Radio Surfer Award – Samuel, MI7WHD

| January 14, 2026

Samuel, MI7WHD using DMR

Samuel, MI7WHD, age 15, recently achieved the Radio Surfer Award. He discovered amateur radio only recently and soon became licensed after passing his Foundation licence exam in October 2024.

Since then, he has been on a road of discovery and learning. He has taken an interest in experimenting with Raspberry Pi, microcontrollers and more recently LoRa and SDRs. His interest in this side of amateur radio shines through in the challenges he took part in to achieve the Radio Surfer Award, some of which included:

  • Get a message from space (activity 6) which he did by using APRS to make a contact with EA3DNC via the ISS APRS Repeater in February 2025
  • Make a radio-related training aid (activity 25) which he did by making a USB Keyer from a Raspberry Pi Pico, which he then used to plug in a 3D-printed key to a computer

He has also joined his local amateur radio club, Bushvalley Amateur Radio Club, which also contributed points towards gaining the award. He has been an active club member and told us he has been “taking part in events and even presented a talk on receiving SSTV transmissions from space”. One of the most recent events that Samuel and the club took part in was YOTA Month, for which it hosted special call sign GB25YOTA.

Samuel has also been enjoying being part of the RSGB Outreach Team’s youth net on DMR.

Category: Award Stories