Category: Amateur Radio Education

The History of Mathematics: From Early Counting to Modern Research

September 20, 2026
Here is a learning idea for Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club (SARC), N9RJV: explore the history behind the mathematics we use to understand radio. You do not need advanced math to begin. Start with counting, follow the development of patterns and proof, and discover how ideas from many cultures connect to waves, calculations, and communication. Post … Continue reading "The History of Mathematics: From Early Counting to Modern Research"

The Physics Behind Amateur Radio

August 12, 2026
Understanding Electromagnetic Waves Here is a useful physics idea for Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club (SARC) members: every on-air contact begins with an electromagnetic wave. Voice, continuous wave (CW) Morse code, and digital signals all depend on radio-frequency (RF) energy traveling from a transmitting antenna to a receiving antenna. Understanding that path makes frequency, wavelength, polarization, … Continue reading "The Physics Behind Amateur Radio"

Digital-Mode WSJT-X 3.0 vs. DECODIUM 4.0 “Shannon”

July 31, 2026
A Practical Digital-Mode Comparison Here is a useful digital-mode experiment for SARC members. WSJT-X 3.0.2 and DECODIUM 4.0 “Shannon” can both place weak-signal activity on your screen, but they approach the operating experience differently. WSJT-X remains the official reference program for FT8 and many related weak-signal modes. DECODIUM builds on that software lineage while adding … Continue reading "Digital-Mode WSJT-X 3.0 vs. DECODIUM 4.0 “Shannon”"

The International Q-Code

July 10, 2026
History, operating guide, and complete amateur radio reference The Q-code is a family of compact operating groups whose members normally contain three letters and begin with Q. It was developed for radiotelegraphy so operators could exchange recurring questions, answers, instructions, and reports with fewer characters and less dependence on a shared spoken language. The legacy … Continue reading "The International Q-Code"