Telling Radio Stories Through Stamps: Amateur Ham Radio and Project Magnet in Philately

This poster explores how amateur ham radio and Project Magnet (U.S. Navy) can be understood through postage stamps and special covers. Stamps provide visual and historical evidence of the growth of radio communication and large-scale scientific efforts to measure Earth’s magnetic field. Amateur radio images show antennas and global contact symbols, reflecting the rise of a worldwide communication network built by individuals. Project Magnet, conducted around 1951, carried out airborne and shipborne geomagnetic surveys to improve magnetic charts for navigation and research. By examining philatelic materials related to radio, navigation, survey aircraft, and magnetic mapping, this poster shows how both amateur operators and naval scientists contributed to understanding invisible natural forces.