NASA, the US space agency, will assume more direct sponsorship of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program as an educational project. Among its activities, ARISS oversees the project that enables schoolchildren to speak via ham radio with astronauts aboard the International Space Station. NASA also will embrace ARISSat as an educational project for the ISS National Lab. A reconfigured, yet-to-be-named education planning group will pick up the mission of the ARISS Communications Council (ACC).

How come some people haven't made a single contact while some others have made dozens?

If you are one of those who thinks that making multiple ISS contacts is a matter of having the right equipment or having some special skills I believe you should think again.

Here is why...