HamSCI 2026

Workshop Agenda

Program

The 9th annual HamSCI Workshop is upon us! Join us at Central Connecticut State University and the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Headquarters in Newington, CT on March 14-15, 2026. We're excited to welcome you to this fast-growing meeting. Organizers have worked hard to put together a memorable two-day event.

This year's theme, "Discovering Science Through Ham Radio", celebrates the community's achievements, including Personal Space Weather Station deployments, meteor scatter propagation studies and the promotion of WSPR as a propagation sensing tool. The workshop is expected to feature more than 50 poster and oral presentations, plus invited tutorials, and a banquet with a keynote address by a prominent member of the community.

The program will focus on the latest findings, strategies, and best practices in ionospheric science.  It has been designed to bring together the amateur radio and professional science communities. Anyone with an interest in these subjects is welcome to attend. Most speakers and attendees will participate in-person. A virtual option will be available.  

Connect and share ideas with scientific industry leaders, peers, experts, and partners. Learn about the latest insights and best practices across different segments of ionospheric science. Get an in-depth look at what is coming next. Click on the 'Workshop Agenda' button above for details.

Travel details will be announced in early 2026!

Invited Amateur Tutorial: Dr. Rob Suggs NN4NT, "Meteor Scatter Tutorial"

Abstract: Science goals of the Meteor Scatter QSO Party (MSQP) include testing the wavelength dependence of the amplitude and duration of the scattered meteor signals. This tutorial will describe the characteristics of the meteor “pings” and how they vary with wavelength of the radio frequency signals. The sources of the meteoroids, their physical characteristics, and the importance of scattering geometry will be described. The use of the WSJT-X MSK144 mode for meteor scatter communications and collection of data during the MSQP will also be discussed.

Biography: Dr. Suggs recently retired from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. He worked for 20 years as Space Environments Team Lead responsible for specifying the meteoroid, orbital debris, plasma, ionizing radiation, thermal and lunar surface environments for various NASA programs including Artemis and International Space Station. He also worked at Johnson Space Center in Houston in the Space Station Program Office responsible for space environments and effects and external payloads. His PhD research was on Saturn’s atmosphere during the Voyager missions. His work on meteoroids includes supporting NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office and instituting the Lunar Meteoroid Impact Monitoring Program. Rob is an active member of the Marshall Space Flight Center ARC NN4SA.
 

Invited Scientist Tutorial: Dr. Kuldeep Panday, "Solar Eclipse Through Ham Radio: What the Bands Revealed"

Abstract: Hundreds of amateur radio operators (hams) collaborated to monitor the impact of the April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse on radio communications. By integrating ham radio logs with PHaRLAP ray-trace modeling, we analyzed how the eclipse altered radio propagation and the Earth’s ionosphere. Our results demonstrate that the eclipse affected radio links variably across different frequency bands (1.8, 7, and 28 MHz) and propagation paths throughout North America and over the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. By combining real-world observations with simulations, we validated ionospheric model predictions (such as SAMI3) regarding eclipse-driven changes. These findings refine our understanding of how solar eclipses modulate the ionosphere and global radio communications.

Biography: Dr. Kuldeep Pandey obtained his PhD in 2019 from the Physical Research Laboratory in India. His doctoral and early postdoctoral works focused on electric fields, currents, and plasma distributions in the low-latitude ionosphere. In November 2020, Kuldeep joined the University of Saskatchewan–Canada as a Postdoctoral Fellow, where his research focused on HF radio polarization using ePOP satellite datasets and modeling. Since April 2024, Kuldeep has been a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). His current work focuses on understanding the effects of the April 2024 solar eclipse on the ionosphere and HF radio propagation using observations from ham radio, ground- and satellite-based instruments, and ray-trace modeling.

Invited Amateur Tutorial: Jonathan Rizzo KC3EEY, "Remembering and Honoring Paul Nicholson G8LMD: Passionate VLF Enthusiast and Mentor"

Abstract: Paul Nicholson G8LMD, was a passionate VLF enthusiast, engineer, software author, amateur radio operator, and all around curious, intelligent, kind, and helpful person. The HamSCI VLF project is only possible because of Paul's numerous contributions to the VLF Community. Jonathan followed Paul's projects very closely since 2013 and considers him his VLF "Elmer". To Jonathan, Paul was a rock star. Not only does Jonathan remember and honor Paul, but he also intends to continue Paul's amazing work through deploying a network of HamSCI Whistler Catcher VLF Reception Systems. These systems will make observations of VLF phenomena, QSOs with VLF amateur transmissions, and lightning stroke locations solutions for the HamSCI Lightning Detection Network and the Indian Lightning Detection Network (ILDN). The ILDN was a project close to Paul's heart. Paul became a silent key on 12 August 2025 after a courageous battle with cancer that he approached with stoicism and strength. The HamSCI Whistler Catcher VLF Reception System is dedicated to Paul's memory and honor.

Biography: Jonathan Rizzo KC3EEY is an electrical engineer and a graduate of the University of Scranton and Luzerne County Community College. Jonathan's passion for electronics came at an early age and has been the driving force in his life ever since. Jonathan became extremely interested in very low frequency phenomena (VLF) in 2013, both in the technical aspect of observation techniques, but the physics as well. Since then, natural radio emissions became an intense passion and interest. Being deeply involved in the VLF amateur community and learning a great deal from Paul, Jonathan brought a new area of study and interest to HamSCI and has been an advocate of VLF study ever since.

Registration 

Click below to access the HamSCI Workshop 2026 Registration Form.  Various options are available on the form:  Saturday Program (includes breakfast and lunch), Saturday Dinner (Banquet), Sunday Program (includes breakfast and lunch), Sunday Dinner.  The cost for the entire weekend, all four options, is $200.  The options are priced individually for those who don't plan to attend all of the events.  (For those who don't plan to attend in person, a virtual option will be announced at a later date.)

Registration Form

Abstract Submission

The abstract submission window is now open!  Please submit abstracts (1 paragraph, 350 words maximum) for both the Oral Sessions (20 minute speaking slots) and Poster Sessions.  The abstract submission window will close on February 1, 2026.  The Workshop Science Committee will review all abstracts and notify those that are accepted by mid-February.  Please use the button below to submit your abstract to the Workshop Science Committee.  Please refer questions to the HamSCI Mailbox.

Abstract Submission

Presentations and posters are welcome from all sectors of the HamSCI community:

• Professional researchers
• Academics / Educators
• Students, at all academic career levels
• Citizen scientist volunteers, including, of course, the ham radio community

Topics may include:

• Ionospheric and propagation impacts of geomagnetic storms, solar flares, solar eclipses, traveling ionospheric disturbances, meteor showers and more
• Personal Space Weather Station project updates
• Radio wave propagation modeling
• Novel analytical techniques applicable to HamSCI's research interests
• The applicability of HamSCI's research to amateur radio operations
• General interest topics, e.g. from the arts, literature, history, with an amateur radio, science or technology theme.

Partners Supporting HamSCI 2026