Ham radio enthusiasts can involve themselves in over 100 different activities that go way beyond simple communication. Most newcomers never find out that amateur radio operators bounce signals off the moon. They participate in competitive “fox hunts” to locate hidden transmitters and build their own high-performance radio kits. These kits operate at just 5 watts across multiple bands. Such unexpected applications show the hobby’s remarkable diversity.
A ham radio license opens doors to a world of specialized pursuits, contrary to what many believe. Radio operators create mesh networks that work independently of traditional internet infrastructure. They track high-altitude balloons equipped with APRS transmitters and serve as trained SKYWARN volunteers who spot and report severe weather conditions. The Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) works like a social media platform for radio enthusiasts to transmit location and weather data. On top of that, contests turn ordinary radio operation into a thrilling global radio party. Operators connect with as many stations as possible within strict timeframes.
This piece looks at these fascinating yet rarely discussed aspects of ham radio. The century-old technology continues to offer state-of-the-art experiences for those who look beyond simple voice communication.
Explore the skies: Ham radio and space communication
Image Source: Space
Amateur radio operators can reach beyond Earth’s atmosphere through space communication, which stands out as one of their most remarkable achievements. Ham operators can exchange signals with astronauts, orbiting satellites, and bounce signals off the moon using simple equipment and proper licensing.
Talk to the International Space Station (ISS)
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program has connected Earth-bound operators with astronauts circling above since November 2000. Licensed astronauts often spend their free time making random, unscheduled contacts with ham operators around the world. The ISS station uses a Kenwood D710GA transceiver that works with both 2-meter and 70-cm operations and puts out up to 25 watts of power.
You’ll need these items to contact the ISS:
- A 2-meter FM transceiver that outputs 25-100 watts
- A directional antenna that tracks the station’s movement
- The right frequencies: 145.80 MHz for worldwide downlink, 144.49 MHz for uplink in the Americas and Asia, and 145.20 MHz for uplink in Europe, Russia, and Africa
Use amateur satellites for long-distance QSOs
Dozens of amateur radio satellites circle Earth, acting as “repeaters in space.” These satellites help operators set impressive records, including contacts spanning over 4,400 km through the ISS FM repeater. AMSAT develops and maintains these satellites, making distant contacts possible with simple equipment.
FM satellites give newcomers the best starting point. These satellites work as cross-band repeaters – you transmit on one band (uplink) and receive on another (downlink). A dual-band handheld radio paired with a portable Yagi antenna like the Arrow II often gets amazing results.
Try Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) or ‘moonbounce’ communication
The sort of thing I love about ham radio is Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) communication, also called “moonbounce.” This method uses the moon’s surface to reflect radio signals, creating a path that stretches about 500,000 miles round-trip.
Advanced technology has made EME available to operators with decent VHF station capabilities, though it once needed huge antenna systems and high-power transmitters. Notwithstanding that, moonbounce comes with unique challenges: the moon reflects poorly, needs tracking as it moves, and signals face Doppler shift, libration fading, and polarization changes. Operators can hear their signals come back after about 2.5 seconds – an exciting proof of this amazing achievement.
Track satellites with free software like Gpredict
Knowing exactly when satellites or the moon will be in range makes space communication successful. Gpredict offers a powerful, free solution that shows live satellite positions on maps, tables, and radar-style polar plots.
This software lets operators group satellites into custom visualization modules, watch multiple satellites at once from different locations, and see future passes with detailed information about each chance. Gpredict becomes especially useful because it handles Doppler tracking and controls antenna rotors through Hamlib integration.
Space communication shows what ham radio operators can achieve beyond regular ground contacts. Operators can reach astronomical distances with simple equipment, good software, and patience.
If ham radio in space is your thing, here is a complete article on just that: Beyond Earth: Practical Techniques for Ham Radio Space Communication.
Track, map, and move: Real-time data with APRS
Ham radio equipment becomes a powerful tracking and data collection tool through the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS). This system differs from voice communication by sending digital packets with coordinates, weather readings, and telemetry through radio frequencies. The network operates without depending on internet connectivity.
Send your GPS location over radio
APRS lets operators share their exact position with a straightforward setup that includes a transceiver, GPS receiver, and a tracker – a small computer device. Any vehicle with this equipment can send out location, speed, and course details in compact data packets. Nearby receiving stations (iGates) and digipeaters pick up these signals and boost coverage by rebroadcasting them.
This feature proves useful to ham operators during public events such as marathons, parades, and emergency responses where knowing team locations matters. Digital maps show each station’s position, which helps coordinators watch moving vehicles immediately without cellular networks.
