[W6EXT]

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Raffle (L-R):
Cliff, KN6DH (2nd)
Elise KI6PUO, (3rd)
Nick, N6COA (4th)
Rich, W6APZ (1st)

Raffle (not present):
Adrian, K3ADM (WYWH $5)
    - donated back to FARS

WSPR, the Weak Signal Propagation Reporter

Paul Simon, W6EXT

Paul Simon, W6EXT, explains WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter), which is a unique technique to determine and present current propagation conditions worldwide. Stations around the world upload receive reports that are collected by a central database where they are available for use. Current methods of analysis fall short of usefulness, but are being improved. Paul describes and shows new methods of exploratory data analysis for processing WSPR data.

Raffle:

Other:

Refreshments
Raffle prizes
Questions for Dr Know-it-All

We will be raffling off prizes at this meeting:

1. Choice of one of:
   • * Nano Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) 2-port network analyzer with SMA connectors, broad frequency coverage 50 kHz to 900 MHz, measures S11, S22, S21 and S12, includes calibration kit (SMA open, short and 50-ohm). Use it to measure filters, tune duplexers, match antennas, and more
   • Radioddity QB25 Mobile Tx/Rx: 136-174, 210-230, and 350-520 MHz (includes non-amateur frequencies), 0.25 uV Rx sensitivity, 10/25 watts out, CTSS and DCS coding, 200 memories, good looking color display, direct entry via microphone key pad, programming software and cable; Radio comes pre-programmed for many Bay Area amateur repeaters courtesy of Ed Fong WB6IQN; If you have been looking to get on 220 MHz, this radio is for you
   • Connect Systems CS-580 UHF DMR radio w/ 2100 mAH LiON batter, charger, program cable, S/W, 1000 memories, analog FM. Preprogrammed for the Bay Area
2. Choice of one of:
   • * Radioddity GD-73A HT world’s smallest full featured DMR/analog UHF transceiver. Palm size 2600mAH battery, charging cable, belt clip, earpiece - 2 watts output – 1024 memories 1 watt audio output - comes complete programmed to Bay Area code plug (Ed Fong’s version)
   • BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band VHF/UHF HT
3. * Tetra Li-ion Flashlight w/ USB powerpack, rechargeable 18650 2.6 AH cell. A flashlight, lantern, and an USB powerpack.
4. * TBJ-1 PVC Tri-Band Antenna - 146MHz/220MHz/440MHz J-Pole Antenna by Edison Fong, WB6IQN

Nano Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) 2-port network analyzer w/ SMA connectors, covers 50 kHz to 900 MHz

Radioddity QB25 Mobile Quad band (144/220/440 MHz) 10-25W mini mobile transceiver

Connect Systems CS-580 UHF DMR radio w/ 2100 mAH LiON batter, charger, program cable

Radioddity GD-73A HT smallest full featured DMR/analog UHF transceiver w/ 2600mAH battery, 2W RF out, 1024 memories

BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band VHF/UHF HT

Tetra Li-ion Flashlight w/ USB powerpack, rechargeable 18650 2.6 AH cell. A flashlight, lantern, and an USB powerpack.

TBJ-1 PVC Tri-Band Antenna - 146MHz/220MHz/440MHz J-Pole Antenna by Edison Fong, WB6IQN

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* Indicates prizes that were awarded.

[Dr. Cromarty, N6JLJ]

Living Dangerously: Building a 100-year-old electronics startup in California

Dr. Andrew Cromarty, N6JLJ
FARS Winter Banquet 2020

Location: Michael’s at Shoreline. Reservations are required.

Heathkit is known worldwide as the iconic largest, oldest kit manufacturer in the United States. Or it was, until the company changed its business model 30 years ago to emphasize its institutional educational products line.

