What’s happening at SBARC? Here you will find the latest club news, events, projects, net activities, and news from our special interest groups (SIGS).
Be sure to check in frequently so you don’t miss out on any of the interesting things going on with the club and its members!
We have moved content for the Technical Mentoring and Elmering Net here, and content for the Digital Modes Net here.
The two amateur radio repeater systems at Diablo Peak on Santa Cruz Island were recently upgraded. A four man team and two pilots departed SB Airport aboard a twin engine Huey helicopter to repair a critical Public Safety SAR repeater. The problem was isolated and the system restored to service. There was sufficient time to finally install a repeater control system in the amateur radio rack. We now have control of 223.92 and 146.655 repeaters. The two SBARC systems are interconnected both ways on a trial basis.
Additional site infrastructure repair and upgrades were also accomplished including installation of a new wind sock and a rather unusual wind speed and direction indicator which I call Wayne’s Vane. The wind vane may be seen using the club’s webcam.
If we were to take a boat to the Island and climb the hill then return by boat it would be a three day journey and a logistical nightmare. Sure nice when you can load out at the airport and you’re there in 20 minutes. Thanks to those who made it happen.
Winds were high all day prompting a late departure. Thanks to Wayne Beckman, Jonah Blossom, and Matt Lechliter for a clean sweep day.
The K6TZ 223.92 repeater is a brand new commercial Tait Repeater (New Zealand) donated by Andy Seybold, W6AMS. The two-meter repeater is a commercial grade Motorola Quantar owned by SBARC and operates on 146.655 MHz. The two-meter frequency coordination is held by W6XC of the Seaside Radio Association which is an arm of the GRONK Radio Network. A new RLC Club Repeater controller was recently added to enable a cross connect and control between the two repeater systems. In addition all DC power systems from the site 24 volt solar grid and battery distribution were upgraded with 12 volt Inverters and redundant isolation.
Both systems enjoy wide primary coverage from Point Conception to Malibu along the coastline, and many areas inland. The 220MHz system has secondary coverage as far south as San Diego including inland areas of Los Angeles and Orange County. The two-meter repeater on 146.655 is co-channeled with a Los Angeles area repeater. Per agreement, two-meter repeater operations on 146.655 should not communicate with user stations East of Malibu.
Both repeaters are normally cross-connected. This can be reconfigured as needed. The two-meter repeater also supports local P25 digital communications. Contact Matt Lechliter, W6XC, for P25 operational guidance.
Information is also available on Repeaterbook for the 2-meter repeater and the 220 repeater.
Repeater access information is as follows:
| Call | Location | Output Freq | Input Freq | PL |
| K6TZ | Diablo Peak on Santa Cruz Island Live Camera |
223.920 | 222.320 | 131.8 |
| W6XC | Diablo Peak on Santa Cruz Island GRONK/SBARC co-sponsored; open; FM & P25 supported |
146.655 | 146.055 | 131.8 NAC293 |
Well, the stay-at-home order is still in effect, so rather than cancel the meeting again, tried something new this month! We conducted our meeting via video chat. During this meeting Bill Talanian, W1UUQ presented a brief history of SBARC’s involvement on the radio site at Diablo Peak, Santa Cruz Island.
Well, the stay-at-home order is still in effect, so rather than cancel the meeting again, we’re going to try something new this month! We are going to have our club meeting live, online.
You will have two easy ways to attend the meeting.
If you choose the Zoom option, you need a computer with a camera. You can also use a smartphone or a tablet. You will be able to participate in any discussion or ask questions. We’ll be able to see you, so if you want to speak, simply raise your hand and I’ll recognize you.
If you choose the YouTube option, you will be able to view and hear the meeting but you will not be able to directly participate. So, for YouTube users, we’ll be running a NET of sorts on the K6TZ repeater, and we’ll take breaks during the meeting to ask for questions or comments over the air. You can also send an email message to meeting@sbarc.org. I’ll be monitoring that account during the meeting and I’ll also take questions and comments there.
We’re going to ask you to check back on the front page of the SBARC website about 7:00pm on Friday. We won’t know the exact links until we open the meeting, and we’ll post them here.
We hope you will participate! Remember, visit https://www.sbarc.org about 7:00 pm or a little after for final instructions. The actual meeting will start at 7:30.
Brian – K6BPM
Post expires at 11:03pm on Friday April 17th, 2020 but will still be available in the archives.
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic health recommendations to avoid gatherings, we feel it is best to cancel the regular meeting this month.