Use APRS for weather and telemetry data
APRS does more than track locations – it excels at environmental monitoring. Weather stations linked to APRS transmitters send temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind speed readings through the network. The system also manages complex telemetry, including analog measurements like voltage and temperature, plus digital states such as on/off conditions and alarms.
Solar-powered weather stations represent a more sophisticated use case. These stations report battery voltage, signal strength, and light intensity that services like aprs.fi automatically turn into graphs. Remote equipment or condition monitoring becomes easier without cellular coverage.
Follow balloon launches and mobile stations
Tracking moving objects showcases APRS at its best, especially with high-altitude balloon launches. Teams of ham operators attach light APRS transmitters to weather balloons to track their trip and find equipment after landing. The 2017 Great American Solar Eclipse saw 148 APRS-equipped balloons tracked across the continental USA.
These balloon trackers often use solar panels and supercapacitors to stay airborne longer. The LightAPRS-W tracker shows what’s possible – it sends APRS on VHF at 0.5-1 watt while broadcasting WSPR signals on HF using just 10 milliwatts, making it trackable from thousands of miles away.
Explore APRS.fi for live tracking
APRS.fi stands as the main platform to view this worldwide network of transmissions. This free service puts all APRS-equipped stations on detailed maps in real-time. You can follow specific callsigns, look at paths from the past week, and calculate distances between points.
Each transmission reveals incredible detail on the platform, from digipeater paths to street-view images showing a moving station’s direction. Operators can adjust their transmitters to reduce position accuracy when privacy matters.
This amazing system proves that ham radio goes way beyond voice calls by creating a worldwide data network that works with modest equipment and simple technical knowledge.
Want to know more about APRS? Here is our article providing more detail: What is APRS: A Beginner’s Quick Start Guide to Ham Radio Tracking and once you get into it, here is a great article combining APRS and easy DIY electronics: Building Your Own APRS iGate with Raspberry Pi: A Complete Guide.
Find the signal: Direction finding and fox hunting
Image Source: sarcnet
Ham radio becomes an exciting game of hide-and-seek when operators use radio direction finding to track hidden transmitters. The skills learned here go way beyond simple fun and games. They become valuable tools to detect interference and support emergency services.
What is a ‘fox hunt’ and how it works
A fox hunt challenges radio enthusiasts to find hidden radio transmitters (the “foxes”) through radio direction finding methods. The hunt organizers give participants details about frequency and search areas before they start. Hunters track down transmitters by measuring signal direction from different spots and using triangulation. Time limits add extra excitement to some contests. This activity blends technical expertise with outdoor navigation and creates both a mental and physical challenge.
Gear you need: Yagi antennas and attenuators
Success in fox hunting depends on having the right equipment. Directional antennas play a vital role—most hunters prefer Yagi-Uda designs with three to five elements because they pick up signals better from specific directions. Mobile hunters often choose quad antennas that can handle highway speeds. Attenuators become essential as hunters get closer to the transmitter. They help reduce signal strength to keep direction finding possible. Some participants use advanced time difference of arrival systems or Doppler shift gear that shows likely directions through LED displays.
How it helps in interference detection
These skills offer more than just sport value. Radio direction finding gives operators a great way to solve practical problems. It lets them track down interference sources that affect ham stations and home electronics. Skilled operators have successfully located grow light ballasts, halogen light fixtures, and other RFI sources that disrupt communications. Operators can spot interference sources up to half a mile away using specialized loop antennas and receivers.
Join or organize a local ARDF event
Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) has grown into a worldwide competitive sport with official championships. The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) runs world championships, including the upcoming IARU World ARDF Championship in Lithuania during August 2025. These events draw everyone from newcomers to seasoned veterans who search for hidden transmitters across forest terrain. ARDF competitions create an exceptional challenge by combining amateur radio knowledge with orienteering skills.
Build it yourself: Kits, SDRs, and DIY projects
Image Source: Adventures in RF, Electronics, and General Tinkering
Ham radio enthusiasts find building their own equipment one of the most rewarding challenges. This hands-on aspect combines electronics knowledge with the thrill of making contacts using self-built gear. The hobby opens up endless possibilities beyond regular operation.
Start with QRP transceiver kits from QRP Labs or Elecraft
QRP (low power) transceivers serve as a perfect gateway into DIY radio. QRP Labs delivers amazing options like their QMX+, a feature-packed 160-6m 5W multi-mode transceiver kit including embedded SDR and USB sound card for just $125. Their QDX digital transceiver kit covers five bands and puts out 5W for only $69. So, these affordable kits let you communicate worldwide with minimal power.
