All SuperPacket articles on ARDC - link.
As always in a story about ARDC, I disclaim that I'm a currently a volunteer member of ARDC's Grants Advisory Committee (GAC). I can't discuss ARDC grants and gifts that are proposed, rejected, or in progress, until they're made public. Thus all of these I describe here have been made public.
Recent ARDC Grants and Gifts
Amateur Radio Digital Corporation (ARDC) (aka ampr.org / Net44) is ramping up its granting / gifting activity. ARDC is doing a good job of publicly listing awarded grants, and some links to stories about those grants on their Grants page. The most recent grants mentioned are:
2021-02 Woodridge Middle School Operation Hamulanche $5,453
2021-04 IEEE Central Jersey Section, Broadcast Technology Chapter (IEEE PCJS BTC) Make Operating Radio Easier (MORE) $200,000
2021-04 Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE) Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival $112,200
2021-04 Open Research Institute M17 Open Protocol $250,000
2021-05 Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology (MOST) Amateur Radio on the International Space Station $4,122
2021-05 The University of Arizona Amateur Radio Club Digital Mode and Long-Term Equipment Investments $8,287
The Big Dish of W1MX - the MIT Amateur Radio Society
The ARDC grant / gift to garner the most attention to date is the planned restoration of "The Big Dish" at MIT that has been restored, re-engineered, and even re-imagined by the Amateur Radio Operators of W1MX, the MIT Amateur Radio Society as a major focus of their activity. That particular ARDC gift to MIT was ~$1.6M of the total ~$1.9M needed. (Both those numbers have been publicly disclosed.) MIT's hometown newspaper, the Boston Globe, did a nice article on this project and grant - Students and faculty rescue MIT’s iconic radar dome:
One of the most distinctive landmarks of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is coming down — but not for long.
The vast golf ball-shaped installation, known as a radome, that’s been teed up atop the Cecil and Ida Green Building for more than a half-century will soon be demolished. Originally built for radar research, it still houses a large antenna dish that will come down as part of renovations to the Green building.
But the dome is steeped in MIT history as well as student lore. Now, a coalition of students, faculty, and alumni has raised nearly $2 million to replace the dome and the electronic systems inside.
...
In our deliberations within the ARDC GAC about this particular grant application, I made the point that if we approved this particular grant, it would put ARDC "on the map", and that prediction has been borne out. I'm certain that the Boston Globe article is the first mention of ARDC in any major media, and it's likely the first mention of Amateur Radio in the Boston Globe in perhaps two decades.
While it's not a stated goal of ARDC to change the perception of Amateur Radio with the general public - that Amateur Radio and Amateur Radio Operators are doing interesting things... as this article in a major US paper shows... ARDC is certainly capable of doing so.
Amateur Radio Newsline did a nice mention of this grant:
ARDC GRANT HELPS PRESERVE USE OF MIT'S 'RADOME' ON CAMPUS:
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ARDC GRANT HELPS PRESERVE USE OF MIT'S 'RADOME' ON CAMPUS
DON/ANCHOR: In the US, an unprecedented grant from a major foundation that supports experimentation in amateur radio has helped save an important tool on one prominent college campus. Sel Embee KB3TZD has that report.
SEL: Amateur radio generosity has played a major role in saving an important part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A beloved part of the campus skyline–the radar dome, or "radome," as it is known–has been spared, thanks to a student-led fundraising campaign and an unprecedented grant from the nonprofit foundation Amateur Radio Digital Communications. ARDC has provided $1.6-million—the largest gift in its history—to replace the aging fiberglass radome and renovate the 18-foot-wide, steerable parabolic dish it houses. The radome and dish were to be removed permanently to enable new roofing to be installed on the campus' tallest building, which has been its home since 1966.
The fiberglass radome and its dish, which were once used for weather research, have been used most recently by the MIT Radio Society W1MX for microwave experiments, moonbounce communication and other radio-related activities. According to the MIT website, it most recently took on a new role beyond contacts with deep space lunar CubeSats and low-earth orbit satellites. During the pandemic, it also allowed students to conduct radio astronomy experiments remotely.
ARDC director Bob McGwier (pron: Mugwire), N4HY, issued a statement saying: [quote] “We also hope this contribution helps get the message out that ARDC is excited to support amateur radio and digital communications projects of all sizes – including big ones, especially when the results will be so long-lasting.” [endquote]
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Sel Embee KB3TZD.
