Due to the coronavirus, the our Wednesday night meetings will be Virtual meetings via Zoom. They will start at 7:00pm and we recommend that you signs-in before the start time so we can begin at 7:00.
2020 Meeting Schedule
|
Date
|
Speaker
|
Topic
|
|---|---|---|
| January 8 |
Steve Sergeant, KC6ZKT
|
Winter Field Day Plans |
| February 12 |
Ron Quan, KI6AZB
|
Troubleshooting Electronic Circuits |
| March 11 |
Bill Fehring, W9KKN
|
Bill’s Excellent Adventure at Contest Station ZF1A |
| April 8 |
Ed Fong, WB6IQN
|
DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) Due to the coronavirus, the April WVARA meeting will NOT be held at the Red Cross Building. Instead, we will hold a virtual meeting via Zoom at 7pm on Wednesday, April 8.
At this month’s meeting Edison Fong, WB6IQN, will bring us up to speed on DMR (Digital Mobile Radio). This mode is getting really popular. The radios cost about $100-$150 depending on the quality you want. All of them also have conventional FM. DMR is a full digital format that is interfaced via the internet where one can 24/7 talk all over the world. The dream of working DX sitting on your couch is here. Since it is an open system originally set up by Motorola there are over 15 manufacturers of DMR radios – both hand held and mobiles. Learn how to get register as a DMR user, where to purchase a radio, how to program the radio and talk to the world without depending on propagation conditions.
Ed is a design consultant and has worked at Loral Space System, Microsoft and National Semiconductor. He has 25 years of experience in analog design for communications, data conversion and RF systems. Fong has 12 issued patents and has published more than 40 papers. He is a senior member of the IEEE. He also is on the faculty of UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley, where he teaches RF Wireless Communications and I/O Design Fundamentals.
|
| May 13 |
George Zafiropoulos (KJ6VU) |
Virtual presentation on PackTennas — lightweight, compact, portable HF antenna systems ideal for a simple, solo Field Day. George will tell us the story of these antennas, explain their design, and give tips on how to get the most from them. |
| June 10 |
Jim DeLoach, WU0I
|
Tales of an Alaskan Field Day Adventure. |
| July |
No Meeting
|
|
| August 15 |
Annual WVARA BBQ
|
Cancelled due to COVID-19 |
| September 9 | Dean Wood, N6DE | California QSO Party. See all the information in this Post
|
| October 14 |
David Brown, WR6Z
|
Fun on 900 MHz, Here is a link to the presentation PDF. |
| November 11 | Keith Snyder, KI6BDR |
At this month’s meeting, Keith Snyder (KI6BDR) will give a virtual presentation on the Russian Woodpecker Over the Horizon Radar – A Real Blast from the Past. I’m really looking forward to this one since many of us older hams remember encountering this signal on-the-air.
In addition, Steve KC6ZKT will give us an update on plans for Winter Field Day and how you can get involved. (Winter Field Day will be January 30/31).
|
| December 9 |
Steve Sergeant, KC6ZKT |
Steve will give us a presentation on 70cm Portable Repeaters. Zoom Meeting |
Previous meetings can be viewed on our Meetings History Page.
Now you can renew your 2021 membership with PayPal. It is fast and easy. Visit the membership page for all details.
You can write to the WVARA at:
West Valley Amateur Radio Association
P.O. Box 6544
San Jose, CA 95150-6544