Sandringham students talk to Tim Peake GB1SS using amateur radio – BBC TV screenshot

The BBC report Sandringham School in St Albans has made history by making the first amateur radio call from the UK to a British astronaut on the space station.

Year 10 pupil Jessica Leigh M6LPJ, who has recently passed her amateur radio exam, led the contact which took place on Friday, January 8, 2016.

Headteacher Alan Gray G4DJX with Jessica Leigh M6LPJ – Image Credit Sandringham School

The BBC story says: It took a few minutes for the crackle and hiss to die down and allow the students to put some questions to the astronaut, before the ISS then went over the horizon and out of range.

Jessica called it an “amazing experience” to be talking to someone 400 km above them, but said the significance of the day’s event had yet to sink in: “When I get home, I’ll be completely in shock.”

Her head teacher, Alan Gray G4DJX, said it had been an extraordinary opportunity for the school.

“It’s a way of inspiring young people into science and technology – seeing the opportunities that may be available to them,” he told BBC School Report.

“What you’re seeing is that space has an awful lot to offer. It’s not just about talking to Tim Peake on the space station. There are many other things that are useful for young people and will help with their learning.”

Watch the BBC TV news report ‘Astronaut talks to pupils from space’ at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-35261160

Watch the interview with Year 10 pupil Jessica Leigh M6LPJ about the Tim Peake GB1SS contact https://twitter.com/BBCScienceNews/status/685396737842753536

Watch the BBC TV report on the preparations for the contact
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport/35251991

Watch the BBC TV report on student’s reactions after the historic call to Tim Peake
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-35253917

Watch CBBC Newsround: School kids speak to Tim Peake in space
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/35261190

BBC Pupils celebrate Tim Peake link-up http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport/35280210

Watch SkyNews report with a shot of the Kenwood TS-2000X transceiver
http://news.sky.com/video/1619375/ringing-the-iss-from-school

Ofcom reports the Hertfordshire community radio station Radio Verulam 92.6 FM relayed the school ISS contact http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/news/space-broadcast/

Herts Advertiser newspaper report
http://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/st_albans_school_talks_to_astronaut_tim_peake_on_the_international_space_station_1_4372999

Sandringham students speak to Tim Peake GB1SS
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/01/08/sandringham-students-speak-to-tim-peake-gb1ss/

The Chair of the RSGB Youth Committee Mike Jones 2E0MLJ and RSGB President John Gould G3WKL attended the contact and the RSGB video  ‘Amateur Radio: A Hobby for the 21st Century’ was shown to the students.

What is Amateur Radio? http://www.essexham.co.uk/what-is-amateur-radio

Find an amateur radio training course near you https://thersgb.org/services/coursefinder/

Sky News interview Year 10 pupil Jessica Leigh M6LPJ