(MIT, ARDC)
Sadly, despite the W1MX Big Dish garnering mention for Amateur Radio in a major US newspaper, the ARRL (self-described as The national association for AMATEUR RADIO) deigned to mention this significant grant as barely a footnote in their May 20, 2021 ARRL Letter:
In Brief...
[This item corrects a news brief that appeared in the May 13 edition of The ARRL Letter.] The MIT UHF Repeater Association W1XM shack and radome have been saved. After a years-long process involving countless hours of meeting, writing, negotiating, and planning across half a dozen entities within MIT, and after an intense, large-scale fundraising campaign to save the shack and radome atop the Green Building Roof on campus, the club will get to keep and improve W1XM. A new radome will be installed around the 18-foot "big dish" on the roof. Helping in a big way to make this possible was a $1.6 million grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), as well as private donations from alumni, members of the MIT community, and friends of amateur radio. "Together, we made this happen," MIT UHF Repeater Association President Milo Hooper, AI1XR, said. "For this, I can only say, thank you!" MIT has two distinct ham radio clubs -- the MIT Radio Society (W1MX) and the MIT UHF Repeater Association (W1XM). W1MX is home to a larger, general-purpose school radio club, and the station is located in the Walker Memorial Building. More information about this effort is available.
(If the above sounds like I'm taking the ARRL to task... you're correct.)
W1MX finally updated its Capital Campaign web page with the new status of the campaign to save the Big Dish (they're busy students):
Update on Radome Project (May 7th, 2021)
This message was sent to our community members by Milo Hooper AI1XR on May 7
I write on behalf of the MIT Radio Society to share some long-awaited good news.
After a years-long process involving countless hours of meeting, writing, negotiating, and planning across half a dozen entities within MIT—
After an intense, large-scale fundraising campaign to save the W1XM station atop the Green Building Roof—
We did it. We met our goal.
We will keep our station, and we will get a shiny new radome around the 18-ft “big dish”.
Better yet—these facilities will be radically improved and brought up to the state of the art in the process of the overall rooftop renovation project, with infrastructural upgrades to ensure functionality for decades.
This wonderful result was made possible by an extremely generous donation of $1.6M by Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) as well as donations and support from you - our alumni, members of the MIT community, and friends of amateur radio. We spread the word far and wide, calling for assistance—and you listened. Together, we made this happen.
For this I can only say: thank you!
You can read more about this effort on MIT News here. Stay tuned for further major updates as the project moves forward over the coming year and a half.
...
ARDC Scholarships (awarded by ARRL)
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) has traditionally provided modest scholarships for college-bound students who are Amateur Radio Operators. With ARDC's help, ARRL was able to increase the number and size of scholarships they granted this year - ARRL Foundation Announces 2021 Scholarship Awards.
The Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) Scholarships, $25,000 each
Francis E. Bonte, KE8HPA, of Westerville, Ohio
Alisha M. Lin, K6AML, of Lake Forest, California
Mason W. Matrazzo, KM4SII, of Clemons, North Carolina
Sarah M. Porter, KM4WLQ, of Rock Hill, South Carolina
Hannah E. Rosenfeld, W7HER, of Eugene, Oregon
Daniel R. Thomson, KB7DRT, of Rigby, Idaho
The Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) Scholarships, $15,000 each
Jacob J. Gardner, KE8NIX, of Sunbury, Ohio
Steven T. MacLeroy, KN4STM, of Sylacauga, Alabama
David A. Puma, KG5UBB, of Crossroads, Texas
Rowen K. Warren, AE0CP, of Telluride, Colorado
The Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) Scholarships, $10,000 each
Nathan J. Appel, KD8ZIA, of Jenison, Michicgan
Ryan J. Bibby, KN4RQL, of Fayetteville, Georgia
Christopher M. Brault, KD8YVJ, of Liberty Township, Ohio
Lucas E. Carlson, KM6RXW, of Ramona, California
Holden J. Correia-Fischer, KD2JPV, of Collingswood, New Jersey
Steven M. Drabbant, K5ZL, of Conroe, Texas
Russell A. Goss, KD9FAL, of Brighton, Illinois
Catherine Hong, KC1MFU, of Cambridge, Massachusetts
Jonathan Z. Keiser, AG5SY, of San Antonio, Texas
Julie Knappik, KB1YTT, of Raynham, Massachusetts
Faith Hannah Lea, KD3Z, of Palm Coast, Florida
Zechariah J. Lea, WX4TVJ, of Palm Coast, Florida
Jacob Nagel, AD0JA, of Wright City, Missouri
Declan M. O’Hara, KG7HTE, of Lebanon, Oregon
Noah J. Sevcik, K9BZY, of Long Grove, Illinois
Maya Tamir, KM6VKD, of San Diego, California
Carolina M. Whitaker, KD9NKM, of Indianapolis, Indiana
The Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) Scholarships, $5,000 each
Cameron B. Blew, N6CAM, of Irvine, California
Conner L. Dickey, KD9LSV, of Decatur, Illinois
Allison H. Painter, KI7GIN,of Paradise, Utah
Kathryn G. Robertson, KC3NCT, of Dayton, Maryland
(Recipients listed courtesy of ARRL.)
