Last updated 2021-04-21
Not every organization has to be a formal organization.
This list is was spun out of another SuperPacket web page - Interesting and Advanced Projects / Products in Amateur Radio. It was more useful to have a separate page for Groups (etc. - see title).
Now that COVID-19 has firmly established a culture of online meetings, there's no reason we have to be confined by geography, or even nationality. I plan to join a number of organizations that aren't in my geographic area. The following Groups (etc. - see title) are ones I find interesting and worth checking out.
Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) - ARDC has two missions. Their original mission was to operate 44net / AMPRnet (44.0.0.0/9, 44.128.0.0/10) which they continue. Their new, additional mission is providing philanthropic grants for Support and Growth of Amateur Radio, Education, and Technical Innovation. Not a membership organization, but you can follow along, and they periodically have "Community Meetings".
American Radio Relay League (ARRL) - In my opinion, joining ARRL as a member does not have a lot of benefit to techies. There are few technical articles in QST (magazine that is inseparable from membership in ARRL), but ARRL does publish QEX online, which does feature more technical content. Based in Newington, Connecticut, USA and has a USA focus. ARRL has "divisions" for each US (callsign) region, and "sections" for each state or portions of states. For example, the state of Washington has a Western Washington section and an Eastern Washington section.
Amateur Radio Research and Development (AMRAD) - Based in Fairfax, Virginia. I can't tell if AMRAD is currently active, but it has a long history of participating in Satellites, Spread Spectrum, Digital Signal Processing, and other research in Amateur Radio.
Amateur Satellite (AMSAT) - Satellites built, operated, and used by Amateur Radio Operators.
- AMSAT-DL (Germany / Europe)
- AMSAT-NA (North America) - it pains me to observe that AMSAT-NA has developed a troubled leadership. Consider carefully before joining - see articles 1, 2, 3 and 4.
- AMSAT-UK (UK)
Digital Communications Conference (DCC) - The annual DCC, sponsored by ARRL and TAPR is a stellar event for discussing advances in Amateur Radio Digital / Data communications, and other advancements in Amateur Radio. Usually held in September in various cities in the US.
MicroHAMS Amateur Radio Club - based in Redmond, Washington. Membership in MicroHAMS semi-restricted to those who have worked, or have family that have worked for Microsoft (worldwide). (Exceptions can be made to the "worked for Microsoft policy.) The primary recommendation for inclusion on this list is that in my experience (I'm a member, despite never having worked for Microsoft) is that Microsoft members and meetings have a technical focus. I hope that MicroHAMS will drop their exclusionary membership policy to a broader "worked in the technology industry".
Radio Amateur Training Planning and Activities Committee (RATPAC) - Weekly videoconferences on varying topics. They announce on a Groups.io mailing list. US-based, but no historic geographic focus. RATPAC was created during COVID-19.
TAPR - TAPR didn't create the Terminal Node Controller (TNC) or Packet Radio, but their TNC-2 made it accessible to average Amateur Radio operators. TAPR has done many interesting things since the TNC-1 and TNC-2. Their most important mission now (in my opinion) is the annual Digital Communications Conference.
Technology Amateur Radio Club (TERAC) - Based in Aloha (Portland), Oregon, USA. Formerly the Tektronix Amateur Radio Club. Gotta love an Amateur Radio club whose name leads with Technology.
University / College Amateur Radio Organizations
This will be a long project to find interesting university and college Amateur Radio organizations. Please consider this list to be incomplete and a work in progress until otherwise noted.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) - W6UE Caltech Amateur Radio Club (CITARC)
Carnegie Mellon University - W3VC Carnegie Tech Radio Club
Carnegie Mellon University Silicon Valley - W6CMU CMU SV Wireless Innovators
Case Western Reserve University - W8EDU Case Amateur Radio Club
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) - W4AQL Georgia Tech Amateur Radio Club
Harvard College - W1AF Harvard College Wireless Club
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - W1MX / W1XM MIT Amateur Radio Society - How cool is it to not only be a student, faculty, or staff at the best Engineering institution in the US, but to have your own big steerable dish at your disposal to do space / satellite research (and the occasional Earth-Moon-Earth / Moonbounce)?
Northeastern University - W1KBN Northeastern University Wireless Club - Admirably, they've modified their focus from purely Amateur Radio to wireless and a small makerspace.
Ohio State University - W8LT OSU Amateur Radio and RF Club - Go Bucks!
Purdue University - W9YB Purdue University Amateur Radio Club
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) - W2SZ Radio Club of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) - K2GXT RIT Amateur Radio Club
Stanford University - W6YX Standford Amateur Radio Club - Like W1MX / W1XM, W6YX is another club that has access to their own big steerable dish!
Texas A&M University - W5AC Texas A&M University Amateur Radio Club
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) - K4KDJ Virgina Tech Amateur Radio Association - The current web page is pretty bland; this web page from the Internet Archive Wayback Machine is much more interesting.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WIA) - W1YK - WPI Wireless Association - The Worcester Polytechnic Institute Wireless Association is a close-knit group of hilarious individuals with radios.
Thanks for reading!
Steve Stroh N8GNJ
Bellingham, Washington, USA
2021-04-21
Copyright © 2021 by Steven K. Stroh
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