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April Club Meeting

The next regular club meeting on Thursday, April 15, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. will be conducted via Zoom video conferencing software as we continue meeting remotely to combat the spread of COVID-19. Details on how to access the meeting are below.

Keith Elliott-W6KME

Topic – Educating Hams: Keith Elliott-W6KME, CVARC’s Education Director previews some exciting new additions to the club’s education program including the Saturday Morning Radio School, a series of short presentations of interest not only to new hams, but also to experienced hams wanting to learn more about new mode or technique.

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Bored in Quarantine

By Keith Elliott-W6KME

Zak Cohen-N6PK It’s all because this ham didn’t want to be bored!

Last March, Ventura County went into lock down due to the COVID-19 crisis. Like everywhere else, this was quite a shock to us. One thing sets hams apart from the general public is we know how to stay in touch with each other. So, Starting March 21st, Zak Cohen-N6PK started a check in net on our local 2M repeater. Not once per week, not once per day-but four times per day, at 0900, 1200, 1800, and 2100. People checked in in droves-obviously, we all felt the need to have some sort of contact while facing the prospect of what we thought would be a few weeks confined to our homes.

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Saturday Morning Radio School: Winlink

This week’s Saturday Morning Radio School begins at 10 A.M. on Zoom.

March 20th: Winlink with Andy Moorwood-K3CAQ and Keith Elliott-W6KME. Winlink is a program and system that connects amateur radio to the worldwide email system. We will talk about how it’s used by ARES and ACS as well as USGS (for earthquake research) and the Red Cross.  It can be a great tool for ALL hams during major emergencies as well as things like local blackouts.

Here are the Zoom meeting details:

Direct Link: https://zoom.us/j/91055491273?pwd=M3dzYS85RlU4TndGc2d0UjA1dFNvUT09

Meeting Number: 910 5549 1273

Password: jaCC2H

Contact: Keith Elliott at W6KME@CVARC.org

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Saturday Morning Radio School: Summits on the Air (SOTA)

This week’s Saturday Morning Radio School begins at 10 A.M. on Zoom.

March 13th: Summits on the Air (SOTA) with Paul Van Zuyle-K6PVZ. SOTA involves taking radios to various peaks, locally and around the world, and “activating” them by making radio contacts. It also involves people down below finding and talking to the people on the peaks…there is something for everyone.

Here are the Zoom meeting details:

Direct Link: https://zoom.us/j/91055491273?pwd=M3dzYS85RlU4TndGc2d0UjA1dFNvUT09

Meeting Number: 910 5549 1273

Password: jaCC2H

Contact: Keith Elliott at W6KME@CVARC.org

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Saturday Morning Radio School: Emergency Communications

This week’s Saturday Morning Radio School begins at 10 A.M. on Zoom.

March 6th: Emergency Communications with Zak Cohen-N6PK. A look at emcomm activities in Ventura County, especially in our Area 2, and a discussion of the other ways our radios can help us in emergencies.

Here are the Zoom meeting details:

Direct Link: https://zoom.us/j/91055491273?pwd=M3dzYS85RlU4TndGc2d0UjA1dFNvUT09

Meeting Number: 910 5549 1273

Password: jaCC2H

Contact: Keith Elliott at W6KME@CVARC.org

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March Club Meeting

The next regular club meeting on Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. will be conducted via Zoom video conferencing software as we continue meeting remotely to combat the spread of COVID-19. Details on how to access the meeting are below.

Topic – New Battery Technology: Kevin Zanjani of Bioenno Power of Santa Ana will tell us about state-of-the-art LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate-LiFePO4) batteries which are safer, longer lasting and more efficient than the batteries we have been used in the past. These batteries work well with small solar panels and are popular with hams for remote and Field Day use.

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Project Closeup: KC7UQD’s Go Box

This front view shows the general anticipated layout. The 2-meter radio and at least one of the SignaLinks will most likely hang from a top mounted shelf. You can see the joint with the sharp edge. You might also be able to make out that the shelf “tabs” are resting on the rounded corners of the case, and the screw holes don’t line up. Cables to a laptop will likely route out the front, under the 706.

By Brian Ginn-KC7UQD

I’ve had a mobile/portable “go box” in mind for quite a while, as my radios are currently mounted in a wooden shelf that’s bolted to the desk and wall. The current mounting scenario makes it inconvenient to take a radio somewhere else (maybe camping).

I’ve watched several YouTube videos, and they all make it look easy. I liked the looks of the Gator case style more than the “ammo box” style or the Pelican case style. Some of the hams with the Gator case, have commented on how heavy a “6U” box can get. 

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A Cost-Effective Way to Add Another Band to Your Bag of Tricks

An easy way to add transmit and receive coverage on frequency bands not included on your base radio is to use a transverter. This feather-light 28 MHz (10 meter) to 222 MHz (135 cm) transverter puts out about 10 watts of SSB, FM, CW, or FT-8 and easily mates up with the Yaesu FT-817 HF transceiver. It costs about $70 from a supplier in Ukraine.
By Pete Heins-N6ZE

A cost-effective way to increase the number of bands a ham can access is to use a transverter. Imagine adding the capability of using FM, SSB, Packet, and FT-8, at a power level of 10 watts, on a frequency band which you have never had before – for just $70!

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