Date: March 2026
Amount: $2,000

The “wireless” station at University of Michigan was originally formed to establish communications among professors on campus and those exploring the world. Notably, the University maintained communications with the pilots of the Greater Rockford and Untin Bowler on their earliest attempts to cross the Atlantic Ocean and also with the expedition camps of Professor Hobbs (Arctic Greenland) and Commander Byrd (Antarctica). Wireless operators at the University also used telegraphy to transmit “live” coverage of UM away football games to students on campus. Shortly thereafter, the amateur radio club began experimenting with amplitude modulation and formed the campus AM radio station.

Since those early days, the amateur radio club existed to provide the space and equipment for licensed radio operators to continue in their hobby while away from home. With the rapid growth and interest in the use of radio frequency wavelengths, faculty and students have found ways to incorporate wireless communications into their coursework. Such examples include model rocketry telemetry and high-altitude balloon tracking.

Today, in addition to providing a well-equipped shack, the amateur radio club hosts monthly informative lectures, kit-building workshops, guidance on the use of tube-type equipment, FCC licensing classes, fox hunts, support and consultation on student projects and contest participation.

The University of Michigan Amateur Radio Club has over 1100 members, both on-campus and alumni of the university, and maintains 3 open repeaters, (10M, 2M 70cm).

Members have expressed interest in communicating using digital radio and have voiced interest in supporting a local digital radio repeater as opposed to use of “personal” hotspots. With grant support, the radio club will convert their existing UHF analog repeater to a refurbished digital repeater.

Learn more at: https://umarc.eecs.umich.edu/.