The new frontier for school radio

By Tania Martin
REACHING into outer space was more than just a pipe dream to a group of hills youngsters.
The Sherbrooke Community School Students last month got the chance to speak to Canadian astronaut, Robert Thirsk through an amateur radio program.
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program allows schools from across the globe to talk to astronauts.
Parents, teachers and fellow students gathered at the school on 28 October to listen into the live broadcast.
Student Christopher Payne still can’t believe it.
He said 11 students got to take part in the nine-and-a-half minute transmission. Christopher questioned Mr Thirsk on how astronauts neutralise the static charge in space.
Students also asked what the astronauts miss the most about home.
“It was a great experience… one I will cherish forever,” Christopher said.
Amateur radio operator Jim McNabb has been working with the school fore more than two years developing its radio club.
He has been helping the students gain their foundation radio licences and was instrumental in setting up the space station interview.
Last year, Mr McNabb helped students from Anderson Creek make contact with the station.
It was then that he suggested it to the kids at Sherbrooke Community School.
Mr McNabb said the students were not scheduled to take the airwaves until next year but a Canadian school’s link-up was cancelled.
“We only had a week and a half’s notice,” he said.
“The holy grail of amateur radio is to talk to space station.”
Student, Emma, 11, took the chance to ask the question on all the kids lips – ‘what happens to vomit in space?’
“The answer they gave on the spew question was funny… it turns into a big ball and they have to be extremely careful because it can get into the equipment,” she said.
Emma said it was an amazing experience.
“It was definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she said.