The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ham radios let students speak with astronauts
For a fleeting few minutes, classic communication collided with 21st century space technology at Mill Springs Academy in Alpharetta when students had the chance to speak to astronauts aboard the International Space Station. They did it using amateur radio, also known as ham radio, to ask questions of the three-man crew as they passed over the school’s range for 10 minutes.
Through t he A mateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program, schools can learn firsthand about the crew’s proj- ects, programs and life without gravity.
The Mill Spr i ngs connec tion grew out of the school’s strong ham radio program, initiated by seventh and eighth grade science teacher Martha Muir. A professed ham enthusiast, Muir learned about the link to the space station during a program for teachers who incorporate ham radio into their classrooms.
“I primarily teach physical science and STEM enrich- ment classes, and a lot of the concepts in amateur radio are similar,” she said. “It’s about building things, with endless practical applications for electronics. It also helps answer the question, ‘Why do we have to know this?’
Well, here you go: You can learn how this system works and talk to the ISS.” At Mill Springs, Muir has taught a January seminar on how to get a ham radio license and also leads an amateur radio club. “We’ve established a wonderful relationship with the North Fulton Amateur Radio League, and they’ve been out to our school to work with students,” she said. “We’ve also been connected to a school near Broadstairs, England, and for a couple of years, we’ve kept that relationship going. When we talked to the ISS, those students turned in questions and were listening in, too.” With a window of just 10 minutes to make the radio connection, Mill Springs stu- dents rehearsed their ques- tions and kept the conversation going. A microphone hooked up to the radio and PA systems broadcast the astronauts’ answers to students crowded into the gym. “They had to keep things moving quickly, and they performed beautifully,” said Muir. “It was phenomenally fun.” Ham radio enthusiast Josh Drew agreed.
“I was really excited, knowing I’d be part of something people don’t normally get to do,” said the junior from Johns Creek. “We asked questions regarding life on the ISS and what astronauts can and can’t do. We wanted to know if they could hear the sound of space debris outside and what the climate conditions in different rooms were like. I learned that life on the ISS is a lot of hard work.”
The excitement kicked in for eighth-grader Luke McCoin about 10 minutes before the program began.
“I didn’t know what to think about it, and then I realized I was talking to an astronaut 250,000 miles away,” said the Roswell resident. “That was very cool, and after talking to the ISS, I did some research on my own, browsing the NASA website. And seeing how we used ham radios made me think about getting my own license.”