How do NASA and space scientists use ham radio to study Earth’s upper atmosphere? Why do ham radio operators sometimes hear voices from the other side of the world—and sometimes barely from the next town over? Can solar storms really knock out radio signals across the globe? What can ham radio tell us about the Sun’s activity in real time?
Help us answer these questions by attending a Ham Radio Open House!
The ARRL has teamed up with HamSCI -- Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation, a NASA citizen science project -- and SciStarter, inviting the public to participate in One Million Acts of Science during April, Citizen Science Month.
To celebrate the International Amateur Radio Union's 100th anniversary and World Amateur Radio Day (April 18), amateur radio clubs, school stations, and other groups will have the opportunity to advance public knowledge about ham radio by welcoming their communities into their stations. This is a chance to not only shape the conversation about modern ham radio but also to show how it serves as a steppingstone and testbed for many young people pursing future STEM education and high-tech careers.
You will:
- Learn how the Sun's position in the sky and solar activity affect radio communication and determine who we can connect with.
- Take a Standing Wave Ratio (SWR) measurement of an antenna, modify it slightly, and take another reading. That's an Act of Science!
- Discover what a Software-Defined Radio (SDR) waterfall display looks like and then hear what the signal on the screen sounds like—that’s an act of science!
- Join the HamSCI and AARL community to learn more beyond April, that also counts as an Act of Science!
Look for #WorldAmateurRadioDay and #OneMillionActsofScience on social media.
