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.
Presentation of award to Jug WA6MBZ by Brian K6BPM
This months meeting was thrown into disarray because of monumental traffic problems caused by the closure of I-5 and other roads hit by heavy rains and floods. Our regularly scheduled speaker Orville K. Beach, W6BI was unable to make the meeting because of the incredible traffic delays coming from his home in Simi Valley. Many members were forced to abandon their plans to attend because even the local side street traffic was bumper to bumper.
That didn’t stop us from having a great meeting though. The highpoint of the meeting was the well deserved presentation of the SBARC Lifetime Achievement award to “Jug” – WA6MBZ. Jug has spent decades dedicating his time to the furtherance of Amateur Radio and service to SBARC. The award was given to recognize his considerable contributions to our club and our hobby. Jug has always been on the cutting edge of amateur radio technology going all the way back to our very first area wide repeater systems. His contributions are everywhere and almost everything the club has done over the years has benefitted from Jugs expertise. He is the embodiment of the spirit of experimentation and a “real” amateur radio enthusiast in every sense of the word. Congratulations Jug!
The rest of the meeting was basically a “ragchew” and listening to Jug relate stories about the early days of amateur radio in Santa Barbara. It was a real treat to all that were able to attend.
Post expires at 10:48pm on Monday November 16th, 2015 but will still be available in the archives.
Our friends at the Santa Barbara HackerSpace are developing the tiniest ever 1.6 oz APRS Weather Data board for weather balloon flights and private weather stations. Their little device is called the Tracksoar and it contains a GPS receiver, a 2m transmitter, weather sensors, and an Arduino compatible Atmega 328P microprocessor.
They have launched a KickStarter campaign and are looking for backers. The campaign closes November 8, 2015.
For more information visit the project website at: http://tracksoar.com
The KickStarter campaign can be found here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1250163085/tracksoar-aprs
Disclaimer: KickStarter campaigns involve risk. If participation in this project interests you and you have never backed a crowd-funded project before, please read this to ensure you understand the risks involved.
This month’s presenter will be Orville K. Beach, W6BI. Orv is a member of the Simi Settlers Amateur Radio Club of Simi Valley, California. He hereby announces to the world that he is All Digital, All the Time!
As an example of All Digital, All the Time, look at his operating style:
CW for four years
RTTY for 11 years (teletypes, homebrewed terminal units, then homebrewed computer interfaces and programs)
VHF Packet radio for about 10 years – helped build up a packet network down the California coast and east to Tucson
QRT off and on for a couple of years
Pactor for 2 years
PSK31 off and on for a couple of years
2014.. Digital Mesh radio on the microwave bands
Orv brags that his last HF SSB QSO was in 1975…
Although he enjoys digital more than analog radio, he says that his Principal interests are technical as well as ragchewing. Which brings us to Orv’s topic that he is looking forward to presenting to us at our Club meeting. If you haven’t already heard of it, you will surely hear about it during his presentation. It is called, “Digital Mesh Networking for Amateur Radio.” Come with an open mind and let Orv fill it with lots of interesting concepts that are probably new to you.
We hold our Club meetings at the Goleta Union School District, 401 N. Fairview Ave. in Goleta, right across the street from the Goleta Library. Doors open at 7:00 PM and the meeting starts at 7:30 PM.
Post expires at 7:14am on Saturday October 17th, 2015 but will still be available in the archives.
Levi Maaia, K6LCM
SBARC is proud to announce that we have a published author in our ranks! Levi – K6LCM submitted an article to QST about his recent trip to Cuba and his visit with a group of local hams. QST liked the article and it was printed in the current (October 2015) issue of QST magazine!
If you attended the June 2015 General Club Meeting, Levi also gave us a great presentation and slideshow on his trip. There is more about that meeting and a link to the audio archive here: http://www.sbarc.org/2015/06/21/june-2015-general-club-meeting/
Getting published in QST magazine is quite an accomplishment for any amateur radio operator! Congratulations Levi!
Post expires at 9:00am on Saturday October 10th, 2015 but will still be available in the archives.
Our guest speaker was Dick Norton, N6AA, our ARRL Southwestern Division Director. Dick spoke on the latest activities of the American Radio Relay League and how they influence our lives as hams. He brought us up to date on the Amateur Radio Parity Act and how we still need to contact our Congressperson Lois Capps and both of our Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and push for them to sign on as supporters of their respective bills in the House and the Senate.
Dick also talked briefly about the contest for the Santa Barbara Section Manager between our present Manager Rob Griffin, K6YR, of San Luis Obispo and Jim Fortney, K6IYK, of Camarillo. The ballots will arrive in early October in the mail boxes of ARRL members.
The highlight of the Club meeting was the video presentation about President Jay’s recently departed wife and best friend in the world Winnie, KA6OFZ, SK. The well produced video showed Winnie running a QSO between her students and the astronauts passing overhead aboard the International Space Station.
Listen to the full audio of the meeting here: http://www.sbarc.org/k6tz-repeater-live-audio-and-archive/general-club-meetings-audio-archives/
Post expires at 8:38am on Thursday October 15th, 2015 but will still be available in the archives.
Bob KB6CTX checking the voltage level
Ken KA6KEN and Tom N6YX checking out the Rover
This Saturday was pizza day at the shack, but the rover got a little attention too. The backup batteries were getting old and would not hold much of a charge so they were replaced by Tom N6YX, Bob KB6CTX and Ken KA6KEN.
By the way, Bob is our “Rovermaster” and Makes sure everything is kept in good repair. The Rover is fully equipped to handle emergency communications any time it might be needed. It carries an onboard repeater, antenna mast, an HF radio, VHF and UHF radios, and plenty of gear to rig up whatever might be needed. Come on down for pizza on the second Saturday of the month and take a tour of the Rover. It’s impressive capabilities rival anyone’s home shack. And it’s totally mobile and self sufficient.
KG6VLB Riding in the Marshall-mobile
A yearly tradition for SBARC, we are providing communications for Santa Barbara’s annual Fiesta Parade! Left, is special events operations coordinator Rick KG6VLB (facing backwards?) riding along with Parade Marshall 1.
This year marks the 91st anniversary of the Fiesta Historical Parade. It is unique to Santa Barbara and features floats depicting episodes from the history of the state and city. Descendants of local Native Americans, Spanish Pioneers, the Native Sons and Daughters of the Golden West, and local service clubs and organizations all reenact historical scenes. It is one of the nation’s largest equestrian parades, featuring over 600 horses, as well as many antique carriages, coaches and wagons. SBARC members and other amateur radio volunteers monitor the parade route from the beginning to end from the west end of Cabrillo Boulevard, up to State and Sola Streets.
Photo by SBARC member Dorothy K6DSO.
