The world of satellite communication is continually evolving, driven by the need for adaptable and cost-effective solutions. As we look to decode signals from weather and educational satellites, Software Defined Radios (SDRs) have emerged as a powerful and versatile tool. In my latest project at Old Dominion University, I explored the potential of SDRs to receive and decode satellite signals, offering a deep dive into the technology’s real-world applications. This blog post summarizes key findings and insights from my Master Project report, titled “Decoding Satellite Signals Using Software Defined Radios.”

Well it has been a while since I posted an update on here, however that doesn’t mean I haven’t been meaning to post one, but as one can imagine the process of leaving the military, moving halfway across the country and starting a new career along with graduate school can be pretty time intensive!

Today begins my last week as a commissioned officer in the active duty US Army. I will have served a total of four years as an Air Defense Artillery Officer. My time in service has been relatively tame compared to most, only having served in the States and not having to go over seas. However, I must say that I am ready to be moving on to other things, but my time in uniform will always be something I will appreciate.

For this post, I will start with taking you back in time to the days of my adolescence. So when I was growing up in the early 2000’s, there was a seemingly on-going battle between Windows and Mac…and I grew up in a Windows house. My dad was a staunch Microsoft guy, and he was always raving about how great the “DOS Days” were. Naturally by the time I was old enough to be messing around with a computer of my own(an older desktop that my dad let me setup in my room), I was not using DOS but instead Windows XP. If you ask my father, Windows XP was the supreme Windows OS and it has all gone down ever since…but that’s besides the point. I remember growing into being a staunch Microsoft guy myself and I would routinely scoff at those who preferred to use their pretty little Macs(funnily enough I would go on to marry an Apple girl). For me the choice was simple, was I going to use a sleek and pretty but locked down OS like Macintosh? Or would I brave an OS that could be rough around the edges but would give me the freedom to change settings and configurations?(or lets be honest, allow me to play the majority of computer games)I had grown up being sold this bill of goods that Windows was for “the guy who knows what he is doing” and it should be the OS of choice for those who are serious about technology…oh how wrong I was.

“Hello World!” Anyone who has done a lick of programming of any kind probably has these words burnt into their mind. The simple phrase “Hello World” really means so much more to those who have exposure to this school of knowledge. Not only are you simply greeting the planet on which we inhabit, but you are embarking on a new adventure in a brand new medium that you haven’t really explored yet. It is every programmers first foray into whatever new language or program they are currently exploring, they are truly the words of a new beginning.