W5LFL: Phase 3D, ARISS Will Change Face of Ham Radio

Owen Garriott, W5LFL (left), chats with ARRL Educational Services Manager Rosalie White, WA1STO, at the Dayton Hamvention. [Photo by Rick Lindquist, N1RL]

NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 25, 1999--Past astronaut and space pioneer Owen Garriott, W5LFL--the first ham to use Amateur Radio from outer space--predicts that Phase 3D and the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station projects will change the face of ham radio. "Educational value, technical value, it's all there right in front of us," he says of P3D and ARISS.

Garriott believes that Phase 3D--which could launch as early as this fall--can serve as a conduit for US students, with coordination from local amateurs, to hook up with youths in other countries to practice foreign language and for on-air cultural exchange. Garriott also pointed out that Phase 3D's eccentric orbit will make it visible from large portions of Earth for long periods of time. "P3D is going to open up a whole new opportunity that we did not have in low-Earth orbit like the space station or other low-altitude OSCARs," he said.

Garriott also says that astronauts on the ISS could include a brief daily ARISS transmission from the perspective of space aimed at school-agers "to stir up even more interest in our young people" about Amateur Radio. He discussed his ideas during forums at the Dayton Hamvention as well as in an interview with the ARRL.

In 1983, Garriott pioneered the SAREX program by working dozens of earthbound hams on 2 meters using an H-T and an antenna mounted on the inside of the shuttle's window. "It's grown much further than any of us would have forecast back in 1983" when there were two astronaut-hams, Tony England, W0ORE, and himself.

Today, Garriott points out, there are more than 80 astro-hams, and Garriott is looking forward to Amateur Radio's playing a major role aboard the ISS. "The impact on the space program has been substantial," he said. Not only has Amateur Radio in space been good public relations for the hobby, but "it's very good for crew morale," Garriott said. This will be important for ISS crews in particular, since they'll spend longer periods in space.

Licensed for more than 50 years, Garriott says ham radio has been a very strong influence in his life and professional career from the very beginning. He also says he's encouraged by the number of young people joining the hobby, especially since the advent of the Technician license. "People may feel that it's not adequate progress or bemoan the fact that we are not further ahead than we are," he said. "But I think we really need to be quite pleased with how far we've come and the substantial interest we have, and make use of the potential that we have in front of us coming along with Phase 3D and the International Space Station to stir up even more interest in our young people."

Click here for audio interview with Owen Garriott, W5LFL: 13:06.

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