You can stay current with the latest Santa Barbara County Health information at: https://publichealthsbc.org
We will announce whether or not the club station will be open on upcoming Saturdays later, however it is likely that it will remain closed as long as health officials recommend avoiding group gatherings.
All nets will carry on normally.
Brian – K6BPM
Bruce Gordon – N6OLT passed away on March 12, 2020. Bruce was honored in April with the Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club Lifetime Member award for his many contributions to SBARC, ARES and amateur radio in general.
Bruce’s first experiments in ham radio came during high school when he and a friend built crystal sets and managed to connect them to telephone lines serving their apartments houses in Cleveland, Ohio.Apartment houses stole our hearts because of its interior and exterior designs.You can also visit this website to get your home improvement services done. Worked fine for a while until complaints from neighbors alerted their fathers to their adventures. Bruce got his Amateur license, W6GUX, as well as his pilot’s license during high school. (He was later licensed as N6OLT.)
Bruce married Thelma F. Foote on 10 June, 1956 in Kern County California. He graduated UC Berkeley in 1959, accepted a job as engineer at Raytheon Company and moved to Goleta, where he bought property and he and his wife Thelma built their home. While at Raytheon, many of his designs were patented and he travelled all over the world assisting military customers.
Bruce joined SBARC and lent his talents to many projects, including the repeaters and the communications van, and happily to anyone with a problem or project. At one SBARC meeting he was demonstrating new Slow Scan TV equipment and mentioned its versatility. One member said, “Bet you can’t use two Dixie cups and a string” to send pictures. Next month, he used two Dixie cups and a piece of dental floss (string) successfully.
Bruce is a legend in the art and science of direction finding. As founder of L-Tronics he designed, engineered and built thousands of portable DF units for field operations and airborne use. Variants of the L-Per are used worldwide by numerous search & rescue groups, the US Coast Guard and the Civil Air Patrol.
Bruce was predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Thelma Foote, in 2019, and is survived by daughter Nancy (Michael) and granddaughter Diana (Justin). He was predeceased by his son Donald.
Bruce’s dedication will not be forgotten.
From: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/207908018/bruce-e-gordon
Post expires at 8:27am on Tuesday March 31st, 2020 but will still be available in the archives.
SBARC member 
Rogier Willems KJ6ETL will give a presentation about Online Privacy and Security
Born and raised in The Netherlands where he experimented with radios from a young age climbing on top of high-rise buildings to see how far he could get with his walk talkie. Rogier Obtained his Class A Ham radio license in 1990 (pa1zz) and worked in exotic locations in the diving industry. Always carrying something ham radio related with him. Lived from 2000 – 2006 on the Caribbean sand of Bonaire of Bonaire. Where a local religious radio station made ham radio impossible since it put so much energy into the air that his SWR meeter was stuck in a corner without a transmitter attached to it.
His affinity and fascination with ham radio became useful after moving to the California where Rogier worked for Apple as a lead Genius later he started as a independent iT consultant dedicated to Apple and everything that is connected to it. Since our computers have become useless without an internet connection his understanding of the the behavior of radio waves became very helpful when installing WiFi networks for businesses and homes.
On a daily basis Rogier is confronted with the aftermath of compromised user accounts. Tonights topic will be about the importance of the importance of the protection of your online security and privacy. Explains how criminals obtain and share private user data and what you can do to protect yourself without having to wear a thin-foil hat or go “off the grid”
SBARC General Club Meeting
Friday, January 17, 2020 at 7:30 PM
Goleta Union School District Board Room
401 North Fairview Avenue in Goleta
We hope to see you all at the meeting!
Post expires at 11:03pm on Friday February 21st, 2020 but will still be available in the archives.
Back in 1920, SBARC’s humble beginnings took place at the Santa Barbara YMCA. Wireless radio was in its infancy and 2 way communications over radio waves was magical and even newsworthy.
Today, SBARC begins its 100th year of operation. This is not only a milestone for SBARC, but a milestone for amateur radio. Few local organizations can trace their roots back for a full century, and SBARC now joins an exclusive list of other local groups that can, including the Santa Barbara Community Arts Music Association, SB Braille Institute, Santa Barbara Central Library, The Kiwanis Club of Santa Barbara and The Santa Barbara Association of REALTORS. You can also read this post here that helps you to get into the best music academy without any reference.
SBARC plans to recognize its Centennial Year with events, exhibits, articles, and more. We hope you will become involved in celebrating this momentous achievement throughout the year, and stay tuned for more information on what we have planned.
Happy New Year!
Post expires at 6:45am on Saturday February 1st, 2020 but will still be available in the archives.