Elecraft, a prominent name in quality equipment, offers modular no-soldering kits that include their legendary K2 and K2/100 all-band CW/SSB transceiver kits. These kits come with complete instructions that suit builders with simple soldering skills.
Experiment with Software Defined Radios (SDRs)
Software Defined Radio uses digital signal processing to detect radio signals. This technology has changed how hams interact with RF. SDRs provide remarkable performance advantages—notably “cliff-walled” bandpass filtering and “scalpel-sharp” notch filtering capabilities. A SDR receiver can make your trusted dipole work like a multi-element beam, thanks to advanced digital signal processing.
For more detailed information on SDR, read our article: Software Defined Radio: What You Need to Know About SDR.
Use Raspberry Pi or Arduino for digital modes
Raspberry Pi single-board computers and Arduino microcontroller boards have changed the game for ham radio projects. These compact computers power everything from APRS displays to web servers and media centers. Arduino boards shine at data collection, telemetry, and signal generation. A Raspberry Pi starter kit gives you everything needed to build sophisticated radio projects for about $50-90.
Create your own antennas and test them in the field
Building antennas at home saves money and teaches valuable lessons. You can make simple dipoles with:
- Speaker wire (two conductors easily separated)
- A balun (commercial or homemade)
- Simple measuring tools
- Optional insulators (“dog bones”)
Each side’s measurement in feet comes from the formula 468/frequency. Once you build your antenna, you will need to tune it, so check out our article How to Tune an Antenna: The Science of SWR and Return Loss.
Where to find kits: QRPkits.com, TAPR.org, HF Signals
Several sources offer excellent kits beyond the manufacturers mentioned above. The Four State QRP Group sells “must-have” QRP kits that combine good engineering with easy assembly. TAPR (Tucson Amateur Packet Radio Corp) focuses on technical projects and works with the HPSDR group to develop open SDR platforms. HF Signals produces the µBITX, a general coverage 3-30 MHz transceiver kit that needs no soldering and costs just $150.
You can even start really small with kits like the S-Pixie CW QRP Ham Amateur Shortwave Radio Transceiver which goes for under $20, or build your own Antenna tuner with the Malahit ATU-100 Antenna Tuner for around $40.
Go digital: Modes that go beyond voice
Image Source: QRZ Forums
Digital modes take ham radio experience way beyond traditional voice contacts. Operators can now communicate in ways that conventional methods cannot match. Your radio transforms from a simple voice device into a sophisticated data platform that achieves remarkable feats.
FT8: Communicate with low power across the globe
FT8 has maybe become the most popular digital mode on ham radio bands since its 2017 introduction. The mode works best “multi-hop Es where signals may be weak and fading,” and shows excellent results during the current solar minimum. What makes FT8 extraordinary lies in knowing how to decode signals with a signal-to-noise ratio as low as -20 dB in a 2500 Hz bandwidth. Operators can now make contacts that voice methods simply cannot achieve.
Small stations with basic antennas can work DXCC (100+ countries) just like operators with massive antenna farms. FT8 makes contacts possible on “dead bands” and helps operators work DX on 160m without complex station setups.
WSPR: Test propagation with milliwatt signals
WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter, pronounced “whisper”) takes weak signal communication to new heights. The system detects signals with SNR values down to -34 dB. WSPR transmitters run on mere milliwatts—hundreds of times less power than typical voice transmission.
Successful decodes automatically upload to a global database and create a live map of radio propagation. Operators worldwide test different antennas by comparing reception reports from monitoring stations.
Packet BBS and Winlink for email over radio
Winlink brings something amazing—email over radio without internet infrastructure. The worldwide messaging system includes attachments, position reports, and weather bulletins.
Gateway stations keep communication flowing through radio networks and the internet when disasters strike and regular networks fail. The system delivers 99.99% uptime with 100% message accuracy.
Try PSK31, RTTY, and other keyboard-to-keyboard modes
Keyboard-to-keyboard modes let operators have real conversations beyond just exchanging signal reports. PSK31, developed in 1998, uses phase shift keying with a bandwidth of just 31 Hz. The narrow bandwidth helps reception under severe conditions.
RTTY (radioteletype) dates back to the 1930s and remains popular especially during contests. JS8Call, a newer mode, enables conversational messaging through a modified FT8 protocol.
These digital modes reshape ham radio into a versatile communication platform that goes way beyond voice capabilities.
