12 May 2025 – HamSCI: Space Weather We Can Do Together! by Dr Nathaniel A. Frissell, W2NAF and Gwyn Griffiths, GW3ZIL
The presentation
Since the 2017 Solar Eclipse QSO Party, the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI), has been bringing together amateur radio operators and professional space scientists to develop new and innovative ways to study space weather and its impacts on the ionosphere and radio propagation.
In this presentation, Nathaniel will show results from the 2023 and 2024 HamSCI Festivals of Eclipse Ionospheric Science, including the Solar Eclipse QSO Parties and Gladstone Signal Spotting Challenge, the HF Time Difference of Arrival Experiment, the Personal Space Weather Station HF Doppler Sounding Experiment, the medium wave AM Receive Experiment, and the Very Low Frequency (VLF) Experiment.
Gwyn will explain why he enjoys the HamSCI experience, from exchanges with scientists to learning from students while pursuing his own studies on HF propagation.
They also talk about what is next for HamSCI, including new developments in the HamSCI Personal Space Weather Station project, how HamSCI activities can contribute to amateur radio operating, and how you can join and participate.
About Dr Nathaniel A. Frissell, W2NAF
Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D., W2NAF, is an Associate Professor of Physics and Engineering at The University of Scranton. Dr. Frissell’s research interests include space weather and radio science, with a focus on traveling ionospheric disturbances and High Frequency (HF) radio propagation. His teaching interests include digital signal processing, electromagnetics, communications systems, and space physics/space weather.
Dr. Frissell’s passion for radio and radio science began in middle school when he was introduced to the amateur (ham) radio hobby through scouting. He eventually went on to earn his B.S. in Music Education and Physics from Montclair State University, and M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech working in the Virginia Tech Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) laboratory.
Dr. Frissell founded and now leads the NASA, NSF, and ARDC-supported Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI.org) citizen science community. Dr. Frissell is the advisor for the W3USR University of Scranton Amateur Club, is a winner of the 2017 Yasme Foundation Excellence award, the 2019 Dayton Amateur Radio Association Amateur of the Year Award, and is a 2021 inductee of the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame.
About Gwyn Griffiths, GW3ZIL
Gwyn Griffiths was first licensed as GW3ZIL in 1970. He returned to amateur radio after a career as an oceanographer working with instruments, autonomous submersibles and their data. Intrigued by curiosities of propagation on the HF bands he found a natural, supportive ‘home’ within the HamSCI community in 2019. He has contributed to their workshops and online meetings ever since. Gwyn will show just why he enjoys the HamSCI experience: from exchanges with scientists, to learning from students, helping them in turn with amateur radio ‘nous’, finding data and practical methods for postdoctoral researchers, while seeking and obtaining guidance and constructive criticism while pursuing his own studies on HF propagation. Gwyn is a member of the RSGB Propagation Studies Committee.
Watch live
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