How I Got Into Amateur Radio: From Raspberry Pi to RF Waves
My journey into amateur radio didn’t exactly begin with a family member or a neighbour's introduction like it does for many—it started in a very different place: the National Museum of Computing in Milton Keynes.
If you’ve never been, this place is like stepping into the living history of computers. Tucked away in the heart of Bletchley Park, the museum’s unique location is steeped in history, surrounded by the very grounds where the WWII codebreakers cracked Enigma.
Among its exhibits, you’ll find everything from colossal early computers to vintage gaming consoles and more Raspberry Pi’s than you could shake a GPIO pin at. Little did I know at the time that is also where the Radio Society of Great Britain National Radio Centre is located too.
It was at a Raspberry Pi event there years ago that I first heard people talking about amateur radio. At the time, I was more focused on programming, tinkering with Pi’s, and making little robots, but the idea of radio stuck with me. I mean, these people were chatting wirelessly across the world without the internet—how cool is that?
Fast forward to 2023, the year everything changed. It was the year I started high school, and it was also the year I finally decided to get my amateur radio license. Looking back, the timing made sense. I’ve always had a deep interest in electronics, sparked by Raspberry Pi projects, but amateur radio offered something more. It wasn’t just a hobby—it was a challenge.
High school, on the other hand, didn’t feel like a challenge at all. It’s a weird contradiction: I’ve never felt stretched academically, but I get ridiculously stressed before tests. Somehow, I’ll spend days irrationally worrying over how much I’ve studied, running over concepts in my head and convincing myself I’ll mess up entirely—only to sit down, take the test, and walk out with grades that are consistently above average. And yet, even when I do well, I can’t help but feel disappointed for not getting top marks. It’s like the more I succeed, the more I expect of myself.
It’s frustrating sometimes, but here’s the thing: I know school isn’t the end-all-be-all. Don’t get me wrong, I do try, and I don’t think school is entirely useless. But let’s be real—it’s an outdated concept. It’s built for a specific kind of brain, and mine just doesn’t fit the mould perfectly. I thrive when I’m solving real-world problems, diving into hands-on projects, teaching myself new things, or even writing these blog posts that all of two people in the world probably read. High school isn’t set up for that kind of learning, and it doesn’t let people with brains like mine fully thrive or show what we’re capable of. Wait and see—once I’m done with high school, I’ll be miles ahead of everyone else who only learned how to play into the system.
That’s where amateur radio comes in. Every day I spend actively doing this hobby, I’m learning something new—whether it’s diving into the complex maths behind calculating why antennas work the way they do, understanding the physics concepts around electricity and wave propagation, or just honing the hands-on skills of soldering, building circuits from schematics and troubleshooting other things. It’s like my own personal curriculum, one that grows with me at the rate I need it to, one that’s more engaging than anything I’ve ever encountered in a classroom—and far more useful for the career paths I want to pursue in the future. Amateur radio has given me more than just technical knowledge. It’s taught me patience (and lots of it), problem-solving, and the value of lifelong learning. Whether I’m experimenting with antennas, repairing an old transceiver, or working digital modes (or even some occasional morse code), there’s always something new to figure out. It’s a world of challenges, and I thrive on every single one of them.
Looking back, I’m grateful for that Raspberry Pi event at the National Museum of Computing back in 2018. It planted the seed of curiosity that grew into one of the most rewarding parts of my life. Amateur radio isn’t just a hobby for me—it’s a way to learn, grow, and push myself in ways school never has. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. And if this blog gets seen by more one day, maybe by someone similar to me, keep your head up and continue to pursue whatever keeps your mind ticking when school doesn’t.
That’s all from me for now.
73,
Daniel