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.
Wayne, AF6GX and Levi, K6LCM installing the new BridgeCom repeater at La Cumbre Peak West. Photo: Michael, K6RQV
It was a foggy, cool day at La Cumbre Peak when SBARC members Levi, K6LCM; Wayne, AF6GX; and Michael, K6RQV, headed up to the site to install the club’s new BridgeCom FM repeater on 446.400 MHz. Despite the low visibility and brisk weather, the team successfully completed the installation, bringing a significant upgrade to the repeater system.
The new repeater offers excellent coverage and is now linked to the club’s wider system, ensuring even greater range for members and improving communications across the region. This installation is part of SBARC’s ongoing efforts to enhance the reliability and reach of its network for amateur radio operators in Santa Barbara and beyond.
Stay tuned for more updates and make sure to give the new repeater a try on 446.400- PL 131.8.
We’re going to break with the format of the past few meetings and show a video provided by Darryl KF6DI.
The FT5ZM Amsterdam Island 2014 International DXpedition. It became known as the DXpedition of the year 2013-2014. Where is Amsterdam Island? Little Amsterdam, also known as Amsterdam Island and New Amsterdam, is an island of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands in the southern Indian Ocean.
We’ll still be bringing everyone up to date with our repeater relocation efforts, and with any luck, the new 440 repeater will be in operation at its new location by meeting time.
If you don’t have 446.40 in your radios, you will want t add it. You can also bring your HT to the meeting and I’ll program it for you if there’s time. If you have a programming cable, be sure to bring that along.
We hope to see you this Friday!
SBARC General Club Meeting
Friday, September 20, 2024 at 7:30 PM (Doors open at 7pm)
Goleta Union School District Board Room
401 North Fairview Avenue in Goleta
Doors open at 7pm, meeting starts at 7:30pm
Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82648150046?pwd=Xgys9KTbsEVTEtjaWmiLcLLwipkD7V.1
Topic: General Club Meeting – September 20, 2024
Time: September 20, 2024 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Post expires at 1:00am on Saturday September 21st, 2024 but will still be available in the archives.
We have moved the club VHF packet node from the Mesa to La Cumbre Peak West. At nearly 4,000′ above sea level, this station has a Winlink gateway that can gate mail between RF and the internet (Starlink-capable and perfect for emergencies), as well as a few other features, including a local keyboard chat room!
Check it out if you have a TNC or sound card modem for VHF packet on 145.050.
The main node is K6TZ-2 but the following aliases will connect you directly to the various services: LCPW (main node), TZPBBS, TZCHAT, TZRMS (Winlink)
Note that BPQ is a little different than Kantronics. Commands like MHEARD and CONNECT (to hop) require a port number (in this case the port number to use is 2). More details in the welcome message.
Thanks to Doc, W6EW for donating the Kenwood TM-D700 to the club.
If you are interested in learning more about VHF packet radio and other digital modes, join us on Tuesday nights for the Digital Communications & Technology Net and consider joining our group mailing list.
-Levi, K6LCM
K6TZ Trustee
Please join us for a good old fashioned summertime potluck barbecue. SBARC will host this years get-together at Stow Grove Park on La Patera Lane in Goleta just before it intersects Cathedral Oaks Rd. We will be in Area 2 This once-a-year SBARC event will be held on September 22, 2024, from 10:00 AM until 2:30 PM. With all the various projects going on related to the relocation of our repeaters, this will be a welcome break.
This year will work much the same way as last year. SBARC will supply delicious 1/3 lb. hamburgers and cheeseburgers with all the fixings for all SBARC members and their immediate families. For non-members, burgers will be $5 each. You are welcome to bring your own beverages and we will have cold sodas and water available for $1.
Since this is a potluck, we are encouraging everyone to bring something to share. You can bring a salad, potato chips, beans, hot dish, cookies or other desert, whatever you like and whatever you have time for.
We hope you will join us for a relaxing meal and take the time to catch up with old friends. Of course, we can always use a little help setting things up before the event and cleaning things up afterwards. If you have a little time we would surely appreciate your help.
Please RSVP so we know how much food to buy. Call our message line at 805-456-K6TZ (456-5689) or send a message through our Contact Us link and let us know if you are attending and how many people you will be bringing.
Hope to see you there!
Post expires at 1:05am on Monday September 23rd, 2024 but will still be available in the archives.
We’re making big progress on the relocation of equipment and repeaters from the La Vigia site. A lot of work has been competed and some new things are going to be introduced. We think you will be excited to hear what’s coming so you won’t want to miss this meeting.
These past few meetings have allowed us to get some very valuable input from our members. Our job is to look out for your interests and to provide services and activities to help you enjoy amateur radio. Your participation and feedback have been very important in guiding our efforts and we appreciate your attendance. We want to make sure you feel you have a seat at the table as we progress to the next chapter in SBARCs 103 year old story.
Make sure you bring a pencil and paper with you as we’re going to give you some new frequencies and other details. If you have a DMR radio, bring that along too. Many of you have probably forgotten DMR programing basics, so I am going to do a short refresher explaining how to add new channels.
We hope to see you this Friday!
SBARC General Club Meeting
Friday, August 16, 2024 at 7:30 PM (Doors open at 7pm)
Goleta Union School District Board Room
401 North Fairview Avenue in Goleta
Doors open at 7pm, meeting starts at 7:30pm
Zoom Details:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88295475871?pwd=ovaOOzpvuao80c6GvsKjCBR2rnhsPM.1
Topic: General Club Meeting – August 16, 2024
Time: August 16, 2024 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Post expires at 11:14pm on Monday September 16th, 2024 but will still be available in the archives.
Sometimes adverse events help spawn productive projects! With the relocation of the K6TZ repeater to TV Hill, we have been forced to make room for other things, and Michael K6RQV, Jim W6JFE and Bob KO6AKG spent several hours reorganizing the shack. If you have been there in the past year, you might have noticed that thighs can get a little cluttered. RQV’s organizing skills have come in handy. Not only did we move everything from our storage locker in Goleta to out new container, we got the shack cleaned up to boot.
Post expires at 3:36pm on Friday August 30th, 2024 but will still be available in the archives.
Big thanks to everyone who pitched in on Saturday to help with the move from our expensive storage locker to our brand new container.
This portion of our relocation project is more than halfway complete. We still have three more shelf units to move and more storage items to relocate, and we will be able to vacate our storage locker for good, saving us about $6000 a year, and possibly more as the rent surely would have been bumped up another hundred dollars a month later this year.
Here’s where we stand as of today:
We will be moving the rest of the storage items next weekend and will put out a worker help request later in the week.
If you haven’t yet signed up to the project mailing list, you can do so by sending a blank email to workers+subscribe@sbarc.org. We are mailing list members about dates, times and location when we anticipate needing help, and if you can help, that’s great.
Post expires at 8:23am on Tuesday August 20th, 2024 but will still be available in the archives.
