On May 14, the Faculty of Radio Engineering at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute officially opened the Faculty of Radio Engineering Space Communications and Radio Astronomy Laboratory UT4UWR.
The laboratory was established to support the student research group of the Department of Radio Engineering under the supervision of Maksym Mykhailenko, PhD in Engineering, Senior Lecturer at the department. In an interview with Kyiv Polytechnic, he spoke about the laboratory's activities and the new opportunities it offers students.
– The student group operates the UT4UWR club radio station, which holds an official amateur radio license for on-air operation. Students have the opportunity to operate independently on all major amateur radio frequency bands. Even those who do not yet have their own amateur radio callsign may use the club station's callsign, participate in international amateur radio contests, operating events, and DX expeditions. This provides valuable hands-on experience in radio communication procedures, operation under crowded band conditions, and communication with limited power budgets. An important part of the group's activities is the study of antenna systems for various frequency ranges—from HF antennas to antenna arrays and reflector antennas for the microwave bands. Students model, design, build, and test their own antenna systems. They are able to compare simulated and measured radiation patterns, standing wave ratio (SWR), and antenna efficiency under real operating conditions. Considerable attention is also devoted to the study of transmitting and receiving equipment, including low-noise amplifiers, filters, frequency synthesizers, microwave power amplifiers, SDR receivers, and transceivers. In addition, students can test their own hardware designs within the actual signal chain of the club station and evaluate their performance not only on the laboratory bench but also during real on-air operation.
– During the opening ceremony, several guest speakers mentioned the student group's unique experience. What makes it so special?
– One of the most distinctive areas of the group's work is Earth–Moon–Earth (EME) communication, also known as moonbounce. UT4UWR is the only amateur radio station in Ukraine capable of conducting regular EME operations. Students learn how to calculate the link budget for the Earth–Moon–Earth path, taking into account lunar reflection losses, Doppler shift, fading, and polarization effects. They also work with Doppler tracking systems and precision pointing of parabolic reflector antennas. In addition, they participate in international EME competitions and establish microwave-band communications via the Moon, gaining practical experience with radar engineering concepts while taking their first steps toward understanding deep-space communication systems and radio astronomy. Within the student group, they also study the fundamentals of satellite communications and tracking. They develop and test hardware and software for tracking satellites, near-Earth space objects, and celestial bodies, communicate through amateur satellites, and build automated antenna tracking systems. Considerable attention is devoted to digital signal processing. Students design and evaluate original signal structures, experiment with correlation reception, signal integration, and ultra-weak signal filtering, testing their ideas under real on-air conditions. At the intersection of radio engineering and radio astronomy, they also have the opportunity to work with real cosmic radio sources. They study the principles of radio radiometry, receiver calibration techniques, and the fundamentals of radio astronomical observations, providing a solid foundation for future research in space communications, radar engineering, and radio astronomy. The student group currently consists of 11 students from the Faculty of Radio Engineering, all of whom are actively involved in engineering projects, technical development, and research activities.
– Can it be said that the Faculty of Radio Engineering Space Communications and Radio Astronomy Laboratory UT4UWR is a truly unique facility?
– Yes, it is indeed a unique educational and research center that combines theoretical education, hands-on engineering practice, and scientific research.
In a conversation with Kyiv Polytechnic, Serhii Martyniuk, Dean of the Faculty of Radio Engineering, expressed his gratitude to the faculty members and students who contributed to establishing the Space Communications and Radio Astronomy Laboratory, as well as to NDA Recruitment, Mykola Serhiienko, Lecturer at the Department of Geoengineering of the Educational and Research Institute of Energy Saving and Energy Management and Head of the Polytechnic Radio Engineering Club, Anatolii Kyrylenko, an alumnus of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, and amateur radio operator Artem Kryvoshei for their invaluable support in creating the laboratory.
📡The Center for Space Communications and Radio Astronomy has been opened at the Faculty of Radio Engineering of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. The project was implemented with the support of sponsors, and the students set up the space themselves—from repairs and electrical installation to configuring high-frequency equipment. The laboratory already has an official license and a call sign for international broadcasting.
The station operates at a frequency of 10 GHz and uses Earth-Moon-Earth technology for global communication. So far, this is the only amateur station of this caliber in Ukraine.
In the new lab, students will be able to:
🔵 master unique communication technology and conduct sessions with radio amateurs from around the world;
🔵 work with high-frequency equipment, antennas with rotating mechanisms, transceivers, and transverters;
🔵 design, calculate, and build antennas and other radio engineering devices for coursework and thesis projects;
🔵 participate in international amateur radio competitions and develop technical proposals for NASA’s upcoming Artemis III lunar mission.Learn more about the center’s work in our report.