Dr. Leif Svalgaard

Sunspot Science and Predicted Cycle 25

Dr. Leif Svalgaard
Stanford

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

Observations of the Sun are vital in monitoring and predicting radio communications for amateurs and professionals alike. Conversely, centuries-long monitoring of variations of the Earth's magnetic field can be used to determine long-term variations of solar activity. This talk weaves these various threads from multiple scientific and engineering disciplines together to show the unity of scientific endeavor and its importance for our technological civilization.

[N6BT]

HF Antenna Design for Best Performance

Tom Schiller, N6BT

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

Tom talks about HF antenna design, including optimization of takeoff angle with different types of ground and radial systems, and pattern measurement. Tom talks about how to evaluate particular antennas for particular situations, like limited space, and how to get the best performance. He also covers a number of things that affect performance such as layout, materials and compromises.

Tom's presentation is available on-line.

[K6MM]

K9W DXpedition to Wake Atoll and the Forgotten 98

John Miller K6MM

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

John Miller, K6MM, tells two tales about Wake Island: one a tale of ham radio adventure and excitement, the other a grim reminder of history. The K9W DXpedition put a high-security military base on the air. The DXpedition also commemorated the lives of 98 innocent civilian contractors who lost their lives during WWII on Wake Atoll. DXpedition website: http://wake2013.org

The Green New Deal – Green for Whom?

George Erickson

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

Climate change is worse than you think. And dialog has degenerated to a morass. Dr. Erickson guides us through the current and confusing arguments. He reveals how physics and engineering are being ignored, deliberate distortions for private gain, irrationality driven by fear, and how so-called “environmental” organizations have distorted the politics.

Dr. Erickson clears the air and addresses basic questions. Can wind and solar do the job? What will work?

[W2PA]

Where Did the Bands Come From?

Chris Codella, W2PA

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

Chris Codella, W2PA, presents a historical look at the early days of radio during which several aspects of amateur radio were established that survive to the present day. This includes, the HF bands (particularly 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters), call sign formats, QSLs, operating practices, and equipment characteristics. Many of these things we take for granted today have lost origins – the reasons why they exist forgotten.

The definition of the HF band allocations is particularly interesting. It started with the 200 meter limitation of 1912, changed as hams demonstrated the utility of the shortwaves, and changed again in response to the radio boom of the 1920s and the first international treaties. Learn more about ham radio history at Chris’ Ham Radio History page http://w2pa.net/HRH.

[K6YA]

Meeting Canceled

K6YA

This meeting was canceled.

[KN6HBW]

NanoVNA: A Small And Cheap Vector Network Analyzer

Luca Younes, KN6HBW

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

NanoVNAs might seem like poorly engineered gimmicks when compared to name brand analyzers like RigExperts, but if you take the time to learn their quirks, nanoVNAs become quite useful. Luca Younes, KN6HBW, covers basic VNA terminology and theory, nanoVNA variants, usage instructions for common tasks like antenna analysis, filter or frequency analysis, and nanoVNA specific theory (like design). He may also briefly discuss nanoVNAs sister product, the tinySA.

Luca's presentation is available on-line.

[K6OIK]

Universal Equivalent Circuits for All Antennas

Steve Stearns, K6OIK

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

Equivalent circuits are useful for performing lab tests without radiating. Series and parallel RLC resonant circuits have long been the staple of narrow-band equivalent circuits for dipole and loop antennas. K6OIK presents a different approach for making universal equivalent circuits for any antenna over any bandwidth. Antenna impedance and admittance properties are reviewed. Key properties are explained on a Smith chart. The concept of natural frequencies for terminated antennas is explained. By using results from classical network synthesis, measured or computed impedance data, and a circuit optimizer, the impedance function of any antenna can be accurately modeled by one of four universal equivalent circuits. The difference between 1-port and 2-port equivalent circuits are discussed. The former are useful for making dummy loads for reflection experiments or match network testing. The latter are useful for transmission experiments. Examples are given for dipole and monopole antennas.

Steve's presentation is available on-line.

[K6YA]

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Home Brew Winners:
Roy, KM6EOO (1st)
Paul, AA6PZ (2nd)
Andy, KR6DD (3rd)
John, K6JDS (4th)

FARS Annual Amateur Radio Home Brew Contest

K6YA

This was an in-person meeting at Covington School with COVID-19 restrictions. It was also available on-line via Zoom.

