Jessica Leigh M6LPJ with Tim Peake GB1SS – Credit Richard Found

Radio amateurs were invited to a reception at the UK Prime Minister’s residence to celebrate the successful mission of UK astronaut Tim Peake KG5BVI / GB1SS.

Sandringham school student Jessica Leigh M6LPJ and her head teacher Alan Gray G4DJX attended the event with Tim Peake GB1SS. Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti IZ0UDF and the UK’s first astronaut Helen Sharman GB1MIR also attended.

Jessica was the first UK school student to establish amateur radio communications with Tim Peake during his six month mission on the International Space Station. The contact took place on January 8, 2016 and was featured on national TV and in the press.

Year 10 pupil Jessica M6LPJ, along with two other students Polly M6POG and Emma M6GJQ, passed her amateur radio Foundation exam just before Christmas 2015 after training with the Verulam Amateur Radio Club.

Jessica Leigh M6LPJ with Alan Gray G4DJX – Credit Richard Found

Sandringham school caters for 1300 students aged 11-19 with 100 teachers including specialist teachers of computing science and three female physics teachers all of whom have a specialist interest in space and astronomy. In addition, the head teacher Alan Gray G4DJX is a very active radio amateur who was extremely supportive of the ISS contact.

Sandringham School presentation by ML&S
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/01/28/sandringham-school-presentation/

Video of Tim Peake amateur radio contact with Sandringham School
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/01/09/video-tim-peake-sandringham/

Jessica M6LPJ and Polly M6POG will give a talk about their experience of talking to Tim Peake GB1SS to the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium at the Holiday Inn Guildford, on Saturday, July 30 https://amsat-uk.org/colloquium/

The UK Space Agency’s Libby Jackson will speak at the AMSAT-UK Gala Dinner – Book Now
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/06/30/amsat-uk-international-space-colloquium-2016/

UK astronaut Tim Peake KG5BVI / GB1SS

In this special edition, the TX Factor team of Nick Bennett 2E0FGQ, Bob McCreadie G0FGX and Mike Marsh G1IAR, follow the progress of The King’s School GB1OSM, Ottery St Mary, Devon in their attempt to be one of the ten lucky UK schools to use amateur radio to link up with Tim Peake GB1SS aboard the International Space Station.

The team go behind the scenes with the ARISS team to meet the members and see the technology that helped to make the UK schools’ link-ups such a great success.

Among those interviewed are the RSGB Youth Committee Chair Mike Jones 2K0MLJ and the RSGB Communications Manager Heather Parsons.

TX Factor sincerely hope you enjoy their latest feature that has taken over 18 months to make!

Watch TX Factor – Episode 11 (TXF011)

The King’s School Tim Peake contact https://amsat-uk.org/2016/05/02/the-kings-school-tim-peake/

ISS HamTV at Goonhilly in TX Factor Show
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/02/27/hamtv-at-goonhilly-in-tx-factor-show/

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/

A free booklet is available aimed at introducing newcomers to the hobby that can also be used as a handy reference while getting started, see
http://rsgb.org/main/get-started-in-amateur-radio/alex-discovers-amateur-radio-2/

ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the volunteer support and leadership from AMSAT and IARU societies around the world with the ISS space agencies partners: NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA.

ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crew members on-board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crew members on ISS can energize youngsters’ interest in science, technology, and learning.

ARISS Principia https://principia.ariss.org/