Talking to Satellites

International Space Station Reference

Ham Radio

When astronauts, cosmonauts and mission specialists from many nations fly on the International Space Station, they will have amateur, or ham, radio as a constant companion.

As human space flight moves into a new uncharted era, an organization called ARISS, which stands for Amateur Radio on International Space Station, has been formed to design, build and operate equipment. In 1996, delegates from major national radio organizations and from AMSAT, which stands for the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, in eight nations involved with the International Space Station signed a Memorandum of Understanding to form ARISS.

Frequencies

Worldwide downlink for voice and packet
145.80
Worldwide packet uplink
145.99
Region 1 voice uplink
145.20
Region 2 and 3 voice uplink
144.49
Worldwide uplink for cross band voice repeater
437.80

Callsigns for the ISS:

Sergei Krikalev: U5MIR

John Phillips: KE5DRY

Russian callsigns: RS0ISS, RZ3DZR

U.S.A. callsign: NA1SS

For more information on the procedures used to contact the International Space Station, please visit the ARISS Web site, and http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/reference/radio/index.html











This is a photo of the initial radio station amateur equipment while it was being tested. After testing, the equipment was stowed aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis for delivery to the International Space Station during STS-106.

Do not forget to check if the ISS is over our skies first before attempting to communicate with the International Space Station!

9W2SSJ