Press Releases
August 28, 2024
Unlock the Secrets of the Invisible Radio Universe with SuperKnova®
Funded by a grant from ARDC, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) has developed two no-cost, self-paced online courses on SuperKnova, an online educational platform accessible to learners of all ages: the Technician Amateur Radio License and EMS Course and the General Amateur Radio License and EMS Course. These courses introduce the fundamentals of the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS), which will not only help learners get their amateur radio license, but will also contribute to the longevity of the amateur radio community. In addition to applications in amateur radio, these concepts taught in the courses are also applicable in many career paths.
March 29, 2024
Funded by a grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), M17 is excited to announce the following enhancements to their current hardware solutions for amateur radio operators as well as a new hardware offering, all of which include: Module17 – an M17 modem that converts a 9600 baud capable radio into an M17 transceiver; OpenHT – a cutting-edge QRP dual-band handheld transceiver (HT) that utilizes SDR technology; and a Remote Radio Unit (RRU) – a comprehensive, UHF FM/M17 ‘repeater in a box’, optimally designed for close antenna placement, enhancing signal strength and reliability.
December 6, 2023
National Foundations Announce $2.1 Million for the Next Generation of Amateur Radio
Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) and The ARRL Foundation announced a three-year commitment with over $2.1 million in combined funding to support scholarships for radio amateurs, radio technology for classroom teachers, and amateur radio club grants. This commitment reinforces a strong shared vision between ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® and ARDC to invest in the future of amateur radio through programs supporting the next generation of radio amateurs.
September 29, 2023
Software Upgrades to the Multimode Digital Voice Modem (MMDVM) Project are Underway
The Multimode Digital Voice Modem (MMDVM) project aims to consolidate all existing MMDVM-based projects into one open-source project. Funded by a grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), Jonathan Naylor (G4KLX) has been hired as a full-time software developer. Jonathan is a pioneer of digital voice software, developing software for D-STAR, DMR, System Fusion, M17, NXDN, P.25, and POCSAG. With a full-time software developer dedicated to the MMDVM project, work has begun on software upgrades to MMDVM, and many of the long-term bugs in the software have been fixed. Regarding their progress toward improving MMDVMHost, they have added support for AX.25, and they now provide full support for amateur-driven M17 digital voice protocol.
April 28, 2023
NRAO Program Looking for Students 18-20 Years Old to Learn About the Electromagnetic Spectrum
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is now recruiting the second group of students for their program, Exploring the Electromagnetic Spectrum (and Why Amateur Radio Matters). This program aims to educate emerging generations about the electromagnetic spectrum through an interactive, substantive experience with amateur radio. Funded by a grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), the program focuses on broadening the excitement of amateur radio among BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students. NRAO is looking for 20 students, 18-20 years old, with an interest in learning about the electromagnetic spectrum and amateur (ham) radio—including obtaining amateur radio licenses. The program will begin in September 2023 and run through May 2024.
April 19, 2023
Youth on the Air Americas to Expand Camp Programs
A $125,000 grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) will fund YOTA Americas summer camps through 2025. In addition, the grant will allow the group to increase the number of campers from 30 to 50 in 2024 and 2025.
April 5, 2023
Ria Jairam, N2RJ, joins ARDC Board
On April 3, 2023, Ria Jairam, N2RJ, joined the board of directors of Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC). Jairam has been a licensed amateur radio operator since 1997, after first having been licensed in her native Trinidad and Tobago. She has served on the boards of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and the ARRL Foundation. She is actively involved in amateur radio outreach and education through speaking at clubs and conventions, social media, her weekly radio show on WRMI shortwave radio and her YouTube channel. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from NYU Tandon School of Engineering, and currently works in software and systems development for the financial industry and design consulting for renewable energy and energy storage projects.
March 10, 2023
FreeDV aims to bring open-source HF digital voice into the mainstream
A $420,000 grant will enable the FreeDV Project to hire experienced digital signal processing developers to work with the volunteer staff to improve speech quality and improve low signal-to- noise ratio operation
and to better promote FreeDV in the amateur radio community.
August 8, 2022
Sangamon Valley Radio Club to Sponsor Radio Orienteering Activities
With a grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), the Sangamon Valley ARC will purchase transmitters, controllers, receivers, maps, and other items needed to conduct successful radio orienteering events and develop plans to help other clubs do the same.
NRAO Program Designed to Educate Emerging Generation of Scientists Using Amateur Radio
A new National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) program aims to educate emerging generations about the electromagnetic spectrum through an interactive, substantive experience with amateur radio. Funded by a grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), the program Exploring the Electromagnetic Spectrum (and Why Amateur Radio Matters) will focus on broadening the excitement of amateur radio among BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students.
Hampton University scholarships to provide opportunities for STEM students using amateur radio
A $200,000 grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) will provide scholarships to four students for one full academic year and assist with numerous gaps in tuition and associated costs of attending Hampton University. Hampton will introduce its students majoring in STEM related fields to amateur radio and engage them through activities that provide unique hands-on, experience-building opportunities. Additionally, the grant will fund hour-long educational programs highlighting scholars studying STEM topics that will be aired on Hampton’s FM radio station (WHOV 88.1 MHz).
June 15, 2022
Jasmine and José Build a Radio Introduces School-Age Kids to the Science of Radio
Aided by a grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), Science is Elementary (SiE) will publish Jasmine and José Build a Radio. Targeted at seven-year-olds, the book will be the next volume in the SiE Books series, which features diverse protagonists who solve problems using science.
Student project enables hams to experiment in the 33 cm band
DAEMod-915 is a Bradley University project whose goal is to design a digital transceiver system for experimentation in the under-utilized 33 cm band. The design includes support for multiple FSK/ASK modulation standards, and both hardware and software are open-source.
GNU Radio Aims to Improve Accessibility and Usability
GNU Radio is always striving to be accessible to everyone, regardless of which operating system they are using and how much experience they have with wireless communications and digital signal processing. This includesWindows and MacOS users, who have not had adequate support, despite the fact that nearly all K-12 students use either Windows or MacOS computers. GNU Radio developers have identified several improvements that will make the software more accessible and easier to maintain.
January 15, 2022
ARRL Foundation to Create Club Grants Program
This new program, funded by a grant from ARDC will make $500,000 available to clubs, allowing them to more easily educate and train new hams , provide continuing education for current hams, and serve the public.
November 22, 2021
Society of Women Engineers Expands Scholarship Program
ARDC grant will fund scholarships and programs designed to help women succeed in engineering.
November 19, 2021
Virgin Island Amateur Radio Group Bolsters Repeater Infrastructure in the Territory
ARDC grant will enable the group to purchase backup repeaters, improve repeater coverage, and train and outfit new hams.
November 19, 2021
Haiti International Friendship ARC to Set Up Emergency Communications Network
ARDC grant will enable the club to set up HF stations to provide emergency communications to remote areas cut off by the August 2021 earthquake.
October 15, 2021
Oregon HamWAN to Expand Digital Communications Network
Project will enhance amateur radio digital and emergency communications capabilities between Portland and Salem, Oregon.
October 8, 2021
Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Station to Enable Visitors to Discover California’s Unique Coastal Ecosystems
Amateur radio station, K6TZ, will offer visitors a glimpse of island life using remotely-operated webcams and other remote sensing technologies
September 30, 2021
Los Angeles Hams Upgrade Emergency Communications Capabilities
Equipment purchase allows the group to more quickly pinpoint sources of radio frequency interference (RFI) that could hamper emergency communications.
High School Students Become Makers to Learn Computer Science
Computer science AP class uses microcontrollers and sensors to develop hands-on projects that teach computer concepts.
