TUARC invites junior and senior high school and undergraduate students to explore the world of wireless technology. Events are scheduled periodically and are a challenging way to learn. Contact the Faculty Adviser and Station Trustee: Dr. Dennis Silage K3DS silage@temple.edu. for what they entail and when they are happening. Although TUARC is an Amateur Radio station, licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), there are events do not require an FCC license such as the Marconi Challenge and the soldering and assembly experience of some types of electronic kits.
Marconi Challenge
The Marconi Challenge is an interesting activity that addresses the design objectives of wireless data communication and is suitable for students from high school to college. The Marconi Challenge was originally conceived to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Guglielmo Marconi’s transatlantic wireless transmission in 2001. For junior and senior high school students, the Marconi Challenge provides an opportunity to demonstrate the principles of lens and concave mirrors in optics and basic electronics in a stimulating environment. The transmission medium is infrared light and the requisite components and test equipment are inexpensive, easily obtained and no license is required. Complete teaching modules have been developed and accepted by a school district for use in the junior high school science and senior high school physics curriculum. Undergraduate students can utilize more complex electronics, error correcting codes and baseband modulation methods to explore applications of wireless communication based on their curriculum. The Marconi Challenge culminates in a distance communication contest for the class of participation and more information is available here.
Electronic Kits
There are a variety of low cost kits that provide an opportunity to lean about electronic component soldering and assembly. One example is an electronic kit that results in a broadcast FM radio. A printed circuit board is provided to assist in the assembly, but students will learn about electronic components (resistors, capacitors, transistors, integrated circuits, displays and switches).
With a Technician Class Amateur Radio license a student can assemble a low power transmitter and receiver for sending messages with Morse code. The Technician Class license is easily obtained and TUARC can provide the support and instruction to do so.
Recent Events
February 26, 2026 – Engineering Expo. TUARC demonstrated a software define radio showing the spectrum of analog FM broadcast and digital sidebands.
March 2, 2026 – FM radio electronic kit soldering and assembly experience.