Nov. meeting covers Board Elections and SDR demo

Posted by k1ra on November 9, 2012


Andy K1RA demonstrates various USB SDR hardware and SDR software

Andy K1RA demonstrates various USB SDR hardware and SDR software


During the November meeting the club successfully voted in a new board of directors. Outgoing board members Andy K1RA (Pres.), Tom KG3V (V.P.), Greg KI4ZKJ (Treasurer), Harv K2PI (Sec.) will be replaced by Mark KD6AKC (Pres.), Rich W8KRZ (V.P.), Tom KG3V (Treasurer), Randy W4IFI (Sec.) and Frank W4NHJ (Activities Manager). We congratulate the new board and look forward to them taking their positions at the Jan. 2013 meeting. The club also discussed the future budget and additional allocation of funds for the repeater and Field Day 2013, as well as the possibility of conducting a Technician’s training class to be headed up by Harv K2PI. More to follow.

Andy K1RA demonstrated several Software Defined Radios (SDRs). He brought and showed several USB dongle receivers and an outboard USB transceiver, ranging from $20 to several hundred. Software included HDSDR and PowerSDR, which are both available at no cost. Andy gave several live demo’s showing off the capabilities of both the hardware and software to include receiving VHF FM signal as well as HF CW and SSB signals. He also demonstrated how to use digital communications software to include such packages as JT-65, WSPR and FLdigi with the SDR software via virtual sound cards. If you would like to review a set of online resources for this hardware and software please download this document.

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Oct. meetings covers Yagi-Uda antennas

Posted by k1ra on October 24, 2012


John KX4O presents information on Yagi-Uda antennas


John KX4O presented information on the Yagi-Uda antenna to include a brief timeline covering it’s early beginning, patent and various designs over the years. John provided an overview of the antennas electrical characteristics covering element currents and mutual coupling and how to build various classic and NBS antennas. He showed several designs including optimizing yagi’s produced using NEC and compared their gain and F/B and F/R ratios. John wrapped up his presentation with a some recent developments with the Yagi-Uda and showed several members yagi antenna installations and discussed various aspects of their operations.

If you would like to review or download John’s presentation please click the following link here.

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Sept. meeting covers ARRL VHF contest

Posted by k1ra on September 17, 2012


K1RA Roving Adventure with W1RT / Rover ARRL Sept VHF 2012

K1RA Roving Adventure with W1RT / Rover ARRL Sept VHF 2012


Andy K1RA presented his Roving Adventures with W1RT / Rover in the ARRL Sept 2012 VHF QSO Party. Andy and John began in New England and roved south toward MD/VA. They changed routes several times before the contest began given the impending storm front that was to cross the east coast that weekend. If you would like to view or download the slide show capturing pictures and info about their weekend expedition, please click here.

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August meeting covers Useful Tools and 144 MHz ESkip

Posted by k1ra on August 10, 2012


The Well Cooked Ham by Harv K2PI

Harv K2PI provides a collection of things that enhanced any Amateurs toolkit


At the August meeting Harv K2PI presented information on what he considers his most useful tools and accessories in his toolkit. He provided a show and tell of these items including a presentation that documented where one could acquire these and similar items online. This was a great presentation that led into a discussion by other meeting attendees who either used these items themselves and/or had other interesting tools they’d employed often. If you missed the meeting or would like to review Harv’s presentation, please click here.

Andy K1RA also presented information regarding a rare 144 MHz ESKip opening he had the opportunity to encounter on his evening commute July 24. He was able to capture the audio from this DX opening on his mobile phone and provided the experience of working and hearing station on 2 meter SSB and CW out to over 1200 miles! If you would like to visit his site you can read more about it and hear some streaming audio of the event by clicking here.

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Fauquier ARA W4VA Participates in ARRL Field Day 2012

Posted by k1ra on July 12, 2012

The Fauquier Amateur Radio Assoc. (W4VA) participated in this year’s ARRL Field Day (June 23-24) from Crockett Park. We operated in the 2A category, with an additional GOTA (Get-On-The-Air) station (KW4VA), as well as a dedicated VHF+ station. We employed 2 Honda EU2000 generators and ran transmitter power <= 100 watts. We also employed natural solar power and made a number of QRP (low power, <= 2 watt) radio contacts. We erected both wire and yagi antennas on various supports and used a combination of a trailer and several tents as our operating positions.

We made roughly 1500 contacts over the 24 hour event, 1100 CW/morse code and 400 voice. Although we had a smaller turnout than normal this year, we still had a great time, great weather and proved that our emergency preparedness capabilities were still intact. Below is a video collage of the weekend with some video embedded of us contacting stations via CW/morse code and SSB/voice.

Here is a link to our online picture album. Click the picture to view.

W4VA FARA Field Day 2012

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