Sometimes flukes become interesting news. One such thing happened when last week amateur radio enthusiast Adrian Lane sent a call to the International Space Station and got a reply! He got the opportunity to chat with the astronaut for 45 seconds because after this, the station went out of range.

This radio call got huge media attention but according to NASA, this is not a one-off event and happens all the time. This is because of the fact that the astronauts up at the space station have a ham radio like the one used by the amateur radio enthusiast. Ham radios are actually a set of frequencies allocated by the FCC to the amateur enthusiasts.

If you too want to make that call, then it is very easy after you know the procedure and how it works. To get on the airwaves you just need a basic knowledge of radio technology and its operating principles. Then you need to pass a licensing test. Once passed, US license is valid for 10 years and comes in three different classes: technician, general and extra. Now what you really need is proper equipment. Amateur Radio Relay League’s (ARRL) guide will help you in deciding how to select gear for your first radio. And if you want to chat with an astronaut on ISS, you will have to check out the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) page which lists ham radio frequencies currently in use on board the ISS.

It is easier to make a call to ISS when it is directly overhead. The position of ISS can also be known using public domain software. But make sure you call the ISS according to the daily routine of the crew members as they are busy people and you would not like to hinder their work. So grab that ham radio and see your name splashed across the internet.

[adinserter block=”7″]

Author:Technology Blog