For those unfamiliar, ham radio is a hobby where individuals use radio frequencies to communicate without relying on cell phones or the internet. It’s quite fascinating and is also known as amateur radio.
Connecting with the ISS through a homemade ham radio is one of the most exciting contacts you can achieve.
However, achieving this was no simple task. Doug had previously attempted to make contact but was unsuccessful.
Eventually, his persistence paid off when he successfully connected with the ISS, and astronaut Woody Hoburg responded.
In a video shared on his YouTube page, Doug can be seen repeating his call sign: “Kilo Bravo 8 Mike,” until he finally made contact.
Hoburg replied: “Kilo Bravo 8 Mike, NA1SS got you loud and clear aboard the Space Station, welcome aboard.”
Doug wrote under the video: “I’ve made numerous voice and APRS [Automatic Packet Reporting System] contacts over the FM satellites and the ISS repeater.
“But I’ve always wanted to talk to an astronaut. Over the Memorial Day weekend I finally made that contact. I made contact with the ISS and talked to Woody Hoburg. What a thrill.”
Many astronauts on the ISS hold ham radio licenses and frequently engage in scheduled communication sessions with people on Earth.
NASA, ESA, CSA, and Roscosmos all support the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station program, which aims to inspire children to reach out to the station and foster an interest in science.
Occasionally, amateur operators succeed in contacting the astronauts using their own equipment.
If this sounds easy, think again. You can’t just turn the dials on any radio and hope to connect.
It’s feasible only when the ISS is in specific positions, so even with the right equipment, you must wait for it to be directly overhead.
Trying to make contact from the US when the ISS is over Australia won’t work.
Ham radio operator Matt Payne, along with his daughter Isabella, also contacted the ISS and spoke with astronaut Kjell Lindgren in August 2022.
Matt told IFLScience: “It’s pretty rare to speak to an astronaut outside of a scheduled educational contact. Several factors need to align for it to happen.”
He explained: “The ISS must be passing within LOS [Line Of Sight]… at a time that coincides with an astronaut’s ‘down time,’ meaning they are not occupied with an official task.
“There must be an astronaut actively using the Amateur Radio equipment for unscheduled contacts.”
It’s a challenging endeavor, but as shown, sometimes it does succeed!