{"id":257,"date":"2025-11-16T07:12:27","date_gmt":"2025-11-16T07:12:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.soarc.org.uk\/?page_id=257"},"modified":"2026-04-11T16:35:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T15:35:47","slug":"activities","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.soarc.org.uk\/index.php\/activities\/","title":{"rendered":"Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>SOARC is starting to steadily build up a range of practical radio projects at Sherwood Observatory.<br>Some are focused on day-to-day operating and member development, and others are designed to support the Observatory\u2019s wider STEM and public-engagement work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below are snapshots of our current key projects. More will be added here as they go live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do also see the &#8216;News!&#8217; page for up to date photos which will be the first page such will be added as time permits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Oscar-100 (QO-100) Satellite Ground Station<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Our flagship technical project is the development of a dedicated ground station for the geostationary amateur radio satellite QO-100 (Es\u2019hail-2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>QO-100 carries both Narrowband (SSB \/ CW \/ digital) and Wideband DATV (digital amateur TV) transponders, giving us a unique way to demonstrate long-distance, space-based communications from Sherwood Observatory \u2014 whatever the HF bands are doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What this project involves<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Installing a satellite dish and feed system at Sherwood Observatory with a clear view towards 25\u00b0E.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Integrating transmit and receive hardware for the QO-100 narrowband transponder, with the ability for DATV capability too.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Providing a club-operated QO-100 station that can be used for:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>demonstrations at Observatory public open events<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>member operating and skills development<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>future training activities and workshops<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why it matters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Brings a genuinely cutting-edge radio capability into the Observatory\u2019s STEM mix, alongside optical astronomy and radio astronomy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Allows us to show visitors live, real-time contacts via an amateur satellite, linking Sherwood Observatory with stations across Europe, Africa and beyond.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creates a strong platform for future training, including microwave, satellite operating, digital modes and linking with radio astronomy themes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SOARC Shack at Sherwood Observatory<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are also working towards establishing a <strong>permanent SOARC radio shack at Sherwood Observatory<\/strong>, giving us a dedicated, secure space within the site to store and operate our shared radio equipment. We are currently searching for a suitable location at the Observatory where we can at least permanently house key equipment and run a station on HF, VHF\/UHF and satellites in support of the Observatory\u2019s wider <strong>STEM and outreach<\/strong> programme. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If anyone thinks they maybe able to assist us with this feat then please do get in touch! Thank you!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SOARC is starting to steadily build up a range of practical radio projects at Sherwood Observatory.Some are focused on day-to-day operating and member development, and others are designed to support the Observatory\u2019s wider STEM and public-engagement work. Below are snapshots of our current key projects. More will be added here as they go live. Do <a href=\"https:\/\/www.soarc.org.uk\/index.php\/activities\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Projects<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-257","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.soarc.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.soarc.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.soarc.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.soarc.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.soarc.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=257"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.soarc.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/257\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":478,"href":"https:\/\/www.soarc.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/257\/revisions\/478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.soarc.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}