In recent years, a new management team at Heath Company has been methodically restoring Heathkit to its destiny as the leading designer, manufacturer and provider of the world's highest-quality electronic kits. Dr. Cromarty expands on his recent invited IEEE History lecture by presenting materials from the century-old Heathkit historic materials archive not previously shown to the public. For those unfamiliar with Heathkit, he provides an abbreviated tour of the thousands of Heathkit products, and describes a few products you probably did not know existed. More…

[K3ADM]

Using QucsStudio for Circuit Design

Adrian Motamedi, K3ADM

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

FARS member Adrian Motamedi, K3ADM, introduces and demonstrate QucsStudio – a free program for circuit analysis and simulation. Circuit simulators are software programs that allow one to design circuits using a computer, thereby saving many hours of “bench” time building and testing prototypes. A circuit can be analyzed in the time domain or in the frequency domain, and simulators of both types exist. Most hams are familiar with a time domain circuit analysis program developed at UC Berkeley called SPICE and Linear Technology’s free version LTSpice.

The ARRL published a book “Circuit Simulation and Analysis” (2013) on such tools. However, for analyzing RF circuits, expert designers prefer a frequency domain program. One such program popular among hams was Ansoft's Serenade Student Version (SV). This was a free program featured in QST, January 2001. It had a “harmonic balance” analysis engine that derived from an earlier program called COMPACT, developed originally by Les Besser in 1973. Although hams still use it, the free student version is no longer available or supported.

The Quite Universal Circuit Simulator (QUCS) debuted in 2003 as a free open-source circuit simulator that would run under Windows. It filled the void left by the disappearance of Serenade SV. A new program QucsStudio has was released in 2011. It features an easy to use schematic editor, linear and nonlinear analysis and optimization, a library of device models, and the ability to import device models. Adrian introduces the general features of QucsStudio, its user interface and analysis and graphing tools. He shows an S-parameter simulation of a simple filter.

Adrian's presentation is available on-line.

[KJ6VU]

PackTenna: A High-Performance Portable HF Antenna

George Zafiropolous, KJ6VU

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

Designed by George Zafiropolous, KJ6VU, PackTennas are lightweight, compact, portable HF antenna systems ideal for operating on the trail, at the campsite, on Field Day, SOTA activation, air travel, or HOA restricted locations. PackTennas were featured in QST November 2016. George tells us the story of these great antennas, why they work so well and how to get the most from them.

• PackTenna link: http://www.packtenna.com
• Ham Radio Workbench: https://www.hamradioworkbench.com
• BayNet: http://www.bay-net.org

[KI6BDR]

The Russian Woodpecker Over the Horizon Radar – A Blast from the Past

Keith Snyder, KI6BDR

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

Hidden deep in a serene forest yet taller than the clouds, standing in surreal beauty is an antenna array like none other on earth, having an aperture area greater than 15 U.S. football fields. One of the great wonders of the world – a top secret Soviet radar, so secret that even the name is uncertain, for it had many. It was the Russian Woodpecker. It was the Steel Yard. It was Duga.

The story of this top secret place is one of mystery and intrigue. Now abandoned, a rusting testament to man’s cold war hubris, almost all popular accounts on the web are seriously flawed – victims of deliberate disinformation. Where did it come from? What did it do? Did it transmit? Did it receive? Was it the first of three, or the third of two?

Keith Snyder, KI6BDR, has been busy reverse engineering to uncover truth before time erases history. Keith shows visible engineering clues that reveal the mission and correct the history of the huge “Duga 3” antenna Array. The Duga 3 is located a few kilometers from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant site. Although it has fallen into disrepair, it stands today due only to a hasty exit forced by radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear accident. The nuclear accident ironically protected the array from dismantlement, a reprieve from all but the ravages of time. The antenna array today attracts tourists who visit Chernobyl. It is one of the 8th wonders of the world due to its titanic size.

[KA6Q]

Knowledge, Sufficiently Forgotten, is Indistinguishable from Magic

Shrikumar H., KA6Q

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

[W6WN]

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[W1RH]

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Phones, Fires and Failures

Alan Thompson, W6WN and Bob Hess, W1RH

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

Alan Thompson and Bob Hess present how cellular and Internet communications systems failed during the 2018 Camp Fire and placed peoples’ lives at risk. The presentation exposes the reasons why such failures have occurred elsewhere throughout California and the US and will likely occur again. Much of California shares the same severe fire conditions that destroyed the towns of Paradise and Magalia. These conditions, coupled with our over-reliance on cell phones and the Internet for all our communications, creates unnecessary risk for our homes, families and communities. One thing is clear: We need more resilient communications solutions to help ensure our communities get timely, life-saving information about fast-moving disasters. Topics covered are:

• The sequence of the communications failures on November 8, 2018, the first day of the Camp Fire.
• The role that Amateur Radio communications played during disaster recovery after the fire.
• The reasons behind catastrophic Internet and cell phone systems failures, which continue to impact emergency communications, alerts, and evacuations throughout the US.
• Steps that Amateur Radio clubs can take to help make our communities safer during local disasters or emergencies.

