WichitaFallsComplete.com


Listening in on Ham Radio Operators in Space

Back in November of 1983, I had the pleasant experience of listening to astronaut Dr. Owen K. Garriott, Amateur Radio operator W5LFL, make contact with other "ham" radio operators on the ground while he was orbiting the earth in the Space Shuttle on flight STS 9.

Although I was a licensed ham radio operator at the time, I had not set up any gear in an attempt to make contact with Dr. Garriott, but merely programmed the downlink frequency into my Bearcat scanner. Then, one night the scanner locked in on that frequency and I could hear W5LFL conversing with an earthbound ham. I could not hear the other ham, but W5LFL was coming in loud and clear even though I was only using the small telescoping antenna that came with the scanner.

Since that time, many more astronauts have become licensed Amateur Radio operators and have operated from the shuttle, and continue to operate from the International Space Station. Not too long ago I listened to the "billionaire in space", Charles Simonyi, making contact with hams on the ground from the International Space Station. Charles was already a licensed ham radio operator before his flight, but some astronauts have become licensed just for the opportunity to make contact with schools and individuals across the globe.

Then recently I listened to an astronaut on the Space Station taking questions from one student after another on a scheduled contact with a school somewhere in the U.S. I could hear him clearly for about 5 minutes or so before he streaked out of range of my simple attic-mounted antenna.

So, dust off your old programmable scanner and plug in 145.800 MHz. This is the frequency that hams on the International Space Station use for transmitting. They receive in the 400 MHz range. There's no telling how long it will be before you hear them, but one day, when you least expect it, they will come booming in loud and clear! Better yet, get your Amateur Radio license (Morse code no longer required), make contact with the ISS, and get a QSL card from space!

73, Maynard - WF5TX