Ham Radio Featured in Prequel to National Geographic Mars Series

Amateur radio plays a leading role in a digital-only "prequel" to the National Geographic Channel TV series, MARS, which premiered on the cable network in November.   

"Before Mars" features two of the main program's main characters - twin sisters Hana and Joon Seung - as teenagers, and how their accidental discovery of an old ham radio transceiver and a contact with the International Space Station leads them to careers in space flight. (Some artistic license is taken regarding FCC rules.) The half-hour-plus prequel is accompanied on the NatGeo website by an online "Guide to Ham Radio." 

The main program webpage is at <http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/mars/>. "Before Mars" is on YouTube at <http://bit.ly/2gk423B>, and A Guide to Ham Radio may be viewed at <http://on.natgeo.com/2g6VAqD>.