Amateur Radio Transponder

About This Project

Build a 1U CubeSat carrying a linear transponder for amateur radio operators. Enable cross-band communication (VHF/UHF) and provide a beacon for amateur satellite tracking and educational outreach.

Overview

Amateur radio has a long and celebrated history in space — from OSCAR 1 in 1961 to the dozens of ham satellites operating today. An amateur radio transponder or digital repeater turns your CubeSat into shared infrastructure for a global community of licensed operators, enabling cross-continent communication, satellite tracking practice, and educational outreach. The satellite receives signals on one frequency band, retransmits on another, and broadcasts a telemetry beacon that anyone with a handheld radio and a basic antenna can receive. The amateur radio community provides something no other payload concept offers: thousands of volunteer ground stations worldwide, ready to use and test your satellite from day one. This dramatically reduces the ground segment burden on your team and creates immediate, tangible engagement with a passionate user base. The project teaches RF system design, link budget analysis, antenna engineering, and regulatory compliance — students must obtain amateur radio licenses and coordinate frequencies through international bodies. The licensing and coordination process itself is an educational experience in how spectrum management works.

Technical Details

DRA818V VHF transceiver module (~$10) + DRA818U UHF module for cross-band relay, or single-band APRS digipeater using TinyTrack4 TNC (~$90). Deployable VHF antenna (quarter-wave ~50 cm at 145 MHz) using measuring tape or Nitinol wire with burn-wire release. Beacon transmits callsign, telemetry (battery voltage, temperature, packet count) in AX.25 format. Requires amateur radio license (Technician class minimum) and IARU frequency coordination (submit 6+ months before launch).

Research & Notes

US Naval Academy operated PCsat/PSAT-2 APRS constellations for decades. Thailand KNACKSAT-2 deploying from ISS February 2026 includes APRS digipeater. AMSAT Fox-1 series (including Vanderbilt RadFxSat collaboration) carried FM transponders and science payloads. Vanderbilt existing AMSAT partnership from RadFxSat missions provides natural pathway. AMSAT CubeSatSim educational kit ($400 from Heathkit) offers affordable ground-based development platform. Global ham radio community provides thousands of potential ground stations — high engagement and outreach value. Cost: $200-$800. Requires IARU frequency coordination (6+ month lead time) and amateur radio licensing. Complexity: beginner-intermediate.

Required Disciplines

This project spans 1 discipline, making it suitable for interdisciplinary student teams.

Next Steps

Ready to take on this project? Here's a general roadmap that applies to most CubeSat missions:

1. Build your foundation: Complete the core modules in the CubeSat Academy to understand spacecraft subsystems, mission design, and development workflows.
2. Form a team: Recruit students across the required disciplines and identify a faculty advisor. Plan for knowledge transfer between graduating and incoming members.
3. Write a mission concept: Draft a 1–2 page document outlining your objectives, target orbit, payload requirements, and success criteria.
4. Connect with a chapter: Join a Blackwing chapter for mentorship, shared resources, and access to the platform ecosystem.
5. Explore the developer tools: Visit the Developer Portal for platform documentation, SDKs, and hardware specs.
6. Plan your timeline: Map milestones to your academic calendar. Most projects align well with a 2–4 semester capstone or research sequence.
7. Reach out: Contact us to discuss your project goals, platform selection, and path to orbit.