This meeting is about you. Yes you, our members and guests. Our Annual Amateur Radio Homebrew Contest is a opportunity to show off a project that you have worked on in the past year. Each participant has a few minutes to show and explain his project to our audience and has a chance to win one of our four prizes:

$40 First prize
$30 Second prize
$20 Third prize
$10 Fourth prize

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Raffle (L-R):
Steve, K6OIK (6th)
Dave, W6VYC, (1st)
Mike, KN6QI (4th, 5th)
Abhi (2nd, 3rd)
Erik, KM6EOP (2nd)

ANSim Antenna Modeling Software

David Tilston
Phoenix Antenna Systems

This was an in-person meeting at Covington School with COVID-19 restrictions. It was also available on-line via Zoom.

David Tilston of Phoenix Antenna Systems explains and demonstrates the new antenna modeling software ANSim. ANSim is a moment method electromagnetic modeling program used mainly for antenna design. The thin-wire code is based on the high-accuracy multi-radius bridge current (MBC) method developed by Dr. Mark Tilston in 1989 at the University of Toronto. The MBC method is considered by antenna experts to be the most accurate of MoM thin-wire codes, without the numerical artifacts and issues found in NEC4. Having 30-years of development, ANSim can model electrically small and medium size structures made of wires, plates, and dielectric blocks. It is the main design tool used by Phoenix Antenna Systems in Perth, Ontario, Canada. As a bonus, a free evaluation-version is offered and can be obtained via the FARS link at https://www.fars.k6ya.org/others#Software.

Raffle:

Other:

Refreshments
Raffle prizes
Questions for Dr Know-it-All

We will be raffling off prizes at this meeting:

1. Choice of one of:
   • Radio Shack 25Amp Power Supply switcher for HF radios w/ binding posts #22-510
   • Nano Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) 2-port network analyzer with SMA connectors, broad frequency coverage 50 kHz to 1.5 GHz, measures S11, S22, S21 and S12, includes calibration kit (SMA open, short and 50-ohm). Updated version. Use it to measure filters, tune duplexers, match antennas, and more
2. Choice of one of:
   • BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band VHF/UHF HT
   • Canon 12 megapixel digital camera
3. Journey's Edge Pocket Tool - includes bright LED Flashlight. I can’t live without mine
4. Workman KS-2 SMA Mag Mount Mobile Radio Antenna
5. COB lantern (Chip On Board) twice as bright as conventional LED lights
6. RG214U Coax Cable 25ft w/ N connectors(also known as Belden 8268); 450 MHz 5.2dB per 100 ft.

RS 25Amp Power Supply #22-510

Nano Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) 2-port network analyzer w/ SMA connectors, covers 50 kHz to 1.5 GHz

BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band VHF/UHF HT

Canon 12 megapixel digital camera

Journey's Edge Pocket Tool - includes bright LED Flashlight

Workman KS-2 SMA Mag Mount Mobile Radio Antenna

COB lantern (Chip On Board) twice as bright as conventional LED lights

RG214U Coax Cable 25ft w/ N connectors

[Kenneth Wyatt]

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Raffle (L-R):
John, K6JDS (3rd)
Steve, K6OIK (4th)
Wolf, KN6RDF, (2nd, 5th, 6th)
Mike, KN6QI (1st)

Urban RFI and Ham Radio

Kenneth Wyatt, Wyatt Technical Services LLC

This was an in-person meeting at Covington School with COVID-19 restrictions. It was also available on-line via Zoom.

Urban RFI sources have dramatically increased to the point where it’s an issue for most HF and even VHF operators. We discuss the sources of this noise in more detail, but it’s largely due to switch-mode power supplies, lighting, appliances, and other equipment powered from the small power supply modules. This noise is easy to see on waterfall displays; especially if it’s due to SMPS, where you can observe equally spaced harmonics of the switching frequency. We’ll also discuss some mitigation and ways to track down the sources.

Kenneth's presentation is available on-line.

Raffle:

Other:

Refreshments
Raffle prizes
Questions for Dr Know-it-All

We will be raffling off prizes at this meeting:

1. Choice of one of:
   • * Professional Motorola GP68 – UHF 430-470 MHz transceiver complete with charger, antenna, new battery, manual - 16 Channel UHF – preprogrammed to local UHF HAM repeaters, Mil Spec 810 – has hardware modifications for direct keypad frequency entry
   • Nano Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) 2-port network analyzer with SMA connectors, broad frequency coverage 50 kHz to 1.5 GHz, measures S11, S22, S21 and S12, includes calibration kit (SMA open, short and 50-ohm). Updated version. Use it to measure filters, tune duplexers, match antennas, and more
2. * Radio Shack 25Amp Power Supply switcher for HF radios w/ binding posts #22-510
3. * Pittsburgh Digital Caliper 6 inch Digital Electronic Caliper, large 4-digit LCD display, accurage to 1/1000 inch
4. * APC power strip Commercial grade, 840 joules protection, 7 outlets, phone/modem protection, resettable circuit breaker, Green/Red LED fault detection
5. * HT Antenna 2m and 70cm SMA connector
6. * USB Power Station 5 ports

