Case Amateur Radio Club

Number of members:  50-75 members
Responding member:  Benjamin Nelson, Historian

One sentence description describing what the Case Rocket Team does.

The Case Amateur Radio Club pursues the advancement of amateur radio, transmits on the air to communicate with other amateur radio operators, makes contacts around the world, and contributes to research and the furthering of ionospheric and radio science.

What are some of the most notable events of your year?

Some of the most notable events of the year for the Case Amateur Radio Club include: Field Day, an annual event where we contest and practice emergency communications equipment deployment at the University Farm; The Radio Chess Tournament, where we competed with other university clubs at chess over radio and are hoping to turn into a repeating event; The School Club Roundup Contests which happen once each semester and are radio contests that prioritize contact with university clubs and are a great opportunity to interact with other college radio operators; Hamvention, a convention and gathering of amateur radio operators where equipment is traded and outreach to the amateur radio community.

Three words that describe your organization.

Nerdy, Driven, Sociable

What's your favorite part about being a member?

My favorite part about being a member is getting exposed to new and interesting areas of electrical engineering and while also getting to know the other members of the club. Without having any prior experience with RF electronics, I was able to learn from current members and the club's advisors and met a lot of people along the way. Operating hours are a great place to hang out after a long week since you can socialize with other members, get on the air, see what interesting personal projects members are working on. There is no end to the nerdiness, and there is always something new to learn about electronics, communications, or any number of fascinating concepts that get shown off at meetings.

What do you think is the main reason people join your organization?

I think that the main reason people join the organization is that the club provides an opportunity to get involved in really cool radio work with the backing of a strong community and active student body. Students from all majors ranging from electrical engineering, to chemistry, to mechanical engineering regularly come to office hours. There is no prerequisite knowledge, and members will be happy to help anyone get familiar with electrical concepts and radio practices. Everyone is welcoming and excited to do cool radio science together, which I think keeps people from all across the university coming back for more each week.

How can students get involved? 

Students can always get involved! We have operating hours every Thursday from 7-9 p.m. on the roof of Glennan Building. If it is your first time visiting just head to floor 3 of Glennan and call the shack phone at 216.368.3579, and a club officer will assist you in getting to the shack and give you the rundown! You can also join our CampusGroups or Slack for more information!