@proceedings {1053,
	title = {The Influence Of Solar Activity On High-Frequency Communications: A Systemic Risk To Global Communication},
	year = {2026},
	month = {03/2026},
	publisher = {HamSCI},
	address = {Newington, CT},
	abstract = {<p>Radio blackouts, phenomena resulting from the interaction between solar activity and the Earth{\textquoteright}s ionosphere, constitute an invisible and underestimated societal risk with significant potential to impact High-Frequency (HF) communications. Such communications are vital for the safety and operation of aircraft, maritime vessels, broadcasting systems, emergency services, and amateur radio networks. This study was conducted by seventh-grade elementary school students from a public school in Santa Catarina, Brazil, as a research project within the Civil Defense in Schools Program. Its objective was to record the frequency and intensity of radio blackouts, aiming to assess the viability of a low-cost approach for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) education by integrating space weather risks into the educational environment. The methodology employed consisted of data collection from May to December 2025 using the Space Weather application. Data were recorded whenever the application issued a notification regarding an event occurrence. These events were classified according to the official nomenclature of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration{\textquoteright}s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), which categorizes solar flares into three classes (C, M, and X) and radio blackouts on an intensity scale from R1 to R5. An average of 12 monthly occurrences were recorded, including a high-intensity X2.62-class blackout in May, which was registered and reported by various news outlets. The results confirmed the fluctuating nature of solar activity during the analyzed period. While it was not possible to directly correlate the recorded events with specific communication failures documented in amateur radio logs, NOTAMs, or NAVAREA Warnings, the study underscores the relevance of promoting research and employing low-cost tools for the educational monitoring of space weather phenomena. This approach effectively illustrates the connection between solar activity and the vulnerabilities of modern technological infrastructure. By overlaying blackout-affected areas with major air and maritime routes, the systemic nature of this risk is reinforced. For future work, it is recommended to correlate these observational records with communication failures effectively reported by critical sectors, aiming to deepen the understanding of operational impacts.</p>
},
	author = {Alexandre Takio Kitagawa and Rebeca Wegner Geisler and Kathellen Thayenne Pereira Nogueira and Emillin Rocha}
}
@proceedings {954,
	title = {Investigation of Electromagnetic Wave Propagation in CB Radio with Elementary Students:  A {\textquoteright}Super Bowl{\textquoteright} Mystery},
	year = {2025},
	month = {03/2025},
	publisher = {HamSCI},
	address = {Newark, NJ},
	abstract = {<p>The Citizen{\textquoteright}s Band Radio Service (CB Radio), as defined by the United States Code of Federal Regulations, is a two-way voice communication service operating in the 27 MHz band, divided into 40 channels with a power limit of 4 Watts. Classified as High Frequency (HF), CB radio shares the spectrum with other services, and in Brazil, it offers similar functionalities with simplified registration. Motivated by the accessibility and low cost of equipment, elementary school students in Santa Catarina (-26.8668712, -49.2317786) conducted an experiment during lessons on electromagnetic waves. Using Aquarius RP40 and PRO401HH CB radios, the students received signals on channel 06 (27.025 MHz) in Amplitude Modulation (AM), identified as originating from the USA and related to the {\textquotedblleft}Super Bowl{\textquotedblright} broadcast, through the analysis of the message content. After researching the possible source of the transmission, it was found that the signal travels approximately 7,850 km from its origin to the receiver, a distance estimated using geolocation tools and information from possible broadcasters found online, demonstrating the propagation of HF waves through the ionosphere. This region of the upper atmosphere reflects radio waves back to Earth, enabling long-distance communication through multiple {\textquotedblleft}skips{\textquotedblright} between the ionospheric layers and the Earth{\textquoteright}s surface. The observed variation in the received signal intensity, consistent with fluctuations in ionospheric electron density, highlights the influence of the ionosphere on signal propagation. Although long-distance reception may raise questions about transmission power, antennas, and other factors, this study emphasizes the role of the ionosphere, providing students with hands-on experience with radio communication equipment, deepening their understanding of electromagnetic waves through the ionospheric layer, and inspiring scientific inquiry.</p>
},
	author = {Alexandre Takio Kitagawa and Anni Carolini Maffezzolli and Ana Carolina Hemmer de Oliveira and Emanuella Brandl}
}
