Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) has awarded a grant to support European expansion of HAMNET, a high-speed digital network that interconnects automated amateur radio stations using links in the 13-, 6-, and 3-centimeter bands, the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC) reports. This marks the first international grant from ARDC since it began awarding grants in 2019.

“Amateur radio is a global hobby, and ARDC wanted to enable international funding from day one,” ARDC President Phil Karn, KA9Q, said. “One way to do this is to work with international organizations that meet [IRS] 501(c)(3) requirements and are able to implement funding in their region. We are excited to see what the DARC will do and look forward to entering into similar partnerships with other organizations outside the US.”

DARC Chair Christian Entsfellner, DL3MBG, said DARC is “very pleased that we can give the European Hamnet project a big boost with this grant.” DARC will present this project in more detail at the virtual HAM RADIO World, June 25 – 27.