May 12
Check it out by clicking here!
Special thanks to past President Bob Briggs, KD6WYQ, and Son for digitizing and keeping these safe over the years!
May 03
The story of one of the largest shortwave broadcast transmitters built by Collins Radio for
the Voice of America (VOA)! Taking the preservation of vintage Collins equipment to a
whole new level: The Collins 821A-1, 250kW HF Transmitter, weighing in at 22 tons!
Dennis Kidder, W6DQ
Dennis was first licensed as WN6NIA in 1969 and was granted W6DQ, the callsign of one of his Elmers, a little over ten years back. He is a retired system engineer out of the aerospace
industry, having worked on everything from satellites to airport telecommunications systems, military air traffic control to battlefield comms. Dennis is an amateur radio renaissance man, a collector of the game changing radios from pre-World War 2 to the present. He enjoys 80 meter AM on his Collins broadcast transmitter and working 10 GHz SSB with the San Bernardino Microwave Society. Dennis is the co-author of Arduino Projects for Amateur Radio and a sought-after speaker at ham radio events.
Meetings will continue virtually online for the time being, but we plan to discuss returning to in-person meetings in 2023! Stay tuned for future updates!
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82794654895
Meeting ID: 827 9465 4895
Phone dial-in: 1 669 900 6833
Apr 04
A survey of past, present, and future aircraft using electric motor(s) to drive propeller(s), within a rapidly changing industry. Discussions will include the technologies and applications that drive the aircraft design. There are currently new models of flight training aircraft coming to the market that promise lower costs per hour, while providing sufficient flight endurance for much of the typical training activity. Also in development are personal use, urban air mobility, and even hybrid powered transport aircraft.
Rhon Williams (KJ6IRJ) is an FAAST Representative and holds Commercial-SMEL, Helicopter, Glider, and CFI-AIG pilot ratings and is an A&P mechanic.
He is co-owner of a Cirrus SR22, in which he and his wife fly throughout the country.
Rhon is also an active experimental home-builder having completed a plans-built Early Bird Jenny
which first flew in December 2015.
Meetings will continue virtually online for the time being, but we plan to discuss returning to in-person meetings in 2023! Stay tuned for future updates!
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82794654895
Meeting ID: 827 9465 4895
Phone dial-in: 1 669 900 6833
Feb 23
A presentation about hiding radio equipment and yet have the ability to transmit using two antennas on 2, 220, 440 along with simultaneously APRS operation. The use of Diplexers and Triplexers make this possible.
Also, installation techniques with safety and functionality considerations.
Allen Wolff, KC7O, has held an Amateur license for 59 years (in NY, NJ, IN, UT and CA), is an ARRL Life Member, and earned his First Class FCC Radio Telephone License (now General Radio Telephone) in 1974. He is an ARRL Life Member and has had his Extra Class License since 1980.
Allen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, RF Communications from Drexel University, Philadelphia PA and is retired from a career mostly in aerospace manufacturing.
In 1999 he was awarded the ARRL Herb Brier Instructor of the Year award, for 17 years of teaching Novice and Technician classes accounting for at least 450 new Ham Radio licenses.
Meetings will continue virtually online for the time being, but we plan to discuss returning to in-person meetings in 2023! Stay tuned for future updates!
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82794654895
Meeting ID: 827 9465 4895
Phone dial-in: 1 669 900 6833
Feb 12
In this presentation, Bill reviews transceiver performance with an emphasis on making sure you get what you want and also a radio that has a clean transmitter. Following is an antenna overview leading into some examples of how to use available critical frequency data to compute optimum operating times. Bill will end with a brief summary of propagation during today’s good conditions.
“My first call was WV2RDG in NJ. I became WA2RDG when I got my general in 1961. I operate 99.5% CW on 160-6M. After a long period of inactivity (career and family) I upgraded to extra class in 1988 and became very active. That is also the year that I joined the TRW ARC. I have a BSEE from NJ Institute of Technology and worked for 45 years in RF and microwave design. I retired from NG/TRW in 2007 after 31 years with the company.”
Meetings will continue virtually online for the time being, but we plan to discuss returning to in-person meetings in 2023! Stay tuned for future updates!
