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.
Please join us for a good old fashioned 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 3. This is the smaller site with shade over the tables. This once-a-year SBARC event will be held on October 19, 2025, from 10:00 AM until 2:30 PM.
We’re holding this event a little late this year as we hope most people will be done with their end of summer traveling and will be able to attend.
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.
Hope to see you there!
Post expires at 11:08pm on Sunday October 19th, 2025 but will still be available in the archives.
As amateur radio operators, we are well aware that we are bombarded by radio signals day and night. We can’t get away from them unless we move into a deep cave or build a house size Faraday box.
EMF is a broader category that includes RF as well as other environmental exposure categories that, like to or not, we can’t avoid, EMF includes:
RADIO FREQUENCY RADIATION – Caused by nearby radio transmitters, 4G & 5G cellular phones and towers, WiFi routers and devices, Bluetooth devices, alarm systems, wireless cameras, baby monitors and other connected devices.
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION – Caused by ionizing and non-iodizing radiation that can cause serious damage to living tissue.
MAGNETIC FIELD RADIATION – Caused by the Earth’s magnetic field. sunlight, visible and infrared light, power lines. household appliances, hair dryers, electric shavers, microwaves, radios, computers, televisions, cell phones and wireless devices all. produce magnetic fields when in use.
Join us this Friday and we’ll learn more about this topic and how it might affect us.
This is an in person meeting and will also be available on Zoom.
SBARC General Club Meeting
Friday, August 15, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Goleta Union School District Board Room
401 North Fairview Avenue in Goleta
Doors Open at 7:00pm and the meeting will start at 7:30pm
Zoom Link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86021640011?pwd=E6lDKtFuDDhHnmmpIIMc0E82Y83PWK.1
Post expires at 1:10am on Saturday August 16th, 2025 but will still be available in the archives.
Our Club Secretary, Larry Martinez – WA6MVJ is an expert on trash. Not just any trash though. Specifically the trash orbiting our planet also known as Space Junk.
Space junk started accumulating with the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1957. From that point on, every subsequent launch, including those of satellites and rocket stages, has added to the growing cloud of space debris orbiting Earth.
Space junk, also known as space debris, refers to any non-functional, human-made object orbiting Earth. This includes defunct satellites, discarded rocket stages, and fragments from collisions or explosions. It poses a significant risk to active satellites and spacecraft due to its high orbital velocities.
Space junk encompasses a wide range of objects, from large pieces like defunct satellites and rocket bodies to smaller items like screws, paint flecks, and even frozen water.
These objects are no longer serving a useful purpose in space and are instead orbiting the Earth, posing a potential hazard to active spacecraft and satellites.
Larry, who is a Professor Emeritus at California State University, Long Beach, travels the world talking about this and other cyber and outer space issues. This is sure to be an interesting evening.
This is an in person meeting and will also be available on Zoom.
SBARC General Club Meeting
Friday, July 18, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Goleta Union School District Board Room
401 North Fairview Avenue in Goleta
Doors Open at 7:00pm and the meeting will start at 7:30pm
Zoom Link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89799115190?pwd=50IzE1T6hN5T23EQ7q347cwGIrSQid.1
Post expires at 1:10am on Saturday July 19th, 2025 but will still be available in the archives.
Brian Milburn, foundation president (right) presented Olivia Hall (left) with a scholarship award on behalf of the Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation at the Santa Barbara Courthouse.
July 10, 2025 – SANTA BARBARA, Calif.
The Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation is pleased to announce the recipient of its annual scholarship, awarded to an outstanding local high school graduate who plans to pursue higher education in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM).
Olivia Hall, a 2025 graduate of Orcutt Academy High School, was selected as the 2025 recipient of the award. Hall graduated with a 4.55 GPA and plans to attend California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in the fall, where she will major in either industrial or mechanical engineering with a focus on manufacturing.
An active student on campus and in her community, Hall participated in FRC Robotics, Debate Club, National Honor Society, Freshman Connect Crew, Surf Club, and Garden Club. She is also a STEM pathway student and a first-generation college student.
“This scholarship will help me reduce the need to work full-time while I’m in college,” said Hall. “That means I can stay focused on my coursework, graduate on time with less debt, and begin my career in manufacturing sooner.”
“Olivia’s academic achievements and her clear goals for a future in engineering and manufacturing made her an excellent choice for this year’s scholarship,” said Milburn.
Hall is the latest recipient of this scholarship, which is awarded annually. Applicants must be graduating high school seniors in Santa Barbara, Ventura or San Luis Obispo Counties who plan to study Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics in higher education. Applicants should have an excellent academic record. While not requirements, preference is given to applicants who hold an active FCC amateur radio license.
Donations to the scholarship fund and applications by members of the class of 2026 may be submitted at scholarships.sbwireless.org.
The Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation, together with the Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club, forms a nonprofit, public benefit organization that develops and supports wireless telecommunications technologies in support of public safety, emergency communications, community service, and scientific research in the Santa Barbara region. More information can be found at www.sbarc.org and www.sbwireless.org.
John Palminteri, KEYT News reporter, recently interviewed SBARC board member Warren – KN6ZZI. The interview focused on SBARC’s 2025 Field Day activity. The interview also provided insight into SBARC’s mission and capabilities. Importantly, the piece inspired many visitors, including a dozen or so youth, to attend the SBARC Field Day. Notably, two that attended last year’s event, having subsequently obtained their Technician level FCC license, worked many stations during Field Day this year. Thank you to all that contributed to Field Day, 2025 for helping make it a big success!
Follow the YouTube link, below, to view the video recording of the interview.
Post expires at 8:35am on Thursday July 31st, 2025 but will still be available in the archives.
Youth-Focused Activities, Earthquake Commemoration, Historic Reenactment, and Public Demonstrations Highlight 2025 Field Day
The Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club invites people of all ages to participate in the nationwide 2025 Amateur Radio Field Day at Chase Palm Park June 28-29. (photo: Jim Smart)
June 23, 2025 – SANTA BARBARA, Calif.
When cell towers fail and internet connections go silent, one form of communication continues to deliver: amateur radio. Each year, the Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club (SBARC) joins thousands of operators across North America to demonstrate this essential technology during the nationwide:
Field Day is the most anticipated event on the amateur radio calendar—a 24-hour emergency communication exercise that mixes public service, technical skills, and community outreach. Now in its 92nd year, Field Day reminds us that when all else fails, amateur radio still works.
New for 2025, SBARC will also be activating a special radio station on State Street as part of the City of Santa Barbara’s centennial reenactment of the 1925 earthquake. The station will showcase how amateur radio can provide critical communication in disaster scenarios when modern infrastructure is compromised. We will be located on State Street between Amapamu Street and Figueroa Street. A map showing our location (and others) is shown below. (Click to enlarge)
At the Chase Palm Park Field Day site, SBARC will operate three High Frequency (HF) stations, powered entirely by emergency generators. The public is encouraged to drop by, ask questions, and learn how these stations connect with others across the globe—entirely off-grid. Licensed amateur radio operators are invited to operate under the club’s call sign, within the privileges of their license.
This year, young people are especially encouraged to attend. In 2024, more than 20 local children and teens participated in Field Day, sparking curiosity and even helping scouts fulfill requirements for their Radio Merit Badge. With hands-on demonstrations and real-world communication scenarios, Field Day is a perfect introduction to the world of radio for all ages.
SBARC has served Santa Barbara since 1920, fostering public service, technical experimentation, and emergency preparedness. The club maintains a robust network of repeaters, remote stations, and trained operators dedicated to community resilience.
📡 Learn more: www.sbarc.org
📘 About ARRL Field Day: www.arrl.org/field-day
Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club (SBARC) is a part of the Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation (SBWF), a non-profit public benefit corporation organized and operated to promote education for persons interested in telecommunications, to disseminate information about scientific discoveries and progress in the field, and to train communicators for public service and emergency communications. SBWF advises and assists other non-profit groups with communications related challenges by leveraging our wide area of expertise. SBWF serves organizations engaged in services that benefit the public such as first responders, animal rescue, event communications, scientific research, aviation safety, and emergency preparedness.
This month we will have a presentation from Warren, KN6ZZI. He recently traveled to an African country to activate this remote location. He is going to share his experiences with us.
Many of us have hunted DX. Whether drawn by the promise of Logbook of The World awards, the challenge of working rare and distant stations, or just talking with people from all over the world, DXing is fun! Most of us have wondered what is it like to “Be the DX”. Curious about these questions, Warren – KN6ZZI, activated a VHF/HF radio station in Cape Verde, an African country comprised of an island archipelago 400 miles west of Senegal. Warren obtained a Cape Verde radio license (D44ZZI), arranged transportation for himself and his radio equipment, prepared medically and mentally, and set off on a great adventure! There were many challenges including water, food, shelter, insect infestations and electrical supply, to name a few. In spite of the challenges, operating as D44ZZI for over two weeks Warren logged 3074 QSOs, 2360 of them with unique callsigns from over 100 countries. Come hear Warren tell of his exciting and challenging experiences that lead him to conclude that “To be DX is better than to work DX.This is an in person meeting and will also be available on Zoom.
SBARC General Club Meeting
Friday, June 20, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Goleta Union School District Board Room
401 North Fairview Avenue in Goleta
Doors Open at 7:00pm and the meeting will start at 7:30pm
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2240814679?pwd=YlpjOTVFWUFMc0xOWHZXNXpRd3Bidz09&omn=83734556683
Post expires at 7:38am on Saturday June 21st, 2025 but will still be available in the archives.
