contactee had several more rendezvous, and his story was corroborated by numerous eyewitnesses, including a Baptist minister and a medical doctor. An official from Cocoa Beach, Florida, identified as "George Cater", visited the contactee and his wife, inviting them to Florida for a "vacation" in the Cape Kennedy area. During their stay, they were given tours of NASA facilities and introduced to numerous officials. The contactee recounted his story to NASA personnel, who showed no surprise and even added details about the craft's construction. A scientist reportedly showed the contactee a star chart and indicated a distant star system as the origin of his "friends". It was later discovered that George Cater held a top security clearance within the space program, suggesting NASA's significant interest in the case.

When contacted, George Cater provided "no comment", but eventually admitted the contactee had been in his office, leading the authors to believe he was covering up the truth. Following the visit, three radar trucks were stationed near the contactee's home, with antennas aligned towards his farmhouse. The contactee reported military jets flying overhead when saucers landed on his farm, and on one occasion, jets nearly collided with a hovering spacecraft. Reliable witnesses confirmed the presence of NASA trucks, with "NASA" clearly visible on their sides.

The article notes that NASA installations have frequently been visited by UFOs, citing an incident on December 5th, 1965, near Cape Kennedy, where mysterious multi-coloured lights were sighted, causing a flood of calls and concern among officials. Similar sightings of a green and red sphere with a smoke trail were reported near Patrick Air Force Base.

Astronaut Sightings

The "Apollo 12's Mysterious Encounter with Flying Saucers" article, originally from Saga magazine in May 1970, is referenced. It recounts sightings by Gordon Cooper and John Young on the Gemini 10 mission of two bright objects that disappeared. A second sighting the next morning involved a bright object near Orion. The Apollo 12 mission itself is described as having strange encounters, including being tailed by flashing objects, experiencing unexplained radio sounds and seismic disturbances, and seeing a mysterious blue halo around astronaut Pete Conrad. Experts found no flaw in the film to explain the halo. The article also mentions other astronauts admitting to seeing UFOs in space, citing Tim Swartz's work on "UFO Sightings by NASA Astronauts".

During the Apollo 12 return trip, on November 24th, the astronauts reported seeing a bright red object flashing brilliantly against the Earth, which then disappeared. The development of photos from the Moon landing revealed the silvery-blue halo around Pete Conrad, which photographic experts could not explain.

Woodrow Derenberger

This section introduces Woodrow Derenberger, described as a "contactee" from West Virginia, whose story appears to be the one detailed earlier in the issue. Written by M. Spohn Marling, it references an article from Flying Saucers magazine in October 1967. Derenberger, a salesman, reported an encounter on November 2nd, 1967, while driving home. A large craft landed on the road, and a "fine looking figure of a man, dark skinned", who identified himself as "Mr. Cold, Indrid Cold, a 'searcher'", emerged. They communicated telepathically, with Cold reassuring Derenberger. Other cars passed by, with the drivers only seeing Derenberger talking to a friend. After Cold re-entered the craft, it took off at high speed. Derenberger was reportedly in shock afterwards, and his wife noted his distressed state.

Transmissions Similar to Philip Rodgers' Tapes on Apollo and Other Missions

This section discusses strange transmissions received during various space missions, comparing them to Philip Rodgers' tape recordings, which reportedly included whistles, giggles, and music. During the Apollo 12 mission, astronauts reported hearing unexplainable sounds, including whistles and beeps, which ground control also detected. Astronaut Gordon Cooper, on the Faith 7 mission in 1963, had his transmission interrupted by "unintelligible foreign language transmission". Navy Capt. Walter Schirra Jr. reported hearing strange music during the Apollo 7 mission. Apollo 11 experienced unnerving "sound effects" on July 22nd, including noises like a fire engine, followed by a high-pitched giggle, a siren, and the hum of a power saw. Later, noises resembling a train whistle and steam locomotive were heard, along with a rubber toy whistle sound. The source of these transmissions remains unsolved.

Investigator John Keel is mentioned for his research into similar phenomena. Keel investigated a sighting in Gallipolis Ferry, West Virginia, on April 3rd, 1967, of a saucer-shaped object. During the investigation, Deputy Millard Halstead's radio emitted a strange sound described as "voices on a speeded-up phonograph record", a phenomenon also heard by the deputy five months earlier.

Other UFO Sightings and Related Phenomena

The article details an encounter reported by a woman in Gallipolis, Ohio, who saw a "big cylinder" land near her, with two men approaching her and asking for the time. Philip Rodgers' voices were also noted to include "timecheck" requests. Keel also investigated a UFO encounter near Melville, New York, involving a glowing object, a smaller craft, and a robot-like figure. Unusual signals and "unidentified voices" have been reported from CB radios and walkie-talkies.

L.I.P.I. (Long Island Paranormal Investigators) reported a mysterious "voice" speaking through their walkie-talkies during an investigation at Mount Misery, which responded to their verbal comments and questions. This phenomenon is linked to early contactee communities and the work of George Hunt Williamson, who claimed to have witnessed an amateur radio operator communicating with "space people" in 1952.

The article mentions Nikola Tesla's experience of hearing mysterious, unexplained radio signals and voices from the 1890s onwards, speculating that these could be linked to Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP).

Several sightings over Somerset, UK, in 2010 are listed, including a cylindrical object seen in Bridgwater and a bright orange light that appeared and disappeared. Other UK sightings include a triangular object at Bridgwater, a long dark shape near Bristol, and a round object at Glastonbury. A police incident in Glastonbury in 1970 involved four witnesses seeing eight maroon, egg-shaped objects.

Web Sites

A list of relevant websites is provided, including those related to extraterrestrial contact, leys, and UFO investigations.

Books and Booklets

Several publications are advertised and described:

• THE HIDDEN UNITY and BEGINNINGS: Explores subconscious siting of ley points, places of worship, and environmental/philosophical implications. It includes two ley centres and an appendix on Paganism. Price: £2 plus 30p p&p.
• Beginnings: Details discoveries made by Jimmy Goddard, including earth energy detection, natural antigravity, and subconscious siting. It also covers cognitive dissonance and the discovery of leys by Alfred Watkins. Price: £2 plus 30p p&p.
• EARTH PEOPLE, SPACE PEOPLE: A booklet prepared by Tony Wedd, detailing extraterrestrial contact claims, the history of the STAR Fellowship, evidence for life in the Solar System, and extraterrestrial language. Price: £2 plus 30p p&p.
• THE LEGACY OF TONY WEDD: A CD-ROM of Tony Wedd's travelling exhibition on flying saucers, landscape energies, and lost technology. Price: £9.99.

AMSKAYA itself is described as a continuation of the organization formed in 1960 by Tony Wedd, costing £2 for four quarterly issues.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, astronaut encounters with unexplained phenomena, anomalous radio transmissions, and the experiences of contactees. The STAR Fellowship, as represented by AMSKAYA, appears to be dedicated to investigating these phenomena, with a focus on evidence and witness testimony. The editorial stance seems to be one of open inquiry into UFOs and extraterrestrial contact, presenting various reports and research without overt skepticism, and encouraging further investigation through provided resources like websites and publications.