A couple of weeks ago my dad, who’s been a radio ham for 50 years, heard a radio contact between the British astronaut, Tim Peake, and a school in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire. He had to dig out his 2 metres rig which he hadn’t used for ages – a small handheld receiver with a rubber duck antenna. Not having a decent aerial, he was amazed that it worked. It was the first transmission he’d heard from outer space.<\/p>\n
Today I visited dad and listened out for another ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) contact from the ISS, this time with the City of Norwich Schools. We heard Tim Peake from here in Plymouth and I recorded it on a dictaphone and then edited it in Windows Movie Maker using screenshots from the live webcast and a photograph of dad’s radio set.<\/p>\n