Micro:bit – Sputnik Beacon

Simulate an early satellite transmission. Your Micro:bit will broadcast a repeating “beep” using the built-in radio, and a second Micro:bit can receive it — a nod to the iconic Sputnik 1 tone from 1957.

Objective

Create a simple radio beacon that transmits a repeating signal using the Micro:bit radio.

Equipment

Instructions

  1. Open MakeCode in your browser.
  2. Create a new project and add a radio block.
  3. Set a group number (for example, 1) so both Micro:bits share the same channel.
  4. Use a loop to send the word “beep” every second and display an icon to simulate transmission.
  5. Download the code and transfer it to your Micro:bit.
  6. Optionally, load the same code on a second Micro:bit to receive messages and display a different icon when a signal arrives.

Example (MakeCode JavaScript)

radio.setGroup(1)
basic.forever(function () {
  radio.sendString("beep")
  basic.showIcon(IconNames.SmallDiamond)
  basic.pause(1000)
  basic.clearScreen()
})

Next Steps

Try increasing the range by experimenting with the radio power blocks. You can also modify the “beep” to send numbers or data — perfect for testing telemetry later.