K6MFW

The K6BEN ATV Repeater System
Michael Wright, K6MFW

Other:

Refreshments
Raffle prizes
Questions for Dr Know-it-All

We will be raffling off prizes at this meeting:

• 2009 ARRL Repeater Directory

2009 ARRL Repeater Directory

Seth Shostak

FARS 2009 Winter Banquet

"What Will the Real ET Be Like?"
Seth Shostak

Dr. Shostak updates us on the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.

Seth Shostak has a B.A. in physics from Princeton and a Ph.D. in astronomy from Caltech. He did research in radio astronomy at several observatories before joining SETI. He has published numerous articles in professional journals as well as a number of popular magazines. He is the host of the SETI Institute's weekly radio program on science. He is also responsible for many outreach activities for the SETI Institute.

[Unlike our other meetings, attendance at this meeting is by reservation only. Check out the banquet page for reservation information.]

Ben Koning

Echo of the Future - Early Radio in the Valley Before Silicon
Ben Koning

Ben Koning talks about the making of his documentary "Echo of the Future: A Tale of Sunnyvale." He will show excerpts from the film, and demonstrate a working 3-tube regenerative 1920 Echophone V3 receiver. (The mother of all boatanchors!)

While interviewing long-time Sunnyvale resident Ann Zarko, he met the late Jack Rowe (a Radio Amateur) who had documented "The Radio Shop," one of Sunnyvale's first businesses and quite possibly the first and biggest consumer technology factory in the Valley at that time. It didn't last long, however. The film weaves this surprising little story together within the larger context of the often-ignored history of Sunnyvale, providing a glimpse of the Valley's future to come.

K6OIK

Wilderness Emergency Communications
Steve Stearns, K6OIK

When Radio Amateurs think about "emergency" communications, they often think about big emergencies, mass disasters, and networks of volunteer communicators. However, emergencies come in all sizes.

In this talk, Steve considers personal emergencies. Consider an injured hiker in a wilderness location who needs to be rescued. Among the various methods for getting the word out so help will come in, what are the advantages and disadvangtages of each method? What electronic tools work? How do cell and satellite phones compare to different kinds of two-way radios or rescue beacons?

Steve will describe both traditional and modern methods just in time for your Spring and Summer adventure activities.

KN6QI

Keyboarding on HF
Mikel Lechner, KN6QI

Digital modes are great for sending messages and data, and are the preferred mode for emergency disaster communications when Radio Amateurs work in concert with Public Safety or Homeland Security. In his last installment, Mikel, KN6QI, explained the different digital modes. This time he will show us the "how to" of setting up a digital station - everything from equipment to cables and connectors - plus the latest software for sending and receiving. This presentation will appeal to emergency communicators and the experimenters alike.

K6OIK

From Antenna Model to Match Network
Steve Stearns, K6OIK

Steve, K6OIK, will show the steps in antenna system design. He will start by running an antenna model in one of several programs. He will show how much variation to expect among different programs. EZNEC is subject to the limitations of its NEC2 engine. Steve will show a comparison to other programs for computational electromagnetics.

Then he will show the steps in exporting the data to a file and modifying it to a standard format used by circuit modeling programs. Finally he will show the steps in designing a simple impedance matching network for the antenna. The circuit program will calculate all losses. The result will be a full characterization of a transmission system from transmitter to antenna and into space.

Nimit, K6XOX

Repeater Controller: Adventures in Thailand
Nimit, K6XOX

Nimit recently installed a repeater controller in Thailand for his ham friends there. He talks a bit about what was involved in that process.

Also, Mikel, KN6QI talks about the GenLog logging software we are using for Field Day. He describes how to set up the software and how to use it.