Maker Faire Lake County 2025: Reach for the Stars: Amateur Radio Satellites, Meshtastic Networks, and Your DIY Adventure

Reach for the Stars: Amateur Radio Satellites, Meshtastic Networks, and Your DIY Adventure

COMING APRIL 12, 2025
College of Lake County, Grayslake, IL

Lake County Maker Faire

For 2025 our exhibit explores the exciting world of amateur radio, focusing on satellite communications and innovative technologies like Meshtastic distributed networking.

Discover how amateur radio enthusiasts communicate using satellites and the International Space Station with inexpensive equipment. View a working  model of a cubesat satellite similar in style to those orbiting the Earth as it sends images and data to the “ground station” at our booth.

There will also a demonstration of Meshtastic radios. These tiny battery-powered radios are very inexpensive and require no license to use, They are great for short range communications but can reach greater distances by having your message relayed by other Meshtastic radios between your location and the station you want to reach. Sound complicated? Not really, but be sure to stop by to see these radios in action and learn more.

Finally, stop by and assemble your own electronic project at the booth. No soldering or special skills are required. Then, take your creation home and build other projects with the supplied electronic components.

Whether you’re a seasoned ham operator or just curious about radio communications, you will leave with practical knowledge to inspire your own DIY adventures.

Check back here in April for more information and content from the Maker Faire. See you at the Faire.