The first time I heard the ISS (International Space Station) on 145.800 MHz was one of my most exciting radio experiences. I used an Icom IC-V80E handheld radio. It was around 2010 and 2012. If you have a radioamateur license, and a 2 m (144-146 MHz) transceiver with a directional antenna, then you can try to contact them on the radio. I have not tried that, because you need a directional antenna to be heard on the ISS, and I have not had a directional antenna so far. Receiving them is much easier. Even the factory antenna of a handheld radio is enough to be able to listen to their transmissions. Listening to the ARISSat-1 on 145.950 MHz was similarly very exciting. But that satellite is no longer working nowadays.
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That's actually quite interesting. I didn't realize one could tap in to the space station. Don't have much time though; that thing is moving fast, disappears over the horizon, signal cuts out I assume.
Mostly yes, but this depends on the receiver and on the antenna you use, and on the propagation too.