Professional Motorola GP68 – UHF 430-470 MHz transceiver charger, antenna, battery, and manual

Nano Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) 2-port network analyzer w/ SMA connectors, covers 50 kHz to 1.5 GHz

RS 25Amp Power Supply #22-510

Pittsburgh Digital Caliper 6 inch Digital Electronic Caliper, large 4-digit LCD display

APC power strip, Commercial grade, 7 outlets

HT Antenna 2m and 70cm SMA connector

USB Power Station 5 ports

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* Indicates prizes that were awarded. [The original Baofeng UV5R 2nd prize was replaced with the Radio Shack Power supply]

[K6OIK]

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Raffle (L-R):
Paul, KN6DHY (5th)
Steve, K6OIK (3rd)
Adrian, K3ADM (1st)
Eric, KM6EOP (2nd)
Chris, W6COV (4th)

The Shape of Antennas Yet to Come

Steve Stearns, K6OIK

This was an in-person meeting at Covington School with COVID-19 restrictions. It was also available on-line via Zoom.

Steve Stearns, K6OIK, talks about optimizers beginning with this puzzle: A ham wants to make a wire antenna for 20-meter DX. It needs to have a lot of gain. More gain is better. He is blessed with an infinite spool of antenna wire but cursed with rusty, old wire cutters. He can make but two cuts. He cuts off two pieces of wire to drive one against the other. How much gain can his antenna have? In answering this simple question, Steve leads us beyond dipoles into a world of 2D paths in 3D space. You will throw away your wire cutters after Steve shows how Texas longhorns and cowboy hats can beat beams.

Steve's presentation is available on-line.

Raffle:

Other:

Refreshments
Raffle prizes
Questions for Dr Know-it-All

We will be raffling off prizes at this meeting:

1. Choice of one of:
   • Simpson 260 Multimeter Lab standard w/ Agilent probe set
   • Radioddity GD-73A HT world’s smallest full featured DMR/analog UHF transceiver. Palm size 2600mAH battery, charging cable, belt clip, earpiece - 2 watts output – 1024 memories 1 watt audio output - comes complete programmed to Bay Area code plug (Ed Fong’s version)
   • Nano Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) 2-port network analyzer with SMA connectors, broad frequency coverage 50 kHz to 1.5 GHz, measures S11, S22, S21 and S12, includes calibration kit (SMA open, short and 50-ohm). Updated version. Use it to measure filters, tune duplexers, match antennas, and more
   • * Radioddity QB25 Mobile Tx/Rx: 136-174, 210-230, and 350-520 MHz (includes non-amateur frequencies), 0.25 uV Rx sensitivity, 10/25 watts out, CTSS and DCS coding, 200 memories, good looking color display, direct entry via microphone key pad, programming software and cable; Radio comes pre-programmed for many Bay Area amateur repeaters courtesy of Ed Fong WB6IQN; If you have been looking to get on 220 MHz, this radio is for you
   • CountyComm GP-5 SSB General Receiver LW/AM/FM/HF (2.5-30MHz), Full SDR w/ SiLabs 4743 chip, and nice stereo FM receiver
2. * BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band VHF/UHF HT
3. * COB lantern (Chip On Board) twice as bright as conventional LED lights
4. * Non-stick Silicone Rescue tape fuses to itself with no glue
5. * Velcro tie wraps 20 pieces

Simpson 260 Multimeter Lab standard w/ Agilent probe set

Radioddity GD-73A HT smallest full featured DMR/analog UHF transceiver w/ 2600mAH battery, 2W RF out, 1024 memories

Nano Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) 2-port network analyzer w/ SMA connectors, covers 50 kHz to 1.5 GHz

Radioddity QB25 Mobile Quad band (144/220/440 MHz) 10-25W mini mobile transceiver

CountyComm GP-5 SSB General Receiver LW/AM/FM/HF (2.5-30MHz)

BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band VHF/UHF HT

COB lantern (Chip On Board) twice as bright as conventional LED lights

Non-stick Silicone Rescue tape fuses to itself with no glue

Velcro tie wraps 20 pieces

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* Indicates prizes awarded.