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Wick High School ARISS Contact a Great Success

Joshua Kutryk KJ5BFU – Credit: Canadian Space Agency

Wick High School (@GM0WHS on X) in Caithness used amateur radio to have an eight minute question and answer session with astronaut Joshua Kutryk KJ5BFU on the International Space Station (ISS).

This historic event took place at 12:29 BST on Thursday, October 8, 2026, and was the most northerly school contact with the ISS ever achieved anywhere in the world.  At a latitude of 58.4° North the space station was low on the horizon making it particularly challenging.

In addition to the 150 students and dozens of parents gathered in the dance studio for the event, students and feeder primary school pupils across the region were able watch a live web stream.

The event was a great success and attracted considerable media interest. A full video of the event at the school has been made available on the ARISS Operations UK Team YouTube channel

Among the media outlets reporting on the event were:

BBC News article and video
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/articles/c94g1jle86y8o

STV News
https://news.stv.tv/highlands-islands/wick-high-school-pupils-speak-with-astronaut-joshua-kutryk-on-international-space-station

The John O’Groat Journal
https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/the-audio-was-so-clear-caithness-school-makes-radio-cont-447025/

The Scotsman newspaper
https://www.scotsman.com/education/from-caithness-to-space-school-radio-club-contacts-astronauts-on-space-station-9275794

BBC Scotland used a phone to shoot a video of the Wick High School contact with ISS:
https://x.com/BBCScotlandNews/status/2108225654516756916

Further information on the contact and a list of all the questions asked is at
https://amsat-uk.org/2026/10/03/astronaut-to-use-amateur-radio-to-talk-to-uk-students/

The ARISS program is aimed at students and enthusiasts and aims to inspire them in the study of sciences with this amateur radio activity. The demonstration of amateur radio communication from space invites schools and universities to make use of these educational technical resources. We invite radio amateurs and space enthusiasts to tune in to this exciting moment.

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

Free UK amateur radio Online Training course https://essexham.co.uk/train/foundation-online/

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Astronaut to use Amateur Radio to Talk to UK Students

ISS astronaut Joshua Kutryk KJ5BFU – Credit: Canadian Space Agency

Students at Wick High School in Caithness will use amateur radio to ask astronaut Joshua Kutryk KJ5BFU questions about space.

The ARISS contact, using the call signs NA1SS on the International Space Station and GB4WHS at the school, will take place on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 2 PM BST (13:00:34 GMT). You can listen in to the ISS downlink on 145.800 MHz (plus/minus 3 kHz Doppler shift) FM.

The event will be streamed live: https://live.ariss.org/

The space and ground teams will attempt to use the HamTV transmitter during this contact to send live Digital Amateur TV pictures of the astronaut on a frequency of 2395 MHz.

The HamTV downlink will be streamed: https://live.ariss.org/hamtv/

Young questioners with their practice cue cards – Credit: Wick High School

In an article in the TES (Times Educational Supplement) magazine teacher Chris Aitken MM0WIC explained why he started an amateur radio club at Wick High School.
https://tes.com/magazine/teaching-learning/general/why-i-started-amateur-radio-club-my-school

Follow Wick High School Radio Club on X https://x.com/GM0WHS

Follow astronaut Joshua Kutryk KJ5BFU on X https://x.com/Astro_Kutryk

The ARISS program is aimed at students and enthusiasts and aims to inspire them in the study of sciences with this amateur radio activity. The demonstration of amateur radio communication from space invites schools and universities to make use of these educational technical resources. We invite radio amateurs and space enthusiasts to tune in to this exciting moment.

The latest information on the ARISS operation mode can be found at
https://www.ariss.org/current-status-of-iss-stations.html

How to hear the ISS https://amsat-uk.org/beginners/how-to-hear-the-iss/

You can use the AMSAT-UK/BATC WebSDR to listen to the contact on your mobile device https://vhf-goonhilly.batc.org.uk/

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

Free UK amateur radio Online Training course https://essexham.co.uk/train/foundation-online/

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October OSCAR News Now Available

E-members of AMSAT-UK can now download the October 2026 edition of OSCAR News, issue 246, here.

The paper edition edition will be sent to postal members and should arrive in the next 2-3 weeks.

In this issue:
• From the Secretary’s Keyboard
• RSGB Spectrum Forum Report – IARU Region 1 General Conference
• AMSAT-UK Accounts
• Building and demonstrating a CubeSat Simulator and Flat Sat Version for Education and Outreach
• Building a FUNcube-1 Ground Station
• AMSAT-UK Gala Dinner 2026
• LA4O voice-commands ESA spacecraft on 23 cm – first voice command of a satellite
• Building an Antenna Controller Interface
• So Long and thanks for all the Launches
• RADIANT: Amateur Radio’s Cislunar
Network
• World Space Week
• Getting Amateur and Academic Communities Involved in Space Standards
• A 70cm Pre-amplifier for mode V/U Satellite Reception
• HAMQ – iPhone application for satellite operators

AMSAT-UK FUNcube Mission Patch

E-members of AMSAT-UK are able to download the quarterly publication OSCAR News as a convenient PDF that can be read on laptops, tablets or smartphones anytime, anyplace, anywhere. Join as an E-member at Electronic (PDF) E-membership

PDF sample copy of “Oscar News” here.

Join AMSAT-UK using PayPal, Debit or Credit card at
http://shop.amsat-uk.org/

E-members can download their copies of OSCAR News here.

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YouTube: The Addictive World of Amateur Radio Satellites

The Online Amateur Radio Community (OARC) talk by John Stringer M5JFS titled ‘Chasing Birds: The Addictive World of Amateur Radio Satellites’ is now on YouTube.

“An introduction to the world of amateur radio satellite working. John will start with a brief potted history of how he got hooked on this aspect of the hobby, getting started with very modest and basic gear that he had to hand and how he later developed and improved his ‘station’ to where it is today as he grew in experience and interest. He’ll then cover the types of satellites that are out there, the gear you need (or don’t need) to work them, operating etiquette and best practices, useful software, tools and social networks, and finally he’ll tell us about a few notable moments and achievements that he’s had in his 6 years on the birds.”

The Online Amateur Radio Community (OARC) on Discord has a dedicated channel for discussions of Satellites, including Weather Satellites, a separate channel for QO-100 discussions and numerous channels covering a wide range of amateur radio interests.
You can join OARC via https://oarc.uk/join

Follow John Stringer M5JFS on X: https://x.com/M5Jfs

Follow AMSAT-UK on X: https://x.com/AmsatUK

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Petition for Amateur Transponder on Bangladesh Satellite-2

International Petition of Support