A vintage TV news report first broadcast Aug 4, 1985 shows a contact between RSGB HQ in Potters Bar and Astronaut Tony England W0ORE in the Challenger shuttle on mission STS 51-F.

Tony W0ORE was running a Motorola model MX-340 handheld 2-meter transceiver and a Robot Research model 1200C slow-scan television scan converter with an antenna fitted on the inside of one of Challengers windows.

RSGB General Manager David Evans G3OUF was among those at the Society’s station GB3RS.

It is believed the voice contact was carried out on 145.550 MHz FM and the RSGB HQ team acheived a first with a two-way exchange of Slow Scan TV (SSTV) pictures.

Watch the ITN TV news report ‘Space Radio Hams’ at
http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist//ITN/1985/08/04/AS040885006/