Cal Poly Amateur Radio Club (CPARC) has received a $22,000 grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), a private foundation that supports amateur radio and digital communication science and technology. CPARC has been using this grant to perform a variety of projects, including an upgrade of the club’s remotely operable High Frequency radio station, which will allow students to operate the station with just a computer or smartphone, as well as upgrading the station’s electrical grounding system to ensure ongoing safe and reliable operations. Club members are also upgrading the station’s battery backup system and installing solar panels to allow “off-grid” emergency operation in support of the club’s role as an Emergency Communication Center for San Luis Obispo County.
