03/21/2025

By: Rich Moseson, W2VU

Some 175 scientists, students, professors, and amateur radio operators from
around the world gathered in person and virtually on March 14 and 15 to share
research, educate each other, and network at the annual HamSCI Workshop[1].
HamSCI, the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation program, aims to promote
collaboration between science, amateur radio, and education. The 2025 workshop
was hosted this year by the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark. The
program featured 30 talks and two dozen poster presentations, many focused on
the HamSCI community's research activities during the 2023 annular and 2024
total solar eclipses and its ongoing programs to involve amateur radio
operators in collecting data for research on space weather and its impact on
the ionosphere.

See a short video of the workshop's poster session on ARRL's YouTube
channel[2].

"I believe the workshop went very well," said HamSCI Lead Dr. Nathaniel
Frissell, W2NAF, a professor at the University of Scranton. "There were many
stimulating presentations and discussions, and the workshop did an excellent
job bringing together amateurs, students, and scientists from near and far."

Among the presenters was Space Science Institute researcher Dr. Kristina
Collins, KD8OXT, the 2025 recipient of the Dayton Hamvention¨ Technical
Achievement Award. Collins demonstrated how interactive data visualization
software can be used as a platform for HamSCI work, including visualization of
data amassed from the Personal Space Weather Station (PSWS) project. Owen
Ruzanski, KD3ALD, an undergraduate at The University of Scranton, co-authored,
"Development of a Contesting and DXing Dashboard for the HamSCI Personal Space
Weather Station." Citizen scientist Mindy Hull, MD, KM1NDY, researched the
"Effect of near total solar eclipse on radio propagation of HF, Weak-Signal
Propagation Reporter (WSPR) transmissions."

ARRL was well-represented at the conference, with a team led by Director of
Marketing and Innovation Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R - who was also the keynote
speaker at the Friday night banquet - and Hudson Division Director Ed Wilson,
N2XDD. Inderbitzen focused his remarks on amateur radio's unique status as a
technological "sandbox" for exploring and developing new communication
technologies. He also highlighted ARRL's commitment to growing the Amateur
Radio Service through programs like the ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless
Technology which prepares schoolteachers and college professors to develop
student interest and skills in radio communications and technology.

"Last year, the ARRL Board of Directors established a road map for a bold, new
strategic direction," said Inderbitzen in his address. "For 110 years, you
might sum up the organization's purpose as promoting and protecting amateur
radio. But last year, ARRL's mission was expanded ... to develop the next
generation of radio amateurs. And to be even more deliberate, a new advocacy
was established: to inspire youth." Inderbitzen also led a meeting of the ARRL
Collegiate Amateur Radio Program at the end of the workshop.


[1] https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMjg2OTg1JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTgxODI4NCZsaT0zNzM3MDQwNw/index.html

[2] https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMjg2OTg1JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTgxODI4NCZsaT0zNzM3MDQwOA/index.html


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