Amateur Radio

In October 2021, I obtained my Amateur Foundation Radio Licence from OFCOM, along with my allocated call-sign M7SYR. This call-sign is a tribute to my birthplace, Syros, a beautiful island in Greece, with “M7” denoting that the Foundation level station is authorised by the UK, and “SYR” standing for Syros.

My journey in amateur radio has been remarkable, particularly with my performance in the Digital Worldwide Contest, where I achieved 1st place in England, 9th in Europe, and 11th worldwide.

I operate using a Kenwood TS-590 radio paired with a 2E0ERO Magnetic Loop antenna mounted indoors on a tripod, usually in the 20-Meter band (14 MHz). Through this setup, I’ve successfully made and confirmed contacts with stations as far away as Argentina, Brazil, and Japan.

Clublog.org Livestream

For more information on my amateur radio activities, including detailed logs, achievements, and project updates, feel free to visit my QRZ.com page. You’ll find a comprehensive record of my contacts, equipment setup, and the various contests I’ve participated in, including my 1st place finish in England during the Digital Worldwide Contest. Check out my call-sign M7SYR on QRZ.com to stay updated on my latest experiments and radio adventures.

As part of my experimentation, I’ve set up several exciting projects. One of these is an ADS-B radar station, which allows me to track and feed aircraft data to FlightRadar24. ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast) is a system where aircraft transmit their position and other information. Using a Raspberry Pi, an inexpensive USB SDR tuner, and an antenna, I can capture this data.

ADS-B Radar Station (T-EGKR92)

Dive into the fascinating world of aviation tracking with an ADS-B radar station. This project utilises a Raspberry Pi, an affordable USB SDR tuner, and a custom antenna to capture real-time data from aircraft using the Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) system. By decoding this information, you can monitor aircraft positions and feed the data directly into FlightRadar24 and other flight tracking websites, enhancing the global network of flight tracking.

If you would like to find out how to build your own ADS-B Radar Station, please check my blog post on how to build one under the Amateur Radio category.

Flight Radar 24 - ADS-B Radar Station (T-EGKR92)

Another experiment was setting up a NOAA/METEOR satellite system based on the R2Cloud project. This system, again using a Raspberry Pi, a USB SDR tuner, and a home-brew antenna, allows me to track, record, and decode weather satellite signals (among many others), resulting in satellite weather photos as the satellites pass overhead.

Weather Satellite Station

Embark on a captivating journey into the realm of weather observation with my NOAA/METEOR satellite system, inspired by the SatNOGS project. Utilising a Raspberry Pi, a USB SDR tuner, and a custom-built antenna, this experiment enables me to track, record, and decode signals from various weather satellites. As these satellites pass overhead, I capture stunning satellite weather photos that provide valuable insights into our planet’s atmospheric conditions, the intricacies of satellite communication and the beauty of Earth from above!

Signal Reception

NOAA 18

NOAA 19

Weather Photos

What I truly enjoy about this hobby is the ability to experiment and create home-brew devices, such as antennas, using everyday household items—a perfect mix of science, creativity, and technology.

You can find detailed information for both projects on my blog under the Amateur Radio category.