Rex, W1REX, and Stephen, N1SH, will join the Expo for a fourth time with two new Build-a-Thons, allowing Expo ticket holders to build kits with them, in real time, with demonstrations and mentoring. Since the interaction is two-way video webinar format, builders can ask questions and get help. Once the Build-a-thon session ends, the recordings will be put up in the Expo library for future reference.
(more…)How and Why to get started in Operating Amateur Radio Satellites
Last year, Roger Steyaert K7RXV made an interesting presentation to the club on the topic of network analyzers, one of which was a program called EZNEC. He just alerted us to an important announcement from Roy Lewallen, W7EL, about his retirement in 2022 and his release of EZNEC to the public domain. If you have ever used EZNEC or thought about using it, you’ll want to check out the details HERE. The site has been completely rewritten and updated.
EZNEC Pro+ v. 7.0 is now available! – FREE
The highlights of his earlier announcement are:
EZNEC (Pro/2) will be free beginning in 2022
EZNec Pro/4 will be discontinued
There will be no support or refunds for these programs after 2021.
Get all the details here: https://eznec.com
A big shout out to Mason McCoy, who found this resource while working on his Boy Scout Electronics Merit Badge and shared it with our club to use on this website. It’s an excellent article by Mark Houlahan for Speedway Motors Academy, and while it’s especially for kids, it’s also good for anyone new to electronics or ham radio.
“Electronic circuits are simply pathways that transmit electric current, or moving electricity. These circuits make it possible for lights and appliances to work. Electric circuits have to have a source of power, wires that the electricity flows through, and a device that uses the electricity. These three parts have to be connected directly for the electric current to flow.”
Read the rest of the article to learn more about these parts, how they work together, closed and open circuits, and measuring electricity:
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Info/All-About-Electronic-Circuits-for-Kids
At the end of this article, there is also a treasure trove of additional links for kids who want to learn more about electricity and electric circuits, including some do-it-yourself projects.
Take a moment to tune in at every 8 after the hour on WWV and 48 after the hour on WWVH transmitters. WWV, WWVH stations, HamSCI and NIST and investigating HF propagation.
The Characterization Signal will consist of a 45 second WAV file on minute 8 for WWV and minute 48 for WWVH. Right now it is planned as a standard voice announcement, inserted into the broadcast chain as an audio file.
This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for collaboration between Amateur Radio and the federal government’s lead physical science laboratory, NIST, and harkens back 100 years to the Fading Experiments coordinated between the then NBS and an early ARRL.
A full description of the Characterization Signal and audio files are available at https://zenodo.org/record/5182323
Updates on the efforts will be posted here at WWV ARC and also at the HamSCI website: https://hamsci.org/wwv
WWV Frequencies [ MHz ]: 2.5; 5.0; 10.0; 15.0; 20.0 from Fort Collins, Colorado
WWVH Frequency: 2.5 MHz from Kauai, Hawaii
Resources:
HamSCI: https://hamsci.org
WWV: https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/time-distribution/radio-station-wwv
WWVH: https://tf.nist.gov/stations/wwvh.htm
History of WWV: https://www.nist.gov/time-distribution/radio-station-wwv/history-radio-station-wwv
Frank Donovan, W3LPL, talks about the Centennial of the 1921 Transatlantic Tests. This was a historic achievement for Amateur Radio.