Scholarships to student Amateur Radio Operators is one of the core missions of ARDC and seeing this long list, with significant contributions to these student's college expenses is gratifying.
Chippewa Valley Amateur Radio Club (CVARC)
On the ARDC website, Dan Romanchik KB6NU wrote a nice article about one of ARDC's recent grants - CVARC Uses ARDC Grant to Serve the Community, Promote Amateur Radio.
Last summer, the Chippewa Valley Amateur Radio Club (CVARC) had a problem: they had started working on a couple of club projects, including an upgrade of their repeater system and an emergency response trailer, when the pandemic hit. As a result, they had to cancel their hamfest, which they were relying on to fund these projects.
The emergency response trailer project was particularly ambitious—but definitely needed. The CVARC serves all of Chippewa County, WI, and the club estimates that up to 30% of the county has inadequate cell phone service. Should a disaster occur, large portions of the county could be without any communications at all.
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I'm proud to be helping ARDC in their granting and gifting activities.
Thanks for reading!
Steve Stroh N8GNJ
Bellingham, Washington, USA
2021-05-25
Portions Copyright © 2021 by Steven K. Stroh
What I Would Say to the FCC
On a Facebook group called Amateur Radio Satellite Service, Michelle Thompson W5NYV posted this query:
Call for Comment:
Are there any technical topics you want the FCC to know about?
I have an opportunity to make a presentation. I would like to hear from you about technical issues in the service that the FCC should hear more about.
This won't cover topics related to self-regulation or operating.
It is not that those things are less important. It would simply be a different presentation.
If you want to reply privately, please mail me at (email redacted - see the post).
...
As I write this, the group and the post is public - you don't have to be logged in with a Facebook account to see it.
Michelle is one of the Directors of Open Research Institute.
If I had the same offer, I would use the opportunity to discuss:
The good news is that creating new radio systems is now largely a matter of software, such as the ubiquitous GNU Radio.
The bad news is that creating new radio systems is now largely a matter of software, such as hardware that supports GNU Radio.
Why bad news? Because there are many, many real world issues in radio systems that can't be relegated to "largely a matter of software". It's quite possible to write radio software that works fine on the simulator, compiles perfectly into the target hardware, and utterly fails to function as a real world radio system.
Thus, even with mad skills in writing radio software, there's still a need for real world, hands-on, empirical experience with radio systems. An Amateur Radio license is, literally, a license to experiment with radio technology. You can build systems, you can experiment with antennas, you can deploy multiple units in a network, you can even do things purely for fun like bounce your Amateur Radio signals off the moon.
Involvement in Amateur Radio can help fill address the need to fundamentally understand radio technology. In the US, technological literacy and capability is increasing as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) subjects are being emphasized. In previous eras, youth that eventually became engineers began learning by tinkering with farm machinery or cars. In this era, youth that eventually become engineers are learning from STEM training and hands-on by becoming "Makers". Amateur Radio can be the "radio" element of "Making".
Amateur Radio in the US needs to be brought out of radio systems paradigms of the 1950s into the paradigms of the early 21st century.
Related - The National Science Foundation is taking this issue semi-seriously:
Spectrum Innovation Initiative: National Center for Wireless Spectrum Research (SII-Center)
PROGRAM SOLICITATION NSF 21-558
(Semi-seriously - the budget for this iniative is a "mere" $25M.)
Thanks for reading!
Steve Stroh N8GNJ
Bellingham, Washington, USA
2021-05-12
Portions Copyright © 2021 by Steven K. Stroh
Posted by Steve Stroh on May 12, 2021 at 11:07 AM in Amateur Radio Future, General Commentary, Growing Amateur Radio, Regulatory | Permalink