08/08/2022

Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) has awarded a grant to the Sangamon
Valley Radio Club (SVRC) in Springfield, Illinois for a new project to
introduce youth, outdoor enthusiasts, and members of the public to amateur
radio.

The grant is for Radio Orienteering activities, also known as Amateur Radio
Direction Finding (ARDF). SVRC will purchase transmitters, controllers,
receivers, maps, and other items needed to conduct successful Radio
Orienteering events. In addition, there will be several events for SVRC members
and local youth groups such as Boy Scouts of America and Civil Air Patrol.  The
events will allow participants to learn the technical and outdoor skills needed
to succeed in Radio Orienteering.

Radio Orienteering is an international sport. Participants use handheld
directional radio receivers, compasses, maps, and radio-direction finding
skills to search for transmitters operating in the 2-meter and 80-meter bands.
They use their athletic, orienteering, and technical skills, attempting to
locate low-power transmitters and get to the finish line first.

The ARRL ARDF Committee[1] explains that in "this sport there are no vehicles,
traffic jams, or exhaust fumes. Radio Orienteering (aka, Amateur Radio
Direction Finding, or ARDF) brings radios into the great outdoors with maps and
compasses, providing a uniquely enjoyable way to learn new radio skills.... It
involves constructing direction-finding equipment, training amateurs in the
rules of the sport, and organizing events in the USA" and other countries.

The 20th IARU World Championships in Amateur Radio Direction Finding will be
held in Borovets, Bulgaria, August 28 - September 3, 2022. The 22nd USA Radio
Orienteering Championships will be held April 19 - 23, 2023, near Dallas,
Texas.

The Sangamon Valley Radio Club plans to share their experiences and equipment
requirements to help other amateur radio clubs who may be considering similar
events and programs.

More information about the Sangamon Valley Radio Club[2] can be found at their
website.

ARDC[3] is a California-based foundation with roots in amateur radio and the
technology of internet communication.

[1] http://www.arrl.org/amateur-radio-direction-finding
[2] http://svrc.org/
[3] https://www.ampr.org/

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