Mar 02

W6TRW Club Meeting March 8, 2022

Speaker Topic for this Month:

“Los Angeles Marathon Amateur Radio Communications”

Deane Bouvier (N5DQ),  Greg Powell (KD6AIS),  Bob Dengler (NO6B)

Born out of the success of the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, the first annual Los Angeles Marathon was run in 1986 and has had amateur radio support since the beginning. This presentation describes the support of hams over the years as things have changed and how we have adapted.

Deane Bouvier, N5DQ:

Deane had a 20-year engineering career in the U.S. Air Force and 18 years as an employee with Hughes Space & Communications (now Boeing Satellite Systems) and another 4 years as a consultant building communications satellites. In 1988, first year Deane was at Hughes, Scott Fraser, KN6F who was managing the LA Marathon amateur radio support at that time, asked for help from the Hughes Amateur Radio Club. The rest as they say is history.

Greg Powell, KD6AIS:
Greg has organized and led the amateur radio support since 2005. Greg took over from Scott Fraser who began the effort with the first Marathon. Over the years as the support requirements and course changed Greg has met the challenge by adjusting assignments with the variable number of volunteers who sign up each year.

 

Bob Dengler NO6B:
An RF microwave engineer for 34 years & licensed amateur since 1977, Bob built his first 2 meter repeater in 1981 & has been active in repeater engineering, construction & coordination ever since. He has volunteered in every LA Marathon since it began in 1986, when he was assigned to Medical Mile 19 while also fielding a portable repeater on 145.44 MHz deployed at Griffith. After 10 years the Marathon had its first permanent repeater system installed at the top of the Bank of America tower on 445.45 MHz. Bob later installed 2 meter & 220 MHz systems at the site, giving the Marathon complete course coverage along with linking capability. Changes in the course route combined with loss of the Bank of America tower site in 2010 created coverage challenges. Bob deployed the (now) 445.46 repeater as a portable unit in the Baldwin Hills in 2012, and in 2013 collaborated with Joe Oliveira WB6BJM to install a new repeater on 446.28 in the Hollywood Hills. This repeater provides 100% course coverage & is now the Marathon’s primary communications resource. Bob continues to work with Joe on expanding to other sites & the 900 MHz band, & also works with the GRONK Radio Network & Topanga Remote Base Association to provide additional repeater resources to the Marathon.

When: Tuesday, March 8th at 6:30 PM

Where: Virtual Meeting on Zoom

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

Jan 31

W6TRW Club Meeting February 8, 2022

Speaker Topic for this Month:

“No Tools Troubleshooting”

Wayne Yoshida, KH6WZ

Wayne Yoshida is a Technical Writer and CQ Amateur Radio Magazine columnist who
brings a cornucopia of writing, editing, technology and marketing skills to his everyday
work.
Wayne’s teenage ham radio hobby influenced his life and continues today, turning
various personal interests into an interesting and fun writing, editing, marketing and
selling journey. Working with technical products makes Wayne excited about coming to
work every day.
His most memorable career event is an example of this. As a consultant Public
Information Officer for NASA Mission Control during three Space Shuttle missions,
Wayne’s radio hobby combined with his speaking and writing ability to enable fast and
accurate responses to news reporters from around the world. Hundreds of articles
based on news releases and interviews emphasized the educational value of ham radio
and electronics and its viability as an emergency communication system for the space
program.

When: Tuesday, February 8th at 6:30 PM

Where: Virtual Meeting on Zoom

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

Jan 04

W6TRW Club Meeting January 11, 2022

Speaker Topic for this Month:

“Did-you-feel-it Reporting via Winlink”

Oliver Dully, K6OLI

Oliver K6OLI will present Did-you-feel-it reporting via Winlink. Learn how you can participate in reporting earthquake intensity to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) even when commercial communication options are compromised and what the implications are for amateur radio networks. Oliver encourages everyone who wants to, to follow along and send a Winlink DYFI exercise message to USGS as part of the presentation. Winlink is available for free at https://winlink.org/WinlinkExpress

Oliver Dully, K6OLI, serves as District Emergency Coordinator for ARES LAX Northeast, which provides amateur radio communications backup for 911 receiving hospitals in northeastern Los Angeles County. Operators with ARES LAX Northeast use innovative technologies like Winlink with VARA HF, VARA FM, Packet and AREDN mesh, for example, to provide amateur radio solutions for the complex communications demands of medical facilities when commercial options may have been compromised.

