The Leeds Space Communications Group is a University of Leeds society based on the school of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, aiming to gather amateur radio enthusiasts across the university to participate in activities together, and build enriching projects related to communications.
“A vibrant student-led society at the University of Leeds, passionate about satellite communications, RF engineering, and inspiring the next generation of telecommunications engineers through hands-on learning and collaboration in space communications technology.”
To foster student innovation in satellite and space communications through hands-on projects, collaborative learning, and real-world experience. We aim to bridge the gap between academic study and industry practice while building a supportive community of space communications enthusiasts.
To be the leading student society for space communications in the UK, inspiring and preparing the next generation of engineers and scientists to tackle the challenges of satellite communications and RF technology.
Our recent projects include a ground station that is able to receive signals from satellites flying overhead, as well as a future phased array antenna with guidance from Goonhilly Earth Station.
We also worked on a 24 GHz transverter system with support from the UK Microwave Group.
On the 24th of September, we were at the Fresher’s Fair at the University of Leeds, presenting our group to interested students. Our aim was to recruit students in the Fresher’s Fair and assess their value to the society through interviews later on.
On the 3rd of October, the LSCG held their launch event to commemorate the formation of the group months prior. Held in the first week of lectures, the launch event was a coordinated effort between the LSCG and academic staff such as Lee Mason, Head of Research Development at the University of Leeds, and Tim Amsdon, Deputy Director of Student Education.
The event featured presentations in 2.56, where William introduced the LSCG to students that attended the event, followed by a presentation by Slipstream Design to talk about their work in radio.
Outside of 2.56, the launch event also featured a radio station outdoors, with a large antenna able to capture signal from Hyde Park and beyond. Students that joined the outdoors radio station had the chance to talk with Lee Mason about amateur radio, as well as making their first contacts on the air under the supervision of a fully licensed radio amateur.
The greatest part of the launch event was seeing all the people from different years and degree programmes share a common interest in amateur radio, which is the reason the LSCG was formed.
On the weekend spanning the 11th and 12th of October, the LSCG made their first outdoor trip to the RSGB Convention of 2025, held at Milton Keynes.
During their time there, members had the opportunity to meet radio amateurs from all across the UK and beyond and establishing contact with prominent figures of amateur radio in the UK, as well as meeting other youth groups with similar missions to the LSCG.
During the convention, several lectures were held in relation to amateur radio, all of them meaningful, but most of all the LSCG received fervent support from the radio amateurs that attended and participated in the convention, who advised on future steps and supported their mission.
From the success of the RSGB convention, the group is planning to do more trips to amateur radio events and build up their network of contacts.
For our final event of October, to wrap up the launch month with activities, we’re planning to broadcast live from Leeds, hoping to get listeners and share stories and information.
Every Tuesday from 2pm to 3pm, members of the group gather to discuss the events of the previous week related to the society, current tasks to undertake such as planning events, current actions by members, and plans for the current week and beyond.
In short, the team meeting on Tuesday is a great opportunity to get together and discuss the direction the group is taken, that every member may have a voice regarding future plans.
In preparation for the EME and ARISS activities, as well as for enrichment related to amateur radio, the group hosts antenna building workshops. Typically after the team meeting, members attending the workshop will have the opportunity to build their own antennas and test their functionality.
As a core part of amateur radio, building antennas is not only a great activity for personal enrichment, it also allows the members to become skilled in the activity and contributing to the future large antenna projects that the ARISS contact and the EME communication require.
The LSCG plans to coordinate trips to relevant amateur radio locations and events, such as the approaching visit to the RAF Fylingdales facility, as well as future amateur radio events such as the Midlands Microwave Round Table on the 22nd November at Eaton Manor.
The ARISS (Amateur Radion on the International Space Station) is a program that connects astronauts in the ISS to students across the globe via amateur radio.
As part of the LSCG’s aim of connecting students to amateur radio, the ARISS event is one that cannot be missed by amateur radio or space enthusiasts.
EME (Earth-Moon-Earth) communications revolves around reflecting radio signals from Earth off the moon. Formerly used in defence purposes such as a teletype link between the Pearl Harbour naval base and the Navy headquarters in Washington DC, it was replaced by communication satellites, but EME is still a great target for radio amateurs, given the spectacular scale of the project.
A daring mega-project, the EME station would be one of the largest projects carried by the LSCG. Featuring large antennas and careful systems to accommodate the complexities of Moon Bounce, it will be an activity for our members to partake in and advance their knowledge of amateur radio and complex systems.
Email us at: el232ww@leeds.ac.uk
We're located in room 2.56 in the school of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the University of Leeds.