Tag Archives: Mark Hirst

Listening to ARISS contacts last week

I get just as excited as my kids when I receive any communications from the International Space Station. This past week, we fit an ARISS contact fit into our hectic schedule during lunch break. I gave both of my kids a handheld radio and we all listened together as the ISS passed overhead.

Right on schedule, we heard NA1SS, but it sounded like they were struggling to make contact with KD2IFR at the Central Islip Union Free School District in Central Islip, NY.

I made a short video about one minute into the scheduled contact. I believe both parties were forced to move to their backup channel because we never heard an exchange–only NA1SS calling KD2IFR:

Click here to view on YouTube.

Still…we heard an astronaut live, so mission accomplished!

SWLing Post contributor, Mark Hirst, had much better luck last week monitoring an ARISS contact with King’s High School in Warwick, UK. Check out his excellent video:

Click here to view on YouTube.

Thanks for posting that video, Mark. By the way, I love your FT-817ND setup!

In fact, the King’s High School ARISS contact snagged some excellent publicity via the BBC. Here’s an article via the Southgate ARC:

King’s High School ARISS contact on BBC TV

On April 19 student Eleanor Griffin led the live question and answer session between King’s High School (GB4KHS) and astronaut Ricky Arnold KE5DAU on the International Space Station (OR4ISS)

King’s High School strongly encourage their girls to develop their interests both inside and outside the classroom. This culture of empowerment led one of their girls to apply to ARISS Europe (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) for a highly prestigious link-up to the International Space Station.

Nicola Beckford reporting on the contact for the BBC – credit KHS

When Eleanor Griffin was selected to hold a space conversation with an astronaut, she was inspired to set up the Warwick Mars Project, for students across the Warwick Independent Schools Foundation, to further interest in Space Science. Eleanor says: “The moon landings belong to the generation of our grandparents, and the International Space Station to our parents. What will happen in our generation? Will Mankind travel to another planet?”

When asked what the incredible experience of the ISS contact had taught her Eleanor replied “Just do it! No one is going to stop you, if you just go and pursue your dreams, you really can do anything.”

Watch the BBC TV news item broadcast on Midlands Today @bbcmtd. Fast forward to 18:45 into the recording at
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b09z9tw6/midlands-today-evening-news-19042018

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
http://ariss.org/
https://twitter.com/ARISS_status

King’s High School Warwick
https://twitter.com/KHSWarwick

If you missed these ARISS contacts, no worries! Check out the ARISS “Upcoming Contacts” page where future ARISS QSOs are listed. ARISS contacts are a great opportunity to show kids of all ages what you can hear with even a modest radio!

BBC News video on Soviet jamming of BBC and VOA

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Hirst, who shares this short video from BBC News:

Click here to view via the BBC News website.

Ever Ready Model N attache case radio spotted in charity shop

Radio spotted in “The Day the Earth Caught Fire”

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Hirst, who has discovered yet another radio in film:

Spotted this in the 1961 sci-fi movie, ‘The Day the Earth Caught Fire‘.

I’m guessing it’s an old military set.

I believe it is indeed, Mark! Perhaps an intrepid SWLing Post reader can sort out the model number? Please comment!

I’ll add this post to our growing archive of radios in film.

Mark spots a vintage radio in “Travelers”

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Hirst, who adds the following to our growing archive of radios in film. Mark writes:

I’d spotted this radio in the Netflix time travelling series Travelers early on, but it was never in focus to nail a decent image.

In spite of that, it does have a distinctive design that SWLing readers might recognise.

Click to enlarge.

Sitting in the book case next to the stacked books, I’m guessing it’s ornamental rather than functional.

Mark, you obviously have a knack for detecting radios in film! Thank you for sharing!

Post readers: Can anyone ID this radio? I love the design–guessing it’s a Bakelite chassis?

BBC video: “The ‘spy radio’ that anyone can hear”

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Hirst, who writes:

Nothing that an SWLing Post reader doesn’t already know–more for general consumption:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-42819704/numbers-stations-the-spy-radio-that-anyone-can-hear

For decades, people around the globe have been able to listen in to mysterious spy broadcasts from all over the world with just a radio.

Gordon Corera has been investigating the strange world of number stations.

Video produced by James Reevell

Thanks for the tip, Mark!

Mark spots a number of radios in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Hirst, who adds the following to our growing archive of radios in film. Mark writes:

A clutch of radios, this time from Brooklyn 99:

The first is what looks like a scanner behind Terry Jeffords, then an unidentified radio in the book case behind Captain Ray Holt, and finally what I think is a AOR 8600 on the table next to Amy Santiago.