Oliver has authored several popular Winlink Quick Guides for Packet and VARA FM. He coordinated the Winlink Did-you-feel-it (DYFI) project, a Winlink Development Team and West Coast ARES groups collaboration with the United States Geological Survey. He is one of the initiators of the VARA FM Winlink Autobahn connecting Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.

With his friends Oliver enjoys supporting events like the AC100 UltraRace and the Baker2Vegas Relay Cup Race.  Oliver and Tran K6NHI live in Pasadena, CA.

When: Tuesday, December 14th at 6:30 PM

Where: Virtual Meeting on Zoom

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

Nov 28

W6TRW Club Meeting December 14, 2021

Speaker Topic for this Month:

“Pizza Pan Antenna Test Fixture, SWR Bridges & NanoVNA”

Allen Wolff, KC7O

Allen Wolff, KC7O, has held an Amateur license for 57 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.

When: Tuesday, December 14th at 6:30 PM

Where: Virtual Meeting on Zoom

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

Nov 06

W6TRW Club Meeting November 9, 2021

Speaker Topic for this Month:

“AMSAT GOLF”

Chris Wachs, WA2KDL

 

The goal of the GOLF program is to work by steps through a series of increasingly capable spacecraft to learn skills and systems for which we do not yet have any low-risk experience.  Among these are active attitude control, deployable/steerable solar panels, radiation tolerance for Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) components in higher orbits, and propulsion.   Status of the program and transponder details will be presented along with a Q&A session after the 45 min presentation.  The GOLF program is a follow on to the AMSAT FOX program satellites AO-85, AO-91 and AO-92.

When: Tuesday, October 12th at 6:30 PM

Where: Virtual Meeting on Zoom

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

Oct 02

W6TRW Club Meeting October 12, 2021

Speaker Topic for this Month:

“Radio Frequency Interference – From Both Sides”

Bill Shanney, W6QR

RFI is a growing issue for Amateur Radio. The proliferation of electronics has added many potential noise sources which can interfere with receive signals. Our transmit signals can also interfere with household electronics. In this talk I’ll describe my experiences and remedies as well as resources that can help resolve RFI problems.

When: Tuesday, October 12th at 6:30 PM

Where: Virtual Meeting on Zoom

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

Sep 09

W6TRW Club Meeting September 14, 2021

2.4GHz XCVR Module for Model Rocket Payload

Dylon Mutz, KK6OTK

Dylon Mutz, KK6OTK, will be speaking about his model rocket project with working payload capable of transmitting live altitude telemetry using 2.4GHz transceiver modules.

When: Tuesday, September 14th at 6:30 PM

Where: Virtual Meeting on Zoom

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

Aug 09

W6TRW Club Meeting August 10, 2021

N6RRY Long Duration Balloon Project

Greg Martens, N6RRY

Greg Martens, N6RRY, and other hams built a long duration balloon that circled the Earth 5 times.  Greg’s APRS callsign, N6RRY-11, was used to track the balloon around the world.

When: Tuesday, August 10th at 6:30 PM

Where: Virtual Meeting on Zoom

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

Jul 13

Swap Meet to Reopen August 28, 2021

Post Updated 8/16/2021

BREAKING NEWS!

The W6TRW Amateur Radio Club Swap Meet will reopen on August 28, 2021.

Starting in August, the Swap Meets will continue, as before, on the last Saturday of every month.  7:00 AM to 11:30 AM.

Thank you for your patience and support! We are looking forward to seeing everyone again at the W6TRW Swap Meet.

 

Jul 09

W6TRW Club Meeting July 13, 2021

 

Stepping Up To A Hexbeam

Chris Newton, N6FR

Stepping up to a multiband directional antenna can be an intimidating and costly engineering enterprise.  However, the broadband hexbeam is an attractive option on both fronts.  This presentation covers the theory behind the hexbeam, construction notes on the commercial product sold by KIO Technology, and early experiences on-the-air.

When: Tuesday, July 13th at 6:30 PM

Where: Virtual Meeting on Zoom

Click here to download presentation slides

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