2011 San Mateo Maker Faire Amateur Radio Exhibit

Foothills Amateur Radio Society (FARS) is sponsoring an exhibition of Amateur Radio Technology at the 2011 San Mateo Makers Faire. Many clubs and club members from around the bay area will be participating. The goal of this year is to demonstrate what people can do with a technicians License. We hope that people seeing the various technologies will become interested in earning their license.

With many clubs participating, people visiting the area will see that there are multiple groups and there are people of all ages participating. We are an active and social group. We will have an amazing array of Ham Radio demonstrations. We will show the technology of amateur radio.

Earning your first amateur radio license, called a technician, is relatively easy now that the morse code requirement is gone. The pool of questions and answers are public. Out of the possible 400+ multiple choice questions in the pool, you are asked 35 and must answer 26 correctly to pass. There are plenty of on line and printed tutorials to help you learn the material.

FARS is the primary sponsor. They have pledged equipment, money and support. The ARRL has stepped up to the plate and will be paying many of the expenses of the Faire.

Every operating mode we use in amateur radio has a unique modulation. Many Amateur Radio Operators by ear can hear a signal and know if what they heard is AM, FM, side band, as well a number of the digital modes. We are going to share that knowledge with the folks who visit us at the maker faire. Plus we can show what these modulation modes look like.

If your curiosity peaks, you can install the some of the software we are using and download sound samples of the various modes. We will have QR codes you can scan with your smart phone and grab these sound samples.

After the show, BAEARS will offer a ham cram 2 weeks after the faire so those who became interested in ham radio can get their license with one day of study.

Links and Contact Information

• Yahoo group for this event Maker Faire Hams. If you are a HAM and want to participate, just click on the link and jump in, the water is fine.
• 
• ARRL Emergency Communications
• ARRL Technology Overview
• South Bay Amateur Radio Association(SBARA)
• Palo Alto Amateur Radio Association(PAARA)
• Email Michael Pechner, NE6RD for more information.