Alan and Bob’s presentation is available on-line.

[W0NG]

A DIY Stand-Alone Solar Project

Peter Chow, W0NG

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

Peter made an interesting solar project that used solar modules that he bought a few years ago. He explains the ins and outs of making something useful that works using free energy from the sun.

Peter’s presentation are available on-line at his web page.

[K6YA]

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Home Brew Winners:
Rachel, KK6DAC (1st)
Shri, KA6Q (2nd)
Andy, KR6DD (3rd)
John, K6JDS (4th)

FARS Annual Home Brew Contest

K6YA

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

This meeting is about you. Yes you, our members and guests. Our Annual Amateur Radio Homebrew Contest is a opportunity to show off a project that you have worked on in the past year. Each participant has a few minutes to show and explain his project to our audience and has a chance to win one of our four prizes:

$40 First prize
$30 Second prize
$20 Third prize
$10 Fourth prize

The following presented at this meeting:

There was no raffle, or WYWH for this meeting.

[KC6ZKT]

Repeaters To Go... Wild

Steve Sergeant, KC6ZKT

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

What if you're organizing a back country event where there is no communications infrastructure? It's the kind of problem that amateur radio operators are uniquely suited to solve. What if your repeater site is only accessible on foot? Then you need a portable repeater system that can be carried to site in a backpack. Steve will talk about design requirements for highly portable repeaters systems, and show and demonstrate two 70-cm systems he has built for public service events, and review events where they were used.

Steve’s presentation is available on-line.

[K6XOX]

WiFi iGate and Weather Station

Nimit Hongyim, K6XOX/HS1IFU,

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

Nimit Hongyim, K6XOX/HS1IFU describes his project to make an emergency and portable APRS iGate. The unit connects to a network wirelessly via Wi-Fi using inexpensive modules: a $3 ESP8266 NodeMCU. For a TNC he used a $2 Arduino Mini, which can also serve as a weather WX station by adding sensors for pressure, temperature, and humidity. One version of the project architecture is shown below. Nimit gives simple step-by-step instructions so anyone can make it, and he will describe other APRS-related projects that he did in fulfillment of requirements for his MSEE degree. Nimit is gives this Zoom presentation from Thailand.

Nimit’s presentation is on-line.

[KK6DAC]

[KC6TYD]

Quartzfest 2020

Rachel Kinoshita, KK6DAC
Rob Fenn, KC6TYD
Frank Fox, AF0XX
Karen Misenhimer, KK6NGA

This was a Zoom on-line only meeting.

Quartzfest, held in Quartzsite, Arizona, is like Woodstock for Hams. It is a camping adventure and a learning opportunity. Our illustrious gang of four, Rob, KC6TYD; Rachel, KKC6DAC; Frank, AF0XX; and Karen, KK6NGA, regale us with the desert fun of Quartzfest 2020. They share their adventures experienced during Quartzfest 2020. See what happens when you mix ham radio with boondocking – from daily seminars and four-wheel driving, to evening campfire camaraderie.

This presentation prepares you for Quartzfest 2021 coming the week of Sunday January 17 through Saturday January 23. Details are at Quartzfest web site. For 2021 Quartzfest has been renamed Quartz-PAUSE. "NOTHING WILL BE ORGANIZED".... just like the first 4 years of Quartzfest 25 years ago! That’s right, NO ONE IS IN CHARGE!! Hams are all ON THEIR OWN!! Quartz-PAUSE will continue to be radio ACTIVE. Talk in is on 146.550 simplex. Park ANYWHERE you want, and leave more room to spare. Announcements will be in the morning and evening on 146.550. The Main Fire Ring will be the focal point where there will be no gatherings, per management. But there is NO management this year. Yea!