Last October, I had the honor of making such contact with the ISS. I posted about this on my website here: https://rz01.org/na1ss/
The ISS has radios on board that allow amateur radio operators to send and receive APRS messages, talk to other hams via their built-in FM repeater or to receive SSTV images. They also have amateur TV stuff on board but I have not explored this yet. Crew members with an amateur radio license can pick up the mic of the radio that acts as a FM repeater to make contacts with other hams on the earth.
My daughter is deaf and goes to a specialist deaf secondary school in the UK.
Five years ago ARISS-UK pre-arranged a connection between the school and astronaut Mark Vande Hei on one of the ISS flyovers. Various students got to ask questions directly to Mark in orbit. It was the first contact between ISS and a deaf school.
I have used the APRS on the ISS to talk with other amateur radio operators. I also spoke to an astronaut briefly from my backyard using a Kenwood D72A and an Elk antenna.
When I was studying to get my Technician-class ham radio license a few weeks ago I was slightly curious as to why there were questions relating to space stations and satellites, like "any ametaur with a radio license can contact the ISS" and such, but I paid those thoughts no mind as I was being hasty trying to legally fiddle with my APRS tracker in a weather balloon.
I should re-review those exam questions; I might be licensed to do a lot more than I know I can.
Can't ham radio operators also be drafted involuntarily in times of disaster and war? Incidentally, America suspended all amateur radio operations during WWII.
Just to clarify, no, we cannot be involuntarily drafted because we are amateur radio operators. However, should we be drafted in time of need, our experience in radio does help direct the likely path we would end up taking.
You also bring up an interesting time in ham radio history that a lot of newer hams are largely unaware of; WWII. Amateur radio thrives on communication globally, so anyone from the US could talk to anyone from any other country. The need for restrictions of the bands became obvious in the years leading up to the US entering the war, with various countries that were once accessible by radio going dark. The US logically followed suit, but operators were still monitoring.
Ham operators are understood to have a role in coordinating disaster communications but it's on a voluntary basis. They're no more or less subject to being drafted than anyone else. Your name and address does end up in a public database, however. (I'm talking about the United States. I have no idea about anywhere else.)
All you'll need to do is show up with a photo ID and take a written exam, but you will likely have trouble getting a photo ID without registering for selective service (if you're a male 18-25). That's how they got me, I refused to register because I believed the draft was unjust, but was pressured into getting a driver's license and had to sign my draft card to get it.
To be honest we've reached the end of my expertise but I think that would work. This thread from 2007 says it will work as long as you don't represent a foreign government.
The ISS has radios on board that allow amateur radio operators to send and receive APRS messages, talk to other hams via their built-in FM repeater or to receive SSTV images. They also have amateur TV stuff on board but I have not explored this yet. Crew members with an amateur radio license can pick up the mic of the radio that acts as a FM repeater to make contacts with other hams on the earth.
You can contact the ISS via a handheld setup (FM radio and a yagi antenna in your hand) or with a stationary setup like mine: https://rz01.org/leo-sat-ground-station-v3/
Five years ago ARISS-UK pre-arranged a connection between the school and astronaut Mark Vande Hei on one of the ISS flyovers. Various students got to ask questions directly to Mark in orbit. It was the first contact between ISS and a deaf school.
https://www.arrl.org/news/ariss-confirms-october-12-as-date-...
I should re-review those exam questions; I might be licensed to do a lot more than I know I can.
You also bring up an interesting time in ham radio history that a lot of newer hams are largely unaware of; WWII. Amateur radio thrives on communication globally, so anyone from the US could talk to anyone from any other country. The need for restrictions of the bands became obvious in the years leading up to the US entering the war, with various countries that were once accessible by radio going dark. The US logically followed suit, but operators were still monitoring.
There's a great article on this time in amateur radio history here; https://bw.billl.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Radio-Histor...
You can get your license using a PO box... it's not perfect, but its better than giving everyone your home address.
https://forums.radioreference.com/threads/ham-license-for-no...
Looking at the current form 605 it still doesn't seem to list any citizenship requirement, only that you do not represent a foreign government.
https://www.arrl.org/files/file/VEs/NCVEC_Form_605_July_2022...
I think the deciding factor would be whether you can convince the examiner the ID is legitimate.
Approximately anyone can.