WC4DC Youth Radio Lab
Turn curiosity into a mission.
Explore satellites, hunt hidden transmitters, decode Morse, calculate antennas, build weather reports, and track a high-altitude balloon—all through short hands-on challenges.
6 missionsInteractive mini-labsNo account neededProgress stays in browser
01Pick a missionSpace, radio direction finding, Morse, antennas, weather, or balloon tracking
02Try the mini-labExperiment in the browser before doing the hands-on version with the club
03Build your passportComplete all six missions without creating a public youth profile
CHOOSE YOUR MISSION
Radio is something you do.
Six missions combine radio, space, electronics, maps, weather, and problem solving. Progress is stored only in this browser—no youth profile or personal account is created.
RADIO LAB PASSPORT
Complete all six missions.
Your progress stays on this device and can be reset at any time.
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01 · Starter
SPACE LISTENERTalk to Space
What you’ll discover
Amateur satellites move quickly across the sky. Operators watch for acquisition of signal (AOS), maximum elevation, and loss of signal (LOS) while adjusting antennas and sometimes frequency for Doppler shift.
Your mission
Generate a practice satellite pass below. Read the rise direction, maximum elevation, and set direction, then describe how you would point an antenna during the pass.
SATELLITE PASS TRAINER
Practice reading a pass
This generates a simulated pass for learning—not live satellite tracking data.
02 · Outdoor skill
FOX FINDERFind the Fox
What you’ll discover
Direction finding works by comparing signal strength as you rotate or move an antenna. Stronger is not always better—you often reduce receiver sensitivity as you get close.
Your mission
Use the practice direction finder. Take four compass readings, compare signal strength, and choose the direction that most likely points toward the hidden transmitter.
DIRECTION FINDER TRAINER
Which bearing has the strongest signal?
Take four practice readings, compare them, then choose the most likely direction toward the hidden transmitter.
03 · Audio skill
MORSE EXPLORERMorse Challenge
What you’ll discover
Morse code sends letters as short and long signals called dits and dahs. It is not required for a U.S. amateur license, but it remains a fun and effective operating mode.
Your mission
Press Play Character, listen carefully, and choose the letter you heard. Start slowly; accuracy matters more than speed.
MORSE MINI LAB
Can you hear the character?
Use headphones or a comfortable volume. The browser will play one letter from A–Z.
04 · Build skill
ANTENNA BUILDERBuild an Antenna
What you’ll discover
An antenna works best when its dimensions relate to wavelength. A simple half-wave dipole is one of the easiest ways to see that relationship between frequency and physical length.
Your mission
Enter a frequency below and calculate an approximate half-wave dipole and quarter-wave element. A real build should be measured and tuned with an experienced adult/operator.
ANTENNA MINI LAB
Turn frequency into length
This uses common starting-point formulas. Real antennas usually need final tuning after installation.
05 · Observation skill
WEATHER DETECTIVEWeather Detective
What you’ll discover
Storm spotters report what is actually happening at the ground. A useful report answers what happened, where it happened, when it happened, and how large or severe it was—without taking unsafe risks.
Your mission
Build a practice weather report below. Choose what you observed and add a location and useful detail. The tool will turn it into a concise sample report.
SPOTTER REPORT BUILDER
Make a clear practice report
Use fictional or practice observations only. Never go outside or approach severe weather to complete this activity.
06 · Map skill
BALLOON TRACKERTrack a Balloon
What you’ll discover
High-altitude balloons can send GPS position, altitude, temperature, and experiment data. Several position reports form a track that lets you estimate direction and speed.
Your mission
Generate a practice balloon track, compare the three reports, and choose the direction the balloon is moving. This is simulated data, not a live balloon.
BALLOON TRACK TRAINER
Read the track. Predict the direction.
The coordinates and altitude below are generated practice data, not a live aircraft or balloon.
Explore safely.
Listening is open to everyone, but transmitting on amateur frequencies requires the proper license and following FCC rules. Outdoor hunts, antenna projects, severe-weather activities, and equipment work should be done with appropriate adult supervision and safety practices.