
Guy contacts ISS using a ham radio - chris_overseas
https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/eyywkq/guy_contacts_iss_using_a_ham_radio/
======
dacohenii
If you're a ham and want to do this, here's some more information on how to do
so: [0]

Most of the astronauts are hams, which is pretty cool. As the page says,
they're not always around the radio, so if you make contact, it's pretty
lucky.

All you need is a small handheld VHF radio (since it's line-of-sight) and a
decent antenna. In the US, you'd need a technician license (the lowest level).

There are also unmanned satellites that act basically like flying repeaters,
so you can talk to other hams (on earth) much farther away than you'd normally
be able to with VHF. More info here: [1]

If you're interested in becoming a ham, it's pretty easy (in the USA, at
least) to get licensed [2] You have to take a test, but the study guide [3]
contains all the questions on the test.

Disclosure: I'm a ham and have not actually contacted the ISS. But I think
it's cool.

[0] [https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-
iss.html](https://www.ariss.org/contact-the-iss.html)

[1] [https://www.amsat.org/two-way-satellites/](https://www.amsat.org/two-way-
satellites/)

[2] [http://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed](http://www.arrl.org/getting-
licensed)

[3] [https://smile.amazon.com/ARRL-Radio-License-Manual-
Spiral/dp...](https://smile.amazon.com/ARRL-Radio-License-Manual-
Spiral/dp/1625950829)

edit: formatting

~~~
marblar
I misread the title and thought we were contacting the Islamic State of Iraq
and Syria. This makes a lot more sense.

~~~
pvaldes
Didn't happened only to you.

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sneak
This (ham chat from ground to ISS) is a (surprisingly, pretty central) plot
point in Neal Stephenson’s Seveneves. In the book they’re using CW, though.

Another thing I find cool that hams do (IRL) is EME, or Moonbounce:

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%E2%80%93Moon%E2%80%93Ear...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%E2%80%93Moon%E2%80%93Earth_communication)