Chasing the rain: Ham radio and the weather
Image Source: RTL-SDR.com
Weather observation gives ham radio operators exciting activities that range from receiving high-resolution satellite images to joining vital storm tracking networks. These applications show how versatile amateur radio can be beyond simple communication.
Decoding weather satellites
Ham operators can capture stunning images directly from orbiting NOAA and Meteor weather satellites. These satellites transmit on VHF frequencies in the 137 MHz band. NOAA-15 broadcasts at 137.6200 MHz, NOAA-18 at 137.9125 MHz, and NOAA-19 at 137.1000 MHz. The signal bandwidth ranges from 36-38 kHz using FM mode, and receivers need to handle wider signals than typical narrow FM communications.
Operators need three key components to receive these images: a suitable receiver (SDR dongle or dedicated weather satellite receiver), an antenna optimized for 137 MHz (ideally circular polarized), and decoding software. The Quadrifilar Helix Antenna is pretty good as is a good crossed-yagi design. A pre-amplifier helps create clearer images over longer cable runs.
WXtoImg for NOAA satellites and MeteorGIS for Russian Meteor satellites are popular decoding software options. These programs turn the characteristic “washing machine” sound into detailed images that show cloud patterns, landmasses, and temperature data.
Skywarn weather spotters
The National Weather Service’s SKYWARN program is 50 years old and relies on approximately 350,000-400,000 trained spotters who provide vital ground-truth information during severe weather events. Ham radio operators are significant in coordinating reports when other communications fail, though anyone can participate.
SKYWARN nets become active when specific conditions occur, such as severe weather warnings in the area. Spotters report time-sensitive observations that include:
- Tornadoes, funnel clouds, and wall clouds
- Wind gusts of 45 MPH or higher and wind damage
- Hail larger than pea size
- Flooding of streets, basements, or streams
- Heavy rainfall (0.75 inches or more in under an hour)
- Lightning-caused fires or damage
Amateur radio SKYWARN nets use structured protocols. Designated net control stations coordinate information between spotters and NWS offices. Reports must include three key elements during severe conditions: time of occurrence, specific weather event observed, and precise location.
These up-to-the-minute observations help the NWS issue accurate and timely warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and flash floods. This shows another influential way ham radio skills serve the community.
Going it alone
This may seem counter-intuitive, but not everything in ham radio has to be done with other people. Yes, ham radio is about communications, and that may infer communications with other people. But there are a ton of things to do without rag-chewing, going to meetings (not THAT kind of meeting, heh), or participating in large events.
There are people out there who get offended when you talk about ham radio without the social aspect, I have even heard people say if you don’t like to be social, you should find another hobby. Some people also seem to think anti-social is something bad or criminal even though the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as “averse to the society of others” whereas dictionary.com says “unwilling or unable to associate in a normal or friendly way with other people“. Personally, I think it is those people who need to find another hobby, amateur radio should be welcoming to everyone, social and antisocial alike.
The good news is that if you don’t want to spend a lot of time interacting with others, you don’t have to!
Conclusion
Ham radio goes way beyond what most people think of as a simple communication device. Our exploration has shown amazing ways this century-old technology stays relevant and versatile. You can bounce signals off the moon and capture high-resolution weather satellite images with simple equipment and proper licensing.
Most operators start out looking for simple communication but soon find a whole universe of specialized activities. Fox hunting helps develop practical skills to detect interference. Building QRP kits gives you technical knowledge and the satisfaction of making contacts with hand-assembled equipment. Modern digital modes like FT8 and WSPR have changed amateur radio. These modes let you make global contacts with minimal power even in tough conditions.
Ham radio differs from other technologies because it works without commercial infrastructure. The systems keep running when internet and cellular networks fail – during emergencies, weather events, or just to be self-reliant. APRS creates a parallel data network for tracking and telemetry. Winlink makes sure emails get delivered whatever the external conditions.
The most exciting part is how ham radio connects state-of-the-art technology with human creativity. Space communication with the ISS, satellite operations, and moonbounce are incredible achievements that regular people can do with simple equipment. Amateur operators get hands-on experience with aspects of telecommunication usually limited to specialists or professionals. They track high-altitude balloons, report severe weather as SKYWARN volunteers, and experiment with software-defined radio.
Next time someone calls ham radio outdated, think about these extraordinary capabilities. Of course, amateur radio lets you talk to people, but on top of that, it opens doors to scientific exploration, technical experiments, and practical emergency skills. This amazing hobby keeps evolving while you retain control – people can understand, modify, and control the technology themselves.
