Day two was all about diving deep into transceiver building and digital networks! Right after breakfast, participants split into two groups, just like the day before.
One of the highlight workshops featured a very special guest: Hans Summers, G0UPL, founder of QRP Labs, who joined us in person to mentor our young builders! Under his guidance, participants soldered together the popular QMX+ transceivers. These compact rigs pack modern Software Defined Radio (SDR) architecture into a small footprint. Despite their portable size, they cover CW, digital modes, and SSB across all HF bands up to 6 meters. Featuring a built-in sound card and a single USB cable connection for PC control, they make for the ultimate portable setup.
In parallel, the second group explored Meshcom—an independent digital system that allows users to send text messages, GPS coordinates, and emergency data over radio waves without relying on cellular networks or the internet. After lunch, the two groups swapped workshops so everyone got hands-on experience with both topics.
The evening was packed with knowledge once again, featuring practical workshops on WebRX, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), optical communications, and digital modes.
During the WebRX workshop, each participating national team received components to build their own receiver for listening to radio over the internet. By setting these up back home, we are building a global network to help promote amateur radio. In fact, every country made a promise to have their WebRX station up and running within 14 days after camp!
To top off the evening, participants were once again offered the opportunity to take official US Amateur Radio licensing exams, continuing a great tradition.