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82794654895
Meeting ID: 827 9465 4895
Phone dial-in: 1 669 900 6833
Jan 10
This is a friendly reminder to fill out your annual membership form. We are planning some new events for 2023 that you won’t want to miss as well as a return to in-person meetings! We won’t completely abandon online Zoom meetings though and we are discussing ways to do a hybrid meeting.
Also starting this year we are expanding our capabilities by offering ways to digitally pay membership through Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal. We received some feedback that the application process was a bit cumbersome, so we hope this helps make things easier! See the application form for more details.
We hope to see you soon and hear you on the air!
2023 W6TRW Membership Application
Jan 09
“Hams have always pushed technological limits … in the 20’s SHF meant 28 mcs, and today, we are pushing into mm wavelengths. We will share a brief history of microwave communications by amateurs, and describe what is needed to get started yourself.”
Dennis was first licensed as WN6NIA in 1969 and was granted W6DQ, the callsign of one of his Elmers, a little over ten years back. He is a retired system engineer out of the aerospace industry, having worked on everything from satellites to airport telecommunications systems, military air traffic control to battlefield comms. Dennis is an amateur radio renaissance man, a collector of the game changing radios from pre World War 2 to the present. He enjoys 80 meter AM on his Collins broadcast transmitter and working 10 GHz SSB with the San Bernardino Microwave Society. Dennis is the co author of Arduino Projects for Amateur Radio and a sought after speaker at ham radio events.
Meetings will continue virtually online for the time being, but we plan to discuss returning to in-person meetings in 2023! Stay tuned for future updates!
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82794654895
Meeting ID: 827 9465 4895
Phone dial-in: 1 669 900 6833
Dec 08
With another year coming to an end, it’s a good time to reflect on all that has happened throughout the year. And there was A LOT that happened this year within the club. This meeting will cover the various upgrades made in 2022 to the W6TRW repeaters, shack, OSCAR station, and tower antennas. We’ll also cover some of the plans for 2023 and continuation of ongoing projects.
We’re happy to have you join us for the last meeting of the year! Happy Holidays and New Year!
Meetings will continue virtually online for the time being, but we plan to discuss returning to in-person meetings in 2023! Stay tuned for future updates!
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82794654895
Meeting ID: 827 9465 4895
Phone dial-in: 1 669 900 6833
Oct 27
Welcome back to our FIRST in-person event since before the pandemic! Wayne Overbeck, N6NB, will be presenting on RF Safety in Amateur Radio. Wayne previously presented for our club meeting in September on “Roving even before there was roving: A 65-year Odyssey” which was very interesting and really showed off the creativity, ingenuity, and history of the activity! We are very much looking forward to having Wayne back for this banquet presentation.
Join us for a fantastic catered dinner, socialize with other club members and hams, and learn more about our great hobby! Club members also have the opportunity to win door prizes!
Attendees, please fill out form linked below to RSVP.
The RSVP deadline has also been extended to November 4th!
Click here for the W6TRW 54th Annual Awards 2022 RSVP Form
Oct 10
Hams often encounter interference that can be easily eliminated with the right external
filter. Dick will discuss when this is likely to occur and share tips on how to select a suitable
filter to solve the problem. Options to consider include purchase of completed filters, kits,
and even DIY design. Dick’s talk will include an overview of these options with examples and
sources. Tips will also be included for filter selection, construction, design and evaluation.
Building a filter can be a very enjoyable activity as well as resulting in more contacts in
challenging environments.
Like many University of Illinois graduates, Dick was drawn to the exciting California electronics industry of the 1970’s. He spent a career in government electronics (Watkins Johnson), instrumentation (Tektronix) and a display start up ( Sarif ). In “retirement” he served as Interim Dean of Engineering (Portland State) and other academic roles. In the ‘90’s Dick, his wife and two sons became hams and enjoyed communicating while hiking and climbing in the Oregon wilderness. More recently his son, KD7DTS, began using a Software Defined Radio in high interference areas and enticed Dick into the challenges and pleasures of designing, making, and using external ham radio filters.
Due to continued COVID-19 public health guidelines, the W6TRW Club Meetings will not be held in person. Instead, there will be a Virtual Meeting held on Zoom. Click on the link below on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82794654895
Meeting ID: 827 9465 4895
Phone dial-in: 1 669 900 6833
ARRL News